The smell of freshly ground coffee beans roasting, the panoramic view of mountain peaks in the distance covered in luscious green fields with a crystal stream flowing down them, the sound of a strong yet friendly accent, the feel of fresh linen and the taste of a fresh, crisp homemade breakfast pastry. These are the first few things that capture the human senses (well, mine at least) when waking up to a beautiful day in Italy. Specifically in a little chalet in the picturesque village of Molveno in Trentino Alto-Adige, or in the National Park of Sila Grande in Calabria.
“… I have no regrets…”
My passion for the boot-shaped archipelago has grown in the past eight years of my Italian studies. What I can certainly say from this experience is that I have no regrets; it only makes the trips there even more extraordinary.
As an amateur traveller, I can easily say the ambience and vivacity has certainly left an impact on me. The culture and way of life of these effervescent people has always intrigued me. Italy’s vibrancy is presented through its versatility, history, literature, film and art works of all kinds. Not to mention its cuisine and diversified landscapes.
“All these cities are breath-taking in their own way…”
A personal favourite when it comes to Italian cities would have to be Bologna. Not only is it world renowned for its famous Bolognese sauce, but is home to the oldest university in the world. This is only a crumb on Italy’s map. Padua, Trieste, Venice, Florence, Milan, Rimini, Pompeii, Verona, Pisa, Roma. Shall I keep going? All these cities are breath-taking in their own way, but in my personal opinion, there is nothing like a quaint village perched on a mountainside or a dinner at the small seaside village of Malcesine or an espresso from a corner bar in the 8th century Benedictine monastery commune of Sesto al Reghena.
I hope to revisit the land of culture and cuisine sometime soon, possibly next year, and pay another visit to Florence where I have used my ISIC card to enter various museums like the Florence Baptistery and the Medici Chapel. I greatly anticipate this voyage and look forward to future visits.
