Back in the car, we tricked the sat Nav by telling it we were going to Sondrio, and off we went. The drive through the long fertile valley was just beautiful. Flat plains full of crops & fruit trees& vines, and hillsides studded with vines and small villages, one after another. These valleys and passes have been used as the gateway to Northern Europe for more than 2,000 years, so there are some grand old churches and castles, built high on the hills. One can only imagine the difficulty of the construction back then. As we got closer to Sondrio, the architecture change to more Swiss style homes, wooden, with colourful window boxes full of blooms. The drive was just one beautiful scene after another, with raging rivers, green fields and those huge mountains looming above it all.
We reprogrammed the sat Nav, and we're now enroute to Bolzano over the mountains. Our next stop was Tirano, where we planned to have lunch, and investigate a rail journey that is run by the Swiss, and takes people up over the mountains to the famous ski resort of St. Moritz. Unfortunately, it was a 5 hour round trip, so it was put into the "next time" basket. Arriving in Tirano, one could have been mistaken that the sat Nav had brought us to Osaka! There were bus loads of Japanese, and more and more just kept rolling in! Now I struggle with the concept that there are families all over Japan sitting around in their lounge rooms, planning their next holiday in Tirano Italy! Why are they here? Surely they must come to visit St. Moritz! One thing is for certain, they were giving the waiters in all the restaurants a stressful time! We tried two restaurants before we could get a waiter to talk to us. They were too busy funnelling out plates of Vienna Schnitzel & Apple Strudel to Japs! We finally found a place that had a limited set menu, and opted to share a pizza. We sat next to a clumsy German, who knocked over every item put on his table! I was dreading the arrival of the drinks order! Right on cue, a shower of mineral water came our way! The waiters were so fed up they just left his steak to swim around the plate. Finally his wife asked for napkins as we asked for our bill!
We were now headed for a real treat. We were going to be driving up and over the famous Stelvio Pass. It is one of the world's greatest drives. My brother Neil & wife Adrienne did it in 2013, and we wanted to be sure to include it on our itinerary. It is simply incredible. The pass is shut for much of the year, being officially open from June 1st to August 31st, subject to weather. We were in luck. The road was busy, with lots of motor cyclists, cyclists, and car enthusiasts. Sections of the road are one way only, and the switchback turns are so steep that if you meet another car, one has to wait. The same applies to some of the tunnels which are one way only. At one tunnel, which was around 300 metres long, we had only just started into it, when we met a host of cars coming towards us. We had to back up about 75 metres, dodging the motor bikes that had followed us in! It was all accomplished with limited fuss and no aggro which is the Italian way! We stopped a number of times to take pictures and just look down at the winding road. As we climbed, it got colder & colder, with the car thermometer dropping from 34 when we left Tirano, to 12 as we crested the top of the pass, which was still covered in icy snow. We have been lucky enough to do some of the world's great drives, and this was another experience we will never forget. As much fun as it was getting to the top, it was just as much fun doing it all again down the other side! The scenery changed dramatically from ice & snow to rocks and rivers and then forests. Quite incredible to see so much change in such a little time.
Down on the flat, we followed the river along another fertile valley floor to Bolzano. In this valley they were growing fruit, mostly apples and stone fruit. We passed mile after mile of them. Guess it's all that apple strudel! We arrived in Bolzano and were immediately impressed. Nestled below the Dolomites in a valley, it is both an old and new city. It is situated at the junction of two rivers, and is tree lined and full of flowers. We found our accommodation, a small apartment, and called the owner to come let us in. The apartment was right on the edge of the old town. A lovely young man, with the very unItalian name of Daniel, arrived on his push bike in a couple of minutes, and let us in. We were immediately impressed with the security, and what we found was an almost brand new, and incredibly modern designed little one bedroom apartment. It had a wall bed, that easily pulled down over the sofa, a very modern bathroom, and a small kitchenette in a cupboard. A fold down table and two chairs completed the furniture. It was very smart indeed, and had two small balconies. Daniel gave us a parking permit that allowed us to park as a resident, and we just left the car parked at the front door. We could walk into town in 5 minutes. First up, we walked to the supermarket to get our breakfast supplies of cereal & yoghurt, plus heaps of fresh fruit. With the larder stocked, we left in search of drinks & dinner.
Unless someone told you, you would believe you are in Switzerland or Germany, not Italy! All signs are in Italian & German, and the ears pick up more German than Italian in the conversations. The restaurants are either Italian or German, though many sell both. We decided that after so much Italian food, we would try something German, so we found a suitable establishment, and ordered our drinks, a good German Wheat Beer for John & white wine for Carolyn. We perused the dinner menu, and decided on Wiener Schnitzel for Carolyn & the Sausage of the day for John. It all tasted so different! We woofed it down. In true German style, the servings were huge, so there was no room left for Apple Strudel! Next time.
Next morning after breakfast we were at the Tourist Office bright and early. We had seen a couple of cable cars heading into the mountains, and wanted to know what else there was to see around Bolzano. The girl was so helpful, and we quickly had our time in Bolzano planned. We had purchased a three day Bolzano Pass each, which gave us access to all the museums, and included all our travel on trains, buses & cable cars. First up we headed to the cable car to take us up the mountain to Soprabolzano, a quaint little village in the mountains looking all Swiss. The scenery from the modern cable car was fantastic, looking down over the town of Bolzano, the vineyards & farmland and at the imposing formations of the Dolomites. At Soprabolzano we hopped on board the little two carriage train, that wound its way across the mountains to another quaint town called Collalbo. From here, there are dozens of walks & hikes to be done. We chose a walk that took us through a forest area and gave us wonderful views of the Dolomites. As we walked back to the station, we decided to have a light lunch at one of the many hotels that make up the towns. We encountered Dumb & Dumber on a day out, masquerading as wait staff. They told us lunch was being served, then removed all the menus & specials boards. We asked for menus, so they brought us snack menus. One item on the menu was soup of the day. It took 10 minutes to find out the soup of the day! Carolyn ordered soup, and I ordered a sandwich. She brought out two soups, realising her mistake as she arrived. There was no spoon, so Carolyn had to go in search, where she just got dumb looks. Finally a huge serving spoon arrived. We waited for ages for my sandwich to arrive, but it never came, nor did Carolyn's bread roll for the soup. When we had had enough we just gave them enough money to cover the soup & left! Total disaster! We boarded the little train for the journey back to Soprabolzano, where we took solace with a fantastic iced coffee, served by a young guy who knew what he was doing! We sat and took in the mountain air & scenery, then jumped on the cable car for the return trip. A fantastic day in the Dolomites. We sat in Piazza Walther and enjoyed a cold drink before heading back home to get ready for dinner. This square is home to the magnificent cathedral that has a brightly coloured green & yellow tiled roof. Quite stunning.
Tonight we first found a nice little bar and ordered drinks. Carolyn had seen a refreshing looking drink full of ice and sprigs of mint. The barman could not explain it, and soon returned with a young lady who was enjoying that same drink and who spoke English. She said the drink did not have an English name! It was only available around this part of Italy! It was a special local wine, to which soda & prosecco were added plus mint & ice. Carolyn thought it was delicious & refreshing, but God knows how we will ever order one again! Might just have to point & hope for the best! We decided on German again for dinner. Carolyn had a desire for goulash, and boy did she bite off more than she could chew! It was enormous, but delicious. The rich sauce was to die for. John had decided on a modest serve of pork ribs, which were also great, and then took on the goulash leftovers. We could not finish the goulash, so Apple strudel was again out of the question! We waddled home, promising to go back to Italian the next night.
Next morning we started late, with coffee at the local cafe almost next door to our place. The guys who ran the place were lovely. We then headed off to our first museum, to see Otzi the Ice Man. You probably remember when his mummified remains were found in a glacier in 1991. Well old Otzi created quite a storm, as it turned out he was almost 5,500 years old, and changed history for the people of that part of the world. The new museum, purpose built to house the original mummified remains, is very well done. We got to peer into the freezer room & see him, and spent a lot of time looking at the excellent exhibits. From here we wandered down into Piazza Walther to get the shuttle bus out to Castel Roncolo, a Unesco listed sight that contains some of the world's best frescos, that are non religious in theme. The walk up to the castle almost killed us, but it was worth it. Many of the frescos are in very good condition, considering they are 700 years old. It was well worth the trip. We took the shuttle back to town, and that night we decided just to share pizza & salad for dinner. Next morning we were packed and ready to leave early, as we had a deadline to meet regarding the return of our car. The office in Padova, closed at 12.30pm. We had really loved our time in Bolzano.
We took the fast route down the Autostrada to Padova. The Italians drive incredibly fast on the autostradas so you have to be very alert. The speed signs are treated as guides only, and the police seem only to act if driving is reckless. We were told that an old Fiat doing 150kph would attract attention, but a Ferrari doing 200kph would not! We were constantly doing 145kph just to keep up! A short visit to the fast lane to pass, needed great vigilance in the rear view mirror, as a Porsche or similar would make up ground so quickly! A visit to the fast lane by a truck or bus doing 80kph saw some massive braking with hazard lights flashing & horns blowing. But everyone is vigilant and we felt much safer than on a run down the M5! We found our hotel in Padova in good time, dropped off the bags with a bewildered concierge, and found the Avis office a short distance away. It was just on the other side of the station, so an easy walk back. The concierge at the hotel was most helpful with maps & directions and ways to get around. He even gave us restaurant recommendations, one of which, his favourite, we took for that night. Before dinner, we took a walk into town, where we found Padova much larger than we had expected, with even the old part of the city spread out over a large area.
We had chosen to stay at Padova versus Venice for a couple of reasons. Firstly, we had two big things to do in Padova, and secondly, having been to Venice before, we could avoid the high hotel prices, and yet be there in 30 minutes by fast train from Padova. Padova is a very old city, much older than Venice, and has so much history. The highlight of our first day in Padova, was dinner at the restaurant recommended by our concierge. We took a taxi to Antico Brolo, and found a lovely place, all air conditioned & cool, with waiters in long white aprons. The restaurant is famous for seafood & home made pastas, so that is the way we went. We shared an entree of flash fried baby calamari in a filo pastry shell and served with deep fried pumpkin flowers. What a way to start. It was the lightest batter we had ever eaten, and the pumpkin flowers, stuffed with ricotta were sensational. Carolyn's pasta was similar to the small trufie pasta, but had a different name, and came with prawns and vegetables, whilst John had another tube pasta with swordfish & capers. Both were sensational, and so full of flavour. We shared a wonderful bottle of local Pinot Grigio, and finished with an equally fantastic creme brûlée. This was right up there with the best meals we have had in Italy. The fresh pasta was exceptional. We took a slow walk home.
The next day was Sunday, and we were up early as we had an 8.00am departure on the Il Burchiello for a canal cruise from Padova to Venice. Our friend Win had put us onto this. From the 15th & 16th centuries, cargo had been moved from the coast to Padova along a series of canals. From the 16th century, the Brenta Canal, became a playground for the rich merchants from Venice, and hundreds of summer Villas were built along the canal, which became known as the Brenta Riviera. This was a fantastic day, despite the oppressive heat. The journey passes through a series of locks, five in total, and ends at San Marco Square in Venice. Along the way, in addition to the locks, ten swing bridges have to be opened to let us pass. We visited three villas along the canal. The first, and by far the most impressive, is in the village of Stra. It is Villa Pisani, the Doge's summer palace, and is a grand building along palace of Versaile proportions with huge gardens as well. It has 114 rooms, to fit in with the fact that Pisani was the 114th Doge of Venice! The rooms are painted with incredible frescos, by the greatest artists of the time. No expense was spared. Over history, people like Napoleon have stayed here. In fact he owned it at one stage, and in 1934, the first meeting between Adolph Hitler & Mussolini took place here. We did a full guided tour, of this now state owned villa. Next stop was the Villa Widmann, a more typical Villa, much smaller in size, but still with wonderful gardens, and treasures inside. At one stage we had to be transferred off our boat and put onto a bus. A couple of weeks ago, a tornado had torn though a section of the river, smashing Villas and bringing down trees. There was no navigation allowed until the canal had been checked by divers. We passed a section where hundreds of volunteers were working on the damaged Villas. It was sheer devastation.
We stopped in Oriago for lunch. After much discussion, we had decided to opt for the light lunch option offered. The restaurant we stopped at, also called Il Burchiello, was fantastic. Thank God we opted for the light lunch! We got a seafood entree of Squid with Polenta, followed by a huge serving of Fritto Misto with Salad, and a lemon cake for dessert. To wash it down we got a bottle of wine and a bottle of water! The food was fantastic. Those who had opted for the full lunch, got an extra course of pasta! It is the best meal we have ever had on a tour. After lunch we got one more tour, this time of the Villa Foscari at a place called Malcontenta. This villa is still privately owned by a member of the Foscari family. It has beautiful grounds, immaculately kept by the live in caretaker. It was a wonderful location by the canal, and the building has some great artworks still intact. From there it was just smooth sailing along the canal, which is a haven for picnickers and boat owners, before we headed out across the Venice Lagoon and our drop off at San Marco Square. A truly wonderful day, though I must say that the lady providing the commentary on this tour, must be being paid by the word! All the way, there was a constant banter in both Italian & exaggerated English! When we arrived in Venice it was bedlam. There were five cruise ships in port, it was Sunday so lots of locals, and it was hot. We wandered around the square for some time, then found a place in a back laneway to have a drink and watch the end of the Wimbledon Men's Final, before boarding the water bus to take us up the Grand Canal to the station to catch a train home to Padova. Now that was one full day!
A slower start to Monday, with a later breakfast before a walk down to the Scrovengi Chapel for our guided tour. This is one of the most famous things to do in Padova. It is home to one of the greatest collections of Frescos ever painted by the Italian Master, Giotto. To see these frescos, requires a prebooked time. The whole event is bit like Max Smart and the Cone of Silence! You arrive at your designated time, are herded into a chamber, where our group is sealed in and dehumidified, before being led into the Chapel, for 15 minutes of looking. They are so intent on preserving this treasure. We have seen no other exhibit where such lengths have been taken to preserve the treasures. They are impressive, and when you consider they were painted in the early 1300's it is just amazing. Giotto has painted the people with expression and showing emotion. This was the first time an artist had drawn tears on faces. They are quite beautiful, and in keeping with the time all depict the life and times of Christ and stories from his life. Interestingly, the chapel was built by the son. His father was the Userer referred to in Dante's Inferno, and the son was trying to buy his father's way into heaven. Not sure how he went with that! No photos allowed at the Scrovengi Chapel!
Following our tour, we found a nice little place for coffee. I don't think I mentioned this before, but we have found a way to enjoy our coffee even on the hottest day. Back in Turin, Carolyn had spied a drink being delivered to a nearby table. It was called Cafe Shakkerata, so we had one. It is just espresso coffee, with or without sugar, put into a cocktail shaker and shaken like crazy. Served in a champagne or wine glass it is cold and refreshing without all the cream! After coffee we jumped on a fast train and headed back to Venice for the rest of the day. They sure don't miss you on the water bus! A return trip down the Grand Canal is €15 per person! A Daily ticket is €20 per person. The boats are packed all day and all night. We took the water bus down the Grand Canal, got off at San Marco, and wandered our way through the back lanes and lots of shops, to the Rialto Bridge, which is of course under renovation. At least they are only working on one side! The crowds were still big, but not as bad as the day before. There is something about Venice. It is such a unique city with waterways instead of roads. It must be one of the busiest cities on the planet, and boy is it commercial! Since our last visit seven years ago, we cannot believe how many street stalls there are now. There are rows and rows of them everywhere, and they are the licenced ones! Add the fact that half of Africa is here, illegally selling handbags, sunglasses, selfie sticks etc. and there is hardly room for the tourists to move around! It is so funny watching all these 7 Foot tall Africans trying to melt into the crowd when a policeman is spotted! But all in all, you just can't help loving the place. We found a nice restaurant/bar along the canal not far from the Rialto Bridge, and sat and had a couple of drinks as we watched the passing parade. We decided to have dinner there as the staff were great and the prices reasonable, so we shared a spaghetti marinara, which was good. We finished off with a gelato, and hopped on a train back to Padova.
Today, Tuesday, is all about getting ready for the cruise which leaves tomorrow. We have washing to do and some repacking, and of course I am blogging away. This will be the last blog on the land part of our wonderful Italian Odyssey. We have had the most amazing time, and seen so many things it will take a lifetime to remember them all. Not sure how we will ever settle down again. One thing is for certain though, we wouldn't have missed this trip for anything in the world. Not sure how we will go with a blog whilst cruising. I will if I can. If not, I will be back online when we get back home.
For now, arrivederci Italia!
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