Moving onto Brats & Beer in Northern Bavaria!

Stats:

Destination:  Northern Bavaria - Rothenburg, Donauworth, Dinksbuhl, Wurzburg, Bamberg, Legenfeld & Lauber, Germany

Number of Days Spent: 1 week

Where we stayed: Our friend Leann's house!   

Best restaurant:   The brewery restaurant in Legenfeld had the best spatzle (potato dumplings) of our trip!  Our vote for best beer goes to Weltenburg or to Legenfeld, we liked the dunkels (dark) the most.

Best of:  If we learned one thing in Germany it had to be this:  Monks make the best beer.  Best enjoyed as Ein Mass (1 liter); The night watchman's tour in Rothenburg is surprisingly entertaining and well worth the 5 euros.

Worst of:  Train tickets are expensive compared to Italy and the Czech Republic - even short routes will set you back at least 8 euros each

Most Memorable:  Stumbling onto multiple festivals (the Germans look for excuses to drink some beer!); our favorite - Legenfeld (below)

Travel Tip:  The Bayern Pass will cost you 28 euros for the day (9am - 3am next day) but you can travel unlimited in Bayern (Bavaria) with up to 5 people on the same pass, it was almost always cheaper than the individual tickets.  If traveling to the Czech Republic (i.e. Prague) opt for the Bayern-Bohemia Pass for 33 euros (same rules as Bayern) which will get you to Pilsen where you can purchase a ticket onto Prague for 7.50 euro each.  Much cheaper and the exact same route as the direct line from Munich to Prague.

We arrived in Germany to stay with our friend Leann, and be treated to some good ole' US of A hospitality; after the fast paced excitement of Italy it was a welcome breath of fresh air.  Sometimes when you are traveling you miss the simple things in life.  Cooking your own meal, sitting in a living room in a recliner, not having to pack and unpack virtually everyday and having a conversation with a native English speaker other than each other are the little things you miss.  We cannot express how grateful we were to have the opportunity to do all those things at Leann's and THANK YOU again so much for letting us crash at your house for so long!

The Romantic Highway starts in the north of present day Bavaria in the town of Wurzburg and runs all the way to Ludwig's Castles in the south by the Austrian border.  Aptly named, the highway encompasses some of the most scenic and well preserved Medieval towns and exudes a wonderfully charming air.  We opted to bite off little bits at a time rather than rush through the whole road. 

We started in the Gingerbread towns of Donauworth and Dinklsbuhl.  Come summertime, the Germans look for ways to have a festival.  Donauworth had a Kinderfest (kids festival) going on that day and Dinklsbuhl also had a festival, but one that included beer and brats - more up our alley!  The towns themselves all have a cute charm that is typical in this part of Germany.  The facades of all the homes are painted pastel colors accented with soft wood tones.  They all sit on medieval cobblestone streets providing a great postcard type backdrop.

 

Of all the towns along this stretch of highway, Rothenburg is without a doubt the most popular and deservedly so.  Rothenburg is home to the Kathy Wolfhart Christmas stores, makers of the infamous "Christmas pyramids" which slowly turn from just the heat of candles burning on four sides.  The town was also hosting some sort of festival, complete with - beer and brats (Notice a theme developing??).  For a look at Tracy's first brat experience see the photo below.  Mmmmm....good!

 

Seemingly every touristy town has a Torture Museum and Rothenberg is no exception.  If you have not been to one yet, the one here is considered one of the best and it's both interesting and slightly amusing to see the forms of punishment used back in the dark ages.  My personal favorite is when a married couple could not resolve a dispute and the courts needed to determine which one was telling the truth.  The man was buried in the dirt up to his neck with only his head and two arms remaining above ground.  One hand was bound and the other welded a club.  The wife was given a rope with a rock tied to the end and also had one hand bound, but was free to move about.  The winner of the ensuing battle had to obviously be telling the truth and therefore won the case.  The rest of the museum has other interesting stories like this as well as all the fun torture devices.

 

The town itself is magically charming.  The wall has been rebuilt and mostly intact, all of the old town is lined with cobblestone streets and loads of Gingerbread style homes.  One way to appreciate it and be entertained at the same time is to take the Nightwatchman's tour.  Every night, a tall scruffy man carrying a pike and lantern and dressed the part gives you a glimpse of life in the Middle Ages.  Not only does he explain some of the history of Rothenberg, he also explains some of the everyday living conditions during the Dark Ages.

 

  

Bavaria is also home to dozens of monasteries.  Not all monasteries actually brew beer, but the ones that do, do it well.  One such place we visited was Weltenburg, beautifully set in a bend on the Danube River, this "Kloster" had the best beer that we tasted in Bavaria, the nectar of the Gods it could very well be.  While trying every single one would take months...or a serious binge week, we tried our fair share.  I had the Dunkel (dark) and Tracy had the hefwiezien (wheat beer), both were quite tasty and cannot be compared to anything I have had in the States.  Aside from the beer, which could quite possibly make a believer out of an atheist, they also have a beautiful church decorated in the classical Baroque style.  Dear reader, you can figure which element left the best impression.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the town of Bamberg lies just north of Nurnberg and it was easy to see why it made the list.  It's Old City Hall is drop dead gorgeous, sitting on a small island in the river with its Gingerbread style building overhanging the river.  Not to be outdone, Bamberg also had a festival, the Spetzle (Asparagus) Festival, complete with beer, brats and a couple of stalls selling the supposed star of the show.  We tried the delicious cream based soup and wandered around the town for a bit.  The town is famous for it's dark, smoked beer.  We sat down and had a pint, not bad but certainly has an interesting flavor that is somewhat acquired.

 

 

Continuing on our list of UNESCO Heritage sights, we drove out to the town of Wurzburg to see the New Residenz.  Serving as home to the Franconian Kings.  Despite taking some major damage in WWII, the main halls still remain intact, including the worlds largest ceiling fresco (Michelangelo's Sistine is a series of frescoes as opposed to one single fresco).  The fresco depicts the 4 continents of the world (what was discovered at that time) - Africa, America, Asia and Europe.  Other highlights include the hall of mirrors and an impressive optical illusion.  In one of the paintings a dog sits in the foreground; but from the ground, the dog seems to come off the canvas.

 

 

The town also hosts a number of churches, a nice pedestrian area, complete with more festival fun and a statue lined bridge similar to Charles Bridge in Prague (coming soon!). 

 

Our last stop in Wurzburg was the castle at the top of the hill, the old Residenz.  The castle served as home to the kings of Franconia until it became outdated and they moved down to the New digs in town.  The gardens have commanding views as you can see!

 

We also went to the local little town of Legenfeld.  Not on any tourist maps or guide books, we originally went there to have a nice meal and try their Kupfer Beer.  When we arrived, there was a....yep...festival going on.  Unlike the others we had stumbled across, this one was unique.  Underneath the massive white tent, hundreds of people were chatting and gulping down Ein Mass (1 liter of beer) of the Kupfer.  On the stage at the far end was a competition.  Donning their traditional garbs, the locals were having a dance contest.  It's ended up being a miniature Oktoberfest, without all the cookie tossing tourists.  We went inside and had a nice meal and then came back out and enjoyed our own Ein Mass squeezing into the benches with all the locals.  This was hands down our favorite festival and the beer was second only to Weltenburg in our opinion!

 

Our last stop in Northern Bavaria worth noting is the Chocolate factory in Lauber.  It's a bit kitschy with mechanical animals singing songs, but the chocolate was delicious and came in any flavor and shape imaginable. 

Next, we head to Munich and south to the castles of Mad King Ludwig's, across into Austria and of course, more beer!

To see more photos click on the links below!

 Donauworth

Dinklsbuhl

Rothenburg

Wurzburg

Lengenfeld

This magic moment! Venice, Italy

Stats:

Destination:  Venice, Italy

Number of Days Spent:  2.5 days

Where we stayed:  Locanda Art Deco Hotel - our most expensive hotel yet - 70 Euro (drawbacks:  a tiny hot water heater that took forever to heat, it was enough for 2 quick showers or 1 regular one; major pluses - an excellent breakfast with unlimited expresso; the good stuff - Illy & a great location)

Best restaurant:   ????  We can't remember the name of this place but it's across the Accadamia bridge and along the canal to the right of the Accadamia and it's in RIck Steves guide.  It's one of the oldest wine shops in town and they have great prices on bottles of wine.  They sell tapas for lunch which are excellent!  Try the blue cheese with walnut on toast or Ligurian pesto on toast (1 euro)...pair these with a glass of wine (2 euro) and you've got a great lunch!  Take it outside and sit by the canal and have a memorable picnic!  If you have not figured it out yet, we LOVE to picnic with a bottle of wine!

Best of:     Walking into St. Mark's Square for the first time - at night, breathtaking; no cars, no bikes or motorbikes - this city is pedestrian friendly to the max.

Worst of:    The price of vaporetto (Venice's public transport along the canals) tickets is staggering...6.50 euros per ride!  We ended up by the unlimited pass for 26 euros each for 48 hours and used it every single time we possibly could.   

Most Memorable:  Our first glimpse of St. Mark's Square with classical music filling the air and the lights shining off of the Doge's Palace....it just overwhelmes the senses!

Useful Tip:  If you want to ride a gondola but don't want to pay 100-120 Euros take the public gondola taxi for $.50.  Sure, you're standing in the boat with the locals but at 1/200th of the price it's probably the cheapest thrill you will get in Venice!  Also, try the pub crawl to save some serious money during dinner!  Again, Uncle Rick Steves has free podcasts on Itunes of the Square, Church, and Canal - simple and entertaining.

Ok, so Venice is probably the most expensive city in the world, it's arguably the biggest tourist destination in Italy (over 12 million visitors per year; 50,000 per day sometimes in the summer!), a pain in the butt to get around, and we loved it!  Few cities are as magical as Venice.  The history (capital of the Byzantine Empire), the arts (many famous composers including Mozart escaped here from Austria and Germany to write some of their most famous works) and the architecture (influenced by the Ottomans, Greeks and the Romans) all come together here.

After arriving in the afternoon and finding our hotel, we headed out for a little Pub Crawling - Venice style!.  Cicchetti's (or little bites) is one way to eat out in Venice without taking out a second mortgage on your house.  With most priced at 1 euro each, it does not take long to fill up and all the bars have similar priced house wines and mixed drinks (Spritz is the local favorite and quite tasty!) to help wash them down (these drinks are usually around 1 euro but at most 2 euros at the local bars...you can even get a glass of prosecco for around 1.80 euros).  From snails in their shells to mozzarella sticks,  there is a variety here to meet anyone's taste.  Most of these places are on either side of the Rialto Bridge, just wonder around a bit and you are bound to stumble across a couple.  Look for the locals standing up and chatting at the counter, toothpick (which you use to pick up the food) in hand!  You can also use Rick Steves book, we did and it was great!

Few things in this world evoke a "Wow" moment from Jason.  Typically reserved in emotions, I found myself moved as we rounded the corner into St. Mark's Square at night.  If you can time it right, save this jaw dropping moment for night, the sight is completely different in the day.  The pink soft glow of the Doge's Palace.  St. Mark's Basilica just behind with its Onion Shaped domes. The square itself laid out in a massive "L" shaped pattern.  The moment is all capped by orchestra's playing classical hits by Mozart and others.  It's simply a magical moment that I could never do enough justice in words. 

  

 

In most cities, the streets are filled with motorbikes, cars, traffic and all the belching smog and smoke that comes along.  In Venice, the only "traffic" is in the water in the form of boats on the Grand Canal.  The best way to take in the city's overall charm is to take the Vaporetto from one end of town to the other admiring the buildings.  The architectural style here is unique; borrowing both from the local Christian population and the visiting Islamic traders from the western Mediterranean.  Domes mixed with minarets and the classical rounded Roman arches became more pointed at the top.  

 

   

We returned to St. Marks for a little sightseeing, this time in the daylight.  By day, the romantic side of Venice concedes to the tourists.  The square is packed from one end to the other with tour groups, lines form around the side of the Basilica with the hoards and the sun is unrelenting.  Joining the herds, we lined up for the Basilica.  The church is equally as impressive on the inside.  The masterpiece of the church are the set of Bronze horses, now called St. Mark's horses.  While it is unknown where they originated, they were cast in late BC and resided in Constantinople (Istanbul) until the 4th crusade conquered the city and brought them here to reside.  The ones that majestically sit on the balcony above the church are copies of the original ones just inside. 

The other sights include going into Doge's Palace and across the famous Bridge of Sighs (90% covered in scaffolding) but we opted to spend our time out at another church - the Frari Church of the Assumption.  Across the Canal and in a more residential neighborhood, the church is a hidden treasure.  The highlight of the church is Tiziano's Assumption and a rather small and too far away (and to us disappointing) Donatello statue; you would need binoculars to look at it properly.  

 

On our last night in Venice we popped open a bottle of prosecco, sat by the Grand Canal and enjoyed the musicians on St. Mark's square one last time while we reflected on our amazing time in Venice!  Cheers to Venice, we will be back...hopefully with lots more money next time!

 

To see more photos of Venice click here!

Renaissance Revisited - Florence, Italy

Stats:

Destination:  Florence, Italy

Number of Days Spent:  1 day

Where we stayed: Hotel Azzi - 50 Euros/night on www.venere.com (including breakfast & wifi)

Best restaurant:   We found a great sandwich shop called Casa del Vino where they served excellent homemade panini sandwiches!  They will make them to order.  It's one of the oldest wine shops in the city and every day they have several bottles of wine opened that you can sample by the glass with your panini.  It was the best panini we had in Italy and very affordable - 3.50 Euro!

Best of:  Florence is known for its art and it certainly lives up to its reputation!      

Worst of:  Donatello's David (the one portraying him as a fanciful, elf like, boy with a feathered cap) was out on loan so we missed it.  At least we asked before paying admission to an otherwise ordinary art collection.  The people working at the Uffizi are a bunch of disorganized jerks and that's all I am going to say on that...for now!

Most Memorable: We met up with friends RJ & Kristi while we were in Florence and swapped travel stories over dinner.  If you guys are reading this I hope you had a great time in France!

Useful tip:  It is strongly advised to book ahead for the Uffizi and the Academia.  For 2 euros extra you can skip the over an hour long wait at the Academia, and at the Uffizi you probably won't be getting in without it.  It's easy to do online with a CC.  Lastly, as mentioned in our post from Rome, go to ITunes and download the Rick Steves guides to both the Uffizi & Accadamia (FREE)!

After passing once more through Pisa (that makes 5 times now!) we got into Florence and checked in just in time to make it to our appointment at the Academia to see David & the Prisoners by Michelangelo.  Few works of art are as recognizable as this stunning figure rising over 13 feet high.  Carved from one single piece of marble, Michelangelo believed that the figures were in the stone all along and it was his job with God's help to free them from the stone.   In his left had lies the sling and the oversized right emphasizes his strength.  From the front angle, David's eyes stare up at his enemy, Goliath as if you say in a cocky manner "I can take this guy".  As you spin around to the right, his face changes and a glimpse of "Oh, crap what I just get myself into" appears.  In true Michelangelo style, every blood vein, bulging muscle and rib bone is visible revealing the master's attention to detail and his mastery of the human anatomy.  Equally as impressive as David and leading up to him are the so-called prisoners.  They pieces were never actually finished.  In various stages of completion, the figures give a glimpse into how Michelangelo "freed" the pieces from the marble.  

 

Florence also has a lively street atmosphere.  The square, anchored by the massive Church in the center, is surrounded by several pedestrian only streets making the city a joy to wander around (though the crowds do take it down a notch).  Down to the river, just past the Uffizi lies the city's most famous bridge, Ponte Vecchio.  Stretching across the river, the bridge now serves as a meeting place and houses tons of jewelry shops that just simply built onto the side of the bridge. 

   

After taking a stroll through town from the Academia, we arrived at the Uffizi.  Ordering the tickets online was the easy part.  Arriving and picking them up turned out to be a bit frustrating.  After standing in line to get in, get past the metal detectors, we find out that our reservation is not good enough, we have to physically pick up a ticket.  Fair enough; we go to the ticket counter - "no, not here" - across the street you pick them up.  Back outside and across the street - "What do you mean you already paid for them, where's your reservation?"  Back inside, after waiting in line again - "You have to check that bag over there!"  There was an "information" desk that the lady seemed more intent on finishing her crossword puzzle before helping us, and when she did look up, she pointed us to the ticket counter...thanks for the help!  I think a little sign and at least a half smile would go a long ways.  We were not the only ones a little ticked at the situation, but hey the gallery was worth it.

Inside, you find one of the greatest collections of Renaissance Art in the world.  Built by Florence's ruling family the Medici's, the Uffizi was fittingly the place they brought visitors to visit their personal art collection.  Some of the highlights include the Birth of Venus (you might know it as Venus on a halfshell), the famous German painter Crannoch has a few here, along with other notables like Rembrandt, Leonardo, and Donatello.   Florence truly was the birthplace of the Renaissance and it is only fitting that the city houses a large portion of their works till this day.

After the Uffizi, we met RJ and Kristis for dinner and a glass of wine and then got ready to head to Venice!   

You know the drill, for more photos of Florence click here!

Hiking the Cinque Terre - Santa Margarita, Italy

Stats:

Destination: Santa Margarita & the Cinque Terre

Number of Days Spent: 2 days

Where we stayed: Nuova Riviera - 65 Euros/Night (no breakfast or wifi), the Italian Riviera is expensive...but the room was immaculate and we had our own huge private terrace to sip wine on in the evenings!

Best restaurant: A Lampara - We had our favorite meal in all of Italy here. The calamari was fresh and perfectly cooked, the pasta all homemade - the pesto excellent and the ravioli swoon worthy! YUMMY! A bit expensive, our bill came to 45 Euros with the cover charge and a half bottle of wine.

Best of: The hike between the 5 towns was stunning!

Worst of: There isn't much not to like in this beautiful place. If we had to pick one it would be that the beach is very rocky compared to the white sand beaches we are used to.

Most Memorable: Absolutely gorgeous views from our hike!

We dropped off our rental car at the airport in Pisa and hopped on the train to Santa Margarita, the beginning of the Italian Riviera. We decided to base ourselves here for the famous Cinque Terre trail a short train ride to the south.

Santa Margarita proved to be a pleasant surprise of a town. We were expecting somewhat of a commercial town but discovered a charming city. It's a little touristy and evidence of expansion is everywhere - streets are ripped up and scaffolding is everywhere. Behind the metal barriers lies finely painted pastel colored buildings, boutique shops and an upmarket feel. Right in the heart of town there is a beach, albeit a bit on the rocky side. After picking up some wine (I don't think we went anywhere in Italy without vino!) we hit the beach with the crowds for an afternoon of R&R.

The next morning we arose bright and early for the Cinque Terre Hike. A short hike by trail standards, only about 10km's from end to end, the Cinque Terre trail is the stuff of legends. Rick Steves calls this his favorite spot in all of Europe and it's easy to see why. Named after five towns along the coast, the trail takes you up hills for majestic overlooks and back down to the seaside villages with natural harbors. Along the way, you pass pillboxes (reminders of WWII and Italy's Mussolini dictatorship) as well as vineyards, cat sanctuaries and loads of other people (it's a popular destination now). The first half of the trail (if you start at the northern end) is the hardest so after completing the first two legs, we sat down with a couple from Houston and polished off a bottle of the local Cinque Terre wine to reward ourselves.

Words do not do the place justice so we will let the camera lens tell the rest of the story here.

And now the best part, the scenery!

And lastly, via del amore aka lovers lane! Couples will come here to put a padlock on the fence, thus ensuring their love forever :-) Corny, sure but you see it all over Europe!

Exhausted from a hard day's trek, we washed up and treated ourselves to a nice restaurant. Thus far we had be doing Italy on the cheap (will as cheap as we could) but decided to splurge. At Lampara, we were not disappointed. With melt in your mouth homemade pastas (ravioli without a doubt the best we have EVER had), fresh calamari and a great 1/2 bottle of wine (trying to wean off the vino addiction!) it was the best meal we had had in a long time.

With our muscles still a little sore the next morning, we packed our bags and headed to Florence for some more Renaissance fun!

For more photos of the Cinque Terre click here!

Under the Tuscan Sun - Montalcino, Montepulciano, Pienza, Volterra & Siena

Stats:

Destination: Tuscany

Number of Days Spent: 3 days

Where we stayed: We stayed in a couple of places...Oliviera Camere in Pienza (40 Euros with a simple breakfast - the owner Nello was super friendly), ??? in Siena (65 Euros no breakfast or Internet) and in Volterra Seminario Vescovile San Andrea (the monastery recommended by Rick Steves - 28 Euros no breakfast or Internet)

Best restaurant: Does a picnic with aged pecorino from Pienza, salami, a fresh baguette, cherries from the farmer's market and a bottle of wine count?

Best of: Beautiful scenery & amazing wine, it was fantastic!

Worst of: Siena was a major disappointment for us.

Most Memorable: Picnic lunch in front of the Abbey, staying in the monastery where Christopher Columbus supposedly stayed

Useful tip: Renting a car is really the best way to see Tuscany - public transport is limited and does not stop to let you take pictures of the real star of the area - the views!

Ok, so renting a car in Italy is NOT cheap but Tuscany is one of those places where it makes sense. Flower fields exploding into colors, medieval castles and towns dotting the countryside, vineyards and abbeys all take turns tantalizing the senses. Here, the journey is the star of the show and the destinations allow breaks and time to savor the moments.

Our gateway into the heart of Tuscany was the town of Montepulciano. Noted for its Vino Nobile, we stopped and had a glass...or two...at Contucci Cantina. Our favorite Vino Nobile was the Valdipiatta 2000 (24 Euro per bottle). By law, the Nobile must be aged for at least 18 months in a barrel and then another year in a bottle before it can be sold so the youngest is nearly three years old! We also enjoyed lunch in town overlooking the valley, an excellent homemade gnocci and that great bottle of wine mentioned above! They were "sprucing up" the main square by painting the fountain; which we thought was a but cheesy until we later heard that they were filming the next Twilight series movie, New Moon here. The book actually takes place in Volterra (below) but apparently the producers felt this was a more scenic place. After visiting both, we tend to disagree, but they are not paying us to make the movie!

After Montepulciano, we headed over to Pienza. In route, we passed, and could not pass up, the pecorino cheese factory. This area is home to the fantastic cheese and after muddling through the ordering process, we emerged with 1/8th of a kilo (1/4lb)...hardly the standard factory direct purchase; but they didn't seem to mind...too much. We probably ate that much in samples before our purchase!

Expecting Pienza to be somewhat of a larger town, we were pleasantly surprised to find the town very manageable and far smaller than it's more famous neighbors - Montepulciano and Montalcino. As with most of these towns, the old part is completely surrounded by a medieval wall. The interior is all cobblestone streets, a handful of shops, restaurants and hotels and loads of charm. Once again, with bottle of wine in hand, we sat on a bench overlooking the valley enjoying the evening air by the old city walls. What can we say, everything is better with a bottle of wine in hand!

In the morning we hit the weekly market - not quite what we expected but we managed to get together some meat, our leftover pecorino from the day before, along with some fresh berries and...of course...vino for our picnic later that day.

We left Pienza and were on our way to the next hill town of Montalcino. Much like Montepulciano, this town is also known for it wine - the Brunello. We opted to go for the 5 glass sampler in the old Fort at Enoteca La Fortezza di Montalcino. At 19 euros it was a bit spendy, but where else can you drink wine in a medieval fort?!? The winner...Castiglion del Bosco's Brunello di Montalcino 2004 - only 95 Euros per bottle...lets just say we didn't take one home with us.

Just south of Montalcino lies the picturesque Sant' Antimo Abbey. We spread out our blanket here and had our afore mentioned picnic set to the scene below. Not a bad place to have lunch heh?

The rest of the day we spent in the car leisurely (a little too leisurely so we would find out) driving through the countryside stopping along the way for photo ops. Our last stop was at a working monastery where we poked our heads in to listen to the Gregorian chants.

Hoping to arrive in Siena around 7pm, we ended up getting lost in the sprawl that is Siena and not finding the free parking lot until after 8. By the time we had got our bags, trekked across town to where the hotel was, they had given away our room! Since we were not there "on time" they sold it out from under us and were of little help finding somewhere else to stay (this apparently happens in Italy, so when they ask for a time of arrival, make sure you adhere to it!). Fortunately, the friendly man in the hotel next door knew a lady down the street with a room, so we trekked a little further and found her place...a little overpriced for what it was but a room we had.

Siena itself was once a charming hill town but is now overtaken by bus loads of tourists and overpriced accommodations to go along with its inflating population. In comparison to it's rival to the north, Florence (upcoming post), we had thought that Siena was going to be the cheaper and more atmospheric town. We were certainly surprised. Not to be spoiled, the main square is truly one of the better squares in Italy. In the shape of a clamshell, the main town hall sits at one end of the square ringed with bars and restaurants. It's a great place to people watch at any time of the day or night. The square is also home to the annual horse race. The fourteen neighborhoods of Siena all field a rider and a horse and for two fast and furious minutes in the Spring, the square is turned into a horse track with a mob of people on to watch from any square inch they can possibly fit. Pride and glory are at stake and the winner gets both along with the trophy and their flag flown over the town square.

Siena's Duomo is also a spectacular sight. The massive church is only half the size of what it was planned to be and that's saying a lot. After visiting the Duomo, we decided it was time to leave Siena for quieter environs so we hopped back in the car and headed for San Gimigiano.

WIth its multiple towers soaring into the Tuscan sky, it's no wonder San Gimigiano is popular. The towers and surrounding tiled buildings make a picture perfect setting. With one main entrance and street, the town has a bit of Disneyland feel to it. After spending an hour fighting the crowds and avoiding the tourist trap shops, we hightailed it out of there to our last stop...Volterra.

Volterra ended up being our second favorite hill town (behind Pienza) in Tuscany. Although it was full of visitors, it still had its charm intact. Down some of the side streets the women congregated talking no doubt about the men, and the men congregated on a separate street no doubt talking about football...err...the women. There is also a chapter in New Moon where Bella comes to Edwards rescue (without giving away too much) in this town. The Tourist Info has a fun map you can follow, retracing the steps in the book...well the parts that are "real" any ways. Last but not least there is a little enoteca where you can sample the region's SuperTuscan wines for 5 euro per glass (including cover with bread & cheese - quite nice). Naturally we ended our last evening there before retiring to the monastery for the night (apparently we slept in the same hall that Christopher Columbus once slept in!

As we said earlier, the journey was the star of this post so we finish it with scenes from the Tuscan countryside. After dropping our car off in Pisa, we hopped on the train for the Italian Riviera!

To see more photos of Tuscany click on the city!

Montalcino

Montalpuciano

Pienza

Tuscany Countryside

San Gimigiano

Siena

Volterra

Italy's Hill Towns - Orvieto & Civita, Italy

Stats:

Destination: Orvieto & Civita, Italy

Where we stayed: Hotel Posta - 44 Euro/Night (no breakfast or wifi)

Best restaurant: Ru Artu served up amazing pizza (in our opinion tied for first place with Antica Pizzeria de Michelle in Naples). It's a thicker crust than Naples and the boar meat (Italian style pepperoni) was spicy & wonderful! Plus, they have free Wifi! Pizzas starting around 6 Euros and 250 Ml of local Orvieto Classico wine (1/3 bottle) for about 2 Euros! Our kind of prices!

Best of: The approach to Civita was magical! The town was unique in so many ways, definitely a great way to spend a morning!

Worst of: The duomo was free but they charge to get into the fantastic chapel San Brizio painted by Luca Sigorelli (1499-1504). It was 5 Euro which was kind of expensive for one small room...worth it but only if you like art.

Most Memorable: Watching the facade of the duomo change colors with the setting sun while sipping a glass of Orvieto Classical wine!

Escaping the busy, crowded, and densely populated Rome, we took the train two hours north to pleasant Orvieto. Making it on the tourist map as mainly a day trip from Rome, Orvieto makes for a great place to chill out for a couple of days after or before Rome. Like several other towns in Italy, Orvieto served as a stop on the pilgrimage trail to the Pope and grew up around the church. The churches magnificent facade, in our opinion the most ornate and spectacular in Italy, is a sight in itself. The Baroque style facade soars into the sky making it instantly recognizable on the approach to the town. Inside, Sigorelli painted his masterpiece in the right transept. The Book of Revelations is played out before your eyes. From the rise of the antichrist in the first picture to the raising of the just and damnation of the unjust on the opposite side, Sigorelli captures the scenes in stirring fashion. In true Baroque style, everything twists, turns and heaves and not a square inch is left uncovered. During the counterreformation, the church painted on the silly ribbons of cloth covering up unsavory sights. After a restoration in the 80's, all of the ribbons were carefully removed on the damned but the holy were spared their dignity as a sign that still today, the church has the final say.

After the church and a couple of other minor museums (included with Sigorelli chapel entrance) we grabbed our bottle of wine and enjoyed the sunset changing the colors of the facade of the duomo from washed white to a softer pink then finally to a golden tan.

The next morning we, hopped on the local bus to Civita. Words cannot describe the approach to Civita - simply breathtaking. Like something out of a fairy tail Disney movie, the tiny town sits majestically atop a hill completely surrounded by castle walls. The only way in and out is by the one bridge, giving it a medieval aura. Arriving early means that the town will be deserted and magically silent. There are only a handful of restaurants and one tiny guesthouse making it an ideal day trip. Calling the town sleepy is somewhat of an understatement - the cafe on the square serving coffee didn't even open until 9:00 am. Sadly, the town is nearly a shell - very few people actually live here. Most homes are owned by wealthy Romans serving as a weekend getaway and the cost of living in a fantasy land is not cheap.

Aside from the setting, the town's couple of restaurants are worth checking out. In one man's basement there is an old olive press complete with descriptions in English. A small tip or buying a plate of tasty bruschetta will get you in. Just down the street purchasing a glass of wine will get you into an ancient wine cellar. Just as we were leaving, the "tour" buses showed up unloading about 8 people. We were happy to see such few crowds helping to preserve what makes this place so special.

The next morning we picked up our rental car at the bottom of the hill in Orvieto for some Tuscan countryside driving!

To see more photos of Orvieto please click here! To see more photos of Civita please click here!

Friends, Romans, Countrymen lend me your ears - Rome, Italy

Stats:

Destination: Rome, Italy

Days spent: 3

Where we stayed: ???? we have the card but it is in Chinese...email address was romanihao9156@hotmail.com and we were able to bargain the price down from 65 Euro/night to 50 Euro/Night with unlimited wifi with an excellent signal and a pretty lame breakfast

Best restaurant: We were not impressed with Rome restaurants but the wine bar, Cesaretto, had great house wine for 13E per liter in a great outdoor setting near the Spanish Steps! Not really budget style but it was very tasty!

Best of: There is nowhere else on earth with so many sights and so much history in one compact area so well preserved!

Worst of: The crowds in Rome are horrible. Arrive early at the Vatican Museum otherwise most people stand in line for up to two hours.

Most Memorable: Walking right outside the metro and seeing the Colosseum for the first (and second in Tracy's case) time!

Useful Tips: Buy a Roma pass at any Tobacco shop or TI (read below for details); Download Rick Steves audio guides from ITunes onto your IPOD - free and entertaining!

Rome. The name alone evokes tons of famous images - The Colosseum, the Forum and the Pantheon are all famous sights in Rome. Across the river lies the Vatican (technically its own country) ground zero for the Catholic church, the Pope, and all their treasures. The city itself, while cosmopolitan in its own right, lacks the "linger" appeal that so many of its neighbors have (Paris, Amsterdam, etc.) making it a place to hit the big sights and move on to "greener" pastures (see the forthcoming postings on the Tuscany and Umbria regions).

After departing the ship, we took the train into Rome and began our whirlwind tour of the city (4.50 euro/person - much cheaper than the $75 transfer that the ship wanted that still dropped you off at the train station). After checking into our guest house and taking advantage of our free wifi (yay - we missed it after 21 days on a cruise ship) we headed straight to the Colosseum. When we arrived in Rome we purchased the Rome Pass which we highly recommend. It includes entry into a few of the major sites as well as 3 days of public transport. Best of all, it allows you to skip ahead of the line! This is a huge time saver as lines at the Colosseum can be up to 2 hours long. The pass pays for itself (about 25 Euro) if you hit the major attractions and use public transport (which is reliable & faster than fighting traffic in a cab).

The Colosseum represents the most well preserved and largest Roman amphitheater ever built. During Roman times, this was their version of going to the theater or concert. Much like in the movie, The Gladiator, "performers" would come out and battle animals, famous battle scenes would be re-enacted and the crowds could not get enough blood. The part with the thumbs up or down to determine life or death cannot be confirmed, but the Emperor had some form of playing god type fun. Much like in today's concert venues, the prices were less the farther away you got. Hard to imagine, but even above the still existing levels there were even more levels made of wood that were free to the public. The stadium floor, made of wood, was covered in a layer of sand or dirt hiding the trap doors and platforms that would raise the actors into the scene. The sheer size is more impressive that what is left inside, but it's still interesting to walk through and imagine what it was like with thousands of fans screaming and cheering for their favorite gladiator.

Our ticket to the Colosseum includes entry to the Roman Forum, right across the street so it was our official second stop. As capital of the vast Roman Empire, this area of ancient Rome included temples, the Senate, the Emperors private digs and the main square. It was here that all the decisions were made for the empire, laws were passed and all the wealth flowed here. Although Julius Caesar lived here and the Senate held court across the road, the infamous stabbing on the Senate steps actually happened further away as on that fateful day in March, the senate was being held elsewhere.

That night we took a walk to see the Victor Emmanuel monument (aka, the wedding cake) and the Spanish Steps. Emmanuel was the first president of Italy and united the country. Well respected and loved by most, his name appears all over on street signs and statues. The Spanish steps gets its name from the Spanish Embassy nearby. With the church at the top and a fountain at the bottom, it serves as a popular meeting spot at night. We enjoyed a carafe of wine nearby before meeting our friends, Tim and Linda for dinner. If you guys are reading this thanks again for dinner, we had a great time! Hopefully we will meet again in Colorado!

The next morning we headed out bright and early to tour the Vatican Museum. A note to future tourists, go early or you will wait in line for hours!!! The only way to get out of the line is to book a tour which is generally very expensive but many people find it a more enjoyable way to see this major site. If you opt not to take a tour we highly recommend arriving early and downloading the Rick Steves tour for the Sistine Chapel (FREE on ITunes...he also offers one for the Colosseum, Pantheon and the Forum which are excellent as well as various other Italian sites in other cities). We downloaded and listened to all but 1 of his tours on Italy and recommend them all (again, it's FREE)!

The Vatican Museum contains one of the world's largest, if not the largest, collection of art. Amassed over thousands of years of conquering, plundering, pillaging & occasionally purchasing (hey, how else did all these Greek statues get here) the collection is almost over whelming in size. The museum starts with ancient Egyptian art and culminates with Michelangelo's masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Some of the collection highlights include an ancient mummy, an endless sea of Greek statues (many covered with plaster fig leaves during the counter reformation), busts, altarpieces, tapestries and frescoes by masters Raphael & Michelangelo.

After passing through a seemingly endless maze of rooms with priceless works of art and just before the piece de la resistance you encounter a series of rooms painted by Raphael & his disciples. While Michelangelo won the bid to paint the Sistine Chapel, Raphael got second place and was afforded the opportunity to paint four rooms in the Vatican complex. Imagine that at the same time, there were not one, but two masters painting a room apart and trying to outdo one another! After the unveiling of the first half of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, Raphael recognized his genius and painted him into one of his frescoes.

After craning our necks to see the Raphael rooms it was next onto the Sistine Chapel! Few things in the world compare to the amazing frescoes painted on the ceiling. Without help and sitting on his back with paint dripping down high above the floor for 7 years, Michelangelo tirelessly slaved over his creation. The ceiling was actually done in two parts. The first half, or the back part of the chapel, has far more detail than the front half. After the scafolding was taken down and revealed the half finished ceiling everyone was in awe and amazed...except for Michelangelo. All the rich detail was lost from the view from the floor so he changed his strategy for the next half - less detail and larger figures so that it would be appreciated from the ground. The overall results leaves one with a stiff neck but a great appreciation for the dedication and talent he had, especially the church. Later in his life, when the counterreformation was beginning to rear it's ugly head (the golden age of concrete fig leaf producers), the church again commissioned Michelangelo to paint the stirring Redemption behind the altar. Serving as a reminder, Jesus doles out justice to the wicked and resurrects the innocent from his lofty perch dead center of the wall while all hell breaks out around him.

St. Peter's is considered THE church. If you only visit one church in Rome (or the world for that matter), it should be this one. With its stunning dome, Michelangelo's Pieta and magnificent altar housing the bones of St. Peter himself, this church is truly a sight to behold even without a burning camerlingo (Angels and Demons reference).

After visiting the Vatican and St. Peter's we made a stop at Rome's famous Pantheon. It is considered one of Rome's most impressive structures. It was built over 2500 years ago and it is one of the few fully intact structures from ancient Rome. Even more amazing is the dome itself, a testament to the incredible engineering prowess of the Romans. Without any supports it has survived several earthquakes and still stands as it did 2500 years ago. Some of Rome's most famous citizens are buried under the Pantheon's bright oculus (Raphael, Victor Emmanuel, etc).

Our day at the Vatican wouldn't be complete without a visit to at least three other churches. Instead of telling you all about them we'll just show you the highlights via photos of each:

Santa Maria Sopra Minnerva with its Michelangelo statue:

San Ignacio, one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in Rome:

San Luigi dei Francesi with its magnificent Carravaggio's:

That night we enjoyed a stroll through the historical center of Rome, complete with tartufo (death by chocolate gelato....incredible)! We stopped by the Pantheon, Piazza Navona with its brilliant fountain by Bernini, the Spanish steps & the famous Trevi fountain. After tossing our coin in the fountain to ensure our return to Rome we headed back for the night! And we didn't even have to rescue the next pope (what can we say, we just saw the movie and both loved the book)!

The next morning we headed to the Borghese in hopes of scoring an unused ticket. Unfortunately none were available so we headed back across town to the National Museum. Rome's National Museum houses one of the world's greatest collections of ancient mosaics, frescoes, Greek & Roman marble statues and several fascinating sarcophagi.

After our tour of the National Museum we grabbed our bags and headed to the train station for a two hour (non-airconditioned and very, very hot) train ride to Orvieto!

To see more photos of Rome click here!

Life from the 1st century to 21st Italy: Naples & Pompeii, Italy

Stats:

Destination: Pompeii & Naples, Italy

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best restaurant: Antica Pizzeria da Michele - serving just two types of pizzas (margherita and marinara, basically a no cheese pizza) this little place is packed with locals and tourists with a line out the door. Vastly different than pizza in the states; the gooey, cheesy and thin pizza is best eaten folded over and some of the best we have ever had.

Best of: The most well preserved frescoes of Pompeii exist in the Brothel, read into that what you wish. The gooey goodness of Antica's (above) famous pies.

Worst of: Almost all of the artifacts from Pompeii are in a museum in Naples which we didn't have time to see. If you came to see all the pottery, "cement" men and other moveable objects save time for the Archaeological Museum in Naples.

We started the morning in Pompeii. This ancient city is one of the finest and intact examples of everyday life during Roman times. It was a bustling port city up until 79 AD when everything changed. Mount Vesuvius blew her top and completely covered the city in 30 feet of hot ash leaving it virtually intact and as it was on that day. Although most of the precious artifacts are in a museum in Naples, the city still provides a good overall glimpse into the daily life.

Serving an estimated 20,000 people, Pompeii had over 40 bakeries, 120 bars, lots of hotels and restaurants and of course, the oldest profession in the world - over 30 brothels. As a reminder of how the Earth is constantly changing, you enter through the old port where the ocean once lapped up to the walls, now nearly 30 miles away. Their famous "concrete" men were created when excavators found pockets of air buried in the ash they filled the holes with cement leaving a mold of how the victims perished in their various poses. Most of them are in the museum, but a couple are found here to explain the process.

The raised stones in the street served as stepping stones for pedestrians. Everyday the people would wash out the streets (no toilets back then) so these stones kept them high and dry. There are also remains of Egyptian temples and a synagague (yet to be uncovered) providing a glimpse into the diversity and tolerance for other cultures this city had.

Even the mosaics here are copies (the originals in the museum as well) but the copies give you context. "Have" means "Hail to Thee" in Latin, or basically, your 2000 year old door mat.

The best preserved frescoes in Pompeii are found in one of the Brothels. These small frescoes line the top of the walls as if reading like a menu of services. Scratched into the walls are the exotic names of the workers with comments filled in below like signing the guest book.

After Pompeii's exposure to the 1st century we headed back to the 20th century in Napes. As the third largest city in Italy, and the most densely populated in all of Europe, many visitors find Naples unappealing. We however found it quite enjoyable. With no real gangbuster sights (aside from the Museum) the appealing part is the humanity. We took a stroll through the older part of town stopping at a couple of places along the way. Hungry from Pompeii, we hit the pizza joint first (mentioned above), grabbed a drink from the convenience store, and sat in the "park". One down side of Naples is the lack of green space, but we made the best of it by finding a flower pot to sit on in a tiny plaza. From our spot we watched the people go about their day. Families lean out from balconies. As a side business, these homes sell various items and send them down to the street in buckets. Two guys sat on their motorbikes talking more with their hands than their mouths. Locals sat in the little cafe enjoying their long, leisurely lunches, sipping on coffee and smoking away. Ladies in stiletto heels and Gucci bags (perhaps knock offs?) buzzed through the street on Vespas. Children chased after one another. This is the real Italy. No tourist sights, no famous paintings, just the buzzing of life in a concrete world.

We made our way back to the ship for one last night of three course meals and the comforts of English speakers all around. Next stop, the end of our cruise and the sight packed city of Rome!

To see more pictures of Naples & Pompeii click here.

And don't forget the cannoli! Taormina, Sicily

Stats:

Destination: Messina & Taormina, Sicily (Italy)

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best restaurant: Yummy...Sicily is the home of Italy's best cannolis! We had two of them, Tracy liked the Sicilian one with marscapone cheese and Jason liked the chocolate one.

Best of: The view from the amphitheater was spectacular!

Worst of: It seemed like everyone on the ship visited Taormina, the crowds were unbearable. Luckily everyone was gone after 1pm and things quieted down quite a bit then.

Sicily...home of the godfather and the mafia. Unlike "Casablanca" (previous posting), Francis Ford Capolla actually filmed the Sicily part of "The Godfather" in Sicily. As one of the poorest regions in Italy, Sicily lends itself to organized crime. While it still continues till this day, it's highly unlikely any tourists will get sight of it. While you can take a tour out to see where the film was shot, we opted to visit Taormina instead.

After avoiding the big bus tour groups for most of the trip, we ended up going on one here. The private transport allowed us more time at the site than would have the train, which went back to Messina at 1pm. It ended up working out quite well as it was more of a transport than a tour and we were were able to walk around on our own plus get a little history and culture along the way from the guide. They took us to the top of the hill overlooking Taormina to the ruins of a castle and the little quiet town just below. After wandering around and admiring the view, the bus driver took us to his little restaurant that he just opened. Called El Padrino, or The Godfather, he let us try some of his almond wine.

After trying the Almond Wine, we arrived in Taormina town. We broke away from the pack and wandered around the turning and twisting cobblestone streets in search of more peace and quiet than the two main drags would allow. We found two different cannoli shops selling both the sweet and the cheese varieties. We also ran into Peter and Nina (we saw them everyday of the cruise either intentional or by chance) where Peter snatched up the last of the fresh Buffalo Mozzarella from the local grocer and shared the delicious treat! As if we needed to eat more, we returned to meet some other friends for lunch were we were serenaded by this gregarious man.

Long before the mafia and Capolla's Godfather took over the island, it used to be home to the Greeks and then later the Romans. The island was primarily used to grow grain to feed and support the growing Empire. Remains of both cultures still exist including an amphitheater with great views of the Mediterranean as well as Mt. Etna, Europe's second highest volcano and still active.

We finished up our day down in the port town of Messina. While it's more of a business town than tourist, it does have a fairly nice church and the world's largest Astronomical Clock in its bell tower. The Church is a curious blend of Gothic and Baroque. It even sports mythical creatures including Mermaids. Outside of the church on the square sits Orion's Fountain, the mythical founder of the city paying homage to the city's Greek history.

Back on the ship, we set sail and woke up the next day in Naples...free of any horse heads in our bed!

To see more pictures of Sicily, click here.

The Knights Templar Ride Again - Surprising Malta

Stats:

Destination: Valletta, Malta

Where we stayed: Crown Princess

Best of: Jaw dropping, gorgeous church and tons of history

Worst of: Even the taxis stop for obligatory shopping trips.

When we booked the cruise, we had only the vaguest idea where Malta even was much less what was there. The tiny island nation lies just south of Sicily, Italy and has been the sight of some fairly significant events, particularly in Christian history. With a natural harbor of rocky fingers of land and it's strategic positioning in the middle of the Mediterranean, Malta was an attractive target. The Carthaginians battled Rome from here and the Arabs, Normans, Germans, French and Spaniards all took turns taking over the islands. St. Paul shipwrecked here in 60 A.D. bringing Christianity with him.

The most important arrival came in 1530 when the Knights of St. John came. After suffering defeat in 1291, the Crusaders were driven out of the Holy Land and the Knights retreated to Rhodes where they regrouped and messed with Muslim trading routes. In 1522, Turkish Sultan Suleyman (the Magnificent) laid siege to the island and finally drove the Knights to Malta where they began rebuilding their ranks. By 1565, Suleyman came knocking again, this time with 35,000 soldiers against the 541 Knights and several thousand Maltese volunteers. After four months of intense fighting, the Knights still held the island leaving more than 30,000 Turkish troops dead and Suleyman retreating in disgrace. The Knights, coming from wealthy European families, brought their personal fortunes with them and spared no expense in building their palaces and churches and shaping Malta into what it is today.

We went with some friends and hired a taxi for a couple of hours to take us out to see a few of the islands sights outside of the town of Valetta. After making a quick stop at San Anton Palace & Gardens as well as the nearby glass blowing store (presumably so the driver could get a kickback) we headed out to the old capital of Mdina. The walled medieval city sits atop a plateau and served as the capital until Valetta was built by the Knights. The impressive cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul houses some interesting engravings and paintings including these panels.

After leaving Mdina, we make a quick stop at Santa Mariji Assumpta Church. Aside from it's massive size capped by the fourth largest Dome in the world, it's infamy comes from WWII. Since the island was a British colony from Napoleon days, Hitler saw it as a potential threat to his plans in Northern Africa. Italian and German planes bombed the island for 157 days straight. One stray bomb hit the dome of the church, wedged in but did not explode.

After our taxi tour of the island, we headed over to St. John's Cathedral. It may not look like much from the outside, but stepping inside reveals a Baroque interior that is simply stunning. It is one of the most impressive churches we have ever seen...and we have seen quite a few! In typical Baroque fashion, every square inch is covered...including the floors. The wealthy knights were expected to donate a gift to St. John's every time they were promoted or elected to office. Over 400 knights are buried in the floor; their marble tombs inlaid with semi-precious stones. The ceiling hosts a series of frescoes depicting the life of St. Paul from birth, though surviving the shipwreck, to his beheading. In either nave, there are intricate carvings depicting both saints as well as famous leaders in the history of Malta. Even the famous renaissance painter Caraviaggo came here for a short time and left a couple of masterpieces behind - The beheading of St. John the Baptist and St. Jerome III; the former is considered his masterpiece and the only one he signed. Upstairs in the museum, lies choir books from the 1200s and massive tapestries depicting the life and times of Jesus. In a separate small room to the back sits an unassuming silver urn, said to contain the right hand of John the Baptist - the very one that touched Jesus.

The last couple of hours we checked out a nice little garden overlooking the harbor, checked our email, and wandered around the charming little town. Back on board, the ship set sail for our next port...Sicily! One last thing to mention is that the sail away is beautiful, if you come here on a cruise don't miss it!

To see more pictures of Malta, click here.