Furniculare in Switzerland

We stopped by at Lake Maggiore for 2 nights on the way back from Italy to Germany. It was a delight to discover these trams running up and down the hill (especially for Kurtan). This place had such a resemblance to Hong Kong, with the tram at a crazy angle and the dark green forestation (who would've thought!).



By the way, itt's not just the train that is impressive. The view is not to be forgotten either...

Cinque Terre

Delicate and delicious!

Monterosso in Cinque Terre had surprisingly high standard food for being an over-touristic destination (we thought we arrived in Disneyland from the amount of Americans we encountered!).

After a gorgeous day on the beach, we had dinner at a Michelen rated restaurant called Miky. The food was so good that even Kurtan ate the octopus potato salad.



Miky
Address： Via Fegina, 104, 19016 Monterosso al Mare SP, Italy
Phone: +39 0187 81 7608

Beach time in Monterosso

Monterosso had a really nice beach, with a good amount of Italian people.

There was a group of some fit but mostly unfit women jumping off the cliff far away. Good going!

This view!

Taken upon arriving at our hotel in Cinque Terre. It was probably the most torturous drive to get to the hotel on top of the cliff. Every 2 minutes you or the other driver has to back up 10m or more to not fall into the ocean. But this view!

Albergo Cavallino

We loved this place! They serve hand made pasta with thoughtful appetizers, and super nice atmosphere and service. The peach dessert may have been top 5 desserts in my life (although Kurtan ate most of it). The only thing is that unless you are staying at a hotel nearby this part of Lake Garda, the driving needs care. If you take the wrong road (or the local road through the small old towns), the non-driver will have to stick his/her head out for more than 10 minutes (especially with a German car) - go into the village through the further route aiming for the golf course, and park your car near the big church (if you know which one I mean).

Albergo Cavallino
Address: Via Cecina 10, 25088 Toscolano Maderno BS, Italy
Phone: +39 0365 642072

Lake Garda

Local hand made pasta with fish from the lake.

Agriturismo at Lake Garda

In Garda Lake, we stayed on top of the hill overlooking lake, at an agriturismo called Cervano. It was indeed agri-turistic, with expected farm animals around from donkeys to goats to ponies. The place is gigantic and has been in posession of a guy named Gino ('s family for the last 200 years), who was super nice and also educational. He said all the villages around the lake live on top of the hill, because the area used to be divided into two districts, the other side being Venetian until Napoleon took over and unified. Because of the divide, there were pirates from both sides crossing the lake thus it was more convenient to be vigilant from way above so that you can prepare for any raids. He said the raids have stopped once the area was unified, because you will get caught under the same law. Very logical (and educational, for us!).

Fiori Chiari Restaurant in Milan

My colleague Paola who is from Milan recommended me this restaurant Fiori Chiari. It is in the Berrera District which is more local (it looked), and each restaurant was small and in the back streets. It was more new style food and super fresh and clean (as if you're going healthy in Italy).

We walked there from the Duomo, which somehow matched the time of the very well dressed Italian workers coming out to the streets in mass for lunch, so it was great sightseeing as well!

Fiori Chiari
Address: Via Fiori Chiari 13, 20121 Milano
Phone: +39 02 3663 0635

No words needed

A breakfast sandwich at the Windsor Hotel's Clotilde Bistrot in Milan. The place was so good, we went both mornings we were in town. The great thing here is that while it looks new and a place for the young(-ish), there are plenty of old local men and women with a newspaper or a dog that (seem to) come everyday (which is what a tourist to Italy would like to see!).

Clotilde Bistrot
Address: Via Galileo Galilei 2, 20124 Milan, Italy
Phone: 02 634 6804

Always impressive

and scary (the pigeons)... In Milan.

Lake Como

Our first stop of our long awaited honeymoon was Lake Como. We stayed in the mid part of the lake in a town called Termezzo (in the celebrity map of Lake Como, nearest to Daniel Craig's place). So happy to be here finally!