“You may have the world if I may have Italy.”

~ Giuseppi Verdi ~

It seems skiing in Italy on two separate occasions isn’t the same as vacationing in Italy. The Dolomites in northern Italy is a winter playground for outdoor enthusiasts and world-class skiing. As such, Cortina d’Ampezzo and Torino have hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 and 2006, respectively (note: Cortina & Milan will host the Winter Olympics in 2026).

“You’ve never been to Italy” was the rallying cry of my better half. “Yea, yea, yea… you’ve been to the mountains skiing, but everything is white and looks the same. You’ve never been to Italy-Italy.”

“Oh contraire mon frere” I replied. “My passport confirms two (2) visits.”

“First of all… that’s French, not Italian” she responded. “Secondly, you’ve never seen the history, beauty and charm of Italy.”

*****

Every vacation begins with planning and the question… “Where do you want to go?” Italy was already being discussed, so this part was easy. Selecting a specific location would be difficult as you could spend a lifetime in Italy and not touch all the pillars of history. Perhaps a Stanley Tucci approach was in order? Pick a region… Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, etc? Not a bad idea; but, neither of us are foodies. In the end, a hybrid approach prevailed and we settled on a Northern Italy itinerary. Veneto and Lombardy would be our regions and include; Venice, Lake Garda and Milan.

Starting in Venice was a logical place to immerse ourselves in arguably, the most revered architecture in the world. Founded in 435 BC, the “Floating City” is a mesmerizing display of 118 islands connected by waterways and 400+ bridges. Canals replace streets and getting around takes place on foot, gondolas or vaparettos (water taxis).

Upon arriving, we opted to walk the 35 minutes from the bus depot to our hotel whereby, I quickly discovered about 100 of these lovely bridges while wheeling and/or carrying our 42lbs suitcase up & over each and every one of these Renaissance styled foot bridges.

Walking through Venice is a series of serendipitous discoveries and a feast of monumental proportions. As you stroll through Piazza San Marco (aka St. Mark’s Square), the Byzantine and Gothic influences come to life. Many of the Byzantine mosaics date back to the 13th century and are alive at St. Mark’s Basilica depicting scenes from the old & new testament and political topics of the era.

When a break is needed from your history lesson, you can easily romance a cappuccino on a quiet canal or piazza and gather your thoughts.

After a day of blissful exploration, your tired feet will want to get back to the hotel. We managed to walk an average of 7 miles per day, using our iPhone GPS to guide us home was just shy of divine intervention. In a maize of Italian history, I didn’t have enough bread crumbs to cover my tracks. Besides, there are flocks of seagulls & pigeons throughout the city to throw you off course.

After three (3) days of absorbing 2,500 years of history (roughly 833 years per day!), it was time to head to the Venezia Santa Lucia Train Station and depart for the 2.5 hour trip to Lake Garda. Zipping due west through the luscious pastures of the Lombardy region was a pleasant change of scenery; grape vines replaced gargoyle fixtures and farms informally connected one town to the next. At one point, I thought I even heard “Oh Romeo, Romeo wherefor art though Romeo?” as the train doors opened in Verona to allow passengers to exit. There’s plenty of romance in this part of the world.

The Peschiera del Garda stop was next. This location borders on the southern shore of Lake Garda and made for an easy 30 minute bus ride to our hotel in the town of Garda. Figuring out train & bus schedules on holiday is part of any adventure and timing is everything. We were in the right place; but a few minutes too late for the bus. The next departure for our destination would arrive in 30-40 minutes. Travel days always seem to have a hurry up and wait agenda. A wee bit of patience was in order, a cool drink and a good book.

A short while later, we arrived at our hotel on the eastern shore, our home base for the next eight (8) days. We casually unpacked, but instantly fell in love with the area. The mountains hugged the crystal clear water like a warm embrace and the Dolomites to the north were the elder statesman. Simply breathtaking. The charm was undeniable; lakeside restaurants were available to our right and a gorgeous walk to the town of Baldalino was on our left. Ferries were available to shuttle us around the lake and when they weren’t convenient (cost or time), public buses were readily available.

We learned Americans have a love affair with Lake Como to the north of us (i.e. George Clooney) while Europeans have been infatuated with Lake Garda for centuries. As the largest lake in Italy and the 3rd largest in southern Europe, you will find plenty of Germans & Austria tourists sprinkled throughout the region. This is why so many Edelweiss beers were on the menu to the north of us and in particular; the northern most town on Lake Garda… Riva Del Garda.

One of the highlights in this outdoor playground was the majestic views of Lake Garda from atop Mount Baldo (7,220 ft). From the town of Malcesine (292 ft) you can board the tram for 25€ (return). Perspective is everything and the incredible views of Lake Garda from this elevation were breathtaking. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, paragliders dot the landscape and launch into the abyss right in front of you. I’m not sure how you gain enough experience… and courage… to take part in this activity, but it was fascinating to watch each person set up their gear, evaluate the wind and set sail. Similar to planes awaiting departure at JFK, there was a protocol in place and each person waited their turn to depart. Although I never heard a single word spoken, professional courtesy did exist and everyone seemed to follow the unspoken rules. I was anticipating the more versed gliders to yell ‘Arrivederci’ upon departure. To my chagrin… niente.

Finally, there was Milan… the capital of the Lombardy region and the 2nd largest city in Italy behind Rome. It’s a major financial, commercial and industrial center with a vibrant fashion, design & art orientation. Two of the most prominent structures in the city are the Duomo di Milano Cathedral; which took over 600 years to build, and the Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II; considered to be one of the most famous shopping arcades in the world. The Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Both were stunning and a photographic dream.

Upon returning to the States, I could only reflect back and try to absorb the all that Italy offered us in our thirteen (13) days. I feel I just scratched the surface of Italian history and will have to return for more.

In summary… “Okay, okay… she was right” said the humbled photographer.

Until next time…

Cheers.