Cinque Terre, Italy:
Cinque Terre is a compilation of five seaside villages on the Italian Rivera coastline. The name cinque terre roughly translates to five villages. The villages are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Cornglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. Cinque Terre is known for its hiking trails in between the villages and beaches.
Top Three things to do in Cinque Terre:
Hiking trails between each of the villages – You must buy a pass to hike online. Certain trails are closed throughout the year. We hiked from Corniglia to Vernazza and absolutely loved it. It is considered an easy trail, but it felt like a medium difficulty trail.
Beach in Monterosso – This beach is the best of all five villages. Spend the day soaking up the sun.
Best eateries in Cinque Terre:
Note: Italian cuisine usually follows this order:
Appetizer
1st course – Pasta (usually with seafood)
2nd course – Meat or seafood.
3rd course – Dessert
4th course – Digestive or Coffee
Bolle in Pentola (La Spezia) – Traditional Italian food. This was the best food I have had in all of Europe.
2.) Trattoria al Billy – Traditional Italian food.
Cinque Terre Note: Opt to stay in La Spezia or Levanto which are the towns before and after the five villages in Cinque Terre.
They are cheaper to stay in and a good way to see more of Italy.The town we stayed in (La Spezia) was reasonably priced. La Spezia has good shopping and the people were friendly.
You’ll need to buy a train pass to hop on and off in order to go between the different villages, especially while hiking.
Milan: Milan is the capital city of the Lombardy region in Italy. The city is recognized as one of the fashion capitals of the world. In terms of culture Milan is much more French than typical Italian. Popular landmarks in Milan include the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio, Sforzesco Castle, and more. Milan is also known for its high end restaurants and shops.
Top Three Things to do in Milan:
Visit the Duomo – The Duomo makes for a beautiful photo opportunity.
Conclusion: Milan would be best used as an entry or exit point for exploring the rest of Italy. Outside of the popular landmarks – there is not much to do in the city.
Rome:
Rome is the capital of Italy. It is also the most populated and one of the most visited cities in all of Europe. Popular landmarks in Rome include the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, Pantheon, Vatican Museums, and the Trevi Fountain.
Top 3 Things to do in Rome:
Explore the architecture – There are random ruins all over the city besides the Colosseum.
Eat Pizza – Pizza is native to Southern Italy (Naples) and there is tons of it in Rome.
Visit the Colosseum – While I don’t think that it is necessary to pay to enter, being in the general area is fun.
Conclusion:
Italy is a diverse country with so much to see. This would be a great country to backpack within itself. Also, authentic Italian food is delicious.
Southern Italy is more typical Italian while Northern Italy is more like France.
The sexual harassment I experienced in Italy was the worse that I have experienced in over twenty countries. Black women should take extra precautions, especially if traveling solo.
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