Meeting Relatives and Tasting Olive Oil in Northern Italy

One branch of my family tree on my Mom's side runs through northern Italy. I wrote about my visit to Lago di Garda earlier in this blog. While I was in Verona with my parents, they hired a driver and we made a trip to visit the Salagno Olive Oil Co. about 15 minutes outside of Verona.

While there, we got to meet some distant cousins who run the facility and make some fantastic olive oil and olive products, including some great beauty products. Francesca Salvagno, 26, gave us a very nice tour and we were joined along the way by her father, Giovani. We also met her sister and a cousin who works at the company.

It was a really neat experience to get the chance to meet distant family in the hills of Italy! I especially enjoyed watching the process of how they make their olive oil. I thought it was especially interesting that many of the people who came in to buy olive oil while we were there bought unfiltered olive oil. Francesca Salvagno told us that she herself preferred the unfiltered olive oil as well!

I don't think that I will ever taste olive oil the same way again!

Venice: City of Glass and Masks

What leather is to Florence, masks and glass are to Venice.

The masks come from the tradition of the Venetian Carnival. The glass comes from the Isle of Murano.

While visiting Venice I purchased a Murano glass ring (below) and a unique mask. It is important to shop around while in Venice because there are lots of glass shops, it is best to compare prices and styles before purchasing.

Happy Shopping!

Around Venice in 48 Hours

Venice (Venezia) is located in northeastern Italy along the Adriatic. It is a city of about 250,000 residents in the metro area (just over 60,000 live in the central city) that swells daily as a throng of tourists converge to experience the romance of the "City of Water."

Venice is actually a series of 118 islands in a lagoon filled with 150 canals near where the Po River and the Piave River. The City State of Venetian was a major trading and naval power during the Renaissance, located at a crossroads between Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

When traveling to Venice I highly recommend spending at least one night in the city. This allows you to get a better idea of how the locals live (most ferries filled with tourists leave around 6pm). Also, BUY A MAP! Venice is full of streets that turn into dead ends without notice. 48 hours allows for the perfect balance of sightseeing, shopping and dining in Venice.

Below are a few of my favorite photos from my trip to Venice.

Ciao for now!

Window Shopping for Food in Venice

When you are touring Europe as a student on a budget, trying to get as much in during a weekend before heading back to class, not every meal is going to be consumed in a fancy restaurant. Eating on the go is something that happens more often than not and you start to become adept at window shopping for your next meal.

Typically I look for fresh sandwiches with mozzarella and prosciutto or a home made pastry. While in Venice be sure to try a tramenzinni. These are small triangular white bread sandwiches that can be stuffed with anything from ham and cheese to tuna or veggies. Happy eating!

Venice and Gondola Rides

While visiting Venice (Venezia) last weekend I had the incredible experience or riding in a gondola! Typically it is about 60-80 Euro for a 50 minute ride. Sometimes it is possible to bargain the price down to around 50 Euro. I went with my three friends and we each forked over 20 Euro. Sure this is expensive, but in my opinion worth it. We went on a sunny, yet cool day- perfect for a gondola ride. I have heard it recommended to take a gondola ride at night, yet I found that during the day you can get a better view of the homes, churches and restaurants that back up right onto the canal.

The gondola is a traditional rowing boat that was once a major source of public transport in Venice, but now they serve primarily as a vehicle to separate Euros from tourists. The reality is that you cannot go to Venice and not take a gondola ride -- and the gondaliers know it. There are several hundred people who make their livings as Gondoliers along the canals in Venice. Our Gondolier's name was Marco, he showed off his steering skills by getting very close to corners of buildings and then, with a smooth turn of his oar, we would just miss collision.

It's not just modern day tourists who have fallen to the allure of the gondola. In "The Innocents Abroad," Mark Twain talks about life in Venice and gondolas. These wooden boats are as much a symbol of Venice as the Empire State Building is for New York.

I highly recommend bringing lunch and a cold bottle of local Prosecco along for your ride!

Ciao for now!

Around Florence for a Weekend

This past weekend I traveled to Florence, Italy (Firenze, Italia). Florence is a great place to travel to from Rome. There are high speed trains that can make it between Rome and Florence in under an hour and a half!

Florence is the cultural and political capital of Tuscany. It served as the capital of Italy from 1865 to 1870 and during the Renaissance the Medici Family ruled with an iron fist. The city is located along the Arno River and has many bridges. The Ponte Vecchio is among the most famous bridges in the world and is lined with shops. It is a city that any lover of food, art, wine or architecture can truly appreciate.

Here are some pictures from my weekend.

Ciao for now!

Florence Shopping

While in Florence I couldn't resist the shopping! I shopped around for a leather bag and leather boots. I found that the leather mart in Santa Croce was the best place to shop for quality leather. I bought my bag (pictured below) at Leather Factory Firenze. I found Carla, one of the owners, to be especially helpful. I recommend checking out her store if you make a trip to Florence. I bought my boots (also pictured below) at Bologna, which is directly across the street from the Duomo. Bologna has a large selection of reasonably priced Italian leather shoes and boots. Happy shopping!

Ciao for Now