Tag: italy

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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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!

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Venice – Without Tourists – Part One

Arriving over the weekend with the expectation of finding few, if any tourist in Venice, we were pleasantly surprised. Apparently, we have beaten the rush to see some remarkable tourist spots, without all the international hords.

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Venice Train Station – Platforms Empty

Hotel NH Collection Venezia Palazzo Barocci

We chose this four star hotel for its location to the Grand Canal and a pier for the Vaporettos, or ferries, that connect all of the islands together. We were not disappointed, it definitely has all the access we were looking for along with other comforts, amenities and conveniences we wanted, plus it’s very quiet.

Piazza San Marco

Usually abuzz with activity, this square or piazza is usually crowded during this time of year, with countless tourists. We have been fortunate to be here at this time, while the rest of the world struggles with how to cope with their outbreaks.

Santa Maria della Salute

One of the four plague basilicas in Venice, the Santa Maria della Salute, contains a rare Black Madonna. The altar is especially grand.

The view from the end of the island, just down from Santa Maria, is amazing.

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Panoramic View of Part of the Grand Canal and Piazza San Marco

Caffè Florian

Established in 1720, Cafe Florian is arguably the oldest cafe in the world. It was amazing to sit and enjoy a drink in an establishment, that frankly is older than my own country.

Pastor Saverio Le Forcole

The old art of carving and developing individual forcole for Venetian gondola rowers goes way back and is passed down from master to apprentice after a lengthy teaching process. Pastor Saverio is one of four masters still performing his art on the island.

If you are ever in Venice you should look him up. He speaks English and is willing to talk to anyone who has questions about his art and how it is used. You can probably spend hours doing just that, but he does have to work, so keep that in mind.

Okay, enough for now, we are here for the entire week and will probably post more once we get a few moments of down time. Next stops are the other islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.

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Rapallo – Tiny, But Rich In History

Part One

The tiny seaside city of Rapallo is remarkable in many ways, as a port, as a main stop on the Pisa to Genova train line, as a city that has many ancient Roman, Etruscan and other historical features, and as a tourist point of interest; where one can just relax and enjoy the sun while eating great Ligurian food.

We began our stay checking into the four star Hotel Astoria Rapallo along via Antonio Gramsci. Built in 1903 in the Victorian Liberty Villa style, it is well taken care of by its current owner and management couple, who cheerfully greeted us as we entered. The views from our seaside room were what we imagined, as were the cooling breezes that ran through the room when we open all the windows, clean and refreshing. Even though they come equipped with air-conditioning, it is always nice to open the windows to get fresh air, especially in the early morning.

Rapallo is an active port for fishing, leisure and travel (via ferry or other means to destinations along the coast.) Unfortunately, while we were here, the ferries were still not running, due to the restrictions in place on account of the virus. So, we were not able to visit Portofino as we had hoped.

The Historic Center

As with all older cities of any size, Rapallo has a historic center, albeit small, which one can wander through to shop or to catch a meal.

Basilica of Saints Gervasius and Protasius

Some of the main attractions here include the church, or Basilica of the Saints Gervasius and Protasius.

The Porta della Saline

The only remaining gate of the ancient city walls is the Port of Salt, or Porta della Saline.

Porta della Saline

There are of course plenty of narrow and inviting streets in the old town that suck you in with their capillory action.

Hannibals Bridge

Built in the second century, the ancient bridge from the Roman period, called Hannibals Bridge, can still be seen and enjoyed. Though cordoned off to travel, it still is an imposing and impressive sign of the Roman’s architectural and construction abilities.

The Castle Of Rapallo

Anyone looking out into the gulf will sooner or later notice the small castle sitting off the coast directly in front of the traffic circle (or roundabout), Piazza Giovanni Battista Pastene. This is the Castello di Rapallo, an old castle built in the 1550s in response to attacks by Turkish pirates. It is still in fairly good shape, but while we where there, temporarily closed due to Covid restrictions and construction in the vicinity.

The Brotherhood Of White

A Brotherhood of White, also known as the Great White Brotherhood and the Universal White Brotherhood, has a sect or presence in the city. In a part of the historic center, a structure exists that apparently houses this old eighteenth century order of people of enlightenment. The signs are there, if you are looking for them.

Order Of The White Brotherhood

Sign Of The Great White Brotherhood

The Gulf Of Tigullio

The Gulf of Tigullio is very large and extends from Portofino to Zoagli. It is always nice to walk along the Port of Rapallo in the early morning or in the evenings to enjoy the fresh air and beauty of the gulf itself. There are many inlets, bays and coves that one can explore along the way, some with road access, others a bit more difficult.

The Gulf Of Tigullio And The Ligurian Hills

Rapallo To Montallegro

The cable car from Rapallo to Montallegro and back is a treat. Though some might consider it an expensive treat, at 8€ a piece for a round trip; we thought it a fair deal. The views in and of themselves are more than worth the ticket price. There is not only a basilica waiting for you at the top, but also a restaurant with amazing views of the city and surrounding countryside.

 

Sanctuary Of Our Lady Of Montallegro

The sanctuary at the top of the hill in Montallegro is actually a basilica. Called the Basilica and Sanctuary of our Lady of Montallegro, it is both impressive and still functioning.

Casa del Pellegrino

There is a cafe, bar and restaurant some ten or so minutes walk from behind the basilica. It is not only the start of one of the hiking trails that wanders through the area, but also provides an excellent view of the gulf and port of Rapallo. Since the cable car runs every thirty minutes or so, we took advantage and spent an hour here, taking on refreshment and admiring the view while enjoying the cool air coming up the mountain slopes.

Cable Car From Montallegro Back To Rapallo

Here are a few videos of our trip back down the mountain. If you are ever there, a word of caution for those with any fear of heights, you will be suspended very high in the air. It may not be for everyone, unless you maintain your look inside the car on ascent and likewise on the return.

Part One

Part Two

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La Spezia – Harbors No Secrets

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Lungomare

A rather active port on the Ligurian Coast is the port of La Spezia. Not typically known as a tourist hot-spot, it is noted for several museums, churches and other sites worth seeing, if you visit. With one day in our itinerary to investigate, I came away with the opinion that if you have other things in your own itinerary to see, then it’s probably not worth a stop. There are plenty of old city centers around and this one was rather unremarkable.

As can be noted by some of the photographs above, this port is heavily used by the Italian Cruise Lines and Navy. While here, we noticed several cruise ships moored, since their use is restricted during the virus outbreak. The port is also heavily used by commercial fisherman, as well as leisure craft. The city is very walkable, especially down by the water where they have a very excellent Lungomare.

That is all for La Spezia, our next stop is Rapallo, about thirty minutes North of Moneglia, via Sestri Levante. Another port town, but more for leisure craft and very close to Santa Margherita. Our Ligurian journey continues…

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Chiavari – Where The Waves Pound

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Statue Of Vittorio Emanuele II

On the beautiful Ligurian coast, about a half an hour train ride from Moneglia, is  the rather large town Chiavari. This is a port town with a large number of boats, which it is probably more noted for, than its beaches.

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The Lungomare And Its Protective Jetties

If you meander your way to the lungomare from the train station and sit on any one of the many benches the city has provided, you will hear the surf pounding the rocks. After a short while, you will probably wonder if this would be a city at all without the large rocks and jetties that protect it, and you would probably be right. This city directly faces the Ligurian and Mediterranean Seas and takes their full force when they are angry.

A City Of Porticos

Like Turin, this medieval city was built in the 13th century and contains many portico, upon which buildings were erected and the residents below were protected from the elements. It has a population of roughly twenty-five to twenty-eight thousand residents, depending on what figures you trust.

The city also sports a very nice piazza where the daily market is held. We had gotten there just after they had finished for the day and were in the process of cleaning up.

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The Market Of Piazza Mazzini

The city is repleat with stores and high-end shops in the historic part, so there is plenty of places to window-shop or even take in the typical afternoon caffe. Here are a few last views of this city that we took along the way while strolling its streets with our guest for the day.

In order to get to Chiavari from Moneglia, a change of trains is in order in Sestri Levante. Though we had a short wait, around twelve minutes, it did not lengthen our trip too much. Therefore, this city currently is part of the Savona to Sestri Levante trainline, which may change in the future if more travel restrictions are lifted, so always go to the TrennItalia website for up to date information.

Pizzeria Il Ciocco

Probably one of the best surprises of the day was the Pizzeria Il Ciocco. After a larger than normal lunch in Chiavari, we were looking for something quick, and on the lighter side. We decided on pizza and found this little place a hundred meters down the street.

The owner’s son speaks very good English, so we were able to order easily and learn it is a true mom-and-pop shop. Since 1997 they have been making pizza in Moneglia the old fashion way, using the traditional wood fire method and secret recipies. What other way is there to make real pizza in Italy?

All I can say is it was fantastic. This place is high on our list to revisit, and I am not even a real pizza fan. I am afraid if my son Dana comes in here he may never leave.