Italy’s not just another summer getaway for me. It’s my go-to escape whenever I get the chance. Blame it on those ridiculous $30 round-trip Ryanair fares to Bergamo, or the fact that it quite literally runs through my veins (thank you, nonno). Not to brag, but I’ve pretty much covered the country at this point, from the northern fringes of the Dolomites, practically brushing against Austria, all the way down to the wild, overlooked edges of the boot, with every cultural heavyweight and natural wonder in between.
I’ve cruised through Venice by gondola, village-hopped across Tuscany, and left no ancient stone unturned in Rome, a city I’ve returned to more times than I can count. At this stage, I thought there wasn’t much the old country could throw at me that would still genuinely surprise me…
