Jazzbeaux Italian Lakes, Tuscany & Umbria 2024

[Host Jazzbeau]

Introduction

 

This is a blog of the Jazzbeaux trip to the Italian Lakes, Tuscany and Umbria from Apr. 30 to May 21, 2024.  It was mainly a land trip, but it did involve several boat cruises on Lake Como and Lake Maggiore and the Italian Lakes are often included as extension on river cruises.

 

We flew from JFK to Milan MXP on American; stayed five nights at Hotel Spadari al Duomo; then joined a Classic Journeys small-group Italian Lakes Cultural Walking Tour for three nights each in Bellagio (on Lake Como) and Stresa (on Lake Maggiore), took a high-speed Italo train from Milan to Florence and spent four nights at Hotel La Scaletta in the Oltrarno neighborhood across the Arno, then a series of DIY moves via MyDayTrip limos to Siena (via Sam Gimignano, Colle di Val D’Elsa, and Monteriggioni), Assisi (via the Crete Senesi scenic route, Monte Oliveto Maggiore, Pienza, and Montepulciano), Orvieto (via Civita di Bagnoregio), and Lido di Ostia (via Sacro Bosco); finally we returned to JFK on American.

 

01 Map of Italian Lakes, Tuscany & Umbria Trip

 

During the trip, Jazzbelle kept detailed notes and I [Jazzbeau] took lots of pictures.  After returning home, I revised the notes to remove names [to protect the guilty, as we say…] and put it in my voice to avoid confusion.  Jazzbelle became ‘DW’ in internet parlance [‘Dear Wife’].

 

Planning for this trip relied on Rick Steves extensively (Florence & Tuscany 2022; Italy 2022, and Rome 2022) as well as comparing the itineraries of several small-group companies for the Italian Lakes and Tuscany.

 

Classic Journeys’ itinerary won that comparison for the Italian Lakes, and we were very happy with their tour.  No group’s itinerary for Tuscany covered everything we want to do, so I created my own tour with limo transfers and direct hotel bookings – but the series of 1- or 2-night stands (and even the 3-night stands with Classic Journeys) was very stressful and we will go back to concentrating on cruises where you only have to unpack once.

 

The next blog entries are a day-by-day account of the trip, with a selection of pictures.

 

Enjoy!

 

PS – If you have any questions, please reply to this thread – or email me at jazzbeauster@gmail.com

 

And if you found this blog helpful, here’s a link to all our other travel blogs: jazzbeauxblogs.wordpress.com

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

Tuesday April 30, 2024 – On the Road Again

 

The local limo came early at 3 pm because the JFK Expressway was closed for reconstruction and airport customers had been warned about lengthy delays approaching the terminals.  As it happened, we lucked out and it only took 50 minutes to get there.  After checking in we headed for the Greenwich Lounge (access included with American Flagship Business seats) where we could eat and relax for almost two hours.  There was rosemary chicken, Cajun shrimp, asparagus, strawberry spinach salad, lot of cheese, hummus, cookies…  [Also a do it yourself liquor bar (G&T with Hendricks and Fever-Tree – heaven!)]

 

We picked two comfortable lounge chairs and there was a TV with a show on Alabama lakefront bargain renovations.  [Reenforcing why I don’t want TV...]

 

We didn’t have too far to go to reach our gate and most of Business Class had already boarded.  We sat in the first row (not like bulkhead thanks to the individual pods).  A Flight Attendant helped DW put her carryon in the overhead bin and asked what she’d like to drink:  Champagne, OJ, water.  [She, of course, chose water and yes, I took the champagne!]

 

Our flight left the gate on time and we taxied a while [JFK is very large, and not compactly laid out]  It seemed to take a long time to gain elevation and the plane [777-200] sounded as if it were falling apart.  Once that settled down, it was still incredibly noisy.  The pilot promised to get us in on schedule, taking less than eight hours to reach Milan.

 

And he said it would be smooth flying...BUT we hit lots of turbulence!  And our ultimate landing was long and rough.  [Bad luck? Cowboy at the controls?  We’ll never know.]  But we did make it on time.

 

Soon after take-off we were served small bowls of warmed nuts along with a drink of choice.  I had red wine and DW had apple juice.  Then dinner:  we both had eggplant caponata with artichoke hearts, a green salad with grape tomatoes to start.  I had short ribs with lobster mac and cheese, asparagus, and raspberry cheesecake [very tasty]  DW had chicken breast, haricots verts, roasted potato, vanilla ice cream with chocolate topping [dry and chewy]

 

I then lay down for most of the flight and tried to sleep [somewhat successfully]  DW watched an old movie and then dozed off during a French flick; then she couldn’t stand the pressure of the headset to watch anything else in English so she read, prayed, did Sudoku.

 

An hour or so before landing, we were served breakfast of scrambled eggs, Canadian bacon, roasted potatoes and grilled tomato.  There was fresh fruit and a roll plus a beverage.  [Little did we know it, this our last ‘American breakfast’ of the trip.]

[Host Jazzbeau]

Wednesday May 1, 2024 – Milan Food and Wine Experience

 

We disembarked and easily got through Passport Control, claimed our bags and went to the area where drivers wait.  Our MyDayTrip driver was not there but it was only 9:30 am and I had told him 10.  He showed up earlier than that and helped with our luggage as we walked to the parking lot.  David was a Milan native who loved his hometown.  He pointed things out, told us that today was a holiday [May Day] and got us to the Hotel Spadari al Duomo at 10:30 where Yolanda checked us in and told us breakfast was still being served.  We were full from the plane, but checked it out and brought a couple of beverages to our room.  It was also good to learn that the non-alcoholic ones in our room mini fridge were complimentary.

 

We desperately needed naps, so down we went for hours.  [I book the first hotel room from the night before so that our room will be ready when we arrive – an indulgence but it starts our trips off without hassle]  We awoke to rain which was not unexpected.  We took some time to regroup, re-pack and plan for our Food and Wine Experience walking tour with Italy Hidden Experiences at 6:30.

 

We took Uber as close as possible to S. Lorenzo Church and met Sylva, our guide, at the Statue of Constantine [they are proud of him because of the Edict of Milan – you could look it up]

 

01 Statue of Constantine

 

We were the first of the group, so we went inside the Basilica of San Lorenzo to avoid the rain.  It was simply decorated for an Italian church.  We returned to Sylva and found the remaining four in the group, two married couples from Tel Aviv, Israel.

 

 

02 Basilica of San Lorenzo

 

03 Basilica of San Lorenzo

 

The 3.5 hour food stroll was enjoyable but not exactly as described (perhaps due to the holiday?).  Sylva pointed out and described different buildings or the absence thereof (like the very few remains of the Roman amphitheatre) before we headed into a restaurant for one of the four courses.  We started with appetizers at Caffè della Pusterla with light fare of olives, crudités, chips and wine followed by hot bruschetta with smoked sausage or eggplant parm.

 

04 Colonne di San Lorenzo

 

05 Porta Ticinese

 

We walked past the Basilica of Saint Eustorgio [a local saint], and saw one of the 417 drinking fountains for which Milan is famous, on the way to our pasta/rice/soup course [didn’t get the names of the other restaurants on the tour, sorry]  We had samples of piping hot risotto and yummy broad, flat tubular chewy pasta covered with a lovely tomato sauce with chucks of tomato in it.

 

06 Basilica of Saint Eustorgio

 

07 Drinking Fountain

 

Several blocks later we were seated at a bustling restaurant where we each got a small platter of charcuterie, Stracciatella cheese, and fried pizza-dough puffs.

 

A short distance later found us at an artisanal cannoli bakery where we each could select two different fillings.  [I enjoyed the cannoli very much, but DW is still not a cannoli fan!]

 

This concluded our tour and we bid Sylva and the Israelis farewell and Shalom.  The two of us opted to walk back to the hotel.  It was pretty much a straight run along Via Torino.  As we approached our hotel, the Duomo was beautifully lit up.

 

08 Milan Duomo

 

09 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

 

[The changes/deletions from the tour description were: a visit to a “cheese shop that sells unpasteurized cheese” – we assume it was closed for May Day – and a tour of the Navigli neighborhood, which we got a little of but never saw the canals that give it its name and form its center.]

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thursday May 2, 2024 – Milan Duomo & Last Supper

 

We had breakfast down in the hotel dining room.  There was a buffet of pastries, cold cuts, cheese, cereal, yogurt, chocolate pieces, fresh fruit, etc.  The waitress took orders for eggs, bacon, etc.

 

We then donned our rain gear for our three-hour Best of Milan Duomo & Dan Vinci’s Last Supper walking tour from City Wonders.  Thanks to the hotel’s central location, it was only a short walk to meet our guide Lucia and a large group of fellow tourists standing in the rain not far from the Duomo di Milano.  [Not the 14 maximum promised]

 

The Milan Duomo is a magnificent church (the 3d largest in Europe) and Milan’s centerpiece!  Built 600 years ago, it is immense with more than 2,000 statues inside, 52 100’ tall sequoia-size pillars representing the weeks of the year and the liturgical calendar, 135 spires on its rooftop, and another 1,000 statues on top.  [It is like no other church I have ever seen, and I was blown away by it as much as by Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.]  It was built to hold 40,000 worshippers.  It has an unusually large number of colorful stained glass windows.  To visit, one must be frisked and have bags inspected.

 

01 Milan Duomo

 

02 Milan Duomo

 

03 Milan Duomo

 

04 Milan Duomo

 

05 Milan Duomo

 

06 Milan Duomo

 

07 Milan Duomo

 

08 Milan Duomo

 

09 Milan Duomo

 

10 Milan Duomo

 

We had a timed entrance for the Duomo and spent almost an hour inside.  Lucia knew a lot and was determined to impart every last detail to us – which left no free time to walk around the church on our own.  I broke away immediately to take photos.  Lucia finally announced that she was getting us ready to leave, but it was unclear (to us anyway) what the immediate plan was.  I wanted to show DW the lovely stained glass windows in the apse – and we were suddenly separated from the group.

 

11 Milan Duomo

 

12 Milan Duomo

 

13 Milan Duomo

 

14 Milan Duomo

 

15 Milan Duomo 

 

We had our Whisper earpieces, but she started breaking up and then ... radio silence.  I figured out where they might go next, so we hurried up to the Sforza Castle.  No sign of them so I called City Wonders – but they were unable to reach Lucia and refused to give me her number.

 

We walked around the outside of the castle, took advantage of the free WCs at the Cadorna RR station, and then headed over to Santa Maria delle Grazie where we were to visit DaVinci’s Last Supper for 15 minutes.

 

16 Sforza Castle

 

17 Sforza Castle 

 

After waiting in the rain for some time, we finally heard Lucia on the headsets and reunited with the group.  [Lucia was shocked that we had been missing all this time, and claimed she had counted after leaving the Duomo.  I guess she wasn’t a math major...]

 

After some more time waiting in the rain, we were all finally admitted to the convent’s former dining hall with the famous Da Vinci fresco of the Last Supper.  Leonardo worked on this project for four years, finishing in 1498.

 

18 Last Supper

 

19 Last Supper 

 

While he was a truly great artist, fresco (painting on wet plaster) wasn’t his preferred medium (he worked very slowly), so he experimented here using untried new pigments painted on dry plaster.  [As with new medications, the side effects were only discovered after real-world use...]  Another problem was location: the painting backed onto the kitchen, with its cooking heat and moisture.

 

20 Last Supper

 

21 Last Supper 

 

[As a result, deterioration began within six years of completion and the paint started flaking off.  The bishop commissioned another artist to paint a careful copy on canvas, which is displayed in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana – see the next blog entry]

 

Miraculously, the original survived bombing in WWII.  A 21-year restoration project (completed in 1999 just 500 years after the original) removed 500 years of touch-ups, leaving the masterpiece faint but vibrant.  To minimize future damage from humidity, only 30 tourists are allowed in every 15 minutes for exactly 15 minutes.  [It is amazing, and our guide made sure we were alerted to every. single. detail. in it!]

 

At the opposite end of the hall is the fresco The Crucifixion by Giovanni Donato da Montorfano.  [The Dominicans traditionally placed a Last Supper at one end of their refectories and a Crucifixion at the other.  Must have made for interesting table talk, except I think they ate in silence...]

 

22 Crucifixion

 

Our group had to exit when the 15-minute alarm rang, but that did not stop Lucia from giving us yet more details.  [In addition to math, editing was not in her toolbox...]  Eventually some of our crowd began dispersing and returning their voice boxes to her.  As expected some wanted to use the restroom, but we found the only one here was out of order.  Out into the rain!

 

The two of us found our way to Nico Ristorante Pizzeria where, you guessed it, we shared the pizza of the day—topped with red sauce, mozzarella, sausage and cherry tomato halves.  [Our local supermarket makes a better one, sans the tomatoes]

 

We walked back to Santa Maria delle Grazie as it reopened at 3 pm.  This church survived WWII unscathed and is worth seeing.  Its fine Gothic arches lead to a Renaissance Bramante-designed dome.  We visited the side chapel to sit for some quiet, reflective time.  It had modern stained glass windows.

 

23 Santa Maria delle Grazie 

 

We walked to Leonardo da Vinci National Science and Technology Museum, where we spent at least 90 minutes exploring various galleries [and would have stayed longer, but it closed!]  The Hall of Leonardo, the core of the museum, has wooden models illustrating his designs.  Early ideas about flight!  Gliders…  To say he was a genius would be an understatement.  Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect.  [And don’t forget as a Ninja Turtle!]

 

24 Da Vinci Science Museum

 

25 Da Vinci Science Museum

 

26 Da Vinci Science Museum 

 

In addition to his gallery, there are also exhibits on space exploration, mining, radio and TV, old musical instruments, computers, telephones.  There are interactive science workshops which draw the younger set of visitors.  We ran out of time so didn’t get to see the outbuildings which house a 150’ submarine, antique locomotives, a rocket ship.

 

We next headed to the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio.  The church was first built on top of an early Christian martyrs’ cemetery by St. Ambrose around 380.  It was later rebuilt (in the 12th century) in the Romanesque style seen today.  We enter from the street into an arcaded atrium, the walls of which hold remains of the dead.  From there you see the elegant façade, or west portal, in typical Lombard medieval style.  The local bishop would bless crowds from the upper loggia.  Once inside, one can see the mosaic in the apse featuring Christ Pantocrator (All Powerful) in the company of Milanese saints.  There are only fragments now of the frescoes that once covered the church.  The pulpit sits atop a Christian sarcophagus dating from 400 AD.  The 9th-century golden altar survived WWII because it was taken to the Vatican for safe keeping.

 

27 Sant-Ambrogio

 

28 Sant-Ambrogio

 

29 Sant-Ambrogio

 

30 Sant-Ambrogio 

 

Our next stop was the Church of Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore but it was closed.  [We did get there – see the blog entry two days later]

 

Not far past San Maurizio, tucked behind other buildings, DW happened to spot some ruins.  We went over and found they were part of the Imperial Palace, the residence chosen as the official seat by Emperor Maximianus in 286 AD.  Not a single sumptuous construction, but rather a vast connected area composed of dwellings for the sovereign and his court, facilities built for recreation, ambassadorial sections, courtyards, porticoes.  These remains were brought to light in the 1950s.  [As Yogi said, you can see a lot just by looking!]

 

31 Roman Imperial Palace 

 

Almost back to our hotel and we were passing the Milan Stock Exchange. Happening to look over to the courtyard there was a huge white sculpture of a hand showing its middle finger.  This is entitled L.O.V.E. and won a contest in 2009 to find the most appropriate sculpture to grace the financial district.  By popular demand, it has become a permanent fixture.

 

32 Milan Stock Exchange

 

33 L.O.V.E. 

 

We had to wait till 8:45 to dine in Trattoria Milanese.  It was worth it.  I ordered cutlet Milanese [a local specialty] which is just like Wiener schnitzel.  It filled the plate and was very good.  I had some very good bread and olive oil with it.  DW asked for veal Marsala.  She got five thin medallions served with plenty of sauce and Marsala was definitely the main ingredient in that!  [The best veal Marsala we have ever had!]  She also had a lovely salad.  She ate every bite.  For dessert we shared three small scoops of vanilla gelato with coffee [Affogato, a local specialty]  The dessert was just ok, but we already knew the gelaterias near our hotel would be closed for the day.  All in all a really good meal!

[Host Jazzbeau]

 

Friday May 3, 2024 – Milan Duomo Museum & La Scala

 

We could sleep in!  Hit breakfast around 10:30.  Fresh fruit is very nice.  The scrambled eggs are on the dry side.  DW made a small ham and Emmenthaler sandwich for later.

 

We walked over to the nearby Piazza del Duomo.  We were not surprised by the crowds as it was the first day with sunshine and no rain since we arrived.  But we were surprised by large tractor trailers that were dropping off aluminum framing and enclosing a newly restricted area in the piazza; no one would say why.

 

01 Piazza del Duomo 

 

A large statue of Vittorio Emanuele II sits on horseback in the middle of the piazza.  Surrounded by hundreds of pigeons, he is unaware and looks over at the pricey shopping mall named in his honor.  At one point, there was a very loud noise and all the pigeons took flight in circles over our heads.  They finally calmed down and returned to the statue base.  Some were scroungers and remained at our feet in hope of food droppings.

 

02 Vittorio Emanuele II

 

03 Piazza del Duomo

 

04 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II 

 

We headed to the Duomo ticket office and discovered that tickets for the rooftop were already sold out for this day, and that the Duomo would be closed tomorrow [for the ordination of Archbishop Flavio Pace – mystery solved!]

 

The line was an hour long, but a young officer suggested we head to the Duomo Museum for faster service.  That we did as we also wanted to visit there this afternoon.  We were able to secure tickets for the rooftop for late tomorrow morning and were admitted to the Duomo Museum immediately.  Here we got more of the story of Milan’s cathedral and were able to see original art and treasures up close.

 

05 Duomo Museum

 

06 Duomo Museum - God the Father

 

07 Duomo Museum - Madonnina

 

08 Duomo Museum - Madoninna framework

 

09 Duomo Museum - ceiling scupture 

 

The Duomo is under constant reconstruction, because the marble weathers in the elements.  Thankfully the noble family that endowed the cathedral also donated the quarry which is the only source of the unique Candoglia marble with its pink-white-green-blue hues that blend into gray.  The only other building that was (forcibly) allowed to use this marble was the Palazzo dell'Arengario, which is now a museum of 20th-century art [none of which Mussolini would have liked at all!]

 

10 Candoglia marble

 

11 Palazzo dell'Arengario 

 

Our next stop was the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana which has the copy of Leonardo’s Last Supper painted by Andrea Bianchi.  [meh]  We stopped in to see the cartoon [preparatory full-size drawing] Raphael made for his fresco The School of Athens, which is in the Vatican Museums in Rome.  It fills an entire wall of a special gallery, and there is a worthwhile 5-minute video introduction.  [This was a nice surprise, that made up for the disappointment of the Last Supper copy.] We also found paintings by Brill and Brueghel and saw Leonardo’s painting The Musician.  [I recommend the Pinacoteca mainly for the School of Athens cartoon.  Unfortunately it was too big to photograph, but that is the downside of its being a vast drawing to experience.]

 

12 Pinacoteca Ambrosiana

 

13 Pinacoteca Ambrosiana

 

14 Pinacoteca Ambrosiana – Last Supper copy

 

15 Pinacoteca Ambrosiana – Christ Crowned with Thorns (Luini)

 

We returned to our hotel room for about 20 minutes, regrouped and then hustled over to La Scala Opera House for a reserved hour-long tour.  We learned its history from its opening in 1778, visited some of the boxes [a few originals have been preserved to show the social mores of the times], got a firsthand look below stage at one of the four floors where props (including cars) are stored.  After the tour we had access to the museum, which had a special display on Maria Callas.

 

16 La Scala

 

17 La Scala

 

18 La Scala

 

19 La Scala

 

20 La Scala box

 

21 La Scala classic box

 

22 La Scala classic box

 

23 La Scala royal box

 

24 La Scala props 

 

We exited La Scala and walked through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.  A four-story glass-domed arcade, it was the first building in Milan to have electric lighting.  It has elegant, high-end shops like Gucci, Vuitton, Prada, Dior.  [No temptation for DW!  Did I luck out of what!!!]

 

25 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

 

26 Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II 

 

We dropped in on the little church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro.  The building lot was too shallow for the intended Greek Cross floorplan, so Bramante decorated the apse [which is only 3 feet deep] with the painted perspective of a much deeper apse, realizing in this way one of the first examples of trompe-l'œil in history of art.  Standing at the entrance, you see a deep apse; as you walk up to the sanctuary you see the apse collapse like an accordion.  Amazing!

 

27 Santa Maria presso San Satiro

 

28 Santa Maria presso San Satiro

 

29 Santa Maria presso San Satiro 

 

We found the hidden Piazza dei Mercanti, a small square that was the center of political power in the 13th century.  It offers a fine smattering of historic architecture that escaped the bombs of WWII.

 

30 Piazza dei Mercanti

 

31 Piazza dei Mercanti

 

32 Piazza dei Mercanti

 

33 Piazza dei Mercanti 

 

Back to our hotel for some down time and a search for somewhere for dinner.

 

I opted for the Navigli area near one of the remaining canals, hoping to find us some seafood.  Fish, etc. is hard to come by in Milanese restaurants.  We took the #14 tram using our credit cards, disembarked at Cantore stop and walked about five blocks to the Naviglio Grande canal.  As we approached, a racing scull went by with middle aged women at the oars.

 

We found the Rick Steves-recommended restaurant Luca e Andrea.  The only seafood listed was mussels, which DW loves – but it came with a jug of beer so no thanks.  We both ordered the local specialty ossobuco on risotto.  It was ok, but we wouldn’t order it again.)  DW also got a hefty Greek salad chock full of tomato, cukes, kalamatas, feta and greens; she enjoyed that more than the main course.  It was a quirky place but service was good.

 

When we left we intended to go to a Rick Steves-recommended gelateria, but it was pouring.  Umbrella vendors were doing their best to make a buck but it was tough as people were either prepared or decided to brave it.  They were also asking 13 Euros [congestion pricing]  We had rain jackets and one brolly to share.  We waited awhile and the rain let up some.

 

We retraced our steps to the #14 tram stop and waited for the next one with about 10 young people.  One stood up to offer his seat.  [Nice!  But it does show that we are officially old people...]  The credit card machine onboard was malfunctioning and would not accept anyone’s card, so we got a free ride.  By the time we got to the stop near our hotel the rain had let up.  We were glad to get out of our wet clothes.

 

We discovered that the welcome gift from the hotel was not just nuts stuck to a dark plastic background (as we thought).  It was solid dark chocolate with nuts.  Yum!  We still haven’t gotten a gelato treat at the recommended place right next to our hotel, as the lines go on and on, so this helped!

[Host Jazzbeau]

 

Saturday May 4, 2024 – Milan Duomo Rooftop & Brera Art Gallery

 

I had developed a cold and was praying I wouldn’t share it with DW.  [I suspect the man sitting next to us at the first breakfast, who was blowing his nose constantly]  Both of us were consuming Zicam Rapid Melts.  [They protected DW and my cold only bad for 24-hours, so the voodoo worked!]

 

We ordered poached eggs for breakfast [usually safe, because they are almost always made fresh from real eggs...] and asked the waitress to fill an empty pill container with salt so we could gargle.

 

Then we walked to the Duomo for our 11:30 appointment for the lift up to the Duomo Rooftops.  As we passed by the plaza we saw young children in navy suits/white dresses and adults who were with them all dressed up.  First Communion?

 

We got on a short line for the lift and were up to the Terrace level after a short wait.  We were above gargoyles which all had wire mesh on their tops and in their mouths to ward off pigeons.  We could see up close the detailed carving of hundreds of statues and decorative stonework that no one on the ground can appreciate.  But these craftsmen did it all for the love of God!

 

01 Milan Duomo Roof Terrace

 

02 Milan Duomo Roof Terrace

 

03 Milan Duomo Roof Terrace

 

04 Milan Duomo Roof Terrace

 

05 Milan Duomo Roof Terrace

 

06 Milan Duomo Roof Terrace

 

07 Milan Duomo Roof Terrace

 

08 Milan Duomo Roof Terrace

 

09 Milan Duomo Roof Terrace

 

Many parts of the Duomo were covered with scaffolding.  They seem to be in a constant state of repair/replacement/cleaning of the marble.  Donations gladly accepted.

 

10 Milan Duomo Rooftop

 

We then climbed over 80 steps to the actual Rooftop and followed Rick Steves’ hints for highlights, including the head of Mussolini and several pairs of boxers (pugilists not underwear) embedded in the intricately carved marble designs; but we couldn’t find Abe Lincoln.

 

11 Milan Duomo Rooftop

 

12 Milan Duomo Rooftop

 

13 Milan Duomo Rooftop - Madoninna

 

14 Milan Duomo Rooftop

 

15 Milan Duomo Rooftop

 

16 Milan Duomo Rooftop – front facade

 

17 Milan Duomo Rooftop - Mussolini

 

18 Milan Duomo Rooftop

 

We also got great view of Milan, including the bell tower of San Gottardo, the top-heavy Torre Velasca skyscraper that mimics Sforza Castle, and Piazza del Duomo (where they are erecting the viewing area for the festivities).

 

19 Milan Duomo Rooftop - San Gottardo

 

20 Milan Duomo Rooftop - Velasca Tower

 

21 Piazza del Duomo 

 

We finally descended to the cathedral main floor without benefit of lift.  Over 230 steps.  No handrail.  [But we made it, despite being official ‘old people’ !]

 

The Duomo was empty [it was closed to the public for today’s special events], save for a few young guards pretty much absorbed with their cell phones.  What a treat to be there in the total quiet without the distraction of people, and to be able to focus on the grandeur and holiness of this church!  A special time!

 

22 Milan Duomo

 

23 Milan Duomo

 

24 Milan Duomo

 

25 Milan Duomo

 

26 Milan Duomo - St. Bartolomeo

 

27 Milan Duomo - Pulpit (Pellegrini)

 

28 Milan Duomo - Organ 

 

Milan is a beautiful city.  The architecture of the old buildings is something to be enjoyed and admired!  One building after another is decorated so artistically and maintained to such a high standard.  And within the city proper, there is little graffiti.  It is a clean city with much hustle and bustle.  [Perhaps our favorite in Italy – and that was a surprise!]

 

As we walked to our next point of interest, D noticed a shop serving gelato and there was no one waiting in line.  We each ordered medium cups [I had pistachio and DW café).  The café seemed to be filled with coffee beans but D was pleasantly surprised to bite down and find chocolate candy instead.  Wow, what a kick it gave her.  Caffeine and sugar!  She had a long lasting burst of energy and chattiness!  [Even without a Rick Steves recommendation, it was good!  But unfortunately we didn’t make a note of the name...]

 

We arrived at the Church of San Maurizio which was part of a 9th-century convent built into a surviving bit of Milan’s ancient Roman wall.  Despite its simple façade, it’s a hit with art lovers for its amazing cycle of Bernardino Luini  frescoes.  It’s been said, “Stepping into this church is like stepping into the Sistine Chapel of Lombardy.”  We had passed this church twice before in our travels but it was closed.  It was well worth this trip back to see the artwork.

 

29 San Maurizio

 

30 San Maurizio

 

31 San Maurizio

 

32 San Maurizio

 

33 San Maurizio

 

34 San Maurizio 

 

We then had a good hike to reach the Brera Art Gallery, which houses the top collection of Italian paintings of the 13th through 20th centuries.  It was established in 1809 to house Napoleon’s looted art.  [Evidently there are no hard feelings, as there are two huge statues of nude Napoleon.  He only wished he were that tall and hung so well {pun intended}]

 

35 Brera - Napoleon (Canova)

 

36 Brera - Napoleon (also Canova) 

 

Our favorite paintings in this gallery were Mantegna’s foreshortened Christ, Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus, Rubens’ Last Supper, Lega’s The Arbor, and Hayek’s The Kiss – the latter illustrated with a touch-me swatch of satin silk.

 

37 Brera - Christ (Mantegna)

 

38 Brera - Emmaus (Caravaggio)

 

39 Brera - Last Supper (Rubens)

 

40 Brera - The Arbor (Lega)

 

41 Brera - The Kiss (Hayek)

 

42 Brera - Silk Satin to touch 

 

Our favorite room was the restoration lab which offers a chance to peek in on the hard work of keeping these paintings looking so good; unfortunately they don’t work on Saturdays, but we were able to see the tools and the ongoing progress on several paintings.

 

We took a tram back to the hotel and I took a nap which brought some relief from my cold.  DW opted to get out into the fresh air and walk around the busy streets for an hour.  She returned in time for a quick snack and got me up for 6 pm Mass at San Satiro.  She had brought along the lectionary readings for the day, but once the lector read on and on, we knew there was something different about this liturgy [our reading was quite short].  It turns out it was celebrated in the Ambrosian rite.  It is a rite accepted by the Catholic Church and is popular in this area of Italy and in Lugano, Switzerland.  Ambrose had been bishop of Milan and San Satiro was his brother.  Despite the long reading Mass concluded in 45 minutes and as we left through the main door, there was a crowd of tourists waiting to enter.

 

We walked up to our favorite Milan restaurant, Trattoria Milanese, for dinner.  We were the first seated [I had called for the reservation the previous night] and a friendly waiter assisted with our ordering.  DW repeated hers of two nights before:  Veal Marsala and mixed salad.  I also ordered the Veal Marsala but asked for mashed potatoes and asparagus with butter and Parmesan as my sides.  For dessert I had two scoops of vanilla gelato, and asked for Amaretto Disaronno instead of coffee on top; the waiter brought the bottle and poured until I said ‘when.’  [Since I don’t know how to say ‘when’ in Italian, he kept pouring!  Boy did I enjoy it!!!]

 

We walked the short route back to the hotel, stopping at an ATM on the way.  Then it was time to repack for our tour bus ride to Lake Como tomorrow.

 

We had completed everything on my sightseeing list for Milan [except the Gallerie d’Italia]

[Host Jazzbeau]

Sunday May 5, 2024 – Lake Como & Villa Balbianello

 

Earlier breakfast than usual.  We were out of our room with luggage by 10:25.

 

We checked out and I called for an Uber* to take us to Hotel Sina de la Ville, the meeting place for our six-night small-group Italian Lakes Cultural Walking Tour with Classic Journeys.

 

* Uber is not generally a good choice in Milan, as they are only able to operate ‘black cars’ which go at higher prices than taxis.  But we had all our luggage with us, so I wanted the XL size of Uber Black for this trip.  Taxis in Italy tend to be very small [showing my age: a ‘full-size’ car should be 18 feet long!]

 

Here’s a map of the tour:

 

01 Italian Lakes Tour Map

 

 

Our guides Giampiero Faga and Tania Masi greeted us and Giampiero spoke of his background and showed us on maps where we would spend the next six days.  For 45 minutes he held our attention, then suggested a potty stop while they took our bags out to the bus.  He concluded with the advice that we should always watch the driver load our bags into the bus.

 

We had a short ride to a service center on the highway, Auto Grill, where we had 30 minutes to grab a light lunch.  We shared a ham and cheese focaccia sandwich.  Another short distance (about 33 minutes) brought us to Lake Como. Carved by glaciers and reflecting the Alps to the north, it is renowned for its deep blue waters and the Art Nouveau, Romanesque and Neoclassical architecture of the villas that line its banks.

 

02 Lake Como

 

03 Lake Como

 

GP pointed out George Clooney’s estate on the opposite shore and noted the mixed blessing of his fame:  a boost to tourism, and the risk of overcrowding.

 

The bus pulled into a back street and we all disembarked.  We hiked up and over till we reached Villa Balbianello, an 18th-century mansion that has served as a residence for noble families, and its grounds have attracted writers, scholars, and even movie directors for years.  We strolled through the manicured gardens with its umbrella trees, poppies, yellow pansies… and followed local guide Camilla into the house, which was last owned and renovated [over an amazingly short four years] by explorer and alpinist Guido Monzino.

 

04 Villa Balbianello

 

05 Villa Balbianello

 

06 Villa Balbianello

 

07 Villa Balbianello

 

08 Villa Balbianello - hidden stair

 

09 Villa Balbianello

 

10 Villa Balbianello

 

11 Villa Balbianello

 

12 Villa Balbianello

 

13 Villa Balbianello

 

14 Villa Balbianello

 

15 Villa Balbianello

 

16 Villa Balbianello

 

17 Villa Balbianello

 

18 Villa Balbianello - painting on glass

 

19 Villa Balbianello

 

20 Villa Balbianello - chapel

 

21 Villa Balbianello - chapel

 

We visited every floor and room in the house before exiting near the dock for our private boat to the far shore where we disembarked in Bellagio (“beautiful view”).

 

22 Private Boat

 

23 Villa Balbianello

 

24 Villa Balbianello

 

25 Lake Como

 

26 Lake Como

 

27 Lake Como

 

28 Lake Como

 

29 Lake Como

 

30 Bellagio

 

31 Bellagio

 

32 Bellagio

 

33 Bellagio

 

34 Bellagio

 

35 Bellagio

 

36 Bellagio

 

37 Bellagio

 

38 Bellagio

 

We climbed uphill to reach our hotel for the next three nights, Belvedere Bellagio.  We were escorted to our appointed rooms where we found chilled Prosecco awaiting us (for our 50th anniversary?).  We had a wonderful view of Lake Como from our balcony.

 

We relaxed before meeting our group downstairs at 7 pm for an aperitivo (drink of choice) and hors d’ of salmon, salami/cheese, olives, slabs of Parmesan, chips, nuts….  We spent time getting to know some of our companions for the week.  Shortly before 8 pm, we all headed out of the Belvedere and downhill to the village to Bilacus, a crowded restaurant where we took over two long tables.

 

We had a choice of two items from among nine for our dinner.  I started with Tagliolini with clams and spinach and DW chose risotto with venison stew and cocoa beans.  We both then had sea bream with roasted veggies and potato.  For dessert, I opted for vanilla Fior di Latte gelato with EVOO and salt atop salted chocolate crumbles [much better than it sounds!] and DW ate every bit of homemade Belgian chocolate cake with a scoop of vanilla gelato.

 

We walked back to the hotel with the couple from Idaho.  It was almost 11PM when we reached our room.  Another full day!

 

Italian word for the day = Andiamo = let’s go!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Monday May 6, 2024 – Bellagio

 

Breakfast buffet (opens at 7 am with table service available at 7:30) was very appetizing and table service very courteous and provided speedy delivery of omelettes, etc.

 

We all met our guides in the lobby at 9 am.  Many of us grabbed umbrellas at the last minute and wisely so.  We needed them as soon as we stepped onto the sidewalk.  We headed down into Bellagio which has a fascinating heritage, with roots that trace to Roman times.  One of the most significant periods for the village was during the Middle Ages when it served as a strategic outpost for noble families vying for control of the region.  Bellagio’s ideal location at the intersection of the three branches of Lake Como made it a coveted territory, resulting in the construction of fortified structures such as the Castle of Bellagio and Villa Serbelloni.

 

Today we joined our two guides on a walk through the village stopping at the Basilica di San Giacomo (St. James), one of the best examples of Romanesque-Lombardy architecture.  It was built from the end of the 10th century to the beginning of the 12th.

 

01 San Giacomo, Bellagio

 

02 San Giacomo, Bellagio

 

03 San Giacomo, Bellagio

 

04 San Giacomo, Bellagio

 

05 San Giacomo, Bellagio

 

06 San Giacomo, Bellagio

 

07 San Giacomo, Bellagio

 

08 San Giacomo, Bellagio

 

We continued downhill to La Punta Spartivento, where we could see the forking of Lake Como’s branches.

 

09 Lake Como Map

 

10 La Punta Spartivento, Lake Como

 

We backtracked and then walked down to the water’s edge and along a scenic lakeside trail immersing us in history and culture.  Meandering from the cobblestone streets of Bellagio, we followed a lakeside footpath to nearby Villa Melzi whose magnificent gardens boast more than 500 species of exotic plants and 14 acres of flowering azaleas and rhododendrons.

 

11 Villa Melzi

 

12 Villa Melzi

 

13 Villa Melzi

 

14 Villa Melzi

 

15 Villa Melzi

 

16 Villa Melzi - Dante and Beatrice

 

17 Villa Melzi

 

We continued along through the botanical garden and came out in Loppia (with a winter population of around 50), 

 

18 Loppia

 

19 San Andrea, Loppia

 

and then through San Giovanni where Tania encountered Ivan Gilardoni, a carpenter who collects old bicycles.  They chatted and he handed out postcards showing how he now hangs some of them on the façade of his house, called La casa delle “bici volanti” as he is running out of room indoors for the 100 or so he owns.

 

20 San Giovanni

 

21 La Casa delle bici volanti, San Giovanni

 

22 Chiesa di San Giovanni

 

We then had a short walk but a big climb through wet grass at times to Villa Crella, an estate restored by GP’s friend, Lorenzo.  He and his family welcomed us and he provided a wine tasting of a white and a red and then a balsamic vinegar tasting of a 4 year old and a 12 year old.

 

23 Villa Crella, San Giovanni

 

24 Villa Crella, San Giovanni

 

25 Villa Crella, San Giovanni

 

A homemade lunch from the hands of his older son fortified us for the walk back to the Belvedere.  We had two types of focaccia, a local cow cheese and Parmesan with the tastings.  Then we had rotini in a pesto sauce followed by Caprese salad and coffee.

 

As we had walked over 3 miles in the rain to reach the hotel, Giampiero offered cab rides to any of our group who might be interested.  Three took him up on the offer, and the rest of us followed him for about an hour and a half till we were once again at our hotel.  

 

26 walk back to Bellagio

 

Gelato had been promised, but we didn’t pass any shop on this route – no loss, as the lunch was very filling.  It was almost 5 pm.  DW took a nap, and then I did too.

 

At 8 pm we ventured down into the village for dinner (on our own) at a restaurant highly recommended by Rick Steves and Giampiero.  Ristorante Terrazza Barchetta was very crowded and there were already people outside waiting to be seated.  We were finally seated in the small dining room.  We both ordered the Lake perch on rice and DW also got a big salad of fresh veggies.  [It turns out that our guides and others in our group were at tables in the upstairs dining room]

 

The two of us walked back uphill, hoping to find the local gelateria open but not surprised when it wasn’t.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Tuesday May 7, 2024 – Como

 

Up early and downstairs when the buffet opened, as we were meeting at 8 am for a bus ride to Como.

 

The city of Como is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, particularly its centuries-spanning tradition of silk production, dating to the Middle Ages.  In the 15th and 16th centuries, Como became one of the leading centers of silk manufacturing in Europe, known for its high-quality fabrics and intricate designs.  Today Como remains a hub for the textile industry, with artisanal workshops producing silk products using traditional techniques.  [Because of the rain we didn’t have free time to explore the shops showcasing Como’s famous silk, but we did see examples in the shops in Bellagio.]

 

The bus took an hour in the rain to reach Como where we met our special tour guide, Donatella, who would guide us around for the next 90 minutes.  First, we broke into three groups for a caffè and to use their facilities.  Then back together, we tried to hear D’s soft-spoken voice describing the history of the city and some of its buildings despite the roar of traffic and the peeling of bells.

 

01 Piazza San Fedele, Como

 

02 San Fedele, Como

 

03 San Fedele, Como

 

04 San Fedele, Como

 

05 Piazza San Fedele, Como

 

The only building we actually entered was the Gothic/Renaissance Cathedral.  It was erected on the site of a previous church and was completed over a long period of time (1396-1740).

 

06 Como Cathedral

 

07 Como Cathedral

 

08 Como Cathedral

 

09 Como Cathedral

 

10 Como Cathedral

 

11 Como Cathedral

 

12 Como Cathedral

 

13 Como Cathedral

 

14 Como Cathedral

 

15 Como Cathedral

 

16 Como Cathedral

 

17 Como Cathedral

 

We  met up with Tania and Giampiero and trudged along in the rain, walking alongside the lake and passing a marina, Tempio Voltiano, Monumento alla Resistenza, Aero Club Como, and the cablecar up to a residential area – before reaching Villa Olmo, which was closed to the public [but thankfully its restrooms weren’t!]

 

18 Como marina

 

19 Tempio Voltiano

 

20 Monumento alla Resistenza

 

21 Aero Club Como

 

22 Aero Club Como

 

23 Como Cablecar

 

24 Villa Olmo

 

25 Villa Olmo

 

We walked all around the villa and then headed to the Como Tennis Club where we had a tasty lunch.  I had minestrone soup and veal carpaccio with a tuna mayonnaise sauce with capers.  DW had a monster-size tossed salad with chicken in it.  [The club isn’t open the public, but GP knows the local tennis hero and got us in.]

 

After lunch, we retraced our steps and walked back to the ferry slip.  Across the street was a gelato stand and Giampiero treated us all to a cup [making up for the missing one yesterday!]  We then took the ferry all the way up to Bellagio.  It was a nice ride crisscrossing the lake as it dropped off and took on passengers.

 

We walked up the hill to the hotel and regrouped for dinner in the village at Ristorante La Pisana where we had a three-course dinner.  We both had octopus, eggplant Parm and then had different desserts.  She enjoyed the tiramisu but I was disappointed in the crème brulée.

 

It was raining steadily as we left for the trek home up through the dark lanes.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Wednesday May 8, 2024 – Stresa

 

A sunny morning!  And a beautiful view from our hotel room balcony.

 

01 view from our balcony

 

02 view from our balcony

 

03 view from our balcony

 

We had to have our luggage outside our rooms by 8 am and meet the group in the lobby by 8:20.  As we were boarding the bus, one of the women fell in the street.  With the help of ice packs, she seemed to feel better.  Off we went down to the ferry and were across the lake [with beautiful views all the way] to Cadenabbia in eight minutes.  

 

04 Lake Como

 

05 Bellagio

 

06 Villa Melzi

 

07 Lake Como

 

08 Cadenabbia

 

09 Cadenabbia

 

10 Cadenabbia

 

Back on the bus, we went a short distance to Lenno to an olive farm with around 300 trees.  The owner, Luciano, is 86.  He told us about pruning, diseases, and the harvest.  He invited us inside his country house which was recently renovated. Then we headed down hill to visit the mill where the olives are pressed after the November harvest.  We sampled one of the EVOOs on a slice of bread.  Quite a few of the group purchased oil from his shelves.

 

11 Lenno

 

12 Lenno

 

13 Lenno

 

14 Lenno

 

We then had a long bus ride to Mount Mottarone/Stresa.  Several of us napped.  More than halfway there, Georgie (our driver) pulled into a service area.  The left front tire was flat.  A nail was removed, tire patched and reinflated and we were on our way to a lovely restaurant with a view.

 

[Apparently we missed the drive up Mount Mottarone and a hike from the alpine village of Levo to the restaurant.  As it was, the hike down from the restaurant was sufficient.  Basta!]

 

Il Cardini was first opened in 1929.  We dined on the patio.  DW had a shrimp salad with lettuce, tomato and avocado.  I had veal ravioli and duck carpaccio.  We then walked down to the hotel (a descent of ~1000’).  Tough on the knees, but easy on the eyes.  We had views of Lake Maggiore (the largest of the Italian lakes), the Borroméan islands Isola dei Pescatori, Isola Madre, and Isola Bella, and our hotel on our way down.

 

15 Lake Maggiore from Il Cardini

 

16 view from from Il Cardini

 

17 Isola dei Pescatori

 

18 Isola Madre

 

19 Isola Bella

 

20 Stresa

 

21 Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées

 

We also passed two small churches on our hike down:  San Biagio, and Santi Giuseppe e Biagio.

 

22 San Biagio

 

23 San Biagio

 

24 Santi Giuseppe e Biagio

 

25 Santi Giuseppe e Biagio

 

Finally we were down to lake level, with a closer view of Isola Bella, and our hotel.

 

26 Stresa

 

27 Isola Bella

 

28 Isola Bella

 

29 Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées

 

30 Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées

 

We checked into the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées.  It is a historic and luxurious hotel located on the shores of Lake Maggiore.  Decorated in Art Nouveau style, this hotel is rather dated and not at all noise-proof.  [Hotels in Italy with “Grand Hotel” in their name date back to the era of the “grand tour” that English aristocrats took as part of their cultural education.  They tend to be large and ornate, with sumptuous public spaces – but the rooms are more ‘quaint’ than luxurious.]  But we had a great view from our balcony.

 

31 view from our hotel balcony

 

A thunderstorm hit but was over before our group walk to the restaurant.  We passed a monument to the Alpine Corps and saw a beautiful sunset over the lake. 

 

32 Statue to the Fallen Alpini

 

33 Lake Maggiore

 

34 Lake Maggiore

 

Our group had three tables in the wine cellar at Il Clandestino Ristorante di Pesce.  We wound up sitting at the smallest table, with the two tour guides.  I had maccheroncini which consisted of al dente rigatoni with a tomato sausage ragu to start, and the other three at our table had lobster ravioli with a hint of lemon.  Then all four of us had perfectly cooked dorado with potatoes and vegetables.  Most of our gang left after the second course.  Six of us [‘the gutsies’] stayed for dessert and were served warm apple pie topped with homemade Tahitian vanilla ice cream.  Delicious!

 

The two of us walked back on our own.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thursday May 9, 2024 – Lake Orta & Isola San Giulio

 

Up early again for a light breakfast as we had to meet at 8:30 am.  Some in our group are wearing down, not feeling well, or want more free time.  So some stayed back on their own.

 

We took a bus for 30 minutes to the edge of a large dairy farm and hiked on their unpaved roadway with ruts, puddles, and slippery grass [described as a ‘scenic footpath’ and it would have been if you could look at the scenery and not mind your footing] for about a mile.  We made our final descent in wet grass higher than the tops of our shoes and were greeted by a very friendly fenced-in work horse.  There were also two burros who gave us short shrift.  We continued on and were introduced to the owner, Alfredo.

 

He brought us into the barn to meet his girls—over 2 dozen cows who were in the process of eating.  Two were segregated from the others as they were pregnant.  And there was a darling month-old calf in a separate stall.  As Alfredo did not speak English, Tania asked him questions in Italian and then gave us his answers in English.

 

01 Alfredo's cheese farm

 

02 Alfredo's cheese farm

 

03 Alfredo's cheese farm

 

We then went over to three abutting picnic tables where Alfredo proceeded to make La Toma del Mottarone country cheese in a matter of minutes right before our eyes.  The final product was poured into a brick shaped basket and sliced in pieces for all of us to sample.  During this demonstration, Giampiero explained all of Alfredo’s steps in making the cheese.  This was only the beginning of tasting.  Trays/cutting boards of others of his cheeses were brought out to us with baskets of homemade whole grain bread and jars of flavored yogurts.  Then Giampiero treated all who wanted it to gelato from Alfredo’s retail shop.

 

04 Alfredo's cheese farm

 

05 making La Toma del Mottarone

 

We all waddled to the bus, which had pulled in less than 100’ away from the shop.  [We could have skipped the walk through the muddy field!  But this way we earned the cheese and gelato, and it didn’t add to our waistlines...]

 

We could hear more and more of our travel mates coughing and sneezing all around the bus.  Unclean!  [I was afraid I would be the bad guy passing on my cold to the group – but it seems several others had brought even worse viruses so I was off the hook!]

 

The bus drove over to Lake Orta and dropped us at a small pier where a motor launch pulled in and we all boarded.  We had a short ride to Isola San Giulio but not without singing Volare and That’s Amore to Giampiero’s lead.  The boat captain sang along.

 

06 Isola San Giulio, Lake Orta

 

We disembarked and the island was heavily populated with visitors.  We all walked right up the steps to the Basilica of San Giulio.  Of a very ancient origin, the basilica probably stands on the site where San Giulio is supposed to have erected a church in the 4th century.  A Romanesque structure but with Baroque interior décor is built in a Latin cross plan.  There are many beautiful frescoes and paintings.  The crypt below the sanctuary contains with the remains of San Giulio.

 

07 Basilica of San Giulio

 

08 Basilica of San Giulio

 

09 Basilica of San Giulio

 

10 Basilica of San Giulio

 

11 Basilica of San Giulio

 

12 Basilica of San Giulio

 

13 Basilica of San Giulio

 

14 St. Gregory

 

15 Basilica of San Giulio

 

16 Basilica of San Giulio

 

17 St. Lawrence

 

18 San Giulio miracle

 

19 San Giulio

 

The island has been a place of pilgrimage and prayer for centuries.  Next door is cloistered community of nuns who maintain a simple and traditional way of life.

 

We exited the Basilica and walked along the street in the direction of the Via del Silenzio (“walk of silence”).  The reverse would have been the “walk of meditation.”  There were occasional signposts with brief sayings on them to guide one along.  To our right were people’s homes, interrupted by narrow lanes leading to the shore of Lake Orta.

 

20 Via del Silenzio

 

21 Via del Silenzio

 

22 Via del Silenzio

 

23 Isola San Giulio

 

24 Isola San Giulio

 

Having finished our walk, we returned to the dock and boarded a different motor launch to take us to the quaint village of Orta San Giulio for lunch.  [This is like a cruise.  An hour has passed.  It must be time to eat again!]  Six opted out.  Such strength of character!

 

25 Orta San Giulio

 

26 Orta San Giulio

 

27 Orta San Giulio

 

28 Orta San Giulio

 

29 Orta San Giulio

 

The rest of us followed our guides into Ristorante Leon d’Oro and had a lovely meal starting with a large tossed salad. The two of us had pesto pasta (which looked like a bowl of cut green beans) tossed with cherry tomato halves, slivered almonds and a light sauce.  The other choice was a plate of risotto.  Our meal concluded with the chef’s dessert: a hazelnut parfait.

 

We then had 40 minutes on our own before we regrouped for a picturesque 50-minute walk along the waterfront to the bus.  The final stretch was a steep climb up to the road where we got on board and headed back to Stresa with one stop for GP to buy bottled water for everyone.

 

30 Villa Bossi

 

31 Orta San Giulio

 

32 San Rocco

 

33 Orta San Giulio lakefront walk

 

34 Orta San Giulio lakefront walk

 

35 Villa Crespi

 

Our expected arrival time at the hotel was 5:00 but we didn’t get back till 5:45.  The two of us threw ourselves together and headed down the street to the Chiesa Santi Ambrogio e Theodolo [Saint Ambrose] for the 6 pm Mass for Ascension Thursday.  We didn’t make it on time, but we were there.  We planned on staying quietly afterwards but that was not to be as the building was being darkened and locked.

 

36 Santi Ambrogio e Theodolo, Stresa

 

So we crossed the road and sat on a bench overlooking the lake for a while before heading for our dinner reservation at Ristorante Lo Stornello [recommended in an article on the Italian Lakes in a recent issue of the UK Telegraph sent to us by a friend just before our departure for Italy]  We arrived just as the doors were opened and though we were a half hour early, they seated us and we both enjoyed sweet-glazed pistachio salmon trout with pesto mustard sauce and Campari honey drops, accompanied by roasted potatoes and spinach.  We also took advantage of the bread basket on the table.

 

We left and started wandering through the busy streets when we encountered some tour mates.  After chatting about how we each planned to tip on guides, we saw a gelato shop (L’Angolo) and got our dessert.  We enjoyed our treat as we continued walking but never saw an ATM.  [I resorted to my walking app and it turned out there had been a bank right across the street from L’Angolo]  We then walked back to the hotel and spotted two others from our group enjoying drinks in the lobby, so we visited with them for a while.

 

Now we were the ones who felt overtaxed by the schedule, so I texted Giampiero to let him know we would not be hiking in the morning and to confirm the meeting place and time for the afternoon activity.

 

[This was our only major complaint about the itinerary, and I suggested in my comments that they should to add an extra night in Stresa and adjust the schedule to allow for more leisurely mornings and free afternoons.  Classic Journeys responded that they will consider this for the future.]

 

Tomorrow’s weather is supposed to be like today’s—sunny and mid 70s.  Yes!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Friday May 10, 2024 – Borromean Islands

 

We got up after 9 am and had a leisurely breakfast [we discovered in time that special order eggs, e. g., poached are an extra charge, so we stuck with the buffet]

 

One of our travel mates was awaiting a doctor because the cold in her chest had gotten so bad.  A doctor came at the appointed time and listened to her breathing.  Bronchitis!  Prescribed an antibiotic.

 

We went to Carrefour Supermarket in search of Equal but I had to settle for Stevia.  [Never found any aspartame sweetener anywhere in Italy on this trip.]

 

Five of us had opted not to do the 2½ hour hike that began in Baveno [those who went enjoyed it] and we all met up with the group at 1:30 in front of Saint Ambrose Church.

 

We crossed the street and took a private launch over to Isola Bella (= “beautiful island”).  The Borromeo family, one of Italy’s most influential noble families, transformed the barren island into a magnificent garden paradise and built a splendid palace as their summer residence.  Today, the Palazzo Borromeo is adorned with priceless artworks, intricate tapestries, and ornate furnishings on our privately guided exploration.

 

Some rooms were packed with so much artwork that so you couldn’t find any space between them.  But they were all symmetrically arranged by style, size, type…  

 

01 Palazzo Borromeo family crests

 

02 Picture Gallery

 

03 Picture Gallery

 

We saw the Bed Chamber, Throne Room, Dining Room, and Music Room.

 

04 Bed Chamber

 

05 Throne Room

 

06 Dining Room

 

07 Music Room

 

On the very high ceiling of the Reception room was the lettering humilitas (humility), which seemed incongruous with the surroundings.  

 

08 Reception Room

 

09 Reception Room

 

10 Humilitas

 

Yet this powerful, very public family produced a saint: Charles Borromeo who did live a very humble life.  Charles was the Archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584 and a Cardinal of the Catholic Church.  He was a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation combat against the Protestant Reformation, together with Ignatius of Loyola and Philip Neri.  In that role he was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests.

 

We saw the bed where Napoleon slept when he was a guest.

 

11 Napoleon's Bed

 

There were over 200 rooms.  We visited 13 of them in all, including the Library, the collection of Marionettes, the six rooms of the Grotto Apartment, a Spiral Staircase, and the Tapestry gallery.

 

12 Library

 

13 Marionettes

 

14 First Grotto

 

15 Second Grotto

 

16 Thrid Grotto

 

17 Thrid Grotto - Sleeping Venus (Monti)

 

18 Fourth Grotto

 

19 Fifth Grotto

 

20 Sixth Grotto

 

21 Spiral Staircase

 

22 Tapestry Gallery

 

Our tour guide bid us farewell and led us outside to begin exploring the famous gardens.

 

23 Isola Bella Gardens

 

24 Isola Bella Gardens

 

25 Isola Bella Gardens

 

There were many birds, including at least four white peacocks.  Magnificent creatures!

 

26 Isola Bella Gardens

 

27 Isola Bella Gardens

 

There were very formal Italian gardens and less formal ones to walk around and relax in.

 

28 Isola Bella Gardens

 

29 Isola Bella Gardens

 

30 Isola Bella Gardens

 

31 Isola Bella Gardens

 

32 Isola Bella Gardens

 

33 Isola Bella Gardens

 

34 Isola Bella Gardens

 

Constant reconstruction/renovation/restoration of huge statuary was obvious.  Two young female workers were busy at work on the forearm of Zeus.

 

35 Isola Bella Gardens

 

36 Isola Bella Gardens

 

After a half hour of free time, we gathered with our cohorts and headed down to our motor launch which took us back to a dock near our hotel.  The two of us headed away from there to buy gelato.  DW got caffè with chocolate crumbles and I had a combo of mascarpone/pistachio and amarena (cherry).

 

We returned to the hotel for some down time before meeting everyone for our final dinner together—in the main dining room of the hotel.  We all started with local air-dried beef with duck paté.  We then had a choice of risotto or pasta.  DW and I had this pasta (Paccheri sauteed with three kinds of tomatoes and Parmesan cheese).  Then the choice was fish or veal.  We picked the baked sliced veal with chopped stew vegetables.  For dessert we all had bitter chocolate mousse with citrus salad.

 

DW got back most of her compression sleeves from the woman who had fallen just before we left Milan.  Then she waited with the couple from Idaho at an upstairs window for the fountain light display, but disappointingly it had its final showing at 10 and it was now 11.

 

Time to pack for tomorrow’s return to Milan.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Saturday May 11, 2024 – Milan to Florence

 

Today is our 50th Wedding Anniversary!  How did that happen???

 

This would be a big travel day.

 

We had ample time this morning for a leisurely breakfast and last minute packing.  We met the others in the lobby at 11 am.  Only 12 of the 18 would be on our bus, as the others had flights for which special transportation had been arranged.  The bus first dropped off five who had flights out of Milan, and then drove to the Milano Centrale Train Station where it deposited six of us who were taking trains to Florence.  [The last bus passenger was taken to her hotel in Milan afterwards.]

 

DW and I went to the Lounge Italo Club on the upper level overlooking the train departures.  I had arranged this online along with our ticket purchase.  We stayed here for two hours and had access to snacks and drinks.  Not the best lounge we’ve been in [there was a sign that it will be expanded and upgraded], but a nice quiet place to sit and relax, and it had clean restrooms.

 

Our gate number was finally posted and we hustled to the train, only to find all the luggage space in the corridor had been taken.  I got creative finding spots for our bags [we don’t travel light, you know]  Settling into our seats we were ready when the train pulled out a couple of minutes late.  Into the ride, a young attendant came through with a cart and offered snacks.  Looking out the window we saw vineyards, well maintained farms, solar panel farms.

 

Unfortunately, we were facing backwards.  [You can’t tell when booking seats on Italian trains whether you’ll be facing forward or backward as the trains turns around in some stations.  This is a major reason DW is not fond of train travel]

 

This trip only had a few stops and it was announced in ample time to get yourself together.  Bologna was the stop just before ours and from there to Florence we were mostly in tunnels in this hilly area.  We had a short delay due to traffic on the rails, but arrived on time.

 

After we disembarked, we easily got an Uber to take us to Hotel La Scaletta near the Pitti Palace in the Oltrarno neighborhood across the Arno.

 

We had a Deluxe Double Room Garden View, which was huge with two big beds [the only way to avoid small rooms], gathered our dirty laundry and headed out at 7 pm to the Wash&Dry Laundromat.  It was open until 11 pm daily, but there was no wash and fold service on weekends so we had to figure out how to use Italian laundry  machines!

 

We got two loads washed and into dryers and then hustled to Burro & Acciughe where we had a dinner reservation for 8 pm.  I ordered the mixed seafood grill and DW grilled octopus with courgette plus a seasonal salad.  A nice dinner!  but we had to rush back to retrieve our laundry.

 

Despite the absence of staff at the laundromat, our warm clean clothes were safely in the driers.  Next stop was an ATM because we needed euros for the hotel bill to receive a discount.

 

We were too tired by the time we returned to the hotel to open our Anniversary cards!

 

[no pictures today]

[Host Jazzbeau]

Sunday May 12, 2024 [pt. 1] – Fiesole

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

 

We had a bit of trouble trying to find the breakfast buffet at our hotel, but we finally nailed it.  It was a small but efficiently set up operation.  Cereal, small pastries, mini sandwiches, scrambled eggs, grilled veggies…  [€13 each]

 

We asked the desk clerk to call us a cab and the second attempt got us one.  [The first one came, but somebody else jumped in it!]

 

We’d never want to drive here.  It’s like the Demolition Derby, but the cabbie got us up to Fiesole safely and in a timely manner.  He dropped us at the foot of the hill up to the Convento San Francesco Fiesole.  What  a climb! 

 

01 Fiesole

 

02 Fiesole

 

03 Convento San Francesco

 

We arrived after a few mini rest stops just in time for the 11:00 Mass attended by perhaps 20 people and celebrated by 3 dark-skinned monks (no Italians) with music provided by a monk in the background at the organ.  We responded and sang along as best we could [I never thought I’d be nostalgic for the Latin Mass!] and followed the readings and commentary DW had brought along.

 

04 Convento San Francesco

 

05 Convento San Francesco

 

06 Convento San Francesco

 

07 Convento San Francesco

 

08 Convento San Francesco

 

09 Convento San Francesco

 

After Mass we were able to go behind the scenes and see two cloisters, some old cells where monks each had a plain wooden chair, desk and slab for a bed.  We saw some museum items, an old but used sacristy...

 

10 Convento San Francesco

 

11 Convento San Francesco

 

12 Convento San Francesco

 

13 Convento San Francesco

 

14 Convento San Francesco

 

And some beautiful views of Florence.

 

15 view of Florence from Fiesole

 

16 view of Florence from Fiesole

 

We dropped down the hill a bit and had lunch at Ristorante La Reggia degli Etruschi.  We ate indoors at an open window with a view of the valley.  Food was tasty and rich.  DW had rigatoni/paccheri with a creamy tomato sauce with crumbled sausage and a hint of spice.  I had 4 roquefort-filled dumplings that promised pear as well but that was not evident; they were topped with a creamy, poppyseed sauce.

 

We continued down to our original drop off point and found that the Cathedral of San Romolo was open.  In we went and wound up having a friendly escapade with an expat from Florida who told us his background (Ukrainian Jew) and offered to take our photograph [our first on this trip!]  Off he went as his girlfriend was getting impatient.

 

17 San Romolo Fiesole

 

18 San Romolo Fiesole

 

19 San Romolo Fiesole

 

20 San Romolo Fiesole

 

21 San Romolo Fiesole

 

22 San Romolo Fiesole

 

23 San Romolo Fiesole

 

24 San Romolo Fiesole

 

We headed outside having visited all three levels of the church available to us and found a bus waiting at Piazza Mino.  With help from the driver, we were able to figure out the ticket machine and boarded the bus for the twisty downhill ride; we had to stand the whole time.  It was hot, smelly and crowded but it was an inexpensive way to Florence.  [€1.70 each]

 

25 Piazza Mino Fiesole

 

I will pick up with Part two of this day's blog at 

Santa Maria Novella. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

 

Sunday May 12, 2024 [pt. 2] – Florence, Santa Maria Novella

 

We disembarked from the bus close to Santa Maria Novella (13th century Dominican), finally found the entrance and got a discounted entrance fee with everyone else [€5]  We spent quite a bit of time inside.  A huge, but more tastefully decorated edifice than most churches, it is actually rich in art. 

 

01 Santa Maria Novella

 

02 Santa Maria Novella

 

We saw Giotto’s Crucifix, [scaffolding around the chapel where Masaccio’s Trinity is undergoing restoration], the Orcagna Chapel with frescoes of the Last Judgment, and Brunelleschi’s Crucifix,

 

 

03 Crucifix (Giotto)

 

04 Orcagna Chapel

 

05 Orcagna Chapel

 

06 Orcagna Chapel - Heaven

 

07 Orcagna Chapel - Hell

 

08 Crucifix (Brunelleschi)

 

the Tornabuoni Chapel with Ghirlandaio’s fresco cycles of Mary and John the Baptist,

 

09 Tornabuoni Chapel

 

10 Tornabuoni Chapel

 

11 The Four Evangelists

 

12 Mary cycle (left wall)

 

13 Expulsion of Joachim from the Temple

 

14 Birth of Mary [under renovation]

 

15 John the Baptist cycle (right wall)

 

16 Zechariah and the Angel

 

17 The Visitation

 

the Strozzi Chapel with frescoes by Filippino Lippi,

 

18 Strozzi Chapel

 

19 St. Phillip at Temple of Mars (Lippi)

 

20 St. John Raising Drusiana (Lippi)

 

and the Capponi Chapel with Vasari’s Madonna of the Rosary.

 

21 Capponi Chapel

 

22 Madonna of the Rosary (Vasari)

 

The final stops on the Santa Maria Novella tour were the Green Cloister, with a marker showing height of the November 4, 1966 Arno Flood,

 

23 Green Cloister

 

24 Green Cloister

 

25 Flood Marker

 

[I was in Florence in the spring of 1967, and all evidence of the terrible flood had already been cleaned from all the buildings – you could only tell where it had been because the walls were super-clean up to that point.  Restoration of the damaged art works took much longer, and some couldn’t be saved even with the best modern techniques.  Thankfully the Arno has been tamed, so a repetition of that flood is unlikely.]

 

and the Spanish Chapel, with Andrea di Bonaiuto’s fresco series Allegory of the Active and Triumphant Church and of the Dominican Order (c. 1365).

 

26 Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ

 

27 Ascension of Christ

 

28 St. Thomas Aquinas

 

29 The Triumph of the Church

 

Upon exiting we went to the train station nearby to get a taxi.  The exceptionally long line of travelers with luggage was daunting, but the cabs appeared like pigeons landing near a favorite statue.

 

Next thing we knew we were off to the Pitti Palace.  I will conclude this day's blog in the Part three.

[Host Jazzbeau]

 

Sunday May 12, 2024 [pt. 3] – Florence, Pitti Palace

 

The taxi took us to the Pitti Palace, which is on the other side of the Arno [in the Oltrarno neighborhood] very close to our hotel.  Because of the location most tourists miss it, but it is worth the walk across the Ponte Vecchio – especially if you leave enough time to enjoy the gardens!

 

It was too late to buy a combo ticket with the Boboli and Bardini Gardens so we took our time exploring the first/main floor of art works exhibited there.  It was so spacious it never felt crowded.

 

01 Pitti Palace

 

We saw the Sala Bianca and a view of the Boboli Gardens [as close as we got on this trip],

 

02 Sala Bianca

 

03 view of Boboli Gardens

 

then spent a lot of time going through the Palatine Gallery including: the Prometheus Room,

 

04 Prometheus Room

 

05 Madonna (Lippi)

 

06 Holy Family (Botticelli)

 

07 Madonna (Botticelli)

 

the Ulysses Room,

08 Ulysses Room

 

09 Holy Family (Raphael)

 

10 Inlaid Marble Table

 

Napoleon’s Bathroom,

 

11 Napoleon's Bathroom

 

the Iliad Room,

 

12 Iliad Room

 

13 Ritratto di Donna (Raphael)

 

the Saturn Room,

 

14 Saturn Room

 

15 Madonna dei Granduca (Raphael)

 

16 Tommaso Inghirami (Raphael)

 

17 Madonna della Seggiola (Raphael)

 

the Jupiter Room,

 

18 Jupiter Room

 

19 La Velata (Raphael)

 

the Apollo Room,

 

20 Apollo Room

 

21 La Maddalena (Titian)

 

22 Ritratto Virile (Titian)

 

and the Venus Room.

 

23 Venus Italica (Canova)

 

24 Ritratto di Donna (Titian)

 

25 Pietro Aretino (Titian)

 

26 Concerto (Titian)

 

Then we went quickly through the Royal Apartments, viewing the Room of Niches and the Green Room, which were anticlimactic after the Palatine.

 

27 Room of Niches

 

28 Green Room

 

We stayed till almost closing, but on the way out there was one more little treat: a peak at the Grotto of Buontalenti, an artificial cave crusted with fake stalactites in the Boboli Garden.

 

29 Pitti Palace

 

30 Grotto of Buontalenti, Boboli Gardens

 

A visit to our favorite ATM for the rest of the money to pay our hotel bill, then we got a cab to a restaurant recommended by our tour guide from Classic Journeys, Trattoria Zà Zà.  We had a reservation, but the lines were incredible.  Thankfully they were efficiently handled by employees with walkie talkies.  One fellow came and took us and two other couples past the main door ... past other doors and outside glass enclosed buildings ... to the red room, and seated us in the middle of a half dozen tables.  This restaurant has become so popular with its extensive menu and low prices that it needs more and more space to seat all the new and repeat clientele!

 

I started with a plate of pasta carbonara and DW had a big mixed salad.  Neither of us finished our appetizers.  Then DW had rabbit stuffed with pork and veal with sautéed spinach on the side.  I went for the steak with rosemary potatoes [for which this place was recommended]  We both ate as much as possible but couldn’t finish.

 

We decided to walk home.  It helps with digestion and with seeing more sights.  It also gives us a chance at dessert, i.e., gelato.  We passed Venchi [high prices and long lines] and went to one in a side alley called Festival Del Gelato.  DW got caffè and I had cappuccino [which I found very liquified — maybe Venchi has long lines for a good reason!]

[Host Jazzbeau]

 

Monday May 13, 2024 [pt. 1] – Florence, Medicis

 

After our buffet breakfast, we took a taxi to Cappelle Medicee (Medici Chapels).  After buying our tickets we entered the building via the Crypt; Medicis of the last years with little impact on the family reputation or on politics are buried down here.  Then we went upstairs to the two chapels.  We first entered the Chapel of the Princes.  This impressive octagonal room echoes the octagonal Baptistry and the Duomo’s dome base.  It is lined with tombs of six Medici rulers and decorated everywhere with their coat of arms (a shield with six balls).  [As they said throughout northern Italy, the “cultured but oppressive dukes” had a lot of balls...]  

 

01 Chapel of the Princes

 

02 Chapel of the Princes

 

03 Medici Coat of Arms

 

04 Tuscany City Shields

 

05 Fernandino I

 

06 Cosimo II

 

The altar is an awe-inspiring work of multi-colored painted wood (not marble!)  It is the only Christian symbol in this spacious room to power, wealth, and mediocre Medicis.

 

07 Altar

 

We finished in Michelangelo’s New Sacristy.  The entire room—architecture, tombs, sculptured statues was designed by him over a 14 year period to house the bodies of four Medicis (two Lorenzos and two Giulianos).  He spent his teen years and got his start with this powerful family, and thus had a close relationship with these people.

 

08 Michelangelo's New Sacristy

 

09 Michelangelo's New Sacristy

 

10 Michelangelo's New Sacristy

 

11 Tomb of Lorenzo II (Dusk & Dawn)

 

12 Tomb of Giuliano (Night & Day)

 

13 Tomb of Lorenzo the Magnificent

 

14 Medici Madonna (Michelangelo)

 

Passing the Basilica of San Lorenzo [which those in the NAC "not another church" group will be glad to know we didn't go inside],

 

15 Basilica of San Lorenzo

 

we visited the Medici-Riccardi Palace.  Cosimo the Elder, the founder of the ruling Medici Family dynasty lived here. Besides Michelangelo, they hosted Botticelli and DaVinci.  Entering we saw the courtyard and a special Orpheus and Eurydice exhibit.

 

16 Medici-Riccardi Palace

 

We walked up to the first level to the Chapel of the Magi which had been the private family worship space, and the Fireplace Room with a lovely Madonna by Lippi.

 

17 Chapel of the Magi

 

18 Chapel of the Magi

 

19 Madonna (Lippi)

 

This palace is also a functioning government building with offices and council chambers interspersed with the tourist sites.  

 

[NYS and NYC are very generous to their employees, but I never had working conditions like these.  If we had, we bureaucrats might have gotten delusions of grandeur – oh wait, we already did...]

 

20 Medici-Riccardi Palace chambers

 

21 Medici-Riccardi Palace chambers

 

The final stop was the Luca Giordano Room, which was added by the Riccardi family but celebrates The Apotheosis of the Medici Family, who are shown frolicking with Greek gods.

 

22 Luca Giordano Room

 

23 Poseidon

 

24 Hades and Persephone

 

25 Florence [personified]

 

Our next stop was Perche no! [Why Not?] gelateria (recommended by Rick Steves).  DW got crunchy caffè (a mistake as the crunch was provided by tiny pieces of a Heath Bar) and I went for half Amarino, half raspberry [which was sorbet but intense]

 

The gelato raised our blood sugar for the walk across town, past the Baptistery and Duomo, and the Piazza della Signoria with the Loggia and the Palazzo Vecchio, on our way to Santa Croce Church, which I will cover in part two of this day’s blog.

 

26 Baptistery

 

27 Baptistery

 

28 Duomo

 

29 Duomo

 

30 Piazza della Signoria

 

31 Loggia - Abduction of a Sabine Woman

 

32 Palazzo Vecchio

 

33 Neptune Fountain

 

34 David (copy) & Hercules and Cacus

[Host Jazzbeau]

Monday May 13, 2024 [pt. 2] – Florence, Santa Croce & Oltrarno

 

This day’s blog continues at Santa Croce Church.  In our visit to Florence 13 years ago, we had been dropped off at the door and picked up for our return to Livorno, but we never had time to go inside.  [Trying to see Florence from a cruise ship makes for an intense agenda and this just didn’t fit.]

 

01 Santa Croce

 

DW fell in love with this Franciscan church (the largest in the world).  Built from 1294-1442 it was huge, spacious, uncluttered.  Impressive wooden ceilings with massive wooden beams demonstrate the mathematical perfection of the design and the builders’ technical prowess.

 

02 Santa Croce

 

03 Santa Croce

 

04 Santa Croce

 

05 Santa Croce

 

Tombs of Galileo and Michelangelo are on side walls facing one another.  Hundreds of people are buried in this church complex, including Machiavelli and Rossini – but not Dante, who was hidden in Ravenna to prevent the Florentines from stealing his bones.

 

06 Tomb of Galileo

 

07 Tomb of Michelangelo

 

08 Tomb of Machiavelli

 

09 Tomb of Rossini

 

10 Memorial to Dante

 

Donatello’s Annunciation has unprecedented realism that marked the beginning of the Renaissance in sculpture.

 

11 Annunciation (Donatello)

 

The Bardi Chapel, with Giotto’s frescoes of the Stories of St. Francis, was closed for renovation, but we were able to see the Gaddi frescoes in the Baroncelli Chapel.

 

12 Baroncelli Chapel

 

13 Baroncelli Chapel

 

We exited the nave of the church to visit the Sacristy, with a piece of St. Francis’ habit and a Crucifix by Cimabue [damaged in the 1966 flood].

 

14 Sacristy

 

15 St. Francis' Habit

 

16 Cimabue's Crucifix

 

the Medici Chapel, with Bronzino’s Descent of Christ into Limbo,

 

17 Descent of Christ into Limbo

 

the Pazzi Chapel,

 

18 Pazzi Chapel

 

19 Pazzi Chapel

 

small and large cloisters, and the refectory with Vasari’s Last Supper and Gaddi’s Tree of the Cross and Last Supper.

 

20 Small Clositer

 

21 Large Cloister

 

22 Last Supper (Vasari)

 

23 Tree of the Cross and Last Supper (Gaddi)

 

We finally tore ourselves away and found what looked like an exit, only to wind up outside in a fenced in area with teenage students.  Finally a guard saw us and showed us how to get out.

 

We made our way back to our hotel walking over Ponte Vecchio.

 

24 Ponte Vecchio

 

We had less than an hour to regroup before heading out to meet our Devour Tours guide Lorenzo and nine companions at the Statua di Cosimo Ridolfi in Piazza Santo Spirito for the Oltrarno at Sunset: Food & Wine Tour.

 

The first stop was a favorite local enoteca called Vinaino di San Frediano, to enjoy a red and a white wine with a selection of Tuscan charcuterie.

 

We stopped along the way to see wine windows that Lorenzo pointed out.  [The tour description said we would sip a glass, but Lorenzo said the wine you can get nowadays is pretty bad so he didn’t even take us to the working ones.]

 

 25 wine window

 

 

 

26 wine window

 

Next we visited Caffè Notte, another wine bar where we tasted Chianti Classico and sampled pecorino Toscano cheese, bruschetta, focaccia, truffle spread…

 

For dinner, we dined at Trattoria BBQ Firenze where we had hot-off-the-grill Florentine steak and roasted potatoes.  The six of us at our table ate every bite.

 

Dessert was provided by the shop two doors down the sidewalk, Gelateria Artigianale la Sorbettiera.  We each got to choose a cone or cup with two scoops of gelato/sorbet.  No caffè!!!  DW had Peruvian chocolate (75% dark) and salted caramel.  I had pistachio [I found it to be the most reliable way to judge a gelateria, even before ordering:  if the pistachio is green – walk away; if it is brown, it should be good]

 

We walked back a ways with Lorenzo and then parted company, returning to our hotel while enjoying a lovely sunset in Oltrarno.

 

 

27 Sunset in Oltrarno

[Host Jazzbeau]

Tuesday May 14, 2024 [pt. 1] – Florence, David & Duomo

 

Up very early.  DW ate cereal in our room as we had to get out around 7:45 am and take a taxi to meet our VIP David & Duomo Tour guide Elena at 8:15

 

First stop was the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo’s statue of David.  We have seen it there before, and there are copies of it all over Florence, but seeing it in person is always a mystical experience.  It is magnificent!  Did you know Michelangelo was only 26 when he began to carve this statue.  It is 17 feet tall and weighs over six tons.

 

01 David

 

02 David

 

03 David

 

04 David

 

05 David

 

06 David

 

07 David

 

08 David

 

Question?  Why is David not circumcised?  Click here for more information on the statue.

 

There are other works of art in the Accademia but they all pale by comparison.

 

[I can’t even whittle a stick for ‘smores, so what Michelangelo and Bernini could do with marble just blows my mind.  Every time we return to Florence or Rome, I plan to revisit the Accademia and the Borghese.]

 

We followed Elena over to the Duomo.  There was a long line for visitors but we bypassed it and were let into the church just as the doors opened at 10 am.  We had time to enjoy a look around the sparsely decorated nave, and up to the dome we were about to climb.

 

09 Duomo

 

10 Duomo

 

11 Duomo

 

12 Duomo

 

13 Duomo Main Entrance

 

14 Dante

 

15 Dome (Brunelleschi)

 

16 Coronation of the Virgin (Donatello)

 

We then proceeded to climb the first set of ~160 stairs to the rooftop terrace, which has a limited amount of space but offers great vistas from that side of the church – including the Dome Lantern, where the tour is headed.

 

17 Rooftop Terrace

 

18 Rooftop Terrace

 

19 Rooftop Terrace

 

20 Rooftop Terrace

 

21 Rooftop Terrace

 

22 Rooftop Terrace

 

23 Dome Lantern

 

We were then invited to continue to the top of the dome on our own if we wished.  Elena was taking our voice boxes back and heading back downstairs.  DW, along with two other women, went with her.  She knew it would be foolhardy to push herself to do it, as there was no place to turn back once you started up the narrow staircase.

 

The next leg was easy and rewarding: close-up views of the interior of the dome  and a sculpture of Brunelleschi admiring his great work.

 

24 Dome close-up

 

25 Dome close-up

 

26 Dome close-up

 

27 Brunelleschi

 

Then a long climb to the top, with great views!

 

28 view from top of Dome

 

29 view from top of Dome

 

30 view from top of Dome

 

31 view from top of Dome

 

32 view from top of Dome

 

33 view from top of Dome

 

34 view from top of Dome

 

35 view from top of Dome

 

On the way down we again passed near the top of the dome interior, and this time I took more time to get detailed pictures.

 

36 Dome close-up

 

37 Dome close-up

 

38 Dome close-up

 

39 Dome close-up

 

40 Dome close-up

 

I came down after a half hour.  My knees were vibrating, probably from the lactic acid buildup, and affirmed DW’s resolve to stay put.  [But I got great pictures!]

 

We left the church and found Eataly a short distance away, where we had pasta for an early noon lunch.  DW had a Busiata alla norma (rotini-type pasta with chunks of eggplant and tomato and basil in a red sauce).  I had Scialatiello ai frutti di mare (thick, flat pasta strips mixed with seafood—clams, mussels, squid).  [I enjoyed the food, but even more the chance to sit down and let my legs recover from the climb!]

 

Part two of this day’s blog will continue after lunch, at the Duomo Museum.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Tuesday May 14, 2024 [pt. 2] – Florence, Duomo Museum & San Miniato

 

After lunch we headed to the Duomo Museum.  It starts with the Hall of Paradise, which re-creates the lower third of the Duomo facade and the Baptistery facade, both with the original statues and doors [protected from the elements here; copies have taken their places outside]

 

01 Hall of Paradise

 

02 Madonna with Glass Eyes (di Cambio)

 

03 Matthew & Luke

 

04 John & Mark

 

05 Gates of Paradise (Ghiberti)

 

Halfway through, DW found a bench and took a short ‘museum nap’ [she’s done this in the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh – all the best places!]  I waited until she stirred, and off we went to conclude our tour of the museum.  

 

We saw Donatello’s Mary Magdalene, the Pietà Michelangelo designed for his own tomb, another marker of the 1966 flood, Pisano’s Campanile panels, and 16 statues from the bell tower (including Donatello’s Jeremiah and Habakkuk), 

 

06 Mary Magdalene (Donatello)

 

07 Pieta (Michelangelo)

 

08 Flood Marker

 

09 Campanile Panels (Pisano)

 

10 Bell Tower Statues

 

11 Jeremiah (Donatello)

 

12 Habakkuk (Donatello)

 

the Gallery of the Dome with models, tools and a movie showing just how Brunelleschi achieved this engineering marvel,

 

13 model of Dome

 

14 model of Lantern

 

and the Room of the Cantorie with choir lofts by della Robbia and Donatello.

 

15 Choir Loft (della Robbia)

 

16 Choir Loft (Donatello)

 

On our way out we ran into our guide Elena as she was guiding another tour and she asked if we were doing all right (after the climb).  We thanked her, and then DW claimed her small backpack from security.  [No matter the size, it must be checked before entering the Duomo, Baptistry or Museum – but camera bags are allowed!]

 

We walked a short distance across the plaza and came to a Rick Steves recommended gelateria, Edoardo.  DW got caffè which sort of self-destructed and I tried milk chocolate.

 

On the way back to the hotel we got a nice view of Ponte Santa Trinita.

 

17 Ponte Santa Trinita

 

After a short rest we headed out again by taxi for San Miniato al Monte, a huge monastery (a branch of the Benedictines called Olivetans) at the top of a hill.  They have a Gregorian Chant Mass at 6 pm, followed by Gregorian Chant Vespers.  We arrived at 6:15 and had to remain outside until Mass was over.  

 

18 San Miniato

 

We were restricted from entering the cemetery, but could enjoy the hilltop view.

 

19 San Miniato cemetery

 

20 San Miniato cemetery

 

21 San Miniato cemetery

 

22 San Miniato cemetery

 

23 San Miniato columbarium

 

24 view from San Miniato

 

25 view from San Miniato

 

It seemed that perhaps a dozen people attended the Mass; most stayed and were joined by other [incluidng us] for the Vespers, which was very peaceful and uplifting.

 

26 Vespers at San Miniato

 

Afterward we were able to look around the church interior and the crypt.

 

27 San Miniato

 

28 San Miniato

 

29 St. Minias offers his crown to Christ

 

30 San Miniato

 

31 San Miniato

 

After a quick look at the gift shop we headed downhill by foot.  We had hoped to descend via a rose garden but that path was blocked off, so we walked to Piazzale Michelangelo.

 

32 view from Belvedere Vittorio Sermonti

 

33 view from Belvedere Vittorio Sermonti

 

34 view from Belvedere Vittorio Sermonti

 

35 Piazzale Michelangelo

 

and caught a cab direct to our restaurant, Trattoria 4 Leoni, where we had a good dinner.  DW had eggplant Parm, and I had octopus with potatoes.  We both ate every bit.

 

We were very close to our hotel and had hoped to try the gelato shop next to it, but we always seemed to miss their evening hours – so we tried Gelateria Della Passera.  Once we tasted their gelato, we understood the long line.  The flavors were robust and rich.  DW got caffè and I had pistachio, and ricotta with strawberry.

 

Back at the hotel we went up to the rooftop restaurant to see the view, but there wasn’t any in the dark.  [timing is everything...]

 

Some observations about Florence:  taxis are cheaper and easier to get than Uber, many of the drivers are women, Italians are good at queuing up [that was a surprise!], women/girls wear hose as we have noticed about other Europeans (unlike Americans and their bare legs).  If you don’t know Italian, don’t expect to find English translations on sightseeing descriptions, etc.  [Thank God for Rick Steves!]

[Host Jazzbeau]

Wednesday May 15, 2024 [pt. 1] – Florence to Monteriggioni

 

The rest of the trip was DIY.  Here’s the map:

 

01 Tuscany DIY Map

 

Breakfast buffet!  We were packed, paid up and had vacated our room by 10:40 am.  I contacted our MyDayTrip driver, Eduardo, and he arrived in a few minutes and we were off in the morning traffic before 11.

 

Our ultimate goal for today was Siena, but we had three sightseeing stops on the way.  The first was the very popular San Gimignano, the epitome of a Tuscan town with 14 medieval towers still standing (of the original 72) and a “perfectly preserved tourist trap.”  Knowing that, we enjoyed walking slowly through the main streets, window shopping, visiting the Piazza della Cisterna (well) and seeing many towers.

 

02 Porta San Giovanni, San Gimignano

 

03 Piazza del Duomo, San Gimignano

 

04 Piazza del Duomo, San Gimignano

 

The highlight is the Duomo, with frescoes covering the walls and the St. Fina Chapel honoring the devout 13th-century local girl who brought forth many miracles at her death.

 

05 Duomo, San Gimignano

 

06 Duomo, San Gimignano

 

07 Duomo, San Gimignano

 

08 Duomo, San Gimignano

 

09 St. Fina Chapel, Duomo, San Gimignano

 

10 St. Fina Chapel, Duomo, San Gimignano

 

We found the WC [€1 each] and then Dondoli, claimed to be the best gelato anywhere [We agreed]  DW had Illy espresso and I had rosemary, and pistachio.  Full flavors!

 

Then we went to one of the shops and DW actually bought something! [easy to carry home]  We met Eduardo at the drop-off point and off we went.  As he drove, Eduardo loved talking about (muscle) cars.  He steered with his left hand and spoke with his right!  He drove well.  He also complained about the different accents and dialects of his countrymen who lived in different areas of the Boot.

 

We came to Colle di Val d’Elsa.  This sleepy little town was sleepier than usual as Wednesday seemed to be their favorite day to close their shops.  We spent 45 minutes there walking from one end of town to the other.  We popped into three churches, and only one had an altar where the priest could face the congregation.  [Vatican II was almost 60 years ago!  When do they expect to get around to implementing the changes?]  The priest-on-circuit comes to say Mass at each church one day a week.  The schedules were posted.

 

11 Santa Caterina, Colle di Val d’Elsa

 

12 Colle di Val d’Elsa

 

13 Campana Palace, Colle di Val d’Elsa [a road runs through it]

 

14 Civic Museum, Colle di Val d’Elsa

 

We passed one craft shop (with hand decorated ceramic serving dishes) that was open.  We were tempted to go in, but practicality took hold and we continued walking.  Just getting one home would be a problem.  And it would be another item our kids would not want to inherit...

 

We drove on to Monteriggioni, a perfectly preserved ring fort on its hill high above the main highway.  We bought senior tickets to walk two very small sections of the old wall.  We popped into the one church, Chiesa di S.Maria Assunta, and explored the back lane.

 

15 view from the walls, Monteriggioni

 

16 view from the walls, Monteriggioni

 

17 view from the walls, Monteriggioni

 

18 view from the walls, Monteriggioni

 

19 Santa Maria, Monteriggioni

 

20 Tuscan Countryside, Monteriggioni

 

Behind the TI office was a refugio for pilgrims on the Via Francigena, an ancient road and pilgrimage route running from the cathedral city of Canterbury in England, through France and Switzerland, to Rome and then to Apulia, Italy, where there were ports of embarkation for the Holy Land.

 

21 Via Francigena Pilgrims' Route, Monteriggioni

 

22 Pilgrims' Ospitalità, Monteriggioni

 

23 Pilgrims' Ospitalità, Monteriggioni

 

We will continue on to Siena in Part two.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Wednesday May 15, 2024 [pt. 2] – Siena

 

We met Eduardo and off we went to his home town of Siena.  He pulled up to the Hotel Palazzo Ravizza around 4:15 and helped us get our bags to the sidewalk.  After tipping him, he was off and we were given the key for our room (deluxe double garden side) which was well appointed and even had a lovely sitting area.  Lots of drawer space for anyone who is staying awhile.  Spacious bathroom with a large walk-in shower [with doors!]

 

We dealt with essentials and off we went toward the Duomo.  We got combo tickets @ €21 which included single admissions over 72 hours to the church, walking up the towers, the baptistry, the crypt, the museum.  We started right away as it was around 5 pm and the church closed at 6:00.

 

We entered and started our exploration.  Such a busy, overwhelming, decorated interior with bold striped columns and floor tiled murals, paintings, sculptures – you name it, they had it.  Way too busy for DW!  

 

01 Siena Duomo

 

02 Siena Duomo

 

03 Siena Duomo

 

This church’s claim to fame is the marble floor, paved over two centuries by 40 artists with scenes from the Old Testament [such as the Slaughter of the Innocents], allegories and intricate patterns.  

 

04 Siena Duomo - Slaughter of the Innocents

 

54 Siena Duomo - Slaughter of the Innocents

 

06 Siena Duomo - Slaughter of the Innocents

 

The She-Wolf panel shows the symbol of Siena as the center of the Italian universe, and the Fortune panel shows that wisdom is a better goal in life than riches.

 

07 Siena Duomo - She-Wolf

 

08 Siena Duomo - Fortune

 

The Piccolomini Altar was intended as the tomb of Cardinal Francesco Piccolomini, but bad luck: he was elected Pope so is buried in the Vatican.  Michelangelo was contracted to produce 15 statues for this massive altar, but he only finished Saint Paul – the rest were handed off to his students and at least one was never finished at all.  Nearby a colorful fresco commemorates the coronation of the Cardinal as Pope Pius III.

 

09 Siena Duomo - Piccolomini Altar

 

10 Siena Duomo - Saint Paul (Michelangelo)

 

11 Siena Duomo - Pius III

 

The pulpit is huge and covered in bas relief depictions of the life of Christ.

 

12 Siena Duomo - Pulpit (Pisano)

 

13 Siena Duomo - Pulpit (Pisano)

 

14 Siena Duomo - Pulpit (Pisano)

 

The Piccolomini Library is covered with 15th-century frescoes that look almost new despite never having been restored.  [Too bad DaVinci couldn’t work in the fresco medium, or his Last Supper would be much more vibrant today...]  Ten scenes celebrate the life of Aeneas Piccolomini [Francesco’s uncle], who was Pope Pius II.

 

15 Siena Duomo - Piccolomini Library

 

16 Siena Duomo - Piccolomini Library

 

17 Siena Duomo - Aeneas Piccolomini Leaving for Basel

 

We couldn’t get into the Chigi Chapel (or Cappella della Madonna del Voto) which includes two Bernini sculptures, as a priest was preparing to celebrate Mass there.  We asked a guard who said it would begin at 6:30 but we’d have to exit and re-enter via a side security door.

 

We had time before Mass so we went outside and around the church, getting a good view of the abandoned expansion that would have turned this already large church into a huge one.  The tall facade was to be the new entrance and the filled-in arches were the side of the new nave.  The present church would have been just the transept of the largest church in all Christendom.  Sadly the Plague of 1348 put paid to this ambitious (over-reaching?) plan.  [You can climb up to the top of the empty facade, called the Panorama del Facciatone, but we had other plans.]

 

18 Piazza Jacopo della Quercia, Siena

 

We went down the steps to the Crypt, which was a 12th-century Romanesque church that had been filled in with dirt to provide a foundation for the new cathedral.  It has the oldest frescoes in Siena, including some beauties by Duccio, as well as the top of the Baptistery dome.

 

19 Siena Duomo Crypt - Taking of Christ

 

20 Siena Duomo Crypt - Deposition

 

21 Siena Duomo Crypt - top of Baptistry dome

 

Another level down is the Baptistery with its ornately painted vaulted ceiling.

 

22 Siena Baptistery

 

23 Siena Baptistery

 

The highlight of the Baptistery should be the huge 15th-century baptismal font, but it was covered in scaffolding and netting for restoration.  [Thankfully the internet produced an image of what we should have seen...]

 

24 Siena Baptistery - Font [what we saw]

 

25 Siena Baptistery - Font [what we should have seen]

 

We climbed back up a long marble staircase and gained readmittance to the church for Mass.  We should have known when the priest’s back was be to the people, that we might be having a Latin Mass.  Sure enough.  I found it peaceful; DW found it disturbing.

 

At the conclusion we had a few minutes to pop into the Chigi Chapel to enjoy the Bernini sculptures of Mary Magdalene and St. Jerome and understand why he was considered THE Baroque sculptor.

 

26 Siena Duomo - Chigi Chapel - Mary Magdelene (Bernini)

 

27 Siena Duomo - Chigi Chapel - Saint Jerome (Bernini)

 

We exited the church and went in search of Ristorante La Grotta di Santa Caterina da Bagoga.  “The phone knew the way,” but the waiter who greeted us said we could only have an outside table so we thanked him and started to walk away – when we heard a voice call out to us to wait.  A couple at an outdoor table had reserved indoors and hadn’t cancelled it, so the waiter said we could have it.  We thanked the fellow and went inside, where the diners next to us were friendly Australians.  We conversed with them while enjoying our dinner.  We both had pappardelle with wild boar.  Then I had veal stew with black peppercorns and DW had orange duck leg with fennel on the side.  For dessert I had raspberry cheesecake, but DW passed.

 

As we exited, the couple who gave up their reservation was just finishing dining as they had gone for the tastings menu.  We had a long conversation with these younger travelers from Toronto before finding our way back to our hotel.

 

So far the weather has been fine.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thursday May 16, 2024 – Siena

 

We went for the complimentary breakfast buffet but there were slim pickings.  Nothing hot except coffee and water.  Hoping that if we get down earlier tomorrow we can enjoy more variety …

 

We headed out in Siena to the Duomo for our Porta del Cielo Roof Visit and got there 15 minutes before our 11:00 assignment.  We climbed over 90 steps to the top, which already was better than Florence.  [Rick Steves says 79 steps, but I trust DW’s count!]  We arrived in the workshop area and were able to look out into the church itself – it was fascinating to be up near the huge sculptures, overlook the pulpit and altar.  A whole different perspective.

 

01 Siena Doumo Roof Visit

 

02 Siena Doumo Roof Visit

 

03 Siena Doumo Roof Visit

 

04 Siena Doumo Roof Visit

 

05 Siena Doumo Roof Visit

 

We then went outside along a narrow walkway to get views of the Bell Tower and the people on top of the panoramic viewpoint at the top of the OPA Museum.  It was quite rewarding.

 

06 Siena Doumo Roof Visit

 

07 Siena Doumo Roof Visit

 

08 Siena Doumo Roof Visit

 

We then went over to the Duomo Museum, the last punch on our ticket and took in the ground level, below ground level and first floor rooms filled with artifacts.  Highlights were Donatello’s Madonna and Child, Duccio’s stained glass rose window and his Maesta and Passion panels, and Pisano’s statues.  We opted not to climb 131 steps to the top of the Panorama del Facciatone.

 

09 Siena Duomo Museum

 

10 Siena Duomo Museum - Madonna (Donatello)

 

11 Siena Duomo Museum - Rose Window (original)

 

12 Siena Duomo Museum - Rose Window (detail)

 

13 Siena Duomo Museum - Maestà (Duccio)

 

14 Siena Duomo Museum - Maestà (detail)

 

15 Siena Duomo Museum - Passion Panels (Duccio)

 

16 Siena Duomo Museum - Passion Panels (detail)

 

17 Siena Duomo Museum - Moses 

 

18 Siena Duomo Museum - Miriam

 

19 Siena Duomo Museum - Apostles

 

We exited the museum, got our bearings and headed down to Il Campo.  This square is the heart of Siena.  First laid out in the 12th century, the Piazza del Campo is a town square where people stretch out as if on a beach.  But don’t start eating there or you might get fined for picnicking.

 

20 Siena - Il Campo

 

21 Siena - Il Campo

 

We proceeded across the square to City Hall and looked inside at their courtyard.

 

22 Siena - City Hall

 

23 Siena - Palazzo Pubblico

 

On the way out of Il Campo we stopped to see the Fonte Gaia (Fountain of Joy).  The joy is all about how the Sienese republic blessed its people with water.

 

24 Siena - Fountain of Joy

 

We walked on and saw the Chigi-Saracini Palace, Quattro Cantoni, Pinocoteca, Piazza Indipendenza, Loggia della Mercanzia, Banchi di Sopra and Banchi di Sotto, Piazza Salimbeni.

 

25 Siena - Chigi-Saracini Palace

 

26 Siena - Chigi-Saracini Palace

 

27 Siena - Chigi-Saracini Palace

 

28 Siena - Piazza Indipendenza

 

29 Siena - Loggia della Mercanzia

 

We went into the Church of San Cristoforo (St. Christopher) on Piazza Tolomei. It is one of the oldest buildings in Siena.  Across the piazza from the church is the Palazzo Tolomei, another of the oldest buildings in the city.  The Tolomei for many years were associated with the church.

 

30 Siena - San Cristoforo

 

31 Siena - San Cristoforo

 

32 Siena - Padre Pio

 

33 Siena - Palazzo Tolomei

 

We went into the Basilica of San Domenico.  Spacious and plain, this huge brick church has a Gothic interior that fits the austere philosophy of the Dominicans and invites meditation on the thoughts and deeds of St. Catherine, who is featured in a majority of paintings and has her own side chapel.

 

34 Siena - San Domenico

 

35 Siena - San Domenico

 

36 Siena - San Domenico

 

37 Siena - Saint Catherine relics

 

38 Siena - Saint Catherine relic

 

39 Siena - Saint Catherine window

 

40 Siena - San Domenico

 

We then walked down to see the Santuario Casa di Santa Caterina where she lived.  Siena remembers its hometown gal, a simple, unschooled but mystically devout soul who helped convince the Pope to return to Rome from France.  She was the youngest of 25 children and began experiencing heavenly visions as a child.  She only lived to 33 and was named a Doctor of the Catholic Church.  We saw the cell where she lived, with a rock for her pillow.

 

41 Siena - Sanctuary of St. Catherine

 

42 Siena - Sanctuary of St. Catherine

 

43 Siena - Sanctuary of St. Catherine

 

44 Siena - Sanctuary of St. Catherine

 

45 Siena - Sanctuary of St. Catherine

 

46 Siena - Sanctuary of St. Catherine

 

47 Siena - Sanctuary of St. Catherine

 

48 Siena - Sanctuary of St. Catherine

 

49 Siena - Sanctuary of St. Catherine

 

50 Siena - St. Catherine's Cell

 

We headed back to somewhat familiar territory and this time did not pass Grom gelateria without stopping.  We each ordered the smallest size cup and got the usual—caffè and pistachio.  They were not cheap (3.50 Euros for the tiny cup) but the flavors were strong.

 

We found the restaurant DW had selected for tonight and popped in to make a reservation and to see its exact location.  Then we walked back to our hotel.

 

I went up to the room and DW explored the ‘hood a bit more.  She found a branch of Siena U. (Università Degli Studi).  Next to it was the Church of San Niccolò al Carmine.  Down the street she went into the Church of Santa Lucia.  And between the two was a Carrefour Express [we were always on the hunt for non-saccharine sweetener on this trip!]

 

When we step out the front door of our hotel, we have a great view of the Duomo and bell tower.  [But I never took a shot of it...]

 

We headed for La Taverna di Cecco for dinner.  We were seated at a table for two near the door but behind a windbreak panel.  [Good thing as people kept leaving the door open.]  Unfortunately, our dinner was disappointing.  We both ordered the Scallopine of Veal Marsala.  We received two good sized medallions but they were not tender (perhaps not pounded well enough) and the Marsala sauce was thin.  The Marsala certainly did not dominate.  DW also had a mixed salad, which was fresh, and I got spinach sautéed with garlic.  No dessert.  We stopped at Grom on the way back and I got fragole (strawberry) granita.

 

Snafu:  I couldn’t get the safe unlocked [I had trouble with it when I first locked it the day before, too.  The desk clerk thought it was my fault for not following instructions...]

 

We had nice weather today.  Mostly sunny, mid 70s.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Friday May 17, 2024 [pt. 1] – Siena to Pienza

 

Breakfast buffet.  We went down early in hope of finding more variety.  Wrong!

 

I stopped at the desk on the way up to tell them about the safe.  They sent a handyman who opened it so I could retrieve our passports etc.  Then the fellow removed the safe and returned after about 15 minutes with a new or repaired one.  [Too bad the desk clerk from yesterday wasn’t on, or I would have made sure she knew it wasn’t my fault!]

 

This hotel and the one in Florence give discounts if you pay in cash [this one was a very generous 15%!], so of course we had prepared at an ATM.  We checked out and met our driver for the day, Robin.

 

Off we went at 10:30 to hit our first stop, Crete Senesi Panoramic Point, for a photo op.

 

01 Crete Senesi Panoramic Point

 

Minutes later we were on our way to get to the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore which closed for lunch at 12:20.  Robin pulled in at 11:25 and the two of us headed for the entrance, only to find out that today is one of the days they expect visitors to pay a €7 admission fee.

 

02 Monte Oliveto Maggiore

 

In the courtyard is a statue of St. Bernardo Tolomei, the middle son of a wealthy Sienese family, who became a hermit-monk and later founded the Olivetan order of Benedictine monks, which is based here.

 

03 Monte Oliveto Maggiore - St. Bernard Tolomei

 

04 Monte Oliveto Maggiore - St. Bernard Tolomei

 

05 Monte Oliveto Maggiore - St. Bernard Tolomei

 

This abbey features perhaps the best in-situ art to be found in rural Tuscany.  The order spared no expense in decorating their main church, importing the great artists of the day: Fra Giovanni da Verona (one of the most talented inlaid-wood artists ever) and the skilled fresco artists Luca Signorelli and Il Sodoma.  It stars an astonishingly detailed inlaid choir, and a cloister frescoed with vivid, detail-and-symbolism-packed scenes.  Beautiful!

 

06 Monte Oliveto Maggiore - Choir (left side 1)

 

07 Monte Oliveto Maggiore - Choir (left side 2)

 

08 Monte Oliveto Maggiore - Choir (right side 1)

 

09 Monte Oliveto Maggiore - Benedict in the Wilderness

 

10 Monte Oliveto Maggiore - the Devil possess a Monk

 

11 Monte Oliveto Maggiore - Benedict Tells the Monks Where to Find Water

 

12 Monte Oliveto Maggiore - Visigoths Try to Trick Benedict

 

We headed on to Pienza.  Set on a crest and surrounded by green, rolling hills, this small town packs a lot of Renaissance punch.  It was remodeled by locally born Pope Pius II of the Piccolomini family [remember the Altar and Chapel in the Duomo of Siena?] into a city fit for a Pope.

 

We entered through the Porta al Prato and soon came to the Church of San Francesco, the only important building in town that dates from before the Pope’s extreme makeover.  Its humble façade, simple nave, and bits of 14th century frescoes have a charm that’s particularly peaceful in the 21st century.

 

13 Pienza - Porta al Prato

 

14 Pienza - San Francesco

 

15 Pienza - San Francesco

 

But new furnishings wake you up when you realize the altar is three roughly hewn marble blocks touching one another in a semi-circle (the sides facing the priest are etched), that the ambo is red twisted iron, the hanging crucifix is black twisted iron.  In a 2002 restoration, the church was enriched by four works of art made by the Sienese sculptor Massimo Lippi.  The altar in three large blocks of Rapolano stone, the episcopal chair, the Cross and the Ambo in bronze.  This modern renovation pulls the attention of the congregation to the altar of sacrifice, where it should be.

 

16 Pienza - San Francesco

 

17 Pienza - San Francesco

 

18 Pienza - San Francesco

 

19 Pienza - San Francesco

 

The architectural focal point of the town is the main square, Piazza Pio II, surrounded by the pope’s family residence, Palazzo Piccolomini, and the Duomo.  The entire town is fun to explore—a mix of old stonework, potted plants and grand views, and the smell of Pecorino.

 

20 Pienza - Palazzo Piccolomini

 

21 Pienza - Palazzo Piccolomini

 

Unexpectedly the Duomo was open and we hurried inside to make sure the doors wouldn’t be locked in our faces.  The cathedral’s classic, symmetrical Renaissance façade dominates Piazza Pio II.  The interior with an exceptionally high ceiling is bathed in light.  It is an illuminating encapsulation of Pope Pius II’s architectural philosophy.

 

22 Pienza - Duomo

 

23 Pienza - Duomo

 

24 Pienza - Duomo

 

We then strolled the view terrace, a panoramic promenade to the end, taking in views of the Tuscan countryside.

 

25 Pienza - view terrace

 

26 Pienza - view terrace

 

27 Pienza - view

 

Knowing we didn’t have time to stop for a sit-down meal, we went to Rick Steves-recommended Buon Gusto for gelato.  I ordered my usual pistachio, but DW didn’t see a listing for caffè.  The clerk asked if she wanted something and she said “caffè” to which the clerk replied, “not today” thinking she meant a cup of coffee.  When DW indicated gelato, she said, “of course” and went to the rear of the shop and into the freezer for DW’s all-time favorite.

 

Still hungry, I bought a porchetta sandwich at Rick Steves-recommended shop on Corso il Rossellino.  It was disappointing.  [So Rick was 1 for 2 today.]

 

We found an ATM, saw a statue of Dante Alighieri, noticed the vendors breaking down the day’s farmers’ market, and met Robin as he was pulling in to the curb.

 

28 Pienza - Piazza Dante Alighieri

 

This day’s blog will continue in Part two, in Montepulciano.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Friday May 17, 2024 [pt. 2] – Montepulciano to Assisi

 

Next stop would be Montepulciano, built high on a hill and noted for its vino.  As Robin approached the area, there was a picture-perfect photo op of this town up on the heights with the Tempio di San Biagio below.

 

01 Montepulciano and San Biagio

 

Once in town, we were disappointed to find that the Duomo was totally closed to the public for renovation.  The exterior was never finished as far as decoration that one might expect from such a church.

 

02 Montepulciano - Duomo

 

On its right in the plaza is Town Hall or Palazzo Comunale with crenellations along the roof—not for the purpose of defense but for symbolizing power.  The façade is constructed of travertine stone but if you walk past the building on either side, you can see that marble is used only on the front – the rest of the covering is cheaper brick.

 

03 Montepulciano - Palazzo Comunale

 

Facing the Duomo is the former court house behind a distinctive well.

 

04 Montepulciano - Palazzo del Capitano

 

05 Montepulciano - Well

 

The fourth side of the Piazza Grande is the Palazzo Contucci built in the 16th century.  Its winery dates from 1008 and its cellars (Cantina Contucci) are open to the public for self touring.  Montepulciano has many winery tasting rooms, but none give out free samples anymore.  One must either agree to buy their wine (before tasting) or pay for a guided tour and tasting of several wines plus some charcuterie for €20-25.  After striking out on a free tasting, we went back to Palazzo Contucci’s wine bar and I bought a glass of one of their Montepulciano wines.  [Either I chose badly or I have been spoiled by all the great Chianti Classico on this trip, since I didn’t enjoy it.]

 

06 Montepulciano - Palazzo Contucci

 

07 Montepulciano - Cantina Contucci

 

08 Montepulciano - Cantina Contucci

 

09 Montepulciano - Cantina Contucci

 

10 Montepulciano - Cantina Contucci

 

11 Montepulciano - art

 

We did a short walking tour of the upper level of town and were able to enjoy some good views of the extensive valleys below.

 

12 Montepulciano - Riccio B&B

 

13 Montepulciano - Riccio B&B

 

14 Montepulciano - views to East

 

15 Montepulciano - views to East

 

16 Montepulciano - views to West

 

17 Montepulciano - San Biagio

 

We finished up our activities just as Robin pulled in and was getting grief from the local polizia.  We quickly got into the car and he pulled away.

 

The last leg of today’s drive took us from Tuscany into Umbria and the town of Assisi.  Late afternoon traffic slowed us so the ride took 90 minutes.  As Robin made his way through the countryside, we could see up close the green valleys we had spotted from above.  Wild red poppies dropped splotches of bright orange on the landscape.  Olive trees were cultivated in some areas and we remembered being told on our visit with Luciano about trimming to hollow out the center of the trees to allow ventilation [just as you do with rose bushes]  We also noticed the use of cypress trees not just as a windbreak but as a decorative feature lining the sides of very long driveways up to estates, hotels, on hilltops.

 

Robin drove through the narrow streets of Assisi as close as he could to our Hotel Umbra, which is right off the main square.  He helped us get our luggage down to the lobby.  I tipped him and off he went.  The desk clerk checked us in, pulled out a city map and marked the hotel’s location and a couple of places still open.  Then he took our bags up to our room which was very large (sleeps four), and has a large bathroom with two separate sinks.

 

We took a short time to get our act together and headed to Basilica di Santa Chiara (Clare) which is dedicated to the founder of the Order of the Poor Clares.  This Umbrian Gothic church is simple, in keeping with the order’s dedication to a life of contemplation.  In Clare’s lifetime, the order was located in the humble Church of San Damiano in the valley below, but after her death, they needed a bigger and more glorious building.  This church was built in 1265, and the huge buttresses were added in the next century.  Admission is free and one has almost full range of seeing all of the church including the chapel that contains the famous Crucifix of San Damiano that changed St. Francis’ life.  Legend has it that it was in front of this cross that Christ spoke to St. Francis asking him to rebuild His church.

 

18 Assisi - Santa Chiara

 

19 Assisi - Santa Chiara

 

20 Assisi - Santa Chiara - Crucifix of San Damiano

 

21 Assisi - Santa Chiara - Crucifix of San Damiano

 

Down in the crypt is the tomb of St. Clare and paintings depicting spiritual lessons from her life and death.  There are also showcases of important relics: the saint’s robes, a tunic she made, and those of St. Francis.  The attached cloistered community of the Poor Clares has flourished for 700 years.

 

22 Assisi - Santa Chiara - Tomb of Saint Clare

 

23 Assisi - Santa Chiara - Tomb of Saint Clare

 

24 Assisi - Santa Chiara - Shrine of Relics

 

25 Assisi - Santa Chiara - Shrine of Relics

 

26 Assisi - Santa Chiara - Shrine of Relics

 

27 Assisi - Santa Chiara - Shrine of Relics

 

We exited and enjoyed the view from Piazza Santa Chiara.

 

28 Assisi - Piazza Santa Chiara

 

29 Assisi - Umbrian view from Piazza Santa Chiara

 

30 Assisi - Umbrian view from Piazza Santa Chiara

 

31 Assisi - view from Piazza Santa Chiara

 

Then we walked around town for about 45 minutes.  We were stood near the middle arch to see the other two at distances on either side of it.  So we saw the Roman Gate, the Old Gate, and Porta Nuova, showing how Assisi grew over the years.

 

32 Assisi - Roman Gate

 

33 Assisi - Roman Gate

 

34 Assisi - Old Gate (Santa Chiara)

 

35 Assisi - Old Gate (Santa Chiara)

 

36 Assisi - Porta Nuova

 

Our hotel is across the Piazza del Comune from the Santa Maria sopra [over the Temple of] Minerva.  As we were getting hungry, we started to scout out restaurants and finally went, practically next door to our hotel, through the Loggia of the Palazzo del Comune to Trattoria Pallotta where we shared a mixed salad with red, ripe tomatoes, tortellini stuffed with veal and cheese with honey, rabbit Cacciatore with sauteed spinach.  When I saw zuppa inglese on the dessert menu, I had to have it.  [I loved it!]

 

While we were waiting for our dinner, we couldn’t help but notice an attractive younger woman at a nearby table who kept checking her phone, walking to the door, and pacing… as if waiting for someone.  She seemed to be familiar with the staff and some of the diners as she would tell them of her plight.  We didn’t know if this bit of drama might turn into something more.  [Jilted lover?]  All of a sudden, another woman about her age and dressed in a striking red pantsuit appeared and the first girl welcomed her.  No more drama.  Just a smile on her face!

 

After dinner we went back to the hotel.