Travelogue

It doesn't always have to be a long-distance trip. After we traveled to South Africa again last year, this time the Italian Tuscany was chosen as our destination. And what is the best way to do this? With a nice convertible tour over the Alps, of course. Speed is not required. On the contrary - comfortable cruising while avoiding expressways and planning short stages are the result. The first destination of our journey was the Austrian municipality of Lermoos in the Zugspitze region. What could be more obvious than climbing Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze. In Ehrwald, the Zugspitzbahn runs directly to the summit. The view from the visitor platform is magnificent.

You can see the glacier below on the plateau (but very little snow) or the Eibsee. Unfortunately also the gondola cabin of the newly built cable car from the German side that had crashed shortly before to the summit.

The next day we continue our journey over the Fernpass and the old Brenner road to Lake Garda. Since the weather played along, we were able to drive most of the route open. At Lake Garda we met our dear friends Annelie and Gerhard in their holiday home and had dinner with them. We stayed the night on the western shore of the lake at the Hotel Monte Baldo in Gardone Riviera. Breakfast the next morning on the hotel's lakeside terrace was sensational.

The last stage for the time being was supposed to take us to our destination in Viareggio on the Italian coast, but it turned out to be a bit difficult due to various detours in the Po plain and our crazy navigation system. We must have gone in circles a few times.

The hotel in Viareggio, we had booked at the Palace Hotel, was very nice at first glance, the room was large and had a "walk-in" closet. And a roof terrace with great views of the beach and boardwalk. You can end the day with a cold drink and snacks (chips and really good olives). Dinner of course Italian with pizza, spaghetti and a glass of red wine. Then good night.

The following day was committed by us as a rest day. Two sun loungers and a parasol on the hotel's private beach. This is how you can have a good time. The water in the sea is pleasantly warm.

Anyone who knows us knows that we naturally want to get to know the country and the surrounding area. Hotel guests advised us against visiting Florence or Pisa, which are currently overcrowded by thousands of passengers on cruise ships that stop in Livorno. So I spontaneously got into the car, opened the top and off we went. First stop Pistoia, a small town not far from Florence. Unfortunately, not very attractive from our point of view, perhaps also due to a lack of relevant information about this place. Then just continue via the Montecatini Terme to Lucca with a well-preserved city wall from the Renaissance, which surrounds the historic city center with its cobblestone streets. A beautiful town with the right flair.

After another day at the beach, our next excursion - this time to Porto Venere. This place, along with the Cinque Terre, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. This trip was also a complete success. On the way back we ate a very good ice cream in Pietrasanta.

Our return journey begins. So far we have been really lucky with the weather. The convertible roof was always open. Our next destination is the Hotel Castello di Casiglio in Erba on Lake Como. The house is really awesome. Very cozy and located in a beautiful park. Only later did we realize that our German national soccer team had lived there during the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

The last stage before heading home took us over the Spluegen Pass to Lindau on Lake Constance. The journey went over numerous switchbacks with spectacular views. At the top of the pass at 1,900 m we enjoyed a good cup of coffee in the midday sun.

Also worth mentioning is the Best Western Plus Marina Star Hotel in Lindau, in a good traffic location and with a great breakfast. Another tour of the island of Lindau, the journey home afterwards without any major problems.

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