FunderfulWorld

From the beautiful Roman Arena to the romantic atmosphere inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, a weekend in Verona can be memorable. The Adige river winds its way through this beautiful city in the Veneto region of Italy. We “exercised” our feet at the Arena, ambled along in Piazza Bra and Piazza delle Erbe, smiled at the fuss about “Juliet’s balcony”, wandered in the maze at Giardino Giusti, and enjoyed a tranquil evening stroll along the River Adige.

Although we found it difficult to leave the pretty Ferienhaus Panoramaevery morning, and looked forward to returning to the apartment in the evening, it was a joy to discover the sights and sounds of Innsbruck during the day. The highlights of our trip included our first visit to a Bell Museum, a wonderful tour of the Tram Museumand a spectacular journey up the mountain by the Nordkettenbahnen. Grassmayr Bell Museum:

My most memorable vacation in Europe? Would very likely be our summer holiday in Austria. And one place that left an indelible impression? Would most certainly be Ausserkreith near Innsbruck.  We grabbed our bags and hopped off the OBB trainat Innsbruck after a pleasant journey from Salzburg. Our hosts at Ferienhaus Panoramahad advised us that the best way to reach the accommodation was to take the tram from outside the station.

After that introduction to some of the piazzas in Milan, here are some of my other favorites: Piazza Cordusio Surrounded by beautiful bank buildings, this oval-shaped piazza in the heart of Milan is almost always teeming with activity. Sometimes, I pause here, watch the trams go by, peer at the Castello Sforzesco in the distance and then take a short walk along the lively pedestrian street, Via dei Mercanti, that leads to the Duomo.

I often set off on long walks in Milan. And on every such promenade, I look forward to a short break in a beautiful piazza. From the grand Piazza del Duomo to the pleasant Piazza del Carmine, each square has a story, a vibrance, and a charm of its own. Some are crowded with excited tourists and buzzing with activity, others are quiet and offer a tranquil getaway from the former.

On a cool, grey evening in Pisa, we walked along a pleasant route beginning at the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, past the shopping area along Corso Italia, crossing the calm waters of the River Arno, continuing along Borgo Stretto, briefly halting at Piazza dei Cavalieri, before reaching our destination. The Piazza dei Miracoli. The Square of Miracles. Also known as the Piazza del Duomo. I was awe-struck by the size and the beauty of the piazza and its monuments, and was reminded of my first glimpse of the Taj Mahal.

The SBB train chugged along in the scenic journey from Milan to the Swiss city of Lausanne, passing Domodossola, Brig, and the vineyards of Montreux, before we reached the shores of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman, in French). Lausanne, a French-speaking city in the canton of Vaud, is blessed with picturesque views of the Alps, the Jura mountains, and Lake Geneva. Its location on sloping terrain ensures the abundance of spectacular vistas from various locations.

The city of “authentic” pizza margherita, Napoli (or Naples), has a remarkable identity of its own. Great food (read PIZZA :)), spectacular views of the Gulf of Naples and the majestic Mount Vesuvius, a beautiful historic center, and the delightful nativity scenes and figurines in a vibrant street made our visit very memorable. Hunger pangs: Having heard rave reviews about Neapolitan pizza, we did not think much about lunch and dinner choices – it was vera pizza napoletana all the way, with bufala DOC – and we did not regret it at all :).

At the corner of a street. On a window sill. Outside a hotel. Beside a restaurant. At the zoo. Near the university. Everywhere. Anywhere. The “dwarves” of Wroclaw (approximately 1 foot tall) were difficult to spot at first, but once we got started on our mission, it was an “eye-opening” one, literally :).   Outside an icecream shop. Dwarves of Wroclaw, Poland Outside an icecream shop. Dwarves of Wroclaw, Poland