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Milan Limone Monte Carlo

August 14, 2015 by David Herd

Limone Piemonte Italy

Milan Limone Monte Carlo road trip

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Milan Limone Monte Carlo road trip stopping for lunch at Limone Piemonte Italy, one of the oldest ski areas in the country. Driving through the Italian & French mountains south on our way to the French Riviera.

Pizza pasta and wild boar

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

My friends & travelling companions Deborah Holliday and Jodie ONeill from the Gold Coast in Australia.


Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

I had just spent a couple of days in Lake Como waiting for my friends to arrive from Australia before spending 10 days exploring the French Riviera from our apartment in Breil Sur Roya.

Breil Sur Roya was devastated by storm Alex on October 4 2020.

Australian beer in Italy

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Quite a surprise to see large Australian beer sign.

Nestled amongst the forest

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

 The railway reached Limone in 1891, in 1897 the skiers arrived & competitions began in 1907.

Waiting for the snow

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Obviously the village would look quite different in the winter.

Charming stone chalets

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

This was a perfect village to have a break on our Milan Limone Monte Carlo road trip.

Here is where we had lunch

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Very good wine and food at this delightful restaurant.


Main street Limone Piemonte Italy

Milan Limone Monte CarloThe weather was gorgeous as was the village.

The girls are excited 1st day of their holiday

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Deb & Jodie jumping for joy. 

Mountain creek

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

A small mountain stream runs through the village.

Our road rocket

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

This little rocket was perfect for 3 people. Car hire in Europe is rather inn expensive if you shop around for a good deal. Always try to drop the car off in the country you picked it up in. This will save you a relocation fee. 

David Herd & Deborah Holliday

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Thanks for joining us on our Milan Limone Monte Carlo road trip, many more photos and information below.

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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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