I was a bit baffled when I crossed the Castel Vecchio Bridge (Ponte di Castel Vecchio or Ponte Scaligero) and saw rubber rafts on the Adige. Rafting in the middle of the city? It seems possible in Verona and is certainly also an interesting way to discover the town from a different angle.
The Grand Canal is so to say the main road of Venice. It starts on the railway station and goes in form of an S-curve south to the St. Mark’s Square. You can also take the “bus” for that way which takes more or less one hour for the 4km trip. You’ll have a good sightseeing tour for a fair price and it’s great to experience Venice with a perspective from the water.
Those who take only one day to visit Venice will regret it in the evening. Not even just because the city is worth it to spend more time in it. That’s for sure. But no, you will walk all day long. Obviously you can’t just hop on a tram or bus; instead you rely entirely on your legs and feet. Oh, and I bet you will get lost!
The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo was founded in 1137 and it is located in the center of the Upper Town of Bergamo. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go inside during our day in Bergamo, but also from outside it is an impressive church. Remarkable are the lion statues to find on the entrance of the church since they could be a sign that the church once was used as a court as well.
Bergamo has the big advantage that you don’t have to search long to find a high view point. Being split in upper and lower city you always have a good view over the lower new part of Bergamo (Città Bassa). With the panorama of mountains in the back, Bergamo is still one of my favourite places in Italy.
