✈ Como Travelogue

Milan ✈ Lake Como

Our last destination was to Como, and gosh, I fell in love with the place the moment I reached there and immediately regretted not allocating more time for this gorgeous, luxuriously relaxing and beautiful  place. It is like a little paradise of its own, with clear waters and awesome sea view of Lake Como, especially since it is of close proximity to the Alps. We spent an entire day on the sea, and only managed to cover a quarter of the entire lake! Definitely coming back again for more and perhaps the next time, the mountains would be snow capped and frosted!

Our B&B choice @ In Riva al Lago

The endless blue skies, the beautiful stretch of clear azure waters, and how it glittered and shimmered in the sunny afternoon like a vast ocean of precious stones...

Normal shots are impossible with such strong winds


Up the cable car to see Como's view!

On board the ferry!

Awesome scenery of the lake and its surroundings!

And that concludes our two weeks trip! It was fun while it lasted ♡ 

✈ Pisa

Florence ✈ Pisa

Day trip to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower!

✈ Firenze Travelogue

Roma ✈ Firenze

It was such a relief to leave the sweltering heat in Rome and travel north to Florence! Yet there was a minor hiccup which got us grumbling as we were still not spared by the heat even down to the last moment, when the air conditioner in our train carriage from Rome to Florence failed us. It was the most stuffy and uncomfortable 3 hours I've ever endured!

Accommodation was at Florence Youth Hostel which was located in the heart of the city and very accessible to most attractions!

Duomo di Firenze which was just a stone's throw away   Having seen the famous gothic cathedral Duomo di Milano, the non-gothic Duomo di Firenze still pretty much left me in awe with its magnificent marble-cladding and colorful patterns. From afar, the Duomo looks almost unreal, like a 3D popup card!  

 

On the way up to Piazzale Michelangelo to capture the panoramic sunset view of Firenze, we caught sight of not one, but two beautiful couples having their wedding photo shoots.
A city too romantic!!!♥

I have heard how scenic the Tuscany region in Italy is with its beautiful landscapes, and being the capital city of Tuscany, Florence certainly did not disappoint. The panoramic view of Florence at Piazzale Michelangelo was breathtaking, and on the same evening, we caught the sunset by the river. It was a pity we didn't have time to cover more, especially the vineyards, since it is the harvesting of the grapes season! A picture paints a thousand words, so I'll let the pictures below illustrate the beauty of Florence.


Piazzale Michelangelo

Glorious sunset by the river!

✈ Roma Travelogue

Venezia ✈ Roma   Roma, the capital of Italia, with a rich history that spans more than two and a half thousand years and is where the Renaissance flourished.    Given that there are so many famous major attractions which are a must-visit in Rome, we intentionally dedicated 4 days to cover Rome and spent more effort in researching for our accommodation. Hotel Colors was our choice, which is located right next to Vatican and its Basilica. Highly recommended for a budget hostel and its accessibility!   I was really looking forward and had rather high expectations of Rome after hearing so much about the capital of Italy and more so since I was so blown away by Venice. Unfortunately, unlike Venice, traveling southwards to Rome means having to endure an awfully hot weather, which could be rather unbearable when walking long distances T__T I have to admit the heat drained a huge part of my enthusiasm and energy away T__T   Nevertheless.

Our first must-visit was to Vatican City since it was just a 5 minutes walk from our hostel.

St. Peter's Square

and its obelisk

Swiss Guard in his traditional uniform.  Looking suave!

I was so blown away by the MAGNIFICENCE of its interior. The Renaissance art and paintings were beyond impressive!

  One can't help at marvel how intricate & breathtaking these wall paintings are. A day is definitely not enough to cover the Vatican City. I wished I have paid for the hearing guides to better appreciate the Art!
Next must-visits: the Colosseum and Palatino

Not a fan of archaeological research, the Colosseum and Palatino did not rouse much excitement in me, which was indeed unfortunate given all the history about gladiatorial contests and medieval times.

Inside Colosseum

Squinting my eyes in the glaring afternoon sun

The weather was such a killer we decided to shorten our list of must-visits and finished our Roma experience on Day 2 with the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. And I'm glad they didn't disappoint!

If you have heard about the legend of the Trevi Fountain, you would know that if you throw in one coin, you'll return to Rome some day; throw in two, you'll marry an Italian; more than that, well... let's not get desperate!

Trevi Fountain Any takes on how many coins I threw? ;)
Spanish steps!

I would love to count the tiered staircase of 138 steps and perch on one of the steps to people-watch on a less sunny day...

After which, we kinda spent Day 3 and Day 4 in our comfy air-conditioned hostel room, away from the sweltering heat. I'm so sorry Rome, for not appreciating your beauty :X
And I shall end this post with the most apt candid photo of how we felt.