Amazing place to visit, hike, drink eat etc…read more I hike most of the trails between the 5 towns and they are spectacular. You can even take the train or a water taxi between them depending. The highlight for me was the final hike from the most southern town Riomaggiore all the way to Portovenere....8 miles 2500 feet of elevation gain and stunning view after stunning view. You even pass by a monastery great little outdoor restaurants etc. Bucket list item

The most beautiful walk of my entire life. Be sure you understand the route - easy to get lost!read more

Lucca is one of my favorite small towns in the world. If you adore quaint, small town charm plus…read moreinsane natural beauty, you'll love this town just as much as I do. Lucca doesn't have any world renowned museums, public monuments, or even a culinary specialty that gives it name. The natural beauty of the city itself is the attraction. I find this little town so sweet and fun to explore because it is surrounded by a giant elevated wall that surrounds the city like a candy wrapper. The wall is about 2-3 miles and extremely pedestrian and cycler friendly as there are no cars on the road. Walking on this wall has been one of the best memories I've had in Europe. I'm one of those people that are constantly thinking about random little things all the time, but the ineffable beauty of the leaves turning all shades of red, orange, and yellow really had me silent for a few hours. Come here, you'll feel a sense of peace you haven't experienced anywhere else. Beats any museum I've ever been to.

Worth checking out. My boyfriend and I were bored after seeing the leaning tower and decided to…read morecheck out this garden. They have bamboo trees you can walk through and the overall experience was pretty and photo worthy. Check it out if you have time

Stopped by on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. When taking the train from Venice to Cinque…read moreTerre I decided to allow a couple of hours to explore Pisa. By the time we got to the Leaning Tower of Pisa we didn't have enough time to partake in the timed tickets to go to the top of the tower so we decided to wander around the area. This botanical garden wasn't too far away by foot. The ladies selling tickets were friendly and it wasn't too expensive compared to other more popular tourist attraction entrance fees. There were an abundance of different types of plants and indoor exhibits to keep us occupied. I also liked how I could see workers putting bird safe stickers on the greenhouse glass so our avian friends wouldn't crash into it. The restrooms were conveniently located and clean. Another side note, really glad we could hold our luggage at the train station so we could enjoy a nice little day trip in Pisa without having to worry about constantly lugging our carry on with us.

This is a lovely, massive park that butts up against the old town of Parma. The trees offer…read morebeautiful shade, parts for biking and water fountains can found throughout. It reminded us of a rough around the edges Central Park that with a little activation would be something magic. Great spot to snag some green space and shade or roll out a picnic. Fifteen minute walk from the train station and ten minute walk from the heart of Old Town Parma. Fair warning for all my single ladies, this seemed to be a hot spot for hoards of groups of homeless men - maybe not the most ideal for a single female at night.

Many world-renowned national parks have all the hype and thus all the visitors. We find ourselves…read morecrammed into small spaces looking up at something with all the others. Cinque Terre is just the opposite: never-ending views along miles of coastline trekking make for an unhurried, uncrowded, unforgettable experience. For a day trip, we took the Cinque Terre Rail from La Spezia. You can buy the Cinque Terre Card online which allows you to travel to all five cities along the way. Hop off/on at any of them and hike in-between. The Cinque Terre Card also includes your park pass, required at checkpoints while hiking the trail. Ride to the end like we did, then hike back until you're ready to eat, drink, rest. Grab the train the way back. Or get off any stop along the way. The day pass is better if you're headed the whole way, and it allows unlimited stops throughout the day. Bring rain gear just in case, you may get some sun, some rain. We hit rain initially but it cleared out for two hours. By the way, that's about how long you'll need to get between a couple of the towns along the way. Each town is unique with those pastel houses built into the mountain you've probably seen in photos. The coastline is amazing the entire way, and the walk isn't too strenuous compared to other hikes we've taken. Do this if you get a chance. We'll return the first chance we get.