We’re in Bologna, the remarkable city we consider to be our ‘home’ here in Italy. And, in a happy coincidence, we returned exactly six years to the day that we first landed here.

Franco and Patrizia’s little home in Via Saragozza, in Bologna’s old town, is where our Italian adventure began in 2017 – many of you will remember Franco and Patrizia from our wedding. We’ve stayed here in their terrific place now, on and off, for around seven months in all, so returning this time did feel a lot like coming home. It’s all delightfully familiar – the layout, the comfortable bed, knowing where your clothes and toothbrush go. It’s wonderful to be back.

And the city itself is just as we remembered it; we’ve loved renewing our acquaintance with Bologna. But far and away, the best thing, of course, has been reconnecting with friends.