Bellagio is truly a beautiful place. We had a lovely day exploring the area around Bellagio by boat—in a typically Italian way! There are a number of tour boats and ferries in Bellagio. They are all listed in a timetable that is nearly impossible to read. Everyone in Bellagio seems to know that—for nearly everyone speaks English and can explain the mysteries of the time table to the tourists lined up on every dock. One important fact to note—Saturdays in Italy are considered weekdays on most timetables.

It was a beautiful day when we set out to explore the lake. We had planned to go to Menagio but the boat which came to our dock was going nearly everywhere except Menagio; we got on anyway. We crossed the lake on a charming boat enjoying the towering mountains and the warm sun. We decided to get off in Tremezzo as we planned to take the boat again the next day—all the way to Como. We did not venture far from the water in Tremezzo—it is a small but charming little town. We noticed a restaurant where all of the tables were on a deck built out over the water. Even though it was early we decided to eat lunch there. The restaurant, called Albergo Tremezzo, though we did not see much of a hotel there, was very good. I had homemade tagliatelle with cinghiale—wild boar! My husband, Allen had an excellent pizza. We each had a glass of wine—I had Prosecco, the sparkling white wine from a neighboring region.

If you have an extra day, Pisa is certainly worth the trip. Pisa not only has the tower, which does lean, and is beautiful and in a beautiful piazza, but Pisa is a vibrant college town with an interesting university—and it is the birthplace of Galileo.

You can reach Pisa by train or bus from Livorno or Florence. If you come by train you will either need to find a taxi or take about a 20 minute walk to the tower. You can also drive, and with determination, find a place to park. There are many hotels in Pisa as well.

Pisa is one of my favorite cities. I first visited Pisa in 1957 when I was 12. Our family had just moved to Italy and we all climbed to the top of the tower and looked at the beautiful city below us. The tower was closed for many years—but it has re-opened and it is worth the climb!

PIAZZA OF MIRACLES AND THE LEANING TOWER

Why is Pisa worth the trip? Everyone knows that it has a tower and that the tower leans. What most people don’t know is that it is a beautiful tower in a breath-taking piazza—the Piazza dei Miracoli (piazza of miracles). The tower does lean—it is rather amazing to see. And climbing a leaning tower is as exciting now as it was when I was 12. The stairway is made of marble stairs which are worn according to how the tower leans. There are a lot of them. Nearly 300! Visitors can go out on the bell level—and admire the beautiful bells and then climb even higher to the very top. There are mountains off in one direction, the Arno in another, and far in the distance the sea is sometimes visible. Looking down on the Duomo and the Baptistery is impressive, and the stairway has some windows where you are at eye level with the statues on the roof of the Duomo.

Italy is famous for its beautiful cars. Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, Ferrari, Maserati, and Lamborghini are known to everyone – even me who knows nothing about cars. But even I can appreciate the beautiful lines of a Lamborghini.

Notice I left Fiat off the list – that is because most of us want to get where we are going without making a stop at every car repair shop on the way.

Drive on one of the Autostrada anywhere in Italy and you will soon have a car riding your bumper. Pull over and you will see the driver gesticulating wildly. I prefer to think they are telling me how happy they are to see such a beautiful woman driving along on such a beautiful day.

I was reading “Little-Known Facts about Well-Known Places” on Italy by David Hoffman and found a few fun facts about Italians and their cars. Did you know........

Italians like their drinks warmer than Americans like theirs. So, if you want ice you will have to ask for ice.

Several years ago I was eating dinner by myself in a small outdoor café on the Via Veneto in Rome. I entertained myself by watching the other diners. Since it was early to be eating dinner by Italian standards, most of the Italians were enjoying a drink and a snack.

I happened to be sitting next to a table of four elderly women and one elderly man. They were all dressed extremely well in their suits and hats. One of the women had a bright green drink that had been delivered to her full of ice. After much discussion with the waiter and much complaining to her friends she meticulously picked out each and every sliver of ice and put it on her plate.

The history of Rome comes alive in the Roman Coliseum. When you stand in the Roman Coliseum you will feel the excitement that comes with knowing you are standing in a structure that was built almost 2,000 years ago.

The Roman coliseum was begun by Vespasian around 70 AD on the site of Nero's residence (the previous emperor). The structure was inaugurated by Vespasian's son Titus ten years later, although it was likely finished later by Titus's son. The ceremonies and games held in celebration of the opening went on for a hundred days.

The Roman coliseum has been known by a number of different names; The Amphiteatrum Flavium, Amphitheatrum Caesareum, Colosseum, Coliseum or Il Colosseo. It is about the size of an American athletic stadium with seating for about 50,000 and is 160 feet high.

The floor of the arena was wooden and covered with sand. Beneath this floor was a series of rooms and passageways for wild animals and storage rooms for items needed to stage the events.