Return to Venice

26 Monday Jun 2017

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We spent a week in Venice in 2011 and, other than the crowds, we really enjoyed exploring its streets and waterways. It is an amazing city like no other, based primarily on water transportation for all services, and it does it all, it seems, so well. And it is so photogenic, with never-ending opportunities for photo ops.

This trip provided us just a couple of days on the way to Croatia and a day on the way back, which was just enough of a tease for us to leave saying we need to come back soon. We kept away from all major tourist landmarks such as the Rialto bridge or San Marco Plaza, at least during the day, as there so many people that’s you start feeling claustrophobic.

We are quite content to spend our time in other neighborhoods such as San Polo, Castelo, Dorsodouro and Cannareigio, which the crowds tend to avoid. There are just so many great restaurants down off-the-beaten-track narrow streets to enjoy, as well as wine bars and oceanside terraces. We especially enjoyed San Marco Plaza when the cruise ships and day-trippers had left, enjoying an Apero at Cafe Lavena while listening to the live band and people watching.

On our next trip we plan to visit some of the outer islands such as Murano, La Guidecca, and Lido.

Back to the Cote d’Azur…

06 Thursday Apr 2017

Posted by johnyouden in Cote d'Azur, Italy

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Auron, Ventimiglia

After an amazing winter season in Mexico, (one of the best weather seasons we can remember), we are back in the south of France and quickly acquainting ourselves with the venues and activities we most enjoy here.

For me it means getting back into biking, with trips to places like La Turbie, Roquebrune (which I’ve previously written about so won’t mention anymore about them), the Monte Carlo golf club up and above Monaco, and a new trip to La Revere.

Ride up to Eze on the “Moyenne Corniche” overlooking Villefranche

I wanted to check out the golf club to perhaps get in a game or two this year. The rates are reasonable, course is short though, but the views are amazing. It sits on top of the mountain behind Monaco. La Revere is an old fort on top of the mountain behind Eze. There are viewpoints, nature walks and picnic tables, all overlooking the Cote d’Azur coastline.

Eze to the lower left, Cap Ferat peninsula behind it, Villefranche (with cruise ship anchored) to the right and the Nice Airport upper right.

We also arrived back to discover there is still snow on the hills behind Nice, and that there would be a fresh dump of now on a Sunday and into the night. So we drove up Sunday afternoon to Auron, had a wonderful dinner at El White restaurant, stayed the night at the Hôtel l’Ecureuil, and got up early the next morning to blue skies, six inches of fresh powder snow, and hardly anyone on the hill. As we waited for the lift to open, the only other people we saw were those that worked on the hill. We managed to do a few runs before we even saw any other skiers, and certainly never had to wait in line at the lifts. It was a great day. We skied for a few hours, had a coffee break at our favorite restaurant on the hill, Sauma Longue, and then returned a few hours later for lunch.

Village of Auron

The ski area offers 135 kms of ski runs with 43 routes: 8 blacks, 16 reds, 16 blues, 3 greens. There’s 16 skilifts: 3 cable cars, 9 chairlifts, 3 draglifts, 1 tear-lift.

That evening we went out for dinner in the village to the restaurant El White. We all had steak frites, washed down with a lovely Provence wine from Chateau Roubine. Highly recommended. Food is fantastic, as is the decor… we’ll be back…

We drove back on late Monday afternoon, quite exhausted, had a good night’s sleep and then got up and drove to Ventimigila in Italy for some shopping and lunch. We stocked up on aged balsamic vinegar, olive oil, limoncello, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. For lunch we left Ventimiglia and visited our favorite place in the area, L’Osteria di Caterina located in the main plaza of the old town of Dolceaqua. Great food at great prices.

Village of Dolceaqua with the castle in behind

Now it’s time to back our bags for a couple of weeks in Portugal…

Weekend in Alba, Piemonte

06 Sunday Nov 2016

Posted by johnyouden in Italy

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Alba, Great Drives, Wine

Someone once described Piemonte to me as being “Tuscany without the Tourists“. And, to a degree, that is true, they are similar in many ways and there are less tourists. But what people really enjoy about Tuscany – the rolling landscape, the meandering country roads, the wine, the food and the medieval villages – can be also be found in Piemonte, especially the region around Alba, and for a lot less money.

Drive up between Sospel and Tende, near Saorge

When the leaves are changing color turning the hillsides into an amazing palette of bright colors, the landscape is simply amazing. Toss that in with good food and wine, great accommodation, and then add to it that you can experience it all for price that is a lot less than Tuscany, and it’s easy to conclude there really isn’t a better place to be in the fall than Piemonte. At least, I can’t think of a better place to be.

We drove up from Nice, through Sospel and then passed by Saorge (an amazing hillside town), Tende, Cuneo and then into the Piemonte (mountain foothills) valley. The above photo was taken along the drive after just leaving Sospel, and where we began the climb over (and through) the mountain range that borders Italy. To the right is an image of our GPS, showing just how windy the road can be, and how many hairpin turns there are.

We went directly to Alba as that is where the White Truffle Festival was currently taking place. We’d attended a few years back and really enjoyed it so we decided at the last minute to do it again. The weather wasn’t as great as it was last time, but everything else was wonderful. It was lunch time so we had a great one at Ristorante Vigin Mudest, which is right beside one of the finest wine stores in Alba; Fracchia & Berchialla. After lunch we walked it off exploring the narrow streets of Alba, and then headed south to Vicoforte, where our hotel is located.

Driving around the countryside here is not that easy if you are in a hurry, but then you shouldn’t be. There is so much to see you really want to take your time. Although there is a freeway along the perimeter of the Langhe (as it is known) region, inside with the rolling hills and picturesque valleys there is nothing but windy roads that were (thankfully) built to go around the hills rather than through them. Yes, you’ll be stuck behind a tractor once in awhile, but that will allow you to enjoy the scenery that much more.

There are many country roads to take, but the one’s we’ve enjoyed most were SP12 from Braglia to Alba, as well any of the roads around La Morra, Barolo and Alba, all towns worth visiting. You’ll need the most time for Alba, as it is the largest community in the area.

We previously had stayed close to Alba, but this time chose the small boutique hotel Duchessa Margherita in the south of Langhe, in the village of Vicoforte, right next to a sanctuary which has the world’s largest elliptical cupola and is very much worth seeing. This historic house, built in the middle of the 19th century, was dedicated to Margherita, the oldest daughter of the Duke of Savoy, Carlo Emanuele I. Each room of the house is dedicated to a member of the royal family. Entering this house is like plunging into the history of the Savoy dynasty.

For getting around, the staff at the hotel really know the region well and it is well worth spending a few minutes with them to get their recommendations on things to see, places to eat and vineyards to visit.

For dinner we made reservations at the Trattoria Marsupino and were not disappointed. We started with a bottle of prosecca (happened to be our anniversary!) and then I had to have the pasta with truffle. Our meals were enjoyed with a bottle of Barbaresco wine. Dessert was a very delicious licorice mouse.The restaurant has been in the family for four generations and they still have all four working in the restaurant, with the grandmother taking care of the till.

Lunch at Dolceacqua, Italy

28 Thursday Apr 2016

Posted by johnyouden in Italy

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Great Drives, Great Villages, Ventimiglia

Dolceacqua-0003

A few kilometers inland from the coastal Italian town of Ventimiglia, (which is just minutes from the French border and Monaco), along the river banks of the Nervia river, lies the small town of Dolceacqua. The town has become a popular tourist site because of its ancient medieval town, its lovely stone bridge and for the Doria castle which sits on the hillside behind the town. But it’s also famous for its “michetta” sweet rolls which are connected to a local legend of romance and revenge. It’s a favorite place for us to have lunch after when we visit the markets in Ventimiglia.

Dolceacqua-0013 The Doria castle dates back to 1177 when it was the residence of the counts of Ventimiglia. It was purchased some time later by the Marquis Roberto Doria, who at the time was expanding his rule along the Nervia river valley.

One of the advantages of being a Marquis is known as “jus prime noctis” or “droit de seigneur”, which allows him to have the first honor with any future bride as her virginity, it seems, belongs to him. This “right” set the scene for a legend about the Marquis, the castle Doria and the town of Dolceacqua.

In the 14th century, a Dolceacqua baker had a beautiful 19-year-old daughter called Lucrezia who was set to marry a local lad called Basso. The Marquis, pleased at how beautiful Lucrezia was, was keen to claim her first.

Lucrezia and Basso tried to hide but the Marquis tracked her down and took her back to his castle. Desperate, she tried to throw herself from the window of a castle tower. The Marquis stopped her, and to subdue her, locked her in the dungeon. She remained steadfast though, and eventually died there of hunger and thirst.

Hearing of the death of the popular girl, the locals had had enough and approached the castle. Basso was able to sneak in and, at knife point, forced the Marquis to abolish the lus primae noctis.

Screen Shot 2016-04-28 at 10.42.36 AM To celebrate the end of such a uncivil cruelty, the village women created a sweet they named “Michetta” (They are suppose to resemble female genitals, but that’s a bit of a stretch). From that day, every year on the 16 of August the village celebrates the “Micheta” by dancing, singing, baking sweets and drinking the local wine. Since then the word “michetta” is continued to be used to define virginity and the female womb.

The ruins of the castle are still there and for a small fee it can be explored. At no cost, and just as interesting, one can explore the streets of the medieval town, where many people still live. The walkways are very narrow and the buildings so close together that at times very little skylight makes it through. Stone and concrete arches are commonly used to keep the buildings from falling onto one another. And there are many tunnels that lead from one building to the next, and so dark that street lights have to be on in the middle of the day in order to make one’s way.

We’ve had lunch at the restaurants in the terrace in front of the town, but weren’t that impressed. We discovered the “Osteria de Catarina”, which is at the base of the medieval village. Cross the main bridge and make a left, down onto a plaza. You’ll find this restaurant tucked away in the right-hand corner, a good location to then walk off your meal afterwards, through the streets of the old town. They have pizza and pastas and a number of other dishes, that looked great on our neighbor’s tables. We had the pizza and it was very tasty with fresh ingredients.

To get to Dolceacqua leaving Ventimiglia going east towards San Remo but turn up and follow the Nervia River. There are roads signs along the way for Dolceacqua.

Roundabout Drive from Nice to Paris

02 Thursday Jul 2015

Posted by johnyouden in Europe, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland

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This was a rather roundabout way to get to Paris, as it took us through Italy, Switzerland and Luxembourg, but it made for a great trip.

We took the coastal freeway to Savon and from there, turned up to Turin, until we reached our first night’s stay just north and outside of Turin in the the Canavese Valley. There are numerous small towns in the area, situated in the foothills of the Alps. We stayed at a small B&B just outside of the town of Strambinello, called the Castello (Castle) di Strambinello. It would be just outside, west of Ivrea, off the freeway that travels from Turin to Aosta.

Lovely B&B, would certainly have made our HBM hotels in Mexico, except for the fact that it is a B&B, and there is no check-in/reception, and when you need someone you have to do a little searching. But everything else makes up for. Very spacious rooms with an entrance way/study. King-size bed, fireplace and sitting area. Also comes with a servi-bar that if filled with drinks, beer and wine, on the house.

We visited a few towns nearby but there really wasn’t much to see. We had dinner in the town of Colleretto Giacosa, a few minutes from the hotel in the restaurant Del Monte. Lovely dinner of Scallops St. Jacques in a tomato sauce with fried zuchini flowers, rizotto and raviolis, and panna cotta for desert. We shared a bottle of Carema, the local wine. Nice, not fruity, wonderful with the meal. Continue reading →

Visiting Dolceacqua, Italy

04 Thursday Jun 2015

Posted by johnyouden in Italy

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Italy, medieval castles, Ventimiglia

Italy is not far from Nice, France, about a 1/2 hour by car or train, although it depends on which highway you take. It is definitely more scenic to take the lower coastal roads, but traffic can back-up quickly on these windy, narrow, steep roads. But there is a freeway which can get you into Italy quite quickly.

The first town you come to upon entering Italy is Ventimiglia. The Royal flows through the middle of it and is the most commonly known river. But another flows into the Med at the far end of town called the Nervia river. And if you follow this river along highway SP64 north about 10 km out of Ventimiglia, you’ll reach one of the best preserved medieval towns in this region, and which is also not overrun by tourists.

Dolceacqua rests on a steep rock cliff in which the windy Nervia river bends its way around. At the top of the rock is a 12th century castle, now mostly in ruins but recent improvement have made it so visits are available most days (costs six euros but worth doing). They’ve done a good job of building staircases and steel boardwalks to visit many areas of the castle and get an idea of what life would have been like within its walls back in those days. This was the castle of the Count of Ventimiglia for some time, before passing to the Doria family, who are responsible for most of the improvements and fortifications made over the hundreds of years that this was their home, well up into the 18th century.

Probably more fascinating is walking the narrow streets bordered by tall buildings that are kept from falling into one another by rock and concrete bridges. There are many tunnels as well throughout this medieval town that sits at the base of the castle, making it a lot of fun to explore.

Dolceacqua gives you a more realistic idea of what these medieval towns must have looked like in their day, as it has not be turned into some modern version of a Disney town, like Eze or St. Paul de Vence back in France. Great towns, but more tourist traps these days than living towns such as Dolceacqua. Highly recommended as a visit if in Ventimiglia. We had lunch consisting of a caprese salad, pizza and two glasses of wine for 19 euros. Can’t beat that back in France.

“A little bit of everything” Drive from Nice

22 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by johnyouden in Europe, France, Italy

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Great Drives, Monaco, Sospel, Ventimiglia

Living in Nice makes it possible to explore and do a variety of things, all within a day.

Monaco Coast

Recently we drove from Nice to Monaco to walk around and have breakfast. From there we continued on to Ventemiglia in Italy to do some shopping for parmesan cheese, ham, limoncello and vegetables as it is so much less expensive there. From there we headed north following the Fiume Roja river on highway SR20. We took the SP73 turnoff that took us up into Sospel. Sospel is a wonderful town whose medieval aspects have been well preserved but not overly done like so many other similar towns that are closer to the coast. The La Bevera river runs through it with a lovely medieval bridge pedestrian bridge crossing it. Be sure to wander through the Medieval streets of the town.

The town dates back to the 5th century when it served as an important staging post on the royal road from Nice to Turin. The old toll bridge was built in the 13th century. It was bombed by the Germans during World War II to prevent contact between the French Resistance (“The Maquis”) and the Italians, as was much of the town. Ruins of a tower, part of a château belonging to the counts of Provence are all that remain of the 14th century city walls. But there is still plenty to explore and enjoy.

Sospel

Sospel Church

Sospel Medieval Bridge

Sospel Church

We had a superb lunch at Le Pecoun, which is on the main road (Blvd. de Verdun), just past the bridge and across from the park and large parking lot that are on the other side of the river. One of the best pizzas I’ve had, along with a bottle of the 2014 Beaujolais, which had just been released that day. Nicely decorated, good service and the wood-burning stove really adds to the flavor of the pizzas, cooked right in front of you.

Scenery on drive to Sospel

We took the D2204 back to Nice. A very windy road that climbs up and over the mountain range between Sospel and Nice, but that provides some amazing scenery, especially if you take it in the fall.

We left at 9AM and we back home by 4PM – easy!

San Remo-San Lorenzo Bike Path

23 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by johnyouden in Italy

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Biking, San Remo

Along the Ligurian coastline of Italy, just east of Nice, there’s a wonderful oceanside bike route that has been created from a previously removed train track path. This old coastal railway track operated in the nineteenth century and linked the Riviera to northern Europe, from Genoa to Ventimiglia, but was abandoned in 2001 and moved further inland. It currently runs 24 km from San Remo to San Lorenzo however it is a work in progress and when finished it will provide 70 km of great biking riding. For those who enjoy casual bike rides on flat surfaces, it’s a great excursion for everyone in the family.

We began in San Remo and did the complete trip, which takes about an hour in each direction (depending if there’s a coastal wind blowing, however). You pass through a few tunnels, three towns and most of the path is right along the ocean providing great views. There are numerous cafe/bars to enjoy and one bike outfit in particular, NoloBici, offers bikes of all sizes and calibers and ten different locations along the 24 km track to choose from. You can start at one bike shop and give your bike back at another, which is practical. Prices are quite reasonable, starting at just three euros for an hour or ten euros for a half-day.

You can get to San Remo from Nice by taking the Ventimiglia train and then switching over to the Italian Ligurian coastal train in Ventimiglia. In the spring of 2013 it cost us under ten euros each to make the trip. The San Remo train station is situated a considerable distance inside the mountainside, like you are in a bunker. Once off the train, you need to walk quite some distance down a long hallway until you get outside. Once out, you walk straight out to the coast, which is only a few minutes away. We rented bikes from one of NoloBici’s outlets in front of the marina. All in all a great afternoon activity and highly recommended.

Sunday in Ventimiglia, Italy

16 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by johnyouden in Italy

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Markets, Ventimiglia

Ventimiglia

It’s become a bit of a tradition now, when in Nice on a Friday and not much else is planned, to take the train over to Ventimiglia, an Italian town on the coast just on the other side of the border and about a 1/2 hour from Nice. It is quite a large market that meanders along the coastal boardwalk, featuring clothing, leather goods, scarfs and shoes at one and food booths at the other. We usually always stock up on parmesan cheese (try the samples to get the one that you like best) and wonderful salami sausages. I think it’s a decent market and enjoy going. But do avoid it in the summer months, there’s just way too many people.

After the market take the pedestrian bridge over the river to visit the old town of Ventimiglia. Nothing special really to see in the town, but there are great views of the newer part of the town from here. And then at the end of the promenade that leads out to where the new port is being built, is a favorite restaurant of ours called Basta Pasta. Amazing pastas they make fresh and you can choose from 20 different sauces. Very large helpings so you may want to share, and that way save room for the desserts which are exceptional.

The crowds, however, can be a little too much, especially during the holiday times. The train can get very packed and the crowds make walking through the market difficult. Instead, go on a day other that Friday. There are still some great stores and a wonderful in-door market (only open in the mornings) on the main street leading down from the train station that sell all sorts of foods and other items. Over by the church, at Ruffino 10, is the Centro Alimentare, which is our favorite store for shopping, with a wonderful selection of cheeses, wines & alcohol, pastas and condiments. For those that like Limoncello, a favorite of mine is made by Petrone from Naples, which uses more of the peel of the lemon, giving it a bitter, less sweet, but richer taste. It is sold at this store and costs on 10 euros.

Foot bridge to Old Town

Stairs to Old Town

Friday’s Market

View of Ventimiglia from Old Town.

Old town Ventimiglia from the foot bridge

Ventimiglia

A visit to Torino, Italy

18 Sunday Nov 2012

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Torino, Turin

Palazzo Reale

Torino (or Turin) is surrounded by the Alps by 300 degrees, situated in the large valley of Piedmonte with the river Po runs through the middle of it. Whereas Paris and even more so in Rome, it’s easy to get lost in the streets, or find yourself walking in circles, not so in Torino. The terrain is flat and the streets are laid out in a grid, broken up by magnificent plazas ordained by beautiful buildings, and a few diagonal streets leading off from the Madama Palace. This makes it very easy to get around and certainly not get lost. There is little in the way of greenery in the central part of Torino – a lot of rock, marble and brick. It is a clean city, with numerous pedestrian streets, especially via Roma, the main street of Torino.

Via Roma starts at the Porto Nuova train station and the Piazza Carlo Felice and continues through the heart of the historic center, passes through Piazza San Carlos and ends at the royal palaces of Madama and Palazzio Reale. Everything else revolves around the central pedestrian street.

Turin was the home of the House of Savoy, who became the Kings of Sardenia and eventually Italy (when Italy had a monarchy from 1861 until 1946). So the city and its monuments, streets, plazas and palaces reflect that. The palaces have become museums, providing a glimpses into what life was like for the royal families, and do an excellent job of presenting Italy’s history from the times of the Savoy up until recent time.

Restaurants

You shouldn’t be going to Torino for the restaurants. Although you are going to pass many wonderful food shops, especially at Eataly, you won’t find many restaurants that are making good use of that wonderful food and offering it to locals and tourists. Why? I have no idea. What you’ll find in this region are a lot of places that are more like cantinas, that offers a “serve yourself” buffet, and then drinks along with it. The menu they’ll give you sometimes won’t have any food, just a lot of different alcoholic drinks. So you order your wine and then visit the buffet. The price is good though. The place we went to on our last night had a very nice spread for 8 euros each, and the wine was included in the price. We had wanted to go to the restaurant Monferrato, but arrived without reservations (Friday night) and there was no room. Next time, as we heard good things about it.

To Do’s in Torino:

Via Roma: Great to just walk and see the high-end boutiques and the plazas along its route, such as Piazza Carlo Felice, Piazza San Carlo, Piazza Carlo Alberto and of course, Piazza Reale with Palazzo Reale and Palazzo Madama.
Mole Antonelliana: This impressive building was first designed to be a synagogue, but was eventually purchased by the city of Torino and turned into a museum of cinematography. For movie buffs, this is a must.
Via Garibalda and Via Po: Two more great streets to walk and shop. Po will take you right down to the river Po and across to the ?.
Palazzo Carignano: Traces the history of Italy from the late 18th century to the 1st World War. Very well done with audio guides available, as well as video screens (with English sub-titles) in many of the rooms. An enormous number of paintings and artifacts from this time period. Well worth visiting if you are a history buff.
Saturday Open Market: At Piazza del Republica.
Piazza Castello and Reale: This is where the Dukes of Savoy had their palaces and residences. The Palazzo Real and Palazzo Madama are now museums so you can visit the official residences as they were at that time. Both also have art exhibits as well. You have to at least enter Palazzo Madama to see the front facade of the building that was added, just to provide a staircase to the upper floor of the palace – quite something.
Saturday Morning Market: At Piazza della Republica. Huge, but mostly low-end stuff and a lot of it repeated from stand to stand.
Eataly: This vast converted factory houses a wonderful array of Slow Food–affiliated food and beverages, with a separate area for each, including cheeses, breads, meats, fish, pasta, chocolate and much more. You can choose to dine at an outlet that specializes in fish, meats, veggies, pasta, etc. You sit at the bar and order, along with your wine or beer. The best time to visit is around 12.30pm to 2.30pm, when each area has its own little restaurant serving lunch, although a little later is better as it is very popular with the locals. In the basement is an amazing selection of wines and beers, clearly labelled by the region they are from. Very well done. We spent a few hours checking out all the sections, along with a wonderful pasta lunch.