I have never been to Italy. It is my biggest regret as my husband and I met at university studying Ancient Rome. We did actually have a holiday booked and were due to visit Rome, Italy and Pisa, but the day before we were due to fly I discovered I had accidently thrown away our passports. I don’t think I’ve ever felt such a crushing feeling of disappointment. We always hoped to go, but then we got married and had children and it kind of felt like it wasn’t meant to be. I think of all the museums and historical buildings I want to visit and the idea of three little people moaning about wanting an ice cream doesn’t seem to go. So dreaming about villas in Italy seemed like the best I can do for now.
That was until last year when we visited Wales. If you looked at these pictures you would honestly think we were in Italy. We were incredibly lucky with the weather of course. You can’t count on Wales for balmy summers. These photos were taken in the Portmeirion. It was designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975. This was where the TV show The Prisoner was filmed and you could see why they chose such a unique location.
The twins loved the wide open courtyards. They spent a happy afternoon putting on shows. It made me realise they don’t need expensive theme parks. They just want to be together, in the fresh air.
As well as the buildings there are beautiful grounds to explore. As well as collections hardwood trees the woods are full of stunning multicoloured rhododendrons. You can walk through the woods or take a ride on the train. The memory I came away with most was of the beautiful beaches. North Wales has miles of sandy beaches with mountains in the background. The children loved building sandcastles, collecting shells and fishing with their nets in the clear water.
I finally realised on this trip, that it is possible to travel with kids. Ok, there were some difficult moments. A lost teddy bear, lots of arguments about how many ice creams it is appropriate in one day and a bag the size of a car boot to hold all the things we needed for one day. We also had to make sure we knew the closest route to the toilets at any time. The thing was we had a lovely time. A mix of the fun things they wanted to do and the cultural things I did. What’s more, it was a great time to connect together as a family.
So bring on the adventures. We can’t wait!
This is my entry into the #SummerLove competition from James Villas.
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