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Piazza del Duomo Milan

November 16, 2013 by David Herd

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy is one of my favourite places in Europe. Here is the entrance to The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II which is the world’s oldest shopping mall. The arcade principally contains luxury retailers selling haute couture, jewelry, books and paintings, as well as restaurants, cafes and bars. In 2012, a McDonald’s restaurant was prevented from renewing its tenancy in the mall, after 20 years of occupancy.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

As of 2013, the arcade principally contains luxury retailers selling haute couture, jewelry, books and paintings, as well as restaurants, cafés, and bars. The Galleria is famous for being home to some of the oldest shops and restaurants in Milan, such as Biffi Caffè (founded in 1867 by Paolo Biffi, pastry chef to the monarch), the Savini restaurant, the silverware store Bernasconi and the Art Nouveau classic Zucca’s Bar.

In 2012, a McDonald’s restaurant was prevented from renewing its tenancy in the mall, after 20 years of occupancy. The restaurant contended that it was the only mall tenant to be denied the right of first refusal on its new lease, and that the public tender to replace it was “unfair”. McDonald’s has sued the landlord—the city of Milan—for €24 million in damages, alleging that the loss of the lease will deprive McDonald’s of €6 million per year in sales. During its last few hours of operation, the restaurant offered free food and drink to over 5000 customers. The McDonald’s restaurant was replaced with the mall’s second Prada store.

Music at the Galleria

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

Play it again Sam. 🙂

One of the many sidewalk cafes in Piazza del Duomo Milan

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

Watching the world go by in Milan. 🙂

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

In the Piazza Del Duomo Milan you will find the magnificent Milan Cathedral, and at the edge of the square is the entrance to The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II which is the world’s oldest shopping mall. Milan Cathedral is the cathedral church of Milan, Italy. Dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente, it is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan, currently Cardinal Angelo Scola. The Gothic cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete. Wikipedia

Milan Cathedral

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

One of the most incredible buildings I have ever seen.

Piazza Del Duomo Milan

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

Too many pigeons are never enough. 🙂

Giuseppe Garibaldi in Piazzale Carioli (“piazza Castello”)

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian general and politician. He is Considered, with Camillo Cavour, Giuseppe Mazzini and Victor Emmanuel II, as one of Italy’s “fathers of the fatherland.” Wikipedia

Milan has some great cafes

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

Remember in Italy coffee is always cheaper if you stand at the bar. 🙂

David Herd with a very friendly bartender at Cafe Milano.

Piazza del Duomo Milan Northern Italy

 Piazza del Duomo MilanGalleria Vittorio Emanuele are both wonderful places to spend a couple of hours drinking coffee and watching the passing parade.

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Verona beautiful northern Italy

November 16, 2013 by David Herd

A wonderful Italian city

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Verona beautiful northern Italy just a 90 minute drive from Milan, I stayed at the Best Western Hotel Amando at Vicolo dietro Pallone 1 • 37121 Verona, reasonably priced, walking distance to all the attractions with an excellent Italian restaurant right next door. 

Because of the value and importance of its many historical buildings, Verona has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Like so many other Italian cities there is a surprise around every corner. Verona’s most popular site is the balcony said to be Juliet’s in Romeo and Juliet. The house said to be Juliet’s house is in a courtyard off Via Capello. You can see the balcony and the bronze statue of Juliet for free (you can also rub Juliet’s breast for good luck). The 13th century house is a good example of Gothic architecture and inside is a museum with period furniture.

Juliet’s house is in a courtyard off Via Capello.

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Juliet’s House (Casa di Giulietta), Via Cappello (just off the Piazza delle Erbe). Supposedly the location of the famous balcony love scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The house is a major destination for tourist pilgrimage, as the tiny courtyard is normally packed with lovestruck teenagers photographing each other on the famous balcony. In fact, the house has no connection with Shakespeare’s fictional characters – although the house is old, the balcony was added in 1936 and declared to be “Juliet’s house” to attract tourists.


You can also rub Juliet’s breast for good luck

Verona beautiful northern Italy

 Her boobs are very shiny from all the attention. 🙂

Love letters at Juliet’s house in Verona.

Verona beautiful northern Italy

The balcony overlooks a tiny courtyard containing a statue of Juliet. There is an unbelievable amount of graffiti and general scrawling on the walls, floor, seats, anything that will hold ink – there is a tradition of writing love messages to Juliet, and visitors leave notes, trinkets and bits of chewing gum fashioned into love hearts. Juliet’s house is a popular romantic shrine, but its popularity belies its value; compared to some of the treasures around Verona, Juliet’s house has very little to offer.

Piazza delle Erbe and Torre dei Lamberti

Verona beautiful northern Italy

The famous thin tower, Torre dei Lamberti is located on the north side as you enter the piazza and at 275 feet high, is Verona’s highest landmark and can be seen from a distance. You can climb it or take an elevator and have fantastic views of Verona from this vantage point. In the centre of the piazza is an awesome 14th century fountain with a Madonna statue on top.

Piazza delle Erbe

Verona beautiful northern Italy

There are some very fine and ancient buildings around this square like the Romanesque ‘Palazzo Comune’ and the 15th century ‘Loggia del Consiglio’, one of the most beautiful buildings to be seen in Verona. The statue of the ‘divine poet’ Dante is particularly interesting.

Another lovely Verona street.

Verona beautiful northern Italy

 

 A perfect city for walking and exploring.

Piazza Bra

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Piazza Bra, once a suburban field or braida, is a huge piazza inside the main gate entering Verona. You’ll see the Roman Arena on one side of the piazza and near it the neoclassical Palazzo Municipale. Part of the piazza is a garden with a central fountain. On the opposite side from the arena are elegant porticoed buildings with cafes and restaurants along a broad walkway. You can have a glass of wine or coffee in one of the cafes and spend some time people-watching.

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Verona beautiful northern Italy

 Verona Comune Building.

Verona beautiful northern Italy Lamberti Tower

Verona beautiful northern Italian city

This is the highest tower of the Roman relics at Verona is completed in 1463. You can enter this tower and climb the 238 stairs. Do not worry,  there is an elevator available. Arriving at the top of the tower, the beautiful scenery of Verona is in front of you.

Verona’s Roman Arena.

Verona beautiful northern Italian city

The Arena is an enormous, spectacular Roman amphitheatre, crumbling on the outside but still functioning today. It was erected in the 1st Century AD in an elliptical shape, and is the world’s third-largest amphitheater to survive from antiquity. Much of the outer ring was damaged during the earthquake of 1117 but the inner part is still intact. If you can, plan your trip during the Opera season and see a performance in the Arena.

Roman Arena

Verona beautiful northern Italy

   Verona’s Roman Arena is the third largest in Italy  

Killing Christians is hard work

Verona beautiful northern Italy

 Even Gladiators need a rest between slaughters.  

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Beautiful footpath in Verona.

Verona beautiful northern Italy

One of the many beautiful old stone Verona buildings.

Next to BEST WESTERN Hotel Armando

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Right next to my hotel was this excellent old Italian restaurant. It is well worth a visit, you won’t be disappointed.

Stolen GPS in Verona

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Sadly Italy is a very risky country for thieves, pickpockets etc.

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Lake Como Lake Garda

October 18, 2013 by David Herd

Bellagio on Lake Como

Lake Como Lake Garda northern Italy

Lake Como Lake Garda

Lake Como Lake Garda northern Italy are two beautiful lakes in this wonderful country. Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction with many artistic and cultural gems. It is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe.

Lots of stairs in Bellagio.

Lake Como Lake Garda

Beautiful Bellagio is situated at the tip of the peninsula separating the lake’s two southern arms, with the Alps visible across the lake to the north.

Bellagio on Lake Como

Lake Como Lake Garda

Bellagio is a wonderful upmarket village on Lake Como, certainly a place that attracts the wealthy. Bellagio & Lake Como are both beautiful and famous, however I do prefer the larger Lake Garda which is a couple of hours east. I found it more “user friendly” in so much as there were many more places you could actually access the lake itself.


Western shore of Lake Como

Lake Como Lake Garda

The wealthy and the snobbish will always pick Como because that’s what they read about in the fashion magazines and gossip columns, but the experienced traveller I believe would choose Lake Garda as the more interesting location.

Lake Como

Lake Como Lake Garda

Lake Como is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 square kilometres, making it the third largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. Wikipedia

Como cathedral

Lake Como Lake Garda

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Como

Lake Como Lake Garda

Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps has made Como a popular tourist destination and the city contains numerous works of art, churches, gardens, museums, theatres, parks and palaces.

Veal Scaloppini

Lake Como Lake Garda

One of my favourite meals is veal scaloppini and this dish I had in Como was perhaps the best I have ever experienced.

Lake Garda

Lake Como Lake Garda

Lake Garda is Italy’s largest and most visited lake. The lake is 51km long but only 17km wide at its widest point in the south. The distance around the lake is 158km. Picturesque villages, medieval castles, and lakeside promenades dot the shoreline. The lake has a diverse landscape with beaches along the southern shores and rocky cliffs above the northern shoreline. Lake Garda is known for its clear water, great for swimming in summer. Windsurfing, sailing, and hiking in the lake’s many parks are popular activities.

Lake Como Lake Garda northern Italy

Lake Como Lake Garda

The lake has numerous small islands and five main ones, the largest being Isola del Garda. Nearby to the south is Isola San Biagio, also known as the Isola dei Conigli (“Island of the Rabbits”). Both are offshore of San Felice del Benaco, on the west side. The three other main islands are Isola dell’Olivo, Isola di Sogno, and Isola di Trimelone, all farther north near the east side. The main tributary is the Sarca River, while the only outlet is the Mincio River.

Relaxing beside Lake Garda

Lake Como Lake Garda

There are many delightful cafes and restaurants around the lake where you can relax and enjoy the sunshine.

Beautiful Lake Garda

Lake Como Lake Garda

A beautiful summer day in July.

Lake Garda

Lake Como Lake Garda

There are many small towns and villages all around the lake.

North of Lake Garda.

Lake Como Lake Garda

Heading towards the Italian alps.

The Castle of Sirmione on Lake Garda.

Lake Como Lake Garda

The Sirmione castle is the most significant example of the defensive structures on Lake Garda. Between the 13th and 14th centuries, the village of Sirmione was a border town situated between the land owned by the Della Scala dynasty of Verona and the property of the lords of Milan. The original nucleus was delimited by a tall square wall with three towers, and was probably built on top of the remains of a Roman fortress. Which one do you prefer Lake Como Lake Garda?

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Pattaya Hilton

Pattaya hotels, Hilton & Holiday Inn

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate. 

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