Jenisha Moktan shares her escape away from the dust of Kathmandu to glamorous of Italy. Her journey to the fascinating cities of Italy accompanied by her husband was a trip closest to perfection.

It was the finest morning of last summer. The big day had finally arrived at our doorstep! With overwhelmed heart and packed bag, I and my husband waved goodbye to the family, and took the ride to the Tribhuwan International Airport. As the aircraft took off, I glanced back to the beloved Kathmandu before it blurred out beneath the clouds. We sat on the aircraft for hours as it rocketed us closer to our dream land. The flight was exhausting, but it didn’t make me stop wondering. After nearly a day and couple of sleepovers, we finally landed in Fontanarossa Airport in Catania. It didn’t take us that long to pass through the customs. We escaped out of the busy terminals, and headed to the train station. It took us an hour and a half on a train to reach Sicily. It was already evening. Far on the horizon, a life away, the sun could be seen setting. Its reflection in the sparkling water of the Mediterranean left me to admire its beauty in awe. As I stood and stared at the setting sun, it left me with desperation. I simply could not wait for the sun to rise again.

In the midst of last summer, to escape the scorching heat and clouds of dust of Kathmandu, I and my husband decided to go on a holiday. After what seemed like an eternity of research, we decided to visit Italy, the home to delicious food. There are so many reasons to visit Italy, but what I like the most about this place has to be food. As both, I and my husband, are massive foodies, the aroma of pizza and pasta easily convinced us to make this trip.      

A long flight from Kathmandu to Fontanarossa Airport was an experience in itself. We landed at Fontanarossa Airport exhausted yet ecstatic. At first glance, in all normality, the most recognizable thing in this island must be the picture-perfect scenery of the beach with sparkling water of the Mediterranean sea. It was just too romantic!  It was already late in the afternoon, we checked in at the Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea hotel. At noon, we strolled through the nearby areas of our hotel and then stopped at a place for our dinner. Our first pizza and pasta in Italy was a treat to remember!

Being away from the scorching heat and pollution of Kathmandu, we were soaking up the pleasant sun moving around the ancient sites in Sicily.

Early next morning after breakfast, we packed our city map and headed to one of Sicily’s famous summer destinations, Taormina. We boarded on a cable car which connected the seaside district to the incredible town of Taormina. A small hillside town overlooking the Mediterranean Sea with ancient theatres and architecture was simply a panoramic perfection. The town seemed extremely busy when we got there. We, like any other tourists, strolled around the major tourist destinations. Late at noon, we drove back to our hotel and went to a nearby restaurant for dinner. Seafood! The seafood in Sicily was amazing. We ate so much we practically had to roll back to our hotel.

We wandered around the historic sites of Sicily on the third day. Being away from the scorching heat and pollution of Kathmandu, we were soaking up the pleasant sun moving around the ancient sites in Sicily.  In the center of Catania stood a humongous Roman amphitheater. This amphitheater no longer puts on gladiator fights the way as it once did, but it most definitely leads your imagination to those ancient times and makes you wonder. We then walked past the city with our eyes constantly gazing at the buildings, moldings, balconies, statues, churches, and just about everything. We made various stops at fascinating churches along our way until we headed back to our hotel to get much-needed rest as we had a flight to catch up the next day to the Eternal City.

The pleasant rays of the sun reflected on our eyes to wake us up. We were heading to the city of Rome. We boarded an Air Italia flight out of Catania to Rome. As the aircraft mounted up in the sky, all we could see was endless water of the Mediterranean below us. The two-hour flight to Rome felt like an eternity. Rome is everything you expect it to be and more. Maybe it is the name, ‘The Eternal City,’ that made us feel nostalgic. However, we were exhausted. So, we checked into our hotel room, slipped our bed, and dozed off to subconscious state. Snores!

After the breakfast next morning, we were ready to stroll around the ancient city of Rome. We had hired an expert guide for the day. We first went to St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in Europe. It felt as if the place was home to art and architecture with the masterpieces from many famous artists. Next, we headed to the Vatican Museums. We spent rest of the morning admiring the artistic wonders of the museums. In the afternoon, after a delicious lunch, we arrived at Roman Forum and spent an hour or so wandering the ruins. After exiting the Roman Forum, we headed straight to the Coliseum. This Coliseum once used to be the site of gladiator combat and resembles the symbol of the Rome itself. Admiring the unmistakable silhouette from afar is the most impressive aspect of the Coliseum.

With a glorious sunrise in the City of Pope, our day began with a toothsome breakfast. We spent most of our morning relaxing in our hotel room. Being a massive shopping freak, I was already craving to explore the exclusive stores in Rome. In the afternoon, we headed to Piazza di Spagna for a much-needed shopping break. Piazza di Spagna, the most famous shopping district in Rome, was busy with flocks of tourists everywhere. We visited innumerable flagship stores of famous Italian designers. Just when we thought things could not get any better, our luck was honored. In the midst of the Piazza di Spagna, we met former King Gyanendra and the members of the royal family who just happened to be there for a holiday.

Next day, we spent most of our day near the hotel. The weather was pleasant that day. We did a day of sightseeing around Rome by ourselves, and relaxed by the poolside. It was like a day-off in our holiday. We relaxed, relaxed and relaxed the whole day. 

Next morning, we were off to Naples, the city of volcanic drama. Certainly, Naples urban sprawl might feel gruff and distant at times, but if you look beyond the gruffness you will find a vibrant city with plenty of things to experience. Blessed with centuries of culinary traditions, Naples serves the country’s best pizza, pasta, and coffee. How could we not try them? But to our surprise, the restaurants in Naples are closed during the day. However, we kept our cool and waited until we bought tons of cheese in Naples.

With a heavy heart and tired legs, we left the Eternal City next morning. It took us nearly four hours on the train and an hour in ferry until we landed on the beautiful island of Capri. We wouldn’t want to miss out any opportunity with food! So we first went to try the most delicious Ravioli. In the evening, we strolled around the historic centers to a street lined up with luxury boutiques. 

You could not leave the island of Capri without admiring its coastline from the sea! For most of the year, motor vehicles are forbidden in Capri. There’s only one road on the island and the public transportation is excellent. Next morning we rode a public bus to Marina Grande. We relaxed in the beach the whole day.

After eleven incredible days in many astonishing cities in Italy, our heart felt heavy at the thoughts of leaving it behind.

Next morning we went for city tour around Capri. We explored the town with of Piazzetta, and its maze of streets, fashionable boutiques and cozy restaurants. After the city tour, we headed to Blue Grotto.  We soon reached Blue Grotto, and hopped onto a wooden rowboat and boarded off from the shore. We then went through a tiny stone portal to another world, from complete darkness into a sparkling cavern lit by azure blue light. Surreal experience!

 With a pocket full of new experiences and memories, our time in Italy had come to an end. After eleven incredible days in many astonishing cities in Italy, our heart felt heavy at the thoughts of leaving it behind.  We boarded the aircraft and waved our final goodbye to the country of wonders. Italy is the home not only to art and architecture, but also to mouth-watering dishes, exclusive islands with exotic beaches, courteous peoples, and incredible hospitality. Our aircraft roared as we landed at Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu.