The Trip That Brought Me Back To Life

“Sometimes you don’t know how much you’ve lost yourself… until a quiet place like Tuscany helps you find your way back.”

I’ve always been a girl who loved all things Italy.
The food, the language, the landscapes… the way everything seems to move at its own rhythm. Movies and books set in Italy have long been my favorite form of escapism — Under the Tuscan Sun never gets old, and I’ve reread the Italy section of Eat, Pray, Love more times than I can count. (And yes, I was thrilled when Julia Roberts played the role onscreen — perfection.)

So it’s no surprise that when I needed to feel alive again, I turned to Italy.

In the fall of 2019, I was burned out.
Years of running on fumes in a fast-paced, soul-draining job had left me feeling disconnected — from myself, from my creativity, and from the life I truly wanted. I was craving beauty, meaning, and something slower. I knew I needed a reset. So I returned to the one place that always grounds me: Tuscany.

It wasn’t my first time visiting, but this trip felt different. More necessary. I had been invited to join a dear friend’s very special 20th Anniversary wine tour through Italy — and I couldn’t say no. I had almost gone alone, that’s how much I needed it. Thankfully, a close friend was able to come with me. From the moment we arrived, I felt the shift. The air was softer. The pace was gentler. I was finally exhaling.

We spent a couple of days wandering through Florence — cappuccino in hand, getting lost down sunlit streets, letting beauty find us at every turn. Florence is a city I’ll never tire of — beautiful, walkable, full of history and soul.

Then came the heart of the trip: a thoughtfully curated journey through the Tuscan countryside. The kind of experience where everything is taken care of, and all you have to do is be. For the next several days, we stayed in peaceful farmhouses, shared long meals, and visited some of the most breathtaking vineyards I’ve ever seen. There was nothing to do but taste, breathe, and connect. No overthinking. No to-do lists. Just presence.

Everything seemed to move in harmony with the land — the meals, the conversations, the golden light. Each day brought something new: rustic dishes, meaningful conversations, deep laughter, and those quiet, grounding moments that remind you what it means to feel alive.

Wine, fragrance, and food have always been my passions — each one its own sensory escape. And Italy is the mecca for them all. In Tuscany, those passions weren’t just reawakened — they became healing. A glass of Brunello under the olive trees, the scent of sun-warmed herbs drifting in the breeze, a simple plate of handmade pasta — it was all a reminder of how nourishing life can be when you’re present for it.

Our final night brought us back to Florence. Sitting on a rooftop, watching the sun dip behind the terracotta skyline with an Aperol spritz in hand, I felt something settle in my chest. I couldn’t go back — not to the noise, not to the pace, not to the life that had drained me. Going back would undo everything this trip had restored.

Tuscany reminded me that life can be lived more slowly, more beautifully, and with heart.
And I’ve been following that feeling ever since.