Night location: Etihad Airways en route to Sydney

This morning we took advantage of the late check-out offered by our hotel and slept in, ate a substantial breakfast served in the Finnish design brand Marimekko dinnerware, packed our bags and rested in readiness for the long haul home.

Last night at Restaurant Nolla, one of the waiters was an Australian who had moved to Helsinki six years ago. We had a lovely conversation with him and he shared with us a Finnish joke that goes something like this: 'summer, the best day of the year!' We certainly felt the potential for this reality today as the breeze was biting through our clothes while we walked through the the streets. It wasn't raining though so we were still able to explore the design district of the city, stopping at two excellent cafes for warm refreshments.

It will come as no surprise that the highlight of our trip was the time that we spent in Italy, particularly our traditional starting point of Rome, the swim at the Grotte della Poesia, visiting the hilltop towns of Locorotondo and Alberobello, as well as our day at the seaside stunner of Polignano A Mare. That being said, we also really enjoyed walking through the silent beauty of the harem at Palace Topkapi in Istanbul, the Roman terrace houses at Ephesus and dining at some exceptional restaurants in Stockholm, Riga and Helsinki. At some point in the future we would like to explore more of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe and of course return to our beloved Italy. It is such a joy travelling with each other and continuing to broaden our understanding of the rich history and cultures of the world.