Memories of Italy

Will Hide has been chatting to Emily FitzRoy (read here) and reading their exchange reminded me of just how much I love Italy.

So many happy memories , I don’t think I could ever tire of this vibrant country which is as magical in the winter as it is in the summer. I first fell in love with Italy many years ago on a road trip with my husband. We left the UK and headed across France, Switzerland and then into the north of Italy, starting with the lakes, Como and Garda then on to Verona, Venice and down through Tuscany finishing in Rome. We only spent a day In Venice, somewhere I have always promised to return although have never quite made it and looking at the map now I have no idea why we didn’t stop in Bologna. This was the first of many visits, here are some of my favourite memories from years gone by.

• Driving into what looked like a market and saying “Are we here?”. We had literally driven into the middle of Florence and then had to go back out and park the car on the outskirts.

• First view of the Duomo in Florence.

• Walking through the streets of Siena with the winning jockey from the Palio.

• Watching the locals after dinner in the village of San Pantaleo in Sardinia

• Celebrating mum’s birthday in Rome and discovering Trastevere for the first time. Although mum was more delighted seeing the Pope from a tiny window!

• Skiing in the Dolomites and the lovely villages of San Cassiano and Madonna di Campiglio. Astounded at the amazing value on the slopes and fresh carbonara cooked in front of you.

• August in Rome where most restaurants were closed and husband rolled around on floor as we had no air conditioning. Incredulous that McDonald’s in Rome was so civilised and served beer. (It was a long time ago and we were on a tight budget!)

• Admiring Perugia and Ortigia in the pouring rain and thinking they were beautiful anyway.

• Tuscan hill towns

• Getting ripped off in a restaurant opposite the amphitheatre in Verona. Taught us very early on to get off the main drag.

• Passeggiata in Taormina

• Noto

• Savoca

• Watching the boats roll in at Lo Scoglio on the Amalfi Coast while lying on the beach. On same beach being offered fruit by an Italian family, It might sound nothing but they were really geared up for the day with their family and thought nothing of sharing their food with us.

• The tiny cafe down a side street in Florence where you could just sit and watch the local builders stop by for an espresso and a quick chat before going back to work.

And that language. I’m currently trying to learn it but not sure my five minutes a day will be enough to cut it. The land of Prosecco and Pizza. Oh Italy, you are a complete joy. For those of us not lucky enough to be in Italy we always have Issimo.