Highlife – JenandAlsbigItalianadventure

September 25, 2020

A Short Break in Verona

As part of our plan to see as much of Italy as possible during Al’s extended days off we booked a break in Verona. It’s just less than an hour by train from Bologna on the intercity train service. We chose an Airbnb in the old town, close to the river with aircon as we had suffered from over a week of poor sleep in Bologna due to the heat. The Covid 19 virus had once again taken its toll on the number of usual visitors and we were able to take advantage of lower accommodation costs although Verona had more tourists than other places we have visited recently. We mostly heard German and French accents with one or two Italians from other regions asking advice about local produce.

Verona has a long history of involvement in the arts, particularly music; from the Roman Amphitheatre which still hosts live performances including at least one Opera Festival, to the old castle that now houses an art museum with plenty in between. It’s also the setting for two Shakespeare plays “Romeo and Juliet” and “Two Gentlemen of Verona”. It is fair to say that the Shakespeare influence is evident in many shop names such as “The merchant of Venice” and tourist sites like “Juliet’s house” ,complete with legendary balcony, “Romeo’s house” and “Juliet’s tomb”. However, it has plenty of other things to recommend it too.

Where is it?

Verona is in the region of Veneto in the north of Italy, west of Venice and close to Lake Garda. Its location means that the air here is fresher than in Bologna and many people stop here on their way to the Italian lakes or to cross the borders into France or Switzerland, which are close by.

What to see?

Verona is one of the main tourist destinations of the region because of its many attractions, its 2,000 year history and important location. Its magnificent architecture and city structure were awarded UNESCO world heritage site status.

The Arena

Built in Roman times one of the few remaining arena in Italy. It is an impressive structure and there are information boards giving the history of the arena, various adjustments and extensions to it and the many uses it has had over the years before being renovated to be used as an Opera and live music venue. Sadly, there were no opera performances scheduled while we were there, but you could look around during the day (except Mondays) which is what we did. If you walk to the top of the stands you get an interesting view over Verona but be warned, in the heat of the day it can be a dizzying experience.

Juliet’s House

This tourist favourite still attracted a lengthy queue every day despite the low overall tourist numbers. You can see the famous balcony from the entrance, but you need to go in to get your selfie and visit Juliet’s house museum. We went when the queue was shortest and only waited 10 minutes or so. The museum boasts historically relevant themes over 9 rooms, but some of them were closed when we visited, although this was not reflected in the price. However, it was not expensive and given that Juliet is a fictional character we went more for the experience than the learning opportunity.

Castelvecchio (The old castle)

The old castle is interesting because it is now an art gallery showing a great collection of art from an extensive period in history. It is organized into time periods which allows you to see how art in general, and religious art in particular, has changed over time. There is also quite an impressive armoury: swords, lances and suits of armour etc. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really retain any of the detail from when it was a home or mention much about the history of the castle itself and who lived there, unless I missed it.

The Adige River

The old part of the city is almost encircled by the river so there are a number of picturesque and important bridges uniting the old city with other areas. It is well worth planning a meander across of few of them to get an alternate view of the city and see some other parts away from the main tourist spots.

Giardino Giusti

The house and gardens of Giardini Giusti are well worth a visit. There are only a couple of rooms in the villa open to the public but they are sumptuously decorated and evocative of an earlier time. The gardens themselves are beautifully laid out with paths all around. Sadly the lion’s head no longer breathes fire, but you can climb up the tower in the cliff face to emerge in the “secret” garden on top, with excellent views of the city. You can get guides from the ticket office for both the garden and the open rooms.

Where to Eat?

Here are our top tips for Verona, all personally sampled and recommended.

Breakfast

Pasticceria Flego

Great range of Brioche in a local institution.

Aperitivo/lunch

Osteria Caffe Monte Baldo

Impressive range of wine as well as cocktails and a great Aperitivo. We came here for a glass of local wine when we first arrived and it was so good we came back for Aperitivo. Staff are patient and friendly.

Osteria del bugiardo

Wine, tagliere and secondi. We had their Valpolicella and it was great.

Antica Bottega del Vino

Traditional restaurant serving local classics such as Risotto con Amarone. It has an extensive wine list including several pages devoted to local the local wine Valpolicella. A uniquely Veronese establishment. I don’t think a visit to Verona can be complete without a stop here.

Maratonda – Craft beer pub

Good range of local and international craft ales.

Terrazza Bar Al Ponte

Aperitivo, cocktails with a view over the river

Dinner

Hosteria Vecchia Fontanina

Traditional food, slow service, large portions. Staff were excellent despite being busy.

Locanda 4 Cuochi

A more modern innovative approach to Italian cooking. We had the tasting menu and it was delightful. The staff were attentive and friendly.

Summary

Our main take away from Verona was a new found appreciation for Valpolicella. We drank a few excellent examples and found people who were happy to give advice on what to look for and how to choose the best one to suit you. We would like to have gained an appreciation of Amarone too, but with prices starting at €60 a bottle, this was out of our budget.

Verona is a very beautiful city with excellent local cuisine. Although there are places which cater to the tourists you can also find delightful local dishes such as the risotto Amarone, duck ragù and horse stew. Its historical strategic importance to multiple empires means there are many unique features and stories to uncover. We didn’t have time to see everything we wanted to so we hope to return soon.

June 17, 2020

A Day out in Modena

This week we decided to use the recent lifting of regional movement restrictions and to take advantage of Al’s days off by going to Modena.

A very short description of Modena

Modena is a city in the region Emilia Romagna. There has been a settlement here since 187BC and the Duomo, which was built 1000 years ago, is included in the UNESCO world heritage site that can be explored in Grande Piazza. There is a long standing rivalry between Bologna and Modena as they used to be competing city states, typical of neighbouring cities and towns the world over. There was a series of battles known as the war of the Bucket (1325) when the opposing factions fought each other. The Modenese fighters took a bucket from Bologna as a trophy and it (or one meant to replicate it) is on display in the Torre della Ghirlandia to this day.

Modena is the home of Balsamic vinegar, but not the stuff you can buy from the supermarket in the UK, the product here is produced from grape must, thick and sweet and takes at least 12 years to ferment, using a centuries old process. You only need to use a tiny amount, let down with olive oil which is good news as even a small bottle will set you back, but it should last for years. Modena and the area immediately surrounding it has a large number of products of either DOP (products of a protected origin) or IGP (products with a protected region) meaning that you cannot buy the same product anywhere else. The city’s proximity to Bologna means that many of the regional dishes are the same, but there are some interesting variations to look out for.

Modena is also home to Lambrusco (sparkling red wine), Ferrari and Maserati cars as well as the world famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

How to get to Modena

Modena is about 38 km from Bologna and easily accessible by rail or car. On the train from Bologna it can take between 17 and 29 minutes depending on whether you get the slower regional train or the faster Freccia Rossa and the tickets are priced to reflect this. On this occasion we drove and chose to go via the slower, toll free roads, which are more picturesque. Like many Italian cities, the centre of Modena is covered by a ZTL (traffic limitation zone) where cars are either not permitted to enter at all or are extremely restricted. The fines for infringement of the ZTL are high and its possible to get more than one in a day so be careful if you are driving about. A brief amount of research meant that I was able to get a map of the Modena ZTL and find a free car park outside it. Modena is a compact city so parking outside the centre is not a problem. Our free car park was next to the stadium, from where it is a 10 minute pleasant walk to the Grande Piazza.

What to eat?

The Italian version of the tourist information site of Modena lists an ideal Modenese menu; starting with salumi (sliced cured meats), followed by tortelloni stuffed with pork, prosciutto and Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan cheese). They also recommend Zampone or Cotechino, which are local types of cured sausage, but they are not for the faint hearted. They are true to the concept of nose to tail eating in that they contain some of the parts of the animal that we don’t usually, knowingly, consume. For my tastes they are too greasy and too gristly. Al, on the other hand, really likes them. After the sausages they recommend slices of Parmigiano Reggiano with a small quantity of local balsamic vinegar and all washed down with a bottle of the local Lambrusco. You may have heard of Lambrusco before and even have an opinion about it but I urge you to put that aside and try it in Modena. It’s a delicious sparkling ruby red wine and my friend Jess is particularly partial to a glass or two when she visits. The meal is finished with some local cherries or other fruits or something called Zuppa Inglese, a kind of firm custard, served with Amaretti biscuits.

As we were only having lunch we were not looking for a full set of courses and had a recommendation from a friend. Ristretto is found in a narrow alley a short distance from the Duomo. Although the weather forecast was bleak and the skies were grey, we opted to sit outside on one of the tables along the alley. The menu was short but it was still hard to choose. In the end we had passatelli with prosciutto crudo in a parmesan cream sauce. Passatelli is a pasta made from breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. We accompanied it with a glass of dry white wine. The meal was delicious and they are noted for their wine selection so I highly recommend eating there.

The unassuming entrance to Osteria Francescana

I couldn’t possibly talk about food without referencing Modena’s 3 Michelin starred restaurant, the Osteria Francescana, owned by Massimo Bottura. It has been listed in the top 5 at the World’s Best Restaurants since 2010. Al is a huge fan of Massimo Bottura, his approach to cooking and his focus on minimising waste and increasing sustainability and although I would like to say that we have eaten there, as yet, we have not been so fortunate. However, we did slope past to have a look at the outside. Eating here is a once in a lifetime event and you need to book a long time in advance i.e. they are currently booking for tables in January 2021. The 12 course tasting menu costs €290 with the wine pairing €190 on top. We were fortunate enough to eat in Thomas Keller’s French Laundry pop up in Harrods a couple of years ago so I’m sure that it would be worth it, but it’s just a little out of reach at the moment.

Fast Cars and Opera Stars

Ferrari’s are not made in Modena any more, the works having transferred operations to nearby Maranello, however there is the Museum of Enzo Ferrari, in the original factory, where they have a nice selection of cars for you to drool over and, for those who know about these things, a hall of engines. The trident of Maserati was modelled on the trident on the statue of Neptune in Bologna as Maseratis were made in Bologna for a while. It is interesting to think that the origins of motor racing and the Grand Prix were on the roads around here.

You can also visit the House of Luciano Pavarotti at the gates of the city. He lived in this house for the last 9 years of his life. He had a passion for horses and bred them here as well as holding an annual horse contest. Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit on this occasion.

I would highly recommend Modena for a weekend break or a day trip or even as a base to explore the wider region. It is very beautiful and an easy city to navigate on foot. There are plenty of cafes and bars for you to stop at when you need a break and interesting museums and churches to investigate.

Lion at the entrance to the Duomo on Grande Piazza

June 1, 2020

Ravenna

To celebrate being able to travel within the region and to get a change of scenery we decided to go to Ravenna, a small city in Emilia Romagna close to the Adriatic Sea, about an hour’s drive from Bologna. We wanted to get out and see other towns and the car needed to have a decent run before it was pressed back into commuter service this week.

Why Ravenna?

We chose Ravenna because we have a friend, Esther, who lives there that we have been threatening to visit for some time, before the lockdown made it impossible. It is believed to be more than 2000 years old and is the spot where Julius Caesar gathered his forces to cross the Rubicon. Eight of the churches form part of a UNESCO world heritage site regarding Early Christianity. It’s famous for the ornate mosaics that adorn several its building interiors and for being the location of Dante’s tomb. Although Museums and Galleries are now allowed to open, many in Ravenna had chosen not to, so we were not able to see inside many of these sites on this visit.

Out in the Countryside

On the way to Ravenna we chose to go off toll road so we could see more of the country. Once you get beyond the hills of Bologna (part of the Apennines) the land opens into a huge flat belt called the Po valley. You could see for miles. When you see open land like this it reminds you why hedgerows are such a distinctive feature of the British landscape. Here are scant hedges, walls or fences. There are some border ditches, but this may be as much for irrigation as land ownership demarcation. The land here is agricultural as you might expect from a flat plain. There were farms all along the route with groves of fruit trees or vineyards. The roads here are slower particularly when you go through towns, so our journey took an hour and a half.

Quiet streets

Ravenna is an incredibly beautiful city and despite the museums and galleries being closed we were perfectly happy walking around the streets, which were noticeably quiet and uncrowded. It meant we could take our time looking at whatever we wanted and taking photos. I didn’t think to record everything I was taking photos of so some of my images are not captioned. We assiduously practiced social distancing and wore our masks while we were walking around. We were very conscious that we did not want to risk getting the virus at this stage nor spreading it here. Esther is keen to travel to see her father who is back home in Holland as soon as possible so like us she did not want to take any chances.

Lunch

Obviously, we couldn’t possibly have visited without stopping to have lunch. Esther recommended a restaurant and we went to see if we would be able to get in. Ca’ de Ven is a lovely traditional enoteca, cantina and restaurant. We were able to get a table immediately because it was quiet. Our masked waiter led us in, past other masked staff some with full face shields. Inside diners sit at long wooden tables in a large hall with a vaulted ceiling. The tables, which would usually seat six comfortably were marked with where you were able to sit to maintain social distancing. We had a whole table to ourselves, two on one side with a chair between and one on the other. Al and Esther chose from the specials menu while I chose something traditional. I could have kicked myself afterwards because I have been craving fish for ages, but it’s quite expensive to buy in Bologna and this was the perfect place to have had some. Never mind, the meals were delicious as was the wine. Esther told us that this restaurant was usually busy with office staff on their lunch breaks and she was surprised to find it so empty on a weekday.

This has been in line with our experience of Bologna, things are opening back up, but many people are choosing to stay away. I think most people have dropped the eating and drinking out culture that is their usual mode and like us they are selecting maybe one or two venues a week to meet up with a small group of friends for a drink or a meal. The rest of the time remaining at home and keeping up with other protective measures.

The Beach

We decided to go home via the beach as we had not seen the sea in 5 months. It was trickier to get to than we had anticipated and necessitated driving through a foul smelling Industrial zone. Beaches here are still closed but were merely going to ease our minds with the sight of the swell, not planning on a dip. In our experience many Italian beaches have resorts where you need to pay for beach access or a sun lounger, there doesn’t seem to be very much in terms of the public access beaches we are used to in the UK. We parked up when we could see signs and walked along an access road though a lovely wood. At the end of the road there were two resorts, but with cordons across their entrances. There were, unsurprisingly, not many people around and most of those we saw were employees of the resort restaurants gearing up for evening service. The beach itself was sandy and seemed pleasant enough, but out to sea there were industrial buildings and rigs. Nonetheless, the waves pounded gently on the shore and together with the salt air gave us the familiar reassurance we were looking for, so we headed back to the car and home.

March 31, 2019March 31, 2019

Wednesday 6th March – Saint Maxime to Bordighera

A beautiful morning saw us make a coffee stop in Cannes where we were planning on following the trail of celebrity handprints, but most of them were included in an area being set up surrounding the conference centre and were not accessible. We bought crepes to go with our coffee and ate them overlooking the marina. Then back into the van and to lunch in Nice.

Al found a couple of lunch options from “Where Chef’s eat” and although the first one was closed the 2^nd did not disappoint. La Rossettisserie, Nice is a small restaurant (at this time of year, I believe there is a nearby dining room for peak times) where you pick 1 item from the 4 meat options and 1 option from the accompaniments. I had roast pork with ratatouille while Al had roast veal with mashed potato. The walls are covered in the comments of grateful customers. Al declared it one of the best meals he had ever eaten.

Roast Pork
Roast Veal

Next stop was Monaco, here we found a lot of renovation work to the extent that billboards with images of the sea blocked the view to the actual sea because there was building work on the shore. Even the world famous street racing circuit for the grand prix had been dug up, presumably to allow for resurfacing before the race later this year. We were able to recognise and photograph some of the iconic landmarks and to get into the marina to admire the yachts and superyachts. We had a drink in a marina facing bar before trekking back to the van and heading for Italy

From La Ciotat to Monte Carlo we had mostly followed the coast road (although the sat nav was fighting us on it) which meant that we hugged the cliffs and mountains, going up and down on winding roads to get into and out of each coastal resort. Al was doing all of this on the other side of the road in a right hand drive van. Crossing the border was less of a marker than we anticipated. I sat with passports in hand as we entered a tunnel in France and emerged in Italy, unsure of what checks, if any, there would be from one Schengen country to another and the answer, none at all.

We arrived in Bordighera as the sun was setting. We had booked our hotel, Astoria, during the Monte Carlo stop and we were pleased to find that once again, we had a balcony. The hotel was fairly central so we popped to a bar to consider our options and were pleased to have aperitivo* delivered with the drinks, ah Italy! Al had found the details of a restaurant up the hill and after a steep climb we found it in the back streets. Ristorante Magiarge specialised in wine, so we treated ourselves to a bottle and ate their tasting menu, the food was fantastic.