Future Fridays: SproutsIO on the Culinary Possibilities of Smart Gardening

Jennifer Broutin Farah shares how SproutsIO uses personal indoor gardening to create solutions for chefs who want the fresh results of growing their own produce but are experiencing difficulties with rooftop gardens. Watch her full Excite Talk, part of an 8-week Future Fridays video series on industry innovators and disrupters. Go to videos on specialtyfood.com for more in this series.

Related: Future Fridays: Nicolas Trentesaux on the Merger of Health and Pleasure; Future Fridays: Marc Oshima on Revolutionizing Agriculture and Retail

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Sibenik Croatia: A Charming Coastal Town for Your Bucket List

Dreaming of a Croatia vacation? Sibenik Croatia is a coastal town with charming streets and waterfall swimming at nearby Krka National Park.

A few months ago Alex, me and our toddler Larson ventured out on a 3 week vacation to Europe. Most of the trip was on the Mediterranean coast, but we made a brief stop to the Adriatic coast in Sibenik Croatia. Why a Croatia vacation? Croatia is blowing up as a vacation destination for its charming Medieval cities and sparkling blue waters. And have you heard of the Croatia waterfalls? The more time we went in Sibenik, the more I grew to love this beautiful region. Should Sibenik, Croatia be on your travel bucket list? Absolutely. Keep reading to learn why.

Related: 8 Secrets: How to Take Better Pictures on Vacation |

Where is Sibenik Croatia?

Croatia has become a hot spot for tourists lately. Sibenik is a lesser known Croatia destination, but it’s absolutely worth visiting (it’s pronounced Shib-en-ik). We decided to visit Sibenik partially because of geography: this portion of our trip was a weekend getaway with our friends who live in Vienna. We flew from Rome to their apartment in Vienna, then the five of us (two couples and a toddler!) drove 7 hours to Sibenik. It was a bit of a hike to get there since we were driving, but absolutely worth it.

Sibenik sits in the middle of the country right on the Adriatic Sea. It’s a Medieval town that’s incredibly charming, dating back to 1066. It actually used to be part of Venice for most of history, so it has an Italian vibe. One of Sibenik’s recent claims to fame is that an episode of Game of Thrones was filmed there. If you visit there, you’ll see why — I don’t know anything about the show, but even I could tell the backdrop is perfect for a medieval fantasy storyline. The rough stone buildings and winding streets become more and more magical the more time you spend in Sibenik.

Things to do in Sibenik

Most of what we did in Sibenik wander around the picturesque streets, eat food, and go to the beach. Pretty much the perfect Croatia vacation, if you ask us! Our Airbnb was near the beach, so every morning we would walk to the beach. (Though it was further from the town, we enjoyed staying in the area near the beach; more below on where to stay.)  Here is the view of Sibenik from the beach. Pretty ideal, right?

Long strolls in the historic town center are a must. In the center of town is the St. James Cathedral, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Completed in the 1400s, it’s mysteriously beautiful. (And yes, this was where one of the Game of Thrones scenes was filmed.) I’ve seen lots of European Cathedrals, and this one has become one of my favorites. There’s something about it that’s eerily intriguing. We also wandered around and got lost in the maze of tiny narrow streets of Sibenik.

Aside from the town center, you can also walk along the waterfront near the sailboats and yachts, and get ice cream. There’s also a little playground for kiddos in that area (and a trampoline, which Larson would have loved if he were older).

Of course, some of our favorite memories were eating…and swimming in waterfalls! Keep reading.

Croatia waterfalls: Krka National Park

Have you heard of the Croatia waterfalls? There are two major national parks in Croatia with pristine waterfalls: Plitvice and Krka National Parks. The Krka waterfalls are a bit smaller and not as well known as Plitvice, which is partly why we chose Sibenik as our destination. Krka National Park is under a 1 hour drive from Sibenik. We hoped the Krka waterfalls would not be crowded, but there were more people than we expected (we visited in July)! So, we’d recommend if you go to go as early in the day as possible.

In the midst of a rather dry landscape, Krka National Park is an oasis, full of blue green streams and lovely falls. One of our favorite parts was the hike down to the waterfalls. Wooden paths take you right over the impossibly green water with tangled trees overhead that feel like a Cypress grove. But of course the falls were just magical. The water was crystal clear and I carefully waded in with Larson. It felt like the most surreal experience to actually get to be in the water: and of course Larson was completely delighted! I hope that these falls will be treated gently enough that humans will continue to be able to swim in them. It was a total highlight of our trip!

Where to eat in Sibenik Croatia

Another highlight of Sibenik was the food. We didn’t run into the most traditional Croatian food at the restaurants we ended up at, they were delicious nonetheless. One restaurant we enjoyed was Bounty, a small, family owned restaurant right on the water. The food had quite a bit of British influence (think fish and chips), but we had two more traditional dishes: octopus stew over polenta and my risotto with zucchini and broad beans. The Croatian dry white wine was fantastic.

One of our favorite restaurants was called SHE Bio Bistro, which had more of a hippie California vibe crossed with Croatian food. The highlight of this meal was the Dalmatian potato salad (Sibenik is on the Dalmatian Coast). It was so simple, but intensely flavorful with tangy potatoes, olive oil, salt, red onions, capers, and a sprinkle of parsley. One of the other standouts was an orange & almond polenta cake, with the texture of cheesecake but made with polenta, ground almonds, eggs, yogurt, and rum. This one was Italian inspired, and we noticed a lot of Italian influence in the food of this region (like lots of truffle pasta, etc). After all, Sibenik was a part of Venice until almost the 1800’s.

We also stopped at the farmers market and got some delicious pastries, including this spinach and cheese filled filo pastry called burek! It was fantastic and if you go, you must keep an eye out. We did a little research and found that many countries in Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, Balkans and Western Asia serve burek. Traditionally the burek in Serbia, Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia is round and filled with meat or cheese.

Where to stay in Sibenik Croatia

In Sibenik we stayed in this Airbnb. While it wasn’t quite our decor style, it had a lovely view of the water and was a 5 minute walk from the beach. It was also about a 15 minute walk into the historic center of town. For me, an ideal vacation is steps from the beach and a short walk to town, so this was the perfect locale. (We picked the same type of location in Tellaro, Italy.) Our Airbnb owner was the kindest, most charming couple who had big gardens and even dropped off some produce they had grown so we could cook it for dinner! As nice as it is to stay in hotels, we love renting houses especially when traveling with kids: having access to a kitchen and having the ability to meet locals are two huge perks.

A fun surprise: World Cup finals

When we picked the dates for our trip, we had no idea that one of the days we’d be there would be the World Cup final. As the weeks approached and the Croatian team kept winning, we crossed our fingers they’d be in the final game. Somehow, Croatia was in the World Cup final and the game took place the last day we were in Sibenik! We got Larson a Croatia jersey and staked out a spot in a local bar. The crowd was incredibly tense as they watched the players in the most important game of their lives.

Sadly, Croatia ended up losing the game. However, the amount of celebration after the game was just as much as if they had won! People were all over the streets in their red and white garb, honking horns, crying, singing, hugging, and shooting off fireworks. When we asked our Airbnb host if he was sad, he said “No! It’s a huge honor to be second. As Croatia we are a small country. We are so proud!”

This, of course, endeared us to the country even more. We had an incredible time in Sibenik and would love to go back someday (especially to Krka National Park!). Are you interested in Croatia as a travel destination? Have you been? Let us know in the comments below!

A Couple Cooks - Recipes for Healthy & Whole Living

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Ultimate Breakfast Burritos

The ultimate breakfast burrito featuring a super thin layer of egg wrapped around your favorite breakfasty ingredients including bacon, potato, and chorizo.

The secret to this amazing burrito is the egg. Rather than chunks of scrambled egg like breakfast burritos normally contain, we’ve invented a way to stick a thin layer of egg to the torilla with the help of some super melty cheese. The result is a burrito with a perfect amount of egg, cheese and filling in each and every bite!

Taylor is a breakfast burrito master.

Although, I should amend that statement to say that WE are breakfast burrito masters, since the final result of this burrito was truly a joint endeavor.

He vividly remembers a particular breakfast burrito he enjoyed with his dad as a kid, from the restaurant atop one of the ski mountains where we grew up (funny because he can’t remember what we ate two days ago…) That’s where this burrito inspiration all began.

Those ski mountain burritos were not the behemoth burritos you might be used to. Rather they were smaller, with a thin layer of egg wrapped inside a warm flour tortilla.

So we started there. But quickly ran into problems when we tried to flip this delicate little omelet out onto the tortilla. It took remarkable aim to flip the egg out evenly and in the center of the tortilla.

So I thought, why not put the tortilla on the egg first? It sticks to the melted cheese, keeping the egg firmly in place, and making the whole thing much easier to flip out onto your work surface before filling with all manner of delicious things.

Talk about teamwork.

The idea to make a burrito using a thin layer of egg isn’t new (though we did improve upon it with the whole cheese-tortilla thing this time around). In fact, there’s a breakfast burrito recipe in our book that uses the same technique. Although it has kale and sweet potato in it, which is good and healthier and all, but sometimes you just want a greasy, gooey cheesy, all-around perfect breakfast burrito.

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Loaded Veggie Quesadilla Recipe

Homemade Spinach Tortillas

Mango Black Bean Chili

Future Fridays: Marc Oshima on Revolutionizing Agriculture and Retail

Pollution problems, stresses on agriculture, and food waste are making necessary new solutions and new ways of farming. Marc Oshima discusses bulding responsible farms and his operation at AeroFarms, a large indoor vertical farm. Watch his full Excite Talk, part of an 8-week Future Fridays video series of industry thought leaders, influencers, and disruptors. Go to videos on specialtyfood.com for more in this series.

Related: Future Fridays: Brendan Witcher on Artificial Intelligence for Specialty Food; Future Fridays: Nicolas Trentesaux on the Merger of Health and Pleasure

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StonyFields: Why Playing Fields Should be Organic, Too

Did you know many fields where kids play in the US are sprayed with harmful pesticides? The movement to get rid of toxic chemicals in playing fields and public parks is spreading across the country!

This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield. All opinions are our own. 

Did you know many fields where kids play are sprayed with pesticides?

As you know, Alex and I are passionate about avoiding chemicals in food. That’s part of why we started this website in the first place! This space is devoted mostly to recipes and cooking inspiration, but hear me out on this one. Did you know many fields in the US where kids play are sprayed with pesticides, including sports fields, playgrounds, and parks? Yikes. We didn’t. After becoming parents to sweet Larson (our model for all of these photos!), we’re even more passionate about doing everything we can to make sure he and all kids around us are safe and healthy.

The other day I jumped on the phone with Stonyfield Organic’s founder, Gary. This guy is ultra passionate about organic food–and organic playing fields and parks. So Stonyfield has launched a new initiative called StonyFields. They’re providing resources about how to make a dent in this issue, and even partnering with 35 cities across the country to help clean up playing fields (one of them might be yours)! What I love about Stonyfield is that they care about the entire solution to making our world a healthier place, not just one piece of the puzzle. They want to help families and communities avoid toxic chemicals in their food and beyond.

Hearing Gary talk about this new project made me want to jump up and down and shout YES! (Yeah, I’m a nerd about this stuff!) Because if I care about getting chemicals out of the food we eat, I should care about getting them out of  where kids play, too. Right? The good news is: the movement to remove chemicals from playing fields is spreading across the US. And just like organic food, organic fields are a Win-Win. Communities that have converted to organic fields find that over time, it saves money. Learning about this has made us even think about the chemicals on our backyard, too. Keep reading for more about StonyFields and what you can do to help!

Watch Stonyfield’s video

This issue is complicated to explain, but Stonyfield’s video does a great job explaining a complex issue in 2 minutes! Watch below.

Our tiny tree hugger!

What’s the problem with pesticides?

Here’s what we’ve learned: 26 million kids play on fields in the US, and most of the fields are sprayed with a mix of harmful chemicals. Some of the most common chemicals in what is sprayed can be potentially carcinogenic (according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer). When kids run and play on these fields, they’re directly exposed to these chemicals by directly inhaling them, getting it on their skin, and even tracking it into the house on their sneakers. Kids are more sensitive to the harmful effects of chemicals because they weigh less and their organs and detox systems aren’t fully developed yet.

Why are pesticides used on playing fields?

If you’re like me, you might be wondering why pesticides are used on fields in the first place?! Herbicides are used to control weeds. Insecticides are applied to kill a variety of bugs and grubs that can create problems in playing field management. And fungicides are periodically required to control fungal pathogens. However, all of these pesticides can be phased out when fields are managed organically! That’s where StonyFields comes in: keep reading.

What’s the StonyFields project?

The StonyFields project is launched by Stonyfield to partner with communities across America to make all fields organic by stopping the use of harmful pesticides on playing fields. Their goal is to help communities across America convert to organic field maintenance, and empower families everywhere to make change locally and in your own backyard.

Stonyfield is partnering with 9 cities across America to help them convert to organic fields! Here is the list of cities:

• Salt Lake City, Utah
• Burbank, California
• Tustin, California
• Costa Mesa, California
• Houston, Texas
• North Miami, Florida
• South Portland, Maine
• Portsmouth, New Hampshire
• Dover, New Hampshire
• Hyattsville, Maryland

This StonyFIELDS Movement Map shows how the movement to get rid of toxic chemicals in playing fields and public spaces is spreading across the country, both with Stonyfield initiative fields and other fields in the US.  For many communities, it started out of health concerns, but many of these communities have also found using organic lawn practices saves money too!

What can I do to help?

If you’ve made it this far, you may be thinking: What do I do now? Here’s a few things you can do to be part of the solution for organic fields:

1. Change your own community. If you’re super passionate, you can start the dialog in your own community about converting playing fields to organic. If this is you, go to Stonyfield’s guide on how to change your community.
2. Nominate your community! Stonyfield is giving out grants to 10 cities across the US! If you nominate your city or town, you’ll have a chance to win this grant. If this is you, click here to Apply for a Donation! Someone please nominate Indianapolis!
3. Clean up your back yard. There’s no place better to start reducing pesticide use than in your own garden or yard! Ready to start learning about an organic lawn? Click here for 3 Tips for Healthier Lawns and Gardens.

Any questions?

OK, this was a lot of information about a subject that’s a bit outside of our standard recipes and healthy eating inspiration! However, it’s something we’re passionate about as healthy eating means healthy living, too. Please let us know if you have any questions. Also, we’d love to know: do you think about this topic? Let us know in the comments below.

A Couple Cooks - Recipes for Healthy & Whole Living

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Instant Pot Stuffed Acorn Squash with Pecans

Homemade Frozen Yogurt with Sour Cherry Jam

Bright and tangy homemade frozen yogurt swirled with a mouth-puckering tart cherry jam for a combination that is utter perfection.

Frozen yogurt is the perfect way to satisfy that ice cream craving without the guilt. But making it at home isn’t as simple as throwing some yogurt in the freezer. I daresay I’ve cracked the code to homemade frozen yogurt that’s creamy, not icy, made from whole milk yogurt, sweetened to perfection and swirled (or drizzled!) with a tart cherry jam.

This recipe was created in partnership with Delallo®, our go-to brand for authentic Italian flavor, including pastas, sauces, and specialty imports.

This recipe was inspired by a particularly memorable cup of Greek frozen yogurt we enjoyed in San Francisco that was drizzled with this amazing sour cherry sauce (the place is called Souvla, for those wondering). I devoured mine, relishing this unexpected combination, and lamenting the fact that I couldn’t get anything comparable at home.

So when I heard about DeLallo’s new Sour Cherry Spread, I knew I had to try to recreate the frozen yogurt at home. I realize it was meant to be paired with cheese, on a gourmet cheese board for example (it’d also be great in a grilled cheese!), but I couldn’t resist the siren call of something sweet.

I have to say, sour cherry is one of life’s greatest pleasures. It’s tart and sweet and resoundingly fruity, all at the same time. And it makes for a FABULOUS jam. If we lived in a place where sour cherries thrived, I’d be buying them by the flat and making all manner of cherry jams and jellies, pies and pastries.

Alas, fresh sour cherries are exceedingly rare in this part of the country, so I have to satisfy my craving with store-bought. But in this case, DeLallo’s sour cherry spread will more than satisfy. Dare I say it’s even better than what I could make myself, with a chunky, rustic texture and a perfect sweetness that tastes homemade. This stuff is totally spoon-worthy. And paired with a tart and creamy frozen yogurt? Simply divine.

You’d think for a recipe with so few ingredients it would’ve been an easy one. But in reality, because of the lack of butterfat in yogurt (compared to ice cream) it’s actually really hard to get a creamy smooth consistency in consumer ice cream machines. I had to test this one 4 (count em, FOUR!) times before it got to the point where I was satisfied with it.

I tested it with plain yogurt vs greek yogurt, gelatin vs guar gum, swirled cherry vs drizzled cherry. I battled summer heat and freezer frost and waning daylight. But it’s all worthwhile to be able to share this recipe with you now!

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Granola Instant Pot Apple Crisp

Tellaro: Italy’s Best Kept Secret

Looking for Italy beach towns? Tellaro Italy is a hidden gem and one of the best places to visit in Italy. Here are tips for visiting this coastal town.

A few months ago, Alex and I took a dream trip to Italy, Croatia and Spain with our toddler son Larson. The first stop on our trip was magical Tellaro Italy, one of the best coastal towns in Italy. If you’re like me, you’re wondering: where the heck is Tellaro? Since we wanted our first city to be all about sparkling Mediterranean waters, Alex spent hours visiting some of the best beaches in Italy. He came up with Tellaro, a coastal town near Cinque Terre. But unlike Cinque Terre, it’s relatively undiscovered. As a family group of 8 people including 3 adventurous kids (Alex’s mom, brother and sister in law, and our niece and nephew were in tow), we ventured to this stunning little town. And all 8 of us fell head over heels for it. Keep reading for photos and everything there is to know about Tellaro Italy.

Related: 8 Secrets: How to Take Better Pictures on Vacation

Where is Tellaro Italy?

Tellaro is located on the Mediterranean Coast, on the northwestern side of Italy. It’s in the Liguria region of Italy (the Italian Riviera), which is also where the more popular Cinque Terre villages are located. The Cinque Terre (literally “Five Lands”) are five incredibly picturesque coastal villages that hug the Mediterranean cliffs. They’re dramatic and charming, but also incredibly touristy. I visited Cinque Terre back in 2003 when the villages were just starting to be discovered, and a handful of backpackers would hike between the villages. These days, the towns are swarming with tourists. So Tellaro was the perfect spot for us: basically an undiscovered Cinque Terre!

How do you get to Tellaro Italy?

The reason that Tellaro Italy is relatively quiet is because it’s a little harder to access than some of the other Italy beach towns. We flew into Rome and drove to Tellaro by car: it was about a 4 hour drive from the Rome airport. Since we were traveling with 8 people, we actually rented an 8 passenger van! Driving in Italy can be a little challenging, so it’s not for the faint of heart. The roads and signage can be confusing for Americans. We’d recommend driving in Italy only if you have previous driving experience in Europe.

If you’re not up for driving, you can get to Tellaro by taking a train to La Spezia and catching a bus out to Tellaro (at the end of the line!).

Where did you stay in Tellaro?

Somehow Alex found the best Airbnb on the planet for our stay in Tellaro: Villa Tregia! This rosy villa with French doors opening right onto the Mediterranean Sea was like a dream. One of my favorite memories is the squeals of my niece Julia when we first came to the house. We’re staying HERE?! Some of my favorite moments were sitting on the veranda and starring in awe at the sparkling blue Mediterranean waters that changed colors at different times of the day. This place has 4 bedrooms, a huge veranda and a private terrace right on the sea where we had some of our meals. It was also a 5 minute walk in one direction to the beach, and another 5 minute walk to the town center in the other direction. It was truly perfection.

This Airbnb was on the higher end of our budget. But since we had 8 people, splitting the price of this home between a few families made it not that much more expensive than a hotel stay. And to us, having the experience of a house right on the ocean was worth it! Plus, having our own kitchen and separate bedrooms for the kids was a priority for us, so we found Airbnbs in Italy were the way to go.

The only downside to this location, if there was one, was the mosquitos! While some of our travelers were unphased, I got massive bites all over my legs that were pretty uncomfortable. It’s common in this region of Italy to have lots of bugs in this season, and I was happy to take one for the team to experience the incredible beauty of this space. But just a note if you’re considering visiting this region and are sensitive to bug bites!

What is there to do in Tellaro?

Tellaro is a perfect sleepy beach town hideaway for living a quaint Italian life for a few days. To us and what we were looking for, it was one of the best places to visit in Italy. Here are a few of the activities that we enjoyed in Tellaro:

Going to the beach! Obviously. Tellaro is right on the Mediterranean and there’s a lovely small beach. Our Airbnb was in walking distance of the beach, which made it perfect for daily trips. And, it’s FREE!

Walking to town. Imagine the cutest Italy beach town imaginable. Then double that, and that’s what downtown Tellaro is like! It’s right on the Mediterranean and super sleepy. We were there during high tourist season, and there weren’t many people in the downtown area. Alex and I did an incredible golden hour shoot and got some amazing images — even of our toddler Larson! Because Tellaro is so small, you can walk everywhere.

Hiking. One day, Alex and his brother went on a hiking trail and found a secret beach (Spiaggia La Marosa). It was a pretty hardcore hike, but main the view at the end was worth it. This hike would be only for the most hardcore hikers. If you’re looking for the trail, ask a local for tips.

Eating, eating, and eating.  Because that’s what you do in Italy, right? Here are some of our favorite food experiences in Tellaro — see below.

What restaurants do you recommend in Tellaro?

Ristorante Gambero Nero This restaurant was right up the hill from our rented house, so it was the perfect fit for our first night when we were all jet lagged. The waiter took our orders for family style plates: huge platters of squid ink ravioli, pesto pasta with the most flavorful chunky pesto, whole baked fish, and spaghetti with clams. Maybe it’s because it was our first dinner together, but I’ll never forget looking around the table and thinking: THIS is it! The big family dinner in Italy. Here I was sipping a dry white feeding my toddler ravioli stuffed with lobster. Was I dreaming? There’s also something about waitstaff in Italy that is magical. Our waiter was not just there to serve food: he was there to help our family to enjoy ourselves. He was funny, charming, and knowledgeable. And instead of just bringing dishes, he helped guide us through the menu and seemed like he was having as good of a time as we were. It’s a memory seared in my mind forever.

Il Forno in Piazzetta This place was ultra casual and had all sorts of pizza and flatbread options — AND gelato. It was the perfect place for lunches with kids! The gelato was decent, not mind blowing, but it was perfect for the casual vibe we needed. (The best gelato we had in Italy was in Rome; post coming soon!) Here’s the selection of pizza and flatbreads in the photo below:

• Pizza ligure: a style of filled pizza (crust on the top and bottom) typical to the region
• Pesto pizza
• Farinata: a flat pancake made with chickpea flour
• Spinach & ricotta torta: this was our favorite! A pie of spinach and ricotta with a flaky crust

Cooking at home. One of our favorite things was going to the market and cooking something simple at home in our villa. Here’s a super simple meal we made in our villa kitchen using goods from the market:

• Cheese, cured meat, and marinated artichokes
• Veggies with fresh buffalo mozzerella, topped with olive oil and salt
• Pesto pasta
• Grapes

Is Italy good for kids?

Italy is great for kids! On this trip, we were traveling with three kiddos: our son Larson (17 months), our nephew Miles (5 years old), and our niece Julia (8 years old). The kids absolutely adored being in Italy. There was so much for them to do. Truly, our niece and nephew would have been happy spending the entire day at the beach each day! But they also loved the cultural aspects: trying new foods at all the restaurants and the market, walking into town, seeing the boats, and taking our day trips (below). That said, I think we have some pretty adventurous kids on our hands! Julia and Larson scarfed down octopus and mussels like it was no big deal. And gelato…and more gelato…and more gelato!

My niece Julia spent months before the trip reading up on Italy and Leonardo da Vinci. She loved learning about the culture! As Aunt Sonja, I gave her a diary as a present when the trip started. Each day we wrote in our diary what we loved about that day! We left space for her to add photos to the book when we returned. As time goes by, I hope this trip will be a formative memory for her. Alex and I are big proponents of traveling early with kids and exposing them to new cultures — and it was exciting to see the way that different personalities and ages experienced them. Larson being only 17 months had a total blast. At that age, he was pretty low maintenance in terms of what was a good time! Eating gelato, watching dogs, and dipping his toes in the Mediterranean were all equally exciting.

For our toddler Larson, we did not bring a stroller: we used our  LILLEbaby carrier and also just carried him! There are lots of stairs in Tellaro, so we preferred the freedom of the carrier. Because everything was pretty close together and we were close to town, Tellaro was easy to navigate.

Related: Traveling with a Toddler: Travel Beds, Packing List, & Tips!

What’s the best time to visit Italy?

Our trip to Tellaro Italy was right at the height of tourist season in July. Was this the best time to visit Italy? No. But, this was the only time that we could fit all of our schedules to visit. And, there’s just something about summer in Italy that has a lightness to it! Experts will tell you that the best times to visit Italy are April to May or mid September through mid October. However, we’ve gone to Italy in the summer a handful of times and have still loved it.

What day trips can you do from Tellaro Italy?

There are some great day trip options from Tellaro. For our day trips, we went to Pisa and Cinque Terre. Here are some of our tips and photos.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is not too far from Tellaro, basically in the middle of fields. I was surprised when we passed it on our way to Tellaro: it looked like an amusement park on the side of the highway. But sure enough, there was that signature tower: the real one, not the Fun House version of it! Since Pisa is only 1 hour from Tellaro, we decided to take a day trip to check it out. All the rumors are that Pisa is extraordinarily touristy. Did we find this to be true? ABSOLUTELY. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most touristy places I’ve ever visited! The moment we got into town, we hit a swarm of people from all of over the world taking photos of themselves holding up the tower. However, we found there was a way to do Pisa and not be too overwhelmed. And we ended up having a great time!

Can you go into the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Yes! But you’ll need tickets. To get Leaning Tower of Pisa tickets, we recommend buying them in advance here. We did not buy our tickets in advance, and the next available time for tickets didn’t work with our plan that day. However, there are other things to do in Pisa! You can go to the Cathedral and Baptistry, both free. We were surprised that the Leaning Tower of Pisa just one part of the massive church complex: the Cathedral and Baptistry are beautiful as well. Since it was a hot day, we sat on the grass in the shade of the Cathedral and let the kids roll around in the grass. Though it was simple, that’s one of my favorite memories of Pisa.

Where to Eat in Pisa

The other way to escape the crowds in Pisa is to spend time in the town of Pisa itself! Once we got away from the tower, it quieted down right away. Pisa is a charming little city and we enjoyed exploring the streets. Alex found a lovely little sandwich shop off the beaten path where we had some excellent artisan sandwiches called L’Ostellino. Think flavor combinations like: Cappicolo, pecorino, artichoke, olive tapenade, and Pecorino, pears, honey, walnut, rocket. We loved the simple, elegant combinations and it was an intimate space. This little shop even inspired our recipe for these Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Stacked Sandwiches. We’d recommend checking it out if you’re in Pisa as a casual but delicious lunch. Since we were only in Pisa for a few hours, we didn’t try any more restaurants. If you’ve been to Pisa and have restaurant recommendations, let us know in the comments below!

Cinque Terre

The other day trip we planned from Tellaro was Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre are some of the best coastal towns in Italy: five villages nestled into the cliffs. When I visited Cinque Terre 15 years ago, Cinque Terre hiking was the thing to do. All the backpackers we ran into were hiking the trails between the villages. I remember being awed by the bright blue waters and the quaint villages hugging the coastline. (After getting film photos from my point and shoot developed after my trip, I was so disappointed the photos barely did it justice. How times have changed!) Since my last visit, Cinque Terre has gotten more touristy, hence our decision to stay in Tellaro. However, we wanted to experience Cinque Terre for a day. To get there, we drove to La Spezia (about 1 hour away), and rode the train in to Cinque Terre.

All our guide books advised to be very careful on the trains because there are pickpockets when the tourist season is high. Since we were with 3 kiddos, it wasn’t the safest feeling. However, we all made it in one piece and had no issues! We visited two of the towns, Corniglia and Vernazza. Corniglia required going up a large amount of steps, so there was a lot of complaining from the older kids (!). The town is the quietest of the Cinque Terre, but not the most picturesque. However, we got a killer Basil Gelato at Alberto Gelateria, so that was the highlight! Our next stop was Vernazza.

Vernazza is incredibly picturesque and had just the views we were looking for! It required hiking up out of the city to get these lovely views, which was very sweaty on a hot day. (We left a few of the adults with the kids and just a few of us went up to get these photos.) Vernazza in July was very busy with tourists. It made us all thankful for quiet little Tellaro! Our most memorable experience in Vernazza was eating at Ristorante Belforte. It’s in an old castle and has incredible views of the water. We showed up right when they opened and somehow got a table even though most of them were reserved (we’d recommend reserving a table if you go). They led us out to a balcony surrounded by water on three sides and we all about fainted! Our waiter was hilarious and entertained the kids by wearing different hats every time he came out. The food was decent — good, but not our best food experience of the trip. However, the atmosphere was so fantastic that it remained a highlight to everyone on our trip.

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Our family had an incredible time in Tellaro that we’ll truly remember forever—especially those incredible family style meals lingering on for hours. Have you been to Italy or Tellaro? If not, what have been your most memorable vacations? We’d love to hear any questions or additions you have in the comments below!

More travel posts:

• Where to Visit in Italy, Croatia & Spain
• Travel Capsule Wardrobe: What to Pack for a Trip to Europe
• 8 Secrets: How to Take Better Pictures on Vacation
• Traveling with a Toddler: Travel Beds, Packing List, & Tips!
• Amalfi Coast & Capri Italy Travel Guide
• Rome & Naples Italy Travel Guide

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