Further visits followed on my end–principally for excellent negronis, but also for this vibe that I hadn’t found elsewhere in London. It houses a huge collection of famous works of art from the Renaissance Era, including The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli. I still wasn’t focusing on my language skills at all but I had discovered the joys of supplì, pizza that cost €5 and legal drinking.

Thus, I am probably biased about the beaches here but one thing I can assure you about is that our beaches are actually much better than those of the Caribbean Islands. Looking at the sunset at the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, or quaint bridges spanning Venetian canals, each isbeautiful in its own way. There are waterfall showers, an infinity pool, a grotto and a Japanese-style bath, all set in lovely gardens dotted with sculptures. I think you would appreciate some of the old churches there including the cathedrals in Salamanca, Seville, Toledo, Valladolid, Burgos etc. From sculptures like David, carved by Michelangelo to the fresco painting of The Last Supper, by Leonardo da Vinci in Milan, you can gaze upon works that are centuries old and celebrated worldwide as artistic masterpieces.Whilst I’m aware people have coffee hot, it’s too hot and also the full fat milk has reached the burning temperature, meaning it’s ruined the whole coffee- basic as coffee would not recommend.

Poolside was the perfect place to get a bit of uni reading in whilst soaking up some late spring sunshine. Despite the simmering passion, we didn’t follow through, but to this day there remains fondness and a genuine friendship. Highlights from October’s Spotlight on Italy: Umbria In October, we chose the off-the-beaten path region of Umbria as the focus of our “Spotlight On Italy” monthly series. The one thing I was sure of, however, was that I wanted to do a study abroad semester while I was in school.You learn local history and culture at the same time, which is really rewarding in smaller corners of the country. I am now looking at a northern Italy trip: Venice-Ravenna-Padua-Bolzano-Verona-Milan (day trip to Como).

They flirt like it’s part of their DNA, and they have a way of making each person feel special, like she is the only one in the room. DH: I so wanted to communicate with the Italians I had met that I immersed myself in Italian and became enraptured by the music in its words. From the most impressive rocky peaks of the Italian Alps in the north to the Apennine Mountains that stretch through the entire country, Italian mountains will take your breath away!

That being said - we've been to the South of France (Provence/Cote d'Azur) a few times and that's probably next on my favourite list after Italy - lots of beautiful towns and villages - even some Roman ruins. Whether it’s a special occasion like Festa de la Mamma (Mother’s Day) or just a friendly chat with nonna (grandma), here are some sayings to make your family feel special the Italian way. There are tour excursions that take you around the lake with two or more stop-offs so you can experience the surrounding towns. Sicily’s most impressive and mind-blowing geological wonder is Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest active volcano.