La vacanza di Iris

September 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had been doing online lessons since the end of March, whilst being in Italy from August helping out at my family run B&B.

All of my students would tell me each lesson how their summer had not gone to plan and how holidays had been cancelled, but there was one student in particular… Iris!

A very joyful lady from the Fylde coast who learns Italian to keep active and also because she loves the Italian language, culture, food and sun! She explained to me how her first holiday in April had been moved to September, and now how this also had been cancelled.

She could not take being alone anymore and wanted to escape, so this is when I came up with a brilliant idea: come to visit me!

Our B&B is located between Rome and Naples, by the coast, but also has the countryside. Iris could not believe her ears, she immediately burst into tears of joy and asked me to plan and book her holiday for her, so this is what I did!

Firstly came transport, and then the many activities.

Every morning Iris would wake up overlooking 300 olive trees, and mountains with the sea view in the middle. She would eat her breakfast, go on a walk and then off we would go exploring. We visited the local Castel as every town here has a Castel and we tried many ice-creams.. (I say we as I obviously was her tour guide!)

We visited many shops and different towns that all tell their own story and have their own places of interest.

For example the sea in the town called Gaeta.. we sat on the rocks whilst dangling our feet and just took in the view. (this was also to cool down as it was around 35oc)

We bought different types of wine to try, we visited the local market in the town called Itri, where Iris decided to buy many bargains as the clothes she brought with her were not keeping her cool enough!

Next to see was Grotta di Tiberio.. where Tiberius lived and the museum all about him.

La montagna spaccata, which is a mountain that has split into 2.

A couple of fish restaurants where Iris was ready to try everything and liked everything!

Formia, the main town full of shops and the port, where we watched everyone getting on and off the ship going to the island of Ponza (another destination on her list where she would like to go next time she comes!)

We went to the beach a couple of times in the town called Sperlonga so we could feel the sand & sea between our toes.

And finally: ROMA!

We went to see the Colosseo: in and out. It takes hours to see it all and take it all in, we also had our pack lunch whilst sat looking at the Colosseo, Iris was in tears as she could not believe the beauty and definitely would like to go back to visit more!

When Iris was due to leave she was very said, but left some of her new purchases for next year as she has said she will definitely return, I will wait patiently for this day to do some new adventures in Italia together!