A new documentary movie called, Happy Winter, transports viewers to Mondello Beach (Spiaggia di Mondello), one of the most popular beaches in Sicily, Italy. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, just off the southernmost tip of the Italian boot. Because Sicilian summers tend to be long, hot, and dry, many residents of Palermo, the capital city of Sicily, escape the heat and stresses of urban life by retreating to Mondello Beach, a little more than 10 minutes away by car or taxi. 

Italy is a country that is almost entirely surrounded by the sea, with some 5000 miles of coastline. So it’s not surprising that during the dog days of August, when most Italians that go on vacation, many of them head to the beach.