It’s early Spring in New York and as the temperatures start to rise, my mind wanders to the hot sunny days I spent in Italy the previous summer. I hadn’t been to Italy in decades; since I was a child living in County Dublin and travelled to Rome with my parents. Although visiting the Vatican is almost a rite of passage for Irish Catholics, for me it wasn’t the most exciting vacation.
I spent 10 days in Italy in the summer of 2023. Landing in Pisa airport via Dublin, I picked up a lively Peugeot SUV and hit the autostrada headed for Florence. Florence was my first stop and the most southern part of my journey. I had booked a hotel with a swimming pool, and a 15 minute drive to central Firenze. Parking in Florence is difficult to find (with confusing parking rules) so I left my car at the hotel every day and took a taxi into the city. I loved seeing the architecture, the museums and learning about the Medici family and their influence on the Renaissance. Quite honestly, the shoe stores and their amazing selections grabbed my attention as much as the history, and I’m guilty of buying a few pairs of sandals.
The Emilia Romagna region was the next stop on my trip and a 3 hour drive from Florence. This area is famous for their Balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese and cured ham. I stayed in an 18th century converted farmhouse surrounded by fields, on the banks of the river Po. The chef is known for his extensive cellar of Culatello ham and his restaurant earning Michelin stars since 2011. After spending a few days in this bucolic paradise, visiting the local wineries and indulging in pasta with summer truffles, I hit the road to travel further north.
Lake Como, 2 hours north of Emilia Romagna, was my final Italian destination. While driving on Via Cesare Poggi to my hotel, the first glimpse of Lake Como to my left was breathtakingly surreal. My hotel was perched on a hill overlooking the lake, the bathroom had the largest most luxurious shower I’ve encountered and the morning espresso was invigorating. I spent my time there taking ferry rides around the lake and hopping on and off the ferry at whatever picturesque village caught my fancy. The ferry from Como to Bellagio gets booked up early and you can only purchase a one-way ticket, so I decided to satisfy my inner rally driving fantasies and drove the narrow twisting road up to Bellagio. Bellagio is charmingly beautiful, however, it was very crowded and felt like all the American tourists in Italy had decided to stay in this one small town.
My very last stop in Italy was Milan airport for a flight to Ireland and visit with my family for another week.
Ciao!