Yes, it is Sunday night. Of course most of us have work or school commitments tomorrow. But why should that stop us from having fun? This is the Italian way – fun is never completely out of reach. Which is reason number 1,024,862 why I love living in Italy.
Last Sunday night during a stroll with a few friends after a soccer match, we ran into some other friends on the street. We happened to have a bottle of wine and an iPad (the perfect combination), so why not? We headed to the nearest piazza, called Piazza San Francesco, which is an especially popular spring and summer evening destination for young people in Bologna.
And just an hour later, we suddenly found ourselves dancing across the piazza as if we were the next contestants on “So You Think You Can Dance.” As you can see from the above picture, the scene wasn’t perfect due to some safety reinforcements after the latest quake to hit Bologna. But this is only a small detail and easily overcome. The church next to the piazza still stands tall, proud, and beautiful. And what could be better than having a whole piazza as your dance floor?
I never thought I’d be uttering those words. But now I couldn’t imagine life without a bottle of wine, an iPad, great friends, and a piazza. 🙂
Cinque Terre rose to fame among American tourists with the help of a well-known friend, Rick Steves, and it seems to continue to grow ever-more popular, as its beauty and simplicity are hard to match
Cinque Terre rests on the western coast of Italy, and its name is derived from the five small coastal cities that compose the area – Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. Â One of the signature tourist draws to the region is the hike from the southernmost Riomaggiore to the northernmost Monterosso, as each city is no more than three kilometers from the last. That being said, the more northern you are, the more difficult the walks become, with many steps and hills involved.
I have made the walk twice, and not only is the view one of the most stunning I have experienced since Big Sur, California, there is also quite a reward in Monterosso, as this city has the largest beach for relaxing a bit after your hike, and the focaccia here is not to be missed. Â Speaking of food, this area of Italy is known for creating pesto, so definitely leave some room for some homemade pesto dishes while you visit.
As if the beauty of this place (and the pesto!) isn’t enough of a reason to go, there’s more. Each time I go to Cinque Terre I have made friends from the city that I still keep in touch with. The people here are wonderful – they truly appreciate the tourists and make it their own personal mission that you are happy and enjoying your visit to their city. Â Seriously, what more could we ask for?
While each city has its own character – my personal favorites are Corniglia and Vernazza, as each of these cities have absolutely charming architecture and tiny yet fantastic little swimming areas.
To help you get a better idea of the true beauty of the area, I have picked out a few of my favorite photos.
Slideshow:
Gallery preview of my favorite Cinque Terre photographs:
Best of Cinque Terre, a set on Flickr.
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