Cinque Terre, Italy
When one mentions Italy the first city that probably comes to mind is Rome, followed by Venice, Milan and probably Lake como thanks to dashing George Clooney. One of my favourite Italian destinations (and one that is starting to get more popular) is the stunning area of Cinque terre.
Situated a 2 hour train ride north west of the famous leaning tower lies 5 quaint towns culminating the Cinque Terre National Park – Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. Being a Unesco heritage listed site, cars are not able to access these towns, in fact the only way to get from town to town is via train, alternatively you can walk from town to town and from the takes 8 hours if you do it continuously.
My itinerary was a 3 day one, during the peak of summer in Mid July. The 1st night I stayed in Pisa, from memory the last train from Pisa central to Monterrosso was at 9.30pm and to be conservative I did not think I would arrive in time to make the train. No matter though, it does give you an opportunity to visit one of the most iconic sights in Tuscany being the leaning tower of pisa!
I opted to stay in a bnb (bed and breakfast). I like the homely feel of a family run establishment. It gives an authentic touch which you cannot get anywhere else. We met a kind lady who I believe ran the bnb with a younger member of her family, however upon arrival, she was the only one there and did not speak a word of English. But to her credit… she was able to work the wonders of google translate and my travel buddy and I camped around her desktop and were able to communicate without issue!
Its moments like these – where you face an obstacle (like basic communication) and persist to find a solution that makes travelling such a rewarding experience. It also makes me regret not learning a second language (Doh!). When things are too easy, you take it for granted, you think you are entitled to it. But it’s not until you are in a situation that requires some thinking outside of the square that makes the end result so satisfying – like being able to check in!
After a quick visit to the leaning tower – off we went to cinque terre. To get there just buy your ticket from the train station should cost about €15 one way and takes no longer than half an hour.
*Mamma Mia* – I almost forgot to mention that Italians are the kings of coffee. Get a cappuccino and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. Back home in Melbourne “getting a coffee” can last anywhere between half an hour and several hours. The locals in Italy get the job done in about 30 seconds! Coffees are consumed standing up at the expresso bar in Italy. Sit down tables usually attract a price premium (as it is often in place to cater for tourists).
The trains are actually quite modern and are in fact very similar to the train depicted the classic 2004 movie “eurotrip”
Monterosso
Is the largest and most populous of the five towns. It also boasts a proper beach, which due to size gives it a unique advantage over the other towns. I chose to stay one night here being the farthest most town (from pisa) and another night in Riomaggiore the first town, so Sunday would be an intense hiking day. Over the past few years torrential rain has played havoc with the walking trails. In 2011 or 2012 I believe there was some intense flooding which rampaged through some of the towns. As a result , it is common that not all of the walking trails will be open at the same time.
I stayed at B&B Il Parco (which I highly recommend). The accommodation is split into different private villas. As it is situated quite high up the hill, there are some breath-taking views to be had when either early morning or at dusk. The breakfast provided is pretty tasty as well.
I suppose the only thing to be aware of is that is slightly up in the hills, the walk to the main beach and town did take some time, however there is a free shuttle bus which can transport to and from the town centre and specified. Stay here if you want to lounge around in the sun and having a relaxing experience of cinque terre!
Vernazza
I think this is the prettiest of the four towns. Can be found on many a post cards and if you time it right and hike from monterosso to vernaza and dusk you may be lucky enough to see pink skies in the backdrop. The reward for an hour and a half hike can be seen below. Due to poor exposure settings the photo doesn’t quite do the view justice!
Corniglia
Probably the smallest out of the 5 towns towns, due to time constraints didn’t get a chance to explore the town as much as I’d like. Just as colourful as the others and a little less quaint. Not as many tourists seem to spend much time here. After a quick pit stop, we followed the pack and moved onto….
Manarola
Competes with Vernazza as the most photographed landscape amongst cinque terre. There is a path which leads you slightly out of the town to a small park and you can take amazing photos looking back onto the city. If your game there are also some swimming holes for you to cool off and mix it with other holiday makers and locals. Sunbathers can also be found lying of many of the rocks and stairs during the summer months! Strange but I guess you gotta make do with what you have!
Riomaoggorie.
Stayed at Locanda Dalla Compagnia. Wouldn’t be my first choice of accommodation, but if you are struggling to find accommodation it will do the job. Don’t expect anything above the basics and you’ll be fine.
http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/locanda-dalla-compagnia.en-gb.html?sid=55d90259de8ddce7056c733dd4f99767;dcid=2
Quite a large town with a number of hidden alleyways and paths to get lost it in. Plentiful amounts of decent restaurants with local produce and seafood.
Cinque terre boasts some of the most spectacular scenery that I have seen during my time so far in Europe. Definitely put it on your to do list if you find yourself in Italy. If you are looking for a party vacation probably don’t head here, but if you’re after a relaxing/rewarding weekend away you won’t be disappointed!
JD
Stockholm, Sweden
Destination: Stockholm, Sweden
Other names: N/A (or if anyone knows please feel free to comment)
Known for: ABBA, Tennis talent, Good looking people, IKEA, Nudie Jeans, a Swedish House Mafia
Ah Stockholm, legend tells of a city where blond haired, blue eyed GQ and Victoria Secrets Models roam the streets, in a picturesque city and probably one of the world’s most liveable too. This weekend was an excursion to explore unofficial capital Scandinavia!
Attractions
Usually the way I like to approach weekend excursions is to pack the days full of sightseeing and understanding the history of the city. A few people I know often ‘wing it’ and stroll through the city. I have tried this before and while it is very relaxing it does not provide any context to appreciate the historic sights and buildings you pass by. So I try to get on a city tour of some sort at the very least and the best tours are usually the Free walking tours. They are free in that there is no set amount for the tour, but if you think the tour was worthwhile (normally they are very information and fun) a tip will be graciously accepted.
I managed to get onto a walking tour with an excellent guide who explained the history of Sweden, how it territory once included Norway and Finland as well. He went on to speak about the Swedish Royal family throughout the ages including the most recent princess who married her gym instructor!
We were educated about other interesting facts including the concept of ‘Stockholm syndrome’ which refers to a phenomenon where hostages empathise with their captors and take their side. This actually happened in a bank central Stockholm back in the 70’s.
The city itself is extremely clean and sits on a number of islands. It has a charming old town where ‘hole in the wall café’s and souvenir stores can be found on every corner. One of the main attractions in the old town is the Nobel Museum, dedicated to one of Sweden’s most famous personalities, Alfred Nobel (Creator of the Nobel Prize).
I had always heard of the Nobel peace prize and the prize for economics but did not realise that there were 5 prizes in Alfred Nobel’s original will (Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, Peace). Being the inventor of dynamite and unlucky in love he was set to leave a large fortune behind, it wasn’t until his own brother was killed in an explosives accident and a French newspaper mistook his brother for himself, that he realised what the world thought of him. Labelled the “merchant of death” as many lives had been lost through the use of his invention, Alfred wanted to leave his mark on the world for the better, hence the creation of the Nobel prizes which is awarded to those who brought the greatest benefit to mankind. Famous recipients include Marie Curie, Mother Teresa, Martin Luthor King, Albert Einstein just to name a few
The other placed we checked out was Skansen island. Unfortunately the number 1 attraction on trip advisor ‘Vasa museum’ was under renovation so I checked out the open air museum instead, which is HUGE and a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon in the Scandinavian sun.
Nightlife
A quick google search of Stockholm nightlife warned visitors about how difficult it can be to get into nightspots, especially for guys. Glad to say playing it safe and packing an extra pair of shoes and blazer granted us entry into two of the swankiest clubs in town! Ambassadeer Club & Berns Hotel.
Both highly recommended – just an FYI entry is usually £20-£30
Below is a link to pictures from nightspots in Sweden. I can confirm that the girls and guys do look just as good in real life!
Http://stureplan.se/bilder/nattklub/
Swedish Myths & Legends!
MYTH: Everyone is Sweden is good looking and 6ft plus. Women look like Scarlet Johansson and the men look like Thor (Chris Hemsworth – even though he is Australian lol).
RESULT: Fact, on a whole Swedish people are definitely trendier, well groomed and fashion forward. Thier natural beauty are very easy on the eyes. I would say 8/10 people could easily become fashion models in other countries.
Height wise the average height of Swedes is noticeably higher than say Spain or Portugal so yes I’d say that this is fairly accurate (generally speaking). I also noticed the split of brunettes to blondes is roughly 50:50 and not 100:0 as I once thought lol.
MYTH: Sweden is ridiculously expensive.
RESULT: Fiction, I would say it’s slightly more expensive than other “liveable cities”. Alcohol is an exception, as it is highly taxed (a round of top shelf gin and tonics (3 drinks) cost £50/$75), however that was probably more my own fault for buying the most expensive drink in the poshest club in Stockholm. Food is reasonable and of very good quality as well. Swedish designed clothes are apparently cheaper here as well (although to be honest, I had ran out of money by Sunday lol so this could be seen as hypocritical). A Big Mac meal and Mc Flurry cost 80SEK / £8 / $12
Having missed breakfast on our last day, on a count of arriving home at 4am and spontaneously singing Peter Andre’s mysterious girl, there was definitely a feeling of not enough time and unfinished business in Sweden. I’m very sure I’ll be back again! Stay beautiful Stockholm I’ll see you real soon!
JD
Meribel, France
Bonjour from Meribel, France This is the first time in almost a year that I have been able to have a week off without the stress of trying to find a job. Goes without saying I was really excited for this trip, more so to have some time off work and recharge
This post is dedicated to the spectacular scenery of the French alps. I highly recommend getting a 3 valley pass if you go, as there are a tremendous amount of runs you can navigate down and the queues for the lift are minimal, at least when I went
A Big Thank-You to my good friends Tak and Michelle, for organising the trip, although battered and sore at the end of the trip, one of the highlights over here that’s for sure!
The JD Chronicles 