Tag: solo travel

Day 1662 Milan to Bergamo to Lake Garda to Bergamo to Edinburgh and home!

Today is going to be a very, very long day!

We woke just before 6am. I will not get back home until abound 2am tomorrow morning! I am cramming everything into my last day in Italy.

We got the Metro to Milano Centrale station and then the train out to Bergamo. It was light already as the clocks went back last night. This road doesn’t get very quiet but this is a lot quieter than during the day time.

All the trains are very different here. We were on the green one today (so technical, that’s only because I’m tired and I can’t remember the name of the company) heading out to Bergamo where Melanie’s friend Ivan, was meeting us.

This was a double decker train.

Just to prove we made it!

Ivan picked us up here and drove us all the way over to Lake Garda. To Desenzano del Garda. It took us an hour and a half.

The lake is beautiful.

The sun was just starting to come through. I’m Scottish so it’s still warm but the sun and blue sky always helps. 😆

We walk out on to the harbour wall.

The water is so clear and turquoise.

We walked to the west along the side of the lake. There’s this lovely wee marina.

The lake is so vast the photos don’t do it justice. You can’t really see anything at the other side of the lake but it’s very pretty.

I did a pose!

There are lots of lovely private jetty’s.

And some you can actually walk out on… or sit on…. Melanie got that scarf in Verona yesterday… I may have bought one too!

There are boat trips but we didn’t have time to do a trip and get all the way back to Milan before Melanie’s train to Rome.

Loved this boat.

We sat here and had lunch at that really pretty marina. Ivan very kindly treated us to lunch which was so very lovely and kind of him… especially as he had done all do the driving.

And here is the food….. it was the best meal yet. Everything was lovely. Again… I’m too tired to remember what it all was but it was very traditional Italian food.

The marina from the others side.

I had left my sunglasses in the car as it had been cloudy the last few days and I didn’t need them! I did today 😎

Ivan drove us all the way back to Milan and we said our final goodbyes outside Milano Centrale.

I went in to the station for some more photos. It’s one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. I can’t believe how busy it is too.

I sat outside the station for a while and waited on my bus. It’s the first time I’ve needed to wear a cardigan.

Bergamo airport is heaving and my flight is delayed. Thankfully only by 20 minutes but I think they might have to wake me up to get on it.

Be found a wee corner to sit on the floor and I must be tired as it is sooooo comfy.

I’ve had such a lovely weekend.

I fought so much anxiety to get here. There are times I wonder why I put myself through it and then I remember the experiences that I have, when I do.

We’ve crammed so much in.

Thank you so much to Melanie for being my translator and guide and my Italian correspondent 🇮🇹😆 and thank you to Ivan for our trip today.

I’m going to get off the floor, head to the loo for the 100th time today then head through passport control and find my gate…. And hope there’s somewhere to sit through there!

Milano is a wrap.

Arrivederci

Stay safe everyone 🇮🇹✈️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Day 1661 rail trip from Milan to Verona, Italy 🇮🇹 🚆

What an amazing day we have had.

Our room is wonderful but in the heart of Milan so is not the more quiet… I was woken at 3.42am by a loud beeping rubbish truck… it took me a while to get back to sleep. The rain was lashing down outside but I did get more sleep until our 6.30am alarm.

We were booked on the 8.15 train from Milano Centrale to Verona.

We got the subway as it was still torrential rain.

Milan Central Station is breathtaking.

Here is our train. It’s going to Venice…. Ooooh!

We are so full of life in the morning. (Not so much on the way home!)

I took this snapshot while we were halfway there. I saw Lake Garda from the train. It’s beautiful even when cloudy.

The weather cleared up as we reached Verona and we’ve had lovely weather all day. It hasn’t rained once and we were so lucky!! The forecast in Milan has not been so good.

This is Piazza Brá.

The Verona Arena is on the Piazza. It was a stunning view for a coffee.

I’m in a T-shirt and Miss Rome has been in a woollen coat most of the day 😆

Then the sun came out!!

We then walked into the old town. It’s very beautiful. It reminds me of Dubrovnik, just more colourful.

There was a market in this square. We had a good wee wander around the market! Piazza delle Erbe.

We then went to find Juliet’s House or Casa di Giulietta.

This is the famous Romeo and Juliet balcony. Of course it’s very busy with people but not as bad as it must be in the height of summer.

It’s €12 to get into the house and I thought it was well worth it. It’s very beautiful and was surprisingly quiet inside.

You have to queue to get out on the balcony but even then it was only a small queue.

You can then walk all through the rooms of the house.

I have so many more photos but I’ll share them another day. It’s hard work doing all this sightseeing 😆😘

Back outside.

We then had some chocolate fountain strawberries… out of this world. Then headed out to the River Adige. It was beautiful…. So green.

And towards Ponte Pietro.

It looks really dark and mean and moody but for us Scots, it’s still warm!

Then another pizza… with the Arena in the background.

It was so lovely to sit down and enjoy the view again.

We’ve had the most amazing day but we’re shattered!! I have re-read this and feel I did it a disservice as we saw so many beautiful buildings.

This is why I travel.

I am blown away by the beauty in our world. I feel so at home wondering around here. There is beauty everywhere I look. How many times have I said “wow” today?!?

And the day is not over yet. It’s 4.42pm and we’re sitting in Verona train station waiting on our return to Milan Centrale.

We are now on the train to Zurich…. How exciting is that?!?! I could just stay on?!?!

What a truly wonderful day.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1456 when in Rome do what the Romans do! 🇮🇹🏛️♥️

Wow.

I have not stopped since 7am and it’s 18.02 and I’m waiting on the train to my hotel.

I have had the most breathtaking day where I visited the Vatican Museums, The Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica. I made two friends on the tour and we went to meet another girl I’d arranged to meet for lunch. We had lunch, then went to the Castel Sant’Angelo.

I am absolutely knackered but it’s been an amazing and really wonderful day.

First stop at Peter’s Square before my tour began. it’s 8.30am. The queues are very long already.

I don’t think anything can prepare you for the grandeur of the Vatican. I feel liked it’s way beyond anything I have ever seen before.

I was super early for my tour so I stopped for an iced coffee…… not decaf 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

I toured with Brastours and there was no real logic to my choice, it was just a guided tour which I randomly selected. You get an earphone and you can hear the tour guide as she talks into a microphone. It so clear. it also skips the lines as they call them so you’re guaranteed immediate entry.

This is just inside the Vatican and the first view of St Peter’s Dome.

Right about here the coffee started palpitations 😂😂😂 I felt really dizzy and lightheaded and thought I was going to faint… thankfully it passed.

I got speaking to another lady who felt exactly the same as me and she thought it was the one headphone in one ear making her feel a bit off balance.

Tilt your head for extra dizziness… these are the Vatican Gardens. Beautiful.

I have never been anywhere as busy as this. The Vatican gets 45,000 visitors A DAY!!! Imagine how much money they must make but there must be some amount to upkeep it too.

The next shots are all photos from the Vatican Museums.

I saw so much today and listened to 3 hours of commentary… it’s impossible to remember most of it.

I do remember this was one of the first statues of Venus, depicting the female body.

There are literally thousands of people walking around. At any point in time the museums are full of people, you have to do some sneaky moves to get photos which the hundreds of people between you and the statue.

Look how many people are in here!

As we head down into the Sistine Chapel we are not allowed any photography but our guide had talked us through everything we were about to see.

Once again, nothing can prepare you for the beauty and the opulence of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo lay on his back for 4 years on high scaffolding and painted it all. So obviously no photos but it’s a sight to behold.

Did I mention we had to wear long trousers and a long sleeved top for this visit? It’s hot but respectful.

We then head into St Peter’s Basilica behind me…. It is the biggest church in the world.

This is the tomb of Pope John Paul II.

I think this mosaic is Raphael’s but I’m second guessing that now.

The two ladies I spent the tour with, Sandra and Helen, asked me what I was doing this afternoon and I told them I was meeting a girl from a solo female travellers group, for lunch. They asked to tag along as it would be a good recommendation for lunch if an Italian had booked it.

So we spent the rest of the afternoon together.

Back to the Vatican.

Then to the Castel Sant’Angelo. There’s a tunnel linking the Vatican to the Castel so the Pope could escape in times of trouble!

I have so many more photos of the day but the blog is not loading properly so I will stop it there.

You are never alone when you are alone. There are always special people that you meet along the way. Solo women travelers are a support network like no other. I felt very privileged to be a part of that lovely group today. Thanks to a Sandra and Helen for looking after me on the tour and thanks to a Melanie for being our American Italian guide for the afternoon!!

I will sleep like a very happy girl tonight and get up tomorrow and do it all again. Colosseum style.

Stay safe everyone 🇮🇹🏛️♥️