HILDE KVIVIK KAVLI PHOTOGRAPHY

Winter/summer

Old film from 2008, just developed :)

ITALY - Lucca, Tuscany

My grandma is the nicest, coolest grandma! She bough herself a mac book air a few months ago, texts me regularly, and turned 80 a few weeks back! To celebrate this we threw her a big garden party, with lights in the trees, music, and amazing bbq food. The guests stayed till after midnight, playing the guitar, singing songs and drinking wine (which I think is unusual for a 80th birthday party). Seemed like everyone had a lovely time. 

To celebrate more with the closest family she invited us to come down to Italy with her for a week, to drink more wine, eat more amazing food, and for more good times:)

We spent a week in Lucca in Tuscany, renting two lovely apartments withing the historical city centre. If you ever want to experience Tuscany, but still go on a city holiday, Lucca is amazing!

Bike ride in the Tuscany hills around Lucca.

Stopping at a small village cafe to plan our trip.

Early morning hot air baloon flight (gift for my grandma, mum and aunt)

Picking me and my sister sunflowers :)

…and picking us sweetcorn :) Picknic on the field where they landed. Champagne and cake.

Lucca, beautiful flowers.

Carousel rides every night with our 3 year old cousin Marianna.

ITALY - Beautiful Florence

After spending some lovely days in Lucca with my family, they went back to Norway, and I got on a train to Florence. I´ve never really travelled by myself  before, other than to go and visit friends in other countries or for a purpose, and always had someone on the other side to meet. So this was a new adventure, and something to cross of my bucket list ( - travel to another city/country by myself and spend a few days alone). Wanted to take loads of pictures, drink wine, eat good food, and see Florence, Rome and Naples.

So I spent a night and a morning in Florence. When arriving in Florence, after checking in at the hotel, I walked in the direction of Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore/ the Duomo. Walking down the street, then around a corner to have the Duomo all of the sudden, in front of me was breathtaking. So beautiful I almost cried (seriously, it´s so much more amazing than in pictures!). Climbed the 463 steps to the top, it was so worth it when reaching the top and looking out over one of the most beautiful cities I´ve ever seen!

Florence seen from the Duomo.

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

Amazing celing painting inside the Duomo. 

Ponte Vecchio Bridge

Amazing lunch at Note di Vino! Thanks to my Finnish friend Ossi for recommending this place!

ITALY - When in Rome…

Arriving in Rome in the afternoon, after almost two hours on the express train from Florence, I checked in at the very cool and trendy Orange Hotel and headed out to Sant Angelo by the river Tiber to watch the sun set, and get something to eat. The sun set was amazing, the food i found nearby not so great, but so happy to be back in Rome, one of my favourite cities, that I didn’t care.

River Tiber

St. Peters Basilica

Sun set by the river Tiber

Inside Pantheon

I know I shouldn’t say this, but after over I week I got a little fed up eating pizza and pasta and had such a craving for sushi that I tracked down what I think must have been one out of three sushi restaurants in central Rome. There was a que before they even opened and packed after 10 min. Really good sushi!

Aventine hill, amazing view point and beautiful peaceful gardens.

Green door on the Aventine Hill where through the keyhole you are able to see the dome of the St. Peters Basilica! Amazing!

Little church in Trastevere where the neighbour sells pancakes and ice cream and you sit on the steps of the church and enjoy whatever you´ve ordered.

Colosseum

Man selling chestnuts. Outside the Dior shop:)

My new favourite interior shop!I´ll post the address later for those who wants it.

Shopping streets of Rome

Romes best ice cream!!Gelateria del Teatro.

Roof top terrace/restaurant at my Hotel. Overlooking the Vatican. Beautiful at night.

aperitivo on the roof.

ITALY - Naples

My last day in Italy I went on a day trip to Naples, to discover the more ´real´italian big city. Naples is only an hour and ten minutes on the train from Rome so worth a visit if you have an extra day while visiting the capital. Naples is more chaotic, more dirty but also feels more ´real´ than the very touristy and pretty Rome.

Went straight from the train station to Da Michele, the very popular (and also featured in the film Eat, Pray, Love with Julia Roberts) pizzeria thats excited for decades! Da Michele serves only two types of pizza: margherita (tomato, basil and mozzarella) and marinara (tomatoes, garlic and oregano). I had the Margherita and its the best pizza I´ve ever had!!!amazing flavours! Then went for a walk in the historical centre, which wasnt so nice when I was there as it started pouring down with rain and the streets turned into small rivers of dirty water. So instead I headed up to Castel Sant Elmo (which i would say is a must see if you´re in Naples) to experience the breath taking views from the terraces of the amazing castel.

Views of Naples from Castel sant Elmo!

Da Michele pizzeria

Historical centre. Another speciality in Naples is the fried pizza.

Naples graffiti.