Tag: italy

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Naples, Italy – Hiking Vesuvius

It is possible to hike to the summit of Mount Vesuvius. For a modest fee you can put on your best walking of hiking shoes and climb to the summit from within a few hundred meters in elevation. On a clear day, it is totally worth it, not only for the views of Naples but also for that curious look at what might be going on inside the crater. Our guide Federica, from MindTheNap Tours, along with Pasquale our driver took us there for the day. She has excellent knowledge of the volcano, its history and all its eruptions, as well as other off beat information regarding the consecration of the volcano by the church.

The Climb

The ascent is not very rigorous, there are plenty of old people walking up and they do hand out walking sticks, if you are so inclined. Now, on to the slide show for which I have not captioned anything, since most should be self explanatory.

A few short videos while we were on the way up and at the summit. The audio is probably terrible, it was very windy and cold that day.

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1. On The Way Up - The 1944 Lava Field
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2. Naples And Its Surrounding Environs
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3. The Bay Of Naples And Naples
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The trip up, around the crater wall and back down took us a little over an hour. But it can be completed faster, we just happened  to take our time. The drive there on the other hand depends on traffic, which as you can imagine can be problematic in Naples.

Wineries

At the foot of Mount Vesuvius are many wineries, which grew certain types of varietals, aglianico, caprettone and piedrosso, that work well with the volcanic soils.

Cantina Del Mount Vesuvio Winery Russo Family

After our ascent up the mountain we spent a few hours in the afternoon having a tour, wine tasting and lunch at the Cantina Del Mount Vesuvio Winery of the Russo Family. We tasted the following before and during our lunch.

– Rosè Sparkling Wine (100% aglianico grapes)
– Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco DOP (100% caprettone grapes)
– Lacryma Christi Rosato DOP (100% piedirosso grapes)
– Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso DOP (100% piedirosso grapes)
– Lacryma Christi Riserva (80% piedirosso e 20% aglianico grapes)
– Passito Bianco IGT (50% caprettone, 50% falanghina grapes)
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Naples, Italy – A Better Feel

Naples and Vesuvius from Sant Elmo

After a few days traveling through the city we are beginning to get a better feel for this vibrant town. Divided into quarters or sections, but not along any obvious lines, there is reason to question where exactly you are at any given time. But one thing is for sure, you will find some uniqueness between them all. This is why its so important on spending some time in a large city such as Naples, which has over two million residents. Otherwise, there is no real way to get the actual vibe or quidditas of a place. I for one think it’s a great city and the Neapolitans are fantastic people.

After a few days traveling through the city we are beginning to get a better feel for this vibrant town. Divided into quarters or sections, but not along any obvious lines, there is reason to question at any given time where exactly your are, but one thing is for sure you will find some uniqueness. This is why its so important on spending some time in a large city such as Naples, which has over two million residents. Otherwise, there is no real way to get the actual vibe or quidditas of a place.

The real hard core vibe of Naples is the juxtaposition of the Centro Storico, or the historic center – with its throngs of tourists, against the backdrop and grittiness of The Spanish Quarter, the pandemonium of San Frenando, Porto and Mercato; and the quiet calm of Vomero and Chiaia. If you are looking for a city with stark contrasts, Naples is the city for you.

Naples – The Spanish Quarter

The Spanish Quarter

The Spanish Quarter obtained its name from the garrison of Spanish that were housed here and given the job to keep order throughout the city. It is entirely made up of narrow streets, passages, stairs and back alleyways that knit this complex community together. Directly alongside the Historic Center on one side and the hill of Vomero, it is quite self contained and apparently, from the looks of things, not very open to change, since from the looks of things nothing apparently has since they arrived.

With dirt and filth comes disease. As the photograph attests to a dramatic outbreak of cholera that swept through this part of the city in the 1800s, leaving behind devastation and death. Even today it is still actively adorned with flowers and other bits of memorabilia for protection, partly due to faith and partly due to superstition. Though all educated people know, it is easily combated with cleanliness and hygiene.

Centro Storico

The old part of the city has the most historical artifacts, churches and other points of interest. It is infested with tourists though, so planning is key. It is best to keep an eye on the number of cruise ships at dock (at any time there can be up to five very large ships docked) and then take your chances that you will have a minimal crowd.

Naples – Statue del Dio Nilo – San Lorenzo

As can be imagined there are a myriad of shops, cafes and restaurants in this area, which is comprised of the San Lorenzo Quarter. It is world famous for its Christmas Alley of Armeno, which is officially known as via San Gregorio Armeno.

Armeno – Naples Christmas Alley

Deep in the heart of the historic center is a street that is known as Christmas Alley. It does not pay to explain, except through pictures.

Vomero

Located on the hill adjacent to Chiaia and the Spanish Quarter is Vomero. Easily reached by taking one of the Funicular Trains from one of three places, Funicular Park in Chiaia, Augusteo in San Ferdinando or Montesanto in the Spanish Quarter. For a reasonable 1.10€ you can ascend to Vomero to visit the sights that it has to offer and enjoy its fine restaurants.

Castle Sant Elmo

In Vomero the Castle of Sant Elmo stands ever watchful over Naples. Known initially as Belforte, it was built sometime in the thirteenth century.

The castle is a sprawling edifice atop the hill commanding a view of all of Naples, including the hills behind it and the entire Gulf of Naples. Fitted previously with large guns, it must have been a formidable deterrent at one time. Visitors can walk the entirety of its parapets with all of its amazing views of the city, the gulf and surrounding islands.

Cloister di San Martino

Just below the Castle of Sant Elmo sits the monastery and cloister of San Martino. Converted into a museum, it too commands a view of the Gulf of Naples.

The museum has a selection of old royal carriages and artifacts from the late Renaissance. From old frescoes, paintings and church memorabilia it houses many religious antiquities from famous Napoletano church leaders. Then there are the creches of Christ’s birth, which are extremely detailed and draw your attention to every little thing that each one of the small characters is modeled to portray.

Restaurants

Gino e Toto Sorbillo Pizzeria

One of the place to go apparently in Naples is Gino e Toto Sorbillo’s Pizzeria. Located on via dei Tribunali it gathers a crowd early, so getting there a half an hour or so ahead of time would reduce your wait. During normal times it may even be wiser to queue up earlier. We happen to go during a day when only one cruise ship arrived and got there twenty minutes early and we were about fourth in line. The place is rather large, but by the time we were finished people were waiting outside for some time.

The pizza is simple but amazing. Having never eaten here before, we ordered the recommended Pizza Margherita. With a half bottle of their own red wine and some water we were quite full and happy when we left.

Armando Scartuchio

Armando Scartuchio is a chain of cafes with a rich history and several stores sprinkled throughout the city and a must place to stop. Though we only stopped at one, it must hold mostly true that any pastries made by this company taste more a less the same, no matter where you eat them. We found ours just outside the Spanish Quarter in Montecalvario.

While staying in Naples it is an absolute necessity to stop each day around eleven o’clock or so to have coffee and a bite to eat. This is an excellent place to recharge your morning battery. Still early enough to order two Cappuccino and some very good baked goods, an excuse to drink, eat and further discuss the plans of the day. We ordered a few very interest things we thought we just had to taste.

TrattoriaMalinconico

Situated well out of the way is Trattoria Malinconico. A place not often, if ever, visited by tourists, so they were quite interested and curious when we stopped for lunch.

For starters, this Trattoria is in Vomero, which is on top of the hill. Therefore you must either take one of the three funiculars to get there or climb a very large and then still walk a kilometer or so before reaching it. Even then, it is kind of hidden around the corner from the well established market street on the end of a dead end street in a sort of strip mall.

In any case, the food is excellent and home cooked. Our interest was is getting the most authentic tasting Beef Genovese that we could find and our searches ended us up at this small but excellent establishment. What we found on the menu was actually that, but it was called Pasta Genovese with Meat, also known as Genovese Completa. It didn’t matter, for 8€ we ordered it with a mezzo litro of red wine and ate our hearts out.

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Chiaia Naples, Italy – True Grit

Chiaia, Naples – The Bay of Naples – 10th of October, 2021

Naples is without a doubt a very large and a very old city. Born sometime in the 10th century BCE it was established officially by the Greeks. Later it became its own Kingdom and later one of the two Kingdoms of Sicily. There is no doubt that the language is very different from Italian. When a native Neapolitan speaks, it is impossible to find any similarities with the language of the country that they currently belong. In fact, upon exiting our taxi on arrival to our hotel, I actually brought this up with the driver, who quickly turned to me and said, “Sir, we do not speak Italian, but rather Napoletano.”

It is without a doubt, that after a few days of arriving in Naples, I can say that this city has true grit. Probably nowhere else in Italy, or in the world for that matter, can one find such excellent food among so much chaos. Having lived in Turin and having spent much time in Rome and other parts of Italy, this town exemplifies the Neapolitan spirit. A crazy mixture of life, business, personal matters and conversation, and eating, always eating. It appears their entire life and lifestyle is dedicated to consuming delicious food. Having sampled enough of it I can say it is truly unique and delicious.

First Impressions

Chiaia, and all of Naples for that matter, is a complex mixture of no rules, hidden rules, chaos and a profound charm that is impossible to put your finger on, but unmistakably Neapolitan through and through.

It is without a doubt that many from the United States, probably depending upon from where they are from, would be off put by some of the conditions. However, one must always keep in mind it is never easy trying to combine old and new, whether they be traditions, living style or just overall conditions.

The city for the most part could be cleaner, but I have found it cleaner than I had thought it was going to be. And having heard about the issues they are having with garbage removal, it goes without saying, it is definitely a problem in search of a real solution. With the exception of the Spanish Quarter and some other high traffic areas, where tourists frequent, I have found that the Neapolitans, for the most part, try to keep things orderly and clean.

The city could also be better organized, but until the forces that control much of what the people here are affected by most have been tamed and come to agreement, that will probably not happen. I often wonder how the native Neapolitan can stand to have some of the building projects around them to be delayed for more than a decade; where the companies have taken advantage of the cordons that they use to store other materials aside from those for the actual project. And yet just down the road, a Restorer will be working on a massive archaeological project with a Dremel tool, being careful at all costs not to remove too much of the dirt from the huge building they are working on and almost totally unnoticed. They appear to be both appreciated and stymied by their own history.

Restaurants

La Riviera Di Parthenope

As part of our culinary excursion of Naples and Chiaia, we made reservations and ate La Riviera di Parthenope on our first evening. It was a delightful restaurant and our waiter, and perhaps owner (since he made several references that his wife was the cook), spoke English very well, so nothing was lost in translation on our behalf.

We had a braised octopus appetizer over mashed potatoes, and for my main dish, I ordered the smoked red tuna. These were paired with an excellent white wine from the region. The service was excellent and I would go back any time, but frankly, there are just too many other good places to try!

Officine Bistrot

A small and modern restaurant that serves absolutely amazing food. The cook starts with a croquette served with a spiced mayonnaise sauce that sets the tone. Then we had an appetizer of fried squash flowers, a potato croquette and a portion of eggplant parmigiana which was to die for. My main meal was wild boar in a bread sauce reduction and served with salad greens dressed in an infused olive oil which were both just amazing. As for the dessert, what can a say, they were both delicious. The food alone is worth a visit.

I would normally take points away for this, but the food was just so good I cannot do it. The red wine by the glass was showing its age (too long opened and sitting in the bottle). I also ordered a Sambuca which had almost turned to alcohol sitting on the shelf, it had lost all hint of anise. I am chalking both of these up to the affects of the pandemic and not being able to move the products, but that’s a guess. For a memorable experience I would suggest ordering a bottle of wine just to be sure and perhaps stick with Grappa.

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Centro Storico Naples, Italy – Street Musician Videos

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!

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1. Naples, Centro Storico - via dei Tribunali - Street Musicians - Song 1
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2. Naples, Centro Storico - via dei Tribunali - Street Musicians - Song 2
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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.

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1. Our First Evening in Chiaia, Naples
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2. A rainy Sunday morning at our hotel in Chiaia, Naples
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3. On the Jetty in the Bay of Naples near Chiaia, Naples
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4. Bar Pasticceria Scaturchio - Piazza Amedeo
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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.

Milan – Museum Cenacolo Vinciano – Tickets For Two

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:

  1. Christ
  2. Tito
  3. Dimaco
  4. St. Vincent Ferrer
  5. Ludovico il Moro
  6. St. Peter Martyr
  7. Virgin Mary
  8. St. Dominic
  9. Mary Magdalene
  10. St. Thomas Aquinas
  11. St. John
  12. St. Catherin of Siena
  13. Beatrice d’Este
  14. 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.

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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.

Piazzale della Liberta – Cuneo Train Station – July 2021

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.

The Reading Man – Via Nizza – Cuneo – July 2021

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.

The Bell Tower of Cathedral Santa Marie Del Bosco on via Saluzzo

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.

Piazza Galimberti – Panorama

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.

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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.

Leaving the States

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.

Standing on the platform at the airport

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.

Where are all the trains and passengers?

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.

A beautiful day from our kitchen

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.

Agnolotti Al Ragu Bianco with Parmesan Cheese
Plin al Sugo D’Arrosto – Another Agnolotti
Piola Sabauda

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..!

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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.

View from Ritten Plateau – Oberbozen

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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

How the Earth Pyramids are formed

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.

Panorama on trail

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.

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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.

Salad with Turkey Strips
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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.

Piazza Walther

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.

Südtirol AltoAdige MuseoMobile – Tickets For Two

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 Hotel Laurin

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.

Ristorante La Torcia

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.

Weisser Roessl

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.