Hotel pillows are the worst, sometimes they’re just foam and usually they are far too big, that’s why I always take my own pillow when travelling. I know it’s an extravagance and it takes up a bit of bag space but it’s so worth it.
I’m going to do just a couple more blog posts to finish off my travel story and this one talks about hotel rooms. I travelled for 4 weeks and 2 days, or 30 days, which seemed like a long time when I was there but now is all just a memory. Usually, I like to stay in each place a week but this time it was a different place every 3 days; this allows for two full days at each place and a day either side for travelling. As a result, I stayed in 9 different beds which is quite a bit of packing-in-and-out. Some places had a fridge in the room, most had air-con, and one had a free breakfast.
Maybe it was because I booking at the cheaper end of the market; 2 star and 3 star, but everything was key entry. I was always given traditional metal keys, no swipe cards in these places. It was a fob of three keys, one for the gate on the street, one for the hotel and one for the room.
Many of the hotels did not have people living on site or anyone at reception, just someone who turns up when you arrive. All the places were always very clean and tidy even though some of them were getting a bit old. I struggled to get lower cost accomodation in Milan so opted for a hostel and got a two bed dorm, but I only had a room-mate for one of those three nights.
Via Appia Nuova – Rome
Via Nordones – Naples
Via della Mattonaia – Florence
Via Irnerio – Bologna
La Marais – Paris
People ask me what place I enjoyed the most and I would say Naples for it’s earthy charm, and Bologna for it’s sophisticated style. Certainly, I enjoy visiting the magnificent basilicas and cathedrals but sometimes I prefer to just hang out at a restaurant in a beautiful open-setting with fantastic food, and Bologna had plenty of those tucked away. The streets all bit of a maze so I would take a photo of places I came across as a way to save the location for later.
I was told the pizza’s in Naples are the best but I found them a bit hit and miss – but here’s a nice one. But to be honest, the pizza’s that we make here at home when Theo makes the dough using OO flour, are better, in my opinion.
A local person suggested one Osteria that was down a back street of Naples, the Osteria della Mattonella with just 8 tables – and later I noticed it was also mentioned in the Lonely Planet guidebook. I had the Braciola, it was delicious but it was so small I had to order more dishes, which of course is the what you’re meant to do anyway.
