Italian memories are the best when you keep changing the location. Have you ever travelled to the same place more than once? Italy is one of the few countries I visited multiple times.
The whole month of September, I will share 30 stories with you. One story each day. You will find out how I travelled, what countries I called home and how many times I repeated a travel in the same place. But most importantly, you will get to know my comfort zone stories. Would you share yours?
If you read the Finland article, you know I had a layover in Italy. What I didn’t mention is I’ve been to Milano for that one night. I literally went and saw the Duomo, ate one muffin and back to the airport. That was back in March 2010. Since then I have passed through Italy twice. Summer of 2021 and 2022 and I still didn’t manage to see Milano. Why you ask? Well, listen below.
Visiting Family
In October 2014 I travelled to Italy for a second time. More precisely, to Varsi. It’s a cute little village two hours away from Milano. I was visiting my cousin who lived there. And then, together with her partner and their two dogs, we all went on an amazing trip to Elba Island. It was around her birthday so we had the best of times. As expected in Italy, we ate more than I could handle. Honestly, I ended up not finishing my food most of the time. Which didn’t sit well with me because food waste was never something I was comfortable with.
I also had the most incredible view from the balcony. I even got emotional during the first sunset seen from that incredible place. We actually ended up exploring the island quite a bit. At the time I had a video recorder with me borrowed from someone at home. I never made the footage public before. I was planning to make a YouTube video, but editing was truly never my thing. And so here I am, years later still not using the footage.
Meeting Friends
I’ve also visited a friend in Turin. The trip was short and it was my first time staying at an Airbnb. It was back in April 2016. Remember when Airbnb was mostly someone sharing their room and actually providing breakfast for a change? I was too shy and scared of the unknown so I didn’t touch anything in the kitchen. But my host was the nicest ever. He really saved me when I got lost. Listen, if you read enough of my stories you’ll know I usually get lost. But this time around I ended up taking two wrong buses and then I got even more confused on a street. My host found me after one hour and drove me to the accommodation.
I ended up spending quite a bit of time on my own, and I explored the city a little. I actually enjoyed walking by the riverside. And going to the cathedral where I was able to see the city from above. I also visited the Egyptian Museum, and I was able to pay a discount fare because I still had my Erasmus card from when I was in Turkey. Haha, good on me for still looking as a student when in my 30s. Great Italian memories, I’m telling you.
Exploring Bari with Mum
But my favourite trip was with my mum back in May 2016. It was our first trip abroad together. I chose Bari because of the cheap tickets. It was fantastic and we’ve done a couple of day trips around too in Polignano a Mare and Matera. This is what I wrote about it as it was happening.
After two years, I finally managed to bring my mom on a holiday outside Romania. We arrived a few hours back and we already tried the best Foccacia in town, wandered through the old city until we got lost, discovered beautiful scenery at the seaside and had a delicious hot chocolate. Making my mom happy is the best thing I can experience.
April 2016, 19th
It’s so fitting that Italian memories for me mean family and friends. My hope is to do a road trip to see even more of the beautiful country. I still hope to get back and do a longer road trip. Or travel by train. Is Italy on your travel list?
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