One of the most important things to plan, and perhaps the most fun – no offence to the dress, the venue, the catering, the invitations, the flowers, the music, the rings, the ring bearers, the photographer, the hair and make-up, the pre-wedding course and everything else – is actually something that has little to do with the wedding itself, because it happens after. It could be postponed or even skipped altogether: the honeymoon! However, we feel that it is absolutely necessary – to recover, to take a breath and, most importantly, to process this huge change in our lives, while dedicating some time to ourselves as a newlywed couple. Our first idea was a relaxing beach holiday; it would be the perfect time of year, with good weather but without the stifling summer heat, when most of the tourists would have gone home and so on… But then two intrusive thoughts crept in. The first was Tommi’s unstoppable urge to find ways of exercising, even on holiday, which took the form of a sneaky question: “But what if we chose a destination where we could both lie on the beach in the sun and do some exploring?”. The second is the fact that sooner or later, after this wedding marathon, we will inevitably have to head north – back to real life in our cold Austria.

So we thought we would take the opportunity to combine business with pleasure and set off on a two-week adventure across our beautiful country, starting from Apulia, travelling by train and perhaps even walking some of the stages of the Via Francigena. We’ll be able to visit friends we haven’t seen in a long time and enjoy places we’ve never been before. Between a fried pizza in Naples, a supplì in the shade of the Colosseum, a couple of arrosticini between Abruzzo and Umbria and cantuccini with vin santo in Siena, we will finally reach the Gulf of Poets (to actually enjoy also some time by the sea). There, after breathing in the salty breeze, we will let ourselves be carried away by the slow rhythm of the coast, where sea and land merge in a timeless embrace. A big thank you in advance to Cristina, Matilde, Fulvio and Ambrosia for hosting us along the way (oh, you didn’t know? Now you do!).

Every step will be an encounter with the beauty of a hidden Italy, to be discovered slowly—with the curiosity and appetite of those who know that every corner, every town, has a story to tell.

If anyone wants to join our pilgrimage, let us know!