Travelling Simply

Travel recommendations, ideas and observations from two simple travellers

Author: Smita (Page 14 of 17)

Sienna, Tuscany, Italy

07/05/2018 / / 3 Comments

We left the hustle and bustle of Florence for the quieter Tuscan city of Sienna. What a pleasant surprise.

Sienna is not a large city in comparison to Florence. It has its own uniqueness, the Old Town is a warren of alleyways with the beautiful Duomo with Donatelli and Michaelangelo sculptures and amazing frescoes, the Fort and the sloping main square, Piazza del Campo (suggested to be one of the loveliest in Italy) the main drawcards.

sienna piazza

We appreciated making the decision to stay a few days in Sienna as it provided an opportunity to relax, slow our travelling pace and immerse ourselves in the Tuscan countryside.

We had pre-booked our apartment in the Old Town and were rewarded with a beautiful modern apartment. Set on the top floor of a historic 15th-century building, it is in the pedestrian-only zone providing easy walking access to all the sights and when the day tourists disappeared the alleyways were ours to explore and we had an excellent opportunity to enjoy the local restaurants at our leisure.

sienna views
Views from the top of the tower

Buying a ticket and climbing the 474 or so steps up the Terre del Mangia tower in Piazza del Campo for sweeping views over the city and surrounding countryside was well worth the effort. Although not quite as high up, our apartment, however, provided equally captivating views across the city and further into the Tuscan countryside from its balcony. The only thing was that being a historic building, the apartment could only be accessed by walking up the 90-odd steps.

sienna balcony
The view of the Duomo from our apartment balcony.

Enchanted by the views and solitude we took the opportunity on our first night to enjoy an evening on the balcony with a bottle Tuscan wine accompanied by a variety of cheese followed a light dinner purchased from a restaurant down the street. The apartment has a fully equipped kitchen for cooking meals, as we sometimes tire of eating out every night when travelling.

Ennio, our host was very helpful, settling us into the apartment, explaining the area, directing us to the closest shops and advising of things to do in Sienna. For those travelling by car, there is a free public car park about 200 metres from the apartment. Just remember that Wednesday is “Market Day” and cars must vacate the certain areas of the car park the night before to accommodate the stalls.

Our recommendations for dinner and dessert:

  1. We enjoyed a beautiful Tuscan meal at Antica Tratorria Papei. A young pharmacist we met while staying in Genoa recommended we dine at this little restaurant located in a smaller piazza (Piazza Mercato) nestled behind Piazza del Campo.
  2. Our Sienna host, Ennio recommended a humble establishment a little way up the street from our apartment called Osteria Il Vinaio. There is no menu, just dishes of the day. Good, wholesome food.
  3. Make sure you save a little space for dessert. For some traditional Siennese delicacies, step into Bar Paticcerie Nannini and indulge yourself.

Take a leisurely drive through Chianti, Tuscany

25/04/2018 / / 0 Comments

The ultimate dream for many who visit Italy is to spend time in Tuscany, to wander through medieval hilltop towns and meander along the backroads among the rolling hills stopping at intervals at wineries along the way to sample the local wine and delicacies.

Chianti1

Easily accessed from both Florence and Sienna, a driving tour of Chianti is a great way to experience Tuscany and can easily be done on a day trip. Or, if you don’t have time to dedicate a day to this pleasure then take this route as you travel between the two cities.

We were staying for a few days in each city, and even though we had previously visited Florence we decided to take advantage of the many things Florence has to offer and visit Chianti from Sienna. Sienna is smaller than Florence. It is more relaxed and without the hustle and bustle of the larger city so it set the tone for taking a leisurely drive through the wine country.

Chianti3

The lady at the Visitor Centre in Sienna promised a “stooning drive”. Chianti is 40 minutes from Sienna following Chiantigiana Road which took us along quiet roads, through little townships set among rolling hills filled with vineyards and olive groves. There are eight counties named after the main town in each country. We visited three – Castellina in Chianti, Radda in Chianti and Gaiole in Chianti. Each town was small and unique, filled with its own atmosphere, castles, squares, and natural surroundings. We were amazed at how the towns could be so close together and still be different, and best of all – no crowds.

Chianti2

The roads were quiet and easy to drive along and wineries offering tastings were well signed and inviting. We stopped at the Livernano winery in Radda in Chianti to taste the local Chianti Classic, Rose and L’Anima wines.

Chianti4

A beautiful, relaxed day. We have read so much about the beauty of Tuscany. It’s true!

Santiago de Compostela – the end of “The Way”

11/04/2018 / / 0 Comments

Thick grey clouds hovered over the mountains as we crossed the border from Portugal into Spain.  Then the drizzle set in! It was pretty miserable by the time we reached the city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain’s northwestern corner.

It’s only a one night stop for us so we are keen to see as much as we can of this city. We have been drawn here by reading a fellow traveller’s article on visiting this pilgrimage site.

Unlike the more popular cities in Spain, Santiago de Compostela is relatively devoid traditional holidaymakers and tourists. No huge crowds here. Instead, it is the final destination for pilgrims as they complete the Camino de Santiago (Way of St James), a Catholic pilgrimage route dating back to the 9th century leading to what is believed to be the tomb of St James, the apostle.

We have booked to stay in a little boutique hotel in the Old Town, the best place to capture the mood of pilgrims as they enter the Cathedral of St James precinct. The drizzle has stopped so we don’t waste time. We set off to follow the “scallop shells”, the iconic symbol of the Camino de Santiago which lead us through the town to the Cathedral which dominates the town in the grey weather.

  • st-james

The atmosphere, however, is anything but gloomy as we get closer. We admire the beautiful squares that surround the Cathedral looking up to see visitors exploring the rooftop and spires, and pause to watch processions of pilgrims who have walked the Camino follow the cobbled pathway to the main square.

We are moved by the emotions of joy and elation on faces of the tired and bedraggled pilgrims as they are bagpiped by a trio of buskers through the final tunnel. Many have walked the Camino in search of their own spiritual enlightenment. I still get goosebumps and tingles down my spine whenever I recall the scene.

  • buskers

We cast our minds back to the two brave women in their 60’s we met in Porto a few days earlier who were making their way here following the Camino Portegese. This is what they have to look forward to.

The weather conditions make the Cathedral look foreboding but a visit inside proves otherwise. We follow visitors and pilgrims alike to the underground tomb of St James, then to the high altar where the figure of St James sits welcoming pilgrims to touch his cape as a blessing. We quietly explore the naves and altars of this magnificent building while a Mass is underway for pilgrims. Many have completed the full Camino, walking nearly 800km from France following trails marked with the tell-tale scallop shells and yellow arrows through the French and Spanish countryside with overnight stays in modest accommodations of lodges and monasteries.

We have stood in front of, and admired many cathedrals during our travels. Standing in front of this Cathedral, as spectators to pilgrims completing their individual Caminos, we feel we have missed out on something special.

There are a number of Camino routes leading to Santiago de Compostela. For those wishing to complete a shorter walk or who are time poor, shorter routes provide an alternative to the full Camino. All lead to the Cathedral of St James. The Camino is now very popular with those who are looking for the more active holiday. The trails are now full of both genuine pilgrims and tourists. We might be a little late for the more genuine experience, where the trails are less crowded but plans are in the making to join the over 200,000 people who now complete the Camino each year. Watch this space or join us!

  • cathedral

Footnote: There is more to Santiago de Compostela than being just a pilgrimage site. A UNESCO World Heritage and university town the city has its own rich culture in entertainment and art. Wandering the streets of this medieval city is a history lesson in itself. And, the city is a gateway to the Galacia region which has its own language and culture. A truly unique Spanish experience for the traveller who wishes to see more of Spain.

Santiago de Compostela, northwestern Spain

10/04/2018 / / 1 Comment

Santiago de Compostela in the northwestern corner of Spain is often overlooked by tourists who prefer to flock to the more popular cities of Barcelona and Madrid or the southern beachside resort towns in the Malaga province.

This UNESCO World Heritage city offers a gateway to the Galacia region which has its own rich and unique history, language and culture.

The city is, however, most known as the end point for pilgrims completing “the Camino”. Pilgrims finish the Camino by seeking blessings at the Cathedral of St James. More than 200,000 pilgrims now complete the Camino each year with numbers growing as the walk regains popularity.

With the city’s popularity, a wide variety of accommodation is now offered, including the major hotel chains.

With only an overnight stay planned we chose to stay in the historical Old Town area to give us an opportunity to explore the area on foot and watch pilgrims entering the city on the final leg of their Camino journey to receive blessings at the Cathedral of St James.

We were lucky to find a reasonably priced hotel very close to the Cathedral and right on the Camino trail leading into the Old Town. Casas Reais is a lovely boutique hotel with only 9 rooms. The rooms are spacious, simple but modern, comfortable and tastefully decorated. Each has its own bathroom facilities. The hotel offers breakfast in a small café on site and it is the perfect spot to sit with a drink to people watch at the end of a day out exploring the city.

  • Casa-Reais room

Our host, Montse was very accommodating, courteous and helpful, advising us of sights worth visiting and pointing us in the right direction for our morning walk.

We will be returning for a longer stay. Plans are in place to complete the full Camino and a longer stay in Santiago de Compostela to see all that we missed on our first visit.

The long road to Oia

14/03/2018 / / 1 Comment

“You’ll have to get off and maybe even help push this thing up the hill”, he said. Had I put on that much weight?

We had decided to end our driving holiday around Portugal and the Spanish, French and Italian Riviera’s in Greece with a bit of time out on the islands of Santorini and Mykonos. The kind lady at the travel agent in Athens where we booked our ferry tickets recommended that we go to Paros or Naxos next time. “They are so much better”, she advised. It was too late to change our minds, our accommodation was already booked and we were keen to see why everyone raved about these two islands.

While I unpacked and settled into our unit He headed off the pick up the free scooter which came with our stay. It was the peak of summer, the island was busy with holidaymakers and day visitors from the cruise ships anchored off the coastline. We had decided to stay a little outside the town of Fira which was the reason the resort offered free scooters with their accommodation.

Have gotten ourselves and the scooter up the slight rise and puttered the short distance into town, we decided that we were going to need something with more power than this if we were going to venture further than Fira town to explore the island. We upgrade the scooter for one of those quad bikes we’d seen the youngsters whizzing around in.

  • quad biking on santorini

Nothing will stop us now. Our quad bike takes us comfortably up the hill to the Pyrgos to admire sweeping views across to the side of the island. It’s windy up on the hill but calm and idyllic when we reach Kamari, renowned for its black sand beach. A lovely resort town, we stroll along the promenade next to the beach, lined with small resorts and restaurants – cosy in comparison to Fira.

We have been told that the town of Oia at the northern tip of the island is the place to go to see the “perfect” sunset. We’d like to see it during the day too, so we follow the road. The road to Oia is bumpy although quiet and we don’t see much traffic or people for that matter all the way. Stunning scenery accompanies us, small fields of crops lumped in between small villages and vineyards with their vines growing on the ground in baskets rather than up trellises. We have all day, so we are not bothered by the long ride. Still, it is a long ride and Oia better live up to expectations!

We arrive at Oia tired from the long ride to find the place inundated with tourists. We look at each other and grimace. However, it is later in the afternoon and pretty soon the tour buses depart taking their passengers back to the cruise ship leaving us to ramble through the pretty laneways and craft shops. The scenery is magnificent. We had thought Fira was amazing, Oia is truly stunning, and not just at sunset. Make sure you plan your day to visit later in the afternoon once the crowds have disappeared when the town is left to the locals and the few remaining tourists who dare to wander about in the heat of the day.

  • oia-santorini-greece

We follow the more direct and shorter route back to our hotel arriving with sore bottoms from the bumpy ride but so happy that we dared to take the long road to Oia.

We do cram into a bus with other holidaymakers the next evening to make sure we see the famous sunset at Oia. The best locations are jam-packed with people poised with their cameras. We decide to watch the sunset from a rooftop restaurant sipping a glass of Santorini wine. Perfect!

  • oia-santorini-greece

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