📸 — Isolabona, San Remo & Cinque Terre, Italy

Italy wasn’t originally in our plans of places to visit on our little detour, but when two of our friends and their families were separately traveling to Italy to the same place, at the same time (even on the same plane!) we had to make it down there and join the party.

We took the train across Switzerland and made our way down to Milan, from there, we stopped in Isolabona to visit Maeghan’s aunt who lives there part time through out the year.

We enjoyed the hills and peace of the countryside, then made our way to the beach to meet up with our friends.

We didn’t see much of Italy (in the perspective of most people that visit) but we had a super memorable stay and felt like we were home for a week, catching up with awesome people, eating great food and drinking cheap awesome wine 😊

See more on our website www.alittledetour.ca🌏✈️👫

Italy has cute dogs, and Maeghan tried to pet them all.

Maeghan’s aunt has a part time home in Isolabona on a 12th century castle ground.

There are about 300 people who live in the village and at the very top of the hill stands the original castle that ruled this area.

Margreet showing us around her village was really fun, and so peaceful.

12th century church on the castle grounds.

Maeghan always has troubles properly remembering village names, so here she is explaining how she remembers Isolabona

Leaving the grounds to the community gardens.

Maeghan’s parents came here a few years ago, and we went to their favorite pizza spot and had such nice Italian hospitality! Free Limoncello for all!

Meeting baby Marianna for the first time!

Next day we headed to San Remo and were SO excited to catch up with our PasswordBox friends (and a new baby that was born after we left Montreal)

Baby Marianna was quickly friend with us, which was great because we had so much to catch up on!

Our first night we got to go to a food festival. It was pretty hilarious that you order the food and then pick it up from the station that is selling the food. Maeghan picked up 9 pasta dishes and the chefs thought it was funny as she tried to translate that it wasn’t all for her.

Oh and we caught up with our friends Marc-Andre and Annasara’s family that are from Italy!

A singer & Band came out after it got dark and started to sing, dance and play various music.. but it wasn’t until the more traditional music came on that everyone ran to the dance floor!

The view from the party.

Day 2 was a beach day — Marianna’s first swim in the ocean and meet up for all the friends!

#MafiaMeetup

This girl was a happy swimmer.

Meeting up with friends has been so nice, it helps make the destination more special and keeps us both socially normal.. we spent a lot of time by ourselves!

Maeghan taught Marianna how to High Five, and so she encouraged everyone to practice with her, even Miranda!

M & M Crew reunited for the first time since Maeghan’s birthday.

Gelato time.

After some ice cream, we went for a walk through the old town of San Remo.

Olivier and Miranda were the fast walkers.

Cheap wine and good food. Even Luis’s brother came out from Milan to join us!

Oli had a lot of practice this week for his upcoming nephew. His sister is due to give birth any day now!

San Remo from the hill tops.

Trying to get a coordinated picture — we have fun.

Marianna, Nana & Miranda.

Strange beer on the bottle and Sushiit. Signage that we all felt was funny. Not the best name for a sushi restaurant.

last night with the crew, finding dinner by the water.

After just about zero planning, we booked our tickets to Bulgaria as a next destination (3 days from now) and Oli learned that in Bulgaria they like to squat, so he is practicing

Oli also decided to practice reading Cyrillic on the train to our last Italian destination.

Staying in La Spezia, we did a day trip to the Cinque Terre to explore the 5 cities sprawling across the rocks.

Impressed.

Italians are the most tan people we’ve seen yet on our travels, they spend lots of time at the beach!

The Macarena?

Cool girl Marianna and her head band sunglasses.

Our 2nd stop through Cinque Terre was with some of the clearest blue waters and everyone jumping into them.

From any height.

No beach, so the hot concrete seemed to do.

There is a hiking trail you can take between the cities that is closed due to floods some years ago, but some hikers were enjoying the national park.

Visiting the stone church.

Estela & Luis put up with us on their holiday and we are so grateful for it! and the chance to meet Maeghan’s new bff, Marianna!

The rock formations were pretty cool, and almost looked more like tree bark than a solid cliff of rock!

Oli can be funny sometimes.

Its good that we see people sometimes… it helps keep us normal…

Last gelato before we had to go.

La Spezia downtown.

It was short but fun! Next destination is Sofia, Bulgaria, for some much needed rest, as we plan the last leg of our trip!

See more on our website www.alittledetour.ca🌏✈️👫