Sunday, October 25, 2009

Notes for next time


Our Italian adventure was fantastico.


  1. The mix of activities made a good balance. Hiking the Cinque Terre was a unique adventure that we loved. In retrospect, it would have been easier if we had done it after a few more days of climbing the steep streets of some of the hill towns.

  2. Amazing sites and memorable views - the Campo (square) in Siena and the view of it and the surrounding countryside from the top of the Mangia Tower, ranks as # 1. Views of Rome from the Castel d' Angelo and the Pincio are also spectacular. And of course, the cliffside panorama from the Cinque Terre coastal path is breathtaking - and this, from someone raised in Cape Town, is saying something.

  3. All the hotels were excellent and we would go back to them again. Each had something unique - Hotel Orcagna in Florence had the best room, best WiFi access and was by far the best value; Hotel Porticciolo in Fumicino is a convenient stop from the airport - also had the best bathroom; Hotel Oceania in Roma was quite a find on a quiet street, but convenient to train station and many great sites; Hotel Porta Romana in Siena had the best breakfast and great views of Tuscan countryside; Hotel Al Sole in Venezia in the old palazzo was a perfect location for bus, train or vaporetto, but also away from the hub bub of tourist mayhem - quite reasonable by Venetian standards; Locanda Ca'Dei Duxi in charming Riomaggiore arranged parking, which is essential if you arrive in the Cinque Terre by car.

  4. Loved all the towns we visited, but our favourite is Siena. Would like to return and stay longer in the area and explore the wineries and hill towns of Tuscany more. Peter would add - the roads in the area are great for motorcyles.

  5. The car rental through Kemwell was a bargain. Everything went smoothly and there were no hidden charges. A discount online booking service, we would definitely use them again.

  6. Overall the food was delizioso. Our favourite restaurant was the San Pietro in Siena where Peter had an amazing steak dinner, a specialty of the area. I also loved the funky little place behind the Piazza Navona in Rome. - don't know its name.

  7. Best gelato was in Venice. Second best, at Ed's in Toronto.

  8. Must go back - to see Ostia Antica, the ancient port city of Rome that we missed; the secret Medici passage across the Ponte Vecchio in Firenze; the Borghese Gallery and the newly unveiled archeological dig of Hadrian's Auditorium in Rome; re-visit Siena and explore the Tuscan coutryside; etc etc.

Arrivederci Roma


Oct 2: Time to end our Italian adventure. Not much time for more site seeing, so we took one last walk around our neighbourhood – down quiet Via Firenze, past the guard outside the Ministry of Defense across from the hotel, past the motorcycle/scooter parking that Peter checked out every day, past the local Gelataria which was good for a late night snack and the Pizzeria which looked good, but where we never ate, past the McDonalds which we ignored except to use it as a landmark – to the busy, bustling Via Nazionale. Strolling along aimlessly we came across a fascinating church the Chiesa San Vitale, which looked very old judging from its façade and the fact that it was significantly lower than the modern street level. Later we found out that it was built in the 4th Century with renovations up to the 16th Century. The antiquity and excellent condition boggles the mind. It was beautiful and dim; a nice respite from the pace of modern Rome, a veritable sanctuary.
As one last church visit, we stopped into the Chiesa Santa Maria Maggiore. In contrast to the previous church, this is very grand. There has been a church on the site since 350, but the current church was completed in the 18th century. It is filled with beautiful mosaics, marble, gilding and all the other displays of richness that Catholic churches excel in. There was a service taking place, so we stayed at the back and just admired what we could from a distance.
Going through frantic Termini Station once again, the express train got us very efficiently to the airport and there the efficiency ended. The next part of line-ups and security were beyond the usual airport tedium. Best not to dwell on that.
Arrivederci Bella Italia. It has been wonderful.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Roma - Day 3




October 1 – The Metro got us quickly to the Vatican Museum. After going through metal detectors and bag-scans, we were free to enter. We had both dressed appropriately to pass the scrutiny of the modesty police (no bare shoulders or shorts). Tour groups tend to come early to the museum so it was pretty crowded for the first part as we made our way directly to the Sistine Chapel. On the way we went through rooms that were painted by Raphael around the same time that Michelangelo was labouring on the Sistine ceiling. These frescoes were for me, some of the most stunningly beautiful murals. The walk to the Sistine Chapel winds through miles of corridors, each one more ornately decorated than the next with tapestries, maps, paintings.
Finally the moment arrived. We stepped through the door behind the altar and were in the room of the master - Michelangelo. This is the only place in the Vatican where no photography is allowed. The crowd was dense and the security guards were at their wits end trying to keep everyone quiet. The crowd was shushed many times during our half hour visit but the recorded message in about 10 languages asking for quiet and admonishing people not to take photos, was far more disturbing than the low murmur of voices. Our downloaded audio guide was an excellent guide to the Michelangelo’s masterpiece on the ceiling and the later “Judgment Day” painting behind the altar.
There are 4 miles of corridors and galleries in the Vatican Museum. We travelled quite a distance as we explored many parts of the museum particularly the Egyptian and Etruscan Galleries. We followed a tip in our travel guide and returned to the Sistine Chapel so that we could exit through the right hand door which leads directly to St. Peter’s Basilica. This popped us outside beside the line up to the Dome and the entrance to the Crypts. As we walked throught the crypts past the shrine to St. Peter and graves of many popes, the sound of hymns could be clearly heard from the Basilica above. The Basilica, designed to inspire awe in the early Catholic congregations, is grand in scale, rich in artwork and pretty much overwhelmingly ostentatious. We sat for a while in the square and enjoyed the symmetry of the pillars.
After lunch at a sidewalk pizzeria, we toured the nearby Castel Sant’ Angelo built as the tomb of Hadrian. It’s had many uses since, including a safe place for popes in turbulent times. There is a long elevated corridor that looks something like an aqueduct that connects the Castel to the Vatican.
Unfortunately Paola was not able to join us for dinner so we decided to explore another area of Rome. We crossed the river by the Ponte S.Angelo, lined with statues of angels from the school of Bernini and wound our way through backstreets before recrossing into the Trastevere. This formerly gritty working class district is know for its nightlife. I remembered going there for dinner as a student a long, long time ago. I even remembered the name of the restaurant and surprisingly it was still in business, but it had a distinctly tourist-trap aura to it, so we went looking for something else. After some random wandering we selected Ai Spaghettari Vinerria which claimed to have been around since 1896. We chose well. Another delicious Italian meal with wine from local Lazio region.

Roma - Day 2




Sept. 30: We had a slower start today and spent some time after our pastry rich breakfast booking tickets for the Vatican Museum and planning our day’s sightseeing. The hotel staff are very accommodating, making phone calls and giving advice. We had hoped to visit the Borghese Gallery but there are no openings this week. Ah, another reason to come back to Rome!
The Roma Pass includes travel on public transportation, so we hopped on the Metro to the Piazza del Popolo which is dominated by the tall Egyptian obelisk dedicated to Ramses II. From here we climbed up the hill for a view of the piazza from the Pincio. We wandered without any real destination, through the park which is part of the Borghese Gardens, until we found ourselves at the church at the top of the Spanish Steps. It was baking hot in the sun, so we didn’t linger but continued to wander until we found the Trevi Fountain. It was thronged with tourists; throwing their coins into the fountain and enjoying the relative cool of splashing water. Of course, we dutifully tossed coins into the fountain so that we would return to Rome one day. The sculpture of the fountain is luscious with gorgeous flowing marble. I noticed something about bird traffic. Only one pigeon landed and stayed at the fountain. Others swooped by and then took off without landing. This seems to be the same at all the major sites in Rome. Is there some pigeon deterring device that is installed? If so, would it work for geese on the beaches in Toronto?
Toursist-ing is punctuated by the need to find good places to munch and people watch. So, next stop was a restaurant under a colonnade where pigeons behaved more like the pesky creatures they usually are, and made quick forays to the empty tables where plates had not been cleared. The wait staff had to hustle to keep the tables clean and the birds at bay.
The afternoon’s adventure started with ride on Bus # 64 on Via Nazionale to the Mercati de Traiano and Fora. The Roma Pass got us free entrance and we found it practically deserted. This remarkable site includes well preserved remains of buildings that housed stores, markets and offices as well as the ruins of for a built by three different Roman emperors. The famous Trajan Column looms over it all. Some of the rooms had well displayed artifacts, with excellent annotations. A short film explained the layout and changes over the centuries. Well worth the visit.
Getting back onto the bus, we found it was crowded to the point of invasion of personal privacy. Italians apparently think nothing of cozying right up to the person next to them on the bus; with some suggestive moves thrown in for good measure. At least that was my experience. It was hard to see where the bus was going so we opted to get off and find our way by foot to the river and the Synagogue. This was the place where we had arranged to meet my good friend Marina’s cousin, Paola. We had a brief meeting, but sadly Paola had to get back to her mother’s bedside in the hospital on Tiburna Island. This was very disappointing for all of us, but we planned to meet the following day, with her husband, for dinner.
I think we were starting to get a little blasé as we walked by temples, ruins, artefacts, random bits of marble…. So we were somewhat nonchalant as we strolled casually with the Palatine Hill on our left and the huge expanse of the Circus Maximus, where chariot races used to take place, on our right.
For dinner we decided to try Gusto’s a restaurant recommended by a friend in Toronto. We found Gusto’s with the help of Peter’s I-phone and an unexpected free WiFi access. The food was good, the service excellent and wine superb – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Reserva) 2003.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Rome wasn't visited in a day - Day One









Sept. 29:
Today we dropped off the car at the airport and took the Leonardo Express train to Termini Station. The tranquility of our gentle wandering in the Italian countryside vanished in the blur of urban chaos that defines Rome. This might be intimidating to some people but we happily immersed ourselves in the busy hum of the city. Hauling our suitcases behind us, weaving through the mobs of pedestrians, dodging cars and aggressive scooters, we made our way to the Hotel Oceania, about 15 minutes walk. On the third floor of a 19th Century Palazzo, the hotel was a welcoming oasis of air conditioned calm.
As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day and with all its magnificent sites, ancient relics and vibrant neighbourhoods to explore, it’s hard to know where to start. We didn’t have any time to waste. We quickly purchased a Roma Pass at the nearby Museo Nazionale and spent the rest of the afternoon immersed in the Coliseum and Imperial Forum. For me, the legacy of buildings and infrastructure of the ancient Romans is the main draw to the city. Walking on stone paving laid by hands over 2000 years ago, touching the ancient walls and admiring the skill of those early craftsmen, leaves me awestruck. We gaped and photographed and were suitably enthralled. Since the last time I was in Rome (1987), a lot of work has been done to make touring the ancient sites more accessible for visitors. In the Forum we used a Rick Steve’s audio guide which was a great help in steering us through, what might otherwise be seen as a maze of rubble and marble pillars. Imagine, the Vestal Virgins once tended the flame in the temple here, Julius Caesar was burned and still honoured on this spot and the Emperor Caligula lorded it over in the Palazzo set into the hillside there. 40 % of the adjoining Palatine Hill has been excavated and we took our time enjoying all the sites.

On our way out of the Forum we took time to admire the splendid Piazza del Campidoglio on the Capitoline Hill designed by Michelangelo. We gave only a brief glance at the gleaming white Victor Immanuel Monument as we headed off towards the Pantheon. The most classic of all monuments, the Pantheon is the perfect dome. We stayed until the announcement that the sanctuary was closing for the night, sent us out in search of a well-earned dinner. On our way we circled the famous Piazza Navona which was a hub of tourist activity with all the accompanying vendors and buskers. We avoided the expensive restaurants that ring the piazza and settled on a small street side eatery. The server prided himself on his knowledge of wine and so we celebrated day one in Roma with a delicious bottle of 2000 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

All roads lead to Roma











Sept.28 – There was a lovely sunrise over the Tuscan hills when we got up to head out on the next leg of our journey. Our first stop was on the outskirts of Rome near the airport in Fiumicino. The drive from Siena was somewhat tedious due to construction and very slow speed limits. Our goal was to get to the hotel and head out immediately to the ruins of Ostia Antica, the ancient port of Rome. For this reason we had chosen a direct route, instead of the windy hilly route. The Hotel Al Porticciolo, although nothing to look at from the outside, turned out to be a very pleasant surprise with stylish décor, jazz playing at the reception and all modern conveniences. We particularly liked the very well appointed bathroom.However, the next part of the day was the first set back of our trip – the archeological site of Ostia Antica was closed (Monday.) I kicked myself mentally for making such a stupid goof – a really novice tourist error. Not to be deterred we went to check out the nearby Lido di Ostia. The beach which is where Romans come to frolic at the seaside, was pretty nice with black volcanic sand but most of it was private beach access and it had a somewhat inhospitable feeling. So we headed back to the hotel and found a Laundromat instead. The hotel had a very nice restaurant specializing in fish. We were lucky because normally it would have been closed on Monday, but there was a small wedding party and they graciously allowed the hotel residents to use a few tables and enjoy the special wedding menu.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Ahhhhh...Siena




Sept. 27 – Siena gets four thumbs up. We both love this city. We had planned to do some driving through wine country, but instead we opted to spend the whole day in Siena. We bought a museum pass which gave us entry to a whole lot of sites. Our first stop, while our legs were fresh, was the climb to the top of the Mangia Tower. This ancient bell tower is part of the complex overlooking the main square and gives spectacular views for miles around. The entry point is the same courtyard where the previous night we happened on a string quartet playing Pachelbel’s Canon. The 300 steps to the top are very narrow and you have to check everything except a camera at the ticket booth. Passing people making their way in the opposite direction makes for an interesting experience of juggling bodies. A couple of the old bells no longer move, but at the top we were suddenly startled as the big bell began to chime the hour. Soon after, bells from church tops all around began to echo the chimes.

Next visit was to the very beautiful Duomo including the Cripta and after an excellent lunch we went through the Baptistery and the Duomo Museum which took us to another panoramic view of the City and its square. In some ways all of the amazing art is beginning to blur but we received a pretty good education all round on the Renaissance artists and their influence. We joined in the celebrations as the Palio contradas displayed their colours and were lauded with speeches which of course we couldn’t understand, but we could feel the excitement and applauded along with the supporters of the winning group.

Then we actually took some time out to relax at the hotel patio with a glass of wine while I did a bit of catch on the blog – but I am way out of date. This section is being completed 4 days later in Rome.

We took a Rick Steve’s guide book restaurant recommendation as being a hangout of locals, but I think his promotion of it has turned it into something of a tourist mecca. The meal was fine, but nothing special, although we have become somewhat spoilt with the excellent Italian cuisine. Wines are always good.

San Gimignano & Volterra




Sept.26 – The drive to Siena was through beautiful Tuscan countryside, just as beautiful as the travel guides picture it. We stopped in the hill town of San Gimignano. The town is famous for its towers; only a small percentage of which have survived. Every way we turned there was some new scenic view of towers, alleys and quaint buildings. It was made more charming by the sounds of a harp playing in a small park and a flute in another small piazza overlooking the old walls. A few artists had set up to display and sell their work along the walkways. A kind shopkeeper allowed us to use her WC as the public one was at the other end of town. I thought it was only right to give her some business and buy some olive oil. After a good walk around town admiring views and a very simple but charming mediaeval church, we moved on to the ancient town of Volterra. This town dates back to the Etruscans, followed by the Romans and on through time to present day, sleepy, non tourist town. The ruins of a Roman Theatre and Baths were the highlight for us.

We took a back road into Siena which was windy and scenic. Our powder blue “Power Panda” as we called our little feisty Fiat, proved its worth as we swooped our way to the Porta Romano gate of Sienna where our hotel was located. The aptly named Hotel Porta Romana had parking - a bonus in these walled Tuscan towns - and a room with a post card view of the hilly landscape. We headed into town for a quick browse and dinner. The walk into the centre of town was an uphill 10 minute hike but by now we were used to the hill towns and their inclines. The Campo (Main Square) is pretty spectacular. This is where the Palio is held in July and August – a wild horse race around the square with fierce competition between the 17 Contradas (districts.) “Spend an evening in a sleepy mediaeval town” our guide book suggested. Well, let me tell you, Siena is anything but sleepy. The locals like to play. And the tourists can join in at will. We happened to be there on a weekend when they were celebrating the winning of the Palio in July. There were parades and music, costumes and flags. After dinner in a little restaurant squeezed onto a series of platforms jutting into an alley way, we joined some of the parading groups in their celebrations. We were both enchanted by the friendliness of the locals and the fun of the old mediaeval traditions that still carry on.


Hill towns of Tuscany - San Gimignano & Volterra; enroute to Siena