As one of the best preserved medieval towns in Tuscany, San Gimignano is considered a “Medieval Manhattan” with its medieval skyline of towers dominating the Tuscan countryside. This hilltop town is one of the best towns to visit in Tuscany and there are plenty of things to do in San Gimignano worthy of spending a full day here. Wander down picturesque cobble stone alleys, gaze over the lush Tuscan countryside, enjoy a panoramic bird’s eye view from one of the many towers and take a step back in time!

Have you ever been influenced by a book you read to visit a place? Siena, Italy was such a town for me. A book set in the heart of a medieval Tuscan hilltop town, riff with rivalries between neighborhood families, taking their frustrations out in a horse race through the heart of a burnt siena city center which still takes place today. Sounded intriguing enough for me. I researched Siena and added it to my Italy bucket list and now this medieval jewel should be on your list of places to visit in Italy too.

For red wine drinkers, Chianti red wines needs no introduction and few wines trigger nostalgic memories like enjoying a glass of Chianti with a plate of pasta at your favorite Italian restaurant. And it was possibly while you were drinking said glass of wine that you suddenly wondered, “Where does Chianti wine come from?” Believe it or not, but Chianti wine comes from one of the most iconic regions in Italy, known as Tuscany. And here, you’ll find a “strada” (street) meandering through Tuscany’s most beautiful wine producing villages.

When people search for the best beach destinations in Europe, they often think Italy or anywhere along the Mediterranean Sea. And while a trip to the French Riviera in France or the Almafi Coast or Cinque Terre in Italy sounds idyllic, there are other places to consider for a beach holiday in Europe. For example, there are a plethora of more affordable beach holidays in the Balkan countries such as Croatia and Montenegro. So let me introduce you to a collection of gorgeous seaside towns along the Adriatic Sea at a fraction of the price you might pay anywhere else in Europe.

If ever there was the most idyllic castle that would suit my every need, then it would without a doubt be Miramare Castle, just 10 minutes from Trieste. A quaint, white stone castle perched on a cliff just feet above the Adriatic Sea, facing out to an endless blue sea and lush gardens with terracotta potted plants. I could have imagined a lovely, peaceful life here… until I discovered the curse of anyone who sleeps at Castello di Miramare…

Trieste, Italy, a beautiful coastal town on a small strip of land that borders Slovenia. You’ve probably never heard of it before, as Italy is dominated by headline cities such as Venice, Rome, Florence, Naples, Cinque Terre, Verona and many, many more, and still it offers many wonderful reasons for visiting. Despite being located on the easternmost tip of Italy, opposite Venice via the Adriatic Sea, this port city is spewing with things to see and do! So, the question remains, “What brought me to Trieste?”

  Guest post by Sara from Journey of Doing When I first started planning my study abroad semester, I had one destination in mind:  Paris.  Yet, as we reviewed the courses offered, I started to feel more deflated as I realized that my dreams of seeing the Eiffel Tower on my way to class and […]

If you’re a true Audrey Hepburn fan, you’ll know that many of her films were filmed in Europe, predominantly Paris and Rome and you’ll likely want to walk in her footsteps by visiting this famous film sites. You can easily visit all of these Audrey Hepburn film sites by incorporating them into your sightseeing itineraries.

Cinque Terre in Italian means “Five Villages” which includes Riomaggoire, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. These five villages are popular for being very small towns hanging on to the cliffs of the coast of Italy, which make for some pretty fantastic hiking. Not far is Portovenere and together with Cinque Terre, they were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.