Le Cinque Terre. Or in english; The Five Lands. This (above) is what you see when you arrive. Rugged coastline. Beautiful blue sea. You know, the usual. Upon arrival in the Cinque Terre, I knew I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. Or in my case, Tuscany.

Welcome to the first stop of the Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore, Italy. One of five villages located on the stunning Italian Rivera. The five villages include: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. They were founded during the Dark Ages when locals were in hiding from Pirates, and probably haven’t changed much since then. The beauty of the Cinque Terre; they are completely undisturbed by modern technology and urban growth. No cars, no high-rises, no corporate chains, no frills, every shop is mom-and-pop style. The local charm of the Cinque Terre really makes you fall in love!

A week before I moved out of Italy (in May of 2009), Megan and I decided to take a day trip to the Cinque Terre. I heard so much about these quaint and colorful hidden gems and had to see it for myself! No matter how much time (or lack of) I had left in Florence. We slipped into our sundresses and bathing suits, grabbed our towels and sunglasses, and hopped on the local train to La Spezia! From there, we bought a “Cinque Terre Day Pass” in La Spezia and hopped on another local train (“Regionale”) to Riomaggiore. We arrived. We explored. We climbed. We ate. Oh man, did we eat. My 3 fondest memories from Rio were: 1) Arriving next to the rugged coastline and the sea, admiring the beauty in front of me. 2) Climbing the hills and stairs in the tiny little town, wandering around, getting further and further down, then looking up at the mountains and hilltop homes stacked on top of one another when I got to the bottom (the rocky shoreline). 3) THE PESTO FOCACCIA!!! Get it. That’s all I have to say. GET IT.

TRAVEL TIPS:

Transportation: Trains, boats, and hiking paths connect the villages. If you’re doing a 1-2 day trip, I suggest taking the train to most cities (to save time), and perhaps one or two hikes to a city or around the mountains. If you’re staying longer than 3 days, hike it. Bring comfy shoes and a lot of energy! These hikes can get quite strenuous. The most popular hike in the Cinque Terre is Via dell’Amore, or Pathway of Love, which is a gorgeous trail that link Riomaggiore and Manorola together. Supposedly, it brings couples closer together by locking a padlock with your lover onto a cable or railing somewhere on the trail. Sounds a little cheesy, but hey, it’s worth a shot! ;)

Food: First, while in Rio, if you see the pesto focaccia, get it. Pesto from this region is absolutely amazing, so buy yourself a jar of it as well. SO WORTH IT. This region also knows how to make killer focaccia bread. And last, if you enjoy a little drink or two, try Sciacchetrà wine and the Limoncello. Sciacchetrà is the local white wine, but it’s more like an amazing dessert wine. And we all know what Limoncello is.. Now, the Amalfi Coast and Liguria region both claim to make the best limoncello in the world, and while I can’t say who makes the best, I know that the Limoncello in the Cinque Terre is AMAZING.

Accommodation: You’ll have to rent an apartment or tiny hotel room with little to no technology while in any village in the Cinque Terre.

I wish I had spent a few more days exploring the Cinque Terre, as I only spent 2-3 hours in Riomaggiore, but anything was better than nothing! Riomaggiore is a cute little town with a lot to offer. Travelers from all over the world enjoy the serenity and simplicity of this place, and it’s definitely a MUST SEE while you’re in Italy!

Ligurian Pesto Focacia Bread (bigger than a normal slice of pizza and DELISH!)

Pisa! You know, that tiny little town in Italy with the crooked building. Yes, Pisa is truly a one-of-a-kind city, that’s often overlooked and underrated. When you hear the word “Pisa” you probably only think about ONE thing, right? THE LEANING TOWER, of course! Sure, the Tower is absolutely ridiculous and hilarious, yet also quite breathtaking. But most tourists only go to Pisa for this ONE thing, and only for a few hours at that. UNACCEPTABLE, PEOPLE. Pisa is SO much more than a crooked building with tourists surrounding it with their hands in the air. It’s also full of history, beauty, mystery and dark secrets that many people don’t know about! So here are my 7 tips to truly enjoy every inch of Pisa!

My friend Mario and I on the River Arno, as we decided to skip class one fine spring day in 2009. Hooligans. We ran out of school, hopped on a train from our home in Florence and never looked back. Destination: PISA!

1. Take it easy, yo.
Enjoy Pisa. Bring a friend or ride solo. Walk around the city. Rent a scooter. Observe the gorgeous architecture. Go in the cute little storefronts. Stop at the street markets. People watch. Take in the view of the River Arno at the Promenade. And most importantly, buy a shit ton of candy. It’s cheap, eye-poppingly delish, and everywhere! NOM-WORTHY.

Mario, myself, and our unforgettable candy at the River Arno.

2. Chow down.
After devouring a heaping helping of candy from your cute lil’ heart bag, grab some grub! Pisa has some spectacular cafes to get lunch and an espresso or two. Mario and I regrettably did not document our cafe experience, but we did enjoy some of the best pesto panini’s ever made at a quaint Italian corner cafe!

3. Get freaky.
Visit a graveyard or two. Pisa is full of incredible history! The Campo Santo Cemetery and the Jewish Cemetery in Pisa are my personal suggestions. Here’s a dark secret that not many know about.. These places were built on an ancient Roman burial ground! Freaky, right?! If you’re a creep like me, you enjoy historic facts such as this, and graveyards, and ghosts, and mummies, and zombies… But to think about how much actually happened on these beautiful grounds is mind-blowing!

4. Take a nap.
Gettin’ freaky sure takes a lot out of ya! So, join everyone on the lawn and get some shut-eye. Become one with the ancient burial ground. Yes, this is totally normal in Pisa. You won’t see this anywhere else near a church in Italy. (At least I never did!) And anywhere that encourages mid-day naps in public is alright with me!

Yep, Mario gave in..

5. Time travel.
If you don’t have a Delorean Time Machine lying around like Marty, just walk around the city and find some spectacular ancient roman ruins. Some are hidden and some are right in front of your face. They’re everywhere!

6. See the sights.
Do the tourist shit. Totes worth it here! Of course, the Field of Miracles, with the Duomo, the Baptistry, the Monumental Cemetery and the Tower are definitely a must see. And spend the 15 Euro to walk up the tower and learn about the original gansta lean, peeps. The views are seriously amazing on a clear day!

7. Get physical.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, pose like a ridiculous mofo at the Leaning Tower of Pisa! Get those camera’s out, throw those hands in the air, strike a pose (or a bunch like Mario and I) and take a billion pictures with the rest of ‘em! Be creative and just have fun with it! Meanwhile, as you’re posin’ it up at the Tower, those spirits lurkin’ around the grounds are laughin’ at you, hysterically, along with everyone else lookin’ at you.

EPIC FAIL.

EPIC WIN.

Mario and I had one hell of a time in Pisa. If you’re successful like we were, you’ll leave with a ton of pics, fond memories, and a really good stomach ache from too much candy..

ICEWINE. Ever heard of it? No? Until this past July, I had no idea what it was either. So let me just start this post off with saying that it is by far thee best wine… no… alcoholic beverage I have ever tasted in my life. Period.

Back in July of 2011, Seattle and I got the awesome opportunity to experience an in-depth and delicious wine tour and tasting at the Inniskillin Winery & Vineyards. Inniskillin is located in Niagara-on-the-lake, just north of Niagara Falls, which has the perfect climate to produce Icewine.

After Seattle and I pulled into the vine-filled parking lot, we were greeted by our lovely tour guide, Donald. We toured the grounds for a bit, then proceeded to the show room, which was an old horse barn. The barn was (supposedly) designed by the one, the only, the master (and my very favorite architect) Frank Lloyd Wright. I thought it looked very FLW-esque when we walked up to it, but I had no former knowledge that it actually was. Then once I walked inside, the overly excited design-nerd came out. Frankie was everywhere. This place was already amazing in my book.. and I didn’t even try the wine yet.

After an extremely interesting (and informative) tour throughout the winery, we were taken to the Riedel Room for lunch. It was a gorgeous interior – modern and minimal meets FLW – but it looked like a private corporate conference center. In other words, it looked extremely important. Donald seated us, we both got settled in and ordered our lunch. As Donald walked away, Seattle and I immediately looked at each other awkwardly and laughed.. We felt totally out-of-place in our casual summer gear! We didn’t expect to feel so important and receive such a special treatment! However, they made us feel right at home with kindness, generosity, delicious food, and of course.. wine. And lots of it.

AND NOW FOR THE MAIN EVENT! THE ICEWINE TASTING.

First, we learned about the production process of Icewine. Produced exclusively in the Niagara Peninsula, the creation of Icewine is led by nature. It is not until temperatures drop below 18 fahrenheit degrees that the harvesting of the grapes can begin. After extreme temperatures peek, the pickers go out in the dead of night to harvest the frozen bundles of goodness. The grapes are then instantly pressed in the extreme cold. Months of fermentation pass, and there you have it folks - the best alcoholic indulgence that your taste-buds will never forget!

We were also informed that Inniskillin even produced their very own Icewine glasses to specifically compliment the rich flavor. Icewine is extremely sweet, so the glasses dull the sweetness down a bit. Well, I just have to say.. I’ll drink that shit any and every way possible. Give me the biggest, sweetest glass of Icewine and I’ll be a very happy lady! Fella’s, take note. *wink* No but really, it’s amazing in any glass.

Laid right in front of us were many Icewine glasses and bottles. My eyes lit up like a child on Christmas morning, and the anticipation to try it grew strong. Donald then poured our very first glass of Vidal Icewine…

Heaven in a bottle, my friends. Seattle and I gladly finished it.

Thank you Niagara Peninsula, Inniskillin and Vidal Icewine for existing. Thank you.

Now go out there and find yourself a bottle of Canadian Icewine, travelers! (I found a bottle at Trader Joe’s Wine Shop in NYC!) Cheers, and enjoy!

Niagara Falls. The most powerful waterfalls in North America. I’m sure most of you have heard of the place. Maybe you’ve even visited once or twice! The falls are spectacular. The vibrations from the falls echo through your body when you’re near, the mist covers your body while traveling down the riverside, and there are many awesome (and quite amazing) ways to see this breathtaking world wonder! How about an epic helicopter tour from above? Or a relaxing view from the sidelines? Or how about everyone’s favorite – an exciting boat tour that goes directly in the middle of all the action!? There are SO many ways to see Niagara Falls. Now, I feel like a radio/tv personality saying that… but it’s true! There’s so much to do in Niagara, and it’s such a fun place to be – for any age!

I recently traveled to Niagara Falls with Seattle from SeattlesTravels.com. This was our first time meeting, and this was also my first trip as an official travel blogger. First, I’ll share a fun little background story. Seattle and I met on tumblr. Yes, the infamous tumblr! She found my blog, said hello, informed me that she also lived in Italy once, and we both started chatting more. Months later, we decided (since we lived fairly close to each other – Detroit and Toronto) to meet up for a day! Well, that day turned into a weekend, and that weekend turned into a mini adventure vacation. You know how that is. One idea sparks many, and when travel is involved, ideas always expand! So, we decided: Niagara Falls! We would be two young Scorpio travel bloggers taking over Niagara Falls in July. The anticipation grew strong, and we made it happen. Our little adventure all started on a hot summer day, in an un-airconditioned Jeep, in the middle of Ontario corn fields.

When we arrived, we checked into the ACBB Hostel Niagara. We then met Patrick (the owner), who had many great stories and suggestions about Niagara. I highly recommend this hostel! It’s cozy, fun, and clean. (Side note: Take Patrick’s advice – Don’t wear the poncho, and try the muffins! I took his advice, and I’m so happy I did!)

After we checked in, Seattle and I explored the downtown area a bit, found a great place called Yanks to grab dinner and a beer, then headed to the Nightmares Fear Factory. The dinner was a quick, yummy, and cheap bite to eat, and Nightmares was super scary and fun! I think both photos taken of us really do a justice. They were screaming our names the whole time, and I was screaming bloody murder. Just throwing these photos in for a good laugh or two :D

The next day, we got the opportunity to jump in a helicopter and take an epic tour of the city from above. EPIC. EPIC. EPIC. For you travelers with a bigger budget, Niagara Helicopters, DO IT. Seattle and I both loved that helicopter tour. That was, by far, the best view of Niagara Falls. I was even lucky enough to get a front row seat, right next to the pilot. WHAT A RUSH.

Photo by Seattle Dredge

After the helicopter tour, we enjoyed a relaxing view on the Whirlpool Aero Car, which was built in 1913! This is a breathtaking view of the whirlpool, which is also the largest whirlpool in the world!

Seattle and I then decided to head up to the Skylon Tower. WHAT an AWESOME view of the falls! Very relaxing as well, and also.. air conditioned. It’s a lovely place to cool off if you decided to go on a hot summer July day!

Last, we had to experience it from below. Maid of the Mist. I absolutely love this boat tour. It’s fun, exciting, relaxing at the same time, and in the summer – PERFECT for cooling off! As Patrick would say, DON’T WEAR THE PONCHO!

We also made some side trips while we were in Niagara; Inniskillin Winery (future post coming soon), Nightmares Fear Factory (photos posted), the Oh Canada, EH!? dinner show (previous post), and the Butterfly Conservatory. Here are some fun photos from our last day in Niagara.

Seattle and I truly got to see Niagara Falls from every angle!

I apologize for my lack of posts in the travel blogging world! I’ve been completely M.I.A, so I figured I should update.

This past week, I have been very busy moving to NYC (!!!) and I now call New York HOME! It’s definitely one of the most exciting experiences ever. Life here is amazing.

I am without internet for a while, but stay tuned to my tumblr for updates and plenty of blog posts on live-for-travel.com soon to come! Ciao!

xo,

Gina