Tag Archives: Beauty

Family Stories, History, Landscape, Photography, Sipping Espresso, Travel - Italy

Trieste… Italy’s Most “European” City

July 31, 2014 Greg

So, I’m back here on Sipping Espresso… blogging. Weird. I’m in America. I’m blogging about Italy from America. Can I do that?! Is that even allowed?! Well, I promised you in my Final Blog Post From Italy that I would finish our tale of overseas adventure and intrigue (OK, OK – more like overseas adventure of gluttony and transparency), so I suppose that I’ll have to make good on my word. For those of you that are sick of hearing about these adventures… I’m sorry, but I’m OCD and I am not much good at leaving things unfinished.

“Well, get going already Dad and tell us this story”!

So, let’s flash back; way, way back to this past spring when Jen’s sister came to visit. Just as they departed for Venice and Rome, we took our own leave from Como and headed toward the metropolitan city of Trieste. When I think about what brought us to Trieste, I finally understand the word bittersweet. We undertook the four-hour road trip to Italy’s easternmost city so that I could run in the Maratonina d’Europa (Europe’s Half Marathon). Despite having to add the somewhat embarrassing “ina” suffix to the end of Maratona (changing the meaning to “very little”), completing my first half-marathon was a very “sweet” accomplishment for me. However, the impetus behind the race was a very “bitter” one. Jen and I had started listing all the things that we wanted to do before our time in Italy came to an end. This particular road trip checked many of our boxes; competing in a race in Europe, a visit to the city of Trieste, time in the region of Friuli–Venezia Giulia, capped off with a visit to Slovenia (upcoming post). Now, that checked a lot of boxes, so careful planning began and hotels rooms were booked.

Julia and I stand in front of the glasses they had set up for the race

Here’s how I would sum up Trieste – it is a MUST-SEE city. Sometimes I find myself guilty of trying to label a city by comparing it to another city. “Rome is like New York, but much older and without the high-rises”. Sometimes, you’ve just got to stop and appreciate where you are for what it is. Don’t try to “label” the place or put it in a box; its easy to fall into that trap with Trieste. A city that has bounced back and forth between Slovenian, Austrian and Italian rule leaves us with a place today that is proud of its blend in architecture and attitude. Trieste is a city not at all confused about its confusing identity. With a rich mix of Slavic, Germanic and Latin influences – I am simply content to label this magical place as one of the most “European” cities I have ever visited.

We're finally here in Trieste! — We’re finally here in Trieste!

Fountain that accurately describes Trieste's ties to the sea — Fountain that accurately describes Trieste’s ties to the sea

Along the main street — Along Corso Cavour, the main street adjacent to the cities famous piazza

My race was on a Sunday and so we arrived Saturday with a planned departure on Monday. After we checked into the hotel, we strolled down to the Piazza Unità d’Italia to register for my race. I had often heard this piazza referred to as “the most beautiful piazza in Italy” and what I saw did not disappoint. The grand square is the largest of any on the water in all of Europe. On this particular spring weekend the piazza was also the location of my finish line.

We walked down with a friend I made in the hotel - he was also running in the race — We walked down with a friend I made in the hotel – he was also running in the race

Julia stands with Julia in the square — Jen hangs out with Julia in the square

The piazza at night — The Piazza Unita d’Italia at night

Julia hugs Jen while we were walking around

We didn’t have much to worry about the night before the race, so we strolled through the piazza and walked the roads along the water. They had all sorts of fair-type events set up for the race, including tents serving beer, desserts and carnival rides. I took Julia on the Ferris Wheel and got a great view of the city and the harbor. After the fun, we took in a spectacular seafood dinner near the harbor (mm’mmm I’m making myself hungry for fresh Italian food. Never had that problem while writing until now, when I can’t get it quite as easily).

I get ready to take her on her first Ferris Wheel — I get ready to take her on her first ferris wheel

View from our car at the top of the ferris wheel

The sunsets in Trieste were like nothing I've ever seen — The sunsets in Trieste were like nothing I’ve ever seen

The light play from the sky was this stunning both nights we were there

We had to try some delicious frittelle with nutella — We had to try some delicious frittelle with Nutella

“Honey… you’ve got a little Nutella, riiiiight there”

On race day, I was up and at ’em early – ready to beat my goal time (which I didn’t do). Of course, I forgot that I was in Italy and so the start of the race was a little later than I originally planned. I kept warm by jogging around the parking lot and taking in the crowds. I was tickled when I ran past the snack tents used for refueling depleted calories (usually covered by bananas and power bars) and found brioche and other Italian pastries. When I finished, I could not have been more pleased to be greeted by Jen and Julia; and to have Julia wear my medal.

There wasn't much happening at the start line until after the race was supposed to begin — There wasn’t much happening at the start line until after the race was supposed to begin

I had the sea to my right for almost the entire half-marathon

I felt (and looked) like death, but I crossed the finish line

My little peanut was proud of me... that was the best part of all — My little peanut was proud of me… that was the best part of all

Julia may have been more interested in the biscotti than the medal

Picture along the canal that runs through the city streets — Picture along the Canale Grande (Grand Canal) that runs through the city streets

After the race, we stopped for a quick snack and beer (hey, I earned it) before going back to the hotel to change. Then, it was time to tour the city! Even though my marathon race was just a maratonina, I’m sure that we walked the remaining 13.1 miles as we wound through Trieste’s ancient streets. This was especially challenging, since the first part of the tour required me to carry Julia and her stroller up the Scala Giganti (Giant Steps). We capped it all off back in the Piazza Unità d’Italia for happy hour before a wonderful dinner.

We stopped for a beer and light snack along the canal

The touring began with the STEPS — The touring began with the Scala dei Giganti (Giant Steps) – this is only about 25% of them

After a long uphill climb, we got this panoramic of the city

We arrived at the CASTLE — We arrived at the Castello di San Giusto

STATUE — Statue in front of the castle depicts maritime soldiers at war

In front of the castle were ancient Roman ruins

I love that you can find young soccer players were ancient Roman soldiers stood a thousand years before — Young soccer players compete where ancient Roman soldiers stood a thousand years before

Here I am in front of the CASTLE — Here I am in front of the Castello di San Giusto

Nearby is a church - see if you can find the two cannon balls that have been lodged in the stone during a siege from the sea — Nearby is the Cattedrale di San Giusto – see if you can find the two cannon balls that have been lodged in the stone during a siege from the sea centuries before

Wonderful ancient streets – this is Viale XX Settembre

Half-Marathon or not... this kid had to get up and down these stairs somehow — Half-Marathon or not… this kid had to get up and down these stairs somehow

Ancient Roman theatre — Teatro Romano di Trieste – ancient Roman theatre

We stopped in the piazza for happy hour — We stopped back in the piazza for happy hour

My happy hour instagram shot — My happy hour Instagram shot

Julia and I took a swing around the piazza — Julia and I took a stroll around the piazza

The grand canal at night — Chiesa di Sant’Antonio Nuovo at the end of the Canale Grande – well-lit at night

If you ever find yourself in northeast Italy (I’m talking to YOU, when you plan that inevitable visit Venice) – do yourself a favor and carve out a couple of days to see Trieste. You’ll be glad you did!

Bergamo, Family Stories, Landscape, Lombardia, Travel - Italy

Bergamo – Italy’s Most Underrated City

June 10, 2014 Greg

I played with various options for the title of this post, ranging from “Italy’s Most Hidden Treasure” to “Italy’s Best Kept Secret”. Really, any of those title would be apropos. Bergamo is all of those things and so much more. Ultimately, I went with “most underrated” because it seems that most people would rather bypass this northern Italian city for the sexier Venice, Florence or Rome. Heck, even neighboring Verona pulls more visitors than Bergamo. As a matter of fact, I had never even heard of Bergamo until I moved here and I had visited nearby Como plenty of times leading up to this adventure.

Getting to know Bergamo was truly a blessing, because it is the type of place that we will continue to visit over and over. The distinguishing feature of Bergamo is that it is really two cities in one. There is the older, medieval city at the top of the hill (Città Alta) and the much more modern city (Città Bassa) below. Incidentally, I use the term “modern city” quite loosely… most notable development is still several hundred years old.

Secured roads allowed access into the ancient city

The view from atop the hill extends for miles

The main city gate, flanked by the Venetian lions from the time of Venetian rule — The main city gate, marked with the winged Venetian lion from the time Venetians ruled the city

On our first visit well over a year ago, we were drawn toward Città Alta. We spent most of our day wandering the cobblestone streets, soaking up the magical views the high city extends before you. We had been dying to come back to Bergamo and finally got the opportunity when Jen’s sister came to visit with Matt (first post HERE). I thought the mixture of old and new would be something unique for them to see, and the hour(ish) car ride from our home would allow an easy day trip. We loaded our car and headed east toward the city. Our first step was to ascend the hill toward Città Alta (also known as Città Vecchio or Old City) by means of finiculare (cable car). We had researched a good lunch place and in no time, we found ourselves settled outside on the patio of La Tana. After lunch, we spent quite a bit of time wandering around the cobblestone streets and settled in among the other tourists and locals in the centro (center) of town.

La Tana - a fabulous restaurant — La Tana – a fabulous restaurant

Jen's sister, Jessica with Julia — Jen’s sister, Jessica with Julia

The waiter recommended a fabulous beer, produced locally. I'm still searching for where it's sold — The waiter recommended a fabulous beer, produced locally. I’m still searching for where it’s sold

Eventually we descended to Città Bassa with plenty of daylight still above us. This gave us a perfect opportunity to enjoy an aperitivo (or two) in the sun. With our thirst quenched, we continued our tour of the lower city. This was the first time that Jen and I spent any notable amount of time down below and we were thrilled with what we discovered. The much more modern, lower city is just as special as the ancient city above.

The lower city has a charm that rivals the higher city

The streets are full of shops and caffès

My only regret is that my photos don’t do this special city justice. I urge you to spend a full day exploring Bergamo and come discover for yourself why this is Italy’s “most underrated city”.

Castles, Food, Humor, Restaurants, Travel - Italy, Tuscany

You “Massa” Check Out This City (Massa, Italy)

May 12, 2014 Greg

Man, do I love the bad puns in my titles or what? Probably about as much as I love posing rhetorical questions to my readers…

Roughly twelve days ago, I was as proud of myself as Arvind Mahankali when he successfully spelled knaidel to beat Pranav Sivakumar and secure the championship title during the 86th Scripps National Spelling Bee (apparently, this particular Indian-American knows a thing or two about Jewish comfort food). Why was I so pleased with myself, you ask? Well, I thought that I had finally caught up with our stories on the blog. And then a whirlwind of activity commenced in a flash as Jen’s sister arrived for a visit with her boyfriend. We had such a nice time traveling and eating with them (really, is there anything else you would want to do in Italy?) that now I have a ton more to write about. Additionally, we left them to their own devices while we embarked on a rewarding road-trip, which I cannot wait to tell you about. So, now once again – I am behind the times again faster than you can spell prosciutto.

An accurate portrayal of me as I struggle to keep up with the blog

When I was looking ahead toward the next 5-8 posts, I realized that I would be remiss not to step back and mention our visits to Pisa and then Massa in northern Tuscany. When I last wrote, I detailed our trip to Lucca (HERE). During the drive home we detoured to marvel at the Torre pendente di Pisa (Leaning Tower of Pisa) before getting back on the road. We hadn’t traveled too much further when our perfectly timed Italian stomachs told us it was time for lunch (at first I thought our three stomachs growling in unison was a tractor-trailer honking furiously at me). I was more in the mood for a leisurely lunch than a quick stop at an AutoGrill (picture a rest-stop along the NJ Turnpike with better food and espresso). I turned to my trusty “TripAdvisor” cell phone app and searched for a restaurant near us. I discovered Il Fatty (yeah… you guessed the translation; The Fatty) in the city we were approaching. With a name like, “the fatty” – how could you go wrong?! I took the exit toward Massa and headed into the center of town.

Torre pendente di Pisa – Leaning Tower of Pisa

Work on the tower began in 1173 and took 199 years to complete

Julia photographs me in front of the tower

Battistero di San Giovanni (Pisa Baptistry) and Primatial (Pisa Cathedral)

You may not have heard of Massa (we hadn’t), but if you’re a fan of interior design, than you’ve definitely heard of the province in which Massa is located, Carrara. Carrara marble is the fashionable stone of choice for kitchens counters the world over. The stone has been mined in this area for centuries (Carrara marble has been used since Ancient Rome). Upon exiting the highway, my mind was set only on lunch with no expectation of discovering any real beauty; the area is heavily industrialized. Like a naval shipyard or factory park, the landscape is blanketed with large machinery, billowing factories and tractor trailers transporting thousands of pounds worth of the white stone.

Panorama Massa Italy — Massa and Carrara are sister cities in the Province of Carrara

However, we were surprised when we got away from the mining equipment and approached the center of town. The city itself was clean and beautiful. It became obvious that Massa has prospered as a result of the local product. The town is well designed and perfectly maintained. Even the street curbs and park benches are made of Carrara marble! After a delicious lunch at Il Fatty we wanted to discover what the city had to offer. There seemed to be a surprise around every turn. We found orange trees and large piazze (town squares), ancient buildings and ample shopping. We were pleasantly surprised to see how much is available to tourists, although the place is happily devoid of the map-reading, fanny-pack wearing, crowd-shoving sightseers (by the way, I’m not casting stones; that is usually us in a nutshell, less the fanny-pack).

The — Il Fatty’s “signature” sandwich – Panino Lamprodotto

Homemade torta di riso, proudly made by the owner's son, Alessandro — Homemade torta di riso, proudly made by the owner’s son, Alessandro

Great statue in the center of the main piazza

There is even a wonderful 15th century castle perched high above the town. We took the narrow and windy drive up the hill, only to discover the castle was closed for repair. Oh well, I was able to get a couple beautiful panoramic’s of the city and neighboring sea.

The position of the city is well situated between the coast and the mountains

If I can borrow a page from the Michelin Star guide-book, I would rank Massa with a full star (out of three). One star denotes a very nice place worthy of a visit (but not a place to go far out of your way to see). If you do visit, tell Alessandro at Il Fatty that we said hello. However, be weary of his suggestion to try the local favorite, Panino Lamprodotto. It’s basically just tripe (cows stomach) on a bun – not my favorite Italian food. Of course, I would be lying if I told you I left a single bite behind.

Friends, History, Humor, Photography, Travel - Italy, Tuscany

“Lucca Over Here… This Tuscan Town is Amazing”!

April 25, 2014 Greg

If you read the title of this post with your best impression of an Italian accent, then you probably nailed the pronunciation of one of our new favorite Italian towns. Lucca has been on our bucket list to visit for quite some time and now we can happily say we’ve been.

Lucca, Italy viewed from the Torre Guinigi

Torre Guinigi - Lucca — Another angle from Torre Guinigi

The city is renowned for many things, not the least of which is the giant annual gathering of comic book nerds and fantasy film geeks. Lucca plays host to Europe’s version of Comic-Con, the Fiera Internazionale del Fumetto (International Festival of Comics) or as it’s commonly referred – Lucca Comics and Games.

Some participants of Lucca Comics. Photo courtesy of Francesco Petrucci — Some participants of Lucca Comics and Games. Photo courtesy of Francesco Petrucci

For those of us that don’t have any desire to put on a Superman costume (yes, I’m just enough of a geek to know the term cosplay), there is more than enough to do in Lucca, which I will detail below. Thanks very much to some free press bestowed on me by Italia Living, I have recently picked up a few new readers (benvenuto a Sipping Espresso) and so I’m going to treat this post a little differently than in the past. As opposed to running through our little vacation part by part, instead I will opt to go a bit more “mainstream” and simply highlight the featured attractions of the city. Of course, I haven’t boiled it down to a “Top 10 Things To Do In Lucca” just yet. I like to hear myself talk far too much!

During Medieval and Roman times, it was quite common to fortify entire cities behind massive protective walls. Today, Lucca is a preeminent example of such fortification and one of the few cities left in Italy with her ancient walls fully intact. It is a wonderful experience to drive your car through the same gate that was quite possibly used by Julius Caesar himself. Of course, in this scenario, I’m simply the chauffeur and my own little Julia is the royalty riding in the back of the chariot. Even though I can’t positively date the existing walls as far back as Caesar, I can place him in Lucca for the well documented Lucca Conference, along with Pompey and Crassus in 56 BC. The origin of the city itself date back as far as 180 BC. Eventually Lucca rose in importance to the Roman empire and achieved immense wealth and status in the 11th century, thanks to the silk trade. The result of this wealth is evident today; the city is very well maintained. Nearly every street features an ancient church boasting a façade clad with expensive marble. Well designed piazzas are now the gathering places for tourists, street performers and restauranteurs. Streets lined with charming shops and wonderful cafes full of patrons keep the vibe of the city humming well into the night.

Walls of Lucca — The ancient walls completely enclose the city

You can find many fine example of sculpture and statues along the top of the walls — You can find many fine examples of sculpture and statues along the top of the walls

The walls are wide enough for cars to pass along the top, but it is solely pedestrian

Churches of Lucca — One of the many churches that can be found on nearly every corner in the city

Our reason for being in Lucca was to visit our good friend, Beth (although here she goes by, Elizabeth which is better understood in Italian). We had an amazing time when we stayed at her home in Tuscany last year, which I wrote about HERE and HERE. She hosted us once again, but this time it was in the Bed & Breakfast she recently purchased, Le Violette. The place matches her personality perfectly; warm and inviting with an extra pinch of charm. I’ll write a full review of her B&B in an upcoming post. After we unloaded our bags in the room, Beth started our tour of the city beginning with the walls, which were widened centuries ago. In fact, not that long ago they used the walls for racing cars. Today, they are purely pedestrian.

Lucca Walls — View of the main bell tower of Lucca from on top of the walls

We hopped off the walls and strolled through the city, enjoying Lucca as only a pedestrian can.

Via del Fosso has a canal running through the center

Via Cenami is one of the main shopping streets

Julia takes a picture with me in Piazza San Francesco

The old market building where vendors would set up their stalls

Most Italian cities feature outdoor markets one-two times a week. We made our way to one of the fabulous Lucca mercato (market), which is held every Wednesday and Saturday.

We discovered that we accidentally strolled outside the walls by following the long line of vendors

Beautiful flowers are just one of the many things you could buy in the market

Lucca markets — I catch Jen for a photo in the market

Markets Italy Lucca — The markets can get crowded but they are a great place to pick up a picnic lunch

While in Lucca, you will want to position yourself in a vantage point that will command a view of the entire city, valley and mountains. You can choose to scale the Torre delle Ore (Clock Tower) or the Torre Guinigi (Guinigi Tower). We opted for the later, because it is the only tower in the city that has trees planted on top. But the ascent is not for the faint of heart; it’s a steep 230 steps until you get to the top. Compared to other similar towers, I found the €6 entry fee a bit steep, considering you don’t get anything other than the view (many similar sites also feature other historical items – this was purely just the tower). I quickly reversed my position on the fee when I actually took in the view. Breathtaking might be an appropriate word to describe the panorama.

Torre Guinigi steps — The final staircase ascending toward the top of the tower (shooting from below, looking up)

I lost my cool when I thought this was the top and I would have to view through a cage - when I cooled down, I realized there was a door and simply pushed on — I lost my cool when I thought this was the top and I would have to view the city through a cage. When I calmed down, I realized there was a door and simply pushed on

View of the city with the prominent Cattedrale di San Martino in view

Students in Lucca — I noticed a few groups of school children; Lucca is a popular destination for Italians

You will certainly want to pay a visit the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, a Roman amphitheater that has been reconstructed into a piazza compete with charming shops and cafes. We sat and enjoyed a few drinks while Julia enjoyed running around with Beth’s son, Indi.

Lucca Amphitheater — Panoramic of the Piazza inside the amphitheater

Outside the Lucca Amphitheater you can see the remains of the original Roman structure

Of course, no trip to Lucca would be complete without a visit to the Piazza San Michele and a tour through the Chiesa di San Michele in Foro.

Piazza San Michele — The piazza hosts some performers that loved playing American 90’s rock (primarily Nirvana)

I hope you enjoyed our tour through Lucca together and consider adding it as your next Italian destination. Below are a couple more pictures to temp you even further…

Buccellatio di Lucca is a typical bread that is eaten year round

Streets of Lucca — We constantly commented on how clean and well maintained the city is

Gelato in Lucca — Julia enjoys some gelato after dinner one night

“Come along for an upcoming post all about a couple restaurants in Lucca!”

Ci vediamo a presto (I’ll see you soon)!

Cruises, History, Landscape, Photography, Sicily, Travel - Italy

Michael Corleone Says Ciao to Taormina, Sicily

April 11, 2014 Greg

Sicilia (Sicily) was the birthplace of the original Godfather, Don Vito Corleone; its shores harbored his son, Michael Corleone and recently the island hosted Don Greggorio and his small family. My only disappointment in visiting Sicily was that my wife, Jen wouldn’t let me wear a white suit and hat while walking around passing out fruit like I was Don Vito himself. Oh well, there’s always next time…

The sun rises over Catania, Sicily — The sun rises over Catania. How can you be expected to walk around without a white suit?!

I was so excited to visit Sicily because I’ve wanted to see this unique part of the country for as long as I can remember. This region of Italy is so far south from where we live that I wasn’t sure if we would ever get the opportunity to explore the island while living here. Sicily boasts a plethora of interesting facts that I couldn’t begin to detail in a single post. However, perhaps the most interesting few points are that the island is the largest in the Mediterranean, archeological evidence dates human inhabitants are far back as 8,000 BC and the terrain has changed hands dozens of times (from Greek to Byzantine to Roman and all over again and again).

Ìsula Bedda is local dialect for Isola Bella, or Beautiful Island

While the capital city of Palermo is the largest and most populous on the island, Catania is another popular tourist destination and the port city that received us on our visit. The city also bore nostalgic significance – Catania was the birthplace and home of Jen’s bisnonna (great-grandmother), Rapisardi. Even though there is plenty to do in Catania, we decided to take the hour-long train ride up the coast to Taormina. We were not the first to make this journey – Taormina has been one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sicily since the early 19th century. However, we came at a particularly interesting time. The infamous Mount Etna had just erupted a couple of days before our arrival and evidence of the black soot was everywhere.

The black soot from the explosion of Mount Etna covered the entire area

Julia enjoyed walking on what became a black pathway

We were all fascinated how far the soot traveled, literally blanketing the town

The rapid expansion of Taormina is believed to have begun around 345 BC. It originally started as part of the Greek empire before falling into the hands of the Romans. Today, the city remains high atop the ridges of the coastline, commanding a beautiful (and strategic) view of the sea. Before we could walk her ancient streets, we had to ascend the long and winding roads from the train station. We secured ourselves a cab and helped some other non-Italian speaking tourists get cabs of their own. Since there were more people than cabs, I offered to share our cab with a German couple. I arranged a pick-up time with the same cab driver at a discounted rate. Not only did we get to split the fare, but we got a discount by giving the same guy round-trip business. I’m always happy to find good travel deals!

Taormina has beautiful coastline and wonderful beaches

The city is nestled high atop the cliffs

The city is something truly wonderful to behold

Julia took turns posing with her parents

Once again, Julia was a hit with the other tourists that wanted to hold her and take pictures

Upon arriving in Taormina, we spent some time walking around, soaking up the lovely street scenes. Eventually, we wound our way to the Teatro Antico di Taormina (Ancient Theatre of Taormina). The amphitheater is a fine example of Greek engineering that dates to the seventh century BC. What is most fascinating about this theatre (apart from its spectacular position overtop the Mediterranean) is that the use of brick in its composition hint at Roman construction (an era much later than the seventh century BC). But the design is that of ancient Greece. This architectural style in combination with other archeological elements has unfurled the prevailing theory that the Romans rebuilt the amphitheater overtop an existing Greek theatre. Today, the preservation of this ancient wonder is truly remarkable.

The view as an audience member in the amphitheater

This ancient theatre dates all the way back to the seventh century BC

The design of the theatre is that of ancient Greece

The views from the top of the theatre are remarkable

Julia and I take a picture with the theater behind us — Julia and I take a picture with the theatre and coastline behind us

I'm a lucky guy - Julia gives me a kiss — I’m a lucky guy – Julia gives me a kiss

After quite a bit of time exploring the amphitheater, we strolled through the city streets, marveling at the beauty behind each turn. However, we had more on our minds than just lollygagging. We were bound and determined to try arancini, which are essentially balls of fried rice. Of course, there is oh so much more to it than just that! This local Sicilian treat dates all the way back to the 10th century. The perfectly fried balls of heaven are often times stuffed with ragu, pancetta, cheese or other treats. We got a simple variation, just risotto fried lightly beneath breadcrumbs – we couldn’t be happier with our decision. I’ve included a link to a recipe HERE, although we haven’t tried to make them ourselves yet. We’ve since eaten arancini in other parts of Italy – but it’s never quite as good as it was that day in Sicily.

“Quick, dad – take my picture… photo-op!”

Oranges were in season — Mandarini (mandarin oranges) were in season

Julia found some pigeons that she became friends with

Julia is no stranger to her winged friends

She even made friends with a micino (little kitty)

We took our final walk through Taormina and back toward our departing ship. We had one last port to round out our time at sea – a day in the historic city of Naples.

W got one last look at the beautiful city streets

We barely made it back to the ship before we set sail toward our final destination

Cruises, History, Landscape, Travel - Italy, UNESCO, Veneto, Venice

Murano, Burano & Torcello – The Keys To Unlocking Venice

April 4, 2014 Greg

If you read about our recent trip to Venice (HERE), then you’ll know that we finally unlocked the key to really enjoying Venice. In a nutshell, it involves beating the other tourists to the finish line. If the “finish line” is a guided tour in Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), then be the first person in line in the morning. If the finish line is grabbing a moment of solace in an empty Piazza San Marco, then you’d better be there as the sun rises (conversely, you can arrive well after the sun has set and listen to the beautiful music of the dueling bands). Or, more simply, you can do what we did; visit this magical city in the off-season and get to know the city of Venezia (Venice) without having to put up a fight.

San Marco Campanile and Doge's Palace seen from the water — San Marco Campanile and Doge’s Palace seen from the water

If you’re blessed with a couple of days in Venice, I would suggest that you go a bit deeper than the surface level attractions. Skip the gondola ride (it’s overpriced anyhow) and instead tour the neighboring islands. With 117 to chose from, you’ll have your pick. You can visit the Jewish Ghetto on the island of Cannaregio. Many of the beautiful parks and gardens on the island of Lido are free of charge to you botany lovers. Or, for the real adventurers, you could opt to wade into the marshes and cast nets with local fishermen near the island of Chioggia.

The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore Church on the island that shares the same name

We knew that we wanted to visit the island Murano and watch how the world-famous Venetian glass was blown. This would require a little preparation and so I enlisted the assistance of a guided tour. I discovered a wonderful website that offers local tours at very reasonable prices – Viator. Travel bugs, take note of that website! It is a great resource for sight-seeing tours in cities all over the world. We will definitely use them again; my only regret was not discovering the website sooner. When searching for a tour of Murano, we found a better option – a tour that also included the islands of Burano and Torcello. You can find the link to our specific tour HERE. I bought my tickets ($28 pp) and had the confirmation sent to my smart phone. I showed up at the designated area, presented the pass on my phone and received our tickets to the boat. Easy, breezy, lemon-squeezy.

The workers were out in the early morning — Venetian workers were out in the early morning

Working on the water here is no different than working on a truck in another city

Before our tour departed the main island, we had enough time in the early morning to drop by Venice’s famous fish market. The Mercato di Rialto (Rialto Fish Market) is in the area affectionately known as Cuore della Città (heart of the city) behind the Rialto bridge. This area by the famous bridge was settled in the 9th century and becoming a booming marketplace by 1097. Today, the fish market still stands as a wonderful place to visit and buy fresh seafood.

We enter the market - the Winged Lion of San Marco warns not to touch — We enter the market – the Winged Lion of San Marco warns not to touch

I wouldn't want to get bit by this guy — I wouldn’t want to get bit by this guy

There was also wonderful looking produce - these are delicious peperoncini — There was also wonderful looking produce – these are delicious peperoncini

A butcher - this one specializes in horse meat, not uncommon to find in Italy — A butcher – this one specializes in horse meat, common to find in Italy

After viewing the market, we wound our way to the tour meeting-point next to San Marco Square. Our four-hour tour included a professional guide, a glass-blowing demonstration in Murano, a hand-crafted lace demonstration in Burano and round-trip transportation to all three islands via boat. I thought the price was very reasonable for all that was included, but truth be told – the price paid for little more than transportation. The guide was impossible to understand over the boat’s roaring engine. All in all, I’m still happy with the deal and it forced us to be back on our cruise ship in time for departure. Nothing like being stranded on a remote Venetian island and watching your cruise ship sail past to ruin your vacation!

Venetian glass, which is more commonly referred to as Murano glass today, is widely recognized as one of the most specialized and beautiful hand-crafted items the world over. Venice emerged as a prominent glass manufacturing center as early as the 8th century. The origins of glass making going back to the Roman Empire when molded glass was used to assist in the illumination of bathhouses. The island gained it’s notoriety when the Venetian glass blowers were all ordered to move their foundries to the island of Murano in 1291, for fear of fire on the main island. By the fourteenth century, the glassblowers were considered among the most elite of Venetian citizens. The closely guarded secrets developed on the island laid the foundation for a glassmaker monopoly on high quality glass that lasted for centuries. Our tour guide explained that even to this day the artisans of Murano are highly trained in this unique skill that is closely monitored by the Glassmakers Guild. Among other things, a Murano glassmaker must be the son of a tenured glassmaker and apprentice for twenty years before being allowed to make his own glass. A “young” glassmaker on the island would be someone who is in his mid forties.

Here he shapes (marver) the glass by rolling it — Here he shapes or “marvers” the glass by rolling it

Next, he “cuts in” to score the piece’s neck

This is where he is “trimming the lip” with shears

Another example of design, he quickly molded a horse

He demonstrated the heat of the piece by simply laying a piece of paper on her neck, which immediately burst into flames

Next, we set sail for Burano, which is known mainly for its painted houses and the church of San Martino’s leaning campanile (bell tower). They also have an established reputation for their creations of lace.

As we sailed toward Burano, we could clearly see the leaning bell tower (in the background)

A better shot of the bellower - it is leaning quite a bit — A better shot of the bellower – it is leaning quite a bit

The painted houses were something to behold

There were canals just like on the main island

The vibrant colors were really something else!

We loved strolling around and taking in all the beauty of the island

Lastly, we finished on the island of Torcello. We were surprised to learn that this was actually the first island to be settled by Venetians, and once held the largest population of the Republic of Venice. Today, you can hardly see evidence of this; the island is so sparsely inhabited that only a few structures remain and the inhabitants number fewer than a couple dozen. The main attraction nowadays is the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta) founded in 639 AD.

Torcello was very different from the other islands of Venice proving that each island offers it's own unique beauty — Torcello was very different from the other islands of Venice proving that each island offers it’s own unique beauty

Julia and I walk along the ancient canal in Torcello

Since it was cold, we warmed up with a little vin brulé

Julia and I take a stroll over this bridge

Santa Maria Assunta (left) and Santa Fosca (right)

The historic Santa Fosca church - you can distinguish the Byzantine influence — The historic Santa Fosca church – you can distinguish the Byzantine influence

If you are planning a trip to Venice anytime soon, I would definitely recommend a tour of the peripheral islands. If you discover any other fun places to visit, please drop me a line and let me know!

Cruises, Travel - Italy, UNESCO, Venice, Wine

Venice, Italy – Alfred Hitchcock’s Inspiration

March 31, 2014 Greg

Have you ever wanted to sound like the world’s biggest a-hole and alienate multiple friends, all in one fell swoop? If so, pay close attention and do exactly as I say. Kind of roll your eyes a little bit in an exaggerated act of annoyance and say the following words with the smug impatience of someone who thinks they’re as classy as Ivanka Trump (but really only has as much class as her father, ‘The’ Donald). Repeat after me:

“Ugh. We have to go to Venice… again?! Bleeeehh.”

Do that, and you are sure to land on the top of most people’s sh*t list! At the risk of losing blog readers, friends and maybe even a few family members… that is exactly how we felt recently when we went back to Venice. I can fully appreciate this is a ridiculous thought to have and even more obnoxious to share… but hey, this is a blog that delivers brutal honesty. When we booked our cruise with Celebrity Cruises a little while back, we did it despite the fact that the ship spent two days at port in Venice. Don’t get me wrong, Venice is a beautiful city with a unique charm found nowhere else in the world. If you’ve visited Venice before, you may reminisce about the romantic gondola rides, the charming cafes and the stunning churches. But when you’ve faced with a visit to Venice for the fifth time, you are more likely reminded of the crowded piazzas, overprices restaurants and long lines full of pushy tourists.

See, — See… “First World Problems Girl” gets it!

Venezia (Venice) has an alluring history that I find to be more fascinating than nearly any other city in the world. I mean, the entire city has been floating on water for centuries, for Pete-sake! I detail a brief explanation of how Venice came to be in this blog post (definitely worth a quick read).

Doge's Palace with San Marco Campanile in the background — Doge’s Palace with San Marco Campanile in the background

The Lion of San Marco perches atop a tall pillar outside of the piazza

Even though we weren’t very excited at the prospect of squaring off against millions of other tourists in a space not much larger than the Mall of America, we abandoned our original plans to stay on the ship and instead ventured onto Venice’s shores. We were sure glad that we did! Over the next two days we rediscovered a new Venice; one with more magic and charm than we ever realized was possible. What’s the difference, you ask? We were walking around in the off-season.

Our cruise ship sailed in just as the sun was rising

The early morning light cast over the city of Venice is a stunning sight

The weather was cold and the droves of tourists were nowhere in sight. We were able to deftly weave betwixt the shops, restaurants, churches and museums with ease. The horrid memory of sweating in lines and pushing through crowds became a thing of the past. Strolling down streets and visiting historical sites became pleasant and stress-free. We fell in love with the city all over again. It was as if we had undergone marriage counseling with Venezia and came out stronger and more in love than ever before.

In the past, we had rushed from attraction to attraction, trying to “pack it all in”. Of course, this is impossible to do – the city boasts art and architecture in abundance. Combined with the heat and the dense crowds of the past, we have enjoyed Venice – but haven’t been in love with the city since our magical first visit. This time, it was completely different. Since we didn’t feel any pressure to see the main sites – we decided to take it slowly and just be in the moment. Our second day was even better when we opted only to see the attractions on the second and third pages of most guide books.

We were lucky to have such a beautiful day - spectacular weather — We were lucky to have such a beautiful day – spectacular weather

First, we spent a bit of time walking through the winding and narrow streets. Our goal was simple – to stay away from the main square, Piazza San Marco as long as we could, fearing the worst (we still didn’t know just how “wide open” the city had become). We stopped for a quick sandwich around 10:30am because Julia was hungry. We found a great little wine bar, far from the main “touristy” areas. We discovered locals coming in and enjoying glasses of wine at the bar. I thought…“well, why not?!” If the locals can enjoy a mid-morning wine and Julia can enjoy a mid-morning salami sandwich, why shouldn’t I join in the fun? I ordered a nice Valpolicella Ripasso – a wonderful wine local to the region. I got a nice big pour for €4. “Wait, so if you don’t crowd into the main spots – food and drink are priced reasonably?!”

A gondolier takes a break to feed his friends

His craft was parked nearby awaiting a fare

The canals are always beautiful - any time of day — The canals are always beautiful – any time of day

We started to discover just how empty the city was

Julia insisted on stopping for a mid-morning salami sandwich

Jen and I stop for a photo on Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge)

It was chilly, so we warmed up with some vin brulé

Eventually, we did wind our way into Piazza San Marco and found that our pleasant morning was a precursor to a pleasant afternoon. I have never seen the square so wide open. We walked right into Basilica di San Marco – something I thought was impossible without waiting for at least an hour or two! We took in the rest of the sites, including the Procuratie Vecchie, Campanile, Loggetta and Torre dell’Orologio. But the absolute peak of the day was when we fed the birds. We had a blast watching Julia get swarmed by dozens of pigeons. A highlight of the entire cruise, for sure! I can’t confirm any truth to the rumors that these pigeons inspired Alfred Hitchcock’s film, The Birds (mainly because I just started that rumor to suit this post’s title) – but being swarmed by dozens of these winged beggars felt like we were on the set of the movie itself.

Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs) is usually tougher to photograph with tourists pushing for position

You've got to remain in a stylish pose while you check your work — You’ve got to remain in a stylish pose while you check your work

Jen and I pose in front of the Canale Della Giudecca

We were able to stroll right in to Basilica San Marco

Julia lights a candle and says a little prayer

Julia loved being in the wide open piazza

Once again, she was a hit with other tourists who wanted to take photos with her

I showed her how to get more than one bird

Which worked out better than expected... that's Julia hidden behind a wall of birds — Which worked out better than expected… that’s Julia hidden behind a wall of birds

That was about the same reaction that Julia had

Buckle up, because our next stop is our second day in Venice. I think I’ll call it “Venice Like You’ve Never Seen Before”. We rise early to visit the fish market as well as the islands of Murano for a glass blowing demonstration, tour the painted houses of Burano and round out our visit with the ancient church on Torcello. Most people forget, Venice has more to share than just the main island!

An older building shows a unique beauty that only Venice can provide

We returned to our ship as a beautiful sun was setting on the Grand Canal

Croatia, Cruises, Travel - Europe, UNESCO

The “Game of Thrones” is Played in Dubrovnik, Croatia

March 24, 2014 Greg

“We’ve had vicious kings, and we’ve had idiot kings…but I don’t know if we’ve ever been cursed with a vicious idiot for a king!”

―Tyrion Lannister, summarizing King Joffrey

King Joffrey might just be the most evil little man-boy on the planet, but he has got one thing right – he gets to live in a beautiful and unique city (King’s Landing) with a history no more interesting than the real-life city in which the show is filmed. If you’re a fan of the show Game of Thrones, you may know that most of the filming takes place in Dubrovnik, Croatia. This site was chosen after season one wrapped (they originally filmed in Malta) because of the city’s perfectly maintained medieval appearance. It is purely coincidental (and perfectly fitting) that the city of Dubrovnik happens to have a past that is as violent and completely peppered with dastardly deeds as King’s Landing itself.

Midway through our cruise on Celebrity Cruises ship, the Silhouette, I was bursting at the seams with excitement. The port of call I was most eager to see had finally arrived! The previous ports had been no less fantastic, Rome (here and here), Florence (here), Corfu (here) and Kotor (here) – but this was the icing on the cake for me. I’m a fan of the HBO hit series, but more importantly I’m a fan of history. I’m also a fan of 6’2″ blond models and this city seems to export them in droves.

The view from our balcony when we arrived in port. This is the more modern part of Dubrovnik

The city of Dubrovnik is pleased to be recognized as one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Adriatic Sea and they are certainly proud to have their Old City listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s no surprise that the city is so popular; it is truly something to behold.

The Old City of Dubrovnik exhumes charm — The Old City of Dubrovnik exudes charm

It's hard to forget that the entire city has been fortified against invaders — It’s hard to forget that the entire city has been fortified against invaders

Dubrovnik is an important port city with strong ties to the sea

Tower Minčeta is the strong fort located in the North wall ending

Dubrovnik is a fortified city with charming tile roofs peeking out just below the peak of the walls — The city is fortified by large walls over which tile roofs can be seen peeking through

Fort of Saint Lawrence in Blackwater Bay

It is commonplace for me to weave travel tips into many of my posts; if any of the things that we have learned are helpful to anyone, than I am pleased to have been of service. Please allow me to draw out one specific point that I’m sad to have recently learned:

Do not take a Mediterranean cruise during rainy season – the precipiation will certianly affect your time in the port cities and cause your ship to sway and rock like a ’68 Camero at “make out point”

First, it drizzled when we were in Florence. Then, it sprinkled as we visited Corfu. Next, it rained while we were in Kotor. Finally, it poured when we reached Dubrovnik. Luckily for us, for all the time it rained – we were blessed with just as much sunshine. The rain would pass by quickly, but not before wetting our socks and changing our plans at each port. You see, there are dozens of interesting activities that you can enjoy in Dubrovnik (just like the previous cities). However, when you spend a couple hours hiding out in an Irish pub before finally soldiering through the rain and puddles, you will miss out on the opportunity to participate in organized activities. Indoor museums and churches become more appealing than boat rides and walking tours. I have to say, I am usually a much bigger fan of the latter, but when you are fighting to stay dry – sitting quietly in a 600 year old church somehow seems much more exciting than normal.

It wasn't raining when we crossed through the Pile Gate into the city — It wasn’t raining when we crossed through the Pile Gate into the city

Julia stole her daddy's — Julia stole her daddy’s “travel hat”

“If it’s going to rain, I need this more than you!”

The rain came shortly after we crossed the city gates

We spent quite a bit of time in St. Blasius Church

After hiding out in churches, I wanted to hide out here because at least I could order a pint

Julia seemed to think I ordered this for her - she was mistaken! — Julia seemed to think I ordered this for her – she was mistaken!

Eventually, the torrential downpour did cease and a beautiful sky appeared over the ancient city. We spent the rest of our day walking around and taking in the sites. The city did not disappoint, but I have to leave it on my travel bucket list as “a place I would like to see again”. I can’t say that we fully took advantage of all that Dubrovnik has to offer. There is the Ancient City Walls Walking Tour (you get to see the city from a unique perspective, from atop the walls that enclose the city). Of course, there is the ‘Game of Thrones’ Walking Tour (self explanatory) and then there is the Cable Car Ride to Mount Srd (to witness the best views of the city). I discovered that renting a boat and touring some of the nearby islands is very reasonably priced – but only fun to do when the sun is shining (I was particularly bummed about this, I love putting a boat in the water).

Main city street - Placa - Stradun — Main city street – Placa – Stradun

Lovely side streets wind up the side of the hill with long stairways

Trees and bushes vibrantly grow out of the rugged stone

Many of the streets become desolate after the heavy rain — Many of the streets became desolate after the heavy rain

Jen guides Julia down a long stairway... — Jen guides Julia down a long stairway…

The port was beautiful just outside the city walls

I was disappointed it didn't work out for me to rent a boat — I was disappointed it didn’t work out for me to rent a boat

Julia doesn't want to share her mid-day snack with her mother — Julia doesn’t want to share her mid-day snack with her mother

She does stop eating to let me take a picture with her

Julia guides us through the Ploče Gate — Julia leads us through the Ploče Gate

It was nice of the local residents to make the city handicapped accessible (umm, does this conform to ADA standards?)

View of city roofs and the tower of the Franciscan Monastery

Jen and Julia love walking around Dubrovnik — Jen and Julia loved walking around Dubrovnik

If you do visit Dubrovnik, please click on this link to get some ideas of things to do. And may I suggest checking the weather forecast before booking!

The city at night - the sky was a beautiful calm blue after a torrential day — The city at night – the sky was a beautiful calm blue after a torrential day

Cruises, Friends, Greece, History, Humor, Sipping Espresso, Travel - Europe, UNESCO

Let’s Set Sail Together Again (Corfu, Greece)!

March 17, 2014 Greg

It’s been nearly a month and a half since my last meaningful post and I am once again faced with the monumental task of getting caught back up. I’m not sure how or why I allowed myself to get so far behind, but I do know that I have left myself a lot of work. The wine, cheese and salami will just have to wait (well, I suppose it can’t hurt to have a little wine while I write). I would like to apologize to my readers for this delay and I would like to acknowledge one loyal reader in particular; Helen actually reached out to me through our Contact Us page and basically said, “what the hell, Greg – where’ve you been?!” Helen and everyone – even though it can’t excuse the lack of content, we just got back from a two-week trip to the States where, in my capacity as Best Man, I roasted my good buddy Josh and toasted his beautiful bride, Abby (read about Josh and Abby’s trip to visit us here and here).

While we were home, I rediscovered some magical things – burritos, quality customer service and Netflix. We haven’t watched as much TV over the past year as we did over the past two weeks. I became obsessed with the Netflix original series, House of Cards – an amazing drama starring, Kevin Spacey as Frank Underwood, a cagey and politically ambitious congressman who is constantly scheming and conniving to reach the next rung of the political ladder. If Frank Underwood can work through all hours of the night and stay ten moves ahead of his opposition, surely I can bang out a few extra blog posts in the next couple weeks.

We still have tons of travel left to do together – I’ve only written about the very first part of our cruise late last year and so much has happened since. So put on your boating shoes and let’s get going…

When I last left you, we had already visited Rome (here and here) before hitting the Mediterranean Sea for Florence. We spent the next day at sea (which means there is no port and therefore no disembarking the ship), which can often be my favorite time onboard a cruise ship. We tend to pick our cruises based on the ports of call, but I always like to be sure there are two or three sea days allotted in the itinerary. It may sound crazy – but it’s nice to have a day to relax in the middle of it all. Carrying a toddler, stroller, backpack (and sometimes even a wife) across miles and miles of city streets, on and off tour buses and in and out of museums [while rewarding] is a lot of work. To have a day where you cannot do anything other than enjoy your ship’s amenities is a pretty sweet prospect. That, and I like to gamble – sea day’s are the only time you can sit in the casino all day (or as long as your wife can tolerate being left alone with your child).

A dormant volcano visible from the ship while we sailed past Sicily

Apparently, gambling is a part of our blood line - Julia enjoys the Casino as much as I do — Apparently, gambling is a part of our blood line – Julia enjoys the Casino as much as I do

Next, she discovered the blackjack tables - that is definitely my little girl — Next, she discovered the blackjack tables – that is definitely my little girl

The first sea day was also the first “formal night” and so we all three enjoyed an opportunity to get dressed up and go to dinner. I was up a little after a hard day playing blackjack and so I was in high spirits. The delicious prime rib they served helped to keep me and my tummy happy (they even brought it out “bloody and still mooing with a mountain of horseradish”, just like I asked) . After dinner, we took in a very enjoyable show and went to bed content with a day of doing… well, not much of anything.

Julia let me take her for a spin on the dance floor before dinner

The next day we woke up at port in Corfu, Greece. It was drizzling and we had a long day at port in a relatively small city, so we decided we would try to wait out the rain on the ship. We spent the morning participating in some of the cheesy activities organized by the ship’s Cruise Director (imagine a business team building activity). It would have been an uneventful morning if it had not been for a strengthening bond between two little girls who would quickly be known as the fastest of friends onboard Celebrity’s Silhouette. Ava had met Julia in one of the cafe’s the day before and she didn’t hesitate to chat her up on either occasion. She was likely craving companionship of someone close to her own age (Ava is about a year older). The two instantly clicked and after the game, they spent some time dancing, playing and “conversing” (if you can consider each girl stating her independent and random observations a conversation).

We meandered about the ship while we waited for the clouds to disperse

Ava found a new friend in Julia and Julia discovered her new hero

As the girls played, we spent some time getting to know Ava’s parents, Catherine and Jim without realizing that we were making fast friends of our own. After just a few minutes talking with Cat and Jim, we learned that they have a close-knit family too – they were cruising with Jim’s brother, “Uncle” Mike and his wife, Feng as well as the boy’s parents – Bob and Dorothy. The entire family was very pleasant and even though we didn’t realize it at the time, we were forming a relationship with a big family we would “adopt” as our own for the remainder of the cruise. Eventually, the rain let up and we took our leave for Corfu.

Corfu is a Greek Island dating back to 1300 BC when it was first inhabited by the Phaeacians. The history of the island is a story penned by bloody battles and conquests. This is evidenced by the two fortresses that enclose the capital city; two formidable structures standing as pillars of protection against would-be invaders from the sea . Jen and I decided that we were up for a walk and so we strolled from the ship, past the “New” Fortress (Νέο Φρούριο) and into the downtown area. We meandered past ancient churches and charming shops and restaurants when heard a tiny, little voice scream, “Juila”! It was her new friend Ava, who came barreling up and generously gave Julia a big hug and a piece of her bread. We kept hiking past the outskirts of town and into the Old Fortress (Παλαιό Φρούριο) – a citadel that offers the most magnificent panoramic of the ancient city, justifiably deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Strolling through the city streets and taking in the shops

The city streets of ancient Corfu are full of charm

We came across Ava eating lunch with her family

The Old Fortress and church that was built on the grounds for the soldiers

Crossing the drawbridge toward the Old Fortress

The church and Old Fortress high atop the rocks

Jen and Julia stroll across a desolate stretch on their way toward the church

A view of the sea from the fortress walls

From the top of the cliff, we had a great view of the city and our ship

Julia sits along a fortress wall with Corfu in the background

After a pleasant and rewarding day, we concluded our self-guided tour when we missed the last bus back to the ship, thereby closing the loop on our long walk by hustling back to the ship on foot. We were just moments away from getting back on a course of exploration throughout eastern Europe, just as I am back on track blogging. For any other HOC (House of Cards) fans out there, imagine me concluding this post with two quick raps of my class ring on the desk. Frank Underwood would be proud!

Family Stories, Food and Drink, Holidays, Humor, Markets, Shopping, Sipping Espresso, Travel - Italy

Five Diamond Christmas Tour of Italy

December 23, 2013 Greg

Most people visit Europe in the spring or summer. Of course, these are great times of year to see such a magical and historical place. But may I suggest to you a unique alternative?

Come in December, when the weather is at it’s coldest and the people are their warmest. When the cobblestone streets are strung with lights and the ancient buildings are trimmed with garland. Imagine your most magical place for the holidays – a winter wonderland, if you will. You will be sure to find something that fits your image here in Europe. There are amazing markets and festivals across the continent. Some countries boast cities that are particularly renowned for their holiday cheer. Finland, Germany and Austria are at the top of the list. Denmark and Switzerland are there as well. And of course, our personal favorite place to be for Christmas is right here in Italy. Before you plan your next Christmas vacation, add Europe into the running.

“Boy, Clark – I think we should go to Europe next year”

We had been toying with the idea of visiting another country to experience some of the large and festive Christmas markets (two of the top cities in the running were Cologne, Germany and Lapland, Finland). As we did more and more research, we kept noticing many towns in Italy topping the lists. We decided to stay close to home and shop in a language we know (well, sort of). Jen came across this article describing some of the best Christmas towns in the Trentino Alto-Adige region of Italy. One look at the photos of each town and I was sold. Beyond that, I was eager to explore this region of Italy for it’s unique wines and always breathtaking Dolomiti mountains. So I went to work on google maps and figured out that we could comfortably see five cities (with a bonus sixth on the return) over a period of three days. We would visit Vipiteno, Bressanone, Brunico, Bolzano and Merano with another full day reserved for the region’s capital city, Trento.

When I plotted our course, I literally sketched a rough map on a piece of scratch paper and realized that four of the five towns made a diamond shape. The fifth was sort of floating off to the right side, but for creative purposes – we’ll just stick to the “Five Diamond Christmas Tour”. It has a better ring than “Four Points & That Other One Tour”.

“Sounds great, dad – lets GO!”

We carefully chose our hotel, located just outside of Bolzano. What I didn’t pay much attention to was the name of the actual town, Soprabolzano (literally meaning, above Bolzano). ABOVE Bolzano it was. Our hotel sat roughly 4,100 ft above the town, which gave us two options. Drive up the winding and perilous mountain road or take the 15,000 ft cable car (gondola) ride. I opted to drive, even when the snow fell and the tailgaters lined up behind me.

The view from the road leading to our hotel

We were surprised to learn from Franco and Claudia (Jen’s aunt and uncle) that the area of Italy we were visiting was more Austrian than Italian. They couldn’t have been more correct. We definitely felt as though we were in Austria (which feels just like you’re in Germany). The houses are constructed with charming German architecture (picture gingerbread houses). The food served in the restaurants is German (picture sausages and sauerkraut). The people even spoke German instead of Italian! It was strange to experience, because we were in Italy – but it was also nice because it felt like a more unique “vacation” away from our normal lives. Funny, we were nervous to order pasta for the first time in Italy because we felt like it would be ordering pasta in Germany (something you would never do).

VIPITENO (Sterzing – German)

On the first day of our “Christmas Tour” we drove from our home directly to the northernmost town, Vipiteno. We arrived after lunch and took our time strolling through the market and the charming streets. We were eager to see the setting sun because we knew that meant the Christmas lights would soon be ablaze. We stopped for a vin brulé to warm up and sit for a bit. As opposed to going inside the restaurant, we instead opted to sit outside under the blankets they provided for their guests. It was cozy, fun and comforting. Eventually, we had to tear ourselves away from Vipiteno because we had one more stop on the schedule.

Julia is excited as we enter the market

Jen and Julia hugging

One of the stands, selling a variety of Christmas ornaments

Some beautiful ornaments

Julia sizes up a Befana (Italy’s Christmas Witch)

The charming town square

Another stand selling local specialties

More Christmas stands

My favorite little girl

The lights got a little brighter as it got a little darker

The main street was stunning with a beautiful mountainous backdrop

The main piazza

We stopped to warm up and enjoy some vin brulé

Julia warms her hands on mom’s cup

The sun officially sets

Vipiteno at night

The main square at night

Vipiteno was simply beautiful

BRESSANONE (Brixen)

I almost scratched Bressanone from the list – originally, I didn’t think I could fit all five towns and this was the one that I felt could be sacrificed. We were VERY glad that we kept it in the itinerary. This was arguably one of our favorite towns. We didn’t realize that it is the third largest and and oldest town in the province. Bressanone is absolutely full of charm. Beyond all the Christmas festivities, we enjoyed just walking around the city itself, although most everything had closed by the time we finished dinner.

One street leading to the main piazza

The market in the main piazza

The booths were different than the previous town

Julia rode the carousel in front of the main church

The most crowded and popular stands were always the ones selling vin brulè – they had an outdoor “bar” vibe

Holiday decorations

SAN CANDIDO (Innichen)

Did you catch it? San Candido was not listed as one of the five towns above. Franco and Claudia suggested that we add it to the voyage – they described the town as “piccolo ma bello” (small but beautiful). It was only a half an hour away and snuggled tightly in the Dolomites, so it was a no-brainer for me. They didn’t have nearly the amount of Christmas decorations as the originally planned towns, but it truly was “small but beautiful”. Plus, there are only a handful of towns in the world that are nestled in the Dolomite mountains, so it was certainly worth the extra drive.

Julia and I enter the charming town of San Candido

Our first snow of the season

Julia remembered how much she loved to eat it

Main street in the town

Jen and Julia in the main piazza

“Hey guys, wait for me!”

A small river runs through town

The Dolomites surround the town

Another town we passed on the way out

BRUNICO (Bruneck)

Our second stop of the second day was Brunico. We strolled through the markets and then through the city streets. It was a beautiful town, but the markets were small in comparison to the other towns – so we didn’t spend a tremendous amount of time here.

The market surrounded the outer wall of the main city street

They had some great stands with local food and crafts

As usual, the busiest stands were the ones serving the drinks

I just loved this outdoor sports store’s display

Jen and Julia in the center of Brunico

BOLZANO (Bozen)

We didn’t think that anything could top Bressanone, which we had seen the night before. We were wrong. We arrived in Bolzano after nightfall and our eyes opened wide as we walked into the center square. Of all the towns, this one had the biggest Christmas market by far. They had the most decorations. They had the best rides for kids (a toy train that Julia loved riding). In conclusion, one could say they had the most charm. Beyond the markets, we loved losing ourselves in the city streets, taking in the restaurants and the shops. We had a wonderful dinner and walked some more. It was the perfect end to a fun-filled day.

The markets and main church of Bolzano

Julia goes for a train ride on Santa’s sleigh

For a kid that’s always happy, I’ve never seen her this tickled

We stopped for a little vin brulé

Looks like the Russian hockey team also wanted a little vin brulé to warm up

They had a secret Christmas garden off the main piazza

Family photo in the garden

Vendors and crowds flanked the garden made out of Christmas trees, lights and ornaments

Julia floats through the trees

We just loved the garden

Big ornaments on this street were a nice surprise from the lights that are usually strung across

Angels glide across the rooftops

Sadly, our final day was marred by a heavy rain. Our final two stops, Merano and then Trento (two of the places we were most excited about) were unfortunately, scratched from our trip. We didn’t think it would be nearly as much fun to walk around in the rain. If you do decide to take my “Five Diamond Christmas Tour” – do as I say, not as I do. Stick to my original itinerary (Vipiteno, Bressanone, Brunico, Bolzano, Merano and then Trento) and be sure to check the weather forecast!

Hope you enjoyed – Merry Christmas!

Drink in Italy With Us