Day 166 24TH September 2018
My birthday – really it seemed every day is my birthday at the moment. Contact with family and friends from everywhere made it even more special. Add to this being with friends with whom travelling was fun; awaking in a lush Italian apartment; a sparkling sunny day; and my beloved. What more could I ask for.
To start a lovely breakfast in a historic café nearby – Cafe Carducci. A perfect omelette and excellent coffee – searched out by the coffee lovers and early risers just for us.
Time for Roman ruins after all the churches of yesterday. On the way we past a church across the river from our abode. Feeling “churched” out we did not go in however the external structure mixing old and new, brick and stone, Romanesque to Gothic – Chieso do San Fermo Maggiore. Oh maybe we missed a rare treat but sometimes there is so much to see you make a call!
On we went through small laneways, cobbled streets and busy tourist avenues. On to the Roman amphitheatre ‘Arena di Verona’. Built in the 1st century – hard to imagine that it still continues to host theatre – particularly large opera productions each year. A poster display advertising events from early 1900s to the present day, surrounded the huge stone structure of the arena.
The queue was long and unmoving so we decided to enjoy the outside and imagine the inside. The outside was a structure that appeared suddenly as we popped out of the tiny laneways. A large multi-storied building of huge pink limestone blocks. The familiar curved arches around each level.
Hoping to finally catch some art whilst also seeing the Castle Vecchio we wandered towards the river in a different direction. Stopping for a fruit ice block – strong flavours, deep colours and icy cold.
While waiting for the museum to open on arriving at the water -we were treated to the view of the Castle Vecchio Bridge. Also know as the Scaliger Bridge. Red brick with white marble trim along with picturesque and unusual curved points on the top of each pillar across the span.
Castle Vecchio Museum – and again a great audio presentation that matched particular art works and structural features of the castle, with explanatory audio. Beginning with early Roman sculptures, through Gothic works, Renaissance paintings and following through years of art history.
We probably should have considered stamina and size of the museum! After spending lengthy time in the earlier exhibits we ran out of puff for later works. Oh and probably ran out of steam for religious works. Still some interesting works, some famous and well known artists in amongst lesser known and a remarkable architecture in the building itself.
There were so many works to comment on – if I had to pick a favourite Francesco Caroto and a painting – “Portrait of A child with a drawing.”
Enough art and culture – time for a little Aperol Spritz, a snack and more conversation. Not too much on the snack front as we were heading for a birthday dinner that hopefully was up to the task!
Final stop of the day before dinner was a ride up to the top of the hill on the Funicular – a brief discussion unaminously decried walking up – walking down seemed much more palatable and would bring us right to our door!
A brief ride took us to a view of Verona that kept on delivering. Every angle a new and perfect view on a perfect day. What a sparkling city – the river, the green hills, the Austrian influence in buildings and the city laid out below.
The last treat of the day was dinner at Trattoria Fluviale Vecio Mulin – given I had chosen it I was a little anxious that it be up to scratch for the four of us. Everything was add I had hoped – we had requested and were lead to a table on the river side. Seafood abounded and our shared menu arrived like a high tea from the sea. With recommended wine to go with it. Heaven.
And finally home – over the bridge, across the water with a full moon lighting the way.
