Europe | Italy

★ Week Ten & Eleven Itinerary:

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La Spezia, Italy

Zermatt 🚂 La Spezia

La Spezia, Italy | September 26th – 29th.

On the train from Zermatt to La Spezia we made two changes, one in Domodossola and the other in Milan and wow; our firsts glimpses of Italy were stunning. Strolling the cobbled streets of Domodossola with its mountainous surroundings, quant coffee shops and colourful buildings was a stark contrast to the multi-storey train station, sky rise monuments and hustle and bustle of Milan. Fortunately we had enough time to grab the essentials (a coffee in Domodossola and an icecream in Milan) before hopping back on the train for our first night in Italy.

"we're going to (La Spezia), 
back to the island, 
we're gonna have a party,
in the Mediaterran Sea"

Located at the eastern edge of the Italian Riviera is the home of five different fishing villages known collectively as Cinque Terre (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore). The preserved architecture, limited roads and network of mountain and costal trails connecting them romanticised the small communities and created a feeling of authenticity.

Each of the Cinque Terre’s villages is associated with a sanctuary perched high atop the cliff. Reaching these ancient religious retreats once used to be part of a hefty penance but nowadays the trail passes through terraced vineyards with spectacular views.

After the 2011 floods much of the coastal blue trail was destroyed and has remained permanently closed. The trail from Monterosso to Vernazza and Vernazza to Corniglia remains open while to reach the other villages by foot one must trot the high top tracks.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time trotting the various trails, marvelling at the incredible views and exploring the cosy villages.

The bright colours, abundant greenery and costal breeze made both days unforgettable. 🙂 Unfortunately despite my best attempts at summoning a swim (I wore togs both days in hopes of a dip in the ocean) the swell and wind were a constant damper.

Pisa, Italy

La Spezia 🚂 Pisa

Pisa, Italy | September 29th – 2nd.

From hugging the tower to hugging our tums after a lot of pizza and gelato, trotting the cobbled streets to trotting out to Port Pisa and marvelling at the marina, and finally making our own authentic Italian meal complete with box wine, box pasta and box tomato sauce; we had an absolute blast! Though authentic might be a bit of an overstatement. 😉

During our time in Pisa I had come to accept something. After months of adventures, time spent with friends and constant movement local and afar I was still searching. Searching for a plan, a purpose, a reason to do something. Searching for something that will likely never come.

Throughout these months I have come to accept that while a solid plan for my life doesn’t exist, acceptance in doing things that bring me happiness is as good of a plan as any. And if in the future something no longer pleases me it’s also totally fine to change tune and do something different. People change, situations change, life changes. While it’s not the enlightenment I had initially sought when I left work and started walking a country it’s maybe a semblance of something… so I’ll take what I can get. 😉

“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”

Omar Khayyam

But aside from the ‘Eat Pray Love’ moment I was having, we did also visit some very iconic and cool sights:

• Leaning Tower of Pisa, Fontana dei Putti, Piazza del Duomo and Cattedrale di Pisa
• Angelo Caduto, Lion’s Gate and Porta Santa Maria Pisa
• Church of Saint Michael ‘in Borgo’ and Piazza dei Cavalieri
• Palazzo Gambacorti and Logge dei Banchi
• Ponte di Mezzo, “Tuttomondo” (Keith Haring) and Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina

Rome, Italy

Pisa 🚌 Rome

Rome, Italy | October 2nd – 5th.

Arriving in Rome was overwhelming. The temperature was rising, the crowds were queuing and the streets were packed; with mopeds zipping left and right, restaurant seats spilling over pavement and all matter of vehicles parked on curbs, the city was a lot to take in on arrival!

But if our arrival into the Italian capital was anything to go by then the next three days we spent here were going to be jam packed.

To spare you the nitty, gritty details of everything we saw I will instead list some of the many, many sights we visited in order and discuss some of our (really my) favourites!

• Castel Sant’Angelo, Passetto di Borgo, Column of the Immaculate Conception, Piazza di Spagna, Spanish Steps and Trinità dei Monti
• Via Margutta, Terrazza Viale del Belvedere, Villa Borghese, Piazza di Siena, Passeggiata del Pincio and Piazza del Popolo
• Campo de Fiori, Palazzo Farnese, Arco degli Acetari, Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Piazza Colonna, Trevi Fountain
• Cordonata Capitolina, Piazza del Campidoglio, Trajan’s Column, Miliarium Aureum and Temple of Saturn
• Roman Forum, Palatino, Piazza del Colosseo, Colosseo, Arch of Constantine, Via dei Fori Imperiali and Altar of the Fatherland
• Vatican City Città del Vaticano, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Obelisk of St Peter’s Square and Apostolic Palace
• Belvedere del Gianicolo, Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere and the Trastevere quarters
• Ponte Sisto, Chiesa di San Francesco a Ripa, Ponte Cestio and the Tiber Island

First I want to thank Rick Steves, while I do not personally know him he did help N.D and I save a lot of money of tours and provided essential structure to our city trot… without him we would probably still be wandering confused. If you haven’t heard of him then can I highly suggest you download his app for your next Europa adventure (you can thank me later).

The first full day in Rome involved an early wake up call and queuing for several hours… but it was well worth it! Viewing the Sistine Chapel is surely on many peoples bucket lists, mine included and so the early morning cue for guaranteed entry in the Vatican Museum was what we did. Now I am not an art enthusiast, overly religious or that knowledgable about architecture but I can definitely appreciate a man who spent years painting a ceiling let alone the masterpiece that is Michelangelos. A project which ultimately changed the course of Western art and is today still regarded as one of the major artistic accomplishments of human civilisation is that ceiling. Think of the neck strain alone!

If the ceiling doesn’t wow you enough then you only have to look down and marvel at his other masterpiece; The Last Judgment, incredible, completely worth our early morning!!!

After our full tour of the Vatican Museum we visited the remainder of the smallest state in the world and another of my bucket list items. St Peter’s Basilica constructed in the Renaissance style and completed 120 years after it was commissioned in 1626 is the largest church in the world by interior measure (which if you visit the church does boast about on the floor markings).

Oh and incase you’re keeping track, yes the entire of Vatican City and many of its tourist sights are protected under UNESCO World Heritage status (and the Pope for that matter).

Little did I know this was actually the largest Baroque fountain in Rome and one of the most famous fountains in the world. Trevi Fountain was just that fountain and the last sight to be seen on our first day exploring. With its grandeur presence, ornate design and glistening turquoise water it was very impressive, then the lights turned on and it got even better so I had to take a hundred photos all over again. 😛

With a cylindrical portico and eight large granite Corinthian columns; at almost two thousand years since it’s construction the Pantheon’s dome is still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same measuring at 43 metres. You can now understand our staring. Just wow!

When the time finally came to attend the most visited tourist site in the world I was pretty excited, N.D on the other hand… I’ve never seen him so elated! “Are you not entertained!” If you’ve been to Rome, viewed the Colosseum yourself or simply seen the film Gladiator (2000) then you’re probably very familiar with what it looks like and it’s magnitude. But to actually stand next to a structure that size, let alone walk around the largest amphitheater ever built, knowing the era it was constructed in 80 AD and what events went on is pretty astounding!

My name is Maximus Decimus Meridias, commander of the armies of the north, general of the Felix legions and loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son. Husband to a murdered wife. I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”

Maximus Meridias – Gladiator

As part of our Colosseum ticket it also included entry into the Roman Forum and atop the Palatino Hill which we explored on our way to the arena.

Venice, Italy

Rome 🚌 Padua

Padua, Italy | October 5th – 7th

If you haven’t heard of Padua then you aren’t alone. Prior to booking our bus ride to this northwest city in Italy I too had never heard of it. But if you want to visit Venice and not pay an arm and a leg then this might be your closest city to stay in.

From the central station we explored the streets of Venice, gazed at the once grand palaces that adorn the canals, crossed over famous bridges, meandered hidden back-street gems only occasionally getting lost and then returning to the tourist hubs, visited a golden church, packed squares and fishy markets, tasted Italian cuisine and relaxed in beautiful parks. It was an amazing day. 🙂

Some of the many sights we explored and extra appreciated include:

• Grand Canal and the many palaces that make up its edges
• Campo Santo Stefano, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute and Basilica S.Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
• Torre dell’Orologio and Ca’ Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art
• Rialto, Campiello San Zulian and Accademia Bridge
• St Marks Square with St Marks Basilica, Doges Palace, Carta Gate and the Bridge of Sighs
• Promenade, Venetian Arsenal, Giardini della Biennale and Parco delle Rimembranze

Before we knew it we were saying ciao to the lovely gentleman who hosted the BnB in Padua and were on a bus to cross not one but two country borders.