Ciao Tutti!
We’re leaving soon and will fly to Venice to travel north – no, car; no rush; just trains, four or five nights in each city and plenty of time to wander.
From the airport in Venice we’ll take a bus for a short ride to Treviso – a small city known for canals, frescoed facades and tiramisu – reportedly first created here.
Then a short train ride to Bassano del Grappa – with wooden bridges, mountain views and most importantly…grappa.
Onward to Chioggia – described as Venice’s “laid-back cousin” with fishing boats, colorful houses and excellent seafood. Hoping for calamari and a glass of crisp white wine.
North to Padua next. It’s described as a city of art, students, and a great aperitivo culture. The Scrovegni Chapel will be a highlight.
Then a little jog south to Mantua, where we’re hoping for some pumpkin-filled pasta and a visit to Palazzo Te.
Cremona, the city of violins is next. It’s famous for Stradivari and music but also, torrone (nougat) and cheeses from the Po Valley.
We’ll spend 6 nights in Turin, a place that we’ve visited before and very much enjoyed.
Our last stop will be a one-night stay in a hotel near Milan Fiumicino Airport for a direct flight back to Atlanta mid- October.
We’ve used Fred Plotkin’s book Italy for the Gourmet Traveler as a guide/roadmap to search out lesser-known destinations with a focus on food. While it’s not a recent edition, the suggestions of “Classic Towns” to visit seem interesting to us and will give us a taste of three different Italian regions – Veneto, Lombardy, and Piedmont. Fred has also collaborated with Rick Steves for a more updated but less comprehensive book titled, Italy for Food Lovers. We won’t be looking for Michelin-star restaurants but we’ll try to find trattorias, food festivals, markets, and pasticcerias with a local following.
We’ve got lots to do before we depart. We’ll post a photo or two every few days. If you’d like to follow along, check out the link.
Arrivederci!
Sharon and Larry
