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Venice is one of my favorite cities, filled with colorful architecture, gondolas and delicious food and drink.
Wandering around the city, discovering its treasures, tucked into alleyways and piazzas, is one of my passions and I look forward to my trips every year. So, of course I was excited about the day I had planned, during my recent trip, until sitting next to one of my co-workers on the way to the hotel, he gave me something to ponder. How about joining him and two others on a road trip to a winery near Treviso?
Wine or wandering?
It is not often that you are given the chance to go on a spontaneous road trip! A couple of hours later, we were zipping down the highway, ogling the beautiful countryside, on our way to Motta di Livenza.
Our destination, the Trevisan winery, is located about a 45 minute drive from Venice and is a small, family-run business. I was curious, though, why this winery? Surely there were many to visit in the region, probably some larger and more well-known?
My colleague, the instigator of the road trip, had a mission. A good friend of his family is a cousin of the Trevisans and was getting married soon. What not a better present than to visit the friend’s family’s vineyard and bring back wine for his wedding?
Well, I’m not much of a wine drinker, normally preferring beer, but I am always up for an adventure and to assist in the selection of wine for an extraordinary gift? Yes, I couldn’t pass this up!
After a beautiful drive through the Italian countryside, we pulled into the winery property. One of the owners, Michelle, greeted us warmly and showed us the grapes growing at the rear of the property. She explained the different varieties and showed us some that were beginning to ripen.
Moving on, we were shown where the grapes are sorted and crushed and then taken into the warehouse to see the large stainless steel vessels where fermentation takes place.
Finally, we took a seat in the quaint tasting room and began to sample their fare, beginning with two whites, moving on to Prosecco and then finally their reds. Each, truly more delicious than the last!
Our hosts, Roberto and Michelle, were friendly and kind and despite our lack of Italian and their sometimes limited English, made us feel so at home.
After our tasting was complete, not just our road trip leader was walking away with wine…we all were!
An unforgettable experience!
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Cantina Trevisan
- http://www.vinitrevisan.com/inglese/pagine/contatti.htm
- Address: Croce Street, n. 9, 31045 Motta Livenza (TV) – Italy
The church of San Babila was built on its current site in 1095, to house these relics, and extended with additional construction at the front and a new baroque facade. Though much of its original style has been lost during renovations, the church still retains its original medieval feel. During the 19th century, the complex was renovated with the aim of restoring the appearance of the medieval basilica and in the early 20th century the Neo-Romanesque facade by Paolo Cesa-Bianchi was built. The bell tower was eventually added in 1920 to replace the original tower which had fallen in the 16th century.
With the many grand churches throughout Italy, it was quite surprising when I entered, that San Babila was a very simple, mostly unadorned church. The interior has a nave and two aisles with two side chapels that date from the late Renaissance. Pay particular to the right aisle as it has an image of the Madonna, highly esteemed by the Milanese community. Also particular to note are some lovely medieval frescoes, Renaissance windows and beautiful mosaics.
If traveling in this area of Milan and happen to enter or exit at the San Babila metro, take a moment to stop in and relish the quiet beauty.
Established in the 5th century, the basilica was formerly dedicated to both Saints Zechariah and Stephen, though eventually given over to the latter. The original building was constructed around the year 417, destroyed by fire in 1070 and rebuilt in the Romanesque style in 1075. Since 1594, many reconstructions, expansions and restoration have been completed including enlargement of the apse and the main altar, lengthening of the nave and reconstruction of the facade, reconstruction of the bell tower by architect Gerolamo Quadrio and the construction of the sacristy and the modernization of some chapels.
St. Stefano is most famous for the many saints interred within its walls, most notably, San Carlo Borromeo and for two major events that occurred in the church. The Duke of Milan Galeazzo Maria Sforza was assassinated by four conspirators in 1476, under the medieval portico outside the church, as he visited the basilica for the celebration of the patron saint. The remaining pillar of the portico can be viewed in front of the belltower. Also, after years of speculation, the baptismal certificate from 1571, of the painter Michelangelo Merisi, better known as “Caravaggio”, was discovered in 2007 in the archival documents of the basilica, giving a definitive answer to the age-old question of his baptismal and birth place.
Though the basilica is very little known to tourists, it is easily accessible from the Piazza Fontana and quite impressive for its size and historical significance. Though the church is in desperate need of renovations, there are many items worth noting on its interior. Many of the side chapels contain beautiful and original stained glass and paintings and the altar is quite grand with its gold tabernacle. Also, be sure to note the imposing organ, the unique statues and the beautiful vaulted ceiling. Of particular interest is the life-sized bronze statue of Jesus on the cross, flanked by his mother and disciples, at the rear of the structure.
The small square chapel, a breathtaking area, was originally decorated with frescoes by Sebastian Ricci, an Italian artist. Today, you can still see his work…gaze upward at the incredible ceiling which depicts the Triumph of Souls Among Flying Angels and the glory of the four patron saints, Santa Maria Vergine, Santa Ambrogio, Santa Sebastiano and Santa Bernardino de Siena. The rest of the chapel is adorned with an altar and a niche with the statue of Madonna Addolorata (Our Lady of Sorrows) kneeling before the body of Jesus. Skulls and bones, believed to be the deceased from the hospital and corpses from seventeenth century cemeteries, are arranged in niches and on cornices, pillars and doors. Some are stacked “frame-like” appearing as oversized paintings in simple shapes while others are arranged in ornamental patterns, like skull and crossbones. The skulls that you observe in cases above the door are those of executed prisoners.
Remains interred near the altar are those of a young girl, who, according to legend, comes back to life on November 2nd, All Souls Day, and lures other skeletons in a morbid dance.
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Located near the intersection of Via del Gambero and Via della Mercede, San Silvestro, is hardly noticeable with other, more grand churches in the area. An unassuming building of a yellowish color with architectural details in limestone, its most notable features are the four baroque statues of San Silvestro by Lorenzo Ouone, Saint Stephen by Michelangelo Borgognone, Saint Clare by Guiseppe Mazzoni and Saint Francis by Vincenzo Felice at the apex. It doesn’t stand out or appear to be a church, however, as you approach from Piazza di San Silvestro, you realize that this is not the facade of the actual church. The street exterior lures you into an atrium which sequesters it from the busy Roman streets. The walls here are embedded and decorated with fragments of early Christian and pagan monuments and sculpture, many with inscriptions, obtained from excavations and restorations and the church’s entrance is at far side. Most interesting here is an ancient sarcophagus and several antiquated columns on the right side of the atrium.
In the 17th century, the 135-step staircase was designed by little-known architect and sculptor, Francesco de Sanctis. The steps, built during a two year span, from 1723 to 1725, were intended to connect the newly built Trinita dei Monti church, owned by the French, and the Piazza di Spagna, home of the Spanish Embassy, signifying the newly-established peace between France and Spain.
After leaving the church, I was determined to head toward the recently refurbished Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain), but there was a brief detour that I was determined to make.
Making my way down Via Gregoriana, I finally headed to the Trevi Fountain to see it once again devoid of the scaffolding that had marred its beautiful veneer the last time I had walked past.
Like the Spanish Steps, the well-known Trevi Fountain has become a place where tourists and locals meet and hang out, grabbing a nearby gelato while admiring the roaring water cascading from the monument.
And, while you are at it, make sure to throw a coin from your right hand over your left shoulder and make a wish! It will ensure that you will return to Rome one day!
Arriving in the front of the building, an extensive queue snaked from the front to side where tickets were required to enter the queue. After a quick walk to the ticket office at the Sala Delle Colonne, we soon had tickets in hand and were back to the line. Moving rather quickly, our bags were inspected at the door and we were then admitted into the cathedral.
