While exploring adventures for our clients we always consider that some travelers prefer cities and major sites while others like rural locations and want us to investigate out-of-the-way-places. As we plan each trip separately and match it to your wishes and dreams we hope these short overviews will assist you. They are just a beginning step to your vacation dreams.

Milan    Venice    Verona    Padua    Tergeste    Trieste  

		The major gateway city into the North is Milan Milan is a major city with huge traffic problems and limited lodging facilities at the airport, our expertise will allow you to enjoy this fashion capitol. Unlike Paris, concentrating on one area at a time best sees San Francisco and Florence-Milan.
Milan's Duomo, 3rd largest in the world Photo kindness of Brad Mirakian

The city hub is the Piazza del Duomo where the world’s largest Gothic cathedral which is far more beautiful from the outside than the rather dark mixture of Gothic and Baroque on the inside. It took 5 centuries to complete this cathedral and so many different styles are present in all its architecture.

The Piazza del Duomo is the pulse of the city. To its north lies the Galleria Vittorio Emanuela II that opens to La Scala (now undergoing massive repairs).

We can tailor your trip into Milan to suit your shopping, sightseeing, designer shops and a visit to Santa Maria delle Grazie, the site of Leonardo’s Last Supper on its rectory wall.

A quick few hours by the Italian Eurostar and behold, you are in Venice View in Venice Photo kindness of Brad Mirakian

One may also fly into the Venice Airport which is much less crowded than the two airports of Milan but the 6am departures often are not attractive with their 4am check-ins.

Our clients either love or dislike Venice but in 2002 love was what we heard from all our clients, even those who went in August-the off-season hot month.

The city is easy to explore and each section offers the adventurous traveler a day of “finds and excitement.” Sure the Basilica di San Marco and the Plazzio Ducale are dynamic but it is hard in a city of masterpieces not to be impressed at every corner museum. If you want the best art in the least amount of time then the Academia is for you - every piece, or so it seems, is a masterpiece.
 

One Man Band in Venice
Photo kindness of Brad Mirakian

From the days of Attila the Hun, the city has had over 50 different regions and countries as leaders - both from the east and the west. While the canals are the major movers of goods, you may enjoy walking, which is faster, very easy, and less confusing as well.

Sadly Venice is not the city for those who need accessible travel or those on a limited budget. The city is always full of tourists and even a room without a bath or toilet can easily cost almost 80.00. In late fall and winter over 80% of moderate price hotels close and often do not open again until March or Easter. Henri and I have inspected over 66 hotels under 250.00 a night but only can recommend about 45 of them.  We also inspected 22 convents and hostels and can recommend 8 of them. We are now preparing our list of new places to inspect for our next trip. 

Don’t judge a book by its cover or a Venice Hotel by its lobby. We have seen great lobbies but awful rooms for $300.00 a night as well as simple or no lobby but clean basic rooms at $125.00 with private shower and bathroom.

The Glass Museum on the Island of Murano is worth your time and the tours are in English and many other languages – the individual glass blowers also have open house, all of which are free. 

A lovely half day trip is the island of Burano with its lace shops, fishing community and uniquely painted houses. Classes in lace making are offered at the Lace School in the Scuola dei Merlette.

Food in Venice ranges from overly priced at St. Marks to very good bargains and quality a few blocks away. Here is one nation where in a “Bar” you may get a good meal at a just price.

Music tends to be classical with a few Jazz nights each year. The Venice Opera and outdoor concert schedules are provided for clients as well as current productions.

DAY TRIPS FROM VENICE include Verona, Padua, Vicenze and Treviso.

Verona is also the train stop for picking up a car to tour Lake Garda or enter the Dolomites for a hiking or climbing adventure.  Our clients often combine both a lakeside resort with a few nights roughing it in the mountains. Here is a picture of your climbing possibilities in the Dolomites.

Verona itself is well worth a couple of days. The oldest Roman construction in Verona is Ponte Pietra, the stone bridge whose arcs have joined the two banks of the city for nearly two thousands years. The Roman Theatre and the Arena (the third largest and best-preserved Roman amphitheatre in the world) testify to a glorious ancient past. The Medieval Basilica di San Zeno is truly the jewel of Italian Romanesque art with its pinstripes of pink and white stone, while the high towers and fortified bridge of Castelvecchio reflect the Medieval Scaligere court. Several of our clients have made this their destination to view the genius works of Andrea Palladio not only in Verona but Venice and the countryside as well.

Juliet's Balcony in Verona Photo kindness of Brad Mirakian

The Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio shaped the world that
surrounds us today. Some of his most influential villas survive
in the Veneto region around Venice, Italy. This is an excellent site for details of both his work and the Veneto area. http://www.boglewood.com/palladio/