Buono sera, Italia!

 

Another fabulous Oman Air experience on our flight from Muscat to Milan - six hours of comfort and travel pleasure, really. We arrived at Milan's Malpensa airport for a quick pass through immigration, then collected our rental car and drove to our Agriturismo situated in Oleggio, just a 15minute drive from the airport.  We love an Italian Agriturismo (working farms in rural settings that are also bed and breakfasts), and the dusty pink sunset over the green fields and extensive kitchen garden, complete with a gaggle of ducks and chickens was a perfect way to settle down for our first night in Italy.

We awoke to the sounds of the farmyard and after Piera's sweet continental breakfast we set off to explore the beautiful village of Orta San Giulio on the shores of Lake Orta, Piedmonte.

Just an hour's drive from our Agriturismo, we arrived in the sparkling early morning sunshine. Orta San Giulio must surely be one of the most charming locations in all of Italy! It really is a picture postcard perfect village.  Coffee in the main square, Piazza Motta, a marvel at the architecture of the buildings, then we took the little ferry boat over to Isola San Giulio, set mystically right in the middle of the lake.  It's called the Island of Silence because of the Monastery and 4th Century Romanesque Basilica, and the single path that circumnavigates the island - The Walk of Silence.  How inviting!  Dotted along the path are meditation signs, but what I loved were the glimpses of the lake as we walked past tiny alleyways.

After a picnic lunch by the lake we were sad to leave this enchanting village, but we were off to Bergamo for the night. 

The best view of Bergamo is from the autostrada a few kilometers before the Bergamo exit.  There, taking up the whole of the front windscreen, is the small city of Bergamo surrounded by its 16th century Venetian walls and with its Città Alta perched on top of the city like a crown. What a sight!  We parked in downtown Bergamo (Città Bassa) and took the funicular up to Città Alta where we stayed in an apartment in an old Renaissance period house, complete with remnants of 16th century frescoes on the barrel-vaulted bedroom ceiling. Such a great base surrounded by Bergamo's beautiful monuments, handsome piazzas, squares, churches, bars, restaurants, pasticceria, panificios, and views.

Agriturismo La Farazzina in rural Lombardy, Milan

A beautiful first night in Italy

So peaceful and quiet

Piera's impressive kitchen garden

Isola Orta San Giulio

Orta San Giulia and a little
boat ride to Isola San Giulio

Picture perfect Italian lakes

Isola San Giulio is also called The Island of Silence

Alleyway views are offer the best glimpses

Peaceful Piazza Motta in
Orta San Giulio

EVOO heaven!

Piedmonte pizza 

Gelati boy

Taking the funicular from Bergamo up to Città Alta where we are staying

Right on Bergamo Alta's Piazza Vecchia are 1. the Cathedral
di Sant'Alessandro; 2. the 11th century Basilica di Santa
Maria Maggiore, and 3. the 12th century Cappella di Santa Croce
with medieval frescoes! Quite the trinity.