Posted by: Debra Kolkka | March 29, 2026

Kotor, the old town

Kotor is known for its dramatic fjord like bay and its well preserved medieval old town. The rugged mountain looming behind the town adds to the drama.

It is possible to climb the 1350 steps to the San Giovanni fortress above the town. (I didn’t) The old town walls climb up behind the town to the top. There was already fortification in Illyrian times. The fortress was reconstructed in the 6th century by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. 2 earthquakes have failed to destroy them.



 


The old fortifications are impressive at the entrance to the old town.




The main entrance, the Sea Gate.

On the wall inside the entrance.

The clock tower in the large square inside the sea gate. It was built in 1602.


Cafes in Weapons Square wait in for the influx of tourists.


There are lots of interesting things to discover in the old town.

St Luke’s church.


This gate is the entrance to the path up to the old walls.





Saint Michael’s church.

Remember to look up.


Saint Tryphon cathedral. It was consecrated in 1166. It is the largest and most ornate in Kotor. It has been damaged twice by earthquakes and has only been restored completely recently.u

To one side is a staircase that takes you up to a small museum.



There is a great view of the square below from the balcony of the church.

Everywhere you walk in Kotor you see cats. They seem to be stray cats, but they all look healthy and cared for. They are quite friendly and will kindly allow you to pat them. Cats are considered good luck and protectors against pests.
They originally arrived on trade ships and are now welcome members of the Kotor community. There is a cat museum, but it was not open while we were there.


The thing to eat in Kotor is fish. We ate twice at Dekaderon, close to St Tryphon church.

A fresh fish is brought to the table and then it is whisked off to be cooked. We had bruschetta first then the fish was filleted and deboned and placed on top of vegetables…delicious.

Kotor is a popular stop for cruise ships. We saw 2 while we were there. They are huge. A shop owner told us there can be 7 a day in the high season.

At least visitors don’t have far to walk to the old town once  they  get off the ship.



On Saturday there is an excellent produce market under a portico near the Sea Gate. The selection was great and the vegetables looked as though they had been freshly picked that morning from a local farm.


It is easy to see why Kotor is a popular destination for visitors to Montenegro. The old town is well preserved and presented, We visited early in the season. In a week or two it will be a lot busier. Because it is quite small I can imagine that it could be very crowded, and hot. I much prefer to travel out of season.

 

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Posted by: Debra Kolkka | March 26, 2026

Montenegro, Podgorica to Kotor

The flight to Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, from Rome is only 1 hour 20 minutes. Flying towards the coast the rugged mountains and green farmland come into view.



Podgorica is no doubt a great place to live. The guide book said it is one of the dullest capital cities in Europe, a bit harsh. It has busy shopping streets and some nice parks. We were only there for the night, so didn’t do much sightseeing.

Podgorica has a major parking issue. The kind man at the car hire at the airport said there are plenty of car parks. He neglected to say that all of them are full. Any space on or near a road has a car in it. Paid carparks were all full. Footpaths double as car parking spaces on occasion. We finally managed to find a space after driving around for sometime. It was a short walk to the hotel.

We left the next morning, heading for Cetinje, the historical capital. It was the capital of Montenegro until the country was subsumed into the first state of Yugoslavia in 1918.

The road through the mountains to Cetinje is stunning. The rocky mountains loom on either side of the highway.

The town sits in a basin surrounded by the Loveen massif. Look up in all directions and you see mountains.

The main street is pedestrian only. The trees are all bare right now, but it will look wonderful soon. Visiting before tourist season and crowds means not seeing places are their very best. I can live with thst.

There some stunning buildings in the town…the French embassy.

An old building. It looks like something the Adams Family would have liked.

The Minestry of Culture.

 

A colourful street.

The Blue Palace is the official residence of the President of Montenegro. It was built in 1895.

You see the mountains in the background.

Busy cafes in the square.

King Nicola’s Palace has been a museum since 1926.

A small church near the Cetinje Monastery.

The Cetinje Monastery is a monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It was founded in 1484 by Prince Ivan Crnojevic of Zeta. It was devastated in 1692 in a war in 1692 and rebuilt in 1701 – 1704.


Always a mountain in view.

History museum.

The National Museum was once Government House.


Another fabulous old building in the main street.

Another square with outdoor cafes.

I liked the colourful row of houses and shops in the background, particulars the yellow building. I loved the detail at the top.

Not far away we found the Fairy of Loveen, a monument to 350 American Montenegrins who died when their boat was sunk off Albania on their return to Montenegro to fight in WWI.


Behind it is the Vlach Church. The Vlach are believed to be the remnants of the Romans who retreated into less accessible areas when their boat was Slavs arrived. The fence is made from 1544 barrels of guns taken from the Ottomans during the 19th century wars.

Car parks were also difficult to find in Cetinje. We did find one not far from the pedestrian street. We were delighted to spot and empty space near the Vlach Church!

Then it was back on the road through more mountains. Some still had snow on top.

 

We missed a turn towards Kotor and instead of telling us to turn around the satnav sent us on a detour along a very narrow and winding road down through the mountains and back up again.

We passed tiny settlements, abandoned houses and the occasional small farm.


Once back on the highway we soon began to descend towards Kotor on the coast. We had to stop to take in the view a couple of times.

From the top it was switchbacks all the way to the bottom. Just as well we had practice on the 8 kilometres for switchbacks on the way to Casa Debbio, the house we had in the Apuane Alps in Italy.


There were wildflowers along the road on the way down.

 

We were lucky to have blue sky all the way.

Next stop Kotor.

 

 

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Posted by: Debra Kolkka | March 22, 2026

Valentino exhibition in Rome

I must learn to crochet. This is the message I took from Venus: Valentino Garavani through the eyes of Joana Vasconcelos. Joana Vasconcelos is a Portuguese artist who bridges art, fashion and craft.

This is what you see as you walk up the stairs to the exhibition. I remember this line from the movie about Valentino. It sounded wonderful when he said it in his delicious Italian accent.


Joana Vasconcelos installations are featured alongside Valentino’s stunning designs.

This is the entrance…

a Valentino dress.

 

A crochet sculpture by Joana…


Two crochet covered sculptures…



Closer.

The first room has a massive sculpture inspired by eight of Valentino’s dresses. It was created by more than 200 contributors.

 

Moving on…

 

Take a closer look at the sculpture. I will never look at my iron the same way again. One of them actually had steam coming out of it.

 


Take a closer look at the shoe sculptures.


I have one of those saucepans at home!


Looking up.



The final room.








The exhibition is on until 31st May 2026 in Piazza Mignanelli 23, near the Spanish Steps, just steps from the Valentino shop.

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Posted by: Debra Kolkka | March 19, 2026

Glorious Venice

I have been many times to Venice, but it is not possible to see too much of Venice. The fact that it is exists is remarkable. The city that sits on millions of wooden poles has managed to stay above the water in the lagoon for more than 1,600 years.

There are 14,000 wooden poles under the Rialto Bridge and 10,000 oak trees under San Marco Basilica, built in 832AD. How could you not love this city?

We drove to Venice and parked at the Tronchetto car park, turn right after leaving the bridge over the lagoon. From there we took a ferry to our hotel in Dosoduro. The minute the ferry turns into the Grand Canal the marvellous buildings lining the edges begin to appear.

 




The Rialto Bridge.

 

 

We dropped our bags at the hotel and went to Fondamente Nove to catch the ferry to Burano where we had a late lunch appointment. We arrived as the ferry was sailing off to Burano.

So, we turned around and walked back towards Piazza San Marco…more canals…


and we came across this, Campo di S.S. Giovanni & Paolo.

In the huge piazza is the church of St John and St Paul and a hospital.





It is difficult to get a feeling of the immensity of these buildings, and they stand on wooden poles.

We walked past more canals, more fabulous buildings..


I love finding small details.



We arrived at St Marks square. The church facade has scaffolding so I am just showing you the top.


Because we missed lunch we decided to have aperitivo at Florian, the oldest cafe in Italy. It recently celebrated its 300th year.

It was a beautiful, warm afternoon so we sat outside where the band plays.

We walked to the hotel past more  canals,





huge buildings,

shiny shop windows,


more details,

a beautiful cafe and florist,


a high fence with mimosa,

to the promenade in front of the hotel.

Hotel Palazzo Venezia.

The lovely entrance.



Our room.


The breakfast room.

Then it was out again to enjoy the warm evening.









There is much to love in Venice.

During covid, when I was stuck in Italy, I took advantage of one of the times we were able to move about, and went to Venice. It is interesting to look back to that time….

Venice and covid 19

more on my favourite area in Venice.

Dosoduro, authentic Venice

 

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Posted by: Debra Kolkka | March 17, 2026

Chioggia, little Venice with cars

I have seen lots of tourist advice suggesting that visitors wishing to avoid the crush of  Venice should go instead to Chioggia, sometimes called little Venice.

The town is on a small island at the southern entrance to the Venetian Lagoon. It is 50 kilometres by road from Venice, or 25 kilometres by sea. Causeways connect it to the mainland.

Chioggia has a couple of canals and lots of boats.

We crossed this bridge into the centre of town.

 


Another canal.

It has a few large churches.

It has a very tall flag pole with an interesting base.

It has interesting buildings. I particularly liked the chimneys on this one.

There were lots of seagulls waiting expectantly outside the fish market. Each pole had a patient seagull watching and waiting.


These 2 were having a tug of war over a small fish.

Some chairs and tables by the canal were waiting for occupants as we walked past.

Early spring decorations are in place.

There is a beautiful bridge near the sea.

We had intended to stay the night in Chioggia, but after wandering around the town in the late morning we felt we had seen all we wanted to in a couple of hours.

I’m sure Chioggia is a pleasant town to live in. We saw well presented shops and lots of people enjoying a warm, sunny, almost spring day. As you can see it was a glorious blue sky day.

Having said that, Chioggia is not Venice. Please see the real thing, it is spectacular.

Has anyone been to Chioggia? Did we miss something?

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Posted by: Debra Kolkka | March 15, 2026

Cinema museum Turin

The Cinema Museum, Museo Nazionale del Cinema in Turin is housed in the incredible Mole Antonelliana tower. It is named after its architect, Alessandro Antonelli. A mole in Italian is a building of monumental proportions. This one certainly lives up to its name.

The building stands tall in Turin. I took this photo from across the Po River. It was a hazy day, so it is not a great photo.

Its contstruction began in 1863 and was completed in 1889, after the architect’s death. It was original meant to be a synagogue. The rising cost of construction and the declining Jewish population meant the city took over the project.

There were many difficulties involved in getting the complicated roof and spire, but it was eventually finished in April 1889 and was the tallest brick building in Europe at the time.

A close up is hard to get because the surrounding buildings are close.

Since 2000 the building has housed the Cinema Museum….come inside. The space inside is overwhelming. It is quite dark, much like being in a movie theatre.

There is a lot to take in on the ground floor.


There is a ramp on the inside edge of the dome, showing a history of cinema while climbing up. There are scenes from movies, movie clips, movie making equipment, photos of stars, movie posters, anything to do with movies.










There is a lift that takes visitors to the top where there is a viewing platform offering spectacular views over the city.



There are 2 separate tickets. You can buy one to see the museum and/or one for the lift. It is definitely worth doing both. Anyone remotely interested in cinema will find lots to enjoy.

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Posted by: Debra Kolkka | March 13, 2026

Turin/Torino

Turin is a great city to walk in. It is flat, there is little traffic in the city centre and the footpaths are wide and many of them are covered.

I took the hop on hop off bus, a great way to get an overview of the city, especially one as large as Turin.

We drove past the Palatine Gate, Porta Palatina, and had to go back for a closer look. It is one of the world’s best preserved 1st century AD Roman gateways. There are also remains of an ancient theatre in the Archaeological Park.

The entry was built in the 1st century during the Augustan era and may predate the construction of the city gates. The gate served as an entry until the 11th century. It was meant to be torn down in the early 18th century in an urban renewal project. It was saved by architect and engineer Antonio Bertola. Well done Antonio!

I don’t know about you, but I find being able to stand beside an actual Roman wall, and touch the bricks (I did) absolutely amazing. I can imagine the workers going about their daily bricklaying, having no idea that their work would be admired centuries later. I wonder how many modern constructions will last for centuries.

The pair of bronze statues are copies and have been placed inside the gate, instead of outside which is more likely the correct position.


Not far from the Palantinc Gate is the Cathedral of John the Baptist.  It dates from the late 4th and early  5th centuries. I should have done a bit of research before walking past it. Inside, in a specialised, climate controlled, bulletproof case, sits the Shroud of Turin, where it has been since 1587. (not in that case, but in the church)


Maybe I didn’t miss too much. It is not visible to the public. You can, however, see the case…next time.

Walking a bit further I came upon another enormous building in the Piazza Palazzo di Citta,(city hall)  where I found the statue of the Green Count,  (Conte Verde) Armadeus VI Count of Savoy.



He was so named because he like to wear green, something we have in common,  In the 14th century he fought against the Turks and Bulgars for the Byzantine Empire.

I don’t know what this building is, but I like it.

This modern tower looks a little out of place. It turns out it is not all that new. It was built in 1933 – 34 to host, among other offices, the national headquarters  of the National Fascist Party. It didn’t happen. It became owned by Reale Mutual Assicurazioni, and insurance company, and it still is.

It is an example of early 20th century Italian rationalist architecture. Until 1940 it was the tallest continually habitable building in Italy.

The height of the building, next door to the Royal House of Savoy, was regarded as a statement of Facist dominance over the House of Savoy. It has been referred to as “an eyesore” , “the finger of Duce”, “the mobile phone” and the “arrogant building”. It does look a bit out of place with its neighbours.

I had one seriously good dinner in Turin. It was in the arcade with the cinema (previous post). As well as the excellent mini market, there is a cafe and upstairs, a restaurant. The setting is small and elegant and the service friendly.



Amuse-bouche.

Primi…scallops

 

Secondi…Agnolotti del Plin, the Piedmontese version of ravioli.

Dolce…carpaccio of pineapple over sour cherries and gelato…yum!


On my final morning I had to scoot to Cafe Al Bicerin for their special coffee. While I was waiting for it to open I poked my head into the Santuario della Consolata, opposite Al Bicerin, in the Piazza della Consolata.

It is quite small, but must surely be the most elaborately decorated space I have seen. It was originally dedicated to Sant’Andrea and was in existence in the 10th century. There have been additions over centuries.

 

Cafe al Bicerin was founded in 1763. It is famous for inventing its namesake drink, a traditional Piedmontese beverage, consisting of layered espresso, liquid chocolate and cream. The layers are not mixed, you sip slowly and carefully,  drawing the flavours through the cream. It is an art I would like to practice regularly. The hazelnut cake was good too.

The cafe is tiny and was a favourite spot of Count Cavour. Go early as I did or there might be a queue.

Here is a link to a post I wrote a few years ago about Cafe al Bicerin and another about Turin.

Al Bicerin – Torino

Torino

 

The next post will be about the cinema museum in an amazing building.

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Posted by: Debra Kolkka | March 11, 2026

A visit to Turin

I have recently visited Turin for a few days. I have been before, mostly to see the Slow Food movement’s Salone del Gusto. I decided I needed to see more of the city.

Turin is the capital city of Piedmont in the north of Italy. It lies at the foothills (piedmont) of the alps. It is famous for grand architecture,  huge public squares, magnificent arcaded streets and stunning cafes.

Turin is huge and is full of big things. The station is huge.

 

 

Statues are huge.

I began my exploring in Piazza san Carlo, presided over by Duke Emanuele Filiberto on his horse.

The church of Santa Cristina and San Carlo Borromeo stand at one end.

 

It looks lovely at night.

I stopped on the edge of the piazza, under one of the elegant porticos, for coffee and a snack at 200 year old Caffe San Carlo. It has a restaurant, but mostly it is a coffee shop in a magnificent setting.

There have  been renovations since its creation, but the current one has worked around the 19th century Murano glass chandelier hanging in the centre of the room. It is said to be one of the largest in Europe. I see from some reviews that there is a queue to get in during the busy season. I was able to walk in and be seated without a wait… the benefits of travelling in March.

They have an all day menu. From this I ordered a toasted cheese sandwich. It rivalled the chandelier in size. It was delicious. I ate just the middle out of it and did not need to eat another thing all day.

The wide streets of Turin are lined with porticos, higher and wider than the ones in Bologna.



I found a stunning arcade with a cinema at the back. (closed)


The interior is very grand.

There is an amazing mini market in the arcade with a great selection of delicious goodies.

Walking further on I came to Piazza Castello, Turin’s main square. Here you will find the Royal Palace and gardens. It was originally built in the 16th century and modified by Christine Marie of France in the 17th century. In 1946 it became the property of the state and was turned into a museum.

The facade of the Palazzo Madama, facing Piazza Castello was mostly covered for renovation.

The other sides are spectacular.

I went in here so you don’t have to. This is one of the famous cafes of Turin, Caffe Mulassano. It is tiny and very cute. I arrived just as it opened. It was empty and I went to sit down. I was sharply directed to another table squeezed into the corner.
The coffee was excellent, as was the small croissant, beautifully served. If it had come with a side order of friendliness it would have been lovely, in spite of the €15 charge, but at no point was I made to feel welcome.



The good news is that there is another cafe almost next door, lovely without the attitude.

Stratta is much bigger and has a courtyard at the side, which would be excellent in warmer weather.

It had a much bigger selection and service with a smile.


I do expect to pay a premium price to sit in these exquisite places, but rudeness is never a good idea. Stratta was a much better option. They also have a restaurant with an excellent lunch and dinner menu.

This post is dragging on a bit. In the next posts I can show you a 1st century Roman gate, a Cinema museum in an incredible building, some stunning architecture, a special dinner and a very special coffee.

 

 

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Posted by: Debra Kolkka | March 1, 2026

Return to Ponte a Serraglio

I am back in my second home in Ponte a Serraglio, our little part of Bagni di Lucca. I am enjoying the cool weather after the heat of Brisbane. This is what I wake up to.


The days are mostly warm and sunny as we move towards spring, I know the rain and cold can come back, so I am making the most of the pleasant weather.

Daffodils are blooming on my balcony and the iris is growing well. I have planted pansies in the pots and on the bridge.



I have been to lovely Lucca.

The magnolia trees are beginning to bloom. It won’t be long before the trees turn green.

I went with a friend to a seriously excellent pasticceria in Borgo Giannotti…Sandra & L’Angolo Dolce.  This must become a regular place to visit.



I love this tiny shop on Via Fillungo 59…Cosa Di. It is full of treasures.

There will be lots of trips to Lucca.

Pietrasanta was my next visit. It is one of my favourite nearby towns. There is always something interesting to see here.

Lunch at Ristorante Quarantuno never disappoints.

 

An overnight stay in Florence was great, apart from being caught in a train strike,

I always start my morning at Giacosa.

Some shop windows have excellent spring displays.

 


The Arno looks great even on an overcast day.

 


Menagere is my favourite place for lunch in Florence.

Wandering aimlessly in Florence is a joy.


…especially at night.




I did not need dinner, so it was back to Giacosa for aperitivo…a perfect end to the day.

I am heading to Torino for a couple of days this week. I have not been there for several years…time to return.

 

 

 

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Posted by: Debra Kolkka | January 10, 2026

The end of and era in Vergemoli

Sisto, the music man of Vergemoli has died. To many, including me, he was the heart of Vergemoli. I’m not sure of his age, but he would have been around 90.

We no longer own Casa Debbio, the house we built in the village, but Sisto was always present in the 15 years we were involved there.

Sisto was very shy, but he did allow me to take his photo in 2013.

He lived a a house directly below Casa Debbio. We could only see it in the winter when the trees were bare, and then only glimpses.

The first time I became aware of Sisto was when I visited the building site of Casa Debbio and I came upon the builders laying bricks to the sound of tango music.

On investigation I found out that Sisto had speakers under the eaves of his house and on afternoons when the mood took him he liked to play music. He had old records with traditional Italian music, but tango seemed to be his favourite.

I walked down to find his house.


There were dozens of speakers under the eaves.


Once, several years ago, I went with a friend to Trassilico, a town on the other side of the valley from Vergemoli. We were surprised to hear Sisto’s music each time we came to a gap in the buildings. The speakers worked very well.

Sisto was a woodcutter and wood worker. His wood cutting equipment was originally powered by a waterfall behind his house. Most of the time I knew him he was still working and helped us on several occasions at Casa Debbio. I often saw him on the path to the house cutting and carrying huge loads of wood. He was small, but he was strong.

It was always wonderful to see the surprise on our visitors faces to hear music suddenly filling the valley. It was delightful and a huge part of the charm of Vergemoli.

Sisto will be missed. I truly hope that his music is not lost, that someone will keep his legacy alive and turn the music on sometimes.

 

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