“Welcome to Rome,” I told my teen once our plane touched down on the runway. “And happy birthday!” Leo grunted something incomprehensible to my husband and me, which didn’t sound like a “thank you.” He was tired after a long overnight flight and felt that he was missing out on a birthday party with friends. Our long-awaited trip didn’t seem like an auspicious start. We spent weeks planning this journey, which was special for many reasons. First, it was our first post-pandemic family trip abroad after all restrictions finally ended. Second, it was Leo’s first heritage trip to Italy, where his father’s family is from. Plus, he was turning 16 and one can hardly find a better place to celebrate the occasion. We also had only a few days to stay in Rome because we had to head down south to Sicily for a family reunion, so we wanted our memories of the Eternal city to be truly eternal. So we splurged and booked a luxury stay at the Sofitel Villa Borghese, a former 19th century palazzo in the city center. I could only hope that our 16-year-old will be in a good enough mood to appreciate it.
To read the full article by Lina Zeldovich visit Luxe Beat Magazine.
