We landed in Rome on a EasyJet flight that was on time. Waiting for us was our driver who drove us to the wonderful Regina Hotel Baglioni, part one of our three-part Italian holiday, staying at each of the Baglioni Hotels in Rome, Florence and Venice: an Italian Trilogy!
As part of the Trilogy, you experience an evening meal in each hotel gastronomic restaurant. Each hotel specialises in serving food from their region, so all dinners were completely different.
In each city we also treated ourselves to a walking tour. These walking tours are very informative, and in Rome the highlights included seeing the Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps, with the benefit of expert insight and local tips as we explored. During our walking tour in Florence, our guide walked us through the Uffizi Gallery to experience paintings from the 14th century and Renaissance period, including Botticelli and Michelangelo. In Venice we skipped the queues with our guide as we entered the Doge’s Palace - this was my second visit, but with the guide we were able to look at the history of the building with a slightly different perspective, and it was equally fascinating to walk around again.
Transfers by train
In between cities, 1st class train travel is included. Travelling by rail in Italy is very easy and comfortable: a soft drink and snack were served onboard and reserved seats were comfortable with a window view. The best thing about travelling with Kirker between these cities is that a driver picks you up at your hotel to take you to the station. Then when you reach your destination, there is another driver to meet you to take you to your next hotel, which makes all those pontential stressful moments completely hassle-free.
The Hotels
Each Baglioni hotel was completely different. They were all centrally situated, within walking distances of all the main attractions. The Regina Baglioni in Rome is very stylish with an Italian Art Deco style, whereas the Relais Santa Croce in Florence is a recently restored noble’s mansion with original frescoed ceilings and only 24 rooms. The Baglioni Hotel Luna in Venice is my favourite and is the nearest hotel to St Marks Square. A room overlooking the Lagoon is a must when staying in Venice. You never get tired of the view!
