Italy has long held a place in my heart. Not because I have travelled the country extensively — quite the opposite actually, I’d only been to Rome before this trip. Rather, Italy was a highly romanticized destination in my household when I was growing up. My mother spoke of its domed cathedrals, ancient ruins, coastal towns and rolling mountains like some kind of heaven, having never been there herself. She dreamed of a villa in Tuscany and we spoke often of travelling the region together.