Italia Tour - Xmas 2006

Wow.. Awesome... That's all I've got to say about the whole trip. I was so in awe that I really don't have better words for describing my feeling. Another amazing adventure and experience in a whole new world!!!
Three days off and I get a whole week's worth of time on my hands and I had to go somewhere instead of staying back in this dead city of Oslo. I mean really, Oslo is completely dead during Xmas time with everybody packing their bags off and going to their family or to Mountains to ski or go some place else. So I had to do something or I will go crazy and first thing that struck me was Italy tour. Been thinking of this trip for such a long time and trying to coordinate with a friend of mine, who was also interested in going along with me. I tried to plan the trip with my friend but unfortunately he backed out due to other reasons. So left on my own and 3 days to go I had really get my act together.

Fortunately I got some cheap flight tickets (not so cheap actually but cheaper for this busy Xmas season) with Ryan Air for my onward journey and new Low cost carrier called Wizzair for my return flight. Luckily I also managed to get some Hostel booking at Hostelling International at some cheap rates, as I was a HI member. So with that done, I was all set just 2 days to go. So then I went to my local library and borrowed a Lonely Planet book about Italy. This is the mother of all Tour books with all the neccessary information for a budget tourist. Since this post could go really long, I ve split this up according to my trip diary for each city I visited. Enjoy the trip diary... To visit the Individual blogs, please click on the City names and for photos Check out the link next to the each Blog..

Milano Blog - Milano Photos
Firenze Blog - Firenze & Pisa Photos
Rome Blog - Rome Photos

Ciao

** Still working on the invidual blogs and photos.. so please check back later.. Should be up soon.

Italy Tour - Milano

Following is my trip diary from Milan. Enjoy!

Day 1 (24-10-06) - Milano: My plan was to fly to Milano from Oslo by Ryan Air and take the tour from there. My flight was to Bergamo International airport which is a small city right close to the Italian Fashion Capital. I took a airport shuttle from the Bergamo airport to Milan Central Station(TerraVision Shuttles). First thing I did was to go and buy my train ticket to my next destination Firenze (otherwise knwon as Florence to English speaking people). There was an option of taking a Intercity train which was a bit cheaper and longer time or to go for the fast Train Eurostar(eqv. of French TGV's) which was much faster and bit more expensive. I wanted to experience the fast train experience and chose the Eurostar and it also gave me a bit more time in Milan on an otherwise tight schedule. That done, I had to go look out for a Train pass for the Metros and Buses. I went to the Hostel and refreshed myself and came out on the streets to start my tour. It was almost so late in the evening that I had to just go out walking and catch a bite. So I went straight ahead to Duomo. Since it was Xmas eve I didnt really expect so many people outside, but to my surprise there were lots of tourists walking around. This Duomo is a cathedral which is an amazing piece of architecture and art. Read more about this wonderful monument from this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duomo_di_Milano. It was so well lit up and so was the adjacent Vittorio Emanuel II Monument. It is the symbol of Milano. Together it was such a spectacle in the night with a huge Xmas tree in the Piazza(square). Spent sometime there and went ahead to eat some Italian food. I went to a nice restraunt and ordered a Pizza with a fancy name. Turned out Anchovies is a horrible smelling fish that almost made me puke. So had to just bit off the edges so as not to waste my my moneys worth and sipped on some nice Italian wine to wash off the horrible smell of the Fish from my mouth. They must be wondering why the hell did he order a fish pizza and not eat the fish. But this restraunt had a fantastic Home-made Tiramisu. It just melted in my mouth and was probably the best Tiramisu I ve ever had so far. Yummy.... After not so great meal, but wonderful desert I headed off to my Hostel to get a good nights sleep after a tiring day.

Day 2 (25-10-06) - Milano: Since I was leaving the city that night I checked out my Hostel in the morning and left my luggage with the Hostel reception. Since this hostel was run by a chinese family, I felt much safer to leave my luggage there. But I would suggest to leave the luggage in a locker or Left luggage in the railway station esp. if you are planing to catch a train later to avoid all the tension of going to hostel to pick up your bags before catching the train. Anyway, I first went to have a proper breakfast the Italian way. I thought Italy being predominantly a christian Majority, the roads would be empty. On the contrary there were lots of people and cars on street much like a bigger city and so unlike Oslo. I went and had a Cappucho (Cappuchino) and a Brioche (Chocolato). Ofcourse I had to say Ciao and Gracie and Ciao again. Quite Funny, Ciao goes for both Hi and Bye and then throw in some 'Prego'(Its Ok, You are welcome) everywhere and you can speak perfect Italiano. Then I started walking along the streets and look what I found, a Vespa Scooter. There were tons of Scooterists in the streets of Italy. I went straight to Castello Sforzesco. Just walked inside the Castle and came out on the other end. Nothing great about it really except that there was a map inside which showed that in Olden days this Castle was the center of the entire city and whole city was built around this castle and the Duomo. Apparently Milano was the capital of Napolean's Italy. He even built a big arch right behind this castle to celebrate his big empire. Then I went around to the Opera Center and found that closed on the Xmas day(obv.). Then as I was walking from the Caslte towards the Duomo I was treated with a set of pictures of Italy taken from above. These splendid photographs taken from above the different places showed how wonderful each and place is how much historic importance is attached to it. Then I just had a look at Duomo in day light and then walked to a Museum called Cenacolo Vinciano which has the Fresco of the Famous painting by Leonardo Da Vinci 'the Last Supper'. It was also closed and I couldn't get a glance of it. That was about my time in Milano and I had to catch my train to Firenze to continue my adventure.

Click here for full set of Photos in Milan

TIPS:

• Whenever you go to any city always look out for a 24 hour or 48hr/72hr/week pass whichever applies to your duration of stay in that city. Works out cheaper than individual tickets most of the times. Ask for Metro Train passes at the counter just before the Metro Trains one level below the Milan Central Station or you can even try the automatic machines.
• You can book Trenitalia train tickets using Credit card with reservation on their website and pick up the tickets at any Automated Ticket Machine by entering the PNR number.
• Hostel I stayed: Hotel Durante. It was more or less a hotel offering shared rooms for a cheaper price. You can also look at http://www.hihostels.com/ for Hostel booking in Milan.
• Make a small list of all different food vareities and names of different pizzas, pastas in italian as not all restraunts will offer English Menu. Might be easier for you to choose.

** Contd... Look at my next post for my trip to Pisa and Florence.

Italy tour - Pisa and Firenze (Florence)

Trip diary of my visit to Florence and Pisa. Contd.. from Milan

Day 3 (26-10-06) - Firenze & Pisa: I had decided to go to Pisa (Home to Enrico Fermi, Galileo and Fibonacci among others)) this day to see the famous Leaning tower or 'Torre Pendente'. So I took a train from Firenze to Pisa, which takes only about an hour, and started walking towards the tower. There is nothing much to do in Pisa except the tower and the Basilica next to it and the other museums nearby in the same place Campo dei Miracoli(Field of Miracles). It costs quite a lot of money(15€) to go up to top of the tower, but whats the fun in not going to the top after being there. So I had to do it just for the heck of it. It was a very nice experience climbing the winding stairs which goes around this leaning tower and when climb you can actually feel the lean on one side. It was a great view from the top of the tower. I bought a collective museum pass(8€ for 3 Museums) for the nearby museums and went to see the Camposanto - Monumental cemetry which had a collection of some really wonderful and artful sarcophagi of many unknown people and one of the Well Known Mathematician Leanardo Fibonanacci of the famed Fibonacci series, Battistero(baptistery), Musei Opera Del duomo which has some of the old models for the tower and the Basilica and the Battistero and some frescoes and sculptures by the same person(Pisano) who was involded in building the tower. Then I went inside and saw the Duomo, a cathedral. That done, I had to go and buy some mementos and postcards to send it back home from Pisa. Then it was time for a good Dinner with 'Chianti Classic', popular red wine from the vinyards of Tuscanny. After that I took the train back to Firenze and roamed the streets locating some of the Museums which I planed to visit the next day.

Photos from Pisa

Day 4 (27-10-06) - Firenze: Crappy Breakfast at the Hostel which included a dry and hard bread with butter, a cold cappuchino and a glass of orange juice. I checked out of the hostel and went to Firenze Santa Maria Novella Station and left my luggage at the Left Luggage counter to be picked up before my evening train to Rome. I had got a 24 hour bus pass the previous night and so it made my job easier to jump between different interesting places by bus. My First destination was Gallgeria dell'Accademia, Obviously because I did not want to miss out on the world famous masterpiece by the Genius Michael Angelo, The 'David'. The Gallery also had some unfinished Sculptures by Michael Angelo. Unfortunately I dont have any pictures as they did not allow anyone to take photos inside. For its full collection, please refer the link above. Most of the visitors were swarming near the David Statue. It was so gigantic and beautiful as they all describe. It must have been 10 feet tall on a very high pedestal. It was so pristine white marble and just amazing. As history goes, it was displayed outside Palazzo Vecchio and then brought to the Gallery to preserve it. There is a copy of the same in Piazza vechio now and also a broonze copy in the Piazza Michael Angelo in the city. I also saw a copy of this same sculpture in Caesar Palace in the Vegas.

After the gallery visit, I went to see the Duomo. It was undergoing some restoration on one side. But we were allowed to enter the Duomo and also the Museo dell'opera del duomo, which ofcourse costs an entry fee. This museum had some of Micheal Angelo's works including one version of Pieta which he intented to have it for his tomb and also some sculptures of Donatello. MA was unhappy with his pieta and broke one piece of it and was later restored by one of his students. Quite a history eh, of the genius renaissance artist. I was never very arty meaning so much into all the art stuff.. but after seeing some of the wonderful stuff in Florence it was very difficult not to spend time and appreciate the art. This trip, I realised, was turning out to be a Michael Angelo tour.

Next stop was Basilica di San Lorenzo which was a very beautiful chapel which had couple of bronze pulpits designed by Donatello and apparently Donatello is buried in this same chapel. Then I went to see the Capelle Medicee (Medici Chapels). The Medici family was a big patron of the renaissance art and the likes of Donatello, Michael Angelo, Raphael all flourished during their period. This chapel has the tombs of the Medici family with some exquisite architecture and very beaituful and elaborate Sarcophagus. One of the room was Capella dei principi which is decorated nicely with marbles and precious stones and was the principal burial place of the Meidici rulers. The next room is Sargestia Nuova (New Sarcistry) which was fully designed by the Michael Angelo for the Medici's and has his beautiful alleghorical sculptures Night and Day, Dawn and Dusk and also the Madonna with the Child all of which are placed on top of the tomb of the Medici's, Lorenzo and Guiliano, along with their sculptures. Just in the presence of these masterpieces and this amazing rich rooms full of marbles and wonderful art and architecture made my day.

I decided to take it easy and just walked to Palazzo Vecchio and the crowded Piazza Della Signoria and its Fontana de Neptuno and Loggia Della Signoria in front of it which has Replicas of famous renaissance sculptures incl. David by Michel Angelo, Donatello's Judith and Holofernes, Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini, Rape of the Sabine Women and Hercules beating the Centaur Nessus, both by Giambologna, Menelaus supporting the body of Patroclus and many other Greek Myth related art work. Wonder How it must have been in its hey day during the Renaissance Period of 16th Century!! I didnt have enough time to go to Bargello Museum or Uffizi gallery, both of which are very renowned and I so wanted to see. Oh.. Well.. Maybe Next time...

Then I walked to the other side of River Arne along the famous Ponte Vecchio, Florence's oldest surviving bridge has Jewellery shops on both sides of the street. It is open only for Pedestrian walking. it connects the Old Medici Florenti Palazzo(Palace) Vecchio to the New Florentine Palazzo Pitti. I crossed the River Arne towards Palazzo Pitti and found that it was closed and I took the Bus to Piazza Michael Angelo to get a fantastic view of the whole Firenze city from there and also saw the Bronze copy of David by Michael Angelo which adorns the Piazza. Then I literally ran back to the station to get my luggages and caught the Eurostar to my next destination 'Roma'. Quiet and an express journey which costs quite a lot of money, I reached the Roma termini- Central station. Main problem after that was my Hostel was very far away from the Station and I needed to take the Metro and then a bus to reach there. The Metro lines were closed as they are constructing a their line (Rome has only 2 underground lines and every effort of their to dig deeper gets them to someething historical and then the archeological dept takes over and work is stalled). So after a bit of effort i reached my hostel which is far away from the city center and a bit closer to Vatican.

Photos from Florence

**Contd... Look at my next post for my trip to Rome.