Cinque Terre

This was the view when I got off the train at Cinque Terre. Seeing the very blue water and mountains was very refreshing since I usually only see cobblestone streets and buildings. Don't get me wrong, Florence is beautiful but I love to see the beauty of nature. Cinque Terre translates to "The Five Lands" and is made up of 5 villages along the western coast of Italy. Tourists typically hike from village to village and then relax at the beach in the 5th city. I went with 3 of my roommates Megan, Kassi, and Kait. Due to some train delays and trail closures we were only able to do the first walk, explore the 3rd city, and then head to the beach. No worries, I plan to go back and hike with Paige in November.

The first walk from Riomaggiore to Manarola is know as "The Lovers Walk" and is filled locks everywhere from couples who place a lock along the trail and throw the key in the sea so their hearts are locked together forever. Many people also carve their initials into the rocks. The walk was very peaceful and I enjoyed the sea and vineyards along the way.

We stopped at the 3rd city, Cornigila, for lunch. After walking up the very large hill we chose Ristorante Cecio for lunch, a recommendation from the Rick Steves travel guide. This town was very small and only had 5 restaurants to choose from. This area of Italy is known for their pesto, so Kassi and I got Pesto for lunch and it was delicious. Above is my view from our table at lunch. Being so high up on the hill we got a nice breeze and a beautiful view for lunch.

After lunch it was getting late so we took the train to the last town for the beach. Since it was a Saturday the beach was so crowded we just decided to walk along the shore with our feet in the water. The water felt amazing and I enjoyed people watching at the beach. There was a water slide set up for the children to play on, young men playing volleyball, and many sunbathers taking in the sun. I have become addicted to panoramic view on my camera because I think it really captures the scenery. Below is my roommate, Kait, taking in the view.

 Of course we had to end the day with some gelato. I chose to mix strawberry and lemon. Best decision ever. It was extremely refreshing, especially on a hot day. I'm not sure why I haven't mixed flavors before, but I will be doing it again. In my many times experimenting with gelato I have tried mint chocolate, chocolate, hazelnut chocolate, hazelnut, cafe, and vanilla. Strawberry lemon was the best decision yet.

 Cinque Terre was a great day trip. We had a great time figuring out the train station, navigating through the villages, and enjoying the view. With each trip I get more excited for my future adventures.

Last night I booked my fall break adventure. Laura, Sarah, and I have been debating about what we wanted to do. We had plans for a Best of the West Tour, Greece and Istanbul tour, and finally came across a tour of Moracco. Snow or Sand is a great little tour company that focuses on small adventure travel groups. On the itinerary for my fall break is an overnight Sahara Camel Excursion, beach days in Essaouira, a nature walk in the Atlas Mountains, Hammam Bath Treatment, and much more. I must say that I had no idea I wanted to go to Moracco when I came here, but after hearing this group speak, my heart is set on it. I'm working on planning my other trips now and I have my heart set on Switzerland for some mountains and chocolate. Yumm. Next up this weekend is a trip through Tuscany with my program, Study Abroad Italy.

Don't worry Mom and Dad, I am attending my classes and loving them. More on them next time!! Ciao!