There are few things more breathtaking than the grandeur of the mountains and the sea. In Northern Italy we don’t have the ocean, but where our lakes meet the base of the mountains comes pretty darn close. Lago di Garda (aka Lake Garda for us Anglophones) is home to an absolutely gorgeous microclimate. It’s so hot and balmy there that you’ll find palm trees in place of the pines you might expect of this region. It’s a bit mind boggling to stand on a beach with your toes in the water and look up at snow-capped mountaintops…I think this may be the ultimate place to live.

One of the beautiful things about having family spread out around the world is being able to experience a whole new world when visiting them. Thanks to our extended family we discovered this lovely city called Riva del Garda, situated right on the edge of the lake.

For our day in Riva I wore this bright palm frond dress from H&M and my tan sandals and bright white backpack that I bought here in Italy. It may not be summer yet but it sure feels like it here! Dress: H&M // Shoes: Inuovo // Backpack: Chic & Pop