We interrupt this Cinque Terre expedition for a brief moment to have a bit of fun. The kids did not even have gelato or cappuccino yet. Imagine that!
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Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore is the first village in Cinque Terre when travelling north from La Spezia. The village, dating back to early thirteenth century, is known for its historic character and its wine, produced by the town’s vineyards. Riomaggiore is in the Riviera di Levante region and has shoreline on the Mediterranean’s Gulf of Genoa, with a small beach and […]
Cinque Terre
This morning we are setting off on a ferry from Levanto to Riomaggiore. which is the fifth village in Cinque Terre National Park from where we are staying. The sun is out, there is a gentle breeze and the 70 min cruise from Levanto to Riomaggiore should be great. The ferry stops in 4 of the […]
Relax-a-tion
We had a busy day yesterday and today is not going to be any easier. After an early breakfast we are grabbing a nice and quiet cappuccino on our patio before we set out on a boat cruise to Riomaggiore which is the last village of the Cinque Terre National Park. We are going to […]
La Picea
There are 47 restaurants in Levanto, we found this one – La Picea, on the outskirts of the old town – and it just happens to be THE number one rated restaurant in the city. This place is mostly for takeouts but there are some tables and chairs for people like us. It is all […]
Levanto
Levanto is a small town on the fringes of Cinque Terre and it is where we are staying at Villanova Agriturismo. Levanto has a great beach and it is only about a 5 min train ride to Monterosso which is the first town in the Cinque Terre National Park going from North to South. Like […]
Corniglia Chill
We are exploring the Cinque Terre park. Going from village to village on the train. This is the third village on the way and after climbing what seems like a 1000 stairs to get here we are taking a well deserved break.
Church of S.Pietro
The church of Saint Peter rises in the upper part of Corniglia. It was built in 1334 on a pre-existing XI century building. It has a Baroque style, with some Gothic and Ligurian elements. The XIV century façade is adorned by a 1351 Carrara white marble rose window which has the old dear symbol of […]
Corniglia
Unlike the other localities of the Cinque Terre, Corniglia is not directly adjacent to the sea. Instead, it is on the top of a peninsula about 100 metres high, surrounded on three sides by vineyards and terraces and the fourth side descends steeply to the sea. To reach Corniglia, it is necessary to climb the Lardarina, a long brick flight of […]
Vernazza Beach
After a nice stroll through the village we decided to go under the mountain to the other side of town and hang out on the beach. This is a rocky beach and since we did not bring the sand toys with us, we did what comes naturally to all Canadians – building our versions of Inukshuks. It […]
Vernazza
Our second stop is Vernazza which is a short train ride. First records recognizing Vernazza as a fortified town date back to the year 1080. This village is completely different. It has a different vibe, it is layer out differently with limited access to the water but it is perched more on the mountain […]
Monterosso
The Cinque Terre – “The Five Lands” comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We are setting off on a train which goes between these 5 villages […]
Bigger Is Not Better
We are sitting in Levanto on the train platform waiting for the train to arrive – when suddenly a phone rings and a guy on the bench next to us says “Can you hear me now?” I am talking to you on a phone the size of a door mat!!!
Agriturismo Villanova
As planned we arrived at Agriturismo Villanova right at 5:00 pm. This place is, once again, in the middle of nowhere, on the top of a hill just about 5 min drive from Levano town centre. We loved this place the moment we pulled up. Basically you turn off the road by the fire […]
Off to Cinque Terre
After a great Brunch we set off for a 4 hour drive to Cinque Terre National Park on the Mediterranean. None of us have been there so we are looking forward to it. It is Sunday so there is almost no traffic as the big trucks are not allowed on the highways unless they carry parishables […]
Panifico Nazzareno
This is our local about 3 min walk from where we are staying in Rome. We came here for breakfast all three days which varied between €7.00 to €24.00 – we also had dinner snacks here too which came to be about the same. We absolutely love this place and love the food and […]
Caffe Greco
Since we have discovered the list of World’s 10 Most Beautiful Cafes we though we would give it a try. Our first experience was with Cafe New York in Budapest – and it was nothing short of spectacular. Our second attempt was Cafe Imperial in Prague which truth be bold was more Cafe and less […]
Wander around Rome
It seems that no matter where you go in Rome, there are old Roman ruins or something that predates the Rome itself. No visit to Rome would be complete without spotting Hare Krishna people making a spectacle of themselves and being happy in their own way. The final stop on our list of things to see was what […]
More Churches
Glitter glitter on the floor, ceiling and wall who is the richest god of them all? No matter where you go, where you turn you can not walk more than 100 m in Rome without walking past a church – each nicer than the last.
The Roman Forum
Right next to the Colosseum are the impressive ruins of the Roman Forum. The Forum Romanum was the center of life in Imperial Rome, evidenced by the many remains of triumphal arches, temples and basilicas. Until 509 BC, when Rome became a republic, the city was reigned by an Etruscan dynasty of Tarquin Kings. They […]
The Colosseum
The Colosseum is probably the most impressive building of the Roman Empire. Originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater, it was the largest building of the era. While the Colosseum is largely in ruins it is still an amazing site to see. The elliptical building is immense, measuring 188m by 156m and reaching a height of […]
Piazza Venezia
Anyone visiting Rome will sooner or later end up at Piazza Venezia. This square is located in the heart of Rome, at the end of the Via del Corso. From here it’s only a short walk to some of Rome’s most famous sights like the Capitoline Hill, the Roman Forum and the Pantheon. Many historic […]
Victor Emmanuel Monument
After the morning visit to the market we are heading in the general direction of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Spanish Steps. First thing we see on the way there is Altar of the Nation. Officially known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II, the enormous white marble monument, 80 m hight by […]
Saturday Market
First thing on our agenda today, after breakfast of course, is the weekend market. This small market is where locals come to get their fruits and vegetables, pastas, oils, spices and just about anything else you might need or want to eat – all fresh. We got some giant sweet peas and cherries the size of plums. […]
Around Rome
Our day out was about 12 hours long. I am not sure how much walking we did but at the end of the day it was nice to sit down and enjoy a nice dinner and a glass of Prosecco. Great day out, and we are certainly happy that we have accomplished so much. Rome […]
Reality Check
After visiting the Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s Basilica we decided to visit a couple of other churches. These were simply on our way from point A to point B but we though it would be worth the effort to see if these smaller less impressive buildings will still have the same effect as they […]
Trevi Fountain
Trevi Fountain is a fountain in the Trevi district in Rome. It designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Pietro Bracci. Standing 26.3 metres high and 49.15 metres wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world. Each day some €3000,00 are […]
The Pantheon
We continue our journey across Rome through the narrow streets and piazzas. The Pantheon was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus and rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian about 126 AD. It is one of the best-preserved of all Ancient Roman buildings. It has been in continuous use throughout its history, […]
St. Peter’s Basilica
The one Basilica to rule them all would be quite an understatement. There is really nothing in this world that can prepare you for the sheer magnificence of this place, or its gigantic proportions or it’s over the top splendour. We have seen our share of wonderful churches and cathedrals but nothing and I mean nothing comes […]
St. Peter’s Square
St. Peter’s Square is a massive plaza located directly in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City, the papal enclave surrounded by Rome. At the centre of the square is an Egyptian obelisk, erected at the current site in 1586. Gian Lorenzo Bernini designed the square almost 100 years later, including the massive […]
Sistine Chapel Contraband
The Sistine Chapel is a large and renowned chapel of the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in the Vatican City. Originally known as the Cappella Magna, the chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who restored it between 1477 and 1480. Since that time, the chapel has served as a place […]
Papal Apartments
Papal Apartments – is where you start seeing the real splendour of the Vatican Museum. If you were a Pope in the olden days you could commission Raphael to paint your apartment. At the age of 25 Raphael was asked to do just that – scrap all the previous work done by some of the […]
Looking Up
If a dizzying array of splendour that adorns the walls with famous paintings or tapestries or the floors done in priceless mosaics or just ordinary marble cut to perfection were not enough then perhaps the rooms and hallways and gardens lined with sculptures by every famous master from the beginning of time will impress and astonish. […]
Sculptures
It appears that whatever is not at the Louvre or at the National Gallery in London is here. There are a lot of priceless sculptures here and a great many of them share the same story. No one knows how some of these 2 or 3 or 5 thousand year old sculptures found their […]
Vatican Paintings
The first thing at the Vatican Museum that you see are the paintings. Each more important and more famous than the last. It appears that over the years the Popes were quite fond of Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and other famous masters. There are some modern works of art here too which the Vatican […]
At The Vatican
Our schedule is quite busy for today so we had to decline a visit with Papa Francesco at the Vatican, but we did send our €88 towards the church to get a line up free tickets to see the Vatican Museum. The moment we got off the bus we were happy that we got the […]
All Roads
If it is true that all roads lead to Rome then this is where we are heading this afternoon. On the way there we are treated to some amazing and spectacular sites along the way. It appears that each mountain top has its own town. Orvieto, Moltepulciano, Fabro, Orte and countless others. Beautiful day […]
Pizzeria del Borgaccio
This little place in the village below Buccia Nera is where we stopped by for breakfast. It is a bakery / pizzeria place. Basically a breakfast with freshly baked goods and some cappuccino and espresso for the four of us, plus some cookies for good measure was just under €7.00 that is what I call […]
Pizzeria Santacroce
If you don’t know what you are looking for, you would more than likely walk by this place without giving it a second look. The place is just outside the main part of the old town in the middle of a residential neighbourhood, off on a side street in the middle of nowhere really. This, however, […]
Good Night Arezzo
We went out to Arezzo one more time. First because there is a great pizza place we wanted to check out and second because we really wanted to have another go at Paradiso Gelato – some shopping seemed in order as well. Arezzo being one of the more affluent cities in Tuscany has a lot […]
From Tuscany with Love
It is hard to describe this place, everyday it looks different, more beautiful, more enchanting. The clouds rolled in today and I think it might have cooled off down to 34C – unbelievable. This is a paradise we are calling home this week.
La Capannaccia
We drive by this place every time we go up or down from Buccia Nera Agriturismo where we are staying. Today we decided to stop by for dinner. The place is a short drive, about 2km, from where we are staying, down the crazy road, it always looks busy and it has some spectacular views […]
Day of Rest
It is not like we have strained ourselves yesterday but it is early days on our Italian adventure so we are taking it easy. We never got up early enough to get to the bakery so we had fruit for breakfast. After breakfast – the pool from 10 am to 7:15 pm with an occasional […]
Paradiso
We started off in this place and I finished the day off in this place. I think we have crowed the new best gelato place on this trip. Paradiso I think will permanently unseat the great gelato we had in San Gimignano Italy and Cacao in Ljubljana Slovenia. It is that unbelievably good. Paradise as […]
Arezzo
Today we are spending the afternoon in the beautiful Arezzo. Arezzo is very very old, it dates back, or portions of the city do, to 5th century BC. It is a small city but the old town is quite large with at least 20 churches, some medieval, some Tuscan Ghotic and some even dating back […]
Luck
We found a great little restaurant in Arezzo called Luck, the actual Italian name is Osteria da Luchino. Off the main street, no English menu, small and charming and just perfect. We decided to try the Italian way of eating dinner. You start off with a small pasta dish, then have the main course with […]
Arezzo Cathedral
Arezzo Cathedral is perhaps one of the largest buildings in the old city. Perhaps it is not as ornate as the Public Library or some other churches here but it is quite impressive. Inside there are some beautiful fresco covering the entrée ceiling of the cathedral as well as a couple burial monuments dedicated to […]
More Tuscany
We are heading down to Arezzo for dinner and here are some shots from the way down to town. We are about 7km away from the old town so it is not a long drive. Behind the lens are my lovely wife and Evelina while I try to focus on what Italians call a road […]
Pool Time
Today, we are proud to say, we have done nothing at all. We drove down to the village to have breakfast the local bakery. We stopped by a shop to get some milk, cheese and salami and on the way back up we also stopped at a fruit stand and bought half a trunk of […]
Serenity Now
All that you can hear right now in the middle of the night at Buccia Nera are crickets. It is almost midnight and it is still 25C outside, there are no bugs and it is absolutely fantastic.
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