Tag: italy

Italy, Lecce 2026 – post 1

by ginnyinshanghai

Where and why Lecce? One of the reasons was that it doesn’t attract most Americans. Most have never heard of the city. Two, we will get to explore a part of Italy that we’ve never traveled – the southern section. Three, we will be able to travel by train, something not typically done in the states. Plans were made and set. Transportation routes were purchased and accommodations were booked.

Before leaving the U.S., Eric received an (Italian) email that there was a problem with our route as a portion was involved with a landslide/washout.  Not much we could do at this point but wait until we got there.  By the time of our departure, the train had been re-routed and while it was going to be a longer trip, no other problems with our booking.  Whew! 

There are two main sources of agricultural income in his point of Italy: wine and olive oil. We saw some amazing olive trees along the train route.

We arrived safe and sound! Lecce was the end of this route that started in Milano earlier that day.

It was an easy walk to our place, less than 10 minutes from the station. We can do it. Figuring out all of the instructions to get in, took a bit more time. Ha!

Two bedroom, two baths and a kitchen with this one having a working washing machine.

Bedrooms were above the living room.

Please notice the stairs, more on that later.

What we needed at this point (maybe ‘wanted’ was the better word) was some libations. Walked a block down the road and found a place that was open, only for drinks.

We were literally sitting behind the church at this point, the Lecce Cathedral. It was originally built in 1144, rebuilt in 1230 and restored in 1659. The facade is a masterpiece of Baroque art. One reason that Lecce is called the ‘Florence of the South’ because of the rich baroque architecture that abounds in this city.

We purchased multi-day tickets for our church visits during our stay. Not going to start our visits until the next day. Something that was rising to the top of our list……….dinner. This spot was highly rated and very close to our apartment.

We were one of the first to be seated, that’s us the American early bird diners, at 7pm.

We started with two similar appetizers. Nice presentation and very tasty.

This was said to be more typical of southern Italy. Still had the buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes, but a different type of mixture and herbs. This one was sitting on some Lecce bread, which was covered up by the cheese and can’t really be seen until you cut into the mozzarella cheese..

Next appetizer was soooo amazing, we had it several times during our stay: hummus with fava bean puree and local grilled mussels. O.M.G.

We only needed two entrees for the evening. Eric ordered a meat dish that was composed of beef, pork and horse cooked in a tomato sauce. He enjoyed it.

Adrienne ordered their grilled seafood platter. She was very happy. They both let me have a few bites from their selections. That was all I needed at this point.

Until it came time for dessert. Once again, we ordered two items but shared them all.

tiramisu
citrus cheesecake

Before turning in we went back to the Lecce Cathedral for an evening shot.

Nice way to end our first day in Lecce.

Ginny

Italy, Rome 2026 – post 3

by ginnyinshanghai

What is a visit to Rome without stopping at a few churches. We had walked past both of these earlier in the week and this day we stopped in.

Interesting exterior, a few details added to make a statement when the worshipers came to services.

I did find out that S. Andrea della Valle is a minor basilica in the neighborhood of Sant’Eustachio. It was considered one of the great 17th century preaching churches. Once you go inside, you don’t know where to look since there is so much going on everywhere! My shot below is the main alter area then part of the ceiling. I suppose you could stare at the ceiling for years and continue to find new things.

A small chapel displaying the Madonna & child was roped off for anyone wanting to pray in peace.

Looking up when exiting the building, their organ could be seen above with a small part of the half-dome apse in my photo.

As we continued walking the city a few steps away was the Church of the Gesu, it is the mother church of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). The facade is described as ‘the first truly baroque facade’ and served as a model for innumerable Jesuit churches all over the world especially in Central Europe and in Portuguese colonies.

Their design is such that there is no entrance or vestibule to linger, rather a visitor is projected immediately into the body of the church. The Jesuits relied heavily on the acoustics of the church having a single nave and dome. They wanted the faithful to clearly hear the words of the sermon.

Turning to leave I could see the organ pipes above the exit. Wow, that is a small organ. Reading later I discovered that the two ornamented walls on either side hide a great deal of it. Now that makes more sense.

Okay, only been to two churches and they are starting to look alike. Let’s do some more walking. We walked past the other side of the Forum and noticed a number of Julius Cesear statues. In case you didn’t notice, Adrienne and Eric are in the background.

We saw something odd on the next statue……….maybe rubbing the foot is good luck? Not sure about that, but guess what? We rubbed it. Ha!

Putting together ruins is much like putting together a puzzle, with really heavy pieces. These were well organized.

Eric had been given the name of a restaurant near the Coliseum. That’s where we were headed. Had to grab this photo. This was a site we visited on our last trip so no need to go inside again.

By the way………it is the largest ancient amphitheater ever built and is the largest standing amphitheater in the world. Good to know.

Our locale of choice for eating lunch. It was recommended by someone Eric worked with. Although it was in a ‘touristy’ region, it was still very good eating.

I’m sure you can guess which one is my drink. 🙂

We started with the buffalo mozzarella. This was the best we’ve had thus far. Okay, well this is only our second full day. 🙂 The mozzarella was very ‘fresh’ tasting.

They both chose pasta, while I had the pizza. That was a recurring theme. Eric could tell you that I’m always ready to eat pizza!

I was able to get a different shot of the coliseum on the way to our next destination.

Our destination was Circus Maximus:  ancient Roman Chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue in Rome.  It was the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome and its later Empire.  It could accommodate 150,000 spectators.  It is now a public park. Adrienne said she is going to run around it one of these mornings when she is out and about running before most of us are up.

Even at the height of its development as a chariot-racing circuit, the circus remained the most suitable place in Rome for religious processions on a grand scale.  The photo below is where the spectators used to sit. They were trying to shore up some of the buildings as age and weather were taking a toll.

After the 6th century, the Circus fell into disuse and decay.  The lower levels, ever prone to flooding were gradually buried under waterlogged soil and accumulated debris so the original track is now 6 meters beneath the modern surface. 

It was nice to get out, walk the streets of Rome and stretch our legs. We had beautiful weather! Before we left home, the weather forecast showed a number of days with rain. So far, they were wrong. In the evenings we usually needed our jackets but the days were gorgeous.

Reservations had been made for dinner at Il Gabriello.  They have continued a long family tradition, now with the fourth generation at the helm for over 30 years. Eric talked with the chef (father) as we were leaving telling him how much we enjoyed the food and the experience.

Upon arrival, we all had a déjà vu feeling, especially walking down these stairs.

Yes, we had been there before.  Our hotel had made the reservations on our first trip for this place therefore we didn’t know the name.  Even more ironic……..we were seated at the same table!

We started with the seafood crudo and octopus. I enjoyed both, but the grilled octopus was my top choice.

We had a variety of entrees.

Adrienne – black spaghetti with seafood
Ginny – ravioli with ricotta & spinach
Eric – grilled prawns

Desserts were enjoyed before closing out the evening.

Adrienne – pistachio cake
Ginny – fruit & custard tart
Eric – ice cream

So ended another day in Rome.  They called us a taxi to get us home. This was our last night of the first days spent in Rome. We started packing for the next leg of our Italian journey – Lecce.

Ginny

Italy, Rome 2026 – post 2

by ginnyinshanghai

The previous post referenced a food tour. Yes, we had a food tour, but not until 3pm. We needed to fill our day. We still had one of Rome’s historical highlights to visit. One that never made it on our itinerary – the Roman Forum. While I had heard of the spot for decades, I didn’t know (or remember!) a good bit of the history. I did some digging and found a few interesting notes. Here you go.

According to Roman historical tradition, the Forum’s beginnings are connected with the alliance between Romulus, the first king of Rome controlling the Palatine Hill, and his rival, Titus Tatius who occupied the Capitoline Hill.

Pottery deposits discovered in the Forum, Palatine and Capitoline demonstrated that humans occupied these areas in the Final Bronze Age (1200–975 BC).

Originally a low-lying, grassy wetland, the Forum was drained in the 7th century BC. This land had been used for temples, shrines, cremation burials, a public space and the list goes on and on.

The sacred trees of Rome are represented here – olive, fig and grape vines. Agriculture was considered the activity most befitting of the Roman citizen. It was seen as expression of the values of one’s ancestors and the prosperity of the nation.

Things went downhill after the Fall of the Roman empire. After the eighth century, the structures of the Forum were dismantled, rearranged, and used to build towers and castles within the local area. In the 13th century, these rearranged structures were torn down, and the site became a dumping ground.

In the 1400s a campaign of civic improvement and rebuilding in the city was decreed thus the demand for building materials consequently increased significantly, making the Forum a convenient quarry for stone and marble.

Regardless of it’s history for centuries, the Forum was the center of day-to-day life in Rome: the site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue for public speeches, criminal trials and gladiatorial matches; and the nucleus of commercial and legal affairs.

Here statues and monuments commemorated the city’s leaders. The heart of ancient Rome, it has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history. And it still has room for a few more 4-legged animals today.

I think that’s enough history for this post. It wasn’t quite time for our food tour yet we were getting hungry. We stopped for some seafood as a ‘pre-game activity’. It was amazing. This was supposed to feed one – and we shared.

Those two wanted sardines and ordered this.

We couldn’t refuse dessert. Eric ordered the ice cream and we shared a poached pear – omg, it was the best. The pear melted in your mouth.

And NOW…………….it was time to meet for our Roman Food Tour.

A short distance away from the meeting spot was this place – Trapizzino, our first stop for eating.

Hmmmmmmm, what?

I was trying to figure out how to describe it and came across this explanation. It was better than what I could come up with.

We each chose different fillings.

Ginny – chicken
Adrienne – anchovy w/ cream
Eric – tongue w/ pesto

Since this was street food, no utensils were available. I could have really used a fork to eat mine – just saying.

Next stop was Essenza Wine Bar.

We each had our own charcuterie plate. She was very specific what to eat first, going for more delicate flavors initially and ending with the blue cheese in the top left corner. She had honey and jam for some of the cheese – it went great with the blue cheese, ha! Not my favorite cheese but add in some sweet and I can do it.

We ended with this parmesan Reggiano topped with balsamic vinegar.

One quick shot before heading to our next stop. I don’t think I mentioned……….there was a L.O.T of wine during this tour, basically bottomless pours.

This stop had a lot of things going for it. Yes, there was pasta, wine and pizza!

We each choose a different pasta and traded plates.

Pasta cacio e pepe
pasta amatriciana
pasta carbonara

But my favorite item was the pizza!!!!!! I got a corner piece and ate every bit of my portion including the crust.

But wait there’s one more stop to make. Did you think these streets are alleys? Nope, we had to step aside numerous times for cars and motorcycles to pass by.

Our last stop was the sweetest one…….

My choices were coffee & blackberry. Adrienne’s salted caramel was tasty along with Eric’s choice of amora cherry & vanilla.

Needless to say, we didn’t need any supper. In fact, grabbing a taxi back to our place was one of the best decisions that night.

Ciao!

Ginny

Italy, Rome 2026 – post 1

by ginnyinshanghai

It was time to head back to Europe. This time with a party of three versus only two of us.  We couldn’t find a direct flight to Rome, but I wanted to avoid Atlanta.  Next option was a connection in Miami – sold. 

Temps to expect – okay, a break from the heat of Florida.

Next flight got us overseas. Surprisingly I slept!  Not enough of course but more than in the past.

Woke up to this view of Italy.

Upon landing in Rome, we were prepared to go through a new Entry/Exit System (EES) that was mandated to start 4/10/26 – shortly before our trip. Everything I had heard was be patient, the first time it will take longer and future trips would be a shorter process since everything would be on file. As we prepared to go through Passport Control, we were suddenly directed to go up a flight of stairs, get in a line for ‘non-Italians’, to go down an escalator to the original entry point! Basically, they were making us form a queue since it was a compact space and a number of flights had landed. Yikes, this is going to take us awhile. After taking the escalator down, passengers with a US or UK passport were directed to the left side of the holding area. We were waved through a number of gates and OMG within minutes we were through and at the luggage carousels. No stopping, no stamping and no more interactions.

After a taxi ride with our talkative drive, we arrived at our first AirBNB. Eric had detailed instructions for the four keys needed for this place.  First a phone call that automatically let us inside the first door.  Then the actual keys in a mailbox, with the longest one needed to get through the iron portal doorway.  Another key was for the elevator – luggage and one person was all the space available.  Adrienne and I walked up two flights of stairs and met Eric outside of the door utilizing his fourth key to get inside.  Whew!

Two bedrooms, two bath rooms and a small kitchen. 

Then you had the world’s most uncomfortable couch.  Yikes! Minimal padding with a wooden frame – maybe it was a daybed? The red cover was hiding it.

First order of business – food.  At the end of our block was several options.  Restaurant 433 it is!

Drinks & bread before a quick photo.

Then the meal arrived:  Buffalo mozzarella, pasta de pepe and pasta carbonara.

Next order of business was a short nap before walking the streets of Rome.  We locked in our destination (Piazza Navona) and started walking.  It was the original site of the 1st century Stadium of Domitian.  The stadium was commissioned as a gift to the people of Rome and used almost entirely for athletic contests.  It was Rome’s first permanent venue for competitive athletics, seating approximately 30,000.

On our last visit, work was being done on some of the fountains.  This time all three were working.  The center one the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers.  The rivers collectively represent four major rivers of the continents through which papal authority had spread:  The Nile, The Danube, The Ganges and the Rio de la Plata representing the Americas. Below is one of the four sides.

Really liked the detail on some of the sculptures.

At one end is the Fontana del Moro or Fountain of the Moor depicting a nautical scene with tritons, dolphins and a conch shell. The basin was constructed in the 1570s, with sculptures added in the 1650s.

At the north end is Fontana del Nettuno or the Fountain of Neptune.  The basin was designed in 1574 without the sculptures for 300 years.  The fountain as it exists today was finally completed in the 1870s following a competition.

We continued walking and came across the Pantheon.  You might ask why we didn’t go in?  We did it on our last trip and that time we hit a few of Rome’s highlights. We were checking off a lot of things that time. I got a quick shot while the other two were looking at meats & cheeses.

All this walking worked up an appetite, and we found Vecchio Locanda down this tiny alleyway.

Octopus w/ potatoes along with some parma was a hit.

There is art everywhere, even in the alleyways. While eating, this was our view from our outside table.

The night was so nice, no rain and a comfortable temperature that we did some walking around our area.  We are near the Tiber River.

This spot is the meeting point for our food tour the next day – a hint about the next post.

We headed back towards our apartment, and suddenly you are looking at ancient ruins, surrounded by more modern architecture.

I wanted some dessert before heading back to our place.  Outside of a number of restaurants there was a ‘handler’ that approached, asked what you would like and upon mentioning dessert, we took up his offer of a table. 

Savory before sweet so we ordered fried meat-stuffed olives – quite delicious – and fried artichoke.

Finally we got to the desserts.  Three selections were made and shared.

L – pistachio cheesecake, M – tiramisu w/ caramel, R – berry cheesecake

Now it’s time for bed!

Ginny

San Sebastian 2025 – post 2

by ginnyinshanghai

Basilica of Saint Mary of the Chorus

Walking into this basilica was bearing witness to 800 years of history. It is one of the most ancient sites in the city. Various temples have been erected here since the 12th century. The current building was finished in 1774 during a period of prosperity.

The high altar grabs your attention upon entry.

The painting at the top of the above photo is saint Sebastian. This one was installed in 1819 after the previous painting vanished in 1813.

The selection of saints on the alter were all martyrs, aimed at exalting the sacrifice of one’s own life in the name of religious beliefs. Yikes!

The gold centerpiece is the ‘Lady of the Chorus Virgin’ that attracts the biggest devotion. This icon has not ways been located in the high alter, but in the chorus of the church. It has been here the last 250 years, but the iconography seems to track it back to the 16th century Italy. There is a festival in September devoted to her.

Twin altars flank the high alter. The one pictured below is Saint Barbara which is the patron saint of the artillery.

Three additional alters were in this basicilica, with identical architectural design but accomodate different saints and what they are associated with. Some are associated with the sea, , merchants & tailors and fishermen.

All the detailing just astounds me. Especially when you hear when these things were made and the hardship those not of nobility existed within. Even looking up high, figures are carved into the pillars. Someone was always looking at you when you attended church.

Speaking of looking up, captured a photo of the ceiling. The design is stunning but thinking back to other ‘fine’ ceilings we have seen on this trip, they are somewhat plain.

We could only see a portion of the organ as they are in the midst of collecting funds for restoration. An organ existed prior to 1860, but no information had been found. The City Countil found renewed energy in the mid-1800s to fund this one.

They created a museum next to the sanctuary and it was open. They have collected items in the surrounding communities that were utilized in the past. Some were in better shape than others as they had been put to daily use in their houses and barns. It was an interesting collection.

I would have enjoyed listening to their organ, but the next time would be on their Sunday service at 11:30am – the day of our departure. Concerts are held regularly, and the music creates a ‘magical’ atmosphere inside the temple.

I really enjoyed walking and looking through this building and reading about all of the symbolism. My last photo is another of the facade. It has prolific decoration and marked theatrics as opposed to the simplicity and minimal ornamentation spread throughout the rest of the outside facade.

The center glorifies the Lady of the Chorus, flanked by her parents as she in turn looks up to the Heaven.

And above it all, is a statue of Saint Sebastian.

If you ever make it to this city…………..take a moment, step inside and soak in the ambience, history and symbolism.

Ginny

Bologna Agro -tour Part 2

by ginnyinshanghai

After learning and tasting Parmesan cheese, it was time for wine. We drove 30 minutes before stopping at…….

Totally loved this stop. With only the three of us and our tour guide, it felt like stopping at a family friend’s place. We walked through some of the nearby vineyards.

Looking at the gnarled vines gave you a feeling for the age and strength of this vineyard. Also, the photo below gives you a glimpse of the Italian countryside.

We got a quick photo – with a nearby castle in the background – before heading to the tasting room.

We started with this wine having a little bit of fizz. Have I mentioned…….I like fizz?

Behind the wine glass (above) you can see some local Parma we enjoyed while we were waiting for these toasted sandwiches with mortadella. I never enjoyed mortadella………until I came to Italy – delicious. I’m now spoiled.

We tried another wine and pork product – very good.

Then our hostess brought out this rose’ – loved it. Yes, it has some fizz. Like a number of Americans, I started drinking wine with White Zinfandel – sorry hubby – a number of years ago. 🙂 Not necessarily the best wine, but they had a great marketing campaign, and we drank.

Along with more meat product – such a hardship.

I haven’t thrown in many flower photos, so here you go. Flowering trees were in bloom during our time in the countryside.

We probably stayed longer than normal, but it was so comfortable we didn’t want to leave. We grabbed a photo of the group before heading out.

What about my duck? Got a quick photo before leaving.

One last stop was on the agenda before heading back to Bologna. Let’s learn about balsamic vinegar.

What is balsamic vinegar? A dark, concentrated, intensely flavoured vinegar originating in Modena, Italy, made wholly or partially from grape must: freshly crushed grape juice with all the skins, seeds and stems. This was a family business as were most in this area.

First stop – vinegar barrels.

As the juice condenses, the liquid was put into smaller barrels. These barrels were mostly composed of oak wood.

Upstairs was another room of smaller barrels, getting closer to the finish line. The wonderful smell of balsamic vinegar was getting stronger. The resulting thick syrup, called mosto cotto in Italian, is subsequently aged for a minimum of 12 years in a battery of several barrels of successively smaller sizes. I mentioned most barrels were made of oak. They had several different wood barrels and let us take a whiff. You could tell a difference in the product as it finishes. The light-colored wood was cherry wood.

Now it was time for the fun part – eating! First up was onion jam prepared with balsamic vinegar, topping ricotta cheese- covered bread. Oh yeah, and some local red wine.

Gelato topped with whipped cream, some nuts and drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

I thought the cookie was going to be our last tidbit.

I was wrong! Our last morsel was a cookie crumble topped with gelato and 25-year balsamic vinegar. O.M.G. Yes, they saved the best for last.

There was absolutely no pressure or expectation to purchase anything from our stops. but hey – how can you leave this without adding something to your bag? We couldn’t!

This was a totally awesome tour – not our norm. There was a maximum of 8 but as you could see (or guess) it was the three of us and the guide.

Ginny

Couldn’t resist throwing in this photo taken at our last stop. Yep, that’s Eric on top of a Lamborghini.

Basilica di San Petronio – Bologna

by ginnyinshanghai

The Basilica is dedicated to the patron saint for the city, Saint Petronius who was bishop of Bologna in the 5th century. Its commanding presence dominates Piazza Maggiore which at various times of day is filled with tourists or students – it’s a huge gathering spot. We stopped inside within hours of arriving in Bologna – it draws you in.

A very imposing building, even with the facade incomplete. I think it adds to the charm. The lower part of the building is covered in marble, while the upper part of the building was exposed brick. Construction started in 1390 but ultimately money ran out.

It is considered the 10th largest church in the world by volume being 132 meters long, 66 meters wide and 47 meters tall and the largest church built of brick.

Let’s go inside.

At the alter was a 15th century ornate wooden crucifix, which the maker is unknown.

Behind that is a fresco with the Madonna and St. Petronio.

Two organs are part of the church with both being in good condition. I included a shot of one.

There were some windows with varying degrees of stained glass. These were part of the 22 chapels along the sides of the basilica.

As we started seeing several years ago, relics were a major part of church business and this one was no different. One chapel was dedicated to relics and I believe the area highlighted in the gold window near the bottom were relics from St. Petronius.

Ever curious, Eric noticed an unusual roped off area inside the church.

The church hosts a marking in the form of a meridian line inlaid in the paving of the left aisle in 1655; it was calculated and designed by the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini, who was teaching astronomy at the University. The stanchions and plexiglass are trying to preserve the markings carved into the marble.

A meridian line does not indicate the time: instead, with its length of 66.8 metres (219 ft) it is one of the largest astronomical instruments in the world, allowing measurements that were for the time uniquely precise. It tells you the day of the year.

The sun light, entering through a 1.066-inch hole placed at a 88.8 ft height in the church wall, projects an elliptical image of the sun, which at local noon falls exactly on the meridian line and every day is different as to position and size.  Again, this is so amazing, this was happening in the mid-1600s.

As we were exiting, this last side chapel was awe-inspiring. It was filled with so many things. I’m sure you could look at it daily and find something new each time.

While the Basilica di San Petronia is larger than life, we walked by this other building and on one of our last days we stepped inside. This greeted us. So much beauty. I think I whispered ‘wow’ out loud, along with the other two. It was a shock to the senses. So solemn and quiet yet a bustling pedestrian zone was right outside its doors.

Walking to the altar, here is a closer shot of the fresco. We were the only ones inside the building. I’m guessing this is John the Baptist. Why?

This was the entrance into the church. I assumed it was the name of the church. No, I can’t find the name, no matter how much I tried searching the internet and looking at internet maps.

These are the hidden gems you find when traveling.

Ginny

Bologna Food Tour

by ginnyinshanghai

This is something very common for us – booking a food tour, especially when we stop at a new city for us. Why?

~you’re talking with a local that is typically passionate about their city.

~able to get local recommendations tailored to your wants.

~find those ‘hidden’ gems that aren’t in a guide book.

Eric does a LOT of research prior to our trips and reads LOTS of reviews for said tours. Occasionally we’ve gone back to revisit places that was on the tour because we enjoyed it so much. Now, we’ve also gone a bit crazy and done too many food tours (Lyon, France) during one visit – we learned.

This was our tour for Bologna.

What better way to start than with coffee and croissant. This is one of the only places in Bologna that roasts their own coffee beans.

Options for croissants were plain or creme.

Next up – pasta factory. Upstairs was where the pasta was being created.

At this time of the year, only one table occupied for pasta. At other times of the year, every available space in this room is full of pasta-making.

Enough of looking, let’s get some food! Eric and Adrienne were drooling at what was inside.

Part of this business was prepared food but the other side was fresh pasta for sale.

They had lots of goodies for sale. Yes, a few of them made the trip to Florida.

What did we pick up from this location? This delectable platter.

This is also where I was introduced to a dry Lambrusco – delicious!

A glass of that along with a plate of meats – I was happy.

Parmesan cheese with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar – perfect.

before sitting down to each these goodies, we walked through tight alleyways that were full of open-air markets. Notice those cheeses? The stickers (numbers) indicate how many months they have aged. They go up past what I captured in my photo.

This was also a great place to find this map and see where some of these culinary gifts come from.

It was f.i.n.a.l.l.y time to eat some of that pasta we saw being made earlier.

tortellini in broth
spinach noodle lasagna & pasta bolognese

What better way than to close with some gelato? Sorry, no photos.

We had a great tour and enjoyed the introduction to Bologna.

Ginny

Florence to Bologna

by ginnyinshanghai

All to soon, it was time to continue on our Italian journey. Look at these two seasoned train travelers. They’re keeping an eye on the platform departure board as I wandered off.

We were waiting for this.

Bologna. Why go to Bologna?

~it is the 7th most populous city in Italy

~also nick-named the ‘Fat City’ – rich cuisine, the ‘Red City’ – red tiled rooftops and the ‘Learned City’ – oldest university.

~speaking of which…..the University of Bologna has the longest continuous university operation in the world, established in 1088. That is not a typo.

Famous for its towers, churches and lengthy porticoes, Bologna has a well-preserved historical centre. The first two photos are part of the main historical centre square.

A main reason for visiting……………not many Americans have it on their traveling plans. It reigns as the gastronomic capital of Italy – definitely a great spot for 3 foodies. They have gifted the world with Parmigiana Reggiano, tortellini, mortadella, Parma ham and balsamic vinegar to new a few things.

These two towers are symbols of Bologna with construction begun 1109-1119. It is assumed their construction was a competition between two families to prove who was more powerful. Basically, they are so old, very little was known about them. One of the towers is learning so much, it was permanently closed off in 2023 and a metal barrier is being constructed if it does collapse.

We grabbed a quick bite before our apartment was ready. Its location was ideal being one block away from the church in the first photo.

After dropping off the luggage we started walking.

Porticoes – a structure consisting of a roof supported by columns at regular intervals, typically attached as a porch to a building.

This city is known for them, and we came across them quickly. I fell in love with them. 🙂

We all chuckled when we walked past this.

Naturally I needed to include a photo of a flower stall we walked by.

Too early for dinner we stopped for some refreshment along the historical centre square.

There were a variety of liquids imbibed. The middle drink was Eric’s choice, a Campari Spritz – a combination of prosecco, bitter liqueur and soda water. Yeah, ugh. I tried it – no thank you. The other two photos below are sparking local wines.

We needed a little something to hold us over until dinner and we ordered this. O.M.G. Those squares are fried gnocchi and the ham……cutatello, a rare small salumi made from the choicest section of the pigs thigh muscle.

As I was typing this post, I looked up cutatello ham. We should have brought some home and tried to get it through customs. Since 2017 it has been sold in America at Italian specialty stores and even a shop on Amazon. Check it out. Be prepared for stick shock!

We eventually wandered off for dinner at Sala Interna. Nothing special, but it was open, had seating and comfort food. Yes, we started with wine – white for me, red for the other two.

Two starters were ordered, bruschetta and lard bruschetta, they arrived waaaaaaay bigger than we expected. Did we need both of them? Not really. Did I try the one with Lard? Yes, Double Yuck. 😦

I had the traditional tortellini in broth – simple, but delicious. It was perfect that evening. When the sun started to set, it got chilly quickly. This was hot and filling.

Eric had this entre – ham-topped meatballs, fries and an unusual salad. Ummm.

Tortellini with Bolognese sauce was Adrienne’s choice. Yes, that recipe originated here. It is a slowly cooked meat-based sauce, with characteristic sofrito (onion, celery & carrots), white wine, milk and a small amount of tomato paste or sauce. Mighty tasty.

It was a full day, a day of travel and a day of wandering. Tomorrow is our Bologna food tour – always a great way to start our time in a city.

Ginny

Florence Eats

by ginnyinshanghai

We had several meals that were special, two of which needed reservations prior to our arrival. Truly, it was the first thing asked when we arrived. But let’s get to our meals.

The first one I’m going to talk about is Trattoria L’Oriuolo.

Their mission is traditional flavor with a Tuscan touch. The restaurant prepares classic recipes of Florentine cuisine and of the peasant tradition. Simple ingredients once considered poor are being rediscovered as genuine, rich and traditional and culture. But enough words, lets see the food.

For a number of months, I’ve been drinking white wine that has bubbles or considered sparkling. I’m not talking about champagne, but there are other sparkling wines but in Italy, Proseco is theirs and I had a glass with my meal. Eric and Adrienne shared a bottle of red wine.

We had bruschetta as a starter and we talked………..why is this the first time we’ve ordered it during our trip? It’s simple, tasty and cleanses the palate. I see more in our future!

There was one reason for selecting this restaurant: Bistecca alla fiorentina, steak Floratine-style. What does that mean? It is a loin steak on the bone cooked on a grill until rare. The meat is aged for at least two weeks in cold rooms and must be at room temperature at the time of cooking. Eric had been thinking and drooling about this experience ever since our trip was being planned. Once you order the Floratine steak, it is brought out to the table with a scale and the weight will determine what price you are paying. Once you agree to the cut and weight, it goes back into the kitchen.

The unseasoned meat is turned once, cooking it about 3-5 minutes per side. Finally, it is cooked ‘standing’ on the side of the bone for 5-7 minutes until the traces of juice disappear from the bone. Then it comes to the table.

They also ordered a side dish of greens.

They both loved it. It’s not my thing. Instead I ordered this pasta with beef short ribs. I LOVED my choice. The pasta was cooked perfectly with a bit of chew, the meat was tender and the sauce spot on.

We had NO room for dessert. Surprised?

One day for lunch, we stopped at Da Pinocchio.

It is in the heart of the historic district and their menu is typical of Tuscan dishes. Several locations in Florence had this type of seating. Great for when the weather is dicey. You’re outside, but then again, you’re not exposed.

The dish below was something recommended we look for while in Florence, one of their specialties as a starter. Come on…….hot, fried dough, spreadable cheese and prosciutto. What’s not to like?

For our meals, Eric went traditional, pasta with meat sauce.

On that day they had a special with chicken (half of a cockerel, young male chicken, less than 1 year), accompanied by fries – my choice.

Adrienne – she needed a salad with a protein added

We were stuffed – no desserts with this meal. However……..there were a number of Pinocchios inside and they were begging to be included in my post.

Our last reservation in Florence was for La Giostra.

Their brick arches of the sixteenth century and the historiate walls where the horses of a nearby carousel once rested, now houses 16 tables where new stories begin every night. More than 25 years ago this family came together to share their family traditions and ancient recipes with the people of Florence. Obviously, you needed a reservation when only 16 tables exist. Luckily we had one.

By this point, it was evident that if we wanted dessert we were going to have to forgo a starter. So when this showed up at our table, we said ‘No, we didn’t order this’. She explained that everyone received this. There is bruschetta on the plate but when we asked what the other items were……..we couldn’t fathom their Italian explanation. No matter, we ate them all and we were happy.

This was the second time they ordered the Floratine steak – and were very happy with what came to the table. A few veggies were part of the platter.

I ordered one of their dishes they are known for – Ravioli fatti a mano con Peccorino di fossa e Pere Williams. Or, homemade ravioli filled with Peccorino cheese and William pears. There were other ravioli fillings but I went with a local dish.

I’ll be honest – not my favorite filling. I ate most of the ravioli and Eric shared pieces of his steak that were cooked more to my liking. But hey – that’s what going to new areas and ordering new things is about. Hopefully there are more ‘wins’ in the positive column.

Desserts? Yep we each ordered one.

ice cream with hot chocolate sauce and nuts
tiramisu
rice ice cream with whipped cream and red berries

We really enjoyed our time and experience at this restaurant and would definitely recommend anyone planning a visit to Florence – book this place!

Ginny