As Mark Twain once said "The Creator made Italy from designs by Michaelangelo." Italy, aka the Bel Paese, is notoriously known for its unbeatable cuisine, vineyards and landscapes, churches, espresso, and traditional values. Europe has its beauty beyond limits, yet, Italy is undoubtably one-of-a-kind. Some say its the food and the fashion, others say its the culture and the people...I say its the daily routine, its the Italian lifestyle that is so appealing, so alluring, so enticing...all at once, its every factor of 'beauty' placed into one country. Maybe I'm embellishing it to a great extent, but living there for almost 3 years, I can vouch for this accurate (and over-elaborated) statement.
Milano, Roma, Napoli, Pisa...Yes, these cities have something special, something noteworthy that is indomitable...yet, there are less popular locations that give definition to the words "enchanting" and "untouchable".
1. Portofino
This delightful little commune is located in the Province of Genoa along the coast of the Ligurian sea. The swervy road directing you to this little port town has small banks of stone filled, rocky textured beaches, restaurant, etc. Prior to entering this town, around 5.4 km away, you may encounter an equally beautiful, yet slightly larger town called Santa Margherita. Charming in its own way, both Portofino and Santa Margherita have a particularly romantic setting.
2. Isola di Ponza
This colorfully quant island is an exact replication of what a Mediterranean island should look like. Surrounded by boats, this Island is located in the province of Latina in the Lazio region. Fun fact: According to the legend, they say that Ponza was originally named Tyrrhenia and was connected to the mainland, yet through time and destress, the strip of land with majority of the islands sites/towns had sunk and what was left was...Isola di Ponza. Ideally visited by boat, this island is perfect to also dock in another, uninhabited island such as Palmorola, which has clear blue water, caves, and a stunning scenery that is almost dream-like.
3. Livorno
Tuscany, overall, is without-a-doubt...a STUNNER, simply driving through the terrains, the vineyards, during sunset is enough to be innamorata with Toscana. Livorno is a port city about 30 minutes away from Pisa (which happens to be another must-see) that has the typical Tuscan romantic vibes, a variety of places to shop and eat, lovely parks, museums, etc. I found that Livorno connected to all sorts of majestic locations such as Lucca and Volterra, which are also marvelous Tuscan cities worth a look.
4. Sardegna
I hate to generalize the entire Island as amazing...however, every little component, every little miniscule factor DOES in fact make it a perfect escape. Boasting 2,000 km of coastline, this island will come off as a never-ending wonderland. With iridescent waters and mountains worth a hike or 2, there is plenty to accomplish for a flawless vacation. All of the east coast of Sardegna provides you with a pool-like sea and white sand. I also found that the north west of the island deems a delightfully beautiful atmosphere, called Castelsardo.
Many more to add to this miniature Italian Summer destinations itinerary, but for now I'll just give you a sneak peak at these. Tune in for my next post! Ciao, tutti!