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A Month along the Fringe: Northern Italy with a Bit of Switzerland
Choosing Flights:
This trip was booked last May after monitoring plane fares for a few months. Business Class fares stayed high ($3,900), some $1,000 higher than we paid last year for the same itinerary at the same time of year, but Premium Plus finally dropped to a comfortable range, so we booked when we found flights we could live with at a favorable price - $1,582 each. Options from our area are limited; we usually have to fly via DEN, ORD or IAH. This was made worse by some self-imposed parameters; we were okay with flying out of ORD, but wanted to avoid returning via ORD as it can be (and has been) a nightmare. I’ve recently read that ORD is the US’s most stressful airport, and I believe it. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/most...190851368.html We also prefer to fly a large plane on the short flight from COS-DEN instead of the typically delayed Skywest puddle jumper, but we couldn’t avoid it this time, so we chose an 8:30 am flight, hoping we could get out before things got backed up. Incidentally, I read this in a June 2024 Fodor’s article, which very much sums up our experience with COS: …A very close second (to Jacksonville, FL’s airport) is Colorado Springs, Colorado, because its airport has the highest percentage of delayed, canceled, or diverted flights… Yep. That’s certainly been my experience. We also wanted to avoid flying the 777 due to the miserable 10 across cabin configuration and Bill would have preferred to avoid the US east coast altogether as it’s a long flight to/from DEN; but this was also unavoidable. But, we were happy enough with the layover times, which were in the 1:45-2:00 range vs the six hour range, so this picky well-traveled couple did what we could with the choices at hand; we made the jump, knowing full well that UA would probably change things between now and departure and upset our well-made plans. They always do. And they did. Months later UA made a time and plane change, changing our booked 737 to the dreaded 777 on the return flight from IAD to Denver, a near four hour flight. Bill hates the 777 with a passion and was given an opportunity to make a change. After a confab with a UA rep he determined there were no better options…unless he upgraded us to First Class on that leg. So that’s what he did for an additional charge of $250 each. This turned out to be a very good thing, as I spent that particular flight puking up my guts thanks to what I suspect was food poisoning compliments of UA. Being in First Class put me mere steps from the toilet, making things much less difficult than had I been squished somewhere in back. We intentionally chose to depart the day after US Thanksgiving hoping to avoid the insanity at US airports the week before and after the holiday. The outbound flights (UA): COS-DEN DEN-EWR EWR-ZRH The return flights (UA): ZRH-IAD IAD-DEN DEN-COS Insurance: Purchased $6,000 coverage through SquareMouth/TinLeg ($446). Thought process: I hadn’t quite worked out an itinerary when we booked flights. We knew that we wanted to incorporate return visits to Chiavenna and Domodossola. We also wanted to include a wee bit of Switzerland, while avoiding Swiss ski areas during Christmas, when many require a 7-14 night stay and prices skyrocket. We were interested in visiting more of the Northern Italy fringe around Switzerland, motivated by our stomachs and curiosity about what some of the crazy busy summer spots would be like in December, knowing full well that lakes can be foggy and dreary in the winter, and that transport schedules would be much reduced. Logistics led us to Lake Como, an area we’ve touched on before, but had yet to spend any quality time in, and had no interest in revisiting during high - or even shoulder - season. After much research on what to expect in the various towns around Lake Como in December, we finally chose Bellano, easily accessible by train, and meeting our criteria for quiet…yet (hopefully) lively with locals in the off season. Having missed Lake Orta San Giulio the last time we were in the area, it was on my radar as well, and while it proved somewhat challenging to include in the off season, we decided to give it a go and hope for the best. The big question though, was where to spend Christmas. We don’t need to be entertained, but we do need to eat, and we didn’t want a town that completely shut down over the holiday. We decided that the spa and ski town of Bormio, in the Lombardy Region of the Province of Sondrio might fit the bill. After much waffling and research and re-arranging, we had an itinerary - or so we thought. We’d planned to spend four nights in the Val Venosta/Vinschgau, a region in South Tyrol situated in Stelvio National Park. It took some time to get a handle on the area and choose which of the 13 or so towns/municipalities to base in. Once we’d narrowed it down, we had trouble finding accommodation - many places were already booked (six months in advance), and many others chose to ignore our requests regarding availability, etc. So, we threw in the towel and decided to head back into Switzerland for those last few nights, shortening our long travel day from Val Venosta/Vinschgau to Zurich; especially important as the chocoholic - that would be me - wanted to incorporate a stop at the Läderach factory in Bilten on our return to Zurich, although this didn’t happen due to travel fatigue and lack of luggage space. We studied the various towns on the route from Bormio to Zurich, and decided that Poschiavo had potential, as it isn’t a ski town. We’d been through it several times, and had spent an afternoon there a few years ago, but we’d not spent any appreciable time there. The options were promising; another ride on the Bernina Express train route, perhaps a visit to neighboring Tirano, Graubünden grub, and a handful of winter hiking opportunities. So, a quick search for accommodation, an e-mail to the tourist office and Poschiavo was under serious consideration. The final 31 night itinerary: Arrive Zurich Solothurn, northwest Switzerland - three nights. Here we decided to splash out at one of Switzerland’s oldest historic hotels, Boutique Hotel Couronne, booking their ‘three for two nights enjoyment package’ which included a deluxe double room, breakfast, welcome drink in their bar, a bottle of sparkling Cremant in the room, complimentary mini bar, late check-out, and a four course meal in their14-point Gault & Millau restaurant - 776 chf Domodossola, Piedmont, Northern Italy - four nights - Air BNB - $422.40 Orta San Giulio, Piedmont, Northern Italy - four nights - Air BNB - $526 + €8 tourist tax Bellano, situated on the eastern shore of Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy - five nights - Air BNB $720.56 + €20 tourist tax Chiavenna, Lombardy, Northern Italy - four nights - Air BNB - $549 + €8 tourist tax Bormio, Lombardy, Northern Italy - six nights, including Christmas, Air BNB - $995.62 Poschiavo, Grisons, Switzerland - four nights - Air BNB - $595.33 + 22.40 chf tourist tax Zurich - one night - Allegra Lodge - Hotels.com - $154.733 + 7 chf tourist tax Map of route: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BZNcNkW7wXT2mAdq9 To be continued... |
We then began to have second thoughts about our accommodation choice in Bormio - a spacious well-located apartment, but in an attic up four flights of stairs. So, when we returned from our autumn trip, I searched for an alternative. Pickings were slim at this point, but I did find a suitable alternative in the historic center of Bormio on the first floor of an 800 year old former convent in the same price range, and with only one set of stairs, so I cancelled and re-booked.
Several weeks before departure we figured out what transportation we’d need in Switzerland to see if a 30 day Half Fare Card would be of any use. But, because we’d be in Switzerland at the beginning and end of a 31 day trip, we’d either have to pay full price for train tickets on our day of arrival or on our last travel day from Poschiavo to Kloten. We crunched the numbers and decided we’d renew our 365 day Half Fare Cards, which at 190 chf each were only 70 chf more than the 30 day Half Fare Card, and with plans to return to Switzerland within the next year, we’d be ahead in the long run. We purchased these a few days before our departure and linked them to the Swiss Travel Passes we got last year. We then purchased a Saver Day Ticket at half fare for our travel day from Solothurn to Domodossola (27 chf each), and a Saver Day Pass for our long travel day from Poschiavo to Kloten with our anticipated, but not realized, detour to Bilten (44 chf each). We only booked one meal in advance - Crotto Ombra in Chiavenna To be continued... |
You know I’m on board!!
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Can't wait for more!
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The trip begins -
Nov 29 - Up at 4 am, out the door by 5:15, we drove the 35 minutes to a family member’s home, parked our car, and waited for our pre-arranged Z-Trip ride to the airport. Our full 8:30 am flight left 1:15 late; the first officer didn’t show for whatever reason, so we had to wait for a replacement to fly in from Denver. Then they had to de-ice our plane, so our well-planned two hour layover in Denver vaporized. So much for that early start. I was surprised that our small municipal airport had a British check-in agent, and then surprised again that our flight attendant was also British. We arrived at B67 in Denver and took the train to the A gates, arriving 10 minutes before our flight to Newark boarded, leaving no time for the lounge. I’ve learned to pack snacks for this very reason. No matter how well we plan, something always happens with United. This flight was also completely full, many people traveling with entirely too much carry-on luggage. It felt much busier than this time last year. Once in Newark, we had to take a bus to change terminals, which ate into our 1:45 layover, but we did have time to spend about 30 minutes in the Red Carpet Club. Our full, seven hour flight to Zurich left 15 minutes early. It was pretty smooth, we both managed about three hours of sleep, and we arrived a bit early. Once in gloomy Zurich we got our bearings over a coffee at Steiner Flughafebeck; 12.40 chf for two café lattes; the Swiss franc at USD $1.14. Bill purchased tickets to Solothurn on the SBB app - 45 chf for both at half fare, and we took the 9:48 am train, a ride of about 1:10, arriving to more gloom; good sleeping weather. The walk from the Solothurn train station to the hotel took under 10 minutes. It was too early to check in, so we pulled out jackets and thermals from our suitcases, changed in the hotel’s restroom, left our luggage, and hit the streets, zombie-like. There was a market going on right in front of the hotel, lots of people out and about. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d9b626b507.jpg Solothurn https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dece631edd.jpg Solothurn We wandered through the gloom and cold, noticing all the Black Friday sales. We’d noticed this in Munich last year too, so it’s not just us crazy Yanks. We stumbled upon the deserted Jasi Indian Restaurant. It didn’t look promising, but we were hungry, so we went inside to investigate. There was no menu; we were given a choice of thalis, so we ordered one with chicken (17.50 chf) and one vegetarian (16.50 chf), and a random glass of wine (6 chf each). Our hopes were not high, but the food was surprisingly good and generous; 52 chf total. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7a7db68c36.jpg Thali lunch Before long, the place was busy with several groups of old folks drinking and catching up; making it feel like the local boozer. Stomachs full, we continued our wander, looked for and found the bakery I liked for their Nusstorten from a previous visit, closed until Monday. We killed a couple of hours just wandering, then ran out of steam, so moved our wait for check-in to our hotel’s bar, where we had a nice Riesling, 26 chf for two rounds, Bill actually nodding off while sitting upright; hilarious, and caught on camera. He said he couldn’t remember the last time he was so tired. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6e6fcdd2f0.jpg Solothurn church https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c7d7460b9b.jpg Läderach https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...801195010d.jpg Wandering Solothurn https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3a0e491e1b.jpg St. Ursus Cathedral https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bd0265819d.jpg St. Ursus Cathedral https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9e18b1fbbd.jpg Wandering Solothurn https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e840c3db92.jpg La Couronne Our lodging for the next three nights: La Couronne, the second oldest hotel in Switzerland. The history of La Couronne, or 'the crown', dates back more than 500 years. 'It's documented as the second-oldest guest house in Switzerland and is inextricably tied to the history of the ambassadorial city of Solothurn. https://lacouronne-solothurn.ch/ Our room was nice, but reminded us of why we don’t like hotels - not enough space. We eventually wandered out to find a COOP for a few snacks, worried we’d wake up in the middle of the night jet-lagged and hungry. Needless to say, it was a very early night. To be continued... |
Looking forward to it.
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I’ve been looking forward to reading about your latest adventure!
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Very interesting, following your TR.
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I love Solothurn. I can imagine spending a few days there, our only visit was a jet lagged day trip.
You are very experienced travellers, prioritising the snack purchases for the 2 am munchies! |
typing a response to this so I can save this to read at a later date!!!
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following! Planning a southerly train route in Switzerland for myself.
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Thanks for joining me!
Dec 1 - First Sunday of Advent We woke to temps of 32F, high of 39F expected. We’d had a good sleep, the linen sheets a bit rough, but surprisingly comfy. We were up at 6 am, having to open the windows as the room was stuffy; a recurring theme with our European winter trips. Bill tried out the faux antique capsule coffee maker while we waited for our 7:30 breakfast (we had to select a time when we arrived, 7:30 the earliest). Good breakfast, complete with bacon, always much appreciated. We were like bears coming out of hibernation. We were told there weren’t enough guests in the hotel to warrant the buffet breakfast the next day, so we were given a list of items to choose from for a continental breakfast. Oh no! No bacon! Today was the best weather day we were going to get, so we decided to walk to the start of the Verenaschulcht - Verena Gorge - about 25 minutes from the hotel, although we’d visited back in 2021. Here we spent three hours exploring the network of intersecting trails, no destination in mind, just wanting to shake off the cobwebs and get some fresh air. Just outside the city of Solothurn is the idyllic Verena Gorge – a place of mystical power. There is still a hermit living there to this day. The entrance to the Verena Gorge is a pleasant 20-30 minute walk from the centre of town. The romantic route takes you through the woods along a babbling brook to the hermitage. The little hermitage building and the Magdalena and Ölberg grottoes are a captivating sight. https://www.solothurn-city.ch/ausflu...lei-6ad6c9a49d https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9b76f6f999.jpg Verenaschulcht - Verena Gorge https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0f41709be6.jpg Verenaschulcht - Verena Gorge https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a3da1c0c9d.jpg Verenaschulcht - Verena Gorge & Hermitage https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4c474369ce.jpg Verenaschulcht - Verena Gorge https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...567b368a93.jpg Kirche zu Kreuzen, Rüttenen https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5170d7361f.jpg Kirche zu Kreuzen, Rüttenen https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...20a44eeaa7.jpg Kreuzen Restaurant, Rüttenen It was incredibly peaceful, just us and several dog walkers. We logged 5.5 miles, followed several trails, ending up on the Mediationsweg, which led us back down to St. Nikalus church, where we checked out the cemetery and then returned to Solothurn. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0a4576a2ec.jpg St. Nikalus cemetery https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b0721c696d.jpg St. Nikalus cemetery https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...37a2362945.jpg St. Nikalus church and cemetery https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0a34028470.jpg Tree in front of St. Nikalus church Back in town, we sought out Stadkirche, which I’d read would host a 30 minute Advent concert every day at 12:30 from Dec 1-23, put on by various musicians. However, upon arrival we discovered the Stadkirche is closed for renovations for the next year. I googled and discovered the concerts would be held at the Franciscan church instead, so with the help of Google maps we headed there, arriving to a full house. We were then treated to a nice concert (donation) compliments of a large choir who rounded out the concert with a song we actually knew, Feliz Navidad. No one left the church, the clapping continued until they sang it again, this time with audience participation. Quite enjoyable. Then it was back to the hotel to use our drink voucher before the bar shut down at 4 pm (Sunday). Then we headed out again to locate the Advent market for which we’d seen a sign earlier, held at the Kapuzinerkloster, in the monastery’s church. It was entirely too busy and crowded for us, so we didn’t stay long. Instead we poked through town a bit more, sought out linner (late lunch, early dinner) at an imbiss we knew from a past trip. Good kebabs - and open on Sunday - 25.50 chf. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a26efb33b0.jpg Kapuzinerkloster, Solothurn We’d walked over seven miles today. To be continued... |
Very glad to hear about your adventures. We’ve sadly no plans to travel anywhere this year so it’s nice to share in yours. If we’re able to go next year, northern Italy nudging into Switzerland is definitely on my mind.
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More Dec 1 photos:
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fd7a74cbf3.jpg Solothurn https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5e2eede849.jpg Solothurn https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...762e0e270e.jpg Solothurn https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7342188791.jpg Solothurn https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f3b3878391.jpg Solothurn https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9e9184ada3.jpg Solothurn https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d64c18adde.jpg St. Ursus Cathedral with La Couronne Hotel on the right |
What a bummer of a way to start out the trip,:wow: but no doubt being up front helped.
Great photos for sure, and very sharp looking. You guys always go to interesting and new (to me) places. |
Nelson - I assume you're talking about the food poisoning? If so, that happened on the way home.
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Originally Posted by Melnq8
(Post 17631470)
Nelson - I assume you're talking about the food poisoning? If so, that happened on the way home.
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Melnq8 I really liked the google map you created! It helps me to visualize your route and for following along. Arrival day is always the worst with jetlag; i'm glad to see I'm not the only one who is capable of dozing off while upright!
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yk - we tend to use Google maps to plan our routes, in an attempt to make a loop whenever possible. The map I posted is set for driving, although we used public transport.
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Enjoying your report and photos. I’ve heard of Orta San Giulio. I think Mai Tai Tom spent a few nights there.
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Weird things happening with my next post, I'll try to post later
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Melnq8, thank you for this. Switzerland has long been our to do list, so we are adding a couple of days to our Alsace trip in April.
Looking forward to the reading about the rest of your journey. |
Dec 2 -
Our abbreviated breakfast was a bit disappointing; we both missed yesterday’s pile of bacon and other items, but there were only four guests in the hotel, so completely understandable. My phone advised me that there was a 100% chance of rain today, but not expected until 2 pm. We walked over to Feinbäckerei Studer after breakfast to pick up a Nusstorten to take with us to Domodossola. I love Engadiner nusstorte, but discovered this one three years ago and liked it even better - the crust is really buttery - 21 chf. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e30c97d946.jpg Nusstorten We went to the tourist office when they opened at 9 am, conveniently located directly across the street from our hotel. We asked for details on a few walks I’d earmarked. The young woman said it looked okay today on top of the Weissenstein, Solothurn’s local mountain, telling us rain was expected around 5 pm. So, we decided to take the bus from the bahnhof to Oberbalmberg, Kurhaus and then walk from there to Weissenstein. As we got ready back in the hotel, our conversation went something like this: Bill - I think I’ll take my Gortex jacket and my winter coat. Mel - you shouldn't need both. I’m not taking my Gortex, less to carry in the backpack. It’s not supposed to rain until 2-5 pm and we’ll be done by then. So, we left our rain jackets behind, walked to the bahnhof and caught the 10:37 am #12 bus to Oberbalmberg, the ride taking about 30 minutes (4.20 chf each, half fare). https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f4d96688fa.jpg Aare River, Solothurn And of course, the minute we got off the bus, it began to rain. Our plan was to walk a portion of the three-hour, 510 meter up/down Balmberg-Roti circuit, walking up to Weissenstein and then taking the cable car back down to Oberdorf SO. We were a bit concerned about the elevation gain (1,683 feet), especially as it began to rain in earnest about 10 minutes into the hike, our rain gear back in our hotel, earning me no points with my spouse. We live in the mountains of CO - I should know better. The further we walked, the harder it rained. We’d read that the trail could be slippery, and today it was certainly that, thanks to the wet and moss-covered rocks. Fortunately, the change in elevation was only about 220 meters, and the 2.23 mile walk only took an hour. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f288d5142a.jpg Balmberg-Roti circuit, walking up to Weissenstein https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...84d58f1d3b.jpg Final push to Weissenstein Hotel We arrived at the Weissenstein Hotel rather wet, but otherwise intact. We’d only seen one other person, a man walking in the opposite direction who stopped and said something to us in German, me later wondering if he was telling us to turn around. We had lunch in the hotel’s restaurant - only four other patrons - and took in the non-views. We’d been up here before, so didn’t feel that we were missing out, especially as the Jura Mountains are ant hills compared to most mountains in Switzerland. My phone welcomed me to France while we were at the top. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3dc54e33ee.jpg Non-views, Weissenstein Hotel Restaurant Bill chose the flammkuchen with onion and bacon (17 chf), I chose the flammkuchen with feta and spicy green peppers (16 chf), both good, 50.50 chf with one glass of wine each. We had a nice chat with our waitress from the Netherlands. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...042915ad58.jpg Flammkuchen The sun peeked out just as we took the cable car down to Oberdorf SO (10 chf each, half fare), but of course. Once there, we waited aboard the once hourly train back to Solothurn until departure (3 chf each, half fare). https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9b48cb76d6.jpg Cable car down to Oberdorf SO Then it was back to the hotel to dry off. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...196744ab90.jpg Solothurn rail station bike storage That evening we had dinner in our hotel’s French inspired Le Restaurant, which was included with our hotel package. We were presented with a menu in English, which gave us a choice of two salads, soup, two mains, and three desserts; here we spent the next 2:15 hours enjoying our four course meal. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...77a5306e99.jpg Le Restaurant We’re not foodies by any stretch, and it’s highly unlikely that we’d have chosen a 14-point Gault & Millau restaurant for a meal had it not been part of a hotel package, but now that we have, we could well do it again. My salad of “pumpkin variation, burrata, nectarine chutney, lamb’s lettuce” was fantastic; the pumpkin was a decadent mousse, incredibly smooth and unlike anything I’ve ever had. The carrot soup was a bowl of delicious creamy goodness, and neither of us would have even guessed it was carrot. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...90902dd5df.jpg Pumpkin variation, burrata, nectarine chutney, lamb’s lettuce My “Agria potato with truffle, black salsify and red wine shallot” was good, but not earth shattering. Bill loved his “neck filet of Omoso pasture-fed beef with pepper jus, melted potatoes and autumn ratatouille”. And the crème brûlée - O.M.G! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e18d1e8980.jpg Wine anyone? https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...472e03cef0.jpg Crème brûlée Our meal also came with bread and a fermented tomato butter, and an appetizer of micro greens and some sort of fish filling; Bill ate mine too, and said he wasn’t sure what it was, but that it was great. We also each had a glass of wine, not included, 19.50 chf. Damn, what a meal. All things considered, we felt that our hotel package was a good deal by Swiss standards and had the added bonus of introducing us to a restaurant we’d have never tried otherwise. To be continued... |
I admire you for doing the hike in the rain. When we were in NZ, I walked on the trail along the Pancake Rocks in the pouring rain and wind. My husband HATES to get wet. He stayed in the Visitor Center where it was warm and dry.:)
Your fancy meal sounds delicious! |
Nusstorte! Yes please…
Karen, we will be at Pancake Rocks in about 3 weeks - 😎 |
Karen -
We don't mind walking in the rain, but could have really used our rain jackets (my bad). We've spent a lot of time in the rain in NZ - I hope you have good weather Adelaidean. |
Originally Posted by Adelaidean
(Post 17631781)
Nusstorte! Yes please…
Karen, we will be at Pancake Rocks in about 3 weeks - 😎 |
Dec 3 -
The hot breakfast buffet was back, so we ate our fill of bacon, packed up and rolled our luggage to the bahnhof. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7e1373250e.jpg Leaving Solothurn We’d purchased Supersaver tickets for today’s journey on SBB before we left home; 27 chf each, half fare; on day of travel the tickets were 38 chf each, half fare. We left Solothurn on the 11:17 train, traveling via Bern, Visp and Brig, changing trains in Bern and Brig. We arrived on an underground track in Bern, next to the S trains; the station felt much bigger than we remembered. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...23605687f5.jpg Onboard the train Our 2:45 hour journey to Domodossola took us through the Lötschberg Base Tunnel and through the Simplon Tunnel, the longest tunnel in the world when it opened in 1906. None of the three trains were busy. We arrived in Domodossola around 2 pm, and having arranged an early check in, located our apartment a five minute walk away. Nice place this, a 70 square meter attic apartment with an elevator to the fourth floor, then one flight of stairs. We’d both knock our heads on the low ceilings a few times over the next few days. The apartment was clean, fresh, spacious, well-equipped, quiet and in a great location. It had two large TVs which we didn’t use, a nice comfy couch, a balcony, and a washing machine, always a nice perk. The pillows however, were awful - thick foam. The apartment had a massive, stout door with 8-9 locks, making us wonder if there’s a crime problem in Domodossola. We immediately went out looking for lunch, randomly selecting Cafe Istriano on Piazza Mercato, where we shared a salami pizza and a plate of risotto with saffron, both very good, chased down with Sauvignon Blanc, loving the prices after Switzerland (€10 pizza, €9.50 risotto, €5 per glass of wine, €39.50 total). We then sought out our favorite gelato place from our previous visit, Viglia di Gelato, where we tucked into two scoops each, topped with Bailey’s and whipped cream - lovely, €14. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ffdef322e2.jpg Viglia di Gelato At 45 F, Domodossola didn’t feel very wintery, but the stacks of panettone in the grocery store were a tip off that Christmas was on the way. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...353eb94524.jpg Christmas is coming Later, we wandered town a bit and sought out a wine bar we liked from last time, Di Vino. Here we enjoyed our favorite Italian tradition, aperitivo, where we opened our stomachs with a lovely Nebbiolo, a native black grape variety from Piedmont, Italy, not knowing at the time that we’d be consuming a lot of it over the coming weeks (€22). https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7484026e3e.jpg Wandering Domodossola https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...13e8666493.jpg Wandering Domodossola https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aead3312b8.jpg Wandering Domodossola https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b50af73823.jpg Wandering Domodossola https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2807eb4cb3.jpg Wandering Domodossola https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b3e4c434f5.jpg Di Vino https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...348cf80315.jpg Domodossola after dark The Italian food and drink fest was underway. To be continued... |
Enjoying your TR! Thanks!
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maybe I missed it at the beginning, but just curious why you picked Solothurn for your first stop for 3 (? or was it 2) nights?
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yk - We'd visited Solothurn on a previous trip while staying in nearby Grenchen. We knew it, liked it and felt a revisit at a different time of year was in order, especially since it fit well with our loop beginning and ending in Zurich.
It's also a short hop from Zurich, so an easy 'first day' after an overnight flight. We spent three nights there this time, and spent five nights in nearby Grenchen on a previous trip. |
Dec 4 -
The hot water ran out halfway through Bill’s shower, so a quick note to our host, who assured us this should not happen. That Nusstorten from Solothurn made a great breakfast, heated and topped with a bit of whipped cream. We were set for the next three days. It was 32 F, with a high of 48 expected. We decided to undertake the hike from the UNESCO world heritage site of Sacro Monte Calvario, a Roman Catholic sanctuary on the Mattarella Hill overlooking Domodossola, to the village of Vagna; a trail that follows ancient mule paths. We’d hiked part of it previously, but didn’t go all the way to Vagna, so wanted to give it another go. https://www.itinerarium.it/hikes/108...-town-of-vagna We made the steep climb up to Sacro Monte Calvario, walking gingerly, as the wet moss-covered stones were even more treacherous thanks to a layer of frost concealed by fallen leaves; a trifecta of hazards. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...30ee3d4130.jpg Walking up to Sacro Monte Calvario https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3a249044e5.jpg Sacro Monte Calvario https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5447081e88.jpg Sacro Monte Calvario https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ef83163485.jpg Sacro Monte Calvario https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...27872d8f2c.jpg Sacro Monte Calvario Once at the top, we took in the views and then continued walking to Vagna, the day gorgeous. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3b0f59ed2d.jpg Views from Sacro Monte Calvario https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8e9e4c031f.jpg Trail to Vagna https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7f4e3a67c5.jpg Trail to Vagna In Vagna, we tried to get into the church, but it was locked, so we walked through the tiny village, finding several other trails - it looked as if one could walk for days up here. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b2d60b2754.jpg Vagna https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...72430a3697.jpg Vagna https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9a8c257330.jpg Vagna https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a3d84a834b.jpg Vagna https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4154698fcf.jpg Vagna We backtracked, stopping at Osteria de Vagna a for a glass of grape (€8), before returning to Domodossola via a different, but equally steep trail, which led us through ankle deep fallen leaves. We took our time, unable to tell what was underfoot, worried about stealth ice. A nice hike on a beautiful day, 4.5 miles. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2e9627efe5.jpg Osteria de Vagna https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f0734cb1d6.jpg Sign in Osteria de Vagna loo https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fcf4806e74.jpg Vagna https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d4fcc8ed7b.jpg Views of Domodossola from Vagna https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...da7bf35ee2.jpg Vagna https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fa3e7e4a17.jpg Return hike to Domodossola https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7956084abd.jpg Return hike to Domodossola Back in Domodossola, we followed the GPS to a restaurant on my list (La Cadrega), but there was no room inside, and we didn’t want to sit outside with the smokers, so we moved on, choosing a spot we’d dined at last year, Officine Domesi. I chose the Trofie pom Pachino, €13 (pasta with tomato sauce) and Bill the Risotto Melograno Ricotta, €13 (risotto with pomegranate, described by our waiter as ‘small grapes’) both of us surprised when it was presented tableside in a wheel of cheese. Bill proclaimed it the best risotto he’d ever had; and I agree, it was fantastic, €46 with drinks and €2 each coperto. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3996a0e09b.jpg Officine Domesi Then it was back to Viglia di Gelato for dessert, scoops of caffe, crema and fior di latte for me, pistachio, crema and pineapple for Bill, €8. Delicious. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fc446dd728.jpg There's always room for gelato! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c6b1dec99e.jpg Piazza del Mercato Domodossola https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6b2ca5add8.jpg Piazza del Mercato Domodossola https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c1bfd26da2.jpg Parish church https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5cdddfd7cc.jpg Parish church https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c1cdba1269.jpg Domodossola Later we walked to the train station to look into train tickets to Santa Maria Maggiore in the nearby Vigezzo Valley. I’d read about a three day Christmas Market held there, said to be one of the most visited in Italy and supposedly ‘the most authentic Christmas Market’ with only hand crafted items. As luck would have it, we were in the vicinity on its opening day, Dec 6, and I wanted to check it out. We looked online and discovered we could buy train tickets to Santa Maria Maggiore via the Centovalli Vigezzina website, which operates the 52 km scenic narrow-gauge railway line that runs between Domodossola, Italy and Locarno, Switzerland, but it was unclear if we could download the tickets to our phones as they asked for a mailing address. The site was offering train tickets for two including seat reservations for €34. We also looked at SBB (Swiss rail site) and discovered we could also buy them online through them for 10.60 chf each way per person, so 42.40 chf return for both, but it was unclear how to reserve a seat. At the train station we were directed to the lower level ticket office, but it had already closed. So, we decided to check back in the morning, and also visit the tourist office when it opened at 8:30 am. That evening it was back to Di Vino for an encore of that lovely Nebbiolo, €22. We told our waiter we’d see him tomorrow, but we didn’t make it back. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...db114d7c28.jpg Di Vino https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...03541ccf3a.jpg Piazza del Mercado https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...162f3e5c1f.jpg Piazza del Mercado To be continued... |
Dec 5 -
Our first stop was the Centovalli Vigezzina ticket office, where we were told they couldn’t help us, and referred us to the website. Argh... Next up was the tourist office, where the same helpful woman from last year was manning the shop. She too was unable to help us book train tickets, but checked availability and told us she could only find seats on the 11:26 am train tomorrow and they were in separate carriages. Uh-oh. We asked her about visiting Arona, which I’d read was a pretty town on Lake Maggiore with a lakeside promenade, piazzas and nice streets to explore; and only a 50 minute train ride from Domodossola. She told us getting there was problematic due to work on the train line, and buses required multiple changes due to work on the road. Okay, scratch Arona. We then asked her about the medieval walls of Domodossola, and were told visiting them involved a three hour walk each way. Okay, scratch that too. We asked about the nearby village of Crodo and were told there was only one bus per day and timing was an issue. I’m seeing a pattern here. So, we changed course, and told her we’d walked to Vagna yesterday, and asked if there was another hike she could suggest, and…score! She suggested the hike to Montecrestese Pontetto, accessible by bus. We couldn’t make the 10 am bus, so we agreed to take the noon bus and returned to the apartment to look into train tickets to Santa Maria Maggiore. Lo’ and behold, we found tickets still available for our preferred departure and return time, so we booked seats on the 9:26 am train with a 13:55 return for tomorrow, €34 including seat reservations and yes, the tickets were downloaded to our phones with no issues. On our way to the bus station, we detoured to the Coop to pick up lunch provisions for our hike. Then it was on to the 12 pm bus - Circular Route Nord - which as the name suggests, makes a loop. I asked our driver for return tickets, but didn’t get them, so €6.60 one way for both of us, €4 of which was a supplement for buying onboard. In three trips to Domodossola, we still haven’t figured out how to purchase bus tickets other than on the bus. A little help anyone? Ten minutes later we were getting off the bus at Pontetto, finding our intended trail right next to the bus stop. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0d47ee87ba.jpg Start of hike And so began the climb to Montecrestese, which means “the mountain made of rocks growing like crests”, which pretty much sums up the 4.5 mile, 2.5 hour hike....millions of moss-covered rocks, countless stone steps, and just like yesterday, ankle deep leaves. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...75a507f52a.jpg Hike to Montecrestese https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...99cd8a9df4.jpg Hike to Montecrestese https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a2d0520d85.jpg Hike to Montecrestese The trail follows mule tracks and passes through ancient rural hamlets, gardens, vineyards and chestnut groves and is a bit like an open air museum. Some of the ancient villages are once again inhabited, making for a discombobulating mix of old and new. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...33286fce44.jpg Hike to Montecrestese https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5b4dc2ffeb.jpg Hike to Montecrestese https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...31f3b500ef.jpg Hike to Montecrestese https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c532e21b20.jpg Hike to Montecrestese https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...796f090add.jpg Hike to Montecrestese https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...796d6fa664.jpg Montecrestese cemetery The tiny village of Montecrestese is dominated by a Catholic school, today with lots of kids out in the yard. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a0c32396c0.jpg Montecrestese https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7668858a42.jpg Montecrestese We ate our picnic lunch on a bench outside the closed Municipal building, then backtracked through the village and located the continuation of the trail to Naviledo. We were joined by a friendly dog, as we continued walking on to Roldo and then eventually back down to Pontetto. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6e4eabd641.jpg Return hike via Naviledo https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...48a33e5380.jpg Return hike via Naviledohttps://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ae787eb6bc.jpg Return hike via Naviledo https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...90f27ffef3.jpg Return hike via Roldo https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...00f3912487.jpg Friendly dog The hike was not what we expected when we set out; we thought it’d be more in the mountains; it was an unexpected surprised and a great way to spend a beautiful December afternoon (45F). Back in Pontetto we popped into Monkey Pub to await our return bus. We asked for un vino bianco secco, but as so often happens, weren’t understood. The waitress enlisted the help of an intoxicated man named Bruno to help translate. Turns out he didn’t speak English, but was entertaining just the same. I went to the wine case, the waitress brought out several bottles, and with Bruno’s approval we chose one, finding a decent dry white wine, €3.50 per glass. Then it was back to Domodossola on the 4:10 bus, €6.60, now very cold as the sun had dipped behind the mountains. Dinner was at Pizzeria Terminus, a favorite from last year. Bufalina pizza for me, Diavola pizza for Bill, wine, sparkling water, €2 each coperto, €44 and very good. To be continued... |
Your walks look so interesting, a fabulous combination of (eventual) views, deciduous forest, and quiet villages.
But, that’s a lot of steep uphill!! My DH would not forgive me. Did you find the paths / routes clear? Enough signage? I recall having some bewildering moments trying to get tickets in Italy. One walk led us to Domaso and we sat at the bus stop forever, then jumped on bus and driver frustrated we hadn’t bought tickets at tabacchi. So, another time after our walk to Belgirate on Lake Maggiore we popped into a tabacchi near the bus stop were told no, buy on bus. Also happened in Pontedera, the ‘biglietto’ office had 4 men playing cards in it who waved us away while I asked for biglietto to Volterra. So, we got on bus, and driver was gesturing at the biglietto office and my zero Italian not adequate to explain the lack of service, lots of arm waving and rapid, loud Italian at me. A local passenger indicated to me to just sit down. Loving your report. We have another heatwave coming this week, and the coolness in your photos is very appealing. |
Adelaidean, yeah, figuring out how to get around Italy has been one of our biggest challenges.
We thought we were stranded last year when we walked from Domodossola to Villadossola, and couldn't make heads or tails of the schedule at the bus stop, or even determine which bus line it was, let alone how to pay. For the most part, the paths and routes were fairly clear, although we did run into a few lack of signage issues, and it wouldn't be a Bill and Mel trip if we didn't lose the trail a few times. |
Enjoying your walks from the comfort of my home!:) They look wonderful, and as Adelaidean says, an interesting mix of nature and villages. I am surprised not to see any snow! I wouldn't think your concern would be leaves but instead that it would be snow. Especially love your photos of Piazza del Mercado in the early evening, especially the one with the Christmas tree.
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Thanks Karen, we were surprised by how little snow there was this time as well.
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Dec 6 -
We woke to a high wind warning. We walked to the train station and took the 9:26 am train to the historic village of Santa Maria Maggiore, a journey of about 45 minutes. Today was the first day of the three day Christmas Market, which opened at 9:30 am. As mentioned earlier, the Vigezzina-Centovalli railway line runs between Switzerland and Italy and the entire route from Domodosolla to Locarno covers 52 kilometers, crosses 83 bridges and goes through 31 tunnels. https://www.vigezzinacentovalli.com/en/ We'd taken the entire journey last year, not realizing at the time that we were to be some of the last passengers on the historic train, as the rolling stock was replaced a few months later. So today, we got to experience the new (much improved) train. Weirdly, the train wasn’t full; we learned later that the trains for Saturday and Sunday were sold out. We’d read that the first day of the market is the least crowded, and while busy, it wasn’t overly so, although all the places we popped our heads into for lunch were fully booked. The pretty village was quiet at first, very pleasant; wandering musicians would stop and play for a while before moving on through the village. It struck me as a good place to base on a future trip. https://www.illagomaggiore.com/en_US...maria-maggiore https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...20e37fb40a.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore We wandered the streets, made the rounds of some ~200 kiosks, checked out the various goods, and picked up a few gifts. We sampled the €2 Vin Brulé and the €1 paper thin crepes served with butter and salt (crespelle?). https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3f709b3816.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eb5beb8fbd.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e35050cece.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2c5358b0da.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9ca1945fa9.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d27fc168bc.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...639b61d992.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9e8ac0359d.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0083583153.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...328379447f.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2b8b75196f.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore Unable to find a seat in a restaurant, we joined the queue at a food and drinks kiosk, where I placed our orders while Bill found a spot to stand at the tables set up under a long tent. Panino con salamburger for Bill (€6), gnocchi degli alpine for me (€8), washed down with €1 white wine, not a culinary highlight, but not bad. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...98d8f2d5c8.jpg Santa Maria Maggiore I’d read that there was very little sun in this valley in winter, so we’d worn our fleece lined pants, our fleece jackets and our coats. We’d also brought our hats, neck gaiters and gloves, but it wasn’t very cold, even though Santa Maria Maggiore is some 600 meters higher than Domodossola, where it reached 50F today. But as the day wore on, the wind became fierce. Strong gusts knocked over signs, sent hats skittering and a temporary tent next to a restaurant took flight. It was wild. Our return train was busy, but not full. An Italian nonna had pinched one of our reserved seats, the reservation sticker mysteriously disappearing, so we had to sit backwards the entire trip. We didn’t say anything, but we both smelled a rat. I really enjoyed Santa Maria Maggiore and while Christmas Markets aren’t Bill’s idea of fun, he's a good guy and usually willing to humor me, as long as food/drink are involved. Back in Domodossola, I stopped at a gelato shop near the train station for a quick fix, then it was back to the apartment to do laundry and have a drink on the patio before the sun disappeared. Dinner that evening was at Origano; salame picante pizza for Bill, Bufalina pizza for me, sparkling water, €25.20 including €3.80 coperto. To be continued.... |
On losing a trail, I can certainly relate. It happens to us more often than not. From time to time, we find some hidden surprises. Other times, there are either frustration or laughs involved.
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So bustling and lively.
Your comment about lunch being booked out is duly noted (if we do Christmas markets this year) I remember adding that town to my list of places we could visit while we were in Stresa and/ or Locarno. My list was way too long and even with 16 days we missed so much. There are many little places that looked enticing, plus there’s a chimney sweep museum that was on my to do list https://www.museospazzacamino.it/Museum/EN-6ef08400 |
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