4 Vernazza, Italy

Our most recent stop, Vernazza, is a small village on the Mediterranean coast of Italy. So small in fact that upon arrival we were told to check in at a local wine shop so they could telephone the owners of our inn, Giuliano and Michele, to show us the way to their place. Thus began our Cinque Terre adventure, waiting amidst limoncino (a local specialty) and wine bottles to meet our new hosts, and then to be led along a winding pathway up the hillside to reach Camere Giuliano. This home base became so much more than just a place to sleep at night during our stay. We ate, drank, sunbathed, and watched the sun set from the terrace overlooking Vernazza below.
Giuliano was born in Vernazza and literally built the beautiful Camere Giuliano from the ground up. Every stone that makes up the terrace, he carried down from the hills on his back. He continues his work as a stonelayer in addition to running this lodging establishment and also working at one of Vernazza's waterfront restaurants. Rumor has it he was once a professional football (soccer) player, too. He and his wife Michele have created a warm and welcoming home for visitors to Vernazza--the couple staying next door to us was there for their third summer holiday in a row, and planned to return next year on their honeymoon.

Vernazza is one of five charming towns nestled in the hillside along the coast--the Cinque Terre. Each one looks like it belongs in a fairy tale, with colorful houses piled atop one another, stone paths and stairways acting as city streets, and dramatic cliffs dropping off to the sparkling blue sea. There are no cars, and people have to take the train or ferry to get from town to town. Or better yet--hike! Cinque Terre is home to a huge network of hiking trails that on a practical level, connect these five towns, and for the outdoor enthusiast offer a huge variety of ways to explore the coast. On our first day walking from Vernazza to Corniglia, we were surprised to see so many fellow hikers in just their bathing suits and sneakers. But we soon learned why--the sun is hot and trails can be steep, and there are many opportunities to take a refreshing dip along the way.

Each town has its own character, but all are equipped with the basics: a focacceria, a gelato stand, some restaurants, and rooms for rent. We ate some great pasta, of course (trofie al pesto is the local specialty, a fresh gemelli-like pasta), but a real star for us was the focaccia. This delicious fresh bread was sold at pizzerias as well as focaccerias specifically designated for its baking. There are a large variety of toppings on offer--olives, tomatoes, cheese, onions--but our favorite quickly became the focaccia ligure, named for the region. With just a hint of olive oil and salt, we would pick up a slice for lunch, a mid-day snack, picnic makings...whenever! In our tribute to food we also cannot neglect the mussels. The mussels in Cinque Terre are so fresh (these are traditionally fishing villages, after all) that it didn't matter what a restaurant did with them, they were delicious.

It was sad to say goodbye to Vernazza and our new friends there, but we definitely look forward to returning in the future--maybe bringing family along as well.

View more Cinque Terre pictures here.

6 Lucca, Italy

To Patrick it seemed that every other word out of Katrina's mouth was 'charming' during our 24 hour stay in Lucca. But it is--so charming, with its ancient city wall encircling a labryinth of winding little streets. Even the garbage and pizza delivery trucks are miniature to fit and the postman uses a mail bike. It's a town where travellers come to see nothing in particular, rather to simply experience Lucca.
Our home for the night, La Magnolia B&B, was no exception to the culture of charm. Buzzing in from the street, we expected to open the front door to find a lobby of some sort. But instead we encountered an airy, open courtyard with flints of light sneaking in through the trees from the sun above. Our room on the second floor peered out over the courtyard and a restaurant next door, and the room's decor seemed to not only share but accentuate the atmosphere of the town and surroundings below. Our hosts at the B&B, Laura and her brother, Andrea, were very helpful in getting us oriented to Lucca and on our way to some delectable dining.

Per Laura's recommendation, we had our first meal at Gigi in the Piazza del Carmine. The pasta was so good that it made even Patrick stop to savor every bite, and the 4 Euro half liter carafe of house wine (straight from the barrel we suspect) was the best we've had so far. Afterwards, we allowed our stomaches a brief respite while wandering the streets and pedestrian path atop the city wall. Before long we stopped for gelato that was so good Patrick voted to break our three to five "M" scale to give it a "Mmmmmm".

We spent the rest of the afternoon strolling the city wall, taking a nap, and working up an appetite for dinner at Andrea's recommendation, Vasco. Though not quite as delicious as Gigi, we happily stuffed ourselves and were about to call it a night when we heard ampliphied voices descending from atop the city wall. Looking up we could make out a large group of people sitting at tables and our path of deduction was as follows: guests sitting for dinner, toasts on a microphone...must be a wedding! Our curiosity piqued, we went up to check it out and found a scene far from a nuptual reception. Over 200 Luccans were intently participating in a tournament of Burraco, which appeared to be some sort of variation of Canasta. Patrick's competitive streak reared its ugly head, but before he could drag Katrina to a table she dragged him back to La Magnolia. We fell asleep to the sound of joyful dining from the restaurant next door and a soothing Tuscan breeze blowing in our window.
More photos from Lucca here.