After lunch at Gino e Toto Sorbillo Neapolitan Pizza Restaurant and walking down via dei Tribunali, we ran into these street musicians. They were having so much fun, we had to take a few videos of them and thank them for their good work, very entertaining. Enjoy!
Chiaia Naples, Italy – Initial Video Tour
Our first day and a half in Chiaia, Naples. A few quick videos to introduce the city we will be spending the next few weeks in, enjoy.
Milan, Italy – Da Vinci Revisited
On our return trip from Romania, we took a few days from the 22nd to the 24th of September, to stay in Milan with our sons. The point was to relax a bit, before they took their return flight from Malpensa Airport back to the States, and to see a few of the sights. We were lucky enough this time to have had the luxury of purchasing tickets. That is, within six months of their use, in order to visit Da Vinci’s Last Supper and Crucifixion, two works by him that are the most difficult to see. Luckily, few people for various reasons are able to travel or visit these works now, making access to them more readily available. So we jumped at that chance when we saw tickets were in fact available.
I am not going to comment on Da Vinci’s work, but let his masterpieces speak for themselves.
Hotel Manzoni
Located in Milan’s Quadrilatero Della Moda section, this four star hotel can be found on Via Santo Spirito. Both outside and inside are quite compact and very well kept. There is a bellman to help with luggage and front desk that is occupied around the clock.
Our rooms were suites and rather spacious for being in the historic part of Milan. Most floors are decorated in marble with tastefully chosen chandeliers, some of which are from Murano.
Museum Cenacolo Vinciano
The museum is located in Piazza di Santa Marie della Grazie and contains the works of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper and Crucifixion.
Da Vinci’s Last Supper
Da Vinci’s Crucifixion
Legend:
- Christ
- Tito
- Dimaco
- St. Vincent Ferrer
- Ludovico il Moro
- St. Peter Martyr
- Virgin Mary
- St. Dominic
- Mary Magdalene
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- St. John
- St. Catherin of Siena
- Beatrice d’Este
- St. Maragaret of Hungary
Restaurants
Near Hotel Manzoni are several very good restaurants, as is per usual in most Quadrilateral sections of Italian cities. Since we did not have a lot of time to spend in Milan, the below two were identified and chosen based on customer reviews and not necessarily the most common ones used on the internet. Anyone visiting should expect the prices to reflect the food and the historic area they are in. Complaining about prices, when you probably should be eating street pizza, is just a waste of your time and money.
Il Salumaio Di Montenapoleone
Though it receives only a mid four star rating on one site in the internet, that should not deter anyone from visiting. Keep in mind, that if you are from a country like the U.S. or one similar to it from Europe, service times are not the same in Italy and may not match your expectations. Service usually takes around two hours, especially if you order wine and any other extras, but it is first rate. Dress is casual and the food and service are excellent.
Ristorante Bice
Also known as Da Gino e Bice (from Gino and Beatrice) or just Bice, this Tuscan inspired restaurant has been a mainstay of Milan cuisine for more than a century. The restaurant’s upscale interior matches its food. It is also situated in Montanapoleone on Via Borgospesso and a short walk from our hotel.
This restaurant has an excellent menu and wine list, though upon further inspection I found the wine list needing a bit of an update in the Barolo section. But we found an acceptable one nonetheless. Again, being in a very trendy area where Fendi, Prada and other stores are located, the prices reflect the location and the menu’s quality.
Cuneo, Italy – A Piedmont Gem
We left Turin in a rain storm, just getting into our carriage before the rain really came down hard. It poured most of the way and we saw several instances of lightning as we traveled to Cuneo, giving us the foreboding feeling that perhaps we had made a terrible mistake.
When we arrived, it was still raining terribly hard and we were trapped in the train station for a little over fifteen or so minutes. But I checked my phone and the weather radar application on it gave every indication it was going to pass soon, and thankfully it did, though it would continue to threaten us for the remainder of the morning.
Cuneo appears at first sight to be a clean, very well kept city. In many respects, unlike its larger brother to the north Turin, it has every indication of being a very pleasant place to live. One rarely finds any graffiti and the number of animals seems much less than other cities in Italy, and Europe over all.
As the man on Corso Nizza will suggest, sporting his shiny clothes and shoes, everything is just perfect in this little city.
The main attraction is Corso Dante Alighieri, which after the main piazza, Piazza Galimberti, turns into via Roma. It is a traditional historic center promenade, with its wide street and classic Sampietrini, it offers a great place to walk and many places to shop and eat.
Having only spent the day here, we carefully chose our place to lunch, after researching several opportunities prior to leaving. Fortunately, Cuneo provides many top places to eat, most of which open at or around 12:30 and will close by 2:30 to 3:00, in traditional Italian style.
Restaurants – 4 Ciance
Our first choice was Osteria dei Colori, but it was no longer open for lunch. After that, it was the process of elimination and we finally ended up at 4Cinace.
This restaurant is typical of today’s fine dining establishments, part art, part harmony, mostly excellent food. Paired with an excellent wine and you are in for a delicious time.
Cuneo appears to be an excellent place to live. Very close to the Maritime Alps and the sea, one can easily get to the beach for a weekend get-away. Nestled close to the Alps it must be an easy drive to the mountains during winter for a quick ski holiday. Or, just stay home and enjoy the city itself, dining in one of its many excellent restaurants or Osterias.
Back in Turin
Making Our Way Back
Not to make light of the pandemic, but we have shaken off the disease for now and are finally back in Turin after nine long months of rest and relaxation in North Carolina. Having gotten vaccinated some time ago, we booked a non-Covid flight and hoped for the best.
Our flight was full and everyone thankfully wore masks. It did however leave an hour late, because there are just some people in this world who either cannot read directions, or just live in the own alternative reality. So, it took an hour out our lives so that the crew could find their bags and leave them behind.
So, some advice: If you cannot, or simple do not want to follow directions, please DON’T TRAVEL!
The train from the airport to Milan was about half full and it appeared that things in Italy were getting back to normal.
However, when we reached Milano Centrale, we discovered that this big city still suffers from post-pandemic stress. Just the shear lack of passengers and movement within the train station, was a bit disconcerting.
But we finally made it back to Turin and found our apartment essentially how we left it. With a little cleaning and adjustments here and there, if anything just to knock out the dust (caused by lack of use), everything was back in good working order.
Turin Restaurants Are Alive And Well
Luckily we found the restaurants, Osterias, Piolas and bars in Turin all open and waiting for business. We wasted no time in sampling what we had missed for the past nine months, finding the food just as appetizing and delicious as when we left.
Ristoranta Sciamadda
A restaurant on our list of places to visit, the Ristorante Sciamadda is a very busy place during lunchtime in Turin.
This restaurant specializes in typical Ligurian Seafood fare and at very reasonable prices. They have a good wine list and sell wines by the glass or bottle that will match nicely with anything you pick from the menu. Appertifs are something different though. If you ask for a Sambuca, you will most likely be politely rebuffed and suggested to try one of the Ligurian Appertifs. I chose the Pernambucco which was chilled and very refreshing. Infused, I can only say that it tastes like a mixture of oranges and lemons and is quite refreshing. So do not be dismayed, though I would not put it in my caffé!
Piola Sabauda Osteria
Kind of a play on words, since Osteria and Piola actually mean the same thing. Piola derived from the local Piedmonte dialect and Osteria a general term used in Italy to define an establishment that has homestyle cooking. This term apparently tacked onto the end of some restaurants to attract non-native Italians and tourists familiar with that term only.
For lunch, Patti had the Plin al Sugo D’Arosto and I had the Agnolotti al Ragu Bianco. Both were very good, well seasoned and served with a mixed salad provide a sufficient lunch for anyone. We are going to have to stop this, or we are going to put on too much weight..!
Ritten – Hiking Paradise
The plateau of Ritten is one of the great places to hike and enjoy the Alto Adige. Fresh air, sun and absolutely gorgeous fields and woods brought me right back to my own childhood. Their are tons of insects and birds here and I never got tired of hearing the constant whizzing, whining and chirping. Stress relief for one’s soul and probably one of the big reasons why so many come here to relax and enjoy life. I know we did.
Hiking Oberbozen And Ritten
Ritten is a fabulous place for hiking, with a myriad of trails for all levels, one can hike for days across this area and almost always find a place to stay, eat or hike, with proper planning of course.
Ritten Cable Car
The way up is easy, with your multi-day Alto Adige pass you can take the cable car!
A good twenty to thirty minute ride with spectacular views, the cable car can be boarded just north of the train station. It climbs the nearby mountain and then across the Ritten Plateau to Oberbozen. Here, you can either start your hike, or continue to other points of interest using the plateau’s mountain train service.
There is also an Information Center just outside the cable car entrance in Oberbozen. So if you intend to hike, purchasing a map is a very good idea, the cost at the time of this writing was €3.50.
Since we went to the Oberbozen twice we actually have a short video of descending on the cable car as well.
Maria Himmelfahrt
Our first hike was a rather easy trek to the Church of the Assumption of Mary, or Maria Himmelfahrt.
It is marked as a twenty minute hike, but we found that must be for a very fast walker. In fact, we would say that it is perhaps true of all the times that were posted (but then again, Schneckie was along). I would have preferred them to post the distance in kilometers, then try to guess how long it should take us to hike it!
Erdpyrimaden Oberbozen
One of the great geological oddities to see are the Earth Pyramids. Some of the rocks that you will see there balanced on the top of tiny pyramids of sand seem likely to have been intentionally placed, and yet it is all only a 25,000 year old geological oddity of a glacial domain and erosion. The process is somewhat shown in the chart below.
The hike to the Earth Pyramids from Oberbozen is not far, about a half an hour. However, there are several spots you can view them, which at the time can appear very confusing.
The best vantage point we found was at the very end of the Erdpyrimaden trail by the farmer’s field. I would call this the Haupt Erdpyrimaden, and have so marked it on Google Maps.
There is another lesser set of Earth Pyramids further down the trail in a wooded area. But they are not as spectacular as the previous ones. Aside from that, it is rather technical and more dangerous to get any closer to these to take any better photographs.
Hiking Down To Bozen/Bolzano
We decided after the Earth Pyramids to continue our journey on foot, instead of walking the trail another half an hour to forty minutes to Oberbozen. This turned out not only to be adventurous, but very rigorous, as in the trail actually becomes quite steep and challenges anyone’s thigh muscles to hold on.
We can attest that it does NOT take an hour and fifty minutes to hike from Oberbozen to Bolzano, it is more like two and a half hours. Anyone who has done it any quicker has cheating, using roller-blades or other devices. It was also rather warm out, forcing us to pace ourselves somewhat in order to conserve what energy we had left.
The route is rather simple, taking Trail 23 to the Earth Pyramids first, you continue along down the mountain until you hit Trail 6, and then take that the rest of the way into the city. You will exit somewhere very close to where the cable car took you up the mountain.
Restaurants
Hotel Post Victoria
Situated along the trail of the Maria Himmelfahrt is the Italian Ristorante Post Victoria.
They have good Italian food at very reasonable prices and amazing views of the Alto Adige Alps. A great was after a hike to Maria Himmelfahrt to recharge those stomach batteries with food and wine to continue your journeys.
Der Schwarze Katz
The Black Cat or Schwarze Katz was a discovery after climbing off the mountain in pain and hunger. You will find it at the end of Trail 6 coming into the North of Bolzano.
It was actually rather busy when we got there which was around one o’clock or a little afterwards. Limping and tired we sat down ready for what ever they were willing to throw at us.
Bolzano – Modern Tyrol
The city of Bolzano, or Bozen, is a very modern city, fully equipped with everything that a modern person would want, trendy shopping, restaurants, very good transportation facilities and some very good hotels with all the creature comforts. It is more or less in the heart of South Tyrol.
The Tickets
Bozen/Bolzano offers a very good ticket package for travel and entry into many museum, castles and other venues in the surrounding area. The tickets are also good for the cable car and many trains, including the train that runs to Meran/Merano. The three day pass cost €30 at the time of this writing, but you will find that after a few cable car rides and museums, it has already paid for itself.
The City
A mixture of the modern and the past, they have cleverly sculpted modern buildings, museums and stores into the fabric of past buildings. Of course, keeping in mind the past at all times, even the old hotels protect frescoes and other art when renovating, this is even evident outside.
The Laurin Hotel
Our hotel stay was at the Laurin, a beautiful four star hotel near the center of the city. It has all of the comforts of home and more.
The rooms are spacious and full of amenities, including slippers and spa robes. So if you are looking for a place in Bolzano to pamper you, this hotel should be on your list.
The Franciscan Monastery
The monastery is in very good condition with a portico that has a painted ceiling and several frescoes that depict the establishment of the Franciscan church.
The Franciscan Story
The following frescoes can be found in the church and offer a pedagogical study of the monastery and its teachings.
Bolzano Cathedral
This cathedral is known for its colorful roof and it does have one with a very distinctive pattern.
Restaurants
La Torcia
Very good Italian pizza and food for a very good price. They have the traditional wood fired pizza oven and very good wine from the tap.
As you can see below the pizza looks amazing and it was delicious as well. The desserts, like most desserts in Tyrol, are amazing.
Der Weisser Rössl
A Tyrolean restaurant offering all of the local special. It is actually rather large inside and probably can handle hundreds of locals and tourists at a time. However, while we were here they hardly filled the back garden area and a few tables inside, a sad sign of the times.
The food however is actually quite good. I particularly enjoyed the Hungarian Gulash soup.
The Franziskaner Stuben
We ate at this restaurant for lunch and enjoyed it thoroughly. Try the Gnocchi plate or any pasta dish, they are great.
Merano – Tyrolean Bliss
Milano – Back To Life
Since we left a month ago, Milano has gotten some pep back in her step! Here’s proof, before our Freccia Rossa train back to Torino departed.
Venice – Without Tourists – Part Three
This last part, includes some of the additional things we were able to enjoy while in Venice, especially good places to dine. We found it takes about a week to get a really good feel for Venice. We also think it’s especially true that you have not really seen Venice until you have visited the other islands, as well as other out-of-the-way places around Venice proper.
Other Interesting Sights
For those that love architecture you will want to see the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, Corte Contarina in San Marco. A bit of a challeng to find, but when you get close enough, there are signs pointing the way. They of course use Scala not Palazzo, for stairs, so do not let that confuse you!
Another great sight is the tiniest alleyway in Venice. Called Calle Varisco, or sometimes Calletta Varisco (incorrectly mind you). It is a fairly narrow passage that goes nowhere, or more precisely, a canal of all things. But there are others in and around Venice, that are likewise very narrow, for example the Calle de la Raffineria.
There are also several impressive 24-hour clocks that are in and around Venice. Though not terribly easy to find, with some research and a flexible itinerary, they make wonderful sights to see.
Restaurants
We ate at many good and one fine restaurants while in Venice, here is our take on each.
Bistrot de Venise
Probably some of the finest dining in Venice, the Bistrot de Venise has a menu and winelist that rate high on our list. A bit pricey, but if you can afford it and go with the flow, that is, let them do their job, you will not be disappointed.
Ristorante Antica Sacrestia
Another jewel in the crown of Venice is the Ristorante Antica Sacrestia. Rather humble from the outside, the inside is a nice little courtyard with stone, well shaded from the midday sun. Perfect for the lunchtime replenishment.
Osteria la Zucca
Osteria la Zucca con Cucina is a very nice place for true Venetian cuisine. If you are looking for some home-cooked Italian food, this is you place. I can speak from experience, the Mousakka is great, as is the house wine.
Ristorante Rosa Rossa
Ristorante Rosa Rossa on Calle de la Mandola, is a restaurant and pizzeria and is great for families, small gatherings and couples, with plenty of outside seating. Their pizza is delicious and large enough for two to share, when accompanied with salad and drinks.
Cicchetti Arciccchetti Bakaro
Last but not least, if you are in Venice, you have to visit a cicchetti. While walking around, you might see signs about cicchetti this and cicchetti that, but it’s usually simple street food served at a bar. Normally, there is a selection which you may pick and choose from, along with assorted drinks that can be ordered at the same. We stopped here while just out for a long walk. The Deli bites were one for a Euro and drinks were as usual, pretty inexpensive.
Conclusion
As opposed to our last whirlwind tour of Venice, this trip was a totally different and a more enjoyable experience. Not only the lack of tourists has helped my own opinion of Venice, but also the Summer heat has cooperated and our length of stay was what we would call minimal (one week). There is plenty to see for sure. If the factors are conducive and you are able to spend more than a week, I would, just to get a better overall feel for Venice. However, the amount of tourism they let come back, will dictate whether or not Venice will feel like a place you would want to stay longer than a week. That remains to be seen.
Our next stop takes us to Austria, so stay tuned for our adventures and insights there; until then, Ciao!