Italian Holiday Part 2: Instagramming My Way Through Italy

Delicious lunch at Le Lanterne, Rome

I'm not a breakfast person, but this changed everything.

Fall foliage.

Mailbox at the Vatican City.

Charming Perugia.

Hands down, the best gelato I've had during the entire trip - cherry and peach.

Our nice little lunch corner in Lucca.

When in Florence, you eat Bistecca Fiorentina.

And you buy beautiful shoes.

One of my favourite photos from Venice.

Cool light fixtures at Excelsior, Milan.

Giveaway Time: Property Of... Marcus Work Bag

The guys at Property Of... are big fans of Alphabeticalife and I'm a big fan of both my readers and the bag brand. So we decided to come up with an amazing giveaway that I'm sure you'd all love.

Marcus Work Bag - Features a coated cotton canvas outer, soft leather handles and an adjustable shoulder strap. It fits a 15" laptop, documents and more. 

Property Of... is giving away FOUR Marcus Work Bags (worth $329) to four lucky readers. Here's what you have to do:

- Submit a "What's In Your Bag?" photo and e-mail it directly to emptycity@gmail.com. Use "Property Of... Giveaway" as your subject.

- You can also do it through Instagram! All you have to do is follow me (@alphabeticalife) and mention me in your "What's In Your Bag?" post.

-No Instagram? Tweet it! Follow me on Twitter (@alphabeticalife) and mention me in the tweet along with your photo.

Pretty easy right? I will then randomly choose the winners based on the various submissions I get from Instagram, Twitter and my e-mail. Once I've chosen four winners, I will post their "What's In Your Bag?" photos in a separate blog entry. So what are you waiting for? Start snapping and get those submissions going!


Giveaway is open to all readers of Alphabeticalife. Property Of... will ship the bag directly to the winners, anywhere in the world. I will personally e-mail or send a direct message to the winners. Contest runs until 15 November 2012. 
 

Italian Holiday

My holiday in Italy has taught me a number of things. It taught me that there is beauty in simplicity. With regards to style, it taught me what the art of sprezzatura - studied carelessness - is all about. It taught me that human connection, whether through conversations, ordering an espresso at a busy bar or simply hanging out at a piazza with friends, trumps social media anytime. Finally, it taught me that the country's grandeur can only be experienced in person. While the following photographs give you a glimpse of some of the most beautiful sights I saw while I was there, it's obviously still better to see them with your own eyes. So the next time you plan a trip, make Italy number one your must-visit list.

The Vatican City and Rome from the dome of St. Peter's Basilica

Vertical gardening, Italian style

The Colosseum

Rainy day at the Spanish Steps

Assisi's breathtaking view

Quaint streets in Assisi

Santa Rita di Cascia

Driving through Castelluccio

Tuscany's vibrant landscape

The Piazza del Campo in Siena

Beautiful Florence, my favourite Italian city

Hustle and bustle at Piazza della Repubblica

Still life in Lucca

Duomo di Firenze

Venice's famous gondolas

Lunch with a view at Stresa

View from my hotel room in Lago Maggiore

Cold and foggy at the Duomo di Milano

Odd statue inside the Duomo di Milano. I love how the sunlight is shining on it.

Street scene in Milan