07-24-24 LET'S HEAD NORTH IN GRANDIOSA NORD ITALIA - COOL PLACES FOR COOL PRICES
NORTHERN ITALY IS JUST AS ROMANTIC AS SOUTHERN ITALY. ROME IS NOT. TODAY WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME VERY COOL PLACES TO STAY. SO, I HOPE ALL VAGABONDS GET MOTIVATED TO GO TO THIS AMAZING COUNTRY IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN. AND, IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!
After a nine-hour flight from Tampa to Milan, needless to say we were a tad tired. Flying overseas takes an open mind and the ability to nap without ceasing. LOL! We used the internet for all of our reservations, and we read every Rick Steves book on Italy and listened to an Italian language CD without ceasing. Rick Steves advised his readers to store their luggage in the lockers at the Cadorna train station in Milan. Problem - the lockers were closed for repairs! Then we got lost until we found a very nice cabbie who took us directly to the Museum Cenacolo Vinciano / Museum of The Last Supper to see one of the most famous paintings in the world - Leonardo DaVinci's' Last Supper, with our luggage in tow. As we entered the room with about fifteen other people, the painting was not just beautiful - it was utterly mesmerizing. This painting was painted between 1495 - 1498. It was completely restored over a twenty year period that was completed in 1999.
TRAIN TRAVEL IS SIMPLY THE BEST IN ITALY
With a view of the Santa Maria Delle Grazie Church we had a nice lunch of pizza and coke - I am an American after all! After lunch we boarded the train for Varenna on Lake Como. As the train rounded a long curve we saw Lake Como in the distance - I took my favorite Vagabond's hand and said we are really here! We checked into a very small boutique hotel, the Eremo Gaudio, with views of the lake over the rooftops and a large terrace overlooking the lake and surrounding mountains. The first night we had dinner on the terrace and went straight to bed. Even in one of the most ancient countries on earth change happens. Unfortunately, the Eremo Gaudio has permanently closed. However, I found another place, with all 10/10 reviews, that is reasonably priced at $251 per night - Relais Vill Vittoria. Beautiful place right on the lake.
CINQUE TERRE - THEN A LEANING TOWER
After a few days on Lake Como, we took the train to the Cinque Terre National Park and checked into the Villa Steno, a cool intimate hotel located in the heart of Monterosso, one of the five villages of the Cinque Terre. It's a quick Uber ride from the train station. If you are a serious walker, you can hike the five villages in about five hours, then relax on the terrace on comfortable lounge chairs and enjoy panoramic views of the Mediterranean while sipping a nice local glass of vino. A double starts at $140 a night. Great place - great price.
Since we loved staying in this very cool place,
we decided to change our plans and stay a couple more nights. I walked to the train station to change our tickets and saw a big sign - Train Strike Tomorrow! So, we packed up and got ready to board the train. As we were sitting on the bench, I heard some older teenage girls talking in American English. I walked up to them and asked where they were from. They said - Tallahassee, Florida, we're students at FSU and we're touring Italy for a month. We talked for several minutes about where they were going. And I said - It is indeed a small world - have fun. Then we boarded the train for Pisa. The trip took an hour for $7.00. Upon arrival we found the rental car at the airport and drove to and parked to see one of the most famous monuments in Italy - The Leaning Tower of Pisa. This famous monument took 199 years to complete! To read the story of how and why it leans just click on the link.
After seeing the Leaning Tower, we headed for Florence. We didn't stay in Pisa. IMHO - the only thing to see or do in Pisa is the tower.
Next Week - The Nomad Architect ventures to a place that really rocks in the good old USA.
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