2019 Girls' Trip to Italy (Trip Recap, Days 11, 12)

This is the last of my five part La Dolce Vita Travels series on the 2019 Girls' Trip to Italy. Appropriately, we end in Verona and Venice, two of my favorite places on earth. 

If you'd like to catch up ...

Days 1-3: Pistoia, Firenze, Chianti, Siena, San Gimignano
Days 4-5: Santa Margherita Ligure, Cinque Terre, Porto Venere, Portofino
Days 6-8: Stresa, Lago Maggiore, Milano, Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori, Isola San Giulio
Days 9-10: Bolzano, Franciacorta, Soprabolzano

Day 11: Bolzano, Verona, Venezia (Sept. 29)

Today we said arrivederci (or auf wiedersehen) to Bolzano and stopped in Verona for a half day walking tour before continuing on to our final stop, Venezia. As many of you know, my mother is from Verona, and our relatives still live there; additionally, Nicoletta's mother is also from Verona. So when our bus arrived to Ponte della Vittoria in downtown Verona our relatives were all there, waving and smiling at the bus with its GIRLS' TRIP TO ITALY banner on the front window. After everyone said goodby to Nicoletta (who would remain in Verona), my sister and I spent a few hours with our relatives while the rest of the group toured the city of Romeo and Juliet. They visited Juliet's house, Romeo's house, Piazza delle Erbe (with its market stalls), and Piazza Bra with the world famous l'Arena (the open air colosseum which is still used today for concerts and a summer opera season). There was free time to explore and have lunch, and in the early afternoon we boarded the bus for the last time for a short drive to Venice.

On the outskirts of Venice we said a final goodbye to Rocco (alas, no bus drivers are needed in Venezia) and boarded water taxis for a thrilling ride up the channel and into the Grand Canal. It was an amazing way to arrive into this magical city. We disembarked at Piazza San Marco and walked across the famous square to our hotel, Hotel Cavalletto. Yes, that's right, our hotel was right next to Piazza San Marco!

That night, most of the group participated in a dinner and gondola serenade (Mary Brooke participated in a duet with the musicians on the gondola as they were floating down a canal) while the rest of the group either explored on their own or attended the 6:45 p.m. Mass at St. Mark's Basilica.

Two of my favorite places on earth.

Enjoying lunch with my Italian family in Piazza Bra.

Much love to Paola, Silvio, Tizi, Luciano, and Martha!

And much love to Davide, Damiano & Irene (who had a baby

just a few days ago), and Chiara (who was away at university).

Melanie, Elizabeth, Jeannie

Verona, Italy

Lunch with a view.

Exploring Verona.

Our grand entrance into Venezia.

Our first glimpse of Piazza S. Marco, Doge's Palace,

and the campanile.

Melanie and Cathy taking in our view from Hotel Cavaletto.

If you go out the back door, you land in the canal.

Off to a gondola ride and serenade, followed by dinner.

Lower left photo shows the musicians (including Mary Brooke

who sang along).

Gondola Serenade

Piazza S. Marco at night,

and Mass at the Basilica (one of the few times they turn

on the interior lights is during Mass).

Venezia at night is magical. 

Story of this photo: I was trying to identify a church across the 

lagoon and slowed down to look at a map while my group went on ahead. 

Since it was dark, I held the map up high to try and read it by

lamp light. All of a sudden I heard the sound of laughter ...

my group, taking this photo, saying I looked like a tourist.

You think? 

Day 12: Venezia (Sept. 30)

The sun was shining on our first full day in Venezia. We began with a guided tour of Doge's Palace where we saw masterpieces by Titian (one of the most important artists of the High Renaissance), Tintoretto (responsible for the largest oil on canvas in the world), and Veronese (known for his characteristic blue skies in the background of his paintings). We were able to walk across the Bridge of Sighs (so named by Lord Byron) which connects the justice chambers of Doge's Palace with the prisons.

After touring St. Mark's Basilica, we watched a glass blowing demonstration at the Vecchia Murano Glass Factory. Our afternoon was then free, and almost everyone spent that time exploring or, if they hadn't already done so the previous evening, taking a gondola ride.

Our Farewell Dinner was at Ristorante Al Colombo where we dined outside in a courtyard that provided excellent acoustics for Mary Brooke to sing two arias--Puccini's O Mio Babbino Caro and Ave Maria. She received a standing ovation from all of us, as well as from the other patrons dining nearby. After one last group photo, and after making a speech thanking Jane for being such a wonderful guide, we spent the rest of the evening in St. Mark's Square enjoying a magical evening of twinkling lights, orchestra music, and the festive air of the piazza.

Note: In the months leading up to our trip, my sister and I hosted several information sessions about some of the sights we would be seeing in Italy. While we went over Florence, Milano, Verona and Bolzano, I purposely did not go into great detail on Venezia ... mainly because I believe everyone's first visit to La Serenissima shouldn't so much be about the mind, but about the senses. You have to feel, taste, touch, smell, see, hear, and experience Venezia as the unique and magical place that it is.

Mollie and Cathy

Buongiorno Venezia!

Brilliant sun, blue skies.

Our first full day in Venezia was perfect.

St. Mark's Basilica in the morning sun.

Very proud of this photo showing a streetlight (with the characteristic

pink Venetian glass) and St. Mark's lion (the symbol of Venezia).

Three details from Doge's Palace. 

Details from inside Doge's Palace.

Window with a view, Doge's Palace.

My sweet sister in law, Mary, outside Doge's Palace.

Vecchia Murano Glass Factory.

The demonstration included glass blowing and glass pulling.

Each piece is exquisite.

So beautiful.

Waiting for our gondola.

A few of us took a sunset gondola cruise before dinner.

Flavio, our gondoliere.

Flavio, our gondoloiere, taking us through the smaller canals

and into the larger, Grand Canal.

Dinner in a courtyard.

Mary Brooke singing Puccini's O Mio Babbino Caro

Mary Brooke singing Ave Maria

Post dinner stroll.

Piazza S. Marco on our last night.

Our friend Karla took this amazing 360-degree photo

of Piazza S. Marco at night.

First night in Italy,

last night in Italy.

Day 12: Venice-USA (Oct. 1)

Sadly, departure day. After our checked luggage was sent on ahead by boat (luggage which had "mysteriously" not only grown in weight, but also in number), the group again boarded water taxis for a 30-minute boat ride to the Marco Polo Airport. Long lines awaited us at the Air France counter, and while the rest of the group sailed on through without any problem, Maria was stuck at the ticket counter trying to prove that Maria Anna Novajosky and Maria Treacy Novajosky were sisters-in-law ... that is, two different people and not the same person! She made it to the gate just as everyone was boarding! Whew!

A connection in Paris, a customs and passport control in Atlanta, and the group said goodbye to Brenda, Jeannie, Elizabeth, Mary, and Mary Brooke (all of whom, with the exception of Mary Brooke, had connecting flights). Everyone else flew in to Augusta.

Much later that night (well past midnight) texts via WhatsApp confirmed that everyone had made it home safe and sound.

Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends,

but it is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers.

~Pat Conroy

Half of our Bunco group (we missed the other half!).

We've been together for amost 17 years.

Walking across Piazza S. Marco one last time.

The heavier luggage was sent by boat ahead of time.

Mysteriously, our luggage not only creased in weight, but in number.

One last view of Venezia.

(photo sent to me by a blogging friend)

And I leave you with this ... a gondoliere singing

Ciao Venezia, which I happened to record on our 

very last afternoon.

2019 Girls' Trip to Italy (Trip Recap, Days 9,10)

This week La Dolce Vita Travels is publishing a series of posts recapping our Girls' Trip to Italy. I do this for several reasons: as a means of transcribing my travel journal, to share our trip with all those who have been asking how it went, and to plant seeds of interest for our next trip (and there will be another one). 

The series will be five parts, corresponding to the five cities in which we stayed--Pistoia (Tuscany), Santa Margherita (the Italian Riviera), Stresa (Italian lakes region), Bolzano, and Venezia. Today, we leave the shores of Lago Maggiore and head toward Bolzano.

Day 9: Stresa-Franciacorta-Bolzano (Sept. 27)

After one last breakfast served by waiters straight from Downton Abbey, we said arrivederci to our three night stay in Stresa and headed for Bolzano, stopping first at the Bellavista Vineyard in Franciacorta, a region known for their white grapes and the wines they produce. At Bellavista we learned how the owner, Vittorio Monetti, turned a small family-run wine making activity into a full-fledged business, keeping to tradition by using an 8-step process that begins with harvesting and ends with packaging. The heart of their method is perlage (the process whereby bubbles are introduced) and Bellavista is proud that the bubbles in their wines develop naturally (as opposed to in a factory) and therefore do not cause headaches; additionally, unlike champagne which is aged 15 months, Bellavista sparkling wines are aged for 36 months (3 years), and 90,000 bottles are turned daily by hand during the aging process. After the tour we were treated to a wine tasting of two different Bellavista wines, both of which were absolutely delicious. 

After leaving the vineyard we drove a short distance to Agriturismo Bertola for lunch. An agriturisimo is a working farm that has opened up part of their property for lodging and dining. The best part of an agriturismo is the food since everything they serve—produce, eggs, meat, and wine—is either produced on their farm or sourced from the surrounding area; hence, everything is fresh. At Agriturismo Bertola we had a delicious lunch (with even more wine!) and then continued our journey toward Bolzano. 

Just in case you missed it, wine mid-morning and wine for lunch ... we were a happy group when we  got back on the bus for the drive to Bolzano. Poor Rocco. 

We arrived in Bolzano by early evening. Some people took taxis to go eat downtown, while others shopped at the Italian grocery store across the street and pooled their purchases for an impromptu picnic back at the hotel. 

Our waiters spoiled us.

When I got home I had to make my own cappuccino.

Darn it.

Bellavista Wines overlook the Franciacorta region

known for growing white grapes.

At the entrance was this very intriguing sculpture.

Bellavista wines. 

All of the 90,000 bottles are turned daily by hand. 

Gathering for a wine tasting.

Salute! 

Bellavista wines are light, refreshing, and sophisticated.

Thirty minutes later, lunch at Agriturismo Bertola with

even MORE wine.

Boarding the bus for Bolzano.

Poor Rocco ... all these women.

Our lovely tour director, Jane, as we checked into our hotel

in Bolzano. The hotel brought the outside inside with a forest of trees

and a pumpkin patch. 

Day 10: Bolzano (Sept. 28)

The morning began with something totally different: a visit to see Otzi, a 5,300 year old glacial mummy whose body was discovered by hikers in 1991. Our tickets for the Museo Archeologico allowed us to enter 30 minutes before the museum opened, so we were able to get up close and personal to Otzi. As amazing as it was to see Otzi, the science behind his discovery was even more fascinating as it revealed his eye color, last meal, blood type, diseases he had (such as cardiovascular disease), and a theory on how he was murdered. We also learned how the tattoos on his body were used as a form of acupuncture for pain and arthritis and that the location of the tattoos correspond to ancient Chinese acupuncture charts. 

A walking tour of Bolzano introduced us to a city that had us asking: Italy or Austria? Indeed, throughout history that area has belonged to both countries, but after WWI it was officially declared part of Italy. But today, with most of the locals speaking both Italian and German, with the street signs written in both languages, and with apple strudel and tiramisu offered as dessert options, it's a little disorienting knowing we are in Italy but feeling as if we are in Austria. (In fact, when Maria and Thalia were hiking on Soprobolzano and stopped to ask directions to a church, the elderly gentleman spoke no Italian at all!) 

After our guided city tour, we had some free time for lunch and shopping, then later that afternoon the group boarded the Renon cable car for a 15-minute ride to the sun plateau of Soprabolzano where we hiked, had a gelato, photographed the views, and enjoyed the crisp, mountain air. 

At dinner that evening we enjoyed an Italian-German meal at Ristorante Wirtshaus Vogele—ravioli for a first course, goulash for the second (unless you ordered the polenta), and for dessert we had a delicious apple strudel with a vanilla cream sauce.

Downtown Bolzano.

Otzi, the 5,300 year old glacial mummy, was discovered by

hikers in 1991. At first treated like a modern-day crime scene,

it wasn't until three days after the discovery that an archaeologist

was called to determine the real age of the body.  The science

community was all abuzz with excitement. (And it was still considered 

a murder since Otzi died after being shot in the back with an arrow.)

The Mercantile Museum

Founded in 1635 by Archduchess of Autstria, Claudia de Medici, the purpose

of the merchant court was to settle commercial disputes.

Going up, up, up on a cable car.

Soprabolzano: Maria, Gayle, Mary

Beautiful views, crisp mountain air.

Exploring Soprabolzano.

Ristorante Wirtshaus Vogele

Our last dinner in Bolzano.

A little Italian, a little German. 

A quick story about the last photo above: In Bolzano my sister-in-law, Mary, and I had lunch at a sidewalk cafe. I ordered the stuffed potato dumplings (soooo good, similar to pierogies) and a glass of Fanta. Now, the Fanta in Italy is NOT like the Fanta in the States (which is too sweet and too orange). I don't drink soda, but when I am in Italy I do like their Fanta. When our waiter walked away with our order, I regretted not ordering a beer since our local guide that morning and gone on and on about the beer in Bolzano. But when the waiter brought our drinks, he served my Fanta in a large beer glass and with the color of the drink and the foam on top it LOOKED like a beer (kinda, sorta). When I thanked the waiter for my fake beer, he laughed. 

Tomorrow: Venezia and Verona.