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Europe (Venetians tour) 2025
  • Eattravelmove

Europe (Venetians tour) 2025

A biggish trip:
Paris - 6 nights
Florence - 4 nights
Siena - 13 nights
Venice - 2 nights
Venetians cycling tour - Venice to Dubrovnik - 15 nights
Munich - 4 nights
Tokyo - 7 nights Meer informatie
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Nieuwste eerst
  • Het begin van de reis
    25 augustus 2025
    EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    2

    On our way ....

    25 augustus, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Thus, it begins .... a day and a half of travel ahead of us .... trains, planes, and automobiles! Donna dropped us to Canberra's Kingston train station for the 4 hour journey to Sydney. It's a Monday, so it's largely pensioners on board the old clunker. I know we could have taken a murrays bus, but the train has more room, and you can order a meal on board 😉

    A train from central station to Sydney international, a super smooth ANA check-in and security, and then relax in the Air NZ lounge!

    Boarded ANA flight NH880 at 8.25pm and ready to go!

    OMG, ANA food is very good - opted for the japanese menu - not disappointed 😋    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    First meal
    First mealSecond meal2View from our apartment1Eiffel tower at nightThe local neighbourhood

    Still going...got here!

    26 augustus, Frankrijk ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    A few hours sleep on the flight to Tokyo's Haneda airport and then a 4 hour wait in the ANA lounge. At least we had t h e opportunity to grab a shower to freshen up. A coffee and light breakfast and the waiting time went quickly!

    NH215 to Paris is our next part of the trip - we're still tired but kicking on! We're both watching movies and enjoying the great food and wine. How cool is in flight WiFi, we're connected most of the way. This was still a long flight, almost 14 hours, on top of the 10 hours to Tokyo! We did get some sleep along the way, but still pretty exhausted.

    Arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport at around 5pm. and jumped in the prearranged car to our apartment in Montmartre. The apartment has an electronic door lock, which, of course, didn't work the first time, but with some messaging with the Host, we got in and settled. The view isn't bad!

    Time to sleep and reset the body clock....    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Perfect Paris breakfastNotre DameLouvre museumOlympic cauldron11Arc du Triomphe selfieArc du TriompheThe great unwashed lining up at Notre Dame1

    1st day in Paris

    27–28 aug., Frankrijk ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We slept the sleep of the dead, waking up at dawn, almost feeling quite human. Our apartment is what I would call a 'bed sit' with a Murphy bed you pull out of the wall. It was quite comfortable, although Europeans always seem to have flimsy pillows.

    We went out in search of coffee and a boulangerie - they don't rise early in Paris, so the streets were quiet, and the air was beautifully cool. We found a boulangerie and grabbed a Pain au chocolat and cheese and bacon baguette. We picked up some coffees from a small Cafe recommended by the lady at the boulangerie.

    We set off early for some exploring - we had read-up on some good walks to get us into the swing of things in Paris. We first needed to take the metro - we walked to the nearby Pigale metro station and got our Navigo cards from a vending machine and loaded some money on them. We took M2 Nation line to Jaures station - lots of people going to work.

    Our first walk took us along Canal Saint-Martin - it was a lovely walk with many locals cycling and walking next to the Canal and not touristy. The walk brought us to Place de la Republique, a square with a large statue of Marianne at its centre. We wandered through the nearby streets and then walked towards Notre Dame, a few kilometres away.

    We found all of the tourists! They were lined up outside the famous and recently restored cathedral! We took many photos of the cathedral (although there is still a lot of scaffolding) and watched the throngs of selfie stick wielding tourists heading in.

    From Notre Dame, we essentially followed the Seine River west, taking in the beautiful vistas. We stopped for a bite to eat - more bread, a ham and cheese baguette. The route then passed by the Louvre and Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, and the 2024 Olympic cauldron, which was still burning away. There is so much open space and parkland in Paris!

    We walked to Place de la Concorde, a public square, scene of executions, decorated with fountains, statues & an Egyptian obelisk - disappointed there were no executions today. We then continued past the Petit Palais and Grand Palais, and then along the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe! Decided against updating my wardrobe to couture - going to stick with my uniqlo shorts, t-shirt, and sneakers!

    We probably walked 10kms by my estimate, so we needed a wee rest. We took the metro back to Pigale station and popped into the Carrefour Market near our apartment for some essentials, i.e., beer, wine, snacks! An afternoon nap followed.

    After a freshen up, we had an aperol spritz at the bar across the road - the French do enjoy a cigarette, I feel like I've been smoking 🚬

    We enjoyed a wine at 'home' before heading out in search of dinner. We wandered around the quite touristy Mont Marte area - we settled on Le Potager du Père Thierry. We ordered duck and veal, and the food was good, and the service was friendly. A group of young Americans girls sat next to us, and we 'enjoyed' their varied intellectual conversations, including a detailed discussion about thrush! A fun night was had.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    View after our heart rate had settled
    It wouldn't be Europe without a church or 500...At least the roof didn't fall in on meWhere's Wally? I meant Gayle.Did I mention our view of the Eiffel tower!

    Paris.. a quieter day, then Moulin Rouge

    28 augustus, Frankrijk ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    A quieter start to the day as we woke up to light rain outside. The rain had cleared up by the time we'd finished our breakfast - toasted cheese sandwich and pod coffee at the apartment - breakfast of champions 🏆

    We decided to explore the local area this morning with a walk up the hill to visit Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. The views of Paris were quite spectacular, and we arrived before the crowds got too intense. While we walked up the rather steep hill, many others arrived by bus tour, furnicular or the garrish tourist road train.

    We wandered through the inside of the basilica, which contained an ornately painted ceiling and much stained glass. We then wandered around the nearby cobblestone streets, which were pretty but very touristy. We wandered around for some time before winding back down the hill near Moulin Rouge - it was a popular stop off point for tour groups.

    It was now midday, and we were ready for lunch. We walked back towards our apartment and down Rue du Martyrs, where there are lots of cafes and restaurants. We settled on Cafe Marguerite, where I had a croque monsieur, and Gayle got a pasta dish. We washed it down with a 0.5l chenin blanc.

    We wound our way through the local streets afterwards to help digest our lunch before heading back to the apartment to relax, i.e., arvo nap. We have an 11.30pm show at Moulin Rouge, so we really need the nanna nap to get through. It's probably also jet lag making us a bit sleepy 😴

    We walked up to Moulin Rouge for the 11.30 pm show, arriving early enough to settle in for some champagne. I had booked the prestige package, and it did not disappoint! We were escorted to a private area before the show to relax with a 🍸 Our seats were on the balcony directly in front of the stage! More champagne (a bottle) at the table, plus show gifts and macaroons, and the show was really awesome! A late night for us old folk 😄, walked back to the apartment through the somewhat seedy red light district!    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger

    Rainy day in Paris

    29 augustus, Frankrijk ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    After a late night at the Moulin Rouge, we awoke to rain... it's actually quite pleasant. After breakfast at 'home' (toasted cheese sandwich and coffee), we decided to take the metro to near the Latin Quarter. We actually started in the 5th arrondisement, walking through the Jardin du Luxembourg - a large park with many monuments and statues -its still raining, so we're glad we brought our rain jackets! We walked to the Pantheon, an 18th-century mausoleum with colonnaded facade, housing remains of notable French citizens.

    We wandered around the streets of the Latin Quarter and stopped for coffee and a cookie, largely to get out the heavier rain. We continued to the Seine river across from Notre Dame and followed the river east towards the Museum D'Orsay - the lineup was huge (in the rain) - I'll book online for another day.

    We took the metro back to Montmartre for lunch. We went to a little place called Chez Yvette - good, simple dishes, and we were dry!

    We needed an afternoon nap and did so while listening to the rain. The rain was sporadic, and we even had thunderstorms. In the evening, we headed out for a walk and grabbed some takeaway Vietnamese for dinner.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    View from museum D'orsay rooftopGayle is unimpressed by a person next to us bumping into her!Starry night with my arms reaching above everyone's annoying headsApartment viewsApartment views

    Museum Day ...

    30 augustus, Frankrijk ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    We walked up to Rue Lepic and had breakfast at a boulangerie - pain au chocolat and coffee. It's not raining so far, and we were amused by the drunks still stumbling out of bars at 9am!

    We booked an 11.30am timeslot at the museum D'orsay and made our way there by metro, getting off at the Solferino metro. It didn't look too busy from outside but was packed inside! So many people walking around completely oblivious to their surroundings with audio headsets on! We still enjoyed the museum and wandered all the way to the top floor - that's where the Monets are!

    Afterwards, we walked back along the Seine river towards Notre Dame, where we'd spotted a Canadian pub. We had a really good lunch and a few drinks before taking a very busy metro back 'home'.

    It was looking a bit rainy in the evening, so we walked around the corner to a little bar, Midnight bar. We had a couple of cocktails and chatted to the American owner for a bit.

    It was raining now, and we returned to the apartment for cheese, dip, baguette, and wine. Enjoying the Paris vibes.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Where's Wally?Timer photoJim Morrison's graveOscar Wilde's grave11Predinner wines

    Last day in Paris...

    31 augustus, Frankrijk ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    It was a bit drizzly this morning when I went out to grab some coffee to have with our breakfast.

    We decided to explore some nearby 'passages', a sort of covered shopping street, some dating back to the 18th century. There were two around a 15-minute walk away, so we set off with our rain jackets on! The rain eased up, which was great.

    We arrived at the Passage Joffroy first and walked through the covered shopping area, largely cafes, bookshops, and souvenirs now. It was looking a little tired but still had ornately tiled floors and beautiful artwork on the walls. We crossed a major road to the second passage, the Passage des Panoramas, the oldest passage, built in 1799. It was quite big and also contained a hotel.

    After wandering around taking in these lovely old shopping passages, we took the metro to an old cemetery, Cimetière du Père-Lachaise. It is the final resting place for a number of famous people, including Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and Frederic Chopin. The cemetery is quite large although a little unkempt and overgrown with vegetation in places. I do love wandering around old graves, there's so much history to be discovered.

    We returned to Montmartre and went to Cafe Marguerite once again for lunch, sharing a dip, a croque monsieur, and some wine!

    In the evening we took the metro to the 7th arrondisement for drinks and dinner. We went to a sensational wine bar called Cave Vino sapiens, where we enjoyed some predinner wines. We were surrounded by great wines - just heaven!

    We walked up the street to La Fontaine de Mars, where we had a 7pm reservation - this is a classic French restaurant in a great old-fashioned building. The service and food was fantastic with fun and friendly staff. I had the roast chicken and mash potatoes while Gayle had the steak frittes. We finished with creme brulle and dark chocolate mousse.

    We strolled past the Eiffel tower all lit up in all its glory, taking many photos like the good tourists we are! A pretty good last night in Paris.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    1

    Goodbye Paris, hello Florence..

    1 september, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Well, we waited for the airport pick-up I'd booked through booking.com, and after some online chatting, the car was not coming! We got an Uber instead and got through security, feeling only mildly molested. After reconstructing Gayle's bag after security efforts, we went to the Air France lounge for breakfast!

    The flight to Florence was running a bit late, and Gayle and my seats were separated - a plane change! We don't need to visit the USA - based on the accents on the flight, most of America is heading to Florence;) The landing was pretty bumpy, but this apparently quite normal!

    Took the tram into the city with backpacks on and walked to our apartment in 30c heat. Our apartment is, frankly, just sensational! It's on the top floor of a lovely old ceramic tile roofed building, with separate bedroom and living area and a private balcony with beautiful views of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore! Not bragging, but I'm building up brownie points with this apartment and the Paris apartment with Eiffel Tower Views 😆

    We took a stroll around the streets, walking across the Ponte Vecchio - first time since 1997! The streets are thick with tourists. After some wandering, we returned to our neighbourhood and went to Cantina De' Pucci (Restaurant & Wine Window / Buchetta del Vino) for an aperol spritz. We picked up some supplies for our stay at a nearby supermarket, too.

    We picked up a pizza up the street, having a beer while we waited. Pizza and a Tuscan sangiovese sitting on our balcony looking at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with the moon in the background on a beautiful night doesn't get much better!    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Evening aperol spritz
    Ostaria dei Centopoveri lunchFarfalle lunchSeafood penne lunchPici carbonaraGnocchi

    Aaah Florence..

    2 september, Italië ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We had a cranker of a thunderstorm in the early hours of the morning. We're on the top floor of the building, and rain on the tiled roof was great to listen to! We had a pretty leisurely start to the day, having our scrambled eggs, toast, and espresso in the apartment.

    We're just a 100m from the duomo, so very touristy, so most of the day we can hear this street performer playing an amusing variety of mainly show tunes on repeat! Wait, he's back to 'Beauty and the beast', and then 'I did it my way'!

    We set off to explore with a vague walking tour in mind - we ended up just meandering through the streets, occasionally stumbling on key sites. I remember some things from our last visit 28 years ago, but there's lots of things we didn't get to back when I was 27!

    We got a fair way away from the tourist centre and spotted a local restaurant that had a lunch special 😋 We got seated at Ostaria dei Centopoveri and enjoyed two courses and a 25cl wine and bread for €12 each. The food was great, I had the seafood penne and Gayle had the farfalle! There was another short rainstorm while we were dining, which made the air even more humid.

    There was a nearby restaurant that I'd read about, so I popped in to check availability as it's super popular. I managed to get a 9pm reservation for Wednesday night at Trattoria Sostanza, which is cool. I know, it's all about food with us! We also stumbled across a very cool cocktail bar in this old building - noted for further investigation.

    We wandered back through the heavily touristed city centre, watching all the tour groups walking behind the flag-holding tour guides. It was time for a well-deserved arvo nap 😴

    In the evening, we walked about a block up the street and stopped at Ristorante Rosso Crudo for an aperol spritz or two. We sat outside on the street, enjoying the breeze and watching the people and activities around us. The restaurant has a wine window, so we saw a few people stopping just for a drink or to take photos. The whole wine window thing in Florence was an old concept that had all but disappeared until a resurgence during the pandemic. People just knock on the window or ring a bell, it opens, and drinks are ordered and passed through.

    We decided to dine at Ristorante Rosso Crudo as the food looked really good. We weren't disappointed - I had a pici carbonara (pici is like a thicker spaghetti), and Gayle had the Gorgonzola gnocchi with walnuts. We, of course, washed it down with a bottle of Vino Rosso dela casa - it was a chianti. We chatted to a lovely English couple who were travelling with their 10 month old son.

    All in all, a very good day, primarily food focused 😋    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    1
    Roast pork shank and potatoesCocktails at Companion barChicken breast in butter1Duomo at nightUffiziInstagram princessUffizi viewsPonte VecchioPonte VecchioUffiziUffiziPaniniPenne with four cheese1

    More Florence (Firenze)

    3–4 sep., Italië ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    The last two days have been a slower pace, probably as I've come down with a bit of a head cold. Saying that, it hasn't affected my appetite 😀

    Wednesday:
    We took in the Mercato Centrale, the local fresh food markets - I love good food markets, seeing how and what the locals are eating. The markets are surrounded by touristy souvenir stalls filled with the usual stuff e.g. leather bags, junk jewellery, crappy t-shirts, etc. The food markets had fresh fruit and vegetables, butchers, and local food stalls.

    We had a look at a vintage clothing store filled with expensive clothing that was more junk than vintage. All this wandering around have us an appetite, so we walked back to osteria dei Centopoveri for yet another delicious €12 lunch special. This time, we both had the stinko (pork shank roasted) and a homemade pasta starter, along with a Vino bianco.

    On the way back to the apartment, I stopped by a pharmacy for some cold and flu tablets. After an arvo nap, I was feeling much better.

    We got all dressed up - as much as you can with limited travel wardrobe - and we went out for cocktails at the very cool Companion bar. A couple of proseccos and negronis later, we went to Trattoria Sostanza, where we had made a 9pm reservation. The place was still full upon arrival, and we were seated on a table with a couple of lawyers from London . Huon and Mai were originally from SG and HK and were very friendly. We ordered way too much food, with the chicken breast in butter, the table favourite!

    Afterwards, we meandered back through the slightly quieter streets, taking in the beautiful city at night.

    Thursday:
    After drugging myself to the eyeballs, I got a good night's sleep, but I'm still less than a 100%. I have booked us into the Uffizi galleries, which contain an amazing collection of artworks, including by Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, and Botticelli, to name a few! The crowds were a bit overwhelming, but we struggled through, getting around almost all of the floors and wings of this beautiful building.

    For lunch, we had our first panini of our Italian visit, from Panini Toscani, just near the Duomo. They let you try samples of the meat before you choose. The paninis were quite large, so we got one to share, taking back to the apartment to enjoy with a glass of Vino.

    I've just been advised that there is snap train strike tomorrow which may or may not effect our train trip to Siena - nothing like a travel curve ball. That's future Robert's problem.

    We headed back to Companion bar for a drink, but it wasn't open! We found another bar with views of a very beautiful convent. Afterwards, we headed back closer to home and popped into Ristorante Rosso Crudo for a negroni and aperol spritz . We chatted to a lovely Australian couple from Brisbane who were here for a wedding.

    We decided our last dinner in Florence would be at Bistro 74, just 50m from home. It's a quaint little place in an old building, and we enjoyed some Tuscan pasta dishes with some local Vino! We strolled around the duomo to walk off our dinner. It was a very good last night in Firenze.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Piazza del Campo
    View from our apartmentPorto CamolliaWhere's WallyPiazza del CampoPiazza del Campo1Setting up for local gatheringDuomoDuomoPiazza del Campo at night1

    Siena...

    5–6 sep., Italië ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Friday:
    We checked out of our apartment in Florence and walked to Santa Maria Novella train station with some trepidation. There is a snap train strike, and we really don't know whether our train to Siena will be running or not. The train station is chaotic, and we just have to wait and watch the board for service announcements. The 11.10 train to Siena was cancelled, and our train was at 12.10; fortunately, ours was not cancelled, and we had a comfortable ride to Siena, about an hour and a half.

    We've booked an apartment outside the old city walls, and it's about a 10-minute walk from the train station. We checked in with no problems, and it's a great modern apartment with a kitchen and balcony overlooking the countryside.

    We walked to the nearby supermarket and stocked up with supplies as we're here for 13 nights. It's a nice change to be able to cook dinner and enjoy an aperol spritz at 'home'.

    Saturday:
    A nice relaxing start to the day with bacon, eggs, toast, and coffee at the apartment. Gayle video called Donna and got the Canberra update!

    We set off to do some exploring and walked up to the entrance to the old city, Porta Camollia, an enormous stone entrance. It's probably about 1.2kms, so an easy walk. We walked the main thoroughfare, via Camollia, taking in the beautiful sights leading up to Piazza del Campo. We had last visited in June 1997, and my memory was hazy at best.

    The piazza is still stunning and bustling with humanity. They have horse races here twice a year, which is hard to imagine given the slope of the piazza. We meandered around the windy, hilly alleys with lots of interesting vistas to take in. We walked up to the Duomo. It's quite spectacular and probably more impressive than Florence's, in my opinion.

    We wandered around for quite a while, getting our bearings and taking note of restaurants and bars to return to. We walked back to the apartment to avoid the heat of the day - as lot of places close up for an hour or two around this time. Very sensible!

    We started looking at our photos from 1997 - we didn't have a lot as that was the olden days of actual film cameras. I have scanned them and it was fun to see the same places we visited back then and now.

    In the evening we had a snack and aperol spritz before heading out to a local bar, Bar Impero. It had really good vibes so we'll undoubtedly be back again. Afterwards, we wandered up through the old city to see all the sights lit up at night. Photos were taken.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    View from the fortress
    Piazza del CampoAperol spritz and some cardsCreamy pasta and chiantiView from duomoDuomoDuomoSome sort of local festivityPiazza del Campo 360San GimignanoSan GimignanoSan GimignanoSan GimignanoSan GimignanoSan GimignanoPizza at i Gabellieri, cut for twoTiramisu for two, yummy

    Siena and San Gimignano day trip

    7–8 sep., Italië ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Sunday:
    We had a very leisurely start to the day; breakfast at the apartment before heading out for some exploring.

    We walked an alternate route, not along the main drag (via Camollia), and came across the Opera house that we'll be going to later in the week. We walked up to Fortezza Medicea, the ruins of the old fortress. It's a little further away from the tourist trail and involved an uphill climb, which is probably why there was hardly anyone there. There were great views back across the city and to the Duomo, along with great views of the countryside.

    We walked back down to Bar Impero to wet our whistle, and afterwards, walked back to the train station where there's a much bigger supermarket, Pam. We picked up supplies for dinner and, of course, some local wine.

    In the evening, we enjoyed an aperol spritz or two (we've been getting into these) - for those unfamiliar with this drink, it's aperol and prosecco. We cooked pici pasta (thicker than spaghetti and a local favourite) with some pancetta, mushrooms, and cream. Washed it down with a chianti as you must!

    We went for an after dinner walk through the old city. We stumbled upon some sort of local festivity, marching band, flag waiving, etc. The piazza del Campo was still pretty buzzing but less hectic than during the day. We walked up to the Duomo, and it was lovely and quiet. We sat down and took it all in for a while - the temperature was beautiful, with a cool breeze.

    On the way 'home', we stopped for a very tasty gelato - a nice way to finish the day.

    Monday:
    We took a local bus from just around the corner to San Gimingnano, a beautiful hilltop village about an hour away. The bus ride was on windy and narrow roads and certainly kept us alert!

    Arriving in San Gimignano, about an hour later, we wandered around the narrow streets, admiring the stone and brick architecture. The place had some beautiful vantage points to take in the surrounding countryside. We walked to the highest point, where an actor was reciting Dante, who apparently hung out here in the day.

    We found a place to grab a panini to share for lunch, which was good. We then paid €1 to use a bathroom - what a world 😄 We took the bus back, however, this time we had to change buses in Poggibonsi, not an especially scenic place; the joys of travel. We did go past Monteriggioni on our way back - we're thinking of cycling there tomorrow.

    In the evening, we had a cheese plate and a game of cards before heading out for some drinks at Bar Impero. We wandered back to a restaurant called i Gabellieri and had really good pizza, tiramisu, and wine.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Bike gear on, cycling time
    Our ebikesTuscan vineyardsView on our cycle1View to Siena1Antipasto plateRisottoPici ragu

    Cycling and rain ....

    9–10 sep., Italië ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    Tuesday:
    We walked to Siena bike shop to pick up our ebikes I'd booked ahead of time. They're very fancy, new off-road ebikes, and we have them for 3 days. Unfortunately, you can't predict what the weather is going to be like when making an advanced booking - it's forecast to rain from this afternoon and all day tomorrow!

    The guy a the bike shop was super helpful and emailed me a couple of cycling routes. We rode back to the apartment and got geared up and went out for a morning ride, heading towards a winery I'd read about. The roads were a bit quieter, and the scenery was amazing, with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The winery didn't seem to be open, so we cycled back to the edge of the old city and took a road that partially circumnavigated the city, with great views of this fortress city.

    We road back to the apartment, carried the bikes upstairs (yep, they're heavy), and charged them up. The rain started after lunch. The rain eased in the late afternoon, so we walked to the big Pam supermarket at the train station to pick up supplies for a rainy night and day ahead.

    Wednesday:
    It started raining during the early hours of the morning, and it rained pretty much all day - no cycling today!

    Luckily, we had food, and Netflix! The rain stopped around 5pm, and we got out of the apartment. We walked to our local bar, Bar Impero, for an aperol spritz or two. It was good to get out.

    We dined at i Gabellieri once again - the food and the vibes are very good here. It seems like a largely local hangout, off the tourist strip, and the staff recognised us and are really friendly. We tried the pici ragu and risotto after an antipasto plate. A few wines in the cooler evening air was great.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Artistic Castle photoCastle with Siena in backgroundSiena in backgroundLunchPizzeria Osteria Bella NapoliPorta OvilleA night at the OperaA night at the OperaOur opera performers

    Cycling and Italian opera

    11 september, Italië ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Well, we awoke to no rain!! After breakfast, we took the bikes out for a trip into the Tuscan countryside. We used google maps to navigate a route recommended by the guys at Siena Bike Shop - they emailed it to me!

    Once we got out of the city, the roads were much quieter, and the scenery was amazing - lots of rolling, green hills filled with vineyards, olive groves, and even a castle. We rode past areas, not really towns, like Pieve a Bozzone, Montechiari, and San Giovanni! The roads were somewhat narrow with some occasional gravel, but only local traffic and a few other cyclists and motorcycles. The ebikes made light work of the hill climbing, and we got some great views back to Siena.

    We finally found a small town, Ponte a Bozzone, and stopped for a drink and bite to eat at Pizzeria Osteria Bella Napoli. It was a lovely family run affair, and the owners were relaxed and friendly. We ordered some food, arancini and pici with pepper and cheese. The bread that came out was homemade and delicious. There were quite a few other cyclists who stopped for a bite to eat also. We chatted to a nice Canadian couple - they were very keen to make sure we knew they were Canadian and not American😜

    There was a little shower whilst we had lunch but no more rain when we rode back into Siena. We came in through the Porta Oville gate and cycled through the old city and back to the apartment.

    We freshened up after the day's ride, and at around 3.30pm, we rode the bikes back to Siena bike shop to drop them off. Almost every business shuts up up for an hour or two each day.

    In the evening, we had a couple of aperol spritz at 'home' before heading out for dinner before tonight's 9pm Italian opera!

    The Opera performance started at 9.15pm in what looked like a converted church; we could see confessionals. There was a soprano and a tenor, plus a pianist, and they played 12 pieces from a range of renowned Italian operas. There was an intermission where we enjoyed a glass of prosecco! I've gotta say, I really enjoyed the evening - more than I expected! We strolled back through the old city and walked home in the cooler air.

    It's been a full and fun day!    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Back alleys
    Piazza del Campo againPiazza del Campo againPalazzo PubblicoPalazzo PubblicoPalazzo PubblicoSiena universitySiena universityBar Impero lunchBar Impero lunchCoffee and pastryView of the duomoBasilica Cateriniana San Domenico1Siena alleys1Basilica Cateriniana San DomenicoDistrict horse stable before the raceHorse relaxation areaHappy girl with gelatoSiena alleysDrinks at Bar ImperoDinner at i Gabellieri

    Enjoying Italian life

    12–13 sep., Italië ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    After a full day of cycling and Italian opera, we've had a slower paced few days.

    Friday:
    After breakfast, which we've mainly been making in the apartment, we meandered around the old city, attempting to take the quieter, less travelled paths. This was largely unsuccessful as the tourist day trippers have arrived with their flag holding tour guides! Look, I get that we're part of the tourist hordes, but I'm not a fan of the flag holding tour guides😜 I have taken to holding my phone up in the air to take Gayle past the tours which has been met with Gayle pretending she doesn't know me!

    We stumbled upon a few new sites during our wanders, including the very beautiful Siena university, where we took in some lovely ceiling art. We also wandered through the Palazzo Pubblico, the Gothic town hall.

    Enough sightseeing, it was time for lunch. We returned to our favourite bar, Bar Impero, for the €15 lunch special: spaghetti pomodori, lemon chicken, salad, bread, and a glass of Vino! Delicious and good value.

    We decided we were going to eat at 'home' tonight, so we picked up supplies from the Pam supermarket, i.e., prosecco and wine.

    Fresh pasta with pancetta, cheese, and cream - it was quite delicious. Sometimes you just need a regular night in, cooking dinner and some TV.

    Saturday:
    We went to a new pastry shop/ cafe and had some 'healthy' custard filled delights with the nicest coffee I've had so far. Complaining about coffee outside Australia is my cultural right!

    In the afternoon, we went on a bites and stories walking tour; learning about local wine, food, and history. Our guide, Alessandra, was very knowledgeable and told us lots of interesting stories about Siena. She had a tour guide flag - I don't want to talk about it! We tried some local chianti classico, a sangiovese, had a gelato and some panaforte. There were 5 couples: 2 x English , 1 x American, 1 x Belgian, and us. We did learn a lot about the 17 districts in Siena and the palio, the biannual horse races held at Piazza del Campo!

    After the tour, we stopped at our local. Bar Impero; a couple of aperol spritz. We walked up the street to i Gabellieri to share another lovely pizza, Vino Rosso, and a cheeky tiramisu 😋    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Ristorante La Locanda dei Tintori Siena
    Ristorante La Locanda dei Tintori SienaPalazzo SalimbeniCertaldoCertaldoCertaldoCertaldoCertaldoCertaldo - check the little old lady looking out the window.Certaldo- camera timer photoCertaldoCertaldo- camera timer photoCertaldoRistorante L'Antica FonteRistorante L'Antica FonteRistorante L'Antica FonteCertaldoCertaldoCertaldoCertaldo

    Siena Sunday & Certaldo daytrip

    14–15 sep., Italië ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We had a bit of a lazy Sunday....

    We did follow the heartbreaking Raiders game online... we were robbed!

    We did head to an Irish pub for a couple of drinks in the afternoon. Pubs aren't really part of Italian culture - they have bars and Trattoria but not real pubs! There was soccer on the TV so there was mainly English at the pub.

    We were desirous of some steak, so we headed to a restaurant called Ristorante La Locanda dei Tintori Siena. We enjoyed a duck pasta and a lovely rare fillet steak with some local chianti.

    Monday: Certaldo daytrip

    We had breakfast at the patisserie at the top of the railway station - sweet pastries and coffee. We then took a 40-minute train ride to Certaldo, which has a lovely old town on top of a steep hill. Fortunately, there's a furnicular to help with the hill.

    Certaldo dates back to Roman and Etruscan times. We walked around the compact old town, taking lots of photos of the old buildings and beautiful surrounding countryside.

    This sightseeing gives you an appetite, so we found a lovely restaurant called Ristorante L'Antica Fonte. We enjoyed some Tuscan cold meals and cheese with some sangiovese whilst enjoying the lovely garden terrace overlooking the countryside. It's all very civilised!    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    2Monteriggioni
    Bar Impero ownerLornano wineryLornano wineryLornano wineryLornano wineryCastellina in ChiantiCastellina in ChiantiAgricola Poggio ai LaghiAgricola Poggio ai LaghiAgricola Poggio ai LaghiAgricola Poggio ai Laghi with WendyMonteriggioniMonteriggioni1Monteriggioni

    Chianti wine tasting tour

    16 september, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Our chianti wine tasting tour was starting at 2 pm, so we went to Bar Impero for the lunch special - it was a lot of food. We've been there a few times over the last 11 days, and the owner is very friendly - photo to attest!

    We met up for the tour at the train station; there were 15 people on the tour, mainly American. We chatted to a lovely lady from Oregon, Wendy, who was daytripping whilst her partner was at a conference. Wendy had studied in Australia.

    We're not usually tour bus people, but it's pretty sensible when you're tasting wine!

    Our first stop was Fattoria Lornano winery, a family run affair producing chianti and chianti classico. We learnt all about the wine classification system - the chianti classico is grown and produced in the chianti area only and to exacting specifications - look for the black rooster! Chianti wine is sangiovese, so if you're not a fan of sangiovese, this tour may not be for you. We tried four wines along with estate grown olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The estate itself was in a medieval stone building, and we got to look around their cellar. It was a mix of modern and traditional computer controlled, stainless steel tanks for fermentation and centuries old stone cellars.

    Our next stop was the picturesque hilltop town, Castellina in Chianti, where we had some free time to wander around. We also stopped for a gelato, which we're really getting into. The surrounding countryside really is quite spectacular - rolling green hills with lots of grape-laden vines - it's like a Dante poem!

    We then hopped on the tour bus and went to Agricola Poggio ai Laghi, near Monteriggioni, where we tried a number of estate wines. Apart from the chianti classico, we also tried a very nice super Tuscan (they grow and blend international varieties that aren't sangiovese) - we actually preferred the super Tuscan! The sparkling rose was really good, too.

    A few people were starting to get a bit wobbly on their feet by this stage. Our last stop was the walled, hilltop town of Monteriggioni. There was a bit of a steep ascent to the town from the carpark, and it was amusing to see the tipsy tourists coping with the stone paths.

    It was just after sunset by now, and Monteriggioni was quite stunning. We wandered around, taking lots of photos like the good tourists we are!    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Dinner at i gabellieri
    Basilica Cateriniana San DomenicoBasilica Cateriniana San DomenicoBasilica Cateriniana San DomenicoRandom sculpture we thought looked coolPiazza del Campo one last timeDinner at i gabellieriLido CanalLido Canal

    Goodbye Siena, hello Venice ...

    17–18 sep., Italië ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Wednesday:
    We walked through the old city one last time, stopping to take a looksie inside Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico. Good old St Catherine is the patron saint of not just Siena but also Italy and all of Europe - who knew! Creepily, bits of her body are held in the basilica, namely her head and a finger 👉 It was very airy inside with very high ceilings and lots of lovely artwork.

    Siena is on a pilgrimage route, the via Francigena. The Via Francigena (meaning "the road that comes from France") is a historic pilgrimage route from Canterbury, England, to Rome and then to Apulia in Italy.  This explains the many hikers and cyclists we've seen over the last week.

    All this history made us a bit peckish, so we wandered up near Piazza del Campo and had some lunch and a spritz at San Paolo pub. I know I said there weren't any real pubs in Italy, but this was as close as it gets - it was a weird combo of Irish and italian, but the food was ok. Afterwards, we took an obligatory last walk through the piazza - until next time!

    In the afternoon, we packed our bags, managing to jam everything back in, ready for tomorrow's train trip to Venice. We visited our favourite haunts: Bar Impero for drinks and I Gabellieri for pizza, wine and dolce!

    Thursday:
    Up at sparrows fart to catch our first train to Florence. We had some coffee and pastries at Pasticceria La Campane to get us going. The regional train ride to Florence was smooth - no train strikes this time - although there is one next weekend! Dodged another bullet! We then took the Frecciarossa (a fast train) to Venice - we got a snack and a wine - before we knew it, we were rolling across the water to St Lucia station, Venice.

    It's been a while since we've been in Venice, I guess it was only 1997! We took the vaporetto from outside the station all the way to Lido, where our hotel is. A quick freshen up, and it's time for apero! There's heaps of nearby bars and restaurants.

    We had some drinks at a couple of nearby bars before returning to the hotel bar, where we met Isabel - our tour leader and my niece Lisa's best friend from Young! We also met Henrick, an Irishman and another of our tour guides - he's visited Young, as one would!

    Afterwards, we walked to a seafood restaurant, Trattoria Andri, where we had a great dinner. We chatted to a lovely German couple from Bremen.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Piazza San MarcoPiazza San MarcoPiazza San MarcoPiazza San MarcoWhere's WallyVenetian masksGondola1GondolaPonte di RialtoFish marketVongola with botargo1Tagliatelle with prawns, scampi and zucchiniPiazza San Marco

    Venice...it's been a while

    19 september, Italië ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    We walked to a nearby Pasticceria for a very drinkable cappuccino and pistachio filled croissants - these have become a favourite.

    It was time to do some sightseeing - I'm sure there won't be many tourists at San Marcos! We took the vaporetto from Lido to San Marcos, and the tourist hordes had already arrived in their vast numbers. I don't recall there being this many in 1997! Even with so many people following their tour guides' little flags, bumping into us while intently listening to their audio tours, Piazza San Marco remains a special place.

    Photos were taken of
    Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) and, of course, Saint Mark's Basilica
    Basilica di San Marco. We wandered the narrow streets of Castello, trying to find quieter places, but there were few. We took photos of bemused tourists on gondola - paying €90 per head for the privilege.

    We crossed the grand Canal over Ponte di Rialto, amused with the selfies - the view is better of the bridge than from it! We walked through San Paolo's streets to the fish market, a hive of noisy activity. We were getting hungry, so we stopped for lunch at Ristorante Vini Da Pinto, an Odyssey recommendation 😢 We had seafood, of course, with Gayle having tagliatelle with prawns and scampi and I had vongola (clams) with botargo (cured fish roe).

    After stuffing ourselves, we walked to the grand Canal where we took a vaporetto back to Lido, with great views of this beautiful city. We arrived at the hotel and did our bike fitting - these ebikes are very high quality - it's going to be fun!

    In the afternoon, I wandered down to the hotel bar whilst Gayle was making herself even more beautiful! I chatted to Liz and Russ, some of our fellow cyclists, our Odyssey Venetians adventurers! We popped around the corner to La Sferetta Srl for a prosecco and negroni. They ran out of vermouth for my second drink, so I had a campari spritz - this may be a new favourite 😍

    Dinner was a simple pizza and some Vino Rosso dela casa at a local Pizzeria, Stella!    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Our Isi
    The old shipyardsThe old shipyardsLunchLunchLocal seafood in Piran

    Venice to Piran

    20 september, Slovenië ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    We met up with all our fellow Odyssey cyclists and the Odyssey support team for our morning briefing. This is a well-oiled machine with Isabel leading the way! Our ferry to Piran leaves around 5pm, so we're being taken on a tour of the city by two local Venetian guides; Enrico and Giovanni.

    We took the vaporetto back to the main islands of Venice for a walking tour, led by Enrico. We learned much about the lesser known parts of Venice and avoided many of the tourist hordes. We went to a lovely Ristorante for the first of many great meals on the tour, I'm sure.

    We got to know some of our fellow travellers, mainly Australian but also some Americans. We are apparently the youngest travellers on tour, but I feel that many are very seasoned cyclists. We may be younger, but I reckon we'll be humbled on the road by many of them. There are also many returnees who have done other Odyssey bike trips.

    After lunch, Giovanni took half the group, including us, on a walking tour through the Jewish quarter - the original ghetto. She was very knowledgeable about her city and its deep history. Venice has been a cosmopolitan city for centuries. It started as a place of refuge and became rich as a trading nation.

    We made our way to the ferry terminal to take the ferry to Piran. It was about three hours to Piran, so we got to know some of the people on our tour. The Hotel Piran, where we're staying for two nights, is just 150m from the ferry. We picked up the key to our room for the next two nights and went to our room where our bags were already delivered; how good is that!

    Given the late arrival, we dined at the hotel restaurant - another great 3 course meal with local seafood.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Pre-ride briefing
    Pre-rideToday's rideViews from olive grove to salt panViews from olive grove to salt pansLight lunchA new grape variety for me1What a photo...not mineWe did not walk to the topBeautiful piranSunset from our hotel during aperitifCollie and us1

    Piran warm up loop

    21 september, Slovenië ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Our second day of the Odyssey Venetians cycling tour, but our first day on the bikes. After breakfast at the hotel, we all met up for our pre-ride briefing. The Odyssey team is so organised and professional;it's going to be an awesome two weeks. We both have ebikes, but different types: my bike is a lightweight road ebike whilst Gayle's is a step-through with a huge 500kw motor - the limousine! My ebike does also has an extender. Our daily cycling routes are preloaded into our Karoo GPS, which the team stepped us through.

    Today is a 32km loop - a nice varied ride on mainly quiet roads and some cycle paths. It's a bit of a warm-up for everyone to get used to their bikes, with most renting bikes. There are some people who have brought their own bikes.

    We stopped after about 21 km at a fantastic olive grove overlooking the sea for an olive oil tasting, followed by a lovely light lunch. We met the owner, who was so engaging and knowledgeable as she discussed the olive oil making process.

    After lunch, it was an easy roll down the hill to the coast, which we followed all the way back to the hotel. We went at our own pace, but we were always in sight of one of our fellow Odyssey riders! I've gotta say that the GPS is so easy to use and is a real gamechanger for me cycling!

    After we freshened up, we went to a local laundromat to keep our washing up to date - I know it's not exciting, but it's part of travel. We had a wander around the beautiful old town and walked to the top of the hill for some photos of the city and surrounding seascape.

    We met up for team drinks and a briefing about the day ahead. It's a much bigger ride tomorrow, about twice the distance.

    We walked just 50m to the restaurant for the evening. We sat at the table with Jeremy and Emily from California along with our guides, Isabel, Henrick, and Dario. We enjoyed some local seafood: risotto, squid, sardines, and vegetables along with more local white wine. We mainly talked about food, our favourite topic, with Henrick and teased our foreign guides and guests with Australianisms! It was a great day all around!    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    View from our room in Piran
    Dario, Henrick & CollieLunchtimeView from Hotel Roxanich, MotovunOld town MotovunOld town motovunVery old olive tree at hotelHotel barThat pussy-cat is in a precarious positionFruit store near the castleGehrig's with Kate and CraigView from the castleOur restaurantCastle watch tower?

    Slovenia into Croatia

    22 september, Kroatië ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today was our first big A to B ride, from Piran in Slovenia to Motovun in Croatia, a distance of 69km. We had an early breakfast, dropped our bags to the Odyssey team, and got our bikes ready. We were on the road by 8.30 and had lovely views back across the Slovenian coast as we climbed into the hills and into the Portoroz hinterland.

    I mentioned climbing, and there was quite a lot; I'm not as prepared as I should have been, and I'll pay for it tomorrow 😆 My road ebike is pedal assist, which means you still have to use those legs, and the first 28kms were climb after climb! We stopped in Marezige at a lookout and loaded up on fluids and fruit - the food on this tour is fantastic.

    Lunch was another 28kms away, and I just kept spinning those legs, but I did struggle to be completely honest. I keep telling myself I will ride myself fit! Sometimes, it's best to lie a little to yourself! For those who like the numbers, we climbed from sea level to 401m at the highest point. We also crossed the border into Croatia, although there are no border checkpoints anymore. We've added two new countries to our list on this trip so far!

    Lunch was at the foot of a castle ruins, which we could see from a distance a way - a beacon 😄 🤣 Lunch was perfect: pasta salad, salad, bread, cheese, and more fluids! I've gotta say, this really refuelled me; it was just so good. The mozzies, however, also liked refuelling, and I was their favourite food!

    It was a relatively easy roll into Motovun, about 11kms, except for the last 1 or 2 kms, where we had to climb up to the walled city and our hotel! Gayle opted for a ride in the van from lunch, which was very sensible; whereas, I did the ride and survived, at least for now! A total of 10 hill climbs completed, and my bottom may never be the same again!

    In the arvo, we freshened up (i.e., I had a cold shower to cool down and wash the sweat away) and rinsed our cycling gear; mine was soaked with sweat even though it wasn't that hot.

    I got us a couple of beers from the petrol station across the road because I know how to show a lady a good time! We're replacing fluids and electrolytes! We met up with the team at 5.50pm for apero before another hill climb (we walked) for dinner in the old walled city!

    It's looking likely to rain tomorrow, so we'll opt to have a sleep in and chill. We'll go in the van to our truffle degustation for lunch.

    We walked up a fairly steep hill; it's a change from cycling up them at least, to the restaurant for this evening. Isi worked her magic to get us a table outside - the rain is not here yet. We sat next to Dan and Alex, a lovely couple from the USA, who split their time between Seattle and Palm Springs. On the other side of us, we have Judy, a real estate agent from California (everyone knows Judy) and Liz and Russ from Melbourne. There's an eclectic mix of people from varied walks of life, which makes for great conversation.

    Dinner was once again a spectacular feast, with many courses of way too much food. We were exhausted, so we walked back down the steep hill, watching the lightning as we did.

    It's been a big day, but one we won't forget!

    PS, I steal photos from others in our group!    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    Truffle dogs
    Black truffle plantationTruffle dogsTruffle degustationTruffle degustationTruffle degustationTruffle degustationTruffle degustation1Scrambled eggs with trufflesPizza time

    Rest day in Motovun & truffles

    23 september, Kroatië ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    The weather forecast was looking quite ominous for day 4 of our Venetians cycling adventure. We were given the option of the planned loop ride with likely rain or a sleep in and massage at our hotel. Gayle and I chose the latter and, after a big ride yesterday, it was the right choice for us. A few others also chose the rest.

    As it turned out, the rain held out in the morning, so the others got their 36km ride in. We enjoyed a later breakfast after a great sleep, and both of us had a massage from our lovely soigneur, CiVi (Christiana).

    The riders returned around 12 midday, and we met in the hotel lobby to be ferried up to the truffle farm. We arrived at the very scenic Karlić truffles in the village of Paladini. It's a multi generational family business where they propagate and wild harvest black and white truffles. Well, the latter cannot be propagated.

    We got to see the truffle dogs (all female) in action, which involved a walk through the Karlić plantation and into the adjoining forest. The best trees for truffles are oak and hazelnut, and it was fun to watch the dogs doing their thing! We learnt lots about truffles and how they grow and how the dogs are trained.

    We then walked back to the farm restaurant where we learnt more about cooking with truffles. We sat with Peter (Thomo) and Nicole, both Australian and recently married, along with Jeremy and Emily from California.

    We enjoyed fresh bread with truffle oil, truffle balsamic vinegar, truffle powder before watching our host (she's 3rd generation), cooking scrambled eggs with truffles. The scrambled eggs were stunning with truffles in oil used in the eggs and then served with fresh grated truffle on top. It was a lot of truffles, I'll probably smell of them for days to come!

    We finished with little doughnuts for dessert - yes, there was truffle in the vanilla cream inside the doughnuts 🍩

    We returned to our hotel, and tonight, we have dinner on our own! We decided to walk up the very steep hill to Motovun old town for dinner. Well, we were going to take a shuttle bus but, as we arrived at the bus stop, a large tour bus dropped off a large group of singing Germans (I think they were Germans), so we walked instead.

    We pulled into Pizzeria & Grill Smile Motovun (love the name) and ordered beer and pizza. Tony and Theresa from New York were already there, eating gelato for dinner. A few other people from our tour group arrived as we were dining: Murray and Cathy from Brisbane and then Liz and Russ from Melbourne. They're really nice people, and after dinner, we walked down the hill (much better) with Murray and Cathy to our hotel.

    It didn't really rain today, but the forecast tomorrow is looking quite ominous - thunderstorms and heavy rain possible - let's hope the forecast is wrong.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    1Kate, Emily, Gayle and Tara
    Motovun muralCheck out the first hill climbView to MotovunStunning viewsWet ridersTony and TheresaPazin castle we didn't visitPazin views1

    Motovun to Plomin ... it rained

    24 september, Kroatië ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    We were up early and lining up for the hotel breakfast buffet to open at 7.30am. The scrambled eggs were good, and we needed our energy for some big climbs this morning. It had rained a little overnight and was overcast and drizzly outside.

    We hit the road by 9.00am with rain forecast. We have rain jackets in our jersey pocket ready for action. We rode down the steep incline from Motovun and turned off onto quieter single lane roads near the bottom of the hill. The roads were a little slippery, but the rain held off - at least for a while!

    The ride started off on the flat, but it wasn't too long before we hit the hills. It was pretty steep to start, with about a 5 to 6km climb, and then the ascent was at a better gradient for another 6 to 7kms. We had fantastic views back to the hilltop old town of Motovun, and we could see how much we'd climbed. At about 16kms into the ride, we hit our highest point, which was 459m above sea level!

    I felt like I coped with the hills much better than my last ride - perhaps I'm more accustomed to the bike now, and yesterday's rest helped my recovery. Others definitely had a worse day, with two riders coming off their bikes in the slippery conditions - luckily, no major injuries, but those abrasions are going to sting tomorrow.

    Our morning tea stop was at about the 30km mark, and we could feel and see the weather turning a bit nasty. Gayle and I pulled over to first lock the screen of our GPS to stop the rain affecting the touch screen. It wasn't too long before the shower turned into heavier rain as we were getting closer to our morning tea stop in Pazin. We probably had 4 to 5kms of rain pelting into our faces and on a busier road!

    We arrived at Pazin and went to a friendly cafe to seek shelter and caffeine. The rain had really settled in now, and the Odyssey team made the call that our day's ride was over - it was just too wet and misty to be safe.

    As we arrived in the back half of the pack, we copped the rain more, and our riding knicks and shoes were soaked. We opted to head into the hotel, Guesthouse Renata, in the vans in the first shift, while others went and visited Pazin castle - they were dryer than us 😅 As much as I love a good castle, the hot shower and change of clothes was always the winner. We have our wet gear hanging up in our room to dry - the socks and shoes might be an issue 😄 🤣

    The Odyssey team are just so adaptable - the rain caused them a lot of logistical grief with packing all our bikes, arranging taxis, rearranging lunch plans etc, but they just took it all in their stride and kept smiling. We had our 'picnic ' lunch at the hotel and enjoyed a good local beer.

    Looking forward, the weather forecast for tomorrow and future destinations is looking like it will be warm and sunny 🌞

    Our rooms are very quaint, more guesthouse style with an attached bar and restaurants. We are located 12kms from tomorrow's ferry ride to the island of Cres, where we have the biggest ride of our trip.

    Tip for drying wet shoes - stuff them with rolled up toilet paper to absorb the moisture! It seems to have worked.

    Dinner was at the guesthouse restaurant, and the food was again lovely, with enormous portions.    Meer informatie

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  • EattravelmoveEurope (Venetians tour) 2025Reiziger
    What a view
    The whole group heading to ferryFerry for CresView heading to ferryOn the ferryView to Cres townLooking professionalLooking professionalAfter the second climbDarioGayle and ChristianoGreek bronze statue of ApoxyomenosGreek bronze statue of Apoxyomenos3 wheeler

    Riding the length of Cres

    25 september, Kroatië ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    We were up very early to have breakfast and be on the road by 7am. It's quite a big deal to herd 24 people with their baggage, bikes, and random last-minute questions and get everyone on the road on time. This morning, we had to be on the ferry from Brestova at 8.15am to Porozina on the island of Cres. It was a misty morning and a bit cooler (well, not for us tough Canberra folk) as we rode the 13kms to Brestova. After a little bit of a climb and some photo stops, it was all downhill to the ferry. The views down in the morning with mist over the mountains and the views to the Adriatic Sea were just stunning.

    The ferry ride was only 15 minutes, and the views of the mainland and of Cres and other islands in the distance were amazing. We pushed the bikes off the ferry, and that's when the hill climbing began. It was a 10km climb to begin with, but a relatively consistent gradient - we climbed from sea level to 458m at the peak. This was followed by an undulating up and down - there was another small climb of another few kms and then downhill to the town of Cres on the Island of Cres for morning tea. We were now 40kms into our ride for the day!

    It was so good to refuel with fruit, cakes, and fluids! The local custard filled cakes the team supplied was awesome. Feeling somewhat rejuvenated, and with the day starting to warm up into the 20s, we started our next 10km hill climb, rising a little less than the previous one. It was then a mainly downhill trip to Osor for lunch - there were still a few smaller climbs that were starting to bite!

    All in all, we clocked up 74kms, our biggest day yet, and the biggest of our bike tour. I was proud of myself for using no more than level 1 assist (there's 3 levels), which given all the climbs was great! Gayle went well on her limousine, making it all the way on one charge.

    Lunch was another great and healthy meal designed to recharge us after a long ride. There was an option to do an extra 24km ride to the hotel, but we opted not to push our luck and rode in the van.

    We checked into Hotel Bellvue, which is quite flash. At 4.45pm, we took taxis into Museum of Apoxyomenos
    Muzej Apoksiomena, where we went on a private tour. The museum is beautifully modern and focused around the unique discovery of the ancient Greek bronze statue of Apoxyomenos, which was found in the sea near Lošinj.

    We were pretty spent after all the day's excitement and opted for a quiet dinner in our room.    Meer informatie

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