Honeymooners Diana and Jonathan Allen jet off to Italy with baby Rose in tow
It wasn’t easy pinning down a location for a luxury honeymoon with our nine-month-old baby. We decided to take some expert travel advice from The Sally and Alice Travel Company, and I’m so glad we did – as boutique Italian hotel Borgo Egnazia turned out to be perfect. It was stunning with a rustic elegance, enriched with culture, as well as a beautifully sunny, warm and baby-friendly environment
– the Italians just adore bambini!
We flew from Gatwick to Bari in southern Italy on a short flight which my daughter, Rose, enjoyed as the flight crew were lovely and attentive (the toys in my handbag also helped). On landing, a chauffeur from Borgo Egnazia picked us up in a slick Mercedes and it was just over an hour’s drive to our destination.
Amid stunning olive groves and vineyards, white-washed, castle-like turrets appeared gradually on the horizon; it felt like we were discovering a secret, heavenly village hidden away in the rolling hills of the Puglian countryside.
Set within 20 hectares along the coast, Borgo Egnazia is modeled on a typical Puglian village, so strolling through the cobbled streets with Rose in her pram was just like being on a film set – the white walls set against the crisp blue sky were spectacular. Our homely villa was tastefully designed and even had
its own private garden.
We spent most of our days basking on sun loungers at the Piscina del Borgo (in the family pool) where we took Rose swimming or paddling in the adjoining baby pool. We spoilt ourselves with cocktails and delicious Puglian snacks and in the evenings we ordered room service, or visited one of the restaurants on site.
Rose’s ear defenders allowed us, on occasion, to have an early evening meal while she slept peacefully in her pram next to us. A brilliant babysitting service and kids’ club is also available.
Learning the ‘from the earth to your plate’ philosophy of Puglian cooking and how to make typical orecchiette pasta while sampling local, exquisite Pietrabianca wines were highlights of the week, as was our trip to Borgo Egnazia’s private beach, Cala Masciola.
We dined at Borgo’s sophisticated Puglian gourmet restaurant Due Camini on our last night, and we couldn’t have had a better experience; the staff, food, wine and ambience were all exceptional. Driving away we discussed how much we’d like to visit again; it’s a superb place to stay not just with babies, but for the whole family.
For even more holiday bliss with baby in tow, read up on our favourite luxury Babymoon destinations, here or visit borgoegnazia.com | sallyandalice.com
