I recently ran a question survey via SurveyMonkey and Goodreads to discover people’s ‘most romantics’. For the question ‘Which nationality most says “romantic” to you?’, the results were as follows:

• Italian: 42%
• French: 33%
• Spanish: 20%
• British: 4%
• American:  1%

I was not surprised to see Italy, France and Spain top the poll. There is a reason, after all, that I choose to live part of the year in France – and that my second novel is set in Spain, and my most recent one in Italy. And the international news provider CNN thinks along similar lines; in February this year it published an article declaring that Spain was the most romantic nation, followed by Argentina, and then Italy and France. I think, though, that Italy is the most favoured in general; after all, the word ‘romance’ literally means ‘from or of Rome’.

What is it about these Mediterranean countries that at once make us think of passion and romance? Without wishing to overly stereotype, here are my thoughts:

• Climate: The heat, I think, plays a part – we spend more time outdoors in the Med, surrounded by inspiring nature, sitting in pavement cafes and watching the world go by. And of course we dress differently given the climate – more relaxed, more romantic. Then you have the fiery storms that spring up, which are dramatic and atmospheric.
• Fashion: The French, the Italians and the Spanish have a wonderful fashion sense. Chic, elegant, colourful, vibrant, sensual. Think of Milan and Paris and Madrid, capitals of fashion. Across the world courting couples dress to impress; in the Med, many continue to dress this way for life.
• Cuisine: Delicious and full of aphrodisiacs. Not heavy, and weighing one down. Healthy, energising. And meals are leisurely affairs, taken with friends and family. They are sociable, and engender intimacy and connection.
• Culture: The operas, the literature, the music, the plays, the movies – these are countries with varied, long-standing cultures that draw you in. The flamenco dance of Spain. Le Louvre in Paris. Italy: birthplace of opera and ballet and Casanova. There is so much to see in these countries, and so much passion embodied all around in art.
• Setting: These are countries with a rich heritage. The land and the buildings are stunning and fascinating, providing a wonderful backdrop to a romantic mood – think of provincial French farmhouses set amid fields of sunflowers in the vivid yellows of Van Gogh; gliding down ancient Venetian waterways on a gondola; exploring the flamboyant Gaudi architecture of Barcelona. These are beautiful places to be, and it is so much easier to be passionate in love when your surroundings feed the soul.
• Language: French is famously the language of love, but Italian and Spanish are similarly evocative and sensual. Love becomes amour, amor, amore. Passion becomes passion (say it with a French accent; so much more beautiful), pasión, passione. Romantic becomes romantique, romántico, romantico. Even something as mundane as a town hall is transformed into a romantic-sounding place: mairie, ayuntamiento, municipio!

Above all, what characterises these countries, I think, is one word: passion. What is most romantic is people who are really alive and in the moment; people who are positive and who love life and who want to experience every moment. When we think of French, Italian and Spanish people, we think of vibrancy, vitality, virility, joie de vivre, va va voom!

If reading this has put you in the mood, here are some films I recommend for a taste of Mediterranean passion:

• French: Amélie (2001), Jules and Jim (1962), Cyrano de Bergerac (1950), Beauty and the Beast (1946), The Story of Adele H (1975)
• Italian: Life Is Beautiful (1998), La Dolce Vita (1960), Eight and a Half (1963), Il Postino (1994)

Spanish: The Age of Beauty (1992), Talk to Her (2002), Jamón, Jamón (1992 – beware, it’s rather steamy!)