Being the nice friends that they are, I decided to join them on their romantic adventure. So there we were, a less than a year married couple...and me, traveling on the wrong side of the road through a good few countries.
The general plan was to do: South of France, Monaco, Italy and Barcelona...Tapas style! (i.e. having a taste of each place for a short duration)
Flew in to Nice on a bright and early delayed Easyjet flight and picked up the car. We (Alex and I) have both experienced driving on the wrong side of the road in Canada on a previous holiday. However this was different. We had the joy of another variable. Changing gears with ones right hand as you round a hairpin bend on a cobbled road that looks as if it was only designed for bicycles!
A automatic car would gave been easier! Note to self for next time! The VW Polo we were driving was also not ideal. The rear view mirror restricted my view (i am only 6 foot tall) and the left side between windscreen and drivers window was also obstrucitve. I would not buy a Polo having driven it, however it had enough pop and was very economical fuel wise...
We headed west to Cannes to admire yachts and scenery. Very pretty with great marinas and pleasant seaside walks.
From there it was back in the car to drive to Monaco. An amazing place with no real divide between France and Monaco. Had a great time admiring the opulence, fancy cars were 2 a penny. After a night drinking expensive drinks and pleasant pasta it was on to the casino. THE Monte Carlo as featured in umpteen movies probably most famously James Bond. It was there that we placed a small bet and won a tidy sum on the roulette tables. Great fun and highly recommended even if u are not a gambler.
Tolls throughout France and Italy were very expensive but the roads were good and fast. Our brilliant little TomTom helped us immensely and would highly recommend taking a satnav if you are driving. Most useful was the camera warning system. It saved us from a good few tickets...
An early morning start had us leaving Monaco for the small Italian town of Portofino. A beautiful little village outside if Genoa. Very tight windy roads and hair pin bends had us eager to reach the destination and not so eager to leave the very scenic little place. We stayed the night in San Margarita just outside of Portofino in a very comfortable B&B run by a charming Italian family only too eager to please. Rates were reasonable and breakfast sufficient for the days journey.
Highly recommend travelling in low season as the prices are a great deal cheaper and there is a distinct lack of tourists. This allowed for easy travel and minimal lines / delays at most destinations and attractions. On the negative side, a lot of places were closed or closed early. But this did not affect us much.
Onwards to Florence! Via Pisa. The leaning tower is highly recommended as it is free to view it and it is amazing. Despite low season it was teaming with people eager to see the iconic tower. There is not much else in Pisa to see (that interested us...) so we did not stay long as we were keen to see Florence in the evening.
Florence, wow! The art capital of Italy and one can see why! We wondered the streets in the evening admiring the architecture and style. Visiting a few of the main sights. Only the following day did we head out to truly appreciate the scale and beauty. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore stairs to the top is a must do. It is an incredible building and you crawl around between the inner and outer domes. Even if u are claustrophobic and suffer vertigo it is a must. The view is amazing from the top of the dome. Don't let the 400 stairs put you off.
The whole city is a museum with quaint red roofs and sandy coloured buildings. The Ponte Vecchio Bridge was equally interesting. Never before have I seen shops on a bridge (only heard about it on old London bridge pre fire of London)
The city is the home of the original David sculpture by Michelangelo and there are a number of copies in the city. Loads of amazing large sculptures litter the city.
There are numerous museums in the city that are well worth a visit but unfortunately we just did not have the time to do the museums.
We went to the Michelangelo Piazza which over looks the city and admired the city from another flattering angle. Loads of tourists but one can see why. Would not recommend walking to it unless you are a fit flea or enjoy masochism.
Onwards to my highlight. Venice! What an incredible place. It is just so very different from every city i have ever been to before. The canals that snake between the houses are amazing.
Gondola rides are every where and expensive, but interesting to do. The gondolas themselves are pieces of art. They are beautifully made and maintained by skilled craftsmen and all by hand. The emblem that can be seen on all the bows represent the 6 districts of Venice.
Our gondolier informed us that he was one of a generation of gondoliers and his family had been doing it for hundreds of years.
The marble Ponte di Rialto built between 1588 - 1591, is incredible! It is a huge marble bridge with shops on the actual bridge. Definitely worth seeing and spending time just admiring the architecture.
Unfortunately the Bridge of Sighs was clad in scaffolding and Gucci advertising so it lost a lot of its impact and we were underwhelmed, however i am sure once the work is complete it is quite a sight.
Difficult to imagine that 15 Million people visit Venice each year. It is after all only a very small place. Very glad we came in the "low" season (which was VERY busy).
Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) is a meeting place for all and sundry. Teaming with students and tourists milling around just enjoying the very fact that they are in one of the most famous and one could argue romantic places on earth.
St Marks Basilica is beautifully adorned inside. The entrance fee is also very attractive. (Most of the basilicas are free...unless you wish to climb stairs etc.)
St Marks Clock tower is a pricey entrance, but a lift takes you to one of the highest points in the city for amazing views of the city and surrounding islands. Worth doing if you like getting a "lay of the land".
Tuscany Time!
The drive from Venice to the Tuscan region was very pleasant. Most of our lunches involved viewing points with a large baguette, a brie and a salami. Although we could not help but enjoy the parma ham that most shops had on offer. Amazing! Most nights we spoilt ourselves with Prosecco.
We stayed in a really reasonably priced hotel with all the mod cons and beautiful views of the vineyards and olive trees. Apparently Sting (the singer) and his wife have a place nearby. I did not bump into them...
We saw loads of old castles and winery's en route. Stopped on the top of a very windy mountain to have a salami, cheese and bread lunch before scooting off to Rome!
Rome...
This is highly recommended to anyone who is a history nut. The whole city is littered with monuments, ruins, museums, statues and wonder. We did not have nearly enough time to see the city. Although we had 2 days in Rome, we managed to go on a great walk around the city seeing it during the day and then night upon our arrival. The next day was a good walk to the Spanish Stairs. Loads for tourists just hanging out there...hawkers too. Not as impressed as i thought i would be with the stairs and basilica above it, but worth a visit non the less. Then too the Vatican City for a tour. We paid for a guided tour and boy was it worth it as we wandered past heaps of people standing in the sun in what looked like a very long line.
The guide was very good and spoke clear English (listening to some of the less fluent guides I was glad he had him). He gave us a full tour of the Vatican. Once again, there was way too much to see in there and at times you do feel rushed and cannot quite absorb the full splendor of the Church City.
It is quite amazing. I am not religious but it is still an amazing feat of architecture and art.
The Sistine Chapel is amazing. Most people expect it to be a lot larger. The interesting thing is the controversy surrounding "Did Michelangelo actually paint it?".
I thought that the Last Judgement was more impressive as a painting and spoke to me a lot more than that of the arguably more famous "Sistine Chapel Ceiling / God's Creation of Man".
It is so difficult to appreciate the paintings when seen in a book or picture. You actually have to stand and stare at its enormity / scale and detail and story.
Truly magnificent.
As it was nearing Easter weekend, the whole of St Peters Square was decked out in chairs for the annual mass. The ever famous St Peter's Square that one can recognise from all sorts of movies. Unsurprisingly The Da Vinci's Code which featured a lot of the Vatican, was actually not filmed in the Vatican for obvious reasons. St Peters Basillica is another incredible building and houses the La Pieta (Mary holding Christ in her arms) made of Marble and made by Michelangelo. There is also Bernini's Baldacchino an enormous bronze pavilion structure.
From there it was off to the St Angelo's Castle on the river Tiber. Then to the amazing Trevi Fountain where the ritual coin was tossed into it. I really liked it. At night it is well lit up and looks incredible. Apparently about 3000 euros is tossed into it every day.
The Pantheon was next on the list. Quite an amazing architectural piece and interesting that it survived despite being pre Christian and used for ritual sacrifices etc. The 9 metre in diameter hole in the roof's centre is quite amazing.
There are loads of Piazzas along the way and every few steps is something interesting. Each square usually has some monument or spire or column in it. There were just too many to name and mention. You get so over whelmed by the immense attractions that the "average" attractions (read: really amazing by any other cities standards) stop seeming as interesting.
Off to one of the most iconic buildings in the world. THE Colosseum!
What a building. We missed the last tour of the day, so had a listening aid and Alex as our tour guide. The scale of the building is just...WOW. It could hold 40,000 people back in the day. You have to stand there and just imagine lions and tigers and gladiators and christians playing in the middle of the arena. The engineering involved in the floors and stadium etc is mind blowing.
By Christian standards it is probably not the nicest place in the world, but as a structure and piece of history it is great.
We did not have time to roam the old Forum and walk amoung the ruins. But we did walk around it and the Victor Emmanual Monument which most Italians are not very fond of and affectionately refer to it as the "Typewriter" but i thought it was incredible. It stands on the hill and there are the huge statures of charriots on top of it.
There was loads of other things that we saw and did, but it was all worth it and it really need a good few days of walking and soaking it all up. Museums etc are next on the list.
One regret is that I did not do enough pre reading to fully understand the history behind all that i was seeing. If you go to Rome, take your time there and stay a while!
From Rome it was off to Barcelona for 2 nights!
Joanne was our tour guide and lead us around on a mammoth walk to see all of the famous Gaudi sights. As it was, our accomodation was right near the Sagrada Familia. Probably his most famous work...the strange basilica. I was not a fan of his work, but i must admit it is different and unusual. I can appreciate the work he did but would not ask him to design my house...
Lots of great things to do and see in Barcelona. The cable car accross the bay was good fun and so too was the walk to the castle on the hill over looking the city.
The "W" hotel had an amazing bar with an even better view. Never before have i had the pleasure of going to the toilet and seeing the entire city below me. Not for those with vertigo.
You have to try it. Apparently it is not the same in the ladies...
Las Ramblas is the "high street" of Barcelona. Loads of interesting shops and people and performers.
The Market just off the street was one of the best markets i have ever been to. Fresh fruit juices and fish and fruit. Etc etc etc. The smells, sight and colours, the atmosphere and vibe...all really great. Park Guell was full of tourists admiring more of Gaudi's work. Well worth a visit.
We tried the local dish of "Black Rice" / Arros Negra. Made with squid ink it was unusual and looked most unappealling, but tasted great.
Final thoughts...I would highly recommend one of those coach tours / trips if you have a low budget and see a whole bunch of places in Europe. It is really a small place. After you have been to a few places you will know which are worth revisiting and spending more time at. I really enjoyed my holiday. My thanks to Al and Jo for allowing me to join them on a most memmorable trip.
Awesome holiday and nice description. You missed some highlights though...the boat ride around Lake Garda in Italy, the fact that the day after we were at the garden in Neros palace in Rome overlooking the colleseum the roof collpased metres from where we were standing...An lest we forget Sandys.
ReplyDeleteGlad you could join us. Safe travels. Al
We you certainly will not need a history and art
ReplyDeletelesson before you visit Oz. Just sunlotion and baggies!! Enjoy!!