I have lived in 10 cities, in five different countries, and have travelled to almost 50 countries. There are many places that I loved visiting but don’t feel the need to go again. There are some places that I have visited frequently over the years, many of those because of the people who live there, not necessarily the place itself. And there are, of course, the countries that I really want to see but haven’t yet visited.

I will never forget seeing Aurora Borealis at 2 am in the middle of Iceland. I loved climbing to the top of Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro. Witnessing the Great Migration in Kenya was life changing — a once in a lifetime experience. Riding a camel to the Great Pyramid of Giza, sailing down the Nile, and wandering through Abu Simbel in Egypt were all fascinating beyond words. I have amazing memories of shopping on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, of having Sunday brunch at Bewley’s in Dublin, of attending a dinner party at SoHo House in London, and of attending a formal wedding in a 500 year old monastery in Guatemala. Some of my travel experiences have been jarring, or difficult, or downright disastrous. But all of my travel — the good, the bad, and the utterly unfortunate — have all played a part in shaping both the person that I am, and how I view the world at large. 

Italy never ceases to feel magical, and delightful, and dreamy in a way that no other country quite matches.

And then there is Italy. Ahh….Italy…Italy holds a special place in my heart. Italy never ceases to feel magical, and delightful, and dreamy in a way that no other country quite matches. I have journeyed to Italy seven times. I’ve seen all the tourist highlights. I’ve stumbled along the road less travelled. I’ve stayed in villages with a handful of residents and revelled in the cities with millions. I’ve spent weeks doing nothing but wine tasting and eating in Slow Food restaurants. I’ve had picnics in the Boboli Gardens in Florence and the Borghese Gardens in Rome. I’ve sat along the edge of Lake Como being entertained by ducks. I’ve explored every nook and cranny of the Peggy Guggenheim museum in Venice. I’ve on more than one occasion thrown out my neck due to hours of wandering through the Palazzo Pitti just gawking at the magnificent ceilings. I’ve marvelled at the gothic splendour of the cathedral in Orvieto. And, after years of studying art history in a darkened auditorium I’ve been brought to tears by my first sight of Brunelleschi’s dome and Ghiberti’s doors at the Duomo in Florence.

I love the food. I love the wine. I love the crumbling old stone walls. I love the pristine marble fountains. The Italians founded the Slow Food movement. They also founded CittaSlow. It all gives me joy. So, I don’t just want to visit Italy again — I want to live there. One way or another I’m going to make that happen. Andiamo in Italia!