The Italian Riviera was good for my feet. In Sorrento I bought custom made sandals and on the Amalfi beach I enjoyed a foot massage, which I purchased before remembering that I have insanely ticklish feet. I managed not to kick the masseuse, but I gave my stomach muscles a work out as I tried not to giggle. Like Positano, the small town of Amalfi is … Continue reading Treating my feet on an Amalfi beach
I don’t know why we decided to stay in Levanto, rather than a Cinque Terre town, but I’m so glad we did. I fell in love with this peaceful seaside village quite by mistake. In fact, when we arrived with no map and not a clue of which direction to go in, I questioned why I decided to go to Levanto in the first place. … Continue reading Escape the Cinque Terre crowds in Levanto
By the time we arrived in Venice, we had worked up an appetite. We’d taken the train from Verona in the morning, but halfway through the trip a ticket inspector realised that we’d booked the train tickets for a month earlier – an admin error on our part that we hadn’t noticed. We were kicked off the train in Vincenza, and had to purchase new … Continue reading Rush hour by the Rialto Bridge
Monterosso al Mare is one of my favourite Cinque Terre villages, for having the best beach. We had lunch on the deck of Nuovo Bar Eden, overlooking one of the private beaches. The fact that you can charge people for a beach seems so strange to me – I know that wouldn’t go down well in Australia. How can anyone set up shop and own the … Continue reading Monterosso: The best beach in Cinque Terre
Water that really sparkles. Deep blue oceans and glittering turquoise grottos. Endless blue skies. Golden yet gentle sunshine. Diving off the boat deep into the Mediterranean’s Tyrrhenian Sea. Watching my worries float away as I soaked up the sunshine from the deck. Sailing around Capri was one of the highlights from my five weeks in Europe. The most blissful day I’ve ever had while travelling … Continue reading This is bliss: Sailing around Capri
UPDATE: This post has been updated with useful information about where to find the best gelato in France, Italy & Greece, here. Forget your daily bread, in France & Italy it was all about the daily gelato for us! From fruity to creamy to organic, we put as much as we could to a taste test. It took our mind’s off our blistered feet, cheered … Continue reading France & Italy: The Gelato Diaries
Breakfast may be the first “meal” of the day in Italy but unlike at home, it isn’t the most important. A typical Italian breakfast is a coffee and a cigarette, and maybe a cornetti, cannoli, crostata, sfogli or some other kind of sweet pastry. In stark contrast to every other meal which seems to be a slow, pleasurable sit-down affair, breakfast is a quick pit … Continue reading Eating in Italy: Breakfast
I’ve been a bit quiet lately because I’m currently travelling – I’m enjoying five weeks of France, Italy and Greece. I won’t be posting until I get home ( living every moment while overseas) but you can follow my adventures by following me on Instagram: genevievehassall I’ll be posting again in late September. Happy travels! Continue reading Follow me on the road: Italy & Greece
The Capuchin Crypt in Rome makes the Parisian catacombs look like a walk in the park. Underneath the Church of Santa Maria della Concezione, the small crypt is not easy to find but is worth the effort. After walking past the church several times, we asked for directions and finally found the crypt. Photography is banned inside the crypt, so I have none, although there … Continue reading Underground Rome: Capuchin Crypt
I found Florence instantly more likeable than Rome. The streets were quieter and the city is walkable. It was the birthplace of the Renaissance and has been a magnet for artists for centuries, who come to study the masterpieces inside the Uffizi gallery and lining the streets of Florence. The Ponte Vecchio is one of my favourite parts of Florence, although I prefer admiring it … Continue reading Ponte Vecchio perspective