During summer 2022, my wife Maria and I filled up the car and after 1,000km and 11 hours of driving, we got out at Lake Como. For me, it is one of the most beautiful places in Italy, or maybe Europe. Even Hollywood loves its charm. The lake served as a movie set for James Bond, Star Wars, Hitchcock’s The Pleasure Garden and is also George Clooney’s summer residence.

The lake reminds me of childhood vacations in Italy. Of the lightheartedness of that time in the 80s when we ate tiramisu until our teeth hurt, of cold shocks from too much ice cream at once, smoking mothers at the hotel pool, burnt skin and riding mopeds without helmets.