Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre

One of the most photographed places in the world, Riomaggiore is indeeed a postcard-perfect place with its multi-storied colorful houses sitting on a cliff, overlooking the Ligurian Riviera. Painted in the tones of red, orange, yellow, violet, every building has its own charm.

Taking the train from La Spezia, our first stop was Riomaggiore. A wider (than standard "Cinque Terre street") main street  leads you through the village down to the sea. A numerous variety of shops, restauranrs, bars, cafes and gelaterias line up the streets. Colorful boats on the docks are a typical sight, and there are also local boats that do tours, taking you from one village to the next.

The food - with its selection on fresh seafoods, was something that we really emjoyed. It was a bit pricey but it was worth it nonetheless. In the peak seasons, expect long lines - better reserve in advance so you can enjoy your meal. :)

We just basked in the sun after our sumptuous lunch, enjoying watching the many throngs of tourists as they rush and squeeze in to have their photos taken. All of these while enjoying our gelato until it was time to move on to the next village.

Ah, Riomaggiore... we will come back again!

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Ah, Cinque Terre!

We went on a short trip to Italy last Easter holidays and we just fell in love with Cinque Terre - five picturesque, idyllic villages on the Ligurian Riviera. From Stuttgart, we drove via Switzerland through the Gotthard tunnel and then past Lugano and Milan towards the South. The drive takes 8 hours on normal days but if you go in the holiday season, it could take longer - a good five hours for us because of the heavy traffic en route to Gotthard tunnel. There are of course alternative routes and passes that will take you there faster. Unfortunately for us, the passes were closed during our travel dates.

We stayed at an Air BnB host in Carrara, an old town most well-known for its Marble Alps. It is also a good starting point for different excursions to neighboring towns and villages.

We went twice to Cinque Terre as one good day is not enough to explore these beautiful villages. Since no cars are allowed inside the villages, we started off at La Spezia and took the trains from there. Be warned: the train station is packed especially in the first half of the day so expect long queues at the ticket machines and tourist information center.

There are five villages namely Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. With its colorful houses on steep slopes, small docks with colorful boats, winding alleys and stairways, it definitely has its romantic charm. It has fantastic, and sometimes very narrow and steep, hiking trails. The landscape, seemingly untouched by modernization, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, Because of this, it is teeming with tourists from all parts of the globe.

Each village has its own charm and character. The food, although pricey, is really very good - with fresh seafood served in restaurants or at take-out stands.

I will post more about our trip in the coming days so stay tuned for it. :) 

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Travel Destination: South Tyrol

Think fresh air, breathtaking views of mountains ranges and valleys and lakes, rolling hills, green fields, mountains of every height, and trails, lots and lots of hiking trails for as far as your feet can take you. That is South Tyrol... And oh so much more!

South Tyrol, Süd Tirol, Alto Adige... this vacation region in the northern part of Italy is one of the best and preferred travel destinations for sports and nature enthusiasts the world over. Whatever time of the year, there will always be something that will beckon you to come: be it hiking during the summer season or skiing and sledding in the winter season. And the food... just mouth-watering and just what your body needs after a day out in the woods or the great outdoors.

So if you are looking for a place to spend your winter holidays, why not South Tyrol? The video says it all! And if you are one of the lucky readers of the online magazine "Dolomighty", you might just win a 5-star ski holiday trip to South Tyrol and a GBP10,000 worth of Salomon ski gear.

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And It Don't Look Like We'll Ever Stop Our Wandering....

My little family of three has just discovered something fun, healthy and fit to do together: wandering. Some may call it walking, hiking, even trekking. But I guess wandering is a more apt word because it meant going where ever our feet will take us and exploring the area. It started first as a hobby for my hubby but then I came to love it and then our little one too.

The little girl on her first wandering trip with us.

We initially planned to leave the little one at the Kinderclub at The Garda Village while hubby and I go wandering but since the staff are quite busy preparing for some activities for the evening program, we decided to bring the little one with us. And I was glad we did. 

The view of Lake Garda was very beautiful from above...
Too bad it is not so clear in the photos...

The little wanderer... and nope, she doesn't look tired at all!

Walking further... we got her a little wooden stick we found along the trail to help with her balance.

Standing on a rocky precipice... I bet Hubby's knees were shaking while I was taking this one. :D

Me and the little girl sitting on the rocky precipice...
I had to hold her tight. We are a family afraid of heights. 

She had a lot of fun and enjoyed singing and dancing while on our way. She also got to see a lot of tiny crawling and hopping and flying creatures and wild flowers along the trail. And what was more beautiful was the sound of bells singing during our descent. At first we thought it was from the little chapel that we saw on our way up the mountains but thought it was too far. Then we realized it was from the bells on the cow's necks. They were moving to another part of the mountain to graze and the sounds their bells made was music to our ears. And that was another thing that our little girl really liked.  

Almost there! Yay!

Of course we had to consider the distance we will be covering so that her little feet won't tire too much. I was amazed at how much energy she had. She took great pains in walking with us all the way without any complaints... at least up to a certain point near the peak of the mountain. To think she didn't have appropriate shoes on. All things considered, I think she really did a great job! And she was very enthusiastic for the next trip. 

Only the Hubby made it to the peak.
The little girl and I stayed behind for some coloring, dancing, and singing..

And back to where we started... this way please!

If you love to travel, going on a little hiking with the family is a very good activity to kill the time, get to know the area a little bit better, discover beautiful views, and keep fit all at the same. You will also discover a lot about your children in the great outdoors and realize how carefree and  enthusiastic they can be when out in the mountains.

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Living at The Garda Village

Remember I blogged about wanting to go on vacation in South Tyrol? Well, we had to move a little further south since it was where I found accommodations ideal for families. We had our short summer vacation in Lake Garda in Italy and stayed at The Garden Village in Sirmione, situated on the south of the lake. 

We had a bungalow for our five days accomodation and I thought it looked very good: the mini kitchen was newly equipped with a two-burner electric stove, a fridge, lots of storage space in the cupboards, cookware and tableware; there was a flat TV with some German channels in it; there was also an airconditioning unit although we never really used it since it cooled down in the evenings. It looked clean when we arrived.

Our accommodation looked something like this...

Dinner prepared from the kitchen. :D

Everything was perfect until we took our baths and brushed our teeth. The drainage in the shower cabin and the bathroom sink wasn't so good. It took some time before everything drains out it made me think of plumbing scarborough. I can understand that the bungalow is a bit old but since they already renovated the kitchen and the floors, why not the drainage system too? An expert vaughan plumber's advice will really be helpful in this case. I wonder it it's the same for the other bungalows in our block...

The children's playground where the little ones can play.
The Kinderclub also meets here.

The little girl enjoying the pedal boat.

But on the lighter side, the village is almost enough in itself. It has a bar and a restaurant that offers good food. There's three outdoor swimming pools at the center of the village where you can enjoy the sun and water. There's the lakeside beach where you can play beach volleyball and water sports equipment to rent to enjoy the lake. They also have an animation program in the evening and Kinderclub for children during the day so parents can also enjoy some "couple" time. The playground and minigolf was a favorite of the little one.

Info board shows you where is which....

I would love to go back here again to enjoy some idle days with the family. It is a good place to relax, to spend some quality time with your loved ones, to just do nothing.. :D 

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Lake Garda, See You Soon!

© iStockphoto / Thinkstock

© Marco Stangl, www.stangltours.de

Can you smell the fresh air? Because I CAN! In two days, the family will go on a much needed vacation in Lake Garda in Italy. A friend of mine told me it is a very magnificent place and from the photos that I saw on the Google Images, I couldn't agree more! Actually, we initially planned on going to Lake König here in Germany or to South Tyrol in Italy. When I couldn't find accommodations that would fit our needs in our desired travel dates, I tried looking in Lake Garda instead. So there, Lake Garda it is! In Sirmione to be exact.

Everyone is excited, especially the little girl because she can finally go boating and swim in the pool and/or in the lake to her heart's content. There's also an endless possibility for hiking trails and an endless possibility of taking shots of breathtaking views of the lake, the city and it's charms.

I can't wait to go on vacation... But first, must finish about a hundred tasks on my "to do list"! Duh!

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When In Venice...

Have you ever been to Venice? It is one very romantic city, perfect for honeymooners. There's so much to see and do in this magical place where you have canals for streets and bus ferries and gongolas for cars: join the Mardi Gras, ride a gondola, visit the grand churches, eat gelato in the smeltering heat of the sun, or simply dine or have coffee at the numerous restaurants. While it is famous for tourism, there's another thing that it is famous for: Murano Glass.

A master glassmaker at Fornace Estevan Rossetto who showed us how glass is made.

Murano Island in Venice has been producing handmade glass since 1291. Through the years, they have perfected the technique for handmade glass and are able to make various glass and crystal pieces in various shapes, sizes, color and purpose. One can visit the glass museum and also tour one of the private glassmaking houses in the island.

Most of the Murano glasses are made using the lampworking technique, where it uses a gas fueled torch to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass. Once in a molten state, the glass is formed by blowing and shaping with tools and hand movements. This is why one can see various Murano glass products from simple paper weights and glass beads to complex glass figures and chandeliers.

Popular among tourists are: Murano Glass Jewelry, particularly the Murano Glass Pendants.  They make very good souvenirs and gifts for your loved ones. And because each piece is handmade, no two pieces are exactly the same.

So if ever you are in Venice, don't forget to visit the Murano Island and be entranced by its beauty and it's Venetian tradition that has withstood the test of time: the Murano Glass.

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A Family Reunion in Rome

We're off to Rome the second time around this September. It's a sort of a family reunion on Hubby's side of the family because both siblings, Hubby and his brother, and their families and their parents are going to be together on a holiday after about six years of not seeing one another. We did saw hubby's brother last Christmas but seeing them ALL together is a very rare occasion because of the geographical location.

What better way to celebrate that family reunion than in Rome right? And we have already booked our rooms at a holiday park resort some twenty minutes away from central Rome where we can relax, chill and have some much needed family bonding. With the crazy traffic rules in Italy, and the likewise crazy drivers, staying at the city center can be very difficult. Plus, a safe, secure and cheap parking area is a rarity.

En route to Rome, we will also be stopping by Pisa, Italy. I for one have been itching to take photos of the famous leaning tower. I know that the other family members will enjoy it too! So I have to save my energy for that vacation because it is going to be a long drive.

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Venice By Night

This post is long overdue! I know I should have shared this with you guys when the memory was still fresh and there was still excitement brewing inside me. Unfortunately, time and my pc were not on my side. So here I am posting this anyway. Hope you enjoy the photos!

I have posted snippets of our vacation in Italy last July here and here but these were all meme entries. I haven't gone into the details yet of how our vacation went and I am sure it is going to be a series of blog entries. So please bear with me. :D

Our first stop was Venice, Italy. It was almost dark when we arrived there and looking for a parking space delayed us even more. We had to leave our car for a few days at a parking building in Piazalle Roma, which serves as the main entrance to the City of Venice. Parking Fees came for a hefty price of €24 - €40 per day. It was that expensive! A TIP: If I were you, I would look for a cheaper parking in the outskirts of the city. You can just then take the train and get off at Sta. Lucia Railway Station where you will again board a Vaporetto (water bus) to your hotel.

The Venetian sunset as seen from the top floor of the parking building.

Smelling the salty breeze, seeing all those beautiful old buildings standing gloriously and proudly, and watching the water canals teeming with activity as if it were the most normal thing in the world awed and amazed me. Well, if you are in Venice, that would indeed be normal! :D Who would have thought that I would be able to set foot in my dream destination at this age? Well, I never would!

The Grand Canal as seen from Piazalle Roma. Notice the smaller canal farther?

And it was just beautiful! Despite the exhaustion of the long road trip, seeing Venice for the first time with the sun just about to set and night life slowly creeping in was all worth it! The warm air was beginning to cool down, and everybody seemed to have awakened because the restaurants, bars, cafes and shops were teeming with people! But alas, we were all too tired to join in the fun! Setting foot in Venice safely was enough for us. It had been a long day and we retreated in the cool sanctuary of our hotel room for a much needed rest.

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