There’s a 550-year-old church in the heart of Milan known as Santa Maria delle Grazie. We’re here with a tour group to see Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of The Last Supper. This is the same painting that Ludovico Sforza hired Leonardo to do so he could get in good with church leaders. (Perhaps you will recall their conversation). Here we go… Continue reading “Leonardo’s “The Last Supper,” or “It’s Not Easy being a 15th-Century Fresco””
Tag: Travel
Sforza Castle – Through Good Times and Bad
It has stopped raining here in Milan, Italy. We’re taking a mini-tour today that will take us to Sforza Castle and to the convent of Santa Maria della Grazie, where we’ll get to see Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Last Supper. Our gigantic tour bus is pulling up to Sforza Castle now. Whoa. I’ve seen a few castles in my day, but I’ve never seen one that looks like this. Continue reading “Sforza Castle – Through Good Times and Bad”
Train Ride through Lombardy, Italy
We’re on a train ride through Lombardy, in northern Italy. We’re on our way from Varenna, on Lake Como, to Milano. We had tickets for a train that required a train change in Lecco, but we jumped on a non-stop train when the opportunity presented itself. I was hoping there wouldn’t be any negative repercussions. It’s a short ride to Milano. Maybe the conduttore won’t find his way to our car. Continue reading “Train Ride through Lombardy, Italy”
Train Ride to Milano
Today we’re on our way to Milan for the day. We got up early and took the battello from Bellagio to Varenna to catch the train. We had tickets for a train that required a train change in Lecco, but at the Varenna train station, we found out that a direct train to Milan was arriving in minutes. It was earlier and easier, but it wasn’t the train we had tickets for. We hopped on anyway. Okay! We’re taking a train ride to Milano. Continue reading “Train Ride to Milano”
Day-Trip to Milan – All Aboard!
The weather in Bellagio has changed. Yesterday it was sunny and warm, but this morning it’s chilly and drizzling. Oh well. We’ll be inside a boat, train, or a bus most of the day. We’ve just set out on a day-trip to Milan. Continue reading “Day-Trip to Milan – All Aboard!”
Lunch in Varenna
We’re in Bellagio, situated on Lake Como in Northern Italy. Today we’re going to have lunch in Varenna, another little town on the lake. We want to scout out the train station at Varenna because tomorrow morning, we’re going to take the train from there to Milan. But first, we need to buy boat tickets to Varenna. Continue reading “Lunch in Varenna”
Waking Up in Bellagio
Huh? Wha? Where am I? It took me a few minutes this morning to remember where we were. I got out of bed, went over to the window, and opened the curtain to see beautiful Lake Como, sparkling in the early morning light. Oh yeah, NOW I remember! It’s our first day waking up in Bellagio. Continue reading “Waking Up in Bellagio”
Dinnertime in Bellagio – Mangia!
It’s dinnertime in Bellagio – a picturesque little town on the shore of Lake Como, in northern Italy. The town is a nest of stone-paved alleyways that meander up and down the hillside next to the lake. We’ve been out exploring, with an eye out for a restaurant that looks interesting. We just found one. Oh boy… Continue reading “Dinnertime in Bellagio – Mangia!”
Bellagio!
We made it to Bellagio! No, not the Las Vegas hotel with fountains that shoot skyward while Andreo Boccelli sings Con te Partiro. (Although that is pretty neat). We’re in the little town of Bellagio, Italy, on beautiful Lake Como. Mamma mia! Continue reading “Bellagio!”
Ciao Italia!
That’s right – “Ciao Italia!” We landed this morning at Malpensa Airport, just outside of Milan. Our plan was to rent a car, find our way to the town of Bellagio on beautiful Lake Como, and check into a hotel there. Bellagio is only 90 km (56 miles) from Malpensa airport. What could possibly go wrong? Continue reading “Ciao Italia!”
