Family Christmas Holidays in Rome & Sorrento
Our BA flight arrived into Rome Fiumicino airport after a slight delay, to be met by our prearranged transfer. It was well worth the extra cost in order to avoid the chaos of trying to find a taxi. Instead we were greeted by our driver who led us to his extremely comfortable and spacious people carrier - perfect for a small group or family. The journey took around half an hour, and we were then at our hotel, the Sofitel Villa Borghese located very centrally within 10 minutes of the Spanish steps, the Via Veneto and the beautiful Borghese Gardens. We decided to try out the top floor restaurant of the hotel for dinner - there is a lovely terrace with fantastic views of the city and the food was pretty good as well. The next day was a beautiful sunny one with clear blue skies. I hadn't thought to pack my sunglasses for a holiday in December but they really are an essential requirement. After tucking into the extensive breakfast options at the hotel, we wandered to the Spanish steps and then onto the Trevi fountain where we tried our first gelato of the holiday. After walking the streets of Rome for a few hours, we returned for a siesta before venturing to the park where our daughter fancied trying out a "riscio", a motorised rickshaw which was a great way to discover the Borghese Gardens. The gardens have a great selection of child friendly activities including a zoo, playground, carousel and pony rides. The next day, we decided that the best way to take in the sights of Rome with a 7 year old in tow was by open top bus which conveniently stopped just a few minutes from our hotel. It was a hop on/off bus, highly recommended for families with young children, older people or those who just have one day in the city. Our first stop was the “il Colosseo”, where we bought a tour, allowing us to skip the one hour queue. The English speaking guide was excellent and even kept our daughter enthralled. Back on the bus, and many photo opportunities later (an open top bus is a great place to take in the many beautiful monuments) we arrived at the Vatican. Like the rest of Rome, it is particularly special at this time of year with a life size nativity scene and huge Christmas tree. That evening we decided to venture out of our hotel to a typical Roma Trattoria for a simple but delicious meal, washed down with some Chianti Classico. The next day, it was time to take the train from Rome Termini station to Naples. We took the high speed Eurostar Italia which arrived early in just over an hour. From Naples Central station we walked to Garibaldi station where we took the Circumvesuviana train to Naples. This is a local train with plenty of graffiti and pretty hard seats, but we eventually arrived in Sorrento 1 hour later after over 30 stops. During the last part of the journey, we were treated to some spectacular views of the Amalfi coastline. Once we arrived in Sorrento, we made our way to our hotel, the Hilton Sorrento Palace which is a large modern hotel with a stunning location. It is well worth paying for a room with a view, as the rooms open onto a terrace and we arrived just in time to see the sunset over the hillside. That evening, we sampled the hotel restaurant for dinner which was very good, and retired for an early night. The next day, we were sadly greeted by rain which was disappointing after 4 days of glorious sunshine. Still, it was our only day to discover the area, so after a walk through Sorrento, we took the high speed hydrofoil to Capri, an island which would be beautiful on a sunny day! Still, we managed to find a friendly trattoria for some excellent pizza before making our way back to Sorrento via the cable car and hydrofoil. Typically, the next day was a sunny one, but sadly we had to make our way back to Naples airport in order to return home, just in time for New Years Eve - an ideal opportunity to recount our Italian adventure to all our friends!
