The Italian Traverse
Our journey across Italy took only three days, but we squished in as much sightseeing and adventure as we could!
Day One
After a final climb in Finale Ligure, we hit the road along the coast, soaking in the views of quaint towns along the sea until we reached Vernazza, one of the five towns in Cinque Terre National Park. Evidenced by the fellow tourists, I wasn't the only one who had googled "Best Towns Italian Coast", but this stop was worth it. We twisted through the maze-like walk streets in the colorful town and hiked up on the park trail which connects the villages to get a magnificent view. The region grows grapes and produces unique wines, so we couldn't resist a tasting before continuing on to Pisa.
The Cinque Terre town of Vernazza from the footpath that connects it to the next town
We had to stop on the highway because it was too beautiful. The towns are perched above the Mediterranean sea.
We made it to Pisa in time for pizza and to see the leaning tower at night! As soon as the tower came into view, we started giggling, and didn’t stop as we appreciated the building from all sides and took obligatory goofy Pisa pictures.
Mel giving the leaning tower of Pisa a big hug
Day Two
We work up early in Pisa and explored the town while everyone else was still asleep. The tower brought just as many laughs as the night before.
Our next stop was a crag in Avane, right next to Pisa, where we climbed until the blazing sun won out. What better to do on a hot day than to find a swimming hole?!
Mel gets in a quick dihedral before heading to Florence
A quick detour brought us to the town of Camaiore which we now know is a climbing destination. Luckily we had the swimming hole all to ourselves, complete with a waterfall, crystal clear water, and a sunny lizard rock.
Best bath ever!
Feeling refreshed, we continued to Florence (or Firenze) where we took in the architecture and ice cream. You could spend days here, but we only had an afternoon. We are saving the rest for next time!
A few hours of walking around in Florence is certainly not enough. The colors of the stones used on the Cathedral are beautiful!
Our final stop for the day was Modena, the birthplace of balsamic vinegar! Here we visited Alan’s mom’s childhood neighbor from Venezuela and enjoyed her delicious arepas!
Day Three
Modena is the birthplace of Enzo Ferarri, so we couldn't resist visiting the Ferarri museum in nearby Maranello! We spent the morning posing with beautiful cars, admiring the design of Formula 1 champion cars, and feeling inspired by the marriage of engineering and art.
After a quick lunch stop at an awesome castle in Ferrara, we made it to Venice. We reluctantly bid farewell to the van for the night and entered the magical city. We wandered the streets, crossing canals on cute bridges, feeling swept back in time. In addition to the incredible architecture, views, and boat journeys, we enjoyed great food! Fresh pasta, cicchetti (Venetian tapas), gelato, and the best tiramisu.
Stoked about our snacks from this little bar
The drinking comes with a view at sunset.
Day Four
In the morning, we caught a fantastic view of Venice from the church at San Giorgio Maggiore. In stark contrast with Piazza San Marco, there was nobody there! After spending the early afternoon exploring Venice, we continued on to Slovenia!
Our view from the bell tower of the church on St. Giorgio Maggiore. The statues seem to enjoy the view too.
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