Episodio 1/30

@ La Morra, Piedmont
Gem begins his tour of "Northern Italy - Milan and Turin" by downloading a map of specially chosen locations!
Italy - North - Milan and Turin
The pets will here explore the vineyards of Piedmont; the birthplace of the Fiat 500 in Turin; the many delights of fashion capital Milan; Lake Como and Lake Garda. They will experience the scary hairpin bends of the Tyrolean Stelvio Pass and meet a curly-horned guardian of the Dolomites. Also to be seen is one of the most beautiful old villages in Italy and a very posh palace!
La Morra, Piedmont
La Morra, built in the famous Barolo wine production area, is 13 km from Alba, and includes the villages of Annunziata, Berri, Rivalta and Santa Maria. It’s just the place to take a relaxing holiday, thanks to its beautiful position on the top of a hill.

Episodio 2/30

@ Langhe, Piedmont
"A bit of trivia here, Mr. Dylan!" remarked Gem, reading from their tour brochure. "Can you name two films that popularised the Vespa as the ultimate way to explore Italy?"
"I don't think I can, Gem!"
"Well, to be fair, they were both from before we were born. The 1953 film, Roman Holiday, and La Dolce Vita in 1960. It says the latter is a particularly good film."
"We'll have to see if we can watch them when we get back," said Mr. Dylan.
Langhe, Piedmont
On the main square is the Baroque church of St Martin and the Fraternity of San Rocco; in a corner, a little triangular garden has taken the place of the ancient cemetery, in front of the Town Hall. Nearby, in the Communal Cellar, you can sample buy the local wine. A little way away, in the Piazza Castello, is one of the best views over the Langhe.

Episodio 3/30

@ Lounge About
"Wasn’t it worth coming all this way, Gem," said Blue Fire, "for this experience alone?"
Gem, admiring the scene they were now in, heartily agreed!
Lounge About
Salotto means "lounge". After exploring Piedmont, here's the perfect place to relax over coffee, Italian ice cream, handcrafted chocolates or sample the brews in the tea salon!

Episodio 4/30

@ Piedmont vineyard
“Let's just drink in this scene, shall we, Gem?” suggested kitty, sinking down on a convenient tree stump.
Gem agreed it was well worth spending some time there!
Piedmont vineyard
If you’re trying to get a deeper understanding of Italian wine, Piedmont is one of the most useful wine regions to get to know. For a start, Piedmont introduces us to a completely new set of wine grapes to taste and understand – from Nebbiolo to Cortese. Secondly, Piedmont (Piemonte) is considered a top wine region in Italy (like Tuscany). And finally, Piedmont is very popular with the locals. This area, including Milan and Turin, is home to one third of the population of Italy!

Episodio 5/30

@ The Little Mouse That Roars
Gem and Starla were entranced on reaching this Mediterranean viewpoint and eagerly posed for a picture standing on either side!
The Little Mouse That Roars
A Fiat 500 interior! If you’re looking for unusual or alternative things to do in Turin, try the Fiat Lingotto Factory. This car factory has now closed down but it was where they made Fiat cars from 1923-1982. The Lingotto building has since been renovated and turned into a commercial complex with hotels and a shopping mall, and you can visit it and see its most unique feature – a race track on the roof! The Fiat Lingotto Factory was built in 1916 and was designed to allow every step of the car-making process to be carried out there. It was close to the train tracks so that raw materials could be delivered straight to the door and manufacturing work on the Fiats would start on the lower floors. The factory has a winding, internal ramp so that the cars could be driven up successive floors as they moved along the various stages of production. Finally, the finished cars would be taken to the top floor – the roof of the building where there is a test track for the cars to be road tested before they were taken to the showrooms to be sold. The Fiat test track on top of the building was used in a scene in the 1969 film The Italian Job with Michael Caine, which was filmed in Turin. One of the shooting locations for the chase scene with the Minis near the end was the Turin Fiat factory.

Episodio 6/30

@ Parco Sempione, Milan
On disembarking from the tour bus, fresh surveyed the current stopping place. “Would you fancy living here, Gem?”
"Well, it's certainly a bit different to where we live," said Gem. "But I could get used to it, I daresay!"
Parco Sempione, Milan
The Parco Sempione is a large green-space close to the Castello Sforzesco. It was built between 1890 and 1893 imitating a typical English garden.

Episodio 7/30

@ Driving with Steam
“I can never remember how to spell ‘Mediterranean’, Gem,” mused Dahlia, clutching a postcard and sucking the end of her pen. “Is it two ts and one r?”
“Simples,” grinned Gem. “You just need to remember it’s got ‘terra’ in the middle, which is Latin for ‘earth’, and the ‘Medi’ bit means ‘middle’. Put the two together and Bob’s your uncle.”
“Middle Earth!” cried Dahlia.
Driving with Steam
Welcome to the railway section of the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan! https:// andrewstransport.smugmug.com/ Italiantrains/ Leonardo-da-Vinci-Museum-of/ i-DKNgKzF The museum is home to 11 steam and four early electric locomotives.

Episodio 8/30

@ Milanese Frescoes
“You know, I'd like to spend a whole week in this region here, Gem!” said Choco.
"It's very pleasant indeed—but you never know, the next part of the tour might be even better!" replied Gem.
Milanese Frescoes
The interior of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, a 1518 church known as the Sistine Chapel of Milan. This is a detail of the ceiling with frescoes by Aurelio Luini.

Episodio 9/30

@ Sesto Calende
“Hey, have you seen what the next stop is, Gem?” said Autumn Fall. "It looks fantastic!"
"I'll get my camera ready," said Gem.
Sesto Calende
Sesto Calende is a town and comune located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. It is at the southern tip of Lake Maggiore, where the Ticino River starts to flow towards the Po River. The main historical sight is the Abbey of San Donato, built in the 9th and 10th centuries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30 Sesto_Calende

Episodio 10/30

@ This Cloistered Space
"We'll be seeing a bit of everything here in Italy," remarked Elvis. "You could say, from Giotto to gelato!"
"That pistachio gelato we had last night was superb!" marvelled Gem. "You can certainly tell the difference between Italian ice cream and the mass produced stuff we have at home!"
This Cloistered Space
The peaceful Abbey of San Gemolo, in Ganna, Lombardy, Italy. It dates back to the twelfth century and is located in Valganna, bordering the regional park of Campo dei Fiori Varese.

Episodio 11/30

@ Rich Man's Retreat
“Where are we now, Gem?” asked DaiDai.
"If it's Tuesday this must be Tuscany!" joked Gem. "Only kidding—let me check the map!"
Rich Man's Retreat
Lake Como, Italy has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction with many artistic and cultural gems. It has many villas and palaces such as Villa Olmo, Villa Serbelloni, and Villa Carlotta. Many famous people have had and have homes on the shores of Lake Como.

Episodio 12/30

@ Lake Como, Italy
"The tour guide said we'll be visiting Il Duomo. I asked her what that was and she said it meant 'the cathedral' in Italian. But there are lots of cathedrals in Italy!" remarked Gem.
"When they say Il Duomo they most often mean the one in Florence, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It says in our brochure it was first built in the 13th century, with the dome added in the 15th century. It has a pink, white and green exterior in a gothic style with a large dome on top. Sounds beautiful!" remarked Wily.
Gem mused for a minute. "I guess it's like when we were touring England last spring, everypet in London would talk about 'The Monument'—to the Great Fire of London of 1666—as if there were only one monument in the whole of London, instead of thousands!"
Lake Como, Italy
As a tourist destination, Lake Como is popular for its landscapes, wildlife and spas. It is a venue for sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. In the area surrounding Lake Como there are several farms which produce goods such as honey, olive oil, cheese, milk, eggs and salamis.

Episodio 13/30

@ Stelvio Pass, South Tyrol
“Ooh, it's just starting to drizzle, Gem!” said Butterscotch. “Can you hold my gelato and map while I dig out my Pac-a-Mac?"
Gem good-naturedly took charge of Butterscotch's possessions while she emptied her rucksack of a pack of sandwiches, a Thermos flask, a pair of galoshes, a bag of toffees, a paperback novel, a bottle of mineral water, an address book, some postage stamps, an assortment of different coloured biros, a bottle opener, a couple of old train tickets, a handful of golden and silver moles, a hotel key, some shopping receipts and a selection of rather battered sachets of salt, sugar and tomato ketchup before locating the Pac-a-Mac right at the bottom. This she donned and then Gem helped her put everything back in her rucksack.
Stelvio Pass, South Tyrol
The full 47 km/29 miles long Alpine pass is not exactly a beauty — but visually, the Stelvio Pass, Italy, is one of the most dramatic passes in the Alps, due to its incredible wall of switchback turns.

At first you will drive through thick wood before the landscape opens up and you will be mostly surrounded by rocks. Only a few small green bushes and some grass is breaking this slightly unreal landscape.
But the Alpine pass is a absolute masterpiece of road engineering and often referred to as "Queen of Pass Roads" Probably because with a stunning 2,757 m (9,045 ft) above sea level the road is "among the highest driving roads in the world".

Episodio 14/30

@ Italian Mountain Hike
“Let's practise some Italian phrases, Gem!" said Peter. "Tell you what, hand me that postcard, will you? Grazie!”
Clutching the postcard, he looked at his friend expectantly. “That's your cue to say Prego—which means ‛you're welcome!'”
Gem looked puzzled. "Why do I have to say anything at all, Peter? If I've performed a very minor service and you've said 'Thank you', do I need to say anything back? It's not like I made you a cake or mowed your lawn. I just handed you a postcard. You said 'thank you'. Couldn't I just smile slightly or something?"
Peter mused for some minutes. "The English language lacks the exact equivalent of prego or bitte schön and similar phrases in use in Continental Europe. Still, when in Rome ...!"
Italian Mountain Hike
Pets should wrap up warmly before exploring the winding paths of this mountainous terrain!

Episodio 15/30

@ Athlete in Altitude
Half way through Gem's tour of "Northern Italy - Milan and Turin", he finds a special prize!
Italy City Skyline (panoramic)
A classic panoramic-style view of a famous city in Italy. Which one, we can't tell you. Seriously. Our notes are smudged.
Athlete in Altitude
The chamois is a very small bovid. Chamois usually use speed and stealthy evasion to escape predators and can run at 50 kmh (31 mph) and can jump 2 m (6 ft 6 in) vertically into the air or over a distance of 6 m (20 ft). Female chamois and their young live in herds of up to 15 to 30 individuals; adult males tend to live solitarily for most of the year.

Episodio 16/30

@ Swan Lake
“Hey, have you seen what the next stop is, Gem?” said Elias. "It looks fantastic!"
"I'll get my camera ready," said Gem.
Swan Lake
This swan stands pensively by beautiful Lake Garda in Italy.

Episodio 17/30

@ Master that Pasta!
“Let's hope Foxy doesn't get as seasick as he did on the Irish Sea, Gem!” said Sparkles, studying the future itinerary.
"Can you get seasick on a lake?" asked Gem.
"Oh yes, indeedy," said Sparkles.
Master that Pasta!
Italy has more than 400 known pasta shapes! Here are just a few: from the top left: orecchiette ("little ears"); ziti; farfalle ("butterflies"); rigatoni ("ridges"; and (centre) tagliatelle.

Episodio 18/30

@ Alpine Panorama
"I think there'll be quite a few tired paws, wings and flippers when we get back to the tour bus," said Eevee, after she and Gem had spent some time exploring another narrow, winding alleyway to its end.
"Is there a gift shop at the end?" enquired Gem. "The thought of that generally keeps me going."
Alpine Panorama
Belluno, in the Dolomites. One of the main sites of the nearby town is its 16th-century cathedral, with an 18th-century bell tower.

Episodio 19/30

@ Tyrolean Vista
Gem flicked through the phrasebook. “The tour guide at the door of the museum this morning said Prego! as she ushered us all in. She said it meant ‛After you'. I asked her especially.”
“It's one of those terms that mean a number of things: ‛you're welcome', ‛don't mention it', ‛not at all', ‛after you!'. For example, if I reached for your bottle of orange juice you'd say, “Prego!—meaning ‛Please! Help yourself!”
“No, I wouldn't. I'd jolly well tell you to get your paws off it,” grumbled Gem. “It's very confusing, having just one word covering half a dozen situations.”
“Would you rather have to learn half a dozen different phrases, like you'd have in English, to cover each one?”
Gem thought about it for a while. “You may have a point there, Serena!” he said.
Tyrolean Vista
Province of Trentino, north of Verona. Despite the over-whelmingly mountainous nature of the territory, agriculture remains important. Farms often join together to form larger co-operatives. The most important produce comprises vegetables, apples and other fruit, principally the grape, which is important especially for its quality, and is used for the production of dry and sparkling wines.

Episodio 20/30

@ Canale di Tenno
"What are you doing, paws?" asked Gem, coming across his friend in the hotel lounge, clutching a notebook and pen.
"I'm keeping a diary of our experiences on this trip, Gem. I don't want to forget anything!" responded paws. "Oh, and the tour guide taught me a lovely phrase just now—Dall'Italia, con amore!—'From Italy, with love'. I'm going to use it on my postcards home to my Mum."
Canale di Tenno
is an obligatory stop for those who desire to immerse themselves in the magic of a place of the past, where you breathe history, art and culture.The village, entrenched on a mountain slope halfway between Lake Garda and the Alps, has recently been included in the list of the most beautiful villages in Italy: note the narrow paved alleys, arcades, small internal squares, the houses set one against the other like in the ancient villages of the 13 century.

Episodio 21/30

@ Old Italian Pilgrim
"Hey, it says in our tour guide that construction of the 8-storey Leaning Tower of Pisa started in 1173 and took 200 years to complete! It quite puts that two-week delay on your bathroom tiling project into perspective, doesn't it, FLEECE?" remarked Gem. "Also, the name of the architect has been lost in the sands of time. You sort of wonder whether he'd have wanted his name to be linked to a tower that leans so noticeably to one side!"
FLEECE leaned across to read the description of the famous Leaning Tower. "It's good in a way that we can celebrate such an apparent disaster," she said. "It says here that it's a very popular design for wedding cakes!"
Old Italian Pilgrim
The Casa degli Artisti (Home of the Artists), dedicated to the painter Giacomo Vittone, is found here and is a residence and meeting place for artists from all of Europe. From here, you can view beautiful Lake Garda, and the imposing mountains behind, or you can reach Lake Tenno, one of the cleanest stretches of water in Trentino, known for its deep turquoise colour and small islet.

Episodio 22/30

@ Oranges and Lemons of Lake Garda
"That was a lovely risotto we had for supper last night, wasn't it, Moofin?" remarked Gem.
"On our table the waiter explained that risotto is a rice dish with origins in Lombardy. It’s cooked in a broth to make it creamy. It must be made with a short-grain variant of Italian rice, usually Arborio, as this absorbs less water and gives the risotto a sticky texture," said Moofin.
Oranges and Lemons of Lake Garda
Know ye the land where the cypress and myrtle
Are emblems of deeds that are done in their clime?
Where the rage of the vulture, the love of the turtle,
Now melt into sorrow, now madden to crime!
Know ye the land of the cedar and vine,
Where the flowers ever blossom, the beams ever shine;
Where the light wings of Zephyr, oppress’d with perfume,
Wax faint o’er the gardens of Gúl in her bloom;
Where the citron and olive are fairest of fruit,
And the voice of the nightingale never is mute;
Where the tints of the earth, and the hues of the sky,
In colour though varied, in beauty may vie,
And the purple of ocean is deepest in dye;
Where the virgins are soft as the roses they twine,
And all, save the spirit of man, is divine?
’Tis the clime of the East; ’tis the land of the Sun—
Can he smile on such deeds as his children have done?
Oh! wild as the accents of lovers’ farewell
Are the hearts which they bear, and the tales which they tell.
Extract from The Bride of Abydos By Lord Byron (1788–1824)

Episodio 23/30

@ Lemon Trees at Lake Garda
"We'll be seeing a bit of everything here in Italy," remarked Ms Kitty. "You could say, from Giotto to gelato!"
"That pistachio gelato we had last night was superb!" marvelled Gem. "You can certainly tell the difference between Italian ice cream and the mass produced stuff we have at home!"
Lemon Trees at Lake Garda
If you are looking for an itinerary that can offer you the beauty of Lake Garda as well as its history and tradition, explore the lemon houses along the western shore of the lake, that is also called, not by chance, Riviera dei limoni.

Episodio 24/30

@ Glacial Lake
“I don't know how to pronounce half of these place names, Gem!” said Tallulah ruefully.
"Never mind," said Gem. "We'll look them up when we get back to the hotel tonight!"
Glacial Lake
Near Italy’s Austrian border—just outside Tarvisio and near the hamlet of Fusine—are two glacial lakes, Lago Inferiore and Lago Superiore. As part of the Parco Naturale dei Laghi di Fusine, these lakes are encircled by hiking paths that offer spectacular views of the surrounding Giulian Alps.

Episodio 25/30

@ Lake Garda
"We'll be spending at least three days in Venice, as there's so much to see, Gem!" remarked Roxas. "It says in our brochure it's one of the most recognisable destinations in the world thanks to its unique construction of canals and bridges. It says the main city of Venice is made up of 118 islands connected only by 400 bridges and 170 canals. It’s renowned for its gondolas, flat bottomed Venetian rowing boats that are the equivalent to taxis. Becoming a gondolier is no easy feat as you need a professional licence that’s only granted after 400 hours of training."
"It doesn't sound as bad as London black cab drivers having to take The Knowledge before being granted a licence. That can take three or four years!" remarked Gem.

Episodio 26/30

@ Little Italian Town
"'Bella Italia!'" read out Venus from their tour brochure. " 'A country in which you will be swept off your paws by quaint seaside villages, pastoral countryside, idyllic islands, dramatic mountains and ancient historic cities. It's easy to understand why Bella Italia is one of the most romantic destinations in the world.'"
Gem settled back in his tour bus seat. "It's certainly been all that so far, Venus!"
Little Italian Town
A typical Italian town where pets can enjoy exploring the winding backstreets. Note the ornate street lamp!

Episodio 27/30

@ Bardolino Pizzeria
“Buongiorno, Gem!” said Waddles. "That means 'good morning', you know!"
Gem sniffed. "So—can I say it back, or do I have to say a different form of it, or say prego, or something?"
“Just say it back, Gem!"
"Well, buongiorno to you too, then," said Gem.
Bardolino Pizzeria
Bardolino and Bardolino Superiore are Italian red wines produced along the chain of morainic hills in the province of Verona to the east of Lake Garda. Bardolino takes its name from the town Bardolino on the shores of Lake Garda.

Episodio 28/30

@ Villa Cortine Palace, Sirmione
"It would be great to live on a houseboat in Italy!" said Choose a name enthusiastically. "You can sail round most of the country, and when you get tired, just moor the boat and hop in a bunk!"
Gem considered this carefully. "I don’t think houseboats are designed to go on the sea, Choose a name. You’d have to get a proper yacht, or something.”
Villa Cortine Palace, Sirmione
Villa Cortine in Sirmione, Northern Italy, has beautiful gardens where you will find a pool, a tennis court and a private pier. Guests enjoy free use of parasols and sun loungers at the beach. Close to Catullus's Villa at the tip of the Sirmione peninsula, at Villa Cortine Palace you will be able to enjoy the same views across Lake Garda as Roman nobles once did.
Interiors at Villa Cortine Palace Hotel are charming, with marble décor and frescoed walls.

Episodio 29/30

@ Sirmione, Lake Garda, Italy
"The tour guide said we'll be visiting Il Duomo. I asked her what that was and she said it meant 'the cathedral' in Italian. But there are lots of cathedrals in Italy!" remarked Gem.
"When they say Il Duomo they most often mean the one in Florence, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It says in our brochure it was first built in the 13th century, with the dome added in the 15th century. It has a pink, white and green exterior in a gothic style with a large dome on top. Sounds beautiful!" remarked Choose a name.
Gem mused for a minute. "I guess it's like when we were touring England last spring, everypet in London would talk about 'The Monument'—to the Great Fire of London of 1666—as if there were only one monument in the whole of London, instead of thousands!"
Sirmione, Lake Garda, Italy
An elegant resort town on the southern edge of Lake Garda, Sirmione has attracted holiday-goers for centuries. 13th-century Scaligero Castle and the Roman ruins of the Grotte di Catullo are top of the list for most visitors, as is swimming in the lake’s crystal-clear waters.

Episodio 30/30

@ Arena di Verona, Italy
As Gem's tour of "Northern Italy - Milan and Turin" comes to an end, he rests under a shady tree and looks back on a perfect day.
Italy City Skyline (standard)
This standard view of a popular Italian city is a great backdrop for your next photoshoot. No pet will ever believe you were never really there.
Arena di Verona, Italy
The Verona Arena was developed in the 1st century, and the building which serves as an Amphitheatre still stands. The gigantic theatre has a seating capacity of 30,000.
Gem has completed their tour of "Northern Italy - Milan and Turin"! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also tour part of Italy!