NORTH ITALY on Motorcycle:-Day 5 25.08.2017

NORTH ITALY on Motorcycle:-Day 5 : 25.08.2017 Friday
           235 km

Today is the last day of my tour "North Italy". I am going to ride to Segrate-Milan for giving back my rental BMW 1200 GS. After having the breakfast at the Hotel Garni San Giorgio I walked to the down town. I need to buy some gifts and to take some pictures. At 09.00 o'clock I visited the Tomasi shop. Then I bought a few books in italian language (I hope easy to read) from the bookstore adjacent to Forst Brewery. Then ı bought 4 pcs of small porcellan bowls which I had seen the day before. After having a break for an American Coffee I returned to the Hotel by walking. The weather is nice but little bit warmer today.

At 10:45 I was at the Hotel and packed all my stuff and made my bike ready for departure.
I paid the hotel bill (56.-Euro altogether with the wine which I had last night in the front yard).

I departed from the Hotel around 11:00 in the direction to Verona. I did not take the highway but there is a country road #12 which runs parallel to the highway. The weather is warm and humid. The view is fine but the mountains are not clear under the foggy warm air. I took
the route to Riva del Garda when I came to Rovereto. The route is running through some small towns. Getting closer to the Lake Garda the traffic was heavier. On the most northest 
coast of Garda there are a lot of camping and summer accommodations. The people are around enjoying the hot weather at the coast. My idea was to take the coastal road down to Brecia. Because of the traffic which I thought that will continue as well on the west coast of the Garda, I took  the route up to the mountains. I rode to Storo where the Valley Giudicarie starts. 

Then I took the direction of Brecia. This road is very nice with mountains view and green valleys. I tried to find restaurant for lunch but a few of my trials did not find the right places.
I took the right direction at the town Barghe. The road starting from Storo to Brecia is not crowded. I made a very easy and funny ride with my motorcycle. I stopped in a restaurant
after Odolo just before Caino. It is a nice place on the top of a hill and called "Ristaurante Colle S. Eusebio". I took tagliatelle con funghi and a media size beer. After the coffee I paid 20.-Euro and departed again.

In order to reach to Segrate, HP Moto Rental Company, I followed completely the instructions of my Garmin navigator. It does not uses the highways because of preset restrictions. I remember that my route was Chiari>>Calcio (which means football in Italian),
>>Isso>>Mozzanica>>Rivolta>>Liscate>>.

The route from Brecia to Milan is not attractive and I felt that it is lost of time. The awesome roads had been left behind me in the North Italy. Nevertheless, all good things have an end.
I came to the HP Motor Rental 's yard at 16:10 o'clock.
I packed all my stuff out and made my own luggage. I am going to stay one more night in Milan and tomorrow I have my flight to Istanbul from the Bergamo Airport. I wanted to rest
one night in Milan. I put all my motorcycle gear into my big luggage. My clothing, boots, helmet, scarf, gloves and some of the dirty stuff went all into this big luggage.

Meanwhile, the check-out desk was free and they prepared my calculation. I had made
1,192 kms in 5 days. Multiplied by 0.25 Euro/km I paid 298.-Euro. If I would rent with UNLIMITED mileage I should have paid 700.-Euro. So, there is 2.-Euro :) saving now.

HP Motorrad S.r.l. is a well experienced company for rentals of motor bikes.
I would suggest to all of my friends to hire from HP Motorrad. Guys are also nice.
I asked them to call a taxi for me. The taxi came in 15 minutes and drove me to my 
Hotel Star on the Via dei Bossi. Right in the city of Milan. It costs me 25.-Euro.

As soon as I am in the Hotel Star I decided for a walking tour in Milan. I moved out and started to walk in the city. First I walked to the Piazza Scala and then on the Manzoni Street. Because of the holiday season the streets are empty and there are few people around. Milanese people are on holiday. Near to Piazza Cavour I turned right to Spiga Street. There are a lot of brand shops on this street. This street ends up at Corso Venezia. Then I walked to San Babila. Through Via Francesco Sforza I came to the the Restıarant "Love It" which is located on the street Via Rugabella #1 (at the corner). I sat there at the bar table. I ordered melanzana (eggplant stuffed with tomato etc.) and a beef as per Milanese style. I drank two glass of wine (calice vino). I paid 50.-Euro. 

Then I left the restaurant and continued my walking around Duomo. I found the Ice cream shop "Cioccolat Italiani" on the street Via Raffaelle (between Mc Donalds and Adidas Shops). I suggest to every Ice Cream Lover !!! 

Then I went to my Hotel Star. I decided to visit Duomo and Chiesa Santa Maria delle Grazie tomorrow morning. and slept.

Next day, after the breakfast at the Hotel I went out for Duomo and I bought a ticket for the visit of Duomo. I went inside and the top of the Duomo. Then I walked to the Chiesa Santa Maria delle Grazie to see the "Last Supper" of Leonardo. Because of overbooked situation I couldn 't visit and I turned back to my Hotel.

This are pictures of my last day in Milan. Hope you enjoy my notes on mt North Italy Tour.

Floor covering tiles of the Duomo

Duomo

 

Duomo

Vetro di Duomu

 

On the top of the Duomo

View over Milan from the top of Duomo

Side street of the Duomo

Maria delle Grazia Kilisesi

NORTH ITALY on Motorcycle:-Day 4 24.08.2017

 NORTH ITALY on Motorcycle:-Day 4 : 24.08.2017 Thursday
           200 km

After having a poor breakfast at the Hotel Ferrovia, I finished my check-out at the reception and paid 70.-Euro. I departed at 09:15 from the hotel and took the route to Agordo. I left the route 51 after 8-10 kms and took the country road to Cibiana>>Dont>>Agordo. The road is narrow but the view is wonderful. It goes through small villages on the hills. I passed two different passes (Forc. Cibiana and Passo Duran) and reached to Agordo around 10:45. 

I sat there on the side of the road at the caffé / bar Miniere. 

Coffee stop in Agordo

I asked for a cappucino and a bottle of water. I took some rest there and then I took some pictures in the center of Agordo.

At the center of Agordo.

Center of Agordo

I departed around 11:00 and took the direction to Fiera. It was hot in Fiera and the traffic was heavy in the town. It is a well cared town with a lot of trees and flowers. It is really colorful there. First I passed the junction in the wrong way and after 50 meters I stopped my bike and looked at my map. I had to take the other way which is for Passo di Rolle.

The climbing to the Passo Rolle (1,984 m) is very nice with many hairpins and wide curves. It takes around 15-20 minutes to climb up. The view is fantastic. There are a lot of

wanderers and cyclists. 

Passo Rolle

View from Passo Rolle

There is a restaurant/hotel on the other side of the passo Rolle. Albergo Venezia is the name of the hotel/bar. It is just on the right hand side of the road heading to Predazzo.

I sat there and ordered una tagliatelle con porcini and small beer. The food was very tasty

(buono !). I sat there until I finished my coffee and paid the bill (15.-Euro). Then I started to flow downwards in the direction of Predazzo. The road is very nice with broad curves. The view is wonderful. The weather is nice; approx. 28-30 deg C. The sky is open. After passing Predazzo the road follows one side of the big valley. There are a lot vineyards at the steep side of the valley. 

Vineyards on the way to Cembra-Trento

Vineyards on the way to Cembra-Trento

The city Trento is on a flat valley. The temperature is now around 32 deg C. I continued to ride in the city. My Garmin Navigator got me to the west edge of Trento. There is a street called Via Brecia and my hotel is there : Garni San Giorgio della Scala. It is a family operated three stores hotel in a vine yard. There is a well maintained garden and a nice place to park the motorcycle.

Hotel Garni San Giorgio della Scale in the vineyard.

Hotel Garni San Giorgio della Scala

Before I went out to walk to the city I took some pictures from the window of my room.

The lady at the reception gave me a map to walk to the city. The hotel is located on the west side of Adige River and Trento as well. It took for me to walk to the Trento city 20 minutes only.
While walking to the city Trento I passed over the bridge San Lorenzo which is on the Adige River. 


                                                   

The historical part of the city Trento is nice with old buildings. I walked in the narrow streets and passages. I sat in a café shop outside. I drank a Aperol Spritz. Then I started to walk in the city again. I met a shop called "La Meridiana" and I bought a ring for Nihal. I met the gioielleria Tomasi. Later on I sat some time in the Forst in the Via Mazzurana. I took a Weizenbeer and then I bought a book in the Giunti al Punto which is a bookstore just adjacent to Forst.

Having taken some more pictures I went to the Piazza Garzetti,20 where there is Roccaforte Trentina. It is a nice restaurant with local tastes, too. I took salad of the local type and tagliata di manzo, specially grilled beef. I have taken also two glasses of La grein calice (red wine).

Then I started to walk to my Hotel through the Piazza Dante.

NORTH ITALY on Motorcycle:-Day 3 23.08.2017

NORTH ITALY on Motorcycle:-Day 3 : 23.08.2017 Wednesday
           212 km

I woke up at 07:30 and went down for breakfast. The check-out time is 11:00 o'clock.

Right after the breakfast, around 09:00 I started to walk heading Archaeological Museum of Bolzano. There is the section for  Ötzi which is the mummy of the man found in 1998 on the Ötztaler Alps. I had read about this discovery ten or fifteen years ago. I want to see now him in the museum.

When I reached to the Ötzi Museum I learnt that the museum opens at 10:00. I started to walk in the city. I took some pictures of the town. 

Piazza Erbe/Obstplatz

Houses at the Sparkassenstrasse

Corner of the Obstplatz and Via della Roggia

When I came back to the Museum around 09:40 there was a queue at the entrance. The museum has been opened at 10:00 punctually and I was in the second group of visitors and I bought my ticket (9.-Euro).

I went directly to the first floor where the Ötzi was showed in a protected and conditioned room. The visitors could only look through small window. Inside is the mummy of Ötzi.

Ötzi said to be 150-160 cm tall and should be weighing 50-60 kg. Then I looked around and watched different primitive tools and clothing of Ötzi.

Then I came down to the Museum Shop and bought some gifts for my son Omer and some friends. I left the Museum around 10:45 and walked directly to my Hotel Post. At 11:00 I came to my room and packed all my stuff and went down for check-out. I paid 106.-Euro and I departed at 11:15 from the Hotel.

My route is in the direction of Klausen but without using the high way. My aim is to ride among the Dolomites today. The east part of Bolzano is mainly famous with Dolomite Mountains.

Langkofel (?)

Sellagroup 

 About 40 kms just before Klausen the road made a right turn and I passed through St. Ulrich and Wolkenstein and then I rode through Sellagr. The sky is again blue and open and the temperature is around 25-27 deg C. It is wonderful to ride under these conditions. There are a lot of people who are wandering and walking around. Elder people do have their trekking sticks and there are also many people in the bars and cafe shops.

View from Grödner Pass

View from the Frara Berghaus:- Grödnerpass

View from the Frara Berghaus:- Grödnerpass

I passed first Gardena Pass (2,137 m) and a few kms later the Campolongo  Pass (1,878m). At the Campolongo Pass, on the top there is a restaurant with a view over Dolomites. I sat there and took a Cappucino. I met a lady from USA and we chat a little bit.

At the bottom of the Campolongo there is the town Arabba. Right in the middle at the round about there is a restaurant called Al Tablé. I ate casunziei di spinaci and took a Warsteiner beer.I paid 15.- Euro and left the restaurant around 15:00 o'clock. It is a very slow restaurant I would not recommend ! Sloth like people are working there.

I took the route to Cortina d'Ampezzo. I passed the Valparola Joch (2,199 m) and Falzaregopass (2,105 m). I bought fuel in Cortina (31.61 Euro). I did not stop in Cortina because there was some more way to do. Around 16:15 I sat in a café at the side of the road. The café is called "Drei Zinnen". I bought a Coffee and a bottle of water and sat at the table and watched the Drei Zinnen.

Drei Zinnen looking from Bar Tre Cime Landro-Höhlenstein

View from Bar Drei Zinnen

This road took me to the main street which connects Italy to Austria. When I passed the town Dobbiaco (with the German name Toblach) the traffic on the road got heavier in the opposite direction. It was not a problem for me because I left the main road to the right in the direction of Sesto. After a while I rode on the Kreuzbergpass (1,638 m). The panorama on both sides of the road is wonderful. Full nature and nice villages. After riding on the Passo di Zavo  (1,482 m). I passed the towns Padola and Auronzo and a few lakes. I can suggest this road to every motor rider. It is fantastic between Sexten and Auronzo. I reached to Calalzo di Cadore and found the Hotel Ferrovia to overnight. 

Walking around the Hotel Ferrovia :- View over Calalzo di Cadore

Walking to the town center of Calalzo di Cadore

The Hotel is located at the side of the main street. There is some noise coming from the road. Rooms are also not well cared. After some time in the room I went out and walked around the Hotel. 

Then I decided to walk up to the town center. I climbed approx. 20-25 minutes to the town center Calalzo. There is a pizzeria called "El Gringo". I sat there and ordered a capricciosa pizza and a glass of red wine. I left the restaurant at 20:30 and walked to the town center again. There was a town party in the open air in front of the Municipality Building. A platform and Music boxes had been installed and a small orchestra was playing. Some of the people were dancing on the street in front of the orchestra. The people were taking dance very seriously and were all good. I watched them some time and then I walked to the Wine Shop called "Betola all 'oca bianca". The lady recommended me red wine and I took what she offered. I sat there for half an hour (two glasses of wine 9.20 Euro) and then I started to walk down to my Hotel.

Just before departing from the Hotel Ferrovia:- Ready to go.

It was around 23:00 when I went to my room.

NORTH ITALY on Motorcycle:-Day 2 22.08.2017

NORTH ITALY on Motorcycle:-Day 2 : 22.08.2017 Tuesday
           246 km

After having a good sleep and breakfast at the Albergo Baita dei Pini in Bormio I decided to walk around a little bit. I walked in 15 minutes to the place where the tele-ski station is taking people up to the mountains. 

Albergo Baita dei Pini

Looking downwards from Bormio

After having some pictures I walked back to the Hotel and I decided to ride to the Bormio 2000 site at the top of the hill with my motorcycle. Usually this is one of the famous skiing areas which is also very close to the town. I finished my check-out from the Hotel, I paid only 40.-Euro for one night incl. breakfast and closed garage for my motorcycle. At 09:30 I was on my bike and climbing up to the Bormio 2000. 
The road quality is well enough and with nice curves. The distance is something around 4-5 kms only. It takes around 7-8 minutes with the motorcycle. After reaching to the Bormio 2000 station point I started to ride down to the city. On the way back I stopped somewhere and took some pictures.

Looking down from Bormio 2000 to the town Bormio

Bormio downtown is busy today. There is heavy traffic within the center. Being a motorcycle I rode on the left of the queue and I handled the traffic jam reasonable in a short time.
It was 10:00 o'clock when I left the center. I took the direction to the north-east. I climbed the wavy road to Stelvio. In 2011 we had done this in the opposite direction. The weather is very calm and nice. The sky is open and the view over the mountains is fantastic. 

Practically, the Stelvio Pass starts just after 4-5 kms from Bormio. Rising to the mountains the roads are getting more with curves. Closer to the Stelvio Pass there are many "hairpins". I stopped somewhere on the west looking side of the road and took some pictures. The German name of Stelvio is Stilfserjoch (2,757 m).

Looking down to the Bormio direction.

Very close to the top there is a smart entrepreneur who was sitting deep at the hairpin curve and taking photo of the people who are riding upwards on motorcycles and bikes. A few days later they are uploading the pictures to their web page (FotoStelvio.com) and those who want to buy must pay 8.-Euro for each picture.

It was exactly 11:00 when I parked my bike. I walked there under the sunny sky and then I departed around 11:30 down in the direction of Trofi. This downhill ride is also fantastic. There are a lot of hairpins. It is usually my best time for riding. I should ride between 10:00 and 12:00. I think I it is most energetic time phase.

Stelvio Pass:- One of the pilgrimage(?) passes for motorcyclists.

The little hut on the Stelvio Pass (I am trying to hold the hut in position :)

Stelvio Pass (2,760 meter)

I bought fuel in the valley and then rode further to Silandro where I found Maria Theresa 's Restaurant at the right hand side of the road. I ordered Makaroni auf Teufelsart, una birra della spina and as the main dish I took Truthahn (turkey) on the grilled vegetable. It costs 29.-Euro. This part of Italy are speaking mostly maybe mainly German similar to Austrian dialect. 

I departed at 13:40 in the direction to Merano and Vipiteno (German name :Sterzing) . The road is very nice and the valley is for fruit production mainly. There are a lot of apple orchards on both sides of the road. After passing through the city Merano  just a few kms (6-7) after I rode up the Jaufenpass (2,094 m). I took a rest on the top. The view is wonderful. Then I started again to ride in the direction to Vipiteno. I am planning to take the country road because it has a pass and nice panorama. 

Right after entering this route I was climbing the Penser Joch (2,211 m). The road passes trough the valley and through a few villages. Roughly in 1,5 hour I arrived at Bolzano. It was something around 17:30. I tried to find an accommodation in the city center. But it is expensive and limited. I talked with the Kolpink and Greif. But there is no availability. Because of the music competition in Bolzano, a big orchestra has already  booked all the rooms at Kolpink. The guy at the Kolpink was very helpful. He called a couple of hotels and asked for free room. The Post Gries Hotel gave the best price and I decided to go there. It is only 1 km away from the antique center of the city. I rode to the Hotel Post Gries around 18:00. There is also a private parking garage in the basement. The hotel is clean. I went out around 19:00 and walked to the historical center of Bolzano. It is really a small but interesting city. The buildings' character resembles  Austrian style. The people are also speaking mainly German. Bolzano is a bilingual city.

At the Piazza

One of the narrow passages (Veicolo)

Portici - Lauben Street

One of the nicely decorated shop windows in Portici (Lauben) Street

I did not sit for dinner tonight. At the Kornplatz (Piazza del Grano) I sat outside of a café and drank two Aperol Spritzi. They served also some small things to eat. Then I walked in the city and found another cozy bar and I drank one beer and ate a few small tapas here.

At the corner of the Sparkassenstrasse

Around 22:30 I returned to my Hotel Post Gries. Just before the bar closed, I took a beer and drank in the front yard. The night was not cold.