Day 1: Isola Bella, Stresa

We visited the Isola Bella in Lago Maggiore on the same day as the Isola dei Pescatore. Since the islands are only about 10 minutes apart by ferry (honestly, probably about the same length of time for a good swim as well), this was no rushed visit.

The Isola Bella, or Beautiful Island, is almost entirely occupied by the Palazzo Borromeo and its intricate gardens. A few restaurants and shops have been built up between the palace and the water but the palazzo and gardens are really the star of the show here. The first glimpse of the gardens is from the water. The highest point of the island is the garden terrace and we knew immediately that we’d HAVE to get up there.

After lunch (including a fresh caprese salad) near the dock, we headed for the palazzo. It was constructed in 1632 when the island was merely a big rock in a lake but the gardens weren’t finished until 40 years later. The construction was inspired by the vision of a ship anchored on the lake. The palace was built on the far west point with the gardens stretching back east. The palace itself actually isn’t in any of these photos. The last photo is obviously our boat view but all the rest are of the spectacular gardens.

Albino peacocks and ducks wander freely throughout the gardens. The botanical garden has spectacular and exotic flowers that were in full bloom during our visit. Wandering up the terrace (the immediate picture above is of the terrace. It looks like the façade of a castle but there are “hidden” steps that take you to the top), you overlook the water and have a full view of the garden below. With the water stretching out into the mountains nearby, we were reminded again how lucky we’ve been to have such amazing sights, tastes, and activities at our fingertips over the past two years. As we go into the last weekend (without internet for much of the time), we’ll be soaking up two final days in Milan. Arrivederci, Milano.

Day 2: Isola dei Pescatori, Stresa

Last weekend, we took our car out for one last spin around Northern Italy. We decided to visit Stresa and the Borromean Islands and cross them off our “to see in Italy” list right before we left. Since the sun was shining and weather gorgeous, it was a beautiful drive with an even more beautiful destination at the end! We started from the town of Stresa which sits on the south-westerly coast of Lago Maggiore. After walking around the lake for a bit, we hopped in line for the ferry and headed out for the islands. There are three main Borromean Islands but the Isola dei Pescatori (Fishermen’s Island) is the only one to be inhabited year round – by a whopping 50 residents. It’s tough to throw a stone in Italy without hitting a piazza, building, or island named after or owned by the Borromean family but these islands are now a public entity.

It’s a really small island. We walked the length in about 20 minutes and that was at a slooooow pace that allowed for window shopping and photo-taking. Wikipedia tells me that it’s 350 meters long by 100 meters wide. That’s pretty small. However, the tiny island is rich in charm. It’s more of a tourist destination these days than an actual fishing village but judging by all the fishing paraphernalia we saw, it seems like that industry is still quite alive.

After walking around the island (literally), we perched on some rocks near the lake to take in the view of the Isola Bella and coastline. Eventually winding our way back to the ferry terminal, we found that we’d just missed our boat. As this extra time allowed us to grab a beer at the nearest café, it was certainly a lucky miss.

Day 8: La Certosa di Pavia, Inside and Out

Day 13: Baptismal Fountain in Alba

Sixth century baptismal fountain from the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Alba. The Cathedral itself was built in the 12th century over Roman ruins.

Bologna

Bologna goes by many nicknames: "la grassa" (the fat, lots of pork and pasta here), "la dotta" (the learned one), and "la rossa" (refering to the red roof tops) and during our short day trip, we found them all to be true.

The "Due Torre" or two towers of Asinelli and Garsendaare at the center of the city and represent the power struggles of medieval Bologna. While you can usually climb the Torre Asinelli (335 ft tall) it was off-limits during our visit, meaning we couldn't see first-hand the tiled red rooftops that Bologna is so famous for. Instead, we started at the Piazza Maggiore, the main square that is surrounded by famous buildings including the Palazzo d'Accursio with a 13th centry bell-tower, elaborate porticos, and the basilica of San Petronio (above). Construction on the basilica began in the 14th century but the Bolognese never got around to finishing the facade, leaving the dark red bricks exposed. Inside, there's a mixture of unpainted walls and dramatic frescos.

The church of Santo Stefano was another amazing view of the day. It's not quite a church, more like seven churches built on a single complex. According to my visiting aunt, making a wish every time you enter a new church for the first time will bring you luck. I wish I'd known that when we first moved to Italy! The church(es) were amazing to see and the progression of architectural style is evident when you can literally move through different rooms and periods.

So, what about the learned reputation? The oldest university in the Western world (University of Bologna, founded in 1088) is located in the heart of the city and still plays host to tons of international students each year. We paid a visit to the Anatomical Theater where Bolognese medical students studied human anatomy on corpses laid out in the center of the room. The decorations are quite ornate - the maple walls have risers built out from them and there are bronze sculptures of mythological creatures surround the room. The bodies were laid out on a marble slab though very little of what's pictured above is actually original. The Archiginnasio complex (original center of the university, now home to a library and exhibit areas) was bombed by the Allies in 1944 and had to be nearly completely rebuilt. That means the frescoes lining the portico ceilings near the courtyards were also painstaking reconstructed (see below).

Bologna is deservedly well-known for its culinary reputation. Bolognese sauce (ragu alla bolognese) has gone international and the capital city of the Emilia-Romagna region is the center of the production of cured pork products like salami, mortadella, and prosciutto. Mortadella, by the way, is the far back ancenstor to modern American baloney but bears little resemblence these days. Mortadella is a SPECTACULAR sausage seasoned with black pepper, pistachio, nutmeg, coriander, and myrtle berries and likely dates back to the early 1300s - it's no Oscar Meyer (thank goodness). So you can see where the "la grassa" reputation comes into play. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch at Da Cesari, sampling the mortadella, famous ragu, and homemade tortellini stuffed with pumpkins and ricotta (two separate dishes).

After lunch, we wandered around the narrow streets behind the Piazza Maggiore that still host butchers and fishmongers, though not quite in the numbers they used to. Nowadays, the streets are lined with small pastry and bread shops, selling homemade tortellini to take home and tons of Easter treats (well, at least in the weeks prior to Easter). I even found the Bologna outpost of Eataly, the slow-food centric shop that I first visited last year in Turin! While visiting Bologna meant that we could cross another city off our "list" before leaving, it was a bittersweet moment as we realized we should've come here long ago and returned many times in between.

Da Cesari, Via de'Carbonesi, 8 (at Via Massimo D'Azeglio), tel: 051 237 710

Barolo Wine Country

With family in town for the week, I played hooky and we crossed another item off our "places to see in Italy before we leave" list. We've spent plenty of time in Piedmont but never visited Alba or Bra.

Alba is home to the great northern Italian festival for the white truffle. That's usually in November so our timing was a bit off but we had beautiful weather and strolled around town, visiting the Duomo (photo at top) and taking in the red brick buildings. We had a wonderful meal in town at a restaurant recommended by the Osterie d'Italia. Lalibera specializes in cuisine of the region and was heavy on veal, rabbit, pigeon, and other delicacies.


After lunch, we hopped into the car and headed to the Langhe hills and the infamous Barolo wine-growing region. Our appointment was at the Renato Ratti cantina for a 45 minute long tour, followed by a wine tasting. The tour was extensive. While we've visited a few cellars and producers during out time in Italy, Renato Ratti is the biggest producer (though they're considered medium size). They produce a couple kinds of Barolo, plus a delicious Nebbiolo and the typical Barbera and Dolcetto d'Alba of the region. We came away with a few bottles of Barbera and Nebbiolo as "souvenirs" of our time. The tasting was generous and delicious, we sampled their nice Barolo (retails for $60+) and did I mention it was all free?


Not wanting to spend the last hours of daylight in the car heading back to Milan, we decided to head to Bra, another nearby town, for dinner and a stroll. Bra is the home of the Slow Food movement (so don't mention McDonald's!) The movement was founded in 1986 to fight against the globalization of food and unhealthy eating habits. Now, there are over 80 thousand members in over 100 countries! The provincial town is also rich in architecture - the church of San Andrea was designed by Bernini - and we enjoyed some star-gazing and another round of the region's wines before heading back to the bright lights of the big city.

Lalibera: Via Pertinace, 24A, Alba
Renato Ratti: Frazione Annunziata, 7, La Morra

Lago di Como at Christmas

You already know I love Christmas markets so when the opportunity to go with my family and visit the market on Lake Como, I jumped - especially high on the day after Christmas! We made it to Como right before lunch and enjoyed our meal in a lovely restaurant overlooking the lake. Ate some yummy seafood and fresh pasta but I kept in mind a warning I'd heard before: don't eat seafood from the lake! Apparently, lake pollution is quite high.


With some vino, pasta, and pizza in our bellies, we walked along the lake until we got to Como's main lakeside piazza. The miniature ice-skating rink was one was to stay warm during the cold day but after observing the participants (including the cute kids pushing around penguins), we elected to walk around and check out the merchandise at the mercato. No big surprises, lots of local foods like salami, cheese, and honey. I bought a pot of honey to add to my collection at home. The warm chestnuts were out in full force, helping out those who forgot their gloves.

We made our way out of the market and into the centro storico. When we came to the Duomo, I was pleasantly surprised to see it open! I've so far had the unfortunate luck of not being able to see the inside but had a chance to admire with my parents, sister, and husband this time around. The stained glass windows were remarkable and sculpture/decor evoked the Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance influences that prevailed during the building years.


So when it's Boxing Day and you're walking around outside, getting freezing cold, what do you do to warm up? Chestnuts are a good band-aid but only a nice glass of Glühwein (mulled wine) will beat the cold.

Cremona

While my parents and sister were visiting for the holidays, they took a few days trips from Milan and I was able to join on a couple of them. The first was to the nearby town of Cremona. Unsurprisingly, a December Sunday yielded few activities in the small Lombard town but we were able to enjoy a delicious meal, walk around town a bit, and peruse the offerings at the Sunday antique market. As Cremona is home to the Stradivari violin, we were a bit disappointed to see the violin makers and museum closed for the weekend - motive for a future trip?


The cathedral located in the center of town started out in the Romanesque design but the Gothic influence took over in the final years of construction. The church is located on the eastern side of the piazza with secular buildings (and the antique market) taking over the western side.

The bell tower, or torrazzo, is 111 meters tall and has a zodiac clock painted on the front. It connects the baptistry (photo on top) and the cathedral (photo below) itself.


It was a leisurely but cold Sunday afternoon. The bitter temperatures were temporarily put aside by some delicious hot chocolate from gelateria Grom but we were soon driven back to the car. However, no Christmas in Italy can pass without mention of the panettone.


A round cake with candied fruits and raisins based inside, this traditional cake makes an appearance to nearly all Milanese during the holidays season. Like fruit cakes (but better tasting), they are often sent as gifts and my office received several during the season. There are lots of stories that purport to explain the invention of the Panettone - wikipedia has the most famous ones - but there seems to be little debate on the cake's Milanese origins. While I find them a little dry, they make for great pairing with a cup of tea or reconfiguration into french toast on Christmas morning!

The Great Truffle Hunt!

Marco and I were scheduled to attend a truffle hunt outside of Asti last Sunday. Due to an unfortunate event with a crane the day prior, only one of us was able to attend. My gracious and loving husband volunteered to stay home so that I could attend. Remembering to grab my boots from the apartment the day prior, I woke early on Sunday to meet the rest of the group so we could set off by bus.

When we arrived at La Casa del Trifulau, we were met by Giorgio, Natale, and their truffle-hunting English Pointer. After a short introduction into the family's history with truffles and the basics of the hunt, we set out into the woods. We followed the dog as she found red truffles (indicated with one paw scratching at the ground) and white truffles (both paws, furiously digging). Prior to this trip, I'd never heard of red truffles but after sniffing at one, it was clear why. They smell gross and add nothing in terms of taste. The dogs can't help finding them but realize that they're not worth the effort of digging.


Black truffle season is a little late in the year so we were lucky to see several of the more expensive white truffles dug up. When the dog found the truffle, she'd dig like crazy until her handler rushes up. When the handler arrived, he quickly took charge to prevent the truffle from being broken during the dig. While I wondered at first about how truffles got "discovered" (who would think of eating this dirt crusted fungus they found buried underground?) it became clear at first sniff. Despite the dirt, a fresh truffle smells like garlic and earthy yumminess.


After the hike, we returned to the casa for a tasting of local white truffles, salami, and wine. The delicious family-produced olive oil rounded out the tasting along with a soft local cheese with white truffle shaved on top.


Giorgio has written a book on truffles that was published in both Italian and English. In it, he includes some family history and poems on the great hunt. Maybe it was all the vino rosso and delicious food but I couldn't resist taking home a book as a souvenir since the white truffles were a bit out of my price range!

Gorgonzola and a Festival of Cheese

When I found out last year that the town of Gorgonzola had an annual festival celebrating the cheese of the same name, I knew that I had to attend. When I found out that not only was the town close by but that it was actually on the Milan metro line, I marked by calendar.


So in September, we hopped on the green line and headed for the suburbs. Aside from a newsletter on the town's website, we weren't too sure where to go but found it easy to follow the crowds when we got off the metro. The 11th annual Sagra Nazionale di Gorgonzola is celebrated with booths throughout town, some selling arts and crafts, some selling the infamous cheese, and all crowded with people. A tasting pass let you go to some of the booths to try the gorgonzola recipes being featured but after one look at the risotto booth, we decided to go our own way. While the risotto looked good in smaller portions, I couldn't get over the gigantic metal container and the oar used to stir the rice. Yum?


We finished out the day with some tastings of gorgonzola dolce washed down with a couple of Peroni beers before heading back into the city.

Bellagio: Pearl of the Lake

Despite basically living in Como for several weeks last summer, we never got the chance to visit Bellagio. So when our friends from London came to town we picked them up at the airport and headed straight for Lake Como to soak up some sun.

We took in the scenery from the "fast" ferry en route to Bellagio. The villas and towns scattered along the lake were beautiful but sadly, no Clooney sightings.


Once in Bellagio, we had a leisurely lunch and then strolled around town. At the San Giacomo church, the art works dates from various periods between the 15th and 17th centuries. Since it's still summer, we didn't quite catch the sunset on our hydrofoil return but the changing light off the water made for a sight unto itself.

Gone Hiking

Marco went hiking a couple of weekends ago back to Piano di Bobbio (I blogged about it last month). This time, the guys took the funicular all the way to the top of the lift and went hiking through the top ranges.


The lift itself only went halfway up the mountain so there was lots to keep them busy up there. Cooper particularly enjoyed the cold mountain lakes.


This is NOT the trip where the guys went mountain biking in Piano di Bobbio and Marco came back with a gigantic red scrap on his neck. No pictures from that trip, I feel certain that had photography come into play then broken bones would've surely followed.

Hiking in Piani di Bobbio

Last weekend, we took advantage of the relatively cool summer weather to head up to the mountains to the east of Lago di Como. Piani di Bobbio is a ski retreat during winter months but our trip found the snow completely melted with lots of paths up the mountain for hiking.

A funicular can take you halfway up the mountain (the halfway point is just under the rocky part of the photo above). From there, it opens into more mountains and valleys on the other side. We set off on foot from the parking lot due to our late start and not wanting to get caught in the dark on our way down. We had to dodge mountain bikers coming down on the path and hike up a steeeep incline but Cooper enjoyed himself immensely, running ahead to the next curve and then stopping to wait for us to catch up.

When we came to the above fork in the road, marked by a fountain and dedication to the Virgin Mary, we chose to keep heading UP. After about 90 minutes, we had seen lots of flora and fauna but no spectacular views to mark our progress.

We continued on a bit further and then saw a group of people hanging over the wooden fence of the below mountaintop farm. The gawkers left and since the building still looked deserted, we decided to check it out for ourselves. Finally- the view of the valley below!

We'd been enjoying the scenary for ten minutes or so when a car pulled up. The farms residents were back and they were a group of young Italians about our age. We excused ourselves, apologizing for stepping on their property. In typical Italian fashion, nobody was upset and instead offered us our choice of grappa or water! Regretfully, we had to decline but the friendly offer put a swing in our steps for the hike down the mountain.

Nove, Home of Ceramics

American holidays in Italy are great for travel. Roads are empty and restaurants are reasonably crowded.. For Memorial Day, I hopped in the car with two friends and a three-year-old and we headed to the Northern Italian city of Nove. Nove is about 2.5 hours from Milan and the home to several ceramic manufacturers. We parked at the town square and found ourselves surrounded by ceramic shops and factories, honestly, there were probably 3-5 within a kilometer in each direction.


Our first stop was the ceramic museum which happened to be closed when we stopped by. Luckily, we asked for tourism information at the town hall and they volunteered to open up the museum for the four of us! It was a small museum but interesting and it was great to have it all to ourselves.


We popped into a factory store that was recommended by a town hall official. The tables and walls were covered in handpainted ceramics and I fell in love with a lamp painted with a black and white toile print. The price tag for the matching set was a bit intimidating so I carried on to the next stop.


At La Ceramica VBC, we truly hit the jackpot. They are the producers of earthenware for Tiffany & Co, Williams-Sonoma, Southern Living, and Lenox. The prices were out. of. control. Seriously. I picked up a serving platter made for Tiffany & Co for 22 euro. That translates to a little over $30 - a significant discount.


Of course, we didn't just come for American items at a discount. There was quite the market for Italian platters, dinner sets, vases, candlesticks...just about everything!


Below, you get a sneak peak of some of the things I purchased for myself (there were other items but they're gifts so it's a secret). The yellow and white item is a trivet. The yellow is quite vibrant in person and it's gorgeous. I also bought a black 3-pronged candlestick holder that I am newly obsessed with. Beautiful. Had I felt the urge, I could've bought a 12 place dinnerware set of amazing ceramic for under 30 euro.


Put this list for when you come to visit us - don't forget we can help you ship stuff back to the States!