Thailand From Bankgok to Angkor Wat to Ho Chi Minh City and everything in between - adventure through the heart of South-East Asia. In Japan, the practice of 'forest bathing' encourages people to spend time in nature as a way of reducing stress and promoting relaxation. She’s crazy about mirto from Sardinia, speaking in foreign languages (even if she can't, actually mostly if she can't! The Southern Italian philosophy of dolce far niente, literally translates as ‘the sweetness of doing nothing’.

Some trees grow taller than others, some produce more shade than others, but all trees have a place in the forest, and all trees are allowed to simply be. But by embracing this concept, we can begin to shift our mindset and prioritise the things that truly matter. The French painter Henri Matisse also celebrated the joy of doing nothing in his paintings, often depicting people lounging in comfortable chairs or reclining on sofas.Even taking just one walk, preferably outside, has been proven to significantly increase creativity. Our grandmother lived with us and cooked for us growing up, and some of my best memories are with her, waiting for dinner as a child when she’d take the crust of the Parmesan that she wasn’t using for cooking and dip it into the flame on the gas stove until it became chewy then wrap it in paper for us to eat … ” she tails off and we both take a small interlude to compose ourselves, mouths watering.

And terms like la dolce vita, sprezzatura, la grande bellezza and Dolce Far Niente feature in countless movies, books and conversations. Sri Lanka A fantastic adventure that showcases Sri Lanka's fantastic landscapes, wildlife and flavours. It is a reminder to celebrate all the good things in life from simple pleasures to indulgent luxuries. Pleasure inherent in exploring the environment and relishing relationships eludes those who are bereft of time.While it's not realistic to go through life feeling as relaxed as you are on the last few days of vacation; the point is you can add these moments to your life every day. The leisurely enjoyment of sweet idleness feels out of reach for most people, a notion tied to a romantic ideal of long Italian summers and carefree days.

For me,” Chiara says, "it’s being in the shade with a glass of sparkling wine before lunch, maybe in August, when everyone is off work in Italy, and there’s nothing to do but sit and eat. Learn about Nairobi, sample local coffee in the Aberdares and finish up with a fantastic safari stay in the Masai Mara.Excursions offered by Belmond in Tuscany and Florence take guests to meet local artists, pizza chefs, designers and gamekeepers, each of whom has their own idea about how the pleasure of doing nothing can be enjoyed in work and life.

How different would your quality of life be if you made time throughout the day to experience la dolce far niente? One day, I hope will come, when to answer the question we often ask each other — “ so what do you do? Tommaso’s tasting pizzas are designed to create an atmosphere of conviviality, and in keeping with Italian tradition, meals here last for hours. Although I tried to take this in my stride and embrace the gaps of nothing that seemed to swallow up my days, I was relieved when I transitioned into a different and busier phase of life.Trying to incorporate a concept from a different culture is difficult and sometimes impossible because different countries truly cannot grasp the concept. This Latin proverb, which translates to 'the sweetness of doing nothing,' has been embraced by many cultures throughout history as a reminder to slow down and savour the simple pleasures of life.