Rounding a corner in Florence, coming face to face with the Duomo, made to feel insignificant by its size and moved to tears by its beauty.

Sipping prosecco and wild strawberries
outside at Florian's, St. Mark's Square at our feet.

Standing on our balcony at Londra Palace, looking across to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and over to Santa Maria della Salute in Venice.

Gliding along the Grand Canal.

The David. The Pieta. The Sistine Chapel. The Borghese Gallery. The Uffizi, and Bargello.

The Colosseum.

Pistachio gelato at Vivoli in Florence.

Piazza Navona in Rome.

The view of the Bay of Naples and Mt. Vesuvius from our balcony in Sorrento.

Driving the Amalfi Coast. Positano.
Capri.

The art, the history, the food, the people. The narrow streets, the buzzing vespas, the bridges and the lovely, faded grande dame palazzos of Venice, the fashionistas, the dizzying tourist hordes, the sounds and smells.

Knowing I could return every year of my life and still experience only a
fraction of its treasures.

Gosh, this thread brings back so many wonderful memories!

The fact that there is such a strong sense of history and so much beauty so well preserved everywhere you look impresses me the most.

And I thank that wizened little old man who spied me sketching the countryside outside San Gimi and crept up behind me and wrapped my shoulders in his hands and said, "bellimissimo!" over and over and pointed to another spot. I moved over there and sure enough, it was a much better place to sketch from. For the next hour he would creep up to check my progress and compliment it. I'd started out very upset at how the week was going (see "Horrible Tapestry Travel" post) and this one kind Italian stranger changed my entire day and made my heart sing with happiness. When it was time to leave I made sure to give him a kiss with my thanks!