I dreamed of Italy before I ever made it here. After the third visit, it became my home. That was 35 years ago. If I had to distill its appeal into one phrase, I would say that it’s a country that has figured out what’s important in life – family, friends, good food, beautiful things, some kind of connection with nature, human warmth and conviviality – and dedicates as much time as possible to the pursuit of these simple virtues.

The places you stay in Italy, the hotels and villas, can be lovely, especially if they blend the country’s talent for design with the aforesaid human warmth.