Oleggio, Malpensa (near the airport and 60km from Milano)

We arrived this afternoon in Oleggio to catch our flight tomorrow morning. We really didn't know what to expect as this booking was really just to make it easier to fly home tomorrow. Well we got more than we would have hoped for. After a toasted sandwich at a roadside stop opposite the hotel, I asked the waitress for a local trattoria as there's basically nothing obviously near the hotel. Through broken Italian she recommended a small establishment just 5 minutes around the corner. We followed her directions to find the very uncommercial but beautiful township of Oleggio. We had a look around, came back to retrieve the camera, returned and even had a delicious last Italian meal in a tiny bar. Oleggio still adheres to the siesta so things closed from about 1:00pm until 3:30 - 4:00pm - very civilized as everything then comes alive. I think I could get Oleggio on the map with a few of my photos!

The first view of the town when we knew that we'd found somewhere special!

 

We had a look inside the church of Sts Peter and Paul. A stunning neoclassical church. A funeral began soon after for a local Nazione Alpini member. Many of the attendees wore their Alpini Tirola hats with the long feathers.

The main piazza.

You know that I love a window and this shot could be Oleggio's postcard.

The local formaggio shop window.

Oleggio at night.

The main piazza.

The bell tower and a typical street.

Ciao Italia! Ti amo!

Posted with Blogsy

San Gimignano, Tuscany!

We had such a big day yesterday that I couldn't load everything we did, so here are the final photos from the Firenze leg of our trip. These photos are of the 13th century walled town of San Gimignano. It's like the set from a 3 musketeers movie or the backdrop to the Assassin's Creed game. The main feature of this town is the towers. Reputedly San Gimignano, originally had 100 towers. Now there are only 13 towers with only one open to the public. San Gimignano was a town on the pilgrimage route from Canterbury, England to Rome in Italy. The town acquired great wealth as a pilgrim stop. To demonstrate their wealth families began building bigger and better towers than their neighbors. Today only a small number survive, but they're still very impressive.

The photo above is. View of Tuscany from the walls of the town.

The main gate.

The town even boasted a torture museum!

The shops were all so quaint with beautiful window displays.

Chianti is the most famous wine of the region. We managed a special wine and olive oil tasting at the of the day at a local winery. The bottles below we're VERY old - check the dust!

Towers everywhere!

This was the main local well.

Leaving by the main gate, we say arrivaderci to San Gimignano! Tomorrow we're off to Milano and our final day before flying home. One more blog post to go.

Posted with Blogsy

Monteriggioni, Siena, San Gimignano & Chianti

Our last full day in Firenze, we decided to venture out with a full day tour into the Tuscan countryside. Our first stop was Monteriggioni. This hilltop, fortress dates back to the 13th century and is fairly much the same way as it was then. The town is fully walled with barely 8000 people in the greater town.

These walls were built back in 1213 and run completely around the town.

The main gate.

The southern gate.

And just because you know I love a good door photo!

From Monteriggoni our next stop was Siena. Siena has become. UNESCO heritage listed town. You can easily see why!

This is the main Piazza del Campo where the annual prestigious horse race, Palio, is held each year. The magnificent Palazzo Pubblico with its Torre del Mangia dominates on the right side.

The buildings below wrap around the Piazza.

This fountain lies in the Piazza. It has some very bold pigeons!

This view shows the Siena Duomo with the Basilica of St John to the right.

Some of the famous Siena Panforte. I bought a slice of the chocolate variety!

Italy has some of the best door knockers I've ever seen.

And finally a gorgeous Sienese bakery.

The Siena Duomo (cathedral) was next.

 

This Duomo had wonderful marble floors - even better than Firenze's.

This is the main Capella dome.

Below is the main altar.

The sacrist area was a huge room with amazing frescoes over the ceiling and walls done br Rafaello. One features a very young Michaelangelo.

 

That's Michaelangelo on the left with his hand on his hip.

 

These huge music books lined the walls. They possessed gregorian style chants and hymns.

Michelangelo did these statues just prior to beginning the famed statue of David in Firenze.

 

We had a wonderful lunch at a little trattoria in Siena - bread, ground reggiano, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, creamy tomatoey chants pasta, cold meats, cheese and copious amounts of the local Chianti and all for €11!!!

We also did San Gimignano. I'll post those photos soon.

Arrived eric!

Posted with Blogsy