Road trip en Italy août 2014

Departure to Italy August 14 evening, towards Maggiano for one night. Long drive with preparing for our future trip a night stop on a motorway service area to sleep a few hours. The girls are well acclimatized.

Le 15/08/2014

Before arriving at our B & B booked we made a detour to Pisa !!!!

A really beautiful tower we tried unsuccessfully to straighten. The easiest way to park car parks, because many vendors suggest you keep your position against money, why not that one is good negotiator, we were not tempted.

Finally we reach the B & B, Pieve di San Andrea, beautiful place with the best hospitality (tea, coffee, explanations, recommendations).

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotel_Review-g1933299-d1930985-Reviews-La_Pieve_di_Sant_Andrea-Maggiano_Lucca_Province_of_Lucca_Tuscany.html

After a quick installation, we decide to leave towards Lucca to enjoy our first “gelato” and dinner in the restaurant we advised our host.

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187898-d1802265-Reviews-Il_Borghetto_del_Castello-Lucca_Province_of_Lucca_Tuscany.html

Le 16/08/2014

Directorate our residence for the next 10 days in Colle di Val d’Elsa. Discover a spacious and well-appointed apartment and liberation and relief for the girls; _ “Our parents have not lied to us there is indeed a pool, Phew!”

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotel_Review-g668223-d1770911-Reviews-Tana_de_Lepri-Colle_di_Val_d_Elsa_Tuscany.html

It is not very nice so no swimming today, but that’s okay we planned to go to Siena to the Palio horse race, a tradition since the late sixteenth. An event not to be missed.

Siena, a small town in which we find the old Siena, a typical and beautiful village, full of people where a long wait of three hours begins; we advance in small steps in the streets of the city drowned by the crowd before arriving in an artery leading to the piazza dal campo. We realize the number of visitors (according to internet sources about 100 000 visitors) installed at the same location in the center of this place with some pushing and small Italian heated. And then finally we’re here, it’ll start a race with 9 riders each representing his neighborhood on 17 from Siena. Three rounds of the square at full speed when there s no rule, result; 2 falls and a joy in their area facing the winner, but who? We did not quite understand, but whatever we loved this time.

Le 17/08/2014

Première baignade avant de partir pour San Giminiano, ville pittoresque entourée de sa double enceinte de muraille et parsemée de haute tours, dont nous avons visité une d’entre elle sur le Palazzo Ardinghellitour, qui reste aménagé et que nous pouvons encore habiter pour les vacances. Et puis évidemment une pause glace sur la Piazza della Cisterna, place triangulaire avec son puits du XIII^e siècle.

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Attraction_Review-g187901-d6868703-Reviews-Torre_Salvucci_Maggiore-San_Gimignano_Tuscany.html

Le 18/08/2014

Aujourd’hui, piscine, sieste, piscine, jeux et glaces dans le village ou nous résidons. De temps en temps c’est nécessaire.

Le 19/08/2014

Little girls bathing, business preparation for three days. We start in ROME. Three-hour drive from the motorway and several breaks to pee Miss Jade she will have to reduce the consumption of beverages.

We expect our hostess for the keys of the apartment that we rent in the heart of Rome. Typical modern at once, fully functional and with aircon obviously.

And go for a fashionable tourist map; shorts, basketball, cap, glasses, backpack and walking, walking, walking ….

Day 1: 18,086 steps.

Piazza Navona, built on the ruins of the stadium Dominitien first century.

The Pantheon ancient religious building located on the Piazza della Rotonda. It supports the largest dome in all antiquity (43.3 m diameter inside), which remains the world’s largest unreinforced concrete.

The Trevi Fountain. It is customary to throw a coin in the right arm with his back to the fountain before leaving Rome, a superstition associated with the fountain being that one who makes this gesture is sure to return to Rome to find this piece . We take a few seconds to perpetuate the custom despite the work that spoils our view.

At the corner of a small street, we find a small, nice restaurant, hot Italian with all specialties (lasagne, pizza, bruschetta, tiramisu and panna cotta).

2eme jours: 22 250 pas.

Le Vatican, siège de la papauté et du monde catholique.

First visit and first and last queue we will do to St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church building of Catholicism. The dome rises to a total height of 136.57 m from the ground to the top of the basilica of the cross surmounting it, and we did !! We climbed all the way up, not without difficulty, after climbing 330 steps (we took a little lift) and 500 downhill (there more lift). A magnificent and breathtaking view.

Girls are much loved and we, the treasures of the Vatican. Many chalices, relics, popes dresses, tombs and sculptures.

We have a pass for the Vatican Museum to 14:30, until we will restore us in a terrible place but not full out again and rested belly.

The magical pass, we cut all the long tail that appears on the pavement in sunlight.

The museum is beautiful though somewhat marred by the many groups who walk in the corridors after a bit like sheep umbrellas which serves as their guide. Despite this disadvantage girls as retain good memories; large bathtubs, animals, mosaics, and the Sistine Chapel (must work with frescoes by Michelangelo completed in four years).

We returned to the apartment, then a nap claimed by jade and Andrea from the beginning, before doing some shopping at a caterer for our dinner. On the menu; Di Secco pasta, ham, Parmesan, salad of the sea, beer and Coke. Yum! Yum!

And obviously end, a night out at the Coliseum. We try to Bus Express and as the name suggests, it is express, Hang on though !! Then last metro Linea A. exit, we see, beautiful, large and illuminated. A great atmosphere prevails around us and motivates us to be back tomorrow daytime visit.

3rd Day: 27,000 steps.

After our little breakfast departure to the Forum, and as we are highly motivated, no way to take the bus, we go on foot.

The forum is located in the most important archaeological site in Rome, between the hills of the Capitol and the Palatine Hill. We discover all the remains of several periods, under a sweltering heat but several fountains allow us to freshen up, or even to wet us.

Lunch in a bar. Cheap and in a really good neighborhood bar before returning this time to visit the Colosseum.

The Colosseum, the largest amphitheater ever built in the Roman Empire. It was used for hunting wild animals, gladiator fights and public spectacles. It remained in use for nearly 500 years and today we have observed within this fabulous show, an architectural work and lifting techniques, traps and scenes.

Always walk back, so that Jade could finish his book (Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief), before returning to the plaza di Spagna.

Repeating our dinner the night before, we get tired, mozzarella with tomato and more ice dessert with a glacier at the last minute found close to home.

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d6694318-Reviews-Carapina_Gelato-Rome_Lazio.html
Below, the best ice cream in Rome we found by far !!!

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1536028-Reviews-La_Gelateria_Frigidarium-Rome_Lazio.html

That’s three days well filled and the meter 67,336 steps of visits and walks. Congratulations to Jade who walked alone without complaining (well, not too much) and Ben for wearing regular Andréa and her 17 kilos.

Le 24/08
It is motivated to visit Volterra. Twilitght fans will recognize that name that inspired the Volturri. But it does not reach the famous scene was filmed in the village.

The village and beautiful and especially the view on the way home. A landscape of Tuscany as we imagined.

Then departure for a day trip to Florence we had booked in advance tickets for the Uffizi Gallery

Very nice museum with Italian and European major works such as the Venus of Boticcelli or Rembrandt below

Visite conviviale entre sœurs !!

En accord avec la lecture du moment de Jade: Percy Jackson

Passage obligatoire par le Ponte Vecchio

Here is a place not to be missed when coming to Florence.C’est a covered market with a bar and tables in the middle and full of specialties stands around, we choose, we order and we’ll sit down.

Voici le lien trip advisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Attraction_Review-g187895-d195018-Reviews-Mercato_Centrale-Florence_Tuscany.html

Ensuite visite de la Cathédrale de Florence le Duomo

Back to Colle di Val d’Elsa for a ride to the pool where Jade was perfected and Andrea made his first lengths without cuff.

We continue to rest and used it to make it a little restaurant found on trip advisor, it was confirmed that the quality of the popular but fine cuisine. Mmm! a delight!

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g668223-d1230888-Reviews-Officina_Della_Cucina_Popolare-Colle_di_Val_d_Elsa_Tuscany.html

Back at night in Siena to discover a wonderful little restaurant that offers for cheap wonderful charcuterie boards

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187902-d6980492-Reviews-La_Prosciutteria-Siena_Tuscany.html

Sienne la nuit, vraiment magnifique !!!

Here it is starting to Venice after a 3 hour drive, we are to take the bridge to the city.

We park the car in a garage at Piazzale Roma, it is expensive but very convenient, no reservation even in August.

We then took the vaporetto to reach our hotel in the heart of Venice in a palace.

Very well located hotel but location a bit run down so we do not recommend.

As against the pleasure of hearing the singers on the gondolas when the windows are open.

Nous avons beaucoup marché comme à chaque fois à Venise.

Comme lorsque nous étions venus en 2011, nous sommes retournés prendre un apéro à l’hotel Danieli, magnifique endroit où les escaliers sont très particuliers.

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotel_Review-g187870-d194256-Reviews-Hotel_Danieli-Venice_Veneto.html

Nous sommes également retournés au restaurant Beccafico sur une grande place vers le pont de l’accadémia

http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187870-d1385701-Reviews-A_Beccafico-Venice_Veneto.html

One of my favorite moments Venice, St. Mark’s Square at night around midnight, orchestras still play each turn, the crowd deserted places and transforms the place into a magical place, with a perfect light.