Škocjan Cave and Ljubljana 斯科契扬溶洞与卢布尔雅那
April 13, 2026
Before leaving for Zagreb, we went out to see an old Roman outdoor theater near our hotel……
今天一早在酒店用完早餐，。。。
April 13, 2026
Before leaving for Zagreb, we went out to see an old Roman outdoor theater near our hotel. This was also the first time we booked a private transfer with stops through Daytrip.com, which turned out to be a very convenient way to travel.
Our driver picked us up at 10 a.m. The border crossing was smooth, and about 30 minutes later we arrived at Škocjan Caves. Before entering, he took us to a viewpoint overlooking the cave entrance, where we could see a dramatic sinkhole and a zigzag hiking path carved into the cliff descending into the earth. Even from above, the scale was impressive.
Škocjan is one of Slovenia’s most dramatic cave systems and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its underground “Grand Canyon”. Unlike Postojna Cave, which feels like a grand, decorated underground palace, Škocjan feels raw, wild, and powerful.
We then joined an English guided tour. For safety reasons, photography and video are not allowed inside, which made the experience feel more immersive. The highlight was the vast underground canyon carved by the Reka River. As we walked along narrow paths clinging to the rock walls, we could hear the river roaring far below. At times, we crossed bridges suspended inside enormous limestone chambers, surrounded by darkness and echoing water. The cave reaches depths of over 200 meters, and some chambers rise nearly 100 meters high, creating a sense of scale that is hard to comprehend.
Standing there, with mist in the air and soft lighting illuminating the cliffs, it felt less like visiting a cave and more like stepping into another world—an experience unlike anything we had encountered before.
When we exited the cave, we wondered how we would manage to climb all those steep steps back up to the visitor center. We slowly started making our way upward, already feeling the effort, when suddenly we spotted a funicular waiting nearby. What a relief—we didn’t have to make the long ascent after all.
After the cave visit, we continued on to Ljubljana, a charming and compact capital city. The driver dropped us at Ljubljana Castle, where we took in the views before walking down into the old town.
We enjoyed a relaxed lunch featuring local sausages and three different soups, then strolled through the lively streets and across the iconic Triple Bridge. Since we had visited Ljubljana three years earlier, this felt like a pleasant revisit rather than a rushed sightseeing stop.
In the afternoon, we continued our journey to Zagreb, crossing the border with stop. There, we reunited with two friends from Philadelphia who would be traveling with us through Croatia. That evening, all six of us gathered at a restaurant to enjoy our first Croatian meal together and toasted to the journey ahead.
2026年4月13日
今天一早在酒店用完早餐，我们先去酒店附近参观了一处古罗马露天剧场。然后才告别意大利，离开的里雅斯特，前往克洛地亚(Croatia)首都萨格勒布（Zagreb)。
我们又一次改变计划，没有坐大巴，而是第一次通过 Daytrip 预订带中途停靠景点的包车服务。司机在上午10点来酒店接我们。过境都不用停车，直接开过。大约30分钟后我们抵达了在斯洛文尼亚的斯科契扬溶洞(Škocjan Caves)。在进入洞穴之前，司机先带我们到一个观景点，从高处俯瞰一条之字形步道沿着峭壁蜿蜒而下，通往地下深处。仅仅站在上方眺望，就已经能感受到它的规模之宏大。
斯科契扬溶洞是斯洛文尼亚最壮观的洞穴系统之一，也是联合国教科文组织世界遗产。随后我们参加了英文导览团。出于安全考虑，洞内禁止拍照和录像，这反而让整个体验更加专注。我们沿着紧贴岩壁的小路下行，不一会儿脚下深处传来河水奔腾的轰鸣声。有时需要穿过悬挂在巨大洞厅中的桥梁，四周是无尽的黑暗与回声。我们最深走到离地面超过200米的地方，而部分洞厅的高度接近100米，这种尺度让人难以用语言形容。站在其中，空气中弥漫着水汽，柔和的灯光照亮岩壁，仿佛进入了地球的内部世界。这种体验与我们以往参观过的任何洞穴都完全不同。
走出洞穴时，我们还在担心该如何走回通往游客中心的那一长串陡峭台阶。我们开始费力往上爬了一会儿，没想到突然看到前方正停着一辆上山缆车。真是柳暗花明又一村，顿时松了一口气——原来不用一路辛苦爬上去了。
离开溶洞后，我们继续前往斯洛文尼亚的卢布尔雅那（Ljubljana), 这是一座精致而迷人的首都城市。我们俩几年前来过这里，还住了几天，很喜欢。这次顺路带妹妹和妹夫来看看。司机将我们送到卢布尔雅那城堡（Ljubljana Castle），我们在山顶拍照后步行下山进入老城。
我们享用了一顿简单午餐，包括当地香肠和三种不同的汤, 味道很不错。之后漫步穿过老城街道，走过著名的三重桥（Triple Bridge），由于几年前已经来过这里，这次更多是一种轻松的重游，而不是匆忙的打卡。
下午司机继续驱车将我们送达到目的地萨格勒布。在那里，我们与两位从费城赶来的朋友会合，一同开始接下来的克罗地亚之旅。晚上六个人一起去了一家不错的餐厅，享用了第一顿克罗地亚美食，并为接下来的旅程举杯庆祝。
Travel to Trieste 前往的里雅斯特
April 12, 2026
Our original plan was to take a five-hour bus……
我们原本的计划是在威尼斯(Venice)要再多住一天。。。
April 12, 2026
Our original plan was to take a five-hour bus from Venice to Zagreb, Croatia, but we did not feel comfortable with such a long bus ride. Another option was to take the train to Trieste and then switch to a bus. We more or less followed that idea, but with one major twist: we decided to stay overnight in Trieste instead of continuing directly to Zagreb.
In the morning, we took Vaporetto Line 1 to Arsenale Station, cruising slowly along the Grand Canal for one final look at the quiet morning beauty of Venice. We then strolled through St. Mark’s Square once more, admiring the beautiful façades and elegant architecture surrounding the square. Afterwards, we boarded a two-hour train ride to Trieste, the historic border city near Slovenia.
After settling into the DoubleTree Hotel, we went out to explore. Our first stop was Caffè Tommaseo, the oldest café in Trieste, nearly 200 years old. Its elegant Viennese-style interior immediately reflected the city’s Central European character. Trieste even has its own names for different coffee drinks. I ordered a nero, an espresso, which came with a small glass of hot chocolate. Following the locals, we poured a little chocolate into the espresso, or sipped the chocolate and coffee together. It was a delightful experience, and I wondered why this style of coffee is not offered more widely elsewhere. Illy coffee, one of our favorite brands, was founded and is still headquartered there, though surprisingly we did not see much of an Illy presence around the city.
After our coffee break, we walked to Molo Audace, a pier built in 1751. The sea was calm, and people were sitting along the edge, chatting and drinking as the evening light softened over the water. It felt peaceful and beautiful. Turning away from the sea, we could see Piazza Unità d’Italia, Trieste’s grand central square, opening toward the waterfront.
We had hoped to watch the sunset, but the sun hid behind the clouds. Instead, we found ourselves watching jellyfish drifting in the water, in different sizes and shapes, and had great fun taking pictures of them.
Later, we strolled leisurely through the square, admiring the elegant buildings around it, before ending the evening with a wonderful seafood dinner.
We really liked Trieste. It had a calm, graceful, and peaceful character that made the stop feel unexpectedly special. It is another place we would gladly return to someday.
2026年4月12日
我们原本的计划是在威尼斯(Venice)要再多住一天，然后乘坐二个小时的火车到的里雅斯特, 再转乘三个半大巴前往克罗地亚（Croatia)首都萨格勒布(Zagreb)。结果我们基本沿用了这个线路，但做了一个重要的改变——我们决定把威尼斯的时候减少一天，坐火车来到的里雅斯特后停留一晚，而不是直接赶路。
的里雅斯特位于意大利东北部，靠近斯洛文尼亚边境，是一座面向亚得里亚海的历史港口城市。这里以浓厚的咖啡文化闻名。我们很喜欢的Illy咖啡正是发源于此，总部也设在这里。不过有点意外的是，我们在城里并没有看到太多 Illy 的存在。
在希尔顿DoubleTree酒店安顿好之后，我们便出门了解这座城市。第一站是Caffè Tommaseo，这家已有近200年历史的咖啡馆，是全城最古老的一家。店内是优雅的维也纳风格装修，很有中欧气息。的里雅斯特甚至为不同咖啡饮品赋予了独特的名称。我们四人各自点了不同的咖啡饮料以及甜品，我点了一杯 nero（浓缩咖啡），端上来时除了小杯espresso外，还配了一小杯热巧克力。我们学着当地人的方式，要么往咖啡里加一点巧克力，要么交替品尝，两种味道相互融合，非常特别。我不禁好奇，为什么这种喝法没有在其它地方流行起来。
喝完咖啡后，我们步行来到Molo Audace码头，这是一座建于1751年的长堤。海面平静，人们坐在长堤边聊天、喝饮料，整个氛围安静而美好。转过身来，便能看到宏伟的Piazza Unità d’Italia，这座面向海港的广场气势开阔，是城市的中心。
我们本想在这里看日落，可惜太阳被云层遮住了。于是我们改为观察水中的水母，它们形态各异，在海水中缓缓漂浮，我们拍了很多照片及视频，返老还童，开心的像小孩一样。随后我们在广场上悠闲地散步，欣赏周围典雅的建筑，最后以一顿美味的海鲜晚餐结束这一天。
我们非常喜欢的里雅斯特。这座城市安静、非常优雅，又带着独特的气质，让这次临时停留变得格外难忘。如果将来有机会，我们一定还会再来。
Venice 威尼斯
April 11, 2026
I sneaked out alone for a quiet stroll around the area……
我一个人悄悄地出门，。。。
April 11, 2026
I sneaked out alone for a quiet stroll around the area to enjoy the fresh morning air. It was very pleasant. There were hardly any tourists around, only local workers, many of them delivery workers.
Food and supplies were delivered by boats and unloaded along the riverbank using small cranes mounted on the boats. The workers then loaded everything onto carts and pushed them through the narrow streets to the stores. Watching them, we could see it was truly hard work.
Today we visited most of the major sights around St. Mark’s Square. We took the elevator up the bell tower for a panoramic view of Venice, then visited St. Mark’s Basilica, admired the dazzling Pala d’Oro, and went through the museum and loggia. We also explored the Doge’s Palace and the Museo Correr. In a single day, we saw so much that it was impossible to fully absorb it all.
Bell Tower and views from the tower
Doge’s Palace
St. Mark’s Basilica
Museo Correr
What stood out most was how all these places connected to the same story. The basilica revealed Venice’s deep Byzantine and eastern influences, glowing with gold mosaics and treasures that felt very different from the other Italian churches we had seen. The Doge’s Palace showed how the republic was governed, not by one monarch, but through councils, offices, and a carefully balanced system of power. The museums added more layers, helping us understand Venice not just as a beautiful city, but as a powerful maritime state with a long and unique history.
By the end of the day, Venice felt far richer than just canals and postcard views. It felt like a place where politics, religion, trade, and geography came together to create something truly distinctive.
Near dusk, we took a gondola ride. The boat glided slowly through the narrow waterways and onto the Grand Canal, giving us a peaceful and memorable view of the city from the water. It was a wonderful experience, though unlike in Las Vegas, our gondolier here did not sing.
After the gondola ride, we wandered through the narrow streets and alleyways, stopping to try all the street snacks we had been eyeing over the past two days. Tomorrow, we continue on to our next destination.
2026年4月11日
我一个人悄悄地出门，在附近随意走走，呼吸清晨新鲜的空气，感觉十分惬意。街上几乎看不到游客，只有当地人在忙碌，大多数是送货工人。
各种食物和货物通过小船运送过来，再利用船上的小吊机卸到河岸边。随后，工人们把货物搬上手推车，穿过狭窄的小巷送往各家商店。看着他们来回奔忙，才真正感受到这份工作的辛苦。
今天我们游览了圣马可广场（Piazza San Marco）周边的大部分重要景点。首先乘电梯登上了钟楼（Campanile），俯瞰威尼斯全城的壮丽景色；接着参观了圣马可大教堂（Basilica di San Marco），欣赏了金光璀璨的帕拉多罗金坛屏风（Pala d’Oro），还走过了教堂的博物馆和凉廊（Museum and Loggia）。之后我们又参观了总督宫（Doge’s Palace）和科雷尔博物馆（Museo Correr）。一天之内看了这么多东西，信息量实在太大，根本来不及完全消化吸收。
最让人印象深刻的是，这些景点其实都在讲述同一个完整的故事。圣马可大教堂（Basilica di San Marco）展现了威尼斯深厚的拜占庭（Byzantine）与东方影响，满眼金色的马赛克与珍宝装饰，与我们此前见过的其他意大利教堂形成了鲜明对比。总督宫（Doge’s Palace）则让我们理解到，威尼斯共和国并非由君主统治，而是通过议会体系、各类官职以及彼此制衡的权力结构来运作。各个博物馆又为这一切不断补充细节与背景，使我们逐渐认识到，威尼斯不仅是一座美丽的水城，更曾是一个强大的海上共和国，拥有悠久而独特的历史。
到了这一天结束的时候，威尼斯在我们眼中已经远远不只是运河和明信片般的风景。它更像是一个把政治、宗教、贸易和地理位置交织在一起的地方，形成了真正独一无二的城市气质。
傍晚时分，我们还乘坐了贡多拉（Gondola）。小船缓缓穿行在狭窄的水巷之间，又驶入了大运河（Grand Canal），从水面上看这座城市，感觉格外宁静而美好。这是一次很棒的体验，只不过和拉斯维加斯不同，这里的船夫并不唱歌。
坐完小船，走街串巷把前二天看到的想吃的街头小吃都吃了，明天继续前行。
Travel to Venice 前往威尼斯
April 10, 2026
Before leaving Florence for Venice,……
在离开佛罗伦萨前往威尼斯之前，。。。
April 10, 2026
Before leaving Florence for Venice, we still felt as if there was one more thing we wanted to do. In the morning, we requested a late checkout, and fortunately it was granted. With a little extra time, we headed back to the Central Market. This time, the first floor was open, filled with butcher counters, fruit and vegetable stalls, and several small eating places.
We went directly to a highly rated stall famous for its lampredotto sandwich, a traditional Florentine specialty. I still did not quite dare to try it, so instead I ordered ravioli, which turned out to be very good.
After lunch, we hurried back to the hotel, picked up our luggage, and walked across the street to the train station to board our five-hour train to Venice.
When we arrived at Venice Santa Lucia Station, we were greeted by city officials checking for the Venice access fee registration. Day visitors, including many cruise passengers, are required to pay the fee, while overnight guests like us are exempt, as long as we complete the registration.
Our accommodation was near the Rialto ferry stop, so we took Vaporetto Line 2. At €9.50 per person, the ride felt very expensive, but it was also our first introduction to Venice from the water. Our apartment was in a very central location, tucked just behind the busy streets near Rialto.
After settling in, we walked across the Rialto Bridge and began exploring the narrow alleys and small bridges of the San Polo area. Later, we took a €2 traghetto ferry across the Grand Canal and continued our walk toward St. Mark’s Square. When we finally arrived, the square was truly impressive—grand, open, and glowing with the atmosphere of Venice.
Since we had a dinner reservation, we did not wander too long. Our first dinner in Venice turned out to be excellent, a wonderful beginning to this new chapter of our journey.
2026年4月10日
在离开佛罗伦萨前往威尼斯之前，我们总觉得似乎还少了点什么。早上我们向酒店申请了延迟退房之后，又一次前往中央市场。这次一楼已经开门，里面是各式各样的肉铺、水果蔬菜摊位，还有不少可以直接用餐的小店。
我们特意去了那家评价很高的摊位，主打佛罗伦萨传统美食——lampredotto 牛肚包，这次Connie也来了一份，大家都觉得比前二天的好吃。不过我还是有点不敢尝试，于是点了一份意大利饺子（ravioli），味道非常不错。用餐后，我们匆匆赶回酒店，取上行李，穿过马路来到火车站，登上了前往威尼斯的火车。
二个多小时后，我们抵达威尼斯圣露西亚火车站。刚出站就被工作人员询问我们城市入城费的登记情况。在威尼斯，一日游游客（比如邮轮乘客）需要支付城市费用，而像我们这样过夜的游客可以免除，但需要提前完成网上登记，获取QR码。
我们的住宿就在里亚托码头附近，从火车站乘坐2号水上巴士（Vaporetto Line 2），几分钟就到。每人9.5欧元，价格不便宜，却有了第一次从水上进入威尼斯的体验。住处位置非常中心，就在热闹街区的后面，闹中取静。更难得的是电梯房，不用提箱子上楼对我们来说太重要了。能在威尼斯热闹区找到既漂亮宽敞，又带电梯的房子实属不易。
安顿好之后，我们步行经过里亚托桥，开始在圣保罗区（San Polo）狭窄的巷子和小桥间随意漫步。随后，我们乘坐了2欧元的小渡船（traghetto）横跨大运河，继续前行，来到圣马可广场。广场的气势令人印象深刻，开阔而壮丽，尽显威尼斯独特的氛围。
由于提前预订了晚餐，我们先大概熟悉一下环境，没有停留太久。威尼斯的第一顿海鲜晚餐非常令人满意，为接下来的旅程开启了一个美好的开始。
David and Bell Tower 大卫和钟楼
April 9, 2026
We dedicated today to museum hopping, ……
今天我们继续在佛罗伦萨的博物馆及教堂之间穿梭，。。。
April 9, 2026
We dedicated today to museum hopping, immersing ourselves in Florence’s extraordinary artistic legacy. Our first stop was the Galleria dell’Accademia, where we finally stood before David, Michelangelo’s masterpiece that we had long admired in books and movies. Seeing it in person was a completely different experience—the sheer scale, the lifelike tension, and the exquisite details made the sculpture feel almost alive. Surrounding it were unfinished works by Michelangelo, offering a rare glimpse into his creative process.
What surprised us most was a small but fascinating collection of historical musical instruments, including early keyboard instruments linked to the invention of the piano by Bartolomeo Cristofori. It was a reminder that Florence’s influence extended far beyond visual art.
We then walked to the Bargello Museum, a quieter yet equally rich destination. Inside the former fortress, we explored an impressive collection of Renaissance sculptures, including smaller interpretations and variations inspired by David, as well as works by other masters. The setting itself added a layer of historical depth to the experience.
On the way to the Florence Cathedral, we stopped at Piazza della Signoria, the historic political and artistic heart of Florence, where world-famous statues stand throughout the square like a free open-air museum.
When we first arrived at the cathedral, the line looked daunting, stretching across the square with what seemed like more than an hour’s wait. Not eager to spend so much time queuing, we decided to return to the hotel for a short rest. When we came back later, we were pleasantly surprised to find the line much shorter, with only about a 15-minute wait. Soon afterward, however, we realized that our Giotto Pass — which included access to the archaeological site inside the cathedral — allowed us to bypass the line entirely and enter directly without waiting. Once inside, the grandeur of the Duomo once again left a lasting impression on us.
Just outside the cathedral stands the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, which offers one of the richest journeys through Florentine art and the history of the Duomo. The museum preserves many of the original masterpieces created for the cathedral complex, giving the collection tremendous historical significance. A recent expansion of the museum creates the remarkable feeling of walking through a church inside the museum itself — something we had never experienced before.
As the day drew to a close, we climbed the Giotto’s Campanile. Step by step, we ascended the narrow stairways until we emerged high above the city. From the top, Florence unfolded beneath us in warm golden light. The rooftops glowed, the dome stood majestic beside us, and the distant hills softened into evening haze as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon. It was a breathtaking and fitting finale to our time in this remarkable city.
As we walked past the Florence Cathedral, we paused, drawn by the enchanting sound of an opera singer whose beautiful voice filled the square. The music drifted through the evening air, wrapping the moment in a quiet kind of magic. Before us, the Duomo stood in timeless grandeur, and in a striking play of light, the shadow of the Florence Baptistery was projected onto its marble façade—an almost surreal scene where one historic monument seemed to imprint itself upon another.
After a delightful dinner at Osteria Vecchio Vicolo, we wandered leisurely through Florence’s softly lit streets, letting the rhythm of the city slow our steps. The night carried a gentle charm—warm lights glowing from old buildings, quiet conversations echoing in narrow alleys, and the lingering presence of centuries past. When we reached Piazza della Signoria, near the Palazzo Vecchio, we paused once more, taking in the final moments of a city that had offered us so much beauty and inspiration.
Our Florence journey quietly came to an end. Tomorrow, we would board the train to Venice, ready to begin the next chapter of our adventure.
2026年4月9日
今天我们继续在佛罗伦萨的博物馆及教堂之间穿梭，第一站是学院美术馆（Galleria dell’Accademia），在那里我们终于亲眼见到了久负盛名的《大卫》（David）。这座由米开朗基罗（Michelangelo）创作的雕像，长期以来在书本，电影电视中出现，但真正站在面前时却带来完全不同的震撼——体量之巨大、肌肉的张力以及细节的刻画，都让人感觉仿佛有生命一般。周围陈列的未完成作品，则让我们得以一窥大师创作过程中的思考与轨迹。
让人意外的是，馆内还收藏了一小部分历史乐器，其中包括与钢琴诞生相关的早期键盘乐器，与巴托洛梅奥·克里斯托福里（Bartolomeo Cristofori）的发明密切相关。这一发现让我们意识到，佛罗伦萨不仅是视觉艺术的中心，同样也是音乐创新的重要发源地。
随后我们步行前往巴杰罗博物馆（Bargello Museum）。这里相对安静，却同样内容丰富。博物馆本身是一座中世纪城堡，厚重的历史氛围与馆内的雕塑作品相得益彰。我们看到了许多文艺复兴时期的雕塑，其中包括一些以《大卫》为灵感的缩小版本以及后人模仿的作品，也欣赏了其他大师的创作。
接下来我们前往圣母百花大教堂（Florence Cathedral），这是这些天来难得的一个免费景点。初到时，被眼前长长的队伍吓了一跳，队伍几乎横跨整个广场，预计等待时间超过一小时。于是我们决定先回酒店稍作休息。再回来时，队伍已经明显缩短，只需等待大约15分钟。不过很快我们发现，凭借手中购买的一张登钟楼的联票Giotto Pass（ 包含Giotto's Bell Tower, Baptistery和教堂内考古区域的参观），其实可以直接进入教堂，无需排队。再次走进大教堂，依旧被其宏伟与庄严深深震撼。
傍晚时分，我们登上了乔托钟楼（Giotto’s Campanile）。当初买票时我们特地选了看夕阳的时间段。在排队等待上钟楼时还以为有电梯，结果却是必须沿着狭窄的楼梯一步步向上攀登。还好钟楼分段设置观景平台，可以边休息边欣赏佛罗伦萨的城市风景。当最终来到钟楼顶部时，整个佛罗伦萨在眼前缓缓展开。夕阳的金色光辉洒在城市的红瓦屋顶上，圣母百花大教堂 的布鲁内莱斯基穹顶（Brunelleschi’s Dome）近在咫尺，远处的山丘在暮色中渐渐柔和，这时候觉得登楼的一切努力都非常值得。我们没有买到登大教堂穹顶的票，至少最近距离看到了穹顶。
当我们再次经过 圣母百花大教堂 时，被一阵动人的歌声吸引住了脚步。一位歌剧卖艺者正投入地演唱，悠扬的旋律在广场上空回荡，为傍晚的氛围增添了一丝色彩。眼前的大教堂静静矗立，在光影交错之间，佛罗伦萨洗礼堂的影子投射在大教堂的大理石外立面上，仿佛一座历史建筑在另一座之上留下印记，形成了一幅极具诗意的画面。
在 Osteria Vecchio Vicolo 享用了一顿精致而愉快的晚餐后，我们漫步在佛罗伦萨的街道上。夜色中的城市显得格外温柔，暖黄色的灯光洒在古老的建筑上，我们的佛罗伦萨之行，就在这样的氛围中悄然画上句号。明天，我们将登上前往威尼斯的火车，开启旅程的下一段篇章。
Uffzi, Pitti & Boboli 乌菲兹，皮蒂宫和波波里
April 8, 2026
After setting foot in Florence three days earlier,……
在抵达佛罗伦萨后的第四天,。。。
April 8, 2026
After setting foot in Florence three days earlier, we finally devoted the day to exploring the historic city center. With 9:30 a.m. entry tickets in hand, we began at the Uffizi Gallery, one of Florence’s most celebrated attractions. Inside, room after room displayed masterpieces by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and many other great artists. The collection was so vast and rich that it almost felt overwhelming; there was far more to admire than we could fully absorb in a single visit. One of the most popular spots was the famous Medici Venus, where a long line of visitors waited patiently just to take a photo from a distance.
After leaving the gallery, we made our way toward Palazzo Pitti, crossing the Ponte Vecchio along the way. The bridge, lined with small shops, was especially striking for its many glittering jewelry stores. It was one of those places that felt both lively and timeless. Before continuing, we stopped for pizza for lunch, a simple but satisfying break in the middle of a busy sightseeing day.
At Palazzo Pitti, we learned that visiting the Royal Apartments required a free timed-entry ticket from the ticket office. By the time we arrived with the time entry tickets, however, the time control did not seem to be strictly enforced, so our visit went smoothly. The palace was pleasant to explore and offered an informative look into royal life and the grandeur of Florence’s past.
We then continued into the Boboli gardens, though part of the area was under renovation. Even so, the gardens were beautiful and enjoyable. We walked uphill all the way to the top, where we were rewarded with a wonderful panoramic view of Florence and the surrounding landscape. The peaceful atmosphere there made it one of the most relaxing parts of the day.
Afterward, we headed to the central market. The first floor, where fresh produce is usually sold, had already closed for the day, but the restaurants on the second floor were still open and busy. There, we ordered several Florentine street foods, including lampredotto and other local specialties. Everyone enjoyed the meal, and we told ourselves that if time allowed, we would definitely return before the trip ended.
On the way back to the hotel, we noticed a Vietnamese café serving pho, which immediately triggered my craving for noodles. After returning to the hotel for a short rest, we went back there for a warm bowl of beef pho. It was simple, comforting, and exactly what we wanted. Later, we continued walking to the nearby Piazza Santa Maria Novella. As night fell, the square was softly illuminated and pleasantly uncrowded, creating a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere that provided a gentle ending to the day.
2026年4月8日
在抵达佛罗伦萨后的第四天，我们终于把整整一天留给了这座历史名城。我们手持上午9:30进入乌菲兹美术馆 (Uffizi Gallery) 的门票，正式开始了当天的行程。
乌菲兹美术馆无疑是佛罗伦萨最负盛名的艺术殿堂之一。展厅一间接一间，陈列着桑德罗·波提切利 (Sandro Botticelli)、列奥纳多·达·芬奇 (Leonardo da Vinci)、米开朗基罗 (Michelangelo) 等大师的经典作品。馆藏之丰富、规模之庞大，让人几乎有些目不暇接——展品实在太多，很难在一次参观中细细欣赏。馆内最热门的打卡点之一，是著名的美第奇维纳斯 (Medici Venus)，它陈列在乌菲兹最具代表性的空间之一——“八角厅 (Tribuna)”中。我们也跟着排了一会儿队，在人群中匆匆拍了一张照片，算是完成了这一经典打卡。
离开美术馆后，我们简单吃了顿午餐，点了披萨。在紧凑的行程中，这样一顿朴实的餐食反而格外令人满足。随后我们前往皮蒂宫 (Pitti Palace)，途中经过著名的老桥 (Ponte Vecchio)。桥两侧林立着各式小店，其中尤以金银珠宝店最为醒目，橱窗中陈列的饰品在阳光下闪闪发光。
抵达皮蒂宫后，我们得知参观皇家公寓需要先领取免费的分时段入场票。不过实际入场时，工作人员对时间的查验并不严格，因此整个参观过程十分顺利。宫殿内部空间开阔，陈设华丽，让人对昔日王室生活以及佛罗伦萨的辉煌历史有了更直观的感受。
之后我们继续前往波波里花园 (Boboli Gardens)。虽然园内部分区域正在维护，但整体依然优美。我们沿着缓坡一路向上，走到高处时，眼前豁然开朗——佛罗伦萨城区及周边风光尽收眼底。相比城市中的人流，这里多了一份宁静与从容，是当天最让人放松的时刻之一。
随后我们前往中央市场 (Mercato Centrale)。一层售卖新鲜食材，当时已经关闭，但二层的餐饮区依然热闹。我们点了几样当地小吃，包括经典的牛肚包 (lampredotto) 等佛罗伦萨街头美食，吃得相当尽兴。如果时间允许，这里确实值得再来一次慢慢体验。
回到酒店稍作休息后，傍晚我们又步行来到附近的新圣母玛利亚广场 (Piazza Santa Maria Novella)。夜幕降临后，这里灯光柔和、人也不多，气氛安静而舒适，为这一天画上了一个轻松的句号。
Siena 锡耶纳
April 7, 2026
We continued our day trip from Florence with a visit to Siena,……
昨天去了比萨斜塔和卢卡，。。。
April 7, 2026
We continued our day trip from Florence with a visit to Siena, a beautiful hilltop town in Tuscany. After getting off the train, we crossed the street into a shopping mall and took a series of escalators all the way up the hill, which saved us a lot of climbing.
Once at the top, we leisurely wandered through the narrow streets of the old town, admiring the beautifully decorated shop windows. Every now and then, we stopped at a pastry shop or gelato store to see whether anything tempted us. It was one of the most charming old towns we had ever experienced. But the most exciting destination of the day was Siena Duomo, with its striking dark green-and-white striped exterior, one of the very few churches in the world with such a distinctive design.
If the exterior of the Duomo impressed us, the interior left us speechless. The walls and ceilings were richly decorated with magnificent artwork. Everywhere we looked, there was something to admire—above us, around us, and beneath our feet. The floor, in particular, was extraordinary, made up of intricate marble panels depicting biblical scenes and historical figures. The Piccolomini Library was equally impressive.
We also joined a tour that took us up into the upper levels of the cathedral, where we enjoyed panoramic views of the city.
Afterward, we visited the Duomo Museum, which displayed historic artifacts of even greater value than many of those still inside the cathedral itself. The highlight of the museum visit was climbing to the unfinished façade, where we were rewarded with another amazing view of Siena and the surrounding countryside.
We had dinner in town, and afterward, as we walked back to the train station, the sun was beginning to set. The view at sunset was absolutely beautiful. We had a wonderful time in Siena.
2026年4月7日
昨天去了比萨斜塔和卢卡，今天又是另外一个一日游，从佛罗伦萨出发来到托斯卡纳山城锡耶纳。一个小时多一点的火车，很快就来到锡耶纳。下火车后，我们走进街对面的商场，乘坐一段接一段的自动扶梯一路向上，轻松省去了爬坡的辛苦。
到了山顶后，漫步在古城狭窄的街巷中，不时欣赏那些装饰精美的橱窗，我们还会随意停进一家甜品店或冰淇淋店，看看有没有什么想吃的。这里是我们所体验过的最迷人的古城之一。而当天最令人期待的目的地，当然是锡耶纳主教堂。它那深绿色与白色相间的条纹外观格外醒目，在世界上也属少见，令人一见难忘。
如果说主教堂的外观已经让我们惊叹，那么它的内部更是让我们几乎无语了，整座教堂的墙壁与天花板都布满了精美的装饰与绘画，令人目不暇接。抬头仰望是华丽繁复的艺术，低头俯视则是同样震撼的大理石地面。教堂地板由一块块精雕细刻的大理石镶嵌画组成，描绘了《圣经》故事和历史人物，极具艺术与历史价值。皮科洛米尼图书馆同样令人印象深刻。
我们还参加了登高参观的导览，登上主教堂的高处，从上方俯瞰整座城市，景色十分开阔。之后我们又参观了主教堂博物馆，那里收藏了许多比教堂内现存展品更具历史价值的文物。而博物馆参观中最精彩的部分，是登上那座未完成立面的高处，眺望锡耶纳古城与周边托斯卡纳风光，视野极佳，令人难忘。
晚上我们在城里吃了晚餐。饭后步行返回火车站时，正好赶上夕阳西下。落日余晖洒在山城之间，景色美得让人舍不得离开。这一天，我们在锡耶纳度过了一段非常美好的时光。
Pisa and Lucca 比萨与卢卡
April 6, 2026
We bought a Tuscany Pass that included tickets for the Uffizi Gallery,……
来意大利之前我们便买好了Florence & Tuscany 联票，。。。
April 6, 2026
We bought a Tuscany Pass that included tickets for the Uffizi Gallery, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and Siena Duomo, along with a three-day train pass for €80, which was a very good deal. However, because I had requested four Pisa tickets separately, we later discovered that we had received different tickets with different entry times—1:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. It was quite frustrating.
Since the Uffizi Gallery was closed on Monday, we decided to go to Pisa first in the morning by regional train. After getting off at Pisa S. Rossore station, we walked a little over ten minutes and were immediately greeted by the beautiful Piazza dei Miracoli and a huge number of tourists. We were thrilled to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the famous tower we had learned about in physics class when we were young.
We visited the cathedral, baptistery, Camposanto, the Sinopie Museum, and the Opera del Duomo Museum in Piazza dei Miracoli. The wall paintings and preparatory drawings were especially impressive.
Around lunchtime, we ate at the lovely café by the Duomo Museum, right next to the Leaning Tower, with a wonderful view. When it was close to my entry time for the tower, I left the café and climbed up. The view from the top was amazing, and I waved to my family, who were still eating at the café below. We all had fun.
After leaving Pisa, we hopped on a train to Lucca, a Roman city founded as a colony in 180 BC. After arriving, we took a leisurely walk along its famous Renaissance walls. In the historic center, Piazza dell’Anfiteatro still reflects the shape of the ancient Roman amphitheater and is now lined with restaurants. We found a place to sit down for an appetizer platter with spritzes, and we also ordered a T-bone steak at a much lower price than in Florence. It was quite decent.
After visiting these two small cities, we were happy to return to Florence. It was a very enjoyable day trip.
2026年4月6日
来意大利之前我们便买好了Florence & Tuscany 联票，这张联票包含乌菲兹（Uffizi)美术馆、Pitti Palace, BOBOLI Gardens, 比萨斜塔和锡耶纳(Siena)主教座堂的门票，另外还有一张三天火车通票，总共80欧元，价格相当划算。不过，意大利的许多景点票都有指定时间，因为我分开预订了四张比萨门票，后来才发现收到的是不同批次的票，入场时间也不一致，分别是下午1:45和晚上8:30，着实让人有些沮丧。
由于乌菲兹美术馆周一闭馆，我们便决定一早先坐区域火车去比萨。从Pisa S. Rossore火车站下车后，走了十多分钟后，奇迹广场忽然出现在眼前。广场秀丽开阔，游人熙来攘往，顿时让我们兴奋起来。我们从小在物理课本里就知道伽利略和比萨斜塔，这次终于亲眼见到它，格外兴奋。
我们参观了奇迹广场上的主教座堂、洗礼堂、墓园、壁画草图博物馆以及大教堂博物馆。那些壁画和珍贵的草图都令人印象深刻。中午时分，我们在大教堂博物馆旁边的餐厅吃午餐，餐厅紧邻斜塔，景色非常好。因为我们只有一张票的登塔时间是下午1:45，临近登塔时间时，我离开餐桌，独自去爬斜塔。塔顶的景色非常棒，在塔上能看到正在餐厅用餐的家人，他们也看到了我，大家都觉得很有意思。
离开比萨后，我们又坐火车前往附近的另一个小镇卢卡（Lucca)。这座城市最早是公元前180年建立的罗马殖民地。我们悠闲地漫步在著名的文艺复兴城墙上和旧城区，品尝了当地的冰淇淋和咖啡。历史中心的圆形广场 Piazza dell’Anfiteatro 仍然保留着古罗马圆形剧场的轮廓，如今四周已变成餐厅和商铺。在广场上我们找了一家店坐下，本来只是想休息一下，顺便来点小零食，便学着当地人点了Spritz和开胃拼盘。结果坐着不想动了，尤其是菜单上的牛排吸引力太大，索性就把晚餐一起解决了，点了一份价格比昨晚上佛罗伦萨便宜许多的T-bone牛排，味道还算不错。
一天之内游览了两座小城之后，我们心满意足地坐火车回到佛罗伦萨。
T-bone in Florence 佛罗伦萨的T骨牛排
April 5, 2026
We loved the Milan Duomo so much that we went back once more,……
今天趁早在离开米兰之前再次来到米兰大教堂广场，。。。
April 5, 2026
We loved the Milan Duomo so much that we went back once more, this time also visiting the Duomo Museum. Many of the sculptures and paintings in the museum are the original works removed from the cathedral, giving them even greater historical value than the pieces now on display inside the church.
Afterward, we returned to the hotel, collected our luggage, and dragged it through the streets of Milan on our way to catch the train to Florence.
A little over two hours later, we arrived at Florence’s main train station. As soon as we stepped outside, we were overwhelmed by the bustling crowds. Fortunately, our hotel was right next to the station, which made the arrival much easier.
Once we had settled into the room, we headed out for an early dinner at a highly rated steakhouse to try the famous Florentine T-bone steak, one of the city’s most traditional dishes. The steak weighed more than a kilogram, so of course we shared one. It was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious.
After five days of a packed schedule, we were all tired and returned to our rooms early, ready for another exciting day tomorrow.
2026年4月5日
今天趁早在离开米兰之前再次来到米兰大教堂广场，排队等开门参观了旁边的大教堂博物馆。馆内收藏了许多从教堂中移出的原始雕塑和绘画作品，这些文物比现在留在教堂里的复制品更具历史价值，也让我们对这座宏伟建筑有了更深入的认识。
之后，我们回到酒店取行李，拖着箱子穿过米兰的街道，前往火车站搭乘去佛罗伦萨的列车。两个多小时后，我们抵达了佛罗伦萨中央火车站。刚一走出车站，眼前熙熙攘攘的人群让我们立刻感受到这座城市的热闹与活力。
好在酒店就在车站旁边，安顿好之后，我们便出门前往一家评分很高的牛排馆，提前享用晚餐，品尝佛罗伦萨最具代表性的传统美食——T骨牛排。那块牛排足有一公斤多，当然我们四人合点了一份再加上几个菜。牛排味道非常好，令人满足，也算是到佛罗伦萨后的第一顿正式欢迎餐。
经过连续五天行程紧凑的奔波，大家都有些疲惫，于是早早回房休息，为第二天精彩的行程养精蓄锐。
Duomo and Haunted House 大教堂与金“鬼屋”
April 4, 2026
We visited the Milan Duomo this morning……
今天上午，我们参观了米兰大教堂。。。
April 4, 2026
We visited the Milan Duomo this morning. The highlight of the visit was standing on the rooftop, where we enjoyed a panoramic view of the city and admired the cathedral’s magnificent Gothic architecture.
We also made several stops inside the cathedral, including St. Charles’ Crypt and the archaeological site. The remarkable Duomo showcases Italy’s rich history and extraordinary architectural beauty.
Near the Milan Cathedral, Panzerotti Luini is a famous long-established bakery best known for its panzerotti. Panzerotti is a Southern Italian stuffed and fried pastry. After visiting the cathedral, we stopped by the shop on our way. The line was very long, but fortunately the takeaway service moved fairly quickly. Holding the hot fried pastry in our hands, it did not look particularly impressive, yet the taste was surprisingly good — definitely worth waiting in line for that delicious bite.
In the afternoon, we took the subway to visit the Prada Museum. The museum does not display products related to Prada; instead, it combines a former distillery complex with new buildings, and the architecture itself is a major part of the experience.
We joined an English-language tour of the Torre, a tall concrete tower featuring modern art exhibitions. However, the staircase and panoramic elevator were even more striking than the artworks themselves. The elevator is integrated into the building’s diagonal external structure, with half of its interior lined in pink onyx and the other half made of floor-to-ceiling glass, blending the indoor and outdoor spaces together. The designer created two vertically parallel staircases, one of which serves as the emergency stairs. In the lobby, we saw what appeared to be two connected staircases, but when people walked down one of them, they seemed to disappear halfway, creating a fascinating illusion. The building has several floors, each displaying one or two pieces of modern art surrounded by a great deal of open space.
The main highlight of the museum for us was the Haunted House, a concrete building covered in gold leaf. Its interior is sparsely decorated, and even the elevator looks old. Again, each floor contains only one or two art exhibits, many of them extremely simple—sometimes just a window panel or a body part. The most intriguing work was on the top floor: a street drain with an illuminated heart inside. In a gold-coated, nearly empty house, there was still a living heart beating within a dirty drain, struggling to survive.
There were a few other exhibits as well, but unfortunately we missed Cao Fei’s new exhibition, which was scheduled to open one week after our visit. She is one of the most famous contemporary artists in China, and she was there working to set up the exhibition.
What a shocking contrast it was to experience the Gothic cathedral and the golden Haunted House on the same day.
At sunset, we returned to the Duomo and had dinner at a rooftop restaurant beside the cathedral. Bathed in the warm golden light of the fading day, the marble façade of the Duomo seemed to glow softly against the evening sky, its spires and statues standing out with even greater drama and beauty.
The night was still young. After dinner, we stopped by the illy café on the same floor, where each of us enjoyed a cup of espresso and a pastry roll while savoring the unforgettable view of the illuminated cathedral.
2026年4月4日
今天上午，我们参观了米兰大教堂。我们是早在几个月前就买好了快速通道的票，这样几乎不用排队，按规定时间直接坐电梯登上教堂阳台，在上面沿着教堂边走边看，近距离欣赏这座精美绝伦的哥特式风格建筑。最后来到教堂的屋顶，在那里俯瞰整座城市的全景。然后下到大教堂里面参观。我们买的快速通道票也包含了大教堂内部底下圣查尔斯地下墓室和考古遗址。这座令人惊叹的大教堂充分展现了意大利悠久的历史和非凡的建筑之美。
米兰大教堂旁边的Panzerotti Luini，是一家很有名的老字号烘焙店，以卖 panzerotti 最出名。Panzerotti 是一种意大利南部风味的夹馅炸面饼。参观完大教堂我们便顺路来到这家店，队排得很长，好在外买速度还算快。拿着热乎乎的炸面饼，看着不怎么样，但味道却很不错，值得排队吃上这一口。
下午，我们乘地铁前往普拉达（Prada)基金会博物馆参观。这里并不展示与普拉达品牌产品相关的内容，而是将一处旧酿酒厂建筑群与新建的建筑结合在一起，建筑本身就是参观体验中非常重要的一部分。
我们参加了一场英文导览，参观名为“Torre”的高大混凝土塔楼，里面陈列着现代艺术作品。然而，与这些展品相比，更令我们印象深刻的是楼里的楼梯和全景电梯。电梯被嵌入建筑外部斜向结构之中，一半内部使用粉色缟玛瑙装饰，另一半则是从天花板延伸到地面的整面玻璃窗，将室内与室外巧妙地融合在一起。设计师还设置了两组上下垂直平行的楼梯，其中一组作为紧急疏散楼梯使用。在大楼入口大厅里，我们能看到两段似乎彼此相连的楼梯，但当人从其中一段走下去时，却会在中间“消失”，形成一种奇妙的视觉错觉。整栋楼有好几层，每一层只展出一两件现代艺术作品，其余则留有大量空旷空间。
对我们来说，博物馆中最精彩的部分是“鬼屋”——一栋外部覆有金箔的混凝土建筑。它的内部装饰极其简朴，甚至连电梯都显得有些陈旧。同样地，每一层也只陈列一两件展品，而且更加简单，有时甚至只是一个窗板，或是一部分人体。最耐人寻味的一件作品位于顶层：房间中间一个街头排水口中嵌着一颗发光的心脏。在一座镀金却近乎空荡的房子里，竟有一颗依然鲜活跳动的心，藏在肮脏的排水口中顽强地生存着。
馆内还有其它一些展览，不过很遗憾，我们错过了曹斐的新展览，因为它将在我们参观后一周才正式开放。曹斐是中国最著名的当代艺术家之一，而她当时正在现场布置展览。
在同一天里，先感受哥特式大教堂的庄严辉煌，再走进这座金色“鬼屋”的冷峻空灵，这种对比实在令人震撼和思考。
黄昏时分，我们又回到了米兰大教堂广场，等着看太阳落山，并且在教堂旁边的屋顶餐厅享用了晚餐。落日余晖洒在大教堂的大理石外立面上，使整座建筑在暮色天空下泛着柔和而温暖的金色光辉。
Lake Como, Italy 科莫湖，意大利
April 3, 2026
As we planned this day trip to Lake Como,……
在规划这次科莫湖(Lake Como)一日游时，。。。
April 3, 2026
As we planned this day trip to Lake Como, what worried us most was not the destination itself, but the transportation. The ferry schedules felt confusing and uncertain, and we never seemed fully confident that we understood how the connections would work. We kept several backup plans in mind, just in case. In the end, we simply moved forward with what seemed, at the time, to be the best option available.
After breakfast at the hotel at 6:30 a.m., we walked to Milan Centrale and boarded the 8:20 train to Varenna. When we arrived, we were immediately confronted by a long line at the ferry terminal ticket office. Rather than stand there right away, we thought it might be smarter to explore the town first and come back later, hoping the queue would shrink. So we set off along the Lovers’ Walk, a scenic path tracing the edge of the lake. The views were beautiful, with the water shimmering beside us, and our destination was Villa Monastero farther up the way. But when we reached the villa, we found yet another long ticket line waiting for us. Not wanting to lose even more time, we turned around and headed back toward town.
To our dismay, the ferry line had only grown longer. By then, we had little choice but to join it and wait. An hour later, we finally boarded a ferry to Bellagio, often described as the most beautiful town on Lake Como. But by that point we were already well behind schedule, so instead of exploring Bellagio, we immediately continued on to Lenno.
Once there, we found a charming lakeside café and sat down for a lovely lunch, a welcome pause in what had already become a far more hectic day than we had imagined.
After lunch, we walked about forty minutes uphill to Villa del Balbianello, the last private owner of which was Guido Monzino (1928–1988)—an Italian explorer, mountaineer, businessman, and collector. We joined an English-language tour of the villa’s private house, which today feels as much like an expedition museum as a home. Because Monzino lived in such a grand residence in a relatively secluded setting, he had even created several secret escape paths in case of emergency. The house was impressive, but what stayed with me most was his remarkable collection of travel artifacts, which made his adventurous life feel vivid and real.
After the tour, eager to catch the next ferry back to Bellagio, we took a private water taxi down to Lenno. But our bad luck with transportation continued: we arrived only a few minutes too late and could do nothing but watch our boat sail away. The next regular ferry would not come for more than an hour. Instead, we improvised once again, taking a fast ferry to another town on the lake and then looping back to Bellagio from there.
By the time we finally reached Bellagio, we had only about twenty minutes to wander its elegant streets before boarding yet another ferry to Varenna. From Varenna, we caught the train back to Milan. The train was crowded, and many passengers were left standing, so we felt especially fortunate that all five of us managed to find seats.
Our day at Lake Como was both memorable and stressful. The scenery was every bit as beautiful as we had hoped—graceful villas, sparkling water, and towns clinging to the lakeside with postcard perfection. Yet the day also reminded us how important logistics can be. Looking back, we realized that we should have prepared more carefully, especially by buying ferry passes in advance instead of wasting so much precious time in ticket lines. Even so, despite the stress and constant adjustments, Lake Como left us with unforgettable views and a story we are unlikely to forget.
2026年4月3日
在规划这次科莫湖(Lake Como)一日游时，最让我们担心的并不是目的地本身，而是交通衔接的问题。尤其是渡轮时刻表，看起来并不十分清楚，我们始终没有把握自己是否真正弄明白了各段之间的连接方式。为此我们还准备了备用方案，以防临时发生变化。
早上6点30分在酒店吃早餐，之后我们步行前往米兰中央车站，搭乘火车前往瓦伦纳（Varenna）。一个小时多一点的火车很顺利，然而一下火车，便看到渡轮码头售票处排着长长的队伍。我们先在小镇走走，沿着湖边的情人步道（Lovers’ Walk）慢慢前行。湖水在身旁闪烁，一路风景十分优美。我们的目的地是稍高处的莫纳斯特罗别墅（Villa Monastero），可当我们抵达时，却发现那里同样排着长队买票，只好放弃参观，转身返回镇上。
没想到回到渡轮码头时，买船票的队伍比之前更长了。听从售票员的建议，我们买了当天的渡轮通票，这样比较方便。一个多小时之后，我们终于登上前往贝拉焦（Bellagio）的渡轮。贝拉焦常被称为科莫湖上最美的小镇，当我们来到贝拉焦时，时间已远远落后于原先的计划，于是决定暂时先跳过贝拉焦，直接转乘另一班渡轮前往伦诺（Lenno），这样可以保证不错过已预订的参观别墅的时间。下船后我们在湖边的一家餐厅，享用了一顿愉快的午餐，也算是在这一连串奔波之中短暂地喘了一口气。
午餐后，我们步行约四十分钟上坡，前往著名的巴尔比亚内洛别墅（Villa del Balbianello）。这座别墅最后的私人主人是圭多·蒙齐诺（Guido Monzino，1928–1988）——意大利探险家、登山家、企业家和收藏家。我们参加了别墅私宅部分的英文导览。整座宅邸如今看起来更像是一座探险博物馆，收藏着主人在世界各地远行时带回的大量纪念品和探险物件。由于这座大宅位于相对偏僻的地方，据说他当年还特意修建了几条秘密逃生通道，以备紧急情况之需。别墅本身固然令人印象深刻，但更打动我的，是那些旅行与探险收藏，它们让主人的传奇人生仿佛一下子鲜活起来。
导览结束后，为了赶上下一班返回贝拉焦的渡轮，我们特地乘坐水上出租车赶回到伦诺。然而，计划永远赶不上变化——等我们赶到码头时，眼睁睁看着渡轮慢慢离开，而下一班普通渡轮要等一个多小时。无奈之下，我们再次临时调整计划，先搭乘快船前往湖上的另一个小镇，再从那里折返回贝拉焦。
等我们终于抵达贝拉焦时，留给我们闲逛的时间只剩下短短二十分钟。随后，我们又搭乘渡轮返回瓦伦纳，再从那里坐火车回米兰。返程的火车异常拥挤，许多人都只能站着。我们五个人居然都能找到座位，实在算是很幸运。
这次科莫湖之行，湖光山色的确如想象中那般迷人——优雅的别墅、闪耀的湖水，以及那些依山傍水、如明信片般精致的小镇，都令人难忘。但整个行程却很紧张，不停地赶路。这一天也让我们深刻体会到，旅行中的交通安排有时和风景本身一样重要。如果能事先买好渡轮通票，而不是到了现场再排队购票，应该能省下不少时间和精力。尽管一路充满波折，且最终的行程已与原计划相差甚远， 但科莫湖还是很不错的，并且给我们留下了一段值得回味的旅途故事。
Holy Thursday 圣周四
April 2, 2026
Due to the time difference,……
因为有些时差，今天二人起得早，。。。
April 2, 2026
Due to the time difference, we woke up early today and headed to the hotel restaurant at 6:30 to begin our breakfast.
After a satisfying meal, we visited Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper in Milan and joined an English-language tour. Initially, the guide inquired about the date. It was Holy Thursday, the day traditionally associated with the Last Supper itself, which added a profound sense of significance to our visit.
Our guide was passionate and highly informative about this masterpiece. The museum allows only a very limited amount of time inside the hall in order to protect the painting. I had always thought The Last Supper was painted on canvas, so it was striking to step into the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie and see that Leonardo painted it directly on the wall of the monastery’s refectory, the dining hall where the friars ate their meals. Over the centuries, the painting deteriorated significantly, and the restoration process was extremely delicate. In some areas, as many as ten layers of overpainting were removed.
Afterward, we walked to Castello Sforzesco and spent about two hours visiting several museums inside the castle. The collections are extensive and well worth seeing.
Later, we sat in the park and enjoyed a simple panini for lunch. The weather was perfect. We walked towards Arco della Pace.
Our next stop was Chinatown, one of the places we always try to visit when traveling around the world. Milan’s Chinatown felt a little different from others we have seen—more modern and cleaner. We enjoyed a couple of Chinese snacks there, including dumplings, fried bao, and pork sandwiches.
Then we visited the Monumental Cemetery nearby, which was quite an experience. Some of the “little houses” were actually as large as real homes.
We also noticed several old trams still running in Milan, so we decided to ride one back toward the hotel. Once we arrived in the neighborhood, we made a small detour for vegan ice cream, which turned out to be very satisfying.
For dinner, we went to Antica Trattoria Della, a highly rated Milanese restaurant. The food was decent and tasty, though in the end we felt we had eaten a bit too much carbohydrate-heavy food.
2026年4月2日
因为有些时差，今天二人起得早，6点半就来到酒店的餐厅开始享用早餐。饱餐一顿之后我们徒步45分钟前往参观米兰最著名的景点之一，列奥纳多·达·芬奇的《最后的晚餐》，我们买的是带英文讲解的票。讲解一开始，导游先问今天是什么日子。大家一时都还没反应过来，导游说大家选了最好的一天来看这幅画。原来今天正是圣周四，也就是传统上耶稣与门徒共进最后晚餐的日子，因此这次参观也显得格外有意义。
女导游对这幅杰作的描写充满激情，非常生动详尽。为了保护这幅壁画，博物馆对参观时间控制得非常严格，一票难求，且每一批游客都只能在厅内停留15分钟的时间。一直以来，我都以为《最后的晚餐》是一幅画在画布上的作品，直到真正走进圣玛利亚感恩教堂（Santa Maria delle Grazie）的多明我会修道院餐厅，才发现达·芬奇是直接把它画在墙上的。这里原本是修士们共同用餐的食堂，也正因如此，这幅作品与所在空间形成了极其紧密的联系。经过数百年的岁月侵蚀，这幅画曾严重受损，而修复过程也极为精细复杂。据介绍，在某些区域，修复人员甚至去除了多达十层的后期覆盖颜料。
随后，我们步行前往斯福尔扎城堡（Sforzesco Castle），与女儿及妹妹，妹夫会合，在城堡内的几座博物馆里参观了大约两个小时。馆藏非常丰富，十分值得一看。
之后，我们在公园里坐下来，天气非常好。边休息，边吃上一份简单的帕尼尼当午餐，还有现场音乐人的演唱，让人感觉格外惬意。
唐人街——这是我们到世界各地旅行时几乎都会去看看的地方。米兰的唐人街和别处有些不同，显得更加现代，也更加整洁。我们在那里吃了几样中式小吃，包括肉夹馍，饺子和生煎包。
之后，我们又去了附近的米兰纪念公墓。那也是一次很特别的体验。入口处的建筑非常精美，而公墓内那些所谓的“小房子”其实一点也不小，有些甚至大得像真正的住宅一样。
在米兰，我们常看到一些老式有轨电车仍然在街头运行。于是我们决定搭乘其中一辆去女儿推荐的一家纯素冰淇淋店。有轨电车虽老，但上面不收现金，而是可以用ApplyPay,付款，手机一扫就行。冰淇淋味道不错，吃得很满足。
晚餐我们选了一家评价很高的米兰本地餐厅。食物味道不错，只是吃完之后，总觉得二天来，每一顿的碳水化合物有点偏多。
Milan, Italy 米兰，意大利
April 1, 2026
We left for Milan on March 31 to begin a dream trip with my sister and her husband……
3月31日清晨3点半，预订的Uber准时来家接我们去机场。。。
April 1, 2026
We left for Milan on March 31 to begin a dream trip with my sister and her husband. We flew with United, connecting through Newark Liberty International Airport. Between the airport lounges and the inflight meals, we were very well fed — perhaps a little too well fed.
We arrived at Zurich Airport on the morning of April 1. Although our flight landed 30 minutes early, the biggest surprise was how quickly we cleared customs, leaving us with plenty of time before our scheduled train to Milan.
At the station ticket office, we paid an extra €10 to switch to an earlier train. Without spending much time in the station, we were soon on our way to Milan.
At Milan Centrale, we were welcomed by our daughter, who was on a business trip in Germany and joined us for a few days. From there, we dragged our luggage through the streets of Milan for about a 15-minute walk to Hotel Principe di Savoia, part of the Dorchester Collection.
My sister and her husband had arrived directly in Milan earlier that morning. Since we had not been able to get tickets for them for the following day, they went to see The Last Supper that same day while we were on the way to Milan.
After settling in, the three of us headed out to get our first feel of Milan, walking toward the area around Piazza del Duomo. Coffee was a must, and by coincidence we passed one of our favorite illy cafés, so naturally our very first cup in Italy was there.
We then continued strolling through the elegant Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, admiring its ornate architecture and marveling at the grand scale of the historic shopping arcade. Soon afterward, we arrived in front of the breathtaking Milan Cathedral, deeply impressed by its magnificent and imposing presence.
Yet what made the day truly unforgettable was reuniting there with my younger sister and her husband in a foreign country. As we took a photo in front of one of Italy’s most iconic landmarks and shared it with our parents right away, we felt the joy of being together and the promise of many memorable days ahead. It marked the beginning of a special chapter—traveling not just as tourists, but as family, sharing time, experiences, and discoveries.
Our first dinner in Milan was at a pizza place recommended by the hotel. We enjoyed pizza and one of Milan’s most traditional dishes, saffron risotto. We raised our glasses to celebrate this precious moment together.
2026年4月1日
3月31日清晨3点半，预订的Uber准时来家接我们去机场。最近这些天全美许多机场安检时间超乎寻常，心里稍稍有些担心。比平时稍微早了一点来到机场，很久没见到值机大厅里有这么多人，好在安检一切正常，我们顺利启程前往意大利米兰。4月1日早上，我们抵达瑞士苏黎世机场。飞机比预定时间提前了30分钟落地，入境通关非常迅速，因此我们比原定前往米兰的火车发车时间早了许多。于是我们在车站售票处加付了10欧元，改签到更早一班列车。没有在车站多作停留，我们很快便踏上了前往米兰的旅程。
抵达米兰中央车站时，女儿已经在那里迎接我们。她当时正在德国出差，特意抽出几天时间加入我们的旅程。随后，我们拖着行李，来到下榻的萨伏伊王子酒店（Hotel Principe di Savoia）。这家酒店隶属于多切斯特精选酒店集团（Dorchester Collection）。
妹妹和妹夫当天早晨更早一些也已直接飞抵米兰。我们没能为他们买到与我们同一天参观《最后的晚餐》的门票，很幸运他们在携程上购买到抵达米兰当天下午的参观票。
安顿好之后，我们三人便出门先熟悉一下米兰，朝着大教堂广场一带走去。咖啡是必须喝的，正好路过我们喜欢的illy 咖啡店，这次来到意大利的第一杯就是它了。之后继续漫步穿过维托里奥·埃马努埃莱二世长廊，欣赏它优雅华丽的建筑，也惊叹于这座商业拱廊宏大的规模。随后，我们来到那座令人震撼的米兰大教堂前，被它庄严恢宏的气势深深吸引。
然而，让这一天真正变得难忘的是在异国他乡与我妹妹和妹夫重逢。当我们站在意大利最具标志性的地标之一前合影，并立刻把照片分享给父母时，心中充满了团聚的喜悦，也仿佛看见接下来许多美好时光正在前方等待着我们。我们不只是游客，更是家人，将一起分享沿途的见闻、体验与回忆。
在回酒店的路上，学着当地人在路边小摊上喝上一杯意式浓缩咖啡，味道很浓。
我们在米兰的第一顿晚餐，是酒店推荐的一家披萨店。我们品尝了披萨，也点了米兰最具代表性的传统菜之一——藏红花烩饭。大家举杯庆祝这难得而珍贵的相聚时光。
Hiking the Mont Blanc Massif, Day 10 - Courmayeur 勃朗峰山脉徒步游第十天
August 5, 2024
Today marks the final day of our Mont Blanc adventure......
今天是我们这次勃朗峰行的最后一天。。。
August 5, 2024: Today marks the final day of our Mont Blanc adventure. We hiked the famed Val Veny Balcony Trail, a stunning section of the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) near Courmayeur. The trail is aptly named the "Balcony" because it offers unparalleled, panoramic views of Mont Blanc. The route is relatively long, winding along the mountainside, with steep ascents and descents at both ends. After yesterday’s 7-mile (11 km) hike, we were all feeling a bit fatigued, but we didn’t want to miss out on this last opportunity, so we decided to give it one more effort. At breakfast, we once again encountered the Australian couple, who were heading out for another day of UTMB race training. They gave us more words of encouragement, which lifted our spirits.
We took the free shuttle bus to the base of the mountain and began our ascent. It was clear that our legs were sore today, and climbing felt more challenging than usual. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find that we completed the first uphill section faster than expected. To save time, we decided not to stop at the first mountain hut (Refuge Bonatti) and pressed on. Shortly after, we crossed paths with the Australian couple again, who were running the same TMB route but in the opposite direction. They had already run 14 kilometers since leaving the hotel that morning and cheerfully told us that the trail ahead was beautiful. It seemed like fate that we kept encountering them just when we needed encouragement.
The next section of the trail was relatively flat, with fewer ups and downs, allowing us to walk directly towards Mont Blanc, getting closer with every step. We had planned to take a break and have lunch at the second mountain hut (Refuge Bertone), but it turned out to be much farther away than we had anticipated. After several hours of hiking, we finally spotted the roof, and our spirits soared. We enjoyed a well-deserved lunch and took a break at the hut before starting our final descent back to town.
The descent was challenging, starting with a steep, rocky path. We even saw a hiker take a tumble right in front of us. Over the past few days, with steep and long trails, we’ve come to realize that descending can be more strenuous than ascending. However, knowing this was the final leg of our journey, we felt a sense of relief and lightness as we made our way down.
Earlier in the day, we had met a group of 9- and 10-year-old children on the bus, accompanied by their teacher on a mountain hiking trip. They got off at the same stop as us. We saw them again at the mountain hut during lunch and once more during our descent. We chatted with their teacher, who told us that the children were part of a ski club and very familiar with the mountains. They hiked 6 or 7 kilometers more than we did and soon left us far behind, disappearing from view. Today, we covered 8.3 miles (13.2 km), with an elevation gain of 1,720 feet, taking us five and a half hours.
We finally arrived back in Courmayeur, signaling the end of our Mont Blanc hiking adventure.
Over the past ten days, we hiked 43 miles (69 kilometers) on the TMB, with a total elevation gain of 8,900 feet. Since we used buses and cable cars along the way, our total descent—often harder on the knees—was greater than the ascent. The sections of the TMB we hiked were challenging but manageable, and without a doubt, this has been one of the most rewarding hiking experiences we’ve ever had. The mountain huts (refuges) along the way were incredibly convenient, typically no more than 5 kilometers apart, offering drinks and good food. The "comfort version" of the TMB we chose suited us perfectly. Whether you consider yourself fit or not, everyone should come here and experience it at least once—stay for three or four days, buy a cable car pass, and explore. We might just come back again.
The map shows the hiking routes and cable car lines we took. The gray line represents the traditional TMB.
勃朗峰山脉徒步游第十天-库马约尔
2024年8月5日: 今天是我们这次勃朗峰行的最后一天。我们走在著名的瓦尔山谷大阳台山道，是Courmayeur的一段TMB，沿途可以一直看着勃朗峰走，非常漂亮，所以称之为大阳台。路有点长，大部分在山上，二端上下坡比较陡。昨天刚走了7英里/11公里，大家都有点累，但又不想错过这机会，决定再努力一下。早餐时又碰到那对澳大利亚夫妇，正准备出门开始一天的UTMB跑步训练。又是对我们一番鼓励。
我们还是坐免费的大巴来到山脚下，开始往山上走。很明显今天腿有点酸，爬坡觉得很累。没想到的是当我们走完第一段上坡路来到山上时，发现我们花了比预期还少的时间。为了省点时间，我们没在第一个小山屋(Refuge Bonatti)停留，而是接着走。没多久迎面又跑来那对澳大利亚夫妇，他们今天跑我们这条TMB线路，只是相反的方向。从早上离开旅馆到现在他们已经跑了十四公里了，还高兴地对我们说前面很漂亮。感觉与这对老外很有缘，每次在我们有顾虑时他们会出现，鼓励我们。
接下来很长一段路相对来说比较平坦，没有太多的大起大落，真的就是一路迎着勃朗峰走且越走越近。计划在第二个小山屋(Refuge Bertone)休息吃午饭，但这小山屋比我们想象的要远很多。走了好几个小时才终于看到屋顶，心里别提有多高兴了。 在小山屋好好吃了顿午饭同时也得到了必要的休息之后，我们开始今天的最后一段徒步下山回镇。
下山的路不容易，一上来就在乱石中不停地往下走，眼看着一老外就在眼前摔一跤。这些天爬山，坡度大且路还长，充分体会到下山比上山更痛苦。 想到这是这次行程的最后一段路程，最后的冲刺，心情反而变得轻松起来。
早晨在大巴上碰见一群9，10岁男女小学生，老师带着出来爬山，他们在终点下车。中午在小山屋吃饭时又遇到他们。在我们下山时再次遇见他们，与带队老师聊了几句，告诉说孩子们是滑雪俱乐部的，对山熟悉。他们比我们多走了六，七公里，一会儿就远远超过了我们，跑得无影无踪。我们今天走了8.3英里/13.2公里，攀高1720英尺，走了五个半小时。终于下到Courmayeur镇，我们的勃朗峰徒步游也到此结束。
在过去的十天里，我们在TMB（环勃朗峰）徒步了43英里（69公里），总共攀升了8,900英尺。由于我们在途中使用了巴士和缆车，导致总的下降高度——这对膝盖的损伤更大——比攀升高度还要多。我们所走过的TMB部分虽然具有挑战性，但并不困难，毫无疑问，这是我们做过的最棒的徒步旅行之一。沿途的小屋（refuges）非常方便，通常距离徒步路线不会超过5公里，可以在那里享用饮品和不错的食物。我们选择的TMB“舒适版”非常适合我们。无论你是否认为自己体能合适，每个人至少应该来这里体验一下，住上三，四天，买张缆车通票，上上下下看看走走。我们或许还会再来。
地图显示了徒步路线以及缆车线路。灰色线传统的TMB。
Hiking the Mont Blanc Massif, Day 9 - Courmayeur 勃朗峰山脉徒步游第九天
August 4, 2024
This morning at breakfast in the hotel,......
今天早上在旅馆吃早餐时与一对从澳大利亚来的老外闲聊。。。
August 4, 2024: This morning at breakfast in the hotel, we struck up a conversation with a couple from Australia. They were here to train for the wife, who is 64 years old, in preparation for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) race at the end of this month. Her husband, 66 years old, was accompanying her as a training partner. The UTMB race covers a grueling 171 km trail around Mont Blanc, crossing France, Italy, and Switzerland, and must be completed within 47 hours. Hearing about their training experiences on the mountains was awe-inspiring. We weren’t even attempting the full circuit, yet completing just a section seemed challenging enough, let alone running the entire course. The couple was incredibly friendly and encouraging, and their positive energy was contagious, boosting our confidence for the day’s hike.
Our plan for this Mont Blanc trip didn’t include completing the full loop; we had decided to skip the Swiss section. After arriving in the Italian town of Courmayeur yesterday, our daughter suggested we should at least hike into Switzerland, even if just to cross the border briefly. The section of the TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) from Courmayeur to Switzerland is known to be quite challenging, with steep inclines. Connie, who had been exhausted by the first day’s hike, was hesitant to take on another difficult climb. However, the Australian couple’s encouraging words this morning made her reconsider. We seized the moment and set off promptly.
The border between Italy and Switzerland is located at the mountain summit. We started by taking a free bus to the base of the mountain and then began our ascent. The initial trail took us through a pasture with grazing cows, but soon the path became more challenging, with a continuous uphill climb and rough terrain. It took us about an hour and twenty minutes to complete the first leg of the hike and reach a small mountain hut (Refuge Elena).
After a cup of coffee and a brief rest, we began the second leg, aiming for the border point at the summit. This part of the trail was longer, with the first half being even steeper. As we climbed higher, the scenery became increasingly stunning, with the snow-capped peaks drawing closer. After two hours of steady hiking, we finally reached the summit. At the top, there was a sign marking the border between Italy and Switzerland. We took a photo together with one foot in each country, capturing a truly memorable moment. We still had to make the return journey back to the base. Although it’s often said that descending is harder than ascending, Connie seemed to be in great spirits, descending even faster than the rest of us. It seems the Australian couple’s words really gave her a boost.
In the evening, we went to a pizzeria in town for dinner and coincidentally ran into the Australian couple again. When they heard about our hike to the Swiss border, they were thrilled for Connie. “Pain will fade, but the memories will last forever” – this was their parting wisdom, which we found to be profoundly meaningful.
勃朗峰山脉徒步游第九天-库马约尔
2024年8月4日： 今天早上在旅馆吃早餐时与一对从澳大利亚来的老外闲聊，他们俩来这里训练为64岁的太太参加这个月底的超级勃朗峰跑步比赛(UTMB)作准备，66岁的先生陪练。跑步比赛是在171公里横跨法国，意大利和瑞士的勃朗峰山路进行，而且必须在47小时之内跑完整个一圈。听他们讲这些天训练爬山的经历，对我们来说简直是不可思议。我们根本不受时间限制，却连走完一圈都做不到，更别说跑了。老外夫妇很开朗健谈，不停地鼓励我们。他们的正能量传染给了我们，让我们对今天的爬山更有了信心。
因为我们这次来勃朗峰并不是走一整圈，计划中不包括瑞士的那部分。昨天来到意大利的库马约尔 （Courmayeur）小镇之后，女儿就说应该至少要爬山进入瑞士，哪怕就只是过一下边境线也行。从Courmayeur这里到瑞士的一段TMB线路并不太好走，比较陡。Connie 被第一天的爬山折磨得一直心有余悸，不愿再次自讨苦吃。今天早上老外夫妇的一席话让Connie的想法有所松动。趁热打铁我们赶紧出发。
意大利和瑞士边境点是在山顶上。首先我们坐免费的大巴来到山脚下，然后就开始往上爬。先从牛群中穿过，之后的路就开始有点难了，主要是一路都是上坡且路不太好走。我们花了差不多一个小时二十分才走完第一段来到一个小山屋（Refuge Elena）。喝杯咖啡稍作休息后我们开始走第二段，目标山顶上的意大利和瑞士边境点。第二段的路更长且前一半全是更陡的上坡路。好在越往上离雪山更近，风景越美。二个小时后我们终于来到山顶。山顶上有一块标牌，说是一边是意大利另一边是瑞士。我们俩脚踩两国照相合影，这一瞬间的感觉真的是很美好的。接下来我们还必须原路返回到山脚。都说上山容易下山难，不过今天好像Connie的状态很不错，一路下山走得比我们都快。看样子被早上老外夫妇的话激励到了。
晚上去镇上披萨店吃饭，又碰到了这对澳大利亚夫妇。得知我们今天爬山到山顶瑞士边境的经历，很为Connie高兴。“伤痛会过去，但记忆永存“ - 这是他们对我们说的一句话，觉得非常有哲理。
Hiking the Mont Blanc Massif, Day 8 - Next Stop 勃朗峰山脉徒步游第八天
August 3, 2024
Today, it was time to move on again......
又到挪窝的时候了。。。
August 3, 2024: Today, it was time to move on again. We bid farewell to France and made our way to Courmayeur, Italy. Although we had taken a cable car to the area when we first arrived at Mont Blanc, we hadn’t yet explored the town itself.
Getting from the small town of Les Contamines-Montjoie to Courmayeur wasn’t straightforward. We had to return to Chamonix and then take a tunnel to Courmayeur. Our initial plan was to take buses the entire way to avoid carrying our luggage on foot. After checking out in the morning, we boarded the Y84 bus, intending to transfer to the Y82 bus at Le Fayet. However, our first bus was delayed by a few minutes at each stop, and by the time we arrived at Le Fayet, we could only watch as our connecting bus drove away. Thankfully, we had chosen Le Fayet as our transfer point for another reason—it also has a train station. In case we missed the bus, we could switch to the train, which we promptly did. We quickly bought tickets for the first two stops, believing that the third stop and beyond would be free based on our previous experience. However, shortly after boarding the train, ticket inspectors informed us that we were required to purchase tickets for the entire journey. Being unfamiliar with the local rules, we paid the difference. Interestingly, instead of a penalty, we received a 50% discount on the additional fare, leaving us even more puzzled by the regulations.
When we finally returned to Chamonix, we were relieved. We still had plenty of time, and we had already purchased tickets for the direct bus from Chamonix to Courmayeur. The tunnel leading from Chamonix to Courmayeur was heavily congested with traffic. After a long journey involving both buses and a train, we eventually arrived on the other side of Mont Blanc, in the Italian town of Courmayeur.
Our hotel was conveniently located near the bus stop. After settling in and taking a brief rest, we set out to explore the town center. The atmosphere in Courmayeur was lively and relaxed, with a vacation-like vibe compared to the hiker-heavy areas of Chamonix and Les Contamines-Montjoie. The main street, although modest in size, was bustling with activity. People were strolling about, many with their dogs, adding to the town's relaxed charm. The street was lined with restaurants and bars, all of which were busy. Outdoor seating was full, with people enjoying drinks and snacks in the warm evening air, making the atmosphere feel both vibrant and inviting. Courmayeur offered a different, more leisurely feel, perfect for unwinding and enjoying the scenic surroundings.
The hotel receptionist recommended an Italian restaurant and kindly called to reserve a table for us. Dinner here is typically served late, and the restaurant, Pierre Alexis 1877, didn’t open until 7:30 PM. Located on a quiet side street, the restaurant occupies a building dating back to 1877. Upon sitting down, we discovered that the restaurant was listed in the 2024 Michelin Guide. They prepared an excellent all-vegan meal for our daughter, and our appetizers and main courses were equally impressive. It was the most refined dinner we’d had on this trip, though it was a bit on the pricey side.
勃朗峰山脉徒步游第八天-再转下一站
2024年8月3日： 又到挪窝的时候了，今天我们与法国说再见，前往意大利的库马约尔 （Courmayeur）。刚来勃朗峰时我们曾坐了过山缆车到过那里，但没去小镇。
从我们住的小镇莱斯康塔米纳 （Les Contamines-Montjoie ）到Courmayeur 小镇不是太方便，必须先回到霞慕尼 （Chamonix）再过隧道到Courmayeur。原计划是全程坐大巴，这样不需要拖着行李走路。早晨退了房间后先坐上Y84大巴，计划在Le Fayet 转Y82大巴。结果我们第一辆大巴每停一站就晚几分钟，当我们终于来到Le Fayet时𨚫眼巴巴看着第二辆大巴在我们面前开走。好在当初选Le Fayet 转车还有个原因，那里是火车站，怕万一错过第二辆大巴可以改坐火车。结果还真用上了，赶紧买了前二站的火车票，前几天来时知道第三站以后应该是免费的。可上了火车后不久就开始查票了，说是按规定必须买全程票，要补票。人生地不熟，也不懂这里规矩，补就补吧。有意思的是不但没有罚款，还打了半折，还真不懂这里规矩了。
再次回到Chamonix时总算松了口气，时间还多，第三辆从Chamonix 到Courmayeur直达大巴的票是提前买好。从Chamonix 到Courmayeur的隧道口堵车堵的历害。经过大巴，火车再换大巴我们终于来到勃朗峰的另一边，意大利的Courmayeur小镇。旅馆就在大巴站附近，非常方便。
入住后稍稍休息一下，我们便出门去镇中心熟悉环境。镇中心人很多，之前在Chamonix 和Les Contamines-Montjoie二个小镇看到的大都是大包小包的爬山者，而这里却更像一个度假地。一条不怎么大的主街上许多人牵着狗蹓跶。街道二边的饭店和洒吧桌椅都搭在外面，生意兴隆。大家都在喝酒，吃小点心。
旅馆前台推荐了一家意大利饭店，并帮我们打电话预订了座位。这里晚饭都吃得很晚，订的饭店7:30才开门。我们晚餐的饭店Pierre Alexis 1877躲在在一条比较安静的小路上，是一栋1877年的老房子。坐下才发现饭店上了2024年米其林指南餐厅榜。为女儿专门做的全素晚餐非常棒，我们的开胃菜和主食也相当不错，是这次旅行中吃了一顿最像模像样的晚餐，就是价格贵了一点。
Hiking the Mont Blanc Massif, Day 2-Chamonix 勃朗峰山脉徒步游第二天
July 28, 2024
We took a scheduled rest day today.....
今天是我们的休息日。。。
July 28, 2024: We took a scheduled rest day today after a long hour hike yesterday. We bought a two-day lift pass to use the lifts to explore the area. Due to the high wind in the mountains, the Mont Blanc Panoramic cable car was not open in the morning. But we were told the update for the panoramic ride was at noon, so we booked the gondola for Midi before 12.
Today’s weather was perfect. First, the gondola took us to Plan De l’aiguille then switched to a different gondola to Aiguille du Midi at 12605 feet, the highest cable car in France. Once we were at the top, we quickly went to the ticket window for Panoramic Mont Blanc, and it had just started to open. Panoramic Mont Blanc Cable Car is a 30-minute ride over the glaciers from Aiguille du Midi in France to Pointe Helbronner in Italy with a panoramic view of the Mont Blanc massif. We embarked on one of three cars in a group and had a once-a-lifetime cable ride. We were completely surrounded by the blue sky and the mountains capped with white glaciers. We admired roped climbers scaling the glaciers below as our cable car moved slowly from France to Italy.
After getting off at Pointe Helbronner in Italy, at an elevation of 11,358 ft (3,462 m), we wanted to have lunch at the mountaintop restaurant, but it was already fully booked. So, we just had a coffee and a small pastry as a quick snack. Then, we went to the small 360-degree viewing platform at the summit to take photos of Mont Blanc at the closest distance.
At Pointe Helbronner, we used our two-day lift passes to get on a Skyway cable car down to Courmayeur, Italy. There is not much near the Skyway station, so we just had drinks in a cafe, went up via Skyway, and got off in the middle to visit Europe’s highest garden.
We knew the cable car back to France would be closed at 4:30 pm. At 4:10 pm, we were in a hurry to return to the cable car station for another 5-minute ride to the Pointe Helbronnor. However, we barely missed a gondola and waited for the next one, which would take us up to the top to catch the Panoramic Cable Car. The gondola came, and the crews decided to clean up the car and started to do the maintenance. It made us anxious, but there was nothing we could do about it. We patiently waited until they finished the job and started the gondola again. When the car reached the top, three of us rushed to the cable car station at 4:28 pm. The door to the embarking area was already closed. A crew member opened the door and let us in. We were the last people in the last car to leave Italy. We were so grateful that we made it. If not, we had to go down to Courmayeur again and perhaps take the bus going through the tunnel back to Chamonix.
The Panoramic Cable Car ride back to Aiguille du Midi was even better. The experience of traveling over glaciers and surrounded by mountains was one of the best we had had, probably second to the experience in Antarctica.
Once at the Midi point, we continued to explore the area. We watched two Austrian climbers come down from the rock and took some pictures of them. Later, we sent those pictures to them via WhatsApp. They started at 8:30 am and finished at 6 pm. We wanted to spend more time at the top, but the last car down was 6:30 pm. They closed the area, and we were the last group to go down.
It was supposed to be a break day, but we didn’t make it easy. Once we were back in town, we had dinner in an Indian restaurant. The food was delicious, probably anything delicious after a whole day's activity. Chamonix was very charming and beautiful in the evening. It’s perfect for an after-meal walk.
2024年7月28日：昨天的长途跋涉让我们疲惫不堪，今天是我们的休息日，不爬山。我们买了两日的霞慕尼（Chamonix)缆车通票，方便游玩。今天早上由于山上风太大，山顶上的勃朗峰全景缆车没开。不过工作人员告诉我们，12点会有信息更新。我们决定在中午12点之前先乘坐缆车到南针峰（Aiguille Du Midi)。
今天的天气非常理想。首先我们乘坐缆车到达普朗德拉艾居站，然后换乘另一条缆车到达法国最高的缆车站——海拔12,605英尺的南针峰。到达山顶后，我们立刻去全景缆车售票窗口，发现缆车刚刚开放。勃朗峰全景缆车是一次30分钟的旅程，从法国的南针峰跨越冰川到达意大利的赫尔布罗纳峰，沿途可以欣赏到勃朗峰山脉的壮丽景色。小缆车在半空中被蔚蓝的天空和白雪覆盖的山峰环绕，慢慢地将我们从法国带到了意大利。沿途看到不少登山者在冰川上攀爬。
在意大利赫尔布罗纳峰(Pointe Helbronner) at 11358 ft (3,462 m)下车后，想在山顶餐厅里吃上个午餐，可餐厅巳满座，我们就随意喝杯咖啡吃个小面食了事。然后在就山顶上360度小平台上最近距离和勃朗峰留影。
利用我们二日通票乘坐360度旋转天空缆车下到库马约尔（Courmayeur)。没想到天空缆车站附近什么都没有，且离库马约尔小镇还有点距离。在缆车站旁的咖啡馆喝了咖啡之后我们便原路返回，并在中途停下参观了欧洲最高的植物园。我们知道从意大利赫尔布罗纳峰返回法国的全景缆车在下午4:30关闭，所以我们在4:10时急忙赶往天空缆车站准备返回赫尔布罗纳峰。不巧刚好错过了一班缆车，不得不等下一班。可缆车一到工作人员却告诉说要先做维护，我们只能耐心等待，直到维护完成，缆车重新启用。到达赫尔布罗纳峰后，我们迅速赶到全景缆车站，此时已是4:28。所幸一名工作人员及时看到我们，特地打开了已关闭的门。我们总算坐上最后一班返回法国的全景缆车，否则将不得不返回库马约尔，然后可能需要乘坐巴士通过隧道回到霞慕尼。回程的全景缆车之旅再一次让我们穿越冰川，置身群山之间，很震撼。
回到法国的南针峰后，正好看到两位攀岩者从陡峭的岩壁上慢慢下来，顺手拍了些照片。这二位奥地利来的攀岩者从早上8:30就开始攀爬，只到到下午近6点才完成。稍后通过WhatsApp我们将照片发送给了他们。尽管我们希望在山顶多待些时间多看看，最后一班下山的缆车是下午6:30，我们又是最后一批离开的游客。
回到镇上后，我们在一家印度餐馆享用了美味的晚餐。忙忙碌碌一整天后，吃什么都觉得格外香。