Holiblog: Northern Italy Edition 🇮🇹

Hey guys 👋🏻


This Feb Half Term, we embarked on our latest Italian adventure, this time in Northern Italy. This trip was sort of inspired by our 2020 Italy trip that never was (thanks, Covid!)

We changed the plans a little from the original idea, as we only had a week half term instead of the Summer Hols, but we knew we wanted to travel around more of Northern Italy. I found some cheap flights to and from Verona, and we went from there.

Let’s see what we got up to!

Day 1 – Travelling to Italy

Sat 17th – Today was mainly spent travelling to Italy. It was pretty uneventful (and actually an ok flight, and that’s coming from someone who isn’t very fond of flying)

We arrived in Verona at 7 pm and after a short bus ride and a check-in at our hotel we went in search of food.

The little Pizzeria (Rio’s) that we found nearest to our hotel did not disappoint. It was one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had in Italy.

Day 2 – Verona

Sun 18th – Today, we spent the day in Verona, exploring the town.

We did lots of walking.

We had a short tour of the Verona Arena, which was really cool!

It’s the best preserved Arena in Italy! 

The Arena was probably my favourite ‘sight’ of the trip.

In the early evening, we travelled to Lake Garda, the next destination of our trip.

Day 3 – Lake Garda

Mon 19th – Today, was we visited Salo in Lake Garda.

It is home to the longest promenade in Italy.

& it is very beautiful.

They also do a bangin’ sandwich. This was an insanely good lunch. That bread 🤤

We had a lovely time walking up and down the promenade as well as looking through the city streets.

We rounded off the day with a delicious dinner, Caprese, Rosemary Foccacia, Risotto, and Tiramsu – so good.

Day 4 – Lake Garda

Tues 20th – We started off Day 4 with another yummy breakfast at our lovely B&B  before we headed off to get our bus tickets for the day.

We didn’t realise a market was on, and it was quite extensive. There were some amazing food stalls, including fruit, veg, soooo much cheese and meats.

We decided to pick up some bits and create our own lunch. We chose a delicious fresh tomato, a fresh ball of Mozzarella, a fresh Foccacia, and some amazing strawberries. Delicious.

These made a yummy picnic.

In the afternoon, we headed off to explore another part of Lake Garda – Sirmione.

They are known for their delicious gelato, so we had some in the sunshine when we arrived!

We then had a walk through the castle and town on our way to the ruins of a Roman villa. There was a museum and the ruins itself so that was really interesting to see.

The ruins were so vast.

Once again, the weather was amazing.

We went back to freshen up before having a delicious dinner and a chilled evening in our room.

Day 5 – Milan

Wed 21st – Today we travelled to Milan! We were sad to leave our lovely accommodation in Garda.

Milan Centrale Station is massive! It gives Grand Central Station NYC Vibes for sure.

We spent the day doing LOTS of walking around Milan, seeing the city on foot, there is some cool architecture and graffiti. We picked up some more delicious ice cream, and we went to the Leonardo Di Vinic museum to round off the day.

We had these incredible crepes for dessert from those amazing Gelatoria that we discovered first in Verona.

Day 6 – Milan/Verona

Thurs 22nd – Today, we travelled back to our starting point, Verona, for our final leg of the trip!

Once we made it back Verona (after a 40 min delay at Milan) we freshened up and spent some time just chilling/reading in our hotel room.

It rained in the evening, so we just ventured out nearby to get some food. We didn’t stay out for long before heading back and watching a film in bed.

Day 7 – Verona

Fri 23rd – Today was the only day it rained pretty much all day. We had been so lucky with the weather so far. Typically, we had our Verona Walking Tour.

We didn’t let the rain dampen our spirits and we both thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the city. It was so interesting and Verona is such a beautiful place.

Booking a tour is well worth it!

We grabbed a spot of lunch from a place near the end of the tour, as recommended by our tour guide. The fresh pasta was delicious, and the tiramisu was insannnne.

We were very glad to have such a lovely shower in our hotel room because we were freeeeeezing 🥶 after walking back in the rain. 

And of course, we had another delicious dinner to round off the day!

Day 8 – Verona

Sat 24th – Today was our last full day 🥲

The weather was beautiful, which was great for our final day. We headed over to a cafe that we heard was really nice. We had yet another delicious coffee and pastry.

We spent the rest of the morning/early afternoon looking around the castles museum – it was really interesting with our audio guide, and at the top, you get soke beautiful views of Verona.

After all that exploring and walking around, we enjoyed a lazy afternoon in the hotel.

In the evening…

WE WENT TO VENICE!!! My favourite 😍

It was beautiful as always ❤️

We had a delicious pasta dinner when we arrived…

… before heading to our favourite gelatoria!! 🍨 Su So is incredible. We had to squeeze some in for dessert.

It was buzzing in Venice as it was the Venice Carnival that weekend.

Venice is truly unique.

I love sitting by the Grand Canal. It’s so peaceful.

💗

Day 9 – Home time

Sun 25th – Today, it was time to go home!

We enjoyed a nice walk into the city centre of Verona to find a nice cafe for breakfast again. We really enjoyed doing this the day before.

We had a final delicious coffee, pastry (and Lasagne for Tim 🤣)

We then had a walk around a bit more, including the arena before heading back to make our way to the airport.



We had such a brilliant trip and it was great to see so many new parts of our favourite country.

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

My 2020 Reading Challenge: The Third Quarter 📚

Here is the penultimate quarter of my reading challenge for 2020.

July, August, September

And in a honesty it hasn’t been a very impressive one. I’ve found myself quite busy and unable to focus, as well as I would like, on my reading, which is a bit annoying.

But, none the less, here we are!


Lets have a look at what I have read during this quarter…

Books I’ve read:

Just Mercy: A story of justice and redemption By Bryan Stevenson

Cuckoos Calling By Robert Galbraith

Roald Dahl‘s Book of Ghost Stories

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparkes

Sorry Not Sorry By Naya Rivera


This quarter was quite a mixed bag.


Just Mercy was more of an ‘educate myself’ book choice and that it has been.

The injustice of the American ‘justice’ system is abhorrent and it’s definatly an eye opener in terms of how easy some people have it and how some people have so much power just because of the race/family/country they are born in.


I have been meaning to read the Robert Galbraith books for a very long time and I just haven’t got round to it.

I am glad that I finally did because I really enjoyed it and I loved the characters especially.


I have read The Notebook several times but it is a Nicholas Sparks fave of mine and I just fancied going back to it. I read it in just over a day and it was great.


I have quite a few books ready and waiting for the final quarter and I want to make it a goodun’.

I’ve got a Christmas book blog post idea too!


Also, you can check out my Insta ‘RoseannesBlog’ as I post regularly on there too.


Until Next Time,
Roseanne 🙂

‘The Land of Stories’ Book Review 📚

🌟 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤 🌟

By Chris Colfer


ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ ɪꜱ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄᴀʟ, ᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ (& ʙɪɢ) ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇʀꜱ ᴀᴍᴏɴɢ ᴜꜱ.

ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴇꜱᴄᴀᴘᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀ, ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ, ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ, ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ.

ᴡɪᴛʜ ʟᴏᴀᴅꜱ ᴏꜰ ʀᴇꜰᴇʀᴇɴᴄᴇꜱ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ꜰᴀɪʀʏᴛᴀʟᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ʙᴜᴛ ɢᴇᴛ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ Qᴜᴇꜱᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ.

ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ꜱᴏ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰɪɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴅɪꜰꜰɪᴄᴜʟᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜᴛ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰʟᴏᴡ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴀᴛ ᴀɴ ᴀʟᴀʀᴍɪɴɢ ᴘᴀᴄᴇ.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ʙᴏᴛʜ ɪᴅᴇɴᴛɪꜰɪᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴀʙʟᴇ (ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ, ꜰʀᴏɢɢʏ.. ᴀᴍ ɪ ʀɪɢʜᴛ!?!) ᴡᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇʟᴏɴɢ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ᴀʟꜱᴏ ᴀ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢ ꜱᴇɴꜱᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟʏ, ʟᴏʏᴀʟᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ ꜰᴏʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ɪꜱ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪꜱ ᴀ ᴘʀᴇᴛᴛʏ ᴋɪᴄᴋᴀꜱꜱ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴋɪᴅꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ.

ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴜᴍᴏᴜʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀᴅᴅꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ʙʀɪʟʟɪᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇ.

ᴀꜱ ᴀɴ ᴀᴅᴜʟᴛ ɪᴛꜱ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇ ᴀᴡᴀᴋᴇɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ ɪɴ ᴜꜱ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰɪɴᴅꜱ ᴄᴏᴍꜰᴏʀᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴄʟᴀꜱꜱɪᴄ ᴛᴀʟᴇꜱ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ’ꜱ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄʜʀɪꜱ ʜᴀꜱ ᴄᴇʟᴇʙʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙʀɪʟʟɪᴀɴᴛʟʏ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇꜱ, ꜱᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴀʏ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴡᴇʟʟ ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴅꜱ ꜱᴏ ᴍᴀɴʏ ʟᴀʏᴇʀꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ,ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ.

ɪ ᴍʏꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴀᴍ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴍꜰᴏʀᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇxᴄɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʙᴏᴏᴛ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪꜱ ɪᴅᴇᴀʟ ɪɴ ꜱᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴᴘʀᴇᴅɪᴄᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ.

ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀʀʀʏ ᴘᴏᴛᴛᴇʀ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴍᴇ ʜᴇʟᴘꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ꜱᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ꜰᴜɴ ʀᴇᴀᴅ.


ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ꜱɪx ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ‘ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴇꜱ: ᴛʜᴇ ᴡɪꜱʜɪɴɢ ꜱᴘᴇʟʟ’.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ, ᴄʜʀɪꜱ ᴄᴏʟꜰᴇʀ ʜᴀꜱ ᴡᴏɴ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴀᴡᴀʀᴅꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ʜɪꜱ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ɪꜱ ᴀ ʙᴇꜱᴛꜱᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴜᴄᴄᴇꜱꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀꜰᴜʟ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ.


ꜱᴏ, ᴡʜᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ 8 ᴏʀ 88 ᴡʜʏ ɴᴏᴛ ʟᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴇꜱᴄᴀᴘᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴇʀꜱᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ɪɴ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ.

ᴍʏ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

100% ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ


I cannot wait to read these stories to my nephews/niece & any future children I may have because they are just brilliant.

Have you read them? What do you think?


Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

My 2020 Reading Challenge: The Second Quarter 📚

Sorry guys, this is a bit late… but I thought I would still post it as I want to keep up with the quarterly posts.
I’ve been a lot busier since I started back at work.

April/May/June


So, that bloody pandemic is still happening… I am however back at work and have been for two and a half weeks. It is definatly nice to have a bit more normality. My work schedule isnt 100% back to what it usually is so I’m trying to make sure I still use this extra time to get through all my new books that I bought for the COVID-19 outbreak.


Lets have a look at what I have read during this next quarter… we’re halfway through the year already, madness.


Books I have read:

The Flat Share by Beth O’Leary

The Secret Seaside Escape by Heidi Swain

The Switch by Beth O’Leary

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling (3/4, but I’ll leave it on the list as its a biggun’)

The Land of Stories: The Enchantress Returns by Chris Colfer


Heidi Swain is one of my favourite authors so I was so excited to have this book in my second quarter. I had pre ordered it so that was a very welcome arrival.

As you can see I have also been enjoying Beth O’Leary’s books this quarter. I started with ‘The Switch’ as I have seen lots of recommendations on Instagram and then my friend at work read it and suggested it too. I really enjoyed it and consequently bought her second book, which I enjoyed even more.

‘The Family Upstairs’ I found really gripping. I literally couldn’t put it down by the end, its funny how some books grip you like that! I had this book at the beginning of lockdown so I can’t believe its taken me this long to get around to it.

I have even more books planned for the third instalment, so check back to see what I’ve been reading.

Or, check out my Insta ‘RoseannesBlog’ as I post regularly on there too.


Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂