Italy
Gelato, street cats, pebble beaches and the Ligurian Sea. Our first European summer adventure. We found ourselves innately drawn to Cinque Terre, Italy. Something about the colorful charm of five little fishing villages linked together by one long hiking trail fueled our dreams as we decided where we would venture next. As we boarded our flight in Raleigh, not even our wildest imaginations could have prepared us for the picturesque escape we would find during our time in Italy.
We arrived in Corniglia around mid afternoon and after our incredible Airbnb host finished giving us all of her recommendations, we dozed off, exhausted from a rather unrestful flight across the pond. After our power nap, we set out to explore the quaint village we would be calling home for the next week. The aroma of pasta sauces and fresh lemons filled the air as we meandered through the cobblestone streets. Our first glimpse of the coast nearly took our breath away. It was right at sunset and the peachy orange sky met the crisp blue water in a way that only God Himself could have created. We sat in awe of His creation and truly in awe that we were in Italy until our stomachs were grumbling so loud that we feared nearby onlookers would begin to focus their attention on us rather than the scenery.
I’ll never forget our meal that night. Our first taste of true Italian cuisine and trust me when I say, it did not disappoint. The gentleman working at Cafe Mateo popped out from around the bar to present us with quite possibly the most scrumptious looking plates of lasagna bolognese. We cleaned our plates, tastebuds fully satisfied but also anticipating all of the goodness that was yet to come.
I promise this blog will not only be about food. That being said, the next morning we walked about ten steps out of our Airbnb to the sweetest little cafe I’ve ever stepped foot into. Met with the smiling face of a local, we ordered a slice of focaccia, an apricot croissant, two cappuccinos and two fruit juices. Here is where I introduce you to the second love of my life: the Italian apricot croissant. I simply cannot describe how delicious these things were. My first bite, I looked at Lindsey and said, “I think I could eat one hundred of these things.” We laughed and continued to eat our breakfast. Our sights were set on hiking the blue trail between Corniglia and Vernazza.
Slathered in sunscreen and equipped with only one bottle of water, we took off ready to take on what we thought would be a leisurely walk between villages. Once again, in typical fashion for us, we were very wrong about the difficulty of the hike. The majority of the trail consisted of steep stone steps that seemed to be never-ending. We quickly learned that the challenge of the trail was more than worth it. The views overlooking the sea as well as winding terraces of vineyards was enough to make any exhausted tourist keep putting one foot in front of the other. Of course we took ample breaks for photos which made the hike genuinely tolerable. We were astonished by the landscape that surrounded us. In absolute awe that we were able to experience this and do so together.
We finally reached the halfway point between the two villages and much to our surprise, were met with a small shop that was serving frozen lemonades. The moment that the sweet and only minorly tart slushie passed our lips, we felt revived.
The lemons in Cinque Terre are vastly different from the ones we find in the States. They are much larger, with a thick pith and the juice and flesh is surprisingly sweet. Especially when compared to the lip puckering nature of the lemons back home. The locals took great pride in their lemons. Tending to the trees tenderly and presenting the fruits to guests as a gift. I’m not sure how we didn’t create a shortage of lemon gelato in all five villages. We ate it at least twice a day. Justifying our indulgence with the amount of walking and stair climbing we were doing.
Among many other adventures during our time, such as touring a castle, hiking every open portion of the Blue Trail (the trail that connects all five villages), one of the most exciting events happened on the third day of our trip. Dressed up for what I had pitched as a couples photoshoot, we made our way down to the little bay in Corniglia. We were the only souls by the water and the sun had just crested over the nearby mountain. I got down on one knee and asked Lindsey to marry me. Tears streamed down her face as she quickly nodded and said yes. We had both been dreaming of this moment for five years. We had time to enjoy the moment by ourselves, and take photos as a newly engaged couple before a flood of people gathered for their morning swims and to prepare their fishing boats for the day ahead.
Our time in Italy could be described as dang near perfect. Aside from the one evening that we boarded the local train without tickets and got charged sixteen times the normal fare by the train master. I’m telling you, it’s not an adventure with the Lawrence’s (or in the case of this trip, the future Lawrence’s) without some sort of misadventure. On our final morning in Cinque Terre, we found ourselves seated inside our new favorite cafe, Bar Pan e Vin sipping on our coffees and fruit juices and enjoying our very last apricot croissant (until we meet again my sweet, sweet friend). Our hearts full of love for a new culture, for each other and of course for apricot croissants. The table next to us was vacant. Or so we thought. As we sat enjoying our breakfast, a small tabby street cat jumped into one of the seats and sat distinguishedly as though to say, “bring me my regular, please.” The shop owner did not shoo the precious feline away, but rather stopped to give her a little pat and say goodmorning. She explained to us that it was her neighbor’s cat and she was always welcome in her cafe.
The street cats of Cinque Terre live a life of luxury. The locals treat them all with love and respect and not a single one looked like it had missed a meal in its entire life. One evening as we strolled to dinner, we witnessed one cat lying on a door step, belly full and blissfully napping. Nearby, a small glass dish with seafood tortellini, half eaten by the slumbering feline sat waiting patiently for him to finish his meal. In many ways, we could relate to the street cats. Our time in Italy had been restful, full of delicious meals and incredible experiences and more importantly, we felt so embraced and loved by all of the people we met. Corniglia and the Cinque Terre as a whole will forever hold a special place in our hearts. Our memories from this trip will forever remain as sweet as gelato and as beautiful as the surrounding landscapes. From the deep blue water of the sea, to the mountains shaped by vineyards and lemon trees, we will hold Italy fondly in our memories.
-Until the next adventure
