Clara in Germany!

If you are looking for a serene, picture-perfect break from city life, look no further than the medieval town of Lucca, situated in the region of Tuscany.  Since Lucca is flawlessly beautiful, has an actual moat, and is Puccini's birthplace, it receives a lot of tourism.  Although local, cheap eats can be hard to find on a Sunday surrounded by tourists traps, Pan di Strada is the ideal place for a four euro panini filled with fresh prosciutto and truffle cream.  After a delicious and cheap panini, you'll probably want to lie down in a lush meadow and doze off. Lucky you, because in Lucca, that is what Sunday is all about.  Pan di Strada Dubious bikers Park View Residential Area

While Genoa might sound like the name of a Disney princess, it is in fact a grime-covered port city located in the Ligurian region. Liguria is the postcard-gorgeous coastal region of Italy, which is home to lux vacation destinations such as Cinque Terre and the impossibly chic Portofino. Gritty Genoa, however, eats chic summer bungalows for breakfast.  Walking around Genoa with my camera in hand, I received looks of skepticism and confusion. While Genoa has its moments of grandeur, it mostly consists of dark, wet streets and crumbling residential housing. And yet, once you have a taste of famous Genovese pesto, or a bite of crispy focaccia, your fear of being mugged at any given second seems to dissipate. For a truly local experience, I went to Cucina Mario, located near the port in an unassuming back-alley. Surrounded by families and sailors on their lunch break, I started out the meal with fresh seafood drizzled with olive oil, foll...