Trips – Page 3 – Newby to Expert Traveler

Beginning the Camino – Valenca to O Porrino

Posted on March 31, 2025April 7, 2025 by David Cox

This is part one of a multi-part series on our experiences doing the Portuguese Central Route of the Camino de Santiago starting in Valenca, Portugal and ending in Santiago de Compostela.

Walking the Portuguese Route of the Camino de Santiago was an unusual choice for a spring break trip. We could have chosen something a little more relaxing, like a beach vacation, but here we were, backpacks on, getting ready to head out for an adventurous, long hike across Galicia, in the northwest corner of Spain.

Following a night in Porto, a train ride to Valenca, and our first night in an albergue, Jenn and I and our two kids Alex and Emma were set to begin a journey of more than 120 kilometers to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.

Strava recording from our first day on the Camino

We started our Camino from the Albergue Sao Teotonio in Valenca. Albergues are essentially what Americans call youth hostels – basic bunk beds stacked in rows to maximize sleeping capacity and economy not comfort.

It cost 8 euros per bed a night, cash only, and we were given fitted sheets made of paper to sleep on. Each of us packed a sleeping bag liner for these conditions. It was uncomfortable and I didn’t sleep well. This was when I found out that my son was a snorer and I worried that we were keeping the other guests up. However, I don’t think this was the case since I was hearing snoring from the other guests as well. I probably only got a few hours of sleep between the uncomfortable conditions and the anticipation of starting the Camino.

Emerging into Valenca through the castle walls

We woke up in the morning and had some coffee from the instant coffee vending machine in the common room. We readied ourselves for the first morning, made our packs as comfortable as we thought they could be, and walked out of the albergue and onto the Camino.

Building inside the city walls of Valenca

The trail from the albergue immediately winds through the Fortaleza de Valenca, the ancient fortified town of Valenca. It was first built in the 13th Century and has been improved many times, but the current walls are from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Capela do Bom Jesús with Statue of Sao Teotonio in front

The town is very well preserved but is mostly bars, restaurants, and gift shops now. We lamented the fact that most pilgrims would be coming through the town at night and would have a variety of bars and restaurants to choose from and we, unfortunately, were going through in the morning when nothing was even open yet.

Leaving the castle walls of Valenca we continued down to the Minho River where we crossed into Spain for the first time. Once in Tui, we had a couple of people greet us with a “Buen Camino”, the traditional greeting of pilgrims on the Camino. One kind gentleman showed us where to find the first marker on the Spanish portion of the Portuguese route of the Camino.

Bridge from Valenca to Tui and the border between Portugal and Spain

We wound along the Minho River and saw a Cathedral on a hill. The route took us up the hill and finally to the Tui Cathedral where we stopped to buy pilgrim shells. Scallop shells are the traditional symbol of the Camino, with pilgrims frequently hanging them from the outside of their backpacks in order to show they are on the Camino.

There are many explanations as to why scallop shells are the traditional symbol of the Camino but my favorite explanation is that on a scallop shells there are several lines converging into one point. This is similar to the multiple paths of the Camino converging in Santiago de Compostela.

Looking out at the Minho River from just past Tui Cathedral

In Tui, we met our first fellow pilgrim, an English gentleman who is retired and has done multiple routes of the Camino. We had a nice chat with him and he gave us some pointers on doing a Camino. He gave us some instruction on the proper use of hiking poles, which might sound basic, but using them improperly negates much of their benefit. The whole time we were chatting, we had been walking through a rural natural area.

Statue at Parque Merendas Pedra Santa with Ponte Medieval do Louro in background

After a little while, he left us and where we had been enjoying a nice hike in nature, we were suddenly on the edge of a country road with infrequent but unnervingly fast traffic. This section may not have been that long, but it wasn’t pleasant so it seemed to last quite some time.

A mural on an underpass wishes pilgrims a good journey from the Municipality of Tui.

Along the road we were passed by a couple of young German women who made us feel like we were practically standing still. It was becoming clear that we were considerably slower than the other pilgrims along the route. Are we going to be able to do this? Are we in good enough shape to pull this off? The doubts were already creeping into our heads.

Wooded path before our first stop or Ponte das Febres.

This is also where the weight of the pack started to bother me. We all were struggling with trying to navigate new equipment. This was the first time doing a long hike. The weight from the pack is supposed to sit on my hips, but was instead resting on my shoulders too much. We all did some equipment adjustments and while the pack didn’t seem quite right, it did seem better.

There are a lot of stone crosses along the Camino.

It seemed like forever before we were able to make our first stop of the day. It was about 7.5 miles along the route and we came by Ponte des Febres, a really cute cafe and albergue. We were greeted with “Oh no, it’s the bloody Americans!” We looked up to see the English gentleman sitting at a table, the two German women at another, and both guys from our albergue the night before.

We ordered croissants and Spanish Tortilla as well as some cafés con leche. We also got our first stamp in our pilgrim passport.

The Pilgrim passport is a book that each pilgrim carries with them to prove that they are on the Camino. Without it, you may not get admission to an albergue. Also, if you complete a 100-kilometer pilgrimage ending in Santiago de Compostela, you are awarded a certificate. You need at least two stamps per day to qualify.

From there we went to Orbanlle where we had the opportunity to choose between a more direct route through an industrial area or a more scenic route through the country. There are routes like this one on many days, they are called complementary routes.

That turned out to be a pretty good choice because that was a pretty relaxing route to take. Most of it was out in the country, but it did wind through a lot of small towns along the way.

Pathway along a creek on the complimentary route

Getting really tired by this point we came across San Campio, a bar and restaurant that clearly is a favorite of locals, but also caters to pilgrims. Everyone but Alex had a beer and I ordered a giant bottle of water for the table. We also shared three sandwiches and a big plate of fries. It hit the spot and gave us enough energy to finish our trek to O Porrino.

From San Campio to our Hostel in O Porrino was about 2.5 miles and honestly most of it wasn’t very scenic, but it felt good to finish the hike. We arrived at Casucho de Peregrina, which is a nice hostel. We paid extra to have our bunks in a private room with only 4 beds. As it turned out, that was pretty unnecessary, because there was only one other pilgrim sleeping in the hostel.

While we were getting our stuff settled in our private room, I heard a familiar voice. It was the English gentleman we met earlier on the trail. It was nice to see a friendly face. Being the only other pilgrim in the hostel, he ended up sleeping in a large room full of bunks all by himself.

It had been a challenging day and I was already beginning to question whether doing a Camino was a smart way to spend a family vacation. I underestimated how much of a physical challenge this was going to be and both hoped we would finish and that we would be able to actually enjoy it.

The accommodations at the hostel were very comfortable and after a little dinner we were out cold. I guess 15 miles of hiking will do that to you.

The Unexpected Beauty of Porto

Posted on March 24, 2025March 24, 2025 by David Cox

There is a socially accepted form of beauty that we are all familiar with. Flawless skin, a wrinkle-free face, athletic body, the kind of beauty we see on the cover of Vogue magazine.

As I approach 50, I understand now that’s not true beauty. Real beauty has grit, personality, life experience. Life experience, however, has a price. That’s why true beauty has cellulite, laugh lines, scars and maybe a fading tattoo. True beauty also comes with kind eyes and a loving heart.

For years now, I’ve heard people gush about how much they love Porto. I would look at photos and not understand the hype. Sure there were clearly beautiful things in the photos. But nothing to me seemed exceptional – why does everyone love Porto so much?

We decided to spend our Spring Break walking the Portuguese route of the Camino de Santiago, but we only had a week, so we decided to start in Valenca, Portugal. Valenca is located along the Minho River which serves as the border between Spain and Portugal. That meant that we needed to fly into Porto and take the train to Valenca from Porto.

Fountain of the Lions illuminated by colored LED lights

This gave us the golden opportunity to brush off our jet lag in Porto and spend one evening there. To be fair, I wasn’t that excited about it. I assumed it would be nice, but other than going to the Cathedral to pick up our pilgrim passport for the Camino, I didn’t have anything planned.

Porto Cathedral where many pilgrims on the Portuguese route of the Camino de Santiago begin their journeys.

Once we got to our hotel, we were able to drop off our stuff and head out. We stopped into Cervejaria Nortada, a brewery near our hotel. We had a couple of drinks and a snack. Our server could tell we were struggling with the Portuguese menu and even though we insisted we could figure it out, he took the time to explain some of his favorite dishes. He was our first experience with Portuguese hospitality.

Copper brewing equipment at Cervejaria Nortada

From there we walked to the Cathedral for our Camino passports. Along the way, I noticed a combination of beautiful buildings and buildings in decay. Shells of buildings without roofs and graffiti are common even in the center of the city. In Porto, when a building falls into disrepair, the exterior remains in place, even if the rest of the building has completely disintegrated. By not demolishing the building, the city keeps it’s historic blockfaces intact, even if it has clearly deteriorated inside of the shell.

Graffiti is common in Porto. In general, graffiti isn’t uncommon in Europe, but sometimes, as Americans, it seems unfathomable that people would deface buildings that are centuries old. Graffiti is an artform like tattoo, where some are clearly horrible while others are fine works of art. Like tattoo, it is also polarizing, because some people love the artform and others find it vulgar.

There is evidence of a renaissance of sorts in Porto. There are cranes everywhere as old buildings undergo renovations. The city is renewing itself as people look to transform those decaying properties into vibrant rehabs. Porto, like Lisbon and the Algarve, have become hot spots for middle and upper class immigrants from the European Union and the United States, so the need to provide housing for the new immigrant class likely is responsible for many of the rehabs.

Mosaic sidewalks are everywhere in Porto

The character of the city remains, however. Mosaic black and white stonework turn sidewalks and plazas into works of art. They are absolutely stunning and it’s almost impossible to imagine how much work went into building the miles and miles of mosaic walkways.

Another defining feature of Porto is exterior tiled walls. The Portuguese began to use tile on the exterior of the homes in the 1800’s, not only for their aesthetics, but also because they are fire retardant and help regulate temperature. You will find anything on the exterior walls from highly artistic tiles to subway tiles.

Porto does have its moments that take your breath away. The Cathedral is located high on a hill near the Douro River and from the plaza, you can see a large portion of the city as beautiful churches and bell towers emerge over red tiled roofs for square miles.

View of Porto from the plaza by Porto Cathedral

The Cathedral itself is a beautiful example of a 12th Century cathedral. It’s one of many beautiful houses of worship we came across while in Porto, including the Igreja do Carmo and the Church of the Lord of Bonfim.

Igreja do Carmo was constructed in the mid 1700s.

After a long night of sleep, we walked on Dom Luis bridge, where the views of the Douro River are stunning. The bridge is at a dizzying height over river which provides long views along the river in two directions.

Off in the distance from the Dom Luis bridge is Maria Pía bridge, which was designed by Gustave Eiffel, best known for the design of the Eiffel Tower. Both of these bridges are stunning metal bridges that only enhance the Douro River’s beauty.

During our short time in Porto, I noticed something you don’t see in crowded cities – patience. People make way for other people while walking on the sidewalk. When we struggled with the language barrier, people were understanding and patient. No matter what building we walked into, we never felt out of place or unwanted. The people are just genuinely kind.

Tiles on the side of the Igreja do Carmo depict scenes from the founding of the Caramelite Order.

The general vibe of the city is relaxed. People weren’t trying to run past you to get to the next crosswalk, It also wasn’t excessively noisy. People just seemed to genuinely enjoy their day.

Narrow building and road in commercial section of Porto

On our way to the train station, leaving town we stopped at a bar where there clearly were regulars drinking coffee and beer, playing cards. Nobody spoke English well. They weren’t annoyed by these four Americans and their giant backpacks taking up space in their bar. The bartender took his time to figure out what we wanted and allowed us to enjoy our drinks. They were all demonstrating kindness, patience, and tolerance. Isn’t that what this world needs more of today? What can be more beautiful than that?

Sunrise Jog in Venice

Posted on March 11, 2025 by David Cox

Running in Venice can be a challenge. The city is like a labyrinth with constant turns, dead ends, narrow passageways and bridges that can sometimes be difficult to find. If you live in Venice and are familiar with how the city is laid out, this might not be too much of a challenge, but for those of us who are on vacation, it can be tricky to find a good route that isn’t too confusing.

There is one particular route that is both beautiful and isn’t too confusing. That is to run along the south side of the the main islands from Piazza San Marco to the east as far as you can go.

Basilica di San Marco barely visible as I approach the Piazza San Marco from under the clocktower.

I started early in the morning, before sunrise, knowing that it won’t take very long before workers and tourists fill up the streets. I like to get out early when its not too busy. Our Airbnb was near the Rialto Bridge, so the challenging thing to me, navigationally, was to run from Rialto Bridge to Piazza San Marco.

I wound my way through the narrow streets toward Piazza San Marco, following the signs that point the way. In a short amount of time, I saw the side of the Basilica di San Marco. It’s pretty amazing to see the Piazza early in the morning when its not completely full of people. It’s not exactly empty, but it is pretty great without all of the noise and crowds.

Two Columns, one with St Theodore and one with the Lion of Venice mark the boundary of Piazza San Marco.

I then ran through the pillars that mark the edge of the Piazza San Marco and turned left along the water. Right outside of the Piazza is a series of docks for gondolas that aren’t yet in service.

Sunrise over Gondolas near Piazza San Marco

Running along the edge of the water toward the east, there is a lot of activity from all of the docks, restaurants and hotels that are getting their morning deliveries. This is normally a very busy area of Venice, and they need to get their supplies early before things get too busy.

A view of a canal from a bridge along the route.

As I ran to the east, things got calmer and calmer, until finally I reached an area with a lot of trees. It’s a place called the Giardini Della Biennale, which has 30 pavilions, each housing an art exhibit from a different country. These exhibits change and are part of a biennial art exhibition called the Venice Biennale.

Grass and trees are rare in Venice, but you will find plenty in Parco deile Rimembranze

Moving out of the Giardini, I crossed another bridge and entered another park called the Parco deile Rimembranze. It was a nice serene park with tree lined paths. There were a number of folks walking dogs and enjoying the early morning.

Scuola Navale Militare Francisco Morosoni was the end of the line for me. Time to turn around.

It didn’t take too long before I ran out of park and I arrived at a bridge leading to a military base. Honestly, the last thing I expected to come across in Venice was a military base, but I had reached the end of the line and it was time to head back.

On the way back, the sun was higher in the sky, everything was a little brighter and quite a bit busier. It didn’t take very long for the area with all of the restaurants, bars and hotels to begin to fill up with people, probably people heading out for an early cappuccino.

Coming back from the east, there are fantastic views of the islands known as Guidecca. It is just a short distance across the water from the main islands. Also visible is San Georgio Maggiore, a small island that once housed the San Georgio Monastery established in 982. It’s belltower and domed church are striking from across the water.

You won’t find any elevation changes with the exception of bridges in Venice

I finished up by running back through Piazza San Marco and then back to the Airbnb. It turned out to be around 5 miles, and the portion from Piazza San Marco to the Naval Base and back is around 4 miles.

The route primarily is along the water on the South Side of Venice from the Piazza San Marco to the Naval Military School and then back.

When choosing a place to run in Venice, unless you know your way around, you’ll probably want to stick to this route. If you need to stretch out the distance, you’ll probably want to run around in the parks near the art exhibits and the Naval Base. No matter how you do it, it will be a gorgeous run – you’re in Venice after all!

Murano and The Glass Cathedral

Posted on February 25, 2025February 25, 2025 by David Cox

Murano is a series of islands in the Venetian Lagoon world renowned for it’s artisan glass. In the 1200’s, a growing glass industry had emerged in Venice, but concerns had grown about the dangers of the furnaces used to make them. A law was passed in 1291, that required all glass production in the city of Venice to be produced in Murano to protect Venice from fire. This concentrated all of the production of glass to one area which persists today.

We didn’t have a chance to visit Murano on our first trip to Venice and I wasn’t planning to miss it on our second trip. I was interested in seeing all of the beautiful glass created on the island and get a little insight about the art while we were there.

We took a vaporetto from the main islands of Venice to Murano and began our walk. I understood that this was an area primarily for glass production and sales, but I was still surprised by the number of shops that there were. We exited the vaporetto at the docks known as Murano Colonna and began to walk along the canal on Fondamenta dei Vetrai. We wandered along the canal, admiring all of the amazing glass work created by the artisans in Murano.

After walking around a bit and shopping, we stopped for a drink and a light lunch at Rivalonga bar which is at the Hyatt Centric Murano. We had a nice view of the main canal through Murano. After the quick bite to eat, we headed to what I was really looking forward to, the glass blowing demonstration at the Glass Cathedral.

The Glass Cathedral

The Glass Cathedral is actually the Chiesa Santa Chiara, a church dating back to the 1300’s and was part of a convent for many centuries. In the 1800’s, it became a production facility for glass. Unfortunately, in the 1990s there was a fire and the roof collapsed. After years of vacancy the Belluardo family purchased it with the idea of turning the dilapidated building into a hospitality facility. In 2012, the Belluardo family began renovations of the Church and finished restorations in 2017.

The results of the renovations are spectacular. The Glass Cathedral is primarily an event center that hosts weddings and parties that can accommodate up to 300 people. What I love about this building is the fact that it blends the modern and ancient in a beautiful way. The old brickwork, wooden plank joists, and stained glass windows are accented by colored LED lights. Glass chandeliers and decorations are everywhere. It all makes for a perfect backdrop for a special event.

Metal decorations and vases in the lobby area of the Glass Cathedral.

However, for those of us who aren’t getting married in Venice, we can visit the Glass Cathedral and see a glass blowing demonstration. This of course gives you the opportunity to walk around the facility to see just how beautiful it is and to watch how artisan glass is produced.

LED lights, stained glass, and artwork on second floor of the Glass Cathedral

The Glass Blowing Demonstration

The tickets for the glass blowing demonstration were 14 Euros each, which you can buy in advance or at the door. We went ahead and purchased it when we got there. They did offer us an alcoholic beverage to enjoy during the demonstration for a small additional charge and of course I said yes.

Glass blowing artist heats up glass in oven

The demonstration is more of a performance than a demonstration. The Glass Master doesn’t explain what he’s doing, instead he is operating somewhere in the space between glass production and performance art. It is fascinating to watch.

The glass master uses a tool to form the wing of a swan.

The show begins with the Glass Master putting the blow pipe into the furnace to pull out a mass of molten glass. He then proceeds to blow and turn the mass until he has shaped a pitcher. He attaches it a handle to the pitcher and also pulls the top until it forms a spout.

The Glass Master forms the tail feathers on the swan.

He continued the demonstration by making a variety of glass sculptures including a fish and a swan. All throughout, he is silently demonstrating how to use all of the available tools to create the shapes that he wants. He also demonstrated how to smoke glass and how to get various colors.

In the span of about 25 minutes, he created a vase, a fish and a swan. The speed and accuracy at which he worked was extremely impressive. The artist then announced the end of the demonstration and thanked us for our time.

This glass demonstration is a perfect compliment to a day in Murano. Walking around the town, gazing at all of the glass masterpieces, you wonder how they make all of this amazing art. Getting an opportunity to watch a true artisan make these pieces in real time is an great experience.

Glass for sale, probably the result of previous demonstrations

What is also great about going to this particular demonstration is that they aren’t going to hard sell you on anything. I can’t speak from experience, but I have read a number of reviews of other glass demonstrations in Murano and it appears to be common practice for a glass shop to offer free demonstrations, but expect you to buy something in return. We had no intention of buying anything because I didn’t feel like worrying about breaking it on the flight home. They do have some glass for sale at the Cathedral, but they don’t press you to purchase anything.

Going to the Glass Cathedral

Probably the best way to get to the Glass Cathedral is to take a vaporetto to the Murano Colonna docks. When you exit the boats head up along the canal to the right and cross the canal at the first bridge. There is an enormous building right at the end of that bridge and there will be multiple glass blowers doing demonstrations. You could go to any of them, but if you want to go to the Glass Cathedral you need to watch the signs carefully. We almost went to the wrong one.

You can purchase the tickets online at SantaChiaraMurano.com or you can show up and pay at the door. We went during the off-season so it wasn’t busy but if you are going during high tourist season, you might want to consider buying your tickets in advance.

If you plan to spend a few days in Venice there definitely is plenty to do but you should consider a trip to Murano. It is a little calmer, especially during the day, than the main islands of Venice and you will get an opportunity to really get up and personal with the Venetian glass industry. I highly recommend when you are in Murano to go to the Glass Cathedral. It will only take maybe 30 to 45 minutes of your time and you will get to see a beautiful facility and experience a glass blowing demonstration that will give you a greater appreciation for the artform.

Venice at Night

Posted on February 10, 2025 by David Cox

Venice is a magical city. It’s architecture, art, cuisine and its soul are constantly on display. Millions of visitors visit Venice annually to experience all that is wonderful about this nearly two thousand year old city built on marshlands in the Adriatic Sea.

Boat Traffic on Canals in Venice During the Daytime

Because of the popularity, Venice can get extremely crowded during the day. The Vaporetto boats that carry tourists and locals from port to port along the canals get completely filled. The canals themselves get so crowded with boats carrying passengers throughout the city that it can seem unfathomable that there aren’t constant crashes between boats.

During the day there is a buzz about the city. It’s not the same as the noise and crowds of cities like New York or Rome, but there is an energized feel about it that gets your heart racing a little. The vendors in the kiosks, the hawkers who try to pull you into their restaurants, and the thousands of people taking selfies can feel a bit overwhelming, especially to people like me who are easily overstimulated.

But as the sun begins to set in Venice, something amazing begins. It’s almost like a someone dialing back the chaos with a dimmer switch. Many of the visitors get back on trains and head home. Tourists sit down for a big dinner before heading back to their Airbnb or their hotel. The streets empty a little and the lights begin to turn on.

During the day, you see the flaws. Paint chipping, buildings leaning and graffiti expose the age of the city. In the evening, shadows hide these imperfections while accentuating the beauty of the architecture and stone streets.

There is something else going on in Venice and that is that even though tourism is as popular as ever, the population within the city center has fallen dramatically over time. On the main island the population has dropped by around 120,000 residents. This leaves the population on the main island below 50,000 residents. We were in Venice in November, which is low tourist season and with the population of Venice being at its lowest point probably since its founding, it was eerily quiet.

The Fondaco dei Turchi is a palazzo originally built in the 13th Century and was renovated in 1869.

Often when people think of Venice, the idea of Carnival comes to mind. It’s easy to imagine that the streets would be full of drunken costumed revelers as they move from party to party. Instead, what you see are people quietly enjoying a bottle of wine at a restaurant in a plaza.

By early evening, most of the shops had closed, but the restaurants and bars remained open. We wandered around the corner and stumbled upon a crowd in a plaza enjoying wine and beer. They were gathering around a little enoteca named Al Merca. It is known for its small sandwiches, wine, aperol spritz, and great prices. We enjoyed a drink or two in the lovely Campo Bella Vienna and then walked over to the Rialto Bridge.

Barcolo Bar, next to Al Merca in Campo Bella Vienna

It’s difficult to enjoy the Rialto Bridge during the day, with the crowds of tourists all trying to position themselves for that perfect selfie. But at night, we were able to walk up to the apex of the bridge and rest against the stone handrail that has been smoothed to a fine polish by millions of hands that have run across it over the centuries.

From that vantage point on the Rialto Bridge, you see the lights from the streets and buildings as they dance along the ripples on the Grand Canal. The boat traffic was all but gone with the exception of an occasional vaporetto. What seemed chaotic only a few hours prior was now serene.

As the night went on, the streets continued to empty and at some point it felt like we were almost by ourselves. Whenever we would enter a plaza we would find people enjoying a restaurant or a bar, but side streets were really quiet.

We eventually got tired, but stopped for a slice of thick crust pizza at Antico Forno where the shopkeeper graciously served us even though it was only 5 minutes before they closed. The crust was crispy and the tomatoes, basil and mozzarella was still surprisingly fresh. It was a perfect end to a night of exploration of Venice at night.

We finished our slice and headed back to the Airbnb.

I can’t help but wonder how much the folks who do day trips to Venice are missing by not staying in the main part of the city. It’s such a different vibe in Venice at night. With the population drop in Venice, I wonder if we’re really experiencing Venice in way that nobody really has before. After this trip, I just can’t imagine visiting Venice without staying on the main island and walking it’s beautiful streets at night.

Managing Crowds and Expectations in Florence

Posted on January 21, 2025 by David Cox

In November, we had the opportunity to spend a few days in Florence. Prior to that visit, I had talked to a few people about Florence and virtually everyone I talked to practically gushed about how much they loved the city. After spending a few days there, my feelings about Florence are a bit more complicated, and while I’m sure that I’ll return someday, I’m not rushing to schedule a return trip.

Florence at Dawn from Piazzale Michelangelo

Certainly there are some absolutely wonderful things about Florence, but something bothered me about it and I couldn’t quite understand what that was. I enjoyed our stay there but were my expectations too high to begin with?

Architecture

From a building by building, block by block perspective, I’ve never visited a city more beautiful than Florence. No matter where we were, seemingly each and every block in Florence was beautiful. In the mostly residential areas, a pretty normal building is usually four or five stories tall and made with some kind of stone and stucco combination. The majority of the buildings have commercial space on the ground floor and living quarters above. The buildings are well maintained and the neighborhoods are clean.

In the main commercial area of town, closer to Ponte Vecchio, the buildings become a little more elaborate, with some taking medieval castle-like elements from the nearby Palazzo Vecchio.

There are also some amazing architecturally significant landmarks in Florence, including the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, the Baptistery at the Cathedral, and the Basilica di Santa Croce. Many of these buildings have taken on a three toned marble exterior style with green, pink and white marble that were extracted from nearby quarries.

Baptistery at the Duomo in Florence with Typical Marble Exterior.

The combination of these buildings mean that virtually wherever you walk in Florence, you will be surrounded by beautiful architecture.

Walkability

Florence is an extremely densely populated city. The main area of the city is comparably small for the population in the area. That makes it an excellent place to walk around. Population density is always good for shops, bars and restaurants, because there are more residents and visitors to support them. It also means that, for visitors, there are a lot of places to shop, eat and drink, without having to take a car or public transportation.

Well Preserved Buildings and Narrow Cobblestone roads

It’s so walkable, in fact, that there is a huge amount of the main area of the city that you can’t drive in for much of the day. The area is called the ZTL or the “zona a traffico limitato“, which you probably don’t need to speak Italian to translate. It restricts traffic to only residents, taxis, or buses. This dramatically cuts down on the number of vehicles and because of that, the roads are mostly for bikes and pedestrians during the ZTL times.

Quirky art in an alley near Palazzo Vecchio

As with many European cities, there are many narrow streets and alleyways that are fun to explore on foot. That’s where you will find quirky little pieces of art, small street shrines and some of the best restaurants.

Markets

The best cities to visit have great markets and Florence has some amazing ones. The most famous of those is the Ponte Vecchio which is a bridge over the River Arno. It is full of jewelry artisans. There are dozens of jewelers selling bracelets, watches and rings all along the bridge. The “Golden Street” is a fantastic place for any jewelry lover to shop.

There are also a couple of great markets for shopping for leather goods. Florence is famous for it’s leather shops and you will find plenty of places to buy leather jackets, purses, wallets, belts and even backpacks. There is a covered market near Piazza della Signoria and just a few blocks north of Ponte Vecchio called Mercato de Porcellino. In addition, there is actually a bigger leather market near the Basilica di San Lorenzo called the San Lorenzo Market. There you will find block after block of leather goods.

There is also a fantastic indoor food market near the San Lorenzo marked called Il Mercato Centrale. Of all of the farmer’s markets I’ve ever been to, this is my favorite. The market has two floors, the bottom is devoted to vendors selling meat, fish, vegetables, cheese and wine. The upper floor serves as a bit of a food court with the vendors selling a variety of delicious prepared food. I would not go to Florence without visiting this market.

Art

Replica of Michelangelo David residing outside of Palazzo Vecchio

You’re not going to find many places with better examples of Renaissance art than in Florence. The wealthy Medici family funded a lot of the production of art in Florence during the Renaissance. As a result, art is practically everywhere. You could spend days visiting museums such as the Uffizi Gallery, and the Accademia Gallery or you could simply wander the city and admire the statues on the Duomo, and in the Piazza della Signore. Renaissance art is in the blood of the Florence and you could spend a lifetime exploring all of it.

Fountain of Neptune at Piazza della Signoria

Shopping

Walking around Florence, you will notice some very famous and expensive luxury brands have shops catering to tourists. Brands like Fendi, Prada, Ferragamo, Tiffany and Bvlgari dominate the streets near Ponte Vecchio. This is in addition to the artisans in the jewelry and leather markets.

Crowds

We went to Florence in November, which should be low season in Florence. This did seem to be evident in the fact that we didn’t struggle to find places to eat and drink. We generally were able to get a table immediately and without a reservation.

But even though there seemed to be plenty of capacity at bars and restaurants, the streets seemed pretty busy. There were some fairly long lines at the Duomo, and I can imagine they were equally long at the Uffizi Museum and the Accademia Gallery as it is generally advised to buy ‘skip the line’ tickets for those museums. On side streets, you could catch a bit of a breather, but walking in the area around Ponte Vecchio or the Duomo was extremely crowded, even though it was November.

Tempering our Expectations

It took me quite a bit of time to understand why I wasn’t blown away by Florence. When I thought about the architecture, history, art and the markets of Florence, it seemed like it should have been a place that I absolutely loved. Something about it bothered me and I wondered why. I had a good time. I loved so much of what Florence had to offer, but it just didn’t seem that great.

Elaborate door near Piazza Della Signoria

I think what bothered me is that Florence is a victim of its own success. Even in the off season, it was crowded and felt too touristy. For example, while the leather artisans at San Lorenzo Market and the jewelers on Ponte Vecchio felt like a natural part of Florence, seeing Tiffany’s and Prada didn’t.

But I think the problem was that I had an idealized version in my head of what I thought Florence should be. Of course Tiffany’s and Prada are in Florence. There are millions of visitors every year and many of them can afford to shop there. It makes sense. Sometimes, we as tourists, want everything to feel authentic but at the end of the day the crowds provide business opportunities for investors and residents.

Horse drawn carriage near Piazza della Signoria

And of course, there are going to be lines for museums and the Duomo. These are massively popular attractions in a very popular city. Yes, it will be crowded on Ponte Vecchio. No you’re probably not going to get that perfect selfie standing in front of the Statue of David, there’s going to be a crowd of people there.

I wish I had tempered my expectations a little. I think when we planned the trip, I thought that it’s off season, and we’ll get to experience everything that we want without too much wait or crowds. It just not that way, I’m not sure that there is such a thing as a true off season in Florence, because it’s just too popular of a location.

If you can slow yourself down a little and maybe pick one museum or one major attraction per day, while expecting crowds, you should be able to really enjoy your stay. If you have time and energy to do more than one thing, than that’s a bonus. It’s obviously difficult when you make the long trip from the US to slow down and enjoy the little time you have in a location but its absolutely essential.

“We can always come back” is a bit of a mantra for us. It takes the pressure off of treating a vacation like a checklist of things we have to do. That being said, I think we will be back to Florence, but next time, I’ll understand that there will be crowds, even in the off season, and I’ll plan accordingly. With the correct expectations, I would have truly appreciated Florence. We can always come back right?

We definitely will.

Exploring the Duomo in Florence

Posted on January 12, 2025 by David Cox

The most famous building in Florence is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, known commonly as the Duomo. It is an architectural and engineering wonder built as Europe was transitioning from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

The Duomo at Sunrise taken from Piazzale Michelangelo.

History of Construction

The Duomo dominates the skyline of Florence. It is 376 feet tall at the dome and the campanile is 278 feet tall. Most buildings in Florence are three to five stories tall and are a fraction of the Cathedral’s height. The Duomo is so much larger than the rest of the buildings in Florence that it’s impossible to miss.

The Campanile is an impressive 278 feet tall.

As was the case with many cathedrals built throughout Europe, building the Duomo was a multi-generational project. The project began in 1296 overseen by the architect Arnolfo di Cambio. By 1337, the project had expanded and the plans were changed to include a dome, even though they didn’t yet have plans on how to build it. In 1418, the Architect Brunelleschi solved the dome problem and his design was chosen to finish it. The dome was completed in 1436, finally finishing the construction on the cathedral that had lasted 140 years.

Painting the dome started in 1572 when Georgio Vasari was commissioned by the Grand Duke Cosmio I d’ Medici to depict the Last Judgment. Vasari died in 1574 and left the frescoes incomplete. Frederico Zuccari was commissioned in 1576 to finish the project which he did in 1579.

The facade of the Duomo is a striking combination of white, green and pink marble. Interestingly, the exterior is relatively new, with the work having begun on the exterior in 1871 and was completed in 1887. All of the marble was sourced nearby with the white marble being from Carrera, the green marble from Prato and the pink marble from Siena.

The intricate marble design covers the entire exterior of the Duomo

Even though the Baptistry and the Campanile have extremely similar marble exteriors, they had been clad in marble for centuries when the exterior work was done on the Duomo. Because of the similar marble exteriors, the Baptistry, Campanile and the Duomo feel like one cohesive project, but in fact, the Baptistry was completed in 1059 and the Campanile was completed in 1359.

Ticket Options for the Duomo

The Brunelleschi Pass provides access to climb the stairs up to the top of the dome, as well as the bell tower. It also provides access to the museum, the baptistery and the crypt of Santa Raparata. That pass is available at the Duomo website for 30 Euros.

The Giotto Pass provides everything the Brunelleschi Pass provides, except access to the top of the dome. The Giotto pass costs 20 Euros.

The Ghiberti Pass provides access to the Baptistery, the Museum and the Crypt of Santa Reparata. It costs 15 Euro. If you don’t like hiking up a ton of stairs or heights, this might be the option for you.

Countless statues adorn the outside of the Duomo

Because we didn’t have a ton of time in Florence we decided to do none of those things and just walk inside of the Cathedral. This option is completely free and can be done simply by standing in line. Even though the line was long, it moved fairly quickly and we were able to make it inside in about 20 minutes.

It’s Not as Flashy as You would Expect

When you look at the outside of the Duomo, it’s beautiful, but it’s a quite showy. The front of the Duomo has dozens of statues in the facade, along with the three toned marble exterior. The doors, the windows, every single inch of the exterior of the Duomo is intricate.

Stone archways and ribs hold up the impressively high ceiling of the Duomo.

However, once we walked inside, the amount of plain light tan walls everywhere was surprising. The gray stone archways and ribs holding up the high vault ceiling are beautiful, while seeming strangely plain. There are also some beautiful stained glass windows letting light in from the outside.

Choir area to the left of Brunelleschi’s Dome

There are a series of twelve marble statues inside the Duomo, created by a variety of artists in the 16th Century. These are marvelous pieces of art and fairly large. However, because of the size of the Duomo, they aren’t immediately obvious.

Compared to many of the churches and cathedrals that I’ve visited, the inside of the Duomo seemed understated. I think that’s what I liked so much about it. From the outside, every inch of the exterior is covered with an elaborate marble cladding. The front of the Duomo has statues everywhere and the doors are enormous and elaborate.

But inside, it’s beauty is in the relative simplicity. Sure there are still stained glass windows, statues and tapestries, but when taking it in as a whole, those things complement the cathedral well instead of overwhelm it.

Statue of Pope Eugene IV on the front of the Duomo

The one element of the inside of the cathedral that is a bit showy is the painting of the Last Judgement in Brunelleschi’s Dome. However, you need to position yourself underneath it in order to view it. You would never see it while seated in a pew during Mass.

It’s actually a perfect example of the purpose of a Cathedral. For the citizens of Florence, this is the center of their community, it is a source of their pride. The exterior shows off the craftsmanship and labor of centuries of artists, artisans and laborers. But the inside, that’s for worship. Despite, the frescoes and the statues, the focus is most definitely on the altar and the priest performing Mass and ultimately that is the most important function of a Cathedral.

Exploring Vernazza: A Seaside Gem in Cinque Terre

Posted on December 13, 2024March 5, 2025 by David Cox

Vernazza is a gorgeous village along the coast in the Liguria Region of Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up Cinque Terre which is both an Italian national park and a UNESCO world heritage site. It has a population of about 700 and dates back almost a thousand years. Traditionally, Vernazza was a town that relied upon fishing, olive oil and wine production. Although those industries still exist today, Vernazza is now mostly a tourist destination.

Getting to Vernazza

The only practical way to get to Vernazza is by train. Technically you can drive to Vernazza, but it takes twice as long and parking would be a challenge. To enter Cinque Terre National Park, you must enter the park through La Spezia on the south end of the park or Lavanto on the north end. You can buy a day pass for unlimited rides on the Cinque Terre Express in either of those towns. You can also buy them through the Trenitalia app.

Buildings were built into the hillside in Vernazza.

During high season (basically April through October), trains run every 20 minutes. During the off season, they run either every 30 or 60 minutes. You should keep a general idea of when the next train will arrive so that you don’t find yourself waiting too long for a train between towns.

For up to date timetable and prices for the trains in Cinque Terre, visit the official website.

Experiencing Vernazza

The Cinque Terre Express lets off right in the middle of the town. From the moment you descend from the train platform, you are surrounded by four story buildings on either side and terraced vineyards behind you. In front is Via Roma, the main road through Vernazza that slowly descends into the Ligurian Sea.

Walking down Via Roma, there are restaurants and gelato shops on both sides. What caught my eye was the focaccia shops. Who doesn’t love focaccia after all?

Bell Tower at Chiesa di Santa Margherita d’Antiochia

It doesn’t take too much of a walk down Via Roma before you reach the harbor which is the centerpiece of the town. There are no large boats in the marina, it’s mostly just small fishing boats.

Directly in front of the marina is a plaza lined with restaurants, bars and shops. To the right is a church from the middle ages called Chiesa di Santa Margherita d’Antiochi. In the front of the plaza is a small beach and to the left is a walkway on the wing dam that protects the harbor. The boats are tied to the walkway on the wing dam.

Doria Tower

Standing in the plaza by the marina, I noticed a sign pointing up an alley that said something about a castle and I was curious. Four of us decided to find out what that was so we walked up a lot of steps through the alleyway and ended up at a ticket booth where a guy was selling entrance tickets to Castle Doria for 2 euros. We paid the two Euros and proceeded up into the castle.

The castle itself isn’t terribly impressive other than its location. It is built in the 11th Century as a defense against pirates. It was last used during World War II, when the Germans stationed anti-aircraft weapons there.

It mostly consists of a single tower and a stone platform. What makes it great is that it is perched on the side of the cliff next to Vernazza and makes for tremendous views. It not only provides a great view of Vernazza but you can also see Monterosso when looking North along the coast.

Chiesa Di Santa Margherita D’Antiochia

Following our trek to the top of Doria Tower, we walked across the plaza by the marina to take a look inside the Chiesa di Santa Margherita d’Antiochia.

The Chiesa di Santa Margherita D’Antiochia is a church built sometime around 1,300 AD. It is built directly on the marina in Vernazza. The church has gone through a series of renovations over the years, but still maintains a fairly rustic feel.

What I love about this church is the stone walls and the large stone archways holding up the wooden ceiling. I think the thing that is most striking about the church is what it lacks. You won’t see any of the giant stained glass windows, frescoes and statues that are so typical of European cathedrals and churches.

Crucifix at Chiesa do Santa Margherita D’Antiochia

What you do notice are some plain crucifixes, some small shrines, and a fairly basic altar. There are some plain wooden pews lined in rows on a stone floor. It’s dimly lit and has only a couple of arched window openings, although without glass. It is precisely what I would imagine a pre-renaissance church to be like. It was truly a treat to visit.

Windows at Chiesa di Santa Margarita di Antiochia

Leaving too Early

After visiting the church, we stopped in for a drink at a bar by the marina. We took a table in the plaza and it was an lovely day to do so. Even though it was in November, the temperature was in the mid-60s, the sun was shining and there was very little wind. It was an ideal day to sit and enjoy a beer. We also snacked on some fried frutti di mare, which had a variety of fried octopus, squid, crab, and fish served like street food in a paper cup from one of the local shops.

After the drink and a snack we decided that we wanted to go to Monterosso for lunch so we hopped on the train to go there. That turned out to be something that we regretted a little. Monterosso is a bit of a beach town and I think visiting it in November probably isn’t seeing it when it’s at its best. Its lovely but in the end it just didn’t seem to have the same charm as Vernazza, and we quickly started to wish we had stayed a little longer in Vernazza.

Cinque Terre Should Be More Than A Day Trip

We only had three full days in Florence and we devoted one of those days to this day trip to Cinque Terre. I’m glad we went, but in the end, I think we really need to devote three days to Cinque Terre to fully appreciate it. We only visited two of the five towns and it felt rushed.

Hillside Vineyards overlook the marina in Vernazza

There is an old trail that connects the five towns and I would love to spend three days hiking between the towns and really getting to know each town more than what you can in just a few hours. Each town has it’s own unique character and breathtaking views of the Ligurian Sea.

If you plan to visit Cinque Terre, but you only have a single day, I would suggest that you pick just one town and really enjoy as much as you can. I thought Vernazza was a beautiful place, and would be a great choice if you were going to select just one town.

Cinque Terre itself, however, is one of those bucket list locations that any world traveler should visit. The old world charm, the beauty, and the fact that these amazing towns are precariously perched on hillsides overlooking the Mediterranean Sea demonstrate why this area is both a National Park and a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s just an amazing place to visit and I can’t wait to return.

Mercato Centrale in Florence is Fantastic!

Posted on November 29, 2024 by David Cox

We usually make it a point to visit a local market when we are traveling. For example, we’ve visited the Viktualienmarkt in Munich, the farmer’s market in Grecia Costa Rica and the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto. Of all of the markets that we’ve visited, Mercato Centrale in Florence is my favorite. If you’re planning to spend some time in Florence, this needs to be one of your stops.

Where is Mercato Centrale?

Mercato Centrale is about a 5 minute walk northwest of the Duomo in Florence. It’s also about a 5-10 minute walk east on Via Nationale from Santa Maria Novella Train Station.

Just outside of the Mercato Centrale is San Lorenzo Market. This market surrounds Mercato Centrale on three sides. It consists of leather vendors selling jackets, backpacks, purses and belts. These vendors tend to get a little aggressive as you’re walking through, but not too aggressive. From what I can tell, and I’m no expert, but the leather vendors appear to be primarily selling high quality leather goods made in Italy.

The Ground Floor is for High Quality Groceries

You will have to go through San Lorenzo Market to get into the Mercato Centrale building. The building is a huge two story iron and glass building with massive amounts of space for a variety of vendors. On the ground floor there are fishmongers, butchers and produce vendors as well as specialty stalls selling wine, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Unless you’re visiting Florence for a long period of time, and will be buying some groceries for your Airbnb, this area won’t be that useful. It is, however, fascinating to see the kinds of fresh fish, meats and produce that are available in the market. Fishmongers sell a variety of fish, as well as prawns, octopus, and clams.

Some of the available fish at a Fishmonger stall

The butchers, of course, are ready to cut meat to order. As a tourist, however, you might be more interested in picking up some cured meat that you will see hanging from the top of many of the stalls. You will also find cheesemakers in the market selling a variety of cheeses that are local to Tuscany. If you pick up a baguette from a baker at the market you can probably put together one of the best sandwiches you’ve ever made. By the way, if you have a long train ride out of Florence, putting together some sandwiches for the trip can make that train ride extra enjoyable.

If you’re bringing a checked bag, and would like to bring a bottle of wine home, I would suggest checking out the wine shop. Any wines that are truly local will be marked with a designation of DOC or DOCG. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata which basically just means that it’s up to quality standards for a wine of that region. DOCG essentially means the same thing but it adds ‘Garantita’ (guaranteed) to the end meaning that it has higher standards than DOC. Also, if you don’t have room in your checked bag, you can always just drink a bottle or two, no one’s stopping you, you are in Florence after all.

The more likely thing you might want to pack in a checked bag would be balsamic vinegar and olive oil. If you’re used to the olive oil that you find at an American supermarket, Italian olive oil is an eye opener. I’m used to the flavorless olive oil from Aldi, and essentially every restaurant we went to in Italy would have a bottle of olive oil sitting on the table that was just outstanding. People who brag about the quality of olive oil in Italy aren’t lying, seriously, grab a bottle, throw it in your suitcase, you won’t regret it (unless it breaks during the flight of course).

The Second Floor is for Prepared Food

All of that being said, we didn’t spend much time on the first floor. We weren’t planning to cook and I didn’t bring a checked bag, so the place that I really loved was the second level.

The second level is primarily devoted to prepared food. It’s a great place to get a snack or a full meal.

Cafeteria seating on the second floor with additional seating on the third floor

The first thing I noticed, and immediately went to, was the bar. I love craft beer, and when you’re in Italy, it’s not the easiest thing to find. However, the bar at the market has a number of beers on tap and even more in the bottle. The owner of the bar does an excellent job of choosing beers that not only cover a variety of styles, but also compliment the prepared food by the other vendors on the second level. He also has chosen beer that is of good very good quality, including some Trappist ales.

We sat down at one of the tables, and a server came out to take a drink order. I think you can order food from the vendors from the table, but we just chose to get up and look around and order it from the counters. I wanted to get a good look at all of the available food, anyway.

Scattered around the second level you will find vegan options, sushi, barbecue, and burgers. If you are looking for something a little more Italian, you will find crostini, arancini, and lots of sandwiches made with schiacciata and focaccia.

Sandwiches, Quiche and Baked Goods at Mercato Centrale

We visited the Mercato twice during our trip, and the first time I grabbed an arancini on the way out of the door. It was so good. It had just a little bit of ham and some cheese rolled up in a rice ball and fried. That was the first arancini I had ever tried and after that I was grabbing one wherever I found them.

On the second trip to the market, I grabbed some smaller arancini made with meat and tomato sauce and some fried stuffed olives. They were good as well, but I definitely preferred the arancini with the ham and cheese.

Lorenzo de Medici Cooking School

Also on the second floor is the Lorenzo de Medici cooking school. The cooking school offers two hour classes that instruct students on how to make a Italian Dishes. These dishes include pasta, bread, and desserts. Most of the classes cost 80 euros to attend, but some are a little more expensive. A full list of the classes being offered can be found on their website.

Visiting Mercato Centrale is a Must

If you are going to Florence for longer than a couple of days and you love food or wine, you absolutely have to go Mercato Centrale. If you will be in Florence for a week and have access to a kitchen I would absolutely pick up some groceries from the first floor of the market. They are of high quality and you will have an opportunity to talk with the vendors to get some input on how you should use their products.

If you are like us and only have a few days in Florence, you still should go, but the second floor is where you will probably want to spend your time. There is a variety of prepared food that should allow for you to do some taste testing and really try some foods that you might not normally order in a restaurant. And, of course, if you’re a beer lover, you’ll want to check out the bar. It’s got a great selection of beer and will be a nice change of pace from all of the Italian pilsners that you’ll drink while in Italy.

Also, if you have time, you might want to check out the cooking school. If we had been in Florence longer than three days, I might’ve done a class. Who doesn’t want to learn to cook like an Italian after all?

We Loved our 25 Hour KLM Stopover in Amsterdam

Posted on November 21, 2024November 21, 2024 by David Cox

Amsterdam is a city that I’ve dreamed of visiting for decades. The center of Amsterdam is a magical area where the canals and the buildings that line them are practically frozen in the 17th Century, when merchants trading goods from Asia brought wealth to the Netherlands. It was amazing to visit Amsterdam, even though it was a short stopover.

Taking Advantage of KLM Stopover Rules

We had the opportunity to take a 25 hour stopover on our way to Rome. When we planned our trip to Rome, there was a flight we liked from Chicago to Rome, but the layover in Amsterdam was only a little over an hour. That was a dangerous connection since we would have to go through immigration and security. We might’ve made it, but any delay would have made it close to impossible.

Our solution to the short layover was to fly in a day earlier and use KLM’s stopover rules to our advantage. KLM gives flyers the ability to stop in Amsterdam for up to 12 months on flight itineraries that stop in Amsterdam. This adjustment meant that we had a day in Amsterdam to defeat jet lag and do some wandering.

Check out this post for more information about how we booked the KLM stopover in Amsterdam.

Arriving in Amsterdam

The KLM flight from Chicago to Amsterdam was comfortable and we landed at the airport without incident. Amsterdam has fantastic train service at the airport and in less than 20 minutes we were at Amsterdam Centraal for about 5 Euros a ticket.

We stayed at the Kimpton De Witt near Amsterdam Centraal train station. They were gracious enough to find us a vacant room and allow us to check in at around 8:30 AM. The staff was very nice and even gave us a 15 Euro drink credit for using the current Kimpton Password.

What is the Kimpton Secret Password?

Kimpton has a secret password program that allows guests to get a little something extra if they know the secret password and tell it to the clerk when checking in. It's meant to be a fun little way to create a little buzz for the hotel. 

MyPointsLife.com has an nice article with more information about the Kimpton Secret Password.

We dropped our luggage off at the room, took a quick shower and we were off and running.

Walking the Canals

We were planning to take a nap, since we, as usual, were unable to sleep on the overnight flight. But first we wanted to walk along the canals and, more importantly, get some breakfast.

Wheels of Gouda are on display at a traditional cheese maker near our hotel.

The place we stopped at was a small but very busy breakfast restaurant called Omelegg. Seating there was a bit of a challenge. We ended up having to sit next to each other at a booth because the other side had a bench that was being used by a different table. It was a little awkward, but it was fine.

Jenn ordered the Italian Job and I got the Chicken Harissa omelette. Both were very good and served with soft slice of dark wheat bread and an arugula salad.

Row houses right on a canal. Watch out that first step out the front door is a little tricky.

The Kimpton De Witt is right on the edge of the Red Light District, so most of what we noticed at the beginning of our walk was a whole lot of weed shops and erotic boutiques. We also noticed more litter than I was used to seeing in Europe. There was a pretty pungent smell of marijuana in the air as well as cigarette smoke.

While those things are a little unpleasant, Amsterdam is so unbelievably gorgeous it easily makes up for those shortcomings. The canal houses with their narrow five story design, brick exterior and big windows are beautiful. The tree lined canals and herringbone pattern brick streets make for an amazing backdrop for a sunny crisp fall walk.

It’s nice to walk without a purpose or direction. We wandered the brick streets admiring the houseboats and tiny cars that lined the edges of the canals. It was a fairly peaceful walk with only the occasional car, bike or pedestrian that went past us. After about an hour the jet lag caught up with us and we returned to the hotel for a nap.

Trying Amsterdam Beer Culture

Scharrebiersluis bridge along the way from the hotel to Brouwerij’t Ij is a drawbridge built in 1906.

After our nap, we headed over to Brouwerij’t Ij. It was about a 25 minute walk from the hotel but a lot of it went through some gorgeous newer neighborhoods. Even though these neighborhoods didn’t have 400 year old row houses, the buildings kept the spirit of Amsterdam architecture. Many of them were block long buildings, instead of the narrow and tall buildings but they still were mostly 5 stories with shops on the first floor.

The De Gooyer Windmill sits behind Brouwerij’t Ij is the tallest wooden windmill in the Netherlands at 26.6 meters tall.

When we arrived at Brouwerij’t IJ I ordered a Tripel and Jenn ordered the Columbus. I loved the Tripel because it had less funk then many of the tripels that I’ve had in the past. Jenn had the Columbus which is an hoppy imperial beer which she also enjoyed. We sat out in their beer garden and watched traffic along the street which was mostly pedestrians and cyclists. It was lovely and we would’ve stayed longer but I wanted to check out Gollum Aan Het Water.

The beer and the atmosphere at Brouwerij’t Ij was great. I would recommend visiting when you are in Amsterdam.

Gollum has a series of bars around Amsterdam with an impressive beer selection, especially in bottles. Gollum was on my list of places that I really wanted to visit in Amsterdam. I was hoping to try some Belgian Ales that don’t make it to the US.

Just a portion of the amazing beer selection at Gollum Aan Het Water

We started with a Rochfort and an Orval then moved onto some regional craft beers and other Belgian Ales. The quality and variety of the beers served at Gollum was off the charts so I was a bit of a kid in a candy store.

Orval is a beer produced at Orval Abbey in Wallonia Belgium and the sale of the beer helps support the monastery.

To be fair, we had perhaps too many beers at Gollum. As is sometimes the case with us, we got to chatting with other folks at the bar. We met a nice gentleman, originally from England, and his Bernese Mountain dog as well as a couple of guys from North Carolina. The bartender was extremely friendly as well.

It’s always tough to drag ourselves away when conversation flows as easy as the beer. It’s even harder when those conversations are with interesting people from various countries.

Eventually, a little tipsy, we pulled ourselves away from Gollum we walked back towards the hotel. By this time, it was evening and the lights of Amsterdam were dancing on the ripples of the canals. Amsterdam is lovely during the day, but it’s even more enchanting at night. The wind was calm and the air was a touch chilly. It was a perfect night for a lovely walk through Amsterdam.

Montelbaanstoren, a tower dating to the 16th century is illuminated in the evening.

On our way back, we popped into a fast food Kebab place to fill up on hummus, falafel and fries. It hit the spot. I have yet to be disappointed by a middle eastern food in Europe. It is always so good and this was no exception.

Every McDonald’s in America should be replaced by Turkish Street Food – Immediately!

We Will Definitely Return

Doing a stopover in Amsterdam turned out to be a fantastic addition to our trip to Italy. It allowed us to enjoy one of Europe’s great cities without devoting a week to it.

Amsterdam did not disappoint us. Despite our initial negative reactions to the litter and smoke clouds in the Red Light District, Amsterdam is an almost magical city. The architecture, canals, the sheer volume of bikes just make for a uniquely Dutch experience.

We most definitely will be visiting Europe in the future and knowing just how great a stopover in Amsterdam can be, I think there is a good chance we will do this again. Next time, though, we might have to spend two days instead of one.