Our trip through Italy turned out to be a gastronomic delight. It didn’t matter where we went or what restaurant we picked; we ate exceedingly well and the prices were quite reasonable. Here are a few more posts that describe the trip:

http://www.travelingbones.com/?cat=127

As for our route through the country, check out the maps below (they can be clicked for larger versions):

Our route through Italy. We arrived in Milan from Luxembourg (through Switzerland), then proceeded to Genoa (Genova), Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence, Bologna, and Ancona. We took a ferry around 9:00 pm in Ancona and woke up in Croatia the next morning.

A crazy hike not too far from Genoa. From Camogli, we hiked about 15 kilometers across this peninsula and ended up in Portofino. We took the ferry to Santa Margherita and then a train all the way back to Genoa. Read the post to find out more!

Hikes in Cinque Terre. Do you want to avoid the tourists in Cinque Terre? Head up! Up the trails, that is. A great network of trails connects all 5 villages, and the higher you go, the quieter it becomes. We hiked and climbed all day, but the views were spectacular and the trails were all ours.

Here are a few of the better pictures that we snapped along the way:

Evening in Florence. This picture was shot from the Piazzale Michelangelo.

Sunset above the Arno River in Florence. You can see the Ponte Vecchio (the closest bridge).

Beetle in the hills above Corniglia.

Tower of Pisa. We had to make a quick stop in Pisa on the way to Bologna!

Ferrari 458 Italia at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello.

View of the Mediterranean Sea as seen from the trail that runs between Camogli and Portofino (about 45 minutes east of Bologna).

Robin hiking above Manarola (Cinque Terre). There are beautiful trails that run through vineyards, and the higher you go, the fewer tourists you'll find!

One of the 5 villages of Cinque Terre.

Florence's Skyline.

LESSONS LEARNED:

• When someone says “It’s a hard hike to [insert place name here]” you should probably listen to them.
• If hiking trails have chains that are bolted to the side of the mountain, it means that you should hang on to them as you try to make your way along a scary cliff 200 meters above the sea.
• If you want great gelato, try Venchi in Bologna. Grom is also a pretty safe bet, and they have stores all over.
• Rick Steves is an idiot. Don’t listen to anything that guy says. Figure stuff out on your own.
• If you go to Cinque Terre (despite Rick Steves’ glowing recommendation of the area), head up the trails to avoid the tourists. They stay low, and you can have the views all to yourself.
• If you really want to see the leaning tower of Pisa, you can stop at Pisa’s main train station, check your bag, and walk 20 minutes to reach the tower. Avoid most of the restaurants along the way there — they suck. Once you’ve seen the tower, get back on the train and go somewhere else. Leave all the clueless tourists behind in Pisa, and go visit other parts of Italy!