Here at Browndog we’ve been sharing our Browndog Travels series for a little while now. However, just in case you’re new to our blogs, we wanted to provide a little refresh on the meaning behind it.
We often share thoughts and insights about marketing from our team of specialists, but every now and again we like to share our other interests to help you get to know the people behind the projects.
Between us, we love to chat about food, interior design, fashion, music and photography, just to name a few of our favourite topics. In this latest blog, our desginer, Heather Swinfen, shares her recent experience exploring Italy.
We hope you enjoy reading about her travels…
Italy has been top of my bucket list for a long time, and I finally got to visit this beautiful country for the first time, and it did not disappoint!
We stayed at Lake Garda, and I honestly believe it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. The lake is calm and peaceful, with a handful of ducks (and ducklings) swimming around. There are only a few small ferries that take visitors to other towns on the lake, and a handful of sailing boats. You can see the tops of the snowy mountains that surround Lake Garda, and lush olive and lemon trees down every street.
Limone
We stayed in Limone sul Garda which (clue is in the name) is known for its lemon groves, which you visit at Limonaia del “Castèl” whilst soaking in the views across the lake. After we had bought handfuls of lemon inspired gifts from the tiny streets of shops in Limone, we drank lemonade and ate gelato al limone, which was served in a frozen lemon.
There was also an incredible Foccia shop that sold fresh sandwiches filled with ham, tomatoes, basil and buffalo mozzarella.
Top Tip – make sure you add plenty of sugar syrup to your lemonade, otherwise it’s very sour!
We took a walk down the ‘la pista ciclopedonale’ which is a beautiful walking and cycle path that wraps around the mountain from Limone sul Garda to the Trentino border. It hangs on the edge over the water and you can see views of the lake and mountains for miles. You can rent bikes if you prefer a quicker journey time, but we were happy walking in the Italian sun.
There is also a pebble ‘beach’ in Limone which is perfect to watch the sunset, sitting on one of the stone benches under the trees.
For food, Restaurant Gemma is on the lake side, and has full glass windows so you feel you are on the water and serves fancy Italian food, which always ends with a shot of Limoncello. If you would like to see the views from a little higher, order a pizza at Ristorante Pizzeria Dal Bigaröla. Or, if you want to experience a more intimate setting, visit Monte Baldo for fresh pasta in a traditional wine bar (and don’t leave without having the tiramisu!)
Malcesine
There are frequent ferries between Limone and Malcesine, which take about 20 minutes to cross the lake, and are a great way to experience the views as well as being much quicker to travel than by car. Malcesine is known for its castle, which sits clearly out on the front of the town. Filled with small shops, cafes and restaurants, it’s a lovely day out and there is plenty to see and do. Also, Malcesine Monte Baldo cableway runs up the mountain (if you’re not scared of heights!)
Venice
I have to admit, I didn’t know much about Venice until we visited. You can’t access the city by any vehicles, you need to get a ferry over to it, and can only walk or use boats to get around. The main square, Piazza San Marco, has beautiful architecture and buildings with gold detailing. We spent all day walking around tiny alleyways and over small bridges, visiting shops and cafes, plus we found Tirasumi Gelato which I could have eaten a bucket of!
You can’t go to Venice without going on a gondola ride, which is a different way to experience the city as all the streets are busy and loud, but the canals for the gondolas have no pavement, so it’s just you and the water. It was such a unique and vibrant place, and we only saw a very small part of it, as there are many ‘islands’ of Venice to explore.
Verona
Both days at Venice and Verona had started as early morning coach trips, but watching the sunrise over the mountains of Lake Garda never got old. Verona is closer to Lake Garda, so we arrived in time for a late morning coffee in Piazza Brà, a square of Verona town where you can admire the Arena di Verona, their Roman amphitheatre. From there, you can walk down the shopping streets, stopping at Piazza delle Erbe which is the famous market square.
Top Tip – don’t forget to look up (and down)! Verona was re-built many times throughout history due to earthquakes that caused buildings to collapse, so there is an incredible mix of architectural styles and details depending on when they were built. If you find a grate or window in the floor, you will be able to see remains of the city that it was built on top of!
The area we visited in Verona is mainly surrounded by the river, so if you reach the edge of the peninsula, you can walk along the river bank and look across to the views of Castel San Pietro.
Of course our final stop of the day was the Casa di Giulietta, to see the balcony made famous by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. We learnt that Romeo and Juliet began as legend in Verona, and the families did exist, although whether the love story is true, remains a mystery. It’s only a tiny space, but it was great to see the Statue of Juliet and all the love letters stuffed into the walls of the courtyard.
I had an incredible time in Italy; the views, lakes, food, towns and people were all 10/10 and I would recommend anyone to visit this beautiful country – so get booking!
