Bella Italia!

Already Goethe knew: “Do you know the land where the lemon-trees grow, in darkened leaves the gold-oranges glow, a soft wind blows from the pure blue sky, the myrtle stands mute, and the bay-tree high?” – Italy!

Vacation! The original plan was a road trip in the very south of Italy: beach, sea, gelato, cappuccino, Fiat500, fresh fish… and then came corona. And everything is different since! Flights were canceled. Borders closed. And no leaving Germany without spending 2 weeks in quarantine after coming back. So we moved those Italian travel plans to 2021. That’s leaving us with many ideas but no plan. It’s corona time (as my niece would say). Holiday this year makes creative.

Discover and fall in love: in & around Stuttgart: hiking vineyards.

Visiting friends.

Finally we made it to the Black Forest for an amazing „Surprise-Gourmet-Menu”.

Vacation. Rain. 8.5C degrees. More rain. It’s cold & rainy in Germany. And suddenly the borders to Switzerland, Austria and Italy opened again… quarantine rules are canceled. The world is slowly waking up from it’s corona beauty sleep. All of that considered: let’s escape to Italy for a few days! A very spontaneous decision (and didn’t regret it).

Benventuti a Verona!

„…there is no world for me beyond the walls of Verona: but purgatory, torture, hell itself. Hence, banished is banish‘d from the world, and world‘s exile is death…“ William Shakespeare

Oh, the love city of Italy – Verona, a city of a tragic Romeo and Giulietta love story…

26C degrees and the lovely smell of flowers. Love is in the air. We arrived at the home to Romeo and Giulietta. Verona. Even Shakespeare was so inspired by this romantic city so he decided to set his tale of Romeo in this very city.

„I fear, being in night, all this is but a dream too flattering-sweet“. W. Shakespeare (Romeo & Juliet Act II es, Scene II).

The famous balcony which played host to the secret encounters between the two lovers.

Only in Italy: touching Giuliettas breast for good luck.

Breakfast in Verona. Beautiful!

Viva Italia! Flirting waiters (the masks are not taking the charming smiles away). Very much enjoying the daily decisions to which beautiful Café and restaurant to go (can I please stay here?). And one is better than the other. Oh, how much we missed that. Feeling free, wild & alive again.

A little different these days with masks, social distancing and soldiers & police checking on people & places following the rules. And hardly any tourists (the best part, Italy without (German) tourists). We were the only guests in our hotel (and felt a little like the Queen). It’s good to see that the Italians keep enjoying life!

It’s all about food. Of course. And we loved the 187-page (!) wine list. That’s Italy!

Aperitivi. Bevande. Antipasto. Primi. Secondo. Contorni. Dolci. Digestivi. Caffè. Bed! Repeat next evening (definitely back on low-carb after 6 days!).

Those mountains of gelato. Hmmmm!

Indulging.

Bella Italia! That’s drinking espresso at the bar. Italy is gelato, pasta, pizza (in that order & repeat next day). The steak and lamb are also incredible. Italy means yellow Ferrari’s passing by. Or Fiat 500‘s. Italy means fashion. So many beautiful shoes! People watching. Oh, how much I missed that. Piazzas & plazas. Walking on marble stones. Foreign smells. Locals arguing (the ladies are boss). Vespas. Anchovies. Osteria. Wine. More wine. Truffle. It’s hard to get enough of the summer truffle (truffle oil & truffle salami coming home with us…).

Bright Rosè Colour. Fine and Persistent Perlage. Gently Fruity Bouquet with a delicate Scent of Flowers. Fresh, Dry with a Savoury Flavour – wine tasting (& buying) in close by Vineyard. Those winemakers create a wealth of wines. So good!

I’m in love with Verona and it’s bars, Cafés, salamis, white wines, prosciutto platters… can I please move here? Already found my favorite balcony.

After another amazing lunch our trip continued to Lago di Garda.

Breakfast. That view…

No tourists but ducks.

The car is filled up with local goodies (Italy’s creamiest yogurt didn’t even make it over the border…). We are on the way back to Germany.

Italy, we loved visiting you again! It’s been too long. We’ll be back, I promise! Maybe next time with our new van which we started transforming into a camper van – our new project, challenge accepted!

Arrivederci!