Prior to my trip, whenever I mentioned to people the places I was going to be visiting, they stopped and gasped when I said 'Cinque Terre'. "Oh my goodness, you will love it -- it is so beautiful," was the standard reaction. Turns out, they were right! After a breathtaking bus ride to one of the five villages atop a peak, Trafalgar Tours hooked us up with a fabulous guide who took us on walks through the villages and showed us the most beautiful views of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. As a self-professed lover of all-white interiors, I was surprised to find how inspired I was by the colourful buildings at Cinque Terre. The pinks, yellows, greens and oranges were bold, but also muted amongst the aged rooftops and cracked foundations. I would love to include these colours in my own home, whether in artwork or ceramics. Like most of Italy, Cinque Terre also had a bunch of specialty food stores with local treats. I stocked up on fresh olive oil, pesto and -- of course -- wine. I'm really excited to do some Italian cooking, especially with the extra virgin olive oil. It seriously tastes nothing like the stuff you buy in North America because it is so fresh -- straight from the grove to the bottle. xo, Lauren P.S. The last image is the walkway along the coast, that takes you from village to village. Nicknamed 'Lovers Lane', visitors leave padlocks and make a wish for the one they love. These padlocks are everywhere, from gates to railings to safety grates. Beautiful!