It was July 5th, 2008. We arrived in Milano and started to explore. We learned about the trams, the buses, and getting lost. It was fun.
Our trip went everywhere, Verona, MIlano, east, west, north south. At one small town, Tessimo, the innkeeper spoke only German
Now it is 12 years later,and my and possibly your world has been changed by the Covid19 virus. American are not welcome in Italy. I understand this and the need to protect the citizens of Italy.
It has not stopped our planning for out next trip. Sicily is our next destination.
Capri
Angela and I have visited most of Italy. From the north and Cortina di Ampezzo to Calabria and Reggio. Sicily has heritage for my wife’s family. That will be our next return is it. It is also amazing. So much is on this island we will never discover it all
=Plemmirio SIcily Sunrise
The duomo, Siracusa
Siracusa
It was a one hour walk to the top to Castelmola. When I got down to the bottom, una birra e una pizza. I was definitely wiped out, but the view was beautiful.
Another Hill Town Castelmola
The walk was worth it. At the top a festa was I progress.
A happy wave from a woman in Palermo.
From Siracusas to Cefalù with stops in between When things change we will be back in Sicily
Published with WordPress on an iPad as we are in Connecticut away from the virus hitting Florida so are.
We have been to Rome 5 or 6 times. Have lost count. Never see enough of the beautiful city. In October we walked most of the city and never stall the trash buildup that was posted on some news sites and in some newspapers in the US. It is a large city, but residential areas and tourist areas were clean. We can to wait to return. Here are some photos of the days in Rome.
Via Cappellari, out Airbnb was 100 feet away from this photo. The street was made into an art gallery for several days,
Art was hung all along the street.
\iew from the Tiber to St. Peters
A wedding im Trastevere
Museo di Roma
Piazza Navona from Museo di Roma
Then and Now
Piazza Navona
Coppede Neighborhood Roma
This area is know for it’s different and beautiful architecture
Below scuderie del Quirinale, the stables of Quirinale
We first came to the Scuderie del Quirinale three years ago for an exhibit by Picasso.
This time Pompei and Santorini both suffered volcanic eruptions.
Plaster casts from Pompei
Below a breathtaking view of Rome from the Scuderie del Quirinale
It is hard to believe this city was alive and well when we visited in September. Vibrant, crowded, and totally alive with people.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan September 2019
The Apple Store, Milan September 2019
Starbucks, Milan September 2019
Street Vendor Blowing Bubbles, Milan September 2019
It is hard to believe this country has been hit so hard. Hopefully we will return to an Italy that will recover. I have visited Italy 20 times in the last thirty years, and I will return again.
Vicenza is one of those places that does not get enough credit. My first visit was in 2018 on a bike tour. I enjoyed it but was only there for 18 hours and then back on the bike. As we left our hotel and walked into the center of town we came upon this picturesque scene. Ponte San Paolo crosses into the main part of Vicenza.My next visit was in October 2019 with great weather and no crowds.
The town is filled with many interesting sights
Piazza sei Signori offers sights, shopping and dining.
As night fell we found this wonderful portico. It was worth coming back in the morning.
The Duomo of Vicenza.
My wife wanted to attend service and we just made the mass time.
Corso Andrea Palladio
Palazzo Chiericati houses a collection of art from thirteenth to twentieth centuries. Salvator Dali’s Statue stands in front.
Dali’s Sculpture
The Teatro Olympico was the last work by the architect Andrea Palladio. His works are all through the city. I was not completed until after his death. The painted scenery gives the incredible illusion of depth.
FROM WIKIPEDIA Andrea Palladio
Born 30 November 1508 Padua, Republic of Venice Died 19 August 1580 (aged 71) Maser, near Treviso, Republic of Venice Nationality Italian[1] Occupation Architect
Buildings Villa Barbaro Villa Capra “La Rotonda” Basilica Palladiana Church of San Giorgio Maggiore Il Redentore Teatro Olimpico Projects I Quattro Libri dell’Architettura(The Four Books of Architecture) Andrea Palladio (/pəˈlɑːdioʊ/ pə-LAH-dee-oh, Italian: [anˈdrɛːa palˈlaːdjo]; 30 November 1508 – 19 August 1580) was an Italian Renaissance architect active in the Venetian Republic. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily Vitruvius,[2] is widely considered to be one of the most influential individuals in the history of architecture. While he designed churches and palaces, he was best known for country houses and villas. His teachings, summarized in the architectural treatise, The Four Books of Architecture, gained him wide recognition.[3]The city of Vicenza, with its 23 buildings designed by Palladio, and 24 Palladian villas of the Veneto are listed by UNESCO as part of a World Heritage Site named City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto.[4] The churches of Palladio are to be found within the “Venice and its Lagoon” UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The view straight on brings you to the rear and a manner so realistic it looks like a real building.
From Wikipedia “Since 1994, the Teatro Olimpico, together with other Palladian buildings in and around Vicenza, has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto.”
Quick video of the Olympic Theater in Vicenza. Italy
There is a lot to see in Vicenza, Take a look on Google for more ideas. It is a pedestrian friendly city. Be careful to read the signs for traffic limitations, you may receive a ticket if you miss the signs to stay out of a certain street.
Public transportation is good. A number of US service men and their families come to town with our base close by.
For my last two trips to Italy I have purchased a TIM SIM card from their web site and brought the printed voucher to a TIM store in Italy. In both cases all went well at the stores and in about 10 minutes my phone was up and running in about 10 minutes. Cell service with TIM was excellent and never had problems. The plan allowed 15 Gig data and 200 min of cell service. For some reason the cell minutes seemed to disappear quickly. The cost was 25 Euros (Now 20 Euros) and it was good for 30 days.
Down side was you got a new local phone number (Italian 39 country code), The plan is not renewable. 15 Gig of data can go fairly quickly if you do not have access to Wi-Fi.
T-Mobile plans include 2G data and 25 cents per minute calling. My wife made many calls relating to her business while we were on a month long trip to Italy. This was included in our $70 a month plan for two phones. The 2G data plan was adequate for her to send texts with photos, read and send email, but it was noticeably slower than what we were used to hear. Considering that AT&T plans for international use were exorbitant this was not a problem. Service was good from Rome to the Dolomites. No problems.
I opted for a 30d high speed package with unlimited calls. We used our cell phones for driving directions on Apple or Google maps every day. I had great refresh rates on web pages and never lost a signal while driving. The package was worth if for me. It is also renewable for 30 days. You will get a text when you arrive overseas in any of the 210 countries T-Mobile includes in the plan allowing you to choose several options for calling. My $50 and an slower priced plans IF YOU WANT FASTER DATA SPEEDS. Otherwise you are all sent. From their web site “The Magenta®, Simple Choice™, New Classic, and Select Choice plans provide unlimited 2G data, unlimited texting and calling at $0.25 per minute in 210+ countries and destinations”
International Pass: 512MB of high-speed data at up to LTE speeds and unlimited calling, to be used up to 24 hours, for $5/day. 5GB International Pass: 5GB of high-speed data at up to LTE speeds and unlimited calling, to be used up to 10 days, for $35. 15GB International Pass: 15GB of high-speed data at up to LTE speeds and unlimited calling, to be used up to 30 days, for $50.
T-Mobile served us well on our trip. Less problems than TIM. Check out the various plans, especially the over 55 plan.
Hard to believe that AT&T would push their inflated rates on travelers and continually raise the monthly cell plan rates. Their plans are very restrictive and expensive.
Cost $70 per month.
Coverage for as long as you need Unlimited texts to the world 2GB or 6GB of data included $0.35 per minute for calls Available in 200+ countries
A lot of money for little return.
My T-Mobile bill arrived and there were no surprises.
il prossimo viaggio in Italia our next trip to Italy.
In addition to the places on the map, we will travel from Treviso to Roma where we will spend 10 days. Our plans include arriving on 20 September when temperatures have moderated. September and October are comfortable times to be in Italy. Of course, airfare is much lower in these months and places are less crowded.
Milan is a wonderful city to visit and easy to get around with buses, subways, and trams all over. Google maps works were well with mass transit. Gives numbers, and times. Can not travel without it.
Palazzo Chiericati houses a collection of art from thirteenth to twentieth centuries. Salvator Dali’s Statue stands in front.
