Italy May 29 to June 21
We had a wonderful three and a half weeks in Italy. It all started when Cheryl and Rod Millar asked if we would like to join them and our friends Rodney Andreychuk and Richard Malone for a week in Tuscany. Since Dean has seen very little of Italy and Roland has not been to Tuscany since the 70's, we readily agreed. Then we mentioned that we might continue to the Amalfi coast, Cheryl said that we could join them there. That would have been our 2 week max for our vacations. However, Cheryl suggested that as long as we were there we should join them a week before on the Italian Riviera and we agreed. Since neither of us had been to Rome we added another 3 days in Rome before we returned, way over our 2 week limit.
It was a spectacular trip. Cheryl's Italian, her familiarity with Italy and her incredible travel planning skills made it also one of the easiest trips we have ever made. Our first week on the Italian (Liguria) Riviera in Bogliasco was very unique.
It is actually a small suburb between Genoa and Portofino overlooking the Mediterranean. It has no major hotels and everything, butcher shop, fish market, green grocer, train stations, etc. is a short walk. Our narrow 3 story townhome was on a cliff over the water with a swimming hole just below. The address was 4 Romano Antica (the old Roman road to Rome). As this is an annual stay for Cheryl and Rod they are well known by everyone and we got special treatment everywhere we went. Bogliasco Photos
After a week in Bogliasco we flew to Naples to meet a car to be driven to Praiano on the Amalfi coast. Praiano is located between Positano and Amalfi.
Cheryl and had stayed there several times before and found this new place that sounded wonderful and it was. The only downside was that it was 130+ steps down from the street and the way up seemed like many more. It was another 100 or so down the swimming hole and boat dock to meet boats for rides to Positano, Capri, and Amalfi, except we took a car to Amalfi because of a forecast for rain. Our legs and lungs got great workouts each day. We enjoyed our excursions but we were always glad to get back to our villa and leave the crowded narrow streets which were overflowing with the tourists. Praiano Photos
On June 11 we were driven to Montefollonico in the Siena region of Tuscany. Montefollonico developed on its hilltop between the 12th and 13th centuries and is surrounded by its still mostly intact walls that were added during the following century.
The town enjoys spectacular views in all directions. From there we could see many of the nearby towns that we visited, including Pienza (known for its linen), Montepulciano,and Montalcino (known for their delicious wines). All were quaint old walled hilltop villages offering beautiful views and quaint narrow streets and lots of tourists.
Montefollonico is home of one of Italy's best known cooking schools and restaurants, La Chiusa. We attended a private cooking lesson there by the chef, Dania.We cooked a Tuscan chicken dish, made pici pasta and ravioli, cooked zucchini blossoms, made risotto, and made caramel sauce for ice cream among other dishes. At the end we enjoyed eating all of it in the garden under the chestnut trees wearing the grape vine garlands that Dania made for us. Rodney and Richard left for their Budapest to Amsterdam river cruise on the 16th.
One of the highlights was the day we stayed in Montefollonico having lunch and relaxing in the small garden pavilion of our apartments while enjoying the wonderful views. Montefollonico Photos
On the 18th we drove to the Rome airport where Rod and Cheryl left for London and we took a car to our hotel.
Spent the afternoon and the next 2 days wandering the streets, taking a golf cart tour, and shopping. Our favorite spot was the rooftop bar of our hotel with its incredible views of the Forum and surrounding ruins. Rome Photos