Trip to Mantua

Last monday we made a short trip to Mantua (Mantova) which is about half an hour drive from Verona. Once home of the Gonzaga family,  Mantua is a beautiful little town with many "treasures". Museums, palaces, a beautiful park, unique landscapes (it lies on a sort of island on the river Mincio) and many special events throughout the year. 

While Verona is quite busy with tourism, Mantua preserves a very cosy small town feeling. Food is delicious here with many typical trattorie... and shopping under the porticoes is really tempting with so many shops, many of which are independent.

Palazzo Verità Poeta #2

I cannot keep myself from posting another photo from Palazzo Verità Poeta. 

This is such a fine painting that has recently been restored by our friend Giovanna. It is one of the frescoes on the staircase. At first glance I was struck by the dog and the countryside view. At second glance I noticed the skorpion...

Palazzo Verità Poeta

Yesterday morning me and my husband were lucky enough to escape the rain and visit a spectacular historical palace. Right in the heart of town, the Palazzo Verità Poeta is a fine XVIII century building, home of one of the oldest noble families of Verona. 

Emanuele Bevilacqua, offspring of the Verità Poeta family, has thoroughly restored the palace to its original splendour with the help of a mutual friend, Giovanna, a skilled art restorer. Today this noble mansion is no longer inhabited  but it is a renowned venue for the finest receptions: dream wedding parties, classical concerts, special meetings and so on. 

He invited us in to see the latest works being carried out by Giovanna in the ancient cellars where a roman wall is still to be seen. 

After about an hour spent chatting in the Salone delle Feste (while the fabulous cotto tiles were being polished to reveal a glossy surface) ...I began to daydream... I saw our furniture scattered in this 120 square meters salon...and it was time to go... Wake up Valeria!

 

Museo di Storia Naturale

Yesterday we visited the Natural Science Museum. It's not too big but it has a long history and quite interesting collections. Francesco Calzolari, a veronese chemist, was among the first in Europe to establish a small natural science museum in the sixteenth century. Throughout the centuries other naturalists continued to care for and improve the original collection.

There is a huge collection of fossils from Bolca which show that millions of years ago the whole Pianura Padana was sea! 

This photo shows another stunning piece: the skeleton head of a huge Mammouth found a few km from Verona!

Ciao Bella!

Rally Storico Due Valli

If you were in Piazza Bra yesterday afternoon you would have seen the start of the "Due Valli" classic car rally race on the hills around Verona.

I liked this Fiat 124 Abarth more than the Porsches... My husband used to have one: I loved to drive in this car: it made any places we visited more romantic and added a special quality to my memories.

Theme day: GLASS

The loveliest, little and colourful antique glass in town. They sell a huge variety of typical Venetian glass, manufactured in Murano.

...and what about that small back door with the beautiful green leaves?...

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants