Rediscovering Italy

I really wasn’t excited in the least to be going to Italy. For starters, it’s one of only two countries on my trip that I’ve already been to (the other being Thailand). I’d seen Rome, Venice, and Florence, and thought that I’d just be retracing old footsteps with newer, more expensive ones (the last time I was in Europe – in 2002 – one Euro was worth only $0.90. Now, the same Euro is valued at over $1.35. That’s really painful to think about. It’s an increase of more than 50%, which meant that I’d be shelling out just about an extra 50 cents on every dollar, 50 bucks for every hundred, and 500 for every thousand compared with what I spent the last time around). In particular, my desire to return to Rome roughly neck and neck with my desire to step roll back and forth over a bed of porcupines. My lasting memory of the capital city was having to cancel my credit cards and devise a scheme to borrow money from a series of friends after being pick-pocketed on the subway en route to the Vatican museums. That and how impressively the dirtiness of the air manifested itself in the form of raindrops that stained spots on my black fleece brown.

There’s also a big part of me (the snobbish been there, done that part) that instinctively wants to dismiss big European tourist hot-spots in favor of the less trodden, more exotic countries. That’s why it’s with great reluctance that I have to admit that Italy is really one of the coolest and unique countries in the world.

At the very least, Italy has some of the most magical places anywhere. Venice is hands down the most unique city on Earth. There’s just nothing like it. After visiting old town after old town after old town between Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Austria, it was like a breath of fresh air to find myself lost in the literal labyrinths of Venice’s waterborne neighborhoods that take 15 minutes to traverse 3 blocks without a map, where 3 in every 4 streets dead end onto tiny canals that you have to carefully poke your head around to get a view of bridge coordinates without falling into the water. It’s a totally pedestrian city with the obvious absence of roads and cars; the only transportation being via the expensive ‘water bus,’ the extortionately expensive ‘water taxi,’ and the mortgage-inducingly expensive Gondola rides. Renovating old buildings in such a place is blindingly costly, as well, which means that most homes and shops retain a rustic, centuries old appearance. Walking along the empty back canals at night with a slice of fresh margarita pizza or a heaping cone of gelato is really a sublime experience.

Though Venice is certainly the most unique city in Italy, Cinque Terre steals the crown for the most awe-inspiring locale. Though still not nearly as famous as Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence, etc., it should really be at the very top of every one’s list for can’t miss places in Italy. Cinque Terre is the collective name of 5 small Italian villages nestled between mountain and sea on the Mediterranean coast just south of Genoa. Each of these townships has its own unique charm – ours, Riomaggiore, spilled down from a valley between vineyards and a mountaintop church to the sea, opening up along the coast like the perfect set for a Broadway musical. Sitting on the rocks just off the port and looking back at the tiered balconies from hundreds of faded, green-shuttered buildings, you could really imagine the residents all springing forth from their houses in unison at the sound of the town bell and bursting into song. The villages are interlinked to one another by what might be the most impressive network of hiking trails in the world; the Cinque Terre area map looks like a NYC transportation schematic, but with trails where subways should be. Narrow paths between villages winding through vineyards and grottos provide some awe-inspiring views of the Italian coastline.

And this is to say nothing of the cheap (but good) red wine, pizza and fresh pasta at every meal, and heaping servings of gelato that you have to race against nature to gobble up before it melts.

I’ll even begrudgingly admit that I enjoyed Rome this time around. But then again, I consider any trip to the Italian capital that doesn’t end in a missing wallet an enormous personal victory.

Click HERE for the pics.