I T A L I A
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18 October: We arrived at Fuimincino at ~6:30AM and were joined by our great friends, Vic & Linda, at ~8:30AM. After some long overdue hugs & kisses, we headed to the rental car facility and picked up our huge 4WD jeep (Ed’s challenge for this trip). We drove a couple of hours north to the town of Assisi, a favorite spot in Italia. We stayed at the Da’Angelo hotel/restaurant, again, one of our favorites in Italia. We spent the afternoon exploring the sites in Assisi – Santa Chiara Church, the town piazza and, of course, the Basilica of St. Francis. A superb way to begin our explorations.
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The city gate of Assisi (Vic & Linda are standing in front of it) |
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The charming church of Santa Chiara |
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The town's Bell Tower |
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The magnificent Basilica of St. Francis |
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The end of our late-day
touring with the moon highlighting one of the many town crosses |
19 October: We introduced our friends to the walled cities of Umbria. We drove and explored the hill towns of Montefalco and Spoleto. The narrow streets in these hill towns haven’t changed in a thousand years and that’s what makes these cities so wonderful. We took a break in the afternoon and visited the Perugina chocolate factory. We took a tour there and stuffed ourselves on the wonderful Baci chocolate kisses. Afterwards we returned to Assisi to do some shopping before enjoying a wonderful dinner at Da Angelo.
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A view of Umbria from
Montefalco (you can tell it's a bit chilly!) |
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The City Hall and Piazza of Montefalco |
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The Duomo in Spoleto (that sky is almost as blue as a NM sky!) |
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Vic and Linda in front of the
world's largest Baci |
20 October: Today was a travel day. We drove to the town of Figline Valdino, a small town on the far outskirts of Florence. We had two apartments (one per couple) to use as our base for the next three days of exploring. We also had two Italian-American chefs to take advantage of the kitchens available to us.
21 October: We arose and took an early train into Firenze. Our goal was to visit a few key places in the city. We first decided to visit the Uffizi Museum so that Vic could enjoy the halls of statutes that are found there. We made it but, even in off season, we had a four hour wait. It was a bit tough as it was unseasonably cold but perseverance paid off. We wandered the halls and saw some beautiful pieces, including some of the greats. Always a favorite…. Botticelli’s Venus on the Half Shell and Michelangelo’s Holy Family. For the balance of the day, we visited the Duomo (magnificent) and the Ponte Vechio (always a treat, especially with the jewelry stores found on it). We took a late train home and called it a day.
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A view of the Uffizi |
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Entertaining ourselves by taking a photo of the queue |
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The Ponte Vechio |
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Il Duomo of Firenze |
22 October: We returned to touring by car. Our first stop was Pisa to see the famous, Leaning Tower. Next, we went in search of marble – Vic’s major art form. We visited the city of Pietrasanta where even the curb stones are carved in marble. Vic was able to buy some carving tools at one of the marble distributors. We then drove on to Carrara, one of the most important marble quarrying areas in the world. The Romans used Carrara marble for most of their monuments and important buildings. The quarries there were enormous! Now we all know where that gorgeous stuff comes from.
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The Rotunda in Pisa |
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The intricate carvings and
multi-colored marble above the Rotunda entry |
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Vic and Linda with the Leaning Tower |
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Vic sitting on a marble
sculpture in Pietrasanta |
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Linda sitting on a marble
curbstone in Pietrasanta (you don't find that everyday!) |
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Vic in the Promised Land |
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The enormous pits of Carrara |
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Some marble slabs and blocks
awaiting shipment |
23 October: We decided to tour a bit of Tuscany today so our travels led us to San Gigimagnano, one of our favorite hill top towns. It was just a taste of Tuscany but the perfect way to spend our final day in the north.
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Traveling through Chianti Country |
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The ancient buildings of San Gigimagnano |
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The town's Bell Tower |
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Vic and Linda in a beautiful piazza |
24 October: This was our longest travel day of the trip. We left Figline and headed south to Sorrento. The trip took the better part of the day. We found our way through town and up the hill to our beautiful hotel with views overlooking the Bay of Naples. We then relaxed and had a great dinner while enjoying those views.
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Vic and Linda enjoying the balcony with the great views of the Bay of Naples |
25 October: We took the hotel shuttle to the train station where we boarded the train to Pompei. We spent several hours enjoying the remains of this thriving city. It was rainy and gray but that only added to the feeling that we truly were walking back in time along its ancient streets and avenues. After we finished our explorations, we returned to Sorrento via the train. We then wandered the town streets, went shopping (of course!) and finally met the hotel shuttle to return to our retreat on the hillside.
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A view of Pompei with Mt.
Vesuvio in the background |
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The remains of a Temple |
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A ceiling relief in one of the buildings |
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A support column designed as a statute |
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There's always some haggling at a vendor stand (Vic & Linda playing the seller/buyer roles) |
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The first speed bumps (gotta slow down those chariots some how) |
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An ancient bakery |
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A beautiful bronze statute |
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Chariot ruts in the roadway (and our friends in the background) |
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A beautiful mosaic which survived all these centuries |
26 October: Today was half travel, half touring and then we did a bit of exploring. We drove the famous Amalfi Coast and were able to get some great photographs at a few of the scattered turnouts. It’s amazing that a drive of only 50KMs (30 miles) can take two hours and that’s without major traffic.
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The beautiful blue sea with the road perched on the side of the hill |
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Vic and Linda at one of the turnouts |
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A close-up of the hillside
towns which grow up along the mountain |
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A look back at the surf and the Amalfi |
When we finished the Amalfi, we went to Paestum, formerly a Greek settlement. We visited the Temples of Paestum which date near 550 B.C. The structures are very impressive and we had great afternoon sun for photographs.
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The Temple of Hera (wife of the God, Zeus) |
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The Temple of Neptune, the most majestic and best-preserved |
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The entry to the Ekklesia, a place used for political assemblies |
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A view of the interior of the
Ekklesia with its rounded tiers |
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The Temple of Athena |
Lastly, we visited the new museum (Museo) which houses some incredible reliefs from the tombs as well as pottery, bronze workings, etc. We spent the night in Paestum and opted for a picnic on the balcony as the hotel restaurant was closed. Pretty special to be sitting on a balcony near the remains of an ancient city.
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Various earthen artifacts at the Museo |
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Water Spouts used in Paestum (decorative and functional) |
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A beautiful tomb painting preserved in the Museo |
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A lovely female statute presented in garb of the era |
27 October: We ventured further south into Calabria. Late in the day (after about an hour of “scenic travel” (i.e., meaning we got a bit lost), we found our hotel, the Castello di Altomonte, an 11th century castle found on the highest point in Altomonte which literally means “high mountain.” A wedding reception was underway when we arrived. After it ended, we enjoyed a wonderful private dinner.
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Welcome to Altomonte! (Actually, "City of Art - Land of Liberty") |
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A view of the city |
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Il Castello, our home for the next two nights, sits high above Altomonte |
28 October: We decided to explore Altomonte via a walking tour. After breakfast, we began by visiting Santa Maria to attend mass. We didn’t realize that Daylight Savings Time had ended during the wee hours so we arrived at the church early. We wandered around the piazza and watched as the church once again prepared for an afternoon wedding. After attending mass, we went to the Civic Museo. It was housed in the convent attached to the church and contained many wonderful relics. We then visited the town’s amphitheatre which although modern was built in Roman form. We walked around the lower streets of the town and ultimately returned to the Castle to enjoy our final night there.
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Santa Maria della Consolazione (Built in the 14th century) |
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A carving of St. Michael
slaying the Dragon displayed in the Civic Museo |
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"Madonna che Allatta e
Bambino" (also housed in the Museo) |
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A typical steep, cobbled street in Altomonte |
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The view of Altomonte from our room in Il Castello |
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Vic and Linda on their balcony facing the courtyard of Il Castello |
29 October: This was a travel day during which we left Calabria and headed to Sicily. En route we stopped at the village of Oppido Marmatina in Southern Calabria. Vic’s grandfather was born in the area of Tresilico, one of the environs of Oppido. It is still a thriving community. We stopped at the church as well as at a wonderful pasticeria. It was a great break in our road trip. We reached Villa San Giovani and found the ferry to Messina (Sicily) at about 4PM. We drove the last 100KM to Cefalu, located on the Northern coast of the island. We found our hotel with only a couple of missed turns (quite a feat in the dark!). We later enjoyed dinner near the ocean and called it a day.
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The Cathedral in Oppido
Marmatina (with Vic & Linda standing in front) |
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The interior of the Cathedral |
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Our ferry to Sicilia |
30 October: We spent the day exploring the old streets of Cefalu. We were able to walk into the Centro Storico and shop along the pedways we found. Shopping was great! Linda bought a beautiful set of earrings and a necklace made from coral and ceramic roses. Stunning! We enjoyed a leisurely lunch in town and finally wandered back to the hotel in the early evening. We enjoyed wine on the balcony of Vic & Linda’s room with views of the lights of the old town.
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A view of Cefalu |
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In some areas, the city sits on a very rocky shore |
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Il Duomo (the Palm Trees attest to warm weather) |
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The main altar in Il Duomo |
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Vic & Linda in front of the city and its beach |
31 October: Today we decided to find the home of Vic’s other grandfather, the village of Campobello which is located near Marsala, on the Western coast of Sicily. The city touts itself as the capital of olive oil and it was surrounded by groves. There were also multiple processing plants. However, it didn’t have quite the charm of Oppido Marmitina. Oh well, always nice to find ones roots. We next drove on to Agrigento, a city with amazing Greek ruins, located on the Southern coast of Sicily. We stayed at a lovely family-run hotel in San Leone called Costa Azzurra (Blue Coast). We enjoyed a traditional Sicilian dinner in the restaurant and retired for the night.
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Welcome to Oppido M. (City of Oil) |
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The main Cathedral in Oppido M. |
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A typical city street |
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An old oil press |
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Olives awaiting a modern press |
1 November: It was pouring rain when we woke up so we decided to start our day at the relatively new Museum of the Valley of Temples. It was a great introduction to the ancient history of Agrigento and its Greek heritage. We were amazed by the number of antiquities ranging from 3,000-2,000BC!
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A case containing artifacts from 3000 B.C. Wow! |
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"Triquetia" A three-legged God |
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Vases from Athens sent to Agrigento |
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A drawf god who helps with child rearing |
By the time we finished our explorations in the museum, the day had cleared and the sun was shining brightly so we headed out to explore the various temples. Although not complete, they are nevertheless stunning! We spent our afternoon and early evening walking through the various ruins and imagining how the Greeks and subsequently, Romans, lived a state-of-the-art life at their time in history.
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Temple of Concordia |
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An ancient olive tree in The Valley of Temples |
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Temple of Guinone |
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A giant pillar from the Temple of Jupiter |
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The sole standing corner of the Temple of Dioscuri |
2 November: This morning Linda assumed the role of navigator (no mean feet in Italy) to guide us across the interior of Sicily to its Eastern coast. We enjoyed this travel day as we took the smaller back roads so we could enjoy the orchards and olive groves instead of passing quickly on the autostrada. We ended the day in Giardini Naxos, our home for the next four nights. We toured the promenade along the sea coast on foot. We then returned to the hotel to enjoy a picnic and some fine wine while sitting on our balcony overlooking the sea. The sounds of the sea made for some great sleeping.
3 November: On Saturdays there is a street market in Rincanti, the town next to Giardini Naxos, so we began our day there. We found plenty of bargains and we each (yes, the guys too) made purchases. Next, we took the bus to Taormina, one of our favorite spots in Sicily. We visited the outstanding Teatro Greco. Its acoustics are amazing! Then, we walked the streets and visited the many shops. We also stopped in a few of the town’s many churches. We returned to Giardini Naxos on a late afternoon bus. We later had dinner a short walking distance from our hotel.
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A view inside the very large Teatro Greco |
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A close-up of the Stage |
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A view of Giardini Naxos from the Teatro Greco |
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Church of the Madonna |
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Inside this very ornate and beautiful Church |
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A painting of the Madonna & Baby |
4 November: Today we returned to Taormina. Linda and Vic attended mass at St. George’s Anglican Church. The 11:00AM mass was held in English. While they attended church, we visited the Roman baths. We all met about 12:30PM at a sidewalk café. Next, we walked up into the heart of the city. It was bustling with tourists and shops until the 1:00PM “witching hour.” We settled down with a fresh graniti (a coarse ice – one made from lemons; the other from strawberries) and did some people watching. We continued shopping at a few of the stores that didn’t observe the afternoon closing hours. We again returned to Giardini Naxos on a late afternoon bus. It had been a full day so we opted to go to a local bar for take-out pizza slices and panini which we enjoyed from our room.
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A view of one of the Church's
in Taormina and the beautiful coast |
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Inside one of the city gates where only foot traffic is allowed |
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The remains of the Roman Baths |
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Vic and Linda outside St. George's |
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Vic getting an after-church
treat at a local pastaceria |
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One of Taormina's colorful streets |
5 November: Today was beautiful and clear so we headed to visit Mt. Etna. It was incredibly beautiful. Not only did we see the steam from a major caldera, we also got to view the snow fields on Mt. Etna’s flanks. It was a real treat given that this mountain is so often shrouded in clouds. We also visited the nearby town of Randazzo which has been miraculously spared from the fury of Mt. Etna. In particular, we enjoyed the beautiful cathedral. We returned to Taormino late in the day. That evening we celebrated Vic and Linda’s 47th wedding anniversary at Trattoria di Pierro. Ed had previously gone to the restaurant to organize the dinner so we had an incredible feast featuring a variety of courses of fresh fish and seafood. We returned to the hotel and finished the evening with a bottle of prosecco (bubbly white wine) which the hotel chilled for us. The perfect way to toast a wonderful couple on their anniversary!!
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A view of Mt. Etna from a far |
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Vic and Linda standing on an old lava flow |
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Steam emerging from a caldera |
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Mt. Etna's snow fields |
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The church in Randazzo made of lava blocks |
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Happy 47th celebration! (One of our favorite photo's of our entire Round the World adventure!) |
6 November: Today we said goodbye to Sicilia and returned to the mainland. We visited the hillside town of Maratea. We wandered the streets of the village which gives you an amazing bit of exercise since it’s up and down hills and staircases. After we finished our explorations, we picked up some goodies for an early picnic in the room given the long drive of the day as well as our feast on the previous evening.
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Vic and Linda on their veranda (You can tell we've left sunny Sicily and its warm weather) |
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Looking down on the city with all of its tiled roofs |
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A view of the coast below Maratea |
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Tourists wandering the hilly streets |
7 November: We drove to one of our favorite spots, the unique town of Alberobello. The stone houses or “trulli” are what make Alberobello and its vicinity so unique and interesting. Also, our accommodations were unique – the Albergo Sant’Antonio is a former monastery which is still attached to an active church – the world’s only Trulli church. We explored numerous streets as well as the main square with the town’s Cathedral. We also spent time enjoying the great shopping offered by the many trulli owners. We had an excellent dinner at a restaurant Ed and I always enjoy (once we even had an Easter dinner there). Afterwards we walked back along the cobbled streets until we reached the hotel.
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Our accommodations and the active church of Sant'Antonio |
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The altar inside Sant'Antonio |
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A statute of Sant'Antonio |
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A view of the tops of the many Trulli which comprise Alberobello |
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Vic and Linda walking one of
the many streets having Trulli used for stores and/or homes |
8 November: We wanted to make sure that Vic touched his toes (or at least his hands) in the Adriatic Ocean so we went for a short drive to the coast. We drove past groves and groves of olive trees before we reached the sea. We then drove along the coast road before returning to Alberobello via a different route. Shopping was the order for the balance of the day. Yeah, Linda!
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An ancient olive tree en route to the Adriatic |
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Vic and Linda in front of the dazzling Adriatic Sea |
9 November: We left Alberobello and headed north towards Rome. We spent the night at Motel Corsi in Torrimpietra, near Fiumincino Airport. Before heading out to dinner, we enjoyed a slide show of the photographs we took in Italia. We then enjoyed wine and a wonderful meal. It was a great way to end our three weeks together!
Continue to our next stop - Espana