FunderfulWorld

Home to an ancient university, the town of Pavia dates back to pre-Roman times when it was known as Ticinum. Our train-happy family readily jumped onto a train at Milan Centrale to spend a day at Pavia. A day of discovering piazzas, a university, and beautiful churches.  Our walk began from the train station at Pavia. We ambled along the streets that led to Piazza della Vittoria and the quiet Piazza del Duomo.

Admire Trieste and its breathtaking surroundings from above by following the scenic trail along the Strada Vicentina(Strada Napoleonica). And then, walk some more to explore this city along the Adriatic Sea. Go ahead, it’s the best way to discover Trieste!  An Evening Walk in Trieste: <p class="wp-caption-text"> Chiesa di Sant&#8217;Antonio Nuovo. Trieste, Italy </p> <p class="wp-caption-text"> The Church of San Spiridione. Trieste, Italy </p> <p class="wp-caption-text"> The Canal Grande.

Stresa, on the shores of the large Lake Maggiore, is a quick, easy, and beautiful weekend getaway from Milan. With a train journey of about an hour, Stresa could even be the destination of a day trip from the fashion capital. We conversed with garden lizards and Amherst pheasants at the beautiful Isola Madre, strolled along Stresa’s lovely lakeside promenade, sighed over the views from the public park, and petted farm animals in the gardens at the Villa Pallavicino.

For a slice of tranquility and a different perspective of Rome, we spent a morning at the Gianicolo (Janiculum) Hill, had lunch in the charming Trastevere neighborhood, and strolled along the Ponte Sisto.  We boarded a bus that halted near the Piazzale del Faro. The Faro al Gianicolo (Lighthouse) in this piazza was a gift from Argentina to Italy. From here, we walked along the Passeggiata del Gianicolo that leads to the hilltop.

Padua, a city in close proximity to the Queen of the Adriatic, Venice, appears to live in the shadow of its more “popular” neighbor. During our weekend escape to Padua, we discovered a charming city that boasts of a renowned university (dating back to 1222) whose alumni and professors list includes Galileo Galilei, Copernicus and William Harvey. The world’s first university botanical gardenfinds its home here, and features in the UNESCO heritage list.

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.

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.

A gorgeous Sunday morning along the lake. It had been fun exploring Lugano on Saturday, and we looked forward to another great day in this Italian-speaking city in south Switzerland. A Sunny Day on Monte Bre We boarded a bus to the other end of town where the funicular to Monte Breawaited us :). Junior is completely smitten by the “funicular+mountain+park” combination now. As we ascend, the vistas provide countless photo-ops.