Italy Beyond the Obvious

5 Reasons to visit the town of Vigevano

Even after 5 years in Italy - and more than half of that in Milan - I had never heard of Vigevano until a Milanese friend asked if I wanted to swing by her boyfriend's house - in a beautiful nearby town, she promised. Because he'd been out with us in Milan so often, I'd assumed her significant other was from a Milanese suburb like Milano Due (Milan Two) or Milano Tre (Milan Three). Instead, that day I was introduced to a stunning architectural jewel of a town. 

 
 

Here are 5 reasons you, too, should consider a visit to Vigevano:

1) Off the beaten track

If you enjoy discovering Italian towns with lots of atmosphere, lots of Italians, and few tourists, this is one. In fact its main square (see point 3, below) is often referred to as one of the most beautiful and least known squares from the Italian Renaissance.

2) Day trip from Milan 
At only 35 km away, Vigevano makes a great day trip from Milan. Hop on the train and you're there in 30 minutes. Spend most of a day, and you're back in Milan for dinner.

 

3) Beautiful architecture

The main square, called Piazza Ducale (the rectangle in the aerial photo), and the tower by Bramante are architectural gems built during the Renaissance. Leonardo Da Vinci was a guest at Vigevano and worked with Bramante, leaving his mark on the town as well. Vigevano's castle, the Castello Sforzesco (also in photo above), is one of Europe's largest. If the name of the castle rings a bell, note that Milan's castle is also called the Sforzesco castle - built (or more accurately, rebuilt) by the same family, the Sforzas.

 

4) Shoes

I admit I have a weakness for shoes in Italy. I often arrive with just the ones on my feet, and leave with quite a few pairs. Vigevano is a major center of shoe production in Italy, and the shoe industry overtook the town after World War II, causing its population to 'explode' from 17,000 in 1861 to over 65,000 today, and resulting in not-so-positive articles about Vigevano's capitalist "shoe fetish", like this one (in Italian). For anyone with an interest in the history of shoe construction, functionality, and design, visit the town's shoe museum, which also displays shoes worn by famous historical Italians such as Beatrice D'Este, and has a section on historical shoe styles worldwide.

5) Risotto, anyone?

Italy is Europe's top producer of rice, and much of it comes from the area around Vigevano. If you're reading this before September 17th, 2010, consider going during the 3-day rice festival, which includes street food, tastings, and a lot to offer for professionals in the field (no pun intended).

Vigevano square photo by Chris Thomas; shoes photo by Jeff Safi; aerial photo from www.pavia.lombardiainrete.it

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Short Trips from Milan

When I worked in Milan I took advantage of weekends to travel. Below I've made a list of my favorite places to visit from Milan in 1, 2, 3 or 4 days. I've put cities in a list based on the minimum amount of time I recommend spending there. Unless otherwise specified, all travel times are by train.

 

If you have just 1 day...

• Visit the Carthusian Monastery of Pavia, only 20 minutes away.
• The town and beautiful park of Monza are just 10 minutes away.
• The ancient town of Bergamo is under an hour away.
• The Roman town of Como, on the lake with the same name, is just an hour away.
• The Lake Maggiore is also one hour away. Take the train to the beautiful town of Stresa and go from there.
• Go to Switzerland! In 1 hour you are in the pretty lakeside town of Lugano.
• Gawk at the the picturesque alpine scenery of the Aosta Valley.
• In just over an hour, you're in the atmospheric university city of Bologna.
• Visit the gastronomically and architecturally significant Parma, less than 90 minutes away. Arrive hungry.
• At 90 minutes away, Turin is somewhat of a long day trip but one of my favorite people lives there so I've done it many times.
• The port city of Genoa is also about 90 minutes away. It's a long day trip but if that's all you have, then go, and at the end of the day you'll be promising to return as soon as you can.

 

If you have 2 days, consider any of the above, and in addition....

• The spa town of Sirmione, on Lake Garda is a couple hours away. 
• Visit the town or see an outdoor opera in the small city of Verona, under 2 hours away.
• Get a little off the beaten track in the town of Vicenza about 2 hours away - and don't miss Palladio's Villa Rotonda.
• Go to Florence, just under 2 hours away.
• Enjoy art, architecture and food in the gorgeous city of Padua, just over 2 hours away.
• Spend time in Venice, about 2.5 hours away. Two days in Venice is a little rushed but if that's all you have, then go.
• Hike the Cinque Terre, which is about 3 hours away by train.
• Sure why not - go to Pisa and climb the leaning tower.

 

If you have 3 days, consider any of the above, and in addition...

• From Florence, visit the towns of Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano - or if you have a car, Monteriggioni or Volterra.
• Spend a couple days on the island of Elba. Allow about 4 hours for the train plus 1 hour for the ferry. (Though this trip is easier by car when starting from Milan.)
• See the spectacular Byzantine mosaics in the city of Ravenna, and while you're in the area, stop in and visit the town of Brisighella. 
• In 4 hours you're in the gorgeous Umbrian city of Perugia. From there visit Assisi as well.

 

If you have 4 days, consider any of the above, and in addition...

• Venture further into Tuscany, visiting the towns of Pienza and Montepulciano.
• Go to Rome.
• Explore more of Umbria from your base in Perugia. Visit the towns of Gubbio, Spoleto, Todi, and Orvieto.
• Explore more of the Veneto, going up to Bassano del Grappa, Asolo, and the countryside - red and Prosecco wineries! - north of Verona.
• Go skiing at Cortina D'Ampezzo in the Dolomites. Or if it's summertime, go hiking near Ortisei in the Val Gardena.

I don't recommend going south of Rome if you have only 4 days total, nor do I recommend trying to go to Sardinia or Sicily. You just need more time that that (even though, I know, Italy does look misleadingly small on the map!)

Photos from top to bottom: Parma, Sirmione, Lucca, the Dolomites near Ortisei. All photos by Sanjay

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The best outlet malls in Italy

 

It's January, and the sales have started across Italy. If you're okay with crowds, the January and July sale periods in Italy are a fantastic time to shop. (Last time I went during the January sales I actually witnessed a fist fight in the parking lot over a parking space - which was interesting, considering that cars were parked wherever they would fit, including on medians, on the sidewalk and in a line in the middle of the road.)

There are hundreds of outlet stores around Italy, but here are 6 outlet malls in particular that I would recommend if you want to shop. Note that these "malls" are not indoors, so dress accordingly (since sales are in the coldest and hottest times of the year).

Near Milan

• Serravalle Designer Outlet has 180 stores and a huge parking lot (site of aforementioned skirmish). Open most days from 10 am to 8 pm, but hours are sometimes limited on Mondays so check opening times on the website. Drive to this mall, or go with a bus tour.

• FoxTown outlet is near Milan but it's actually in Switzerland. It has about 100 stores and is open daily from 11 am to 7 pm. Get there by car or take a bus tour from Milan or Bergamo. Tip: if you're undecided on whether to go to Serravalle or FoxTown from Milan, remember that you'll be spending Swiss Francs in Switzerland so checking the exchange rate may help with your decision.

 Near Florence

• The Mall is 30 minutes outside of Florence (and pretty close to Lucca) and smaller than other outlets, with about 20 stores.

• If you're a fan of Prada or Miu Miu, visit the Space outlet in Montevarchi (drive, or take a train + taxi). They only let 100 people in at a time, so take a number, order a cappuccino at the bar next door, and wait until your number is called. Open daily from 9.30 am, but call ahead to check opening hours. Address: Località Levanella, 52025 Montevarchi (AR). Phone: +39 055 91 901. Tip: if you don't like crowds, avoid Saturdays.

• The same company that runs Serravalle near Milan also has a big outlet mall near Florence called Barberino, with almost 100 stores. For info on how to get there by car or by shuttle from Florence, opening times, stores, and a map, check the website.

Near Rome

• Castel Romano is owned by the same company that owns Serravalle near Milan and Barberino near Florence. It's got 110 stores, is open 7 days a week from 10 am to 8 or 9 pm, and is about 30 minutes outside Rome.

Near Venice

• Noventa di Piave is about 30 minutes from Venice, and has about 50 stores. Open from 10 am to 8 pm seven days a week, it's accessible by car or by shuttle from the San Dona' di Piave bus station. For a map of the stores, address and phone numbers, download this pdf.

Photo by Sanjay

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Bergamo: WAY more than just Milan's 3rd airport

There's one memory in particular that I associate with the town of Bergamo. Having arrived in Italy for the first time, friends immediately took me to meet their Bergamaschi (= from Bergamo) cousins. The family matriarch, an old woman in a long black dress, met me with "buongiorno" while simultaneously stirring a huge cast iron pot on the fire. (I swear I saw her again years later in the countryside outside of Naples, riding a grocery-laden bike up a steep hill). "Polenta", she said, pointing at the pot. We left for a walk and arrived back 30 minutes later. The woman was still stirring that darn pot of polenta. She motioned for me to come over and try to stir it. It was difficult, like trying to move very thick mud with a wooden spoon. You know how the story ends: the polenta was our delicious lunch. It was topped with a memorable homemade sauce of locally gathered mushrooms. (Yum.)

On subsequent visits to the town, I got to spend time wandering the medieval streets of Bergamo Alta, the Old Town, and I'm here to recommend you do the same.

So if you're flying in or out of Milan's Bergamo airport, Orio al Serio, lucky you. Not only did you most likely get a cheaper flight, you have the opportunity to visit an absolutely gorgeous medieval town. And if you're not flying out of Bergamo, visit the town as a day trip from Milan. You may not see that old woman stirring polenta, but you'll get to know a small Italian town with enough medieval atmosphere for a movie setting and very few tourists. Here's what I recommend.

• Architecture Get the funicular to Bergamo Alta, and start in the Piazza Vecchia (top photo), the Old Square, which is considered by some as among the most beautiful piazzas in Europe. Don't miss the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (photo) and the Cappella Colleoni (photo below).

• Atmosphere For small-town medieval atmosphere, walk along Via Arena. Just 200 m long, this is considered to be Bergamo's most enchanting street. Go in the early morning and you may hear the rustle of a nun's habit as she hurries to the Santa Grata convent for mass. Walk along Via Porta Dipinta (Via of the Painted Door) too.

• Views Visit Palazzo Terzi for the views over the countryside. Walk along Bergamo's walls, seen in the photo above. For views of the city from afar, take the funicular up to San Vigilio (photo). 

• Art Visit the Pinacoteca Carrara, a fabulous art museum housing Venetian, Lombard, and Tuscan schools. Note: as of this writing the Pinacoteca is closed for renovation but its major works are on display at the Palazzo della Ragione, in the Piazza Vecchia.

• Food Enjoy a gelato or a coffee at Caffe del Tazzo, or if it's dinner time, eat a regional meal at Vineria Cozzi, (both in Piazza Vecchia) or eat while enjoying the views at the Ristorante San Virgilio (34 via San Virgilio. A shout out to Chris Thomas of the Facebook Italy Photo contest for this recommendation). Try the locally made white wine, Franciacorta.

Photo of Piazza Vecchia and the Cappella Colleoni by Cicrico; Photo of Porta San Giacomo and the walls of Bergamo by anto474

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5 Reasons to visit the town of Monza

Only 10 minutes by train from Milan and on the way to Lake Como, Monza is a great escape from the big city and has a fantastic green space to boot. And it's completely walkable. Walk from the train station, through the historic center, to the park, and back to the train station. (Note: this circuit, with no stops, would be about 2 hours of walking). 

I've spent a lot of time in Monza. I lived there for a year in high school and went to the Liceo Classico Leone Dehon, and have been back many times since to visit friends. Here are the first places I visit whenever I go back:

• Monza's Romanesque-Gothic Duomo or main church has foundations dating to about 600. The museum inside houses the city's most famous treasure: the Iron Crown, allegedly made with one of the nails from the crucifixion.  

• Go for a stroll, a run, a bike ride or a picnic in Monza's huge park, which is twice the size of New York's Central Park. Sundays are perfect for people-watching, because the paths are full of Italian families going for a walk after church, looking their Sunday best.

• Admire the gardens and architecture of the Villa Reale (photo above), a summer palace built in the park in the 18th century by the Royal Hapsburg family of Austria. To visit the inside call (+39) 039 323 222 at least 10 days in advance. If you're there in June, (bring bug spray and expect crowds, but) the fireworks held around the first day of summer at the Villa Reale are some of the most spectacular I've ever seen.

• For a few days every September, Monza hosts the Formula One Italian Grand Prix where fast cars compete for first place at the Autodrome.

• Walk along the pedestrian streets in Monza's historic center to shop, window-shop, or people watch. It's worth the 2-block detour to walk over the pretty Bridge of Lions or Ponte dei Leoni, seen in the photo above with the church bell tower in the background. And don't miss the landmark Arengario (photo).

Photo of Villa Reale from www.istockphoto.com; Photo of bridge of lions by maxgiani

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Aosta: 10 Best Things To Do in the Summertime

Aosta and its surrounding valley get a lot of attention during ski season, but if you're not a skiier, or if you plan to visit in the summer, pay attention:

1) Visit the town itself. Built as a military base rather than a Roman resort (such as Pompeii), you won't see Roman mosaics or frescoes decorating the town of Aosta. However it has quite a few well preserved ruins, including a restored Roman Theater, the 2000+ year old Arco d'Augusta, Roman walls, including the gigantic Praetorian Gate seen in the photo below, and a nearby Roman bridge, the Pont D'Ael. Sit and soak up the mountain views or people-watch from the main square, and visit the pretty 11th century cathedral, with its gorgeous stained-glass windows, colorful fresco, and mosaic floors.

Getting there: Aosta is easily accessible from Turin and Milan by train, and is well-connected to the rest of the valley by bus. If you're visiting the area and not planning to rent a car, Aosta (or Sarre, very close by) is a great place to base yourself. There are no cars in Aosta, so if you arrive by car, you'll park outside the city and walk in. The walk from the car park, the train station and the bus stop are all short: plan on 10 - 15 minutes.

2) Hikes of literally every difficulty and length can be found near Aosta: start by looking at this great list of hikes in The Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso, which has 450 miles of marked trails and mule tracks.  For more hard-core hikers, hike up to a rifugio like this one, and stay overnight. If you just have time for a short walk with some great views, stop near Courmayeur for a short walk up Val Ferret to enjoy the views of the Italian side of Mont Blanc. 

3) The area is one of the best in Italy for mountain biking, with over 1000 km of country roads, in addition to mule tracks, farm roads and wooded paths. Hire an expert mountain biking guide and go off on your own, or take advantage of the ski infrastructure: both Pila and La Thuile offer summer downhill biking, including a Bike Park in the Baby Gorraz area of Pila.  

4) Relax (or get rid of your lactic acid) in a thermal springs, such as the famous Pre Saint Didier. 

5) Ride in a balloon or go paragliding - also called parapenting - over the mountains, and gape at the scenery from above. I once counted 22 paragliders floating down into the valley above Courmayeur - quite a sight to see having just emerged from the 7-mile-long Mont Blanc tunnel! 

6) Go mountain climbing. If you don't want to go on your own, here's some information on hiring a guide licensed to the region.

7) Explore the area on a motorcycle. And if you're driving, watch out for the motorcycles.

8) Eat Cheese. (You can do this year-round.) You've heard of the wine classifications DOC and DOCG, right? Well the locally-made Il Vallee D'Aoste Fromadzo cheese is DOP (yes, really), and is listed right up there with a local grappa as one of the two best products of the Aosta Valley on this website, which lists all the most famous or best food products from each region in Italy. 

9) Visit some castles such as the nearby Château St. Pierre or the Château Sarriod de la Tour. From there you can see Châtel Argent (in ruins); the Sarre Castle, which could also be visited; Aymavilles, which is private; the Fenis castle, in the photo above, is also nearby.

10) Experience jaw-dropping views from the cable car over Mont Blanc/Monte Bianco. The base of the cable car over Mont Blanc is in La Palud, near Courmayeur. On your way up, enjoy incredible views of the Aosta Valley, then change cable cars (visit a botanic garden here if you want) to get to Punta Helbronner, on the border between Italy and France. When you've had your fill, take a 4-person cable car to the Aiguille du Midi, and then another cable car down to Chamonix and a bus back through the tunnel. Tips: Allow a full day, though it's not a long day. Dress in layers, it can get chilly. Note that the cable cars do not run if the weather is bad; or if it's windy even if the weather is beautiful; or between 1 and 2 pm. To travel against the traffic, go from Italy to France rather than vice-versa. No need to book a tour for this, just arrive and do it yourself.

Photo of Praetorian Gate in Aosta by jkiel; Photo of mountain ibex by Cristianocani; Photo of paraglider by Tim*A; Photo of Fenis castle by Eric Borda

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Pavia

The small university town of Pavia is just a 25-minute train ride south of Milan, and is a great daytrip. 

The town itself has a castle, some gorgeous churches, and a famous university: Christopher Columbus was a graduate. It also has a rich and long history: a city which dates back to pre-Roman times, Pavia was capital of the Italian kingdom from the 8th until the 12th centuries. It also came under Spanish, Austrian and French rule before the unification of Italy in 1871.

Even if you don't really care about the history lesson, it's just a nice town to visit and just wander, eat, or sit and people-watch.

But, to get to the point: the main reason to visit Pavia in my opinion is to see the gorgeous Carthusian monastery, or Certosa di Pavia, which is 8 km north of the city.

The church is somewhat of an art overload experience: every square inch of the facade (see photo above) - inspired by the Duomo of Milan - is covered in marble, relief, and statues. Inside, admire the frescoes, paintings, stained glass, marble, ivory and wood sculpture, terracotta decoration, and bronze candelabra.

After you're done in the church spend some time wandering the peaceful cloisters (see photo) and soaking up the atmosphere.

Photos by Sanjay

Lago di Como

I've written the post below as a daytrip from Milan, but if the weather is beautiful and the flowers are out, a visit to one or two of the villas with gardens is worth it - I've flagged them as sidetrips. But then you can't do it in a day.

Take the short train ride from Milan to Como (check timetables at www.trenitalia.it) and spend some time walking around this ancient town. I would take a peek into some of the churches or sit in the main square and have a coffee before boarding the boat up to Bellaggio. I definitely recommend taking the slow boat (2 hours) up to Bellagio for the scenery but if you're in a rush take the hydrofoil.

Check boat timetables here.

Villa D'Este Sidetrip: take the ferry 2 stops from Como to Cernobbio and walk around the gardens of the famous high-end hotel, the Villa D'Este. At $1000/night (average) even Butterfield & Robinson doesn't stay here. But tourists can visit the gardens and have afternoon tea. The gardens are gorgeous, the views are spectacular, and the service is first-class, but some people say that the price is not worth it as the hotel is a bit run down in some areas.

Villa del Balbianello Sidetrip: Take the boat from Como to the Villa del Balbianello, a 17th century villa with amazing terraced gardens and even better views, as it sticks way out into Lake Como on a promontory. It's also famous for being featured in the films Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones (2002); Ocean's Twelve (2004); and Casino Royale (2006).

Once in Bellagio, spend some time walking around the town; don't miss the lakeside promenade. Bellagio is also a great place for (somewhat touristy) shopping, and for a workout (just walk up and down some of the steep streets a few times!).

Villa Melzi Sidetrip: walk along the lake towards Loppia (keep the lake to your right) to visit the gardens of the Villa Melzi. Click here to read a small write-up of the Villa Melzi.

Villa Carlotta Sidetrip: catch the short ferry (see link above for timetables) from Bellagio to Cadenabbia, and walk towards Tremezzo to visit the Villa Carlotta. For a ticket price of 10 Euros, visit the Villa Carlotta's gardens and then go inside the villa itself to see the artwork.

When I was guiding for Butterfield & Robinson, we stayed in the 5-star Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio. If you can swing it, it's nice: in a great location, with amazing views, excellent service, and a nice pool area. But I found the hotel a bit worn in places and I don't know that I'd stay there again. The huge gardens have some small private villas which are used by artists and authors who have won Rockefeller grants. On the other hand, I have very fond memories of time spent in my student days at the youth hostel in Menaggio, which is northwest across the lake.

Hop on another short ferry to the quiet and picturesque town of Varenna (see photo), a great place to get a late-afternoon ice cream or have dinner, and take a walk along the lakefront path, or Passarella. It's possible to hike up to the tower on the hill but a bit anti-climactic. A nice walk though.

At the end of the day, catch the train from Varenna for the 1-hour train ride back to Milan.

Photo by Sanjay

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Lago Maggiore

Take the train or drive from Milan to the town of Stresa, on the Lago Maggiore, and spend the day enjoying the scenery of the Alps and of course the lake itself. Hop on the boat to visit the islands: Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori, and Isola Madre.

The Isola dei Pescatori or Fisherman's island is indeed just that: an island of fishermen. When I was there guiding a hiking trip with Butterfield & Robinson we almost got stranded on this small island because it started raining and the ferries stopped running. We did find a nice fisherman to take us back, though. The photo above is the Isola Pescatori with the Alps in the background.

On nearby Isola Bella both the palace and grounds are open for visiting.

And here's a view of the gardens behind the palace on Isola Bella: 

On a boat ride keep your eye out for some of the incredible villas along the shores of Lake Maggiore.

 

 And More

• Take the Lago Maggiore Express, a journey with spectacular views, done by train and boat, that goes through the Centovalli (one hundred valleys).
• Relax on a sandy beach with views of the Alps (kid-friendly!)
• Drive up to the Swiss town of Locarno at the northern end of the lake, and take the lift up to Cimetta to enjoy the fabulous view (photo)
• I've done several half-day hikes around Stresa and Verbania, but for more strenuous or longer hikes, head north into Switzerland (Val Verzasca, Valle Maggia)
• take the 20 minute cable car ride up from Stresa to Mount Mottarone, at 1491 meters. Stop at Alpino partway up to visit the Botanical gardens.
• Visit the Villa Pallavicino and enjoy the villa and the flowers and animals (kid-friendly!)

Logistics

The Milan - Stresa roundtrip by train or car plus island-hopping can easily be done in a daytrip. Check the LeNord train timetables here. Best for trains from Milan, otherwise check trenitalia.it. Check the boat schedule at www.navigazionelaghi.it

Photos by Sanjay

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