This was our first trip to Naples and it is probably the busiest and grittiest city in Italy. Everywhere you look there is action and people talking in loud voices. Our driver Gino took us directly to the Grand Hotel Santa Lucia from our hotel in Ravello. The hotel is across the street from the Castello dell’Ovo. The location allowed us to take long walks along the sea. Our first walk took us to Sorbillo, one of the iconic Pizza restaurants in Naples and now the world. We started with fritti and then had a great Margherita pizza.
Our next day we had a city tour with our guide Dario, who was entertaining and informative. We started at the National Archeological Museum, which featured many artifacts from Pompeii. We proceeded to the Sansevero to view the amazing sculpture of the Veiled Christ. We ate lunch at another iconic pizza restaurant – Pizzeria Di Matteo. Dario insisted we try the fried pizza which was amazing. It is hard to believe how they can fry the pizza dough and yet get a delicate soft crust. Our second pizza was a pizza gialla, which is probably the best pizza we have ever eaten.
The next day we walked to the Piazza Del Plebiscito and then toured the Royal Palace. Lunch was at the Osteria Della Mattonella. A very small iconic local restaurant specializing in pasta ragu. That evening we did a food tour with Paolo from With Locals. He was a good guide and really gave us a very good prospective of Naples and all of its delicious food. He was even kind enough to give us a lift back to the hotel.
Our last day we revisited the area of the food tour which was slightly past the Spanish Quarter. We went to the Chiesa Del Gesu which was an over the top eaxample of Baroque. Then we past some pleasant quiet time in Chiostro di Santa Chiara.
Naples Restaurants:
Ristorante Dora – driver Gino’s recommendation
Veritas – Katie Parla – excellent
Osteria Della Mattonella – small, local, perfect Napoletano!
In 2022 we returned to London for the first time since 2008. We stayed at The Stafford Hotel which was right outside of Green Park and a short walk to Buckingham Palace.
Our first full day was October 30 and we did a walking tour with Chris from With Locals, who was a transplanted Canadian and a real history buff. We started at Pimlico Station and ended in Trafalgar Square. He pointed out all the significant landmarks and some of the history associated with each It was very informative He recommended lunch at the Crypt of St Martin and it was a comfortable fun place in the crypt of the church.
The next day October 31 we went to the British Museum in the morning. I was overwhelmed by the line to get into the museum, and once inside it was wall to wall people. I was really looking forward to this visit, but there were just too many people to enjoy it. They even moved the Rosetta Stone to a special exhibit we did not have tickers for. We salvaged our day by having delicious fish and chips at the Ships Tavern
On November 1 we spent the morning at the Natural History Museum, which was less crowded than the BM and surprising interesting and informative. The giant blue what is visible from every level and the exhibits we well done and informative. Lunch was Italian food at Sale & Pepe. This was another Chris suggestion. So far he suggested all 3 of our lunch spots. We had dinner at La Momma Mia which was features on the Stanley Tucci Italy series. The experience was not very good. There was a nice grandmother there but the food was no where as good as our lunch at Sale & Pepe.
On November 2 we did a self-guided tour of Westminster Abbey. Amazing history and a real treat to just walk through such a monumental landmark. After the Abbey visit we went to the Tate Modern. I was unimpressed with the exhibits. The best part was having lunch in the cafe with a beautiful of the river and St. Paul’s. Really spectacular place for a panoramic view. We walked across the pedestrian bridge after lunch to St. Paul’s, but it was closed due to a fire alarm that was set off.
November 3 was our 43rd anniversary, and we started the day visiting the Tate Briton. It was much more to our taste. There was a big exhibit of costumed figures in the main hall that was very interesting. We had lunch at the museum. Then we took the Uber boat and went up the Thames to the County Hall building to see Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution. The seating was set up to get a court room experience and the actors performed this classic play very well. Leaving the theater we were treated to a dramatic sunset overlooking Big Ben and Parliament. Anniversary dinner was at Ottolenghi’s restaurant NOPI (North of Piccadilly) in SOHO. It was delicious and perfect capper to our time in London.
London Restaurants:
Otto’s French Restauarant – it was a nice break from all the Italinan food, but probably not worth a return visit.
Coya -118 Piccadilly. Delicious Peruvian food. Restaurant music was loud which was a big negative. We did have the incredible guacamole, gambas anticuchos, wagyu bun and seabass. I would go again.
Sartoria -Savillie Rd – Another Stanley Tucci Italian restaurant.
Sale & Peppe – 9-15 Pavilion Rd. Wonderful Italian food.
Bibi -42 North Audley St. Set menue of 4 dishes and some surprises. Best Indian food ever!
NOPI – 21-22 Warwick St. Ottolenghi restaurant that was just fantastic. Roasted carrots, Sweet potato mung beans, twice cooked chicken, and lamb cutlet. Delicious.
On Sunday May 14th, we met our guide Angel in Madrid. He will be with us the next 5 days. We take the train together to Sevilla. Sevilla is by far the best-known city in Andalusia. We had a city tour with (?) to the city visiting the unique Reales Alcazares palace and the amazing gardens. The El Real Alcázar was originally built in 913 as a military fortress on the site of a Visigoth basilica. The Real Alcázar is the oldest palace in Europe still used as a royal residence.
The palace was amazing. It is known for its tile decoration. The two tile types used are majolica and arista tiles. They were mainly of geometric design inspired by arabesque ornamentation. Visually stunning and a lot to take in during one short visit.
After the visit to the Palace we took a slow walk to the Plaza de Espana. This huge, semi-circular building was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929. It incorporates different styles of Spanish architecture and has a canal and four bridges in front of it (you can rent small boats to row the canal). Some call the Plaza “the Venice of Seville”.
Dinner was at the rooftop restaurant Recoveco.
From the rooftop of Recoveco.
Monday, May 15 – we visit the Royal school of horses in Jerez. We watched the training and learn about the famous dancing horses. An institution dedicated to the preservation of the equestrian arts, in the Spanish tradition.
We visit Bodegas Tradicion, a famous sherry house in Jerez. We have a personal tour and tasting which was capped off by simply walking through the most impressive personal collect of Spanish art in Spain. Sipping sherry in the company of Velasquez, Goya and El Greco.
We had a very nice lunch at La Carbonara and returned sleepily to the Hotel Gravina. We had a short turnaround before we attended a Flamenco Show.
Tuesday, May 16 – we left the hotel early to head to Cordoba and visit the Medina Azahara. One of the most stunning historical sites in Cordoba. We pick up our guide the animated Paco. He told us the Medina Azahara was a fortified palace-city on the western outskirts of Córdoba in present-day Spain. Its remains are a major archaeological site today. The city was built in the 10th century by Abd-ar-Rahman III.
After the Medina Azahara we drove directly to Cordoba, where Paco brought us to one of the famous “patios”. There was a traditional festival with the courtyards of the city dressed with flowers the previous week and we had a peek at a typical patios.
Lunch was at Bodegas Campos where we ate some local specialities. After lunch Paco lead the tour of the amazing Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. It is a mosque turned cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is visually stunning and clearly a work of architectural significance. The Cordoba Mosque stands as an example of a blend in culture and architecture of the east and west. Its architectural design has Islamic art forms uniformly blended with Christian elements.The architectural choices like the double arches, the horseshoe arch with a semi-circular arch atop it, designs with red brick and stone, are some of the key architectural elements that are world-famous.
We stayed the night at the Hotel Casas de la Juderia.
Wednesday, May 17 – we left the hotel early to make the trip to Baena, one of the major olive oil producing areas in Spain. We toured the facility of Nunez de Prado, and we taught about the process of making extra virgin olive oil.
After the tour of the facility we went out to the fields to see an amazing forest of olive tress. It was olive trees as far as the eye could see.
After the field trip we went to a cave where they prepared a very elaborate olive oil tasting for us. It was a little over the top, but the setting was amazing and the cave was dimly lit to not disturb the bats. It was a once in a lifetime experience.
We had a very nice lunch in the village and then went on our way to Granada. We had a heavy rain storm on the way with the temperature dropping 20 degrees in a short time. We survived to go to tapas bar and watch Man City beat Real Madrid. Hotel in Granada was The Aurea Catedral.
Thursday, May 18 – we visit the Alhambra. We met our guide Anna and were prepared to see the crown jewel of our trip. The Alhambra is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world. The name Alhambra, means in “the red” in Arabic, and is probably derived from the reddish color of the tapia, from which the outer walls were built. Anna explained the palace represents a succession of Muslim rulers, where each tried to make the palace a little better and grander. It was a massive castle constructed over many centuries, it consists of gardens, fortifications, and sumptuous palaces. The Alhambra became a Christian court in 1492 when the Ferdinand and Isabel conquered the city of Granada. Thankfully the integrity of the palaces were not compromised.
The Alhambra complex contained numerous other structures, perhaps the most famous of which was the Patio of the Lions (or Courtyard of the Lions). This courtyard was so named for the central fountain, which is surrounded by twelve lions that spewed jets of water.
Other famous structures include the Hall of the Abencerrajes, which has a stalactite ceiling and is a legendary site where a noble family was said to have been murdered, and the Hall of the Ambassadors, a chamber where Islamic emirs (commanders) would negotiate with Christian emissaries.
Friday, May 19th – we head back to Madrid. Our Andalusia adventure comes to a close.
We spent 5 days in Madrid on our 2023 trip before we met up with Angel to tour the sights in Andalusia. The night we checked into the Hotel Wellington, Manchester City was playing Real Madrid in the semi-final of the 2023 Champions League. We watched the second half in the hotel bar and the game ended 1-1. Man City went on to beat Real Madrid. The hotel was situated in a lovely cosmopolitan area. It reminded me of the Upper East Side in NYC. It was also very near the El Retiro park which is a very large park that reminded me of Central Park.
Our first full day we did a city tour with Victor from With Locals. He was a great guide, very knowledgeable about the city and the history of Madrid. He was gracious and talkative and brought us to some historic bars (over 100 years in service) and explained how a short glass of beer came along with a plate of tapas for free, which for the most part were pretty tasty. When our tour ended, Victor set us up with another 100 year + restaurant near the Plaza Mayor – Los Galayos. We had a lovely lunch sitting on the outdoor terrace.
Plaza MayorLos Galayos Restaurant
That evening with met our former neighbor Anish at Terracotta; we also met his lovely wife, Carmen, their son, Leo, and his sheepdog, Hanna. It was a great night to reconnect and reminisce.
The next day we ventured out on our own and went back to Plaza Mayor to eat lunch at the Mercado San Miguel, which is home to an amazing array of tapas.
Mercado San Miguel
We walked off lunch at in the El Retiro Park. Dinner was a little off the playbook. I had noticed an Italian restaurant near the hotel, Ornella, but was disappointed no one there spoke Italian. The food was passable, but we found better restaurants in the area.
The next day we did a tour of the Museo Prado with a Context Tours guide, Barbara. She was very knowledgeable and friendly. The museum is not too big; we spent 2 or 3 hours and felt we had covered most of it. Barbara took us immediately to Bosch’s Garden of Delights, which is one of the highlights. She also provided background information on Velazquez, El Greco, and Goya. After the museum we searched for a restaurant for lunch and discovered Tabriz, which served delicious Persian food.
After lunch we explored the Botanical garden – Real Jardin Botanico. It was a nice place to walk on a sunny day with lots of shade and plenty to see. Dinner was at Quintin, a hotel suggestion. Although the space was cramped, the food was very good.
Our last day before the trip to Andalusia, we went to Museo Cerralbo, which was the residence of the Marquis of Cerralbo and his family. A surprising place, it is a classic building from the end of the 19th century. The house is perfectly preserved with beautiful ornate interiors, furniture, paintings, Murano glass chandeliers, and an impressive armor collection. Our With Locals guide, Victor, had suggested the visit. After the museum, we texted Victor for a place to eat lunch and once again he was spot on and sent us to Sifoneria. We had some great food and enjoyed the charm of this old time bar.
Our dinner that night was at Pante which was unique experience in true Italian food in the heart of Madrid. It was also a 2-minute walk from our hotel. Pante comes from the volcanic island of Pantelleria, located 70 miles southwest of Sicily and 39 miles northeast of Tunisia. We had a delicious meal and were entertained by the guests at the wedding reception in the backroom.
Museo Cerralbro
After we returned from Andalusia, we spent one more night in Madrid before the flight home. We stayed at Roommates Alba which was a 10-minute walk to the Plaza Mayor and certainly had more of a downtown vibe than the Wellington. We made one more trip to the Mercado San Miguel and dinner was at a traditional Madrid restaurant called Capitan Alatriste (Angel’s suggestion). I had a delicious ox meat steak.
Madrid Restaurants:
Terracotta – ate there with Anish
Ornella – Italian, near hotel, but not worth another visit.
Tabriz – Persian restaurant near Museo Prado
Quintin – nice restaurant near the Hotel Wellington. Cramped seating but very lively.
Pante – Sicilian delight across the street from the hotel.
Capitan Alatriste – city center. Very nice place. Lots of tourists during our early dinner.
Los Galayos – near Plaza Mayor
Sifoneria – Victor’s suggestion near Museo Cerralbro.
Bari – was our first stop in Puglia. It was an easy train ride from Rome. Our first day we toured the old town with Eugenio, who was Yelenia’s guide. He was a bit slow and underwhelming. We did taste 2 types of focaccia, which are regional specialties, and got a good perspective of the city.
Matera was a day trip from Bari. We did an ape tour with Vito. We visited the city sites with the major vistas, toured a replica sasso in town, and went out to the countryside to see an original sasso that could date as far back as 2000 years. We had lunch at Bollicine, which was delicious, in a very authentic setting. We saw Massimiliano Gallo, one of the actors in the Italian television shows “Imma Tataranni” and “I Bastardi” walking in town.
Bari restaurants – Al Pescatore – Elizabeth Minchilli recommendation. Fish, Fish, and more Fish.
Giampolo – was recommended by the Dillman staff and was very nice. Best restaurant we ate at in Bari.
Cecchina -another hotel recommendation.
Aperativo place was La Biglietteria – we were there twice.
Dillman Hotel – perfect location, breakfast next door was excellent, and very helpful staff.
Polignano a Mare – We drove from Bari in about 40 minutes and checked into the beautiful San Michele Suite, a lovely boutique hotel that overlooks the famous Polignano beach. The staff were incredible – Monica at the front desk and the lovely Serena who provided the best breakfast in all of Italy.
Polignano a Mare is the birthplace of Domenico Modugno who wrote and sang the popular song “Volare.” The town is full of poetry and his words appear everywhere in town. We stayed 4 nights and unfortunately had rain for 3 days, but that did not hold us back. We did a quick tour of the town with 29-year-old Antonio, who was a little lackluster. He then drove us to Monopoli, where we walked all over the city and spent some time admiring the harbor.
We went to an olive oil tasting at Masseria Il Frantoio which was outside of Ostuni. We learned how to properly taste olive oil, and we were impressed with the overall quality and their marketing spin to adopt a tree for a year. The Masseria was beautiful with countless numbers of olive trees. We then went to Ostuni for lunch before our ape tour of the town. We ate at Porta Nova and probably had one of our best meals of the trip there. After lunch we meet our young energetic ape driver, Antonio.. He was a bit reckless; when it started to rain we were a bit nervous with his ability to stop the ape. This tour was no comparison the ape tour we did in Mattera. Very few memorable sights, which is disappointing because I had heard good things about Ostuni.
We toured Alberobello in the pouring rain and it our worst day weather-wise. We had a nice guide named Anna, but for some reason her husband, Carlo, decided to walk with us. He did not have an umbrella and was soaked. We are still scratching our heads as to why he came. We visited the Trulli village and stopped in one store and a church, but the weather got the better of us.
Restaurants in the Polignano a Mare area:
Antiche Mura – Seafood in Polignano. Lovely setting, we ate there twice.
Osteria Dei Pellegrini – our favorite lunch spot in Polignano. Battered baccala (better than jewish ghetto in Rome), spaghettone with clams and muscles.
L’Archibugio – Polignano – small cramped restaurant but good food and had plenty of meat options. We ate there twice.
Ristorante Porta Nova – in Ostuni. One of our best meals.
Morus – Polignano – all seafood. Entertaining head waiter.
Lecce – We left Polignano a Mare and traveled 75 minutes to get to Lecce. We stayed at the Palazzo De Noha. It’s a boutique hotel with 8 or 9 rooms and the service was incredible. Raffaella at the front desk was incredibly helpful, and would make an excellent tour guide.
We did a rickshaw tour with Anna to get acquainted with Lecce. She brought us to the Il Fornaio bakery, and we had the local treat called rustico. We also meet Yelenia, our trip planner, at the Strada del Vino and enjoyed some food and wine with her.
Our second day we toured with Francesco and made a number of stops along the coast. First stop was Acaya – a miniature, perfectly geometric fort which was inhabited by about 800 people. Then it was on to Roca where there is a picturesque swimming hole. Crystal clear water with the backdrop of the Adriatic Sea. Next we went to Otranto, which has an amazing castle and beautiful basilica, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Annunziata, with the most impressive mosaics on the floor of the church. The scenes include episodes from the Old Testament including a giant tree of life. We finished the tour with a visit to the lighthouse which is the most eastern part of Italy.
We did a day trip to Gallipoli, which is the western part of the heel. It was a lovely town to walk in and we had a nice lunch close to the sea. We also hired a boat one day from Marina di Leuca, the southernmost point of Puglia. This is where the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea meet. Our boat capitan, Selvario, took us up and down the coast of both seas with great viewings of impressive caves, crystal clear waters, and schools of fish. We had a lovely lunch at Ristorante Fedele.
Restaurants in Lecce:
La Cucina di Mamma Elvira
La Pueta – hotel recomendation
Tabisca – hotel recommendation. Great steak cooked on salt slab. Ate there twice.
Gelato – Natale
Ristorante Fedele -in Santa Maria di Leuca
Vico Dei Sotterranei – hotel recommendation, but I did not enjot the meal.
In October 2022 we returned to the Amalfi coast since 2008. The weather was fantastic and we stayed in Ravello which is south of Positano and further up the mountain because the coastal towns like Positano and Amalfi have attracted a lot more tourists. The views were spectacular and Ravello is a quaint little town that offers a bit of peace and quiet.
We drove to Ravello from Rome. Our first stop was at the Apicella Winery in Tramonti. We toured the winery and the vineyards which have a unique pergola system using the trunks of chestnut trees to support the vines. We drank their wine and had a delicious lunch.
The following day we rented a boat and traveled up and down the coast. Our captain was Sandro and he was very good about pointing out all the sites on the hills. It was a beautiful day and an experience I will always remember. We circumnavigated Capri and saw the green and the blue grottoes. We pulled into the harbor in Nerano and had a fabulous lunch at Il Cantuccio in Marina del Cantone looking over the sea and the beach. Lunch naturally included Spaghetti Nerano, which we learnedhow to make with Daniella in Rome.
The next day we went into the town of Amalfi and had a guided tour of the town and the Cathedral which was quite impressive. Our guide Michelangelo was fascinated by the remains of St. Andrew which were reportedly brought to Amalfi from Constantinople in 1206 during the Fourth Crusade by Cardinal Peter of Capua. After the tour of the Cathedral we were taken to a lemon grove at the edge of Amalfi and had a nice tour and lunch. Salvatore was the proprietor and a 6th generation caretaker of the groove. The steep slope of the mountain makes this very challenging work.
The next day we left Hotel Rufolo (which was lovely) and we went to Hotel Cimbrone which was situated perfectly to give spectacular views of two sides of the mountain. Cimbrone is one of the top 10 location for wedding in Italy and for good reason. We lunched our first day on the terrace which had amazing vistas. It was a treat for the senses.
Restaurants we ate at:
Mimi Pizzeria & Cucina – good pizza.
Ristorante Vittoria – right outside the door of Hotel Rufolo. We had a slight wine dispute when they opened a bottle of Antinori reserve by mistake. We ate eggplant parmigiana, lamb chops and sea bream. Meet too delightful British tourists who shared our wine
Ristorante Salvatore 1958 – Nice location right outside the tunnel with a local cuisine flair. We had tempura rabbit, gnocchi with braised veal and sea bream with lemon rinds.
Enotavola Risto – very nice lunch shared the caprese salad, raviolo al limone, and polpette della nonna.
We started at the Milan airport where picked up the rental car (Kajar) from Hertz. It was a warm and sunny day with beautiful scenery. It took 4 hours to get to Bolzano, we headed to Verona and then proceeded north. The views on the road from Verona to Bolzano were only a hint of what we would experience in the Dolomites. We arrived in Bolzano and to my surprise it was crowded and much more touristy than I was expecting. The hotel was a bit of a pit with a crappy bed and hard pillows. We came to Bolzano specifically to go to the Archeological Museum and to eat at In Viaggio which was jut issue its first Michelin Star this year.
In Viaggio was amazing. It was one of our top 5 meals of all time (Le Bra, Willows INN #1, Exobi and Arzak in San Sebastian). We had the 5 course meal which was really 12 courses with all the surprise courses that appeared at the table. As good as the food was the Chef was even more impressive. The restaurant is in a 17C palazzo and Chef Claudio Melis takes guests on an enjoyable gastronomic journey visiting places with a connection to the chef’s past. The dishes are skillfully prepared, but the chef is there to serve everyone and explain the significance of the food. He really seems to love what he is doing. There were 5 tables and only 12 places are served every night.
That was Saturday night, the next day was Sunday and we woke to church bells and and an antique car show outside our hotel. It was fun to see all the finally crafted Italian cars. Then we went to the Archeological Museum to see Otzi the 5,000 year old man. The museum was well done and the story of Otzi is told in a cptivating way. The actual body of Otzi is kept in a special freezer and everyone has a opportunity to take a look at the body. Very impressive museum.
From Bolzano we made our way to The Miramonti Hotel outside of Merano. The views fro the hotel were amazing. The hotel has an expansive view of the mountains and is in a fairly isolated part of the Dolomites. The rooms and the service were truly first class. The grounds had hiking trails, pools, a picturesque church and Halflinger horses. According to Wikipedia – The Haflinger, is a breed of horse developed in Austria and northern Italy during the late 19th century. Haflinger horses are relatively small, are always chestnut with flaxen mane and tail, have distinctive gaits described as energetic but smooth, and elegant.
We ate our meal ate the hotel and sat after dinner with an amaro at the fire pit. The next day we went to Lana and took the chair lift, which took a tranquil 15 minutes to get to the top of the mountain. This was the Vigiljoch /San Vigilio chair lift. At the top we were able to walk a good disytance to an old church on a hill top and there were more Haflinger horses to look at. We returned to the cable car and had a rustic lunch before heading back to the Miramont. Had New Zealand steak called Blue Ocean for dinner along with a bottle of Elena Walch’s red blend.
The next day (October 1), we left the Miramonti and headed for Ortisei in the Val Gardena. Our first stop was about 45 minutes away at Orchid museum, which was more like orchid nursery. We strolled and saw some interesting plants and then had lunch there. We left and continued the climd to Ortisei. The elevation was getting steeper and the there was a lot more signage in German. We decided to make a stop at the Alpe di Siusi funivia (cable car). It was a little cloudy and we were not sure of the vistas and we also did not know what type of weather we would have over the next few days. The funivia system is used for skiing and when we arrived at the landing after a 15 minute ride, we had many options for hiking. Joanne’s knee was giving her some trouble, she we did a small walk with the weather remained cloudy with an occasional sun break. It was a good introduction to the area, but we wished it was clearer to appreciate the vistas. After that, we drove to Ortisei and had trouble find the Adler Spa which would be home for the next 3 days. When we finally arrived we were very impressed with the hotel, which had an underground connect to a second Adler property in Ortisei. It was true Spa with everyone walking in terry robes on their way to the pool or spa treatments. We ate at the hotel every night and we were very impressed with he food and the level of the service. We actually ate 3 meals there every day. The food was excellent, with a little regional flair.
The next day, Oct 2, was cloudy and a little rainy. It turned into our Spa day and that was very relaxing. The following day (Oct. 3) was a glorious sunny day. There was not a cloud in the sky. We took the Seiser Alm cable car which in the center of Ortisei to the top of the mountain. Unfortunately, Joanne’s knee was still giving her problems. She ended up resting at the Adler hotel on the mountain. I walked on my own and took a number of pictures. The vistas were stunning. The beauty on the Dolomites is you feel very close to the mountain peaks without having to climb in elevation to get the best vistas. I hope to get back to that exact spot some day. After lunch we took the funicular Alpe Resciesa, which was at the back end of Ortisei. The ride climbs to 2,200 meters through woods and meadows with some spectacular views. We were not as impressed with the walking trails. There were a number of trails that required some hiking polls and looked like a steep climb. We headed for a flatter path and had some nice views, but I felt the morning hike was much more impressive. We also did the funicular at the end of the time and were time constrained.
We arrived in Milan on Sept. 23 and immediately went to The Plum Guide apartment in the centro. It was a short walk to the Duomo and the location was just what I was hoping for except it apartment was at the intersection of 3 tram lines. It was very noisy and waking up at 5:15 with the sensation a tram is in the living room is not what you want on your vacation. We were luckily able to find a great hotel called Room Mates, and it mad such a big difference for us. It was a fairly new hotel and they emphasized being green as part of its mission statement. We we look for other Room Mate hotels when we travel.
Our second day in Milan started with a visit to the Starbucks Coffee Roastery. It was the firs Starbucks in Italy and it was built like a museum to coffee. The Italians hated the concept of Starbucks coming to Italy, but after they saw the final product they said -“hey that’s not too bad”. Anyway we overpaid for an Americano and Cappuccino, but it was pretty tasty. We then meet the Context tour guide – Elena for our city tour. I thought she did a good job of giving us an overview of the city and she started with the Duomo. The Duomo is a Gothic style church which is stunning from the outside and a little disappointing on the inside. It was dark due to the stained window and busy with tourists. It was hard to find a peaceful spot. We went into the sub level with Elena and she laid out the history of the church and how it was built on the grounds of other churches. After the Duomo we did a quick stop at Santa Maria presso San Satiro church
a stones throw from the Duomo, the tiny church of is the place where the architect Donato Bramante could unveil his talent for perspective. The architect was challenged by the narrow space squeezed between other buildings right in the centre of Milan. He resolved the problem withan amazing optical illusion transforming the small space of the presbytery, about 3 feet of space (97 centimeters), into an apse many meters deep. You have to see it with your own eyes.
After the church we toured the grounds of the Sforzesco Castello. We just walked the grounds with Elena and finished our tour and she guided us to a restaurant in the Brera for lunch.
Restaurants
Giacomo Arengariohttp://www.giacomoarengario.com/ – Located across the piazza from the Duomo, with incredible views. We had happy hour there 3 time during our trip because we were staring right at the Duomo. The brought a lot of appetizers to go with an 18 Euro spritz! The dinner we had was decent, but not worth a return trip. It was at the end of Fashion week and the restaurant was crowded with large business groups. We split an antipasto of asparagus, flat beans and anchovies. We also split the Spaghetto with tomatoes and basil and the secondo was nice combination of beef cheeks and scallops.
Antica Trattoria della Pesahttp://www.anticatrattoriadellapesa.com/ – the oldest trattoria in Milan. We had a great lunch there after we searched a bit to find the restaurant. It was an Elizabeth Minchilli recommendation. We split the Cotoletta. It was large thin piece (plenty to share), slightly breaded with no sauce. It the traditional Milanese dish and it was delicious.
Rigolohttps://www.ristoranterigolo.it/en-gb/home – This is not a Milanese but a Tuscan restaurant in the middle of the Brera district. This is a classic old school restaurant with very good service. We shared a porcini flan to start, and then shared a grilled Branzino. The fish was done with simple herbs and lemon, and was very tasty.
Cantina della Vetrahttp://www.cantinadellavetra.it/en/ – The restaurant is about a 15 minute walk from the Duomo near the Porta Ticinese (gate to Ticino, a river in the Po Valley). We were able to eat outside and were treated to one of our best meals in Milan. We tried the Gnocchi Fritto with their fresh burrata cheese and local cold cuts. We then shared the Ossobuco with risotto. It was delicious, the risotto was not too heavy and one portion did the trick for both of us. The service was very attentive and the half bottle of Brunello was the perfect wine.
Alla Collina Pistoiesehttps://www.allacollinapistoiese.it/ – The restaurant is located near the Porta Ticinese and has been open since 1928 serving Tuscan style dishes. We shared the Tortelloni Meneghina which are large ravioli originating from the Maremma in Tuscany. The main course was Branzino with a side of spinacci with garlic. The service here was slow and the staff was not very attentive, and the food was just okay. There were a number of locals who brought their dogs.
Nabuccohttps://nabucco.it/en/ – Popular Milan restaurant in the Brera. We had a delicious meal, though the service was a little slow. It was a busy night. We shared the Fiore di Zuca (stuffed with ricotta and anchovy), followed by the Pappardelle with sausage ragu (yum), and then the Ossobuco with risotto. The ossobuco & risotto is another classic Milanese dish. The food was superb and I would highly recommend the restaurant.
Ristorante Osakahttps://www.milanoosaka.com/ – We had lunch here. It was near the Sforzesco Castello. I was a nice find we were both nursing small cols and they had a number of broth options.
Officina 12http://www.officina12.it/officina12-en.html – This restaurant is located in the Navigli canal district. The restaurant is located on the Navigli Grande and has pleasant outdoor seating and and an interesting menu. It also a bar that specializes in Gin and has at least 50 or so bottles on display. We had a nice linch consisting of caprese salad and maltagliati pasta wit pomodori and formaggio.
