Italy is full of so many must-visit places, especially the
popular cities of Rome, Florence, and Venice. After we visited Milan, Venice,
Florence, Rome, and Naples all in a row, I was both physically and mentally
exhausted from trying to visit as many cultural sites as possible in a limited
time. I was incredibly thankful that we had decided to add a number of places
to unwind to round out our Italian itinerary. During that trip, we picked five
relaxing destinations. Today, I’m sharing three of my favorites.
Capri:
Capri is not just my favorite relaxing destination in
Italy—it is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever visited. After
two weeks visiting museums and other attractions, there was nothing better than
walking around with a local lemon drink in my hand, looking out at the
breathtaking scenery. I also really enjoyed taking a boat tour of the island
with a stop at the Grotto Azzurra, where the light turns the water in the cave
into a brilliant blue.
See: Grotto Azzurra (The Blue Grotto), boat tour from the
Marina Grande, take a summit up to Monte Solaro in Anacapri for incredible
views of Anacapri and the Gulf of Naples, and Villa Jovis.
Stresa:
I asked my husband to pick a random city in Italy where we
could relax for a few days, and he picked Stresa, a city on the banks of Lake
Maggiore. I had no idea what to expect, but we had an amazing time. We spent
our days walking along the banks of Lake Maggiore and taking boat rides to the Borromean
Islands. It was so relaxing to explore the gardens at Isola Bella and the
colorful markets at the small fishing village of Isola Pescatori.
See: Lake Maggiore, Isola Bella, Isola Pescatori, cable car
to Mount Mottarone, and Alpine Gardens.
Cinque Terre:
Although the hikes in the five villages of Cinque Terre are
not always relaxing, I was able to unwind by sitting on the patio of a
restaurant, looking out towards the gorgeous seaside views. The Via dell’ Amore
is an easy walk that offers incredible views of the sea. We stayed just outside
of Cinque Terre in the city of Moneglia to save money, and Moneglia turned out
to be a treat! There was a beautiful beach away from the crowds where we could
relax after a day in Cinque Terre.
See: Via dell’ Amore, hiking trails, explore all five
villages.
I've always wanted to visit Capri. It looks gorgeous and fabulous!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pictures! I have been to Capri and it is so beautiful. I would love to visit those other places too. :-)
ReplyDeleteI somehow missed all of these when I studied abroad there, but Ventotene which is a small island off the coast of Capri is seriously stunning as well! Capri is on my list as is Cinque Terre!!
ReplyDeleteoh each place looks amazing. we are hoping to go to Italy next year, i'll try and squeeze these places in as well!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI want to go to Cinque Terre so badly, you're so fortunate to have visited all 3 beautiful places (and thank you for inspiring a bit of wanderlust in me, maybe it will motivate me to get moving and plan a trip!) xo
ReplyDeleteThanks, Georgina! I am definitely fortunate. I hope you get to visit these places too! :)
DeleteI want to go to Italy so bad. It looks amazing! And sounds like such a great adventure.
ReplyDeleteI loved cinque terre! But i'd love to visit Lake Como and Milan someday! xo jillian - cornflake dreams
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this! I completely agree about visiting all the top cities in Italy... they are AMAZING but it can be so exhausting! I loved cinque terre but have yet to visit the other two! My husband and I already have Capri on our must see before we leave again but now we will have to add Stresa to the mix as well!! :) Thanks for the tips! Ciao!
ReplyDeleteLove the pics. We just got back from Italy a few months ago but we spent all our time in Tuscany. If anyone wants a quiet, relaxing place while inland they could spend a few days in Bagno Vignoni. The water is to die for!
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