Hit the Backroads – Cinque Terre & Tuscany

When I close my eyes I can feel the gentle breeze coming off the Mediterranean and hear the waves crashing against the rugged shoreline.  As I walk along the trail, between luscious vineyards, I can feel the ancient earth crush beneath my boots.   It’s a moment of pure beauty and peace and I take a moment to reflect upon the decisions that led me here. Travel is a choice.  It is a gift you give to yourself and those you love.  It is a way to steal time and create incredible memories and is part of a life well lived.

As a young backpacker I made my way to the Cinque Terre and fell deeply in love with this piece of Italy.  It is one of the places I have always recommended to anyone heading to Europe in search of something unique.  It is a place I will return to and when I do it will be with Backroads. I’ve done a lot of research and spoken with many people who have traveled and worked with Backroads and everyone raves about the experience.

“We’ve traveled with several other companies and Backroads has found the ideal combination: great place, options for how active you want to be, culinary experiences, local culture and outstanding guides”  – Jerry Schwartz

Backroads has a beautiful trip through the stunning villages of the Cinque Terre and into the rolling hills of Tuscany.

• Explore two distinct regions of Italy in one amazing trip
• Hike through the dramatic landscape to Protovenere, taking in sweeping vistas of the Golfo della Spezia
• Pass elegant villas en route to pretty Portofino, playground of the rich and famous
• Stroll through quintessential Tuscan villages, vineyards and cypress-flanked lanes
• Sip regional wines at fun and informative tastings
• Spend 2 nights at the Villa Le Barone in Chianti which has been owned by the same family since the 1500s.

Backroads Cinque Terre & Tuscany

Starting at US$3,498 per person (tax included) *dbl occupancy.

6 days/ 5 nights.  Sunday – Friday, April – October.

If you are interested in learning more about this exciting trip please call Niche Travel Group at (902) 407-4567.

Dedicated to Enrich lives one vacation at a time.

 

My place in time….

I remember walking through Venice in a trance.  As my eyes took in the overwhelming beauty of the city my mind reeled with questions of how history and culture had carved out this unimaginable place.  Around every corner the bridges and pathways laid out a labyrinth of intrigue and story.  Each doorway was an invitation to explore the nature of this way of life.  How did this place come to be?  Who envisioned this remarkable water lined community and how am I so lucky to be here?  As I sat alone along a quiet canal, photographing homes that rose straight out of the water, I was struck by an awareness that I too was now part of its history.  My own footsteps had been added to the record of time as Venice and I took each other in.

As I travel I inherit fragments of each place, and take them with me on my path.  Venice inspires in me a sense of awe at what the swell of humanity is capable of.  Lives and footsteps and stories combine through history, each impacting its course, resulting in the very moment that I experience here and now.  As the culmination of time arrives through my senses I accept that my contribution is underway, and smile at the opportunity to make my mark.  I believe that each of us are here to participate in the unfolding of time and the evolution of culture.  As we expose ourselves to the world we open within ourselves new doors of understanding of what it means to be alive.

My arrival in Venice in 1996, was by train.  Railpass in hand, and backpack as companion, I scraped Liras out of my pockets for cheap accommodations and dined on pizza truck delicacies drinking stowed bottles of Italian wine.  The shoe string of my budget could not diminish the deliciousness of the experience but my next voyage will be by sea.  I can hear the flap of the sails as I travel the coastline of Italy; taste the wine and feel the Mediterranean sun on my skin.  From Rome to Venice by way of the water is a dream for me where I will once again find my place in history.

“Vacation with Europe’s elite along the sun-drenched shores of Croatia, Montenegro, and tiny Capri. Let your imagination soar as you travel through time to discover the magic of Venice, the grandeur of Rome, and the stunning beauty of the Dalmatian Coast. From the Grand Canal to St. Peter’s Square, this is a voyage of superlatives. “-www.windstarcruises.com