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Bella Italia 2018Bella Italia 2018
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Bella Italia 2018

August - November 2018
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We came. We saw. We loved! Read more
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  • Bella Italia 2018
    Day 8

    Bar Duomo, Milan

    September 6, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    After we finished our Walking Art Tour, we were left to find our own way back the Piazza del Duomo. Somehow we managed to work out the tram system and find our way back so we were feeling a bit pleased with ourselves. Travelling in another country thats primary language isn't English is a very new experience and I feel we will get more confident as we go along.

    After a stroll around the Piazza we decided to do what all the tourist sites advise what not to do - we had lunch at a tourist cafe overlooking the Duomo. And I am so glad we did. We were sat right on the edge of the footpath with mopeds, cars and buses whizzing past as we ate our first Italian pizza. They were that close they could have grabbed a piece themselves as they drove past. There are so many stylish people here driving mopeds while looking totally glamourous.

    It was an experience and one I'm glad we did. It was great to sit back and watch the world around us and just soak it all up. A great way to end our first day in Milan before heading back to our accomodation for the night.    Read more

  • Bella Italia 2018
    Day 9

    Basilica di Sant’Eustorgio, Milan

    September 7, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We headed back into Milan central today for another tourist day of checking out churches. I didn’t think I was into churches as such, but have discovered they hold so many great works of art, so much history and so many stories. And thankfully Brad has found them just as interesting.

    First church for the day is the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio and it is full of stories. The Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio is one of the oldest churches in Milan and it is believed it was founded in the 4th century.

    It was for many years an important stop for pilgrims on their journey to Rome or to the Holy Land, because it was said to contain the tomb of the Three Magi or the Three Kings. In the 12th century, the relics of the Magi were appropriated and taken to Cologne. It was only in 1903/4 that fragments of the bones and garments were sent back to Sant'Eustorgio's and nowadays they are in the Three Kings altar nearby the empty Three Kings sarcophagus.

    Also located inside the Basilica is the Portinari Chapel complete with its elaborate multicoloured scalloped dome, an ornate marble sepulcher and rich frescoes that include a depiction of Mary and Jesus with devil horns! Portinari Chapel was built from 1462 to 1468 and was consecrated to St. Peter of Verona, whose head rests in the elaborate marble shrine.

    One such story involved St. Peter of Verona seeking to “win back” an eminent man who had converted to Catharism after seeing the Madonna at a Cathar meeting. Determined to get to the bottom of this, St. Peter attended a meeting of the same group and saw the holy mother and child but—thanks to his unerring faith—saw also that they bore horns, revealing that this was actually the devil in disguise. Thus, he offered the false apparition a piece of sacramental bread, saying, “If you are the Mother of God, adore your Son!” The devil fled and as a result, all the Cathars present returned to Catholicism.

    The frescoes of this and the other events of the life of St. Peter of Verona were painted by Vincenzo Foppa and after years of neglect, they were rediscovered in the late 19th century, and restored in the early 20th century.

    While this isn’t one of the biggest, brightest or “best” basilicas we have visited so far, it has amazing stories. I loved seeing the horned Madonna and child painting and the crypt beneath the church, but the most eye-catching was the beautiful dome in the chapel. Brad even lay on the floor to try and get the best photo. This was definitely worth the visit.    Read more

  • Bella Italia 2018
    1
    Day 9

    Santa Maria Presso di San Satiro

    September 7, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Second stop for the day was Santa Maria Presso di San Satiro, a small church dating back to the 9th century. The Gothic frescoes, two bays and a vaulted ceiling still remain from the original structure.

    In the 15th century architect Donato Bramante transformed the church in an effort to expand its limited size and to make the church appear even larger added a trompe l'oeil painting adding depth to the church behind the alter. The illusion uses trompe l'oeil paintings of realistic looking columns, arches and a dome to extend the 97cm space to look more like almost 10 metres. This is the first known use of the trompe l'oeil painting technique.

    I have to say this is very well done. As you enter the main doors of the church the alter is directly ahead and you cannot tell that the space behind the alter is less than a metre deep. Its only until you get a side on view and you think your eyes are playing tricks on you that you see how the trompe l'oil painting has been created. Pretty impressive.    Read more

  • Bella Italia 2018
    Day 9

    Santuario di San Bernardino Alle Ossa

    September 7, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Third stop for the day was another of my "unusual" finds - the San Bernardino alle Ossa. This church in Milan is best known for its ossuary, a small side chapel decorated with numerous human skulls and bones.

    In 1210, when an adjacent cemetery ran out of space, a room was built to hold bones. A church was attached in 1269, renovated in 1679 and destroyed by a fire in 1712. A new bigger church was then attached to the older one and dedicated to Saint Bernardino of Siena.

    The ossuary's vault was frescoed in 1695 by Sebastiano Ricci with a Triumph of Souls and Flying Angels, while in the pendentives are portrayed the Holy Virgin, St. Ambrose, St. Sebastian and St. Bernardino of Siena. The part that intrigues me the most is how the niches and doors are decorated with bones. It seems so sacrilegious yet amazing at the same time. Once again it was something we had to get our heads around.    Read more

  • Bella Italia 2018
    Day 9

    Duomo di Milan

    September 7, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We saved the biggest and the best church for last. Thankfully we had pre-booked our tickets to go into the Duomo and to go to the rooftop, and once again we somehow managed to avoid the long lines and crowds.

    I'm not sure there are words to actually describe the Duomo, and being one of the most famous in the world I don't know that I actually need to. This is the largest church in Italy (the larger St. Peter's Basilica is in the State of Vatican City) and the third largest in the world and took nearly six centuries to complete. Construction of the cathedral began in 1386 with the building process continuing until 1813. Up until 1965 finishing touches were still being added to the church. As the cathedral took so long to build it was influenced by a number of architectural styles but overall the general impression is of an elaborate Gothic design.

    The cathedral is 157 meters long and can accommodate 40,000 people. The exterior, covered with marble, is topped with 135 spires and pinnacles bearing statues while the central spire is 109 meters from the ground. In all the building has 3159 statues of which 2245 are on the exterior. The Madonnina is the most famous of the cathedral statues, a copper figure which stands on the cathedral's central spire.

    There was just so much to look at and admire and I was really disappointed that this was the day my camera had decided to no longer work and all I had was my iphone camera. Just not the same zoom power.

    Going up to the rooftop was unbelievable. We were standing on the roof of the Milan Cathedral, and were up close and personal with a lot of the amazing statues, gargoyles, arches and facades. It was very impressive. Even more impressive was the interior, the stained glass windows, the alters, the columns, everywhere we turned we would utter another "wow". Yet again a place filled with history and beauty. I totally understand how this is one of the world's most famous cathedrals and would visit again if we returned to Milan.    Read more

  • Bella Italia 2018
    Day 9

    Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan

    September 7, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Just to the left of the Milan Cathedral is the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It is Italy's oldest active shopping mall and a major landmark of Milan. Housed within a four-story double arcade in the center of town, the Galleria is named after Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of the Kingdom of Italy. It was designed in 1861 and built by architect Giuseppe Mengoni between 1865 and 1867.

    While there is no chance I could afford to shop in the many exclusive shops there, I loved the structure of the roof and the geometric patterns of it against the elegance of the old buildings. So many interesting angles from which to photograph it.    Read more

  • Bella Italia 2018
    Day 9

    Pulia Ristorante, Milan

    September 7, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    We ended our day with a delicious late lunch at a local restaurant. We figured it must be good because all the locals were there on their lunch break, and it was.

    Great food, great vibe and I loved the decor. We would definitely recommend this place and it wasn't too far from the Duomo and the city sights.Read more

  • Bella Italia 2018
    Day 10

    Como - Lake Como

    September 8, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Well we mastered two trains to make it to Como. I think we are starting to get a hang of the transport system here.

    From here we are catching a bus to Lezzeno, our location for the next three nights, but we decided to store our luggage and check out Como on our way. It is nice location at the end of Lake Como, with a relaxing atmosphere and huge cathedral. I loved the colours of the Como Cathedral, with the use of orange and black stone, it was different to the other churches we have already seen. It was an impressive structure against the vivid blue sky.

    There was a service going on so we were unable to check out the interier of the cathedral, instead opting to enjoy a light and very delicious lunch under the shadow of the cathedral itself. While having lunch the service ended and we watched a procession of clergymen as they left the church. Not sure if they were from the local monastery but it was pretty cool to see.

    Como was a pleasant place to visit and one we could have spent more time in. Maybe next time.    Read more

  • Bella Italia 2018
    Day 10

    Lezzeno - Lake Como

    September 8, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Our home for the next three nights is a traditional Italian holiday home on the shores of Lake Como, in a small town called Lezzeno, 2km from the well-known Bellagio. Far enough away to not be touristy but close enough to visit for the day.

    The bus ride here was quite perilous, but the views and atmosphere are worth the scary ride. It certainly is an authentic Italian holiday home and Brad was not really that impressed, but I loved the authenticity of it. However the views from our balcony certainly made up for any disappointment Brad felt.

    One thing I did not realise when booking our accommodation was that there really wasn't a lot around. Thankfully our host drove us to the nearest shop to buy some groceries for the next few days. That in itself was a very unique experience and luckily our host was with us as no one spoke English and the shops here are so totally different to what we have at home. It certainly made us realise how lucky we are with the shops we have available, and the range of products we can choose from. We managed to buy some delicious meats, cheese and crackers and some Italian wine to enjoy while admiring the views from our balcony.

    It is a truly beautiful place to unwind and relax for a few days.    Read more

  • Bella Italia 2018
    Day 11

    Bellagio, Lake Como

    September 9, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today we decided to head into Bellagio, and we managed to work out the bus schedule, and find the bus stop. We are killing this travelling in a foreign country gig. While Bellagio wasn’t what I expected, I loved the look and feel, and was quite charmed by the place. I almost wish we had booked to stay here as it certainly wasn’t as touristy as I had heard it would be. One of the bonuses for visiting at the very end of their tourist season, I guess.

    We managed to communicate enough with the locals to work out which ferry to catch and hopped on board to enjoy a trip around the famous lake. Our original plan was to hop off at a couple of towns and explore but we decided it was a lovely day to just stay onboard and enjoy the cruise around the lake. It was a great way to see the area and not punish our feet any further.

    We got off back at Bellagio, enjoyed a stroll around the shops, enjoyed a delicious lunch overlooking the lake and checked out the San Giacomo Church, built between 1075 and 1125. We finished the day with a naughty but delicious ice cream sundae and managed to catch the right bus back to our apartment. A wonderful day spent playing tourist.    Read more

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