You know you are in Italy when...

[BryanS]

You know you are in Italy when...You are in a bar with a carabinieri marshal and an engineer for an aperitivo and the only topic of conversation is the best location to find wild mushrooms and wild asparagus.

 

[joe]

Bullseye!

 

[Pauline]

You know you are in Italy when .... you are walking in a city and see columns from Ancient Rome just lying around.

 

[Ian Sutton]

...the simplest of food purchases comes elegantly wrapped.

 

[DedeC]

......when in an Osteria, bar, trattoria or any business really the employees all “job share”. It seems to not matter if you are the owner, manager or waitstaff everyone works for “making the customer satisfied.

 

[Kportgrl]

You go to pay a parking ticket at the lottery store and it takes three older men, to point at it, discuss it, ask your name, carefully fill that out then begin that whole process again before they ask the next question.

 

[Alpinista]

You feel guilty about sitting at the tables out on the bar's veranda since that's where all the old guys in the village congregate to play cards.

 

[joe]

..... you are driving up a steep incline in your rented car in the middle of nowhere in the countryside, and you pass an elderly couple (70+) doing the same thing on foot.

.... the simplest grocery looks like your local delicatessen.

.... there are tons of red tape and corruption, but you don't have to worry about it!

 

[Alpinista]

..... you are driving up a steep incline in your rented car in the middle of nowhere in the countryside, and you pass an elderly couple (70+) doing the same thing on foot.

Carrying a bag collecting chestnuts on an October day

 

[Mom83]

The view from the front doors out through the loggia of your rental villa in early spring looks like this:

 

[Mom83]

And almost every evening you are treated to sunsets that look like this:

 

[Mom83]

And when taking a walk through a small town, you are treated to views like this around every corner:

 

[CaWino]

Wow! Mom83, those pictures are stunning. Thanks for sharing. Please let us know about the location and the rental. Thanks.

 

[Sunflower]

And when taking a walk through a small town, you are treated to views like this around every corner:
View attachment 10715

Great photos! I love how the grass, trees and sky blended.

 

[Mom83]

Wow! Mom83, those pictures are stunning. Thanks for sharing. Please let us know about the location and the rental. Thanks.

Thank you. I take little credit as the photo opportunities were just stunning while we were there...3/24-4/1/2028.
We stayed in the same area...different villa...as we did last October. Villa d’Arceno...about 1/2 hour east of Siena...near San Gusmè and Castelnuovo Berardenga. The villa we rented last October is no longer available for rent, except for those of us who know the owners. The 2 bedroom villa we just rented last month is on the same estate and is found here:
https://www.arcenorentalsclub.com/en/775787/arco-al-poggio
The sunset picture was taken one evening as we were driving home to the villa from Castellina in Chiant. The other “view” picture was taken while walking around Villa a Sesta...another very small town near our villa with 4 exceptional restaurants.

 

[Mom83]

Great photos! I love how the grass, trees and sky blended.

Thank you! The natural lighting was so lovely while we were there...early morning and then from 6pm to sunset. We had stunning sunsets almost every evening.

 

[Tony da Roma]

...a bottle of wine at a restaurant/enoteca costs less than a single glass of the exact same bottle in the States!

 

[SMJ]

..when you ask directions to the Fontana della Tartarughe in Rome because you and your friend have been going round in circles for half an hour.
An elderly gentleman points one way, another man the other way, and another takes you by the arm and walks you to the right street, with the other two coming along to discuss the whole thing!