Travels Through Italy

July is not a time that I would pick to travel in Italy. Or many parts of southern Europe, for that matter. It's hot, and there are too many bloody tourists! But the timing of this tour was dictated by the schedules of others, and well I was in Italy!

Day by Day Travel Diary

• First Day involved waking up on a plane flying over the alps, and concluded with a fine Italian meal on a Rome footpath!
• Second Day involved a lengthy morning walk and ended with pizza on the footpath!
• Arrival Day when Peter and Yvonne arrived by bus, and I had a free morning to walk around Rome, and visit a new basilica.
• Around Termini while awaiting arrivals from London.
• St. Peters and other attractions of Rome.

• Florence was the destination - by train, then foot.
• Half day city tour then some random wanderings to Santa Maria Novella and the Arno at dusk.
• Assorted buildings around Florence then a bus tour to Pisa and its leaning campanile.
• The Chianti Tour to the nearby hills for the afternoon and a little wandering around Florence beforehand.
• Travel to Monza and collecting rental motorcycle.

• Bernina Pass in Switzerland was today's destination.
• South from Monza to Calvignano (lunch) and Passo Penice (riding).
• Heading north to the Dolomites.
• Up and down the Dolomites.
• Hotel Paradiso to Passo dello Stelvio to Monza.
• Around Lake Como to Bellagio and Como.
• Returning the bike, then playing tourist in Milan and dinner on the banks of the Po (river, that is!).
• Final day travels and finishing up.

• Going home with a longer day than expected.

Map Of Italy

The above map of Italy shows the major areas of this trip. The names are Italian, mostly quite close to their English equivalents: Rome is Roma, Florence is Firenze, and Milan is Milano, at the top. Lakes Como and Lecco (the one body of water) appear just above the 'L' of Milano. The lake above the 'M' is Lago Maggiore. Pisa is a little above Livorno. The Dolomites are in the area around Bolzano/Bozen.