7 reasons Italy might be your spirit country
Italy is home to all the good things in life...food, coffee, wine and La Dolce Vita.
If you're looking for reasons to visit Italy, we've put together seven.
“you may have the universe, if i may have italy”
Look, there’s every chance that Giuseppe Verdi (Italian composer) was in the midst of a little melodramatic moment when he made such a huge claim... But we definitely follow the logic of how he got there.
After all, Italy is home to the good life (la dolce vita), gourmet food, delicious wine, beautifully romantic scenery, and a unique way of life that makes it one of those special places that just sucks you in so you never want to leave.
In case you still have your doubts, these are seven reasons to visit Italy, your new spirit country.
7 INCREDIBLE REASONS TO VISIT ITALY
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#1 ITALY = EATALY
There’s a very good reason that bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love, opens with author Elizabeth Gilbert re-discovering life’s simple pleasures in Italy - and it’s not just the pizza.
For Italians, cuisine and culture go hand in hand. Meal prep is considered an art form, family and tradition are the essential ingredients, and passion is served up on every plate. If it’s complete nourishment of your body and soul you’re searching for, Italy is your big bowl of fresh pasta.
Most locals will tell you the secret to their delicious food is seasonal produce, adding a whole lotta soul, and keeping it regional. It’s all about sticking to the basics - only indulge in Aperol Spritz and aperitivo in Venice, pizza in Naples, Bolognese in Bologna, Pesto in Genoa, and Gelato… well, anywhere, everywhere, everyday.
The possibilities are endless - the only limit is how much you can fit in your stomach.
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#2 RIDICULOUS LEVELS OF HISTORY AND CULTURE
Merely being in Italy is an awe-inspiring experience.
For a start, Italy has more Unesco World Heritage sites than any other country on earth, and much of what we know as the ‘modern world’ today actually grew straight from the history within Italy’s borders.
The Colosseum, Pantheon, and the Roman Forum bring you face-to-face with the ancient Roman Empire and cradle of modern Europe. The Renaissance springs to life again right before your eyes as you lay eyes on the beauty of the Sistine Chapel, Da Vinci’s Last Supper, and Michelangelo’s David.
The wealth of the Venetians in the Middle Ages is on display in the colourful fairytale buildings along the canals of Venice, and some of the most beautiful architecture in the world can be found in each town.
You can literally walk down the same streets that Caesar, Michelangelo and Da Vinci have all strolled down at various times over the last 2,000 years. Just let that sink in for a little while.
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#3 DRINK UP, IT'S ALL GOOD
First thing’s first: Aperol Spritz.
If you don’t already know about this refreshing orange aperitif popular in Venice, you should. If you do know, then you probably agree that this alone is basically worth moving to Italy for.
Italy is also one of the very few places on earth where the quality of wine is so great that you can order a house wine and be sure that you’re about to about to enjoy something great for cheap, cheap.
Wine enthusiasts, rejoice!
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#4 THE LANDSCAPES ARE STUNNING
While it might have the face of a boot on Google maps, Italy certainly delivers in the looks department on the ground.
Towering snow-capped Alps just ripe for skiing? Tick. Rugged coastlines with colourful cliffside villages? Why not. Romantic rolling green and gold Tuscan hills adorned with grapevines? Of course. Inviting beaches with turquoise blue water? Yup. Volcanic craters (not to mention the ancient ruins of Pompeii!)? Well obviously.
With one of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes in Europe, you’re going to be hard pressed to run out of places to explore here.
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#5 LA DOLCE VITA - THE GOOD LIFE
Italians have that elusive little thing called work/life balance sussed out pretty well, with a focus on the good, simple things: family and friends, good food and drink, and hearty conversation.
For many, life is lived in the style of La Dolce far Niente, the “sweetness of doing nothing”, or the pleasure taken from being idle. Life moves at a more gentle pace here - particularly in the south - which allows people to slow down, enjoy their surroundings, and really just be.
It’s all about removing distractions (like that Netflix queue!) and spending quality time with yourself and your loved ones entirely in the present.
Yogis call it mindfulness, Italians call it sweet nothing.
Whatever it is, you’re never going to regret that time you simply sat and enjoyed your life.
the joy of missing out: slow travel in the lemon groves of sorrento
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#6 LUNCHTIME IS RIPOSO TIME
So you’ve already heard about the magical daytime nap that is the Spanish siesta, but did you know the Italians have a similar version known as the riposo?
Everyone knows the midday slump is a very real struggle, and pinning your eyelids open for your 3pm meeting or exam can seem like a legitimate option.
The thing is, afternoon fatigue is actually a completely natural part of our biorhythms. Rather than battle against them like we do in the rest of the world, Mediterranean countries like Spain and Italy actually work to the rhythm of the body clock instead.
During riposo locals shut up shop (or museum) for 1.5-2 hours, put their feet up, and perhaps even head home or to a trattoria for a good meal before returning for the afternoon shift. It’s all about choosing quality of life for a couple of hours over making a few bucks, all while avoiding the hottest / sleepiest hours of the day.
Plus, a long lunch or daytime nap that your boss thinks is perfectly acceptable.. What’s not to love?!
bologna travel tips: 14 essential things to know before you visit
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#7 GOOD LOOKING NEW FRIENDS
Aside from being really ridiculously good-looking with inherent on point style, Italians are also very warm, welcoming, and generous people.
More often than not you’ll find locals are happy to stop and chat, share pieces of their city with you, throw a few extra pieces of fruit in your grocery bag, or point you in the right direction again - particularly if you make the effort to learn a few key phrases or words of Italian.
Welcome to the land where a simple ciao and an appreciation of coffee can go a long way in helping you make new friends!
the best way to know italy: hiking the via matildica in emilia romagna
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ITALY TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Check our these essential posts to help you have the best trip ever:
BEST OF BOLOGNA | 12 incredibly awesome things to do in Bologna, Italy
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WAY TO KNOW ITALY | Hiking the Via Matildica in Italy’s Emilia Romagna
VENICE ON A BUDGET | The ultimate guide to visiting this iconic Italian destination on a budget
TRAVEL INSURANCE | Don’t leave home without travel insurance (seriously, don’t!). Click here to get the best deals with World Nomads, our trusted travel insurance provider
PHOTOGRAPHY | Love our photography? Wondering what gear we use to get all of our photos around the world? Click here to view our detailed photography gear guide, as well as our top travel photography tips!
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL | Responsible travel is important. REALLY IMPORTANT. Learn our top responsible travel tips to help you, your family and friends travel more consciously around the globe
ECO FRIENDLY PACKING ESSENTIALS | Don’t leave home without our favourite eco-friendly travel essentials
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GROUP TOURS OF ITALY
We recommend the following group tours of Italy:
ONE WEEK IN ITALY | this is the tour we took of Italy in 2016, and we loved it. A great introduction to Italy, its major highlights, and the Italian way of life.
ULTIMATE ITALY | A 2-week tour through Rome, Tuscany, Siena, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Lake Como, Venice with G Adventures
LOCAL LIVING SORRENTO | The chance to move in and live like a local for a week in rustic, rural Italy! We LOVED our time on this tour, and would absolutely recommend it to any traveller looking to escape the standard travel grind.
LIKE IT? PIN IT!
KEEN TO EXPLORE ITALY YOURSELF? CHECK OUT THESE POSTS!
This post originally appeared on the Geckos Tales blog.
We were sponsored by Geckos Adventures on their 30 day London to Rome by rail tour.
As always, all opinions are our own.