Welcome to Italy

On her blog Almalu's Place writes about design, fashion, her children and family and her home, Italy.

Alessandra Aghilar

Best time to travel

I'd say spring and summer. Indeed, spring is the perfect season, as it is not yet that hot and you can enjoy visiting cities and towns, not also beaches and sea. So I'd say spring for a tour of Tuscany and Umbria and their lovely little towns and summer to visit Puglia and its beautiful beaches and towns.

Favourite town

It is really hard to pick just one. And, again, I must mention towns form my homeland. Vieste, known as the Pearl of Gargano, has a beautiful town centre, with its Romanesque Cathedral and its Castle, both inheritance of the reign of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. And at the beginning of the Castello beach there is a monolith 25 mt. high that it's the symbol of the town, called Pizzomunno. Otranto, in Salento, is one of my favorite, together with Ostuni, known as the white town, and Trani with its amazing Cathedral on the sea.

Fashion feature inspired by »A Roman Holiday« here

Sight-Seeing in Rome here

Best blog to day-dream

On Instagram I suggest @valdirose - Irene is able to capture the beauty of her Tuscany - and @elisagram who makes Milan look so beautiful. Also, I have to mention two profiles from two Americans in Italy, they definitely helped me rediscover places I forgot: @suite_jennifer and @historyinhighheels . One blog I love to read looking for inspiration for little trips in Italy is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland , from Gaia Borzicchi, have a look at her »real travel« tag on her blog.

Tour through Testaccio here

Best beach

I am from the South of Italy, exactly from Puglia... So, let me say I might be a little partisan, but I think we have some of the most beautiful beaches in Italy: Cala della Sanguinara, in Vieste (Gargano) is nest between pinewoods and cliffs. But also Marina di Pescoluse (also called the Maldives of Salento) with its crystal clear sea, white sand and pure sea bottom.

Essential luggage

You cannot leave for Italy without sunglasses for the sunny days, flat shoes for the long walks and a light breezy dress for the aperitivo at sunset!