Cinque Terre

     Cinque Terre means "Five Lands."  It is made up of five little towns built into the cliffs along the coast of Italy.  I went with several friends so we rented an apartment instead of staying in a hotel or hostel.  The apartment was in Manarola and had an incredible view.  If you look closely at the following picture, our apartment was the yellow one all the way to the left. 

     The five towns are reachable by car, train, or hiking trail.  We hiked from Manarola to Riomaggiore and then took a train to Monterrosso al Mare.  The trail from Manarola to Riomaggiore is called Via dell'Amore which means "The Path of Love."  All along the path there are locks with initials on them.  Legend has it that if a couple writes their names on a lock, locks it to something along the trail, and throws the key into the ocean they will always be together.  

     There was a giant rock along the beach in front of one of the towns.  We had never seen anything like it before and just had to climb it!  The hike through the mountains was difficult but the view made it well worth the effort.    

     One of the towns, Vernazza, had recently suffered a flood and mudslide.  The bay used to be full of water but when we saw it, it was all mud.  Many of the buildings were destroyed in the mudslide but in January, artists from all over Italy came and painted murals on the doors of the boarded up buildings.  They painted them as a symbol of hope for the people of Vernazza.  The murals were beautiful and the thought behind them was so moving.

     I attended my first Italian Mass on Easter Sunday in Manarola.  It was a awesome experience and a fantastic trip.  Staying in an apartment gave us a lot more freedom than a hotel or hostel would have.  I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Cinque Terre and hope to visit again someday!

Tuscany

     Tuscany is one of the most gorgeous, peaceful places I've ever been.  It's also home to some of the greatest food I've ever eaten! This trip was arranged by my school so we didn't have to do any planning.  Saturday, we took a bus from the station in Rome to Tuscany.  We spent most of our time in the city of Pienza.  Our first stop though, was Cantina Tanagatta.  We had a delicious meal and then toured the cantina and got to see where they make the wine.  The owner even let us try some wine right out of the barrel!  

     On the way into Pienza, I found my dream home.  It was so simple and perfect; I loved it! It was also right across the road from a field of wild tulips! How awesome is that?  The sunset that night was stunning.  The vivid colors over the hills were so beautiful.

Sunday, we toured Pienza and tasted the famous Pecorino di Pienza.  Pecorino is a cheese made from sheep's milk; it's a specialty of Pienza.  The streets were so cute and the cheese shop smelled absolutely amazing.  I loved the cheese so much that I bought a whole wheel to take back to the U.S. with me and split up as gifts for friends.

Sicily

     Sicily is one of the most breathtaking places I've been.  Some friends and I took a short plane ride to the island for part of our spring break.  We stayed in Palermo for the duration of the trip but took several day trips to other places.  One of the trips was to Mondello Beach.  We took a city bus about 45 minutes to the beach.  The water was unbelievably clear.

     One of the other day trips was to the city of Cefalù.  There is a mountain there that we hiked.  The hike wasn't too difficult and the view from the top was incredible; there is just no other way to describe it.  We stood on top of old ruins of a castle and looked down at the beautiful ocean.

     I wish we had had more time in Sicily to see more of the island.  I hope to go back someday and visit other parts.  It was such a wonderful trip!  If you ever go, make sure you get some seafood! It's delicious and everything is fresh.