L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022

Italy is calling us home. And home is where the heart it. It has been way too long. Read more

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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Breakfast and a Parade, Montepulciano
September 18, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
This morning I watched my last sunrise over the Tuscan hills from our kitchen window. I will miss this view (but not the four flights of stairs to our apartment). We managed to fit in one last breakfast in the Piazza Grande where we were also entertained with a medieval themed parade. While I am still unsure what the parade was in aide of, the participants took it all very seriously. I thought it might have been a farewell parade for Brad and me.

It has been such a treat spending a longer time in the one place, using it as our base while we explored the area. We also loved the down time we got to enjoy. Tuscany has certainly lived up to the hype. We sadly bid our wonderful apartment farewell and hit the road towards Siena.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Abbey of San Galgano
September 18, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
We took a slight detour on the way to Siena to visit the Abbey of San Galgano, a Cistercian Monastery founded in the valley of the river Merse. Although the roofless walls are all that remain, construction started in 1220 and the abbey was completed six decades later.

There was a wedding just finishing in the abbey as we arrived. It would be a magical place for a wedding except for all the tourists walking through the wedding space. The remains of the abbey are striking against the blue sky (I swear it is magic over here) and it was worth the detour.

A short, hot and steep walk away sits the chapel, Rotonda Di Montesiepi. Built in 1185, it is the tomb of Saint Galgano and the proposed site of his death in 1181. It is also the site of the sword in the stone where legend has it Galgano struck his sword into the stone in anger at how his parents, girlfriend and other knights sneered at his choice to become a Christian, after Archangel Michael appeared twice in his dreams. He succeeded and it was declared a miracle.

Thankfully there was a cafe not too far from the sites and we got to enjoy a light lunch and some Italian beverages sat under the trees in the Tuscan sunshine. Perfetto!Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Siena
September 18, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
We then made our way to our home for the next four nights, the beautiful Siena. Bags dropped off, we hit the Piazza del Campo for some well earned refreshments overlooking the stunning Pubblico Palace and clock tower. This is the life.

We made sure to grab our daily gelato, which ended up being the most expensive so far, but also the biggest, before calling it a day. I don’t think our bodies are happy with us today as we are both aching and exhausted, but thankfully full.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
San Gimignano
September 19, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Today we visited one our favourite towns, San Gimignano. It is an Italian hill town in Tuscany, encircled by 13th-century walls, and has a duomo (cathedral) which dates in the 12th century.

Known as the ‘Town of Fine Towers’, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture and 14 stone towers that still stand today. In its heyday there were approximately 70 of these towers.

We stayed in this town in 2019 and loved going back to experience it once again. It was a lot busier than last time, as we did visit in Winter, but we still enjoyed strolling the streets and taking in the sites. At the centre of the piazza stands a well which was the main source of water for the town's residents and dates from 1346.

The weather held out for us and we were able to take a few pics of the Tuscan countryside and the town, under the moody overcast sky.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Ceramiche Corsini, San Gimignano
September 19, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
We love this town of towers and have very fond memories of a little old Italian man called Bruno Corsini. On our last trip, after a few (too many) wines in the square we stumbled across Bruno’s ceramic shop, Ceramiche Corsini, off the main tourist road. Founded in 1957 the shop is a riot of unique colourful ceramic pieces that we had not seen in the other ceramic shops. It is a feast for the eyes. And Bruno was a charmer who spoke no English but we still had a great experience and walked away with mismatched salt and pepper shakers in the shape of roosters. Why I chose those…. It was the wine 😬 They have become one of my favourite purchases from our trips because of the fond memories attached. Bruno and I had a photo together last time which he asked me to send to him, which I did.

Upon returning to San Gimignamo today, we were hoping Bruno and his business had survived covid, and to our delight he had. I was treated with a big hug and an Italian kiss on each cheek and we all got a bit emotional seeing him again, still his charming Italian self. As he did not greet any other visitors the same way, we think he remembered us.

I love his ceramics, as they are a bit more unique that the ceramics sold in all the tourist towns. This time my purchase was made pre-wine and I bought a lovely mug so I can remember Bruno every morning when I have my cup of coffee. Another hug and a few kisses later and we bid farewell to our favourite Italian, smiles on our faces and a tear in our eyes.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Wandering San Gimignano
September 19, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
We spent the rest of the day wandering San Gimi, admiring the views and the street scenes, and enjoyed a drink or two at Bar la Cisterna, situated in Piazza Della Cisterna. Our drinks were accompanied with the best complimentary “snack” platter we have had in Italy.

The shop displays here are beautiful with their gorgeous ceramics, and interesting with their many stuffed wild boar. I love the fact that they even try to pretty them up, because yes, adding a bow to an ugly hairy beast will do the trick. Or add some pots of flowers to make the scene pretty. It certainly made me smile, that’s for sure.

We made sure to have our daily gelato before heading back to Siena. Even though the weather was overcast, it was a lovely way to spend our day, reliving past memories and making new ones. San Gimignamo will always be one our top favourite towns in Italy.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Siena Cathedral
September 20, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Today was a bit of a slower day as we have seen most of Siena’s sites on our last visit. It was nice watching the sunrise over our stunning view from our apartment window before we headed out to to wander the streets of Siena.

Even though we have visited before we did want to see Siena’s medieval cathedral again. We love the amazingly detailed facade. Completed between 1215 and 1263 it is 77 metres high and is striking against the blue sky. We explored the interior last time and with the queue quite long we decided to give it a miss this time. We still managed to snap a few more pics of the exterior - how could we not.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Streets of Siena
September 20, 2022 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
The beauty of it being our second time here is that we can just relax and enjoy the city. After stopping by the Duomo we popped our head into a couple of churches (you know we can’t resist a church) before stopping for some lunch.

They always say when travelling to not eat near the main tourist sites and don’t eat at places that have pictures on the menus. Well we broke both rules today and don’t regret it one bit. We enjoyed a very delicious lunch at San Paolo Pub. We thought it was a small cafe on the back street of the Piazza del Campo but in actual fact it had a tiny balcony looking out over the Piazza, where I ended up enjoying the best panini I’ve had so far and Brad enjoyed an Italian style hamburger. The view was fabulous, drinks were cold and food delicious.

For dinner we tried a restaurant nearby and I enjoyed a Tuscan vegetable soup, while Brad had pappardelle with wild boar. We skipped our daily gelatos in lieu of dessert before rolling ourselves home. It has been a very relaxing day.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Our last day in Siena
September 21, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Well, if we thought yesterday was a slow day for us, today we were complete sloths and we barely left our beautiful apartment. Thankfully because we have already explored Siena we were able to enjoy a relaxing day in and not feel guilty about it. I also got to admire the scenery from the sofa so still felt like I was seeing some of the town.

We did manage to venture out late afternoon for a very late lunch/very early dinner and to grab a couple of more photos before we leave tomorrow.

Last time we were in Siena it was a lot quieter and a bit cleaner/fresher, and while we have enjoyed re-visiting it hasn’t filled us with joy like some of the other towns we have re-visited. Maybe that is because Siena is a bigger and busier town, or maybe because we have just come from places that have our hearts, I am unsure why we aren’t as enamoured as the first time we were here. Needless to say, we are happy to have returned but are ready for our next location, Modena (a new town for us to explore).Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Modena
September 22, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Today we left Siena and made our way to Modena, a city in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. It is known for its balsamic vinegar and its opera heritage as it is the birthplace of Pavarotti. It is also the home town of Ferrari and Lamborghini sports cars, not that that really interests me. I think Brad drove here thinking he was in a sports car and that is enough for me.

We are staying in the historic part of town and it has totally surprised us. Once we checked into our lovely spacious apartment we took to the streets with the plan to just get our bearings, as we have a few days here to really check out the sights. This town is beautiful and so different from the other towns we have visited so far. The buildings here are beautifully coloured in hues of terracotta, ochre and citrus tones that just shine against the brilliant blue sky.

The historic buildings we want to explore are grand and elegant and so full of detail. We can’t wait to see more. We enjoyed a well deserved drink (or two) sat in front of the Palazzo Ducale Di Modena, which houses the military academy founded in 1678. We are hoping to be able to join a tour of this over the next few days.

Once again I was served a fishbowl of Prosecco, not that I am complaining. And one thing that we wish would take off in Australia is receiving snacks when you order drinks. They just add to the experience... and Brad loves free stuff.

We followed this up with a gelato as we have failed in our daily task of trying a new flavour every day. Our gelatos today were delicious and we plan to return tomorrow to try some more flavours. It certainly isn’t helping with the weight loss but who can resist an Italian gelato…. Not meRead more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Knockers and Doors, Siena
September 22, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
One thing I love about the small Italian towns is their beautiful old doors and doorways and the variety of intricate and interesting door knockers. And Siena certainly delivered.
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Duomo di Modena
September 23, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Another stunning day greeted us when we woke up today and we wanted to make the most of it. After sampling some Modenese pastries from the oldest pasticceria in Modena, Antica Pasticceria San Biagio, we made our way to our first site.

Yesterday we popped our heads into the Duomo de Modena, and today we went back for a better look. Construction started in 1099 when the burial site of Saint Geminianus, Moderna’s patron Saint, was discovered in one of two previous churches that existed on the site. It is so hard to fathom how long this building has been standing and all the history contained within. It is home to so many pieces of art, and the pulpit, nave and crypt are art pieces in themselves. With high dark stone arches, marble columns, intricate wooden, stone and marble carvings, there is just so much to admire in here. It is also the location of tenor Luciano Pavarotti’s funeral.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Palazzo Comunale, Modena
September 23, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Next up was a visit to the town hall, the Palazzo Comunale. Since the birth of the City-Republic in the XII century, this has always been the office for Moderna’s public authorities and still is today. The town hall has preserved a few of their original rooms and it was free to walk through and see them. Each room had its own official purpose and the décor and decorations in each are amazing. Most of the ceilings are painted to give the illusion of high domed ceilings and in some cases it is hard to work out what is real and what isn’t. The artistry is breathtaking.Read more
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Torre Ghirlandina, Modena
September 23, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
After lunch we did the climb to the top of the Torre Della Ghirlandina, the bell tower of the Duomo de Modena. Constructed in 1179, it is 86.12 metres high and thankfully the stairs were not as bad as some we have climbed. I did manage to make it to the top without a panic attack. It was great to see Modena from up high and the inside the tower was just as interesting.

After that we decided we had done enough to be rewarded with a gelato, and I tried two new flavours today. Delicious. I do think I need to walk more to walk off all the goodies we have been eating or Brad might have to roll me home.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Osteria di Modena Rossi
September 23, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
From here we found the perfect place for lunch, Osteria Di Modena Rossi, opposite the stunning Ducal Palace (which we are seeing tomorrow). This place was traditional in all aspects, from the Italian speaking staff, checkered table cloths, hand made pasta to the fresh meats and cheeses in the window. And to confirm the traditional ways of this place - Brad was scolded by the waitress for trying to order a cappuccino after lunch. Coffee etiquette in Italy is no milk based coffees after 11am, only espresso. Never had a problem in the past, but not this time. An emphatic No!

Lunch was so delicious and with so much to chose from we will probably end up at the same place tomorrow (yes I know we should try different places but the food here is seriously next level good).Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Palazzo Ducale, Modena
September 24, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Today we did a 90 minute tour of the Ducal Palace of Modena, currently used as the Italian military academy. It was previously the residence of the Duke of Modena between 1452 and 1859.

Not sure if it was interesting, as the tour guide only spoke Italian (travel planning fail on my behalf). Even though we couldn’t understand what was being said, the rooms we got to see and the military museum were amazing. The amount of items and photographs retained from the past is so surprising. And once again the age of this country impresses us. Most places we have visited were built before Australia was even discovered - that thought alone is mind blowing.

Even though it was no photos, of course Brad played dumb, along with another tourist, and snuck a couple of photos before being advised that photos weren’t permitted.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Osteria di Modena Rossi - again
September 24, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Afterwards we again had lunch at Osteria di Modena Rossi, and thankfully we had made a booking as the place was booked out. The food here is delicious, and for Brad, the best meal of our trip so far.

From the antipasto of local meats, caprese bufala salad and the local fried snack, gnocchi fritto (which are a type of fried dumpling), to my pumpkin ravioli with butter and sage and Brad’s tortellini with boar ragu, the whole meal was outstanding. And today Brad didn’t make the mistake of ordering a cappuccino, he learnt his lesson yesterday.

No dinner tonight, just dessert. We went to Antica Pasticceria San Biagio after lunch and bought a couple of treats. We love how they package pastries here in Italy. They look very sweet but surprisingly they aren’t. It was all we needed after the lunch we had.

Moderna has certainly delivered food to tantalise the taste buds and Osteria di Modena Rossi is so amazing it deserved two posts.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Last day in Modena
September 25, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
We spent our last day in Modena just having a wander around before we head off tomorrow. We saw the film set being made for the upcoming movie ‘Ferrari’ which is being filmed here. Filming starts tomorrow morning so unfortunately we won’t be able to make our Hollywood debuts just yet.

Lunch was at Ristorante Uva D’oro, where we were lucky to get a seat due to a lot of restaurants being closed today. As usual, the food was delicious and the pasta fantastic.

After lunch we had our usual siesta before heading out for another gelato. We love the gelato shop here called Gioelia. We weren’t sure initially as the gelato isn’t on display as it has been in all the other gelato shops we have visited. We have since discovered the the best way to store gelato is in closed stainless steel vats and we can honestly say this is the way to go. This has been our best gelato so far.

Modena has been a great place to stay, away from the bustling crowds of our last few towns. Tomorrow we head by train to Lake Como, our home for the next week. We are stopping at Milan on the way to hopefully catch up with Brad's cousin and his husband for lunch. Fingers crossed the trains don’t let us down.

Modena has been magical and I am so glad we chose to stay here instead of Bologna, which I think would have been a bit too big and busy for us. I have loved how different this town is compared to the others we have visited so far. I love the colours, the architecture, the vibe, the food has been amazing, and the authenticity of the people. (I mean, they refused to sell Brad a cappuccino after breakfast). This town is definitely worth a visit.Read more
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Milan with David and Anthony
September 26, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Well today has to be one of the many highlights of this trip. We left Modena to catch up with Brad’s cousin David and Anthony in Milan, on our way to Lake Como.

As we have visited Milan before, today was all about catching up with the boys. We don’t get to see them much at home in Australia, so we wanted to make sure we took advantage of the fact we weren’t too far away from each other in Italy.

David was quite excited to show us parts of Milan we had not seen with his highlight being the steps where Gucci was murdered. Loving fashion as they do, David knew the exact spot and we took a quick photo as we “passed” by it.

Next they took us to La Rinascente Rooftop restaurant which has a fantastic view of the magnificent Duomo di Milano. What a breathtaking view and such a different viewpoint of the amazing Duomo. The food and company were pretty good too!

After lunch we took a stroll around the Duomo, being thankful that we got to visit its interior and rooftop last time we were here as the line up was quite long. This time we just admired the exterior and all its intricate details. Construction commenced in 1386 and it is amazing that they could build such a grand cathedral in those times.

From there a quick spot of sightseeing and a walk through Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II which is Italy's oldest active shopping gallery and a major landmark of Milan. The gallery was designed in 1861 and construction commenced soon after. It too is a beautiful building.

It was hard dragging ourselves away from David and Anthony but we needed to catch our train to Como, our home for the next five days.

We’ve had the best day. From the limoncello spritzes, walking where Gucci was murdered, to lunch with a view and a quick bit of sightseeing with these two beautiful humans, what more could you want.

Another amazing Italian holiday memory.Read more
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L’Italia, Il Mio Cuore - 2022 Traveler
Como
September 26, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
After a big day travelling and catching up with the Sydney boys we finally made our way to Como, our home on the lake for the next five days.

While finding our apartment and apartment keys wasn’t as easy as it should have been, we love our home for our time here. And it is nice to be back walking the streets of Como with so much more time to explore it all.Read more
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Cruising Lake Como
September 27, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
Today was our first of five days in Como and thankfully the weather was amazing, as the forecast for the rest of our time here is not the best. Our visions of spending every day on the ferry cruising Lake Como probably won’t come to fruition so we made the most of what might be our one and only sunny day.

We spent the day cruising Lake Como, admiring the beautiful lakeside villages. What amazed us about the homes around the lake was the range of styles of homes, from the run down to the over the top expansive villas - one extreme to the other - and no doubt, none that we could afford.

We even cruised past George Clooney’s place, which by the way isn’t at Bellagio but a small village 22km away called Laglio. We told him we were just too busy to drop in.

It was the perfect weather for a day on the lake.Read more
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Varenna, Lake Como
September 27, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
Varenna is a picturesque and traditional village located on the eastern shore of Lake Como, and is the last stop on the ferry before it starts its return journey to Como. We had admired it from the ferry last time we were here and were eager to hop off and explore this time.

After a wander along the waters edge we joined one of the many queues for the lovely lakeside restaurants and managed to get a table at the one with the best view, Bar il Molo. Amazing food and an amazing view. It was worth the wait. What I also loved was the holiday vibe. Everyone was happy and relaxed and some of the dinners were very entertaining. The perfect Italian lakeside day.Read more
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Varenna, Lake Como, Part 2
September 27, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Afterwards we had a stroll around this pretty little town to try and walk off some calories from lunch before hopping back on the ferry for the long trip home.

The total time just on the ferry from Como to Varenna and back again was a little over 6 hours but the views of the water and each of the towns hugging the shoreline was worth it.

We’ve had a fantastic day, a long day, but a fantastic day.Read more
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Cathedral of Como
September 28, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Today was a mixed weather day so we checked out the stunning Cattedrale Di Santa Maria Assunta, Duomo Di Como. This is the last Gothic cathedral built in Italy with construction starting in 1396, and it was not completed until 1770. The stained glass windows were amazing and the beautiful elaborate blue ceiling was breathtaking. It certainly rates up there with some of the best we have seen.Read more
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Brunate, Como
September 28, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
There was a slight break in the weather where the sun shone though the clouds, so we took the funicular up to the mountain town of Brunate with the plan to visit the lighthouse for views of Lake Como below (a fellow Aussie tourist had told us about it yesterday on the ferry). Research fail - we didn’t check to see if it was open and of course we were there the one day of the week it is shut.

We did find a church to pop into before having a brief wander. There isn’t a lot at Brunate and we didn’t want to do the steep half hour walk to the lighthouse when the clouds had settled in and the view would have been minimal.

Instead we enjoyed another delicious meal at a lovely restaurant called Alberto Bellavista, while admiring the expansive views below, when the clouds cleared. The restaurant, the staff and the meals were fabulous.

While the weather was not the best it was still another wonderful day in Italy.Read more
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