A Taste of Italy

 A week after we picked up our Greek residency permits; we were on our way to Italy. 

The Scout had kicked into high gear within 48 hours of having them in hand: house sitters and plane tickets booked for the following week. When you've had months to dream about travel, it didn't take long to put a plan into action.

A glass of Vermentino wine - a toast to travel

That's why we found ourselves sipping a chilled Vermentino white wine and dining in Bergamo, Italy on the third Thursday of July, the first evening of our week-long taste of Italy. After spending a night there we would hop a train to Trieste, for a long weekend in this Italian city tucked in between the Adriatic Sea and Slovenia.  

From Bergamo to Trieste, a week-long taste of Italy

Bergamo Bound

We've explored much of Italy in our years of travel, but Bergamo, with its ancient roots in the Lombardy district, was a new to us. In northern Italy, it is a mere 25 miles from Milan, not far from Lake Como and the Alps provide a striking backdrop when you approach it by train or plane.  

Its airport, the third busiest in Italy, is a hub for the low-cost airline, Ryan Air, which luckily for us has weekly flights there from Kalamata in high season.

Extra leg room seats on Ryan Air

Ryan Air, however, is the butt of a lot of jokes about its 'you-get-what-you-pay-for' business model and you pretty much do pay for everything, including water. Carry-on bag and extra leg room, cost us a bit more but it was worth it as you can tell by the photo of The Scout in the seat with extra room.

Ryan Air on board dining

Because of a skipped lunch and a flight delay, we gave into hunger and ordered a sandwich from the limited onboard menu.  For 6.50 euros/ $7.60US we were served a sandwich with a December 2026 expiration date.  Couldn't help but wonder, what year it had been made?

Beautiful Bergamo

Citta Alta from Bergamo's Lower Town

But we do need to thank Ryan Air for introducing us to one of the most amazing Italian cities we've ever visited. It was such a charming place that we shuffled our original plans and added an extra night there on our return. That way we could spend two nights in its old walled city, citta alta, the upper town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  

Strolling the Lower Town

We spent our first evening and the following morning exploring the Lower Town before heading to the train station.  The streets were so inviting and pedestrian friendly that we strolled for hours exploring landmarks and shops. What a joy it was to be back in the land of bookstores! We visited three within 30 minutes, leaving them with enough books to keep us entertained for a few weeks (and that also fit in our carry-on bags).   

Early morning street scene citta alta Bergamo

Their municipal bus system was economical and easy to use. On our return from Trieste, we caught the bus at the train station at the far end of Lower Town and had a scenic tour through it and then from the route up the hill to the Upper Town where our Bed and Breakfast was located. It cost less than four euros for the both of us.  

The Scout was excelling on this trip as a short-order planner.  He'd originally booked us in Venice (half way between the two cities) for two nights, but after seeing Bergamo we knew we needed more time in its old walled city. He cancelled our reservations for Venice and managed to nab us a bed-and-breakfast style four-room hotel in Bergamo's walled city. 

Our room at Palazzo Porta Picta Bergamo

We got the last room available for our dates at Palazzo Porta Picta, a relative newcomer to the hospitality scene there, but one that has drawn rave reviews.  It was luxurious and the cost was only 25 euros more per night than we had paid at the rather non-descript Best Western in Lower Town where we'd stayed the week before. This room came with breakfast included, that one didn't.

Staying within the ancient walls allowed us to explore the old town from early morning until dark. And explore we did! But our brief time allowed only a visit to one of its nine museums, and we walked past one of the four towers; we had no time to ride either of the two funiculars, didn't climb any of the 15 stairways, or set foot inside the castle, or the theatre. . .you get the picture. There is far too much to see and do in a day and a half. We could have spent our entire week here and not seen it all. And that was just the Upper Town. . .

From atop the ancient fortress

There are also five historic neighborhoods, nine art Nouveau villas, five museums, two historic manors and a shopping quadrilateral in the Lower Town.

A sea of green surrounds Bergamo

And the city sits amid a green oasis being surrounded by Parco di Colli, a corolla of 4,700 hectares, more than 11,600 acres. . .so much more to explore! We've vowed to return and not only for the sightseeing and exploration. Our stomachs yearn to return!  

Bergamo Casoncelli will bring us back

We will go back, if for no other reason, than to eat another plate of their local pasta specialty, Casoncelli, little pockets stuffed with meat, similar to a ravioli.  Our carb-free approach to life flew out the window when we shared this dish.  The butter sauce flavored with sage was so good we emptied the basket of bread wiping the serving dish after eating the pasta pockets.  An alternate version is Scarpinocc, with the pockets filled with cheese. 

Waitng for the train in Bergamo - glad it wasn't raining!

The Bergamo train station is under renovation, so we waited outside for the first of three trains we'd take to Trieste.  The one pictured took us to Brescia. From there another train took us to Mestre (Venice) and from there a final train took us to Trieste. 

We had a few mad dashes up and down stairways and along train platforms but made each connection and by early evening we were settled into Trieste.  

The train to Brescia arrives in Bergamo

Next time I will tell you about eating sauerkraut for breakfast and pizza for dinner in this city that offers a tantalizing blend of Italian, Austrian, and Hungarian culture and cuisine.  Thanks for being with us today - we hope you'll come back for another serving of our Taste of Italy!

Who would go to Italy in summer?

We knew better. But we did it anyway. We went to Italy the end of June.

It is hot in Italy in the summer. And it's crowded with tourists. Hotel prices are at all-time highs. Who would want to go to Italy in the summer, we've asked ourselves time and time again over the years.

Tourists in Florence Italy - early morning

And then two weeks ago we took off to see first-hand if Italy was as hot and crowded as we believed it to be in the summer!

Actually, Italy wasn't our first destination of choice. We'd booked a trip to Jordan's Wadi Rum. It was to be my 'birthday trip' (a bit early) and a celebration of our late June anniversary. Luxury camping in the desert - what a trip, it would be! 

But then we came to our senses: staying in a tent in the desert the end of June probably wasn't going to be the wisest nor most pleasant of travel experiences. We started having visions of headlines about an elderly (aka 'crazy old coots') American couple dying of heat strokes. Then we cancelled the trip.

Italian vineyard as seen from a train

The Scout went to work and mapped out a more reasonable week-long getaway than the Jordanian desert: 

We'd fly from Kalamata to Bergamo, in northern Italy. Then take a bus to Milan, catch a train to Florence, spend a few days there, then another train to the southern port city of Bari. From it, we'd sail a Greek ferry back to Patras, a port city in the north of the Peloponnese and then take a bus to Kalamata where we'd left our car at the airport. Leave Monday, returning the following Monday.

Sometimes it works. . .

Row one Ryan Air - leg room aplenty!

It is a snap flying out of Kalamata's small, well-worn airport, located just over an hour's drive away from our home in the rural Mani. With reservations at the parking lot next to the airport (and a daily rate of three euros), the trip began without a hitch.

Loading the bus to Milan at Bergano - tourists aplenty!

Ryan Air, one of Europe's low-cost airlines, got us to Bergamo for a ridiculously low 125 euros a ticket (which included an additional fee for an upgraded seat with extra leg room and a checked bag). Bergamo's airport was modern and easy to navigate. Collecting our bags and buying bus tickets to Milan - all a snap. The bus stopped at the Milan train station, what could be easier?

Those best laid plans. . .

Italian high speed trains - usually on time

We'd had an unfortunate experience with buying Italian train tickets in advance on an earlier trip there this year. Our flight had been delayed, we missed the window for changing tickets, and didn't make the train either. We ended up paying a high price for a taxi to get us to our intended destination. This time we wouldn't risk a late plane. . .we planned to book the train tickets while on that bus heading to the train station. There are many trains a day, plenty of choices. . .or so we thought.

The Scout watches the estimated time of arrival screen 

It was a good plan until all the fast trains showed, 'sold out'. . .for all seats all but the 400-euro Executive Class. Yes, Italy was apparently full of tourists just like we had suspected, and they'd filled the trains.  We finally booked a cheaper 'bucket run' option that had us stopping in Bologna, and changing trains at the first Florence station to board a different train that would take us the remaining five minutes to the city's main station. 

Italian countryside from our train

But our train out of Milan was delayed by a few minutes. . .just enough minutes to require us to grab our bags and run through that first Florence station, up a flight of stairs and fling ourselves unceremoniously into the second train with about a minute to spare before the doors shut. Panting and sweaty, but we were aboard the train that would take us the last five minutes of the multi-hour journey.   

You want to go where?

Streets are narrow in Oltrarno 

Finally, far later than we originally had planned, we loaded ourselves and bags into one of taxicabs at the main train station, breathing a sigh of relief at finally being in Florence.  I handed the cab driver the slip of paper with the hotel name and address. 

"I don't know this place," he snapped, adding, "And I don't know this street."

Luckily our Greek phone works throughout the European Union so I placed a call to the hotel. He got us there after chatting with the hotel, but I couldn't help feeling that he was as tired of tourists as we were of traveling!

Fabulous but Frantic Florence

Oltrarno late at night was free of tourists

Florence may well be our favorite city in Italy. We had again chosen to stay in the city's Oltrarno, a place busy by day but delightfully not busy at night. 

The centuries-old mural in our room

We ultimately arrived at the hotel, the San Pier Novello in Oltrarno, a small B and B hotel tucked away on an upper floor of a historic building in Florence's Left Bank. The location was a good one, we were footsteps from the entry of the magnificent Boboli Gardens. 

Lots of space for tourists at Boboli Gardens 

The gardens -visited early in the day to avoid the heat -- were the only tourist site we tackled during our stay. It is so large you seldom saw others. However, the lines at museums and other sites were as long as we had suspected they might be. 

'Molto buono', the finger-to-the-cheek gesture

We celebrated our anniversary at our favorite Oltrarno restaurant, Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco (the white boar) but only because we were willing to arrive at 6:30 - they couldn't otherwise guarantee a table. The waiter (pictured above) suggested a Super Tuscan wine that he described through his gesture as being, 'molto buono' (very good!). It was!

All Aboard for Bari

There is no direct train connecting Florence to Bari. Our trip required a change of trains in Rome.  We had a 15-minute connection time, which is quite manageable because the trains seem to always run on time. Well, always, up until this trip. 

Delays appear in the upper right hand corner of the screen

We'd missed our connection in Rome before we left the Florence train station - our train was 18 minutes late departing. We'd not gone far before they announced the train's arrival would be 45 minutes late. We'd never make the connection. But luckily, it was not our fault, so we stood in a ticket line for nearly an hour in Rome and got ourselves another train leaving two hours later. 

Trenitalia still has a ticket office staffed with real humans 

But then. . .you know what's coming, don't you? That later train got delayed and we arrived in Bari an hour and 15 minutes later than the already later arrival had us getting there. It was dusk, moving into dark by the time we arrived.

One of Bari's commercial buildings at night

And then there were no taxis to be had at the train station. (We learned later you must call for them). We had no idea where the place was that we had rented. It was a highly rated place, Four Rooms, but with no on-site staff other than a maid we bumped into one morning. You let yourself in the building, to the accommodation and finally your room. They communicated by SMS. There was no one to call. 

Finally, we managed to have a taxi driver stop long enough to tell us, 'I could take you. But it is so close you can walk it.'  We did and it was only a matter of a few blocks away. I am not so sure that had I been traveling as a single I would have taken that option in a totally new place that time of night.

Old town Bari was enchanting

We had only one full day in Bari, but we had a good overview of its new pedestrian-friendly commercial area, its old town and its port and seaside. We have vowed to go back to that delightful city. 

Ferry from Bari arrives Patras, Greece 7 a.m.

Next time, however, it won't be in summer. And we won't travel by train if it is anywhere near summer.

 We will travel by ferry to and from Greece, which was one of the high point experiences of this trip.  The ferry left Bari at 1 p.m. and arrived the next morning in Patras, Greece, a port city in the Peloponnese about four hours from Kalamata.  Within an hour and a half of disembarking the ferry, we were on a bus back to Kalamata - that trip, also a great ending to our whirlwind adventure.

Patras to Kalamata - a great ending

Lessons learned. . .we now at least know who doesn't want to go to Italy again in the summer:  us! 

 That is it for this time. We hope your travels are going well.  Having any similar 'best-laid-plans' stories for us? Leave a comment or send us an email if you do!  Until next time, thanks for the time you spent here today!  Wishes for continued safe travels ~

Travel: During The Best or Worst of Times

 We just returned from a week in a mostly windswept, rain-drenched Italy. A storm system arrived two days after we did.

Under the Tuscan Sun. . .briefly

Locals lamented our timing. "It was beautiful last week and it will be next week," we were assured time and time again as we made our way from Bologna to Florence and finally, Rome. The two photos taken on our train trip between Florence and Rome illustrate the fickle weather we experienced. The rain spells lasted longer than the sun bursts.

Tuscan rainstorm washed away the sun

Memories of what had been the weather and promises of that which was to come would do us no good - we were there for a week. While it certainly wasn't the best of times for a trip, it certainly wasn't the worst either. 

Pasta with cinghiale, wild boar, ragu

Walking between four and five miles a day, consuming as much pasta and Italian wine as we could and absorbing as many sights as possible in each of our stops made the week speed past. It will go down in the memory book as one of the best of times.

Travel Timing

We continue to read of people, Americans, in particular, postponing travel to Europe because of  'all that is going on over there' -  referencing Covid transmissions, Covid travel regulations/rules, and recently, the potential impact of the conflict in Ukraine. Some cite fears of food shortages and/or increased prices for food and fuel. 

For those folks concerned about one of more of those topics, this would be the worst of times for travel no matter what assurances I tried to provide. But because of those hesitant to travel, we decided it just might be one of the best times to travel.

Waiting to get near the Trevi Fountain - Rome

I guess we believed those headlines about tourism being down and people not traveling were painting an accurate picture of tourism. The reality is: people ARE traveling. Lots of people!  And many of them Americans.

It was most evident in Rome where prior to our arrival I had said I wanted to see the Trevi Fountain again  'before it was again overrun with tourists'.  It is the fountain, the centerpiece of the 1954 movie, 'Three Coins in the Fountain' where you stand near its edge, facing away from it and  toss a coin over your shoulder and make a wish to return to Rome.  Well, had I really wanted to make that wish, I'd probably still be standing there waiting to get anywhere near the fountain.  

Midway point in the line to enter the Pantheon - Rome

Moving on, we found ourselves nearing the Pantheon, I asked The Scout if he wanted to go in, as it has been years since we 'd last done that.  Luckily he didn't have his heart set on a return visit as we'd still be standing in the entrance line that stretched across the piazza and down a street.

Italian cappuccino can't be beat

Yet, the crowds haven't reached the pre-pandemic levels and we often found ourselves on small side streets meandering past shops and bars still frequented primarily by locals.  Those were some of the best of times, even with the umbrella unfurled and braced against the wind.

A highpoint of travel in Italy is indulging in cappuccinos,  - standing at the counter as locals do in the neighborhood bar.  The price had not changed: still 1.50 euros when consumed at the bar in the places we stopped. The cost goes up if you sit at a table but still is no more than what we pay in Greece: about 3 euros a cup.

A neighborhood bar in Florence

And when I write about drinking coffee or wine at the neighborhood bars, I am talking about tiny little places like the one pictured above.  

Table wine purchase by the half liter - 3 euros

Our whirlwind trip began in Bologna, the city we visited last fall. We found it far busier that it had been a few months ago but food and drink prices remained much as we remembered them being - quite reasonable. We stayed at the same hotel -- in the heart of the city's historic center - that we had last November. We were delighted to find a grocery store had opened across the street since our last visit.  I can report that shelves were full of essentials as well as gourmet treats.

The photo above was taken at a restaurant just off the Piazza Maggiore in Bologna.  The house red wine was served as it is in Greece, by the liter. This is a half liter that cost 3 euros - and The Scout deemed it the best 3-euro half liter of wine he'd ever consumed!

Time to Travel

Florence at night

For us the time to travel is now.  We've lost two years to Covid.  Soon we will find ourselves again unable to leave Greece as we begin the renewal process for our residency permits. It is a slow process made slower by backlogs from the Covid lockdown and a new online application system that doesn't seem to have streamlined the process at all.  

Street side restaurant Bologna

In the last year we've lost good friends - and fellow travel enthusiasts. Each loss has been a sad reminder to carpe diem, seize the day. Tomorrow's travels aren't promised.  

The question of best or worst of times for travel must be answered by each individual traveler. I can tell you that the European Union is slowly lifting travel restrictions and requirements, making travel seem much more like it used to be. On this trip we were required to wear masks inside airports, public transport, hotels, retail and food and beverage establishments. Waitstaff told us on several occasions that Italy plans to discontinue the mask requirement the first of May. But aside from being rather tedious to wear it - it didn't impact the travel experience.

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We hope that if you are traveling your experiences are good ones. Write and tell us about them in the comments below or shoot us an email.  We will continue the Italy tour in our next post. Until then, happy travels ~ be they be in real time or by armchair.   And welcome to our new subscribers, it is nice to have you with us!!  If you haven't yet signed up (subscribed)  to receive these posts as emails, (for free), just fill in your address in the box on the home page.

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That Night in Verona. . .

 'Romeo, Romeo. . .wherefore art thou Romeo?' Juliet called out in Shakespeare's tragic tale of two star-crossed lovers.

Verona Italy street scene

Romeo was in Verona, Italy, as was his love, Juliet. 

And on a chilly weekend not so long ago, so were we.

Verona at Night

We were here as part of our 10-day Italian Escapade that began in Bologna (see previous post) and ended in Venice.  Both cities have charmed us on past visits. We'd decided to include a one-night stay in some place we'd never visited before - one located along the train's route between our two old favorites. A mix of nostalgia and new is always a good travel combination.

Verona - a stop between Bologna and Venice

After much pondering and a bit of research we decided that night would be spent in Verona, a city of 265,000.  

That Night in Verona

Rooms, considering it was late November, seemed surprisingly scarce and rather expensive. As it turns out we were visiting on the weekend of the Verona Marathon - an annual event that traditionally draws a couple thousand runners to the town.

We ended up paying a bit more than we had planned for a hotel room, but in return, got more than we ever could have imagined. Due Torre Hotel was a few blocks from the city's main square, a few blocks from the winding Adige River and opened onto Piazza Sant' Anastasi. 

Piazza Sant'Anastasia - Verona

In other words, a perfect location for setting off on foot to explore.

Lobby Due Torre Hotel - Verona, Italy

I have to admit that I could have spent my short stay just sitting in the lobby of our hotel, a former palace of the Della Scala, a Middle Ages clan who are remembered for both being murderous tyrants and patrons of the arts.  Quite honestly it felt we'd stepped back in time (despite all the modern conveniences) and were staying in a palace!

The Lobby Bar - Due Torre Hotel Verona, Italy

The Italian hotel group that operates the hotels outdid themselves on restoration of this facility. The lobby and its elegant bar were among the most stupendous we've ever seen. Breakfast, included in the room rate, was served one floor above the lobby in an equally elegant dining room..  And I just have to add for all my fellow pet lovers, the posh palace welcomes animals. These two four-footed guests were adorable!

Four-footed guests are welcome at the Due Torre Verona

Romeo and Juliet 

Back in 1562 when Shakespeare created the two lovers, he had no idea of the 21st century marketing tools they would provide this northern Italian city. Souvenirs of every size and shape pay tribute to Romeo and Giulietta, as Juliet is known here.

Now we all know that they were imagined characters, but that didn't deter city authorities back in the 1930's when they selected a house and added a 14th-century style balcony to it and for good measure put up a bronze statue of Giulietta out front.  

Waiting for entrance (under the star) to Casa di Giulietta

Today this tourist attraction continues to draw hordes of people. If you are willing to stand in the incredibly long lines and buy a ticket, you too, could stand on the balcony. It didn't appeal, especially after seeing the massive number of tourists waiting to get in on a late Saturday afternoon.

Exploring Verona 

We not only bypassed 'the' balcony, we didn't seek out any of the other tourist attractions here. We opted, instead, to simply enjoy the city. Our plan was simple: stroll around the town until we tired, then we'd rest up, and head out again in the evening: 

Verona's porticos

So under ancient wood-beamed porticos we went, past charming restaurants and retail stores.

Piazza's were teeming with people in Verona

Then across piazza's lined with cafes; their outdoor seating areas overflowing with people enjoying the sunshine while sipping afternoon beverages. 

This rainbow of temptations caught my eye in Verona.

It seemed this city had a bakery with windows filled with tasty temptations, on every block. And had we not been 'saving ourselves' for a pasta dinner, it would have been most easy to give in to temptation!

Section of the Adige River in Verona, Italy

We left the bustling central area and made our way back to the hotel through the quiet residential areas fronting the river. The horse-shoe shaped Adige River cradles the city on its route to the Adriatic Sea. The empty sidewalks at river's edge were a striking contrast to the busy piazzas.

Saturday night in Verona

Following our pasta dinner we strolled back to the hotel on once-bustling streets that had nearly emptied. The pace of those few folks who were still out had slowed. It was so quiet that. . .  

Evening in Verona 

. . .with a bit of imagination you could almost hear Giulietta calling out in the distance, 

'Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?'

                                                                             ******

That's it for this Italian stop, we were off to Venice the next morning. And that will be the topic of my next report.  As always, thanks for being with us for this segment of our Escapade and we hope you'll be back for the next installment.  Until then, wishes for safe travels to you and yours~

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