We have lived in Southern Italy since 2022, when my son was just a year and a half. He has grown up here and I have been completely transformed by the life we have been lucky enough to create for ourselves here.
The island of Ischia, one of the three islands in the Gulf of Naples, is only an hour away from us by ferry. We decided to spend Mother’s Day weekend there and absolutely lucked out with beautiful, warm weather. The island, which is much larger than its neighbouring island, Procida, is known as L’Isola Verde, or the green island. It only takes one visit to understand why. Check out this post for a three day itinerary in this little corner of paradise.
As we look towards our final months in Italy, we are trying to pack in as much as possible. We spent a 3-day weekend exploring Le Marche, a region in central Italy, and The Republic of San Marino, a microstate completely surrounded by Italy. We relaxed at a wine resort, had one of the best meals of our lives, and added on a stop at a famous World War II Battle site, the Abbey of Monte Cassino, on our drive home.
We have lived just west of Naples, Italy for almost three years. Our area specifically is called Campi Flegrei—or the Phlegraean Fields—and is a sprawling volcanic area rich in history, natural beauty, and geothermal waters. At our finger tips, we have ancient Roman ruins, hot springs (which means incredible thermal spas), incredible coastal views, easy access to the lesser known islands in the Gulf of Naples (Ischia and Procida), and of course, the amazing Southern Italian food. We have absolutely fallen in love with this area and exploring as much of it as we can. Below. I’m sharing some of my favorite spots and experiences. Check back often as I will keep this list up to date as we explore more places!
This is officially the longest we have lived in one place. Actually, when we hit 1.5 years, that was the longest I have lived in one place since I went to college. As an active duty military spouse, I have gotten used to moving around a lot, but even this is a little unusual for the military. Typically, we would be on 2-3 year orders in one location. Our family has just taken a bit of a different path because of my partner’s career, and that is okay. At the end of the day, it brought us to Naples and I can honestly say that this has been one of the best places for our family - for me and my individual growth, for my relationship with my partner, and for my son.
We spent the last day of our trip to Slovenia in Venice. We had flown in and out of Venice, since it is not a long drive over to Bled and the flights were better priced for when we were traveling than flying to the closer airport in Trieste (still in Italy but right near the border with Slovenia). It worked out nicely though because somehow, even after living here for over two years, we still had not made it up to Venice. Here is how we spent one day to make the most of it.
Looking for the perfect long weekend staycation in Campania? Here's how we spent a relaxing four-day break at Cala Moresca in Campi Flegrei—with wellness terrace access, poolside lunches, local summer camp for our kiddo, and sunset aperitivi with a view of Monte di Procida. From tapas in Bacoli to pizza from Café Miseno and lunch at Il Cetrangolo, this guide is full of family-friendly tips and local gems for a slow, beautiful weekend close to home.
I thought I knew everything about her story - the daughter of Demeter and Zeus who was spirited away to the Underworld by Hades himself. Little did I know how reductive I was in my view of the woman whose presence was to become my most constant guide through not only motherhood but the cycles of life itself.
