Italy – EndlessTravel365

November 26, 2018November 27, 2018

3 Days in Venice

Venice, or Venezia, is one of the most unique and charming places we visited in Italy. We also think we got lucky going in the winter when it’s not tourist season. Here is our 3 day itinerary for this floating city!

Day 1

First off, our hotel was incredible. Hotel Casa Nicolò Priuli is a 4-star place that we got 60% off thanks to our travel membership. We actually saved more than we paid for the entire stay.

Do yourself a favor and take a boat tour with Alilaguna to Murano, Burano, and Torcello. Murano is famous for glass – and we aren’t talking windows or mirrors. We are talking true art masterpieces. We were able to witness an expert glass blower make a beautiful blue and silver horse. Truly a mesmerizing art. Burano is famous for lace and these amazing, colorful houses. Perfect spot to take photos for the Gram. Torcello is a tiny island with old ruins, quaint little shops, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to hear the church choir singing.

Day 2

We roamed through the alley ways until we found Piazza San Marco or St. Mark’s Square. You’ll find one of Italy’s most beautiful churches (it’s on most top lists) and a hell of a lot of pigeons. Justin loved playing with them, Lindsay was not impressed.

From the Square, we wandered over to Dal Maro. This is literally the best pasta, aside from the homemade meal we had in Imperia with Lindsay’s family. Dal Maro is literally just a kitchen and a counter top, where maybe 10 people can stand inside. The line in usually down the block, which is how you know you’re in the right place. All the pasta comes in Chinese take out boxes. It’s so fresh, so delicious, and so necessary when in Venice.

Obviously, the major thing people do is take a gondola ride. While we find the attraction overpriced (about $80 per person), it’s a Venice staple. And if you get a good guide, you might learn some things about the city as well. We learned that Venice has 118 islands, 400 bridges, and 150 canals and our guide floated us past Marco Polo and Casanova’s houses. If you’re on the trip with a significant other, it’s good luck to smooch under any of the bridges.

We love live music, so we were delighted when we found Bàcaro jazz bar that has a killer happy hour from 4-6pm. BOGO on drinks! The Venice jazz club was also an amazing find. As if we didn’t have enough pasta this day, 30 Euros each gets you a pasta dinner, bottle of wine, and live jazz music. Totally worth it, if you can find it. The club isn’t well marked and we walked past it about 3 times before realizing it!

Day 3

We visited the Da Vinci Museum for only about $9 US. This interactive museum houses several of Da Vinci’s creations that you can physically play with. We tried our hand at building a bridge using one of his architectural techniques with much success!

From there, we set out to find the famous giant hands sculpture called “Support”, created by artist Lorenzo Quinn. The human hands appear to prop up a historic hotel from falling into the water, symbolizing the threat that climate change has on history, but also the power that mankind has to stop it.

Someone we met the first day on our day trip, told us about a FREE rooftop terrace to view the sunset. Fondaco dei Tedeschi was built in 1228 and combined the functions of a palace, warehouse, market and restricted living quarters. It’s one of Venice’s most recognizable buildings, right next to the famous Rialto Bridge, which is also a must see and great for the Gram. The rooftop of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi offers 360 degree views of Venice, with the most spectacular sunsets reflecting off the water.

Venice is beautiful and we recommend visiting at least once, just don’t forget the wine!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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P.P.S. Our thoughts go out to Venice, as they are currently inundated with flood waters.

May 22, 2018

A Forever Love in Verona

Verona is a dream come true. One of the most romantic cities we’ve ever been in, you can really feel the passion of the people.

We highly recommend Maria Pia Tours for this vibrant city. We took two tours with her and it was incredible. She is so knowledgeable and entertaining. A lovely Italian sprite. Our first tour was the story of Romeo and Juliet (or Giulietta if you will). We stopped by their houses, the place where they supposedly met, stood on Juliet’s balcony, regaled in the dreams of the most romantic story ever heard, and even got to drop a love lock off at Juliet’s house. There’s a statue of Juliet outside the house and if you touch her right breast, it’s supposed to be good luck. The locks are on panels and once they are full they are taken down only to be put in a museum. If you keep track of your panel number you’ll be able to go see the exhibit and find your lock once it’s completed in about 5-10 years from now. Glad we took a photo of our panel number, otherwise we would searching for a long time at the exhibit.

Our second tour with Maria Pia was a night walking tour. She takes you on a journey with stories of architecture, pointing out how takes pride in making new buildings around old ones. You can see old ruins in walls, on walkways, below the street, fossils in walkways. Our favorite part of this tour was when Maria told us we were going shopping and took us into this clothing store. We both looked at each other like, what the heck are we doing, this is supposed to be a history tour. We weren’t sure what she was talking about until we went downstairs. The entire bottom floor of the store is built around old ruins. So cool!

Our next stop was a walk through Castelvecchio, a most spectacular medieval edifice in Verona, telling stories from centuries ago. Castelvecchio was constructed on the banks of the Adige by Cangrande II della Scala in 1354 in order to defend Verona’s people and also to have a possible escape-route northwards where his Austrian relatives lived. The Scala family ruled Verona during the time of Romeo and Juliet and it is rumored that the two met at a Scala party.

Maria Pia is a true gem of a tour guide. And hilarious. She left us with her number and said if you ever need anything you have a friend in Verona. Our hearts were so full after spending the day with her.

The next day we took a tour of the Arena di Verona! This is a site to see. It’s older than the Coliseum in Rome by 50 years! It used to be twice the size until an earthquake destroyed half of it in 1117. The Arena is still in use today for concerts, operas, plays, and tours. It is our intention to come back and see a show here. We spent hours walking around, taking photos, and putting on a boomerang clinic in the center of the Arena – see our Instagram for that mess. We also walked around their market outside of the Arena and took in some glorious people watching around the square.

We then, took a trip over to Juliet’s tomb. This is where Friar Laurence’s church was where she sought advice and refuge during the tumultuous family rivalry between the Montagues and Capulets. The tomb is where she was said to have killed herself after thinking that Romeo had died. This story is truly powerful and you can feel the energy at this location.

We can’t wait to visit Verona again. One of our favorite stops on our two month tour of Europe!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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P.P.S.S. One thing we learned was that it costs an extra €1.50 to call a taxi from your hotel instead of hailing it off the street. Just a little nugget for you.

P.P.S.S. You can book your own discounted travel on our website – www.EndlessTravel365.com!

March 21, 2018

The Beauty of Tuscany

Florence, or Firenze as the locals call it, was one of our favorite spots in Italy. It stands out as more of a hidden gem, maybe a little less popular, in terms of bigger cities in Italy. We were able to stay in a 4-star, boutique Bed and Breakfast called Residenza Castiglioni at 33% off thanks to our amazing travel membership. This hotel was so quaint, staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, and the breakfast was delicious!

Once settled in our hotel, we ventured out in the city in search of food. We found this really amazing restaurant called Move On, which is an Italian pub with a record store vibe, right on the Duomo square. It also has an actual record store in the basement.

After recharging and regaining some energy from the pub, we began wandering down the streets of Firenze. We stumbled upon countless shops, castles, and cathedrals, marveling at the architecture and uniqueness of the city. The sunset was equally as incredible to watch from one of the many bridges throughout the city.

As it grew dark, we heard a strange noise in the distance. We started walking toward the sound and it grew louder and louder. We turned the final corner and noticed several grey-ish looking specks in the sky. Lindsay thought they were bats at first, which is terrifying, but as we got closer we determined they were thousands of birds flocking to and from the trees outside a cathedral. They left in groups and returned in groups. All the while screeching through the night. Justin got really close to one of the trees and ended up getting pooped on. The odds were never in his favor.

The next day was Lindsay’s birthday and we decided to take a day trip to Tuscany – a bucket list item now checked off. We went with My Tours on their Tuscany in a Day tour, which included the village of San Gimignano, the Chianti area, the Medieval town of Siena, and the Monteriggioni medieval fortress. Well worth the 50 Euros each.

San Gimignano is a Medieval urban town; in fact it is a UNESCO world heritage site. You will notice dozens of towers in the architecture. We found out that the taller the tower, the more power the family had. We were able to walk up to the top of the tallest tower (55 meters) for an amazing panoramic view of the village.

From there, we hopped on the bus to the Chianti area to Poggio Amorelli for wine, olive oil, and balsamic tasting along with a traditional Tuscan lunch consisting of pasta, cured meats, cheeses and local pastries. We learned that there are certain types of olive oil that you use only after cooking, balsamic should only consist of two ingredients – grapes and vinegar, and if your bottle of Chianti doesn’t have a symbol of a rooster on it then it’s not authentic. We got to try a full spectrum of wines including their specialty – Chianti Reserve. Lindsay says it was the best birthday ever.

After our indulgence, we moved on to the Monteriggioni fortress. Siena and Florence were rivals back in the day and the castle is said to have defended Siena against attacks. It’s very small compared to other fortresses we’ve seen, but still magnificent and eclectic.

Final stop on this tour was Siena. We went on a guided walking tour of the city center. Alice, our guide bought our small group delicious Italian cookies to try as we walked. A nice treat. We learned that the street Via Francigena goes all the way from Canterbury, England to Rome, Italy. We visited the Town Hall in the Piazza del Campo, scenery of the world famous Palio horse race.

After our walking tour ended, we have a few hours to explore on our own. We stopped in a pub overlooking the piazza and imagined the horses rounding the turns while crowds of people were cheering them on. We then wandered into the Duomo di Siena. Now, up to this point on our European tour, we’ve seen several impressive cathedrals, but this one takes the cake. As we mentioned, Italians have a way of trying to one-up each other and Siena really outdid themselves with the architecture of this cathedral. Not one inch was left without detail. The photos don’t even do it justice. Not even close. A bucket list item we didn’t know existed, but glad to add and cross it off all at once.

Enjoy the ride!

Justin and Lindsay

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January 30, 2018

Italy’s Northern Coast

Lindsay’s Aunt Carol live in a small coastal town in northern Italy called Imperia. It definitely has a small town feel, everyone saying hello to one another, local businesses, everything closes when it rains, and WiFi comes on an internet stick that plugs into your USB drive. They just got a McDonald’s a few months ago! About 40,000 residents, but a quick 30 minute drive to Alassio (a popular Italian tourist town) and an hour train ride to Monte Carlo in Monaco.

This stop on our trip was welcomed as we got to spend time with family and take a short break from the hustle of our travels. Our first day we walked along the beach and grabbed coffee at Altamarea right on the water. We also walked through the marina checking out all the boats.

The next day, Carol drove us to Alassio where we walked around the pier and all the shops. A really nice town on the water if you’re looking for something lesser known and not as busy.

We drove back to Imerpia in hopes to go through Olio Carli, the area’s famous olive oil museum, but it was closed for restoration. We were able to walk through their store and sample some delicious olive oils, balsamics, and spreads. We couldn’t leave without a few tasty treats, so we bought artichoke spread, tuna in olive oil, and crackers. YUM!

From there we went to Uncle Pino’s house where he had prepared an amazing meal of homemade pasta! A real Italian feast. Justin was in heaven as he bonded with a fellow Sicilian. We had a great time talking with Cousin Marco as well. Hoping he and his girlfriend, Alina pay us a visit in Colorado soon!

Up next was a one hour train ride to Monte Carlo. Even though it was raining we were able to see the shops, the royal residence, Grace Kelly’s tomb, the big port, and of course all the yachts. We had a delicious meal at (English restaurant) and walked through their Christmas market. We found our way up to the famous casino as well. It’s a really nice town and we would love to go back in the summer time!

As we departed Imperia, we hopped on a train to Pisa. Since we were in northern Italy it was only fitting to see the Leaning Tower! We had a blast trying to get the best photos and watching everyone else make their best attempts. We paid to go up to the top of the tower, which was an incredible view. We learned that the tower was closed for 11 years for restoration as it was leaning more and more every year. It has since been corrected so no need to be scared walking on it. Although, it does lean so it feels really weird to walk around the top. Lean with it, rock with it. After that we toured the cathedral, which was equally as amazing as the tower.

Stay tuned for the next blog on Florence and Tuscany! Cheers!

Enjoy the Ride,

Justin and Lindsay

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January 17, 2018

72 Hours in Milan

On the way to Milan we were on a train, a plane, and a bus all before 9am. But that has its advantages because we got an extra full day without having to travel. We were able to check in the Ibis Centro early and hit the ground running.

We went straight to the Duomo square where we had lunch and a glass of wine. The food was good, but it was pricey due to the location. But the view was great. The Duomo is located in the heart of Milan next to all the high fashion shopping. Lindsay had a blast window shopping and looking at all the clothes! We also got swindled by some fellas from Kenya, but we got nice bracelets out of it. Haha.

We purchased tickets to explore all of the Duomo on our website at a discounted rate! We wandered through the inside, marveling at the architecture and all the insane details. We got a headset that guided you through all of the artwork of the building. Great history tour! Our tickets included the archaeological site that stands beneath the Duomo. Old ruins dating back to 387 AD! Very cool to see! We finished our tour with a sunset walk along the roof of this incredible cathedral! The pictures don’t do it justice! We thought the inside was brilliant, but the roof is out of the world. You can see the gothic style up close and amazing views of all of Milan! Plus it’s really romantic. A must do!

From there we stumbled upon Bianco Latte for dinner. It’s off the beaten path and had some of the best homemade ravioli and desserts we have ever had! Also, much less expensive than the city center!

Day two consisted of a day trip with Zani Viaggi Tours to Lake Como, also booked through our website at a discount! Our guide walked us through the market and side streets pointing out a couple of cathedrals and buildings. Next, we took the funicular tram to the top of Lake Como and had the most magical view! We had a lovely glass of wine and then were allotted free time to explore. We went down to the market and got a sandwich with meat shaved right in front of our eyes! Delish! Our ticket also included a one hour boat ride around the lake. To say we got a 360 degree view of Lake Como is an understatement. We took so many pictures because it’s so dreamy. We can’t wait to go back in the summer time!

The next day we used our tickets to the Duomo to check out the Museum of Duomo art and sculptures. All included and good for 72 hours! Such a good deal! From there, we checked out the Sforza Castle! Italians don’t do anything small! Each wall of the castle extends 200 meters! Really amazing architecture! On the other side of the castle is Sempione Park, a great green space with a market and huge Roman archway called Arco della Pace, that we later found out is used both to refer to the gate proper and to the surrounding district, a part of the Zone 1 division, including the major avenue of Corso Sempione, from the 19th century!

We finished our time in Milan with a 6 hour spa afternoon at QC Teremilano. We got 25 minute massages, explored every type of sauna they had including a converted trolley car, sat in the hot pools outside staring at the old Roman arches, explored the earth/salt/rain/fire rooms, took a short nap in a “nest” to recharge, relaxed under a waterfall, soaked in a chromeotherapy tub, multiple steam rooms with aromatherapy salts, and all the food and wine you could want. They also give you robes, towels, and flip flops to use. A truly amazing experience and all for under $100 per person – all through our website! Highly recommended and we can’t even describe it well enough to do it justice.