This morning we had tickets to visit St. Mark’s Campanile (Bell Tower of St. Mark’s Basilica).
St. Mark’s Campanile
The first campanile was built in the 9th century. The campanile was where Galileo Galilei showcased his improved telescope in August, 1609. He demonstrated it to Venetian lawmakers from the top.
St. Mark’s Square and the Campanile
It suddenly collapsed in 1902 because of weakened cracks and water seepage. Its reconstruction was completed in 1912. It was 323 feet high and the tallest structure in Venice.
An elevator took us up or one could climb the 323 steps. Lucky for us the steps were not an option! We had unobstructed views of Venice.
After our visit up St. Mark’s Campanile we went on a gondola ride. Our gondolier was Alvese. He had only been driving for a few months.
Alvese, our gondolier
The gondolas and gondoliers had been around since the 11th century. Two hundred years ago there were 10,000 gondolas in Venice and now that number had dwindled to a little over 400. Single oars were used both to propel and to steer the boats. A gondola was built with a curved bit on one side so that the oar thrusting from that side allowed the gondola in a straight line.
The gondola was 35 feet long and about 5 feet wide. They were always painted black and each was unique in its inside trim.
It was a great experience and a different perspective of Venice from the canals. Below was a slideshow of some of our highlights from our ride.
This afternoon we took the ferry to the island of Lido. Lido sat between the Adriatic Sea and the Venetian lagoon and it was a 7 mile island.
Heading on the ferry to Lido.
It was a beautiful day to walk around the island. We had to be careful when we walked around the town because it had cars and buses. We walked along the main street called Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta.
We passed the Grande Albergo Ausonia & Hungaria hotel. It was built in 1905 and was a 5-star luxury hotel.
The Grand Hotel des Bains was built in 1900 to attract wealthy tourists. It was a luxury hotel that many movie stars would stay at during the Venice Film Festival. It closed in 2010 for a planned conversion into luxury condominium apartment complex. As we walked by we could see that it was still awaiting renovation.
Grand Hotel des Bains
The Venice Film Festival ended two days before we arrived in Venice. This prestigious film festival was held in Lido. The Venice Film Festival was started in 1932 and it was the oldest film festival!
We walked to the Des Bains 1900 Beach Club which was a luxurious huge beach. It had two entrances and five different sections. You can rent a lounge chair or a cabana that was a private thatched roof with loungers, a table, and chairs. We also offered two restaurants and a bar/cafe.
Des Bains 1900 Beach Club
We also stopped by the Bluemoon The Beach of Venice. It was another popular beach.
Bluemoon The Beach of Venice
Another beautiful beach area
The Lighthouse of San Nicolò was a red lighthouse at the edge of the Venetian Lagoon. It was built in the late 19th century.
We stopped for a late lunch at Al Cavaliere Restaurant in Lido before heading back to Venice. We sat out on the patio and had a delicious meal.
Heading back to Venice on the ferry.
Cheers to a great Italy vacation!
Saturday, September 13th, 2005
This morning we checked out of our Venice hotel and took a water taxi to the airport.
Leaving on a water taxi
Arrivederci Venice!
Taking off from the Marco Polo airport and flying over the island of Venice and its surrounding islands.
Our flight from Venice to Atlanta, Georgia was on time. We went through Customs in Atlanta and a few hours later we had a flight to Columbus.
We arrived home around 10:30 PM. It was a long day but a fantastic vacation!
This morning as we walked down the steps to the restaurant we passed one of the sitting rooms and discovered an exhibition of glass birds. We stopped to admire them and found out that in a few days the Venice Glass Week would begin. It’s held in September and this was the 9th edition of this international festival. The glass week was established to promote the art of glassmaking. It attracted 165,000 visitors and was held in 130 venues around Venice, Murano, and Mestre.
In our hotel was the exhibition of Anna Paola Cibin called “From Glass to Silk”. It would display her tapestries and her Funny Birds glass sculptures. Only the Funny Birds had been displayed so far.
After breakfast we walked from our hotel to the Grand Canal to catch a ferry to visit the island Torcello.
Island of Torcello
Torcello had a population of about 10 permanent residents. It was one of the earliest settlements in the Venetian lagoon and was first settled in 452 AD. When we arrived to Torcello we followed the walking path into the historic center.
We passed the Devil’s Bridge (Ponte del Diavolo). It was a 15th century stone footbridge with no railings and it crossed over the island’s many canals. It was restored in 2009.
Devil’s Bridge
The bridge’s name came from a local legend. There were variations but basically a young girl from Venice fell in love with an Austrian soldier during the Austrian occupation in Venice. Her parents didn’t approve so they sent the girl from Venice. She heard news that her soldier had been murdered. She was lost in despair and a family friend told her to go visit a witch he knew who could help her. The witch was happy to help her and she made a pact with the devil. The witch was to get the devil 7 souls of 7 Christian children who died prematurely for the Austrian’s life! They agreed to meet at the Devil’s Bridge on Torcello Island. Long story short, the girl met her love and the witch died so the devil never got any children’s souls!
The Byzantine cathedral of Santa Maria dell Assunta was built in 639 AD. It was the oldest surviving building in the Venetian lagoon.
Exterior of St Maria Assunta with ruined Baptistry.
The Campanile or bell tower that belonged to the Cathedral of Santa Maria dell Assunta was built in 1008. It was free-standing, square bell tower that stood 180 feet. The bells, from the 15th century, were still used today.
The Campanile of Santa Maria dell Assunta
Ernest Hemingway lived on Torcello in 1948 to write and hunt birds. He was in Venice but wanted to leave its party scene. It was said that he climbed the bell tower with his binoculars to look around the island and to figure out where he would live next.
The Church of Santa Fosca was located next to the cathedral. It was built in the 12th century.
The church was domed with a portico that was built on a Greek cross plan. It had marble Greek style Corinthian columns that supported the slanting wood roof.
Church of Santa Fosca
The Museo Provinciale di Torcello (museum) had archaeological artifacts and medieval art. It was in the original Council Chamber and Archives called the Palazzo del Consiglio (14th century).
Museo Provinciale di Torcello
Unfortunately it was closed the day we were there but we did explore all of the artifacts outside the building. The museum and the outside display were not all from the island of Torcello. Some items were donated.
There also was an ancient stone chair, known as Attila’s Throne. It was more likely the podestà’s (the highest civil office holder) or bishop’s chair/seat where these magistrates were inaugurated.
Attila’s Throne
After our exploration of the island we took the ferry back to Venice. We decided to go up to the solarium of our hotel and drink our last bottle of Verona wine!
It was such a good evening we stayed up there and watched the sunset over Venice!
Our first stop this morning was the island of Murano. It was located in the lagoon of Venice and about a mile from the city. Murano consisted of 247 acres and this was made up of seven small islands linked together by bridges. We reached the island by boat.
On the boat to the island of Murano
As we approached the island we passed the Faro Lighthouse. It was built in 1912 and stood about 115 feet tall. The lighthouse was still in operation.
Faro Lighthouse
Murano was first a fishing port and by the late 13th century began its legend as the island of glassmakers. These glassmakers came from Venice to continue their glass making. The extreme heat from the furnaces needed to make glass was too dangerous to have in the wooden Venetian buildings.
Murano glassmaker
At the New Murano Gallery we saw a glass demonstration from one of their master glassblowers. The hand-blown craftmanship was passed down through the generations of these masters.
The finished vase
The vase was so hot that it burned a piece of paper. You would not want to touch it.
After the glass demonstrations we visited in the glass gallery where we saw some amazing Murano glass pieces. Of course pictures weren’t allowed inside but outside the gallery they had displayed glass objects.
After our visit to Murano we boarded a boat for the island of Burano. This island was known for its colorful houses and lacemaking.
Burano
Burano became important in the 16th century when women began making lace with needles. In 1872 a school of lacemaking opened. Now only a few make lace the traditional manner because it was very time consuming and expensive. We visited the Merletti “dalla Olga” (Olga Lace) and a lacemaker visited the shop and gave us a demonstration.
Sandra- lace master
Burano was considered to be in the top ten of the most colorful islands in the world. People who lived on the island had to get permission to paint their home and the color.
Burano was also known for the bussolà, a donut-shaped cake. They also baked buranelli which was “S” shaped. In the past the wives of fisherman prepared these simple, shortbread cookies when their husbands were headed fishing for a long period. These were a nutritious snack for the sailors. The pastry bakery below was well-known for their bussolà, buranelli, and other baked goods. Of course we purchased the bussolà and a gluten free pastry and enjoyed our treats.
Carmelina Palmisano- pastry bakery
We saw Burano’s leaning bell tower was built in the 17th century. It was completely scaffolding when we visited. The tower inclined about 6 feet off of its axis and stood 174 feet. Even being covered we could see the incline.
This morning we had a tour of the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s with a guide. We walked from our hotel to St. Mark’s Square where we met our guide. Our group entered Doge’s Palace when it opened. It really helped to be ahead of the crowds.
The Doge’s Palace was known for its Gothic architecture.
It also was the center of power for the Venetian Republic for over 1,000 years, the residence of the Doge, and the seat of the government with offices and prisons.
The Giant’s Staircase was once a ceremonial entrance to the palace. It was guarded by the Roman gods Mars and Neptune and it was built between 1483 and 1491. The staircase connected the courtyard to the inner lodge.
Giant’s Staircase
The Scala d’Oro or the Golden Staircase got its name from the magnificence of the decoration with white and gold stucco. The ceiling was covered with vibrant paintings. Its decorations illustrated the power of Venice over the seas and the virtues necessary for good government. The staircase provided a grand entrance for nobles.
The Grand Staircase
The Atrium Square Salon was the living room right off the golden staircase. The Square Atrium allowed access through the door with a large porthole in its center to the Anticollege room.
Atrium Square Salon
The Anticollege room served as a waiting room for important guests of the Doge. The “net” served to protect the very valuable paintings on the ceiling from water damage and humidity.
The Anticollege room
The Guariento Room once linked the Armory by a staircase and it now housed a fresco painted for the Hall of the Great Council by the Paduan artist Guariento around 1365. A fire almost completely destroyed it in a fire in 1577. The remains were rediscovered under the large canvas of II Paradiso which the artist Tintoretto was commissioned to paint for the same wall. Guariento’s fresco also depicted Paradise.
Guariento’s fresco of Paradise
The Chamber of the Great Council was a huge room, 174 feet by 82 feet wide. It contained works by various artists. It was the largest and most majestic chamber in the Doge’s Palace. Meetings of the Great Council were held in this room. This council was the most important political body. It was made up of only Venetian males that were 25 years and older.
Chamber of the Great CouncilMainly 17th centuryII Paradiso by Tintoretto
The Senate Chamber was also known as the Sala dei Pregadi because the Doge asked members of the Senate to take part in the meetings held here.
Senate Chamber
Senate Chamber
The Chamber of the Navy Captains (or Sala della Milizia da Mar) was made up of 20 members from the Senate and the Great Council. It was set up in the 16th century. These members were responsible for recruiting crews for Venice’s war galleys.
The State Censors were set up in 1517. Their main job was the repression of electoral fraud and the protection of the state’s public institutions.
In the State Censors
The Council of Ten was established in 1310 and consisted of ten people. Their authority covered all of daily life. This council was said to be ruthless and their sentences were handed down quickly after secret meetings!
Council of Ten
Hall of the Compass (or Sala della Bussola) was named for a large wooden compass rose. This compass rose once stood on the floor. It served as a reception area for those who were summoned by the magistrates.
The Compass Room
We walked across the Bridge of Sighs that connected the Doge’s Palace to the New Prisons. It was built in 1614. The view that was a prisoner’s last look on their way to a cell.
View from the inside of the Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs from the outside.
Bridge of Sighs
Cells in the prison that connected to the Doge’s Palace.
The Armoury had over 2000 pieces that included those that belonged to the Council of Ten and also King Henri IV of France’s armour.
After we finished up at the Doge’s Palace we visited St. Mark’s Basilica right next door.
St. Mark’s Basilica
The Basilica was built in the 9th century and rebuilt between 1063-1094. It was made to house the body of St. Mark the Apostle. It had a Greek cross base with five domes. In 1807 it became the Cathedral of the city.
St. Mark was buried in the crypt below the main altar of the Basilica.
St. Mark is buried in the crypt.
The heavy vaults and domes were surrounded by gold mosaics.
These four horses also called Triumphal Quadriga were made of copper and originally they were placed on the facade of St. Mark’s. They were moved inside for protection. Replicas of the four horses had replaced the originals.
After touring the first floor we climbed the steps to the second level and had a different view of the Basilica.
Some men were doing some restoration in the Basilica.
From this second level we walked onto the outdoor terrace that had views of St. Mark’s Square and the Grand Canal.
St. Mark’s SquareView of the Grand Canal
When it was high tide there was water in St. Mark’s Square and surrounding walkways. Also, along some canals the steps were underwater.
After a full day we enjoyed a bottle of our Verona wine and chips in one of the sitting rooms at our hotel.
This morning we left Verona for Venice, Italy. We took the train.
Our train track.Coming into the Venice station.
When we arrived at the Venice train station we gathered our luggage and found a water taxi to take us to our hotel.
On a water taxi in Venice.
Scroll through the slideshow below to see photos of the Grand Canal in Venice as we rode on the water taxi.
We checked into our hotel, the Hotel Saturnia and International. It was run by the fifth generation Serandrei family since 1908!
Hotel Saturnia and International
The front desk
The hotel was a historic residence that dated back to the 14th century. It blended the history of the residence along with modern conveniences. No two rooms were identical. Our room was a suite. We had plenty of space.
Closet and safebathroom sinksShower, tub, toilet, and bidet in the back roomTable and bedBed and deskSeparate sitting room
One of the sitting rooms in the hotel
After we checked in and dropped off our luggage we walked into St. Mark’s square and also found a place for some lunch!
We went back to our hotel to freshen up before our wine tasting excursion this evening. Our hotel had a solarium where we could look out at the Venetian domes and rooftops.
Our food and wine walking tour was with a local guide, named Silvia.
Silvia our local guide
There were six of us with our guide. We walked to five different bacaris. Bararis were where the locals gathered to drink wine and eat cicchetti. A cicchetti (chee-KET-tee) was a small, savory, shareable plates or snacks. It was fun trying the food and tasting the wines. We had a great time.
During our tour Silvia had us stop and go in Saint Pantalon. It was a 17th century parish church.
San Pantalon
It was known for its ceiling painting by Gian Antonio Fumiani that depicted the Martyrdom and Apotheosis of Saint Pantalon.
At the end of our tour Silvia gave us her list of other good bacaris around Venice.
Silvia’s Recommendations
Venice and its canals looked magnificent as we walked back to our hotel.
Today was our last full day in Verona, Italy. The summer Opera series ended in the Arena last night. We decided today would be a good day to tour it. It was our morning adventure.
Outside the Verona Arena
The arena was originally used for the bloody gladiator fights. It had a capacity of nearly 30,000 people. When it was built it was located outside of town. Later when the walls were rebuilt it was inside the city limits. The Arena was built using the limestone from the mountains just north of the city. This stone was considered very easy to extract, was compact, and resistant to weathering.
Verona Arena stone
It was the 3rd largest Roman amphitheater surviving in Europe and one of the best-preserved in the world. The Arena consisted of 44 steps and rows. It was divided into sections to help with the entry and exit of spectators. It also divided them by social classes!
In 1117 a strong earthquake destroyed the Arena’s outer wall except for a section of four arches called the Arena Wing.
It was in disrepair until it was restored in 1500 and that restoration was important for the Arena still being used today.
Just inside the Arena entrance. Look how high it stood.
In 1913 the first opera performance was held in the Arena. Verdi’s Aida was chosen and it was such a success that it became an annual event. A stage was erected on one side and the audience sat in a semicircle. With this set up only about 15,000 to 17,000 people could attend.
Inside the Arena looking at the Opera stage.
The pictures below demonstrated how difficult it was to “strike” the set after the Opera ended. A crane was needed to carry the cases of light and sound equipment so they could be loaded onto semi trucks.
After touring the Arena we walked around the area and then found a restaurant with gluten free options. We ate outside along the Piazza Bra at the Ristorante Pizzeria La Costa in Bra. Our meals were delicious!
Delicious Gluten free lasagna!
Everyone was aware of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet but after lunch we walked to a lesser known legend in Verona, “the Well of Love”. It was said that under the rule of Emperor Maximilian (1509-1517) and Verona was under the Holy Roman Empire that a young soldier, Corrado di San Bonifazio fell in love with a young woman named Isabella. She rejected all of Corrado’s seduction attempts. She was indifferent to him. When the couple met in a courtyard with a well, Corrado was exasperated by her coldness. Isabella gave him a challenge and told him to jump in the well. According to legend he didn’t hesitate and threw himself into the well. Isabella couldn’t believe he did this and she realized she did indeed love him. She followed him into the well. From that day on the well was known as the “Well of Love”!
The Well of LoveThe well was sealed.
We continued to walk the streets of Verona.
Because we had a very late lunch, we opened one of the bottles of wine that we purchased on our wine excursion. We enjoyed it with some snacks as our dinner in the hotel lobby. Unfortunately, we didn’t have wine glasses and drank out of paper cups.
This evening we could see a total lunar eclipse. We walked out to Piazza Bra to watch the eclipse. By the time we walked far enough to see the moon, the moon was beginning to be visible.
Watching the eclipse was a great way to end our last evening in Verona.
This morning our first stop was to visit Casa di Giuletta (Juliet’s house) and the famous balcony. We knew it would get very crowded so we wanted to go early and it was located near our hotel.
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was written about fictional characters but the legend lives on here. Legend stated that this was the birthplace of Giulietta Capuleti. It was a very popular place to visit.
In the same courtyard as the balcony was a bronze statue of Juliet by Nereo Costantini. Many visitors take their picture with their hand on her breast for good luck in love.
Juliet’s Statue
Many visitors left love notes and messages on the “Love Letters Wall” or special mailbox. A team of volunteers called the “Secretaries of Juliet” read and respond to letters every year.
Near Juliet’s home was the Piazza Delle Erbe which was the oldest square in the city. In the center of the square was the Fountain of Madonna Verona. It was a historic landmark commissioned in 1368 by Cansignorio della Scala. It had ancient and medieval representations. The large basin and statue body were Roman and the head and arms were added during the medieval period. The scroll being held translated to “Verona is a city that provides justice and loves to be praised.”
Fountain of Madonna Verona
Also located in the piazza was the statue of Berto Barbarani (1875-1945). He as a Veronese poet. He’s looking towards the fountain of Madonna Verona. There was a small gold bird by his foot and the locals touch the bird for good luck. His right hand was holding the side of his coat and his left hand was behind his back holding a cane.
Statue of Berto Barbarani
The statue Civiltà Italica was erected in 1920 as a memorial to those who died on November 14th, 1915 when an Austrian bomb fell in Piazza Erbe during WWI. The statue was made of bronze by Egidio Girelli from Verona. It was a female attired in ancient dress with a sword in her hand.
Statue Civiltà Italica
Also found in the square was a small ancient podium known as the Capitello. It was used as a public shaming device or pillory. It dated from 1401 and was originally used as a podium to swear in magistrates.
The Capitello
The Colonna Viscontea, the Visconti Column occupied the place of the ancient Berlina which was used throughout the Venetian era for the public humiliation of condemned prisoners. It had a red marble base with a spiral at the corners and a pyramid shape at the top.
Colonna Viscontea or the Visconti Column
At one of the Piazza Erbe was the Maffei Palace. It was a historical palace that was built in the 15th century. The top floor had a balustrade with six statues of divinities: Hercules, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Apollo and Minerva.
In front of the Maffei Palace was St. Mark’s Column. It was made of white Veronese marble and erected by the city in 1523. The winged lion was placed on top of the column in 1524 and was sculpted by Pyrgoteles.
Maffei Palace and St. Mark’s Column
Located between Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori was an arch with a walkway above. The walkway was used by the magistrates to go from their residence to the court without walking on city streets and avoiding any “common or corrupt” people! The arch was called the Arco della Costa or Arch of the Rib. The name Arch of the Rib was named because of the rib bone of a whale that hung in the center of the arch. It was believed that it had been there since the 1700s and possibly longer! Various theories exist as to why it was placed there.
Arco della Costa or Arch of the Rib– the whale rib is partially hidden behind the street light
We walked along the Adige River which flows through Verona. It was the second longest river in Italy.
At the top of San Pietro hill in the picture below was Castel San Pietro, a fortress built in 1398 on the ruins of a fortress from between the 9th and 10th centuries. It stood for 400 years before it was destroyed by French soldiers in 1801. The fortress we saw was built in 1851.
Castel San Pietro on top of the hill
The Pietra Bridge was a Roman stone bridge that was constructed in the first century B.C.! It was a combination of two materials: the original Roman white stone and the bricks that replaced the damages from floods and war.
Pietra Bridge
Castel Vecchio and Scaliger Bridge
This fortified bridge also went over the Adige River and connected the late medieval castle. It was built between 1354 and 1356 and remained intact for at least five centuries. It was totally destroyed by the Germans retreating in 1945. It was reconstructed between 1949 and 1951.
The Verona Cathedral was built in 1187 in a Romanesque style. It was restored and enlarged in 1440. Inside there was a nave and two aisles with gothic columns in dark red Veronese marble with frescoes.
Outside the Verona CathedralInside the Verona Cathedral
Next to the Duomo was the Biblioteca Capitolare. It was founded in the 5th century and it was the oldest library in the world of those still in existence!
Biblioteca Capitolare
Castelvecchio was built in 1355 as a home and a defensive fortification. At one point it was used as barracks and since 1928 a museum.
Castlevecchio
Arco dei Gavi (Gavi’s Arch) was an ancient structure located just outside the Roman walls of the city.
The ancient Roman gate, Porta Borsari, was the main entrance to the city of Verona. It was built toward the end of the 1st century BC.
Porta Borsari front sidePorta Borsari other side
As we walked along the left bank of the Adige River we saw a park with a statue of the Italian painter Paolo Caliari or as he was known as, Paolo Veronese. Paolo was born in Verona but became more famous for his work in Venice. The statue of him was erected in 1888 and sculpted by Torquato Dalla Torre.
Statue of Paolo Veronese
The images below were more sights of our walk around Verona. We saw so much as we walked around the city!
After a late lunch we had a wine tasting excursion. There were 8 of us with our driver/guide and we would visit two different wineries. Our first stop was the Damoli Winery. The winery looked down on the town of Negrar about 9 miles from Verona.
Negrar, Italy
It was a small family run vineyard in the heart of Valpolicella Classica region north of Verona. Since they were a small winery they were known for the quality of their wines. It was established in 1623.
Original home from 1624, family lived there until the 70s
Lara, the daughter, gave us our tour and did the tasting with us.
Lara
All of their grapes were picked by hand. They had already started picking the grapes that were ready.
We sampled 4 different wines. Our first was a white wine and the other 3 were red. Our wine tasting was served with meat, cheeses, and breadsticks (They were even prepared for gluten free bread!) We enjoyed Lara’s great explanations about each wine before each tasting.
The next vineyard we visited was the Farina Winery. It had been producing wine for over 100 years and now the 4th generation of the Farina family runs the business. It also was located in the Valpolicella Classica region. In the 2000s they expanded and added new areas for bottling and wine cellaring.
Farina
Our guide gave us a tour of the winery. Farina also had begun to pick the grapes that were ready to begin the wine process.
Harvest 20-30 thousand grapes
We saw the oak barrels for wine and they also used concrete vats! This was the first time we have seen concrete vats used.
After our tour we tasted 5 different wines. First was Valpolicella and it was the youngest wine. Our second wine was Montecorna Valpolicella Ripasso. It was a Classico superior. The Amarone was the third wine and was a vintage 2022 with 15% alcohol content. The fourth wine was Montefante Amarone, 2017 with a 16% alcohol. Our last wine was a della Valpolicella which was a dessert wine.
After we returned from the winery we relaxed for a short time and then walked to dinner and found a restaurant along the Piazza Bra. It was a beautiful evening to eat outside.
Our restaurant
The moon was rising over the Verona Arena. It was the day before the full moon and lunar eclipse.
Across from the Verona Arena we saw an advertisement for the 2026 Winter Olympics that was projected on the Barbieri Palace. The closing ceremonies will be held in the Verona Arena!
This morning we checked out of our hotel in Milan and our next stop was Verona. There was a train strike today and we couldn’t get a ticket so we took a bus(Flixbus) from Milan to Verona. It took longer but at least we were able to find transportation!
On the Flixbus
When we arrived at the bus stop in Verona we walked with our luggage to Verona’s train station which wasn’t far away. Here we took a taxi to our hotel near the historic city center. Hotel Guilietta E Romeo was in a great location.
The hotel lobby.
After checking in and leaving our luggage in our room, we went out for a walk to begin exploring Verona. Our hotel was a block away from the arena. The Verona Arena hosted the Opera festival every summer. People come from around the world to attend. We didn’t realize this was the last few days of the Opera season or we would have tried to get tickets.
Verona Opera Festival
We took a walk around the arena and saw the props, costumes, and staging. It was located outside the arena. I don’t know what they do if it rains!
The Verona Arena was built in the 1st century and was the best conserved Roman amphitheatre.
The arena is beside the Piazza Bra. It was the largest public square in Verona and one of the largest in Europe. It also was busy!
Equestrian statue of Vittorio Emanuele II
This bronze monument of Vittorio Emanuele II was created by Ambroggio Borghi and erected in 1883. He was the first king of united Italy. It was located in Giardino park beside Piazza Bra.
Monument of the Fallen for Freedom
The Monument of the Fallen for Freedom was a statue by Mario Salazzari and created in 1946. It commemorated the anniversary of the Liberation of Italy on April 25th.
Palazzo Barbieri was the current seat of the Verona City Council. Its construction began in 1836 and was completed in 1848.
It was such a beautiful evening after dinner that we took a walk around the Piazza Bra.
We were up early to catch our bus for today’s excursion. Our route took us from Milan up to St. Moritz. It was a scenic route and we passed small villages on our way.
The Adda River was in northern Italy and was a tributary of the Po.
Adda River
Chiavenna
Chiavenna was a scenic location at the foot of the Rhaetian Alps located along the Italian and Swiss borders.
We passed the Acquafraggia waterfall. It was a multi-tiered waterfall located near Chiavenna.
Acquafraggia Falls
This waterfall was noted by Leonardo da Vinci who included descriptions and sketches of it in his notebooks.
We saw many homes in the Italian Alps roofs made from local stone slabs. These stone roofs were known for their longevity and resilience against the harsh alpine conditions, including cold weather, wind, and heavy snow.
Stone slab roofsAnother example of the stone roofs
Prata Camportaccio was a municipality in northern Italy. It was known for its Alpine beauty and outdoor activities.
Prata Camportaccio
On the Italian border was passed Castasegna. The town’s name meant chestnut grove and it had the largest chestnut forest in Europe.
Welcome to SwitzerlandCastasegna
We passed by Promontogno, a small village in Graubünden, Switzerland. It was located along the Maira River.
Promontogno
In the connecting village of Bondo we saw the Castelmur Castle. It was built in 1723 and was completed in 1854. Bondo purchased the castle in 1961 and converted it into a museum.
Castelmur Castle
To arrive in St. Moritz our bus followed the Strada Cantonale Maloja road. This was a climb up in the Swiss Alps. The Maloja Pass wasn’t for individuals who easily get motion sickness because of the many tight hairpin turns. The pass was 14.78 miles long. Our driver was amazing on these turns. We were glad to reach the town!
Maloja Pass
It you took your eyes off the hairpin turns, the scenery in the Alps was beautiful!
We got off the bus in St. Moritz. It was a luxury alpine resort in Switzerland’s Engadin Valley. It had hosted the Winter Olympics twice. Our guide called it the “playground of the rich and famous”. The population was about 5,000.
St. Moritz was 6,089 feet above sea level and known for having 322 days of sunshine a year! It was sunny when we visited but it was windy!
St. Moritz Library
The St. Moritz library was located in the old school building and was the largest building the Plazza Da Scoula. It has over 7,000 books in various languages.
It also was part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. St. Moritz was also the beginning site of Switzerland’s winter tourism.
Picture this covered in snow and skiers on the trails!
Schiefer Turm Bell Tower
The Schiefer Turm was a leaning bell tower in town. It was a 12th century bell tower of the demolished St. Mauritius church. It leaned at an angle of 5.5 degrees. The above picture really doesn’t show how it leaned but when we visited we could see the leaning of the tower.
St. Moritz has hosted the Winter Olympics twice. The first time was 1928 and this year was also the first Winter Olympics! The town also hosted in 1948.
The Cresta Run was a world-championship bobsled run and made from natural ice. It also had an outdoor Olympic ice rink.
The Cresta Rider was someone who tobogganed headfirst down the Cresta Run in St. Moritz. It was a dangerous and traditional ice course built anew every winter. It was run by the exclusive St. Moritz Tobogganing Club.
Cresta Rider
Our guide recommended if we wanted to have original Swiss cuisine, then go to the restaurant La Stalla. It was decorated in an alpine style.
La Stalla entranceInside decor
We went here to eat and ordered the traditional Swiss cheese fondue! It was SO good!
After lunch we had time to explore more of St. Moritz. The Hanselmann Bakery since 1894 was located in a historic building.
Hanselmann Bakery
Lake St. Moritz was located next to the edge of town. In the summer the lake was used for rowing, sailing, fishing, and stand-up paddling.
After our visit to St. Moritz we boarded the Bernina Express train! It was a UNESCO World Heritage route because of its scenic beauty and engineering.
Bernina Express
Our Bernina Express train ride was from St. Moritz to Tirano, Italy and lasted about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
The Bernina Express traveled on the highest railroad tracks in Europe.
From the train we saw the beautiful landscapes of the Alps. This was September and we still saw snow covered mountains and glaciers.
There were many waterfalls from the melting snow.
Everywhere we looked from the train it was a fantastic view.
We traveled on the Brusio Spiral Viaduct. It had nine-arches and was a stone spiral. This viaduct was built in 1908 to manage the steep gradient of the terrain.
Brusio Spiral Viaduct
Some of the quaint towns we passed on our ride.
We exited the train in Tirano, Italy. We met our bus here and went back to Milan. It was a full day. By the time we arrived at our hotel it was close to 9:00 PM. Due to our big lunch in St. Moritz we opted to go to the hotel bar and enjoy a glass of wine with some bar snacks! It was a full day but we loved every minute.
After breakfast at our hotel we met our guide at the Piazza del Duomo. It was the main square in Milan with the Milan Cathedral (Duomo) dominating the view. There also were cafes and fashion shops.
We met our guide Barbara and our first stop was the Duomo. Construction began in 1386 and used a Gothic architecture and it took six centuries to complete! Officially in 1965 the cathedral was complete. The facade was made from marble and the Duomo could hold up to 40,000! It was 515 feet long and 302 feet wide.
Milan Cathedral
The Duomo has 135 spires and each spire was topped with a statue.
The most famous spire and statue was “The Madonnina” perched on the highest spire. It was completed in 1773 and placed near the end of 1774. It was copper and covered in gold. Before the start of WWII in 1939 the Madonnina was covered with a grey-green cloth and it stayed on throughout the war. It was covered so it wouldn’t provide an easy target for the bombers.
The Madonnina
Inside the Milan Cathedral were thousands of images and it was said that it housed a nail to have been used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It had hung in the Cathedral since 1461 above the main altar. It’s marked by a red light. Once a year during the Rite of the Nivola and placed in a gilded wooden cross for all to see.
The nail was held above the main altar.where the nail was kept
The Gothic interior had huge stone pillars.
The floor of the Duomo was a symmetrical flowered pattern. It was made completely marble and was constructed by Martino Bassi. The Candoglia marble slabs were inlaid together with Arzo red and black Vannera marble from Lake Como.
Marble Floor
The Duomo had intricate stained-glass windows. The oldest dated from the 15th century and the newest from 1988. There were three large stained-glass windows that depicted different scenes located in the Apse. The window on the left depicted scenes from the Old Testament.
Old Testament Books
The middle window had scenes from the Apocalypse.
The Apocalypse
The right window depicted scenes from the New Testament.
New Testament
This was the only original stained-glass window in the church.
The Cathedral’s organ was from 1938 and had 15,800 pipes, 2 twin consoles with 5 keyboards and 211 registers!
The statue of St. Bartholomew was sculpted by Marco d’ Agrate in 1562. He was depicted flayed, holding a knife- the instrument of his martyrdom. In his other hand he had the Gospel. His own skin hung from his shoulders down his body, his hands, feet, bearded face and his curly hair.
St. Bartholomew
After visiting the Duomo, we walked through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II was a covered passage between the Duomo and the Teatro all Scala. It was the oldest shopping center in Italy. The Galleria was glass-topped and decorated with mosaics, caryatids, and had decorations that surrounded the windows and balconies.
Coat of Arms of the royal family, the Savoia
Bull that people put their heel and turn it 3 times.
We walked out of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to the Teatro alla Scala (La Scala). The opera house from 1778 was considered one of the leading opera and ballet theaters globally.
La Scala
We walked through the prestigious Brera neighborhood on our way to visit the Sforzesco Castle.
It was a 15th century fortification that was built on the ruins of a previous medieval fortress. It was commissioned by Francesco Sforza. It was a beautiful complex and very large.
Sforzesco Castle
Map of the complex
Over time the Castle had many masters. Now the complex houses an Art Gallery, an Archaeological Museum, various exhibitions, libraries and archives.
After our visit to the Castle we walked to the Chiesa di Santa Maria Delle Grazie to visit Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous Last Supper.
The Last Supper was painted between 1494 and 1498. Leonardo painted it on the wall of the dining room of the former Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. It was protected by air treatment, a maximum of 35 people can go in at a time, and you have 15 minutes to observe and admire the painting. This visit was a highlight for us!
This gives you a size comparison of the room and the painting.
During WWII to protect this masterpiece from bombings, local officials built a protective barrier of sandbag, wooden planks, and scaffolding around the wall of the fresco. Thank goodness the wall was protected because an Allied bombing attack heavily damage the roof and surrounding walls. We saw pictures from the damage and it was extensive!
On the opposite wall of the Last Supper fresco was Giovanni Donato Montorfano’s Crucifixion that was painted in 1495. It was a detailed depiction of the Crucifixion.
Crucifixion
Montorfano’s fresco was more durable because he used the traditional fresco way. He applied the paint to wet plaster where Da Vinci used an experimental method on dry plaster.
Since we had concentrated on the historical part of Milan we decided to do the Hop On Hop Off Blue line which covered more of “modern” Milan. This route gave us a chance to explore the outer areas of the city. We’ve included a few of the sights.
The Palazzo della Societá Buonarroti-Carpaccio-Giotto was designed by Piero Portaluppi and built between 1926 and 1930. This building was unique because he designed an archway in the building. The ground floor was for commercial businesses, the first floor had offices, and luxury residences on the upper floors. There were seven floors in all. It was definitely unique.
Palazzo della Societá Buonarroti-Carpaccio-Giotto
The archway provided access to the road through the arch and a city park was located to the right of the picture above.
We also was the Milano Centrale Railway Station. It was the main station for the city. It also was the largest railway station in Europe by volume!
Milano Centrale Railway Station
We saw some of the skyscrapers and housing on our ride.
Milan SkyscrapersLook at all of the plant life with this condo building.
Palazzo Luraschi was a 19th century palace, 1887, and was built by Ferdinando Luraschi. One of its key features was the columns were used from the demolished Lazzaretto. The Lazzaretto was once the site of a large quaratine hospital.
Palazzo Luraschi
Palazzo Bocconi was another 19th century residential palace built in 1871. It retained the historic features but had been updated for modern use. The palazzo was commissioned by Ferdinando Bocconi. He was a wealthy merchant and he founded the Bocconi University in memory of his late son Luigi.
Palazzo Bocconi
Palazzo Rocca- Saporiti was another Neoclassical palace constructed from 1800-1812. It was commissioned by Gaetano Belloni who managed the gaming room at La Scala. When prohibition of gambling occurred he was forced to sell his residence to the Marquis Rocca Saporiti. The balustrade supports ten statues that depicted mythological deities.
Palazzo Rocca-Saporiti
The Monument ai Bersaglieri was sculpted by Mario Robaudi and was unveiled in 1973. It was a tribute to the Bersaglieri which was Italy’s famed light infantry corps. They were known for their agility and marksmanship.
Monument ai Bersaglieri
The Verziere Column was dedicated to “Jesus Christ the Redeemer” and was named Verziere which was the name of the street market that was located in this area until 1783. The column construction began in 1580 but completed in 1673.
The Verziere Column
When we finished we walked back to our hotel, dropped off our stuff and then we enjoyed a glass of wine at the Wine Bar near the hotel. Tomorrow we are up early for our excursion to St. Moritz, Switzerland.
