The Cinque Terra

Everyone told us we should go to the Cinque Terra, the five isolated villages that climb up the cliffs and are so lovely they've been made a UNESCO World Heritage site. And they are lovely--that is if you can see between the crows jamming the narrow streets and lining up for overpriced meals. It was even more crowded than Venice. Thousands of people are brought to these tiny villages every day by train and by boat. I think if we had been able to stay in one of the villages after the day trippers left we would have enjoyed it more, because it really is a special spot with the houses of all colours climbing up the volanic rocks rising out of the clear turquoise sea. We came back to the farmhouse near Lucca yesterday and it was nice to feel some open space and quiet again. The drives we've taken through the hills of Tuscany and Umbria are breathtaking. i will share some photos when we get home. Tomorrow we drive back to Florence and return the car in preparation for our flight home on Thursday. We have had a fabulous time in Italy. I love the food, the wine, the people, the land,the language, the history, the weather....not to mention the gelato and the granita! It's long been a dream of mine to visit Italy and the country is everyhing I hoped for, and more. If we ever manage to get back we would come in early May or late September to experience it without quite so many other tourists.