The Bernina Express

 One of my bucket list items that we were finally able to tick off this year was to take the Bernina Express. This is a scenic train trip that runs from Tirano in Northern Italy, across the alps and ends at St Moritz Switzerland. 

I had been wanting to do this since our very first trip to Italy in 2015 but for multiple reasons, it just never worked out. 

For this trip I was determined to make it work - though it very nearly may not have . Not for the first time, my pre trip research paid off. 

The main reason that we started this trip in Italy rather than France was in fact to take the Bernina Express and secondarily get an extra few days at Lake Como.

It is possible to take the train trip as a day excursion from Milan and from various towns on Lake Como. In fact normally probably the best place to stay in order to do this trip completely as a do it yourself day trip would be to stay in Varenna. From there you can take a train direct to Tirano, then take the Bernina Express from Tirano to St Moritz and back.  However as I explained in a previous post, I couldnt find ideal accommodation for our group of 5 in Varenna . This would have added a ferry trip across the lake in each direction to the do it yourself itinerary, and I discovered quite late in the planning that the spring ferry timetable ended very early in the evening making it pretty risky to do it this way .

The alternative would be to take the Swiss Post bus back from St Moritz which sometimes stops in Mennagio but I couldnt find definitive proof it would stop there in late May 2024. 

The other alternative was a guided bus tour which bussed you from Menaggio and other Western Lake villages to Tirano and then bussed back . This was approximately 70 Euro pp and quite a good option except that you joined the train more than half way through the train trip, only doing about an hour ( albeit probably the most scenic hour of the trip) 

In the end I chose a private tour. While it cost a little  more per person, it was much more tailored to our desires and extremely convenient, being picked up and delivered back right to our apartment.

As I mentioned earlier, this was an excellent choice for many reasons, one being that had we chosen to do the trip as a DIY option we would have been stuck, as the train line from Varenna was closed for several days  due to flooding from an exceptionally severe rain storm in the area - that had actually seen the cancellation of the Grand Prix. 

I booked Giovanni from comolake.holiday and he was a superb guide. 

He picked us up and we travelled up the western side of the lake while he gave us a good run down on the history and geography of the area and we stopped at a winery in Northern Lombardy on the way to Tirano

(Journalling on these pages reads: We were picked up early by Giovanni who would take us by van to the start of our train journey from Tirano Italy to St Moritz Switzerland. The drive was a couple of hours and we passed through one of the DOCG wine regions of Lombardy, called Vallentina.

Vallentina is near Sondrio, north of Milan and surrounded by very steep hills where the grapes were grown in every possible and many seemingly impossible spare pieces of ground. Most of the grapes grown in this district are Nebbiolo. We stopped at Pietro Nera Winery where Giovanni gave us a quick tour of the cellars and we purchased some wine to drink on the train.)

Giovanni also organised a great packed lunch for us to eat on the train with the wine we purchased at the winery and on arrival in Tirano guided us as to what tickets to buy and where to get off the train. He would meet us there, travelling by van, while we took in the sights on the train .

I was so glad we took the train from the beginning of the trip as we had great seats with excellent views ( Giovanni had advised us it was totally unnecessary to pay the extra for 1st class seats as the next car along was just as comfortable and cost half the price, and he was right) We almost had the whole carriage to ourselves .

Journalling reads: Once we reached Tirano Giovanni guided us through purchasing tickets and finding the best carriage. With instructions to get off the train at Diavolezza he left us and drove to meet us there . We had just under 2 hours on the train and the views started almost immediately we left Tirano and started the uphill journey to the mountains. The first point of interest was the Brusio spiral viaduct. It is 110 metres long, has a horizontal radius of curvature of 70 metres, a longitudinal slope of 7 percent, and is made up of nine spans. It was built in 1908 and is one of several viaducts on the Bernina Railway. We passed over the Italian Swiss border into Switzerland after only a few minutes on the train.)

We would also have missed the views of MiraLago and other wonderful sub snow level views had we taken the cheaper bus tour that joined the train much later in the journey.

Journalling reads: By the time we reached Miralago station on the picturesque Lake Poschiavo we had climed to an elevation of 964 metres. We would be climing a lot more though before we left the train. The maximum elevation of 2,253 metres

Over the next 45 minutes we climbed up to over 2000-metres into the  snow line though it was clear from the avalanche galleries (like a porch roof structure over the lines) that snow falls to much lower levels in the winter 

As we climbed into the mountains the scenery was so amazing it was hard to know which way to turn, and the cameras were clicking almost continuously! 

See the video below to experience the wonderful views near the summit 

There are 2 reservoirs at the summit of the Bernina Pass. Lago Bianco drains to the Mediterraean, through several rivers and Lej Nair, the lower of the two drains north to the Black Sea , through the Inn, and Danube rivers. 

Giovanni had arranged to meet us off the train at Diavolezza, before our final destination of Saint Moritz so he could show us the great viewpoint of the Mortaratsch Glacier . There are certainly breathtaking views of the surrounding mountain range too.

All too soon, it was time to get off the train and make the short drive to St Moritz. I have to say, it was a little underwhelming after the incredible views we had just experienced.  It was of course off season, so very empty with a lot of construction, but to me it just lacked character and I definitely think that its a "one and done" location for me, though im sure in the winter it would have a lot better vibe. 

Giovanni gave us a walking tour of the town, and left us for some free time where we had a hot chocolate ( delicious) and purchased some of the most expensive chocolate ever created, before meeting back up with him, and proceeding on our trip back to Italy, taking a different route, this time through the Maloja Pass .

Journalling reads: After picking us up from the train, Giovanni drove us to St Moritz where he gave us a walking

 tour of the town. Im not sure if it was because it was “off season” but it felt a bit like a town 

without a soul. It certainly was undergoing a lot of construction ready for the next season, and apparently it pretty much closes down once the winter is over and this may have had something to do with why it wasn't as appealing as other places we visited on the trip. We did visit the “leaning tower”, an old church tower that is definitely on a lean, and we had to partake in a visit  and a purchase or 2 at a to a chocolate shop.

Journalling: On leaving Saint Moritz we made our way back to Italy by road, taking a different route, via 

another pass known as the Maloja Pass. Part of this road is very well known as it takes in 

numerous very sharp switchbacks as it weaves its way down the mountains to the valley below

and back into Italy 

Our last stop for the day was at Acqua Fraggia Falls, near the Italian town of Chiavenna. These pretty falls contain water draining from the lakes near the swiss border that we had passed on the road. 

 This trip certainly lived up to my very high expectations. I think in retrospect, doing the trip with a private guide made it even better than it would have been ( certainly better than it might have been as a DIY as I cant see that we would have been able to complete it due to the railway closure, and simply the guidance of Giovanni as to where to buy tickets and what tickets to purchase made life a lot simpler. In addition, the packed lunch of braesola and goats cheese rolls along with a bottle of Italian red, made for a very inexpensive and delicious lunch. Had we waited till St Moritz to buy lunch we most certainly would have paid a lot more!

The Observatory Hotel Christchurch and the Botanical Gardens

I had a quick work trip to Christchurch and decided it would be a good opportunity to tack a short holiday to it.

On a friend's recommendation I booked a night at the Observatory Hotel. ( https://observatoryhotel.co.nz/ )This is located within the Old Arts Centre so has lots of atmosphere. The Arts Centre comprises buildings dating from the 19th century, formerly used by Canterbury College (now the University of Canterbury), and Christchurch Boys’ and Christchurch Girls’ High Schools. There are 23 buildings on site, of which 22 are listed by Heritage New Zealand with 21 categorised as Historic Place Category One and in a very English style and have been beautifully renovated after the devastating earthquakes over a decade ago.

Our room was very pretty in pale pink and sage tones with a stylish marble bathroom

The view from our room looks into the central area of the arts centre

There is a common lounge area with self serve coffee and teas and with  a lot of books on display with intriguing subjects to peruse. 

The hotel is located across the road from the Botanical Gardens Ave before we were picked up in the morning we had time to explore.

Begun in 1862, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens are, like historical Christchurch itself, very English in style and design right down to having punting boats meandering down the river 

 Late spring proved a great time to visit as the cherry blossoms tulips and other spring flowers were in full bloom

interesting fact: the cherry blossom trees were propogated from trees that survived the atomic bombings in Nagasaki, showing how natures beauty can overcome the worst of destruction 

Dont overlook Menaggio

 When deciding where to stay on Lake Como, many people look at Bellagio and Varenna, and on both occasions we have stayed on Lake Como ,Varenna was the first place I looked. Likewise when planning for our trip earlier this year, I started looking at Varenna, however on neither occasion did we actually end up staying there. The first trip we stayed in Como itself which is a really interesting place to stay with a lot to see in terms of sightseeing, and numerous hotel, and restaurant options. The trouble with Como, though if you are wanting to visit other towns on the lake, is the distance and time involved in travelling up and down.  Lake Como looks deceptively small on a map, but it is NOT small at at all - it is very long and it can take up to 4 hours to travel from Como in the south up to the top of the lake. It can take 2 hours or more by ferry to get from Como to Bellagio, Varenna or Menaggio in the middle of the lake.  Even when going by bus it can take well over an hour to get from the mid lake villages to Como.

This time, as we were looking for a 3 bedroom apartment for our group of 5, preferably with at least 2 bathrooms, it quickly because obvious that there was going to be very little that would be available within our budget. 
I easily found a great lake front apartment in the village of Menaggio, on the Western side of the lake , directly across from Bellagio . While the village doesnt have the visual appeal of either Varenna or Bellagio, behind the slight grittiness, there is a lot to love. 

Firstly it is quite a bit cheaper than the 2 more touristic mid lake options, while having lots of accommodation options from low priced to ultra luxury hotels . There are a variety of restaurants and some supermarkets, which are lacking in the other 2 villages.  A direct bus to Como makes road travel easy to other western lake villages too and we used this service twice along with the ferry 

Our apartment was called Menaggio Fronte Lago. I booked it through booking.com and it was exactly as advertised  You can find it here 

As you can see from the layout above, the location couldn't be better. Literally lake front, with private beach access ( however the weather and available time weren't conducive to beach time on this visit.)

The apartment was very spacious, with each bedroom having its own ensuite bathroom for real convenience when travelling with a group 

Journalling on the page above reads : 

Our first accomodation was Menaggio Fronte Lago, a name that very well described the apartment, which was lake front on the third floor of a probably 18th century building with 54 very worn stone stairs to reach it. It was nicely decorated and had everything we could want, including the best views of Lake Como.

On arrival I was relieved that I had chosen Menaggio as our base. What I hadn't foreseen was the huge increase in travel since covid which had such a huge effect on the small villages on the lake. While Varenna was busy, a lot more so than our visit in 2015, Bellagio was packed to such a degree that it was not remotely pleasant to be there at all. It was actually a relief at the end of the day to return to the more peaceful village of Menaggio where we never had trouble getting a table in a restaurant for breakfast or in the evening for dinner or to the local wine bar, Enoteca Re Di Quadri which became a quick favourite with its excellent snacks provided free with each round of drinks.

The frequent mid lake ferry timetable with a less than 20 minute traverse,makes it so easy to visit both Varenna and Bellagio so there is literally no downside to making Mennagio your base on Lake Como

Cruise Research begins

It's no secret to those who know me that my joy of travel starts well before I actually leave the house. It could sometimes be said I almost enjoy the planning and research around a trip as much as the trip itself .

While I say this I also do love to leave some aspects to chance, but for the most part my planning has served us well and really maximised the experiences we can fit into the short time we are away. 

I use an app called Wanderlog to assist with travel planning. I've tried several and this seens the best of the lot.

When it comes to a more structured trip like a cruise, much of the normal planning has already been taken care of. Things like route, accommodation and most meals require much less research ( only the few days either side of the cruise. )

It's for this reason I chose the itinerary and the cruise line for our next trip carefully. 

We are taking out 15 day cruise on the Oceania Insignia. 

A very small ship by current standards, it only carries 670 passengers. The small size means it can dock in ports the larger ships can not get to, mostly closer to the sights for that area. 

A look at the itinerary gives a good insight into this

if you look carefully you will see that two of the ports visited actually aren't even on the coast. Look at Seville on the a map and you will see it's 60km inland up the Guadalquivir River. Most cruise ships have to dock on the coast in Cadiz or similar and bus their passengers into Seville but the Oceania Insignia is able to sail up the river and dock right in the middle of town. 

Moreover it overnights there, allowing us to experience the city at night as well as during the day. 

Later in the cruise, the ship sails down the Garonne River and docks (and overnights) right in the centre of Bordeaux as well .

Being close to the action so to speak also plays to my love of research. It means we are less in need of ships excursions to access the sights in those towns. 

Not that I have anything major against excursions per se. In fact a good tour guide can really make a huge positive difference to a trip. Sadly though the opposite can also be the case . I've experienced my share of excellent tours and probably an equal amount of poorly run tours. 

Our fare included $1650 credit to be used on excursions. That seems like a lot but on first sight Oceanias excursions seemed to be astronomically expensive. I wasn't going to waste that credit though so I waded my way through them and initially chose 3 and that would use up all the credits+ another $124 each . My first pick was an excursion from the Port of Motril to Granada and the Alhambra. Sadly though it was already sold out . Because it requires transport from the port to another town it is would be better to do with an organised tour so I quickly booked a semi private excursion with a third party company (Spain Day Tours) . At 90€ it was a bit cheaper than the ships excursion and will be a smaller group so  plus plus. 

So I still needed 3 more to use the credit . 

I looked carefully and in the small print saw that if I booked a minimum of 7 excursions they all would reduce in price by 25% . 

To choose them I researched the opposite way round, looking for places I felt I didn't need an excursion . Alicante, Seville, Lisbon,Porto and St Malo all seem doable on our own, leaving me lots of opportunity to research . In addition we will spend 3 nights in Barcelona before the cruise, a couple of nights in London near the airport, and a few nights in Dubai to break up the homeward flight. 

Plenty of research to fill that need! 

In a later post I'll go through some of the quite interesting excursions I actually have signed up for 

A Long Weekend in Napier

It's been a while since we were down in the Hawkes Bay. Our last trip was just after highway reopened after the devastation caused by the floods in February. Work is ongoing on the road in. There are lots of roadworks and one way sections but progress is being made. 

Having said that, in the Esk Valley reminders are everywhere still. Piles of dried mud and empty, destroyed homes and businesses still stands as testament to the viscious  power of nature. 

Brookfields Winery has only just reopened and I was more than happy to support them with the purchase of some of my favourite wines at excellent prices. 

Bud burst has occurred too despite that vines being under water in February .

A better sort of testament to mother natures power. 

The Brookfields tasting experience in the barrel room is great. Very casual yet full of information and such a big variety to try and the restaurant offerings were very generous and tasty and amongst my purchases included a newly bottled 2023 Pinot Gris. Amazing that despite the devastation they were still able to produce something from the vintage. It was good too.. I'm not generally a Pinot Gris fan so it has to be a good one for me to buy some. 

Our next vineyard stop was at Askerne to pick up some of their Spritzy Fleurty Rosé in the hope that Rosé drinking weather finally arrives. 

The rest of the weekend was primarily spent with family but we did have a lovely dinner at the Central Fire station restaurant which had a slow cooked theme for Sunday . We shared a delicious lamb shoulder with some good Hawkes Bay Syrah.

i loved the little carrafe the wine was served in. 

Till next time Napier!! We will be back for the Art Deco Festival in February 

A Long Pause

Yes its been a very very long time between posts. 

I started this blog just before we took our first cruise Europe in 2015 and then life got in the way, and then I completely forgot it!- Social media posts seemed the easiest way to share our travels but recently Ive had an urge to write more than would be appropriate for a Facebook post and definitely more than could ever be said in an Instagram post.

 Last week I saw a meme on Facebook and it reminded me about this blog that Id started long ago - and really looking back at my past posts they aren't really what Id like to achieve now .

Of course now we are completely between trips- but are we?? That 2015 trip was supposed to be a once in a lifetime trip but what it did was renew our previous joy of travel and just made us want to travel more. 

And travel we have. We've been back to Europe three times since 2015 despite being stuck within New Zealand due to Covid restrictions that lasted nearly 3 years. 

We made good use of those three years though, travelling when we could extensively throughout New Zealand in both the North and the South Islands allowing us to remember that the scenery here at home is hard to beat .

In 2017 we took a road trip to Italy and the UK, and then in 2019, a River Cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest, and just this year a month long road trip in France. This trip was originally planned for 2020 but for obvious reasons had to be cancelled. I took the opportunity to add a little bit to the original itinerary and in May this year we flew to Milan and spent 5 days on Lake Como , taking a side trip to tick off a bucket list item - The Bernina Express from Tirano to St Moritz, before continuing to France.

On returning, initially the jetlag was so bad we decided not to go anywhere far next year, but within weeks we saw the light and now we are booked on a 15 night cruise on the Oceania Insignia leaving from Barcelona and ending in Southhampton in June next year . More details on that to come.

So for now - posts here will recall past trips,  discuss the planning for next year, and cover any local trips we might make (In fact we have one starting tomorrow) in the mean time.

Arriving in Venice

Venice from the Lido Deck

Passing St Marks Square

Venice from the ship

After Athens we had a sea day. I attended a culinary demonstration followed by a tour of the galley in the morning, and a wine tasting in that afternoon.  We indulged in lobster abd beef Wellington for our second formal dinner.  I spent the rest of the day lazing on deck reading a book abd generally enjoying the last bit of pampering on the ship.
Around 11.30am we started our approach to Venice.  It had been pouring with rain but the Gods were watching and just as we approached the guidecca canal the sun peeked out.
Sailing in to Venice on sa cruise liner has to rate as one of the top experiences of my life. A birds eye view over the tiled rooves gives a great perspective.
Music played in the background on the ship and made me quite emotional

ST Marks mosaics

We caught the ship's shuttle boat from the port to St Mark's Square which was a mass of humanity.  There would be no chance to get into St Marks that day so we decided to explore the area.  We made our way to the Rialto Bridge. It started to spit so we sat down at a restaurant by the canal for Lunch.  No sooner had we sat than the heavens opened! It didn't just rain.. It poured and poured with violent thunder and lightning.  In the end we were pretty drenched so decided to go back to the ship for dinner.  We thought about going back after dinner but we needed to pack our bags so we spent the evening on the ship.
The next morning was time for disembarking. It was sad to leave. Cruising certainly spoils you for independent travel!!