Hi! My name is Madi. I’m just your average 20-something American working a full time job and trying to live life to the fullest. I am passionate about traveling, but with the standard two weeks of vacation time per year, it can be difficult to travel abroad as much as I’d like to. Who else can relate? Everyone? Good, glad I’m not the only one.
The primary purpose of this blog is personal: a way for me to write about and reflect on my travels. But instead of keeping my experiences to myself, I want to share them with whoever wants to read about them. Maybe this blog will inspire your next trip or encourage you to follow your passions. Who knows?
I caught the travel bug in the 6th grade. My class received an assignment to pick a historical landmark, research its history, and build a replica. I chose the Eiffel Tower. I can’t remember why I chose this iconic French monument, but I fell in love with it after studying its structure and creating my own version. From then on I dreamed of someday traveling to Paris. I even decorated my entire bedroom with Eiffel Tower pictures, patterns, and figures (with a few pictures of Audrey Hepburn of course).
My family spent a lot of time traveling through the West Coast in our RV during the summers. We’ve explored the beautiful National Parks of Yosemite and Yellowstone. We’ve driven through California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. But I’ve always felt that I needed to go abroad to experience new cultures and see new places that felt so far out of reach.
The summer after graduating college, I finally had the opportunity to travel abroad. My parents and I visited Amsterdam, Santorini & Crete, and Iceland. Just a week after returning to the States, I hopped on a plane to Belize with my sister and two friends from college. I had the BEST summer! Then I started my tax accounting job.
Long story short, two years later I quit my job as a tax accountant to pursue new career goals in hospitality. But first, I NEEDED to travel!
For 3 months I backpacked through Europe with friends and family who met up with me along the way. I visited London, Cardiff, Paris, Brussels, Brugge, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Split, the Croatian islands off the Dalmatian Coast, Dubrovnik, Venice, Barcelona, Mallorca, Rome, Florence, Certaldo, Pisa, Cinque Terre, and Milan. 20+ cities, 10 countries.
After wrapping up my dream trip, I returned to SB and started my new job in hospitality, which I have currently been at for 3 months. Since I don’t have plans to travel abroad anytime soon, I am resolving to enjoy and explore as much of California as I can fit into weekend trips in 2020.
This blog will unravel my experiences throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, and California! I hope you will enjoy the journey as much as I have.
Follow my Instagram account @madi.world12 for more adventures!
When I wake, the room is quiet and I look around to see that my roommates are still sleeping even though it is nearly 10 am. And it is raining outside. I climb down quietly from my top bunk and change into pants and a jacket for the first time since being in Berlin. Then I go down to the lobby of Ostello Bello for breakfast. There are only a few other people in the dining room, so after I fill up my plate with toast with nutella and eggs, I pick an empty table and eat my breakfast before I go back to my room to grab my umbrella and purse before heading out to explore.
I have absolutely no plans for Milan, so I just start walking. I leave from Ostello Bello with my umbrella up to protect me from the steady drizzle. At the end of Via Medici, I turn right onto Via Santa Marta. I am in awe of the beautiful, intricately detailed stone architecture of all of the buildings that I pass by. It starts to rain harder, so I take cover under the nearest building, just across from Banca d’Italia. I admire the design, with columns and statues carved out of the facade.
I can tell that the rain isn’t going to stop, so I continue on until the street opens up into a plaza. There is a round opening with several streets merging into the center. Each building is rounded to outline the circular plaza. On one corner is the fanciest Starbucks Reserve I have ever seen. Across from it is the Palazzo del Credito Italiano, another intricately detailed building.
Starbucks Reserve
Palazzo del Credito Italiano
From here, I round the corner where Starbucks Reserve is located and follow the street along shops like Zara and Ray-Ban. One of the buildings has a huge Ray-Ban sign on top. I see the shoe store I’ve grown to like – Bata – so I pop in to see if they have any cute sandals that I can buy for my sister, but I don’t find any.
I round the corner to left, and there it is – the Duomo di Milano, in all of its majesty.
It’s so beautiful inside, especially in the middle where the four glass-covered hallways meet under a glass dome held up over four murals. Don’t forget to look down at the stunning mosaic floors. The only store that I venture into is the bookstore, Mondadori Bookstore.
At this point, I am starving for lunch, so I search for a restaurant. I settle for Granaio, a cafe located on Via Torino. Now that I’m more familiar with Milan, I know that Via Torino is a main street full of stores that is pretty much a straight shot from Ostello Bello to the Duomo.
After I eat and pay, I head back out and it is pouring down rain so I take refuge in the stores and try on some clothes. At Alcott, I buy a pair of flowery, flowy pants with a tie at the waist and a pair of shorts that are the same style. Then I continue on, popping in and out of stores, until I spot a Mango store. I’ve become obsessed with this store since being in Europe. I splurge on another pair of flowy flower pants, a crochet top, and an olive green long-sleeve cargo dress. After this, I decide to head back towards the hostel to drop off my purchases and wait out the rain. I cross the street so that I can check out stores on the opposite side on my way back. I stop in a few, and I buy my sister a cute top from Pull & Bear.
Once I’m back at the hostel, I put away my new clothes and change into dry socks and pants. Then I research if I can tour the inside of the Duomo, and I learn that I just need to purchase a ticket from the museum for €3. I also look up bookstores because I’ve finished my copy of Little Women only to realize that it is missing the second book!
When I leave Ostello Bello, I follow the narrow cobblestone street to the left, and soon come to that main road, Via Torino. I follow the road to the left where I pass la Chiesa di San Giorgio al Palazzo.
It’s closed, so I continue up Via Torino until I’m back at the Duomo. I find the museum lobby where I can purchase my ticket. The ticket is for 5 pm, so I have half of an hour to kill. I decide to go to the bookstore I picked out at the hostel, Hoepli International Bookshop. It is just a short walk from the Duomo, and it is supposedly one of the largest bookstores in Milan. I find the English section, but it is tiny and they don’t have Little Women.
I don’t stay very long, so I wander around outside of the shop to kill more time. I find a square with a church, Chiesa di San Fedele, and a statue in the middle of the square of Alessandro Manzoni, a famous 19th century Italian poet.
It’s almost time to go inside the Duomo, so I head back. There are hardly any tourists around, probably because of the rainy weather, which is a welcome change to the overcrowded Italy I have come to know over the past few weeks. There are only a handful of visitors inside of the Duomo when I enter, so I can take my time to walk around and take in the vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, altars, and floral patterned floor tiles.
The Duomo di Milano is the 5th largest Christian church in the world, which is not surprising. Once I take everything in, I head back outside and snap some pictures of the exterior, which is just as impressive as the interior if not more.
Once I’ve seen everything there is to see at the Duomo, I still have 2 hours to kill before dinner is served at 7:30. I consult Google Maps and see that there is a castle, which is a straight shot from the Duomo down another main street called Via Dante. I head in that direction, and I soon find myself back at the circular square where Starbucks Reserve is. I continue on until I reach the castle, Castello Sforzesco, a medieval-renaissance fortress that is now an art museum. It only takes about 15 minutes to walk here from the Duomo.
Once you enter through the archway below this tower, the fortress opens up into a large courtyard. If you continue straight across to the other side of the fortress, it exits into a huge park with extensive grass lawns. I see the concert tent that my dinner mates were talking about last night when I declined their invitation. The ground is wet with puddles, so I don’t explore much. I do want to come back tomorrow if the weather is nicer. At this point, my feet are hurting like crazy, so I decide to call it a day and head back to the hostel. I look at the map to see if I can take a different route back to the hostel so that I can see other parts of Milan.
The route isn’t as clear cut, so I wind down streets, passing by Chiesa Santa Maria Podone on the way. I love this walk back because it goes through neighborhoods and less touristy parts of town, and everything is so beautiful. I find myself imagining that I could live in this city and be very happy.
By the time I get back to Ostello Bello, I still have almost an hour until dinner, so I shower and relax in my bunk. Pretty soon a new roommate arrives named Arturo. He’s originally from Peru but goes to college in D.C., and he’s just finished studying abroad. We get along immediately and find that we have a lot in common, including our love of musicals. The introvert inside of me feels relieved to have a friend to go down to dinner with so that I can avoid the whole “Can I join you?” and small talk. We eat dinner and talk for a while before heading back upstairs. We talk for a while longer before going to sleep – I walked SO much today!!!
August 26, 2019 – I didn’t feel the need to dedicate a blog post to yesterday, but I do want to recount my activities in brief for memory’s sake. I revisited the swimming spot in Manarola for a few hours in the morning. Then I read in a hammock on the patio of Costello in the early afternoon before going to dinner at the Middle Eastern restaurant that I ate at previously with Allie & Lainey.
August 27, 2019 – Today is my last day in Cinque Terre. There’s only one place left that I haven’t visited on my list – Le Grazie. My checkout time at Costello is at noon, so I head out early. I stop by the cigarette shop around the corner to buy my bus tickets to and from Le Grazie before heading to the bus stop. Along this street, there are covered booths set up with clothing and produce for sale. I wish I had more time to look around, but I want to have enough time in Le Grazie, so I regretfully walk past without perusing.
Le Grazie is about halfway to Portovenere, so the bus ride is about 15 minutes long. I’m not too sure where the stop is, so I am on high alert to avoid missing it. When I think we are there, I pull on the cord to request a stop. I get off the bus only to realize that I pulled the cord one stop too soon. Luckily, I am able to find my way down into town, so it’s not a big deal. I take a staircase down from the bus stop through a neighborhood until I pop out next to the harbor. Le Grazie is actually a tiny town, so it doesn’t take much time to walk around.
I take my time walking along the boardwalk and admiring the incredible wooden sailboats that David (captain of the sailing excursion) talked about. They are some of the most beautiful sailboats that I have ever seen, and I am in complete awe.
At the end of the boardwalk is the entrance to a naval base, which is located on the peninsula. Before the naval base, there is a little side path that takes you up to the monastery. Unfortunately it opens at 2 pm, so I do not get to tour inside.
It’s almost 11 am now, so I head to the bus stop and go back to Costello to pack my bags and remove the sheets from my bed. At noon, I check out and say goodbye to Alessia and Andrea, who have been the best hosts, before I walk to the train station. I have a long travel day ahead of me: a 2-hour train ride to Parma, where I transfer trains, and another hour and 45-minute train ride to Milano Centrale Railway Station.
Once I arrive in Milan, I take the underground for 11 stops to S. Ambrogio, which is across from Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio (a church consecrated in 387 AD!!!). For some reason, the GPS on my phone stops working at this point so that neither Google Maps nor Apple Maps is working. I am stuck trying to find my way to Ostello Bello on my own. Despite my frustration and panic, I eventually find it and the walk is absolutely beautiful.
Ostello Bello is a 50-bed, 5 story high hostel tucked away in an ancient neighborhood next to UniversitĂ Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and located on the narrow cobblestone street, Via Medici. On the way to the hostel, I pass by a historical sight where you can see an exposed section of the ancient Roman walls that are now buried beneath the city. It’s amazing to be able to see structures that have survived centuries of war and weather.
I release a huge sigh of relief when I finally find Ostello Bello. The lobby on the ground floor contains a bar, dining room, and reception desk. I check in with the front desk and am shown to my room and given a tour of the property. There is a kitchen with free food and a balcony upstairs, and my room has 6 beds, a bathroom, and an outdoor porch. I am told that a free dinner is served nightly from 7 pm – 8:30 pm, and free breakfast is available in the morning.
Once I’ve been given the tour and have all of the info that I need, I settle in to my room by unpacking my things and storing them in the locker beneath the beds. Somehow I always get lucky with a top bunk, so I climb up and put the sheets on my bed. Now I have a little bit of time to rest before I head down for dinner at 7 pm.
At 7 I head down to the lobby on the first floor, where it is now packed with people eating, drinking, and making new friends. I get in line and fill my plate with pesto pasta, bread, and salad before searching for a seat. I ask to join at the only table left with an open seat, and I introduce myself to my table mates: Poppy, Remy, and two others whose names I have forgotten (sorry!). They are all friends from Australia who are traveling together during their break from university. We mostly talk about our college experiences and our travels. I learn that most Australian students live at home with their parents and attend the university that is nearby, which surprises me! We talk for a few hours. I am exhausted so I turn down their invitation to go to a concert in a park somewhere. It’s off to bed for me!
Yesterday, I visited 3 out of the 5 villages that make up Cinque Terre: Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. So today I plan to visit the other two: Manarola and Riomaggiore. I complete my usual morning routine of getting ready and packing my beach essentials. On my way to the train station, I stop by Bar Crastan, a corner cafe near Costello, for a cappuccino and croissant. I buy the Cinque Terre Card again because I figure I will probably be taking the train at least 3 times today, which makes the card worth it.
Once my train arrives, I shuffle on board with the throngs of other tourists. I find a window seat on the left side so that I can have a view of the ocean along the way. The train tracks follow the coastline, so the scenery is pretty good (although there are some very long tunnels that block the views). Manarola is the second stop so I get off here and find my way down to the harbor. The town is colorful and festively decorated with flags.
The harbor is beautiful. To the right there is a boat ramp, and people are swimming here. The water is so clear, it’s breathtaking.
I follow the stone walkway to the right of the harbor that wraps around the corner (you can see this pathway if you look for the white fencing in the picture above). From this pathway, I find a perfect view overlooking the village and the harbor.
As I continue further around the corner away from the village, I discover the most incredible swimming spot and I immediately fall deeply in love with Manarola.
I know that I will be back here soon, but it’s almost 10:30 am and I have class to attend! I head back along the path to the corner, where there is a staircase leading up to Nessun Dorma, an outdoor restaurant consisting of an umbrella-covered patio that overlooks the village.
Today I am participating in a pesto making class through Airbnb experiences! The class is led by Simone, the owner of Nessun Dorma. There are 30+ participants, a much larger class than I had anticipated. I sit at a table with an American family (two parents and their toddlers) who is currently living in Germany and a British couple on their honeymoon. Each pair of guests is provided with a mortar & pestle, garlic, basil, pine nuts, and olive oil. We each get our own Nessun Dorma apron that we get to keep, as well.
Simone shares his story of opening Nessun Dorma, and it is truly fascinating (I’ll let him tell you *wink*). Then we get started! Simone guides us through each step, while explaining what region of Italy each ingredient came from. He is extremely knowledgeable about all of the local ingredients that we use to make our pesto.
After an intense arm workout, our pesto is ready to eat! Lunch and wine is served, but since I’m vegetarian, all I get is a salad. I am pretty disappointed by this because non-vegetarians get a charcuterie board with meats, bread, and cheeses. I feel a bit gypped, and I would’ve liked to have had the bread and cheese. Other than that, I had a great experience and gained a new culinary skill.
After class and lunch are over, I head back to the swimming spot around the corner. I lay out my towel, and then go for a swim. The water is so clear that I can see everything below me.
After my swim, I lay out to dry and read Little Women. When I’m dry, I put my clothes back on over my swimsuit and catch the train to Riomaggiore. Once I am on the platform at Riomaggiore, I follow a long tunnel into town.
Now I’ve seen all 5 villages of Cinque Terre. They have these traits in common: quaint, colorful, stacked cliffside houses, adorable little gift stores, gelato shops, and ancient churches. Yet each one is completely unique. I browse through a few stores, and I purchase a pineapple-patterned headband at one of the clothing stores. Next I buy my daily gelato, then head over to this spot with a panoramic view of the village, coastline, and ocean:
After I eat my gelato, I find my way down to the harbor. You walk down an underground staircase to get there, and right before you pop out at the harbor, there is a dive shop on the right. It’s the first one I’ve seen since I’ve been in Cinque Terre, and I am tempted to find out about diving but I chicken out since I haven’t gone on a single dive since I earned my certification almost 3 years ago.
Riomaggiore is fairly small, so it doesn’t take long to see everything. I head back through the tunnel and hop on the train to La Spezia. Once I arrive back at Costello, I shower and get ready for dinner. It’s Shruti’s last night here, so we are going out for one last hurrah.
Shruti meets me in the lobby of Costello, and we decide to go to Riomaggiore for dinner. I read about a bar called Bar e Vini a Piè de Mà that has spectacular views of the sunset. It did not disappoint.
The restaurant is located up on the cliffs above the train station, so we don’t need to take the tunnel into the main part of Riomaggiore. All of the seating is outside on a beautiful stone patio with hanging lanterns and stunning ocean views.
Luckily the hostess is able to give us a two-hour time slot without a reservation, which is the perfect amount of time to watch the sky turn the most spectacular shades of coral. I order a refreshing mojito and the traditional pasta of the region, trofie al pesto.
Before heading back to La Spezia, we take the the tunnel to Riomaggiore. We can hear live music, so we follow the sound up to a sort-of platform above the harbor. There is a live band playing cover songs, and people are dancing. A perfect end to a perfect day.
I wake up from my deep and comfortable sleep on the top bunk of the four-person shared dorm at Costello. I remove the eye mask and ear plugs that have proved to be the essential assets to a good night’s sleep. After the adventure of climbing down the ladder of my bunk, I prepare for the real adventure: my first trip to Cinque Terre. I put my bathing suit on underneath my flowy cotton shorts and cool tank top and strap on my hiking sandals. I pack my essentials for the day: Little Women, a beach towel, sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen. I am ready to head out.
I pop out on the street and am immediately immersed into the hustle and bustle of the Italian nonnas taking their grandchildren to the daily street markets. I head to the trendy coffee shop around the corner called Copenhagen Cafe for my daily dose of cappuccino and a freshly baked Nutella croissant. My tummy is satisfied and I have the boost of energy that I need to start my day. I head to the train station to buy a Cinque Terre Card, which costs €16 and grants you access to all of the hiking trails along with unlimited rides on the train between La Spezia and the five villages that make up the Cinque Terre.
The train arrives and quickly fills up with tourists like myself. I recognize several different accents around me, but I can’t understand the languages. I watch the facial expressions and hand movements of the passengers nearest me and try to guess what they are saying. Moms seem to be telling their squirming children to hold still while putting sunscreen on their excited faces.
The train comes to a stop. We’ve arrived at Corniglia. Here is where I will start my hike to Vernazza. I start the steep trek up to the village, which is the only one of the five that is elevated on the mountain with no beach access. I climb what feels like 10 flights of stairs to the top, where I stop to catch my breath and find myself standing in front of a road.
I walk to the heart of the village, where there is a narrow stone path that leads to shops and bakeries. Opposite this path is a staircase leading up to La Chiesa di San Pietro. I take a moment to admire the beautiful design of this small chapel before continuing on.
La Chiesa di San Pietro
I find the path to the hiking trail, which leads me on a narrow stone path past vineyards and eventually to the edge of the cliffs leading down to the ocean.
The path is relatively flat and continues with irresistible views of the ocean and coastline. At certain spots I can make out the other villages hugging the coastline in the distance. Along the way, I pass families, couples and other solo travelers and we exchange a friendly “bonjourno”.
Hiking Trail between Corniglia and VernazzaLooking Back at Corniglia
About halfway to Vernazza, I come across a rooster blocking my path. I herd it slowly forward, enjoying the company, until we come to a crossroads. The rooster takes the higher path, clearing my way to continue on at my own pace.
Soon I pass by a few isolated houses hanging on the edge of the cliff and I wonder how on earth the tenants manage to hike down to their homes each day, with no road in sight.
See the colorful cliffside houses?
One hour later, I can see Vernazza down below. I have a beautiful panoramic view of the village overlooking crystal-clear aquamarine waters.
Thousands of stairs later*, I reach the village, which is overcrowded with tourists licking their rapidly melting gelatos. They’re on the same page as me, so I get in line at the first gelato shop I see. I leave, happy with my peach and lemon gelato, and search for a place to sit. I find a spot that overlooks the town and the 14th century church, Chiesa di Santa Margherita di Antiochia.
*Tip: I highly recommend hiking Corniglia to Vernazza like I did, rather than the other way around. I would not want to walk up this many stairs!! Walking down was a breeze.
After I finish my gelato, I head to the beach. There’s an archway in the cliffs below the houses that leads to a little stone beach, Vernazza Beach. I find a spot to set up my towel and read. It gets hot laying in the sun, so I go for a swim to cool off.
Spot the cave tunnel that is the entrance to this beach in the background.
Once I dry off, I catch the next train to Monterosso, where I find a long stretch of sandy beaches lined with cafes and shops. I walk to the very end and set up my towel.
Before long I hear thunder in the distance, and I start to see flashes of lightning coming from the dark clouds over the mountains. As soon as the first raindrop hits my sun-kissed skin, I make my break for the train station. By the time I find shelter, it is pouring rain and the train is 45 minutes delayed. I am relieved when the train finally arrives and I make it back to Costello to shower and get ready for dinner.
It’s around 4 pm, so I cook the rest of my pasta as a snack and eat alone because no one has come back to the hostel, despite the rainy weather. After I’ve eaten, the rain has stopped so I grab my umbrella and head out to just walk around La Spezia. I love European architecture, so I admire the buildings as I pass.
Along a main street, there is an art installation that reminds me of the Chromatic Gate in Santa Barbara. Walking in one direction, the square arches of the art installation are colored, alternating between yellow and blue. On the back side of each archway is mirror.
From here I turn towards the harbor and walk along the boardwalk, enjoying the boats and the beautiful, Palm Tree lined path. I kill time wandering around until 7:30 pm, when the restaurants open for dinner (so late, right?!).
At 7:30 pm, I find my way to Resilience Cafe, the same place Allie, Shruti, Lainey, and I had drinks a few nights ago. They have delicious vegetarian sliders that perfectly satisfy my appetite.
Once I’m back at Costello, everyone is hanging out. I join Shruti and two of her roommates, and we exchange stories of today’s adventures. Once we’ve caught up, I turn in early and go to bed. Good night!
My friend Shruti, who I met at Bassetto Guesthouse & Apartments in Certaldo, arrived last night, and she is also staying at Costello. We were out late last night with Allie, so we sleep in a bit. Once we’re both awake and ready for an adventure, we decide to go to Portovenere. Andrea, one of the co-owners at Costello, suggested a restaurant up in the mountains that we will hike to for lunch.
First we need to buy our bus tickets, so we find the cigarette shop around the corner from Costello where bus tickets are sold and buy our tickets. Then we pop into one of the cafes and order cappuccinos and croissants to-go before heading to the bus stop. We just miss our bus, but we run and are able to catch it at the next stop just down the block.
The bus is overcrowded, so we have to stand in the aisle for the 30-minute ride to Portovenere. The road is winding, so hold on tight and look forward if you get motion sick! It is a beautiful drive, and I make note of where the Le Grazie stop is for later in the week. There are several small villages along this route, but I never get to visit them.
We finally arrive in Portovenere, the beautifully colorful seaside village that I viewed from the sailboat yesterday. We find the trail that will lead us up to the restaurant. When you enter the town from the bus stop, you will see the castle wall and a narrow stone staircase leading straight up along the side of the wall.
It is quite a trek, but the view from the top of these stairs is incredible. You get a perfect view of Castello Doria, an ancient stone castle built around the 12th century that sits above Portovenere.
The trail continues up the mountain from here. The hike takes about 45 minutes, but we stop several times to look back and take in the incredible views. From the higher altitude, Palmaria Island becomes visible and you get a 180 degree view of the peninsula.
Eventually we come to a crossroads, where we follow the signs to the right. Not too much further and we find the restaurant, Rifugio Muzzerone, a rustic stone building with a large stone patio. There are also sleeping cabins available on the property.
We are greeted by the staff, an elderly Italian man who asks us what we would like to eat. Shruti can speak some Italian, so she orders for us. We pick the table closest to the edge of the patio with an incredible view.
Lunch is served! Shruti has a seafood pasta dish and I have pasta al pesto.
Pretty soon, we are joined by an unexpected guest.
Apparently wild hogs roam these mountains, so we hope that we don’t run into any on our way back down the hiking trail.
Once we’ve finished lunch and are ready to head back to Portovenere, we hit the trail. It seems steeper on the way back, and we find it a little more challenging to head downhill.
When we make it back to town, we grab gelato and then head towards Chiesa di San Pietro, the church that is on the point. On the way there, a seagull drops down out of nowhere and snatches Shruti’s cone right out of her hand – how rude!
After we explore the church, we find a cove that is popular for swimming. Just before the church, their is a doorway through the wall that leads to Grotta di Lord Byron, which overlooks the Gulf of Poets.
On the other side of this wall, we are struck with the most majestic view of the coastline. Shruti finds a comfortable place to set up her towel and then she goes for a swim. I stupidly did not pack a swimsuit for today, so I can’t join her.
Once I’ve taken in the incredible view, I decide to explore the town. Earlier I spotted another church that I want to check out, so I climb up the hill back towards Castello Doria. There is a great viewing spot to see Grotta di Lord Byron and Chiesa di San Pietro on the way.
Once I get to the church that I am looking for, I have a wonderful view over Portovenere. There are so many picturesque vantage points! The church is called Chiesa di San Lorenzo. It is closed so I can’t go inside, but I climb the steps to the left of the church to get an even better view.
I wander along this path until I find myself walking past houses. I love the variety of colors and styles as I continue through the maze. Nobody is around, so I get to quietly take in my surroundings.
I love the abundance of greenery that grows up the stone walls, giving them life. Potted plants also line the walkways, and colorful strung lanterns and flags hang above doorways. It feels like a celebration, and I wonder if these are normal fixtures or if they are decorations from a recent holiday.
Eventually the maze takes me back into town and past shops. Next I want to explore the harbor, so I follow the street along the waterfront. Once I’ve distanced myself from town, I have a nice view of the colorful houses lining the coast.
Now I feel satisfied that I’ve seen all of Portovenere (I don’t like to feel that I’ve missed out on anything when visiting a new place), so I go back to Grotta di Lord Byron to hang out with Shruti. She read her book and took a nap while I was exploring. We enjoy the view for a little while longer before we head back to the bus stop and return to Costello.
My alarm goes off at 8 am, and I quickly turn it off so as not to wake my roommates. I carefully climb down from the top bunk of my bed, take my bag out from my locker, and pick out a bathing suit, a tank top, and a pair of flowy cotton shorts. After I’m dressed and have brushed my teeth, I put on sandals and pack my waterproof bag with sunscreen, a towel, my water bottle, the GoPro, and my wallet. Today I’m going sailing!
I leave Costello, and head towards the harbor. The streets are quiet this early in the morning, and I pretty much have the town to myself. I keep my eyes out for a cafe on my way to the harbor. Once I spot a cute little patio with a few people sipping on their cappuccinos, I head inside and order “un cappuccino y un croissant natural, por favore”. (I try.) I pay the cashier and take my breakfast out onto the patio, where I sit down at a table next to two moms and their toddlers and enjoy people watching.
Once I’ve eaten, I walk to the harbor. I am an hour early for the Airbnb experience “Sail Beyond Cinque Terre“, a 7 hour sailing adventure which begins at 10:30 am. I cross the Ponte Thaon di Revel, a white bridge with what resembles two masts with cable stays, and admire the boats until it is time to meet the captain, David, in the middle of the bridge.
Once our group has gathered, David guides us to his 52-foot schooner. We get comfortable and set sail out of the bay. There are two couples (one from France and one from Italy), an American mother-daughter duo, myself, and an Australian solo traveler named Lainey. Everyone gets to know each other for a bit before we all find our favorite spots on the boat.
Lainey and I chat in the cockpit, while taking in gorgeous views of the coastline. David points out a little harbor town called Le Grazie, where they supposedly have the most beautiful wooden sailboats and an old monastery that is open to visitors. I make a mental note to visit Le Grazie before I leave.
We sail around the peninsula, passing by Portovenere on the right and Palmaria Island on the left. Portovenere is a beautiful seaside village with colorful buildings lining the coastline.
We round the point, where there is a majestic looking church called Chiesa di San Pietro, and we sail along the beautiful cliffs.
The views are spectacular, and I am in awe of Cinque Terre. You can just make out the 5 villages along this coastline, and I am excited to explore them this week. David tells us that there are hiking trails between each village, so I decide that I will research which trail to hike when I get back to Costello.
We don’t sail too much further when David turns us back towards Portovenere, where we will anchor for lunch and a swim. I make my way up to the bow for a better breeze and view.
Once we’ve anchored, David brings out lunch: wine & beer, focaccia pizza, pasta al pesto, and a few dishes with meat that I skip. After we’ve eaten, we can swim! Everyone strips down to their swimsuits and jumps into the water, cool but refreshing. David throws out a few paddle boards for us to use, but the wind is funneling through the channel between Portovenere and Palmaria Island, so it’s challenging to paddle back to the sailboat.
Once I’m done swimming, I climb back on board, grab my towel, and get comfortable on the bow so that I can suntan. I talk with the mother-daughter duo and learn that the mother is an accountant, so I tell her that I used to be a tax accountant before I started this trip. Eventually everyone is taking naps and soaking up the sun. After a few hours, we finally sail back to the harbor in La Spezia. It’s about 5:30 pm when we return.
I return to Costello to shower and get ready for dinner. Lainey, Allie, Shruti (Allie’s and my friend from Bassetto), and I are going to meet up for dinner. At 7:30 Allie, Lainey, and I meet up at the fountain before eating dinner at Punjabi Dhaba, a Middle Eastern eatery in town. Shruti’s train is delayed, so she will meet us for drinks later.
Next we head out for drinks. We go to Resilience Cafe, an eclectic and cozy vintage cocktail bar with a library and mismatched antique furniture that gives the place a 1920’s vibe. We order drinks, and pretty soon Shruti joins us.
It’s starting to get late, so Lainey heads home. Allie, Shruti and I stay a bit longer before we head out. Then we wander around town for a while, order Boba, and then head back to our hostels. It’s Allie’s last night and we won’t see her again, so we have to say our goodbyes.
I sleep in until 9 am, which I have rarely done on this trip. I climb down from the top bunk and quietly pack my bags, as my only remaining roommate, a sweet Russian girl who speaks broken English, is still sleeping (the other two left early this morning). Once I’m packed, dressed, and ready to go, I make my way downstairs to the lobby to check out. Then I walk to the bus stop and catch the bus that takes me back to the Pisa train station.
I meet Allie (one of the friends that I made at Fattoria Bassetto Guesthouse & Apartments in Certaldo) on Platform 5 to catch our 11:05 am train to La Spezia. The train is packed with people and suitcases. An elderly Italian women is looking for a seat. She approaches the mother and daughter across from us who are taking up two extra seats with their luggage. She is trying to ask them to move, but the mother and daughter don’t speak Italian and pretend not to understand. The elderly women yells in Italian making big motions with her hands and the mother yells back in English that there is nowhere to move their luggage. Finally the embarrassed daughter gives up her seat for the elderly women.
After watching this spectacle, Allie and I both read for the remainder of the journey. I have just started reading Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, in anticipation of the film that will be premiering at Christmas.
When the train finally arrives in La Spezia, we slowly make our way onto the platform where we are herded out of the train station by the throngs of passengers that have just disembarked from the same train. We make our way towards town until it is time to go our separate ways. I am staying at Costello, a hostel somewhere to the right, and Allie is staying at a hostel closer to the harbor. Where our paths split, there is a large fountain in the middle of the roundabout that will be our meetup spot later.
Using Google Maps, I make my way to Costello. It’s not very far away – two blocks to the right of the fountain and one block to the left. I pass by a beautiful church on the way, Chiesa di Nostra Signora Della Neve.
I walk back and forth past the entrance a few times before I finally see the sign for Costello. There is a massive wooden door tucked indiscreetly between two shops, like the entrance to a secret passageway. I key in the passcode and enter into a small lobby. I take the stairs up to the second floor. The door to Costello is on the right. I key in another passcode and am granted entry into the bright and cheerful lobby of Costello, where I am welcomed by Andrea.
Photo Courtesy of Costello
Andrea and his sister, Alessia, opened the hostel a few months before my arrival. It is my favorite hostel from my entire trip because the atmosphere and facilities are top notch. Andrea and Alessia are amazing hosts, who are so friendly and excited to have conversations and share their knowledge of Cinque Terre. The hostel is beautifully designed with 4 dorm rooms with a total of 24 beds, a kitchen, a bathroom with multiple toilet & shower stalls, and an outdoor patio complete with tables and chairs, hammocks, and a seating area. And of course, plenty of greenery.
Photo Courtesy of Costello
Andrea checks me into my room and gives me a tour of the facilities. After I make my bed and get settled in, I take an hour nap before meeting up with Allie.
I meet her back at the fountain at 1:45 pm, and then we head off in search of gelato. We end up finding a little gelato shop near Costello, where we order two cones. Then we wander through town towards the harbor. We pass through an outdoor farmers’ market and we take inventory in case we need anything later: fruit stands, fresh produce, seafood, and clothes.
We find a clothing store so that Allie can buy a few pairs of shorts – it’s very hot here! We browse in a few shops, scope out restaurants, and stroll along the harbor.
After walking around and seeing a good portion of the town, we decide to trek up to Castello di San Giorgio. We find a narrow stone pathway that takes us on a steep incline up to the castle. On the way, we find a little bar called Il Poggio Orto-Bar. We decide to stop for drinks and focaccia since we aren’t in a rush, and I’m starving. We take our time and enjoy our little snack before finishing the short hike to the castle.
Once at the castle, we pay a small fee to access the rooftop. There are gorgeous 360 degree views of La Spezia and the bay, definitely worth a visit. You can also pay to go inside the castle and explore the museum, but we opt out.
After the night I had in the hostel in Pisa (one of my roommates came in late, turned on the lights, and then left for two hours and I was too tired to climb down from the top bunk to turn the lights out), I decide that I need an eye mask and earplugs just in case I have another rude roommate. We find a Flying Tiger Copenhagen (these stores are everywhere throughout Europe and have some useful travel accessories), and I buy an adorable pineapple-print eye mask and a pair of earplugs.
It is starting to get late, so we find a grocery store and stock up before heading back to our respective hostels for the night. I buy pasta, pasta sauce, a zucchini, San Pellegrino sodas, and some granola bars.
When I get back to Costello, I put my groceries away in the refrigerator and pantry after labeling each item with my name using the stickers and pens provided. Then I prepare dinner in the kitchen, alongside a group from Australia that are also cooking dinner. After I’ve dished up my pasta and cleaned the pan, I take my meal out to the patio and join a group who are deep in conversation. One of them is my roommate, a friendly girl from Australia who is taking a few months to travel after finishing uni.
Once I’ve finished eating, I head back into the kitchen to do dishes. Then I take a shower and change into my PJs before settling into a hammock with Little Women. Even though the sun has set, it is still warm enough to wear shorts. I am in heaven. When it finally gets too chilly, I head into my dorm and climb up to the top bunk where I get cozy with eye mask on and ear plugs in, and I quickly fall into a comfortable slumber.
I thought that it would be fun to share a bit of the back story that led to my arrival in London to start my backpacking trip through Europe, as well as how I prepared.
The Road That Led to London
Like many college seniors that are about to graduate, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do after college. I had picked a “safe” major that I knew would provide me with a sure and stable job upon graduating from college: Economics & Accounting. And it did. I attended Meet the Firms (recruiting event) during Fall Quarter 2016, and by December I had offers for 3 local internship programs and 2 full-time positions. I went with a winter internship at a local company that really vibed with my personal values. By Spring Quarter I had a full-time job secured.
Graduation Day!
Even before I started the job, I knew that accounting would not be a good long-term fit for my personality. But it bought me time to figure out what I really wanted to do. And I saved money and gained valuable skills in the meantime.
Right before I started my job, my friends and I went to Belize for 9 days. While we were there, we went on an incredible cave excursion on which we met two girls from Australia. They had just quit their jobs to travel the world. One of the girls had been an accountant for 2 years, but she realized it wasn’t for her. After meeting these girls, I knew that I’d be able to survive for 2 years at my accounting job if I had traveling to look forward to at the end. I made that my goal. And I did it.
I left the job after 2 years, and I set off for this amazing backpacking trip.
How I Packed For 3 Months of Travel
I had to pack for 3 months of travel and several climates: cold, rainy, and hot. I also had to pack dressier clothes for the cities and casual clothes & bathing suits for the beach towns and islands.
I brought a small backpack purse and my 60L Patagonia Duffel Backpack (apparently they discontinued the 60L?!), which I was able to take as a carry-on on all of my flights.
I managed to fit everything into my duffel. This was the perfect bag when I was staying in one place for several days and only walking short distances, but holding all of the weight of my backpack on my shoulders became very uncomfortable for those longer commutes. At those times, I wished I had a real backpacking bag with hip straps (although backpacking backpacks must be checked, so that’s something to consider).
Zebra Travel Pillow (hooked to one of the handles on my duffel – see pic above)
I used packing cubes to organize all of my clothes. I had a large cube for my dress, jackets and pants. I put all of my shirts into a medium cube, and my undies & bras into a small cube. In another small cube, I fit my bathing suits. I also fit my shoes into a 3rd small cube. Definitely recommend for organized and compact packing.
You may question my choice of shoes: flat leather sandals, platform espadrilles, and Sanuk slip ons. And you would be right. I definitely chose fashion over comfort, which I regretted. The leather sandals and Sanuks were not a good choice because they do not have support, and they are so flat that you can feel everything that you step on. My feet hurt so badly during my 9th-14th day on the trip. But actually the platform espadrilles were quite comfortable. The thick sole protected my feet from uneven surfaces.
Lindsay with her cut-in-half hairbrush & toothbrush!
I packed 3 oz toiletries in my Shade & Shore Clutch Pouch from Target (I recommend a plastic toiletry bag over fabric in case anything spills, it won’t get on your clothes – trust me, it’s happened to me before).
*These items did not last very long. If you have a decent amount of days between flights, then I suggest buying body wash, shampoo & conditioner, lotion, and toothpaste that you can use and refill your travel bottles with. We mostly took trains, so it was easy to buy this stuff and use it up.
I don’t wear any makeup so this is all that I brought and it all fit perfectly in my toiletry bag. If you use makeup then you will want to bring an extra makeup bag or a larger bag.
Luckily my parents were able to bring me some things (and take things home) in the middle of my trip when they met up with me to travel for 3 weeks. They brought me my GoPro Hero Session and Sketchers Reggae-Islander hiking sandals, and they took home my cold weather clothes. Thank you Parents!!!
So other than the shoes and my Patagonia duffel, I was quite happy with everything that I packed. I used everything I brought, and I didn’t forget anything.
My advice: Take time to plan out what you need and what you don’t need. I’m usually a last minute packer, but I spent months planning and purchasing what I needed so that I would be prepared for this trip. #beprepared #worthit
England. The place where “crisps” are chips and “chips” are fries, “scones” are biscuits and “biscuits” are cookies. Better to learn this before you go to avoid confusion.
Remember to look right before crossing the street. If you’re visiting London, all of the crosswalks will remind you of this. Here are a few other tips that I found helpful or picked up from experience:
Employees who work for public transit are super helpful so ask them for help!!
You really don’t need to carry cash in London. Everywhere accepts card. Literally. The places that I least expected to take cards, such as street food vendors, markets, and even busses, will accept cards. AND they accept Apple Pay and contactless!
Get an Oyster Card. The deposit is ÂŁ5 and then you can load more money at any time. This gets you access to busses and the London Underground (subway system, aka the Tube).
Tip 10-15% but make sure it’s not included on the bill already.
The grocery stores have cheap lunch options. For ÂŁ3 you can get a sandwich, “crisps” & a drink.
Exchange currencies at the Post Office for the best rates.
Skip the London Pass. There’s plenty to do and the art museums are FREE! If you’re going to pay to do something, go to Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Hop on Red London Bus #453 at Marylebone Station instead of paying to go on a sightseeing bus. It only costs £2 and you’ll go by the major sights: Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Downing Street, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben (completely under construction while I was there) & the London Eye.
Here are my recommendations for restaurants, bars/breweries, museums, attractions, parks & gardens, and neighborhoods. Also note that I am only listing places that I actually visited. There are many more cool places that I plan to visit next time!
Madi's World 