Vacation in
Italy October 2008
Links to photos:
ROME
Friday October
10th
Arrived at airport at 11am; had transfer from the hotel. Checked in then took taxi to Vatican City to meet K&R.
Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica with the Pieta, St. Peter’s Square
Street leading up to St. Peter’s Basilica, Walking away – photos from Bridge Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II, across the Tiber River to Ponte Sant’ Angelo and Castel Sant’ Angelo .
Saturday October
11th
Palatine Hill, The Forum
Galleria Borghese (no photos)
Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain
Dinner at Piazza Navona (free champagne to get us in; free Lemoncello to pay our bill inside)
The Pantheon
Sunday October 12th
Coloseum
St. Peter-in-Chains Church
National Museum (no photos)
Dinner at the little place on the alley outside with about 5 tables
Monday October 13th
Metro to Old Rome and walk a few blocks
Met K&R and had Lunch buffet at Perilli in Prati; near Ottaviano Metro stop
Climb to top of St. Peter’s Basilica,
Roma 110 Open Tourist Line
TUSCANY
Tuesday October
14th
Picked up rental car from the Termini
Drove in Rome to find a Bank for Twyla to exchange money
Drove from Rome to Panzano in Chianti; had lunch at a little town off the highway
Arrived at villa about 6pm and met other couples who were drinking wine
Wednesday October 15th
Views of Panzano from the Villa
Wineries around the Chianti Region:
1 –Volpaia - The winery that produces the well-known Chianti Classico wine operates within the walls of the Castello di Volpaia, a fortified village of medieval origin.
2-
Castello D’Albola photo PA155083
Lunch with all 8 of us at Locanda Borgo Antico, recommended by the folks at the winery.
3- Brolio - Barone Ricasoli Wine Shop – the birthplace of Chianti. Toured Castello di Brolio (Castle) after tasting wine.
A stop at a Handweaving place – but she couldn’t sell. Photos of dog.
Back to villa for dinner.
Thursday October 16th
Views of Panzano including the nearby chapel: Pieve de San Liolino
http://www.panzano-in-chianti.info/
San Gimignano – grapes in trailer photo
http://www.sangimignano.com/sstoriai.htm
San Gimignano rises on a hill (334m high)
dominating the Elsa Valley with its towers. Once the seat of a small Etruscan
village of the Hellenistic period (200-300 BC) it began its life as a town in
the 10th century taking its name from the Holy Bishop of Modena, St. Gimignano, who is said to have saved the village from the
barbarian hordes. The town increased in wealth and developed greatly during the
Middle Ages thanks to the "Via Francigena"
the trading and pilgrim's route that crossed it. Such prosperity lead to the flourishing of works of art to adorn the
churches and monasteries. In 1199 it became a free municipality and fought
against the Bishops of Volterra and the surrounding municipalities. Due to
internal power struggles it eventually divided into two factions one headed by
the Ardinghelli family (Guelphs) and the other by the
Salvucci family (Ghibellines). On the 8th May 1300
Dante Alighieri came to San Gimignano as the
Ambassador of the Guelph League in Tuscany. In 1348 San Gimignano's
population was drastically reduced by the Black Death Plague throwing the city
into a serious crisis which eventually led to its submission to Florence in
1353. In the following centuries San Gimignano
overcame its decline and isolation when its beauty and cultural importance
together with its agricultural heritage were rediscovered. The construction of
the towers dates back to the 11th and 13th centuries. The architecture of the
city was influenced by Pisa, Siena and Florence. There are 14th century
paintings of the Sienese School to be seen and 15th century paintings of the
Florentine School.
Monteriggioni - a mediaeval Tuscany town surrounded by its virtually intact curtain walls and fourteen towers.
Friday October 17th
Volterra – lunch at little restaurant off the left side of the road leaving Volterra. Bought Alabaster earrings
Siena
FLORENCE
Saturday October 18th
Left the villa heading towards Florence – through Panzano and Greve
Lunch at little bar with restaurant in back. 2 lasagnas
Outside Florence – had to park in lot to avoid fees to drive into the city.
Checked in at Botechelli Hotel.
Walked to ufizzi and met K&R for tour
Lunch at Nuti
sTrolled Ponte Vecchio and down Arno River area, then in town some.
Dinner on the circle near the Duomo then back to respective hotels.
Sunday October 19th
Walked around with Twyla until our appointment at the Accademia to see The David (with K&R)
Also “The Prisoners” statues and musical instruments museum
Drove K&R to Lucca and toured there for 2 hours before they met their train to Cinque Terra
Twyla and I drove to Pisa to take pictures and eat gelato
Drove back to parking garage outside Florence and took taxi back to hotel.
Ate light dinner of salads and desserts at “Osteria Pepo” right outside our hotel door, where they also had 2 grocery stores
Monday October 20th
Checked out of hotel in Florence and headed east in rental car.
Drove to Venice via: Rufina, Forli, Ravenna where we took photos of the Adriatic Sea, Comacchio, Chioggia and then Venice.
Checked into Arsdflsk
VENICE
Tuesday October 21th
Water bus to San Marco Plaza
Boat to Murano, Burano and Tereeeerr
Tour package with Gelato, walking tour and Gondola Ride
Dinner with K&R near Rialto Bridge
Water Bus home via the Grand Canal