travel bite: Rome, Italy

I HAVE unfinished business in Rome. I came, I saw, but I did not conquer. There is a slice of Pizza Bianca in a renowned bakery on Campo dei Fiori, awaiting my return...

Within the first few hours of arrival in this city I quickly learnt that my travelling companion and I were of two very different breeds. I was there for the food, to sample the dizzying heights of Rome's pizza, ice-cream and regional specialties; whereas M had come for the ‘bricks’, a term coined in our family for those obsessed with the photography of their surroundings when abroad.

Luckily both of us were happy to meet in the middle. I would never have queued for an hour to enter the Vatican Museum (even if the Sistine Chapel was the prize jewel at the end) despite ultimately being very glad that I did. Whereas for M, it may have seemed a vast exaggeration when I claimed that I was on the brink of tears at missing the lunchtime opportunity to sample Rome’s ‘best’ Pizza Bianca al taglio, but she did offer to return later that day – in spite of it being completely out of our way.

Now, it is easy to become overwhelmed by Rome - a city steeped in things that many feel they ‘should’ see or do. As a result it’s been a struggle to summarise our obscenely jam packed weekend into a concise piece of prose that would not reduce you all to droopy eyed monsters before your computer screens.

Instead I will recommend going by instinct. Even by wandering casually through the city there is much to behold, especially as ancient sites seem to have a tendency to pop up on every street corner. But just for your information, here are what I considered to be the highlights:

travel bite: Formentera, Spain

IT may seem a little late in the season to be dishing out holiday destination advice - especially considering my trip here was in July last year - but since I have found myself recommending this gorgeous island to all who cross my path this summer I feel it is necessary for me to put my tips into words (and pictures).

platja illetes

Formentera is a gem of an island situated half an hours ferry ride from Ibiza, a world apart from its hectic neighbour. No big nightclubs as such occupy this spot of land that is circled by some of the most beautiful coastline to be found in Europe. Spoilt for choice, you can have your pick from rugged beaches, secluded coves, golden sands peppered with Italian glitterati and long stretches of ice white sand laced with crystal clear waters. 

travel bite: Ios, Greece

SO, back from the holiday and I can say with confidence that the terrible cliche of how I now needed another holiday to recover was certainly the case after time spent on this little island...

internal flight from athens to san torini

Following a mammoth journey getting there - airplane, 5hr kip on airport seating, propeller plane, taxi, boat, taxi - we arrived exhausted on what we soon found out was the party island. Not for Brits of course, who the majority of which quite naturally do not have the inclination to endure a journey time equivalent to that of one to the other side of the world; instead it was the predominantly Aussie and Swedish visitors that were lending this island its reputation.

katerina's rooms