Funivie Monte Bianco Skyway is the cable car that goes from the ground outside Courmayeur up to the…read moresummit of Mont Blanc. The cars are actually very large round cars that hold about 50 people. They turn very slowly so you have a 360 degree view as you travel up Mont Blanc. Along the way, there is a first stop that doesn't go all the way up the mountain. The first stop is very serene. It is beautiful. There is a restaurant and a snack bar. There are also lounge chairs outside so you can hang out and enjoy the scenery. The summit was wonderfully cold in August. I loved it! The scenery was undeniably gorgeous. Words cannot describe the natural beauty at the summit. If you want to warm up inside there are sitting areas and some educational information. The cost to go to the summit was under 40 Euros per person which makes this one of the more reasonably priced cable cars in the area. To get to the skyway from France you will need to go through the Mont Blanc Tunnel. It is about a 40 Euro toll to go through the tunnel which is very long. From the town it was a very short drive to Mont Blanc and the skyway from Courmayeur is less expensive than from the French side.

A must. Totally worth it to see the Alps. Make sure you take the gondola across to France, a…read moremust. Take tons of photos and enjoy all you can.

Oh you ask, what is a funicular? It is a cable car on a mountainside operating by cable with…read moreascending and descending cars counterbalancing each other! We really wanted to experience one; so, off we went to find the Funicolare Zecca-Righi. Built between 1895 and 1897, this funicular provides a link between the city center and its heights. This is something that every tourist should do. You will be surprised by the change in the landscape during the trip upwards, shifting from the traffic of the busy city to the hills to the start of trails that lead to the city's ancient forts, with their unique landscape. We rode quite a ways up (still in the city limits) for fabulous views of the city and the Ligurian Sea (a part of the Mediterranean Sea). It was scary and interesting at the same time.

One of the really nice things about European train stations, is that they are within walking…read moredistance of where the action is. This allows for a longer layover stop to be a place where you can explore a bit, and even perhaps get a bite to eat. This is definitely the case for the Genova Piazza Principe, which is very close to the Cruise Boat Port and near many restaurants that serve both transportation hubs. We arrived around lunch time on a Saturday from Ventiglia around 12:20 pm. We grabbed some lunch from a nearby restaurant, and came back around 1:30, and found a place outside to sit. Sitting outside pretty much means being near cigarette smoke. We were going to Pisa, and they announced the track about an hour before arrival. There was an elevator from the tunnel underneath (each track has their own). Ground level is always 0 in Europe and the basem ent levels are -1. (no G or B here). The train to Pisa had a final destination of Rome, so a lot of people had luggage for the weekend. The train came to Track 20 at 2:42 for a 3:01 departure, so we had plenty of time to find our assigned seats. There was space for our luggage overhead, and our American size luggage fit fine. We left at precisely 3:01, and made the following stops. We noticed that at each stop, they allowed 3 - 5 minute layover to allow people to easily get in and out with luggage. 3:05 Genova Brignole - left at 3:10 3:29 Rapallo. Left at 3:36 3:42 Chiavari. Left at 3:44 4:22 La Spezia Centrale. Left at 4:24 4:41: Massa Centro. Left at 4:43 4:52: Viareggio. Left at 4:53 5:07: Pisa Centrale. Left at 5:09 This definitely did inspire for future trips to know that we could take a train into Rome from France. The trip cost 11,9€ each.

The two main stations in Genoa are Bringole and Principe, with connections to everywhere. There are…read morestores and caffès both in this station and all around the area. Many hotels too. You are close to the waterfront, the winding dark alleyways of the old town, tourist attractions, and numerous hotels and restaurants.

Turin's small metro system is one of the best in the world. It's clean, safe, inexpensive, and…read moremakes it a breeze to get around town. The main red line is all that exists, so it's super easy to get where you're going and not get lost. A single journey ticket costs €1.70 (around $2.00 U.S.). If you're going to be in the city for longer, or if you plan on utilizing public transportation, there's an unlimited ride ticket that's good for 24 hours that costs only €5! It's easy to purchase tickets right in each station. There are machines that have Italian and English so it's easy to understand. I'd recommend using cash to buy your tickets but the machines also take credit cards. I felt extremely safe when riding the metro. I was also surprised at how clean the stations and trains are! I saw no graffiti inside the stations or trains, which is astounding for public transportation, especially in European cities. I rode the trains all hours of the day and night and never even saw any buskers onboard. Take a look around when you stop at each station; there are individual works of art that decorate each stop.

This is one of Torino / Turin's must see tourist attractions. You can generally find the station by…read moregetting on the tram and getting off at the very last tram stop. The locals still speak very little English but they will be able to direct you to the Sassi Station. I definately recommend walking around their small museum and then taking the tram up the mountain. There is a small restaurant at the top and the views are amazing. I think the tram goes up about 3km and you can walk down the mountain again but it will take you a few hours. When you get to the top, you can visit the Basilica of Superga. They have tours in a few languages. You definately have to see this for yourself. Video link: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=s1F0LAyAjM8