It was my first Euro-trip and after lot of permutation combination and budget travel motives I planed to start my travel from down south Europe and chose Naples in Italy...I booked my flight from Mumbai via Istanbul till Naples in Turkish Airlience and also booked my accommodation through AirBnB based on the feedback given by people. I had booked Italy Eurail pass for making the internal travel comfortable within the country from its official website along with all the travel concessional tickets from the official website http://www.raileurope.co.in . It reached me within two days from the date of booking . Flight choice and stay turned out to be the most delightful experiences i have ever had . Our stay was at vico strettola agli orefici ,"CASA DEL FARO" almost 20 mins walk from GARIBALDI station. When i arrived at Naples Airport it was already cold, the vibes of spring season and Easter were very high. It was the perfect time to go for a Euro-trip. Me and my husband made a choice to save time for reaching the BnB and hired a taxi. It took almost 20 mins from Airport till "CASA DEL FARO". I think we couldn't have asked for better host on our first Airbnb stay!!!! She has been the best host we could have imagined and did every thing to make our stay comfortable and memorable !! We had an absolutely fantastic time we liked the sweet pastry she cooked for Easter and the warmth . We felt like family and the place is absolute beauty with sea view and a nautical theme. I would really look forward next time to be there and its for every body who wants to have a great stay at Naples. After a quick interaction with the host and with her guidelines we started our walking plans for the later half of the day. Napoli is a city in southern Italy and is the capital of the Campania region. Its archaeological treasures among the worlds most important places declared by UNESCO World Heritage Site .It has some of the world's best opera houses and theaters, and is often called an open-air museum, because of its many historic statues and monuments. It is also oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. We stepped out and saw Statua Di Garibaldi it was located just next to our place. Garibaldi has been an exceptional man of Italian history. There seems to be a statue of Garibaldi in almost every city in Italy and Naples and may be in most of the Italian cities. Almost 448 historical and monumental churches, the highest number in the World for a single city. Napoli is a city of volcanic transformations also being closer to the proprieties of Mount Vesuvius one of the most active volcano in the world. We continued walking towards city center holding the map in our hand till we could come to a place of younger crowd called Piazza San Domenico Maggiore where everyone was partying , streets were full of food joints wine shops , and Geleto outlets, there were music in the air , artists all over the lanes and charm everywhere. The complete city was lit up for Easter. There were large influx of tourists like in Rome, Venice, Florence etc. It was already late but this city was unstoppable. After a long exploration we sat in a roadside restra and garbed a bottle of rose house wine and Napoli pizza. It was my first pizza form its own motherland, I still remember its taste and the way mozzarella and Parmesan cheese melted in my soul. I was hungry no doubt and it was the best late night hunger break for both of us.
As soon as we both woke up we were high on our energy and the first two and half days were dedicated to Naples and it was already day 2 , a quick breakfast seeing the sea line was working like a rapid boost and there we started our day. We planed to walked till Castel Nuovo as it was very close to our place and next to the ferry station for Capri island. It took almost 15 mins for us to reach Castel Nuovo. It was first erected in 1279, one of the main architectural landmarks of the city.It is Medieval fortress with 5 towers based on the roman era designs. Locals know this as the Maschio Angioino. This place has upper floors closed on Sunday and house a collection of mostly 17th- to early-20th-century Neapolitan paintings. As soon as we came out of that place it started raining, we saw there were hop on hop off main station operating adjacent to Castel Nuovo. It was a good choice and there we got a concession of 20% because of our Eurail passes. so the final deal turned out to be quite reasonable for the city travel. Napoli has three routes(A,B,C). Line A is dedicated for The Art Tour.Line B for Naples Bay and Line C for San Martino. An entire route any one route(A/B or C) takes about 75 minutes, and all three tours stop at Piazza Municipio,so easy switches can be done from here. All Hop on Hop off passes are valid for 24 hours starting with the first use. These are very comfortable double-Decker buses for an unforgettable introduction to Naples.All the major attractions like the Archaeological Museum, Capodimonte Museum and Piazza Municipio can be easily done by using this transport service. Infact it is much easier to discover places using this service to reduce travel time , distance and energy.
Piazza San Domenico Maggiore as usual was our first stop , and this was the same point which was full last night and people were in top of their spirits :) Its actually a church in Naples from where it takes its name and the main landmark too. With the changes in the preferences in the taste of people it becomes haven by day and hangout by night. This street is actually meant for foodie people just grab a seat at any one of the piazza’s outdoor cafe and believe you me!! you will get the most perfect pastry you are searching for. After the foodie delight it was time for actual Naples.
Being more keen to know the history of this oldest state of the world we opted for Route A which help the tourist to cover the art culture and heritage tour. We reached our first most wanted destination Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte . It is open every day except on Wednesday from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm. We got introduces to the most important Campania pass there . Its like an art tour pass which allows access to culture sites in Naples and throughout the Campania region (museums, archaeology, contemporary works, places of sacred art, underground tours and theaters). This place is situated on the Capodimonte hill and was originally build as a hunting lodge but later the idea of constructing a hunting lodge transformed into a lavish palace by Charles VII king of Naples and Sicily. It is made on the the volcanic rocks and is a huge art work of that era. There are segments of artwork done by each great artists like Antonio Canevari,Giovanni,Ferdinando etc and a lot of paintings and art pieces restored for public display.This place will seek lot of time from your tour.
Our next destination was to hit Fontanelle cemetery. Although a bit scary and creepy because you’ll see only skulls and bones but worth visiting this place . The entrance is always free. This place is associated with folklore of the city. Further, this place is located in a cave in the turf hillside in the Materdei section of the city. This place use to be Naples main burial site during the 1837. This place is holding eight million human bones since 1656 by thousands of anonymous corpses, victims of the great plague of that year. We had spent around one and half hour there and proceeded further for our next destination.
We reached Museo Nazionale di San Martino its a lovely walk through Vomero, great views and some interesting historical pieces.It is one of the highest points in Naples and primarily a former monastery complex. This was created in 14th century and still remains the most visible landmark of the city.Presently this is a display of Spanish and Bourbon era artifacts, as well as displays of the presepe—Nativity scene—considered to be a great collection and magnificent in the world. With a lot of beautiful art pieces the great 35-panel copper map made in 18th century is also placed over here.
With this we started to end our day we explored the market area also, browsed couple of outlets, picked up some souvenir, made friends continued in the last lane C of hop on hop off and got dropped near the sea line. It was about to sunset ..the sea was looking beautiful , surrounded with white pure stone marble Napoli sea line mesmerized everyone.We walked around 10 Km saw the entire city following the route map in our hand , Classy dressed up people, fragrance of Dior was spread almost everywhere. We kept halting and kept observing each piece of art , popping caramelized popcorn's and peanuts, Lovely ladies, everyone was so well dressed for Easter. The complete rode-side area of this city was full of activities, people on their move and all set for Easter feast.
Day-3 was partially started with a short city travel some Italian hot seaside breakfast and a long walk on a sunny day . Using our rest of the city Hop on hop off pass for reaching our last most desired place Piazza del Plebiscito. It is a remarkable structure and is a large public square in central Naples. It is difficult to beat this massive structure. Its spread like an arch through out with its curved structure. It is huge square, great for a bit of open space after the crowd . This noble semicircular piazza was constructed in the modern era in 19th Century and is further enclosed with one side by the royal palace.On the other side it has Neoclassical Façade of the church of San Francesco di Paola. It was build on the same model of Pantheon situated in Rome. We had a great time there and now it was time to head for Pompeii.
We could catch a train for Pompeii connecting from Garibaldi station,situated next to Napoli Central Station. There have been almost 12 Stops in between and it took almost an hour to reach Pompeii. The feeling of reaching Pompeii itself make you feel so connected to the gladiator state of mind. I have grown seeing those movies and it has gradually grown in me . There have been a great desire to see this place since childhood ,without any delay we used our Campania Passes to take entry in the Pompeii Excavations.A UNESCO World Haritage Site. It is spread in 66 hectares, 49 of which have already been excavated. There was a pocket book, audio guide and site map with us.Pompeii rise on a plateau at about 30 Mtrs above the sea level, formed by a flow of Vesuvian lava, overlooking the valley of river Sarno at the mouth of which there was a busy port.The origin of this city is still remained uncertain. The oldest date available in the site of excavations is of first half of 6th century. It has been quite an urbanized land where mixed population of Etruscan, Greeks and ingenious people stayed together to develop the city.it was designed by the troops of LUCIUS CORNELIUS SULLA and later it became a Roman Colony in around 80 BC.
Once this was founded it became the most popular enriched well equipped with public and private buildings.A violent earthquake struck in 62 AD and shook this entire area surrounding Mount Vesuvius. As soon as the city surroundings were under control the reconstruction work progresses and stabilized. But again a sudden eruption of Vesuvius 17 yrs later destroyed the complete effort made for reconstruction and it started looking like a open construction site.
The city was rediscovered in the later 17th century under the king of Naples and it continued systemically throughout till 19th century right upto the most recent excavations and restorations of this city and its exceptional heritage of art, sculptures, painting and mosaics.
Pompeii is time taking for a deeper study it required at least 2 days .We had one, and some food :) keeping the time line in mind we discovered that there are total 09 regions and each has a long list of houses, gardens, sculpture, temples many more. We started with the biggest one region 06. it has almost 22 segments inclusive of the most important ones like house of prince of Naples , The tragic poet and the house of Apollo. Further, We migrated to region 7 which has forum Jupiter , house of the sailors,Forum Baths and temple of Jupiter. Next target was region 8 , This caters for all the civilized areas like Basilica, Sanctuary of Venus, Doric Temple, Large theater, Theaters of gladiators barracks, and a small theater.Quickly we were able to finish region 9 also it included insula of the lovers chaste and central baths.
After completion of region 6/7/8/9 we took a break had some food and started for region 1 ,This region has the most sophisticated houses and venues. Osteria of the gladiators , garden of the fugitives house of ceii and Menander are also made a part of region 1.
The most overcrowded was region 2 because of the largest Amphitheater of Roman era made in 70 BC , which could hold upto 20,000 spectators not only from Pompeii but also from the neighboring towns , it has large Palaestra, house of garden of Hercules and house of Venus in the shell. Region 3 / 4 and region 5 were comparatively small and did not take much time for understanding. It was almost 1800 hours and we had to go back . For me it was a day well spent , where i could establish a connection and understand the history from the oldest roman era heritage. It has been a life time experience knowing the fact that didn't know when i will come back to Pompeii again.
Day 4/5 And it was the time for Amalfi, for Amalfi we had only booked our AirBnB. We didn't book the tickets in advance knowing that the timing of leaving from Naples was not very certain. A quick ready to eat breakfast was the start for day 4 and we preferred a train rather going in ferry till Sorrento (it was a much economic option and free for us having Eurail pass) and further by bus till Amalfi town. Down south in Italy it is a heavenly town, so beautiful and mismanaging. It is still living in my heart and will always remain. The moment I reached there I realized that its not much time here and I had a lot to do. Amalfi was with us only for 02 days ......half of which had already passed traveling. A detailed blog is available in my account for all the places to be seen and things to do at Amalfi. https://www.tripoto.com/trip/an-artist-own-dreamland-amalfi-59ccc7380e034
Day-6 It was 18th April and our first wedding anniversary ...time for celebration . It was so unique to me because half of it was spent in Amalfi , my favorite place in the world and further I was heading to Rome. We had to catch a train again back from Pompeii. Pompeii has direct fast trains for all metropolitan cities in Italy. We have not booked our tickets in advance and took the tickets there at Pompeii station itself. We reached Roma Temini the major station of Rome. All trains are interconnecting at this station and our BnB was just at about 100 meters from the station. We were there for almost 3 and a half days. As soon as we checked in our apartment. We could not do much, it was a lazy day...Our Anniversary!! Evening we both dressed up,went out , could hit a bar and celebrated our day . It was quite cold in the night and a bit of drizzling. Rome started with a memory and there were yet more to discover.
Day-7 Morning was bright and we were geared up for going to Vatican City .For us it was another nation and something different to discover. The Vatican City is the smallest country of about 44 hectares in the world and the tiniest by both area and population in the world, a total of 836 people. Countries population is precisely selected by the Pope. A great wall separates Vatican City from Rome. We took a three day pass to travel within the city and reached Vatican early morning around 0800 Hrs.Further while walking towards we got a good bargain for skip the line and guided tour to this place. Politically ruled by the Bishop of Rome – the Pope. The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergy of various national origins.Within Vatican City are religious and cultural sites such as St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums. The name is evolved from Vatican Hills.The construction of Vatican began with the construction of a basilica over St. Peter’s grave in Rome in the 4th century A.D. One of the most sacred places in Christendom, attests to a great history and a formidable spiritual venture this place has a different vibe altogether. The most interesting part for me to understand for Vatican was that its economy is supported financially by the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. For us this tour was well defined , it took almost half of a day . We had lunch at a Italian cafe and came back to our BnB.
After some break we dressed up again and stated for some Roma Fun. Being the most popular city of European union this city actually is vibrant , fashionable, versatile and historic. We headed towards Piazza del Popolo. It is a large urban square in Rome. The name in modern Italian literally means "People's Square". Surrounded with all flagships stores , 5 star hotels this place was meant for people who shop like crazy. We also ended up shopping some of our favorite brands and explored some of the most famous Italian brands like Max Mara and Dolce and Gabbana . Had a cup of coffee at the most popular Vintage Hotel de Russie we moved further for Spanish steps.
Spanish Steps are a set of steps in Rome, Italy, climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinita dei Monti. A joyride on the horse cart is a must in Rome and specially at Spanish Steps.Everyone must try the roadside roman snacks and local food.
Following the route map of Rome we decided to head towards Trevi Fountain. In between we took some local guidance also for reaching Fontana di Trevi. Designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Pietro Bracci ,Fontana di Trevi is a must go for everyone. It only requires any two coins to be dropped with a regular wish from everyone...First for you to have a happy travel and the second is to come back and meet the Trevi again.Everyone religiously does that with the great wish to come back.It was the end of our day 07 with a candle light dinner in a restaurant near Spanish steps.
Day-08 was dedicated for the heart of Rome. We used our three day train pass , reached Colosseum station, as soon as we came out of the station Colosseum was right in front of my eyes. Standing tall ,standing still. Guided tour for us was already booked before boarding the train at Roma Termini itself. This place is known as Flavian Amphitheater. The outer walls have three levels of arches, framed by decorative columns topped by capitals of the Ionic Doric and Corinthian (at the top) orders. They were originally covered in travertine and marble statues. Having a 80 arched entrances allowing easy access to 50,000 spectators. who were seated according to rank.The 80 entrance arches, known as vomitoria,allowed everyone to come and sit for the show of each day. One of the most thrilling place of the city speaks about the great history itself. It was a gift to the Roman people by Emperor Vespasian.It was used for the display of brave games like gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights. The Gladiators were usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Most were men, but there were a few female gladiators. There were animals included form all over the world who have been specially transported for participating in these fights. After four centuries of active use, the magnificent arena fell into neglect. The arena had suffered damaged due to natural phenomena such as lightning and earthquakes. In the centuries to come, the Colosseum was abandoned completely, and used as a quarry for numerous building projects, including the cathedrals of St. Peter and St. John Lateran, the Palazzo Venezia and defense fortifications along the Tiber River. Although so many people tried to save and conserve this as a sacred Christian site. Till 20th Century almost two-thirds of the original Colosseum got destroyed because of combination of weather, natural disasters, neglect.The Restoration again began in the 1990s and within the span of a few years it got back to the pace and became the most visited tourist places not only in Rome rather in the entire world.
Further we proceeded to Arch of Constantine. It is situate situated between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill.It is the largest surviving Roman triumphal arch and the last great monument of Imperial Rome.It was made to celebrate the victory of Constantine over Emperor Maxentius. The large arch with three archways is almost 26 meters wide and 21 meters high.
Next was to climb up till Palatine Hill and Roman Forum .Our tour guide was so energetic to take us till the climb which goes via Palatine Hill. The center most of the Seven Hills of Rome and is one of the most ancient parts of the city. Visit to Rome is incomplete without a thorough history tour of the ancient city, including the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. This majestic hill towers over the Roman Forum and the Circus Maximus,the ruins of its ancient palaces still visible from a distance. The Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill are located in the same archaeological area and count as one admission.The Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill are adjacent to each other and one can freely walk between the two. The entrance ticket allows entrance to the Colosseum next to both and is valid for two days covering all three attractions.
The Palatine Hills was once the home of emperors and the site of temples. it is surprisingly peaceful, & a good place to escape the crowds and to be away from the city confined spaces, it has beauty, nature and probably because of its own climatic richness the royals have chosen this place to develop for the brighter future prospects. Rome has its origins on the Palatine. It is an archaeological site open to the public. In the Middle Ages various churches and convents were built on the hill, and in the Renaissance the Farnese family used part of the Palatine for their private botanical gardens. After the Renaissance, the Palatine remained largely untouched, until it was opened to the public.
Next for us was Roam Forum. It is a rectangular forum surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. At the first glance of it just blows your mind how people built just magnificent work of art.It an land of district of temples, basilicas and vibrant public spaces. The site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiatorial matches; and the nucleus of commercial affairs. It has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world .Located in the small valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, this place today is a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and intermittent archaeological excavations attracting tourist from all over the world.In this piece of land one will visualize significant roman landmarks like Temple of Vesta,the Regia,the Vestal Virgins ,Shrine of Vulcan,assembly area etc. This is where the Senate as well as Republican government itself began. The Senate House, government offices, tribunals, temples, memorials and statues gradually cluttered the area.
Further we stepped ahead moving towards the next major landmark of Rome called Altare della Patria is a monument built in honor of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy, and was built between 1885-1925. It was inaugurated in 1911 and completed in 1925.In 2007, a panoramic lift was added to the structure, allowing visitors to ride up to the roof for 360-degree views of Rome.This lift charges a ticket of 07 Euros for each visitor.
Roaming around the country site we saw so many artist performing on the streets and an evening vibe spread everywhere with the sunset.We had a cup of coffee along with a big Ricotta cheese sandwich at Giolitti cafe ,one of the most famous and old coffee shop(more than 100 years) in town and a must have everyone. We further had a view in the market near by and picked up some souvenir as our takeaway. It was a tiring day for us exploring historic monuments in Rome but very interesting. We further moved towards the station for heading back home. As a couple we still wanted to have some more great time exploring fun places in Rome and that where we found Gregory's Jazz Club one of the best places in town and enjoyed Jazz and Dinner .
Day-09 Our day for Pantheon , We were there for half of a day and thus decided to visit Pantheon, last day for using Rome Train pass and our destination was for Piazza della Rotonda, the closest to Pantheon. The Pantheon is a former Roman temple, now a church,and the best preserved Ancient Roman monument.Probably one of the most fascinating features of the Pantheon is the Architecture. The structure of the Pantheon is comprised of a series of intersecting arches. The arches rest on eight piers which support eight round-headed arches run through the drum from its inner to its outer face.The dome itself is supported by a series of arches that run horizontally round. Romans had perfected the use of arches which helped sustain the weight of their magnanimous buildings.This use of lighter materials on top alleviated the immense weight of the dome.However, the Roman Pantheon in its present state allows us a glimpse into the marvelous and stunning world of Roman architecture.
While coming back i visited some of the open flea markets full of flowers plants and local cheese, and also one of the Roman castle close to that market. It was the time to come back and start our next trip for Florence. We picked us our bags from our BnB in Rome and came back to the station..and imagine what happened!!!! We missed our train. TrainItalia Staff was of great help they immediately assisted us with booking of two tickets using our Eurail Passes . It was a savior for us. We quickly got into the train and reached Florence in two and half hrs.
Florence as the name smells ...the most fragrant of all . Well it is specially for art lovers. This is the place meant to stay and to breath. It has fabulous landscapes, amazing artwork and architecture. As soon as I reached Florence I found lock rooms and have been able to secure the bag-packs inside. Further came out of Florence station and noticed tourism office right opposite the road, after reaching there I found that Florence Campania pass was a bit costly without offering any guided tour.Although it offers access to all 72 Most important places in Florence that'z why the price was strategically kept to 72 Euros. But because of the time constraint three day were not enough to explore 72 museums in the town. We further took complete guidance for day1/2 &3 from the staff available at the Tourism office and decided not to buy the Campania Pass ,rather to use my Eurail pass to utilize the left over day time at Pisa without wasting money and energy.Fortunately a train was available for Pisa right there. We could board it and for us it was free of cost :). It took us around 35 Mins to reach Pisa station. From there buses and public transport is available for reaching the world heritage sight and even one can walk till leaning tower of Pisa.The last train from Pisa coming back to Florence was at around 2000 hrs. Four and half hrs was a reasonable time to explore about the facts of Pisa. We took a bus and reached the leaning tower of Pisa one of the seven wonders. the Square of Miracles, (where Pisa is located )was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO 25 years ago.The square is not located in the center of the city, rather at the north-west of the fortified wall,which is outside the town constructed because of scarcity of space.This sight is a series of historic structures starting from the times of the Etruscan, the three structures found in the piazza have been considered central to religious life, symbolizing the main stages of a human’s life: the Baptistry represents birth, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta life and the graveyard, of course, alludes to death.
Pisa a small town in Tuscany region having handful population and quite a few churches at its heritage.We quickly went inside the tourism office located next to this site and inquired , they helped us by providing a sight map.
When I looked at Pisa I was amazed. I thought that a Building in the history of Europe started drawing its fame when an architectural project went miserably wrong. But inspite of this it became most remarkable architectural structures from medieval Europe. Pisa is best known for the world famous Leaning Tower actually Pisa is more accurately referred to simply as the bell tower, or campanile. The Pisa tower is one of the four buildings that make up the cathedral complex in Pisa, Italy. This place is popularly known as Campo dei Miracoli. Tower of Pisa stands at 60 metres and until 1990 was leaning at about a 10 degree angle. Although it was designed to be perfectly vertical, it started to lean during construction. The square is surrounded by a beautiful green lawn made for visitors coming from all over the world.It has lock room where all the bags are to be deposited and nothing other than the camera is allowed inside the leaning tower. The tour is restricted for 30 Mins for everyone.
Pisa would not be Pisa without the University. The city is animated by the students, who organize parties, shows, and cultural events, and fill the central street of the city at night. The University of Pisa has 60,000 students in a city of about 100,000 inhabitants.
It was the time to board the last train for Florence and we came back to the BnB we have booked . It was one of the most beautiful stays we had in Europe. Situated in the main city easily connected by public transport A beautifully decorated house by Hosted by Mario & Beatrice.
Readers may follow the below link https://www.tripoto.com/trip/never-miss-these-things-in-florence-italy-59f87083adaf8 for a complete three days itinerary for Florence. although there have been so many things which i liked in Florence but one of my fav food spot was The Beppa Fioraia, Via dell'Erta Canina, Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence. It actually took a lot of effort for both of us to locate that place but once we found that it was a party time for us.Drinks food fantastic...
Day-11 Next destination Venice!! One of the most beautiful and expensive places in Europe Venice attracts everyone.It is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. It has no roads, just canals and water bodies everywhere– including the Grand Canal thoroughfare – lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces and the happy couple was there for almost 2 days and a half. A quick workout for the travel plan after reaching Venice. It took us almost 3 hrs from Florence. Our BnB was very close to the main station 10 mins walking distance. The flat was very clean and the convenient to locate. On our arriving, Oscar (the host) was warm and welcoming, he gave us enough helpful tips with a map. The day we reached we could not explore much so we went walking and figured out the things nearby and made the travel plan for the next day. We took 3 days ferry / train pass for commuting within the city, Most of the travel in Venice is done by ferries.
Next morning we went to the main island and then reached Basilica di San Marco commonly known as Saint Mark's Basilica, is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic of Venice. It is the most famous of the many churches of Venice and one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture. It looks like an open eye opportunity to admire this extraordinary artistic heritage.The geographical location is called Piazza San Marco is a square where most of the tourist are disembarking for hitting and grabbing the main charm of Venice.
Next we saw San Zaccaria, The church is thought to have originally been constructed in the 9th century to house the relics of Saint Zaccaria. It is situated at a quiet square not far from the waterfront, just east of St. Mark's Square. The church supposedly contains the body of Zacharias. That structure was replaced by a Romanesque-style church. It is considered to be one of the most important works of the Venetian Renaissance.
We could further catch a ferry and proceeded towards Murano. Situated in the northern part of Venice this place is well known for its art works for glassware. From a small pin till the interiors of the complete house is the specialty of Murano glass. Murano is composed of seven islands, linked by bridges, separated by eight channels but glass is everywhere.
Day 12 has come to an end next day was detailed for exploring Burano and Torcello island along the most romantic Gandola Ride of Venice. The tour to Venice is incomplete without having Gandola ride. The most prominent landmark of Venice, nautical dressed up Gandola drivers attracts everyone. Burano is a group of four island connected to each other by multiple bridges. Burano within the first 10 most colorful places in the world or between the 10 most colorful locations in the world. Lacemaking in Burano is the main craftsmanship attraction,for a place to eat like a local, Burano is very famous for its fish dishes, the most famous of which is the "risotto de go", there are anyway several pizzerias or you can opt for a delicious ice-cream in a bar or a typical Burano's cookie.Sideways the church, some stands offer local souvenirs for a cheap price and everyone must pickup from there.
With the rest of the two days of our Italy tour we wanted to make the most of it. Our last destination was Milan.
Day 13 evening We reached Milan and straight away went to visit Lake Como .(The detailed about Lake Como is given https://www.tripoto.com/trip/a-dramatic-scenery-lake-como-59f23e2746342) The day ended exploring COMO. Next Morning was a bliss it was drizzling our BnB was cozy and comfortable. The historic part of our host was that she didn't even know a single world of English and there comes the great google translator , which helped us understanding things in a much better way, fortunately the host knew about Bhagwat Geeta and was already reading it, (it was a very good platform for both of us to connect) .She extended a very warm welcome and offered us some food. She has been very supportive for us for guiding about Milan city.
Tree lined streets, a charming historic downtown , global capital of fashion and design, Home to the national stock exchange makes it Milan a perfect Alpha Global City. Trendy shops and designer clothes grows like mushroom in this city. Fast-paced metropolis where creativity flourish is the charm of this city.
It covers Italy's largest urban and metropolitan area with strengths in the arts, commerce, design, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, services, research, and tourism this becomes the most wanted city of Italy. With all this charismatic effect of this city we both headed for Milan Cathedral also known as Duomo di Milano subscribing Metro di Milano. One of the biggest and grandest Gothic cathedrals in the world. The construction of the Duomo di Milano initiated in 1386 on the site of the ancient basilicas of Santa Tecla and Santa Maria Maggiore, It has a dual purpose: the plan was to replace the sites of worship in the heart of Milan with an imposing edifice and it was also intended to celebrate the Visconti Signoria and its ambitious expansion policy. The construction works were prolonged over five centuries and, during this extensive period, local and European architects, sculptors, artists and workers all proceeded in turn to work in the Fabbrica del Duomo.The bronze doors date back to different periods in the twentieth century.central door was carved with floral Gothic reliefs besed on the theme of stories from the life of Mary.The entire city of Milan can be admired from the rooftop connected by staircases and lifts.It is the first cathedral in the world to illuminate its windows from within so that, at night, the sacred images can be admired from the outside.
Further we proceeded to see Canale Villoresi the longest man-made canal in Italy. And is actually a great effort made by mankind.
The territory of Milan contains six regional natural parks Parco Adda Nord, Half the Province of Milan is agricultural and flood plain, and most of it is protected by reserves., Parco delle Groane, Parco Nord Milano, Parco della Valle del Lambro and the Parco Lombardo della Valle del Ticino.Half the Province of Milan is agricultural and flood plain, and most of it is protected by reserves.
We came back to Duomo di Milano during the heavy rain and then quickly went inside Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is the world's oldest flagship stores loaded shopping mall and contains the Town House Galleria, a five-star hotel. Named after the first king of the Kingdom of Italy it actually looks very royal from inside it. We did some shopping there and came to Leonardo da Vinci's Museum adjacent to Galleria.
Its a museum where all his creations are technically presented for public display along with the digital restoration of some of the most important paintings made by Leonardo (The Last Supper and Monalisa of-course is quite easy to understand before you visit the actual once). Audio guides are available at a cost of 15 Euros. One has to carry a valid ID . It has been an eyeopening experience for us to realise the fact that at a very tender Leonardo has introduced some of the most successful creations to the world... what a mind!!!! Next comes the shooping at Milan... so never miss it. Its something everyone wants in Milan. And believe me you will not like shopping anywhere else after shopping in Milan. Fashion and being well dressed is a social acceptance factor in Milan.
We were coming close to the end of our trip and after getting educated from Leonardo da Vinci's Museum Milan we decided to catch the tram and reach The last supper at Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie. The worlds most famous mural, Leonardo da Vinci’s....The Last Supper.This famous painting is open for public display after so much of hard work and effort been spent time to time at a cost of 10 Euros for only 15 mins (Guided tour is separate). This piece of art is famous for depicting Christ and his disciples at the dramatic moment when Christ reveals he's aware of his betrayal . It is very interesting subject for study specially for the art lovers. (A detailed blog to the same is available at: https://www.tripoto.com/trip/the-last-supper-exploring-history-in-milan-59f50a7f30cbe).
With this I have completed memorable 15 days trip to Italy. And it felt like......Its been a long awaited therapy and a lifetime event for me. Italy with its art ,heritage and iconic history will always remain in my heart...and given an opportunity I would like to go back again and again.
Ten most important keys for Italy : 1. Follow train italia timing (Downlode Trainitalia App) 2. Buy Italia 08-10 Days country pass 3. Campania pass for major access to most of the museums 4. 3-4 days city pass to have a free access to all public transport. 5. A pair of good long distance walking shoes. 6. Book all guided tours in advance. 7. To enjoy and explore the most of it , please follow the accurate timing of all the art museums and Market area. 8. Take away food and water bottle will always help everyone to save time and fight with quick huger. 9. An umbrella is a must , weather can be unexpected anytime so its always better to carry one. 10. Prefer audio guides at certain places for saving money. And be happy :)
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