Knowmark Travel

Italy 2002: Perugia

Friday, 10 May 2002

We picked up our car (a lovely little Nissan Micra this morning and successfully navigated Firenze traffic back to the Residenze Johlea I. We then found a typical Italian parking space (i.e., stopped the car in such a manner that other vehicles and pedestrians could get by!), loaded the car and left for the Italian countryside.

It was a perfect day for driving and the hills of Tuscany are as beautiful as advertised. We stopped for lunch by the road on the outskirts of Cortona. This is the area that Frances Mayes wrote about in her popular work Under the Tuscan Sun. There were some great views from our impromptu lunch spot.

Then, on to Perugia, where we met Suzanne. We had not seen her for nearly five months, so we had a great reunion. Unlike Pisa and Firenze, Perugia is a hill town, so getting around (on foot) means a lot of up and down. And, these hills are steep!

Saturday, 11 May 2002

Assisi is a very lovely town and today was the last day of Calendimaggio, a mediaeval spring festival held each year at this time. Two town teams (Parte di Sopra – the high town and Parte di Sotto – the low town) compete against each other in various ways – archery, flag tossing, choir-singing, etc. There is a great pageant with many people (we figure between 500 and 1000!) in costume. It is truly a family affair with people of all ages participating. The music was beautiful and there were many interesting things to see, particularly in the back streets which served as staging areas for the main event.

Suzanne packed us a great picnic lunch which we ate in beautiful surroundings – overlooking Umbrian countryside and being overlooked by various remnants of old Assisi town walls.

Assisi is probably best known for San Francesco (St. Francis) and of course there is a huge basilica devoted to him. The lower church contains his tomb. The upper church contains many beautiful frescoes by Cimabue and Giotto, some of which were damaged in an earthquake in 1997. Outside the basilica is a lovely walk past a rose garden, overlooking even more beautiful Umbrian countryside.

Sunday, 12 May 2002

The hills of Umbria provided the backdrop for today’s circuitous drive to Orvieto and back. Southeast of Perugia (our current HQ), Orvieto is physically situated on a volcanic plug. Of course, there is the local Duomo, which is particularly well known for its façade. Orvieto is an especially lovely town (definitely worth a return visit), with some spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.

A very nice dinner tonight (with the exception of the unimaginative Perugian bread) in our hotel (they have an excellent restaurant), where we have another great room/suite. We’ve been very fortunate with our accomodations thus far.

And, speaking of food, contrast this mobile food stand with our Canadian chip trucks. Yes, that is a whole roast pig (porchetta) that you see! It is a common sight in these parts.

Monday, 13 May 2002

We didn’t leave Perugia today. Laundry in the morning; then after a slow climb to centro storico (did we mention that it is hilly here?), we met Suzanne after her morning classes. She attends the Italian University for Foreigners.

While we had been in centro storico (did we mention that it is hilly here?) a couple of times for dinner, Suzanne gave us a more extensive tour today. Perugia is another lovely hill town (one of the largest), including old Roman aqueducts. The centrepiece is Piazza IV Novembre, with the Fontana Maggiore, built in 1278 CE.

On a very clear day (it was a little hazy today), you can easily see Assisi on the other side of the valley. And, we eventually left (after some wonderful gelato) through the Porta Santa Susannah, which, of course, required a photo of Susan and Suzanne. Great pizza tonight at a little ristorante-pizzeria (La Nuit) we discovered near the hotel.

Tuesday, 14 May 2002

Today we went on another day trip out of Perugia with Suzanne playing hooky from school. First we went to Gubbio which is YAVAHT – Yet Another Very Attractive Hill Town. Somehow it seemed even prettier than the others, probably because it was such a gorgeous day – sunny and clear and about 25º.

Tomorrow is May 15, when Gubbio holds the annual Festa dei Ceri, which the Michelin Green Guide translates as Candle Race. The ceri are strange wooden poles each topped with the statue of a saint which are raced through the streets from the centro storico to a basilica which is way up a hill. Gubbio also has the remains of a Roman amphitheatre near which we ate a picnic lunch.

After Gubbio we drove a small hilltop village called Montone which we wanted to see because it contains a small apartment that can be rented weekly which we think we might like to come back to at some point. It’s a lovely spot with views in all directions as it seems to be at the very top of the hill that it is on. We think we might go for it!

We liked dinner so much at La Nuit last night that we went back again! And, tonight was our last night in Perugia, and therefore with Suzanne. It’s been a wonderful visit and we’re sorry it’s been so short. But she will be back in Canada in about seven weeks.

Italy 2002: Firenze

📷 Photographs

Saturday, 4 May 2002

Today was mostly a travel and orientation day, as we left the Pisa Centrale train station and headed to Firenze (Florence). It was a very pleasant trip (although Italian trains do not necessarily run on time!). Once in Firenze we caught a bus for a short ride through centro storico (historical centre) on the way to our room at the fabulous Residenza Johlea I. The Residenze Johlea is not actually a hotel, but a residence. It is a huge suite of apartments (there are six of them) on floor three (which is actually the fourth floor) of a lovely 19th century building.

The Residenza is located in a quiet area just north of centro storico, with all the required amenties (various caffès for our morning cappuccino, enoteca, frutta e verdura, etc.) close by. And, we are just a few minutes walk from the famous Duomo (cathedral), whose huge cupola (dome) was designed by Brunelleschi. This was the first Renaissance dome and the model for many others that were built later. Also one of the main reasons we wanted to come to Firenze!

After checking in, we took an orientation stroll around our neighbourhood and later had a very nice dinner at the Trattoria da Tito, which is just steps from our doorway.

Sunday, 5 May 2002

Our first full day in Firenze was beautiful. The focal point was the Duomo, which we got to see up close and personal. We took dozens of photos and climbed the Campanile (bell tower). There are a few places to stop on the way to the top (82 metres; 414 steps!) and the views all along the way are stunning. In particular, at the top there is a magnificent view of Brunelleschi’s dome.

For lunch today, we picked up a couple of very tasty sandwiches and washed them down with a glass of Chianti on the rooftop terrace of our hotel. In addition to the Duomo, the roof provides a great view of the hills north of the city. After siesta, we strolled down to the Galleria dell’Accademia which is not far from our hotel. Apparently there can be waits of up to two hours on busy days, but we were lucky and didn’t have to wait at all. Michelangelo’s David is an amazing sculpture – having no crowds to contend with we were able to spend as much time as we wanted to studying it in detail. No photos allowed 🙁

We wandered around the Duomo a bit more until it was time for dinner which we had at a pizzeria – good, but not quite as good as at Il Vesuvio in Pisa.

Monday, 6 May 2002

There’s nothing quite like walking out your front door in the morning, rounding the corner, stepping in to a caffè/bar (there are usually a couple to choose from), and ordering due cappuccini. Our local favourite in Firenze is Caffè Cavour. Very civilized! Bella Italia!

Another beautiful day in Firenze took us strolling to the Piazza della Signoria (city government). This is a gorgeous square that is our favourite here. One side is dominated by the Palazzo Vecchio. At the bottom of that photo you can see numerous statues, including Cosimo I (Medici family) and a copy of the famous David.

Another side consists mainly of the Loggia della Signoria. The Loggia is basically an outdoor (well sheltered) museum with numerous sculptures, both those from the ancient Romans (restored) and originals from the Renaissance.

Then, we crossed the Arno on the famous Ponte Vecchio. This bridge, dating from 1345, was the only one left standing during World War II. We eventually made it back to our rooftop terrace for some lunch.

Later, we toured the Museo Archeologico, which has a huge collection of Etruscan and Egyptian artifacts. Included are many Estruscan funeral urns, dating back over 3000 years. (We weren’t supposed to take pictures, but didn’t know that until after we had taken several).

Tuesday, 7 May 2002

Today was devoted to Galleria Degli Uffizi. According to UNESCO, 60% of the greatest art of the Western world is in Italy and half of that is in Firenze. We spent nearly four hours there and could easily go back for more.

Photography is not permitted, but Virtual Uffizi has almost the entire catalogue online and we’ve captured a few of our favourites. These do not even begin to do justice to the astounding quality of the work. Even good art books, with excellent photography, cannot substitute for actually seeing them. Nonetheless, here are a few examples in roughly chronological order, by artist:

And, some of our favourites – Lippi, Allori, Signorelli, Perugino – aren’t even represented above! All in all, an incredible place.

We then had a very late lunch under a beautiful Tuscan sky on our rooftop terrace. Much later, we enjoyed an excellent pizza at Cellini’s, in the Mercato Centrale.

Wednesday, 8 May 2002

Today we toured inside the Duomo, which we have explored from the outside several times. It was raining, so we weren’t the only people who were looking for some indoor touring. The line seemed quite long and we wondered how everyone was going to fit … that is, until we entered. It is a huge structure, really only appreciated from inside. According to our Michelin Green Guide, it is one of the largest buildings in the Christian world – on par with St. Peter’s in Rome, St. Paul’s in London and Notre Dame in Paris.

It is rather plain in style with the exception of the inside of the dome itself which is covered with amazing frescoes. We spent a lot of time looking up.

The Duomo was built to replace the Romanesque church of Santa Reparata which wasn’t considered grand enough for the city that Firenze had become. They have done some excavations below the present cathedral and have found not only the crypt of Santa Reparata but the remains of a paleo-Christian basilica from the 5th or 6th century. Many sections of mosaic flooring are still visible. Brunelleschi’s tomb can also be seen on the lower level.

Lunch was later than usual and had to be eaten indoors due to the rain – however, at this hotel that is not a great hardship as there is a large common living room with skylights just below the roof.

Thursday, 9 May 2002

Our last full day in Firenze found us touring the Palazzo Vecchio (old palace) which is an amazing building with an incredible history. It was originally built to house the city government and in fact the mayor’s offices are still there. In between, it served as a residence for various members of the Medici family. There was actually some sort of public hearing going on in the Hall of the Five Hundred while we were there! Most of the great artwork is actually on the walls and the ceilings and the floors of each room.

We then shopped for road maps, as tomorrow begins a new adventure – driving in Italy! We have planned what we hope is a leisurely trip to Perugia, where we will see Suzanne Woods (and some other things, of course).

And, last night we had another great dinner at our favourite restaurant in Firenze – Trattorìa da Tito. We had three evenings there and will miss it.

Italy 2002: Pisa

📷 Photographs

Wednesday, 1 May 2002

Italia! We arrived in Pisa today under a glorious Tuscan sun. We checked in to the Hotel di Stefano (appropriately enough!), a nice, quiet establishment in the heart of Pisa. Then, a stroll to orient ourselves. Less than five minutes later, we rounded a corner and the Leaning Tower hove into view quite unexpectedly. Despite having seen numerous pictures and photos over the years and knowing about it since we were young, actually seeing it is quite startling!

Dinner at Il Vesuvio, which is about ten metres from our hotel, just across the “street” (very narrow – accommodating motor vehicles, pedestrians and laundry). A wonderful meal – pizza, vino della casa, dessert and caffe italiano. All of this in a vibrant atmosphere, with great service and only 19 Euros.

Thursday, 2 May 2002

As usual, breakfast was warm Tuscan bread with assorted jams and/or butter accompanied by cappuccino and orange juice. Today, we mostly wandered about Pisa, which is a delightful small city (about 90,000 people).

Not far from our hotel (actually, nothing is very far!) is the Piazza dei Cavalieri. Then, our first museum – Navi Antiche di Pisa (Ancient Ships of Pisa). Pisa was once a powerful maritime power and was on the coast (which is now several kilometres away). Only four years ago, they discovered a number of ships dating back over 2000 years. There have been hundreds of items recovered, including many amphorae and lamps.

The weather was not perfect today, so at one point we sheltered from a morning shower in part of an ancient citadel located on the Arno River. Dinner at Il Vesuvio again tonight – eccellente!

Friday, 3 May 2002

Nice morning, rain in the early afternoon, sunny in the late afternoon, beautiful evening.

Our morning meandering took us to several piazzas in Pisa, including the Piazza Garibaldi. Many of the streets inside the walls of the old city (about half of which are still standing) are quite narrow. We also took two more tours in the Campo dei Miracoli, including one after dinner where we tried to get a night shot of the Tower.

And, our final dinner at Il Vesuvio – we will miss it!