Italy
Italy, land of painters, pasta, wine, art and most importantly, the land of love. No wonder Italy is also called “Il Belpaese”, meaning “beautiful country”. Traveling through Italy from Venice ~ Bari ~ Amalfi Coast ~ Positano ~ Capri ~ Napoli ~ Roma ~ Tuscany ~ Firenze (Florence) ~ Cinque Terre... Italy is a country that has so much to offer. From the colourful coastal towns, to the green rolling hills covered with grape vines, to the historical cities with ruins, churches, gelato, and Italian restaurants. I just want to touch base on some of my favourite memories/tips! People talk about Cinque Terre as one place. It actually consists of 5 different towns though. Cinque Terre literally means “Five Lands”. Most people come here and pick one town to stay in and spend their days hiking from town to town. The hiking is really the best part about this place. Some of the hikes between towns are 2-3 hours while others are half an hour. I opted for two days of hiking, a boat ride to see all the towns from the water, and lots of afternoon swimming. Florence! This very walkable, artsy, relaxing, beautiful city is really what I picture when I think of Italy. You can stroll around and take in all the amazing Roman statues, stop for a glass of wine and some pizza at one of the many outdoor restaurants, people watch, walk along the river, it is truly an amazing place. One of the best things to do here is hike up to the Piazzale Michelangelo to watch the sunset over Florence. Bring a bottle of wine and sit on the stairs to watch the city slowly begin to light up for the night. Tuscany is a large region in the middle of Italy that technically includes Florence. When I think of Tuscany though, I think of rolling green hills with vineyards, olive trees, and wine! It's a short drive from Florence or there are day trips always available.