Porto, Portugal – Our Rainy Start

Wanting to visit Porto, after hearing such good things about the city from family and friends, we decided to book a trip during the off season, March in fact. Our Tickets For Two were of course electronic, so no photographs of them, sorry.

Getting There

From Turin there are two direct flights twice weekly to Porto, Portugal with RyanAir, which is also a designated hub of this carrier. Two weeks ago we booked our stays and flights, well knowing the weather during this time of year is very undependable, it did not disappoint.

Turin Airport – Gate 20, Bound for Porto – Porto, Portugal

Turin Airport – The Nose Of Our Plane – Porto, Portugal

The flight was a little over two hours and left in the evening, in fact all the flights on Mondays and Fridays between these two cities are evening flights. We left around 6:30PM and arrived a little after 9:00PM, but it is actually 8:00PM local time, since you gain an hour.

RyanAir Flight – Coming Into The City – Porto, Portugal

Our arrival was bumpy and wet, so after we arrived, Patti and I decided to take a taxi instead of the metro. It was a good decision, first it only cost us thirty Euros and second, it was pouring out; so getting door to door service was very helpful.

Carris Hotel Ribiera

The Carris Hotel Ribiera in Porto is no doubt a collection of a few building that have been extensively renovated. It is close to the water and midway down the river embankment, so no matter which was you walk there will be a hill.

The accommodations are modern enough, though there are a few oddities and some unpleasant things, for one the bed in the room was very hard. Another unfortunate oversight, the safe provided in the room is not bolted to the wall or closet, so anyone can easily just pick it up with all of your possessions and leave the room; we therefore chose not to use it.

Porto – The City

The city of Porto, or Oporto, may pose difficulties for some. For one it essentially lays on the very steep banks of the River Douro, which has its source deep in central Spain, and therefore is very hilly.

The River Douro – Ribeira Square – Porto, Portugal

The Streets Under Rain – Porto, Portugal

The city is known for its buildings having tiled facades, as well as many of its famous buildings, like the Sao Bento train station and its churches and cathedral.

Churches and Cathedrals

There are many churches and cathedrals in the city, some are free to enter, others have been repurposed and charge a fee.

Parish Church of St. Nicholas

The Parish Church of Saint Nicholas was the first church we visited. We were stuck by its tiled exterior. The interior has an amazing golden altar with a painting of a scene after the crucifixion.

Parish Church of St. Nicholas – Altar and Inside – Porto, Portugal

Church of Saint Francis

The Church of Saint Francis is without a doubt, one of the most beautiful churches we have been lucky enough to visit. Almost the entire interior is decorated with carved wooden and gilded ornamentation depicting all different scenes from Catholicism.

Church Of Saint Francis – Its Gilded Wooden Interior – Porto, Portugal

Church Of Saint Francis – A Gilded Wooden Tree With Figures – Porto, Portugal

Church Of Saint Francis – Side Chapel – Porto, Portugal

The Church Museum

The museum houses an impressive collection of church artifacts and treasures, it is probably worth the reasonable cost of entry alone.

Church Of Saint Francis – Museum – Porto, Portugal

Church Of Saint Francis – Museum, Religious Sculpture Room – Porto, Portugal

Church Of Saint Francis – Museum, Religious Sculpture Room, Old 17th Century Wooden and Iron Strongbox – Porto, Portugal

Church Of Saint Francis – Museum, Treasury Room – Porto, Portugal

Church Of Saint Francis – Museum, Old Tapestry – Porto, Portugal

The Crypt

One of the more extensive crypts we have seen. It also has a peculiar floor that has removable panels, no doubt for easy access to the remains in place in each sarcophagus.

Church Of Saint Francis – Crypt – Porto, Portugal

Church Of Saint Francis – Crypt Bone House – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral

Ostensibly the Porto Cathedral is crowning jewel of the church in the city, however we did not find it as interesting as St. Francis. There are several self-guided tours to chose from, including the Bishop’s quarters which we decided against. However, the rest of the grounds are interesting, if only for the tile work, or Azulejo, for which the cathedral and most of the city is so keenly known.

Porto Cathedral – Patti in front of the Delft Tiling – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Courtyard – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Portico – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Delft Tiling – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Right Apse – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Nave and Altar – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Rose Window – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Left Apse – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Left Apse, Side Chapel – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Side Chapel – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Bronze and Baptismal Font – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Bells – Porto, Portugal

Porto Cathedral – Main Bell – Porto, Portugal

Clerigos Church

Though we did not go in, there is a fee to enter, we enjoyed the church from the street. It wasn’t really clear from our research that it was particularly known for anything, so we decided to skip this church.

Torre Dos Clerigos

Likewise, the clock tower associated with it looks impressive from the street and probably has some interesting points inside, however, again we chose not to indulge on paying for entry, since we had no inclination for climbing the stairs to the top, we had already seen an overview of the city from other vantage points.

Clerigos Church Clock Tower – Porto, Portugal

Restaurants and Cafes

Most restaurants and cafes in Porto are small, actually very small, and you will be lucky to find a place to sit down if you are not lucky or willing to wait. For dinner it is always best to make a reservation, almost all restaurants take and honor them, though some may restrict the amount of time you may keep you table.

Forno Velho

This restaurant is part of the Carris Hotel Ribiera in Porto and serves a limited, but very good selection of food from their menu. We ate here because it was late, around 9:30PM and raining outside. Though they do get a premium price for their entrees, the food was very good and well prepared, and we received a fifteen percent discount on our bill.

Hotel Carris Porto-Ribeira, Forno Velho Restaurant – Veal Tataki with apple and peppercorns, potatoes with speck – Porto, Portugal

Rocinha Cafe

On our first morning in Porto we ate at the Rocinha Cafe, which lies around the corner on the same block as our hotel. It offered an English Breakfast for ten Euros each, and we were able to substitute our cappuccinos as our beverage of choice, so our total bill was twenty Euros.

A Bifana Portuguesa Restaurant

For lunch we ate at A Bifana Portuguesa Restaurant. This establishment is obviously owned by an owner of a vineyard or larger farm in the area, since they have a particular brand of wine. Expect good food with a paced, if not slow service, since there is only one server and one cook. Oh, and if they bring out hot sauce that has an eye-dropper in it, it most definitely serious stuff, so administer appropriately on your dish.

A Bifana Portuguesa Restaurant – Kale and Potato Soup with Wine – Porto, Portugal

A Bifana Portuguesa Restaurant – Bifana Portugese Sandwich Traditional – Porto, Portugal

A Bifana Portuguesa Restaurant – Bifana Portugese Sandwich Traditional, Hot Sauce in an Eye Dropper – Porto, Portugal

Incontro Bistro

If you are looking for a small traditional Italian dinner look no further than Incontro Bistro, it is essentially a hole in the wall with a kitchen and seven tables. We sat next to the kitchen and had a wonderful time enjoying the cacophony and smells. The only one thing to point would be they only serve macaroni pasta, no long pasta, so you have to choose from one of those.

Incontro Bistrot – Caprese for Two – Porto, Portugal

Incontro Bistrot – Fusilli with Tomatoes and Basil, Penne with Ragú – Porto, Portugal

Incontro Bistrot – Panna Cota with Berries – Porto, Portugal

17 March, 202520 March, 2025

Frankfurt, Germany – Some Eateries In The Area

We recently spent two weeks in the Frankfurt area with family. While we were there, we had the good fortune to visit a few new restaurants and a couple of old favorites.

Restaurants In Frankfurt

Lokal Bahnhof

Though we did eat at the Lokal Bahnhof in Frankfurt Süd, Darmstädter Landstraße 14, it was not remarkable enough to take any photographs. A nice enough place to eat for lunch, but aside from a quick bite, nothing special.

Restaurants In Offenbach

Papi Original Italian Ristorante

Located in Offenbach, at Friedrichsring 39, is an excellent place for an evening meal called Papi Original Italian. A favorite of our’s when we are in the area, it had good service and very good food. The menu has very good southern Italian dishes and pizza, so something for everyone.

Papis Original Italian Restaurant – Main Entrance – Offenbach, Germany

Papis Original Italian Restaurant – Pizza – Offenbach, Germany

Papis Original Italian Restaurant – Spaghetti Bolognese – Offenbach, Germany

Papis Original Italian Restaurant – Pasta Bolognese – Offenbach, Germany

Restaurants In Dreieich

Since we were staying in Dreieich, most of the restaurants we visited were in this small, quaint little town.

China Restaurant Hong Kong

The China Restaurant Hong Kong is located on Hauptstraße 8 on the main avenue of town. It has laterns outside, so is easily visible from your car as you drive passed it. However, it is also an easy walk from some of the nearby parking locations.

China Restaurant Hong Kong – Inside Decor – Dreieich, Germany

The food is good and they have a good variety on the menu, including Thai and some Vietnamese dishes.

China Restaurant Hong Kong – Mixed Salad, Spring Roll – Dreieich, Germany

China Restaurant Hong Kong – Fried Rice with Vegetables – Dreieich, Germany

China Restaurant Hong Kong – Mixed Salad – Dreieich, Germany

China Restaurant Hong Kong – Pork and Onion over Rice – Dreieich, Germany

Wirsthaus Leopolt

If you are actually looking for German food, look no further than Leopolt’s. They have weekly specials, as well as all the favorites and a variety of other dishes. It is also located in town at Hauptstraße 20.

Wirsthaus Leopolt – Mixed Salad – Dreieich, Germany

Wirsthaus Leopolt – Pfälzer Saumagen or Pig’s Stomach – Dreieich, Germany

Wirsthaus Leopolt – Menu – Dreieich, Germany

Wirsthaus Leopolt – Weekly Specials – Dreieich, Germany

La Rughetta Ristorante

On Eisenbahnstraße 38 is the Italian restaurant La Rughetta. A smaller establishment than the others, it has a small, comfortable atmosphere with a family cooking feel. The menu has your typical items on it and the food is very good, though you may have to wait some time before it appears, so bring your patience.

Ristorante La Rughetta – Main Entrance – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante La Rughetta – Inside – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante La Rughetta – Molinari and Coffee Beans – Dreieich, Germany

La Faggio

A newer, more upscale place to eat, that has the appearance of one of the in-places to go is La Faggio, located closer to the train station at Buchschlager Allee 19. Though the eating area is rather spacious, we had the impression there were not enough servers to adequately attend to everyone in a timely manner; so be prepared to wait longer, even to order.

Ristorante La Faggio – Eggplant Parmigiano – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante La Faggio – Filet Mignon – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante La Faggio – Spaghetti and Tomatoes with Oil and Garlic – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante La Faggio – Bruschetta – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante La Faggio – Mixed Salad – Dreieich, Germany

Al Dente da Pino Ristorante

At the other end of town is Al Dente da Pino Ristorante at Dieselstraße 3. Again, an Italian restaurant with a friendly charm and comfortable atmosphere. The food is very good and the service prompt and friendly. Probably one of the better places in town to eat.

Ristorante Al Dente da Pino – Entrance – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante Al Dente da Pino – Artwork – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante Al Dente da Pino – Photographs – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante Al Dente da Pino – Minestrone – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante Al Dente da Pino – Caprese Salad – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante Al Dente da Pino – Mixed Salad – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante Al Dente da Pino – Pasta Bolognese – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante Al Dente da Pino – Pork Piccata – Dreieich, Germany

Ristorante Al Dente da Pino – Braised Pork – Dreieich, Germany

Restaurants In Dreieichenhain

A short stone’s throw away from Dreieich is Dreieichenhain, a medieval little touristy like town with a Roman Wall and Clock Tower Gate. We have been here several times and try a different place to eat, each time we visit. On the day of our visit it was for a small brunch.

Old Roman Wall – Dreieichenhain, Germany

Cafe Cult

A small cafe kind of in the middle of town. Modern, friendly and quick, they have something for most everyone. Including very good coffee and other drinks. The desserts look amazing, though we did not try any. The bagels are bread type bagels, not traditional jewish bagels, but sufficient for bagel sandwiches, which were very tasty.

Cafe Cult – Caprese Bagel – Dreieichenhain, Germany

Cafe Cult – Barley Soup – Dreieichenhain, Germany

12 February, 202512 February, 2025

Lecce, Italy – Florence of the South – Part Three

What follows are some final thoughts on our stay in Lecce. Though we found the city intriguing, having an interesting history, some good food and enough sights to see to keep you busy, we don’t feel comfortable commending it for more than a few days at best. For the most part, the Città Vecchia is very quiet and doesn’t open until after noon. Even with the myriad number of churches, there are practically no other monuments, fountains or public places to enjoy. Other than that, there are not many connecting little towns in the area to plan day trips around.

Museums

To wrap up our visit to Lecce, we still had one museum left on our church ticket to see, as well as the private museum of Museo Faggiano. So on Monday we planned visiting them, eating lunch and then having a light afternoon.

Museo Faggiano

A private museum, the Museo Faggiano is located on Via Ascanio Grandi, 56/58, not far from our Bed and Breakfast. The host has a written tour guide in most European languages and everything is numbered, so it is not a difficult self-guided tour.

Museo Faggiano – Tickets For Two – Lecce, Italy

The museum was created by mistake in 2001 when Luciano Faggiano and his sons were digging to fix a plumbing issue. What they found made front page news, even in the United States. While digging out certain areas they discovered artifacts and burial places and had to stop and inform the proper authorities.

Museo Faggiano – NYT Article on archaeological discovery – Lecce, Italy

Luckily, with the proper guidance and help, they were able to turn it into the museum you see today, thanks to the efforts of the Archaeological Superintendence of Taranto and the Idume Cultural Association. The archaeological collection has artifacts starting in the fifth century BCE and spans the Roman, Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Museo Faggiano – Old Water Drain System for Cistern – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Dug as an Escape Tunnel – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Tank and Cistern Pulley – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Entrance Sign – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Old 17th Century Tile and other artifacts – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Very Cramped – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – 11th century Grain Silo – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Cistern and Well – Lecce, Italy

From the eleventh until the thirteenth century the place was a Templar house and used for purposes of their cause. After that, it was converted into a convent in the early seventeenth century for the Franciscan Nuns of Saint Claire.

Museo Faggiano – Convent Rooms – Lecce, Italy

There are places along the tour, especially when descending where the well is and a few other spots, where it is rather cramped and the stairwell a bit claustrophobic, so take care.

Museo Faggiano – Five Cavers Room – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Another Escape Route – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Other Holes and Routes – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Escape route probably connected with Sant’Oronzo Square – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Patti in Underground Room with Firepit – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – An Escape Passage and old foundation hole – Lecce, Italy

There is an overlook observatory, but frankly there is not much to see from that perch. It was probably used by the Templars as a lookout or alternative escape route since it appears to be attached to many of the surrounding roofs in the area.

Museo Faggiano – Observation Turret – Lecce, Italy

Story Of The Five Cavers

Apparently another archaeological dig is also documented in one of the rooms in the museum. It has to do with five cavers who discovered neolithic archaeological artifacts, handprints and pictograms in caves where they were spelunking around Otranto, Italy.

Museo Faggiano – Five Cavers Room, La Grotta dei Cervi – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Five Cavers Diorama, Handprint Room, La Grotta dei Cervi, Otranto – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Five Cavers Diorama, Deer Room, La Grotta dei Cervi, Otranto – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Five Cavers Diorama, Burial Room, La Grotta dei Cervi, Otranto – Lecce, Italy

Museo Faggiano – Five Cavers Diorama, Stalagmite Room, La Grotta dei Cervi, Otranto – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano

The Museo Sigismondo Castromediano is a large and modern museum south of the old city on Viale Gallipoli. It houses ancient archaeological artifacts which are arranged in special themes.

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Seascape Theme – Amphorae – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Seascape Theme – Anchors and Navigation – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Seascape Theme – Bronze and Iron Cannons – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Artwork in the garden – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Seascape Theme – Vessels of different types – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Seascape Theme – Vessels and Urns of different types – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Seascape Theme – Urn with mythical creature – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Seascape Theme – Cups and large Jugs – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Seascape Theme – Atrium – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Land Theme – Ancient Neolithic Artifacts – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Living Theme – Ancient Burial Artifacts – Lecce, Italy

Museo Sigismondo Castromediano – Living Theme – Ancient Burial Stones – Lecce, Italy

Churches

We were told there was an interesting church to see in the new section of the city, so we headed over there to see both it and the water fountain not far from it.

Santuario di Sant’Antonio a Fulgenzio

The Santuario di Sant’Antonio a Fulgenzio, or Sanctuary of Saint Anthony in Fulgenzio is located the newer part of Lecce. It is worth a visit because of the beautiful frescos that adorn its ceilings.

Santuario di Sant’Antonio a Fulgenzio – Altar and Apse from Nave – Lecce, Italy

Santuario di Sant’Antonio a Fulgenzio – Altar, Crossing and Apse – Lecce, Italy

Santuario di Sant’Antonio a Fulgenzio – Left Transept – Lecce, Italy

Santuario di Sant’Antonio a Fulgenzio – Right Transept – Lecce, Italy

Restaurants

There are a few more restaurants that we visited while in Lecce. Of note are the ones below and of singular distinction is the Chinese Restaurant which we both found a surprise, not only for the extensive menu, but also for the quality of its foods.

Gusto Liberrima

It can be difficult on the weekends, especially Sunday, to find a place to eat that you do not need reservations. Gusto Liberrima located on Corte dei Cicala, 12, appears to be large enough to accommodate more people and might have openings when others do not. We met our new found friends Roland and Amanda at another place we tried to get into, only to be denied and then we tried Gusto Liberrima.

It has Cucina Tipica for the Puglia and other items on the menu, so one should be able to find something to their taste. Roland ordered the Finocchio Arrosto which we tried and it was amazing. It was roasted fennel with parmesan cream, pistachio and almonds crumbled with fresh truffle, very tasty.

Ristorante Gusto Liberrima – Finnochio Arrosto – Lecce, Italy

Patti and I both had the Velutata di Zucca or the pumpkin soup with gorgonzola, rosemary oil, basil cream, croutons, it was delicious. Patti ordered the Insalata Mediterranea which is made with rocket, carrots, tuna fillet, leccine olives, chicory, friscous, mustard mayonnaise, caramelized red onion and I ordered the Sagne Ritorte, which is just homemade pasta in a ragù, along with an Insalata Mista.

Ristorante Gusto Liberrima – Vellutata di Zucca – Lecce, Italy

Ristorante Gusto Liberrima – Insalata Mediterranea – Lecce, Italy

Ristorante Gusto Liberrima – Sagne Ritorte Integrale Artigianali, Insalata Mista – Lecce, Italy

Ristorante Cinese Cheng Du

Along the Viale dell’Università is the Ristorante Cinese Cheng Du. This restaurant has a modern interior and a lengthy menu offering items perhaps not very common. So if you looking for a change of cuisine from the usual Tipica Cucina, then this place may be the answer. Unfortunately at the time of this writing I could not find a website for them.

Ristorante Cinese Cheng Du – Inside – Lecce, Italy

Ristorante Cinese Cheng Du – Placemat – Lecce, Italy

The Noodle and Vegetable Soup is very good and can be highly recommended. Other dishes, including the Vegetable Rice Saltate and Cabbage with garlic and oil are also excellent choices.

Ristorante Cinese Cheng Du – Soup with Noodles, Cabbage and Scallions – Lecce, Italy

Ristorante Cinese Cheng Du – Noodle Soup and Vegetable Fried Rice with Shrimp – Lecce, Italy

Ristorante Cinese Cheng Du – Soup with Noodles, Cabbage and Scallions, Vegetable Fried Rice – Lecce, Italy

Ristorante Cinese Cheng Du – Pollo Piccante – Chopped Chicken with Red Pepper, Ginger, Onion and Black Pepper – Lecce, Italy

Ristorante Cinese Cheng Du – Chinese Cabbage in Garlic and Oil – Lecce, Italy

For our second time around we ordered the same soup and rice but changed our main dishes to Eggplant with Chopped Meat and Scallions, and Sweet and Sour Pork with Green Peppers.

Ristorante Cinese Cheng Du – Eggplant, Chopped Meat and Scallions – Lecce, Italy

Ristorante Cinese Cheng Du – Sweet and Sour Port with Green Peppers, Pineapple in Duck Sauce, White Rice and Fried Rice with Vegetables – Lecce, Italy

2 July, 2023

Stresa, Italy – Borromeo Islands

Borromeo Islands

Of the five Borromeo islands that make up that small group in Lake Maggiore, three have ferry service to them, one is uninhabitable, but has a beach you can visit, and the other, not far off the coast near Pallanza, is small and not frequented by visitors.

CMA Ship Ticket – Tickets For Two – Three Island Tour – Stresa, Italy

CMA Boat Service to the islands – Stresa, Italy

One should note, at least for our CMA ferry service, the islands are visited in an order, as presented below. Altering this order is impossible, if not very difficult, so plan accordingly.

Isola Bella

Isola Bella is probably the most frequented of the three. It has an ostensibly renowned italianate garden, which you have to purchase tickets for of course, but they do include access to the palazzo and the other gardens on Isola Madre.

Isola Madre from Isola Bella – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

The Palazzo

The entrance to the gardens is via the palazzo, you cannot just walk into them. We walked through the old fishing town thinking there were multiple entrances to the gardens, there are not. There is only one, through the palazzo and after the ticket counter.

Palazzo Borromea – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Entrance to the palazzo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

A walk-through of the palazzo is provided in the below slideshow.

Staircase to Salone Nuovo – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Old Marble for staircase – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Sala del Trono and Sala della Regina – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Interesting desk – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Artwork – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Galleria Berthier – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Main Dining – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Sala Nuovo – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Diorama of Palazzo Borromeo – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Sala della Musica – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Murano glass chandeliers – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Puppets and Marionettes – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Odd rock style rooms – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Stone spiral stairway – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Hallway storing other artifacts – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Galleria degli Arazzi – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

The gardens are accessed from the palazzo through what is called Diana’s Atrium, a small sub-garden with stairways to the garden. There is not much to see here and it is probably meant more as a meeting place, than any important adjunct to the gardens, so we ascended to the gardens almost immediately.

Garden Entrance – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

The Gardens

The gardens do contain some interesting species, especially the old Camphor tree that was planted there in 1819 by Vitaliano IX Borromeo. It also houses a peacock and peahen, which will provide the necessary background noise in the gardens for any videos you wish to make.

Camphor Tree on Camphor Terrace – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Garden walkway – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Stairs to another level – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Peacock and Peahen – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Stresa – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Gardino d’Amore – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Gardens – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

The Gardens – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Apparently the pride of the gardens is the Massimo Theater. A rather odd assemblage of opulent statues and finished by Carlo IV, it probably points to the decedent past these properties enjoyed.

Massimo Theater – Palazzo Borromeo – Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Isola dei Pescatori

Even though its proper name of Isola Superiore belies its size, Isola dei Pescatori is the smallest of the three islands. Its main attraction is the small fishing town that stretches from three quarters of its shoreline.

Small town streets – Isola Pescatori, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Narrow alleys – Isola Pescatori, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Jolly Roger – Isola Pescatori, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Hydrangea – Isola Pescatori, Lake Maggiore, Italy

There is only enough room here for restaurants, cafes, shops, boat docks and the odd park on the northwest side of the island. So, casually walking its streets and narrow alleyways is, more or less, the only thing to do here, aside from eating of course.

Rocky beach on the island – Isola Pescatori, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Park at the end of island – Isola Pescatori, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Isola Madre

Isola Madre is the largest of the three and for the most part is an island with a garden and palazzo on it. The garden is entered first, after turning right off the boat and taking the a long garden path walk around a third of the island.

Entrance to gardens – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Old Palm tree – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Coast – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Patti in gardens – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

View of Pallanza and Laveno – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Pallanza – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Once you pass the entrance, where a person will scan your tickets, the garden begins.

Entrance statue – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

The Garden

I found this garden quieter, more casual and more enjoyable overall. It has a few different sections, including a jungle environment which is very wet and grows ferns and other jungle type plants.

Looking back at Stresa – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Patti on garden steps – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Garden walkway – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Eucalyptus trees – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Flowers – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

More flowers and Dark Throat Golden Pheasant – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Dark Throat Golden Pheasant – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

More flowers – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Hydrangea – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Ferns in the wet part of the gardens – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

More ferns – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Old boat or gondola dock – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

An old Taxodium Distichum or swamp cypress – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Leaves of the swamp cypress – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

A rather poor specimen of Sequoiadendron Giganteum, labeled Wellingtonia Gigantea, or the giant sequoia – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Pathway and Bamboo grove – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

The Palazzo

Immediately outside the entrance to the palazzo is a huge Cashmir Cypress tree, that was once blown over by a tornado on the island and later saved. It is indeed a magnificent specimen.

The Cashmir Cypress – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

The interior of the palazzo is very interesting and a bit disturbing as well. It contains a lot of desiderata, so the displays can often appear disjointed and not themed well. However, taken as the idiosyncrasies of its creators and owners, it is perhaps more understandable. I found it enjoyable though confused at times, in its own way.

Antonio Albertini, Biuditta con la Testa di Oloferne – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Exhibit – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Statue – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Cypress tree from balcony – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Main room – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Fireplace – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Hallway crowded with extra furniture – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Chapel and outside garden – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Ivory and Ebony tabletop – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Room with oddities – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Bedroom – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Bedroom for baby and mother – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Cradle – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Hallway – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Elaborate mannequins with Marionette stage – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Marionette stage – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Marionettes and small puppets – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Marionettes on stage – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Odd women’s room – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Dark hallway filled with unused furniture – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Interesting painting – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Study – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Sitting room – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Murano glass chandelier – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Another Murano glass chandelier – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Old chest – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

The Chapel inside – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Outside and exit to boats – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

We thoroughly enjoyed our day visiting all three islands. Though it is a lot to see in one day, it took us about five hours, it is manageable. It might be more difficult if it is hot outside, since all of the gardens are outside and the palazzos do not appears to have any air-conditioning in them. However, there are plenty of places to buy water on each of the islands, so staying hydrated should not be an issue.

Patti by Small pond – Palazzo dell’Isola Madre – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Our CMA ferry – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Leaving the island – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

The island from our ferry – Isola Madre, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Restaurants

Though there are restaurants and cafes on all the islands, we ate on the island of Pescatori because it was in the middle of our day boat trip to all of the islands, and at around half past one, it broke the trip up just about right.

Trattoria Ristorante Imbarcodero

The Trattoria Ristorante Imbarcodero is on the small island of Pescatori. In fact, most of the good restaurants of the three islands are probably here. It has a wide variety of Italian dishes that one can choose from the menu. For lunch, we kept it simple, since we were both not feeling one hundred percent and already had a substantial breakfast at the hotel.

From the boat – Trattoria Ristorante Imbarcadero – Isola Pescatori, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Trattoria Ristorante Imbarcadero – Isola Pescatori, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Spaghetti with tomatoes and lentils – Trattoria Ristorante Imbarcadero – Isola Pescatori, Lake Maggiore, Italy

Spaghetti in simple tomato sauce – Trattoria Ristorante Imbarcadero – Isola Pescatori, Lake Maggiore, Italy

6 October, 202219 October, 2022

Prague, Czech Republic – Last Meanderings

Some Final Meanderings and Thoughts

We really enjoyed Prague and because of the Vtlava River running through it, it really reminded us of Turin, though not as laid back.

Prague – The City from Letna Park – Panorama

Not only are there plenty of things to see and do, the city has many restaurants, more than one would think. One can find anything to eat, from Vietnames and Chinese food to all varieties of European cuisine.

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1. Prague - Franciscan Gardens - Fountain Boy with Shell - fontána Socha Chlapec s mušlí

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The city also has a lot of parks in it, where one can go and enjoy a quiet walk, while admiring some of the monuments and art work that abound in this quiant little eastern European city. We leave you with a parting slide show and a few more restaurant reviews.

Prague – Franciscan Gardens – Fountain Boy with Shell – fontána Socha Chlapec s mušlí

Prague – Looking toward Saint Wenceslas Statue and Narodni Museum

Prague – The Vltava River from Stefanik Bridge

Prague – The New Mill Water Tower from Stefanik Bridge

Prague – The New Mill Water Tower and Ministerial Government BUilding from Letna Park

Prague – Interesting Building near Cech Bridge

Restaurants

La Veranda Ristorante

For our final day together, the four of us were lucky to stumble upon La Veranda Ristorante, a high end Michelin starred Italian restaurant with excellent food and wine. We spent a few maverlous hours enjoying lunch here, and if you have the chance, you should too!

Prague – La Veranda Restaurant – Rolls with Black Garlic and Salted Butter

Prague – La Veranda Restaurant – Mushroom Soup

Prague – La Veranda Restaurant – Gabi’s and Ericka’s Lamb with Whipped Potatoes

Prague – La Veranda Restaurant – Patti’s Trout with Buckwheat and Foamy Rice

Prague – La Veranda Restaurant – Erick’s Tenderloin Special with Spinach and Liver Paté

Prague – La Veranda Restaurant – Espresso with Sambuca

Prague – La Veranda Restaurant – Chocolate Fondant Cake with Roasted Plum and Raspberry Sause and Vanilla Ice Cream – Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream and Puffed Raisins

The Black Elephant Restaurant

Prague – The Black Elephan Restaurant – Front

A truely traditional Czech restaurant, offering all of the local favorites. We expressely stopped in because they advertized and offered Roasted Pig Knuckle, or as the Bavarians would say – Schweinshaxn, which Patti definitely wanted to have before we left.

Prague – The Black Elephan Restaurant – Dining Room

Prague – The Black Elephan Restaurant – Menu

Prague – The Black Elephan Restaurant – Schweinshaxn

Prague – The Black Elephan Restaurant – Greek Salad with Chicken for me

18 August, 2022

Omegna, Italy – Lazy Italian Refuge

Hidden quietly in the north of Italy is the small lake of Orta and the lazy town of Omegna. After two trains and a bus ride, we finally arrived at our new short trip destination. We checked into our three star hotel, the Croce Bianci, perhaps the best centrally located one in the town.

Orta Lake – Panorama from Omegna Shoreline

Because of its small size and lack of glamour, Lake Orta is often overlooked by most overseas travelers, who are more interested in the high impact tourist destinations to check off their bucket lists. It is visited mostly by Italians from Milan, some of whom own weekend homes here, the French, Germans and the occasional Brit. Since there is really not much to see and do on this side of the lake, a short slideshow is perhaps more in order.

Omegna – The Hotel Croce Bianca (red building)

Omegna – Caduti Monument and Hotel Croce Bianci – Lungolago Gramsci

We made plans to visit Omegna just to relax and actually do nothing more than just check the lake out. This is definitely a good place to accomplish nothing. However, there are plenty of activities available, from camping, boating, cycling, swimming, hiking and the odd trek to a neighboring town, if one is so inclined. The area is definitely family friendly, even the town has a large and very well equipped playground for them.

The remainder of our trip will visit other parts of the lake and be continued in another entry, so stay tuned. Ciao for now…

Restaurants

Salera 16

A more hip and trendy place is the Salera 16, which caters to the younger crowd with burgers, fries and other handheld items. A good place to stop for something quick.

Omegna – Caesar Salad with Chicken and shaved Parmesan – Salera 16

Al Centrale Bistrot

This little bistrot has excellent food at great prices, though the menu is limited and changes daily. If you are not fussy and adaptable you definitely find a tasty treat here. Their wines by the glass are very good.

Omegna – Ravioli with Pesto – Al Centrale Bistrot

Ristorante Il Cavalieri

The first restaurant we visited when we arrived, it offers traditional Italian fare and pizza. It behaves more like a trattoria and gets a lot of local traffic. So an excellent place for reasonably priced authentic Italian food. I found the Vino Sfuso, or bulk house wine, a bit of a disappointment, but it is still drinkable and reasonably priced.

Omegna – Ravioli and side salad – Il Cavalieri Pizzeria

Omegna – Chicken Cutlet Milano Style with Fries – Il Cavalieri Pizzeria

Omegna – Tartufo – Il Cavalieri Pizzeria

Ristorante Punti D’Vista

A ten minute walk along the Lungolago Gramsci of Omegna on the west bank will bring you to this hotel and restaurant. Set slightly uphill from the road it has a commanding view of the lake and plenty of outside seating. Reservations are recommended though, as the patio seating fills up quite fast.

Omegna – Rigatoni with olive oil, tomatoes and fried vegetables – Ristorante Punti Di Vista

Omegna – Cheese Cake with currants, Coffee and Sambuca – Ristorante Punti Di Vista

28 June, 2022

Torino, Italy – Our Latest Local Bites

More Local Restaurants In Turin

We have been back in Turin for about a week and had to start knocking restaurants off of our list, at least those that we always wanted to visit. After our recent trip to Greece, we decided we had had enough of eating in and it was time to start eating out again. The following are a few special ones we feel we should mention.

Disclaimer: If you are coming from the US, please keep in mind portion sizes in Italy and perhaps most of Europe for that matter, are not like in the States. In Italy there is always Antipasti, a Primi and then a Secondi for those who need more.

La Piola di Alfredo

When in Piedmont and especially Turin, if you see the word Piola in the name of a restaurant, you are more than likely going to experience some really good local food. You may think of the word Piola synonymous with Trattoria.

The restaurant itself is quietly unassuming and nondescript. The owners and help speak no English, so it is best if you learn at least a little Italian (or your favorite translation application, good luck), or at the very minimum point to what you want.

Pollo Carpione with Vinegar Onions and Tomato Salad

My wife an I were just interested in something to drink and a simple lunch. Though the bottled Nebbiolo wine by the glass ran about €5/glass and was very good, the cheaper alternative was the Vino Sfuso, or house bulk wine, which can be purchased for €2/glass or €10/Liter and is probably very good (I will make a point of it to try it next time).

Nuovo Zhen Bao Chinese Restaurant

We have written about Nuovo Zhen Bao before and it has become one of our go-to places for Chinese food. We have tried other Chinese restaurants throughout Turin, but none have come close to the delicious salads (especially the dressing on the Insalata Cinese), spring rolls and main courses as does this restaurant. The service is usually first rate and they normally have plenty of help on hand.

They have both outside and inside dining, as well as an excellent lunch (Pranzo) menu for only €10, which includes a bottle of water, appetizer, first and second courses.

Stimonio

A bistro that serves naturally and bio friendly items from its menu. They have several items, such as sweet and vegan pancakes, as well as other bio- and earth-friendly choices.

We chose the tuna salad, so they are not exclusively vegan. I had preferred a more complete Piemontese menu, but they do offer a plethora of smoothies and other health friendly items from which to chose. They do not have a house wine or bulk wine (vino sfuso), so wine by the glass can be a bit expensive for Italy at €5/glass (I normally wouldn’t mind, but for that price it isn’t that good).

Ristorante L’Agrofoglio

Much to our dismay, we must announce the closure of the L’Agrofoglio Ristorante and Piola. We had reported on their very good menu and excellent wine cellar, only to be saddened by their closure when we arrived back in Turin early this year. A major loss, I will never forget the unbelievable Barolo that we enjoyed there during our Sunday lunch in July of 2021. A wine, I subsequently tried to order a few months later, only to be told it was no longer available. I lamented of course. (We tried the 2013, which sadly, wasn’t quite the same).