Back to Italy

I had wanted to finish the Via Francigena this year. Having walked from Reims to Aosta for my 70th birthday I reckoned I would walk from Aosta to Rome for my 75th. I had it all planned out to walk Spring this year but I have really stopped walking caminos now so, instead of walking down Italy I decided to take public transport up Italy. I like boat trips so I would have liked to do Split to Ancona by boat but these don't start until June so I had to take a flight, this was a flight to Rome with Croatia Airlines, I was impressed, we were very few passengers on a fairly small plane but we were provided with free nibbles and I had a free wine, it's years since I had anything for free on a plane! The plane was short of luggage space so they take cabin luggage and put it in the hold as you get on the plane and you get it back on the runway as you get off.  

Crossing the Apennines!

Rome airport seemed to be empty, we were through very quickly, once again no-one asked for Covid info.  I found a machine to buy a train ticket for Rome city and I had about 7 minutes to get to the train, this was more difficult than I expected as the signs seemed to stop, but with a bit of help from various passers-by I managed it. I managed to get completely confused by my directions for the hotel, the more so as there were no hotel signs outside, it was a 5th floor apartment, I found it eventually. I also discovered a microwave and an electric kettle. My original plan had been to go out for a meal but, having had lunch in Split and snacks on the plane, I didn't need to. I was able to make myself a cup of tea and eat a chocolate bar.

Tuesday, Rome

I worked in Rome for 3 months 40 years ago so I know it fairly well, this was something of a nostalgia trip. They say you should not return to places as they are a disappointment, Rome certainly was.  It used to be smart and up-market, now it is run down, seems sleazy and it is full of people sleeping on the streets. I went for a coffee in Piazza Navona, once very smart, now not at all. I walked across Rome to the Vatican where I had a pizza at a restaurant I used to frequent, this was a good moment, we were serenaded with music that was very much from my era, a nostalgic moment that I enjoyed. I looked for the ofice I should have gone to had I arrived as a pilgrim but I couldn't see it.

After a disappointing day in Rome I was glad to move on to Assisi. The journey was picturesque, I had to change once but this was no problem, just a short wait.  On the second train I was told that I had the wrong mask on, as this was my 4th train journey I was surprised but I decided to buy a new one in Assisi. 

 Here, once again, I was not having a good day, I had to wait till 16.30 to check in to my accommodation, so I had a coffee in the main square and endeavoured to kill time for a while.  Check in was at a grocers shop and at 16.30 it was still shut, it was nearly 17.00 when the guy arrived and he was quite surly, not a good beginning.  However the accommodation was fine, a room and en-suite and a very well equipped kitchen downstairs and a roof terrace, plus the television worked, this was the first time I had found one that worked.  I did a shop  and then later on had a wander.

Maundy Thursday.  I wandered around the little city, it is absolutely beautiful.  I had come to Assisi in Holy Week because of St Francis, I knew of it for religious reasons but I had no idea how impressed I would be.  The medieval streets are well cared for, every so often there are glimpses of Roman remains and the castle is always there as a backdrop. 

The city was, of course, very busy and there seemed to be a scout jamboree or something but it did not detract at all.

Good Friday. I got up early to watch the procession from the cathedral.

Then later on I went to visit the woods by the Franciscan monastery.

The peace monument

I also spent a little time relaxing on the roof terrace.
Saturday to Orvieto. I had tickets for a mid-morning train so I had plenty of time to get down to the station and have a coffee. I had bough 2 bus tickets when I arrived, it seems that many countries in Europe require you to buy tickets in advance from a tobacconist or newspaper kiosk and I had started to get the hang of this.  I had a coffee in the station, I was very impressed with the cafes/restaurants in the stations and the coffee was good value, cheaper than anywhere else. Once again the train journey went well and was, of course, picturesque.  In Orvieto I bought my onward ticket for Siena, I would be travelling on a Bank Holiday so getting to the station early was going to be difficult, I had opted for a train that I could get to but which was going to give me a nearly two hour stop in a very 'one horse' town.  The lady at the station suggested an earlier train that would be more direct. This would mean me finding an alternative means of getting to the station. Fortunately the tickets were not dated or timed I had time to think about it.  From Orvieto station there is a funicular up to the town, and then buses which run to the cathedral square on Sundays and Bank holidays the funicular only starts at 08.00! Now I was able to get the funicular without any problem and got a bus. I got a bit confused and got off the bus early but this was good as I found the street where I was to pick up my key a bit later.  I then found the Cathedral!

A very striking building.  Eventually I got my keys, my studio was very close to the cathedral, it was tiny but had every thing I needed, it was one of the best stays.  Then I went for a wander and then stopped for an early evening meal. I was going to go to Midnight Mass at the cathedral, this was a disappointment, there were very few people and people and people kept wandering in and out, then when Easter Mass started no-one actually participated, it was just the priests and the choir. 

Easter Sunday, I found a restaurant that served lamb and booked a place for lunch and then I did a walk around the old walls.

  

   

 

The city is very picturesque though not as beautiful as Assisi. The cathedral is an  incredible work of art but I think I prefer Norman architecture, it was an experience and I'm glad to have been but that's all.

Monday morning, I had discovered that there was an early bus down to the station from Piazza Republica, which was easily accessible so I went for the early train. The station was busy, I had planned to have breakfast there but by the time the cafe opened there were so many people in front of me that I gave up and decided to breakfast when I changed trains.  I got to Siena late morning, I was going to leave my case in left luggage but it was closed.  From the station there are escalators up to the town, I didn't count how many but it was a lot!  They start in a shopping mall right opposite the station, here everything seemed to be open. I headed up to town and went to the bus station where there was supposed to be a left luggage office as well, this was closed so I walked on pulling my case. 

    

The main thing I wanted to see in Siena was the Piazza del Campo, really impressive but so full of people!  I would like to come when they have the Palio horse race.  

I had lunch in a little restaurant near where I was going to stay and then eventually checked-in. In the afternoon I had a further walk around Siena, this time without pulling a case.

San Gimignano.  For years I have heard about the beauties of San Gimignano so when I discovered that it is easily accessible by bus from Siena I added it to my visiting list. It is true that Tuscany is very beautiful but why San Gimignano has such a high reputation I am not sure, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of walled hilltop towns in Tuscany and Umbria.

My final day, the long escalator ride down to the station and then a train to the outskirts of Florence and change to an Inter City train for Venice.  A bus from near the station to the airport and a flight to Madrid. Iberia had a very short tempered man at the departure gate, he insisted on people wearing the FFP2 masks and was sending people off to the bar to buy them, I was lucky that I had one in my bag, the other Iberia staff were not being so fussy so we ended up with passengers wearing all varieties of masks. I got to my hotel quite late at night but with no problems.

Views of Venice from the air!