This is a collaborative post
Italy is one of my dream destinations for many reasons.
My first ever holiday abroad was a school cookery trip to Italy when I was thirteen. My mum was a single parent and we didn’t have enough money for fancy holidays, or even a passport. Back in the 90s you didn’t have to have your own passport as you could go on a “group passport” for school trips abroad, how times have changed!
My mum scrimped and saved in order for me to go on the school cookery trip. We packed my suitcase and off I went on the coach (did I mention it was a coach trip?) to Lido di Jesolo in Italy. Do you have ANY idea how long it takes to get to Italy by coach? I do. 23 hours. 23 hours on a coach with about 50 teenage girls and one toilet. Never, ever again! But it was an amazing experience nonetheless.
My first memory of Italy was the coach stopping at a service station so we could stretch our legs, I don’t know where exactly, which is a huge shame. The sun was just rising and there were beautiful green mountains. It was awe inspiring even for a slightly morbid thirteen year old girl.
Anyway, back to the cookery trip, I say it was a cookery trip but in actual fact there was very little cooking involved, although I do remember being given a bowl with strict instructions to stir it the same way as the previous person and doing quite the opposite! I was thoroughly scorned by the Italian chef.
As part of the “cookery trip” we travelled to Venice for a day trip as it is quite close to Lido di Jesolo. We visited St Marks Square – there were pigeons, drooled at ice cream – Italy is where I developed my passion for pistachio ice cream – and bizarrely had to draw the different shaped pasta on display at one of the market stalls. But, to be honest, Italy was a bit wasted on thirteen year old me.
If I visited Italy now I would love to take a gondola ride
As a middle aged woman the idea of a gondola ride is very appealing. I like the romantic idea of it all, like you see in the movies, although I would have to stop myself from singing “Just one Cornetto” – if you know, you know! Gondola tours are obviously very popular and you can find out more by clicking here.
I fell in love with the idea of Tuscany after watching Much Ado About Nothing
It was 1993 and we actually went to the cinema to watch Jurassic Park which was absolutely HUGE with people clamoring to see it. The next showing with availability was at something like midnight so we opted to watch Much Ado About Nothing to while away the time. I mean, it wasn’t a hardship seeing as Keanu Reeves was in it but I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with the scenery as well as the actors!
The film was filmed on location at the Villa Vignamaggio in Greve in Chianti (yes the place where the nice red wine that Hannibal Lector is partial to comes from). The Tuscan landscape ranges from quaint traditional villages to mountains and it is famous for it’s castles and monasteries.
I could certainly spend a leisurely couple of weeks exploring and staying in Holiday villas in Tuscany, I somehow doubt I’ll stumble across the lovely Keanu though *sigh*
