Cinque Terre

After we got our culture fix in Florence and Tuscany, we took the train to Cinque Terre for some quaint, coastal life. We stayed for two nights in Vernazza, the second to last town on the Cinque Terre Trail, and it was the perfect spot because it was my favorite town of the five. We stayed in an airbnb at the top of the town, which was only a five minute walk since it was such a small place, and we spent the first night sitting out in the main square drinking wine, watching the sun set, the waves splash onto the breakwater, and watching the local kids play soccer in the church square next to us. I loved staying in Vernazza beacuse even though it was very touristy and crowded during the day, everyone cleared out during the evenings and it was just locals and a few tourists staying in the town. 

Tuscany // Wine Tasting at Cantine Avignonesi

After a few days in Florence we decided we wanted to get out of the city and see the countryside. We rented a car, did minimal research on wineries, and head off on a Tuscan road trip. Our first stop was Avignonesi, an STUNNING winery about an hour south of Florence, where we had made a reservation that night before for lunch. Little did we know that the lunch was a five course, unbelievable meal with paired wine tastings. It was so ridiculously extravagant and magical, we kept pinching ourselves to see if it was real life. We ate in a beautiful covered patio with 360 views of the surrounding country side and vineyards, and the meal was absolutely delicious. There were only a few other couples in the patio, and we soon realized that the owner of the vineyard was having lunch at one of the tables right next to us! We left the lunch completely blissed out and in shock of what we had just experienced. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience and we couldn't believe we had just stumbled into it!

After our fancy lunch, we took a leisurely drive over to Montalcino, which was a beautiful, quaint Tuscan village on top of a hill with gorgeous views of the scenery. We spent an hour wandering the alleys, got our fill of espresso, and took in the beautiful views before heading back to Florence. 

Florence

After a few days in Holland with Jack's parents, we all set off for a week in beautiful Italy, and it was such a treat to be back in one of my favorite European cities. The summer after my freshman year in collage I spent the summer taking photography classes in Florence, and it was so wonderful being back and revisiting my favorite streets and sites. We found the apartment I lived in, ate at one of my favorite italian restaurants around the corner, and visited the Mercado Central, a HUGE indoor market with fresh stalls and delicious restaurants. We stayed in an AMAZING airbnb apartment in that was a block from the river, one bridge up from the Ponte Vecchio, and perfect walking distance to all the best places in the city. Florence in the spring was extra beautiful with budding flowers and sweet, warm nights that were perfect for drinking wine and chowing down on pizza. On the first night we stocked up on wine, cheese, bread and salami and headed over to Piazzale Michelangelo for a picnic and sunset watching, which was definitely a highlight of the trip. A few other highlights included:

Morning runs to Piazzale Michelangelo

Afternoons we wandering the city down alleyways and familiar streets

Visiting the Uffizi gallery and Basilica of Santa Croce

Strolling through the Boboli Gardens

Afternoon espresso breaks

Lunch in Piazza del Carmine with a view of the Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine