We’re in Lake Garda for ten days, and so far, it’s been a mix of epic drives, fantastic food, a quick trip to the ER, and peaceful lake views in the evenings. Driving in Italy, however, is not relaxing — Jim needs a break. He wants a day of sightseeing that doesn’t involve dodging scooters and squeezing through impossibly narrow streets. So, we look into where we can go by train.
Switzerland and Austria sound tempting, but the trips are longer than we’d like. We settle on Bolzano — a place we recently drove through and wished we had time to explore.
We choose a train station with a massive parking lot (bonus: it uses the EasyPark app), and buy our tickets online — good thing, too, because we step onto the platform just as the train is pulling in. The ride is about two hours, and we enjoy every minute of it — beautiful scenery and no need to be on constant alert.
The Bolzano train station is just a few minutes from the town center. We wander through charming streets lined with — seriously — so many bakeries. We make a mental note to stop at one before heading home. Along the way, I tuck my sunglasses into my shirt. At some point, they fall out, hit the pavement, and I manage to step on them, bending the arm. Of course.
We spot an optical shop and go in, asking if they might be able to fix them. The owner tells us to come back in half an hour — no promises (our conversation is a lovely mix of broken Italian, German, and English). When we return, they’re fixed! And he only charges 2 euros. I ask if that’s really enough, and he assures me it is. Okay then — grazie mille!
Our main goal for the day is simple: wander the Waltherplatz and have a proper German lunch. We do both — and nail it. Jim has pork with potatoes and cabbage salad, and I order German dumplings that are absolutely phenomenal. We finish with coffees in the sunshine and start making our way back to the station.
We enjoyed Bolzano so much, we immediately start scheming: what if we come back tomorrow and try a different restaurant? This place could easily become a regular destination. That is, until the train ride home.
It’s 73 degrees, sunny, and completely airless. We’re the only ones who crack open a window, and even then, there’s no relief. Italians, bless them, seem to thrive in this heat. Eventually, someone else opens another window — thank goodness — but a few minutes later, someone else closes it again. Nooo! It’s a brutal ride. We quickly decide: maybe not Bolzano tomorrow.
Once back in the car, we decide to go to Martinelli’s to do some shopping for dinner. I plug it into the GPS and off we go. When we arrive, we burst out laughing — we had no idea it was a chain, and we’ve just driven 15 minutes in the wrong direction. We’re now 45 minutes from home. Jim is definitely going to tease me about this for a very long time.
We had planned to cook mushroom pasta for dinner, but after our detour, we opt for something simple — quick sandwiches, then settle in for the evening with a game of cards and that beautiful Lake Garda view.
paleremo presto
Sounds like a great day!