Cinque Terre-God's most beautiful creation!

So...I think it is safe to say that Cinque Terre is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and my favorite trip so far in Italy! On the way there on Saturday, we stopped in Genova, which is one of the worst cities in Italy. Haha, but really, you could ask anyone out of the 140 students that went and you would get the same reaction. It was just really dirty, and there was no place to eat or sit and there wasn't much to see, many of us wonder why our program took us there...but oh well. We then headed to our hotel for the night where they provided an amazing four-course meal for us! We started with bruschetta, followed by pasta and meat sauce. Our main dish was chicken and potatoes, and we topped it all off with a cream pie! YUM! It was just sooo nice because we never have four course meals...it's always pasta and bread, over and over again! So it was a definite treat that's for sure. The next day we left for Cinque Terre pretty early so we could be there during the most beautiful parts of the day! So, Cinque Terre is also known as "Five Villages" that are all close to each other on the coast of the Golfo dei Poeti. We got to visit each of them for about an hour or so, and it was amazing! We started in the village of Porto Venere, which is also where many people start the six hour hike through all of the villages, which is something I would LOVE to go back and do someday...maybe even before I leave. Anyways, it was ABSOLUTELY beautiful. The weather was perfect too, a little windy on top of the CASTLES, but nothing to complain about :) The other four villages we visited are called Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, and Vernazza Monterosso. We walked along a path from Manarola to Riomaggiore called "Lovers Lane" and it was beautiful and fun to see all the couples ;) One day, me and my husband are going to go there and write our names on the walls in the tunnel...I've already decided. So we ate lunch on the coast and had some delicious bruschetta and spaghetti, and then in the village of Riomaggiore I had the best gelato I've had since I've been here and it was super cheap! I got three scoops for 2 euro! That's like, usually the price for a small, so the fact that we got a large for it was sooo nice. The only thing I would've changed would be for us to stay longer, because after the gelato we had to leave and head back to Florence. A few hours in the Cinque Terre is NEVER ENOUGH! Honestly though, one of the most beautiful places EVER and I really hope I can go back again! In other extremely exciting news...I have many visitors coming in the next month and a half!!! Leah will be the first...in about three weeks! Woo hoo! First visitor and I can't wait! Then Ci-Ci Boo who I cannot wait to see! I haven't see her since Dad and Nancy's wedding...TOO LONG! But how cool is it to say I get to meet up with my sister when she comes to see me in ITALY!? I can't wait to show her around Florence! And...as of about 15 minutes ago...Jennifer and Kristin are coming from Scotland to come see me in November! THIS IS THE BEST! I LOVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS! In other news, I have discovered the best bread ever. It's from this bakery called, "The Forno," which is right by our apartment and I stop there every day on my way home to get bread for dinner, to go with the noodles and red sauce I make EVERY. DAY. But it's called schiacciata, which is flat bread that they put olive oil and cheese on...SO GOOD! My fave for sure. This upcoming weekend will be the first weekend I'm not traveling...weird huh?? I'm actually looking forward to it because I might go to a soccer game, or I'll just explore a little bit of Florence that I haven't seen! No matter what though, it should be nice and relaxing! Until next time...ciao!