July and August were a whirlwind of travel, exams and projects, during which I visited seven countries, took an impromptu detour through London and Paris to get to Italy (full story here), and spent time at Microsoft Headquarters with some of the top tech students in the world at the Microsoft Student Partner Summit (watch the recap and hear the CEO Satya Nadella’s inspiring words here!). In all the buzz I’ve shown you some pictures and videos, but haven’t yet had the chance to share this set of photos from my time in Northern Italy. From the hairpin turns of the Mendola Pass to the green waves of Lake Garda nestled between the mountains, the beauty in Northern Italy is astounding. Take a look!
Even in the smallest of towns there is no shortage of grandeur and grace. It’s one of the most peaceful places I have the pleasure of visiting, and I am so grateful to be a citizen of bella Italia.
What a beautiful world it is! It was incredibly hot and gorgeous in Bella Italia, and I was so happy to be back. I’ve traveled often to Italy, so being there is like being in a second home, especially with all the old friends and family up in the mountains. That’s right, I’m part Italian! Half Italian, to be exact. Mix in the German beer and Indonesian spices and you’ve got me!
This stunning dress is made by Halifax’s own Conni Zafiris of Zafira. What better place to wear this beautiful garden gown than in the clouds among the tall, stately Alpine mountains? Dancing around the little cobblestone streets and apple orchards in this gown and my blue slipper flats makes me feel like an Italian Disney princess.
Welcome to my castle! Our grey house is one of the oldest in the region, and features a fresco on the front from the 1400s. The town of Cloz is home to just 800 people, making it a small but strong community with family history spanning the centuries. These big, old houses are built with the land in mind, nestled among the thousands of fruit trees, farms and gorges that characterize the mountain range. Their walls are a metre thick and the streets between them remain the size they were hundreds of years ago, just wide enough to fit a horse and carriage.
The Trentino region of Italy has some of the most luscious apple orchards in the world. It’s the middle of the season and the apples are filling out, soon to be ready to be picked and shipped worldwide!
While we were exploring one of the streets we met these two adorable little munchkins who wanted to dance! We danced down the streets until dusk.
Now that I’ve left Italy, I can’t wait to go back. Five days is simply not enough! There’s such a peaceful atmosphere up in those mountains. It’s in the air, the food, and the history of these small streets that you find the kind of peace and goodness people want to believe in.
The sunset in Austria provided a stunningly colourful backdrop for my monochrome outfit. This look is inspired by the 60s, a carefree time of loose clothes and epic music. Paired with black wide-leg jeans, this vintage striped top is so comfy and perfect for an evening up in the mountains!
