The Dolomites

The Dolomites are a mountain range located in northeastern Italy. They are a part of Alps, but unlike  the Central Alps which are built from slate and gneiss, they are built of a special type of limestone which is called dolostone. I believe you can easily notice the difference in colour and mountains' shapes.

The name of this stone and mountains comes from Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu (1750–1801) who first described the stone. Thanks to their unique character, the Dolomites mountain were declared UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009

We came here in winter so the best way to get up the heel is to take a T-bar lift. Keep your legs together.

If you prefer to sit instead of standing please use the chairlift ...

up to the upper station ...

next to the Refuge Fronza Alle Coronelle at altitude of 2337 m.

Here you can drink a warm Bombardino with cream ...

... and admire the Central Alps in far North.

Now the funniest part: down the hill.

If you have sport ambitions you can even try yourself a slalom ...

... driving you back to the hotel.

Evening you can also ski or sledge on selected floodlit slopes or go to a typical après-ski tent. Just try to keep straight afterwards :)

Have fun and see you on the slopes of Carezza.

Venice

Italy is a beautiful country, full of amazing places to be seen. We have visited Milan in spring time. What can be better than to discover Venice by late summer? As you surely all know, Venice is a city located basically on water.

No, it does not mean that it literally stands in the sea like the pile dwellings we have visited along Lake Constance. It is simply built on a total of 117 islands of the Venice Lagoon. On bigger islands there are real streets. But in between, you will find canals. On their shores you will find museums ...

... and governmental buildings. 

And on the canals you can find boats that serve all types of purposes, including an ambulance ...

... and a postal car! Or postal boat to be more precise.

But the most famous Venetian boats are of course the gondolas, in which tourists can comfortably enjoy a ride on the waves. 

Some of the canals are rather small. It almost feels as if the inhabitants of the buildings facing them could shake hands in the morning.

Other canals are bigger. The biggest one is Canale Grande, a real water highway. 

Canale Grande, like any other highway, is very busy, so we need to manoeuvre carefully while still admiring the banks. Look on your right hand side, to this huge dome. 

It is the basilica of Santa Maria de Salute (Virgin Mary of Health), founded by the city of Venice to thank God and his Mother for the end of a plague. The church is visible designed in baroque style.

Finally, we arrive to the biggest square in the city. It is facing the San Marco Basin. 

And the square is called San Marco square, which can be further discovered from the statue of the Saint Mark's lion. Any ideas who is the saint patron of the city of Venice?

The most important buildings of the city include the Palace of the Doges, built in Venetian gothic style. Doge of Venice was the title of the most senior governmental official elected by the Republic of Venice, which lasted over a thousand years.

Just behind the palace, you will see the main church of the city, dedicated (how did you guess?) to Mark the Evangelist, aka San Marco. The tall red tower is the San Marco Campanille, being a bell tower.

The entrance to the San Marco basilica is supported by numerous columns. On top, you can see marvellous mosaics. Unfortunately it is forbidden to take pictures inside the basilica but you can have a glimpse of this amazing place here.

Above the entrance you can admire the Triumphal Quadriga or the Horses of Saint Mark. The four horses were made of bronze in the second century after Christ. They were (let's face it) stolen from Constantinople in 1204.

Would you like to see them closer? Then let's go up. From the top of the church you can admire the San Marco square.

As well as the Doge's Palace and the Basin.

Oh, what a thrill. It is me and the quadriga of Saint Mark. Alright, I need to confess - this is a contemporaneous copy. The two thousand year old original is behind us, in the basilica's museum (but no photos allowed ...).

I hope that you have enjoyed the time we have spent in the amazing city of Venice. I am sure you will not be surprised to hear that its uniqueness has deserved it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. After all, where else in the world, can you see a view like this?

 

Lago Maggiore

My human secretary did today the most thoughtless thing on Earth. She caught her backpack and run to the train, laving me in another handbag. I was calling her but of course, she only realised it when the train left the station. I was planning to ignore her for some time but the pictures she brought were so amazing that I decided to share them with you. Though I am still angry at her of course. I hope you will still enjoy this trip, even if you will not be able to admire me. 

* * *

We will end our trip to Italy with a cruise on Lago Maggiore. We will start in a lovely village called Stresa. Everybody on board!

Lago Maggiore is the second biggest lake in Italy. The boat makes quite some waves so I hope that your stomachs are resistant.

The lake is dotted with islands. Some of them are very small and populated with water birds.

The crown jewels of the region are the Borromean Islands. This one is called Isola Bella, which means "the beautiful island". You will have the chance to discover yourself that the name is well deserved.

But before we discover Isola Bella, we will make a stop on the Isola dei Pescatori ("island of fishermen").

It includes a small village of fishermen and does not offer much tourist attractions. Just a few restaurants ...

... and the view! On the left you can see yet another island called Isola Madre ("mother island").

On the right - the main shore with Stresa cuddling to the mountain.

Let's return to the pier and get back on board to visit the most beautiful of the islands.

Isola Bella used to be a rocky island in the middle of the lake, until several generations of the noble family of Borromeo decided to invest heavily in turning it into a unique place.

They have built there a huge palazzo.

Inside you can really see and feel the wealth.

In the middle of the ballroom you can admire a miniature of the island.

And admire the ballroom itself of course.

Through the windows you can see the Isola dei Pescatori.

On warmer days the owners could chill out in an artificial grotto.

Or simply go to the garden.

Not impressed? Just follow me to the main entrance.

Isola Bella does not have any permanent inhabitants. Except for this gentleman. 

The impressive structure in the back is called "teatro massimo", though I am not sure if it has ever been used as a theater.

The many niches are filled with some fantastic creatures and topped with, and yes, you have seen it right, a knight riding on a unicorn. Some people just do not understand the term "humble".

From the top, next to the unicorn, you can have a look at the gardens with a small pond.

Behind the teatro you will find the last plot of land on the island.

Let's go down and have a look. Wave your hand to the statues as we pass them by.

Seen from behind, the teatro is magnificent as well.

Time to go back and catch the boat returning to Stresa. Let's take the path by the wall.

The trees that you see are orange trees!

Let's just turn back and take a last look at the lake. If there is a places on Earth that are genuinely close to paradise, Lago Maggiore and Isola Bella are definitely one of them.