Mountains and Lakes and Opera, oh my!
Solglio Switzerland
The 2008 trip started with our staying for several days in one of the oldest, historic hotels in Switzerland. The Palazzo Salis in the village of Solglio was built in 1630 and has been a hotel for more than 100 years. (www.palazzosalis.ch)
The village is built with winding stone roads, breathtaking views, incredible hiking and sight-seeing opportunities. The IDC enjoyed experiencing life in an idealistic Swiss community.
The hotel has a incredible restaurant that specialized in wild game and locally grown produce.
The village is built with winding stone roads, breathtaking views, incredible hiking and sight-seeing opportunities. The IDC enjoyed experiencing life in an idealistic Swiss community.
The hotel has a incredible restaurant that specialized in wild game and locally grown produce.
Segantini Museum in St. Ritz
We traveled through the areas of the Alps painted by artist Giovanni Segantini who is known as "the painter of Alps" and visited his museum in St. Ritz. Giovanni Segantini was born in 1858 in Arco, Italy. As an orphan with uncertain family relations, he was brought to a reform school where a priest noticed his talent for drawing. In 1874, Segantini began studying at the art academy Brera in Milan where he achieved his first artistic successes. In 1877, he met Luigia Bugatti, with whom he had four children. He lived with his family in Pusiano in Brianza from 1880 until 1886, then left his family to live in Switzerland. He is considered a Symbolist with his most well known works consisting of three parts: "Life," "Nature," and "Death." These paintings were produced between 1896 and 1899 and are in the possession of the Segantini Museum in St. Moritz. He died on September 28, 1899, at the Schafberg near Pontresina.
Lunch was on Rigi Mountain, know as the Queen of the Mountains. We traveled up via cable car to Berggasthaus Unterstetten, a family run, cozy mountain guesthouse with a panoramic sun terrace.
Lunch was on Rigi Mountain, know as the Queen of the Mountains. We traveled up via cable car to Berggasthaus Unterstetten, a family run, cozy mountain guesthouse with a panoramic sun terrace.
Bellagio, Lake Como Italy
Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction. Lake Como is in the northern Italian Lakes District and lies between Milan and the border of Switzerland. Currently, many celebrities have or had homes on the shores of Lake Como,(George Clooney, Gianni Versace, Sylvester Stallone). We did not meet any celebrities on our visit.
This breath-taking lake is widely regarded as being one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy.
The IDC stayed at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni. The Grand Hotel is one of the most well-known and prestigious hotels in the world. The hotel dates back over 100 years when in 1850 construction work started on this luxurious holiday villa on the banks of the lake for an aristocratic family from Milan. (http://www.villaserbelloni.com)
This breath-taking lake is widely regarded as being one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy.
The IDC stayed at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni. The Grand Hotel is one of the most well-known and prestigious hotels in the world. The hotel dates back over 100 years when in 1850 construction work started on this luxurious holiday villa on the banks of the lake for an aristocratic family from Milan. (http://www.villaserbelloni.com)
Mistral Ristorante
Our dinner that evening offered a unique "molecular cuisine" menu only accomplished by a few European chefs, such as Ettore Bocchia, considered the prime expert in Italy. The Mistral Ristorante is located Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, The wood paneled walls of the restaurant and nautical decor evoke an image of great lake steamers of the past. Mistral is a holder of a star in the Michelin Guide. Chef Ettore Bocchia is not only passionate about Mediterranean cuisine but the menu offers a tasting menu of molecular cuisine (of which Ettore Bocchia is the prime expert in Italy) along with traditionally inspired dishes which follow the seasons. The tasting menu offered seven courses, including home-made nitrogen-frozen ice cream with tasted almonds and raspberry sauce. (www.ristorante-mistral.com/)
Milano, Italy
We arrived in Milano on the 28th of September and spent the next day touring the city and shopping. Milan is the second largest city in Italy and the capitol of the Lombardy Region.
One of the main attractions of the old city is the Duomo di Milano in Duomo Square, Milan's main cathedral. Duomo di Milano is a massive late Gothic church started in 1386 in white marble, with hundreds of spires and thousands of statues on its exterior and famous facade. The fun fact is that all the work on the church has been done by the same family through the centuries and has never been "completed" since it began in 1386.
Our last evening we attended the Scala Opera House. La Scala is a world renowned opera houses in Milan, Italy, inaugurated on 3 August 1778. During the day we had a private tour of the Scala Museum and a history lesson on the colorful past of the opera house, which also served as a gambling casino during its day. We returned that evening to experience the opera.
Later that night drinks at the Four Seasons Hotel where models and designers ending Fashion Week came to celebrate before moving on to Paris . The Four Seasons in Milan sits on the site of a 14th century convent and still contains some of the original walls with frescoes and the original courtyard.
One of the main attractions of the old city is the Duomo di Milano in Duomo Square, Milan's main cathedral. Duomo di Milano is a massive late Gothic church started in 1386 in white marble, with hundreds of spires and thousands of statues on its exterior and famous facade. The fun fact is that all the work on the church has been done by the same family through the centuries and has never been "completed" since it began in 1386.
Our last evening we attended the Scala Opera House. La Scala is a world renowned opera houses in Milan, Italy, inaugurated on 3 August 1778. During the day we had a private tour of the Scala Museum and a history lesson on the colorful past of the opera house, which also served as a gambling casino during its day. We returned that evening to experience the opera.
Later that night drinks at the Four Seasons Hotel where models and designers ending Fashion Week came to celebrate before moving on to Paris . The Four Seasons in Milan sits on the site of a 14th century convent and still contains some of the original walls with frescoes and the original courtyard.