Travels in Italy

Ten days wandering through Tuscany, exploring the Cinque Terre and then all the way to the Italian Riviera . . .

I began with a few days in Florence:

Leaving the city behind, we drove through the Tuscan countryside, stopping in a tiny village for an espresso and a walk through the cobblestone streets, enjoying all of the spring blooms:

Our next stop was a private tour and tasting at a Chianti winery, set amongst the olive groves:

We stayed for several nights at a villa in the Tuscan countryside, hiking through vineyards and down country roads, visiting medieval villages like San Gimingnano and Lucca:

Next, we headed west to the Italian Riviera, basing out of the Grand Hotel Miramare in Santa Marguerita:

We took the train to the Cinque Terre; sadly the rain kept us from hiking many of the trails, but we were able to wander around the five small villages and enjoy the views:

Finally, we hiked the seaside trail to Portfino, where we enjoyed the local ice cream specialty, wandered around the town square, and hiked up the hill to the Church of San Giorgio, Castello Brown, and lighthouse at the very end of a steep cliffside path. At the foot of the lighthouse, in what was once a WWII bunker, we found a small bar with a few tables and an unbeatable view: