Malta & Italy (2022)

 

Days 1 & 2 (October 30 & October 31, 2022)

 

LAX è NYC è Rome è Valletta (Malta)

 

First couple of days on our trip to Europe:

 

We woke up at 4:00 am on Sunday Oct 30).  And 3 legs later we arrived to Malta.  United Airlines was able to accommodate us in their Polaris class cabin in the first 2 legs.  It did make a difference to both me and Tova (who has never experienced Business Polaris until today).

As soon as we landed in Rome, we stored our 2 (out of the 4) luggage at the airport. The plan was to pick them up after returning from our Italy’s tour.

 

 

For the last flight we used Air Malta. We made it alright to Valletta, Malta airport but the 2 luggage that were supposed to arrive with this flight were missing. 

 

In that flight I was sitting next to a nun, in the middle seat and next to her was seated a woman, who I got to speak with only when the plane landed in Malta, I talked to the nun for a few minutes, offered her a Kind Candy Bar and then fell asleep for the entire duration of the flight (90 minutes).

 

As we approached the airport, The lady, who was sitting next to the nun introduced herself to me as Charmaine. She gave me a magazine with attractions highlights of Valletta (Malta’s Capital) and asked me to write down few other attractions that were not mentioned in the magazine.

 

I asked Charmaine, jokingly, if she wanted to be our guide for the next 3 days (“since you know so much about Valletta”) and she answered: "No problem.  Let me verify with my husband, who is sitting right behind you".  Sure enough, her husband (His name was fittingly enough, our) Savior, agreed and we exchanged our phone numbers and I gave her the address of our Airbnb in the city.  We said goodbyes and decided to start the tour tomorrow morning at 9:00 am.

 

We took a taxi to our Airbnb, which was in the center of the city right next Republic Street, a historic street with many boutiques and eateries. 

   

We started to explore our surroundings and walked to Republic Street, looking at the attractions around us and also found few stores to purchase what we need. We bought few necessary items (underwear, socks, toilette, T-Shirts and also found a grocery store right next to the property.

 

     

We returned to our apartment, showered and then walked down again to find a small Italian restaurant named Pappanis and had Dinner. The taste, that was a fusion between Africa & Italy, was unbelievable.

Day 3 (November 1, 2022)

 

Malta

We made our breakfast at the apartment and then made our way downstairs to wait for Charmaine & Savior.

 

Our “Tour Guides” showed up few minutes late (They had a hard time locating our address).

 

Our first stop was at a Vista point where we saw the most visited place on the island, which we would visit later: The Blue Grotto.

      

The rocky coastline along this area was very high and the sea was very deep with a dark blue all the way. The view from this area was fantastic with open sea, very high cliff, sand and a picturesque rock formation. From this point we could see Filfla, the little island located 3 miles (5 km) out at sea which is now a protected bird sanctuary.

   

We saw a birds' trainer and his falcon and owl and also took pictures with the Falcon.

By now we learned that Charmaine’s nick name is Cher and Savior’s nickname is Savi and that is how we called them afterwards.

A short drive away was Hagar Xim and Mnajdra Archeological site.

We saw a short 4-D movie about the history of the digging.  The archaeologists, in the 1830's discovered a temple that was built 3,600 years ago.  The digging has lasted for about 150 years. 

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Hagar Xim (around 5000 years old), is found at the top of a promontory with a fertile plain to its east and a slope down to the sea to its west. 500 meters downhill from Hagar Xim there was Mnajdra, a contemporary building, probably used by the same community given its proximity.

    

The late-Neolithic site of Hagar Xim consists of a group of monumental megalithic buildings, located on the crest of a ridge. To the west, the site commands views over the open sea, while to the east, it overlooks the edge of a large plain.

Mnajdra consists of three buildings, constructed in both globigerina and coral-line limestone. The first and oldest structure is the smallest of the three structures. The South building, with its concave facade was next to be completed followed by the Central building which was constructed on an artificial platform between the two earlier buildings. The South building’s doorway is aligned with sunrise during the Spring and Autumn equinoxes. During the Winter and Summer solstices, the beams of the rising sun pass along the sides of the main doorway hitting two decorated slabs within the first chamber. Apart from the central passage leading to chambers on either side, the buildings at Mnajdra also include tiny chambers constructed within the thickness of the walls.

 

Both Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra are protected from the elements by shelters. Since these sites were excavated less than two centuries ago, their slow deterioration has been witnessed at first hand. Shelters were therefore constructed in 2008 and are intended to slow down the impact of natural elements on the rate of deterioration of these sites until alternative means of preservation are tested and implemented.

Jewish life, by the way, was tracked down to 1000 BC.

    

It was time for lunch and we entered a local food eatery.  We found a table on the 2nd floor overlooking the Mediterranean sea.

Food was great.

Our next destination was the Grotto.  Inside the caves we could observe various mirrored colors from the underwater flora. Other areas show various dark shades of blue.

 

When we proceeded down to the inlet bay we found the boats waiting for visitors. We saw fishing boats beautifully painted called a dghajsa. This is the location from where we bought the tickets (cost was a fraction of what we had paid in Italy for the Grotta Azzurra, meaning the blue grotto of Capri) for the boat trip to the caves.

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It was something I'll never forget.  The sea water changed its colors, depending on which corals were laying underneath our boat. I was able to see blue, purple and green.  We went in from one end of a cave and exited into another cave.  We went through a maze of caves for the next 30 minutes. 

 

                 

We climbed the hill, back to the streets, and on the way saw people diving and swimming in the proximity and also many other colorful boats.

 

By that time I was asking myself how lucky we were to be accompanied by this wonderful couple.  Cher was fluent in English and Savi, whose English is not so good, used Cher to translate back & forth between us.

Savior offered to take us to to the airport.  We still had hope that the luggage will turn up, and Savior thought that since he could talk to the staff in Maltese they will come up with some answers. When we arrived to the Luggage Services at the airport he found out first hand that there is nothing else we could do to expedite the return of our luggage.

 

We returned exhausted to the property and headed out to buy more necessities as our luggage were still MIA. We also sat in a Bistro on Republic Street for some pasta and espresso. 

Day 4 (November 2, 2022)

 

Malta

Before I start our whereabouts yesterday let me tell you that, according to the airline website, the luggage will make it to the Malta's airport only tomorrow.  We will collect them, just one day before returning to Italy!

   

Before our meeting with Cher & Savi, we took some photos of the bay, right next to our apartment.

  

The day started at 8:00.  We arrived to Cirkewwa, in the north of Malta. The port has a ferry terminal (cars included) that offers frequent crossings of the Gozo Channel. The journey took less than 20 minutes. 

 

Once in Gozo we found an enchanting island, one of only 3 islands of Malta that is inhabited.

We drove to a village called Xewkija, an administrative unit of Malta and drove to John the Baptist Church (also called Ix-Xewkija Rotunda), Gozo's largest church, located at the center of village.  Its enormous dome is a distinctive landmark visible across much of the island and is the third largest in the world after Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome.

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We climbed the 60 stairs to the top of the church and ended up in the Bells Tower.  The view of the entire island was amazing, like a bird view of the entire island.

 

We walked the narrow streets of Victoria, the Capital of the island, and arrived to our next attraction: The Citadel.

          

Victoria (also known as Ir-Rabat) is surrounded by a sun-parched Mediterranean landscape. The historic center of Victoria stands on a hilltop enclosed within a Citadel, constructed by the Knights of Saint John after the medieval walls were destroyed by the Turks in 1551.

(Note: We are scheduled to visit Rhodes an island of Greece, later on our trip and I will elaborate about the Knights of Sr. John.)

 

At the heart of the Citadel is the Cathedral of the Assumption, and we entered it.  The interior of the Cathedral were absolutely awe-inspiring and astonishing.  It features gorgeous works of art and ornate gilded moldings. Above the nave, a trompe l'oeil (visual illusion) painting tricks viewers into believing that there is a dome.  We then continued to a museum and then walked around the walls of the fortified castle to see spectacular views of the city. 

It was time for lunch and Savi recommended to drive to the village Xlendi, situated in the south-west side of the island.  Once a small fishing village, this bay, flanked by high cliffs attracts considerable crowds throughout the whole year. A 17th century tower rises on top of the high cliffs, adding to charm of the place.

The town probably gets its name from the word "xelandion" which was a kind of Byzantine boat that possibly used in this port.

Xlendi is surrounded by the villages of Munxar, Fontana and Kerċem.

      

Day 5 (November 3, 2022)

 

Malta

Today was our last day in Malta.  Cher and Savi came at around 9:30 and we first visited to the number one attraction of the city: Saint John's Co-Cathedral, which reflects the wealth and importance of the Knights of Malta, who protected Europe and the Catholic faith from attacks by the Ottoman Turks in the 16th century. 

    

This cathedral, with its opulent, flamboyant Baroque interior, was built as a symbol of the Knights' success.

The beautiful and impressive Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, and as I have mentioned it’s the top place to visit in Malta and to be more precise, a must-visit on a trip to this beautiful island!

   

It was built between 1572 and 1577 by the Knights of Malta at the request of Grand Master Jean de la Cassière, to act as a memorial of Saint John The Baptist.  Its design is a prime example of Baroque architecture.  Several artistic pieces of great value enrich the co-cathedral, with paintings from the great Caravaggio to works of art donated as gifts by past Grand Masters and Knights of the Order of St. John.

 

The building itself was designed by renowned Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar, who is also credited to have designed the Grandmaster’s Palace as well as the original design for the Knights’ Hospital, La Sacra Infermeria.

 

In the 17th century, Mattia Preti and other able artists gave the cathedral’s interior the Baroque imprint. Over the centuries several gifts and inheritances left by the various Knights further embellished the cathedral to become a true jewel.

 

The two notable works of art are:

 

The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist (1608) by Caravaggio (1571–1610) is the most famous work in the church. Considered one of Caravaggio's masterpieces, the largest canvas he painted and the only painting signed by the painter, the canvas is displayed in the Oratory for which it was painted. Restored in the late 1990's in Florence. 

Part of the museum (in the basement) is a film dedicated to the life of Caravaggio, who had (to say the least), a very interesting life:

The artist was born in Milan. The family moved to Caravaggio to escape a plague that ravaged Milan, and Caravaggio's father and grandfather both died there on the same day in 1577. It is assumed that the artist grew up in Caravaggio (jence, his name), but his family kept up connections with the the powerful Colonna family, who were allied by marriage. Caravaggio's mother had to raise all of her five children in poverty.  She later died in 1584, the same year he began his four-year apprenticeship to the Milanese painter Simone Peterzano.

In 1592, Caravaggio left Milan for Rome escaping the law after "certain quarrels" and committed a murder of a police officer. The young artist arrived in Rome "naked and extremely needy.

Few years later, Caravaggio beat a nobleman, a guest of the cardinal, with a club, resulting in an official complaint to the police. Episodes of brawling, violence, and tumult grew more and more frequent. Caravaggio was often arrested and jailed. 

In November 1605, Caravaggio was hospitalized for an injury which he claimed he had caused himself by falling on his own sword. few months later, in 1606, Caravaggio killed a young man, possibly unintentionally, resulting in him fleeing Rome with a death sentence hanging over him.

Following the death of the young man, Caravaggio fled first to Naples, Despite his success in Naples, after only a few months in the city, Caravaggio left for Malta, the headquarters of the Knights of Malta.  Caravaggio presumably hoped that the patronage of on of the Knights of  Grand Master of the Knights of Saint John, could help him secure a pardon for the murder he had committed. The Knight was so impressed at having the famous artist as official painter to the Order that he inducted him as a Knight, and it was noted that the artist was well pleased with his success.

Yet, by late August 1608, he was arrested and imprisoned, likely the result of yet another brawl, this time with an aristocratic knight, during which the door of a house was battered down and the knight seriously wounded. Caravaggio was imprisoned by the Knights at Valletta, but he managed to escape. By December, he had been expelled from the Order "as a foul and rotten member", a formal phrase used in all such cases.

He later escaped jail to Sicily and then Naples.  He died in 1610 from lead poisoning.

The other notable piece of art is the Monument to Grand Master Nicolas Cotoner by Domenico Guidi, the collection of marble tombstones in the nave in which were buried important knights. The more important knights were placed closer to the front of the church. These tombstones, richly decorated with in-laid marble and with the coats of arms of the knight buried below as well as images relevant to that knight, often telling a story of triumph in battle, form a rich visual display in the church.

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We walked back to Republic Street towards the Parliament Building when Savi pointed out to an SUV and said "here is our Prime Minister".

I had the nerve to approach the vehicle as the PM stepped out of his car and shook his hand warmly.  He asked me about our whereabouts and told me that he recently visited NYC.  Savi said afterwards that she was born here almost 50 years ago and never had a chance to see the PM face-to-face.

 

We arrived to Barrakka Gardens and were awed by the panoramic views. 

       

Cher & Savi pointed out that the beautiful gardens are situated next to Castille Palace and told us that the Upper Barrakka Gardens are built on top of a bastion, on the highest point of Valletta and dates back to 1661 when it used to be a private garden of the Knights.   It was not until over 150 years later the gardens opened to the public.

The gardens offered us fantastic views of the Grand Harbor, the cities of Senglea, Vittoriosa and Kalkara as well as the Breakwater. 

We spent an hour here simply admiring the stunning view.

When we just met Cher & Savi, they told us about Savi's involvement in the Music Community of Valletta.  He has been the Youth Band administrator on a volunteer basis. The band has received many awards in global competitions. On our way to the next attraction, Savi stopped the car in front of the band's headquarter and let us in to view few of the articles and awards they have received.

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Next attraction was 45 minutes away.   When Cher mentioned that "Now we were going to visit few sites of GOT filming locations", Tova & I had a huge smile on our faces. We arrived to Imdins .  

We walked in the narrow streets between the high walls and were able to identify few filming sights of GOT.

               

For dinner we had a delicious pizza and then returned to Valletta. We left the girls in a mall while Savi and I rushed to the airport to collect our luggage.  Both of us stopped by the Airbnb and Savi helped me carrying them to our apartment. 

We said goodbyes to the wonderful couple and vowed to stay in touch.

Note: As I prepare this journal, Savi & Cher accepted our invitation to come and visit us  in California (end of April 2023) for almost 3 weeks!.  I'm sure I will wrote a journal on our whereabouts.  Stay tuned!

 

Day 6 (November 4, 2022)

Malta ==> Rome ==> Milan

 

We woke up at 4:00 am and by 6:00 we were at Valletta Airport.

We landed in Rome Airport (FCO) at 9:40 and rented a beautiful 2022 Audi 3 Series. 

It took us 7 hours to reach the outskirt of Milan with the beautiful car, but then almost 1.5 hours to arrive to our Airbnb and another 30 minutes to find parking.

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The Airbnb that we had rented, for the next 3 days, was just 10 minutes away from the Duomo Cathedral and in a cute neighborhood with plenty of stores, cafe's, eateries and history.  The apartment had no furniture (except  for a full size bed and a small table in the kitchen) and a minimum of amenities in the kitchen.  It was also on the third floor without an elevator. 

Nevertheless, it was our home for the next 3 days.

  

We settled down and went to the streets to find a place to eat.  Not far from our apartment we saw the church with the statue of Constantine and Christianity. We found a neighborhood Chinese restaurant for dinner.

 

Day 7 (November 5, 2022)

 

Milan

We started at Milan's most popular attraction The Duomo where we met our guide Nina.

    

We stopped in front of the beautiful Cathedral as Nina gave us a rather vast summary of the beautiful structure and its history:

The Duomo of Milan tells a story of faith and art spanning over six centuries. 

Work for the construction of Milan cathedral began in 1386 when the style of Gothic cathedrals had reached its peak. It was decided that the new church should be built in the area of the ancient basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore and Santa Tecla.

The long succession of architects and engineers at the head of this innovative and original construction site makes it impossible to trace a certain authorship of the project.

At the end of the fifteenth century the greatest architects and artists of the time, including Leonardo de Vinci, tried to accomplish the difficult task of designing the Lantern Tower. Once this phase was concluded and a unanimous decision was reached, construction work continued and a new phase started under the inspiration of the pastoral work of Carlo Borromeo.

The design of the church’s facade began at the end of the sixteenth century, when the foundations for its front were laid, meanwhile the ancient facade of the church of Santa Maria Maggiore (which was demolished in 1683) had been rebuilt forward of its original position. As was the case for many other architectural elements of the cathedral, the facade too had to wait for long (until the end of the eighteenth century) before a definitive plan was completed.

Between the seventeenth and eighteenth century the tiburium (Lantern Tower) was completed with the great spire on top and the laying of the statue of the Madonna (1774).

The nineteenth century saw great activity on the construction site. On the eve of Napoleon’s coronation as King of Italy and on his initiative, new works were undertaken to complete the facade (1807-1813). The construction and decoration works continued, most of the spires were placed on the roof and several stained glass windows with enamel-painted glass were also completed.

The twentieth century, which was marked by war and conflict, saw the start of major renovation works, the first archaeological excavations in Piazza del Duomo and the completion of the facade with the addition of the doors, which date back to a relatively recent period, between 1909 and 1965.

Inside the cathedral, the complex static restoration of the tiburium pillars was certainly one of the most complex interventions, while at the end of the century the apse and the facade were restored. Later, the Great Spire was restored for the third time. In 2016, the exciting challenge of restoring the tiburium and the dome began.

   

After an introduction we walked to The Gallery Mall.  I guess sometimes you need to be lucky with your guides and we absolutely were, having her as one.

Nina elaborated about the Gallery Mall and boy, did she know history…

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which is sometimes nicknamed “il salotto di Milano” (Milan’s drawing room), is a nineteenth-century shopping arcade.

It houses some of the most luxurious boutiques in Milan.  The structure is formed by two arcades shaped like a Latin cross covered by a glass and iron dome. The Galleria is located between two of the main monuments in Milan: il Duomo and the Teatro alla Scala (which we will visit next). In Nina’s opinion, and I tend to agree, this magnificent shopping arcade is one of the most interesting sights in Milan.

The Gallery Mall contains brands such as Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, as well as other high-end boutiques.  It also houses numerous well-decorated restaurants, including some of the oldest establishments of Milan such as Café Biffi, founded in 1867.

Surprisingly, we also found a McDonald’s in the Gallery. This said, the fast-food restaurant is beautifully decorated with black columns and gold decoration to blend in with the other establishments. It has a comfortable terrace to sit in and have an inexpensive drink, while enjoying the atmosphere and elegance of this stunning building. 

The central dome has a stunning mosaic that represents the continents of Asia, Africa, Europe and America.  There is a mosaic floor with the Savoy coat of arms and various animals that represent some of Italy’s most important cities. According to a legend, visitors and locals will have good luck if they step with their right foot on the bull and turn 360° with their eyes closed. “If you step on the bull on the 31 December at midnight, you will be lucky for a whole year”, Nadia said.

 

We exited the Gallery and continued to a fabulous statue of the one and only Leonardo de Vinci and heard a lecture about the famous artist:

Leonardo da Vinci, was born in 1452, near Vinci, Republic of Florence and died in 1519 in France. He was a painter, draftsman, sculptor, architect, scientist and engineer whose skill and intelligence, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal. His Last Supper (1495–98) and Mona Lisa (1503–19) are among the most widely popular and influential paintings of the Renaissance. His notebooks reveal a spirit of scientific inquiry and a mechanical inventiveness that were centuries ahead of their time.

In 1482 Leonardo moved here to Milan to work in the service of the city’s duke—a surprising step when one realizes that the 30-year-old artist had just received his first substantial commissions from his native city of Florence: the unfinished panel painting Adoration of the Magi for the monastery of San Donato a Scopeto and an altar painting for the St. Bernard Chapel in the Palazzo della Signoria, which was never begun.

Leonardo spent 17 years in Milan, until duke fell from power in 1499. He was listed in the register of the royal household as painter and engineer of the duke.

Nina promised to talk more about the genius Leonardo when we will arrive to the Last Supper location.

We now stood in front of the La Scala Theatre:

Nina gave us the history facts: It is one of the principal opera houses of the world and the leading Italian house.  It was Built in 1776–78 by Empress Maria Theresa of Austria (whose country then ruled Milan)

 The theater’s repertoire is more varied than that of the other four or five leading opera houses. It tends to include a large number of unfamiliar works balanced by a limited number of popular favorites. Conductors are given control of casting and rehearsals. The composer Giuseppe Verdi (one of my favorites!) was closely associated with the house during the 19th century.

We walked the streets of the beautiful and busy city and arrived to the Sforza's Castle.

   

It was built in the 15th century by the Duke of Milan, on the remnants of a 14th-century fortification. Later renovated and enlarged, in the 16th and 17th centuries it was one of the largest citadels in Europe. Extensively rebuilt by Luca Beltrami, it now houses several of the city's museums and art collections.

In 1494 Ludovico Sforza became lord of Milan, and called on numerous artists to decorate the castle. These include Leonardo da Vinci (who frescoed several rooms)

  

After the unification of Italy in the 19th century, the castle was transferred from military use to the city of Milan. Parco Sempione, one of the largest parks in the city, was created on the former parade grounds.

The government of Milan undertook restoration works, directed by Luca Beltrami. The Via Dante was cut through the medieval street layout.

Allied bombardment of Milan in 1943, during World War II, severely damaged the castle. 

 

 

We now continued our tour and arrived to The next attraction, which is one of the items on my Bucket list: The Last Supper by De Vinci.

As I stood in front the beautiful and historic painting, I had tears in my eyes and had a huge wow moment.  The painting was overwhelming and amazing.

We were given a total of 15 minutes to view, breath-in and take unlimited pictures ("no flash please...").  At the beginning, the group was wandering around the painting. After 5-6 minutes we were asked to sit on the benches while Nina gave us great details about this wonder:

In 1495, Leonardo da Vinci began what would become one of history's most influential works of art - The Last Supper

The Last Supper is Leonardo's visual interpretation of an event chronicled in all four of the Gospels (books in the Christian New Testament). The evening before Christ was betrayed by one of his disciples, he gathered them together to eat, tell them he knew what was coming and wash their feet (a gesture symbolizing that all were equal under the eyes of the Lord). As they ate and drank together, Christ gave the disciples explicit instructions on how to eat and drink in the future, in remembrance of him. It was the first celebration of the Eucharist, a ritual still performed.

Specifically, The Last Supper depicts the next few seconds in this story after Christ dropped the bombshell that one disciple would betray him before sunrise, and all twelve have reacted to the news with different degrees of horror, anger, and shock.

Leonardo hadn't worked on such a large painting and had no experience in the standard mural medium of fresco. The painting was made using experimental pigments directly on the dry plaster wall and unlike frescoes, where the pigments are mixed with the wet plaster, it has not stood the test of time well. Even before it was finished there were problems with the paint flaking from the wall and Leonardo had to repair it. Over the years it has crumbled, been vandalized bombed and restored. Today we are probably looking at very little of the original. A fact that does not diminish the value and the beauty of this painting.

Much of the recent interest in the painting has centered on the details hidden within the painting, but in directing attention to these 'hidden' details, most people miss the incredible sense of perspective the work displays. The sharp angling of the walls within the picture, which leads back to the seemingly distant back wall of the room and the windows that show the hills and sky beyond. The type of day shown through these windows adds to the feeling of serenity that rests in the center of the piece, around the figure of Christ.    

Leonardo balanced the perspective construction of the Last Supper so that its vanishing point is immediately behind Christ's right temple, pointing to the physical location of the center, or sensus communis (a count for official purposes), of his brain. By pulling a string in radial directions from this point, he marked the table ends, floor lines, and orthogonal edges of the six ceiling coffer columns. From the right and/or left edge of the horizon line, he drew diagonal lines up to the coffer corners, locating points for the horizontal lines of the 12 coffer rows (Watch the painting and see if you could identify the above).

Leonardo was well known for his love of symmetry. In his Last Supper, the layout is largely horizontal. The large table is seen in the foreground of the image with all of the figures behind it. The painting is largely symmetrical with the same number of figures on either side of Jesus.

Reluctantly, we had to say goodbye to the beautiful painting, as the next group was awaiting to enter the room. We also said goodbye to Nina, as this was her last item in the tour.

We continued to our next attraction:  La Brera Neighborhood

We met with our new guide, Maria, in front of the Brera Museum, and were joined by 2 other people.  The museum has many famous paintings by famous artists.

As we entered the museum, Maria gave us a brief introduction. The Brera Art Gallery is the main public gallery for paintings in Milan. It contains one of the foremost collections of Italian paintings from the 13th to the 20th century.

it was formally founded in 1776, with Giuseppe Parini as dean, who had taught at the Academy for 20 years, until he was commissioned to lead the gallery. 

There are many famous paintings in the museum and the following paintings are just small examples:

Lamentation over the Dead Christ, by Andrea Mantegna

St. Mark Preaching in Alexandria, by Gentile Bellini and Giovanni Bellini

The Marriage of the Virgin, by Raffaello Sanzio (Raphael)

Madonna and Child with Saints, Angels and Federico da Montefeltro, by Piero della Francesca

The Kiss, by Francesco Hayez (My Favorite of them all!!)

According to Maria, The Kiss has been very popular among lovers for many years.  Every valentine Day the entrance to the museum is free for couples who want to kiss each other in front of the painting.

The tour lasted about 2 hours.  Maria mentioned that the neighborhood has one of the best restaurants in Milan, Osteria da Fortunata. We stood in line for a few minutes and then sat down to have a great dinner.

  

    

On our way back to our apartment, we revisited the Duomo, just to say goodbye.

Day 8 (November 6, 2022)

 

Lake Como

So today we decided to visit Lake Como.

We arrived at around 10 am, to one of Italy’s most beloved destinations. The scenery was fantastic. 

    

We stopped at a vista point and breathed in the spectacular views of the blue water, in the middle of mountain Alps ranges (some with snow at their summits); we were fascinated with the picturesque scenery, tiny villages, and glamorous fame.

Once we parked in the outskirt of Bellagio we went to the Tourists Information booth and got some great facts about the lake:

In the old days, the lake was called “Lario”, which means “deep place”. Lake Como is the deepest in Italy, which explains its ancient name. Lake Como’s depth is about 410 meters (1,345 feet).

There is another peculiarity about Lake Como – it has a unique design of inverted Latin letter Y. This form was obtained by the melting of powerful glaciers combined with the erosive action of the ancient river called Adda. Two separate branches of the lake were formed. The world-famous town Bellagio is located in the middle of the branches and this is where we were.

Como is known for the highest rainfall in Italy. Sometimes, the lake even overflows its banks.

          

We toured the magnificent Bellagio, and spent a couple of hours there.

Next, then boarded a ferry to cross the lake to the other side as we were headed to Cadenabbia di Griante, a favorite spring and autumn resort, owing to the great beauty of the scenery and of the vegetation, and its sheltered situation. It also serves as a health resort and a holiday place for travelers. A favored travel destination of the British since the 19th century, it is also the site of one of the first Anglican churches built in Italy (1891).

      

We walked the narrow and beautiful streets & alleys and had a typical Italian dinner (Pizza (Naples style) and pasta with salmon.)

We headed back to Milan and arrived late at night.

 

Day 9 (November 7, 2022)

 

Verona

We said goodbye to the city that inspired us to learn more about Italian art, and said hello to a gorgeous city and Shakespeare’s favorite: Verona.

We found a parking structure in the center of the city and thanks to a fantastic weather, started to explore the city by foot. 

   

 

Next to the parking structure the river Adige flowed peacefully.  We were heading to Casa Di Juliette.

    

When it comes to romance, some seem to prefer fantasy to reality. The house in Verona that has been billed as Juliet’s is on the whole fluff covered with touristic fairy dust. Shakespeare’s Juliet wasn’t based on a real person, and the house doesn’t have any relation to the story. Nevertheless, as a tourist with a young soul, you’ll always find some truth in the fantasy.  A big crowd of people from all over the world were already there.  The have come to Verona  to live the fantasy!

   

Next on our agenda was the Jewish Ghetto of Verona: Indirect sources date the first traces of Jewish presence in Verona to before the 10th Century. In the years following, the city became an important center for Jewish studies, hosting a number of prominent figures. In 1408 the government renewed their residence permit, which was linked to the business of money lending, and the group was assigned a district near Piazza delle Erbe, in the city. The 16th Century was a relatively prosperous period. The community (around four hundred people) had absorbed many Jews from the German region. Its activities now included trade and tailoring businesses and covered various areas of the city.

 Ghetto segregation was introduced in 1600, as a reaction to the excessive inter relationships (Jews & non Jews (that had arisen with the development of Jewish enterprises.) The ghetto area, situated between what are today Via Pellicciai and Via Mazzini, soon had to be expanded due to successive waves of migration that brought Sephardi Jews from Venice, fleeing from the Inquisition, from all over Europe. In the added block of houses, which took the name of Ghetto Nuovo (The New Ghetto), the newcomers formed their own community with a separate oratory.

The gates of the ghetto were demolished with the arrival of Napoleon’s troops in 1796. Under Austrian rule they were not reintroduced, but it was only after annexation to the Kingdom of Italy (1866) that full social equality was achieved.

All that is visible today of the ancient ghetto are a few remains that escaped the urban redevelopment works carried out in the area in the 1920's. These include the ‘tower-houses’ – typical of ghetto architecture – on the corner of Piazza delle Erbe and Via Mazzini.

We walked to the synagogue and found out it’s open only for Shabbat services.

  

The next attractions in Verona, were the Arena and City Hall areas:. Built in the first century AD, the arena is one of the best conserved Roman amphitheaters, whose seating area is made up of 44 levels and can hold up to 22,000 spectators!  It looks almost as a replica of the Coliseum in Rome.

  

We walked back to the car as we watched the huge wall around the city.

We returned to the car and headed to Venice where we met our next landlord of a beautiful AirBnB.  I can say that I probably have visited more than 150 Airbnb's in my lifetime.  I have never been so impressed as much as I did tonight.  The property plus the amenities (including 2 bus tickets to the island, bottle of red wine and a case of cold water in the refrigerator) plus the beautiful hosts mad this property to be the best in our journeys. (A real GEM!!!)

  

We had dinner at a great neighborhood Deli.

 

Day 10 (November 8, 2022)

Venice

 

Today we visited Venice (Venetzia, as I prefer call her).

Sunny skies and warm temps just added to the wonderful experience.

Our first stop on our agenda , after getting off the bus, was a self-tour of the Jewish Ghetto. We found the old ghetto, which consists of a square with homes and 2 synagogues, a couple of restaurants and a museum.  We headed to the museum and a young gentleman introduced himself as the museum manager gave us a “brief” history of the Ghetto:

              

In 1516 the Pope ordered the city of Venetzia to deport all Jews of the city.  Their crime was: lending money to the public and charging them interest, which was illegal in those days.  The city's officials decided to leave the Jews in the city, as they needed them to continue their trade,  but locked them inside walls from dusk till dawn, hence, they created a ghetto.  Napoleon made a stop to the ghetto in 1861 when he declared himself King of Italy and ordered the walls down and dismissed the lock downs.

          

Next on our agenda was St Mark’s Plaza (Piazza St. Marco), the city’s famous icon. This is the principal public square of the city, where it is generally known just as la Piazza ("the Square").

The square is dominated at its eastern end by St Mark's Basilica. It is starting from the west front of the church (facing the length of the piazza) and proceeding to the right.

  

We took our time in this visit ad walked up & down the piazza and made the following notes:

The church itself includes the whole of its western facade with its great arches and marble decoration, the Romanesque carvings around the central doorway and, the four horses which preside over the whole piazza and are such potent symbols of the pride and power of Venice that the Genoese in 1379 said that there could be no peace between the two cities until these horses had been bridled; four hundred years later, Napoleon, after he had conquered Venice, had them taken down and shipped to Paris.

  

The Piazzetta dei Leoncini is an open space on the north side of the church named after the two marble lions, but now officially called the Piazzetta San Giovanni XXIII. The neo-classic building on the east side adjoining the Basilica is the Palazzo Patriarcale, the seat of the Patriarch of Venice.

   

Beyond that is St Mark's Clock Tower (Torre dell'Orologio), completed in 1499, above a high archway where the street known as the Merceria (a main thoroughfare of the city) leads through shopping streets to the Rialto, the commercial and financial center. To the right of the clock-tower is the closed Church of San Basso.

   

To the left is the long arcade along the north side of the piazza, the buildings on this side are known as the Procuratie Vecchie, formerly the homes and offices of the Procurators of St Mark, high officers of state in the days of the republic of Venice. They were built in the early 16th century. The arcade is lined with shops and restaurants at ground level, with offices above. The restaurants include the famous Caffè Quadri (established in 1773), which was patronized by the Austrians when Venice was ruled by Austria in the 19th century, while the Venetians preferred Florian's on the other side of the piazza.

  

Turning left at the end, the arcade continues along the west end of the piazza, which was rebuilt by Napoleon and is known as the Ala Napoleonica (Napoleonic Wing). It holds, behind the shops a ceremonial staircase which was to have led to a royal palace but now forms the entrance to the Museo Correr.

The original Horses of Saint Mark located inside St Mark's Basilica (with modern replicas located outside).

Turning left again, the arcade continues down the south side of the Piazza. The buildings on this side are known as the Procuratie Nuove.

  

Opposite to this, standing free in the piazza, is St Mark's Campanile. Adjacent to the campanile, facing towards the church, is the small building known as the Loggetta del Sansovin used as a lobby by patricians waiting to go into a meeting of the Great Council in the Doge's Palace and by guards when the council was sitting.

   

From there we walked towards the Grand Canal, with its many bridges.

We had Pizza for lunch, in one of the many narrow alleys that we had strolled on and then walked towards a unique Book Store, known to be the most beautiful bookstore in the world.

        

In a quiet little alley not far from where we were, we found a beautiful and peculiar bookstore. This bookstore is called Acqua Alta and it is an amazing and unusual place due to its history, owner, appearance and contents. It also overlooks many of the city’s canals.

The bookshop was founded in 2004 by Luigi Frizzo, who was born in Vicenza, but became Venetian by adoption. He manages to represent Venice in a very unique and authentic way, thanks to his creativity and genius. The books, strange furnishings, cats (yes! stray cats) and of course, high water (“Acqua Alta”), found in his bookstore are all symbols of the city. To protect the many books from the water that gradually enters the shop; he uses gondolas, canoes, boats and barrels instead of shelves. He doesn’t rely on a digital catalog but he knows the entire inventory by heart.

We found the bus station and returned to our AirBnB.

Day 11 (November 9, 2022)

 

Florence

We started our day driving to the city of Florence.  I asked Google map to take us to “parking in the city’s center.  Once we exited the autostrade (highway in Italian), the car navigated an endless number of narrow streets and alleys but finally we arrived to to a parking spot right next to the Uffizi Gallery, at Piazza Della Signoria.

Not too long ago I was watching the Amazing Race (on CBS) and one of the legs was in Florence.  The players were sent to Piazzale Michaelangelo, a mountain top viewpoint of the entire city.  I knew then that I will visit the same spot, once I will arrive myself.  

We climbed a steep hill and braved the difficulty level.  The reward was a 360 degrees bird-view sight of the entire city.

I remembered one of the layers on the TV show saying that “Florence seen from above is a one in a lifetime experience. Not just a perfect photo opportunity, but a moment of wonder.”  He was right!!!

    

We were looking at the city that gave birth to incredible artists, amazing scientists and an enthralling history of discovery and power that has filled novels and movie theaters.

We found that Piazza truly offered a stupendous lookout over the city. There was also a copy of the statue David at the top of the mountain.

 

On the way down we stopped to takes some of photos of the Ponte Vecchio, a well known bridge over the Arno River

Lunch was next.  We found a cozy hole-in-the-wall pasta place in a narrow alley and lunch was just perfect.

  

We arrived to the landmark that everyone is associating with the city: the Duomo. Dominating the skyline, the Cathedral has become a true landmark.

We walked into the Piazza Della Signoria, next to the Uffizi and took photos of some famous statues.  (We decided to skip the Gallery, as we already paid it a half day visit a few years ago).

The streets of Florence are graced with amazing sculpture and artworks almost everywhere you look. But the jackpot of outdoor street art is the Piazza della Signoria. The piazza is filled with sculptures by the greatest artists of the Renaissance.

The Piazza is also the home of Palazzo Vecchio — the seat of Florence’s government and a museum. It’s the center of Florentine life and politics, a meeting spot buzzing with activity.

 

Many beautiful sculptures by Italy’s greatest artists are on display in front of the Palazzo Vecchio or adjacent to it, in the Loggia dei Lanza.  The loggia is a beautiful arched gallery built in the 14th century. It adjoins the famed Uffizi Gallery. Originally, the loggia was used to host public meetings and hold ceremonies. Later, it was transformed into an outdoor sculpture gallery.

We joined a English speaking tour in progress and here some of the famous statues that the guide introduced to us:

1. Donatello, Marzocco, 1416

The statue is a gray lion.

 

2. Donatello, Judith and Holofernes, 1454

portrays a violent biblical scene.

3. Michelangelo, David, 1504

When the Medici returned from exile, they replaced Judith and Holofernes with what is probably the world’s most famous sculpture, Michelangelo’s commanding statue of David.

David was originally commissioned for Florence Cathedral. The city intended to place the statue high above in a niche. But they decided that David was too beautiful for that location. Instead, David was placed outside the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio and the city adopted David as its mascot.

Michelangelo’s David shows the moment before the battle. In the biblical tale, David is an underdog, entering the battle with only 5 stones and slingshot against a Goliath double his size. As we all know, David wins the battle, saves Israel, and decapitates Goliath.  David remained in the Piazza della Signoria for 369 years. In 1873, David was moved inside to the Galleria dell’Accademia, one of Florence’s must see museums (we visited the galleria in 2005). A copy was put in its place, which you see today.

4. Cellini, Perseus, 1545-54

Cellini’s Perseus is one of the Renaissance’s most famous sculptures and is one of my favorite status.

Perseus tells the story of Perseus saving Athens from the petrifying glare of the Gorgon Medusa. 

In Cellini’s rendition of the myth, Perseus yields a sword to vanquish Medusa. Perseus stands triumphant; holding aloft Medusa’s severed head.

 5. Baccio Bandinelli, Hercules and Cacus, 1534

Have you ever heard of Bandinelli? I hadn’t. Commissioned by the Medici, this statue of Hercules and Cacus, the original, stands in a place of honor opposite David at the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio. 

6. Bartolomeo Amanatti, Neptune’s Fountain, 1563-65

7. Giambologna, Rape of the Sabines, 1583

Giambologna was the most important sculptor in Florence after Michelangelo. In fact, he was the greatest sculptor of the second half of the 16th century.

In this sculpture, Gaimbologna depicts the Rape of the Sabines, part of the foundation myth of Rome. Romulus and Remus were the founders of Rome. But they disagree about exactly where to live.

8. Giambologna, Cosimo de Medici Equestrian Monument, 1594

9. Giambologna, Hercules and the Centaur Nessus, 1599

This magnificent sculpture also sits in the Loggia dei Lanza. Impressively, it was carved from a single block of marble. It’s an evocative symbol of the strength of mortal man.

Note: I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to Florence’s beautiful Piazza!

 

  

We had a Gelato ice cream, then visited the statue of the bronze pig:

The Bronze Pig Fountain (or Il Porcellino, as the Italians call him, which means “the little pig.”),  is located to the side of the Mercato Nuovo.  He supposedly brings good luck when visitors rub his snout (hence the shiny part) and slides a coin from his mouth. The water washes the coin from the pig’s mouth and if it falls into the grate below, you will have good luck and you will be sure to return to Florence. I was happy when on my first try the coin went right through the grate. Tova had to try a few times but no harm in trying more than once. The coins are used to support a local orphanage.

We started our journey to Pisa.

 

When we arrived, we realize that since our Airbnb is located in the historic district, cars are not allowed in the promenade, where our apartment was located.  We found a parking lot (about a mile away) but had to schlep the entire belongings (2 luggage and 2 back packs and 2 loose bags) with us as a nice resident warned me that the parking lot is not safe and many gypsies plus African immigrants are having a field-day with tourists’ belonging.

The apartment’s locations was fantastic, near many cafe's and eateries and in the heart of the historic district.  We found a corner small restaurant and had an unbelievable dinner. 

Day 12 (November 10, 2022)

Pisa ==> Cinque Terre

Rain welcomed us this morning, but that didn't slow us down.

Our first stop was at the Leaning Pisa Tower, just half a mile away.

   

It is also called The Campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of Pisa Cathedral, and is known for its nearly four-degree lean, the result of an unstable foundation. The tower is one of three structures in the Pisa's Cathedral Square, Piazza del Duomo, which includes the cathedral and Pisa Baptistery.

We walked the grounds and took many photos and then took the city bus heading to the Pisa’s Central Train Station and bought train tickets to Cinque Terre.

Note: We already visited Cinque Terre a few years ago, as one of the cruises we have taken crossed the Atlantic and docked in Livorno. We joined few other passengers and then and arrived to this beautiful region of Italy. We knew then that half a day was not enough for a visit to this magnificent region and we vowed  that we will return here one day.

  

Cinque Terre is a string of 5 centuries-old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera Coastline. In each of the 5 towns, colorful houses and vineyards cling to steep terraces, harbors are filled with fishing boats, old homes turn out seafood specialties along with the region’s famous sauce: pesto. 

The Sentiero Azzurro Cliff Side hiking trail links the villages and offers sweeping sea vistas, but was closed for repairs.

   

   

Stunning views awaited us and we spent the day walking up and down the streets of this jewel of a town of Riomaggorie.

For lunch we stopped at Old School Restaurant in town, one of the best restaurants in the city with a terrace overlooking the Ligurian Sea. We loved this restaurant and enjoyed our waitress's sense of humor and service.

We returned to Pisa in the evening.

 

Day 13 (November 11, 2022)

Rome

 

We woke up early and headed to the Capital of Italy, Rome. We returned the car to Avis at the FCO airport location, also picked up 2 pieces of luggage that we left in storage at terminal 3.  These luggage had clothing for the next leg of our trip: a 28 days cruise!

By 1:00 pm we met our new Airbnb owner, Simona, who also arranged for our transportation, and received the keys to our new home for the next 3 days. The place is located in a residential neighborhood at the heart of the city, with lots of cafés and restaurants.

   

We headed out and walked, for about 20 minutes, to St. Peter's Cathedral in Vatican City where we found out that the queue to the entrance of Michelangelo glorious paintings The Sistine Chapel has moved since our last visit in 2005, and is now 10 minutes away as part of the museum.

We walked to the museum and joined a queue of hundreds of visitors to a self-guided tour.

  

We saw hundreds of paintings, statues and other artifacts, including a collection from ancient Egypt.

   

We passed the long hallway of the maps (amazing!) and also the 5 rooms with paintings of Rafael.

    

We finally reached the climax of the day: The Sistine Chapel.

Many people mistaken when they think that this the 16th chapel and also misspell the name. In a fact, the chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV who was pontiff from 1471 until 1484.

Since that time, the chapel has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity. Today, it is the site of the papal conclave, the process by which a new Pope is selected. The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescoes that decorate the interior, most particularly the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment, both by Michelangelo.

The Sistine Chapel is located in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. Originally known as the Capella Magna ('Great Chapel').

    

Between 1508 and 1512, under the patronage of Pope Julius II, Michelangelo painted the chapel's ceiling, a project which changed the course of Western art and is regarded as one of the major artistic accomplishments of human civilization.

We stayed in the chapel for a long hour, trying to follow the story from the book of Genesis and the history events afterward.

Light rain welcomed us when we exited to the street.

Total steps for today was 17,500

Day 14 (November 12, 2022)

Rome

 

Today we decided to take a guided tour of the Jewish Ghetto (Do you see a trend here?) in Rome.  We met our guide, Joe, next to The Victor Emmanuel Monument building or The Wedding Cake, as it is called by the people of Rome.

  

A procession was taking place to honor the 19th anniversary of the death of the 12 Italian in Nasiriyah, Iraq. We later recalled that the 2003 Nasiriyah bombing was a suicide attack on the Italian police headquarters in the city, on 12 November 2003. The attack resulted in the deaths of 18 Italian service members, mostly members of the MSU Carabinieri, an Italian civilian, and 9 Iraqi civilians and was the worst Italian military disaster since the Second World War.

   

Our first stop, with our tour guide was at Via Margana where we watched some homes and then we proceeded to the Old Theater located in the historic center of Rome.  It looked like the Colosseum. In reality, the theater was built earlier than the Colosseum as construction was commissioned by Julius Caesar.

   

The Jewish Ghetto's southern wall was next to the theater and we entered the ghetto.  We stood in front of Tempio Maggiore di Roma.(The Great Synagogue of Rome).

Today was Saturday and we saw many dedicated Jews around the synagogue all well dressed.

Not far from there we stood in a street with few kosher restaurants and a bakery known to bake the best cheesecakes in Italy.

We walked the streets and Joe had pointed out to the heavy security in the Jewish neighborhood claiming "this is the safest place to live in the city.“   He reminded us about the terror attack by a group of Palestinians who stormed the same synagogue in October 1982 in the middle of the New Year prayers killing a 5 years old kid. Ever since then, the police department has taken over the task of protecting the lives of the residents and synagogue goers there.

The official tour of the ghetto almost ended there but we continued, entering Campo di Fiori where we saw a tile on the street and inscribed in Hebrew reminding us about burning of Jewish books of Talmud in that site in 1553.  

   

We stopped next to the tile and the market and joe told us that Campo di Fiori, also known as "Field of flowers" is one of the main squares of Rome. It is lively both during the day; with its flowers, fruits and vegetables market, and by night; when the terraces are packed with people.  the piazza was paved in 1456 by Pope Callixtus III as part of his greater project to improve the Rione Parione (Rome's  6th Administrative District). 

Joe then told us about the Hebrew plaques at the center of the piazza: In 1553 Pope Julius III ordered the destruction of the Talmud, a sacred text for the Jewish people, and in September of that year the same pontiff publicly burned several copies of the book seized in the previous days in a huge bonfire in the middle of the piazza. . In 2011 the Chief Rabbi of Rome,  inaugurated a plaque in the same square in memory of what happened that day.

The statue of Giordano Bruno was there also; at the same spot where Bruno was burnt to death by the church for “the crime” of believing and following the belief of Galileo that the world was round.

   

We ended the tour in Piazza Trastevere, one of Rome's most colorful areas that is often referred to as a "real Roman neighborhood." Its name translates to "beyond the Tiber" and refers to its location on the west bank of the Tiber (or Tevere in Italian).

    

We thanked Joe as we stood in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere and next to 2 fountains; one of them was the oldest in the city.

We had lunch at Carlo Menta, a popular eatery in piazza and then headed to Piazza Venezia for some shopping.

     

On the way "home" we stopped at a courtyard of a gallery just to take some photos of the amazing garden and then passed by the Pantheon, famous for being the most preserved monument of ancient Rome. It was constructed as a temple dedicated to the Gods and became the burial ground for several important people including famous artists and kings.

  

Once we got home, we rested for about an hour and then went downstairs and to the local pizzeria, that we spotted yesterday, and had the best pizza (We actually consumed 2 of them!) in our trip thus far.

My “steps” app informed me that today we passed the 20,900 steps mark!

 

Day 15 (November 13, 2022)

Rome

 

For our last day in Rome, we decided to take the Classical Tour.

Once again we woke up early and walked to the "Wedding Cake" or by its official name, the Victor Emanuel Palace.  It was around 8:30 in the morning when we arrived and the site was empty of tourists.  2 security guards were busy in directing the traffic as a major event that took place in the streets of the city this morning: The Rome Marathon.

   

         

We climbed the (many) steps to the summit where the Capitolini Museum was located. An exhibition of the Italian Mafia has been featured in the museum. 

    

We entered a huge church to take some more pictures inside of it. I saw an old priest leaning down on his knees at one of the chambers while saying his morning prayers.  The interior of the church was very rich with gold and so beautiful.

We wandered the streets until 12 when we met our new guide, Pedro, next to the palace. Pedro was an expert on the early life of the city and told us about Ancient Rome and the history of Italy. We then walked to the Forum and heard some more about the Roman heritage. Our last stop was at the Colosseum, where the tour ended.

           

 

+

    

We walked back to the Jewish Ghetto to find the Jewish Bakery, that we saw yesterday, but found out that it was closed, due to a death in the family.

We decided to take a walk back to our neighborhood (Trastevere) and we managed to find a good restaurant.  Dinner was amazing.

    

Total steps for today was 18,100 (not too shabby)

Total steps in Rome since last Friday (2.5 days) has been 56,750!

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