geeteetravels

Today’s ride was a loop around this area. It involved some climbing through the hills here but the views were our reward. 

Our first stop was Asolo, just down the road from where we were staying. This town is considered a paradise by some and many famous writers and artists lived or visited there.  Robert Browning and his wife Elizabeth Barrett, both poets, lived there and his final work was titled Asolando. 

We stopped and looked in a few of the sites:the Asolo duomo with famous paintings by Lorenzo Lotto and Jacopo da Ponte inside, the castle on the hill above Asolo, a classical temple in the style of the Parthenon (Tempio Canoviano), and the Villa Barbera with allegorical frescoes and trompe l’oeil. 

Asolo hills from the backside

Fountain in the center of Asolo

Well kept sanctuary in the wall

Pantheon and Parthenon in one temple at Possagno

Look to the skys

This was yet another scenic ride through wine country. Every hill we climbed and every bend in the road opened up onto a vista of beautiful green valley. Here we are in the prosecco producing area but there are also other wines made here. We also see many fruit and olive trees growing. We rode through several important towns today but one in particular that most people who drink wine have heard of is Valdobbiadene. The terrain is quite hilly as it leads into the Dolomite Mountains. 

In Maser we are staying in another agriturismo but this one is not far from the city. We had supper in a restaurant where there was only Italian spoken and the menu wasn’t straight forward so we made good use of Google translate. We managed a good meal anyway and our host at the B&B drove us the 4 kms there and the restauranteur’s son drove us home. 

I found a selfie stick! (one time use only)

With the help of Rita at the B&B we planned a loop around this area. We rode to places nestled in the hills and grape orchards, also a few lakes along the way. It seemed like we did a lot more climbing than downhill but it probably was equal. We had a lovely lunch of pasta in a small trattoria in Resera. They were expecting us to order wine and several courses I think but we didn’t indulge as we did have a good distance to go yet. 

A lovely scenic ride. 

The Althe’a agriturismo spot we stayed in, fabulous!

Corduroy grape vines

The landscape plus two

We rode along the strada del prosecco route, fabulous even without the wine tasting

A bit more rain in this wine growing region makes for green green country

Our trip today started with a 20 minute ride to the other end of the Lido and onto yet another ferry that took us past Venice to Mestre where cars and bikes are allowed again to travel away from Venice. I preferred sailing past St. Mark’s square and all the people today, a much better view. Mestre is a densely populated area of Italy, we never really left the city it seemed. Traffic was heavy so not the most relaxing ride until we got through Conegliano and started the climb up to the agriturismo where we were staying. It was a dramatic contrast there as we were on small roads through orchards and vineyards. Unfortunately it started to rain heavily at that point with only about 5kms left but since  we were climbing it was not so fast. In fact it was just long enough for us to get thoroughly soaked. But we made it anyway and got everything hung up to start drying. 

This is a beautiful spot! It’s very green, hilly and full of grape vines. Our B&B is also wonderful with a great restaurant. Aah… 

Waiting with the other large vehicles for the ferry to the far side of Venice

Piazza San Marco one more time

Getting the full soak just before arriving

Now that’s better. This place has its own branded prosecco!

Today we endured throngs of tourists after making our way over the lagoon to Venice. I must admit it’s a beautiful and unique place but after only about 30 minutes I had had my fill of too much of everything. (Perhaps I shouldn’t speak for both of us though) We have gotten spoiled by touring smaller less visited places where there aren’t lineups and crowds. Anyway we did manage to buy a few gifts and see a few sights.

For the afternoon we went to the beach on the other side of the Lido where we swam in the warm Adriatic ocean. Sandy beach and space, what could be better.

Going by ferry from the Lido where we stayed to Venezia

The wonderful nautical madness of the venice lagoon

With the throngs heading to Piazza San Marco

Gondolas picking up passengers

More f***ing gondolas! (apologies, it’s a Monty Python thing, can’t help it)

A record distance today, 105 kms, plus two ferry boat rides. It took about 7 hours to get here, we were all tired. However again not a difficult ride, just a bit long. Most of the day was on small back roads through farming areas or on the water front of two small island strips across from Venice. Our boat rides were from Porto Chioggia to Pellestrina and then to Alberoni. 

The Lido is kind of a quiet place, many homes but not too many hotels and restaurants. I guess people stay and live here but go to Venice for work and tourism. There are beaches galore on the south side though, we’ll take that in tomorrow. 

Made it to Chioggia, two boats and 20km to go

The first ferry where the captain made a point of saying we were a problem with these long bikes

Alongside the water by Pellestrina

Waiting for boat number two

Multi-coloured houses are a thing here

Ferrara is a fascinating place, it is like being transported back to the Renaissance in places. The architecture in the old city is so well preserved that you can almost imagine that world. 

We started the day with a ride around the old city on top of the ancient walls surrounding it. In some places it’s more of a dike as the wall is gone but there’s a pathway around most of it, like there is in Lucca. 

After lunch we spent the afternoon looking in one of the palazzos here and then the castle. These both were built starting about 1200 by the ruling Este family who remained powerful in this area until 1600. Both were very well done with lots of translated text to help.

We also spent time exploring  the streets of Ferrara. One was decorated with umbrellas, maybe to celebrate spring? Another was full of old archways and lanterns, very medieval looking.  

Via della Volta, with medieval arches along its length

Trapped in the dungeon of the Castello in Ferrara

In the garden of oranges of the Castello

Umbrellas during the daytime

Today’s ride was the longest this year, 95km, but not too hard as it was mostly flat. We have had much harder days on other trips. However the heat does make it a bit challenging, we were careful to stay well hydrated. 

Our mileage should only have been 88km but we had a hard time getting started as we were trying to connect with the eurovelo track like we did 2 days prior. We eventually found it but it was more suited to a mountain bike so we abandoned it for the highway but later rejoined it when it was paved. Again a nice ride away from traffic with our own private path. We made it there in about 5 hours with a couple good breaks. 

After the clean up we wandered around the old town, found supper and gelato then back to the hotel for a well earned repose. 

We haven't seen a field of sunflowers since France a few years ago

Weird lunch stop at a park and apparently a cat refuge

A panorama of the central piazza in Ferrara

Savonarola was a nasty man, and maybe a dementor

Having a Mary Poppins moment in Via Mazzini

We started the day with a 90 minute boat tour of 2 of the 3 lakes here that surround the city. They are actually artificial lakes, originally used for city defence, made by directing water from the Po  and Mincio rivers. It was a very enjoyable ride around the lakes, into a protected wet land area and then down the Mincio River a little ways. We saw many different birds,ducks, swans, herons and leaping fish. 

After that and some lunch we toured the Palazzo Te with its lavishly decorated and frescoed rooms, gardens and other collections. 
Our lodging here was a bed and breakfast located right in the heart of the old city so everything was close.

A beautiful morning beside the Lago di Mezzo

Heading on to the boat

The view of the Ducal Palace which was unfortunately closed on Mondays

Into the natural area down the river

Hiding at the Palazzo Te

Today’s ride was almost entirely along the Eurovelo 7 route, one of several recognized routes that cover Europe by bicycle.  This one was an actual bike path that followed beside the Mincio River. We had some trouble getting onto the path initially, went around in circles a few times but eventually got there. It was a pleasant and quiet ride without the cars, although close to the cities the path was heavily used by cyclists. There were a few charming spots along the route to stop for breaks and refreshments along with all the other cyclists.

Once into Mantova (Mantua in English, accent on the first syllable) we found our bed and breakfast which was right in the centre of the old city. A lovely place run by a lovely host named Barbara. We had time before supper to start exploring the many attractions here. We looked at the main basilica and the clock tower.

Fishing along the Mincio river

A handy break stop for a lot of cyclists

This! is a public totally out in the open bike repair stand.

Mozying along beside the river

Investigating the inside of the clock tower

The dome of the Basilica of Sant'Andrea. Our B&B room is the upper window just to the right of the scaffolding