Textures: San Marino

The Most Serene Republic Of San Marino is a land locked country within Italy. Along with being the fifth smallest country in the world, it is the longest surviving republic and guided by a six book constitution. The tale of this country is fascinating to read but staying for an extended period around the old town on Monte Titano, which is a literal castle in the clouds, can reveal the odd things the area does to cater to tourists.

Wine bottles that honor Hitler, gun shops engulfed by tacky gift shops, kitschy bottles of Grappa labeled “Grappa Della Gnocca” (roughly slang for Grappa of the pussy). It’s a gorgeous place to visit but a conflicting place to be if you don’t want to see pictures of Mussolini and Stalin when you’re just kicking it. Large-scale finance in micro states fuel some weird stuff.

Textures: Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is a collection of five Italian cites along the northwestern coast. South to North, they are: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. Each city varying slightly from each other. Monterosso having that only sand beach of the five, Corniglia has an ungodly 382 steps from the train station to the town, and Vernazza has a beautiful harbor that is engulfed by the town.

All five cities are (or used to be) connected by walkable trails that guide you through vineyards and are serviced a train line that becomes easier to ride without a ticket as winter approaches. There is a majesty to the coastline and its basalt columns and rocky shores that recall the rough beauty of Iceland. Each town is very much centered around fishing and serviced by boats. It’s easy to catch workers cutting up the catch of the day and order it an hour later at a small restaurant.

Riomaggiore

Manarola

Corniglia

Vernazza

Monterosso

Textures: Pompeii

Pompeii always seemed like a staple in history books that would turn up in pop culture every once and awhile. Another place in the world that seemed as unreachable as outer space from my small hometown.

Walking around the remains of the city is an experience. The layout is eerie. It was a full on city, just gone by the whim of nature. There’s a vacancy that carries terrifying undertones that remind you how fleeting the sense of man-made structures can be. Whether physical or mental.

The walls are still decorated, the roads are still there, and some say that Pink Floyd still echoes throughout the ruins at night once the tourists leave.

Textures: Venice

Venice is defined by its relationship with water.

The canals and gondolas are iconic and inseparable from any thought of the city. But it’s the alleyways that amplify the charm. Meandering, aimless pathways that intersect in unpredictable ways, dead-ending into the canals with little fanfare outside of some rope or steps.

The free form jazz that is walking the city is a magical experience. You learn to enjoy and embrace something when you see it, because there’s a chance you won’t find it again unless it’s near a major landmark. The combination of of a timeless city and this need to interact with things the moment you encounter them creates a magical environment.

Textures: Marseille

“Marseille Is The World”

The city is a landing point for immigrants coming from former French colonies. Being so, it is one of the most diverse parts of the country. Laying just beyond the cusp of the French Riviera, Marseilles mixes the beautiful waters of the Côte de Azur with a city that has struggled with industry decline and high unemployment levels. These identities are reflected throughout the city in the people, architecture, and smell.