Christmas in Italy

Italy is one of our favorite places. We had such a great couple weeks driving around Italy enjoying some of the best it has to offer. We were lucky enough to spend the season with my mom and sister. We met them in Rome, where we spent the first 3 days touring The Vatican, The Colosseum, and The Roman Forum. We also found our favorite restaurant of ALL time; the Drunken Cow which was a small family owned bistro with the best, fresh Italian food. 

Jordan's favorite statue at the Vatican Museum

In front of the Drunken Cow

After Rome, we headed Northwest to Portofino, a small resort town on the Italian Riviera. Portofino is known for its "famous" inhabitants, but unfortunately it was the off-season and we didn't come across any rich and famous while there. We drove to Genoa one day and met our Italian friends from our time spent in Nigeria. We were treated to some Italian traditions/customs and the best focaccia platter and Genoa pesto. We were all spoiled. 

Beautiful bay view from our room

Our next stop was Tuscany. Before arriving in the land of rolling hills, wineries, and olive orchards, we stopped by the famous Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre means "Five Towns". What makes this place so cool is that the five towns are on the coast and are only reachable by a trail winding along the coast. It has been on our bucket list for years. We knew the limited time there wouldn't be enough, but we weren't prepared for how limited our time would be. The trail was closed due to rainy weather in the forecast. So, we visited the first town, Riomaggiore, took a quick glance at the trail and headed on. 

The trail to the other 4 cities

After a gorgeous drive through the Tuscan countryside, we reached our villa. It was on a hill overlooking the rolling countryside. The villa was prefect and exactly what we needed for the next week. We were looking forward to some "down" time a some relaxation. While in Tuscany, we had the chance to enjoy strolls in the countryside, visit Florence and Pisa, take a Tuscan cooking class, and relax by the fire sipping wine and eating cheese and cured meats. Life was good!

Tuscan countryside- view from our villa

Olive tree farm

Our Tuscan villa

Florence Cathedral

View of Florence from the bell tower

This bridge is said to be one of the most beautiful bridges in Europe.
It was unique in the since that there are homes and
businesses built into the bridge's structure

Tuscan cooking class

Pisa, Italy 

Certaldo--"town on a hill"

Smelling the roses

The last few days, including New Years Eve, were spent in Rome. We rented an apartment in the Colosseum district which was close to all the historical sights. New Years Eve in Rome was like nothing else. The firework celebration at midnight lasted more than 30 minutes and was extravagant. They were shooting fireworks over the Colosseum. so we were very close. I don't know how Leif did not wake up. 

Although we had a teething baby, our trip was amazing! After visiting parts of Italy for a short time, we now have an even longer bucket list! We'll be back!