by Francesca Di Meglio

Deep purple, hot pink, dusty blue, and bright yellow are just a few of the glorious colors that wash over southern Italy at Easter. From the fragrant flowers to the scorching sun, nature in Italy at this time of year is God's way of reminding everyone that He resurrected from the dead - and so can His land.

If you go to Italy for Easter, you too will be reborn. You'll get a whole new perspective on the world just by being in a piazza and observing - the people showing some skin again, shop windows stuffed with chocolate eggs wrapped in brightly colored foil, fresh air. And the Italians themselves are more chipper and friendlier than ever; their warmth will draw you in, so much so that you'll find yourself thinking of ways to make your vacation last forever. When you finally do end up back at home, wherever that may be, it won't matter. In your mind, you'll still be in Italy.