My love for Italy
I’ve written before about my love of Italy, but until this trip I hadn’t really explored much of the countryside and I’d never been to the famous northern lakes. So, in December 2009, I decided to fix that with a little road trip: start at Lake Como, finish in Rimini, and see what happens in between.
Lake Como: Winter Perfection
I picked up my hire car at Milan’s Malpensa airport and drove the short 40‑minute hop to Lake Como. Being winter, I was greeted by one of those crisp, blue‑sky days that makes your cheeks a chilly pink but leave you with a warm glow.
Snowy mountains, deep blue water, and not a soul around. Perfect.
The roads run up both sides of the lake, so I took the car along the eastern and western edges. Each side rewarded me with scenery that looked the winner of a “Most amazing lake of the year” competition. The road hugged the water, cliffs towered overhead, tiny villages appeared out of nowhere, and every bend was another postcard. And in December, I pretty much had it all to myself.
Modena: The Balsamic Pilgrimage
I’m a big fan of balsamic vinegar, so it would’ve been rude not to stop in Modena – the balsamic capital of the world, especially as it was directly on my route.
Modena turned out to be a pretty little town, and this is where true balsamic vinegar is made. Bottles were everywhere. I’m convinced men were even drinking it in bars.
Proper balsamic comes from just two types of grapes grown only in this region, must be barrelled for at least 12 years, and can fetch 50-100 euros for a tiny 100ml bottle.
It made me realise I’ve been doing balsamic vinegar wrong my whole life. My £1.50 supermarket bottle suddenly felt like a personal failure.
The town itself was sleepy, charming, and very into vinegar – but not much else.
Bologna: Beautiful, But Only If You Can Park
I’d planned to have lunch and wander around for the afternoon. Instead, I spent most of my time stuck in traffic, circling the city like a lost pigeon, and eventually parking down a dodgy side street about 40 minutes’ walk from the centre.
By the time I reached Piazza Maggiore, I was starving, sweaty, knackered and short on time.
Still, it was worth it. The square is massive and impressive, with medieval buildings, statues, fountains, and the enormous San Petronio Basilica dominating everything.
I sat on the edge of the square, inhaled a slice of pizza, admired the view, and then trudged back to find my car.
San Marino: A Pocket Sized Country on a Mountain
San Marino is officially a country – the world’s 5th smallest – with a population of 31,000 and a landmass of just 60 square kilometres. It’s totally landlocked by Italy and dominated by Mount Titano, which rises to 750 metres.
The medieval town at the summit is where most visitors go. It’s a maze of tiny streets, walls, gates, churches and ridiculous views. It’s still a working village, which makes wandering around feel like you’ve interrupting someone’s daily life.
San Marino dates back to the 4th century and became an independent republic in the 13th. Its terrain helped it stay that way, and today tourism and tax‑free shopping keep the place going.
Rimini: Couchsurfing and Italian punctuality
I arrived in Rimini after dark and, once again, struggled to find parking. I eventually abandoned the car a 20‑minute walk from the city and texted my Couchsurfing host, Francesco.
He told me I was his first ever Couchsurfing guest.
We walked back to the car, got acquainted, and headed to his apartment. He gave me local advice and directed me to a free car park around the corner.
My now, I was hungry but Francesco said don’t worry as he will cook some pasta when friends arrive at 7pm.
8pm came. Non one had arrived. My tummy was rumbling, as we knocked back another beer, chatting.
By 9pm, a few people had turned up. I was starting to yawn. My stomach was making some real weird gassy noises.
By 10pm. Most people were there, and Francesco started cooking. My stomach had given up.
We ate just around 11pm – 5 hours I’d been waiting.
To be fair, it was a damn good feast, and the company was wonderful – incredibly friendly people.
We headed out about 1am for a few more drinks. A brilliant night.
The Lost Car incident
The next morning, I was up early to drive to the airport. As I turned the corner to the car park, I walked straight into a scene of horror: a massive Saturday market.
Right where I had parked my car.
For some reason, I was still hopeful.
Maybe they’d built the market around my car?
Maybe they’d politely move all their stalls so I could drive out? Wishful thinking.
After much searching, the car was nowhere to be seen.
Starting to panic, I called Francesco. He rushed down, apologised profusely for recommending the car park, and helped me call the council.
They informed us that my car had been impounded and was several kilometres out of town.
Short on time, I jumped in a 20‑euro taxi, paid a 100‑euro release fee, and then bombed it to the airport – making my flight by the skin of my teeth.
A Dark End to a Great Trip
Despite the dramatic finale, it had been a brilliant little trip: snowy lakes, medieval towns, balsamic vinegar enlightenment, Couchsurfing hospitality, and a reminder that when an Italian says 7pm, they actually mean 11pm
About Roaming Wild
Having travelled widely as solo adventurers and as a couple, in 2025 we made a choice to go backpacking with our children and embrace worldschooling as a family.
Our philosophy has always been that life is for living, not for getting trapped on the hamster wheel.
This website brings together our past journeys and our current adventures as a family, with contributions from our kids plus other family members who love backpacking.
Come check out our blogs, guides, podcasts and gallery.
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