Venezia

First destination: Venice for 2 days.

I had heard mixed reviews about Venice but it turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip. Before 8am and after 9pm, crowds are fewer and one can actually appreciate its magnificence.

A few of my favorite things.  Water taxis and traveling by canals.  The architecture.  The ornate cafes.  The twists and turns in the roads, after which you never know if you will end up in a piazza, an alley, or a restaurant.  Long meals ending in espresso and after-dinner drinks (limoncello, grappa, etc.).  Gelato stands everywhere or better yet, chocolate dipped Popsicles.  The sunset.  Our adorable hotel (highly recommend)!

Of all the cities I visited, this is the one I would return to for a long weekend.

Road Tripping Through Lake Garda

Our adventure through Italy began by picking up a trusty Volvo in San Remo (a quick train ride from Nice) and making our way along the Italian Riviera.  We stopped in Varazze for lunch and in Lake Garda for a quick dip.  

One word to describe driving through Italy = insanity.  The roads (which vary from narrow and windy to open cliff-side highways) = insane.  The drivers (who must truly believe they are invincible) = insane.  

That being said, driving through the country was one of the best ways to see it, and I would highly recommend it.  

I see Paris, I see France

I love weddings.  I especially love destination weddings involving a couple I adore.  This month, my cousin got married in Italy, in Correggio, a small town where his now wife grew up and where her family still lives.  Naturally, this meant extended vacations for the entire family.  We started ours in:

Paris for 12 hours...simply because I love Paris...followed by Nice. 

While the crystal blue water (though bordering rocky beaches) and the city views were picturesque, the old city part was by far my favorite.  

Just outside of Nice (in the village of Saint-Paul de Vence), there was a beautiful restaurant and inn, La Columbe d'Or.  Opened in its original form in 1920, the best thing about it was its ambiance and art collection.  The art collection contains some unbelievable pieces from Leger, Braque, Picasso and Matisse, among others, due to artists paying for room & board with their art during the war when fleeing Paris.  You could feel the magic and history just being there. 

And with that, my stint in the South of France was over and we departed for our Italian adventure.