Northern Italy

As I mentioned in my last blog it hit me that I am leaving in just over a month. That leaves me with only a few weekends to see Italy so I decided to start right away. This past weekend I hit a lot of towns and saw a lot of things…mostly old things! My plan was to take the southern route to Verona and stay the night and then take the northern route home. Saturday morning I headed to the train station to catch a train to Piacenaza which is about two hours east of me by train. I used the automatic machine, even though I arrived thirty minutes early for my train…has to be a record…the line at the window was very long, to purchase my ticket. Of course, the machine would not let me purchase one for the train I wanted “no seats available to be selected it said”. I tried every combination, window, aisle, doesn’t matter to me seat, but to no avail. I decided the next best thing was to get a ticket for the train that left an hour after the one I wanted and ask the conductor if I could pay the difference on the train. Sure enough she said yes. When she came around I ended up paying the same amount and not just the difference plus the on board fee but it was too early in the morning to do the math and by the time I did she was gone to the next car.

First stop…Piacenza! I had printed out maps of all the towns I was going to and marked some of the highlights. Problem was the train stations weren’t labeled in some of them! That makes it pretty hard to find you starting point…even if you are a map genius! You may think…just find the railroad tracks…easy enough but of course the railroad tracks circle the city! Not all the streets are labeled on the map so I just decided to walk. The good thing is that most train stations spit you out facing the city center. I walked through a really nice park (the shade was welcome as it was approaching ninety degrees and I was wearing a back pack) on my way to Palazzo Farnese which was begun in 1568 by Ottavio Farnese of Austria.

Park in Piacenza

Palazzo Farnese, Piacenza

I then made my way to Piazza Cavalli (square of the horses) which is the main square of the town. The piazza is home to Palazzo Comunale which is a palace built in 1281.

Palazzo Comunale in Piazza Cavalli, Piacenza

I walked through the market to the duomo which was built over a 110 year period from 1122 to 1233. I walked back through the park and spent a few minutes enjoying the shade as I read my book and waited for my train.

Duomo, Piacenza


Columns in Piacenza Duomo

Stop number two…Parma. I figured I had to stop and see where the famous Parmasen cheese comes from! Although the train station was not labeled on this map I prepared myself and noticed the station was just across the river…perfect! I easily got into the map and headed towards Palazzo della Pilotta which was started in 1583.

Church in Parma

Palazzo della Pilotta, Parma

Crane machines in Palazzo della Pilotta, Parma

I walked across the stream (which was pretty much non existent…understandable in the heat) and entered the Parco Ducale. The park contains the palace of Duke Ottavio Farnese (yep the same one from Piacenza) that was begun in 1561.

Ducal Palace, Parma

I meandered around the streets and found the Palazzo del Comune built in 1627 and Palazzo del Governatore which dates from the 1200s.

Palazzo del Governatore, Parma

Palazzo del Comune, Parma

I headed towards the duomo and passed many salumeria with the famous cheese wheels. The duomo and the baptistery were built in the late 12th century.

Salumeria, Parma

Duomo, Parma

I couldn’t leave without having some pasta with Parmesan cheese!

Penne arribbata, Parma

Town three…Modena. The train station was marked on this map so it wasn’t difficult to get inside it. Besides their production of balsamic vinegar the town is also famous for the cathedral and the Piazza Grande which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Although under construction the cathedral is still beautiful.

Duomo, Modena

Piazza Grande, Modena

As I left the piazza I saw some children sitting enjoying their day on what looked to be a well. I wondered if they realized how old that well was or if they thought of how that well may have been the source of water for the square (doubtful as they were just kids). It amazes me the history in all the towns here.

Kids on the well in Piazza Grande, Modena

Fourth town…Bologna. Two in a row for train stations being marked on my map! As I made my way to the only destination (the duomo) I had marked on my map I passed an arch. It didn’t really lead to anything but a piazza but I wonder what it led to before.

Archway, Bologna

Near the arch were some very old ruins. Next to the ruins was a beautiful staircase leading up to a park.

Ruins, Bologna

Staircase, Bologna

I made my way to Piazza Maggiore which is home to the duomo and two palaces. The construction of the older palace, Palazzo del Podesta, was begun around 1200. This palace served a purpose similar to a modern day city hall. The second palace, Palazzo Re Enzo, was built around 1245 because Palazzo de Podesta was no longer large enough to serve all the city functions. The palace was named after Enzio of Sardinia who was the son of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II who ruled in the early 13th century. Construction of the duomo began in 1390 and was originally planned for a much larger structure than seen today…even bigger than St. Peter’s in Rome, of course Pope Pius the IV put a stop to such a grandiose idea. The church is the fifth largest church in the world.

Duomo, Bologna

Palazzo Re Enzo, Bologna

At one time Bologna is said to have over 180 towers. There is no agreement on why all the towers existed but many experts think the towers were built as forms of defense and observation by wealthy families during the 12th and 13th centuries. Most of the towers have been destroyed but the Two Towers still remain as the symbol of the city. They stand near the entrance to the old city. Garisenda leans a bit more than the taller Asinelli and both are said to be built by their namesakes in the early 12th century.

Twin Towers Garisenda and Asinelli, Bologna

As with Parma, I couldn’t leave Bologna without having the dish the town is famous for (which is also one of my favorite) pasta Bolognese. Amazing!

Tagliatelli Bolognese, Bologna

I walked back down Via dell’Indipendenza which only seemed fitting on the 4th of July. A big thanks to all of our military personal who continue to make our country so wonderful!

Via dell’Indipendenza, Bologna

The last stop of the day, city five for those of you keeping count, was Verona. As I was staying at a hotel I had a directions from the train station to the hotel. I have mentioned before that google maps does not tell you how dark and creepy the directions they are giving you are. Also, I probably shouldn’t be reading creepy Bones books where the main character always finds herself stalked and stuffed in some creepy place on the outskirts of some town before walking through such a place! I made it to the hotel, which was actually very nice, just in time as my feet were aching from all the walking and my shoulders were pretty tired from carrying around my back pack all day…which got heavier with the magnets I purchased and the book I had to buy since I finished the one I brought!

Sunday I had another bus adventure! Besides the first ticket fiasco and having to stand in the aisle on a packed train to Bologna (which I am told was the train to take to the Note Rosa) my trip had gone smoothly. I caught the trains and there were no delays. Of course the trip couldn’t be that smooth. I purchased my bus ticket to the city center and asked the man where the stop was located. He told me just down the street. I walked and didn’t see anything so I kept walking. I saw the bus stop but it seemed like the bus was going in the opposite direction I wanted plus it was not at the time the schedule I had been given indicated so I walked around the little piazza but didn’t find the bus stop so I decided to wait and see. The bus arrived and I asked the driver it was going to the city center…he paused and shrugged his shoulders and said yes. I could tell from his reaction was that what he meant was…yes, eventually. Sure enough I took the bus to the end of the line (from the map I knew it was only a few stops) and got to see another part of Verona. The bus stopped for a few minutes at the end and we started the journey back to the city center…on the way I looked for the bus stop that I should have gotten on…it was literally across the street from the tobacco shop where I purchased the ticket! Verona, the city itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a beautiful town and my favorite of the trip. I walked down Corso Porto Nuova and through the Portoni Della Bra to Piazza Bra where the arena which was completed around 30 AD is located. Crazy to think of all the ancient sporting events that went on inside!

Portoni Della Bra, Verona


Arena, Verona

I walked to the Adige River to view Castlevecchoio and its bridge that were built in the mid 1300s.

Castelvecchio, Verona

I wandered through the streets along the river to the duomo which was built in the 12th century. I walked across Ponte di Pietra (Stone Wall Bridge) which was built by the Romans. I really enjoyed walking around the streets and seeing the beautiful piazzas and architecture the city had to offer.

Duomo, Verona

Ponte di Pietra, Parma

Piazza, Verona

In the early afternoon I headed to Sirmione, town number six. Sirmione is a peninsula at the south end of Lake Garda (the largest lake in Italy). Driving down the peninsula it seemed it was only fifty meters wide at points. I’m a sucker for castles and climbing to the top I had amazing views of Lake Garda and the mountains beyond.

Scaliger Castle, Sirmione

Scaliger Castle, Sirmione

View from Scaliger Castle, Sirmione

View from Scaliger Castle, Sirmione

View of sourthern Sirmione from Scaliger Castle

The final and seventh stop was Brescia. I wanted to see the Roman ruins that dated from 73 AD. I can’t believe how cool they look! There are also two duomos, vecchio (old) and nuovo (new). The duomo vecchio was built in the 11th century while the duomo nuovo was built from 1604 to 1825. Of course, what trip would be complete without a parade. I am not sure what it was for but it seemed very medieval!

Parade in Breschia

Duomo nuovo and duomo vecchio, Brescia

Capitoline Temple, Brescia

The train ride home was a little more eventful. My train was delayed but so was the one before it so I actually could make the earlier one that with the delay got me into Milan at the time I needed to catch my train to Torino, with a little running of course.