Bucket List Item!

Concert backdrop

Motivated by a definite bucket list item we traveled back to Tuscany for the second time in a year. In July each year, Andrea Bocelli performs in his hometown of Lajatico, Italy. The concert is in an outdoor theater that is used just once a year in this town with a population of 1400! Ten thousand fans travel to hear Bocelli, surrounded by the natural beauty of Tuscany. Sitting in the theater which is set up with movable chairs taken down after the evening, you are surrounded by gentle rolling hills, shades of green and tan, blue skies followed by a stunning sunset! The concert was wonderful and very special! Getting there and moving with 10,000 concertgoers was a bit overwhelming, but worth it!!! Unforgettable.

San Gimigiano

Because of the location of the concert we were happy to spend two days right outside of San Gimigiano, a beautiful walled city. Surprisingly, it was not as crowded as when we were here in October! Lucky, I guess. We loved walking the cobblestone streets again and finding a great little place to enjoy homemade pasta – a definite hit with Bob!

From there we spent a couple days in Florence. We did not get into Florence in October because it was pouring rain the day we had hoped to go. This time it was sunny, very hot, and a bit crowded. The car traffic in the city is kept at a minimum, which is great because it is such a manageable city to walk in. The problem is people walk everywhere, not just on the sidewalks. We took a bike tour and it was the most uncomfortable one we have done because there are people everywhere and no one moves even with a ringing bell on a bike. 

Florence

Ponte Vecchio

The colored marble on the Duomo!

The architecture is just amazing in Florence. Every building is just beautiful – old, stately, and valued for its beauty and age! The shopping is an education in itself as there are vendors and shops everywhere and the smell of fresh leather permeates! Beautiful city and fun to explore on foot.

From Florence we drove out to Cinque Terre. Here we could just relax, hike, and take in the untouched beauty that surrounds you. The ride in was twists and turns on very narrow roads. Thank goodness you pass very few cars along the way or the trip would take twice as long. We spent three nights in Corniglia, the smallest and highest of the five villages of Cinque Terre. All we had to do was open our shutters and we had the most amazing views of the town, sea, and sky!!! You could constantly be taking pictures of the gorgeous scenery that changed as the light of day moved along. 

Corniglia

Cove in Corniglia

Because of the landslides that happened here in October of 2011, many of the famous hiking trails are not completely open. The trails connect the villages to each other and are one of three ways to travel from each of the villages. We were lucky to hike from Corniglia to Vernazza. It was a beautiful 2-hour hike that took you up and down passages that at times were right on a cliff looking down at the sea and other times you were among trees in a forest. Gorgeous views in all directions. When you approach the villages on foot you have such an enchanting view of houses built into stone, vineyards thriving on steep hillsides, coves filled with tiny fishing boats waiting to work the sea. 

Vernazza

Cove in Vernazza

The nice part is you are also able to travel village to village by a train that hugs the sea traveling through tunnels that have been carved out of these magnificent mountains, or by boats, which ferry tourists from town to town all day long. Whether you approach the villages by foot, train, or boat it is a unique and memorable experience! Since there are only five villages on the seafront it is also intriguing that each is unique and appealing in its own way. We loved our stay in Corniglia, especially swimming off the rocks that required a walk down some 300 steps! The best part is you had to stop often to admire the view as you descend. The water was perfect – cool, refreshing, and invigorating!

Village of Riomaggiore

Village of Manarola

Monterosso

When we left Corniglia, we drove north and could see the devastation of the landslides. At times we weren’t sure we were on a road or a construction site! It was an even slower ride out than it was going in.

Our drive home to Koln was too much for one day, so we picked the town of Dijon France for our enroute stopover.

Beautiful, old timber buildings

Another beautiful city, another Cathedral of Notre Dame, and another great memory of France.





 

Dijon, France

You could follow the owl through the city on a historical walk.