Travels on M/V Santorini: Italy

Wednesday April 10 - Friday April 12 Romantik Hotel Villa Pagoda is in Nervi Genoa at the top of a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea the coastline bending to the east and the Cinque Terre, Italy’s famous cliff towns. Genoa and the Cinque Terre are in Liguria, famous for its olive oil, pesto, focaccia and seafood. The city is rich in art, architecture and palaces that bear witness to the Republic of Genoa’s power and wealth during the 16th and 17th centuries. Though as in Provence, we were most awed by the natural scenery. Take a look!

Romantik Hotel Villa Pagoda

The balcony, upper left is our room

The Mediterranean is obscured by mist

Martini and Antipasti, poolside !!

A walk on the Passeggiata Anita Garibaldi, a little over two mile long promenade path that begins or ends at the hotel (depending on your perspective); with Nervi harbor and village center at the other end.

Gropallo Tower at the point ahead

Descending to the harbor and main part of the city

Saturday April 13 - Tuesday April 23 Our trip by train from Genoa to Desenzano Del Garda via Milan was uneventful. We were fortunate to be picked up at the train station by Ida and Paulo, the sister and brother-in-law of the owner of the apartment we have rented for the next eleven days. They showed us around the apartment and gave us a walking tour of the town, including the wine shop where we are able to have our 750 ml bottles filled from the taps of local Ligurian wines for 3 euros (just under $3.50). The apartment is a delight and if you are so inclined, you can check it out on VRBO search for Desenzano, Italy the apartment name is Carpe Diem. There is a view of Lake Garda from every window and from the bed! Carpe Diem includes a very private terrace with views of the Lake, of course, and also the Castle on the hill just above us. We enjoyed al fresco lunches there. We actually had a fair number of meals “at home” with ingredients purchased at the small supermarket, farmer’s market, bakeries and neighborhood grocer. We are so impressed by the quality of food and wine and low prices in both Italy and France. Restaurants were also reasonable and of high quality - great fresh food, great service and ambiance. We spent less on food in a month away than we spend at home in a week.

Garda is the largest lake in Italy, created by receding glaciers. The ferry dock is a few blocks from the apartment and provided a great way to travel to other villages on the Lake. Desenzano is at the lower and widest portion of the Lake open and airy, while Riva at the northern, narrow end of the Lake is hemmed in by mountains. The nearest village, Sirmione, is famous for the ruins of a Roman villa. Every village seems to have it’s own medieval castle to guard it from invaders. The farthest village Riva del Garda was part of the Republic of Venice until 1815 when it became part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. After WWI it became part of the Republic of Italy. Riva is the only place we had bad Italian wine and food - we should have ordered a beer and the Schnitzel like all the German tourists!