If You Don't Like Reading About Food, Don't Read This Italy Trip Report
Nov 17th, 2004, 11:44 AM
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If You Don't Like Reading About Food, Don't Read This Italy Trip Report
If You Don't Like Reading About Food, Don't Read This Italy Trip Report
BACKGROUND
Prompted by Italian friend R, I planned an October trip to visit her in Cesena, Italy. My friend P decided to join me for part of the trip. An Italy novice, P was counting on me, a frequent visitor to Italy, to make all plans for his brief five-night visit. P's only requirements: to visit the science museum in Florence; to eat at my favorite restaurants; to eat plenty of gelato. He didn't need to see the major sights-only if I needed to do so again. He figured whatever I chose to do would be interesting. Based on P's particular interest in the science museum in Florence, we chose to split our time--two nights in Florence and three nights in Rome.
P purchased his airline tickets on Continental for his precise dates. I arranged to fly to Rome with him. My return dates could be less definite, so I gave the reservationist possible return dates of Oct. 31, Nov. 1, or Nov. 2. The 31st and 1st were not available. She asked me if Nov. 3 would work. If I flew on Nov. 2, it would cost $859, while on Nov. 3 it cost $509. I decided to make the sacrifice and stay in Italy an extra day. So it actually DOES pay to be flexible.
Monday, 18 October 2004
5:45PM flight from EWR to FCO, uneventful trip.
DAY 1: Tuesday, 19 October 2004 -- Florence
We arrive at FCO at about 7:30AM and by 8:30AM we are buying tickets at the FCO train station for the next train to Florence and purchase our return tickets as well. The schedules I'd printed from the Trenitalia Web site were incredibly helpful--I just circled the trains desired, wrote "2 biglietti, 2? classe" and passed the papers to the ticket agent.
At Roma Termini, it is long walk to the front end of the other tracks from the Airport Express. If you have another train to catch immediately after you arrive at Termini, watch for the ramp to the sottopassagio. If you already have your tickets, using this passage you can get to your track without walking all the way to the main part of the station. Plus the ES tracks have the carrozze positions marked on the track, so you can position yourself right where your car will be.
Our 9:30AM ES train isn't crowded, the ride is pleasant. P dozes but I am too excited to sleep. It is overcast and raining lightly at times. Clouds cling to the higher hills. We arrive just after 11:00AM and make the short walk to our hotel.
I had reserved our room at the Hotel Paris (Via dei Banchi) on venere.com, requesting a standard room with two single beds. I stayed here before and thought that the slightly-larger-than-usual room I remembered would be good for two friends sharing. Also, the central location would be great for visiting the sights and departing by train. My one concern: the hotel Web site said the elevator was out of order (being updated). The lower-than-usual price offered by venere (140 euros) seemed to reflect this inconvenience. Forewarned, P chose to follow my recommendation, since we wouldn't have to climb the stairs all that much.
Yes, the hotel has our reservation. I verify "due letti singoli." Yes, the elevator isn't working. A bellman carries our bags up the wide stairs. An old palazzo, the ceilings are high. Some windows have old stained glass. We head for the fourth floor (Italian fifth!). From the landing for the third floor, we walk up a five-step glass bridge (walls, ceiling, floor?all glass!) into the building next door.
When the bellman opens the door to room 457, I begin to be concerned. Silhouetted before the high draped window, I see the shape of an ornate sofa. A sofa in a standard room? We enter and turn on the lights as the bellman busily explains the features. The room measures about 20 by 25 feet, with 20-foot wood beamed and planked ceiling. To one side, there are two double beds, each with brocade draperies framing the heads. To the other side, a sofa, two easy chairs, a dining table with four chairs, antique dresser and wardrobe, a frigobar and TV, and a closed-up fireplace. Located off the entrance hall, the bathroom is about 9 feet square, with a large tub. After the bellman departs, I begin to laugh nervously, wondering aloud if we have the correct room. P comments that he'd thought I'd planned all this. Checking the floorplan on the back of the door, we notice that the room is the biggest on the floor and is priced at 400 euro. We'll see how this works out... For the remainder of our stay, we refer to the room as "the castle."
Before the trip, P had added one more requirement to his list: to see Ghiberti?s baptistery doors, the Gate of Heaven. One of the few reproductions of the doors are at a church where P grew up. We leave the castle for a short stroll before lunch. It is raining lightly and a little warmer than I expected. Since we?re so close, I lead us directly to the duomo and baptistery to see the doors. Surrounded by tourists, we take a quick look and vow to return early the following morning.
We are a bit tired, but we are also very hungry, so we head to a favorite of mine, Osteria Belle Donne (Via delle Belle Donne, 16/R). The food is interesting, delicious, and reasonably priced; the cozy, quirky space is inviting. We don?t have wine with this or any meal during the trip. Since we always have a liter of water, here begins our experiment trip-long quest: ow to ask for lemon slices for the water. (Each waiter along the way suggests a different word?limone tagliata, fetto, un po di limone...) We share an avocado and shredded zucchini antipasti?very fresh, an interesting combination of flavors. Next P has the veal stew with artichokes while I have the bocconcini di pollo, chunks of chicken in a light tomato sauce with arugula. For dessert, P has the panna cotta while I have vin santo with biscotti. For food, a liter of water, and 10% servizio included in the bill, the cost is 46.60 euro. Warning: The chairs have no backs, which might be a problem for some, but you could request a table by the wall for leaning.
I can see that P is dragging, so we head back to the hotel for a nap. P is enjoying his new SLR digital camera, snapping everyday details like trash cans and doorbells. The castle makes for relatively quiet sleeping, especially when the shutters are closed. P is impressed with how dark this makes the room, even in daytime. We nap till about 3:30PM, and then head out to hunt for gelato.
I have heard P refer to himself as "Mr. Dessert," so this gelato-eating is serious business. (P makes his own ice cream, going so far as to pack it in dry ice so he can take it camping.) We stop at Festival di Gelato: P = liquorizia; E = noci (walnut). P is astounded by the intense flavor. I enjoy mine, until a pigeon keeps trying to land on it as we sit by a statue in Piazza della Signoria. After more strolling and a peek at the Ponte Vecchio, we catch a bus to Piazzale Michelangelo.
Today?s view of Florence with gray skies from the scenic overlook is not as impressive as it might be. Still, with Florence below and the green hills nearby it is still magical to me. We walk along the road and visit San Miniato al Monte--Tuscan architectural perfection. Catching the bus, we ride downhill to Porta Romana and walk back into the center on Via Romana, passing the Palazzo Pitti along the way. P mentions that he still tastes liquorice. We hit an internet café to check on things at home.
Even with the nap and then another short rest, we?re still a bit tired, so we head out for an early dinner at Trattoria Za-Za (Piazza Mercato Centrale 26/R). The weather seems even warmer (I?m beginning to worry about my wardrobe choices!) so we decide to eat outside in the piazza. We notice "porcini freschi" on the chalkboard and ask for that, unsure what it will be from the description. What we receive is a huge pile of batter-fried fresh porcini--hot, crisp, and meaty. The P has his "alpine" steak, a filet mignon topped with a porcini mushroom cap, cooked perfectly. I have the coniglio ripieno, rabbit with a meaty stuffing which comes with garlicky sautéed spinach. For dessert, P has the apple torte and I have the crema di marscapone?very decadent. For food, a liter of water, no servizio included, the cost is 56.50 euro.
Back to the castle for early bedtime. R telephones to welcome me and verify my travel plans. When P leaves for home on Sunday morning, I?ll catch a train to Cesena. (Yes, I know I?m doing a little backtracking from Rome back to Florence and then on to Cesena, but I knew that P was nervous about traveling in a foreign language, so I adjusted my plans to make his trip easier.) After a few days in Cesena, R and I will head south to her ancestral home, Molfetta, on the Adriatic Coast. I?ll finish up by myself in Rome.
Tomorrow: Florence Favorites and More Food
BACKGROUND
Prompted by Italian friend R, I planned an October trip to visit her in Cesena, Italy. My friend P decided to join me for part of the trip. An Italy novice, P was counting on me, a frequent visitor to Italy, to make all plans for his brief five-night visit. P's only requirements: to visit the science museum in Florence; to eat at my favorite restaurants; to eat plenty of gelato. He didn't need to see the major sights-only if I needed to do so again. He figured whatever I chose to do would be interesting. Based on P's particular interest in the science museum in Florence, we chose to split our time--two nights in Florence and three nights in Rome.
P purchased his airline tickets on Continental for his precise dates. I arranged to fly to Rome with him. My return dates could be less definite, so I gave the reservationist possible return dates of Oct. 31, Nov. 1, or Nov. 2. The 31st and 1st were not available. She asked me if Nov. 3 would work. If I flew on Nov. 2, it would cost $859, while on Nov. 3 it cost $509. I decided to make the sacrifice and stay in Italy an extra day. So it actually DOES pay to be flexible.
Monday, 18 October 2004
5:45PM flight from EWR to FCO, uneventful trip.
DAY 1: Tuesday, 19 October 2004 -- Florence
We arrive at FCO at about 7:30AM and by 8:30AM we are buying tickets at the FCO train station for the next train to Florence and purchase our return tickets as well. The schedules I'd printed from the Trenitalia Web site were incredibly helpful--I just circled the trains desired, wrote "2 biglietti, 2? classe" and passed the papers to the ticket agent.
At Roma Termini, it is long walk to the front end of the other tracks from the Airport Express. If you have another train to catch immediately after you arrive at Termini, watch for the ramp to the sottopassagio. If you already have your tickets, using this passage you can get to your track without walking all the way to the main part of the station. Plus the ES tracks have the carrozze positions marked on the track, so you can position yourself right where your car will be.
Our 9:30AM ES train isn't crowded, the ride is pleasant. P dozes but I am too excited to sleep. It is overcast and raining lightly at times. Clouds cling to the higher hills. We arrive just after 11:00AM and make the short walk to our hotel.
I had reserved our room at the Hotel Paris (Via dei Banchi) on venere.com, requesting a standard room with two single beds. I stayed here before and thought that the slightly-larger-than-usual room I remembered would be good for two friends sharing. Also, the central location would be great for visiting the sights and departing by train. My one concern: the hotel Web site said the elevator was out of order (being updated). The lower-than-usual price offered by venere (140 euros) seemed to reflect this inconvenience. Forewarned, P chose to follow my recommendation, since we wouldn't have to climb the stairs all that much.
Yes, the hotel has our reservation. I verify "due letti singoli." Yes, the elevator isn't working. A bellman carries our bags up the wide stairs. An old palazzo, the ceilings are high. Some windows have old stained glass. We head for the fourth floor (Italian fifth!). From the landing for the third floor, we walk up a five-step glass bridge (walls, ceiling, floor?all glass!) into the building next door.
When the bellman opens the door to room 457, I begin to be concerned. Silhouetted before the high draped window, I see the shape of an ornate sofa. A sofa in a standard room? We enter and turn on the lights as the bellman busily explains the features. The room measures about 20 by 25 feet, with 20-foot wood beamed and planked ceiling. To one side, there are two double beds, each with brocade draperies framing the heads. To the other side, a sofa, two easy chairs, a dining table with four chairs, antique dresser and wardrobe, a frigobar and TV, and a closed-up fireplace. Located off the entrance hall, the bathroom is about 9 feet square, with a large tub. After the bellman departs, I begin to laugh nervously, wondering aloud if we have the correct room. P comments that he'd thought I'd planned all this. Checking the floorplan on the back of the door, we notice that the room is the biggest on the floor and is priced at 400 euro. We'll see how this works out... For the remainder of our stay, we refer to the room as "the castle."
Before the trip, P had added one more requirement to his list: to see Ghiberti?s baptistery doors, the Gate of Heaven. One of the few reproductions of the doors are at a church where P grew up. We leave the castle for a short stroll before lunch. It is raining lightly and a little warmer than I expected. Since we?re so close, I lead us directly to the duomo and baptistery to see the doors. Surrounded by tourists, we take a quick look and vow to return early the following morning.
We are a bit tired, but we are also very hungry, so we head to a favorite of mine, Osteria Belle Donne (Via delle Belle Donne, 16/R). The food is interesting, delicious, and reasonably priced; the cozy, quirky space is inviting. We don?t have wine with this or any meal during the trip. Since we always have a liter of water, here begins our experiment trip-long quest: ow to ask for lemon slices for the water. (Each waiter along the way suggests a different word?limone tagliata, fetto, un po di limone...) We share an avocado and shredded zucchini antipasti?very fresh, an interesting combination of flavors. Next P has the veal stew with artichokes while I have the bocconcini di pollo, chunks of chicken in a light tomato sauce with arugula. For dessert, P has the panna cotta while I have vin santo with biscotti. For food, a liter of water, and 10% servizio included in the bill, the cost is 46.60 euro. Warning: The chairs have no backs, which might be a problem for some, but you could request a table by the wall for leaning.
I can see that P is dragging, so we head back to the hotel for a nap. P is enjoying his new SLR digital camera, snapping everyday details like trash cans and doorbells. The castle makes for relatively quiet sleeping, especially when the shutters are closed. P is impressed with how dark this makes the room, even in daytime. We nap till about 3:30PM, and then head out to hunt for gelato.
I have heard P refer to himself as "Mr. Dessert," so this gelato-eating is serious business. (P makes his own ice cream, going so far as to pack it in dry ice so he can take it camping.) We stop at Festival di Gelato: P = liquorizia; E = noci (walnut). P is astounded by the intense flavor. I enjoy mine, until a pigeon keeps trying to land on it as we sit by a statue in Piazza della Signoria. After more strolling and a peek at the Ponte Vecchio, we catch a bus to Piazzale Michelangelo.
Today?s view of Florence with gray skies from the scenic overlook is not as impressive as it might be. Still, with Florence below and the green hills nearby it is still magical to me. We walk along the road and visit San Miniato al Monte--Tuscan architectural perfection. Catching the bus, we ride downhill to Porta Romana and walk back into the center on Via Romana, passing the Palazzo Pitti along the way. P mentions that he still tastes liquorice. We hit an internet café to check on things at home.
Even with the nap and then another short rest, we?re still a bit tired, so we head out for an early dinner at Trattoria Za-Za (Piazza Mercato Centrale 26/R). The weather seems even warmer (I?m beginning to worry about my wardrobe choices!) so we decide to eat outside in the piazza. We notice "porcini freschi" on the chalkboard and ask for that, unsure what it will be from the description. What we receive is a huge pile of batter-fried fresh porcini--hot, crisp, and meaty. The P has his "alpine" steak, a filet mignon topped with a porcini mushroom cap, cooked perfectly. I have the coniglio ripieno, rabbit with a meaty stuffing which comes with garlicky sautéed spinach. For dessert, P has the apple torte and I have the crema di marscapone?very decadent. For food, a liter of water, no servizio included, the cost is 56.50 euro.
Back to the castle for early bedtime. R telephones to welcome me and verify my travel plans. When P leaves for home on Sunday morning, I?ll catch a train to Cesena. (Yes, I know I?m doing a little backtracking from Rome back to Florence and then on to Cesena, but I knew that P was nervous about traveling in a foreign language, so I adjusted my plans to make his trip easier.) After a few days in Cesena, R and I will head south to her ancestral home, Molfetta, on the Adriatic Coast. I?ll finish up by myself in Rome.
Tomorrow: Florence Favorites and More Food
Nov 18th, 2004, 05:22 AM
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Thanks for your kind words.
Yes, the wine thing. P doesn't drink wine. Neither does R. And it was so hot and humid during the entire trip, I knew it would overheat me.
DAY 2: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 -- Florence
P is impressed with the frescoed ceiling in the breakfast room at the hotel. (He was also impressed how pitch-black the room was during the night with the shutters closed -- almost scary.) The breakfast room is impressive, with its high vaulted ceiling and tall, many-paned windows. The sun is shining and, again, it's warmer than expected.
True to our plans, we stop first at the baptistery to photograph Ghiberti's doors. It's before 9:00AM and there's only one other visitor in sight. Taking a new route to the science museum, we stop at a bar so I can get a real coffee. P has outfitted himself with a microrecorder, so while I drink magnificent coffee, he slips through the crowd and records the clanking of cups, the spritzing of the coffee machine, and the quick conversations of patrons. Real Italy. I love this stuff.
The Museo di Storia della Scienza is by the river just behind the Uffizi. I've never visited it before, so I'm also interested to see it. However, I warn P that it may not be the kind of science museum he's expecting. He's expecting fun, hands-on exhibits. What we get are two floors of interesting scientific instruments circa 1400 to 1900, some belonging to Galileo. The English-language guidebooks fill in historic information about the objects, but often we wish we knew more about how the individual objects work. At one point, docents gather all the visitors to watch a demonstration of Galileo's inclined plane, demonstrating acceleration due to gravity -- very interesting. I want to touch and play with all the objects. Some gruesome points: While most exhibits are tools and devices, one room includes among the displays Galileo's finger in a jar; another room contains two dozen or more full-size anatomical models -- cross-sections of difficult pregnancies. Eeeek. The temporary exhibit in the basement about planetary movement is a bit more hands-on.
All day yesterday and this morning I've been trying to pretend that I don't have a head cold. But by the time we leave the museum, my nose is running like a faucet. I want to visit Santa Croce, so we head in that direction. We find a farmacia and through sign language and poor Italian I purchase nasal spray. We ask our new-found pharmicist friend to recommend a place nearby for lunch. As usual, he states his choice is just 100 meters down the street. (Every time I've ever asked directions, the place is 100 meters down the street.)
I think Trattoria da Benvenuto (Via della Mosca 16/R) is even closer than 100 meters. It's just opening time so we check the menu and decide to try it. The interior dining room has the distinct smell of cigarettes, though we never see anyone smoke during our meal. We are the first to be seated, but as we wait for our food, locals trickle in. We both order pasta: P has pici with porcini mushrooms. (We are enjoying mushroom season!) I have bavette with gamberetti. Both are nicely cooked though salty. We also share some cauliflower and grilled radicchio. For food, a liter of water, 10% servizio included, the cost is 27.50 euro.
Since we are so close, we stop for gelato at Giolitti. P = chestnut and coffee-chocolate; E = banana and orange cream. The banana is very intense. P has been trying to perfect banana ice cream for years and we discuss how such a strong flavor might be achieved as we cross Piazza Santa Croce.
I haven't been to Santa Croce in a few years and am surprised by the entrance fee, which was for the Pazzi Chapel and museum in the past but now includes the church. I revisit favorite frescoes while P snaps photos. On the way back to the castle for our afternoon nap, we stop to buy some chocolates and marzipan. P has paid with a good deal more money than needed, hoping to get rid of coins and receive paper bills. We go back and forth with the cashier a few times, trying to explain what bills P used and what change he should receive. Finally, P accepts the change, I shrug and say, "Americani." The cashier accepts our explanation.
After our nap and a brief walk through the San Lorenzo markets, we head for the Accademia. We enter at about 5:40PM with no reservations. There is no line. The gallery that leads to David looks a little crowded so we visit the display of musical instrument first, playing with the harpsichord models and computers. Then we head for the cleaner, even prettier David. The gallery isn't that crowded so it's easy to get a seat and contemplate the best rear end in art. In the other galleries, we do a comparative study of bleeding -- some drip, some squirt, some bleed gracefully, some dramatically. I've noticed before that northern European paintings bleed a lot more than southern European ones. We are the last visitors out the door at closing.
Now, what to do for dinner? I'd thought about trying Il Ritrovo on fodorite ira's recommendation. However, I'm traveling with Mr. Dessert so I decided to try Acqua al 2(Via della Vigna Vecchia 40/R). We arrive early and without reservations. A brusque woman tells us they open at 7:30PM, so we reserve for then. Fifteen minutes later we're back. A crowd has formed. Soon the door opens and most of the tables fill. The brusque woman is our server and is now very friendly. Since the assaggio (tasting sampler) is a specialty here, we opt for ALL assaggios.
We share the primi assaggio, a sampler of five different pasta dishes, just enough for us each to have two or three bites. Each pasta is brought in succession. We can see others in the room receiving the same pasta when we do. The five pastas: lumachone (snail shapes) with broccoli; fusilli with spinach sauce; farfalle with pumpkin sauce; rigatoni with tomato sauce; risotto flavored with tomato, carrots, and rosemary. All very tasty and different from one another.
We make the almost-mistake of ordering one secondi assaggio for each of us. We each receive a platter with TWO filet mignons, one with green peppercorn sauce, the other with an amazing balsamic vinegar sauce. Also on the platter, rare sliced beef with arugula and parmigiano. Though we shouldn't have been able to do so, we clean our plates and consider dessert.
I know Mr. Dessert will not want to share, so we order two dolce assaggios. (After all, we're on vacation.) The four selections are just large enough for a reasonable taste: custard tart with strawberries and bananas; deep chocolate torte; tiramisu; cheesecake with raspberry sauce. We agree that the tiramisu was the best, but I found the chocolate torte earthy, almost mushroomy. Our server asks us how the desserts were. When I remark on the interesting chocolate torte, she brings us another slice! And a glass of dessert wine.
Certainly this has been our most impressive meal so far. All the assaggios were carefully considered to have a variety of flavors and textures playing off one another. For food, a liter of water, 10% servizio included, the cost is 65.38 euro. Really good, really reasonable for the quality.
We walk back to the castle very slowly.
Tomorrow: Goodbye, Castle -- Hello, Rome
Yes, the wine thing. P doesn't drink wine. Neither does R. And it was so hot and humid during the entire trip, I knew it would overheat me.
DAY 2: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 -- Florence
P is impressed with the frescoed ceiling in the breakfast room at the hotel. (He was also impressed how pitch-black the room was during the night with the shutters closed -- almost scary.) The breakfast room is impressive, with its high vaulted ceiling and tall, many-paned windows. The sun is shining and, again, it's warmer than expected.
True to our plans, we stop first at the baptistery to photograph Ghiberti's doors. It's before 9:00AM and there's only one other visitor in sight. Taking a new route to the science museum, we stop at a bar so I can get a real coffee. P has outfitted himself with a microrecorder, so while I drink magnificent coffee, he slips through the crowd and records the clanking of cups, the spritzing of the coffee machine, and the quick conversations of patrons. Real Italy. I love this stuff.
The Museo di Storia della Scienza is by the river just behind the Uffizi. I've never visited it before, so I'm also interested to see it. However, I warn P that it may not be the kind of science museum he's expecting. He's expecting fun, hands-on exhibits. What we get are two floors of interesting scientific instruments circa 1400 to 1900, some belonging to Galileo. The English-language guidebooks fill in historic information about the objects, but often we wish we knew more about how the individual objects work. At one point, docents gather all the visitors to watch a demonstration of Galileo's inclined plane, demonstrating acceleration due to gravity -- very interesting. I want to touch and play with all the objects. Some gruesome points: While most exhibits are tools and devices, one room includes among the displays Galileo's finger in a jar; another room contains two dozen or more full-size anatomical models -- cross-sections of difficult pregnancies. Eeeek. The temporary exhibit in the basement about planetary movement is a bit more hands-on.
All day yesterday and this morning I've been trying to pretend that I don't have a head cold. But by the time we leave the museum, my nose is running like a faucet. I want to visit Santa Croce, so we head in that direction. We find a farmacia and through sign language and poor Italian I purchase nasal spray. We ask our new-found pharmicist friend to recommend a place nearby for lunch. As usual, he states his choice is just 100 meters down the street. (Every time I've ever asked directions, the place is 100 meters down the street.)
I think Trattoria da Benvenuto (Via della Mosca 16/R) is even closer than 100 meters. It's just opening time so we check the menu and decide to try it. The interior dining room has the distinct smell of cigarettes, though we never see anyone smoke during our meal. We are the first to be seated, but as we wait for our food, locals trickle in. We both order pasta: P has pici with porcini mushrooms. (We are enjoying mushroom season!) I have bavette with gamberetti. Both are nicely cooked though salty. We also share some cauliflower and grilled radicchio. For food, a liter of water, 10% servizio included, the cost is 27.50 euro.
Since we are so close, we stop for gelato at Giolitti. P = chestnut and coffee-chocolate; E = banana and orange cream. The banana is very intense. P has been trying to perfect banana ice cream for years and we discuss how such a strong flavor might be achieved as we cross Piazza Santa Croce.
I haven't been to Santa Croce in a few years and am surprised by the entrance fee, which was for the Pazzi Chapel and museum in the past but now includes the church. I revisit favorite frescoes while P snaps photos. On the way back to the castle for our afternoon nap, we stop to buy some chocolates and marzipan. P has paid with a good deal more money than needed, hoping to get rid of coins and receive paper bills. We go back and forth with the cashier a few times, trying to explain what bills P used and what change he should receive. Finally, P accepts the change, I shrug and say, "Americani." The cashier accepts our explanation.
After our nap and a brief walk through the San Lorenzo markets, we head for the Accademia. We enter at about 5:40PM with no reservations. There is no line. The gallery that leads to David looks a little crowded so we visit the display of musical instrument first, playing with the harpsichord models and computers. Then we head for the cleaner, even prettier David. The gallery isn't that crowded so it's easy to get a seat and contemplate the best rear end in art. In the other galleries, we do a comparative study of bleeding -- some drip, some squirt, some bleed gracefully, some dramatically. I've noticed before that northern European paintings bleed a lot more than southern European ones. We are the last visitors out the door at closing.
Now, what to do for dinner? I'd thought about trying Il Ritrovo on fodorite ira's recommendation. However, I'm traveling with Mr. Dessert so I decided to try Acqua al 2(Via della Vigna Vecchia 40/R). We arrive early and without reservations. A brusque woman tells us they open at 7:30PM, so we reserve for then. Fifteen minutes later we're back. A crowd has formed. Soon the door opens and most of the tables fill. The brusque woman is our server and is now very friendly. Since the assaggio (tasting sampler) is a specialty here, we opt for ALL assaggios.
We share the primi assaggio, a sampler of five different pasta dishes, just enough for us each to have two or three bites. Each pasta is brought in succession. We can see others in the room receiving the same pasta when we do. The five pastas: lumachone (snail shapes) with broccoli; fusilli with spinach sauce; farfalle with pumpkin sauce; rigatoni with tomato sauce; risotto flavored with tomato, carrots, and rosemary. All very tasty and different from one another.
We make the almost-mistake of ordering one secondi assaggio for each of us. We each receive a platter with TWO filet mignons, one with green peppercorn sauce, the other with an amazing balsamic vinegar sauce. Also on the platter, rare sliced beef with arugula and parmigiano. Though we shouldn't have been able to do so, we clean our plates and consider dessert.
I know Mr. Dessert will not want to share, so we order two dolce assaggios. (After all, we're on vacation.) The four selections are just large enough for a reasonable taste: custard tart with strawberries and bananas; deep chocolate torte; tiramisu; cheesecake with raspberry sauce. We agree that the tiramisu was the best, but I found the chocolate torte earthy, almost mushroomy. Our server asks us how the desserts were. When I remark on the interesting chocolate torte, she brings us another slice! And a glass of dessert wine.
Certainly this has been our most impressive meal so far. All the assaggios were carefully considered to have a variety of flavors and textures playing off one another. For food, a liter of water, 10% servizio included, the cost is 65.38 euro. Really good, really reasonable for the quality.
We walk back to the castle very slowly.
Tomorrow: Goodbye, Castle -- Hello, Rome
Nov 18th, 2004, 05:32 AM
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Wow, this is my kind of trip report!
Thanks for sharing it with us, ellenem.
I guess I especially enjoy the restaurant description because it's the food I missed out on when I was in Rome on my own in March. I was actually recovering from a food poisoning and could hardly eat anything at all...
Thanks for sharing it with us, ellenem.
I guess I especially enjoy the restaurant description because it's the food I missed out on when I was in Rome on my own in March. I was actually recovering from a food poisoning and could hardly eat anything at all...
Nov 18th, 2004, 06:36 AM
#15
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sandi, Each little pasta came on a small plate that we split onto our own plates. This gave us each two to three bites, just enough to enjoy and still have room for the rest of the extraganza.
Nov 18th, 2004, 07:32 AM
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ellenem: Funny you should mention the clinking of cups! When we arrive in Milan, first thing we do is hit the bar there at the arrivals area and the sound of the cups put me in the mood for Italy. I love this sound. No paper cups for us for the entire trip. This is for me, the sound of the Italy I love.
Nov 18th, 2004, 09:09 AM
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Peggyann, I love those coffee bars! No wine, no coffee for P or R, so not as many coffee hits as I'd like this time.
DAY 3: Thursday, 21 October 2004 -- Rome
Time to leave the castle. We?re up early to pack and take a quick walk. What can we see nearby before making our 9:53AM ES train? The Laurentian Library is closed, but the vestibule designed by Michelangelo is open. We discuss the Mannerist details and then enjoy the early morning quiet in the cloister. I?m surprised to discover that Santa Maria Novella is another church that charges an entrance fee. Also, the church opens only for prayer before 9:30AM. So we just enjoy the façade before heading back to the hotel to check out.
I?d been anticipating this moment ?- what does it cost to stay in a castle? 140 euro per night, just as we?d reserved! We weren?t the only ones in the hotel, or even the only ones on the fourth floor. We just got lucky with our room assignment.
It had been overcast and misty in Florence, but during the train ride south the sun begins to shine. On the street outside Termini it is positively hot ?- close to 80 degrees and humid. We drag our suitcases through busy Roman streets, heading for our hotel just beyond Santa Maria Maggiore.
I chose the hotel based on articles and Tripadvisor reports, and reserved it on venere.com for 157 euro, the same price their Web site gave. I liked its location. While not in the historic center, it was located near some churches I did not want to miss this time, as well as my favorite restaurant in Rome. It would also be easy for P to make his early-morning trip to the airport on Sunday.
Hotel Colosseum (Via Sforza) is on a quiet street up a hill, parallel to Via Cavour. It is a modern building with pleasant, modest public spaces. Room 44, however, was not a castle. It was very small, even by Italian standards, with about two to three feet in each direction around the pushed-together single beds. The bath was small with a curio-cabinet stall shower. Everything was neat, clean, and in good repair. We had a nice view across the rooftops, with plenty of light coming in. While there was an air conditioner in the room, it was not operating in October, even though we were experiencing a heat wave. (I always tell my friends, an air conditioner doesn?t guarantee air conditioning.) P seems shocked. I explain that these accommodations are more like what I was expecting, though still small by Italian standards. (I later found out that the rooms on the other side of the hall were slightly larger, just enough to offer better comfort.) We did a bit of maneuvering to find a convenient place for both our 22-inch suitcases.
We?d made a general plan for our 2.5 days in Rome. I thought P should see the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter?s, though I knew he?d have little interest in the rest of the Vatican Museums. He should also see the Colosseum and Forums. Friday (tomorrow) there would be a public transport strike, and I didn?t want to join possible weekend crowds at the Vatican. Therefore, after checking in we grab a quick pizza on Via Cavour (no description ?- innocuous place where speed was more important to us than quality) and catch the metro to the Vatican. It is 1:15PM and the train is packed like sardines. This is a very different experience from our quiet uncrowded bus ride into the Florentine hills.
P said he had a "James Bond" moment as we entered the museum. While there is no line, the lobby teems with people. But we just glide through the groups, the crowd seems to part before us as we head knowingly to the stairs to the second floor and entrance for individuals. We have only 1.5 hours before the museums close so we follow route A, which leads straight to the Stanze di Raffaello and Cappella Sistina. There are other people about, but it's never enormously crowded. (I visited these museums in late November last year and the year before. At the same time of day in November these rooms were deliciously empty, just half a dozen other visitors in each.) I love maps and always take my time through the Map Gallery, pausing to review the details in the Cappella Sistina posters on easels. We walk right into the chapel, which is full of people. I?ve take out my new toy, small binoculars/opera glasses, very compact, flat, slightly larger than a deck of cards. I get some good close-up views of details, faces, amazing shadows, and painted draping. At the closing gong, we take the group exit to the right that leads to San Pietro, avoiding the long trek back through the museum and around the Vatican walls back to the basilica (not to mention another security check).
Piazza San Pietro has many sections set with chairs and cordoned off from the public. Something?s up. Inside, much of the nave is also cordoned off and set with chairs. It is impossible to approach the baldachino at the crossing, and more velvet ropes hinder our visit. We don?t see quite as much as we might have liked. P notices the gallery at the base of the dome. "Can we go up there?" I have personally made the climb to the top of the dome the last two Novembers. The last time I told myself I wasn?t doing this again any time soon. I suspect that this may be P?s only trip here, so I agree to do the climb AGAIN.
There is a line for the elevator, not seen in November. We wait about 15 minutes for our ride to the roof. Then the climb begins, much more crowded with people in October, much more hot and uncomfortable. I can?t imagine doing this in the summer. At the top, the outside is crowded to the point of not being able to move. Never fond of heights, I stay near the wall. I can see myself falling over the flimsy railing. We stop at the gift shop and restroom on the roof, where P photographs his first hole-in-the-floor toilet.
After a quick gelato break at one of the places in Via della Conciliazione (P = I don?t remember; E = strawberry), we cross the Ponte Sant?Angelo and wind our way through the narrow streets of the old center. The sun is beginning to set as we pass through Piazza Navona, stop at the Pantheon (my favorite building in all the world), Sant?Ignazio and its amazing ceiling, eventually reaching the Fontana di Trevi. We retrace our steps along different small streets, eventually reaching our dinner destination.
I visit Trattoria Da Luigi (Piazza Sforza Cesarini, 24) each time I?m in Rome for its good food and cozy welcome to locals as well as tourists. We begin with my favorite, carciofi alla giudia. Artichoke leaves crisp as tortilla chips, heart and stem creamy and delicious. (I think I return to Rome for this dish alone.) I also order us some fiori di zucchini: zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese and a touch of anchovy, then batter-fried. I choose the scamorza and radicchio alla griglie ?- literally a slab of cheese grilled and some radicchio, also grilled. P has lamb with roasted potatoes. P is enjoying the bathrooms of Italy. I?ve briefed him on the fact that it is sometimes a challenge to flush ?- one might press any number of fixtures before finding the flusher. This time he discovers that the supposed paper towel dispenser is actually a very large flush button. We also learn a new word posted on one toilet?s door: guasto = broken. For food, a liter of water, no servizio included, the cost is 43.00 euro.
After the meal we meander back through Piazza Navona again, the cafes full of diners. We are headed for gelato heaven. Just beyond the Fontana di Trevi on an innocuous side street sits Il Laboratorio di San Crispino. This gelateria has no bright colors or fancy signage, just great unusual gelato. P = San Crispino (their signature flavor: honey) and ginger/cinnamon; E = apricot and plum. P finds the honey a little too subtle, but the other flavors are amazingly good, especially the ginger/cinnamon.
Thank goodness we find a cab on the Via del Tritone opposite Rinascente. We are hot and sticky, but happily fed, wondering how we?ll negotiate the small room for the night.
Tomorrow: Ancient Rome and Favorite Churches
DAY 3: Thursday, 21 October 2004 -- Rome
Time to leave the castle. We?re up early to pack and take a quick walk. What can we see nearby before making our 9:53AM ES train? The Laurentian Library is closed, but the vestibule designed by Michelangelo is open. We discuss the Mannerist details and then enjoy the early morning quiet in the cloister. I?m surprised to discover that Santa Maria Novella is another church that charges an entrance fee. Also, the church opens only for prayer before 9:30AM. So we just enjoy the façade before heading back to the hotel to check out.
I?d been anticipating this moment ?- what does it cost to stay in a castle? 140 euro per night, just as we?d reserved! We weren?t the only ones in the hotel, or even the only ones on the fourth floor. We just got lucky with our room assignment.
It had been overcast and misty in Florence, but during the train ride south the sun begins to shine. On the street outside Termini it is positively hot ?- close to 80 degrees and humid. We drag our suitcases through busy Roman streets, heading for our hotel just beyond Santa Maria Maggiore.
I chose the hotel based on articles and Tripadvisor reports, and reserved it on venere.com for 157 euro, the same price their Web site gave. I liked its location. While not in the historic center, it was located near some churches I did not want to miss this time, as well as my favorite restaurant in Rome. It would also be easy for P to make his early-morning trip to the airport on Sunday.
Hotel Colosseum (Via Sforza) is on a quiet street up a hill, parallel to Via Cavour. It is a modern building with pleasant, modest public spaces. Room 44, however, was not a castle. It was very small, even by Italian standards, with about two to three feet in each direction around the pushed-together single beds. The bath was small with a curio-cabinet stall shower. Everything was neat, clean, and in good repair. We had a nice view across the rooftops, with plenty of light coming in. While there was an air conditioner in the room, it was not operating in October, even though we were experiencing a heat wave. (I always tell my friends, an air conditioner doesn?t guarantee air conditioning.) P seems shocked. I explain that these accommodations are more like what I was expecting, though still small by Italian standards. (I later found out that the rooms on the other side of the hall were slightly larger, just enough to offer better comfort.) We did a bit of maneuvering to find a convenient place for both our 22-inch suitcases.
We?d made a general plan for our 2.5 days in Rome. I thought P should see the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter?s, though I knew he?d have little interest in the rest of the Vatican Museums. He should also see the Colosseum and Forums. Friday (tomorrow) there would be a public transport strike, and I didn?t want to join possible weekend crowds at the Vatican. Therefore, after checking in we grab a quick pizza on Via Cavour (no description ?- innocuous place where speed was more important to us than quality) and catch the metro to the Vatican. It is 1:15PM and the train is packed like sardines. This is a very different experience from our quiet uncrowded bus ride into the Florentine hills.
P said he had a "James Bond" moment as we entered the museum. While there is no line, the lobby teems with people. But we just glide through the groups, the crowd seems to part before us as we head knowingly to the stairs to the second floor and entrance for individuals. We have only 1.5 hours before the museums close so we follow route A, which leads straight to the Stanze di Raffaello and Cappella Sistina. There are other people about, but it's never enormously crowded. (I visited these museums in late November last year and the year before. At the same time of day in November these rooms were deliciously empty, just half a dozen other visitors in each.) I love maps and always take my time through the Map Gallery, pausing to review the details in the Cappella Sistina posters on easels. We walk right into the chapel, which is full of people. I?ve take out my new toy, small binoculars/opera glasses, very compact, flat, slightly larger than a deck of cards. I get some good close-up views of details, faces, amazing shadows, and painted draping. At the closing gong, we take the group exit to the right that leads to San Pietro, avoiding the long trek back through the museum and around the Vatican walls back to the basilica (not to mention another security check).
Piazza San Pietro has many sections set with chairs and cordoned off from the public. Something?s up. Inside, much of the nave is also cordoned off and set with chairs. It is impossible to approach the baldachino at the crossing, and more velvet ropes hinder our visit. We don?t see quite as much as we might have liked. P notices the gallery at the base of the dome. "Can we go up there?" I have personally made the climb to the top of the dome the last two Novembers. The last time I told myself I wasn?t doing this again any time soon. I suspect that this may be P?s only trip here, so I agree to do the climb AGAIN.
There is a line for the elevator, not seen in November. We wait about 15 minutes for our ride to the roof. Then the climb begins, much more crowded with people in October, much more hot and uncomfortable. I can?t imagine doing this in the summer. At the top, the outside is crowded to the point of not being able to move. Never fond of heights, I stay near the wall. I can see myself falling over the flimsy railing. We stop at the gift shop and restroom on the roof, where P photographs his first hole-in-the-floor toilet.
After a quick gelato break at one of the places in Via della Conciliazione (P = I don?t remember; E = strawberry), we cross the Ponte Sant?Angelo and wind our way through the narrow streets of the old center. The sun is beginning to set as we pass through Piazza Navona, stop at the Pantheon (my favorite building in all the world), Sant?Ignazio and its amazing ceiling, eventually reaching the Fontana di Trevi. We retrace our steps along different small streets, eventually reaching our dinner destination.
I visit Trattoria Da Luigi (Piazza Sforza Cesarini, 24) each time I?m in Rome for its good food and cozy welcome to locals as well as tourists. We begin with my favorite, carciofi alla giudia. Artichoke leaves crisp as tortilla chips, heart and stem creamy and delicious. (I think I return to Rome for this dish alone.) I also order us some fiori di zucchini: zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese and a touch of anchovy, then batter-fried. I choose the scamorza and radicchio alla griglie ?- literally a slab of cheese grilled and some radicchio, also grilled. P has lamb with roasted potatoes. P is enjoying the bathrooms of Italy. I?ve briefed him on the fact that it is sometimes a challenge to flush ?- one might press any number of fixtures before finding the flusher. This time he discovers that the supposed paper towel dispenser is actually a very large flush button. We also learn a new word posted on one toilet?s door: guasto = broken. For food, a liter of water, no servizio included, the cost is 43.00 euro.
After the meal we meander back through Piazza Navona again, the cafes full of diners. We are headed for gelato heaven. Just beyond the Fontana di Trevi on an innocuous side street sits Il Laboratorio di San Crispino. This gelateria has no bright colors or fancy signage, just great unusual gelato. P = San Crispino (their signature flavor: honey) and ginger/cinnamon; E = apricot and plum. P finds the honey a little too subtle, but the other flavors are amazingly good, especially the ginger/cinnamon.
Thank goodness we find a cab on the Via del Tritone opposite Rinascente. We are hot and sticky, but happily fed, wondering how we?ll negotiate the small room for the night.
Tomorrow: Ancient Rome and Favorite Churches
