Cinque Terre

On the sea, looking from Vernazza (Town #4) harbor over to Monterossa (Town #5).

Vernazza from the (intense) hiking trail

Our room in the yellow building at the top of the hill

overlooking Vernazza on our hike to Corniglia (Town #3)

part of the hiking trail

unique lighting at a focaccia shop in Corniglia

focaccia, mid-hike

pesto pasta + fresh anchovies in Manarola (Town #2)

main street of Vernazza on Easter Sunday

our favorite focaccia shop in Vernazza

the church right on the harbor

last piece of focaccia at the train stop

In the middle of our trip, we split from our friends for a weekend jaunt to 5 small villages on the coast of the Mediterranean.  They are fishing communities in the middle of a national park connected by hiking trails and a train.  The shops, restaurants, and lodging are all locally owned, of which the townspeople are rightfully proud.

This area is known for fresh anchovies and for creating focaccia bread and pesto.  We booked a room at the top of our village - Vernazza, in the building that used to be the town mill. Free breakfast was included at Il Pirata, a pastry shop owned by twin Sicilian brothers, Gianluca and Massimo (who are simultaneously crazy and welcoming).  A free pastry, cappucino, and Italian granite - iced fruit smoothie - started off our day spent outdoors exploring and hiking.

Between our time spent in chaotic Roma, touristy Firenze, and stunning Paris - this was our little escape to be in the countryside and by the water.  It was calming and small, and I'm so glad we included it.  The point of being in Cinque Terre is not to see a particular site or museum but to experience true Italian culture, people, scenery, and food.

One of my favorite moments of the trip was on our first night there, which happened to be Good Friday.  The town villagers assembled after dark for a walking vigil from the church by the water's edge up to the very top of the town - singing and following a statue of the body of Jesus on the cross.  They sang the most beautiful, melancholy songs and had candles lit along the path.  It was surreal, and I will think of it every year on Good Friday. 

Eiffel Tower, day and night

  

 

In total, we ended up at the Eiffel Tower four times in two days.  Regardless of our accidental repetition, it was stunning each time and entirely magical at night. 

We climbed the stairs to the second level (I totally recommend the stairs with the close-up view of the steel and architecture) and surveyed the city.  Following the Eiffel Tower stairs and our picnic, we also climbed the Arc de Triumphe stairs for a gorgeous view of the city.  The winding, dizzy staircase of the Arc almost got the best of us, but the scene on top was lovely.

Champs Elysses, the funny way

Husband skimmed the guidebooks.  He got stuck on the joy of saying "Champs Elysses" and felt this would be a highlight of our Paris tour. 

Imagine his surprise when it turns out to be, in his words, "a bigger Michigan Avenue." 

So, we strolled along, and went into Louis Vuitton for kicks...

kick #1 - new luggage

kick #2 - shades

Rue Cler picnic

 

 Favorite meal of the trip?  This one.

After climbing the stairs of the Eiffel Tower, we picked up all the perfect ingredients for a picnic in the grass.  Rue Cler is a nearby short street lined with specialty shops and cafes, which made for the most fun, beautiful grocery shopping I've ever done.  Each element was delicious - chocolate eclairs, baguettes, gruyere & brie, and the most juicy oval-shaped strawberries.

We all agreed at the end of our trip that (at least for us) this was the best way to eat in Paris.

outfits in Paris

sweater  ::  madewell

skirt  ::  j.crew

shoes  :: gap

necklace  ::  nobletown vintage

Notes: 

1. Even with all my planning, this outfit was a dud.  I forgot to check the weather, and spent most of the day freezing from the wind whipping through the city.
2. I was trying to achieve an effortless, French girl look, similar to photos here, here and here.  I'm still not sure if it leaned towards a "schlumpy" though....
3. This outfit saw me through the Metro, up the Eiffel Tower, down Rue Cler for picnic supplies, over to the Arc deTriumphe and Champs Elysses, and finally around through the Tuileries Gardens. 

 

jacket  ::  j.crew

jeans  ::  j.crew

shoes  ::  gap

necklace, earrings  ::  gifts

Notes: 

1. The light as we walked back to the Louvre (open late on Thursday nights) was sublime, making for some of my favorite pictures of our whole trip.
2. Although we had adjusted our outfits for the outdoor weather, no one mentioned that the Louvre would be stifling hot....you just can't win.

p.s. Find out why we were in Europe here!

my Firenze favorite

While searching for a guidebook-recommended trattoria for lunch, we accidentally stumbled upon a daily market in front of the Santa Maria Novella Church .  Willing to improvise, we noticed each awning-covered stand was selling fresh cheeses, meats, desserts, and Italian delicacies.  We took our time scouting out and sampling all the stalls before deciding our game plan for lunch. 

Splitting a made-to-order panini sandwich and olives bought in bulk, we sat in the middle of the square with locals on their lunch break.  Before leaving, we filled a sack with cookies to munch on, while wondering across the Ponte Vecchio to explore more of the city.  Our snap decision made for our best meal in Florence!

Firenze

 

As promised yesterday, here are photos Zach captured around Florence, a.k.a. Firenze, while I was recuperating in our hotel room.  I love studying the detail and movement of the sculptures right outside the Palazzo Vecchio (plus the fact that art students sit nearby sketching them).