Italy
One of my favourite countries in the world would have to be Italy. My husband is half Italian and has family living there so I have had the opportunity to see a lot of the country a number of times. For such a small country it is packed with amazing sounds and sights and there is still so much I want to explore! My last trip was with my husband and two young daughters, which was an experience in itself! As part of a bigger European trip we leased a car and were off on our adventure! Here are some highlights.
Driving south from Switzerland, our first stop was the beautiful Lake Como. While there were no George Clooney sightings, the lake was a gorgeous sight with the beautiful villas and churches of Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio, all a ferry ride away. We stayed in a gorgeous little villa, which was our base and explored the area for the next few days. We were able to see Milan from Como, which was just a short train ride away.
Next stop was the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, which is where my husband’s family are from. Gemona is where we were based and the truly breathtaking sight of the Dolomites in the background, make this area one of my absolute favourite destinations. Cividale del Friuli is a gorgeous little village that looks like it is out of a history book! Couple that with the mountains and the amazing local food and wine = perfection!
Heading south we came to Sorrento where we stayed for a few days. It was a wonderful base to take in the sights of Amalfi and Positano which are beautifully colourful and right on the cliffs overlooking the Sorrentine Peninsula. We also visited Pompeii from Sorrento by train and had some of the best pizza ever!
Heading north we drove to a small village called Bonassola on the west coast and just outside the Cinque Terre (The Five Lands). Staying in one of the villages with a car is virtually impossible so Bonassola was a lovely base. The villages are accessible by train and you can also walk between them. We walked and also caught the train between the villages. They are truly breathtaking and just the fact that there is no evidence of buildings and take-away establishments like most towns and cities, adds to the charm of this beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I have been to many more places in Italy so if you have any questions I would love to answer them!