The art of...
la dolce vita
A trip to Italy isn’t merely a holiday. It’s a
lesson in how to live a little bit better, and
ANNA HART intends to never stop learning.
O
f all the countries I owe
a debt of gratitude to,
Italy tops the list. Italy
has been a true friend
to this itinerant writer, and has
picked me up and put me back
on my feet more times than I can
remember. Holidays to Italy work.
Arriving in Italy feels like being
welcomed into an effortlessly
glamorous and unpretentious
party, where our hosts just want
us to eat their splendid food, drink
their glorious wine, relax in their
salubrious surroundings. In short,
a trip to Italy does everything a
holiday is meant to do.
And best of all, Italy restores
the body, replenishes the spiritand resets the mind without
making a fuss about it. Not for
Italy, the patronising lingo of
wellness-oriented breaks. Italy
delivers superlative food and
wine, awe-inspiring architecture,
soul-stirring art and music, and
life-affirmingly beautiful scenery.
I know that technically we’re
supposed to turn to self-help
meccas such as Tulum, Sedona
and Ubud when our spirits
have been savaged by the world.
But whatever it is that souls
are made of, Italy is the thread
that stitches me together again.
My first taste of Italy was
Venice, which I rolled into on
the train, on a lengthier EuropeanAnna is a travel and
lifestyle journalist,
and author of the
travel memoir
Departures.
@annadothart132 GOURMET TRAVELLER