Love, Florence (January 2015)

Florence. The birthplace of Renaissance. From the start of our planning sessions, as an art lover, I have always wanted Krz to visit this astounding city.


Getting Ready

Since Florence is farther north than Rome, and is located in a valley, the temperature here is a bit colder. We prepared for the colder weather by wearing our thicker down jacket on our way to Florence. We also prepared our umbrellas as it was supposed to rain based on the weather forecast.


Transportation

Taking the train to Florence from Rome was more practical and economical for us. Plus, it was a more scenic ride than plane. We acquired tickets online via Trenitalia for the the train from Rome's Termini Station to Santa Maria Novella station in Florence. When purchasing you would need to indicate the Italian name of the city or the station you are coming from and going to, so a little research will do the trick. The train we rode was a Frecciarossa - a high speed train servicing Rome and Florence. The ticket cost us 38 euros each, a bit cheaper than buying onsite (42 euros).

Picture with Frecciarossa

In Florence, automobiles are not allowed within the historic center to preserve all of the structures (Florence' historic center is a UNESCO Heritage site). There is really no need for any public transportation if you are planning to visit the city center as everything is of walking distance from one another. Florence was by far the most pedestrian friendly city I visited.

First selfie in Florence

Accommodations

For our accommodations, I tried looking at one of the popular hostels in Florence. A little bit of research here and there, reading reviews from TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet led me to book our overnight stay at Hostel Archi Rossi. It was quite near the train station so we had no trouble finding it. We were surprised though when upon checking in, the person in the front desk told us that our reservation was for a different hotel - Hotel Cia Mara. Apparently, Hotel Cia Mara was a sister hotel of Archi Rossi and we were automatically bumped into this elegant hotel. We were offered a room at the top floor with a great view of Florence's roof tops.


Attractions Visited

Florence is a museum in itself. We didn't bother to buy tickets for the Uffizi Gallery and the Galleria dell'Academia where Michelangelo's David is housed since we just wanted to walk around and admire Florentine architecture.

There were a lot of free things to do in Florence - churches, open air galleries and piazzas. The dome of Il Duomo, Florence's Cathedral, is impressive and dominates the Florence skyline. There is so much art in the structure, our eyes grew tired just by looking at it.

Il Duomo

In front of the cathedral was the Campanile, built by Giotto. It was an artwork in itself, featuring Gothic style architecture in Florence.

Giotto's Campanile

The third centerpiece in the piazza is the Baptistry. Unfortunately, we were not able to see the grandeur of the building as it was currently being restored and was covered by scaffolding at the time of our visit. We were, however, able to take the picture of the famous door of the Baptistry. The door was part of a competition at the time which was participated by Donatello, Brunelleschi and Ghiberti. The winner of the competition, Ghiberti, depicted the life of Christ in the door as well as other bible scenes.

Ghiberti's Bronze Door of the Baptistry

Before heading to the other attractions, we gathered all our courage and bought Florence's famous gelato. Amidst the cold weather, we did not think twice to eat this treat to complete our Florentine experience. Yes, it was cold. Yes, our hands were freezing, but it was all worth it. Krz had the Vanilla flavor (her favorite) and I tried the Pistachio flavor. We were not disappointed, by far the best gelato I had ever tasted.

Gelato in Florence

By the time we arrived at Chiesa Orsanmichele, our whole body was freezing from eating the gelato. We gladly went inside the church, sat down and enjoyed the warmth it has to offer. Once we stopped shivering, we were at awe of the Gothic feel of the church. Though the church is not really a main tourist attraction, it was well worth the visit to see the beautiful altar inside. Also, it was well worth the visit to see the 14 statues surrounding the church - these statues are just replicas of the original ones found inside the museum of Orsanmichele.

By now it was already mid afternoon and we were on our way to Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall of Florence. It is located at Piazza della Signoria, which was a great place for people watching. A replica of Michelangelo's David is found outside Palazzo Vecchio together with other statues in the open air gallery. The statues were really breathtaking. The sculptures amazingly captured human emotions, thanks to the delicate hands of the sculptors.

A replica of Michelangelo's David

Menelaus and Patroclus

After our fill of people watching, we made it a point to go to the most popular bridge of Florence - Ponte Vecchio - during sunset. It felt as if we were walking on the bridge during the Renaissance. The bridge was still full of people selling jewelries. The history of the bridge dates back to the 13th century where all kinds of items were being sold - fish, meat, and leather. This was later on decreed by the King that only jewels be sold in the bridge to reduce the stench and waste from the shops (History 101, thanks to Rick Steves!).

Ponte Vecchio

Selfie at the bridge

Sunset from Ponte Vecchio

Even though we only stayed for 1 night in Florence, I really loved the feel of the city, it was laid back and relaxing. It was as if I loved the city more than Krz loved it. I made a promise to myself and Krz that we would explore more of Florence in the future.

Love, Vatican (January 2015)

The second leg of our Euro Trip was in Vatican City. The seat of the Catholic Church, it was one of the few places that I really wanted to visit.

Transportation

Based on TripAdvisor, we should first visit the Vatican Museums (where the Sistine Chapel is also housed) in the morning to avoid the crowd. Even though it was winter, there were still a lot of tourists visiting and lining up to get inside the museums. Luckily we were prepared for this. Since the Vatican museums were not included in the Roma Pass, we reserved tickets in advance via their website for a total of 36 euros each with 4 euros for reservation (trust me, 4 euros is worth it). We just need to pick the date and time of our visit.

From our hotel, we walked to Corso Rinascimento just a couple of minutes away and rode bus 81. This bus dropped us near the entrance of the museum. You can also ride bus 492 and 23, depending on which bus comes first. The bus ride was included in the Roma Pass mentioned in my previous post.

Vatican Museum Entrance

Attractions Visited

The museum accommodated a LOT of artifacts and art works from time immemorial - from the papyrus of Alexandria to statues of gods and goddesses of Greece. From the mummies of Ancient Egypt to the paintings of Raphael Santi. It was a huge place, you couldn't finish touring the place within a day. I would suggest that prior to visiting the museum, do a little research on what you want to see and visit so by the time you arrive there, you won't be a lost sheep.

Egyptian Mummy

Moving around the museum wasn't easy, we used Rick Steve's Vatican Museum tour to help us get around and understand the artworks that we see. It also helped us get to where we wanted easily - we were lucky enough that the things we wanted to see was part of the tour. I just downloaded his application to my smartphone and we were good to go.

Tiring. That was the word to describe our visit to the museum. But, when we arrived in the Sistine Chapel, we were left speechless and forgot all about our exhaustion. Based on reviews, once you are inside the chapel, you won't be able to see the floor due to the immense crowd visiting the place Luckily for us, we were able to secure a seat in the side of the chapel. We sat there for quite sometime to marvel at the incredible frescoes painted my Michelangelo. We were fortunate enough to have been blessed and prayed upon by a Vatican priest inside the chapel. We lined up and he prayed for us and for baby Kristoff who was then 6 months old inside the womb. The only sad thing about our visit to the Sistine Chapel is that we weren't able to take pictures since it was not allowed.

Krz outside the Vatican Wall

We then continued on to visit St. Peter's Basilica. The church was HUGE! Although there were lines going in, it didn't take us more than 10 minutes to get inside. Upon entering, you will be overwhelmed by the sheer size of the church. You can spend hours just wandering inside and still would not finish touring the place. There were a lot of things to see inside, but what really captivated us were Michaelangelo's Pieta and St. John Paul II's altar. Entrance to St. Peter's is free of charge. You just need to go through security check before entering the church.

Line to St. Peter's Basilica

Michelangelo's Pieta

Me in front of St. Peter's Basilica

Krz and Baby Kristoff (in her tummy)

While Krz was sitting inside the church and resting, I did not miss the chance to go up the dome of St. Peter's. For only 5 euros, you can go up a total of 300+ steps and for an additional 2 euros, you can take the elevator until the first level and climb a total of 165 steps to the dome to get breathtaking views of the city.

165 Steps to the top

Not for the Claustrophobic

Panoramic View from the dome

There were a lot of highlights for this trip, but the most unforgettable experience we had was seeing Pope Francis up close and personal -  I was even able to touch his hand! Free limited tickets for the Papal Audience could be requested from the Swiss guard at the side of the Vatican City. We were fortunate enough to be provided with the tickets even before the distribution time (every 3pm on Tuesdays is allotted for ticket distribution whiled Wednesdays are dedicated for the Papal Audience).

Pope Francis entering the hall

The following day, we got up early and prepared to go to the Vatican as early as 5am to fall in line. At first we thought it was too early as the Papal audience will not start until 10am. But when we arrived at around 5:30am, there were already a lot of people lining up in front of the security machines. Since it was winter time, the Papal audience was held inside a hall to shelter the Pope and the audience from the winter cold. The temperature recorded by the time we arrived was a staggering 3C, and we had to endure the cold temperature for at least 2 more hours since the gates will not open until 8am. 

When the gates were opened, everyone had to go through a security check before entering. This entailed that you remove your bags and coats when passing through the x-ray machine. The funny thing was, we had to run from the x-ray machine to the hall without our coats on as everyone was running in order to get great seats. Good enough, we were able to get seats by the aisle and I was able to take a selfie with the Pope.

While waiting for the Papal audience to start

Selfie with Pope Francis

The experience was one of a kind. If asked whether I would visit the Vatican again in winter than summer, the answer is yes. I would gladly choose less crowd and chill weather than warm weather with the risk of rubbing faces with fellow tourists.

What We Brought: Winter in Europe 2015

When my husband and I visited Italy and France last January-February 2015 for 2 weeks, the temperature ranged from 16C to -3C. So, we made sure that we have enough clothes that would keep us warm but would still be light to carry. Enough for us meant having the least number of outerwear (clothes that don’t need much washing) and inside wear that we get to change daily.

We were usually dressed in this manner: Coat/Jacket + Sweater + Thermal Wear/Vest + Shirt; Thermal Pants + Jeans; Bonnet + Scarf+ Gloves

Below are the items we brought with us to survive the winter season in Europe:

His

_ Jeans x 2

_ Thermal Pants x 2

_ Thermal Sweaters x 2

_ Down Jackets x 2 (We purchased Uniqlo’s Down Jackets because they were light and warm. One of them can even be rolled up and fit in a small pouch)

_ Scarves x 2

_ Gloves x 2 (We brought leather glove, which were warmer for the hands, and touch screen gloves, which were practical for us because we used our phones most of the time for navigation and taking photos)

_ Bonnets x 1 (to keep our head and ears warm)

_ Sweaters/Vests x 7

_ Shirts x 14 (Thick ones for extra warmth)

_ Sleepwear x 7

_ Underwear

_ Leg-high Socks (for extra warmth)

_Shoes (Ankle-high for extra warmth) 

Hers

_ Jeans x 2

_ Thermal Leggings x 2 (Leggings that cover until the ankle or toes give extra coverage and warmth)

_ Thermal Sweaters x 2

_ Down Coat x 2 (Uniqlo’s Down Coats were light and warm. One of them can even be rolled up and fit in a small pouch) 

_ Infinity Scarves x 2 (These are extremely helpful because you can coil or tie it around your neck, even cover your face, when the wind blows very strong or hang in around your neck if you step into warm establishments)

_ Gloves x 2

_ Bonnets x 1

_ Sweaters x 7

_ Shirts x 14 (Thick ones for extra warmth)

_ Sleepwear x 7

_ Underwear

_ Socks

_ Boots (The ones with wool/cotton inside helped my feet keep warm)

_

 This list may look a lot, but all of these actually fit in two medium-sized luggage and one carry-on gym bag if packed well. This article was helpful for us during packing. 

Tips:

~We hand-washed our small dirty-wears in the bathroom and hanged them near the heater or on the towel rack to dry.

~We do not sweat much during winter, so it was practical for us to re-wear our sweaters the next day.

~Comfortable boots/shoes are a must, especially for walkable cities like France and Italy. I personally prefer footwear with flexible rubber soles because steps go along with the terrain.

~Filipinos are known for taking a bath daily. Since it was too cold for me when I got out from our hotel after I shower in the morning (my wet hair would nearly freeze!), we just took our showers at night before we go to bed.

Love, Rome (January 2015)

Touring Europe has been one of our dream destinations as a couple and has been a part of our bucketlist since. We finally had a chance to go there just before baby Kristoff was born. Rome, Vatican, Florence and Paris were part of our itinerary last January 2015.

Before Travel

A visit to the Ob-Gyn

Since Krz was six month pregnant during our trip, we made sure that we had a green light from our Ob-Gyn to have her and the baby safe for travel. Our doctor advised that the second trimester of pregnancy is the 'golden period' and is the best period for travel because it is usually when the spells of morning sickness go away and the baby is not yet very heavy to carry (especially if a trip involves a lot of walking around). Luckily, Krz did not experience any complications prior our trip so the doctor just prescribed  her Isoxsuprine (Duvadilan) tablets in case she experiences belly cramps.


Visa Application

Since Rome and France are both part of the Schengen Area, we applied for a Short-Stay Schengen Visa. And since we will be staying in France longer, we applied at the French Embassy in Makati (when applying for a Schengen visa for multiple countries, one should apply at the Schengen state a) where the stay is longest OR b) in case if stay in each state is in equal days, where the first point of entry will be).

It is best to visit the Embassy's website to get the most recent rules and list of requirements for the visa application and call for an appointment at most 90 days prior the travel date.

On the day of our application appointment, it was a good thing that we came in early because processing was on a first-come, first-serve basis. Priority numbers were given by the guard at the entrance, which will then be called by the assessors inside. The waiting area was cozy and comfortable. During our interview, we were asked about the details of our trip (when, where and why), details of our current employment status, and if we were able to be granted other visas before and did our biometrics. Our passports were left with the assessor and after 7 working days, we were informed that our visas were approved and were ready for pick-up in the processing center.

Here's the French Embassy's website for reference.


Getting Ready

Since we'll be arriving in Europe during the winter season (the temperature went as high as 16C and hit the lowest at -3C during our stay), we carefully planned on what clothes to bring because there is no denying that winter wear are bulky and heavy to pack. Here is a list of what clothes we brought with us.


Rome

First stop on our 2 week vacation is Rome.

Colosseum. Pantheon. Vatican. These are just few of the iconic spots in Rome where we were able to visit. Truly, Rome was not built in a day. Not even a week.

It seems that we only just scratched the surface of Rome during our 6-day stay in the city. Fortunately, for us, we visited during winter, which meant less crowd of tourists, less lines. The only negative aspect of our visit is the 6-10°C weather on a daily basis.


Transportation

From the airport, we were supposed to take the train to our Termini station and ride a bus to our hotel. This was the only option we had prior to arriving in Rome, and would cost us 25 euros each. But then, we found a cheaper alternative -  renting a van that will bring us directly to our hotel and would only cost us a total of 35 euros.

For the transportation within the city, we opted for the Roma Pass - a tourist card that allows you free ride for all public transportation within the city for 2 or 3 days depending on the card you will buy. The 3 day pass is about 36 euros and also includes free admission to the first 2 attractions you will visit in the city - and discounted rates for the succeeding attractions you will visit.

Via De Chiavari, Rome

We checked in at Hotel Pomezia - a humble and affordable hotel that is centrally located in the historical center of Rome. There are a great number of hotels in Rome, both humble and lavishly priced. I tried looking up hotels through TripAdvisor for reviews and recommendations for places to stay and where to eat, and Hotel Pomezia was one of the hotels that was generously reviewed by guests.


Attractions Visited

Arriving on a Sunday, we decided to hear mass in a nearby church: San't Andrea della Valle which was just behind our hotel.  We were fortunate enough to be just in time for the next mass. And guess what, it was in Italian! Churches were not that hard to find. After all, this was Rome, the city that played a great part in the history of Roman Catholicism.

Piazza Navona

After the mass, we just wandered around the neighborhood and found ourselves in the middle of Piazza Navona. If you are a fan of Dan Brown, you would know that one of the scenes in his movie Angels and Demons was shot in this place. In the middle of the piazza was the great 4 rivers fountain - one of the few fountains always filled with tourists admiring the magnificent architecture.

Colosseum

We visited the Colosseum next and it was huge! It felt great to be standing inside one of the well preserved ancient structures in the world. It was quite exhilarating to think that thousands of years ago, there were gladiators fighting for their freedom in the arena below. After an hour of walking and experiencing the place, we went to the adjacent attractions - Palatine Hill and Foro Romano. Upon stepping inside, we were excited and felt giddy. Just think, we were walking on the pavement where Julius Caesar once walked! Though only ruins remain, you can still feel the history of the place - as if you can feel the chariots running across the street and hear Romans worshiping Zeus in front of his temple.

The ticket to the Colosseum is around 14 euros but this includes admission to the Palatine Hill and Foro Romano. This was the first museum we visited during our trip and was included in the Roma Pass.

Pantheon

Next stop, the Pantheon. The imposing structure of this great church within the center of Rome is one of the best preserved ancient structure in Rome. Standing in the center, you can see the oculus, where the light of the sun passes through. We stayed for a bit inside to take in the reality and experience of being inside a once pagan structure turned church or you can stay outside in the piazza and watch people pass by. There is no fee for this attraction, thus entrance is free, just make sure you go early in the morning so you can see the magnificence of the structure without the crowds.

Oculus

The other attraction we had visited was the Castel San't Angelo (Castle of the Angel) - also part of the movie Angels and Demons. The castle had so much history it felt as if we had a crash course in Roman History. We learnt that this was used as a fortress by the Popes and had a tunnel underneath the surface connecting the Vatican to Castel Sant'Angelo.

Castel Sant'Angelo

Food!

No doubt that when you are in Italy, you are looking for good Italian food - fresh pasta and pizza. We had our share of experiencing great Italian food while walking around and getting lost in the city. First we passed by ZaZa Pizza - a hole in the wall pizza place that serves freshly baked pizza that only cost 1.5 euros. This was the cheapest meal we had in Europe.

Zaza Pizza

Another great find we had was near the Colosseum. I was actually quite hesitant at first as upon reading TripAdvisor, tourists are advised not to eat near the attractions as these are tourist traps. Cafe Cavour was the name of the restaurant and it had one of the friendliest waiters we had encountered as well as great dishes with reasonable prices. We ordered the Seafood Risotto and the Classic Carbonara. 

Classic Carbonara

Seafood Risotto

Another restaurant where we had great gnocchi was Ristorante Il Cantuccio al Senato which is just beside Piazza Navona. This was another budget friendly place near a tourist attraction.

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If you want to read more about our trip, separate posts will be made available for Vatican city, Florence and Paris.