Bella Italia - May-June, 2008

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by land and by sea, Italy

The journal entry reads..."The sunrise at 40,000 feet is almost poetic".

Our long awaited trip to Italy began with a direct flight from Toronto to Rome, which took us through the night and into the next morning.  As most of the occupants of the cabin were asleep, I marveled at the morning sky almost in solidtude.  The brightness of sunrise over the blanket of clouds assured me of the wonders of the world.  It was two hours to our destination of Rome, Italy and on the screen I see the names of places below us....the Atlantic Ocean, Limerick, Brest, the Celtic Sea.  It is 12:30am EST and 6:30am at our destination.  Our descent brought us over the island of Sardinia, with its rugged coastline, seen even from 25,000 feet.  The day has dawned bright and sunny with very few clouds, just for our enjoyment of the sights below.  The beauty of farmland and medieval villages below and a beautiful sun above remind me once again, we are blessed.

Our plans for a driving tour of Italy followed by a cruise of the Greek Isles has begun!  With bags loaded in our rental car and our GPS, now known as Sophia, loaded with maps of Europe, in hand, we began our drive to Tuscany and the Fattoria Casabianca.  We traveled toward the coast line and stopped for lunch in Civitavecchia, the seaport city for Rome, from which all the cruise ships depart.  It was our first taste of narrow, crowded streets and "speaking the language".  We managed quite well, which was a needed boost for our confidence.  Once we left the coast, the rounded hills garlanded by cypress trees, began to reveal vineyards and olive groves.  Acres of red poppies dancing in the sun were punctuated by isolated "podere" farmhouses or elegant villas.  Sophia took an integral part in finding our Fattoria or agritourismo hotel.  Our individual 14th century farmhouse was poised in a quite, almost isolated valley near the towns of Montepescini and Casciano.  Our patio delighted the senses with olive trees at arms length, hectares of vineyards, poppy fields and rolling hills all within eyesight.  Located south of Siena, our home away from home, was exactly where we wanted to stay while visiting the Tuscany region. 

Early the next morning with tour books in hand and a reservation for The Ufitzie and The Academia, museums in Florence, we stopped in Casciano for breakfast and a cup of coffee.  Our "coffee" cup, contained about 3 tablespoons of expresso which immediately brought us to life!  Our drive was pleasant and the first sight of Florence was from a hill high above the city.  The dome of the Duomo or cathedral church of Florence, the Bascilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, was prominent in the sea of tile roofs and narrow streets.  The Basilica, designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, was begun in 1296 an took 170 years and several generations to complete.  A spectacular sight, the polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white, overwhelm the eye and beckon you to take picture after picture.  The Battistero di San Giovanni, St. John's Baptistry, built in the 11th century revealed the gothic style bronze North door with golden relief figures created by Pisano.  A second, South door, created by Ghiberti, was added in the 15th century, as an artistic competition to compete for greater depth of relief and naturalism.  The visit to the Ufitzie Art Gallery was not only an inspiration, but also an aerobic workout with miltiple floors and wide white marble steps to traverse.  Michalangelo's magnificent Statue of David was the center piece of the Academia and was more powerful than I could have imagined.  Our reservations, made weeks before, eliminated long lines.  Before our departure, we passed over the Lugarno River via the Ponte Vecchio bridge, all on foot of course.

Our walking tour of the walled city of Siena, led us through narrow streets and winding walkways to this jewel of Tuscany.  We sat in one of the cafes which surround the Campo admiring the unique square famous for the Palio horse race.  Our climb up one of the towers in Siena gave us a view of the city and the surrounding area.

Our visit to Tuscany would have been incomplete without a visit to the Chianti road region, the strada del vino.  The winding roads allowed us to meander and chance upon wonderful towns like Radda, Greve and the little village of Valpaia.  This village, which surrounds a castle, is now home to only 60 inhabitants most of whom are employed by the  Valpaia Winery and the delightful Tuscan restaurant, the Orteca de Valpaia e Cucina. 

Leaving the Fattoria and the Umbria region we visited a vast inland lake before arriving in Perugia for our "city" stay.  The night life was bustling compared to our quiet country stay at the Fattoria.  

Venice, the next stop on our itinerary, was reached by  traversing the Apenines or Blue Mountains.   Striking rock formations, glacial moraines and hills connected by many tunnels gave way to flat lands along the shores of the Adriatic Sea.  A beautiful driving day lead us to our destination, the city of criss-crossing canals, gondolas and water taxis, arched bridges, and the Doges palace.  We said good by to our car at the Piazzle Roma and began our walk to our hotel in the city.  In hindsight, Sophia could have helped us find our hotel.  Our two nights in this intriguing city only touched the surface.  We visited St Mark's Square, the Doge's Palace, Rialto Bridge, and the Bridge of Sighs, where prisioners had there last glimpse of their beloved Venice, after being sentenced to prison.  Our walking tour took us to the Bovolo Staircase or circular steps built for a wealthy Venetian at a time when many Venetian traveled the city by horseback.  The elaborate spiral staircase enabled the nobleman to ride his horse up to his private quarters within his palace. 

Our trip to venice was complete with a boat ride to the island of Murano, Borrano and Torcello, in the harbor surrounding Venice.  Murano is noted for the glass blowing factories where you can see the art unfold and purchase cherished souveniers.  Borrano was a visual delight with the colorful houses, ancient churches and stores displaying lace articles woven by local artisans.  Torcello is the sight of an ancient church and monestary gardens.

Our land tour of Italy ended in Venice as we boarded our ship to begin our cruise to the Greek Isles, but it is that land tour that has inspired me to return to Italy next year.  So much to see and a desire to see it with others has lead me to sponsor two trips with COSMOS tours anf Thru The Grapevine Travel.  The "Splendors of Italy" will lead you  from Rome, Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa, Florence and Venice. "Southern Italy and Sicily' visits Rome, Sorrento,Capri, the Amalfi Coast, and Callabria before crossing the Straits of Messina into Sicily where you will visit Mount Etna, Taormina, Syracuse, Agrigento, Selinute and Palermo.  Join with family and friends and see Italia Bella.