Italian Allure Travel Blog
Discover the best reasons to visit Italy

  • Positano’s Via dei Mulini arches..

    Copyright Melissa Martin Italy is full of designer shopping, the glitz, glamour and in my opinion some of the best quality fabrics in the world come out of Italy.  There is no hiding the fact that I am obsessed with ‘La Moda’, its not just the high end fashion designers… Read more »

  • Michelangelo Institute of Language and Culture.. Florence

    Istituto Michelangelo.. Copyright Melissa Martin If there is ever a language school in Florence in the heart of Tuscany then perhaps its the Michelangelo Institute of Language and Culture or  in Italian ‘Istituto Michelangelo‘.  The school teaches everything from language, cooking, history, art, mosaic and more.  Its not where I… Read more »

  • Heart to heart on the streets of Paris..

    Copyright Melissa Martin Why is there not one single person sitting on these vibrant red vinyl loved up seats on the streets of Paris? Hmmm a bit tacky perhaps, yet it certainly makes for an amusing photo, where else but on the streets of Paris would you find love on… Read more »

  • Hand painted ceramics in San Gimignano

                Check out all of the delicate brightly coloured hand painted ceramics that I found up in the Tuscan hills in the medieval town of San Gimignano.  The day I arrived I missed the mass crowds and was able to ponder for a few hours… Read more »

  • Louis Vuitton Luxury..

    Louis Vuitton.. French fashion in Rome.. Copyright Melissa Martin The makeover of a Louis Vuitton store on Via Condotti in RomeSpettacolare.. one of the worlds leading fashion housesFor me this year the little evening bagBellissima!!!!xmm

  • Bella Cinque Terre…

    Above is the picturesque Manarola.. The beautifully rugged and charming famous little five towns on Italy’s Italian Riviera are a must see at least once in your life time.  Known as the Cinque Terre and in Italian translating to ‘The Five Lands’ they start from the North with the very… Read more »

  • Elba a Tuscan island getaway

      Serenity at Patresi beach, a peaceful little beach at the bottom of a cliff face on the Island of Elba. Patresi beach  Elba’s rocky Patresi beach can be hard on even the smallest behinds…!!! Nothing but the open sea Biodola’s calm sandy beach Elba is the largest island off… Read more »

  • Todo o Nada by Mario Testino, Rome 2011 Exhibition

        Sienna Miller by Mario Testino      Kirsten Dunst by Mario Testino Once again I have just visited my beloved Rome with a keen interest in seeing something other than another spectacular Duomo.  As always my good friend Claudia was in the know of what was happening in the… Read more »

  • Scalinata della Trinita dei Monti

    Every year when I return to Rome there is not a single day that I don’t spend time at the Spanish Steps in Piazza di Spagna Of coarse Rome’s main attractions are its prized ancient monuments and one of the most wonderful to visit when in Rome is the Spanish… Read more »

  • Wondering the back streets of Rome..

    Baskets on baskets.. An afternoon stroll in Rome always leads to some pretty sights if you can make the time to take a few unexpected turns down the wonderful narrow cobble stone streets.  This tiny three wheel car/motorino that you often see in the smaller towns in Italy delivering fresh… Read more »

  • Window shopping designer heaven…

    Loewe is like Spanish Royalty.. Chloe Winter 2011.. Dior luxury.. Chantal Thomass delicate Parisian fantasies.. Ermanno Scervino wildly luxurious fabrics.. could curl up in that fluffy chair for a night! Hermes.. Its not always necessary to go inside the designer stores in Milan or Paris, as much as I love to… Read more »

  • Classic Portofino style…

    Here’s a little secret…shhhhhhhhh!Each year when I head to Portofino my first stop is a little store high up above the sea side little restaurants and gelato bar at the wharf and sits right on top of the Louis Vuitton shop.  Actually there are two stores owned by the same… Read more »