The Mountain Conversion

When It Gets Too Hot, Head for the Dolomites

Italy is hot. Not summer-hot. Not even last-summer-hot. We are in our fourth heatwave of the season, the mercury in Rome hitting highs that are dizzying. It is so hot that our dog refuses to walk on the sidewalk during daylight hours and so hot that staying inside is exhausting.

For Romans, the infernal summer heat is nothing new, and by July 1st, they’ll shutter the windows, close up the house and head to their second homes by the sea - something they’ve been doing since the age of Augustus. (And lately, with the heat has been kicking in earlier and harder, the summer flight now begins around June 15th.)

And that’s been my vibe up until this summer when I did something I’ve never done before.