Many of you are enjoying “Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy” on CNN as he travels across Italy to discover the secrets and delights of the country’s regional cuisines. The show is wonderful… but a little dangerous for me. I find myself obsessively craving pizza, cacio e pepe, wine, and other culinary delights of Italy’s unique regions. I have started using my hands more in conversations, using words like “ciao” , “bellissimo”, and “buon giorno” (actually the extent of my Italian word repertoire) around the house…and I live in Colorado. It is no secret that I have had a love affair for Italy as long as I can remember and Stanley Tucci is making it a little tough for me. Join me as I take you on a visual journey of…”Dick Gentry: Searching For Italy.”

We’ll begin our Italy adventure in the town of Bellagio which some call the Pearl of Lake Como. I’m enjoying a nice lunch in a small cafe on the waterfront. I wrote a blog post which featured this beautiful lake and environs in “Italy…The World’s Most Popular Tourist Destination.” Bellissimo,…there I go again!

I cycled from Bellagio up a very steep 6 1/2 mile climb with some 14% gradients to the Shrine of Madonna Ghisallo. Inside the shrine you can see the iconic bikes ridden by Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, Eddie Merckx, Felice Gimondi, Gianni Motta, Francesco Moser in honor of famous professional cyclists.

On our first visit to Positano we stayed at a very cute hotel high on a hill. There is a labyrinth of small, often steep lanes crisscrossing the village.

The main beach of Positano in early September. We love to travel in Europe in early September as it is less crowded with many children returning to school. We usually stay at the Hotel Buca di Bacco in the upper left.

Marla enjoys some window shopping in Positano.

A view of glistening Positano high up at the La Tagliata restaurant near Montepertuso.

Marla and our friend Dixie Niichel meet La Tagliata’s chef. Always fun to check out what is happening in the kitchen!

We took the jet ferry from Positano to nearby Amalfi and from there a bus up to majestic Ravello. This is a must on any Amalfi Coast trip! The gardens of Villa Cimbrone can be toured with a small entry fee. I would love to stay at the hotel someday.

The jet ferry arrives from Positano to Capri’s Marina Grande. The island is always a fabulous experience and I can’t wait to return again!

We walked down the steps from Capri’s Via Tragara for lunch and a swim at the famous La Fontelina Beach Club. The views are amazing!

After an amazing lunch of fresh caught fish we took the club’s transport to the Marina Piccolo.

Marla floats languidly in the bay in Mazzaro, Sicily, below Taormina. For some strange reason we felt we could float in this water better than almost anywhere! Maybe the wine at lunch helped! The luxurious Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea is on the right.

I just chose a beautiful Branzino, or Mediterranean sea bass, to be grilled for lunch at La Pigna Beach Club in Mazzaro. Happiness!

A contemporary bronze sculpture of a fallen Icarus lies next to the Temple of Concordia in Agrigento. Sicily remains a conundrum for me as it is an island of disparate imagery with the jarring combination of wealth and extreme poverty. I will never forget riding through olive groves near Trapani, passing a sex worker in a pink micro mini and high heels sitting on a plastic chair in the middle of nowhere. This remains a sad memory for me of the plight of African immigrants trying to survive. I’ve traveled and cycled throughout the island and remain conflicted…though I do find the area around Taormina enchanting!

A blissful repose at the wonderful La Striscia Wine Resort in Arezzo, Tuscany. Owned by an Italian movie actress, it was sublime. Tuscany just can’t help itself as it has a pull on your emotions unlike almost anywhere I’ve traveled. For more visual journeys in magical Tuscany look at a few of my earlier posts: “Castellina In Chianti And Fabulous Sienna” and “An Enchanting Castle Hotel High In The Tuscan Hills.“

The island of Isola Madre sits like a jewel in Lago Maggiore. This is part of the gardens of Palazzo Borromeo. This is Italy’s second largest lake and truly beautiful.

The beautiful gardens of Villa Taranto can be reached by one of the island ferries on Lago Maggiore.

There is something fascinating about ancient buildings in Italy. The colors and the patina are just part of the story. If each structure could talk they would tell us about…family, local society, happy times as well as wars,…and of course delicious aromas from the kitchen. They are best seen in little towns and tiny hilltop villages like this one on the coastal side of Tuscany.

I’ve had a ball revisiting my favorite country and I hope you have as well. I’m raising a glass above in Positano with a group of interior designers from around the U.S.,…not a bad gig! So much fun! And, speaking of fun, check out one of my very favorite Italy posts ever: “Early Trips to Italy. Faded Images Of Excursions With…An Italian Movie Actress? ‘Ah…la bella vita.!”

PHOTOS: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission. Opening photo: CNN.