Not that I’m counting -but there’s only 33 days till we head off to Italy again for 5 glorious weeks. It’s been 2 years since we last visited. There are some things I just can’t get anywhere else so I’m a tad excited at the prospect of 35 straight days of Italian pleasures.
We spend a lot of time in the countryside and because we always hire a car we get to drive around early morning and late evenings as well as long, lazy, lovely days. The summer fields of wheat look beautiful anytime of day but I love this shot of the sinking sun turning the wheat golden against the lengthening evening shadows.
Then there’s the summer wildflowers. I know you can get wonderful wildflower meadows other places but the poppies are such an integral part of a summer in Italy that I miss them and if I have a summer without poppies I feel I’ve been florally cheated!. One year we went a little later than usual and the poppies were gone only to be replaced with fields of deep red/purple clover. After years of visiting Italy I discovered another pleasure of the Tuscan countryside.
When I’m dreaming of Italy it’s the colours that I’m longing for … all those ochres, reds, oranges…warm and earthy with the summer sun bouncing off them. The reflections in a Venetian canal capture all the colour, movement and essence of Italy. The iconic cities never disappoint!
There’s the unexpected like this zing of orange leaves against the bright blue sea I captured on a walk around the island of Capri.
….and the night time reflections as we walked the Cinque Terra trail after sunset.
Of course there’s all the little details as well. Doors and doorknockers are right up there for me. Also tiled terracotta rooftops with their variegated oranges brightening up the village skylines. The flap of white clothes drying in the breeze on lines slung across the laneways. Roses climbing up stone walls. Pots of geraniums making a windowsill all the garden that is needed. Fountains with their sweet sound of cool water in the summer heat.
Not least of all is the food! I just cannot get ice cream as good as Italian gelati anywhere else in the world…and I have to eat enough spaghetti vongole to last me till our next trip.
Thirty three days and yes, I’m counting!!
Lindy Whitton Studio 
Looks like Heaven. Have fun and take more beautiful pictures!
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Thank’s Jill. I will take a gazillion photos – especially as I lost quite a few in a computer “incident” this year. The camera will be working overtime!
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OH, I know what you mean when you are counting down the days to Italy! Sometimes I think the planning and anticipation for a vaca is almost as good for us as the vaca!
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Well, of course no one could tell from that scribing that you’re even a tad excited! Happy hol!
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Nah – didn’t I tell you, they said Italy is closed now – you have to stay home!
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Lucky you.. It’s been 2 years singe I’ve last been as well and I’m dying to go back. Gorgeous pics, hope you have a great time! 💙
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I’m planning on having a fantastic time! Hope you get back soon.
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If you don’t mind a personal request and a slight high-jacking of your post: I’m trying to plan an Italy trip for 2017 or possibly 2018, with the intention of renting a somewhat centrally-located villa and then making various day trips. Are you aware of any trusted websites and/or companies that could help me plan such a thing? Any other suggestions you’d like to throw out would be appreciated. Thanks, Lindy!
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Hi Brian. We’ve stayed at a villa in Southern Tuscany many times. Here’s a linkPodere Pietrata. It’s in the Val D’Orchia and from here we’ve visited Rome, Florence, Siena, Chianti, Assisi, all the Tuscan hilltop towns, some nearby Umbrian villages all in a day. It’s about 2 hours from Rome and 2 hours from Florence. It sits at the end of a dirt road and has a stupendous view. The caretakers are lovely and we’re always really happy there. We plan all our own holidays online and Trevor ( husband) does a lot of the research as I work so much- there’s no particular company he goes through- we’ve had very few surprises or negative experiences. Check out his blog on Tuscany.https://trevwhitton.wordpress.com/2016/04/10/lets-go-to/ if you’re interested – it shows some of the countryside around the villa . We’ve stayed quite a few places around Italy so if you have any special area you’re interested in just let me know. Happy planning!
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Hi, Lindy. I was rereading this post and just now realized that I never thanked you for responding, which makes me look like an ass. (I must have been so excited to have the links that I raced off to investigate and forgot my manners.) Thank you for your help!
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Hi Brian – No problem – I am so forgetful these days I forgot I even sent you the info!!! Hope it was helpful- it’s a lot of fun just planning a holiday.
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