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Italy 2026

A 68-day adventure by Rudi & Lara Read more

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🇨🇭 Airolo, Switzerland
Italy 2026
Day 42
40 minutes ago in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
We were looking forward to catching a ferry from the southern end of Lake Maggiore to the northern end and staying off the trains. We found out last minute that the ferry only ran on the weekends. After four trains and three changes we arrived in Airolo Switzerland 🇨🇭 This is where the hard work begins as we start the hike tomorrow morning.Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 41
June 24 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C
We had a mixed bag of train travel today including one section from Genoa to Milan of being jammed in like sardines.
Last year a lovely woman, Paula, offered me a lift from Fiumicino to the airport in her car - her husband Gianni is a pilot. We only spent 20 minutes together but we had an instant lovely connection. We have stayed in contact and once again Paula was our travel angel. She collected us from the train station, welcomed us into her home for the night and cooked a delicious dinner.
It was a special evening sitting around the table with her son Pietro as we shared stories and wonderful conversation.Read more
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Italy 2026
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Day 40
June 22 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Today we explored the sea side town of Camogli and of course spent part of the day swimming...just as a thunderstorm rolled through, so we took cover at a beachside bar for aperitivo.
We enjoyed cooking in our apartment, dining on our small balcony and taking a passeggiata after dinner.Read more
Traveler What a beautiful couple in a beautiful place
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Italy 2026
Day 39
June 21 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
We left Porto Santo Stefano today with heavy hearts, the month spent there was just unbelievable.
We will miss the great friends we have there but know we will see them again in the near future.
Next stop for a few days is Camogli.Read more
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Day 38
June 20 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 26 °C
Today is our last day in Porto Santo Stefano 😢 We decided to go for a swim at our favourite little beach "Punta Nera" before heading back to our apartment to pack our luggage and tidy.
Elena and Milo invited us to their house for another dinner and catch up. We were also joined by Claudia and Lavinia it was a great evening with delicious food and many laughs. Just before midnight the festival of good byes started ending with a good possibility of a catch up in Sicily next year 😁Read more
Traveler The view from our apartment in the mirror
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Traveler From Elena and Milo's balcony
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Italy 2026
Day 37
June 19 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 26 °C
We had a slow start today with breakfast and numerous coffees on our balcony overlooking the port, making the most of the wonderful views as we will be back on the road this Sunday heading north to Camogli. We spent the afternoon exploring some of the other beaches in the area before heading back to one of our favourite beaches Cantoniera ⛱️ were our friends organised a going away pizza dinner on the beach with most of their friends we have met. It was a great experienceRead more
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Italy 2026
Day 36
June 18 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Today started earlier than usual with yoga on the beach followed by looking around Orbetello and as most other days swimming in the sea. We finished the day having dinner out with Milo, Elena and family at their favourite pizza restaurant 😋Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 35
June 17 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
We decided to travel back to Giglio Island for one last time.
We spent the day lounging on Cannelle Beach soaking up the sun and sea.
Giglio Island is an amazingly beautiful place, one we will definitely visit againRead more
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Italy 2026
Day 34
June 16 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Tonight was a real highlight of our 4 weeks in Porto Santo Stefano ....the night we hosted aperitivo and dinner at our apartment, for the friends we've made.
We were a little nervous cooking 'Italian for the Italians' but it was a wonderful feast and a cracking party.Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 33
June 15 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Another day of relaxation in Porto Santo Stefano
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Italy 2026
Day 32
June 14 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Today we were once again invited out on Milo and Elena's boat with Claudia to explore more of the wonderful coastline of Monte Argentario. The coastline was spectacular and largely uninhabited. We anchored the boat at a number of locations to swim in the crystal clear watersRead more
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Italy 2026
Day 31
June 13 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
The day was quiet with more walking and swimming and then the evening developed into yet another wonderful party!
The neighbours from down the street had arrived from Norway (Desiree and Pierre) and invited us in to share some wine. Desiree speaks fluent Hungarian so she was very excited to speak with Rudi.
We met Elena and Milo at Sparkling Bar for aperitivo and the party developed from there as Laurent, Laura, Lavinia and Claudia joined us.
It was a wonderful night ending with an impromptu dinner on the balcony of their house above the port and piazza.Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 29
June 12 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
A short walk today for coffee on the beach at Pozzarella followed by swimming and reading at Punta Nera.
We returned to the restaurant Dai Frati for dinner (at the 'normal' time of 9pm) and afterwards enjoyed some live music at Bar Giulia.Read more
TravelerBeautiful photo
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Italy 2026
Day 28
June 11 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
We decided to do a training hike today as it's getting closer to the start of our trek in the Italian Alps.
The walk starts out of Porto Santo Stefano quite steeply and returns on the panoramic road with great views of the sea and Giglio Island. We love this walk as we have befriended a couple of donkeys 🫏 that love to come up for a scratch and a feed.Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 26
June 9 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
After a lovely breakfast in the garden of the B&B we walked to the Terme di Saturnia. We arrived at the terme just after opening, to enjoy the warm waters gushing out of the volcanic crater at 38 °C.
The wellness centre had many beautiful pools and waterfalls.
We spent the best part of the day there soaking in the many pools before heading off to Manciano, another Italian hill top town for dinner and accommodation for the night (plus a quick aperitivo with Chiara - a woman Lara met last year).Read more
TravelerLooks amaxing
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Italy 2026
Day 25
June 8 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
Today was a dream come true with a visit to the incredible Saturnia Cascate di Mulino with Elena, Ava and Claudia.
We have wanted to visit Saturnia for many years and we were delighted to make it happen this time.
The natural terme is a series of cascading milky-blue travertine pools with sulphur-rich water which flows year round at a constant, relaxing 37.5 degrees - just divine to relax and soak for hours.
We were surrounded by typical Tuscan green hills and it was just divine to relax and soak for hours.
We stayed for the night in a lovely country villa (a working property for olive oil) nestled in the Tuscan hills and we were treated with wonderful hospitality.
After dinner in the village of Saturnia, we walked back to the villa in the dark, completely surrounded by fireflies ...magical.Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 24
June 7 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Today was like a dream as we spent many hours relaxing on Milo and Elena's boat (just off the coast of Monte Argentario near the Grotta Azzura).
We were a party of 8 and it was the perfect day of enjoying the company of lovely friends, swimming from the back of the boat, soaking up the beautiful vistas and lazing in the sunshine.
Such special memories ❤️Read more
TravelerLooks amazing 👏 🤩
2wReply
TravelerIt looks like you are having an amazing holiday everywhere you turn.
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Italy 2026
Day 23
June 6 in Italy ⋅ 🌬 23 °C
We enjoyed a special lunch at Moletto Ristorante and then discovered our friends were just outside on the beach - so we joined them for a while in the sunshine.
Later we gathered for a wonderful evening for a street party below the Fortezza.
This involved many hours enjoying local specialty dishes (like stoco and salted tonnata), wine, music, conversation and laughter....all finished off with a local gin an tonic at Bar Centrale.Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 22
June 5 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Today we checked out from the beautiful Saraceno Hotel and spent the day at a couple of different beaches .
After catching the ferry back to Porto Santo Stefano we enjoyed a home cooked dinner in our lovely apartment.Read more
TravelerLooks like it was a great walk
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Italy 2026
Day 21
June 4 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Another donkey trail today ...the 'sweet one' (Mulattiera del Dolce).
It was a beautiful rocky path through the forest dropping steeply to Campese Beach.
We had a quick swim at this red sand beach and then returned by bus.
We also had a swim at our favourte Cannelle Beach and also off the rocks below the hotel in the deep clear water - 3 lovely swimming locations in one day!
Out for aperitivo and dinner at the port, for our last night on Giglio.Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 20
June 3 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
We started the day with a slow breakfast at the Saraceno Hotel with extra coffees on the hotel balcony overlooking the mainland.
This was followed up by some last minute shopping for Lara, due to her covering her clothing with makeup. Lara's travel pot of foundation exploded when she removed the lid 🤣🤣
The rest of the day was spent on the beautiful Cannelle beach⛱️
We headed back to Giglio Castello to watch the sunset and eat dinner then walked back to Porto Giglio on the donkey trail in the dark for degestivi drinks at a local bar.Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 19
June 2 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Today was Italy's National Republic holiday and we took the ferry back out to Giglio Island for 3 nights.
Much to our delight, when we arrived at our favourite Cannelle Beach they had a couple of guys playing live music at the beach bar.
We took a seat and left 6 hours later after partying, talking (in a wonderful mash up of Italian and English) eating, drinking and so much laughing - such a memorable afternoon with Giglio delivering more of its special magic.
Two young couples from Milan joined us at the table (they had spent some time travelling in Australia) and when the muscians (from Florence) finishing playing, they joined us to 'facciamo una festa' (make a party) again 🥳Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 18
June 1 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Milo kindly dropped us off at the end of the narrow peninsular of Feniglia, on his way to work.
It was a cloudy and cool morning, perfect for walking through the Pine forests and bird watching on the lagoon side. The beach side of Feniglia was pretty wild with todays wind direction so we swapped out swimming for lunch and drinks at the small beach bar Il Tempio.
We then continued walking along the mainland and turning back up to Orbetello for our favourite gelati - 18.5 km in total.Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 17
May 31 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
The day started with a small hike up to the fort on the hill above our apartment. Once again the weather is quite warm so our hiking options are limited but we continued down through the valley to arrive at our swimming beach. We then received a message from Claudia to join them at the 'secret garden' bar above the beach for G&T and hours of chatting and laughing with a group of friends.
We arrived home 6 hours later 🤣 just in time to eat delicious porchetta and roast vegetables on our balcony and watch the sun go down.Read more
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Italy 2026
Day 16
May 30 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
We started the day slowly with breakfast and coffees on our balcony overlooking the port.
We then headed off for our daily swim at the local beach ⛱️ "Cantoniera". The lovely friends Lara made here last year then invited us to the local rowing boat races at Porto Ecole , it was an amazing experience 😀Read more
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