The Italian Splendour Part 4....

Day 4 ...
The journey continued....... we were heading towards Venice. This is the real Italy.... the place where you can't compare and find anywhere else in this world. Leaving the mountains towards the east, the journey took around 2 1/2 hours. We booked our self-catering apartment on the mainland since we couldn't bring our car to the island. There are ample public car-parks available around Venice if you arrive by car. On the other hand, there is a good bus  connection from Marco Polo airport and Venice Island if you took the flight. The short trip will only take around 20 minutes to reach the city.

Most of the accommodation on the mainland are much cheaper compared to those on the island itself. If you chose to stay on the island,  be prepared to push your luggage up and down countless bridges throughout the island for you to reach your hotel door-step, not to mention maneuverings through the crowds.... Make sure the wheels are in good working condition...

Public transport in and around Venice is very efficient. You have the options to buy 1,2,3 or weekly tickets that cover the buses only, water taxis only or combination of both at reasonable price. Do wear comfortable walking shoes as you will be walking for miles, ..... Venice is best to be explored on foot since there are a lot of interesting things to be found and discovered.......  especially the elaborate and distinctive window display of Venetian masks, Murano glasses, delicious pastries and beautifully crafted marzipan figurines ........ and of course .....yummy gelatos!!!

On the day that we arrived in Venice, there were 3 mother ships that already berth at the dock. At which ever directions that you go, just too many people around that really made me sick...... totally different from what we experienced a few days earlier. You can plan to visit Venice anytime throughout the year, but avoid going there in winter especially during high tide season where some part of Venice will be submerged  up to knee high ..... so plan your trip carefully!

Italian Splendour Part 3

Day 3....

Antholz Valley

Lago Antorno

Lago Antorno

After a good home cooked and heavy breakfast, the owner briefed us and recommended the best route to be taken. The route started from the Antholz Valley and continued via the secondary road towards Cortina de Ampezzo passing through a few high altitude passes for the best of  Dolomites scenery. On the way, we stopped at Lago Antorno and Lago Misurina. There are plenty of high altitude lakes which are a common sights in the Dolomites Mountain range area.

Lago Antorno

Lago Misurina

Lago Misurina

Those mirror image of the mountains reflected by the lakes are truly stunning and breathtaking. I personally feel that these postcard views of the Dolomites mountains are even more beautiful compared to its neighbouring country Switzerland.....

Cortina D' Ampezzo

Cortina D'Ampezzo

Cortina D'Ampezzo

Cortina D' Ampezzo

Coming down into Cortina de Ampezzo, the jewel of the Dolomites Mountain range, at an altitude of 1,224m once hosted the Winter Olympic game back in 1956. Famous as the top destination for winter holiday in Italy, this city offers varieties of activities for summer as well as winter sports. This is for sure an ideal place for honeymoon......

View from public toilet.... 

En route back to the Antholz Valley, we passed through another attraction of Dolomites Mountain, the Lagazuoi Open Air Museum. To get there, you can take a gondola ride to the top. Inside the gondola station at the top, you can get access into the highest open-air museum in the world whereby a lot of relics left behind by the Hungarian and Italian soldiers during the World War 1. Too bad the gondola was temporarily out of service when we got there for its scheduled maintenance. For more info on the museum, please visit http://www.dolomiti.org/dengl/Cortina/laga5torri/musei/index.html

Italian Splendour Part 2

Day 2...
Our plan has a slight changes on the second day, a de-tour to Innsbruck, Austria. Crossing the Italian border into Austria, the scenery resembles the one captured in the all-time favourite " The Sound of Music". Do Re Mi Fa Sa La Te Do...oooo. Taking the expressway all the way, we reached Innsbruck in no time. Host city for the Winter Olympic back in 1964 and 1976, Innsbruck is nestled and surrounded by the towering mountains of the Alps .

During our short stop at the rest area by the expressway, I came across one lovely fridge magnet embossing the town of Sterzing Vipiteno. After getting directions from the giftshop cashier, we proceeded to this liitle town amidst the Tyrol valley. No doubt the town is as beautiful as the fridge magnet itself.... The high clock tower at the centre of the town and the rows of speciality shops, Sterzing Vipiteno is definitely worth the visit.

Sterzing Vipiteno

Our hectic yet enjoyable second day tour end at the Apartment Residence Montana, Oberrasen. Our arrival was greeted by the owner with "Selamat Datang" which caught us by surprise. Located at the Antholz Valley, the village offers a breathtaking views of South Tyrol Dolomites Mountain.The apartment has a few units of self-catering  flats which can accomodate up to 6 person per unit. Nicely decorated and very comfortable, having your morning coffee overlooking the  mountains will blow your minds away.....

The Italian splendour....

Once my old friend asked my opinion which European country he should visit first. My answer was ITALY.....

No doubt, Italy is different from the rest of Europe that I've visited. The country offers varieties of attractions that any tourist would wish to see and experience. And only after my third visit to Italy that I really appreciate what the country has to offer....
With proper planning and thoughts, my last visit to Italy was indeed memorable..... Skipping Rome as the main entrance point, I've planned my trip to start from Milan, the fashion capital of Italy.  Our flight from Paris to Milan only took around 1 1/2 hours with EasyJet. www.easyjet.com The entourage (9 of us) is ideal to fit into the 9 seater minibus booked at www.carrentalgroup.com collected at Milan International Airport. The itinerary plan was : Milan - Lake Como -  Lake Garda - Dolomites Mountain Range - Venice - Florence - Pisa - Rome.
As I really love the mountains, Dolomites mountain range really excites me since they are really different from the Alps across the continent..... with the jagged edges and vivid colours that really give them characters.

Lake Como was on my map list ever since the Star Wars episode 2 shooting took place at Villa Balbianello. Surrounding Lake Como, majestic villas can be seen along its shore lines. Lake Como is a well-known destination for the rich and famous where celebrities such as George Clooney, Brad Pitt & Sylvester Stallone have their holiday homes there.

We took the Como-Brunate funicular line up to see the panoramic view of City of Como. During clear sky, you are able to see the surrounding area around Lake Como and as far as the snow-capped mountains of the Alps.

Driving towards north east, we passed through Lake Garda  which is the biggest lake in Italy. Upon approaching Torbole, the view downhill was magnificent with the lake as the backdrop.  Our first night stop was at Santoni Freestyle Hotel, Torbole located at the edge of Lake Garda. A family run hotel, Santoni Freestyle is run by friendly staff that will make your stay more enjoyable. With decent choices for breakfast, you can even make your own sandwiches for take out (ta-pau) for you to enjoy later by  the lake.
Bikes are also available for rental for you to roam around ....

The scenery of this lake is really awesome and this is a popular spot for lots of water sport activities including sailing. Biking is also popular among  tourist at major towns surrounding Lake Garda. Being surrounded by mountains and deep blue water, Lake Garda reminds me of the fjords that I've visited in Norway. Strolling along the shores with your loved ones, it is a moment to be withold...