Unforgettable Romance Unfolded: Her Solo Trip to Italy Transformed into an Extraordinary Love Story

Kacie Rose Burns walked into the Florence jazz bar, alone.

"Ill go for one song and suss it out," she thought, trying to quieten her nerves.

Kacie discreetly entered through the rear. The nightclub was dimly lit and bustling, with occasional wall lights and neon signs accentuating the scene of individuals indulging in drinks, dance, and conversation. Without fully absorbing the presence of the performers on stage, Kacie's gaze swiftly fixed upon a towering gentleman seated at the bar.

"When I entered, he happened to be there," Kacie confides to CNN Travel in the present day. "Our eyes locked."

"Ciao," said the stranger, smiling.

"Ciao," Kacie said back, before adding apologetically: "Thats all the Italian Ive got for you."

In October 2018, Kacie, a 24-year-old New Yorker, found herself on vacation in Florence, Italy. This trip marked her first time in Italy and her first experience traveling alone. It was a mixture of excitement and fear for Kacie.

Having been a professional dancer in New York, Kacie shared, "My career was incredibly draining - filled with toxicity, rejection, and political games. I was feeling trapped, dissatisfied, and simply stuck."

Kacie dedicated her days to auditioning, traveling for gigs, and working part-time at a clothing store. However, she craved a break and had always felt a strong desire to visit Italy. The idea of an Italian vacation had been lingering in her mind for a long time.

"I constantly found myself saying, 'I'll wait for someone to go with me, I'll wait.' But the years went by and I was still waiting. Then one night, at two in the morning, I had a realization. What am I waiting for? Life is too short. So, without hesitation, I decided to take matters into my own hands and booked a solo trip to Italy."

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Kacie intended to allocate most of her time to exploring Rome and Venice, and only a few days in Florence. However, before her trip, she struck up a conversation with a customer at the store where she worked. This woman had resided in Florence for five years and enthusiastically praised the city, convincing Kacie to extend her stay in Florence by an additional day.

Consequently, it was a mere coincidence that Kacie and the unknown Italian individual found themselves in the jazz club on the very same evening.

A Florence meeting

Kacie and Dario met in a Florence jazz club.

In the jazz bar, Kacie happened to meet Dario Nencetti, a 26-year-old chef from a Florence hotel who typically worked night shifts. Coincidentally, that was the only evening he had available in his week off.

Darios preferred haunt, Jazz Club Firenze, held a special place in his heart. The alluring tunes, coupled with the subterranean atmosphere, made it an extraordinary choice in Florence. Darios fondness for the establishment was further heightened by the bars practice of fostering jam sessions, creating a unique and inviting experience.

"In Florence, such a place can only be described as unconventional," Dario shared with CNN Travel. "Unlike the usual tables for a small group, the jazz club offers large communal tables, where one can comfortably sit with strangers and indulge in the extraordinary."

Dario and Kacie quickly switched to English when he discovered her limited knowledge of Italian, only extending to "ciao." After learning about Dario's year-long residence in Scotland, their conversation turned to the topic of travel. Kacie shared that this was her first solo trip, leading Dario to reveal his own recent adventure to Japan.

"We connected right away," Dario reflects. "The conversation flowed naturally and effortlessly."

"I recall how he made me laugh," recalls Kacie. "And I thought, Oh, this guy is intriguing." When people ask us, How did you know? I can't explain how I knew. It was just a feeling of, Oh, this is something unique."

Kacie and Dario lingered at the jazz bar, engrossed in conversation until the early hours of the morning. Subsequently, they maximized every moment to be together over the following two days.

"He would always meet me after his work - every night he finished at 11. And we would venture out, simply engaging in conversation," reminisces Kacie. "Florence instantly captivated my heart. It is an incredibly romantic city, with its cobblestone streets and medieval architecture. Everywhere you turn, it resembles a picturesque painting."

As I entered, he was already present. Our eyes met, creating an electric connection.

The past two days have been a whirlwind for Kacie Rose Burns. One evening, they found themselves seated beside Florence's iconic Ponte Vecchio bridge, engaging in conversation until the early hours of the morning. It felt like Kacie was living a cinematic experience, caught between the beloved "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" cherished by millennials and the timeless Florentine romance depicted in "A Room with a View."

After the two days had passed, Kacie had no choice but to move on to the next part of her journey. It felt surreal, almost like a scene from a movie, except this time there was no clear indication of a happy ending.

"I boarded the train and there he was, standing on the platform. I glanced out of the window and a wave of sadness washed over me," she recalls.

Upon the train departing from the station, Kacie diligently brushed aside her tears and proceeded to message her dear friend residing in New York.

"I have just encountered my potential life partner here in Florence," she confided. "He is the one I am destined to wed. Regrettably, our paths shall never cross once more."

Her friend tried to cheer her up.

"Youre going to Rome," she wrote. "Youll meet a gladiator!"

But Kacie knew what she had with Dario wasnt replaceable.

"We never stopped talking. We FaceTimed every single day," she says.

This continued when Kacie was back in the US. And before long, Dario was planning a trip to visit New York.

She texted her mom on vacation: I met my husband. Heres what happened next

A New York minute

Dario and Kacie knew they wanted to be together, despite initially living in different countries.

Jamie Lee (@JamieInItalyPhoto/JamieInItaly.com)

On December 8, 2018 Dario arrived in the US. Kacie spent a week introducing Dario to her life in New York.

"It was really cool to see it through his eyes," she says.

"She showed me the real city," says Dario.

Then the couple flew to Miami for a weeks vacation.

For Kacie and Dario, there was never a specific moment where they decided to embark on a relationship.

"It was never a decision to be made," says Kacie.

Dario agrees, "It was unspoken, but the challenges of a long-distance relationship were undeniable."

Both faced difficulties with time differences and demanding work schedules, which limited their free time. Nevertheless, they made efforts to see each other whenever possible.

Fast forward to September 2019 when Dario returned to New York to visit Kacie. During his time in the vibrant city, he couldn't help but contemplate the possibility of making it his new home. The abundance of incredible restaurants only enhanced his attraction to the idea. Determined to turn this into reality, he pondered finding employment and organizing a visa, seeing it as the perfect scenario.

Kacie also agreed with this, prompting Dario to inquire with others. Eventually, he landed a job as a chef at a renowned Italian restaurant located in Brooklyn. Following a few months of uncertainty, his visa was finally granted.

"Prior to that moment, every farewell we had to endure was almost agony - we had spent an entire week together, knowing deep down that it was our final goodbye," recalls Kacie. "Parting ways at airports was truly dreadful. The recovery process took a good week."

But now the airport goodbyes were consigned to the past.

"It was really exciting," says Dario.

Her flight was canceled. Then she ended up on the doorstep of her future wife

Moving forward together

Dario and Kacie say they've always supported each other and their goals and ambitions.

Jamie Lee (@JamieInItalyPhoto/JamieInItaly.com)

Kacie and Dario spent three months in New York together, giddy with happiness to be in the same country and the same city.

With the onset of the pandemic, the performing arts and restaurant sectors in New York City came to a standstill. Confined to their homes, Kacie and Dario sought comfort and companionship in each other. According to Kacie, they discovered numerous positive aspects amidst this challenging period. Dario imparted pasta-making skills to Kacie, they took care of cats, and they enjoyed lengthy conversations during evenings.

However, as 2020 progressed, the couple became increasingly aware of an impending deadline. Dario's visa was scheduled to expire in December, and given the circumstances surrounding the pandemic, the option for renewal was no longer feasible. Kacie and Dario found themselves considering only three viable alternatives: resume their long-distance relationship, tie the knot, or relocate to Italy.

Returning to a long-distance relationship would entail having to say goodbye at the airport again, something that neither Kacie nor Dario desired. Despite envisioning marriage in their future, they did not believe it was the right time for them. Consequently, the option of relocating to Italy remained.

Contemplating her career in New York, Kacie realized that performing was no longer an option and there was no clear indication of when she would be able to return. Unlike her friends who often expressed on social media how much they missed dancing, Kacie only felt a sense of "relief" that her days were no longer consumed by auditions and uncertainty.

She states, "It was quite a significant awakening for me. I had reached a stage where I had to temporarily distance myself from performing."

Moreover, Kacie's lease for her New York apartment was ending. If there was a perfect moment to move to Italy, it was now.

"Everything seemed to fall into place," she stated.

After conducting online research, Kacie discovered a language academy in Florence that provided study visas. Motivated by this discovery, she submitted her application and joined Italian lessons. Subsequently, Kacie and Dario prepared themselves for the transatlantic move by packing up their life in New York.

Upon boarding the plane in January 2021, Kacie took to TikTok to share her encounter with Dario and their decision to settle down in Italy. Despite her limited activity on the platform, she felt compelled to document this momentous milestone in her life.

Upon disembarking and gaining access to Wi-Fi, her cellphone was inundated with notifications.

"It went viral," says Kacie.

While stuck inside during mandatory two-week quarantine, Kacie continued posting TikTok videos. Her following continued to grow.

As Kacie's social media following grew, her real-life experiences with Dario in Florence initially remained limited. The ongoing Covid situation in Italy imposed stringent measures and restrictions.

However, as Kacie dedicated herself to learning Italian and teaching English through online platforms, while Dario searched for job opportunities in the restaurant industry, Florence gradually began to reopen its doors.

"When I first visited the Duomo, I distinctly recall the absence of crowd," Kacie shares. "It struck me as astounding since the Duomo is the prime attraction of Florence. The piazza was surprisingly deserted, and the surrealness of the situation stuck with me."

Despite the melancholic undertones, Kacie and Dario cherished the experience of being at this iconic landmark in Florence side by side. Having come a long way, they eagerly anticipated their future together in Italy.

Kacie found it easier to adapt to Italian life with the warm welcome from Dario's family. Despite Kacie initially facing challenges with the Italian language and Dario's mother having limited knowledge of English, the two women utilized Google Translate on their cell phones to navigate their communication.

Dario noted that they formed an instant bond. Kacie's social media presence grew exponentially as she consistently shared content. Eventually, she made the choice to solely focus on social media, leaving her online English teaching behind after approximately six months.

Dario encouraged this step.

"I think it was a really good idea diving into it," he says today. "It was the right moment, the right time, and I believed in her from the first moment."

They fell in love backpacking through Europe then they lost each other. Heres how theyve ended up married for 24 years

A life together in Italy

It's been five years since Kacie and Dario met in Florence and now they live there together.

After nearly four years, Kacies has broadened her social media influence by establishing a travel company that organizes group tours throughout Italy and creating her own travel guides. In the meantime, Dario has maintained his unwavering passion for culinary arts and currently serves as a fine dining chef at a renowned restaurant in Florence.

Kacie expresses her deep affection for the life they have built together, highlighting the beauty of their current location and the abundance of positive aspects in both their lives. Both partners actively support each other in their professional and personal aspirations, while also cherishing their leisure time. They find joy in residing in Florence and embarking on shared adventures throughout Italy.

Dario and Kacie are settled in Florence for now, although they dont rule out a move elsewhere in the future.

"Were enjoying the moment," says Dario.

"The solid thing is the fact that we know were in it together. And thats what makes it so great," says Kacie.

She tells Dario: "Im not nervous for what the future holds. Because Ive got you."

Kacie looks back with a sense of serendipity and surrealism, as she reflects on how her impromptu decision to travel alone in Italy not only resulted in finding a newfound career, but also a place to call home and the love of her life.

"There were countless factors that needed to align for this extraordinary experience to come to fruition, yet it felt so organic and effortless - as if it was meant to be," she shares.

"You never truly know what life has in store for you. Countless wonderful opportunities lie ahead, and all you need to do is have faith," Kacie maintains. "Believe in the journey and the path that is destined for you will unfold, even if it diverges from the one you initially envisioned for yourself."