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I love the elegance and sophistication that a well-designed straw hat adds to any spring or summer look! After moving to Southern California over 10 years ago, it was important for me to find styles that were flattering and stylish.
Keep scrolling for details and shop the straw hat you’ll love forever!
Read moreThese days it stays warm well into October so weekends can be spent at the beach for an extended summer season! Now you can be prepared with some great beach-ready items that are under $20 and delivered to your door from Amazon. If you are like me, you shop as much as you can there because not only is it easy (one click done), but they offer access to some of the best products and deals available with quick delivery. Below are my top 7 beach must-haves that include favorites that are perfect for the beach, vacation and beyond!
1. CHIC ROUND TOWEL
I love a good ‘roundie’ beach towel—they are stylish, fun and practical! You can share with someone else to lay out on or just use to sit on picnic-style. There are so many gorgeous patterns and styles to choose from boho, marine, geometric, colorful and with or without pom poms - the choice is yours.
JOYEBUY Womens UPF50 Foldable Wide Brim Fedora Straw
2. CLASSIC STRAW HAT
These days one of the most important things I never compromise on and do daily is protect my skin from the sun. Wearing a nice straw hat will keep you looking stylish and protected at the beach while at the same time help reduce premature aging on your face and neck! A tightly woven hat keeps the heat out and provides the perfect amount of shade so you feel comfortable while reading and relaxing outside. It’s a good idea to take a foldable one that’s packable and fits flat in your luggage. Neutral woven straw hats go with everything in a summer wardrobe and will elevate your boho-chic style!
3. OVER-SIZED SUNNIES
Keep your eyes safe and look cool at the same time with these stylish sunglasses. I love the look of an oversized frame and these are perfect to wear anytime. I always wear sunglasses to block both the UVA & UVB radiation plus wearing sunglasses can actual prevent wrinkles. Protecting your eyes from the sun helps prevent squinting that can contribute to crow's feet!
Women's Straw Tote Bag Handbags Beach Bag
4. LARGE STRAW TOTE
One of my favorite pieces to take to the beach is a fashionable yet functional straw tote bag, something to fit all those essentials, like a towel, a good SPF lotion, lip balm, a water bottle and a good book! Tote bags like this are also fantastic to travel with as they can be used on the plane to carry all your travel essentials.
Barlver Womens Chiffon Kimono Cardigan Swimsuit
5. KIMONO / COVER-UP DRESS
One of my favorite go-to looks for travel and the beach is a wrap dress or multi purpose long cover-up or kimono. Made from a breathable and lightweight fabric like cotton or linen, these types of dresses are super comfy and chic and perfect to wear from the beach over a bikini and then straight to lunch or to dinner. A kimono worn as a cover-up can also be tied or belted as a dress, or wear as a light layer if it’s chilly at night. Wrap dresses are the perfect marriage between style and comfort, which is why I remember to bring multiple styles and prints with me wherever I travel or head to the beach.
Luxtude Ultra Slim Portable Phone Charger
6. PORTABLE CHARGER
We all love capturing those special moments and experiences during our travels and sharing them with our loved ones on the other side of the globe. Portable charges are one of those essentials when traveling and at the beach and this one is perfect with it’s stylish rose gold color. Being prepared completely eliminates the stress of needing to carry various electronics during your travels. I love taking a portable charger to the beach with me so I can use the opportunity of down time to recharge not only myself but also my phone!
7. GOOD SELF-HELP BOOK
Reading a good self-care book at the beach gives me the chance to regroup, relax and learn all at the same time. A beach vacation is a great place to set new intentions for when you get home, and somehow reading oceanside helps me to think a lot more clearly! For me, it’s nice to take a break from all the digital stimulation. This new one by body whisperer Lauren Roxburgh is one of my summer favorites!
Hope you found some great budget-friendly beach finds to add to your Amazon cart!
xxMelissa
Entrance at the Borgo Egnazia, Puglia. Dress by Ulla Johnson. Similar here
Italy is one of those places that gets in your soul. The culture is so rich you can’t help but take in every part of it during your time there. I visited Rome, Sicily and Puglia last year with my family and want to share my experience with you in case you are planning to visit there this summer or some time in the near future. This part of Europe is a favorite of mine (my 5th trip there) and is rich with the most incredible, art, cooking, traditions and history. These experiences are so impressionable that you can’t help but bring some of them back into your home country.
I used an incredible luxury travel company called Lux Voyage to help me plan this trip including activities and restaurant reservations. I was also lucky to have been able to meet up with my blogging partner Janet Gunn and her family for part of the trip!
Below are highlights of where to stay, dine, explore and what to pack for this European vacation.
Click items directly in the carousel below to shop ‘what to pack’
ROME
Poolside at the Gran Melia Rome
STAY
First up we stayed at Gran Melia Rome, a nice family-friendly hotel in the ‘heart of the eternal city’ - close to the Vatican in Rome. The Gran Melia has delicious food with a restaurant run by one of Italy’s most famous chefs. It’s well-priced and very conveniently located if you plan to spend time in Vatican City. The green oasis and beautiful pool area brings peace and quiet to a bustling city. I also recommend staying at the JK ROMA if you want to be in the historic center of Rome near the Trevi Fountain, The Villa Borghese and the designer boutiques of Via del Corso. We stayed in Rome for two nights!
EXPLORE
With so much to explore in Italy, where do I start? Well, the Vatican is an absolute must-see at least once in a lifetime! We took an early morning tour (earlier the better) to the Vatican City, one of the most sacred places in Christendom, it attests to a great history and a formidable spiritual venture. A unique collection of artistic and architectural masterpieces lie within the boundaries of this small state. At its center is St Peter's Basilica, with its double colonnade and a circular piazza in front and bordered by palaces and gardens. Here you can also visit the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel! All this in one morning and we then took a tour after lunch through the Jewish Ghetto. Hidden in the heart of the city, it is one of the best attractions in Rome (and also one of its least-known). As the oldest Jewish community in all of Europe, this beautiful, thriving neighborhood is as central to the history of the city as it is to the Jewish faith.
The Jewish Quarter, Rome
“Best pasta in Rome” at the authentic Taverna Trilussa
DINE
What a treat! Italy is renowned for full flavor, olive oil, herbs, fresh mediterranean living and I love it!
When in Rome, we had dinner at Dal Bologese, in piazza del Popolo. A true Italian experience, where sophisticated Romans mingle with models and celebs at this historically chic restaurant. Dine inside, surrounded by wood panelling and exotic flowers, or outside, serving timeless cuisine serving dishes of the Emilian tradition: including tagliatelle Bolognese and tortellini in broth. We also found the “best pasta in Rome” at the authentic Taverna Trilussa. A high end, rustic taverna famed for serving pasta in steel pans!
SOUTHERN ITALY: SICILY & PUGLIA
View of Taormina, Sicily
STAY
A 3.5 hour flight after our time in Rome to Catania we checked into Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo in Taormina where we spent three nights and then went to the sister beachside property, the Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea. Taormina is a renowned resort area in Sicily; a small and elegant town with balconies covered in flowers, ancient ruins, and views over the sea and towards the volcano, Etna. Plus, there are some cute boutiques to shop and no shortage of great restaurants. Another great way to experience Taormina from its most privileged point of view is to take out a boat for the day!
With Janet Gunn Grateful Gardenia in Sicily at The Belmond Grande Hotel Timeo. Wearing Franne Golde magic pants in white.
Use code MM10 for 10% off while shopping www.frannegolde.com.
Silk top by Hark + Hammer, Bag by ClareV, Sandals by Ancient Greek Sandals.
Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo. Wearing a Zimmerman ruffled floral playsuit. Similar here.
Click items directly in the carousel below to shop swim and beach wear
At the beach at Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea. Swimwear - Black one piece by Cami and Jax. Similar here
Day trip to Volcano, Mount Etna
Sunset at Borgo Egnazia
Climbing the steps at Borgo Egnazia
Borgo Egnazia. Dress by Nudz Beachwear. Similar dress by Natalie Martin
Our last stop in Italy was Puglia (pronounced “Pulia”), staying at the 5 star hotel Borgo Egnazia. Here ‘nature is powerful, peace is intense, harmony is full’ and it certainly was! This beautiful and unique destination is a visionary interpretation of a typical Puglian village, surrounded by olive groves within the gorgeous landscape in Southern Italy. You get your own designated concierge who will guide you and offer the best in local and authentic experiences there. The service is impeccable and a stay there is certainly a “bucket list” experience. Another great small boutique hotel worth a visit is La Perschiera—this 13-room five-star (adults only) hotel offers sea views from every room within its own private beach. We went for lunch and spent some beach time there.
La Perschiera. Solid and Stripe swimwear by Mara Hoffman. Similar here.
Poolside at the Borgo Egnazia
Lunch at the Borgo Egnazia
EXPLORE
In Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot and the home of Italy’s pasta, we embarked upon a full-day journey. Beginning in Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, discovering its unique prehistoric trulli houses. Afterwards we continued to Locorotondo taking in its luminous white houses, charming churches, and panoramic views of the Itria Valley. Then continued to Ostuni one of the most beautiful towns in Puglia, extending across three hills, and known as "the white city" for its dazzling white walls and white-painted buildings. The genuine charm of these white-washed villages were simply beautiful. Our stop in Locorontondo, known as one of the most beautiful cities in Italy continues with everything in bright white apart from the blood red geraniums that fall from the window boxes. The streets are paved with smooth ivory stones, with the church of Santa Maria della Grecia as its sunbaked centerpiece.
Visit to Alberobello. Dress by Natalie Martin. Sunnies by Oliver Peoples. Sandals by Ancient Greek sandals. Similar dress here.
Town of Alberobello
I highly recommend taking a bike tour through the olive-tree covered countryside of Puglia! The culture of olive oil is one of the region's greatest treasures. Starting from Albergabici in Montalbano we experienced the region’s famous “Apulian gold” - an underground olive oil factory, and flourishing olive farms. Extra virgin olive oil of Puglia is one of the most famous products in the world for its taste and it’s quality! The Borgo Egnazia with it’s full service concierge set up this tour for us from their property and it was well worth it.
DINE
A little more casual, was our lunch spot in Puglia at La Taverna del Duca, serving excellent apuglian cuisine and in Taormina we encountered Tischi Toschi a small family run restaurant with a relaxed Sicilian atmosphere serving locals with their fresh authentic flavors and recipes.
Lastly I wanted to note the brand new restaurant, Casa Gioli in Taormina mixing Sicilian art and upscale cuisine set in a splendid location.
WHAT TO PACK FOR A EUROPEAN VACATION
During this trip I took some of my favorite casual chic outfits - think straw hats, flowing dresses, white jeans, swimsuit and comfy sandals.
Silk top by Hark + Hammer. Dress, similar here. Bag by ClareV. Belt Bag similar here.
Tips to remember for your trip to Italy
• Wear light layers, beach cover ups and tunics. Comfortable shoes a must!
• Bring jeans or light-weight athleisure pants if you plan on visiting Mt. Etna or take a bike ride
• Pack a straw hat and fanny pack (not your grandma's!). They also sell amazing hats in Italy so you can pick one up there too!
• Visit the Vatican early morning and book your Museum tickets in advance online from the Vatican website!
Or you can set up a private behind the scenes tour BEFORE the Vatican is open through Lux Voyage.
• Pack your Skyroam for safe wireless everywhere! Use code GLOWGIRL10 for 10% off your skyroam!
Have fun, eat well and embrace the romance of this beautiful country!
xxMelissa
La Peschiera Hotel. Swim suit by Cami and Jax. Sandals by Ancient Greek Sandals
