Well, after four amazing days in Switzerland, including two very long hikes (yes, I said hikes) we pried ourselves off our alp, caught our cable car (and bus, and five trains) and headed to the Italian Rivera to arrive by sunset at Cinque Terre. We are staying at Riomaggore, the southernmost of the five villages, and one of the cutest of the five.Today we walked the trail that goes between all five villages, (well, we made it to th
e fourth before we needed foccacia and a nap on a sunny rock) each of which are nestled in the cliffs overlooking a turquoise Mediterranean. The towns are comprised of a rainbow of stucco and flowers, and look so cute with their laundry lines and boat-filled harbors. Surrounding them are mountains filled with grapevines, lemons and olive trees, all of which overhang onto the rocky cliffs below.Switzerland was amazing, but this area is absolutely beautiful in its own right (plus it was reassurring to see the ocean again!). This one will be even harder to leave behind!
Oh, how we love us some Italy!
Alison
sounds beautiful. Ive seen some pictures of that place but cant imagine it in person.
ReplyDeletebuona sera belles... i have strict florence instructions to give you soon!
ReplyDeleteactually i should give them to you now because you are almost there!
ReplyDelete1. go to the piazza san michelangelo at night (it's at the top of the ctiy- amazing!)
2. don't eat gelato in the middle of florence- it's just ice cream, not real gelato. go somewhere non-touristy
3. to get more of the 'italian' feel, rent some bikes from in front of the train station and explore outside the tourist areas
4. whatever you do, do NOT eat chinese food in florence
5. don't eat or drink coffee sitting down at a table- stand at the bar, it's about half as much money.
6. another eating tip- get yourself lost and find a restaurant with NO english on the menu. any restaurant you ever encounter in italy with english on the menu = not good. look for holes in the walls on the outskirts of town
7. drink chianti. lots and lots of chianti. but again, on the outskirts of town.
8. eat a nutella crepe. SO good.
9. climp the tower next to the famous flroence duomo- it is SO worth the few euros. you can see the whole city and its breathtaking. plus the stairs are really old and cool.
10. go to the leather market. but you already know that.