Recently updated on January 16th, 2020 at 05:37 pm
We’re about halfway through our Best of Italy trip when we arrive in magical Venice. We cruise by water taxi down the length of the Grand Canal followed by a gondola ride with musicians and singers in our gondola, along with champagne. People stop everywhere to stare at us as the tenor’s voice reverberates in the canals.
Later, our Travel Director Federica takes us to a Hidden Treasure in Venice—the house where Vivaldi was born and the church next door where he was baptized. Tim is humming the “Four Seasons”! We wander the streets of Venice and visit St. Mark’s Square, the Bridge of Sighs, the Rialto Bridge and the Doge’s Palace. Does it get any better?
Next day we visit the island of Murano and the workshop where they demonstrated the historic Local Specialty of glass blowing (he made a glass horse in less than 1 minute!). Apparently, they also make the glass beads for Pandora. Who knew? Had to buy some glass jewelry—it’s Venice, people!
Our next stop is Verona, the home of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. We then continue on across the plains of Lombardy to Milan and meet with a Local Guide for a walking tour. We love the Gothic Duomo, the La Scala Opera House and the Galleria.
My theory that what might be the worst food in Italy is far better than the best food in the US holds true. Everything is fresh and without preservatives or additives, including the wine. A bottle of wine is cheaper than soda or water. My kind of place!
We move on to the Lakes region of northern Italy arriving at Baveno where we stay in a 5 star luxury hotel on Lake Maggiore surrounded by the Alps. The next day is our 29th wedding anniversary and Tim and I decide to sleep in and rejoin the group at noon for a trip to Lake Como.
Federica plays romantic Sinatra music on the coach to mark the occasion of our anniversary. Como is neatly laid out and so picturesque. Federica points us to the best gelato shop in Italy and we eagerly lap up coconut and chocolate and fruit gelato with cookies—is the woman ever wrong?
We next head to Lake Lugano in Switzerland for more shopping and chocolate. Lake Lugano is even more beautiful than Lake Maggiore and the Alps are gorgeous.
Next morning we cross the Apennine Mountains and pass by Genoa en route to Tuscany. We visit Pisa to see the Leaning Tower and end the day in Florence.
Our morning in Florence begins with a walking tour and Local Guide. We are in the cradle of the Renaissance! She takes us to sites like Perseus with Medusa’s head, the Duomo, the Gates of Paradise and Ponte Vecchio before whisking us into the Galleria dell’ Accademia to see Michelangelo’s “David”. Pretty darn impressive, I gotta say. Everything is so BIG!
After a visit to the hilltop Piazzale Michelangelo for a last view over Florence, we head to Siena, a medieval town in the Tuscan hills, for an afternoon of sightseeing and shopping before arriving back in Rome.
That evening, we have our Farewell Dinner at the Cabiria Restaurant to say goodbye to our new friends. Many photos are taken amid much laughter and singing. We didn’t know what to expect of this vacation but it truly was a trip of a lifetime and we are grateful for all the wonderful people we met and the friendships we formed, including the sensational Federica. She should be my life coach. How can we go on without her?
Barbara, USA