We came for the leaning tower, that iconic landmark of Pisa. But found more. “Tuttomondo” (All World) is one of Keith Haring’s last artworks before he passed away in 1990. The mural is on the rear wall of the Sant’ Antonio Abate church in Pisa, a short distance from the train station. Haring’s famous quote still resonates to this day: “Art should be something that liberates your soul, provokes the imagination and encourages people to go further.”Keith has a penchant for street art and graffiti art, as if searching for an audience that is more akin to the average Joe. In the 80’s, his career yielded 50 “public” artworks bearing social and political undertones. His vibrant works evoke motion and even seem cartoon-ish, a flash of energy represented in colorful and fun symbols, with messages bordering on activism.
We took our time viewing the mural. Huge as it is, we surmised we’d likely spend more minutes just staring at it. Finding this burger place just across it, we decided almost mindlessly to have our lunch there. The glass panels offered an unobstructed view of the mural and so that really worked for us. On full stomachs, we were ready to hop on a bus in search for the iconic tower. There was a big crowd! My first time here was in 1986, and bursting with energy then, I didn’t pass up the chance to climb up. At the time, I think the tower was leaning at a slightly sharper angle. Just a few years after my 1986 visit, experts came to “stabilise” the tower so it was closed to the public for some time. By the time I returned in 2000, it was open again. I visited a few more times: in 2009 and in 2016. So this visit is my 5th!
Art Burger across the Keith Haring Mural
In all of the 5 visits, I lament that I only did day trips from Firenze rather than spending more time to explore the town. I am sure there is more to see. But the tourist crowd turns me off. Also there were so many pickpockets. Apo caught a young girl pulling her bag during the short bus ride. While shopping around the stalls just outside the square, I can sense we weren’t so safe and held on to my purse. While buying train tickets at the machine in the station, there were teens in line ahead of us, trying to chat us up. I would have found that charming under “safer” circumstances but my mood didn’t take me there. A pity. But my radar was up and we simply opted to be more wary.
On an excursion from Firenze, we visited Monteriggioni and Chianti and was delighted to receive wine lessons from AGRICOLA POGGIO AI LAGHI where we tasted 4 kinds of wine, oils and balsamic vinegar. It was a wonderful, fun-filled session and everyone in the group thoroughly enjoyed the wine and oil tasting as much as the humorous spiels by the host. They even served us a good pasta dish. It was a penne pasta dish where we were all encouraged to spice it up with their chili pepper olive oil. Not bad. I actually like it despite the fact that the penne came from a box. (Seems we’ve been spoiled, feasting on homemade pasta all our days here in Italy) But I particularly enjoyed their thick, syrupy balsamic vinegar from Modena. Served with toast, but I can imagine it pairing well with some fresh strawberries. Hmmm. But back to wine, we found the winery so warm and welcoming. Quite a sensory experience just by being there, savouring every drop, every sniff, every swirl, every gulp. So very pleasant, indeed!
Cheers!2 kinds of balsamic vinegar. Gold spoon or Silver spoon?
The winery caters to special events and parties. I can imagine big birthday and wedding celebrations here. Or corporate events, like a product launch. Must be equipped with a good kitchen, I presume. The set-up is quite impressive. The vineyards extend to the Monteriggioni area, a small commune with an interesting walled settlement dotted with tiny stores and cafes. A small chapel inside must have welcomed some pilgrims doing the Via Francigena as Chianti and Monteriggioni are along the Tuscan parts of the camino. When I saw the brown markers — as contrasted with the yellow and blue markers of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela — I was reminded of my pilgrimage walk some 8 years earlier from Viterbo to the Vatican/Rome.
Entrance to the WineryThe Wine Tasting Room
We may all be familiar with Chianti as a region and as a wine, but not Monteriggioni. When the guide gave us an hour to freely roam around, I thought that wasn’t enough time. Turns out it was really such a small compact commune that an hour is all you need. Yet it presents itself with a decent square, a tiny church, a cafe and a few stores selling local handicraft around the square or from the narrow alleys. Actually I felt I was in one of those Disney “lands”. Except that we had to hike up a decent distance to reach the piazza. Only needed a choo choo train to ferry us around and save some breath. 😩
Tuscany’s landscapes are a feast to the eyes. Coming from Firenze where art permeated the city’s soul, it was nice to breath in fresh air while sipping wine sourced from the vineyards right in front of you. The landscapes framed in the walled commune’s huge, arched gates are so pretty. Imagine this same scenery just before the grapes are harvested. Or when spring flowers are in bloom. Or even the tall, thin cypress trees swaying as the wind blows. Bellissima!
Most tourists take this excursion out of Florence to visit Siena and San Gimignano. Did it in 2009; did it again this 2024 with “apos”. Like me, I’m sure they’d enjoy this part of Tuscany. If Florence is a Renaissance city, then it’s all medieval as you reach Siena and San Gimignano. All 3 teeming in art, history and culture. If only for these 3, Tuscany is truly a dream destination. For people like Frances Mayes (author: Under The Tuscan Sun), it even is home. Tuscany. Rolling hills, medieval buildings, breathtaking sceneries. Then throw in the vineyards and good food, and staying is no longer an option but a wonderful decision.
Siena’s Piazza del CampoSiena Cathedral
The Siena Cathedral is hailed as the prettiest among Italy’s Gothic Cathedrals. The alternating black and white marbles present a unique striped exterior while the interiors hold even more jaw-dropping elegance and beauty, while continuing with the black and white band-striped theme. Che magnifico! I love that this heritage site is devoid of motor vehicles but that can only mean that visitors should be prepared to walk. Somehow, being closed to traffic gives Siena that “frozen in time” charm. Just like Venezia and many parts of Firenze.
Siena’s Lovely Cityscape Michelin Guide Had This Listed
Our local guide calmly narrated the significance of the piazza and how it is used for horse races called “Palio”. Quite insane, this centuries old race. It’s a horse race, so the winner is the horse, not the jockey. I mean, the unsaddled horse that first crosses the finishing line may be without a jockey and still win. Just 3 laps around the fan-shaped piazza. 10 horses. Approximately, the race lasts 90 seconds. And they hold this pageant twice a year every July 2 and August 16 since the 15th century!
So MedievalWorld’s Best Gelato (2024)?
Our luck held out in Siena. The guide recommended where we can enjoy good Cacio y Pepe — Papei Trattoria. Pici Cardinale, and Pappardelle al Cinghiale were likewise excellent! And more luck with our gelato. The ones we had in Siena were good. But the gelato in San Gimignano even better. A sign claims it’s named most popular gelateria in 2024. But 2024 isn’t over yet. Whatever. Not complaining about the gelato though. And over the moon with our lunch at Papei.
San Gimignano’s medieval towers from the 12th to the 13th centuries now count over a dozen. A big drop from the more than 70 towers centuries ago when they adorned this Tuscan hill town. The 12th century Collegiata is often mistaken for a cathedral or duomo with its treasure of dramatic frescoes of the New Testament. The towers, the “duomo” , the piazzaand the medieval architecture should paint a beautiful silhouette against the skyline at sundown, the way I viewed it back in 2009. No such luck this time. But the elves are happy with their gelato!
We had all of 7 days and 6 nights here in Florence. Minus 2 whole days for out-of-town excursions. I stayed in to recharge for 2 whole days while apos visited more museums and met up with friends. I made sure I sent them off to Uffizi Art Gallery and the Medici Museum but interestingly, they also visited the Ferragamo Museum and the Gucci Garden Museum. I remember they enjoyed the Dior Museum in Paris last year. After all, the lines are blurred between art and fashion. On Day 1 here, I joined them viewing Kiefer’s exhibit at the Palazzo Strozzi and the oldest pharmacy in the world. We also passed the piazza where the Duomo is, and we had meals at the Mercato Centrale. Beyond that, their interests seem to lie elsewhere. Just off Palazzo Strozzi is an impressive theater cum bookshop. Cinema Odeon is housed in a Renaissance palace with an amphitheater-like structure where you can claim a seat among stacks of books. We spent a lot of time here, and I’m told they went back the next day without me.
Palazzo StrozziUffizi Gallery
We were all fascinated by the art exhibit we viewed almost on a whim (Kiefer in Palazzo Strozzi) and Cinema Odeon — a very unique bookstore around Piazza Strozzi. So with our random dining finds for best gelato, best pizza, best bistecca, best paninis, best affogato and best rooftop bar. While we decided on our first bistecca at the Mercato, we chanced upon this gelateria which suggested we try this very local flavor called “buontalenti”, named after the inventor of the Italian gelato himself! The movie “Eat, Pray and Love” featured this pizza joint which now proudly hangs a photo of Julia Roberts — and we dare say it isn’t a hype. We actually enjoyed their Napoletania and Primavera pizzas, along with those Italian rice balls called arancino. Dining tips came in handy too from the hotel concierge and we’re glad we heeded Alex’s advice. Missed the ribollita and pasta I had years earlier in Trattoria ZaZa and Trattoria Garibaldi, but we totally enjoyed our dinners at Trattoria il Giardino (loved the Tuscan coccoli) and Trattoria Burrasca (best bistecca!). As for happy hours, nothing beats sipping rosé at sundown in Art on View Rooftop Bar. If this all sounds to you like a food trip, it seriously is. The same DNA runs in their veins, after all.
View on Art Rooftop bar. The Duomo
The days I wasn’t with them, they went for quick lunches at All’ Antico Vinaio. And ate more gelato. They also swore they had the best affogato in Vivoli and promised to take me there. And I swear they were not lying! I offered to take them around the historic center to check out spots they missed but these 2 had other interests. Told you 😜 A food trip in Italy? Not a bad idea. As for me, I’m ready for our out-of-town excursions. Makes life simpler just hopping in a bus to take us to touristy spots with a laid-out itinerary guided by a tour director. No bus or train tickets to buy. No lunch reservations to book. And I ensure these 2 learn some history outside of the dining scene. Ciao!
By noontime, we trooped to Mestre Train Station for our ride to Florence. Made sure our trip has 0 stops as I doubt we have the energy to switch trains and drag our big bags. We were famished by the time we reached Firenze SMN Station. Our apartment is just off the Basilica Di Santa Maria Novella but it took all of our energy to walk with our luggage in tow. Having checked in, we fell in love with our apartment. With 6 nights to spend here, I’ve decided to stay in for a much-needed rest to recover my sapped energy, do the laundry (3 weeks load!) and send off the apos to make other arrangements like meet some friends, hit more art galleries, do shopping or whatever else in the next 2 days. The NEXT couple of days. Today, some introductions are in order.
Basilica of Santa Maria Novella The oldest pharmacy — now perfumery — in the world.
As soon as we loaded the first batch of laundry into the washing machine, we took off. Very near our apartment is the oldest running pharmacy in Florence, and in the world: the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. It all started in 1221 with Dominican friars developing a botanical garden of plants and herbs to produce healing ointments, balms and other medicines. Over time, the concoctions produced perfumes which counted royalties and prominent families among its clients. We sniffed around — and liked the scents but didn’t end up buying any. From this pharmacy, we walked a few blocks to reach Palazzo Strozzi where we promptly bought tickets to view Anselm Kiefer’s exhibit “Fallen Angels”. Very impressive. Not our first impression though, but his art grows on you as you spend more time with the artworks.
Kiefer’s “Fallen Angels” in Palazzo Strozzi
On our first day in Florence, we passed the Piazza Di Santa Maria Novella, visited the world’s oldest pharmacy, viewed an art exhibit, admired the magnificent Duomo, chanced upon the Odeon Theater cum Bookshop, and ended up in Mercato Centrale for dinner. We wanted to eat in the nearby trattorias but we were so hungry that we found the long lines frustrating. And so, we had our first bistecca florentina at the Mercato. Rarely that we dined without any conversation, but this is one moment. We devoured the Chianina beef like there’s no tomorrow. Gelato for a good finish and we had the best flavor ever — buontalenti, named after Bernardo Buontalenti, the Florentine inventor of Gelato.
Bistecca alla Florentina GelatoMercato Centrale
Having crossed 3 timezones, I looked forward to the next 2 days of doing nothing. Well, not exactly nothing. Like a doting abuela, I did the laundry and even cooked dinner. I also managed to book excursions for the next 2 days : one to Cinque Terre and another day trip to visit Siena, San Gimignano, Chianti and Monteriggioni. Plus a dinner booking at a nearby Trattoria il Giardino. Nieto y Nieta were on their own the first 2 whole days in Firenze, meeting their Abuela only for dinner either at the apartment (for a home cooked meal) or in a nearby trattoria. We did return to the Mercato Centrale to buy dinner to eat in the apartment. Even the young get exhausted as they preferred to stay in in the apartment that became our cozy home for a week. And they’re only on their second week while their Abuela has already clocked 6 weeks. 😜
More to write about Firenze. Wait for the next blog.
Good pasta, osso buco and coccoliSoft music on a chilly night. I’m on holiday 💤
The original plan was just Chile and Peru either via California or Sydney. Choosing the latter, it was a no brainer to fly ahead and spend some weeks there to be with family. And then the Venice exhibit of Nieta popped up. Of course, we had to be there! But there’s the business of visas and bookings. And I’d be on my last couple of days in Peru when the vernissage and exhibit opening happens. Apos would have to go on their own while their abuela arranges to later join them. My brain matter was all over the place. Temporary hotel bookings were made but the flights out of Lima, Peru didn’t offer many options. That last seat was non-refundable and non-rebookable. Take it or leave it. I took it. Problem is I’d be flying from Puno to Lima, Peru a day prior on LatAm and based on my previous experiences, this airline wasn’t the most reliable. Sweeping all anxieties aside, I crossed my fingers and prayed for a seamless flight out of Lima to arrive in time for the Venice Biennale 2024 exhibit opening.
Touchdown, Venezia! Around Venice
The Iberia flight out of Lima had a Madrid stopover. I was tempted to enjoy some churros or tapas with Rioja but chose to remain sober and clear-minded for the connecting flight. Can’t miss this connection. Anxieties spilling all over, overflowing. Thankfully, the flight was uneventful and so was the airport shuttle I took for Mestre Station near our hotel in Venice. Oh, did I tell you? The hotel I booked in Venice near the exhibit venue cancelled our booking. A major headache since the Venice Biennale 2024 was already in full swing and most hotels are either fully booked or if available, at outrageous rates! Because my apos will arrive some days before me, I wanted to make sure they have reliable hotel bookings and that being first-timers in Venezia, they will easily find their hotel. Venice being Venice, it isn’t easy wandering around this car-less city and dragging luggage from one vaporetto station to the next. So Mestre was our choice. And what a relief hearing these 2 apos calling out to me as soon as I got off the shuttle at the Mestre train station. All’s well. We’re together now. And as soon as I dropped off my bag in our hotel, we took off for lunch and the exhibit.
Lunch was here.
After lunch, we proceeded to Palazzo Mora to view apo’s “From Here, To There” artwork. I may have missed the cocktail reception for the artists and invited friends, but I got here in time for the public opening. Said a Thanksgiving prayer, as I felt my heartswell with pride and love. Not just for apo’s piece but also for the 11 artworks of other participating Filipino visual artists included in this exhibition in Venezia. So proud of all of them. I was nearly dancing out of Palazzo Mora when done, and celebrated with apos with a gondola ride to imbibe Venetian vibes and savor every moment of this magical moment. The gondolier sang us a beautiful Italian song — not the typical O Sole Mio or Santa Lucia, but it was beautiful and so soothing on an exciting day like this one. Our nerves calmed, we hopped out of the gondola to wander around St. Mark’s Square, Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge.
Dreams do come true. I cried just viewing Nieta’s artwork in Palazzo Mora. Our Gondola Ride
While apos have been here some days before me, I spent only a night here as we’ve decided to train out the next day for our next base for Tuscan excursions in Firenze. It’s my 5th visit here but felt like it was my 1st as I saw Venice through Nieto y Nieta’s perspectives. We wandered around while enjoying our gelatos and rode the vaporettos with the locals. All in a half day. By sundown, I was ready to drop. Bushed. Can’t even remember where we had dinner. I only managed to take a bath and pull out my sleeping garment and next-day wardrobe for the train ride to Florence. Mercifully, the train leaves noontime so we were all able to sleep in the whole morning. 💤
We came for the food here in Emilia Romagnia. Its capital is Bologna, home to the oldest university in Europe. Rich in art, culture, history and gastronomy! We weren’t disappointed. Most dinners in Bologna while lunch is wherever the train took us. We enjoyed our Mortadella, Pizzas, Lambrusco, Tortellini, Tagliatelle, Strette, Bistecca, Osso Buco, Frito Misto, Beef Cheeks, Balsamico, Parmigiano Reggiano, mercato lunches and snacks, and a variety of desserts!
Ristorante Pizzeria Victoria
Where: Ristorante Pizzeria Victoria
Via Augustine Ringhi 9
Bologna
What: Tortellini al Panna
Tagliatelle alla Ragu
Mussels (tomato & white sauce)
Pizzas (3 kinds)
Aperetivo: Bruschetta
Our first meal in Bologna was in Ristorante Pizzeria Victoria. And the last in Ristorante Donatello. Both recommended by the hotel concierge. Both good.
Ristorante Donatello
Ristorante Donatello is just right across the street from Ristorante Pizzeria Victoria. Highlight of our dinner here is the Strette, a kind of pasta that’s between fettuccine and tagliatelle. They cook it either with ham and cheese in white sauce or with balsamic vinegar. We regret we only ordered (3 orders!) of the first kind. Also, I could have more of that insalata.
On our first day trip out of Bologna, one batch went to Florence while another went to Modena and Parma. In Modena, we had our very strong espresso and cappuccino in an outside cafe off Mercato Albinelli. Waited out here while Trattoria Aldina has yet to open at 12 noon. This trattoria is so non-descript that you’d likely miss it. There’s only a door and a buzzer to let you in, way up to the 2nd floor. We observed many locals patronize the place. Had our tortellini en brodo (broth/soup) here, along with rigatoni al ragu, egg with tartufo, lasagna, roast beef and meatballs with peas.
Where: Trattoria Aldina
Via Albinelli 40, Modena
What: Tortellini en brodo (soup/broth)
Lasagna
Meatballs with Peas
Rigatoni al ragu
Roast Beef
Egg with Tartufo
Zuppa Inglese
Tortino Di Zucca
Another Dolce I can’t recall
Modena was also the place for Balsamico shopping. And Parma? Well, Prosciutto Di Parma really translates to ham from Parma. But back in Bologna, we visited 2 mercatos: Mercato delle Erbe in Via Ugo Bassi and Mercato Di Mezzo in Via Clavature. Both centrally located, and I must say, a haven for pickpockets. So do be careful, especially while buying your mortadella, prosciuttos and cheese. We had antipasto in the first and a hefty lunch in the 2nd. We simply pointed to dishes we liked in the mercato and claimed our tables and stools. Three kinds of pasta (1 creamy, another in tomato sauce, another sweetish), a huge platter of cold cuts, frito misto, and some veggie sidings that looked like seaweeds. It was fun, and delish.
Trattoria Di Pietro
But our best dinner was in Trattoria Di Pietro in Via de Falegnami, 18A. What did we order from this traditional Bolognese restaurant? We had:
Pumpkin Pie with Cheese Fondue and Chicory (The bomb!)
Tagliata Di Angus
Beef Tartare With Mustard and Mayo
Beef Cheeks braised in onions
Gelato with Balsamico 👌👌👌
Won’t forget this dinner for a long time. (I already forgot the name of one of the dishes we ordered. Sssshhhhh) The bonus was we were given complimentary Limoncellos which we drank liberally! The waitress eyed us with pseudo-disgust. 😂
We trooped back to this same Via Falegnami the following night. This time to check out Ristorante Il Muro just right across Trattoria Di Pietro. Bigger, more crowded. The Osso Buco here was really, really good. We were happy to be complete again for dinner as day trippers all came back, hungry. We overordered but that’s fine, just too happy to eat and drink together. (We should have ordered more Osso Buco rather than more seafood pasta and grilled meats)
Food coma in Bologna. But never enough, so food shopping was the order of the day. Surely, it ain’t called La Grassa for nothin’. Ciao!
Italy. What better way to go on a food trip than visiting Italy’s gastronomic capital? Turned out Bologna also happens to be a good homebase for day trips to neighbouring cities and towns, each of which boasts of its own delicacy, art, history and culture. There were only 5 nights to spend in Italy but it was enough to do the day trips and meet up with the rest for scrumptious dinners. Here’s how we enjoyed our Bologna getaway – just click on the highlighted links.
It was a wonderful time with these foodies and travel buddies. Some others headed for Florence and Rome, then back for the night in Bologna where dinners were planned out. So much laughter across the table too. And we sure had some very memorable meals.
And for food trips in and around Bologna, check this out:
No, you go to Maranello or Modena if you’re into those fast cars. But Ferrara? It’s only a half hour train ride from Bologna and makes a fun day trip. More fun too that train fares here are sooo darn cheap if you take care to ride off peak hours. Like just a fourth or a fifth of the peak hours fare! Aren’t we smart! 🙄
From the train station, we walked towards the City Center. We’ve grown pretty good doing this — even without a map. We only needed a general direction and in Ferrara, it was quite simply a direct, straight line till one hits the Romanesque Cathedral. The streets leading up to the Center were quiet until one hits the many pop-up booths around the castle and along the sides of the Cathedral. We only managed to visit the Castelo and the Cathedral, which unfortunately is under restoration work so that its otherwise lovely facade is obstructed with scaffolding. Inside though, we found a huge Belen or Nativity Scene and many original paintings by Italian masters. It’s like visiting a Museum.
Home of the Este Familia, its Renaissance rulers erected a castle, palace and duomo among other historical sites in this city in Emilia-Romagna region. The Castelo Estense is a moated medieval castle complete with a drawbridge with 4 corners dominated by sentry towers. Built in the 13th-14th century, it is a castle built by the Este famiglia to guard and defend against the revolting people of Ferrara. Rather sad, isn’t it? One builds a castle to defend against its own people. It is reported that when the riots died down, this magnificent piece of architecture became the official royal residence of the Court.
After days of pasta, pizza, melanzane, lasagna and bistecca, we were craving for Asian food. I know, it’s not even a week yet. But I need to mention we found a good Indian restaurant here, called — brace yourself — Taj Majal. Along the same street, we found a bakery where I bought that famous Ferrarese Coppia Bread. Lemme tell you, that pan is absolutely overhyped. I’d have a croissant anytime instead.
If you think San Marino is part of Italy, you’re very wrong. This tiny republic within Italy called San Marino is the world’s oldest sovereign state, founded as early as the 4th century. Quite surprising, it standing tall and being completely surrounded by Italy. As we drove into this state, we hardly noticed any difference except for the drop in temperature. It’s the end of November and winter has set in. The wind upped the chill as we walked up on the single street leading towards the Piazza Della Liberta. The walkway is like the backbone running along the entire ridge of the mountain. I wrapped up good for this cold weather — dipping at 0 Celsius — and threw all fashion sense out the window. Throwing my thick wrap over myself — with my back pack strapped on my back — I felt like the hunchback of Notre Dame. This republic is small but hilly, so count on those calf muscles being put to the test. Phew!
Pallazzo Pubblico
Chiesa Dei Capuccini
The problem is the sun sets before 5pm so we couldn’t linger around to enjoy the vista from the top. The cold seeps through your bones and the wind renders your face stone cold. To take photos, I needed to peel off the hand gloves every so often till I gave up. It wasn’t the best time to visit San Marino. Not even if you just intended to do tax-free shopping as most shops were closed. It would have been interesting to watch the Changing of the Guards but we missed it. We passed but didn’t enter the very lovely Chiesa Di San Quirino with its equally lovely tower on our way up. (The Church and the Convent, also called Church of Capuccini looked even lovelier on our way down, captured as the light faded with the sunset) Nonetheless, the views from the fortress walls especially as the sun sets take your breath away.
There was a fork in the road and we took the uphill climb along the same Contrada della Pleve towards the Basilica del Santo. The streets were adorned with Christmas trees and a giant wreath with red candles. So pretty viewed against the fading blue sky. At the other end of this Contrada is one of the fortress towers called Guaita. The views offer unlimited boundary. A 360 degree panorama awaits you as you climb up, passing shops and some cannons. It must be a pretty sight at night when you see the towns below all illuminated with the moon shining above the turrets. The sentry posts now comprise part of the Museum which we skipped, opting instead to simply walk around. We spotted the other turrets marking the mountain outline in the limited time we had before dark set in following a 5pm sunset. While we didn’t have much time enjoying San Marino in daylight, the visit was enough to appreciate its regal beauty. The closed duty free shops were a disappointment but that didn’t dampen our moods. The dark and the cold compel us to rush back to our hired coach for the trip back to our homebase in Bologna. Arrivederci, San Marino!
