Ahhhh... this is a little trip that I had taken as one of my last concert tours in Europe. Honestly, as much as I hate travelling (yes yes, I know... I had chosen the wrong job for that...)... there are some moments which make it really quite worthwhile.

One of the perks of travelling with an ensemble is the fact that you don't pay for the hotel... of course, depending on the ensemble and the touring budget, this can either mean that you end up in dodgy hellholes... or glamorous mansions. Mostly, it is something in between.

For this tour, our last night was in the interesting little villa complex on the outskirts of Pistoia. I think it was chosen because it was outside the town, which meant that we would all have an easy getaway to the airport on the next morning.

... as the tour bus drove into the villa complex before the seating rehearsal, there was a sense that this could be one of the nicer, more relaxing places that would have stayed at. Honestly, it looks very much like one of those places that you would book in the middle of France or Italy... where you book a holiday to get away from the flatness of Netherlands and get away from the digital life (ha ha... just joking, my wife will tell you that I never get away from the digital life!).

Even just looking out over the carpark, you can see that there is ample opportunity to go for walks, or just to sit and read a book in a bit of relative peace.

Okay... the decor is a bit strange in the foyer. My friend thought it was really cool, and that she would love those chairs in her house... I'm a bit worried about her. Corona-time has been a little bit stressful for her, and it might be that things are starting to crack...

... these are the sorts of chairs that Mr and Mrs Santa Claus would be sitting in... not the sort of thing that you would have in a home, unless you were living in a pre-Revolution French aristocratic mansion. Hmmm, perhaps there is something that my friend is hiding from me...

Moving up to the levels of where the guest rooms are... you see that the decor is a little less in the style of soon to be deposed and deceased royalty and more in the fashion of an old person's home. That said... there is something comforting about such an old style, it isn't anything that I would have in my own home... but the thought of just sinking into one of those chairs whilst sipping a nice Scotch and reading a book or discussing philosophy... or something.

The corridors are the usual rat-maze of similar looking corridors... at least the carpet is somewhat clean and not doubling as an optical illusion...

Making our way into the rooms, I found that the rooms were a touch on the unheated side (it was the start of winter...). So, it is possible that this place is perhaps a better place to base yourself in the warmer months of the year... on the other hand, it wasn't freezing either... and definitely not overheated and dry like most other hotels.

One notable thing was that the rooms were incredibly spacious as well... perhaps I got lucky with the room allocation. When we are travelling as a group, we don't always get the same types of rooms depending on the availability of the rooms. Usually, the soloists and the singers get the best stuff... otherwise their egos would destroy them from the inside and we would have to suffer the rest of the tour with their complaints and grumbling. Given that on this tour, I was just a rank and file tutti player, I don't think I got special treatment!

... and I couldn't complain about the view either! It is really nice not to have a view of a cemetery or a car park... or the airport runway!

The down side to this villa is the distance away from the town... there is a restaurant attached to the villa, but by the time that our concert finished and we go back here, it was well and truly closed... although, I do suspect that that had more to do with corona regulations rather than an actual regular occurrence.

Sadly, we were only here for a single evening... and given that I had to leave at 4 am for a flight... I didn't really get to enjoy the views and the quietness so much. However, if I every do find myself in this area... I think I would be considering staying here! Or maybe in that little house high up on the hill... or maybe in the mountains behind...

 

Source.

Grand Hotel Villa Cappugi: Pistoia, ITALY

Ahhhh... this is a little trip that I had taken as one of my last concert tours in Europe. Honestly, as much as I hate travelling (yes yes...

Grand Hotel Villa Cappugi: Pistoia, ITALY

0

Portofino wasn't in our initial plans, but as we ended up renting a car in Milan, we started researching where we could go.

One of the options was to drive to Monaco, France, however, due to the number of hours driving we chose to go to a beach in northern Italy.

After some research, we were torn between Cinque Terre and Portofino, and Portofino won.

We left Switzerland and took the road towards Milan, where we spent one night in the hotel that had been paid for and reserved.

The day started in Milan with that typical Italian sweet breakfast with Cornetto and jam, a shame it didn't have my favorite flavor, pistacchio, but doppio espresso was present.

We left as early as possible and followed the road towards Genoa, a port city that is much bigger than Portofino and that one day I want to visit too, but this time we wanted a smaller city to visit.

After a few hours of driving, we arrived at one of the most picturesque places I have ever seen. A port with colorful houses facing the sea, crystal clear water, and several boats and speedboats anchored creating a beautiful landscape.

We spent a few hours exploring the city, walking through the streets and shops, and discovered that Portofino has been a destination for many famous people, becoming an exclusive vacation spot for many cinema celebrities.

To maintain its charm, Portofino has strict building restrictions to preserve its appearance.

We strolled around the port with luxurious boats moored and managed to observe some fish and jellyfish in the crystal clear waters of Marina di Portofino...

Chiesa di San Giorgio

On the way, Chiesa di San Giorgio, a small church located in the city center with charming architecture and traditional Italian elements such as frescoes.

Its location in the city is a reference point and we had the opportunity to visit the interior, admire the sacred arts, and take a moment to be grateful.

But for me, what impressed me most was this facade, which I found very beautiful, and also the incredible view you can see from up there, one side the sea, the other the city...

The floor with a Compass Rose drawn on it is also a separate highlight.

The statue of the Madonna del Mare also stands out high above, protecting the church and the city.

---

Faro di Portofino

Then we started a trail to the Portofino Lighthouse or "Faro di Portofino" in Italian, which is on top of a hill and has an incredible panoramic view of the city and the sea.

The structure of the tower is painted white, a really cool contrast to the green and blue scenery around it.

The lighthouse has a long history of providing guidance to sailors in the region and in addition to its practical function, it is a cultural and historical reference point.

The surrounding trees and vegetation are also a highlight, asking for a break to contemplate and connect with this incredible nature. I noticed several people sitting, talking, taking photos, and picnicking there.

---

On the way back, the trail makes a fork that leads back to the center of Portofino and the other takes us to Spiaggia Dell'Olivetta.

We continued down the coast until we reached the beach to try to cool off a little from the heat.

Spiaggia Dell'Olivetta

We begin to descend towards the beach and on the way there are several exuberant houses full of trees and flowers and gardens, which open up to reveal incredible views of the sea.

I felt like stopping and seeing the view from each of the houses, with that thought of: maybe I'll drop everything and move here?!

Of course, I stopped several times to admire the views and take photos. The further down I went, the more I could hear the sea waves until when we arrived, I saw this little hidden beach, I fell in love with it.

There was a family getting ready to leave and we thought: Now the beach is ours!!

And so it was, we could enjoy the beach, dive, listen to music, and relax. My only fear was the jellyfish, as we had seen some in the port. Fortunately, none stuck to me. Ufa!

This contrast between the calm atmosphere of the beach and a city with the vibe of Portofino showed me that this beach really is a gift, hidden, almost as if it were a secret.

After a good swim and relaxing on the beach, it was difficult to leave Spiaggia.

But the time came to leave and we had to go back, and to come back, the trail was more difficult, this time going up... The good thing is that we were already used to and in shape with going up and down hills all over Italy.

Castelo Brown

Another very famous tourist spot, but which we were unable to visit, is Brown Castle, which is located next door, on top of a hill overlooking the city and the sea. We couldn't get in as it was closed for renovations.

The panoramic view from up there must be really cool. I already want to go back to visit this castle and see this view.

We took the opportunity to stroll around Portofino's main square a little more and then went back to the car to take a snack break.

Portofino is a small and very charming city that lives up to its name, It really was a good choice to visit Portofino and this beach.

It only gets better!

S. Margherita Ligure

An Italian jewel of a city, which mixes the charm of the past with modern sophistication.

Santa Margherita Ligure also serves as a beautiful base for exploring other towns in the region. Great location.

This place has become a popular spot for Italian high society and tourists from other parts of the world who choose this city to escape the heat of the European summer on their luxurious boats and speedboats.

Many tourists walk around the region looking for a seaside vacation full of shops, restaurants, and art galleries, not to mention the charm of the buildings.

The buildings have eclectic architecture with different styles, some more classic Italian, and others more modern.

As you walk along the promenade you will come across elegant and colorful buildings and around every corner a unique vision of architectural creativity.

Rapallo

Leaving Portofino towards our hotel and arriving in Rapallo, to be honest, we didn't have many expectations about this place, but it was really cool to visit.

A city that was initially just a stopping point, surprised us with its mix of an inland city and a coastal city, with all the charm of an Italian city Vera, ended up being an experience in immersing ourselves in Italian culture.

Our plan was to return to Milan and enjoy our stay there, but we found a good and cheap place and decided to stay there until the next day, take the opportunity to rest, and then head straight to what would be our last destination in Italy.

With the check-in done and the car stored, we went for a walk along the seaside promenade, had some gelato, and looked for somewhere to have dinner.

Highlight here is Piazza Martiri per la Libertà, another recommendation we had and went to check it out. A very charming square that is a great place to stroll in Rapallo.

There are several cafes and restaurants around the square with tables on the sidewalk, great for eating outdoors in a cool environment on hot nights.

In the center, this beautiful gazebo with a ceiling painted with a wonderful and colorful afresco, all lit up creating a beautiful central highlight in the square.

We met some local people and they were so receptive, wanting to know where we came from, what we were doing, and other conversations. Conversation in Italian, even though my proficiency in the language wasn't the best, but the communication flowed very well.

Being in a more touristy city where not everyone speaks English took me out of the comfort zone of switching to English and I had to put my Italian into practice.

People were always patient with me, teaching me, correcting words and accents, and recommending restaurants to us.

We decided to try one of the restaurants which was magnificent, starter accompanied by a great Primitivo wine and then a rare steak, fries, and dessert. Just seeing this photo makes me want to go back there to eat more and drink more of that wine.

And that's how Rapallo, which was just a place to pass through, became a place to have dinner, shower & sleep, and also learn more about local culture, which makes me reflect that often the best travel experiences happen when you go off plan. and let it flow.

Now let's go to sleep as there is now only one place left in our plan to visit, this journey through Italy is almost coming to an end.

Source

Portofino, a Gem of the Italian Riviera

Portofino wasn't in our initial plans, but as we ended up renting a car in Milan, we started researching where we could go. One of t...

Portofino, a Gem of the Italian Riviera

0