Italy – Anne Goes to Places

Italy, Day 10: Venice

Our last stop in Italy! We stayed in an Airbnb near the central station of Venice as the price was much cheaper. From the Airbnb, we hopped on a bus going straight to the popular area but we woke up early to beat the crowd.

APRIL 21, 2019

Our first order of business was supposed to be a gelateria but it was closed. So, we went to the bakery beside it – MAJER. We ordered a pizza slice and tried the arancini with prosciutto and mozzarella.

That arancina was super good that we had to order a take-out for our dinner onboard the overnight ÖBB train to Munich. 🤣 When we were done, we were surprised to see that GELATO DI NATURA was not closed for the Easter Sunday. They just opened later than usual. I ordered panna cotta and dark chocolate flavors, and both were really good.

Overall, Venice was nice but quite difficult for me to enjoy because of the insane amount of tourists during our time of visit.

We passed by RIALTO BRIDGE but we were not able to get good shots because of the crowd.

After a lot of walking, we finally saw ST. MARK’S CLOCKTOWER, which was a sign that the basilica was nearby.

We bought Skip-the-line tickets online for entry to ST. MARK’S BASILICA. At first, I was nervous if we bought legitimate tickets because we could not see any sign of the seller. We thought that maybe we were just hours early for the ticket. We decided to just explore the area first.

When it was 30 minutes before our entry time, we checked out the front of the basilica and was glad to find that the booth had been set up for those who had online pass/voucher (click here). I have no picture to place here because photography was not allowed inside the basilica. A few tourists violated this rule though.

Since the gondola price was too expensive to share between just me and my sister, we decided to ride the vaporetto (water bus) as a cheaper option to pass through the Grand Canal.

It was still quite early so before we left the area, I told my sister that I wanted to visit CHIESA DI SANTA MARIA DI NAZARETH, which was just near the central station. I was glad to find some peace and quiet in here because there were only a few people around.

If you’re in Venice, this should be a must-visit because the interior is really beautiful. It’s a small church so it will not take up too much of your time.

At past 21:00, we finally left the central station to head to Munich. Our ETA was around 06:00 the next day so we had time to catch some snooze.

Italy, Day 9: Milan

We left early the next morning to visit Duomo di Milano even if our tour was still in the afternoon. We went around the church to admire its exterior… it was so huge that it took us some minutes to finish going around.

APRIL 20, 2019

Despite being almost-victims to a scam, we had a good night’s sleep in our Airbnb thanks to our lovely hosts and their free snacks. We left early the next morning to visit DUOMO DI MILANO even if our tour was still in the afternoon. We went around the church to admire its exterior… it was so huge that it took us some minutes to finish going around.

For lunch, we first stuffed our tummies with the famous panzerottis from LUINI. We got the pomodoro e mozzarella and prosciutto e mozzarella – both were really delicious! We were lucky that there was not a long line when we got there because by the time we finished ordering, a long line started to form.

Since we opted to have half of our orders to be our dinner on our journey to Venice, we decided to get pasta from PIZZERIA DI GENNARO.

We went to EMANUELE VITTORIO MALL afterwards, with still an hour to kill before our tour. Most of the shops were for premium / luxury brands so nothing for us to see. Haha!

Finally, it was time for our tour! We booked a tour with Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano (click here), the organization responsible for the construction, maintenance, and restoration of Duomo. I highly recommend that you book your tour with them because they are the only ones allowed to skip the line (both for inside the cathedral and rooftop).

Milan Cathedral is the 5^th largest church in the world and it took more than six centuries to finally complete it. After the tour, I can say that this is my favorite church so far! It made the trip to Milan worthwhile despite being almost-victims to a scam.

After Viktor toured us in different parts of the duomo, it was finally time to go up the rooftop. Again, because we booked the tour with VFDM, we were the only group that was allowed to skip the line.

Seeing the spires up close was a treat and we had to walk slowly to take in all the details around us.

Viktor bid us goodbye at the end of the tour but he pointed that we could still go up to see the Madonnina spire up close. According to him, Madonnina represents the heart and soul of the city that’s why it is respected and held in high regard by Milan citizens.

We had to hurry back to our Airbnb hosts after the tour as we had a Trenitalia train to catch up going to Venice. If you haven’t been to Milan, I’d say go there once just to see the duomo.

Italy, Day 8: Florence Cathedral

As it was our last day in Florence, we wanted to make sure that we visit Florence Cathedral, a UNESCO Heritage Site. We lined up for more than 2 hours before we were able to go inside so it was a battle between boredom and fatigue from standing. When it was finally our turn to go inside, it was somehow underwhelming.

APRIL 19, 2019

As it was our last day in Florence, we wanted to make sure that we visit FLORENCE CATHEDRAL / BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA DEL FIORE, a UNESCO Heritage Site.

We lined up for more than 2 hours before we were able to go inside so it was a battle between boredom and fatigue from standing. When it was finally our turn to go inside, it was somehow underwhelming. Not sure if it was a function of the altar and majority of the front section being off limits for that day… I read up about this cathedral before going in and sad to say, I was not able to see Giorgio Vasari’s frescoes of the Last Judgment.

We were contemplating if we wanted to go up the cupola designed by Burnelleschi but that would require another round of lining up so we took a pass. There was a basement section where the remains of a 7^th century church could be seen.

Before going back to our Airbnb to check out, we had Florentine steak and carbonara for lunch from TRATTORIA DALL’OSTE. One order of the steak was good enough for me and my sister to share.

When we got our stuff from the Airbnb, I just had to make a last trip to our favorite gelateria nearby. I got the triple gelato flavors and no regrets!

It was finally time to travel to Milan (via Trenitalia), where we almost got scammed in one of the elevators in the central train station. Good thing we were alert enough to see them trying top open the zipper of our handbag! The same thing happened the next day when we were leaving Milan but a different set of scammers doing it.

Italy, Day 8: Palazzo Vecchio

Initially, we wanted to go to Uffizi but the line was already very long even before its opening hour. We decided to check Palazzo Vecchio and to our delight, there was no line at all. Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence and considered to be the city’s main symbol of civil power.

APRIL 19, 2019

Initially, we wanted to go to Uffizi but the line was already very long even before its opening hour. We decided to check PALAZZO VECCHIO and to our delight, there was no line at all.

Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence and considered to be the city’s main symbol of civil power.

There were a lot of Renaissance chambers, paintings, and sculptures to see even with just the first area in Palazzo Vecchio.

In a small corner of the room was Studiolo di Francesco I. There was a sign beside the entrance that access would be momentarily suspended during the Secret Passages tour, and that just made us regret it all the more that we did not know about the tour before going here.

We were able to spot the secret passage entrance that was cleverly hidden with a painting and the key camouflaging the color of the painting’s frame and wall.

The next part of our visit was seeing tons of rooms that were absolutely beautiful and magnificently decorated. We read that some of the rooms were even done by Michelangelo and Donatello.

It took us more than 2 hours to finish going around and in the last part of our visit, we found out that they had an exhibit set up to showcase some of Leonardo da Vinci’s works, letters, and sketches.

The last area we visited was the Hall of Maps, which showcased maps and Mappa Mundi, a 6-foot tall globe from centuries ago.

Italy, Day 7: Winery Experience in Chianti

I had a coupon with Airbnb experience and because we had a half-day PM free time, I checked the previous day if we can go to a winery near Florence. Good thing we were able to find Mirko’s “Chianti In A Glass” experience (see more details here).

APRIL 18, 2019

We took a train going to Montevarchi Terranuova and from there, Mirko picked us up along with the other guests. Mirko shared that aside from Airbnb experience, he also opened an option for overnight stays in case tourists want to spend more time in his winery.

He started touring us in different parts of his land, and told stories on the history of wine along the way. He also shared the general process on how they grow the fruits needed for creating their wine.

After about an hour of touring us around, it was time for some wine tasting! He served us 4 types of red wine, which varied in the year each was produced. The older red wines tasted stronger but at the end of the tasting, I could safely conclude that I really do not like red wine. Not a fan of alcohol so only white wine and rosé (which was not included) are the only types of wine I like.

Each of us was also given a plate of cold cuts and cheese to pair with each serving of wine we needed to taste. My sister really enjoyed the dessert part.

Before we left, we bought a big bottle of EVOO to take home with us. Mirko’s company produces this aside from bottles of different varieties of wine. There is also an option to order by case/box and he can ship this out to your home country. The Austrian couple with us actually did this for their order of wine bottles.

Highly recommend this Airbnb experience as every cent was worth it.

Italy, Day 7: Fancying Florence

We were supposed to go to Florence Cathedral but their opening hour was different because of Holy Week. We bought tickets instead to Battistero di San Giovanni, which was just across the cathedral.

APRIL 18, 2019

We were supposed to go to Florence Cathedral but their opening hour was different because of Holy Week.

We bought tickets instead to BATTISTERO DI SAN GIOVANNI, which was just across the cathedral. It is deemed to be the oldest religious site in Florence. The architecture was interesting for me because it resembled an octagon. The interior was even more beautiful – from the statues to the golden ceiling artwork.

A visit to a popular museum was next in our itinerary but after almost 3 hours of lining up and still not near the entrance / ticket booth, we gave up and had lunch at McDonald’s. We had a train to catch up for our Chianti winery experience.

After that short but memorable Chianti trip, we went to TRATTORIA ZÀ ZÀ for dinner. Good thing our Airbnb host was able to get us a reservation 2 days before this. I got the risotto with saffron, zucchini, prawns, and truffle; while my sister ordered the risotto with curry and shrimp. Both were really, really delicious but I preferred my order as the better risotto. I don’t think I would be able to eat that same kind of heavenly risotto in PH, sadly.

Italy, Day 6: Back in Florence

Since we were back early in Florence, we visited Basilica di Santa Maria Novella, which was just across the central station. I read articles saying that this is not a top destination in Florence and that saddened me because this church was absolutely beautiful.

APRIL 17, 2019

Since we were back early in Florence, we visited BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA NOVELLA, which was just across the central station. I read articles saying that this is not a top destination in Florence and that saddened me because this church was absolutely beautiful. I’d say the best time to visit would be late afternoon because the sun rays that hit some of the stained glass windows reflected colors on the church’s floor.

There were more artworks and relics in the museum-like rooms outside the church.

Our last stop for the day was PONTE VECCHIO. The golden rays of the sunset gave beautiful, warm colors to the structures around.

We were too lazy to go out for dinner so we just grabbed a sandwich in the café beside our Airbnb building. We also bought homemade gelato from NON SOLO GELATO. What was interesting here was that most of their flavors change everyday so we did not eat the same flavors of gelato each day.

Italy, Day 6: San Gimignano

When we arrived at Poggibonsi station, the bus going to San Gimignano just left a few minutes before and the next one will be after an hour. We were not in the mood to go around so we just sat in one of the areas in the park. Good thing it was sunny so the cold did not bother us.

APRIL 17, 2019

From Poggibonsi, the travel to San Gimignano took less than 30 minutes. Even outside the main gate, we could already see the medieval architecture of the walled town.

We went first to DUOMO DI SAN GIMIGNANO, which housed a lot of religious murals and paintings. There was also the Chapel of Santa Fina and Chapel of the Conception inside.

For lunch, we went outside the main gate to reach TRATTORIA RIGOLETTO. We ordered aglio olio, spaghetti al ragu, and a meat main dish.

And, because we heard about the famous GELATERIA DONDOLI, what else to do but order gelato for dessert! I got the cioccolato and their popular Crema di Santa Fina (orange cream-flavored with bourbon vanilla pods, San Gimignano saffron pistils, and Pisa pine nuts)… It sounded weird and actually tasted weird (but tolerable) hahahaha! Buti na lang I had the cioccolato to mix it with.

In an attempt to burn the calories we ate, we planned to climb the TORRE DEI CUGNANESI. We climbed a lot of steps before reaching the final round of steps for the tower… and we chickened out when we saw it. It was so high and in between each step, there was no cover so you can see all the way to the bottom. We took a commemorative photo instead then just checked out the artwork sections.

We explored the rest of the town and inner streets before heading back to Florence in the mid-afternoon.

Italy, Day 5: Basilica di Santa Croce

From Naples, we took a 3-hour Trenitalia trip to reach Florence. Since we had time to kill before our Airbnb check-in, we left our luggage in the storage near the central station then headed for Basilica di Santa Croce (€8). The architecture of this church is a fine demonstration of Italian Gothic architecture.

APRIL 16, 2019

From Naples, we took a 3-hour Trenitalia trip to reach Florence. Since we had time to kill before our Airbnb check-in, we left our luggage in the storage near the central station then headed for BASILICA DI SANTA CROCE (€8). The architecture of this church is a fine demonstration of Italian Gothic architecture.

Many famous Italians are buried here such as Galileo Galilei, Dante Alighieri, Michelangelo, and Niccolò Machiavelli.

Niccolò Machiavelli’s monument being restored

After seeing the memorials of these icons, we went to other parts of the church and found more artworks.

We were not sure where to eat lunch afterwards so my sister checked out Google Maps and found this place called SOUL KITCHEN. She ordered carbonara while I got the fried chicken fillet. We set our expectations low because the place was famous as a bar so we were not sure how the food would fare… Man, we were totally blown away by their carbonara! Soul Kitchen had one of the best carbonara ever.

We checked in at our Airbnb and took a bit of a rest then my sister asked me to accompany her to buy a leather belt. She did a thorough research on where to buy authentic Florentine leather belt and she decided to go to Michelangelo’s store.

Initially, we thought his shop was closed that day but apparently the door was just locked. Michelangelo was really nice and talkative while we were there. He even offered that we could hang out the next time we’re back in Florence. My sister is very happy with her purchase plus she got a discount. We also got our tatay a leather wallet. Click here for his official website.

For dinner, we ate at PIZZERIA FIRENZE NOVA, which was just near our Airbnb. I ordered lobster pasta while my sister was spaghetti al ragu. It was okay but our experience was ruined by a rude staff. We were not finished with the parmesan cheese when he removed it from our table while eating. Initially, we thought another table needed it but we saw him place it inside a cabinet. He also kept on looking at our table. Maybe because we did not have any reservation and he wanted to kick us out ASAP?

Italy, Day 4: Amalfi Coast (Part 2)

In Amalfi, our last stop for the tour, we had a closer view of everything the sea and houses near the shore. But before going near the sea, we went first to Amalfi Cathedral, which is dedicated to St. Andrew the Apostle. His relics were said to be kept here.

APRIL 15, 2019

In AMALFI, our last stop for the tour, we had a closer view of everything the sea and houses near the shore. But before going near the sea, we went first to AMALFI CATHEDRAL, which is dedicated to St. Andrew the Apostle. His relics were said to be kept here.

Afterwards, we went to the sea shore where it was very windy. The weather was good so people were either sunbathing or taking pictures with the sea as the backdrop.

We were back in Naples before 5PM so we decided to eat early dinner at L’ANTICA PIZZERIA DA MICHELE. The place gained worldwide fame when it was featured in “Eat, Pray, Love”. We were lucky that there was no long line when we got there so we were seated inside in less than 30 minutes. We ordered 1 regular margherita pizza and 1 double mozzarella margherita pizza. The latter was the better option because it was cheesier.