Category: Europe
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first stop, manarola!
This is where we started our hike. Our goal was Corniglia, which was 4.5 km (or 2.8 miles) away. The hike wasn’t too bad. But this also might have been because it was our first trail, so we still had the energy. There wasn’t too much to see, except a few tomatoes planted along the…
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hiking on cinque terre
Imagine hiking along a muddy trail so narrow, that you have your back against the wall (or in this case, mountain), just fighting to make it to the next corner. One false step, and you could plummet to your death into the abyss of the Ligurian sea. Never to be seen again. Okay, maybe that…
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when you’re up before the sun
Piazzale di Michelangelo (Michelangelo’s Square) – to think we almost skipped this place. We only had one day in Florence (we had booked tours to other towns already for our other two days in Florence) and we couldn’t fit this at the end of our day. So on our last MORNING in Florence, we decided to…
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there’s more to florence than just the duomo
1. La Porta del Paradiso (Ghiberti’s Doors of Paradise) – at the time of my visit (September 2014), the museum was closed. However, they have one set of doors displayed outside. If you want to get anywhere near that door, go in the early evening to avoid the hoards of tourists. It’s not AS crowded…..keyword, “As”.…
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exploring mercato centrale
Mercato Centrale (Central Market) – I will never forget this place. This is where I had my first authentic Italian pasta experience. Linguine al pesto, adorned with bite-sized pieces of green beans and potatoes, showered lovingly (and generously) with parmesan (?) cheese. I’m talking about FRESH pasta – wait half an hour – made to order pasta.…
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strolling over the ponte vecchio
This is a bridge that crosses the Arno River. On each side, you’ll find the Ponte Santa Trinita and the Ponte alle Grazie. But Ponte Vecchio isn’t just any old ordinary bridge. It’s also home to some pretty old jewelry shops. So if you have some change to throw, you can check out what they…
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taking the train in florence
A 15-minute walk from the train station could easily turn into a 30-minute walk – if you’re dragging your luggage across what seems like miles and miles of cobblestone. But hey – “A penny saved, is a penny earned.” That money that you saved on cab fare could be spent in a better way. Like…
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things i learned from visiting florence
Yes, this is where one of the seasons of the Jersey Shore was filmed. And no, I did not go to the pizza place where they worked at (though not going to lie, a part of me wanted to.) While I did spend three nights in Florence, I really only had one day to explore,…
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how to scalp tickets in milan
Cenacolo Vinciano (Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper) – The painting is housed at Santa Maria delle Grazie (a church). Tickets are hard to come by, but not impossible. The availability on the site changes daily (even hourly!) So the trick is to check back often until you see the time slot you need. That’s exactly what one of…
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the duomo is everything you expected and more
Duomo di Milano (Milano Cathedral) – I think out of all the churches I visited in Italy (and it was A LOT), this one was the most unique and beautiful one I saw. The pictures that you see do not do it justice. You can explore the church for free, but if you want to climb to…
how to be a traveler 