Tuscany and The Italian Alps

3rd – 15th February 2008 Still Italy (Tuscany to the Alps)

If you’re interested in more pics, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/findthebinghams/37MoreItaly

As a change from cities and busy people, we spent 4 days on the edge of Lake Bolsena, north of Rome, in a lovely medieval village (Marta) – very peaceful with lovely views. In rain, hail and glorious sun, we watched fishing boats, ducks and lapping water, did some sewing and made occasional forays into other towns around the lake, with great castles and hilly little streets. The tiny, but well-used chapel of miracles was hidden underneath the belltower.









Tuscany is an absolute delight; rolling countryside with undulating fields and neat lines of cypress. Just like all the postcards. The medieval hilltop towns are fascinating – Montepulciano is set on a long ridge, 600m high with splendid views.

We’ve also been cycling again, along tracks around the beautifully manicured Tuscan fields and very tidy haystacks, to find the Roman Baths at Bagno Vignoni – nearly the same size as the village itself!

Siena tries to deter visitors by charging €20 to park (we didn’t pay). The 12th Century walled city is a UNESCO Site and has the expected narrow cobbles streets – not as attractive as some we’ve seen, but its Cathedral is just magnificent. Its facade is a pleasure, beautiful colours and so elegant. Inside, the 56 unique sgraffito marble floor panels are fantastic. As for its Libreria Piccolomini, well, I could have spent hours there, marvelling at both the room and its contents – brightly coloured frescos decorate walls and ceiling, and it houses superb 15th Century illuminated music

manuscripts which are so exquisitely painted. The cross swans were great.

The Marina di Pisa was a great place to stop, right on the sea front, from where we saw dolphins - and an interesting fishing mechanism in use (see pic). Hot sunshine brought out all the Italian campervans for the weekend, and everyone did their ‘passegiata’ along the walkways – fun to observe!

The first thing we did when we saw Pisa’s Leaning Tower was laugh - it looks so ludicrous! Actually it’s a lovely building, set in a large piazza of other lovely structures, like the Duomo and Baptistery (also leaning). It’s about 4.5m out of vertical and feels rather weird walking up inside – you don’t know which way to lean!

Proper campsites are few and far between, although many towns and villages organise Aree di Sosta for campervans to stay overnight. No facilities really, but often free. Some are in spectacular surroundings!

We decided to save Florence for another trip – too much energy required! So we’re now in the Italian Alps, at Champoluc, where we first came skiing in the van 7 years ago. It hasn’t changed. The weather is glorious and the snow is great, so we’re here for 10 days or so, enjoying the slopes and the scenery.

Next stop, New Zealand! So next blog will be from there, in a couple of weeks.

North and South Italy

25th Jan – 2nd Feb, 2008 More Italy and Heather

Other pics at http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/findthebinghams/36ItalyBlogPics

Pompeii was everything and more - what an absolutely fantastic, amazing place! We were completely overwhelmed (and exhausted ) after 6 hours walking along the boulder flag-stoned streets, round the remains of theatres, shops, bread ovens, taverns, sports grounds and sumptuous villas and gardens. We marvelled at its 2000 year old infrastructure (fresh water plumbing, drains, rubbish, baths, brothels) and at its standard of living. We also rather liked the Ancient Roman idea of working hard to achieve a state of ‘otium’ (idleness)...

Herculaneum was smaller, but its finer state of preservation gives a much better impression of buildings and ordinary life. Houses retained their second storey, with richly decorated walls and mosaics. We even saw 2000 year old window glass still in situ, and wooden window frames with iron grilles. We were impressed with the thought that for 90 years, it was excavated from tunnels through the pyroclastic ash – no mean feat, as it’s 16m below the modern town.

People warned us not to go to Naples....now we endorse that advice! What a place – we smelt it well before we saw it (binmen strike still on), and witnessed the mountains of festering and often moving, rubbish. The centre is actually being kept clear, but not necessarily clean – grime, crime and corruption go hand in hand here. We saw the infamous ‘bassi’, the one-roomed, windowless ground floor flats that still house families in the Spanish Quarter...

What was worth braving the anarchy that’s Naples? - the artefacts found in Pompeii. The mosaics in particular were just spectacular, so detailed and beautifully crafted.

Equally worth it was the trip through subterranean Naples (cleaner than above!). We walked around a little of the 400km of First Century aqueduct and cisterns . At one point, we went through a very thin passage (60cm wide and 100m long), lit with candles – scary stuff!





Wonderfully, we met up with Heather for a few hours (by highjacking her college trip to Rome). It was so brilliant to see her! Our wandering along the Via Condotti (a very expensive street) confirmed the fame of Sheffield....... We visited the Gallery of Modern Art, which houses some interesting pieces, although Rick’s visit to the Borghese Gallery left him waxing lyrical about marble sculptors and the Canova exhibition (I’ll have to see the one at Chatsworth).

Rick also got very excited about the fountains at Villa d’Este, in Tivoli – one of them inspired a recent water feature in Sheffield. I don’t know where he’d put a Organ Fountain though......


Hadrian’s Villa is a misnomer – it’s really a town. It was also a very complex complex so we should have bought the guide book..... Hadrian had a rich and splendid palace for his retirement - we too; a Hymer B544 van....



We can only handle so much Culture in a week, so are now headed for a quiet lake on the Tuscan border for some R&R.

Have just realised how much water features in our travels!