Originally I just wanted to backup my latest photos but as always with a short attention span I clicked from folder to folder and looked at past travel photos instead. Eventually I arrived at a folder called “Italy” and realized that I almost forgot how much I enjoyed that trip.
To be specific the trip to Italy was a roadtrip that started in Hamburg with a brief stopover in Zürich and along the lakes of northern Italy to Venice before we drove back home to Hamburg via Berlin. Overall we drove over 3.000 kilometers by car, equipped with an old tent and some cooking utensils.
After paying a visit to friends in Zürich we crossed the Alps to check the first big milestone off of our list. Of course crossing the Alps is no major achievement by car but after engine troubles on our way to Zürich we listened carefully to every noise from under the hood. Luckily the car didn’t give us any more troubles on our way.
An impressive church for a sleepy nest on the Italian side of the Alps.
Picknick and sunbathing at Lago Maggiore
Stopover at gorgeous Lago d’Orta, a well hidden jewel.
We spent several days in Milan to visit friends and explore the city. If you don’t know Italy yet you should go out in the evening and look for an Aperetivo when you go out. Aperetivo are being offered in many bars and restaurants and consist of a drink and a small meal beyond the careless glass of nuts that are found in most bars in Germany. A tradition I would love to see in Germany and other countries.
After a short detour to Bergamo we drove round Lago di Garda and spent a few nights on the well managed camping sites along the shore. The weather was fantastic and whenever it was too warm for our taste we just stopped and jumped into the water or ordered wine spritzer in the small cities and villages along the lake.
The penultimate goal of our trip was Verona. We bought tickets for the historic Arena of Verona that happened to show the opera La Traviata during our stay. Even after seeing operas in other cities, the atmosphere in Verona is quite the memorable experience. The opera begins as soon as it gets dark and the ranks are illuminated by candles lit by the audience. Since amphitheatres are roofless we could witness another spectacle because we had a red full moon that night.
On the next day we took a stroll through the historic centre of Verona and bought the arguably most expensive and best wildberry tarte of my life.
Our last stop was Venice. Sadly I barely took photos here because the crowds of tourists spoilt the fun for me. The main attractions were overrun by tourists and every shop along the main ways sold the same tacky things. We only started to enjoy Venice after we got lost from taking a shortcut on our way back. Suddenly just a few corners off the beaten path the city was calm and empty and we stayed a little longer to soak in the atmosphere we were missing before.
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