Ode to Italy

As I wiped the sweat from my brow I squinted in the hot sun at what seemed to be the most beautiful landscape. Terra cotta rooftops, aged and faded, dripping with history. Rolling hills braided with ripe vines and strands of towering cypress trees. Country roads of dust and gravel. Little old men on bicycles tipping their hats to their female neighbors. Clusters of olive trees weighed down with the first fruits of the season. Swallows lazily circled above. It felt as though I had stepped back in time...
Our jaunt to Italy could not have been more lovely. Packed with history, culture, good food, magical views, and ample amount of rest and leisure. I am thankful and my heart is full.

We had a few days of warm rain, which called for an idle and quiet sort of attitude. Books and my family were my companions....

Our final days were spent in Rome amidst the myriad of fine museums, ancient ruins, lively piazzas, and an uncanny amount of tourists. Despite the crowds, we managed to pretend we were the only couple strolling through the cobbled streets of Trastevere, sipping on a cool glass of prosecco, and canoodling under a canopy of stars while the accordion player cooed Italian classics.

Italia, you are indeed a treasure. Thank you for your grandeur and history. Thank you for your kind, vivacious people, thank you for prosciutto and melon (a favorite of ours). Thank you for helping me slow down and worry less. Thank you for surprisingly catering so well to our crazy diet. I raise my glass to you and my family for making these last two weeks so special...cin cin!

Comments

[Kelsey]

Italy, most of Europe really, has an uncanny way of helping us exhale, slow down, and worry less. After traveling, I try to make a commitment to bring home the best of the culture and implement it in my own life. It's usually much hard than I'd like to admit, but it's a beautiful gift to be reminded of with memories. These photos are absolutely stunning, I'm having a bit of wanderlust again now. Thanks for sharing, love!

[laurenbtrain]

i love italy! so glad you had a great trip! love you, yaya :)

[Rebeca]

Italy is lovely, and you captured it beautifully!

[Sebastian]

good one..:)

[Maria @ ScandiFoodie]

*SIGH* oh I loved loved this post - such an amazing scenery! x

[Sini]

Happy to hear you had a great trip, Coco. I'm sure we are all already waiting for some italy inspired recipes. Oh and Castello di Gabbiano has a wonderful rosé worth to try! Seems like you visited their vineyard? I love visiting vineyards :)

P.S. I like the new look of your site. The colours on the left hand side are so beautiful.

[Sarah]

Oh my gosh! I love your new layout, and the post about Italy as well! : )

[Nicky]

Love the new header. Your photography. Pretty much everything on your site.

[tiina]

This is one of the most gorgeous blog posts I've seen. Can't stop looking at the photos and missing Italy!

[julie]

How fun to see pictures of your lovely Italian adventure. A few years ago, I spend time in Italy for a semester. Rome, in particular, is a City of historical layers. It is such a beautiful, fascinating and educational place to be. Thank you for sharing your trip!

[Ashley V.]

beautiful photos Caitlin!!! I think I will come back to look at these when I need to soothe my soul :) Glad y'all had a good trip!

[Golubka]

Absolutely breathtaking. So glad you had a wonderful trip. Also, love the new banner :)

[Stephanie]

Such lovely pictures. And the new banner is beautiful, Caitlin! Hope to see you soon!

[Kristin]

This post makes my heart ache. Italy is SO magical, I completely treasure every minute I spent there when I lived there, and I can't wait to go back. Beautiful photographs, so glad you found the same beauty in the country I did :)

[Snippets of Thyme]

Beautiful...no, gorgeous post! My husband travels to Florence for his job. I've accompanied him on a few trips when I can arrange childcare for my kids. Because he is always in meetings, I wander alone up and down these magical and historic streets. Florence holds such a special place because I've never travelled in a city so along. I thoroughly enjoy every minute! So glad you have now experienced it's musical enchantments.

[kari]

Love the look, it is beautiful!

[Shokoofeh]

So heavenly beautiful! Really enjoyed seeing your photos and reading your story.
:) Have a nice day, dear Coco!

[Sharon @ Granola Meets Grits]

Coco, your photos are GORGEOUS (as always :)). Thank you so much for sharing, they are truly wonderful and I know I will be looking at them again and again. It is amazing how beautiful you make them! They are truly a work of art!

[Coco]

Thank you everyone!

Sini, yes we did try the rosé, that was one of our favorites! We had a tour, tasting and lunch there it was so lovely!

[sheena]

wow wow wow. beautiful photos!

[christelle is flabbergasting]

Love the tilt & Shift effect of your photos! Italy: I dream about going there for at least a month or two to enjoy everything: food, landscape, life! Soon... I hope! In the meantime, your pictures keep me dreaming of these beautiful places! And, oh, congrats for D*S and for your new *oh so cute* header!

[Bev Weidner]

I am freaking falling apart! STUNNING photography! Why can't we be friends?

[CC]

Your photos are amazing. You could truly sell them on Etsy or somewhere similiar- I know I would buy them. Wonderful!

[Amanda]

This made me cry. I miss Italy so much. It's just so cozy and inviting! I do worry about going to Italy now that I am gluten-free so I'm glad to hear they catered to your diet!

[mary kate]

your pictures as always are absolutely and totally stunning! they make me feel like i was experiencing Italy with you.

[Christoph]

Beautiful pictures of a beautiful country...

[Meagan]

These are some of the most lovely photos of Italy I've ever seen! We were there last September for our honeymoon and it really felt like heaven on earth! I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself!

[jennifer]

spectacular!
one of my favorite places on earth . . .

[Katie]

You've got me longing to travel here! xo

[monica of hola!design]

The pictures are stunning. Your blog is perfection. I love you new header and blog design. That's it for right now.

Have a good one!

[nicole @cookingafterfive]

Simply stunning. What a gorgeous spread of photos!

[caroline]

Your photos are beautiful!! And I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post!!! XO!

[Krista]

I just learned about your blog from my friend Zita and sigh, I love it. :-) Thank you for creating such a beautiful inspiring place. :-)

[Angela]

Those photos. Wow.

That woman painting/drawing on the sidewalk? That was amazing!

You captured it so well. Thanks for sharing. I'm glad your trip was amazing.

[Adrienne]

Those pictures are awesome. Now I just need to figure out how I can get my camera to do that.

[Georgia]

These are such stunning photos and so wonderfully reminiscent to me of Room with a View! Oh to be in Italy right now... sigh...
Loving the new header too - simply beautiful!

[Bo]

Love your pictures! Makes me want to go to Italy!

[Roxou]

Ok... I just LOVE those pictures, they're amazing ! Make me wanna go to Italy right now...
Just discovered your blog, and I don't regret it : it's beau-ti-ful !

[Silvia]

Beautiful pictures. It captures our idea of "Italy" perfecty!

[Kristina]

such beautiful pictures. I will most probably drive down to Tuscany and Rome in September - when looking at your pictures I wish I could leave already today!!

[sandi @ the whistlestop cafe]

A friend introduced me to your blog... I do a Traveling Tuesday's blog hop. I hope you come by and link to your georgeous blog!
Your pictures are inspired~ of course most pictures of Italy are inspiring :-) I travel to Italy once a year with friends, so love all things Italian. Come on by the WhistleStop Cafe and we can share a glass of sweet tea!

[Nicole Franzen]

absolutely gorgeous Coco! I am dying to go to Italy :) Someday! I will eat my way around the entire country. I want to be on the wineries, watch an olive harvest, pick caper berries in Sardenia. Ahhh I girl can dream. Lovely shots! x

[Lauren J]

I'm always in such awe of your photography. It's simply impressive that you can make a window or the side of a building look like a piece of art captured for all of history to marvel at. Basically drooling over your beautiful trip!

[Julie the Alkaline Sister]

Oh...my...word!! I neeeeed to get back to Italy!!! Your photos are soooo incredible and make me yearn to return! Thanks for sharing and sparking the Italian travel bug for me!

[Shawna]

love,love,love this post! the pictures, your writing - it makes me want to visit even more!

[tracy via the traveling cupcake]

I just stumbled upon your blog and am having the best time exploring it. I had to comment on this post as I too have a powerful love for all things Italy. My husband and I spent two weeks there last October and have been lucky enough to go back several times since then for weekend trips. Your pictures are magical and I am so glad to hear you had a lovely time. I look forward to reading more!

[Eva @ Four Leaf Clover]

Wow, your photography is GORgeous!

[Andi of My Beautiful Adventures]

Just discovered your blog and I'm crazy about it! Love your writing and your photos. What lens do you use? AMAZING!!!

[Anna]

These photos are gorgeous. What kind of camera and lens are you using?

[The Wanderfull Traveler]

Beautiful site and post. Impressive photos!
I too fell in love with Florence and the sights of Tuscany.

The Wanderfull Traveler