Florence

Tuesday was a travel day for us as we headed north to Florence. After two trains we arrived in Florence about 2:30 and were settled in our room at the Hotel Regency by 3:00 p.m. We decided to take a stroll around and check out the area.  Our hotel is in a very quiet part of town across from a park; however, we were really about a 10-minute walk to the city center of the historic section of Florence. We were flabbergasted when all of a sudden a huge red dome came into sight. It was the Duomo, the huge cathedral of Florence. It is so big that there was no way to capture the massiveness and beauty of it all even in my wide angle lens! I will post a few views but they don't do it justice.

We checked out some shops, had a gelato, and returned to our hotel for out pre-dinner cocktail, which has been a daily ritual for us. We had drinks in the lovely garden of the hotel and then dined in the hotel restaurant.

Florence is considered to be the art and cultural center of Italy. Both Michelangelo and DaVinci were born here. There are tons of museums packed into this small city. It is a much more manageable city as far as walking goes, much easier to maneuver around than Rome. On Wednesday morning we met our guide, Lucca, who gave us a 3-hour walking tour of Florence. It was a very special tour because we walked many side streets and he tried to keep us out of the way of the hordes of tour groups coming for the day from cruise ships in Livorna. We began by walking through a huge and fantastic local open-air street market where the locals shop every day for their fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers and also the indoor market for the meats, fish, and dry goods. It was not touristy at all and fun to mingle with the locals.

From there Lucca walked us through the historic section of Florence where we viewed Santa Croce Church where Galileo, Michelangelo, Dante Alberghetti, and Machiavelli are buried. We then stopped at the Uffizzi Gallery so he could give us directions as to how to enter because we had reservations for that afternoon at the gallery. From there we visited the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge of Florence and the only one that was not destroyed in WWII. We finished at the Duomo which technically is called Santa Maria del Fiore. The building of this massive cathedral began in the 1200's and was finished about 200 years later. Along the way on our walking tour, Lucca gave us so much history and commentary on the city.

When we left Lucca, we stopped for lunch and then went to visit the Uffizzi Gallery which took us about 2 1/2 hours to tour. We actually could have spent a full day there but that was about all our poor, bedraggled husbands could take. The Uffizzi is a public museum paid for by the Medeci family and was meant to be a museum for the masses, not just the nobility. It houses so many masterpieces of Renaissance art as well as much earlier art found in the churches of Italy.

We then had another gelato, of course, and headed back to our hotel and cocktails and dinner. We were given the name of a restaurant by our guide so about 7:30 we ventured out to walk to the restaurant. Unfortunately, we became lost and and we arrived 20 minutes late for our 8:00 p.m. reservation!

On Thursday (today) we had reservations to visit the Galleria dell'Academia, which houses Michelangelo's famous statue of David as well as some of his other sculptures. The statue was just magnificent! I was so glad to view it because I had been to Florence twice before and was unable to see it because the museum was closed the only day I was there! The rest of the day we shopped for leather goods and paper,which Florence is known for. I fear our credit card may explode!

Tonight we dine at the hotel and pack for our train trip back to Rome where we will spend the night and take a flight home on Saturday.  Merle and Buddy will be going on to Bellagio on Lake Como where they spent their honeymoon 10 years ago. It has been so special and such fun traveling with them. Arrivederci, Italia!

P.S. I am having great difficulty trying to load my pictures. Will try again tonight when we are in Rome.

 

 

 

 

 

The attached pictures are of the Duomo in Florence, Galileo's tomb, the four of us giving a final clink of the glasses on our last night in Florence, and the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence.

Driving through Tuscany

Monday was our last full day in Cortona. Our driver Dejan picked us up and off we went to visit Pienza and Monetepulciano. Once again the ride through this Tuscan region was just magnificent. We were “oohing and aahing” the whole way. As we approached Pienza we learned that this part of the region was known for its cheese made from sheep.

Our first stop was in the charming town of Pienza , considered to be a “newer” town because it only dates back to the 15^th century. Cortona and Montepulciano are much older, dating back to the Etruscan period around 400 years before Christ. Pienza is famous for its pecorinno cheese so of course we went to a cheese shop for some sampling.  We tasted three types of pecorinno, the only difference being the age. All were equally delicious and now I’ve found a new type of cheese to buy!  At this time it was pouring rain so we hopped in the car and were off to Montepulciano.  All of the older towns were built high on a hill for protection from invaders. This was a much bigger city but still manageable. Unfortunately, although the rain had stopped, it was very chilly so we didn’t wander around too much. Dejan took us to a very large and well known winery in the town, Gattavecchia, which used to be a monastery. There we did some wine tasting and had a delicious lunch of robatilla, a tasty bread and vegetable soup. It was great to be inside where it was warm and inviting.

We then headed back to our hotel so we could rest up for the evening’s adventure of a cooking class with Donatella, who has an inn and huge kitchen made for teaching classes.  Just the four of us were in the class, which made it very special for us.  We made crostini, past(pici) and tiramisu and assisted with the soup and sauce. We watched Donatella prepare the pork and had many cooking tips along the way. It was such fun and we had a lot of laughs. Of course we dined on our dishes after that and tried to pace ourselves as there was so much to eat. We started with crostini, then soup, pasta, pork and vegetables, and finished with tiramisu. Of course there was wine also! It was a very special evening and a perfect way to end our time in Tuscany!

 

 

 

 

Siena

Sunday, May 19^th: Borrowing from Huell Howser ( my California friends will understand the reference), today was “spectacular”!  The landscape of Tuscany was truly beautiful and “amazing”! Our driver picked us up at 9:30 and drove us to Siena where we spent the day. It is only an hour’s drive from Cortona.  Along the way we saw scenery that was right out of picture books on Tuscany. At every turn we were saying, “ Oh, look at that” or “truly beautiful”! On each side of the road were lush, green rolling hills covered with vineyards and olive groves and lovely old, brick homes that probably dated back centuries. All of this was set against a beautiful blue skyline.

 

Siena is a beautiful walled city dating back to the Middle Ages. It is amazing how intact it is and seemingly spared by WWII.   The Black Plague hit in the 1400”s ( I think – will have to check on that) and never recovered. Prior to the plague, it was a prosperous town, rich in culture and rivaling Florence. The major attraction of the town is the absolutely stunning and gorgeous cathedral, Il Duomo. We spent hours viewing it and were just in awe of its vastness and beauty. One could stay there all day just looking at the floor!  We visited the Museum of the Duomo in the morning and then shopped, visited the massive Piazza del Campo which actually holds a famous horse race in the summer, and lunched.  In the afternoon we visited the Duomo and its crypt and baptistery. Before returning to our hotel, we indulged in yet another gelato. We are becoming quite the gelato aficionados.

 

In the evening we dined at La Grotto in old town Cortona. It was a delicious meal and so much cheaper than our very pricey (but good) restaurant at our hotel.

 

After two days in Cortona, we are so glad we decided to ditch the rental car. We would have been so lost and Buddy (our designated driver) would have been very frustrated. It is not so easy to find some of the places we have visited and our hotel  is way out of town in the countryside with very dark and narrow roads. We would never have found our hotel on the first day, let alone on subsequent days.

 

 

 

 

 

Plan B

Today  is Saturday, May 18, and I have a little catching up to do. On Thursday, our last day on Capri, we awoke to terrible wind, rain, and cold. We were extremely crestfallen because we had planned a full day of sightseeing. However, by 10:30 all was clear and sunny so off we went! We took a small, local bus up to the top of Capri, called Anacapri.  The ride was extremely hairy with switchbacks and  very narrow roads overlooking the water. From the center of town, we walked to the beautiful  Villa San Michele built in the 1800’s by a Swedish doctor. The grounds were spectacular and the views of Capri below were magnificent. The villa was built on top of Roman ruins from the time of Tiberius. He had  built twelve villas there to honor the gods and did quite of lot of bacchanalian parities there!

In the evening we had reservations at a lovely restaurant in a lemon grove but, sadly, we had to cancel because the winds and cold air came back. I don’t think I mentioned that the Amalfi Coast and Capri are known for their lemons and Capri is the limoncello capital of the world! One of the pictures I am including is that of a store selling limoncello, a delicious lemon liqueur.

The next morning brought more rain but we were departing for Naples and then on to Tuscany. We took a hydrofoil across the sea to Naples and then took a taxi to the rental car agency and this is when our plans went downhill fast. Picking up the car was not a problem but they gave us no instructions on operating the car and Buddy had a lot of difficulty with the stick shift.  It had an automatic brake of some sort on the shift and the car kept cutting out.  He also had to navigate through a horrendous circle with no traffic lights. We managed to get through the circle and a tunnel but took a wrong turn out of the tunnel. By then the car was smoking and overheating probably from the brake being on. Cars were honking and people were yelling and shaking their hands at us as only Italians can! Buddy was a nervous wreck and I really can’t blame him. He was so upset that he turned around and said he was returning the car and we would catch a train. We didn’t argue but he parked the car at a curb on some street and we had no idea where we were and no phone (that’s another long story).  It was up to Merle and I to try to find a phone and call the rental agency and ask them to pick up the car.  It was rather a struggle trying to find a phone but we did but couldn’t figure out how to operate it! In spite of all of the Italian I had learned in my months of classes, I didn't know how to say "Our rental car has overheated and we need to return it to the agency!".  We eventually went into a pharmacy and a very nice young woman helped us. Between her broken English and my broken Italian, she called the agency for us and it took two phone calls to get through to them what the problem was. So we caught a taxi back to the rental agency, arranged for the car return, and took another taxi to the train station. Two trains later we were finally in Cortona and took a cab to our hotel, the beautiful  Il Falconiere in Tuscany country. We are staying in a lovely room in a house that once was the family home of the owner. On the property  are acres and acres of vineyards, a winery, a Michelin rated restaurant, a spa , a pool, and a chapel. It is so serene and beautiful here and the views of the Tuscany region are gorgeous!

 

Today, we arranged for some tours for the next two days and then we took a cab to the heart of Cortona, which is a lovely ancient city dating back to Etruscan times. We were back in time for a private tour of the vineyards and the winery and a very special wine tasting by the owner.

We finished the evening with dinner in their restaurant.

Once here, and seeing how far out of town our accommodations are, we realized how totally lost we would have been if we had a rental car.  It is a little inconvenient not to have a car, but we will have a private driver for the next two days. So all is well and the problems of yesterday are now a blur.

 

On to Tuscany!

I didn't have a chance last night to write about our last day in Capri. It did not start off well as we awoke to rain, wind, and cold. Needless to say, we were quite crestfallen. However, by 10:30 the sun came out and it was a beautiful day. We went up to Anacapri for the day and I will write later and add pictures.
  We are leaving this morning by boat to Naples where we will pick up our rental car and drive to Cortona in Tuscany. We will be there for four nights but I am not sure about the internet connection there. If there are no posts for a while, that is why.  Arrivederci Capri!

Paradise in Capri

   This morning we said "ciao" to Positano and boarded a hydrofoil for a 35 minute ride to the island of Capri for a two-night stay. It was a beautiful sunny day, but when we reached Capri, the clouds moved in a little and there was a slight chill in the air. However, that did not dampen our spirits because when we reached our hotel, Casa Morgana, we were overwhelmed with the beauty! It is a gorgeous hotel and the staff is so very friendly. We have adjoining rooms with gorgeous balconies overlooking the sea! We are truly in Paradise! We had a light lunch around the pool  and then walked through town to do some window shopping. The main street towards our hotel is like Rodeo Drive - full of very high-end shops but truly worth a lot of gazing. We returned to our hotel to have some wine on our patio and then later went to dinner at a wonderful local restaurant.  After the crowds of people who came for the day move out, it is really very quiet and peaceful. The restaurant didn't have a lot of people so the waiters

were very entertaining. After dinner, one of the head waiters put on "Gangnam Style" and began dancing on the table. We all joined in with clapping and egging him on. Lots of fun!

   Tomorrow we will do some touring of the upper island, Anacapri, and perhaps a boat ride around the island. We love it here so much we are sorry we are only here for two nights. We are in the lap of luxury!

 

 

 

Limone e limoncello!

Today was an absolutely fantastic day!The weather was perfect and our ride down the Amalfi Coast was spectacular! We hired a driver/guide for the day for just the four of us. He picked us up at 9:30 and off we went. We couldn't have had better weather - in the 70's and crystal clear. Our end destination was the town of Ravello but we had many stops along the way to enjoy the view or wander around a town. The coast ride made our scenic highway 1 drive seem rather tame. We kept ascending on very narrow, winding roads. At first the hills were terraced with hundreds of lemon groves but by the time we reached Ravello, the lemon groves were replaced by vineyards. We stopped at the Grotto della Smeraldo in Conca Dei Marini to take a boat ride inside a grotto filled with emerald green water - amazing! Later we stopped at the town of Amalfi and walked around for about an hour. It was very croweded because of a cruise ship that stopped there for the day. Not half as charming as Positano but the coastline views were to die for! We also saw Sophia Loren's villa on a cliff overlooking the sea. From Amalfi we headed to Ravello as we had reservations for lunch at the Palazzo Avino (formerly Palazzo Sasso). We must thank Nancy Barboni (hope you are reading this, Nancy) for the great suggestion. We ate on a beautiful terrace with the most fantastic view of the coastline!And the food was delicious too! We kicked back for an hour or two and pretended we lived there.
   After lunch we went into the town of Ravello, which was very charming and colorful and took a long walk to the Villa Cimbrone to view their gardens. The villa is now a hotel, but when it was a villa, Greta Garbo lived there for many years. By the end of that visit, we were very tired and headed back to Positano and arrived at 5 p.m. We rested a bit and had drinks on the terrace overlooking the sea. Because we had a big lunch, we walked into town for a capuccino and a decadent dessert at a place recommended to us. We were not disappointed.
   So today is our last day in Positano. We take the hydrofoil tomorrow over to Capri where we will stay for two nights. We will truly miss the charm of the town and the wonderful and friendly staff at the Hotel Eden Roc!

 

 

 

Shopping, shoes, and gelato!

Today was a magnificent day in Positano. There was a huge thunder storm in the wee hours this morning but all was clear, sunny, and dry by breakfast time. So, after breakfast we headed to the center of Positano for shopping and sight-seeing. From our hotel, we walked down some narrow steps to the next street level and then down a small street to the town center. It was lined with shops and restaurants and so scenic.  All of the streets were narrow and lined with beautiful bougainvillea and assorted colorful plants in pots. The streets all sloped toward the sea and the views were magnificent. Merle and I were on a mission to find this particular shop that made sandals for you while you waited. It took us forever but we found it! Then we had to choose our shoe style and what decor and color we wanted for the straps. It took us quite a while to decide but when we finally did, they measured our feet and told us the shoes would be ready in 20 minutes. We continued shopping and the guys scoped out places to have lunch. We picked up our shoes, had lunch and continued to shop. Our husbands were extremely patient with us. On the way back to our hotel, we stopped for gelato, my first of the trip it was "delicioso"!

We met for drinks later at the hotel and then walked to town again for dinner. It was a lovely restaurant and we dined on pasta and scampi. On our way home, we were enchanted with all the beautiful lights on the homes on the hill.

Positano is a small town

 

 

built on cliffs overlooking the Tirreno Sea. It is everything I expected and hoped for and more! Our hotel directly overlooks the sea and we have a "posstcard perfect" view of the cliffs crowded with colorful homes. The people are so friendly and everyone is so happy! The weather has also been perfect - in the 70's and no humidity.

 

from Rome to Naples and Beyond!

  Last night we capped off our last night in Rome at the very expensive La Mirabelle restaurant at our hotel. It was the most expensive meal we have every had but delicious. Watching the sunset over rome from our table was worth it!
   Today was another busy today.  We took the high speed train from Rome to Naples and were met by a guide in Naples. Our driver took us to Pompeii where another guide gave us a grea, educational tour. Bob and I had been to Pompeii back in '95, but I needed a refresher couse. Pompeii was fantastic. It was covered in 28 feet of ash in 749 A.D. when Mt. Vesuvius erupted and discovered by accident centuries later. Archeologists excavated much of the ancient city but right now they are trying to preserve ahd protect what they have now. Pompeii was first conquered by the Greeks and many of their technology and cultural apsects come from the Greeks. However, later when Rome seized Pompeii later, they to had advanced technolozy. It was just amazing to see the artifacts of what that have restored up to now.
   After Pompeii we had a quick lunch and then our driver drove us over a very winding road with breathtaking views to our hotel in Positano on the Amalfi Coast. We have a lovely room with a bacony looking out over the ocean. Tonight we dined at out hotel on the rooftop terrace with gorgeous views. We are truly in Paradise!

 

 

Vatican City

We had another busy, eventful day today. We met our guide John at the Vatican Museum for a tour of the museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. Thank goodness we had a guide these past two days because the lines have been gargantuan! An average of 30,000 people a day visit the Colisseum alone and, believe me, there had to be more than 30,000 yesterday! Anyway, with a guide and a pre-planned trip, we were able to bypass the horrendous lines because we already had tickets.
Although I have been to Vatican City before, I never had an in-depth tour of the Vatican Museum. It houses much valuable art collected by the popes over the centuries and has four rooms devoted to Raphael and was very impressive. The Sistine Chapel, whose massive ceiling and one wall was done by Michelangelo is a magnificent wonder! After the museum and chapel, we visited the equally magnificent St. Peter's Basilica whose size alone is astounding! The important work of art within the basilica is Michelangelo's sculpture, La Pieta. When I first viewed it back in '68, I was able to stand right next to it. Now it is well behind glass because some nut defaced it in the 90's. It was restored and placed behind glass. It is still a marvel to see.

   After our visit, we h.ad lunch at the lovely Caffe Ciappini at the top of the famous Spanish Steps. We walked the steps and then returned to our hotel. Tonight we dine in La Mirabelle, a Michelin rated restaurant in our hotel

 

 

 

Ancient Rome

After a delicious breakfast this morning, we met our private guide for the day, John, a British gentleman who has lived here for 40 years! We had a four hour walking tour of ancient Rome and boy did we walk!  We visited the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus; the Palazzo Barberini, home of Pope Urban VII, the Church of St. Peter in Chains, which houses the sculpture of Moses by Michelangelo (magnificent), the Colisseum, the Roman Forum and Palantine Hill, and the Pantheon.  Rome is a marvelous city steeped in history and culture. Walking the cobblestone streets and viewing the ancient ruins took us back in time to a tumultuous period marked by macabre murders in the Colisseum, the sumptuous spending of corrupt popes, and amazing architecture built by poor slaves.
   After the Pantheon, we had a lovely lunch outdoors and walked back to our hotel.  On the way we stopped at the Trevi Fountain featured in the song "Three Coins in the Fountain."  Of course Merle and I had to toss in a coin and make a wish! In the evening we had another great dinner at Locanda Barberini and walked home ready to call it a night after a long day of sight seeing. Pictures of the Colisseum to follow.