TRIESTE

A phenomenal weekend in this seaside former Austrian city!

VENEZIA

We received rock star treatment during this Bing weekend of absolute glamour!

LE CINQUE TERRE

Ladies' weekend in the rain! We were so proud that we completed the entire hike between all five towns.

The UNESCO-protected CINQUE TERRE are a day trip for the truly ambitious. Take the 7:51 Intercity to La Spezia Centrale and then quickly hop on the 10:00 Regional to the southernmost town, Riomaggiore. Once there purchase a 5 € day pass to hike the ocean side footpaths within the Parco Nazionale that connect the five towns (about 4-5 hours without stopping). An 8.50 € pass covers access to all trails plus unlimited train rides between towns. Vernazza has a small harbor and tower, and Monterosso a large stretch of beach. Celebrate your day of mountaineering with superb seafood and service from Firenzo at Ristorante il Ciliegio, a ten-minute ride uphill from Monterosso in the restaurant’s complimentary shuttle. Consult www.cinqueterre.it and www.parconazionale5terre.it for information about the other villages and Cinque Terre Cards.

PERUGIA

A cute little town with yummy chocolate.
Chocolate lovers flock to PERUGIA’s annual October Eurochocolate Festival. (www.eurochocolate.com) To get into town, take a bus from the train station to Piazza Italia, or get off at the main bus station in Piazza dei Partigiani and ride the escalator through the Rocca Paolina to the top of the hill. Corso Vannucci is the main thoroughfare— be sure to bring home Perugina Baci from number 101! Farther ahead, the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria offers a stellar collection of works by Fra Angelico, Piero della Francesca, Pintoricchio, and Perugino, Raphael’s teacher. You can see Raphael’s early handiwork in the Cappella di San Severo, and a combo-ticket also gets you into the underground Pozzo Etrusco. Take some time to duck into the Duomo and browse the many boutiques nearby.

GUBBIO

Hands-down one of my best experiences in Italy... participating in the Corsa dei Ceri, a 900 year-old Gubbian festival.