Episodio 1/30

@ Rocky Sardinian Cove
Kevin begins his tour of "Islands of Italy" by downloading a map of specially chosen locations!
Italy - Islands
We go island-hopping off the "boot" of Italy on Sardinia and Sicily! There is so much for the pets to enjoy here, from the dozens of flawless sandy beaches, vibrant, colourful houses and special flora and fauna. The architecture reflects the melting pot of travellers from ancient empires of Europe, Africa and the Middle East that used the islands as a stopping-off place—the Byzantines, Phoenicians and of course, the Spanish, all of whom have left their mark. The water is perfectly clear, making it ultra-inviting for pets who want to try their paw at snorkling! And there's a banger of a surprise on Sicily, home to Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna! It's classed as active, but pets need have no fear—that just means it's erupted once since the last Ice Age! Rest assured, your picnics will not be disturbed!
Rocky Sardinian Cove
With a morning spent in happily sailing the ocean blue around the island of Sardinia, the pets can pull in on the coastline wherever they want to explore. Just remember to tie the boat up firmly, chaps and chapesses, for when you're ready to embark again!

Episodio 2/30

@ La Macchinina Rossa -- Little Red Car
"We'll be spending at least three days in Venice, as there's so much to see, Kevin!" remarked lily. "It says in our brochure it's one of the most recognisable destinations in the world thanks to its unique construction of canals and bridges. It says the main city of Venice is made up of 118 islands connected only by 400 bridges and 170 canals. It’s renowned for its gondolas, flat bottomed Venetian rowing boats that are the equivalent to taxis. Becoming a gondolier is no easy feat as you need a professional licence that’s only granted after 400 hours of training."
"It doesn't sound as bad as London black cab drivers having to take The Knowledge before being granted a licence. That can take three or four years!" remarked Kevin.
La Macchinina Rossa -- Little Red Car
The Fiat 500 is an iconic Italian design. It's just the job to take a group of pets on a sightseeing tour ending in a picnic in the beautiful Italian countryside!

Episodio 3/30

@ Deep Blue Sea
"It must be so romantic working on a vineyard, Kevin," said Carruthers contentedly sipping grape juice after a hard day’s sightseeing. "Imagine picking the ripe grapes while the sun sets and seeing them turned into wine!"
"Hmm—now imagine being up at dawn in the cold of January and February pruning the woody stalks by hand and crushing them up for compost,” said Kevin. “Then more work throughout spring, leaf pruning later in the year, followed by grape pruning. It doesn’t stop.”
Carruthers waved his glass. “I’ll have staff to do all that,” he said.
Deep Blue Sea
Whether you chose to visit Sardinia to check out Phoenician or Roman ruins, or just to soak up some sun and enjoy some excellent Sardinian wines, you're sure to have a great time.

Episodio 4/30

@ Cagliari, Sardinia
"It says in our brochure that Italy has produced many luxury sports cars, such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. That's impressive, isn't it, Sir John Dee?" remarked Kevin.
"Well, they certainly are amazing, Kevin," responded Sir John Dee. "But I'd rather own a little Fiat 500! They are terminally cute!"
Cagliari, Sardinia
Sardinia is one of the most mysterious places on earth. The oldest landmass in Europe, it has archaeological sites, discovered in the 1970s, that date from between 1900 and 730 BCE (Sardinia’s Stonehenge).

Episodio 5/30

@ Sardinian Haven
"The tour guide said we'll be visiting Il Duomo. I asked her what that was and she said it meant 'the cathedral' in Italian. But there are lots of cathedrals in Italy!" remarked Kevin.
"When they say Il Duomo they most often mean the one in Florence, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It says in our brochure it was first built in the 13th century, with the dome added in the 15th century. It has a pink, white and green exterior in a gothic style with a large dome on top. Sounds beautiful!" remarked Wuzzle.
Kevin mused for a minute. "I guess it's like when we were touring England last spring, everypet in London would talk about 'The Monument'—to the Great Fire of London of 1666—as if there were only one monument in the whole of London, instead of thousands!"
Sardinian Haven
Sardinia is undoubtedly best known for limpid turquoise sea and exquisite beaches on the Costa Smeralda, but there are plenty of those elsewhere on the island too. Food and wine is just as important here as well – the island is a designated ‘Blue Zone’, a region where the people live longer and healthier lives than anywhere else on the planet.

Episodio 6/30

@ Royal Olive Oil
On disembarking from the tour bus, Cora surveyed the current stopping place. “Would you fancy living here, Kevin?”
"Well, it's certainly a bit different to where we live," said Kevin. "But I could get used to it, I daresay!"
Royal Olive Oil
There are over 400 varieties of olive in Italy! Each Italian region has its own special cultivars. For example, Ortice from Campania is one of the oldest olive trees in Italy dating back to 539 BCE; spicy and slightly bitter with elegant and well-balanced tones of fresh tomatoes and vegetables.

Episodio 7/30

@ Sardinian Seaside Delight
"It must be so romantic working on a vineyard, Kevin," said Midnight contentedly sipping grape juice after a hard day’s sightseeing. "Imagine picking the ripe grapes while the sun sets and seeing them turned into wine!"
"Hmm—now imagine being up at dawn in the cold of January and February pruning the woody stalks by hand and crushing them up for compost,” said Kevin. “Then more work throughout spring, leaf pruning later in the year, followed by grape pruning. It doesn’t stop.”
Midnight waved his glass. “I’ll have staff to do all that,” he said.
Sardinian Seaside Delight
About a quarter of the island of Sardinia is designated as either a National Park or other protected reserve territory, so much of the environment is unspoiled. The naturalists in your family can have a great time trying to spot incredibly rare creatures such as the Sardinian Fox or the Mediterranean Monk Seal!

Episodio 8/30

@ Sea Glass Fragments
"We'll be seeing a bit of everything here in Italy," remarked lilycat. "You could say, from Giotto to gelato!"
"That pistachio gelato we had last night was superb!" marvelled Kevin. "You can certainly tell the difference between Italian ice cream and the mass produced stuff we have at home!"
Sea Glass Fragments
Sea glass is essentially pieces of glass ground smooth by the action of the sea. Taking anything from 20 to 100 years to complete the process, the end results can be exquisite. Jewellery made from sea glass will be absolutely unique.

Episodio 9/30

@ I Saw One Ship Go Sailing By
“Oh wow, Kevin, there's a butterfly!” Little Fang cried out.
“It looks like a Mazarine Blue," replied Kevin knowledgeably.
I Saw One Ship Go Sailing By
Sardinia presents a huge range of activities for a holiday. From the sunbathing perfection of its Mediterranean beaches to the exploration of sites such as Su Nuraxi di Barumini - a building structure dating from the Megalithic period - there is something to interest everypet.

Episodio 10/30

@ Lavender Shop
"Wasn’t it worth coming all this way, Kevin," said Cindy, "for this experience alone?"
Kevin, admiring the scene they were now in, heartily agreed!
Lavender Shop
While strolling round idyllic Sardinia you may come across this delightful little shop offering all things lavender! You will find plants, bath foam, perfume sprays, fragrant sachets and more!

Episodio 11/30

@ Turquoise Surf
"What does Benvenuti a tutti! mean, Muschi?" queried Kevin, admiring the front of his travel itinerary.
"It means 'Welcome, everypet!" replied Muschi.
Turquoise Surf
Enjoy the crystal clear waters of Cala Gonone, Italy. Who'll be the first to get their surf board out?

Episodio 12/30

@ Canopied Café
"It says in our brochure that Italy has produced many luxury sports cars, such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. That's impressive, isn't it, Quartzy?" remarked Kevin.
"Well, they certainly are amazing, Kevin," responded Quartzy. "But I'd rather own a little Fiat 500! They are terminally cute!"
Canopied Café
A romantic setting for an outdoor café terrace area, where one can sip delicious coffee or indulge in an ice cream under a canopy of vine leaves.

Episodio 13/30

@ Cheer Me Up Tiramisu
"A bit of trivia here, Nibbles!" remarked Kevin, reading from their tour brochure. "Can you name two films that popularised the Vespa as the ultimate way to explore Italy?"
"I don't think I can, Kevin!"
"Well, to be fair, they were both from before we were born. The 1953 film, Roman Holiday, and La Dolce Vita in 1960. It says the latter is a particularly good film."
"We'll have to see if we can watch them when we get back," said Nibbles.
Cheer Me Up Tiramisu
Tiramisu is a coffee-flavoured Italian dessert. The name comes from the Italian tirami sù, meaning "pick me up" or "cheer me up". This luscious pud is made of sponge fingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavoured with cocoa. For that finishing touch, sprinkle with chocolate shreds and a sprig of fresh mint!

Episodio 14/30

@ Cala Gonone
"Italy—the perfect choice for our travels this summer, Kevin!" enthused Uni.
"Yup. Pizza, pasta, Prada. I can't wait to get to Milan!"
"Oh! I was thinking more of world famous paintings and architecture, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, the Colosseum of Ancient Rome, Venice's canals, Pompeii, the opera. Italy has given the world so much!" said Uni.
Kevin unwrapped a torta al cioccolato pastiglia for himself, popped it in his mouth and offered the packet to Uni. "Sure! You know me, I love a bit of culture. As long as there's a nice gift shop at the end, I'm happy."
Cala Gonone
An Italian seaside town in Sardinia. Due to the quality of its waters, Cala Gonone is a popular tourist venue.

Episodio 15/30

@ White Peacock
Half way through Kevin's tour of "Islands of Italy", he finds a special prize!
Bulrush Field
If you're needing a place to relax and forget about your troubles, spend an afternoon resting among the bulrushes.
White Peacock
The white peacock fans out its snowy train to display its feathers of cloudy magnificence. The all-white color of a peacock is a trait of beauty among a species of beautiful birds. A white version of an animal can be found in nearly any species, but the white peacock is not an albino.

Episodio 16/30

@ Let's Go A'Sailing
“I can never remember how to spell ‘Mediterranean’, Kevin,” mused Rascal, clutching a postcard and sucking the end of her pen. “Is it two ts and one r?”
“Simples,” grinned Kevin. “You just need to remember it’s got ‘terra’ in the middle, which is Latin for ‘earth’, and the ‘Medi’ bit means ‘middle’. Put the two together and Bob’s your uncle.”
“Middle Earth!” cried Rascal.
Let's Go A'Sailing
Here's a splendid little sailing boat all ready for a group of pets to jump aboard and go for a fun afternoon sailing around the lovely island of Sicily!

Episodio 17/30

@ Sicilian Town
Kevin flicked through the phrasebook. “The tour guide at the door of the museum this morning said Prego! as she ushered us all in. She said it meant ‛After you'. I asked her especially.”
“It's one of those terms that mean a number of things: ‛you're welcome', ‛don't mention it', ‛not at all', ‛after you!'. For example, if I reached for your bottle of orange juice you'd say, “Prego!—meaning ‛Please! Help yourself!”
“No, I wouldn't. I'd jolly well tell you to get your paws off it,” grumbled Kevin. “It's very confusing, having just one word covering half a dozen situations.”
“Would you rather have to learn half a dozen different phrases, like you'd have in English, to cover each one?”
Kevin thought about it for a while. “You may have a point there, Angus McGregor!” he said.
Sicilian Town
A charming jumble of colourful houses is to be found in this Sicilian town.

Episodio 18/30

@ Sicilian Boating Trip
"Italy—the perfect choice for our travels this summer, Kevin!" enthused Hoppy.
"Yup. Pizza, pasta, Prada. I can't wait to get to Milan!"
"Oh! I was thinking more of world famous paintings and architecture, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, the Colosseum of Ancient Rome, Venice's canals, Pompeii, the opera. Italy has given the world so much!" said Hoppy.
Kevin unwrapped a torta al cioccolato pastiglia for himself, popped it in his mouth and offered the packet to Hoppy. "Sure! You know me, I love a bit of culture. As long as there's a nice gift shop at the end, I'm happy."
Sicilian Boating Trip
Hire a sailing boat with a skipper; anchor offshore to take a dip in the clear waters. We suggest to diving pets and those who love to explore the underwater world to be equipped with snorkels so that they can admire the various species of marine life that populate these waters, like scorpion fish, morays or starfishes!

Episodio 19/30

@ Mural Apricot
“Where are we now, Kevin?” asked Loosie.
"If it's Tuesday this must be Tuscany!" joked Kevin. "Only kidding—let me check the map!"
Mural Apricot
A sun-baked wall in warm apricot where the sage green shutters provide the perfect complementary colour. While the town drowses in the afternoon heat, this house interior looks invitingly cool.

Episodio 20/30

@ Sicilian Sea Holly
"Italian pets talk with their paws an awful lot, don't they, Velcro?" remarked Kevin.
"You know, I was talking to the tour guide about that, Kevin. She said the gestures originate from the Romans who used chironomia, which incorporates hand movements into everyday language. They aren’t random gestures, each one has a meaning; so as a foreign pet, you never really known what they mean!"
Sicilian Sea Holly
This is a fine specimen of sea holly (Eryngium maritimum) found in the Mediterranean. This spiky beauty changes colour from blue, green and brown depending on the season.

Episodio 21/30

@ Tricolour Pig
"It must be so romantic working on a vineyard, Kevin," said Matilda contentedly sipping grape juice after a hard day’s sightseeing. "Imagine picking the ripe grapes while the sun sets and seeing them turned into wine!"
"Hmm—now imagine being up at dawn in the cold of January and February pruning the woody stalks by hand and crushing them up for compost,” said Kevin. “Then more work throughout spring, leaf pruning later in the year, followed by grape pruning. It doesn’t stop.”
Matilda waved her glass. “I’ll have staff to do all that,” she said.
Tricolour Pig
I'm a tricolour pig, de diddly dee
I'm not very big, de diddly dee
My appearance is trig, de diddly dee
And I'm dancing a jig, de diddly dee!

An Italian pig, de diddly dee
I don't give a fig, de diddly dee
For truffles I dig, de diddly dee
As blythe as a grig, de diddly dee!

Episodio 22/30

@ Land Ahoy!
“Buongiorno, Kevin!” said DIDI. "That means 'good morning', you know!"
Kevin sniffed. "So—can I say it back, or do I have to say a different form of it, or say prego, or something?"
“Just say it back, Kevin!"
"Well, buongiorno to you too, then," said Kevin.
Land Ahoy!
Such fun for everypet to take a sailing boat on a trip round Sicily in Italy!

Episodio 23/30

@ Couture Boutique
“Let's practise some Italian phrases, Kevin!" said NightGhost. "Tell you what, hand me that postcard, will you? Grazie!”
Clutching the postcard, he looked at his friend expectantly. “That's your cue to say Prego—which means ‛you're welcome!'”
Kevin looked puzzled. "Why do I have to say anything at all, NightGhost? If I've performed a very minor service and you've said 'Thank you', do I need to say anything back? It's not like I made you a cake or mowed your lawn. I just handed you a postcard. You said 'thank you'. Couldn't I just smile slightly or something?"
NightGhost mused for some minutes. "The English language lacks the exact equivalent of prego or bitte schön and similar phrases in use in Continental Europe. Still, when in Rome ...!"
Couture Boutique
This modest Sicilian frontage conceals the fact that behind its walls is an amazing ladies' fashion establishment. Check out their Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/ElioFronterreAtelier45

Episodio 24/30

@ Strombolicchio, Sicily
Kevin and Tigger were entranced on reaching this Mediterranean viewpoint and eagerly posed for a picture standing on either side!
Strombolicchio, Sicily
Strombolicchio is a sea stack of volcanic origin 2 km (1.2 miles) to the northeast of the island of Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands of Italy. Its name in the Sicilian language means Little Stromboli.

Episodio 25/30

@ Italy
"Italian pets talk with their paws an awful lot, don't they, Graham?" remarked Kevin.
"You know, I was talking to the tour guide about that, Kevin. She said the gestures originate from the Romans who used chironomia, which incorporates hand movements into everyday language. They aren’t random gestures, each one has a meaning; so as a foreign pet, you never really known what they mean!"
Italy
Italy, southern Europe, is a boot-shaped country is one of the world's most popular travel destinations for a number of reasons that include art treasures, trendy fashion, stunning landscapes, passionate people and top class cuisine.

Episodio 26/30

@ Tuscan Delicacy
“Wouldn't it be lovely to live in a lighthouse like this one pictured in our itinerary in Genoa? So romantic!" mused Kevin, sipping a leisurely espresso.
"Well, I don't know," said Daisy. "It's not all about drinking coffee and gazing at the sea. You have run up and down stairs to operate the light and the foghorn, and there may be no running water or electricity apart from a generator."
Kevin considered this. "Mine would be a luxurious, converted, non-operational lighthouse, then."
Tuscan Delicacy
Figs have been in Tuscany for centuries and the town of Carmignano, just outside Florence, is famous for its desiccated figs. Only available from September to October, the delicious fruit is still sought after in modern-day Italy. In fact, so entrenched it is in the Italian language that it originated many sayings and proverbs.

Episodio 27/30

@ Mediterranean Diet
“Hey, have you seen what the next stop is, Kevin?” said Marley. "It looks fantastic!"
"I'll get my camera ready," said Kevin.
Mediterranean Diet
This delicious looking snack contains cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves. The colours echo those of the tricolor, the Italian flag.

Episodio 28/30

@ Heavenly Hibiscus
"It says in our brochure that Italy has produced many luxury sports cars, such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. That's impressive, isn't it, Starlight?" remarked Kevin.
"Well, they certainly are amazing, Kevin," responded Starlight. "But I'd rather own a little Fiat 500! They are terminally cute!"
Heavenly Hibiscus
This gorgeous hibiscus with its large, showy yellow petals and crimson centre is found on the isle of Sicily. The hibiscus flourishes in warm and tropical climates.

Episodio 29/30

@ Cream Terrace
“Let's hope Foxy doesn't get as seasick as he did on the Irish Sea, Kevin!” said Wuzzle, studying the future itinerary.
"Can you get seasick on a lake?" asked Kevin.
"Oh yes, indeedy," said Wuzzle.
Cream Terrace
This Sicilian terrace, drowsing in the sun, offers an ideal spot to rest and relax over ice cream at a café or to sample the local cuisine at a cosy restaurant. Time to get those holiday postcards home written, perhaps!

Episodio 30/30

@ Salina Islands, Sicily
As Kevin's tour of "Islands of Italy" comes to an end, he rests under a shady tree and looks back on a perfect day.
False Harvest Floral Display
It's not time for the autumn season yet, is it? These flowers may make you second-guess yourself as their hues are more commonly associated with the changing of seasons. Don't let that turn you away, these full blossoms thrive in any environment.
Salina Islands, Sicily
Salina is an Aeolian island, where small vineyards produce white wine, a riot of colourful flowers climb joyously among picturesque village houses, and visiting pets enjoy laid-back holidays away from tourist hubbub, underneath the island's twin green peaks—extinct volcanoes! This is the island for losing oneself in authentic island life, for strolling through village lanes, eating delicious meals made from local produce as well as sampling the sweet Malvasia wine.
Kevin has completed their tour of "Islands of Italy"! Your PnF tour of Italy is now over, but PnF will hold a new event again soon!