I could spend weeks, months, even years traveling in Italy.
Two years ago I decided to make this travel dream come true by spending the months of February and March in Italy. Over a cold Christmas and New Years in New York I envisioned sunny days, strolling through cobblestone streets with a cone of gelato, and sipping an apertif at an outdoor cafe watching the sun set.
Cinque Terre, Liguria, Italy, by sunset.
The reality was much less romantic. After being very lucky for much of February (misty Venice was atmospheric, Cinque Terre was warm during the day with chilly evening breezes) the cold weather blues really set in.
We were spending two weeks in a mountain village just south of Salerno (with no heating) and a storm came through that lasted for 3 days and shook every windowpane in the house violently. I tried to keep the romance of ‘mountain village in Italy’ going by sipping hot cups of cappuccino and reading novel after novel while dinner simmered on the stove. But after day 3 – I broke.
I was tired of winter. I was tired of grey clouds. I was tired of being unable to feel my fingertips.
port in sorrento, march 2007
Luckily – after the storm passed, the sun shone brightly right on our mountainside balcony. We went for walks by the sea, and just basked in sunlight. The tiles of the balcony became warm from the sunshine – and I started to believe that winter might actually be coming to a close. That day, taking in the first rays of spring, we decided to head south and spend more time exploring Croatia – it had been a long winter and we were going to chase the sun.
This is how I felt again this week in Dublin. I had a bad case of the cold weather blues.
Yesterday I had just a 10-minute walk in the city and with snow blowing horizontally straight into my face and I realized winter will not go lightly this year. It will continue to taint our weekends, freeze our fingertips, and make Monday mornings just a little more miserable. When I finally got indoors – I didn’t take comfort in ANOTHER cup of tea – but in planning a springtime trip to follow the sun.
a sunny day in dubrovnik, croatia
My thoughts returned to Italy – only further south. I just finished a book on Sicily (Lampedusa’s ‘The Leopard’) and it has left me with a desire to explore this island on the fringe of Italy. I might just combine it with a trip to Malta as well.
I might just go look up flights right now, as the rain falls drearily in the window beside me.
Where are you going for a warm weather getaway? Post below and give your fellow travelers some inspiration on where to follow the sun this spring and summer.
