March 03, 2017

The Ultimate Northern Italy Driving Tour

March 03, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

When we found out we would be moving not to China as we originally thought, but back to the US, we knew we wanted to fit is as much last minute traveling as we could. Aaron had two weeks of vacation and the race was on to figure out how to spend it. We ended up deciding on a week in northern Italy driving through Austria to the Dolomites, visiting Venice, staying in Tuscany for a few days, hitting up Milan and back through Switzerland. I didn't think we would be returning to Italy quite so soon after we visited Rome, but I am so so glad we did. Northern Italy is beautiful and I absolutely fell in love with the country - something I was not expecting. And I really think that driving it was the best way to do this trip and see everything.

February 02, 2017

Photo Diary: Northern Italy

February 02, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

Before we visited Italy - twice - in 2016, I didn't understand why so many Americans seem to have a love affair with the boot-shaped country. There are so many beautiful places in this world, delicious food can be found in every corner, and there are hundreds of good wine-producing regions scattered from Europe to South America. I naively thought there were other countries "just as good as" or, dare I say, even better, than Italy to visit. But after visiting Rome (which, I did love, but not enough to necessairly go back), and then spending a week driving through northern Italy, I have one thing to say: I get it now. I understand why so many people have fallen in love with this county, why people dream about moving to Tuscany and buying an old farm house to fix up. I would even hazard to say that I am now one of those people.

January 27, 2017

The Not-So-Popular Beach Town on the Italian Riveria That Deserves a Stop

January 27, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

When one thinks of the Italian Riviera, there are a few places that come to mind - Portofino, Genoa, Cinque Terre. But what most guidebooks don't show are the many smaller seaside villages that pepper the coast. If you're looking to visit this stunning region of Italy that is dotted with pastel colored towns, shallow bays perfect for swimming, and steep cliffs covered in lush vegetation, you have a lot of options. From luxury beach resorts to AirBnB rentals, this region has something for every budget and type of traveler. We chose to spend a night in Sestri Levanti and it was a fantastic decision.

January 17, 2017

Visiting the Last Supper by Leonardo daVinci

January 17, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

Milan is known as the fashion capital of Italy. And without a doubt, it is a very stylish city. But we weren't there for the fashion. We went to visit one of the great masterpieces of the renaissance - The Last Supper. Realistically, we knew we'd likely never be in Milan again, so if we wanted to see this famous painting before it fades away for good, we knew it was now or never. Turns out, trying to get tickets to see this thing is next to impossible! But, we succeeded in seeing not only the Last Supper, but also scored a tour of Milan to go along with it.

January 13, 2017

The Prosecco Road

January 13, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

After spending the night in the Dolomites during our Italian road trip, we continued on to Venice. We drove out of the mountains and into the valleys and, eventually, the flat coastal region. When I was researching things to do in Italy, I came upon an article in Conde Nast about the Prosecco Road. Say what?! Turns out, this road runs from Conegliano in the east to to Valdobbiadene in the west, through vineyards, dedicated almost solely to the production of prosecco, terraced into the hills. Along the route are a number of wineries that, with a prior appointment, are open to the public. We were lucky enough that the one we stopped at opened and did a private tasting for us. I felt so fancy!

December 23, 2016

The Genoa Aquarium

December 23, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

Most of our Italian road trip was planned on the fly. We booked hotels/AirBnB's as we went and found things to do along the way. We didn't stop at a lot of popular tourist attractions like the Tower of Pisa (although we did see it from the road as we drove past!), but rather just enjoyed seeing the beautiful Italian scenery. The east side and the west side are so completely different from each other too! Around Venice, it's pretty flat, with some rolling hills. Tuscany is hilly, but dry. And the Italian Riviera has towering hills covered in lush greenery and steep cliffs plunging into the Mediterranean. On our way north from Tuscany, we made a pit stop in Genoa after learning it's home to Europe's largest aquarium. See, we have a little one who loves to watch the fish - good news for her scuba diving addicted parents! So until she's old enough to snorkel, and then dive, with us, we spend time at aquariums in an attempt to foster her love of the underwater world.

December 13, 2016

The Great Dolomite Road in Northern Italy

December 13, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

When we were planning out driving trip through Northern Italy, we had a ton of people tell us we needed to see the Dolomites. We didn't exactly understand why - I mean, we were already driving through the Alps to get to Italy, what's the big deal? It's just more mountains. Well, as it turns out, they are beautiful. Think South Dakota Badlands mixed with Austrian Alps. Kind of weird to think about, but that's honestly the best way to describe them.