Day 12–Verona

Today’s trick was again to make all the transfers on the Italian rail network and finally end up in Verona while starting in Modena.

I arrived at the Modena train station with plenty of time up my sleeve but as I have come to learn, you wait as long as possible near the departure board to see which platform you train will depart from. Just because it says one platform currently doesn’t mean that it can’t be changed and you don’t want to be stranded on the wrong platform wondering why your train hasn’t arrived.

With about 15 minutes to go, and with not delays on train arrival showing, I took the underground passage to my designated platform.

Soon the designated train number appeared on the platform which confirmed I was in the right place. Always a worry until they actually show your train on the platform you are actually waiting on.

Being a Saturday the platform was pretty crowded and as soon as the train doors opened there was a mad scramble by the locals to get aboard and find a seat. Happy to let this transpire I simply waited an opportunity to board as I only need to go two stops.

I had a booking for a first class carriage but since I was already standing outside a second class carriage I figured it would be easier just to jump aboard and stand near the doors since it was only about a 30 minute trip to Bologna Centrale. I wasn’t about to hike back down the platform looking for the first class carriages.

The train shortly pulled away from the station and began hurtling towards Bologna. Unfortunately, this regional train was again one devoid of air conditioning so I basically stood and sweated for the whole trip. Not exactly my idea of enjoyment, but hey, that the summer Italian experience I have learned.

I had about 15 minutes to make my connection to Verona if all went according to plan. After a nerve wracking 10 minute delay just outside Bologna, I was finally on the platform and looking for my connection. I knew it would be downstairs somewhere.

Luckily, I was able to locate a departures board and headed to the appropriate platform, through what was now familiar territory. This station is pretty big but luckily it is signed very well making finding directions pretty straight forward as long as you keep your eyes open.

Turns out that my train was delayed by 35 minutes! This was by far the worst I had experienced in my travels so far. I thanked my lucky stars that the delay was not on my initial train from Modena or otherwise I would have missed my connection.

I went down to the nominated platform at the original departure time just to make sure I didn’t miss the train because I had overlooked something or misread the departures board. When it didn’t arrive, as expected, I returned to the concourse level to watch the board to ensure that the platform was not changed.

Sure enough, about 30 minutes later the train appeared on the board for the platform and I headed down to locate my carriage position on the platform. This time I was to be in carriage number 3.

The train arrived late as expected and I jumped aboard and located my seat. I was allocated a window seat with another seat to my right but thanks to the wonders of Italian train travel and people wanting to sit together in different seats, I ended up in a single seat on the other side of the carriage, which was fine by me but confused the hell out of the conductor when ticket checking time arrived. I let the couple who caused all the hassle to explain it to the conductor in Italian while I just nodded like the good tourist I was.

We sped on towards Verona across rather flat country side arriving in about an hour after depart Bolonga. I was soon off the train, out of the station and on the streets of Verona.

Now I could have taken the option to grab a taxi, which would have been easier in this heat, but instead I decided to hoof it to get a better feel for the city. Thus, I pulled out my phone, fired up Google Maps and I was off.

After only one wrong turn along the way I managed to locate my hotel which was hidden away in the back streets.

The room was pretty pokey and Spartan but it didn’t really bother me all that much as they also have free WiFi which I value above all else. I powered on the air conditioning and took my customary afternoon nap to avoid the rest of the afternoon heat.

 I went out at about 6pm to have a walk around and find something to eat. I thought that I’d check out the main attraction of the town at least, the Arena, so I headed in that direction.

However, along the way I stumbled across Verona’s other most famous site, Juliet’s balcony. It wasn’t hard to miss being totally overrun with tourists.

I followed the signs to the Arena and ended up going down what appeared to be the main pedestrian mall in Verona. It was nicely paved, full of people and the typical up market shops catering to well to do Americans and Europeans.

At the end of this street I emerge onto the Arena which felt the ‘centre’ of the city. It is Roman style amphitheatre surround by a paved square, then ringed by restaurants. To9 me, very much in style of the Campo in Siena.

Plenty of interesting things to see in this area.

I continued south through the gates looking for a place to eat.

After a good pizza and coffee I headed back to my hotel to cool down again. Even at 8pm it is still exceptionally warm. The main reason I think is that there is no cooling breeze.

There probably isn’t a huge amount of must see items here and I’ll decided whether a hop on, hop off bus is a good idea. I however think that just walking around as I have done previously is going to be the best bet.

Day 6–Florence

The day commenced with breakfast overlooking the streets of Florence from my hotel. It was going to be another hot one, may be not quite as hot as it has been, but still warm. So the plan was to get an early start, beat the crowds, heat and head off to see the statue of David housed in della d’Adacemia, just north of the Duomo.

As you can see, I was not the only one with this idea, so when I arrived at around 8.15am (opening time) the queue was already a few hundred metres longs.

 

Turns out there are two queues, one for reserved tickets and one for non-reserved (me). So I joined the masses in line awaiting my turn to enter.

 

It took about an hour or so to gain entry but since it was in the shade it wasn’t too bad.

This is of course what everyone has come to see, Michelangelo's statue of David.

It is the centre piece of the museum at end of a long hall once you enter.

As you can also see it is the major draw card of the museum. You kinda wonder what Michelangelo would think of all the interest his work still generates today.

The della d’Adacemia has other exhibits including sculptures and

artworks. In all I spent about 90 minutes working my way through everything inside.

My thoughts were then to try the Uffuzi but again with a non-reserved ticket the wait was going to be over two hours of not only waiting but also standing around. Thus, I decided lunch was a better option and I headed back to my hotel to cool down before joining the line for the Duomo.

On the return trip there was a huge golden turtle in the square as you can see above. Not something you expect to see. Luckily, I had my camera handy.

 

After cooling down I returned to the Duomo and joined the queue for entry. The good thing about the main Duomo entry is that it is free, you just have to line up. Luckily, the line was on the shady side of the structure and I only had to wait about 30 minutes.

Although the Duomo is huge it is quite bare inside. Visitors don’t have complete access to all areas but there is enough to get a really good idea.

There is not a huge amount to see here but glad I did line up to check this one off my ‘to-do’ list (being the fourth largest church in the world apparently).

 

If you want access to the top of the dome or the bell tower of the Duomo then you not only need to line up (in the sun) but also pay a fee. Not for me this time so, after a recommendation from a neighbour in the Duomo queue I headed south across the river to Saint Minato al Monte.

On the way I took a break from the sun at Saint Croce but as there was a paid line for entry I decided to continue on.

There is a very steep climb once you are across the river to Piazzle Michelangiolo which has sweeping views of the whole of Florence, and something I’d highly recommend is worth the effort (you can of course also take a bus).

From there you need to continue climbing to reach Saint Miniate si Monte.

but the views continue to get better.

After a final flight of stairs you enter one of the most unique churches I have been in.

The lower entry level appears to be for the congregation, while the upper level is for the alter. Directly below the alter is a crypt, which contains a holy relic of the martyr St. Miniatus is on display.

Pictures of the crypt are not permitted but you are free to photography elsewhere.

Although it is fair way from the city centre and up a very steep hill I am really glad I followed the recommendation and came to have a look. It is really worth a visit as it is a very different structure with many striking features that I haven’t seen elsewhere.

From there I headed back across the city back to my hotel to call it a day with the sites of Florence. All that left to do was to grab another magnificent Italian dinner, topped off with a grande gelato and prepare for tomorrows transfer to Modena.

Day 5–Florence

A casual start to the day with breakfast and then check out followed by a short taxi ride back to Siena railway station.

Check the board for my train and spent the rest of the time reading and talking to some other tourists also waiting on the train.

As departure time approached my fellow travellers informed me that that train to Florence had changed tracks and I’d need to make haste to another platform.

I jump aboard with plenty of time to spare and with plenty of time to spare and was pleasantly surprised to find that this regional train was air-conditioned! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord. No complimentary sauna today folks.

The train was much more crowded than the one I caught a few days ago to Siena but there was still plenty of room. So I grabbed a seat and settled in for the trip.

The trip was uneventful, with even the conductor making no fuss about my pre-booed ticket. Achievement unlocked!

Having been to Florence station previously I knew where to exit and headed from the station into the blazing Italian sun for the very short walk to my hotel.

I checked in and then settled in for my regular afternoon snooze to avoid the heat.

First stop was check out the Duomo or as it is clearly also known ‘tourist central’. Florence reminds me of an earlier trip I made to Venice in that fact that the place is just overwhelmed by tourists.

Now I know this is the height of the tourist season and Florence is high on everyone’s must see list but honestly for me, the sheer number of tourists ruins the experience for me totally.

 

Not only is the place full of tourists but all the shops are upmarket boutiques catering to this market. The place is also full of street vendors hocking all kinds of wares to these same tourists who think they are getting a bargain.Sigh.

I continued on through the throng and the heat trying to tick off as many sites as I could this afternoon.

From the Uffuzi to the

To the Ponte Vecchio was just wall to wall tourists.

I continued walking the streets snapping shots until it all got too hot for me and I headed back to the hotel for a break.

Around 7pm I ventured out once again to enjoy another great Italian dinner and then I called it a night.

I’m glad I’m not going to be here long because with the heat and the sheer number of people I’m pretty sure I’d go crazy. Given that tomorrow is Sunday and the Duomo is closed for half the day I think I’ll head to the Galleria dell’Academia where the status of David is, mainly because it opens early. From there I might do a ‘jump-on-jump-off’ bus tour to catch the main sights before heading to the Duomo in the afternoon and no doubt standing in a queue for hours.

Let’s see what pans out tomorrow.

 

 

Day 4–Siena

Judging by the maximum forecast temperature of 33+ degree C for today, I decide this was now beyond my tolerance to wear long pants. I therefore broke out the shorts and headed off for breakfast.

With sustenance now complete I hit the streets early. Most places don’t open until 10.30am but I thought that I’d at least look at a few places before I battled the throne of summer tourists.

I passed through the Campo again, which you can see is relatively deserted. The main occupants where an army of swallows.

I did try and capture some of them in the above picture but it simply doesn’t do justice to the sheer number of birds accelerating all around the square, calling to each other. If it was night, you be sure they were bats. Interestingly, later on during the day, once all the tourists arrive, the swallows have moved on to less crowded digs.

The next stop was Provenzano’s church as shown above. Which wasn’t yet open. The interesting thing I found about this church was the stone used in construction. Bleached white in colour, which stands out from most of the other structures in Siena which are typically an earthy brown/red.

Next stop was San Francesco square and basilica. Luckily, the basilica was open and there was no one inside. Downside was that photos are not allowed.

The basilica is pretty basic and perhaps somewhat ‘cold’ as it only had a single occupant currently. It is however amazing how big the place is and how the ceiling is. There are a number of large paintings on either side as your move towards the alter and then a number of smaller chapels on either side of the mail alter.

Interestingly, this basilica is home to the Eucharist Miracle of Siena which is something I didn’t know before visiting this church.

With the clock approaching 10am it was time to head back to the Campo and for the tower or Torre del Mangia which stands about 80 metres and height and can be climbed via stairs.

The advice before you start climbing is to only take a camera and be prepared for about 400 steps in a pretty enclosed space. What is not probably mentioned is the fact that you come down the same you go up, this means you need to negotiate other on the stairs as you pass. Luckily for me, being one of the first into the tower for the day it just meant plodding up the stairs.

The first level you emerge on provides sweeping view of Siena and the surrounds.

Another flight of stairs takes you an other 20 metres or so right to the very top where the bell is.

Here you get a real perspective of just how ‘compacted’ old Siena is, with buildings pretty much adjacent to each other.

I descended from the top,making room for a few people on their way up. Some people just don’t seem to appreciate that 400+ stairs is fairly strenuous.

 

I then headed into the Civic Museum which was also included in the price of my ticket. Unfortunately, photography was once again forbidden here, although I did see some people merrily snapping away, even using a flash! Damm tourists!

With the temperature rising and the tourist throngs building and given it was approaching midday I decided it would be a good time to take a break from the heat, so I took the short walk back to my hotel.

It being so central makes it a very handy place to visit multiple times during the day. I had hoped that my room would be made up so I could take a shower, but alas that wasn’t to be. I therefore cooled down and had a snooze in the lobby.

I then headed back to the Duomo and the other sites in and around this area.

You need to but tickets to the Duomo from an office not far away but a little bit od advice, don’t leave buying tickets too late in the afternoon as in summer the sun ends up beating down on you standing the queue. Get in early, even if you decide to take in the locations later in the day.

Like all great cathedrals, the Duomo of Siena is something to behold. The most striking aspect is the striping of the structure.

It is truly an impressive structure with so much space.

In an alcove off the to the side is the Piccolomini library with stunning examples of artwork on the walls and ceiling as well as manuscripts that line the wall.

Off to the left is the chapel of St John the Baptist.

 which also contains the holy relic of his right arm presented by Pope Pius II in 1464 to the church.

From the cathedral I proceeded to the crypt.

and then to the Baptistery, both at the lower levels of the Duomo.

 

It was then back to the main Duomo for a tour over the top of the structure where you can peer down from the dome.

You also get access to external areas where you again get some great views of Siena at roof level.

You then move across the top of the altar where you get a full view of the length of the structure.

You then travel back towards the front of the church and finish off with a view down the length from just above the entrance.

From there you wind your back down to the ground. All in all a very worthwhile tour that I’d recommend.

It was now mid afternoon and things were really starting to heat up so I decided to again head back to the comfort of my air conditioned hotel and escape the fierce Tuscan summer sun.

I headed back onto the street at 7pm with the heat of the day still radiating through the streets. I headed to the Campo for a final look, a gelato and finally a decent large coffee (an Americano as they say here).

Tomorrow I brave the heat and the Italian railways again as I head to Florence (Firenze). All in all I have enjoyed my time here in Siena. It is a very beautiful and historic place. The view of the surrounds is amazing along with some pretty unique places in the town centre. It has been a little disappointing at how hot it has been, exacerbated no doubt by the lack of a cooling breeze. The best times to venture out is early but unfortunately most places don’t open until it is becoming quite hot.

None the less, I’ve been very lucky with the fine weather as well as a great hotel. Having it so close by has really made it easy to take regular breaks during the day and avoid being totally worn out. The journey continues tomorrow.