After enjoying a relaxing day in Strasbourg, it was time to switch hiking teams. My sister was leaving and my brother Tristan and my dad's cousin and her husband (though they feel like way closer family) Loek and Marina, were joining. We started early in the morning. The route wasn't too long, but first we … Continue reading Along the Rhine, tasting more wine. (Strasbourg, Rheinau, Bühl, Baden Baden, Karlsruhe)
For the first time in months my hiking team consisted of a family member again! My sister was visiting me from Colmar to Strasbourg. As mentioned before, I think Colmar is one of the most beautiful (if not the most beautiful) towns I have ever been. I couldn't let me sister arrive here and start … Continue reading Wine in the Alsace / Elsass region (Colmar – Sélestat – Benfeld – Strasbourg)
During a very relaxing day in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Marlies joined. We drank wine and ate pizza, life was good. The next day we took the train back to Aulla to start hiking up the Apennines via the Via Francigena, to the Cisa Pass (Passo della Cisa). Rain was in the air. It took a … Continue reading Over the Apennines (Aulla – Pontremoli – Passo della Cisa – Cassio – Fornovo – Parma)
We (Jelle and me) were following the Via Francigena further North. Getting to a lesser known part of Tuscany, and briefly dipping our toes in Liguria before returning to Tuscany. Going slightly up to start the Cisa Pass (Passo della Cisa) over the Apennines. But first, a day trip to Florence (Firenze in Italian). Because, … Continue reading Of coasts and hills (Lucca – Massa – Sarzana – La Spezia/Cinque Terre – Aulla)
So the hiking team changed. For the next week and a half I'm hiking together with Jelle, a friend from college. We're continuing along the Via Francigena heading North, starting in San Gimignano making our way -eventually- to Aulla. We started with a rest day in San Gimignano. I earned it, Jelle still has to … Continue reading More wine, and more of Tuscany (San Gimignano – Gambassi Terme – San Miniato – Lucca)
A new hiking team has arrived! Sytske and Anne, good friends of my parents, were walking with me through Southern Tuscany. We had expected it to be a beautiful stretch of the Via Francigena, little did we know just how beautiful it was! We left early in the morning when our dad dropped us off … Continue reading The most beautiful part: Southern Tuscany (San Quirico – Siena – Monteriggioni – San Gimignano)
After a nice rest day (with road trip!) in Bolsena it is time to hike on. I'm following the via francigena further north. My dad still can't hike, so Lorenzo from our B&B brings him by car! From Bolsena the next stop is Acquapendente. Halfway is the town of San Lorenzo Nuovo. 5 years ago … Continue reading Reaching Tuscany (Bolsena – Acquapendente – Radicofani – San Quirico d’Orcia)
And we are continuing along the Via Francigena. We were in Sutri. Sutri is a beautiful town on a hill with an ancient amphitheater under it (see last post). The next day would be a hard and long one to Viterbo. But since my dad is injured, we had to take the bus. I can't … Continue reading Hiking to lake Bolsena (Sutri – Viterbo – Montefiascone – Bolsena)
Hi everyone! It’s time for a first post of the 2018 trip. My dad is hiking with me from the start. Despite both of us (but he more than I) being in bad physical shape, our hopes were high. The trip started in style. We flew KLM to Rome and due to a good frequent … Continue reading 2018: Start from Rome (Rome – La Storta – Campagnano di Roma – Sutri)
Welcome! My name is Irina and I’m about to continue the most fantastic trip I ever had. In 2013 I had a crazy plan. I booked a one-way ticket to Athens and wanted to walk either back home (in Holland) or to some other place. No plans, no obligations, no strings. I’ve had the most … Continue reading About
Back in 2013 I kept a blog (at 3millionsfootsteps.com). That blog no longer exists, but I still have the blog entries. I posted them below at the corresponding dates. So, if you're not sure what your signing up for, read the adventures and be part of the next!
And a new page with the past (2013) and the future (2018, still to come) photos has been added. If you don't want to read the whole story, you can just look at the photos and see what you have been missing out on ;).
It is on. The schedule is ready. The first people that are walking bits with me have signed themselves up. The 2013 story is coming along. It is so on.
Back in Rome again. In the rain... Rome and I have a difficult relationship together, with the weather always being less than optimal. Luckily I've already seem all the touristy landmark stuff, so I can hide myself somewhere dry. It turned out to be the library. Good place to relax, reading random -very old- Italian … Continue reading Rome; of Popes and Vaticans
Yeah, that’s right. Avezzano and Ortona twice. I got lost big time. Roads in Italy go crazy. No, not true. I didn’t get lost. I returned to Ortona intentionally and out of my own free will… I left Laroscia (Where I stayed with Verino and from where we attempted to conquer the Maiella) in the … Continue reading About hills, more hills and a conference (Laroscia – Ortona – Pescara – Sulmona – Avezzano – Ortona – Avezzano – Tivoli)
In ancient Roman times, people needed to relax sometimes as well. Escape the hectic everyday life of Rome. They needed like a holiday park. And they built one, well… several actually. But one of them is Alba Fucens. Avezzano (about 100kms East of Rome) used to be based at the edge of a big mountain lake. … Continue reading Alba Fucens
The lady with the white hair. That’s what it looks like. She has been staring at me for the past few days. I was drawing closer, but still she looks distant. Yet everywhere I went, she was there. The big, big mountain you can see from everywhere at the coast of Abruzzo. And beyond. The … Continue reading The Maiella
Abruzzo, a name I had never heard before. And I’m seriously wondering why. Because it is a beautiful, beautiful place. Imaging walking on a green mountain, the top covered in snow, a nice 20°Celsius, the sun shining and a beautiful view on the blue Adriatic sea. That is Abruzzo. I got to the coast in … Continue reading The coast of Abruzzo (Termoli – Laroscia – Ortona – Pescara)
In the otherwise pretty flat landscape of Puglia lies a mountain, almost entirely surrounded by sea, called Mount Gargano. It is a mountain of miracles. It is also the first real mountain I am going to climb with my gear-less city bike. Good luck with that. But it isn’t called the mountain of miracles for … Continue reading The wonders of mount Gargano (Manfredonia – Monte Sant’Angelo – San Giovanni Rotondo – San Severo)
The (Alta) Murgia is a national park. It is an area with hills between Altamura and Corato/Andria. I happened to cycle through it on my way from Altamura to Corato. The main sight is Castel del Monte, maybe better known as the castle on the 1-cent-coin of Italy. It is a weird, weird castle, but … Continue reading Alta Murgia
Irina Versteeg 