Madly in love - 10 reasons why go to Italy

Visiting Italy is like eating pizza - even if it's not the best experience it is still quite good. I would like to share with you few reasons why I love this place so much and why visiting Italy is always a good option. I know Greece is in crisis and we should go there and support their economy but Italy may need us as well;) This time I am sharing with you a selection of images that according to me illustrate the idea of dolce vita that is so dear to my heart. I hope you will enjoy it!

My cross-stitched Italy soon will need to be updated ;)

I was visiting Italy few times and even if it was cold and snowy (Rome 2012) or rainy (Milan 2013) or hot as hell (Catania 2012) I have fun each time. On my way I met various people, various places and above all various lifestyles - after all Italy is regionally diverse. No matter where I was or with whom, I trully enjoyed each trip even the short ones. I must admit that I love this country and when I love someone or something I always do it 100%. So, every time I am arriving to Italy I feel like a kid in a candy store. Happy and excited. Maybe you should try it too? ;)

1. Food - simple, tasty and good quality. And it is not only pizza & pasta as some people say. Italian cuisine may not be sophisticated but I am not fussy as well and so I enjoy the simple things: a piece of good bread, few red and incredibly sweet tomatos, fresh basil and a right portion of cheese.

2. Weather - geographical location makes Italy a perfect destination for those who search for both sun and snow. The weather in Italian Alps and Sicily is so different that is hard to believe it is still the same country.

3. Nature - again: a great diversity. Three seas surrounding the peninsula, sharp cliffs, lovely islands, beaches, bays, mountains, glaciers, lakes, rivers and a wide range of amazing plants including the one you can put on your plate. The growing season for fruts and vegetables makes Italy an amazing place for vegetarians and those who just simply love the juicy fruits & veges and fragrant herbs.

4. Art and architecture - well, this point doesn't even need a comment. You all know how rich in works of art Italy is. And I don't mean just the "great art" of the past years that is hidden in numerous galleries and museums. What I mean, is the beauty of everyday objects turned into masterpieces. Examples? Just to mention Vespa, Ferragamo shoes, but also a small jar of pesto alla genovese and a simple cup of cappuccino.

5. People - friendly, helpful, beautiful and with sense of humour. Even though they might be quite loud sometimes ;) I really enjoy the melody of their lanuage together with vigorous gesticulation that create an amazing spectacle... The best place to obseve this are the markets where vendors try to attract the attention and so they do a lot of interesting things. It includes shouting into your ear or brandishing a half-dead octopus in front of your nose...Yep, been there ;)

6. Regions - Italy is divided into 20 regions and all of them are surprisingly different than one another. So far I have visited Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Sicily, Lombardy, Tuscany, Veneto and a small Calabrian village which I don't remember the name (weird story)and I must admit you could feel the difference, especially between the North and the South. Those differences covers typical food, language or accent, weather and even the external appearance of people. Yet, the thing you will notice first are probably prices, they also vary according to the region. And this is another reason to visit the less popular one that are usually much cheaper than Tuscany or Liguria.

7. Attitude - it goes together with the key words: dolce far nience and aspettiamo. At the beginning I couln't stand it, I hate waiting, I hate when someting is delayed. I stick to plans, schedules and itineraries. In Italy times goes in another way, people are not in a hurry as much as in Poland. They enjoy the moment even if it's just a simple espresso break on the way to the office. I am still learning this attitude. I am still learning to be more patient. And the idea of an afternoon nap no longer gives me pangs of conscience.

8.Colours - as I wrote in some of my previous posts I like colours. I like colorful cities and Italy is full of them (Burano, Cinqe Terre, Positano, Portofino,Ponza just to mention the most famous one). I love colorful clothes and Italians are not afraid create them and to wear them (including men and elderly people). Companies as United Colours of Benetton and Dolce Gabbana were born in Italy for a reason. Also the Italian cuisine is colorful as it is rich in fresh ingrediens. And all those colours looks just amazing against the blue sky, caressed with the sun rays or rain drops.

9. Eating good - it is not the same as a good food. Eating good is much more than just with good ingredients. It is a philosophy of eating slow, using local simple food, not wasting anything. A tradition of celebrating meals with friends and family. A tradition of long hours dinners, with a lot of food and little alcohol ;) A small pleasure of eating outside, on the terrace, balcony or on the street (I mean restaurant tables set on the pizzas and narrow streets). I just love that! And oddly I never gain weight when I am in Italy...

10. Italians are similar to Polish - although we speak different languages and prefer potatoes over pasta we have a lot in common. I dicover that when I came acros the Italian word arrangiarsi which is sometihng like Polish word załatwiać - both words are hard to translate but means more or less to arrange, organize things not necesairly in accordance with law ;) Both Polish and Italians also appreciate Catholic values (at least in theory) and family is for us very important. I believe people tend to fall in love in those who are similar to us and so I do it quite often :P I admit, I felt in love with Italy from the first sight. I wish you all the same cause this is the kind of love that gives me a lot of happiness and no regrets.