You may have recently read that our Christmas spirit was put into gear when we attended a Milanese festival early in December. We continued our drive toward Santa’s big day by slipping into second gear and crossing the border into neighboring Switzerland. Our Christmas spirit grew as we set out to enjoy one of the things we love most about Europe in December – the Christmas markets.
Christmas trees like this are in cities all over Europe – this is in the main piazza of Lugano, Switzerland
It just so happens that one of our favorite things about living in Italy is access to wonderful markets year round. In the spring and summer, we can stroll the markets to buy fresh vegetables and aged cheese. In the fall, we can purchase delicious homemade jams and carefully crafted grappa. However, the winter markets are undoubtedly our favorite. The backdrop is perfect – streets framed with Christmas lights. Good cheer around every turn. Wonderful food and beautiful artisanal goods at each stand. Beyond that, it is perfectly acceptable to walk around drinking the specialty drink of the season, vin brulé. This cooked wine is seasoned with sugar and spices – designed to warm your hands and belly as well as comfort your soul. No market visit on a cold December day would be complete without a cup (or two).
A few of the vendors set up in the piazza
Soon, I will feature one of our favorite towns to visit during Christmas – our very own Lake Como. Before we do that, I’ll showcase another lake town that we love – Lugano, Switzerland. The Swiss do a lot of things right. They’ve pretty much nailed watches, chocolate and banking. They have some of the worlds most beautiful lakes and best mountains. Beyond that, we have discovered that they play host to some of the world’s greatest Christmas markets.
You can just feel the Christmas spirit walking around
The always beautiful streets are enhanced with thousands of sparkling Christmas lights
Lugano is a beautiful city that sits along a lake with the same name, Lago di Lugano. In one of the world’s wealthy countries – Lugano stands out as one of it’s richest cities. The charming city and popular tourist destination recently garnered worldwide fame, brought on by America’s favorite mega star – Oprah Winfrey. You may recall a tale that spread like wildfire this past summer (well, it did here anyway). Oprah was shopping and asked to see a purse, but was refused because the the clerk (not knowing whom she was serving) told her in no uncertain terms that, “it was out of her price range“. Strange, I was told the same thing when I asked to see the very same purse!
Lights frame the arches of a building’s walkway
Julia and dad in front of the tree
We arrived in Lugano in the afternoon, but stayed long enough to watch the sun set over the mountains. The Christmas lights blazed bright and we felt the joy of the season deep in our cores. We strolled through the market and decided to enjoy a Swiss specialty – hot chocolate. In Italy and in Switzerland, the hot chocolate is very thick – almost syrupy. I’m not usually a fan, but there is a shop in the Lugano’s piazza that makes the drink perfectly (still thick, but not obscenely dense and chocked full of flavor). Of course, you know that you’re in Lugano when you pay roughly $8 for a cup of hot chocolate and another $3 for the extra whipped cream that your daughter insists on ordering.
The sun sets on the mountains behind the lake
The trees are trimmed back during the winter, but that doesn’t mean they can’t use a little seasonal festivity
Miss Julia
The thick hot chocolate of Switzerland
Julia sure seemed to enjoy it
A tight squeeze in the piazza
They don’t have your “mall Santa” here so we had to improvise. We had her tell this Santa what she wanted
We returned home to Italy full of Christmas spirit, eagerly discussing our upcoming tour of Italy’s best markets and towns for the holidays. But before we drove to the Trentino Alto-Adige region of Italy, I had an early present to unwrap. I had to practice my driving on one of Italy’s most renowned race tracks…
I have a love-hate relationship with running. I love the feeling of finishing a five or six mile run. I hate the agony I get in my calves the next day. I love pushing myself to run a distance further than I’ve ever run before. I hate pushing myself through that first mile after foolishly taking four months off during the winter. Currently, I’m learning to find a proper balance in my on-again off-again relationship with running. Since living abroad, I’ve discovered a renewed commitment to running. I am lucky enough to have some of the most amazing routes in my own backyard – a benefit that definitely keeps me on the trail a little longer.
“Please, come join me along my run”
Julia loves to join me on an occasional run
We have been really lucky with some wonderful weather this fall. Just this morning, I went for a jog in shorts and a lightweight jacket. I understand it’s a lot colder at home, so I would like to invite you to “come for a run with me”. I have several routes that I take on a regular basis depending on how long, how far, or how much of a vertical climb I want. Or sometimes, I’ll just go out and try to find something new.
Running along the trail
“I want to go for a run with you guys!”
“Here I go!”
One of my favorite routes (and probably the one that I take most consistently) is a 5K loop (3.1 miles) around the neighborhood. I have taken many of the friends and family that have visited with me on this very same run. And now you can join me! I’ll map the distances, using mapmyrun so that you know how far we’ve gone.
Let’s get started…
WE TURN RIGHT OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, HEADED DOWN STRADA PROVINCIALE – WATCH OUT FOR CARS DURING RUSH HOUR
.15 miles
SOON WE’LL COME UPON A BEAUTIFUL COLLECTION OF ITALIAN CYPRUS TREES
.27 miles
SUBSEQUENT TO THE TREES WE’LL SEE THIS FIELD, WHICH MEANS YOU WON’T HAVE A PLEASANT AROMA FOR THE NEXT 1/10 OF A MILE
.29 miles
WE PASS A LAVATOIO (WASH BASIN) THAT IS AT LEAST 120 YEARS OLD – THIS WAS ONCE USED TO CLEAN THE CLOTHES OF THE PEOPLE NEARBY
.33 miles
AT THE TOP OF THE HILL WE COME SMACK INTO THE DANGER ZONE! THE DOUBLE ROTONDA(ROUNDABOUT) – BE CAREFUL HERE!
.47 miles
THIS IS ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PARTS OF THE RUN, WHERE THE VIEW SPANS FOREVER AND AN ANCIENT VILLA REACHES FOR THE CLOUDS
.75 miles
WE START A MILD DESCENT
.84 miles
QUICK! LOOK LEFT – THERE IS A BRIEF OPENING WITH A STUNNING VIEW
.87 miles
.87 miles
.87 miles
KEEP ON MOVING, BUT BE SURE TO HUG THE FENCE LINE TO YOUR RIGHT. CARS ARE LIABLE TO FLY BY
.90 miles
.91 miles
GET READY TO ROUND THE BEND – WATCH OUT FOR CARS AND BICYCLES
.93 miles
.99 miles
CONGRATULATIONS – WE JUST FINISHED OUR FIRST MILE! PEEK TO YOUR LEFT FOR A UNIQUE VIEW OF THE VILLA
1.02 miles
DON’T FORGET TO LOOK LEFT INTO THIS OPEN FIELD AND BEYOND TO THE MOUNTAINS…
1.13 miles
1.15 miles
1.15 miles
NEXT, LOOK AHEAD AS THE VILLA MATERIALIZES IN FRONT OF YOU
1.15 miles
1.16 miles
I OFTEN WONDER HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF TRAINS THIS LITTLE HOUSE HAS SEEN PASS BY
1.18 miles
CROSSING OVER THE RAILROAD TRACKS – BE CAREFUL
1.19 miles
YOU’RE JUST AS LIKELY TO PASS A TRACTOR AS YOU WOULD BE TO PASS A CAR
1.25 miles
1.27 miles
1.27 miles
I LOVE THIS GROUP OF UNIQUE TREES ON THE PROPERTY
1.27 miles
NEXT, WE WILL START OUR ASCENT UP AN ANCIENT ROAD
1.32 miles
1.41 miles
A GLANCE BACK OVER OUR SHOULDER LETS US KNOW WHERE WE’VE RUN
1.44 miles
1.44 miles
1.44 miles
HERE, WE CAN CHECK OUT THE LOCAL EVENTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY
1.47 miles
LOOK TO YOUR LEFT TO SEE ONE OF THE MANY CHURCHES IN THE AREA
1.48 miles
WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT DECISION TO MAKE HERE… I DON’T SUPPOSE MY LEGS WILL CARRY US THE 40 KM (24 MILES) TO MILANO, SO WE’D BETTER GO LEFT
1.58 miles
THE ROAD CROSSING IS A LITTLE DICEY HERE – LOTS OF BLIND SPOTS. I ALWAYS HUSSLE PAST THE CRYPT TO OUR RIGHT
1.61 miles
1.65 miles
HERE, WE PASS A BAR THAT IS “ALWAYS” OPEN
1.65 miles
THE BAR – FEEL FREE TO STOP FOR AN ESPRESSO IF YOU FORGOT TO HAVE YOURS BEFORE OUR RUN
1.65 miles
WE WILL NEXT PASS A SECTION OF TOWN THAT EXPERIENCED IT’S HEYDAY 50 YEARS AGO… 100 YEARS AGO… 200 YEARS AGO?!
1.75 miles
1.77 miles
1.78 miles
BE CAREFUL – THE ROAD IS VERY NARROW – TOO TIGHT FOR TWO CARS TO PASS AT ONCE. IT’S NOT UNCOMMON TO GET PINNED AGAINST THE RIGHT WALL
1.79 miles
LOOK TO YOUR RIGHT – QUITE A VIEW OF THE VALLEY. TO OUR PREVIOUS GUESTS… DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE BENNET (OUR GROCERY STORE)?
1.83 miles
WE HAVE TO MAKE A SHARP LEFT OFF THE MAIN ROAD AS WE APPROACH ANOTHER FAVORITE STRETCH OF THE RUN
1.90 miles
1.92 miles
THIS TWO LANE ROAD BECOMES EXTREMELY NARROW – I PREFERRED WHEN IT USED TO BE MUCH MORE RUGGED. THEY RECENTLY PAVED IT… WELL HALF OF IT
2.05 miles
2.08 miles
2.11 miles
2.11 miles
2.11 miles
CONTINUE ALONG THIS REMOTE ROAD
2.19 miles
WE PASS A CORNFIELD ON OUR RIGHT – THIS WAS JUST HARVESTED THREE DAYS AGO – I THINK THEY USE IT AS CATTLE FEED
2.25 miles
WE APPROACH AN INTERESTING PART OF THE RUN… ANOTHER SECTION OF HOUSING WHOSE HISTORY ENDED LONG AGO. I OFTEN WONDER WHEN A NEW STORY WILL BE WRITTEN FOR THESE ANCIENT PROPERTIES
2.38 miles
2.40 miles
2.41 miles
WE PASS THROUGH OUR FINAL STRETCH OF OLD, VACANT PROPERTIES
2.47 miles
NOW WE WILL TURN ON TO VIA KENNEDY, WHICH ALWAYS CRACKS ME UP
2.53 miles
NOW THAT WE’RE BACK IN TOWN, IF YOU GLANCE OVER YOUR RIGHT SHOULDER, YOU WILL SEE OUR FAVORITE FRUIT STAND – YOU CAN SEE THAT ZUCCHE (SQUASH AND PUMPKINS) ARE THE SEASONAL VEGETABLE
2.70 miles
OK – DIG DEEP. WE’VE GOT AN UPHILL CLIMB, BUT WE’RE IN THE FINAL STRETCH. WE’RE GOING TO RUN RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER OF TOWN
2.83 miles
LOOKING LEFT, YOU’LL SEE MY FAVORITE STREET IN OUR TOWN OF ALZATE BRIANZA
2.89 miles
THIS IS IT… NEARLY HOME. A SLIGHT DOWNHILL DESCENT HELPS US – TIME TO PICK UP THE PACE… MY BROTHER-IN-LAW CALLED THIS MY FINAL “KICK”
2.91 miles
WE’VE ARRIVED AT THE ROTONDA BY OUR HOME – FULL SPRINT NOW WITH WHATEVER IS LEFT IN THE TANK
3.03 miles
TURN RIGHT DOWN OUR STREET…
3.05 miles
WE DID IT!! WE’VE ARRIVED HOME JUST IN TIME FOR LUNCH. PASTA IT IS – HEY WE EARNED IT!
3.10 miles – nicely done
IF YOU’D LIKE TO REWARD YOURSELF WITH A NICE DRINK LATER IN THE EVENING, HEAD BACK INTO TOWN TO THE AB CAFE
The best “happy hour” in town
Don’t forget, gang – there’s always time to stop and smell the roses
I hope you enjoyed coming with me on my run today! I certainly appreciated the company!
Before I’ve even written the first word of this post, my OCD brain is trying to figure out if this post should be categorized under the “Food” or the “Travel” sections of the blog. I will be taking you along with us on our travel adventure to go eat some of Italy’s best food. It’s quite the dilemma…
A selection of salumi (cold cuts), formaggi (cheese) and the cinghiale (boar) that gave his life to the cause
You may have read about part of our visit with Aunt Deb and Uncle S where we ventured into the wine region of Piemonte during the first portion of their visit. Their two week sojourn in Italy included a mission to explore the best of what the country has to give. It was no coincidence then, that their adventure had been neatly divided into three of the country’s best offerings. Part I was Vino (wine). Party II was Cibo (food) – the subject of today’s post. Lastly, Part III was Storia (history). Since they experienced the rich history of Pompeii and Venezia on their own, I will let them tell you all about it at their next dinner party. I’ll simply report on the parts during which we were present… and luckily for us, we were present for a three day trip into Italy’s richest “food region”, Emilia-Romagna.
“Now I’m hungry – let’s eat!”
I always laugh when I speak to Italians about their trips to the United States. Before they even tell me, I know that they’ve been to New York City and then Miami (bypassing Washington DC; a detail they don’t want to admit but one that I always extract). If they’re fortunate enough to have a lengthy stay, they will then travel to Las Vegas on their way to Los Angeles. Occasionally, they may venture up the coast to San Francisco before returning home. That’s it. Every. Single. Time. Heck, I don’t blame them – they were raised in large part on American cinema, and that’s what most Europeans see as the sum total of the United States – New York and LA. And of course, who wouldn’t want to throw a trip to Vegas in the mix?! Likewise – it is the same for Americans coming here. Where do we go? Rome. Milan. Venice. Tuscany (Florence and Pisa) and occasionally the Italian Riviera if there’s time. But there is so much of this country that is left undiscovered (I feel like we travel non-stop and we still haven’t gotten a flavor of more than 10% of Italy). One region in particular that is largely overlooked is Emilia-Romagna. Heck, I’m willing to bet you probably haven’t even heard of it! But there are a few things that I know you know. You’ve heard of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati. They’re all produced here, in Emilia-Romagna. Or aged balsamicvinegar? That also comes from here, in Modena. What about parmigiano reggiano (parmesan cheese)? Or prosciutto? I’d be wiling to bet that you’ve even heard of Ferrara chocolate. With culinary delights like these, it’s no wonder that Emilia-Romagna is often considered the “heart” of Italian cuisine.
Vineyards in Emilia-Romagna
S studies the frame of his photograph
The colors at this time of year were stunning
Julia takes a stroll and soaks up all that Emilia-Romagna has to offer
On our first day, we stopped in Parma (of Proscuitto di Parma fame) to begin our culinary escapade. We started small – just panini (sandwiches) at the most popular sandwich place in northern Italy, Pepèn. I was not at all surprised to learn that this tiny shop that has been around for over 200 years does not have a website. I think that they figured out the perfect panino (sandwich) somewhere in the past 100 years and have unabashedly decided not to change a thing since (earning them a #1 rating out of 430 restaurants reviewed on TripAdvisor – although calling it a “restaurant” is a stretch). Uncle S and I crowded into the tiny restaurant and I told the sandwich maestro to give us a mixture of some of his favorite concoctions. We awoke our taste buds with succulent porchetta, life-changing salsiccia crudo (raw sausage) and mind-altering gamberi piccanti (spicy shrimp) – all on perfectly toasted buns (these were just some examples of our sandwiches – we got many more to share). Since the place doesn’t really have any seats, we camped out on the steps of Chiesa Cattolica Parrocchiale San Pietro (St. Peter’s Catholic Church Parish) in Piazza Garibaldi Giuseppe to enjoy our delectable treats.
Pepèn is hidden on a small side street – you have to know where you’re going to get there
These two guys have been making panini in this crowded little shop for many years
One package of our delicious panini
We camped out on the stairs of the church to eat our lunch
Julia escorts Deborah and me into the Cattedrale di Parma
Amazing frescoes adorned every single wall in the church
The paintings on the wall were so lifelike I was mesmerized
The ceiling amazed all of us inside the Cathedral
The Baptistery of Parma, commissioned in 1196 by the city counsel of Parma
After a complete and rewarding day in Parma, we drove the forty five minutes to our B&B, just outside of Modena. After researching for many hours, we had booked a stay at, Locanda Gli Ulivi because it was centrally located to the places we would be visiting and has a wonderful online presence (great reviews and photos across our most reliable travel websites). We were not disappointed with the place – it was simply wonderful. Since we were weary road warriors on that first day, we decided to eat at the hotel’s restaurant, Osteria Clo ‘Filomena that night. Since the food was so wonderful and I was able to capture a picture of each course, I’ll complete a separate post about that meal.
Locanda Gli Ulivi
“Come on in…”
Our backyard
The pool
A nice place for a picnic
View from immediately across the room
Same place, looking to the right
An olive tree at night inside the property
An old church across the street, lit up by the purple sky of early evening
The next day, we departed with our sights on the largest city and capital of Emilia-Romagna, Bologna. To most Americans, bologna is a processed meat (that you either love or hate) sandwiched between two pieces of good ol’ fashioned white bread. In the States, we named “our” bologna after the city that is a major producer of mortadella – a staple meat of Bologna (and very similar – but much, much tastier than “our” bologna). My bologna has a first-name, and it’s…”send this back and bring me a slice of mortadella, please!”. To most Europeans, Bologna is much more than just a processed meat. It is a university town. Home to the oldest university in the world, University of Bologna, founded in 1088. Today, the university accepts students from all over the world – eager to complete a full program, or just a study abroad in the seventh most populated city in Italy. We walked around all day, stopping for a wonderful lunch at Cesari – a selection from S and Deb’s Fodor’s guidebook. The gang at Fodor’s know what they’re doing, it was a wonderful place.
Cesari was as delicious as it was charming
“Hey… we recognize that wine”
(from a tasting we did at Cantina di Borgogno a few days earlier)
We spent more time walking though this historically significant and important city, before ducking into a building with a much more modern vibe. Eataly is the brainchild of Oscar Farinetti; a store that is a proud Italian marketplace, selling the best ingredients and offering access to goods that are otherwise hard to acquire on a massive scale (imagine a Whole Foods on steroids that just sells Italian products). Even though Oscar opened his flagship 30,000 sq. ft store in Torino in 2007, the company really took off with locations around the world (including New York City) when B&B Hospitality Group (Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich) became a partner. Admittedly, the Bologna location was very underwhelming in size and scale (especially compared to the unique Torino store) – but we were still able to acquire some wonderful salumi (variety of cured meats) and formaggi (cheeses). That night, we procured reservations at the the most exclusive table in all of Italy – we had a little picnic in S and Deb’s room.
A statue stands near the University of Bologna
Julia becomes taken with a small group of performers
She takes a shot at playing – she started with some Mozart
Julia made a friend in the main piazza
Inside Eataly, our friend helps us select the best meats and cheeses for our picnic
S takes his job selecting for the group very seriously. Good thing he did, we had a wonderful meal
He cuts us a hard cheese
After our visit to Eataly, we needed a little coffee
I just thought this window was interesting
As well as this ancient building
The table is set
Our salumi (meats)
S and Deb are about to dig in with us
Our final day in Emilia-Romagna was no less packed with activities than the first two. We had scheduled a visit to the Museo di Ferrari (Ferrari Museum), exploration of Modena (with a stop for lunch) and a balsamic vinegar tasting. Car enthusiasts the world over can appreciate a visit to the “mecca of all things automotive”. This is what Modena can offer you – Ferrari and Maserati all have their factories within a few kilometers of the city (Lamborghini moved their headquarters from Modena to Bologna). Ferrari chose to name one of their models after the city itself (Ferrari Modena 360). We chose to learn a little bit about the legacy of Enzo Ferrari himself, one of the world’s truest visionaries. The museum did not disappoint….
Museo Ferrari in Maranello
“Welcome to paradise!”
An old Ferrari 166 F2
This classic symbol is at the heart of most men’s desires
1966 Ferarri 330 P3
1954 Ferrari 750 Monza
F1 Constructors’
Formula 1 World Champion 2008
Julia and I sure felt like champions
The heart that powers the machine
2013 Ferrari 458 Speciale
These babies can grip – Pirelli is the tire of race professionals
Concept car of the future
This is a clay model – what they use to construct a concept in the early stages of development
After soaking up all things, Ferrari – I drove us (albeit, much slower than a Ferrari could have gone) to the center of Modena. The town itself is a wonderful place, certainly worthy of a daily visit. It is believed that the city was already in existence by the 3rd century. Here in the 21st century, we lucked out and caught an open air market in the center of town. We were also treated to a marching band that passed us twice as we strolled through the city.
Main piazza in Modena – a street fair had been set up
Julia runs through the city
The streets of Modena were beautiful
S and Julia sit by their new friend
Meanwhile, these two are deep frying pig skins
Crispy, delicious and probably 130% fattening
S bought some prune jam – here he is bottling the jar for S
A marching band happened to pass through as we were in the market
Walking through the city again – there are a lot of pedestrian streets in Modena
Family photo
We ran into the marching band a second time
The day passed by [too] quickly and we had to bid a fond farewell to Modena – we had an important event coming up later that afternoon. A tasting at one of Modena’s finest producers of aged balsamic vinegar – Acetaia Villa San Donnino. Since it was such a fun and noteworthy event, I will post about it separately. After our trip back from Emilia-Romagna, S and Deborah took off for Pompeii and just a few days later, we were hugging our goodbyes. It’s amazing how quickly time time goes when you are filling it with great food and wine!
Jennifer, Julia and I had a wonderful time when my Uncle S and Aunt Deborah came to visit us this past March. That’s why we were thrilled when they mentioned that they would like to come back to Italy again this fall. They wanted to do a bit of traveling and invited us to join them on their adventures, using our condo in Como as a “home base”. They had sketched a rough itinerary and just wanted a little help filling in the blanks – assistance I was happy to give. They knew that they wanted to spend some time with us here in Como, some time in Piemonte and Emilia-Romagna (two regions adjacent to our region of Lombardia) as well as a quick jaunt down to the historically significant city of Pompeii and another to Venezia.
S and Deborah standing near the divide of Lake Como
Jen and I share the responsibility of planning our trips – researching restaurants, activities and hotels. But they’re usually in three or four day stints and one location at a time. This time, I had to navigate through a two week itinerary, complete with activities, restaurants, hotel stays and all at new locations each day. Putting the puzzle pieces of their trip together was a challenge not for the faint of heart. Jen and I dug in, and by the time S and Deb landed in Milan, we had an itinerary that we were both proud of. I think all of us agreed that it came together quite nicely. Of course, the key ingredient was the company, mixed with a little food and wine!
I manned the grill for a family feast on their second night. I’ll get Franco to smile for one of these pictures, yet…
S enjoys a little grappa after our meal
S gives us a thumbs up as he displays our first two days worth of “work”
We divided the trip into the three things that Italy is best known for. Part I was wine. Part II was food. And part III was history. Jen and I accompanied S and Deb for parts I and II (our personal favorites) and let them venture off on their own for part III. This clean break in adventures divided the trip quite nicely and will also allow me to easily organize these blog posts into two parts. Easy breezy, vino-squeezy. However, before we hit the open road, we spent a day here on Lake Como in one of our favorite towns – Bellagio (if you’ve been reading this blog for a little while, you’ve seen us here many times before). The unique beauty of the town is like nothing else on the world.
The weather was absolutely beautiful the day we drove to Bellagio
I teach my uncle how to take a “selfie” (after explaining what a “selfie” was)
Bellagio from above – a unique vantage point. Bellagio divides Lake Como into the two “legs”
Jen and I pose for a picture
S and I take a picture together
My two girls
Bellagio is a beautiful town at the center of Lake Como
A boat rests after bringing passengers from another lake town
“Hey… I think I’ll make this my profile pic”
Jen and S stand near the wine bar where we had lunch
The Italian flag blows in the wind alongside the European flag
Piemonte (Piedmont) is a region in northwest Italy that borders France to the west and [our region of] Lombardia to the east. The capital city of Piemonte is Torino, which was once the capital of all of Italy and the springboard for the unification of the country. Of the twenty regions in Italy that each produce wine, Piemonte is probably the most well-renowned for their vintages. The rolling hills and mild climate result in some of the world’s best wine – the Barolos and Barbarescos produced here are often the prize jewels of wine cellars the world over. These wines, made primarily from the nebbiolo grape age very well, and in fact improve and develop richer and more powerful flavors as the decades pass. It was easy that to recognize that this portion of our trip was going to be entitled simply, Vino (wine).
The rolling hills of Piemonte are a perfect place to grow grapes
They look delicious now… just wait until they are turned into a Barolo or Barbaresco
S stands in front of a field of grape vines early in the morning
A father and his son load grapes onto a flatbed during their harvest
The finished product of our five nights together in the condo – wine was definitely a theme central to their visit
We spent the first day of our road trip in the small village of Barolo. During our drive to Barolo, S imparted some of his knowledge about the famous wine, which I’ll now share with you. Historically, Barolo wines were very rich on tannin and therefore could require as many as ten years to soften enough to drink. The long fermenting time and aging process in large, wooden barrels causes this complexity in the wine. The problem with this method is that it is very time-consuming and therefore expensive. A newer breed of producers have cut the fermenting time by as much as 2/3 and age the wine in smaller, French oak barrels. This allows the consumer to drink the wine much earlier and appeals more to the more modern, international palate (it creates a fruitier wine). As an aside, the more modern palates that prefer “big”, fruitier wines is often attributed to world-famous wine critic, Robert Parker (often referred to as the “Parkerization” of wine). The differing styles in Barolo has created a controversy between “old” and “new” – a conflict often referred to as the, Barolo Wars.
Castello di Barolo stands proudly overtop the town with the same name
I ♥ Barolo!
After a wonderful lunch at Osteria Cantinella, I had pre-arranged for a tour and wine-tasting at Marchesi di Barolo. This particular cantina boasts a very genuine and interesting history (I encourage you to click on the link and visit their website). It was explained to us that this particular winery was where Barolo itself was born – we even saw the original cask that was home the world’s first Barolo over 200 years ago. Our tour began in one of the cantina’s vast rooms where they were aging wine in botte di vino (wine casks). These barrels were made from oak from several countries. S and Deb saw some of the barrels were made by an American cooper (barrel maker) they know in Napa Valley. Small world! We next moved into the Marchesi’s private family cellar, where an impressive collection of wines rendered us all speechless. As we descended down into the heart of the cantina, we saw the juice of fresh “crush” flowing though long winding hoses, attached to the floor above where tractors were dumping the grape fresh from the “harvest”. This was exciting for all of us, knowing that we played a small part in the 2014 vintage (primarily by not tripping over the hoses and spilling the precious nectar on the floor). After the tour, we enjoyed a tasting of some of their finer wines – a wonderful way to casually spend the afternoon.
We merely had to follow the signs to reach our restaurant
Our group is eager to dine at Osteria Cantinella
S and Deborah stand just outside Cantine dei Marchesi di Barolo
Jen and I take a picture here as well
Tractors were coming in out along with us, bringing grapes fresh from harvest
A display in the interior courtyard shows an old fashioned way to transport the wine from town to town
Julia also doubles as an expert Truffle Farmer
We smile in front of the old fashioned barrels and wagon
French oak botte in the first room we visited
Julia and I listen to our tour guide
Barolo can age in the bottle for many years, most Barolo shouldn’t even be opened for at least 10 years
Going into the personal cellar of the family… quite the collection
Some of the much older bottles are on display – these are no longer for drinking (hence the vertical position)
The oldest bottle in the cellar is from 1859 (not drinkable) and the oldest that is still drinkable is from 1938
A private tasting area
Some of these large barrels date back as far as the 1950’s
Downstairs the juice from the crush flow into these large steel vats through long hoses
These large barrels are made by hand and are very expensive
A basket that was once used for the harvest many years ago is now used as decoration
Tractors dump the grapes they collected at harvest into a machine that crushes them
Our guide showcases one of the bottles that we would be tasting – this a Barbaresco
Deborah and Julia start a dance party
But we weren’t done – we still had another tasting on the books. We next went to Borgogno – a producer of fine wine since 1761. We opted for the more comprehensive vertical flight, consisting of six different wines. I cannot accurately describe to you the pure bliss one can discover whilst sipping on some of the worlds best wines, with fun people who’s company you really enjoy and basking in the glory of a napping baby. We tried our best to “play it cool” but I think perhaps got a little rowdier than we even realized. You have to give us a break, we had each had several glasses of wine at this point. Between me and S (mainly, S) – we bought so much wine that they included two of the four tastings and threw in canvas bags, custom wood cases and bottle openers. If you find yourself in Barolo – duplicate our exact schedule of eating and drinking – it was an amazing day.
We walk through Barolo on our way to Borgogno (the tall white building)
One of their old trucks now sits on display in the cantina
A wonderful place to taste wine, surrounded by all the amazing bottles that can be acquired with the simple swipe of a card
S and Deborah share a laugh
Jen explains what a “selfie” is and shows her how to do it
I wouldn’t call Deborah’s first attempt “successful”
“Here, let a pro show you how it’s done”
Deborah’s second attempt was much better – I think she’s nailed the “selfie”
For 83 years, Alba has been host to the Fiera Internazionale del Tartuf Bianco d’Alba (International White Truffle Fair of Alba). This year, the festival is open for five weeks, from the 12th of October until the 17th of November, spanning across the entire city. There are hundreds of events (including a donkey race, music concerts and food & wine tastings), vendors set up in markets throughout the city, celebrity chefs dropping in all over town, cooking demonstrations and of course – thousands upon thousands of truffles. Admittedly, we were undertaking a “food” related activity in the “wine” portion of our trip – but we have learned that nothing pairs with the worlds most exquisite wine better than one of the world’s most elusive and desirable food items.
Last year’s poster for the event
S gets close the grapes of a small producer selling his wine
Some black truffles displayed for sale
It is the season for truffles as well as mushrooms – there were some fine examples for sale
A cheese vendor showcases his various goat, cow and sheep cheese
This artisan hand crafts items out of olive wood – Deborah got several spoons
Deborah laughs as S takes a picture of the window display at a pasticceria (pastry shop)
Family photo in one of the markets
The city is flooded with thousands of visitors each day during the month-long event
Like many of the world’s finer foods, a truffle may seem strange to many people (caviar = fish eggs, foie gras = goose liver, etc.). A truffle is in fact, a fungus – but nonetheless, affectionately referred to by many as the diamond of the kitchen. It is no wonder that this event is considered the Sundance Film Festival of the culinary world. The likes of Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and dozens of other celebrity chefs make appearances each year. Lesser known restaurateurs can be seen in the main truffle tent, intently smelling every single truffle and purchasing thousands of euro’s worth of this little, spongy item. They will use the ingredient in various recipes (soups, stews, meat dishes and anything else their creative minds can concoct), but primarily – they will shave the truffles over pasta, table-side.
A collection of white truffles in the front – black truffles are in the background
Truffles are small, hard to acquire and require the perfect soil conditions to achieve a proper balance. Italy is regarded as the foremost area for the natural cultivation of truffles (and the ultra-elusive “white truffle” grows in the Langhe area, specifically Alba as well as Tuscany and Abruzzo). As popularity and demand has increased, other countries have tried to cultivate white truffles (including Slovenia, Croatia and now even China). It is commonly accepted that these areas produce a lesser-quality truffle. One of the benefits of purchasing your truffles within the main enclosed tent at the festival is that you are guaranteed a certified, locally cultivated truffle. Many of the merchants selling their truffles were the actual farmers themselves. Today, farmers mainly use Truffle Dogs to sniff out the truffles. Historically, Truffle Pigs were used (because of their acute sense of smell and innate ability to find truffles) – but their love of the delectable treat often had them eating the merchandise before the farmers could snatch them from their snouts. The Truffle Dogs have to be trained to find the goods, but are much easier to control. We sniffed out some of our own truffles and plunked down €50 to acquire two small truffles and a truffle shaver.
White truffles for sale – they are not cheap!
Deborah catches the scent of a beautiful specimen – that truffle probably cost around €300 ($400)
I give the truffle a smell as well
This guy really knows how to do it and shows us – it’s all in the wrist and perfectly timed nostril flare
We found this guy selling roasted chestnuts outside
After touring the markets, we had lunch at Ristorante Vigin Mudest
Ever heard anyone say, “this sauce is so good I could drink it”? Well, when S says it – he really means it
I became the “garbage disposal” of the group, finishing everyone’s plates (3 plates and a bowl)
Julia hugs her great aunt and uncle after lunch
Before we left Alba, Julia insisted on ripping her shoes and socks off
Our final stop in Piemonte was a visit to Asti, a city that has been occupied since the Neolithic Period and today boasts a population of about 75,000 inhabitants. Unfortunately, we caught the city on a Monday… during lunchtime. This meant that virtually every museum, shop and attraction was closed. We ate a makeshift lunch of pizza and flatbread on park benches before heading for home.
Julia built a throne of her own from some firewood at our agriturismo
Cattedrale di Asti (Cathedral of Asti) dates to 1309
Ruins of an ancient tower that had been built into a more modern home
A couple days later, we took our prized truffles out of the refrigerator and cooked tagliatelle con olio with shaved truffle. It was a delicious lunch that nearly put us in a content, comatose state – a good way to tease our pallets for Part II of the trip. We would depart the next morning for Emilia-Romanga. If Part I was entitled Vino, then Part II of their trip would definitely be called Cibo (food).
This is what €50 ($68) worth of truffles looks like
I shave the white truffle on my pasta
Jen takes her turn
Deborah is happy to shave her truffles
S looks great when he’s shaving truffles
Now that looks great!
It tasted great too
Even Julia got to try some truffles
We visited Varenna after our truffle lunch
That night we all went to dinner at Ristorante Simposio to celebrate Claudia’s birthday – still can’t get Franco to smile
I don’t know anyone in their thirties that really goes around saying, “I’m Greek” because he or she was in a fraternity or sorority – but it was certainly fun to be a part of Greek Life during college. Jennifer and I were both “Greeks” while we attended Virginia Tech together and we each established lifelong friendships that have opened world’s of opportunities.
Lauren and Jen in front of Lake Garda
One of Jen’s sorority sisters, Lauren recently came to visit – and they instantly fell into their old college routine. We welcomed Lauren at the train station; she was arriving from Switzerland having visited another friend living abroad. We went to downtown Como and had a nice dinner, before enjoying a few drinks in the piazza while a live band entertained us.
We took an opportunity to visit, Lake Garda, the largest lake in all of Italy. There is an amazing town on Lake Garda called, Sirmione. What will strike you most about the town; apart from it’s beautiful castle, hip “beach vibe” and amazing architecture – is that the water shimmers a pure aqua-marine blue, as if you’re been transported to Caribbean waters in the middle of Italy. The lake was formed by glaciers at the end of the last ice age, perhaps contributing to the unique color of the water.
The shores of Sirmione on Lake Garda
Family photo
Sirmione is certainly a wonderful place to own a boat
The history of Sirmione is quite rich – traces of civilization date all the way back to the 5th century BC. As early as the 1st century AD, the town became a favorite resort place for families from Verona (the closest major city). I would imagine a vacation home back then would be a place you’d spend an entire summer (or longer) since I would assume it would take quite some time to reach the lake from Verona (horses can only go so fast). I suppose nothing much has changed over the last 2,000 years – the rich and fabulous still snatch up the choicest water-front property for their personal playgrounds.
The medieval village stretches across a long peninsula
Sirmione has a stunning roofline
The village’s beauty is framed behind the natural beauty of trees, mountains and the lake
We loved this home inside the town
Lauren poses with me and Julia
We had an incredible lunch lake-side and then drove into the ancient Roman city. One of the main sites and a most impressive examples of fortification, is the Scaliger Castle. We spent hours walking around, stopping only for pictures and the required coffee and gelato pitstops.
The front of our restaurant
And out back, Julia takes a stroll
Julia took this picture of Lauren at lunch – apart from the partial finger over the lens, it’s pretty good!
Scaliger Castle sits as an imposing fortification in front of the ancient city
Restaurants and shops line the castles moat
A good place for a “selfie”
The castle as well as the only entry-way into the ancient city
“Cheese”
The drawbridge had been lowered
I would love to know the story behind this
The castle has it’s own marina protected by a large, fortified wall
Lauren walks along the castle’s walls
Julia tries to climb the drawbridge
Jen and Lauren stop for a picture
Another day, we visited Lecco a major lake town along our Lake Como. If you can picture the lake as a pair of legs, Como is the left “foot” while Lecco is the right “foot”. In fact, people in the town of Lecco often refer to the lake as, Lake Lecco. Of course, we all know that’s not the case – but it’s a beautiful town nonetheless.
The mountains in Lecco are quite striking
Sailboats back from a beautiful day on the water
Lauren and I take our picture in front of the lake
We loved having Lauren visit and enjoyed seeing a new part of Italy ourselves.
Cinque Terre… Stunning. Breathtaking. Spectacular.
This often-sought and somewhat difficult place to access is all those things and so much more. The area of Cinque Terre, which translated literally means, five lands – is a section of rugged coastline that is comprised of five small fishing villages; Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The villages, coastline and surrounding hillside are all part of a National Park that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Each of the five villages offers something individually different from the others; yet the overall unique beauty of Cinque Terre would be entirely different without any one part of the whole.
Fishing boats tied off in Riomaggiore
Looking up the coast from Riomaggiore
When my parents recently came to visit (HERE and HERE), we knew that we wanted to take a mini-road trip. I had been to Cinque Terre over a decade ago and eager to go back. I had three vague memories of the most wonderful pesto, my favorite seafood dishes and the creamiest gelato I’d ever had. There seemed to be no better opportunity to go back than now.
Julia hugs her Grandma and Pop-pop out front of our hotel room
As I said, Cinque Terre is rather difficult to get to. The easiest way to access the area is via train. Cars are very limited in the rugged terrain. Once there, you’ll be presented with three options to traverse the five different villages. You can take a train that weaves along the coast and cuts through the jagged mountain like mouse holes through an old chateau. You could opt take the hiking path that has been created over the years. It is a rugged route – difficult but very rewarding. Not for the faint of heart or anyone with strollers (thus eliminating this option for us). Furthermore, the paths are not always well maintained (large sections have been shut down for years due to a landslide) and you can only cover so much ground in a day. Lastly, you can choose (in my opinion) the most panoramic option – to travel by boat. Ferries depart each village regularly, giving you plenty of flexibility and ease of travel. We were able to see each of the five villages in one day by opting for “the ferry route”.
You can see the train tracks ducking into the mountain and the pathway winding around it
But before we could arrive and figure out which of the options above were best for us, we needed a hotel reservation. This too, proved to be quite difficult. Jen and I have become rather skillful at examining multiple travel sites, review forums and securing the best available option at the lowest price. But I had been looking for three whole days and couldn’t find anything! I felt like Little Mac going against Mike Tyson in the classic 80’s game, Punch-Out!!
“Ouch!”
Bruised and bloodied, I refused to let Doc Louis throw in the towel. I expanded my search to the neighboring village of Levanto. A village with certainly enough charm and beauty to be a part of Cinque Terre, but a location set just a couple km too far away to be considered to attend the dance. Besides, Sei Terre just doesn’t have the same ring to it. Finally, I found the perfect hotel, set high in the mountains over Levanto. Villaggio Albergo die Gallo boasts a prime location as a result of their view and ease of access to all the various towns. My anxiety; “did I pick the right place” was quickly calmed by the soothing feeling of victory as we toured the wonderful property. I did it – I knocked Tyson flat on his butt!
“We did it!”
View from our room
The hotel had some wonderful terraces
I love the stone facade of the building
The day we arrived in Levanto was a very special day. Some say, the most important day of the year (OK… my mother have said that… once). It was my birthday. So we had plenty of things to celebrate. The sunshine. The surrounding beauty. The history of a 9th century village. And ME! We spent the day walking around Levanto, cruising along the beach and climbing to the highest point in the village and then back down.
“OK… I’m reaaaaddy!“
Sun bathers soak up the sun on Levanto’s shore
The Castello Medievale dates back to 1165 – used as a residence for kings, a prison and finally a private residence
The parish of S. Andrea was built in 1222 and consecrated in 1463
Pathway leading to the towns church
Back down along the beach – this private residence astounded us
Fishing boats and tourists alike dot the shoreline of Levanto
We stumbled across Il porto medievale di Levanto (the medieval door of Levanto), which lead us through a long, winding and ancient road of immense beauty.
Julia strolls along the medieval pathway
I could barely keep up with her
Julia gives me a special treat on my birthday – a big smile
After working up quite the appetite with all our walking, we selected a restaurant, Osteria Tumelin. The restaurant has been operating successfully for over 40 years in a building that was constructed in the 12th century. We chose a wonderful table on the terrace – a great selection for the perfect temperature of the evening. After dinner, we bought some bottles of limoncello (lemon flavored liquore), made with local lemons that we enjoyed back at our hotel to cap a wonderful day.
Osteria Tumelin
The building dates back to the 12th century
They had a large terrace for outdoor dining
One of our dishes – verdure alla griglia (grilled vegetables)
Grigliata mista di pesce (mixed grilled seafood)
“Ahhh….pasta, pasta!”
We strolled through town after dinner, stopping in a few shops
The following morning, we set out early so that we would have a full day of sightseeing under our belts. We started in Monterosso, the only village that really has a beach (it’s a common misconception that Cinque Terre is a beach town, but in reality the five villages offer very few places to sunbath, apart from a few large rocks). In Monterosso, we purchased the ferry tickets and boarded our buoyant taxi.
Monterosso from the mountains above
Monterosso is really the only village that has a small beach
The village is set back in a natural tidal basin
We pull away from the dock on our ferry
View of Monterosso from the boat
We stopped briefly in the port of Vernazza to allow people on board before breezing by the cliff-top town of Corniglia and then Manarola before finally disembarking at the port in Riomaggiore.
Vernazza from the sea
A closer view of the town and Doria Castle, built in the 15th century as fortification against pirates
In the port of Vernazza
The cliff top village of Corniglia – the only village not set directly on the water
Our boat breezes past Manarola
We approach our final stop, Riomaggiore
Pulling into port at Riomaggiore
We walked around the Riomaggiore, soaking up it’s unique beauty. We had planned on next taking the hiking trail to Manarola – the only “stretch” of path that is smooth enough for a stroller. Unfortunately, this was one of the areas affected by the landslide in October of 2011 and has been shut down since then. Before we re-boarded the ferry, we stopped for an incredible lunch of homemade pasta and fresh seafood.
The “harbor” made from a jetty of rocks is shared by boats, swimmers and sunbathers
Julia tries her hand at balancing in a fishing boat
A local restaurant showcases the day’s seafood specials
Church high in the mountains of Riomaggiore
View of Riomaggiore from inside the village
View of the opposite direction, overlooking the ocean
Pathway into town from the ocean
People sunbath on the rocks and cool off in the water
Julia decided to cool off beneath the shade of a rock
Riomaggiore as we sail away
Riomaggiore is nestled snuggly within a tidy mountainous nook
We “village-hopped” the rest of the day, finally ending up back in Monterosso, content with a full day’s touring. We made it back to the hotel and took advantage of their restaurant’s pre-fix menu, dining al fresco overtop some of Italy’s most beautiful countryside.
Our ship pulls into port at Manarola
My dad (aka Pop-Pop) disembarks the ship
Next comes Stefani (aka Grandma)
Jen is the last to depart with Her Royal Highness
Ships tied off in Manarola
Vernazza has a nice wide, welcoming appearance
Julia overlooks the water
We had a wonderful dinner as the sun sets over the horizon
By the time our road trip to Cinque Terre had come to an end, so too had my parents visit to Italy reached it’s final chapter. We had a couple wonderful “last” meals together back in Como and gave them big hugs before sending them back to the US with lots of love.
There is a wonderful town along Lake Como, called Tremezzo. Most people have heard of Bellagio, which sits on the exact shore opposite Tremezzo, but the lesser known town is a true gem with far fewer tourists crowding the streets. Tremezzo is home to a couple of our favorite restaurants and gelaterie (ice cream parlors). It is also home to Villa Carlotta, a 17th century treasure that has been beautifully restored and maintained.
Villa Carlotta
Jen and I have been wanting to visit Villa Carlotta since we moved to Como. The beauty of the villa and the gardens are well known in this area and attract thousands of visitors each year. We had planned on going in March when my aunt and uncle were visiting, but the villa is not open to the public until the 15th (just a few short days after they departed). Since the gardens are the main attraction, the preservation society wants to ensure all the flowers are in full bloom. Jen and I decided that since my mom is a big fan of gardens, we would visit while they were here (read about the first part of their trip HERE).
Julia peeks out from behind her Grandma and Pop-Pop
We had planned a drive along the lake to arrive in Tremezzo just in time for lunch. We took my parents to one of our favorite restaurants, La Fagurida that we had discovered some time ago (blog post HERE). Their specialty is rabbit – and once again, we were not disappointed with the food.
Jen and Sonny outside of La Fagurida
Julia was all kisses after lunch
After lunch, we drove back down the long and windy mountain road toward the center of town. We parked and got our admission tickets to the villa. We spent some time walking through the villa, but the real beauty was in walking through the elaborate and seemingly endless gardens.
Villa Carlotta, Museum and Botanical Garden
Impressive stairway leading to an impressive facade
The ornate gardens begin the moment you enter the grounds
Julia stops for a photo with her grandparents, Stefani and Sonny
She was amazed by the turtle pond
There were half a dozen of these little guys
View from the front of the villa’s terrace overlooking Lake Como
A mom and a grandma snap pictures of our little Julia
They had oranges growing in the trellis that Julia wanted to pluck
Julia strikes a fashionable pose on the terrace
The villa was positioned to overlook the town of Bellagio, across Lake Como
Priceless works of art adorn each room in the villa
Jen and Julia stop for a picture in the villa
I have copied a brief description of Villa Carlotta directly from the brochure, if you are interested in a bit of it’s unique history:
Villa Carlotta is a place of rare beauty, where masterpieces of nature and art live together in perfect harmony in over 70,000 square meters (17 acres) of garden and museum. The beautiful villa was built at the end of the 17th century in a natural basin between lake and mountains, facing the dolomitic Grignas and the peninsula of Bellagio. The architect created for the Clericis – a noble and powerful Milanese family – an important but somber building, with an Italian garden decorated with sculptures, stairs and fountains. In 1801 Gian Battista Sommariva, famous politician, businessman and patron of arts, bought the villa. Thanks to him, the villa attained the summit of its splendor and became one of the most important halting-place of the Grand Tour with its collection of art (masterpieces of Canova, Thorvaldsen and Hayez) and its fascinating romantic garden. In the second half of the century Princess Marianne of Nassau bought the villa and gave it as a present to her daughter Carlotta in occasion of her wedding with Georg II of Saxe-Meiningen. Georg was passionate about botany and made a lot of improvements and new additions to the park that became more and more famous for its botanical richness and the rhododendrons’ and azaleas’ spring flowering.
The beauty of the gardens did not disappoint, we all enjoyed each moment of the self-guided tour.
Overlooking Como and Bellagio
Julia couldn’t get enough of the rhododendrons
We had to stop and smell almost every flower
One of my favorite pictures of Julia
Always the lady… or flirt?!
Giving Pop-Pop as kiss as thanks for the ride
Climbing the stairs in La valle delle felci (the valley of ferns)
Walking through Il giardino dei bambù (the gardens of bamboo)
Still in the Bamboo Garden
Julia runs quickly across a stone table
Calocedrus decurrens
Views from all angles
Julia had to play with the fountains one last time
She insisted on making a little splash
Villa Carlotta, more specifically – the gardens of Villa Carlotta are simply stunning to behold. I would strongly recommend copying our itinerary and enjoying pranzo (lunch) at La Fagurida before spending countless hours getting lost in the gardens of Villa Carlotta.
One of the true gems of the world…. Venezia (Venice). The name alone evokes powerful feelings for many people. Romantic gondola rides, historical architectural treasures, beautiful creations blown from Murano glass, unique hand-crafted masks and always… always a city constructed with streets of water. Amazingly, the entirecity is listed as a World Heritage Site in order to preserve it’s unique beauty. According to my Wiki research, Luigi Barzini described it in the New York Times as “undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man”. I’d have to agree with Luigi!
Panoramic view from the roof of our hotel
Venice from the water
The Grand Canal
More of the Grand Canal
Happy to be here
Our good friends Nathan and Danielle joined us recently for a whirlwind visit filled with food, wine and lots of fun (read about it HERE). We punctuated their trip with a stopover in this romantic city. I was intrigued by the history of such a unique place and just did a little research. Venice consists of 117 islands, formed by 177 canals and connected by 409 bridges. I kept waiting for that “ah-ha” moment when I discovered the name of the genius city planner that decided to create a magical city on the water. But unlike Bugsy Siegel’sLas Vegas or Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid’s reinvention of Dubai – there was no one person that can be credited with the conceptualization of Venice. The truth is that refugees fleeing from invasion of the Lombards sought shelter in the marshland that is now Venice. And how do any cities really get built? A collection of people working together to establish trade and industry, creating habitation and then services to support the population. And so the city grew around the marsh and homes and churches and municipal buildings were constructed. This begs another question. How can you build a city on water?
The city built on water
Piers and bridges everywhere
Loved this view
There is a tree that grows in Slovenia and Croatia called an alder tree that is noted for it’s water resistance. Thousands of these trees were imported (and subsequently credited as a contributing factor for the barren land of the Kras region). The tree trunks were fashioned into piles that were submerged in the water, penetrating the sand and mud until settling in the much denser layer of compressed clay. Foundations were laid on the piles and buildings of stone and brick were constructed on these footers.
Peekaboo!
Cheese!
So now that you know the history, you can join us on our journey. We arrived early in the day via train (the easiest way into the city) and checked into our hotel. Our hotel, Molino Stucky is on the island of Giudecca, set in a beautifully renovated flower mill. After a quick lunch on the roof, we hoped on our hotel’s private ferry to the main island. We toured through the streets and canals, passed over bridges and stopped in shops. The girls bought scarves, glass and other souvenirs while Nathan and I took in all the scenery. We visited the infamous Piazza San Marco and fought for space among the crowds of tourists. We stopped for an afternoon cocktail on the water and eventually made our way back to the hotel to change for dinner.
Our hotel from the water
Hotel from the opposite side
Nathan and Danielle on one the pedestrian bridges
Looking good
Having fun touring
Piazza San Marco
The lion is symbolic of the Veneto region
Incredible architecture – the Libreria (library)
The Campanile – Bell Tower
My three favorite people in the crowd
Procuratie Nuove built by Vincenzo Scamozzi c.1580
Those aren’t aprons – we just lifted our clothes
The girls enjoying their prosecco
Looks like a romantic moment – really it’s just Nathan and I clinking our beers
After freshening up, we met in the lobby and discovered that we were in for a real treat. Nathan and Danielle had reserved a private boat to tour us through Venice – a wonderful journey elevated by the setting sun . We stopped for some wine and cheese and sat back to enjoy the ride.
Now look a this couple!
Some similar boats to the one we had
Traveling in style
View of Piazza San Marco from the boat
Along the tour
Stopping for a photo on the boat
Nate and D
Magical at night
The gondoliers were still out as the sun was setting
Danielle on the water
From the rear of the boat
All of us on board
Similar to our boat
Eventually our driver dropped us at one of his local favorites for seafood. We settled into a table directly on the canal and enjoyed ordering a variety of food to taste and share. At one point, I felt something wet kissing my feet and realized the water in the grand canal had risen high enough to splash the patrons (me) sitting on the edge.
Our restaurant
What a wonderful setting
Starter – mixed seafood
Mussels and clams
Nathan and I shared grigliata mista di pesce (mixed grilled seafood)
Jen got pasta with a variety of seafood
Pasta Aglio e Olio
The water started rising above the pier
Our grappa and limoncello after dinner
When dinner was over, we wound our way through the city at night to discover an entirely different Venice than the one we had seen all day. Long after the sun sets, the landscape of the city changes significantly. Without droves of tourists jockeying for the position to snap a photo (myself included) you are able to re-discover an entirely new place. Piazza San Marco becomes a magical amphitheater where dueling bands play wonderful music and the crowd shifts back and forth to capture the best view possible. We outsmarted the crowd and took up seats directly in front after ordering a nightcap. It was a great way to end the day before hopping on a boat back to our hotel.
In front of the Basilica
One of the “dueling bands”
Our trip to Venice had come to an end as had Nathan and Danielle’s visit with us. We spent one final day with them in Milano (Milan) and bid them buon viaggio (a good trip) back home. We were so thankful we got to do so many wonderful things with friends so special to us. After dropping them off, we rushed home and immediately started prepping for my sister’s visit… she would be arrived just a couple days later. Stay tuned for upcoming posts about their visit – more action packed fun.
Well, we didn’t run into Edward Cullen, Bella Swan or that creepy little girl that can induce pain in people’s mind (I suppose the world’s largest and most powerful coven of vampires was in hiding) during our visit to Volterra in Tuscany.
Now this is Tuscany!
For the Tibetan monk that has been living in isolation in Bhutan… and my sister, the only two people in the world that haven’t a clue who Edward or Bella are – I am making a playful reference to the Twilight Series. Buddhist monk and Michelle, listen up – the premise of the fictional story is simple. Girl falls in love with boy. Boy happens to be a blood-sucking vampire. Girl also falls in love with another boy. Boy happens to be a shape-shifting werewolf. Love triangle ensues. They all get in trouble when the Volturi (fictional Vampire royalty from the non-fictional town of Volterra, Italy) get involved. Giant battle rages. Extend story over five books. Produce six movies and collect hundreds of millions of non-fictional dollars. You know – your classic love story.
Julia reading in Volterra
Julia’s new pose while strolling
While we didn’t see any vampires (darn), we did find something better in Volterra. We found an amazing city with an incredible history and beauty worthy of a hundred stories – let alone a few blockbuster movies.
Street scene
A government building in the main piazza
In the main piazza
Torture museums are popular here
Jacob??
“Come take a load off”
Another street scene
Remains of Etruscan-Roman Acropolis
Rooftops
I call this… “lonely albero“
Love the roofline
About to break into a run
I love this little peanut
We were given the opportunity to see Volterra with a local, Beth – whom we had recently re-connected with via Facebook. We stayed with her family in their amazing farmhouse for a long weekend that began with a wonderful party you can read about HERE. The first day of we partook in the festivities of Festa della Liberazione. The next day, we woke up and enjoyed our coffee and breakfast in true Tuscan style – piano, piano (slowly). I drank my coffee in Beth’s amazing backyard and watched Julia play while soaking up the scenery.
Beth and her son Indi
Beth’s backyard… what a yard!!
I could spend all day soaking this up
After lunch, we ventured to Volterra and spent the day strolling through the wonderful city. I was particularly interested in the large castle, Medicean Fortress perched at the main gate of the city. We decided to visit the caste and include this large fortress among the many we plan to see this year. I was greeted at the gate (and then turned away) by an armed guard. That seemed odd. Then I noticed armed guards on the roof. And industrial-size surveillance cameras. Boy, these Italians take the preservation of their historical treasures seriously. Or maybe the Volturi do exist…
Medecian Fortress in Volterra – no vampires living here as far as we could tell
Beth told us that there was a prison in Volterra, but we all agreed that it didn’t seem to make sense to convert a 14th century landmark positioned in the center of a tourist town into a prison for hardened criminals. I just discovered (thank you internet) that we were wrong. The castle was converted into a high-security prison for criminals that are serving sentences longer than seven years. I have also learned another interesting fact about the prison – there is a restaurant inside that serves gourmet food. This was part of a rehabilitation project and has been highly publicized. The food is prepared and served by inmates and the restaurant is open to the public (provided you pass a security clearance, don’t mind eating with plastic silverware and have some stones of your own). I think I’ll have to make a reservation next time we visit – my kind of joint.
Another angle
One of the main city gates
The drive from Beth’s home to Volterra was simply amazing – we got to see some of the incredible Tuscan country-side. Beth explained that there are essentially “twelve colors of Tuscany” throughout the year. A painter had once told her that the look of Tuscany changes each month with the growth of new plants and flowers each month. We must have come during the most vibrant green month – because the scenery was just stunning.
Julia and Indi ready to go
Vibrant green hillside
Tuscany in spring is a dream
Incredible scenery
Couldn’t wait to make a panoramic photo
We picked up some cheese, salami and sott’olio (“under oils” which are a variety of vegetables stored in olive oil) and headed back for a late dinner. Andrea (Beth’s husband) arrived home just as we were setting out the food and we all ate and drank until we crawled into our beds.
The following day was particularly exciting for both me and Andrea. You see, Beth is a vegetarian and so he relishes any opportunity to cook meat. I happen to love meat and so a match was made in heaven. He was particularly excited to try a new lamb recipe and was particularly excited to be his guinea pig (having grown up loving lamb). The women prepared for the feast and tended to the children while the men asserted our male dominance and hunted for the meat…at the local grocery store. We were triumphant! Andrea set to work preparing the lamb and I was eager to assist him. I gathered some rosemary from the yard – and evidently snapped a living branch in the process. He casually brushed it off, as he had “only been growing that plant for three years”. I felt awful – they were kind enough to laugh. Andrea selected a great bottle of wine they had been saving for the right occasion. I took this to mean that they liked having us and we hadn’t yet worn out our welcome. The meal surpassed all my high expectations! But we made a critical mistake – eating that much meat had put us in a food coma. We needed grappa (Italian alcoholic drink used to aid in digestion) – stat! We drove to a local pasticceria (pastry shop) for some sweets and grappa. Eventually, day turned into night and we each fell into bed, sleeping quite soundly.
Andrea preparing the rosemary
Andrea was excited to make a meat dish
Baby swap – feeding the kids early
Beth shows Julia how to twirl like she’s “up in the club”
Andrea showcases his cooking skills and great taste in wine
Full-bodied, flavorful Tuscan wine
The table is set…
…with copious amounts of succulent meat…
…and the best roasted potatoes we’d ever had!
The gang’s all here
After lunch, Andrea played some music for the kids – both drums and guitar. He had an instant collection of groupies (I’m including Jen in that lot).
Andrea lays a beat
And has a collection of fans
Julia had to get in on the action
Somehow we had already arrived at Sunday and our magical weekend in Tuscany came to a close. We enjoyed our morning coffee and some of Beth’s homemade muffins (Jen borrowed the recipe) and hit the road. We had such a nice time with Andrea, Beth and their son Indi – we hope to host them in our home in Como soon.
Facebook is great for a lot of things. First of all, it’s a wonderful time killer. It is a spectacular medium for sharing funny videos about cats. The site is also great for shameless self-promotion of your unimportant blog (ahem). Facebook keeps me and Jen apprised of popular youtube videos and trending pop-culture stories we would have otherwise missed living in another country. But perhaps best of all – it helps reconnect people after many, many years.
This is how you “like” a post on Italian Facebook
This was recently the case when my wife re-connected with a high school friend of ours, now living in Tuscana (Tuscany). Beth traveled to Rome in 1999 to study abroad. There, she found her love and has been living in Italy ever since (to clarify, I mean a man – not just a love of the country). While they enjoyed living in Rome together, they eventually moved back to his hometown in Tuscany, a short distance from Pisa. It was here that Beth and Andrea started a family together with the birth of their son, Indi. We were thrilled we got to spend some time with them in their amazing home and had the opportunity to reconnect with Beth while getting to know Indi and Andrea (whom we both loved).
Beth and Indi
Beth’s “front yard”
Still in the front
More views from the front – ridiculous, I know!!
Jen and Beth had been exchanging Facebook messages about getting together (we’re roughly 3 hours apart) almost since we moved to Italy this past January. And then, the timing seemed to click perfectly. The 25th of April is Liberation Day in Italy. Festa della Liberazione is a holiday that marks the end of Mussolini’s Social Republic and the end of the Nazi occupation in Italy in 1945. Today, this holiday is celebrated with the closure of nearly all business, which affords the people a good reason to get together and do what Italians do best – eat wonderful food, drink amazing wine and trade passionate stories.
Congregating after lunch
As we soon discovered, Beth lives in an incredible 500 year old farmhouse and her neighbors were having a party for the holiday. There was to be a big lunch outdoors, with music, kids and plenty of wine. She invited us for lunch and extended the invitation through the long weekend. I don’t know anyone that would turn down such an amazing invitation – and we were no exception.
The farmhouse Beth and Andrea share (the building in back)
Their home
Another angle
Building used to store hay – now used for parties
The plan was to arrive just ahead of lunch – the real start of the party. It was to be a typical Italian lunch, with all the courses and dishes we love – but, quite literally Under The Tuscan Sun and with some regional favorites we were eager to try. I would not allow our typical tardiness out the front door get in the way of this epic meal. So, I fibbed and told Jen we needed to be on the road earlier than we really did. Then, I budgeted an extra 30 minutes for typical trip delays (over an hour buffer in total). If you know me, you’ll know this was the type of meal I would not want to miss!
Everything was going according to plan until we neared Milan some 40 minutes down the road. Traffic got a bit thicker. By the time we got on the Autostrada toward Tuscany, we were stuck in stand-still traffic, moving 0 km/hour. That converts to 0 mp/hour. I watched the GPS arrival time creep later and later. 11:30am turned into 12:00pm and before you knew it, 1:00pm. I tried a short cut that just added to the time. By noon (and an estimated arrival of 3:00pm) we sullenly threw in the towel. We pulled over and ate panini at the AutoGrill. I swear as the day is long – I’m getting depressed all over again just typing this. The sandwiches were good – but nothing like what we were missing. Thankfully, we kept our spirits high and pulled into Beth’s house by 3:30 (a seven hour trip).
The remnants of the meal we missed
Since everyone had eaten, we jumped right into the party. Beth has some spectacular friends and we had a wonderful time. It came as no surprise that everyone was so warm and inviting. They talked to us as if we had been friends for 15 years and took to Julia as if they had watched her grow up. We drank wine, fresh mojitos and swayed to the beats of the DJ spinning outside. We spread our toes in the Tuscan grass and ate some fresh food off the grill.
Relaxing together
Julia loved playing with Indi
DJ spinning great music
My kind of speaker set-up
Part of the party
Say “formaggio!”
This nice kid fired up the grill for us
At one point, a big blue tractor showed up and it almost sounded like some of the male partygoers were arguing with the man driving the tractor. I recognized a few words and hand gestures usually only reserved for a type of heated debate. After a few minutes, the arguing died down and the guys walked with the tractor driver to the bar area to get a drink together, laughing like they were best friends. It didn’t seem to make any sense until Beth explained.
What’s this guy doing here?
The land we were on (including the farmhouse, all the structures and ten more homes nearby) belonged to the Marchese (Marquis). The Marchese is a man of noble decent who carries his title and rules his lands as if he were still in power. In reality, he has no more power than you or me. That is – if you or me had a noble bloodline, hundreds of acres in Tuscany, a mansion, dozens of employees and a several properties on our land. In 1948, the newly adopted constitution of Italy refused to recognize all noble titles (the Republic of Italy replaced the Kingdom of Italy in 1946). So, the Marchese (whom I was fascinated to learn loves the aristocratic pastime of hunting with dogs) “rules” his lands and everyone is just sort of happy to let him go on thinking it. He had “ordered” this man to drive up the hill in his tractor to tell us to lower the music. At home in the States, I can imagine a property manager (at the behest of the landlord) banging on someone’s front door to tell them to lower the music would be greeted with a bit of disdain. He would certainly not be invited in for a drink and food. But this is Italy. After a couple glasses of wine together, we lowered the music and the man drove back down the hill having successfully completed his task. But not before letting Julia drive his tractor – quite literally, he let her steer unaided for about 10 meters (until she almost put him into a field).
Only a small portion of the Marchese’s house can be seen here – it was huge
He let Julia drive
She was ready to GO!
After some time, we decided to go in and feed the kids and make a proper meal. Beth’s time in Italy was definitely evident, as she “whipped up” on the best pasta dishes we’ve had since arriving here. We paired with another wine and settled in for a relaxing weekend in Tuscany.
Dinner is about to be served – LOVED the charm in her home
Wonderful Tuscan dinner
Baby Indi munching on his mom’s wonderful cooking
More to come about this amazing weekend in Tuscany in a subsequent post…
