We spent two weeks in northern Italy at the beginning of November and I figured I’d try to return some of the great advice that we got on WB that helped us enormously in our planning (and I figured I’d start a new thread, but can move this over to another if that would be more useful).
Milan
- Stayed at the Principe di Savoia for one night after we arrived, then the Four Seasons for two nights at the end of our trip. The Principe was very nice and a relative value compared to the 4S, although both were nice stays.
- Dinner the night we arrived at El Brellin – Very nice meal. Tagliatelle Ragu Ossobuco was a standout.
- We went to see a performance of Mahler’s 3d at the Teatro alla Scala. Gorgeous space, and we quite enjoyed the performance. Definitely recommend seeing something at La Scala when you are in town.
- Late Dinner after La Scala – DVCA – Beautiful fresh seafood, nice service, vibrant atmosphere. Definitely recommend.
- Dinner our last night in Italy – Daniel Canzian – chef’s counter – We had the “menu iconico” tasting with pairings. Quite enjoyable interacting with the chef, and the meal was creative and good, but I thought somewhat uneven. On the fence about whether I’d go back.
Bologna
- We took the fast train from Milan to Bologna, and I must say that our overall experience on the intercity trains was great. The Trenitalia app is easy and intuitive. Trains were nice at the different levels. All very smooth and convenient.
- In Bologna, to slightly compensate for our fancy hotel choices in Milan and Venice, we got an AirB&B right in the center of the city at the Residence Le Porte – good value for about €250 per night, two bedrooms/bathrooms with a small living area. (BTW, it was on the Via De’Giudei in the old ghetto.)
- Our first night in Bologna (which was Halloween), we actually went to see The Cure at Unipol Arena out in the ‘burbs. Excellent show.
- Probably our favorite dinners in Bologna were at Sette Tavoli, a lovely small restaurant with, well, seven tables, that we went to twice. The cotoletta Bolognese was exceptional and a 2015 Quintarelli Valpolicella was excellent at €96.
- We did a pasta-making class with Carmelita of Cook Italy that was actually successful in producing a delicious lunch. We went with her to do shopping for ingredients in the market, which was a nice way to get to know the city a bit and learn which of the shops were legit and which were tourist traps. For example, she recommended hitting Simoni for lunch, which we did later in the trip, and the porchetta and the focaccia stuffed with ragu Bolognese were amazing.
- Another dinner was at Trattoria da Gianni, which has a very classic Bolognese menu. The rabbit was particularly good, as was the poached pear dessert.
- Our favorite place for cocktails was Velluto, and we also liked Dal Sarto. We went for some local jazz at Cantina Bentivoglio. The food was nothing special, but the wine list was great. 2014 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Pajè for €45.
Ferrara & Modena
- We did Ferrara and Modena as day trips by train from Bologna. Again, the trains were very easy and convenient.
- In Ferrara, the Jewish Museum and the Museo della Cattedrale were both worthwhile. Otherwise it was pretty sleepy when we were there (even Copernicus’s wine bar was closed).
- In Modena, we went to the Museo Enzo Ferrari, the highlight of which was probably the F1 simulator. The Duomo is also very worthwhile. Nice small city to walk around; a little more so than Ferrara was, for us.
- Scored a last-minute lunch reservation at Osteria Francescana - we did some of the classics - very nice meal, but not sure I’d run back. The 2011 Foradori Nosiola Fontanasanta and the 2015 Percarlo were both drinking great though.
Venice
- We splurged for the Aman, which is a lovely palazzo on the Grand Canal. Great stay, with really the highlight being how calm and comfortable it was. Just don’t think about the prices.
- We ate one dinner, a lunch, and breakfasts at Arva at the hotel, which was very good, but not sure I’d seek it out if we weren’t staying there. Although if you are looking for a quiet place to have drinks, the bar is nice.
- Sightseeing highlights were the Peggy Guggenheim, the Chiesa Santa Maria Della Salute with great Titian ceiling paintings, taking the vaporetto to Murano for lunch at Trattoria Busa Alla Torre and wandering around, and San Giorgio Maggiore for the Ai Wei Wei exhibit and the views from the campanile.
- For no good reason we had negronis at Harry’s Bar, but enjoyed the Corner Pub for cicchetti and spritzes/beers far more.
- Had dinner at Taverna San Trovaso, which was fine, but nothing to write home about for us.
- Our dinner at Osteria Alle Testiere was our favorite in Venice by far. Great service, mind-blowing langoustine and razor clams, excellent wine. All around great. If you need to cool your heels before Testiere opens, the Inishark Irish Pub across the alley is very pleasant.
- The Black Jack wine bar near the Rialto was also a good stop.
- Our last dinner in Venice was at Ai Mercanti. Kind of a hipsterish vibe (not in a bad way). Super interesting wine list (we had a Le Due Terre - Pinot Nero 2018) and very creative food. Would definitely go back.
Really a lovely trip. I’m ready to head back.
Cheers.
Al
