freda's world adventures

Sept/Oct 2015 – 18 days tripping around northern Italy December 9, 2015

Posted by freda in Birmingham, Michigan.
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Yes, I know, Don and I are the last people on Earth who hadn’t been to Italy! (Though, to be accurate, I did go to Venice with my mother and sister 5 years ago, and to be sure, Italy wasn’t going anywhere, (except maybe Venice), and we’ve had the opportunity of some incredible travel elsewhere). So, the year of our 35th anniversary seemed like a great time to finally experience Italy.  I spent months planning our itinerary, reading, researching, getting recommendations, and I put together a pretty awesome 18 days, if I do say so myself. (Well, Don says it too. 🙂 ) So, pour yourselves a lovely Italian red (2010 was a particularly good year for Tuscan reds, we learned), sit back and enjoy.  Or, just pour the red, and walk away; I’ll never know.

We flew out of Detroit on September 15th, through London, England, to Rome. We had a 10-hour layover in London. We took full advantage of Virgin Atlantic’s “Revival” lounge, with shower, free breakfast and 10-minute facial, all of which was a great revival after the overnight flight that landed us in London in the middle of the night, our time.  Refreshed and ready to go, we stored our carry-on and took the subway into the city. Our first stop was to see the temporary sculpture exhibit in the Thames, to which a friend had alerted us (thanks Diane!)…

Entitled, “The Rising Tide,” by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor, it’s comprised of four riders on life-sized shire horses, and is meant to be a political comment on the impact of fossil fuels.  What is the coolest, is that it’s only fully visible at low tide (which is when we happened to be there, as you can see), and partially visible for two hours on either side of low tide (other variations of which you can see in the linked articles below). I had *no idea* the tide changed to such an extent on the Thames! (Don’t forget to just click on any pictures you’d like to see in full screen.)

I’m linking a few articles about the exhibit: this first one has great pictures – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3219367/Tourists-wanting-new-riverside-horse-sculptures-need-not-covered-Thames-tide.html

and this one, with more detail on the meaning of the work – http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/sep/02/underwater-sculptures-thames-london

From this exhibit, we tubed up to the British Museum and spent the rest of our available time there, wandering through some of the many rooms, eating lunch, staying out of the rain. And then, back on the underground to the airport, to check back in, and fly out.  We landed in Rome at 9 p.m. on Wednesday but, sadly, our luggage did not.  After registering this with Air Italia (yes, it’s clear why everyone says don’t fly with them), we got the transport to our hotel, a very lovely Marriott (we have points), exhausted and slightly dispirited.  The staff there were wonderful, urging us to not let the lack of luggage ruin a wonderful time, and after dumping our carry-on into the room, we headed up to the roof-top bar for a lovely bottle of wine and fresh breezes.  And then we slept a long and excellent sleep.

Can I just say here, as we began our first full day in Rome, (Thursday, September 17th), how prepared and organized I was?!?  (Indulge me.)  Because we planned to go by train everywhere, I insisted only one suitcase each, plus my purse and Don’s camera bag. (I knew it wouldn’t be easy lugging luggage on and off trains.) We could do laundry along the way. But, because we had a layover in London, we needed a change of clothes, so we packed our suitcases with everything, including a canvas duffle bag to be used as a carry-on, to make sure it all fit, and then we took out the bag and the items we would need for the layover, *plus* a change of clothes for our first day in Rome, and all the important paperwork for the first two cities we were staying, ‘just in case.’  Though we have had amazing luck in all our travels, somehow I had a feeling we needed to be prepared for delayed luggage.

Thankfully.

So, off we went for our first day’s adventure in Ancient Rome, or what Rick Steves calls doing the “Caesar Shuffle.”  We have come to like the Rick Steves’ tour books for anywhere in Europe, and one of the best things he has on his website is free downloadable podcasts, (also by app), basically audio tours for a number of sites, comparable to a private tour guide, but one you can ‘pause’ anytime you need.  We can’t recommend them enough! We had his book with us, and our iPods loaded up with his podcasts. First stop, the Colosseum.  I had followed Rick Steves’ advice before we left home, and bought combo-tickets to avoid ticket line-ups. First we stood looking from the outside, listening to Rick Steves give us history and details, and then moved inside (right past the line-ups!).  The audio tour is just the right amount of information, without being overwhelming.

You’ve all been there.  You know.  It’s a definite WOW when you stand in front of the Colosseum for the first time…

and the WOW just increases when you get inside…

What we hadn’t really known (though we probably learned it way back in grade 5 when we studied ancient civilizations!) was how the lower level of underground passages looked, where the gladiators, prisoners and animals were kept. Today’s colossuem is without the floor that covered all that.

From one of the upper levels, we had a great view of the Arch of Constantine, which commemorates a military coup by Emperor Constantine in A.D. 312, and his legalization of Christianity for the Roman Empire.

On to the Forum: ancient Rome’s birthplace and civic centre. It’s a lot of bits and pieces, but an extraordinary amount of history…

We entered at the Arch of Titus, a triumphal arch commemorating the Roman victory over the province of Judea, (Israel), in 70 A.D.  After the battle, the Romans brought home 50,000 Jewish slaves who were forced to build this arch that celebrates their defeat.

The Temple of Casor and Pollux (3 columns) was one of the city’s oldest, built in the 5th century B.C., commemorating the Roman victory over Tarquin, the notorious Etruscan king who once oppressed them.

The area of the Temple of Vesta is one of Rome’s most sacred spots, where 6 priestesses, known as the Vestal Virgins, lived, tending a fire that never went out, symbolizing the hearth and home of the extended family of Rome. The Vestal Virgins were honoured and revered by the Romans.

We were hot and hungry, so off we went, up Capitoline Hill behind the Forum, to the Capitoline Museum which has a second-floor café overlooking the city.  The museum is on the Piazza del Campidoglio, where the city’s government is also found.  In the 1530s, the pope asked Michelangelo to re-establish this square as a grand centre.  Michelangelo placed the ancient equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius as the centre focus, though it is a replica that stands here now…

…and he designed a grand stairway from the lower piazza up to the Campidoglio.

The museum is highly recommended, but we’ll have to see it next time…

After a reviving lunch, we walked down Michelangelo’s grand stairway, and around the corner to see the Victor Emmanuel Monument, of which Rick Steves says, “This oversized monument to Italy’s first king, built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the country’s unification in 1861, was part of Italy’s push to overcome the new country’s strong regionalism and create a national identity. The scale of the monument is over-the-top: 200 feet high, 500 feet wide. The 43-foot-long statue of the king on his high horse is one of the biggest equestrian statues in the world. The king’s moustache forms an arc five feet long. At the base of this statue is Italy’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, flanked by Italian flags and armed guards.”

On to the Pantheon… “The Pantheon looks like a pretty typical temple from the outside, but this is perhaps the most influential building in art history. The dome was the model for the Florence cathedral dome, which launched the Renaissance, and for Michelangelo’s dome of St. Peter’s which capped it all off. Even the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, was inspired by this dome. The Pantheon was a Roman temple dedicated to all (pan) of the gods (theos), originally built in 27 BC, but completely rebuilt in AD 120. After the fall of Rome, the Pantheon became a Christian church, which saved it and ensured its upkeep through the Dark Ages.”

We bought gelatos on the side street and meandered our way to the very lively Piazza Navona, an oblong-shaped square, retained from the original racetrack that was built around A.D. 80…

…at the centre of which is the Four Rivers Fountain, the most famous fountain by the man who remade Rome in the Baroque style, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Four river gods (representing the four continents that were known in 1650) support an Egyptian obelisk.

We were following Rick Steves’ “heart of Rome” walk to a certain degree, and at the same time sussing out an ‘aperitivo’ spot, so on we walked to Campo de’ Fiori, in the centre of which is a statue of Giordano Bruno, a philosopher heretic, burned on this spot in 1600 because he dared to sugget the Earth moved around the Sun…

We had a couple of reviving drinks at what a Fodor’s article had called one of Rome’s best bars for a classic Italian apertivo, Antico Caffè Della Pace, (though with renovations happening on buildings in the area, not quite the lovely spot the pictures had indicated), and then continued our Heart of Rome walk, heading to the Trevi Fountain.  Sadly, the Trevi was under renovations, boarded up, no water, and difficult to see.  We meandered back towards our hotel, and discovered a four-corners with fountains that were delightful, if not *quite* at the level of the Trevi.

Back at our hotel, we enjoyed a bottle of wine and pizza on the outdoor patio, with a lovely view of the fountain in the square. Rome is nothing if not full of fountains!

We woke up on Friday morning to the wonderful news our luggage had been delivered to the hotel in the middle of the night – YAY!  Off we went on our Vatican City adventure in fresh clothes.  I had booked timed tickets for the Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel for the afternoon, so first, St. Peter’s Basilica.  Well, first, in line for the security and dress code checks.  Words can not describe this “richest and grandest” church, whose atrium, alone, is bigger than most churches. We listened to a Rick Steves audio tour as we tried to take it all in….

From St. Peter’s square we walked to find lunch, checking out Rick Steves’ suggestions near the Piazza Risorgimento.  The outdoor seating looked lovely, but it was a blistering hot 35c, so we chose to eat in the air-conditioned inside of L’Insalata Ricca – brilliant choice! We revived in the cool air, with cold beer and excellent salad.  Back we went to the Vatican Museum for our 2:00 entrance time.  The museum is overwhelming – 4 miles of displays. We took in only a fraction on offer.

The highlight of the museum is the Raphael Rooms, and the highlight of the rooms, for me, was the “School of Athens,” frescoed by Raphael and his assistants. “It is remarkable for its blatant pre-Christian classical orientation, especially considering it originally wallpapered the apartments of Pope Julius II. Raphael honors the great pre-Christian thinkers – Aristotle, Plato and company – who are portrayed as the leading artists of Raphael’s day. There’s Leonardo da Vinci, whom Raphael worshipped, in the role of Plato. Michelangelo broods in the foreground, added later. When Raphael snuch a peak at the Sistine Chapel, he decided that his arch-competitor was so good that he had to put their personal differences aside and include him in this tribute to the artists of his generation. Today’s St. Peter’s was under construction as Raphael was working. In the “School of Athens,” he gives us a sneak preview of the unfinished church.”

From the museum we entered the Sistine Chapel.  You can’t take pictures there.  It is stunning.  Pictures would not do it justice.  It was jam-packed full, but we found a spot on the benches at the side, and sat looking up while listening to Rick Steves’ audio describing all we were seeing. We can’t emphasize enough how brilliant this was. While the masses pressed in all around, our ear buds blocked out the noise and it felt like we were alone, with Michelangelo’s vision. It’s incredible to know Michelangelo didn’t like painting, and yet created this. And changed the course of art.

When we exited the Sistine Chapel, we had access to the Dome of St. Peter’s. Together we took the elevator to the rooftop of the nave, and then up a few steps to a balcony at the base of the dome, looking down into the church interior.The dome, Michelangelo’s last work, is the biggest anywhere.

Out to the roof, where I waited while Don climbed the claustrophobic 323-steps to the top of the Dome…

We took a cab back to the hotel to rest and change for dinner. We had a reservation at Ristorante Sora Lucia, a lovely little non-touristy place recommended to us, close to the Trevi fountain area, which made it walking distance from our hotel.  We had an excellent meal.  After dinner we walked to the Spanish Steps, named for the Spanish Embassy to the Vatican, which has been there for 300 years. The Sinking Boat Fountain at the foot of the steps is, like all the fountains of Rome, powered by an aqueduct.

We found another fountain on the walk home…

…and we stopped by ‘our’ corner fountains, too…

On Saturday morning packing up was easy because we hadn’t had enough time with our suitcases to unpack!  One last goodbye to the fountain in front of our hotel…

…and we were off to the train station, to take a train to our next stop, Florence. It is said of the trains in Italy they’re unreliable, but we had smooth tracking on every train we took. Got a taxi from the train station to the Hotel Alessandra, a lovely old hotel just steps from the Ponte Vecchio in the heart of old Florence.

We would stay here again in a heartbeat, mainly to spend more time with Monti, the most-delightful concierge!  After checking in, unpacking in our room, taking a picture from our window..

…we went back to see Monti and ask where we could have lunch before our 4:00 entrance time at the Accadamia.  Well, turns out most places stop serving food by 2:30, and it was already a little past 2:00.  Monti suggested Zio Gigi, and phoned ahead to make sure they stayed open for us! We set off at a quick pace, and when we arrived, rather sweaty, we were greeted with singing!

Lunch was excellent; we highly recommend this delightful little place.  Off we went to the Accademia, to be blown away by David.  Several months before going to Italy, I read the very long and detailed The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone, about Michelangelo’s life and work. Seeing as much as I could of Michelangelo’s work was, for me, one of the thrills of the trip.  We listened to Rick Steves’ audio guide while we meandered through this excellent little gallery.

I found the incomplete “Prisoners,” and the apostle St. Matthew, by Michelangelo fascinating, and helpful to understanding his carving process.

After leaving the gallery, we took our first good look at the grandeur of Florence. First, the magnificent green, pink and white Tuscan-marbled Duomo.

Continuing on to the Piazza Della Signoria, the main civic centre of Florence, where in Renaissance times, the Palazzo Vecchio was the Town Hall, and is so again these days. (The David used to stand at the entrance, (there is a copy there now), but was moved to safety in the 19th century.)

The Fountain of Neptune is found here…

…as is the Loggia dei Lanzi, where Renaissance Florentines once debated the issues of the day. It’s an open-air gallery, full of “Medici-approved” stunning sculptures…

We walked through the Uffizi courtyard to the river, and Florence’s most famous bridge, Ponte Vecchio.

Back to our hotel to get a bottle of wine and sit on the small roof-top patio to enjoy the sunset…

Monti recommended the atmospheric Trattoria Bardino across the bridge for our dinner…

..and when we walked home across the bridge, we came upon live music, so we stood and enjoyed listening for a half hour..

 

Sunday morning, the streets were quiet as we headed out …

…to the Medici Chapels and Laurentian Medici Library, part of the Church of San Lorenzo, which was the parish church of the Medici family. The Chapels are the burial site of the Medici family. Michelangelo spent his teen years living with the Medicis, and was commissioned to create their final resting place. It is full of his stunning sculptures.

We had time for a refreshing gelato before our 12:30 timed entrance at the Uffizi, housing the greatest collection of Italian paintings anywhere. This gallery is overwhelming, but we followed Rick Steves’ audio tour for the must-sees, which was just the right amount of detail. Here, just a few highlights…

We ate lunch at the Uffizi café, on the terrace, with these views…

After completing our audio tour, we made our way to Santa Croce Church, a 14th-century Franciscan church, which holds the tombs of many great Florentines, including Galileo Galilei, Michelangelo, and Niccolò Machiavelli.

The inside of Santa Croce is also lovely..

We left the church to wander back to our hotel..

We had another wonderful dinner at Trattoria 13 Gobi (recommended by a friend)..

…and ended the night with a nightcap at the Westin Hotel rooftop.

Our first stop on Monday morning was the Riccardiana Library. Several years ago my mother gave me a gorgeous coffee table book, The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World, and this library in Florence is included. Some of the libraries featured in the book are not open to the public, but if they are, I want to see them. When I had looked up the library online, the most useful information was a review on tripadvisor that said “it takes an effort to get in….” That is an understatement!  When we arrived, the security guards, at a desk behind plexiglass, didn’t speak english – or wouldn’t. They shook their heads, pointed to the exit, indicated we should go next door.  Next door is the Riccardi palace, of more interest to tourists no doubt, but not to us!  We tried insisting, but they weren’t having any of it. Not sure what to do, we walked back out the door, only to find a gentleman leaning up against the wall, smoking a cigarette. He asked us, in English, what we wanted, and we told him we were interested in seeing this library. So, he said, “come,” and walked us back inside. He proceeded to have a discussion with the guards, none of which we understood, but the result of which was we were issued guest passes! This kind stranger then showed us to the elevator, said the library was on the 2nd floor, and went on his way.  Upstairs, we were asked to sign a guest registry, and to put our camera bag into a small locker, and then we were free to look around, though we felt they didn’t really want us there.  (It may be only open to researchers, after all.) We very surreptitiously took pictures.  Yes, it is gorgeous. The Riccardis, a prominent Florentine family, began collecting in the 1500s.

After thanking the staff, we left. Next we listened to a Rick Steves audio tour he calls “A Renaissance Walk Through Florence,” in which he paints a picture of the move from the Dark Ages to the Renaissance, which began in Florence. We had already seen most of what he described, but it was a good overview, starting at the Duomo, and ending at the Ponte Vecchio.

We took a taxi to the south side of the river, up to the Piazzale Michelangelo, for the best “picture post card” views of Florence.

A little further up the hill from this view is the San Miniato Church, where “according to legend, the martyred St. Minias was beheaded on the banks of the Arno in A.D. 250. He picked up his head and walked here, where he died and was buried in what became the first Christian church in Florence.” The green and white marble facade is lovely, and inside we were lucky to hear the monks chanting. I took a video while they chanted, scanning much of the inside of the church at the same time It was beautiful and peaceful….

We walked down the hill and through the San Niccolò neighbourhood, and stopped for a refreshing drink.

One last thing to do before dinner: check out the leather apparel.  We walked back to ‘our’ side, past the Mercato Nuovo, also known as the Straw Market because it originally was a silk and straw market, where “Il Porcellino,” a statue of a wild boar nicknamed “The Piglet” stands:

We had looked in several shops, but I’d seen a leather shawl in this one particular shop, so back we went. Don tried on a few jackets, but didn’t buy. I did buy the shawl. We really enjoyed talking with the owner, who is Italian but was born in Montana, where his grandfather has a bison ranch. Much of the leather products are made from bison leather.  After I’d settled on the shawl, he asked us if we’d like a glass of wine, and then ran off to the local bar for glasses for all, including another couple who had come into the shop, regular customers from the U.S.  It was a party!

Our last dinner was at Trattoria Sostanza, of which I’d read high praise in three separate places. http://www.elizabethminchilliinrome.com/2011/12/trattoria-sostanza-florence/ It’s ‘family style’ seating, that is, tables for eight, so you sit with others, and there’s no lingering because they have two seatings. We had a great meal. The “butter chicken” (very simply, chicken cooked in a LOT of butter) is to die for!! If you’re on your way to Florence, make a reservation!  After dinner we walked down to the river, found a little bar with views of the bridge, and enjoyed a last glass of wine in what became our favourite city on the trip.

Next stop: Venice.  On Tuesday, we took a morning train from Florence to Venice. When you exit the train station in Venice you are right on the Grand Canal – which is a great welcome!  We took the vaporetto (public transit by water) to the Ca’ Rezzonico stop, and then pulled our suitcases along the street to our hotel, Casa Rezzonico.  It looks a little shabby from the front, but our room was great, quiet in the back, overlooking a lovely yard.

After settling in, we headed out towards St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco). Rick Steves has an audio tour around the square, which is a perfect introduction to Venice. We stayed outside on this first afternoon, saving the interior of the Basilica and Doge’s Palace for the next day.

Alta Acqua Libreria, a book store I’d read about somewhere, and couldn’t believe I didn’t get to during my trip to Venice with my mother and sister. This was, in fact, in a completely new neighbourhood to me…

From the book store, we kept on wandering, general direction Rialto Bridge…

…and came upon a lovely square, Campo San Giovanni e Paolo, with one of the largest churches in the city, Basilica di San Giovanni e Paolo (yes, the squares are named for the churches)…

…where a group of boys were playing ‘football’…

…and best of all, just across the little bridge, a local bar, so small that the patrons had spilled outside, and stood on the bridge with their drinks. We joined them.

Off we meandered, which really is the best way to see Venice, getting lost and found as you go. We walked a great deal of the city this first day, in fact, and ended up having dinner in Campo Santa Margarita, a very large square fairly close to our hotel, ringed with bars and restaurants.

The next morning we had breakfast in the back garden of our hotel, which was nice, because it started raining later. It was the least adequate breakfast of all our hotels, but the garden was lovely…

And then we were off, heading back to St. Mark’s Square and the Doge’s Palace, for a booked “Secret Itineraries” tour, a sort of behind-the-scenes view of the palace…

What a surprise when we got to St. Mark’s Square!  Extra-high tides flood the square, but apparently they were very early this year; this doesn’t usually happen until November. I had only seen pictures of this; it was quite incredible to see in person, and more incredible to know this was just a slight high tide, that often the water is several inches high, and the square impassable.

I took fewer photos in Venice, because I had been here 5 years earlier and took so many at that time, (that blog is archived November 2010), and Don rarely takes the “big picture” photo, so we have none of the main Doge’s Palace courtyard.  Here are a few from inside the palace, on our tour of ‘behind the scenes’ offices and Hall of the Chancellery, the State Inquisitors’ room, the Torture Chamber, and prisons, including the prison from which Casanova made his “spectacular” escape in 1755, spectacular because it’s still not known exactly how….

After the tour we were free to wander through the other ‘public’ rooms of the Palace. Here’s the spectacular Hall of the Grand Council..

It was time for lunch.  It was also raining.  But, we had umbrellas, and off we went to a restaurant we’d passed the day before, on our way to the bookstore, that I’d seen recommended, Osteria al Mascaron.  It turned out to be delightful and delicious!  And there’s a story, too… When we entered, we were told we could sit anywhere except the table in the front window.  Okay. We chose another small table in the front room. A little later, the waiter opened a bottle of red and set it to breath on that front window table. We decided someone important was coming. Shortly after, an elderly gentleman came in, was happily greeted and sat at the table. It turned out he was the grandfather of the owner/chef, and he had the large table to himself. I thought maybe he was the original owner. We continued to enjoy our meal…

…and then, two young asian women came in, looked around, checked the back room, seemed uncertain, and suddenly “grandpa” was inviting them to share *his* table! They joined him and he poured them some of his wine! It turned out they were from Seoul, and the three of them used their Italian-Korean dictionary to enjoy some conversation and a delicious meal.  We left before they were done.  It would have been fun to see how it ended. 🙂

After lunch we returned to St. Mark’s Square to see the Basilica. It was still raining and along the way the colourful umbrellas were a photography treat. Don got some great shots:

At the Basilica we listened to a Rick Steves audio tour while we walked through. You can’t take pictures inside, of course, but from the upstairs you can go outside to the balcony with the bronze horses for a fantastic view. It was still damp; Don only took a few pictures and I didn’t take any. (As I already mentioned, you can check out my November 2010 Venice blog for more pictures.)

We also went to the Frari Church (Basilica di Santa Marioa Gloriosa dei Frari), full of art by Renaissance masters, and for which Rick Steves has an audio tour.

That evening we had the only terrible meal of our whole trip, and then a great evening at the Venice Jazz Club.  Yes, Venice is all about classical music (most especially Vivaldi), but we love jazz, and during my research before we left home, I had found out there’s a one-and-only jazz club in Venice. We had booked the night before, but it turned out that wasn’t necessary.  The tourists were all elsewhere, listening to Vivaldi.  A bottle of wine and great music made up for a horrible dinner.

On Thursday we started our day by following Rick Steves’ “Grand Canal Cruise,” listening to his audio tour as we rode the vaporetto from one end to the other. As you all know, Venice’s “main street” is lined with fascinating old palaces, stunning in their day, but now not in great shape – the definition of ‘shabby-chic’ I’d say.

The posts were painted with the equivalent of family coats of arms. Don captured a good variety:

Venice is a city of canals, bridges, gondolas, windows…. I focused on a few of those windows (though, not as many as my first visit!):

In the late afternoon, we took a gondola ride. It was incredibly peaceful gliding along the ‘back-street’ canals, sipping our bottled belinis…

Our last dinner in Venice was at a place I’d been before and knew was delicious: Osteria Enoteca Ai Artisti, a long name for a small place.  We had a lovely meal.

We had one last morning in Venice.  We packed up, did some walking, and had a delicious lunch…

…And then we were off, by train, to Verona, to spend 3 nights with my cousin Henriette and her husband Raffaello. They have a newly completed B&B, now open for business.   Check it out: http://www.bandballacadirosa.com/en/  We were the ‘test’ guests.  (I think we did very well! 😀 )

We had a lovely first evening, settling in – doing the much-needed laundry! – enjoying a wonderful meal together.  The next day, Henriette showed Don and I around parts of Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy, and very close to Verona.

From here we drove south again, to the town of Peschiera del Garda, to wander the streets and eat a delicious gelato. Henriette and I also found a necklace we both liked, so we each bought one and presented it to each other for our birthday presents; our birthdays are just two days apart.

While I focused on gardens and buildings and windows, Don focused on boats…

That night we had dinner just a 5-minute walk from the B&B, at the local “agriturismo” – a working farm that has a restaurant, (or is a B&B), and that to qualify for the “agriturismo” label, must make more of its money from farm activities than from the tourist side.  This farm raises boars, as well as other products, and their menu features many items using the boar.  Raffaello ordered us a large number of dishes, so we could sample everything!  I have never been so stuffed!

We waddled home for a glass of stomach-settling grappa before bed.

The next day, Henriette took us into Verona.  First we drove up the hill for an overview of this lovely city…

Also on the hill is the Santuario Madonna di Lourdes, a modern shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes, that was tranformed from an Austrian military fort.

We drove down into the city, and Henriette dropped us off to explore while she did some work.  We followed Rick Steves’ walk through historic Verona, starting at the ancient arena, a reminder that the city’s history goes back to Roman times.

We came to Piazza Erbe, a market square that in Roman times was a forum. The column has a Venetian lion on the top, reminding locals of the conquest of 1405, when Venice ruled until Napoleon came in 1796.

We wandered through the square and down the street to the “House of Juliet.” Yes, Juliet was fictional, but the Capulets were likely based on a real family, and Verona’s tourist trade thrives on the association. This courtyard was created in the early 1970s. The walls of the passageway into the courtyard are covered in graffiti..

We left the courtyard…

…meandering our way to Piazza dei Signori, which translates to “Lord’s Square.” The buildings in this square, which span five centuries, are all linked by arches. A statue of Dante stands in the middle. Dante was expelled from Florence when that city sided with the pope (who didn’t appreciate Dante’s writing) and banished its greatest poet. Verona and its ruling Scaligeri family, however, were at odds with the pope (siding instead with the Holy Roman Emperor), and granted Dante asylum.  We ate lunch here, while Dante kept his eye on us.

Through a passageway from Piazza dei Signori, into the courtyard of the Palazzo della Ragione, and this grand staircase..

Continuing on, we came to these very Gothic 14th-century tombs, of the Scaligeri family.  The Scaligeri were to Verona what the Medicis were to Florence. Apparently they changed the laws so that they could be buried within the town.

From here we went to the Church of Sant’Anastasia, built from the late 13th century through the 15th century.

The church guide says: This “Holy Water Stoup (1495)” was carved by Gabriele Caliari, featuring a hunchback, a figure which from immemorial times has always appealed to the superstitious. It is said that touching a hunchback on the hump brings good luck.

Continuing our walk along the Adige River, to the Ponte Pietra. The white stones of this footbridge are from the original Roman bridge that stood here. After the bridge was bombed in WWII, the Veronese fished the marble chunks our of the river to rebuild it.

Further along the river, these young men practising their paddling in the rapids…

… to our last stop of the walking tour, the Duomo..

Henriette picked us up and we went back to the B&B for a last delicious dinner and evening together. Thank you to Henriette and Raffaello for a wonderful time!

The next morning, Henriette took us to the train station for our journey to Cinque Terre, via a train change in Milan.

We arrived in Monterosso al Mare, the most northern of the Cinque Terre towns…

…and pulled our suitcases up hills to find our hotel, Hotel la Colonnina.

We settled in and then went out to walk around Monterosso..

The next morning we were off to explore the other towns.  Cinque Terre is interesting. I first came to know of it through reading the book Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (which I loved).  The Cinque Terre National Marine Park was founded in 1999, though of course the towns have been there for years and years and years.

We traveled by the ferry, which only runs in good weather, and doesn’t stop at the hilltop town of Corniglia. We were lucky for the good weather (cloudy and cool to start, gloriously warm and sunny by noon) and we, consequently, skipped that hilltop town, though we took a few pictures of it from the ferry.  These 5 villages are stunning!!  Which is code for, “reader beware: many MANY pictures ahead.”  😀

We stayed on the ferry to the last town, Riomaggiore, and started our exploring there…

Ever since Napoleon – who was king of Italy in the early 1800s – decreed that cemeteries were health risks, Cinque Terre’s burial spots have been located outside the towns.

Last Christmas, during a get-together with family friends, we discovered that one of those friends, Sylvia, was going to be in Cinque Terre on the very same day as we were! Since we were both only there for one full day, this seemed incredible. Having met up with Sylvia and her daughter in NYC a few years ago, entirely unexpectedly, we knew we had to make the effort to meet in this far corner of the world. Sylvia had done the hiking between the villages, while we were ferrying, but we texted and connected, and met for a late lunch.  Now we just have to plan our next “chance” encounter!

The next morning we had a short walk around Monterosso…

…and then we got the train to La Spezia, just south of the Cinque Terre towns, where we picked up a rental car and had lunch before heading to our last stop, Siena.

On the way, though, we took the time to visit Carrara, where the world’s most famous marble quarries are found – where Michelangelo traveled to pick out the white marble for his masterpieces.  It was AMAZING!  We had no guide to this town, other than to know there was a museum to check out. First, though, we wanted a close look at the marble mountains, so we just started driving up the narrow, winding mountain road.

In town, we went to the Civic Museum of Marble, which traces the story of marble-cutting from pre-Roman times to the present.  They had four short films that were very worthwhile and informative, as well as tools and slabs of every kind of marble from around the world (which we perused quickly).

Then, we were on our way to 3 nights in Siena, medieval Florence’s archrival, a beautiful hill town in the Tuscan region. We stayed at the lovely Pensione Palazzo Ravizza. We got there just in time to sit out in the garden, enjoying a bottle of wine and watching the sun set.

Among some lovely features, this hotel comes with its own book shop 🙂

But, absolutely *zero* counter space in the bathroom. The extra toilet rolls balanced on the tissue box mounted on the wall! Handily, bidets can have multiple purposes… 😀

The concierge recommended a great spot for dinner, La Taverna del Capitano, and then we wandered a little through town, enjoying our first views:

The next day we explored Siena.

Our first stop was the Duomo, dating back to 1215, with the major decoration done during Siena’s heyday, 1250-1350.

We climbed up a tight spiral staircase to the roof over the museum for some great views on a blustery day…

…and then went into the Duomo musuem, full of sculptures by Giovanni Pisano, who spent 10 years in the late 1200s carving and orchestrating the decoration of the cathedral..

and then into the Duomo itself.  The heads of 172 popes, who reigned from Peter’s time to the 12th century, peer down from above.

Into the Piccolomini Library: Brilliantly frescoed, the library captures the exuberant, optimistic spirit of the 1400s, when humanism and the Resaissance were born. The never-restored frescoes look nearly as vivid now as the day they were finished 550 years ago. (Because of the bright window light, candles were unnecessary, so didn’t ruin the art with soot.) The painter Pinturicchio was hired to celebrate the life of one of Siena’s hometown boys – a man many call “the first humanist,” Aeneas Piccolomini (1405-1464), who became Pope Pius II. The library also contains intricately decorated, illuminated music scores and a statue of the Three Graces (a Roman copy of a Greek original).

Around the corner into the Bapistery…

Back outside, there was this fascinating sculpture

Back to wandering through the town, each neighbourhood, or “contrada,” has their own flag and coordinated lamp posts.  These have to do with the famous horse race, the “Palio di Siena,” that Siena holds in the huge main square.

We ate lunch at one of the many restaurants on this square, outside, under big tarps, as the rain came down and the wind blew. Luckily it eased off after lunch and we wandered a bit further, up a steep hill and several stairs, to the Church of San Domenico, dedicated to St. Catherine of Siena, who is considered the patron saint of Europe (along with St. Benedict).  There’s nothing special about the large plain church, but I thought the stained glass inside quite interesting, like a child’s drawing.

One of the best things we did in Italy came next: a 2-hour tasting class at the Tuscan Wine School. While listening to just the right amount of history and grape-growing details, we sampled 5 generous pours of different Tuscan wines, with a little bread, olive oil and cheese.  Just perfect! Of course we bought a couple of bottles.  And afterwards, ate dinner at a restaurant recommended by our sommelier for its’ food-wine pairings…

The next day we went on a road trip to two near-by Tuscan hill towns: San Gimignano and Volterra.

We went to San Gimignano first. It’s famous for its medieval towers; 14 remain of an original 72. Before effective city walls were developed, rich people fortified their own homes with these towers.

From this piazza we walked uphill to Rocca d Parco di Montestaffoli, to what is left of a 14th century fortress, and great views of the town and surrounding countryside.

Back down and into town again, to Piazza della Cisterna, named for the cistern that is served by the old well standing in the centre of the square. A clever system of pipes drained rainwater from the nearby rooftops into the underground cistern. This square has been the centre of the town since the ninth century.

It’s not a big town. It was time to carry on to Volterra.

Our first stop in Volterra was to eat lunch. Perfect timing, as it had started raining. I ordered Tuscan bread soup with sausage… When the waiter brought my ‘plate’ I shook my head, but he assured me it was, indeed, Tuscan bread soup!  Funniest ‘soup’ I’ve ever had, but it was delicious!!

The rain had stopped, temporarily at least, so it was time to explore the town. Just outside the restaurant, these views:

More than 2,000 years ago, Volterra was one of the most important Etruscan cities. Eventually Volterra was absorbed into the Roman Empire, and for centuries it was an independent city-state. Volterra fought bitterly against the Florentines, but like many Tuscan towns, it lost in the end and was given a fortress atop the city to ‘protect’ its citizens. Volterra’s most famous sight is its Etruscan arch, built of massive volcanic tuff stones in the 4th century B.C. The three seriously eroded heads, dating from the first century B.C., show what happens when you leave something outside for 2,000 years. The newer stones are part of the 13th century city wall, which incorporated parts of the much older Etruscan wall.

Volterra’s City Hall (c. 1209) claims to be the oldest of any Tuscan city-state. Town halls like this are emblematic of an era when city-states were powerful. They were architectural exclamation points declaring that, around here, no pope or emperor called the shots. Towns such as Volterra were truly city-states – proudly independent and relatively democratic. They had their own armies, taxes, and even weights and measures. For a thousand years this square hosted a market, and the “cane” cut into the City Hall wall, was the local yardstick.

It started raining again, so time to duck into a shoe store for a lovely pair of Italian leather shoes.  🙂

A last overview – of the road we traveled to get to this hill-top town, and on which we had to go back down…

…and then we were off, back to Siena for dinner.

The next day, Saturday, was our last day in Italy.  The weather was glorious, the only really nice day we’d had in Siena, so we started the day by walking around town, taking some pictures of the sights in the sunshine. I encorporated some of those pictures in the above narrative, but we saw a few new things, too.

We stumbled on a small park with more statues by the artist Xu Hongfei – such joy in these faces!

This same park also had a look-out over a part of the town. It was completely foggy in the distance, but hard to tell in the picture…

Back into the centre of town, at the Il Campo, it was clear something was happening. When we asked, we found out they were setting up for the celebration of the winner of the Palio, the horse race which takes place in this square earlier in the summer.  What a production!

Leaving the square, we headed back to the hotel…

…to check out of the hotel, load up the car and head towards Rome.  Along the way, we stopped in a small town called Tarquinia, as recommended to us by (cousin) Raffaello. Tarquinia is one of the most ancient of Etruscan cities, (they came before the Romans), and a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the Etruscan tombs found there.

First we had lunch at a little place..

…and then we walked a little around the town -it really felt old…

…finally, we went to the tombs site…

Most of the tombs were accessed by a steep steep staircase. One was cut out for wheelchair access..

After going down the steps of several of the tombs, all of them slightly different, we decided we’d seen enough. It was really hot, and we still had a 2-hour drive to our hotel at the aiport, and had to return the rental car.  We walked back through town to our car, I got one last window shot..

..and we were on our way.  We had dinner at the hotel, organized our suitcases and carry-ons, and that was it. Our amazing Italian adventure was over.

I didn’t save a ‘perfect’ picture to end this blog, but I bought some lovely “old-fashioned” postcards somewhere along the way, so I’ve grouped them, and this will be “the end.”   Arrivederci!