It took 3 weeks to take an Italian lover.
Honestly, took longer than I thought the taking would take.
I arrived in the small seaside town of Rimini the second week of the new year. It was my escape plan before the new American regime change. And, I wanted to take advantage of the remote nature of my work. So, after finding an Italian friend to swap homes with, I traded my cozy South Beach studio at the height of the Miami social season for an antique-filled Italian appartamenti on the cold, Adriatic Sea.
Very off season.
Rimini, of course, was a random choice of town. In fact, I had to reference a map to understand where I was headed. But it didn’t matter. I had been feeling off season myself, and I was ready to disappear into the land of Luigis and gelatos and “alloras”.
And delicious anonymity.
Here’s how my month in Italy got me out of a funk and back in season.
The Women of Rimini
It usually takes me 10 days to get into the groove of a new place. A new routine. A new climate. I usually throw an internal fit, complaining about the weather (“why did I trade sunny Miami for grey, wet, cold Italy?”), complaining about being lonely (“why did I trade my friends to be alone in a town I know no one?”), complaining about the language (“why did I trade talking for a country I can’t communicate with?”). So on and so forth.
But then I find my flow. And all of a sudden I’m Italian.
“Bonjourno, [insert the name of everyone I encounter]! Come stai? The salon knows my name and how I like my color. Italian blonde, grazie. My favorite restaurant greets me with a hearty, “Bentornato, Holly! Welcome back!” I order with ease and marvel at the prices. €3 wine and the freshest fish for under 20. Bravo! I shop at the Conad for my groceries, and squeeze the juiciest blood oranges for breakfast. I listen to Italian pop hits and learn all the lyrics. I then unsolicitedly sing them on the streets to impress passersby. I zip around town on an electric scooter and work remotely from quaint cafes.
This is my town now! I will live in Rimini forever!
But first…friends!
That’s where my impressive international network comes in. One text to an Italian friend in Miami who once lived in Rimini, turned into an instant group of girlfriends that made my entire trip worth taking.
There was Chiara, the ex wife of the friend I swapped houses with. Gorgeous, cheeky and smart. She lived a few blocks away which made our beach walks and cafe chats very convenient. And there was Cri, the sophisticated socialite with her secret sass. Federica, the friendliest of all, who invited me to family meals and weekend trips. And the three social sisters who took me out dancing on the weekends and made sure I got home safely.
These wonderful women gathered around the new girl in town and made her feel like family. The Italian way!
But the most impressive part was the empowered, vulnerable energy that the women of Rimini radiated. Whether it was deep chats about old loves, or hilarious stories about sex addicts, my Riminese crew felt like my long lost friends.
Now, my life-long friends.
The Men of Italy
And then, of course, there were the men. Swiping in the North, you’ll find the Giacomos, Marcos, Lucas, Andreas, Federicos; the South will serve you up the Giuseppes, Fabrizios, Simones and Tommasos. All single. All delizioso.
Indeed, Bumble comes in handy abroad. And, it doesn’t hurt that I’m a cute, confident American whose flirt game seems to only work in other countries (see, for example, all my past relationships).
But let’s focus on Florence.
Before setting off for a Tuscan weekend, I set up a few dates to keep me company in the capital.
First, there was Paolo and his faithful Vespa. After a pizza lunch at his local spot, we zipped up to the vista panoramica and snapped selfies between the throngs of tourists. Back on the streets of Florence, Paolo took me on a walking tour, giving me an insider’s scoop on this building and that sculpture. At the end of our day, I saw a glimmer in his eye, but I gave him a friendly hug and thanked him for a perfect (platonic) afternoon.
Later that night, I found myself waiting for date #2 at the trendiest bar in town. Would this be the Italian lover I imagined taking during my European adventure?
Well, let’s see…
After date #2 (we’ll call him Pietro) walked in with his cute curly hair (man I love curly hair) and his cute accent and his cute smile and our cute kiss in the piazza after a cute (albeit falimilar) walking tour, and our cute dance party at the cutestest Cuban club in Florence (Pietro was NOT ready for my Miami moves)…
I mean.
What do you think?
[insert innuendo emojis here 😏]
And all the Beautiful Things In-Between
Italy definitely delivers on its stereotypes; from its world-class food, to its laid-back lifestyle, to its ancient history that will have your head spinning. But there are so many more beautiful things to discover in-between.
I particularly enjoyed reveling in the following:
- €1 espressos at the counter of busy cafes
- Venetian strolls after hours (when all the tourists are off the streets)
- Visiting the tiny country of San Marino…in the middle of Italy
- My other Italian lover
- Seeing my Napolitan friends after 19 years
- Getting tipsy in Tuscany with fellow solo travelers
- An education in Fellini
- Shocking locals with my solitary dinners (“Buonasera, signora, only a table for 1?? It’s not possible!”)
- The Roman neighborhood of Testaccio, with its elderly residents and their ancient dogs walking in slow wobbles
- Throwing 2 “find love in Rome” coins in the Trevi Fountain on Valentine’s Day (fingers crossed!).
- Touring a cathedral that happened to fall on the day of the Feast of St. Anthony the Abbot, where people brought their cows and ducks and dogs to be blessed! What a delight!
- The pasta. And pasta. And, all the pasta! OK, that’s a stereotype, but worth the reinforcement.
What a lovely and unexpected adventure in Italy. Even on the lonely days, I felt lucky. And on the best days, I felt all my favorite travel feels. Engaged. Curious. Present. Alive.
And, in Rimini, I now have another home.
Grazie mille, Italia. I will see you again soon (but next time, in high season).
Andiamo!
Thinking Over 30 