After one and a half week exploring the Swiss alps with their snowy peaks, magnificent lakes and cute villages it was time to cross into the land of dolce.

Welcome to Italy

Before we crossed the border with Italy we checked the Covid-19 situation in the country. Italy being hit quite hard last year, has learned from the past. But like in every country on the planet people get tired of regulations, lockdowns and keeping their distances. And I think Italians even more. The Italians that I remember are not only very passionate people they are also very social people. Having long lunches together that flow over into diners, standing in long lines to eat the best ice cream of the city and hosting parties like the one and only real Carnival. 

Anyway, the regulations were strict; keep your distance, wear a facemask in public places – also outside and do not host parties. To enter the country one needs a negative PCR-test result and an country entry form. However, when you are on transit through Italy – like we are – you do not need those things and are free to roam. Still, we were a bit scared about entering the country from the North. We would enter in Como and these regions are the ones being hit very hard when covid-19 arrived in Europe. 

While driving to the border city we decided to take a b-road. Not only is it easier to cross a country, but it’s also often a lot less crowded. And we were right. While we were driving to our border crossing, lots and lots of people were on the highway trying to cross a border. An immense line of trucks, cars and some campers stood there, waiting for their turn. Of course, the screening is a lot more serious at these highway border crossing than it is at the border crossing we were heading to. We already feel we made the right decision.

Just before crossing the border into Italy, we had a small stop and saw the border control stopping some cars. Whereas we had nothing to fear somehow, we did get a little nervous. After eating our lunch, it was our time to cross. Driving up to the crossing I looked around but there was no one to see. No police officer, no border control, no one stopping us. We just drove into Italy like ever before.

From Como to our first park for the night

We wanted to stay in Como for the night, however, the city was so crowded and it was hard to find a good relaxing spot to park the car and stay for the night we decided to move on. A friend of mine invited me to her place, about one hour from Milan. We headed towards her direction and stopped halfway for the night on a small road in a forest. 

It was our first night in Italy and we couldn’t have find a better spot, surrounded by nature and hikers passing by greeting us in Italian so we’d be reminded we were in Italy. Actually a group of people passed by and asked me about the van. We got to talk a little and one of them is from Kazakhstan, so she gave me all the good places to go when we are there. Another one invited us for diner the next day, which we unfortunately had to skip because we were heading south. How kind of him, right?

Turro

The next day we woke up and relaxed a bit. Cleaning our dishes in the stream, washing ourselves in the same stream, reading a book, editing some photos. After a relaxing morning we headed more South to Turro. 

Turro is a very tiny village near Piacenza, which is one hour driving from Milan. It took us a little longer, but 1.000 roundabouts later we arrived in this tiny village. Clelia my friend was waiting for us with a wonderful and typical lunch. Ravioli with spinach and cheese inside. Oh and let’s not forget the focaccia. We love bread!! And wherever we go we try the local bread, but I think the focaccia is our favourite up to now.

Clelia’s family lives in this village for a very long time now. And with ‘her family’ I mean, the whole family. Her grandfather was a chicken farmer and the farm where he had his chickens is now transferred into homes. Her parents live next to the ‘Palazzo de Turro’ a beautiful mansion.

Clelia tells us it’s a typical village where the mansion is built at the front of the village and the homes behind it are for other family members and the workers. A typical Italian village blueprint.

Not only did we learn about typical Italian villages we also learned that this is the region where the tomato paste, we use in our pasta sauce often comes from this region. It’s a bit too early to see the tomatoes grow but it’s nice to know where the wonderful sauce that I buy in a Dutch grocery store come from. 

After lunch we headed back to Piacenza to do grocery shopping before we headed back to Clelia and get ready for diner. A couple of her friends would also join – enough space here. We had a nice aperitivo and when the sun was setting in the bee friendly field in front of the house we set down for diner. Diner being rice with delicious salmon from the oven, lots of wine and of course ice cream for dessert! 

We headed towards the van, tucked ourselves in and were soon dreaming of gelato, pizza and well most of it about tiramisù of course. 

Love, Milene & Yuri