It is not exactly 3 years to the date but in May we will be returning to Italy, the last country that we visited before the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020. Due to our views on the Covid-19 vaccine we have been unable to travel but now, as most of those restrictions are removed, we can start travelling again. In February 2o2o we visited Rome before travelling to Civitavecchia for a cruise around the Western Mediterranean. All the chaos that followed that holiday is still well remembered, but now it feels like a little normalcy has returned.

Unfortunately, one change that will have an impact is Brexit. We, by which I mean my wife and myself, voted to remain European. I can remember entering the Piazza del Popolo in Rome under a beautiful blue February sky and thinking that we are throwing all of this away for a shallow jingoistic excuse of a reason. I hope that in my lifetime the United Kingdom returns to the European Union, but until then we will have to travel as non-members and accept the inevitable delays that this might cause us.

So, in May we will be travelling to Pisa, and then onto Florence. I have been to Pisa before. Obviously, famous for its leaning tower, the place has far more to offer. It has many meandering streets full of interesting architecture, the kind that creates the warm Italian ambience and makes me think of Shakespeare’s Italian plays. Pisa is bisected by the Arno River that is spanned by four bridges. Any trip to the Torre di Pisa should include a walk through the Piazza dei Cavalieri. There is more to see in Pisa than just the tower and this time I plan to explore the Mura di Pisa, the medieval walls and museum.

One place that I have always wanted to visit is Firenze, known to English speakers as Florence and I am eagerly looking forward to the second part of this holiday. We will be travelling from Pisa to Florence using the excellent railway system. Italy is the country that I have visited more than any other in Europe. In fact, it was the first foreign holiday destination that I ever headed for and I keep going back. The landscapes and vistas are unremittingly beautiful and the history is evident wherever you go. I love the food and drink, and the warmer climate. There are still plenty of other places that I want to visit in the world, but Italy will always be the one country that I keep returning to. It seems quite fitting then that it was the last one that I got to enjoy before the pandemic and it will be the first after it.