Exploring Venice Photo Diary Every twist and turn through the narrow streets of Venice yields new colours, smells, and sounds. This was only my second visit to Venice, but I already want to go back to the interconnected maze of bridges and canals to get lost all over again. The floating city is ...
Italy
How to Spend a Weekend in Venice
Venice is easily one of the most romantic cities in Europe. The city makes you want to share a bottle of wine on the Rialto Bridge, take a gondola ride for two, and watch the sunset on St. Mark’s Square. But you’ve got it wrong if you think Venice is only for lovers! This floating city is the ...
Self-Guided Trip to Lake Como
Self-Guided Trip to Lake Como It's so easy to fall in love with Lake Como's beautiful landscape. Framed by the foot of the Alps and the glistening water, Lake Como has a distinctive inverted "Y" shape that was carved out of the mountains by an ancient glacier. Photographs don't do justice to the ...
Visiting Burano in the Venetian Lagoon
Burano is the colorful and festive little island that pops up in a lot of Instagram photos. When I went to Burano, it was a spur of the moment decision in the late afternoon and required no prior planning. I was in Venice for a weekend and since I had been to Venice before, I wanted to ...
How to Get to Lake Como From Milan
How to Get to Lake Como From Milan Making the 40km trek from Milan to Lake Como by train was all very confusing to figure out. We asked 5 different people at Milano Centrale Station before the 6th person at a Trenitalia booth was able to clarify the route for us. Here are my notes: At ...
Best Things to See & Eat in Cinque Terre
Visitors go to the Cinque Terre to live la dolce vita, catch up on rest and relaxation and of course to eat! Unlike other cities in Italy like Florence and Rome where you feel like you have to rush from major museums to famous church sites to other landmarks, that is just not the case in ...
A Quick Guide to Cinque Terre
When planning a trip to Cinque Terre, it's a good idea to plan in advance now that the Italian government has implemented a plan to limit the number of tourists to the region. Visitors will soon have to purchase tickets in advance to visit the five fishing villages. The charming villages with ...
All About Hiking in Cinque Terre
What You Need to Know Cinque Terre attracts many travelers looking for a scenic hike along its coastal trail offering views across hamlets, cliffs, and lemon trees. It takes about 5-6 hours to hike the trail linking all five villages. Running shoes or hiking boots are musts. I was surprised by ...
Cinque Terre for Beginners
When I was an exchange student in Tuscany during university, everyone had a copy of Rick Steve’s Italy travel guide. Back then, Cinque Terre was the weekend destination for university students abroad and it remains a top vacation spot today. Since I had missed out on visiting Cinque Terre years ...
Why Milan Makes the Perfect City Break
The city of Milan instantly calls to mind images of designer duds, the catwalk and the fashion elite. For those reasons, many travellers overlook Milan, favoring the more historical Rome or charming Florence. Since I had already visited many other cities in Italy, I decided to check Milan off my ...