Recently updated on January 15th, 2020 at 07:25 pm
Half-way through our Italian Glory At Leisure adventure with Trafalgar and we were on our way to Florence!
A real highlight while in Florence was the By My Guest dinner we enjoyed at an authentic Tuscan Villa, about 30 minutes south of the city. The 18th century villa has been in the same family for nine generations and still maintains its original form, complete with artworks, frescos and great views across the Tuscan countryside. We were treated to a meal and wines all grown locally – simply delicious!
A Local Guide took us on a walking tour of Florence which included Piazza Del Duomo and the Church of Santa Croce, the final resting place for Machiavelli, Michelangelo, Galileo and Rossini. We also visited Certoza di Firenze, a Carthusian monastery built in the 14th century. It’s still home to four monks of the order and they all take vows of silence. We enjoyed dinner at the restaurant opposite the monastery, where we were treated to a performance by the waiters all dressed in monks robes, as well as entertainment by ‘Andrea’ – a charming Italian ‘stallion’ who had the ladies swooning, singing classic Italian songs. A great end to the night!
Our home for the next three nights was in Maiori along the Amalfi Coast which included visits to the island of Capri and the town of Amalfi. On the way we visited Ravello, well known for celebrity visits from Wagner to Jacquie Onasis, and home to the remnants of the 5th century Villa Rufolo. The bus driver really earned his wages today, with many parts of the road incredibly narrow and steep! Ravello is perched on a hill around 1,000 metres above sea level, with stunning views out to sea.
With a full day to explore on our own we opted for an afternoon visit to Positano. Cars and buses can only take you so far here as it’s a town built on the steepest cliffs in Europe. A labyrinth of alleyways, steps and sloping walking tracks are surrounded by designer shops, art, ceramics and food, food and more food! It has a good balance between appealing to the tourist and maintaining a local, though exclusive style to match those living here.
Before we knew it we were on our way to Rome, stopping via Pompeii. It’s hard to imagine that less than 250 years ago the entire site of Pompeii was hidden under a hill covered by dirt, dust and vegetation. Our Local Guide showed us around as we explored what once was a training camp for gladiators and and walked down the major north-south, and east-west crossroads.
After arriving in Rome we set forth on a guided walking tour of the city starting at the Spanish Steps. The streets are a mosaic of ancient and modern Rome all blended in the streets cape. We came across a set of columns dedicated to Hadrian (where we were reliably informed by our Local Guide that the remains of Julius Caesar are buried just near the tribute). Another corner, another treasure – the Pantheon! This is a stunning feast for the eyes, almost completely intact, with the inside temple showing amazing engineering skills from 2,000 years ago.
Our last day included a visit to Vatican City. After the bus dropped us off we walked around the corner and into a queue that must have been 400-500 metres long. This is the public line and in the increasing heat, it was going to be a long day for some! Fortunately for us, the tour was pre-booked and we walked straight to the front of the line. A highlight for me was the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo spent some 15 years completing his two major works here including the ceiling and archway, and then returning to complete ‘The Last Judgement’. It appears he had quite the sense of humour – one of the cardinals who objected to his depictions of nudity, was included in the Last Judgement, shown descending into hell with a snake wrapped around his body and biting in a very uncomfortable place!
Next up the mighty Colosseum! After a tour group photo, we again walked past a very long line of queues and straight into the first level of the arena. It’s hard to imagine that as well as chariot races, gladiator battles, and feeding of slaves to the animals, the Colosseum was used (for a period of 10 years) to stage mock naval battles where they would turn the floor into a huge water stadium.
Our Farewell Dinner complete with Opera singers was the perfect ending to a fabulous trip. Can’t wait for the next venture, UK, France, who knows…
Rodney Bates from Melbourne, Australia
To read Rodney’s full Italian Glory travel tale, visit the Trafalgar Community Forums here
