Certosa di Pavia
We traveled about 20 miles south of Milan to the Certosa di Pavia, a Carthusian monastery. It started being built in 1396 as a monument to Gian Galeazzo Visconti, the Duke of Milan. He built it as a burial chapel for his family. The outside facade is Renaissance. The Certosa di Pavia took over 200 years to be finished.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Close–up of the front of the building. It is decorated with statues and carvings of Roman emperors, saints, apostles, and prophets.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Another close–up of the facade.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Another close–up.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
One of the statues.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
More artwork.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
A photo of the colored marble on the facade.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Another view of the front of the monastery.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
And another view.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
We waited for our guide, who was the monk in the photo, to take us on a tour of the monastery. The Carthusian monks here take a vow of silence. This monk must have been given a special dispensation in order to conduct tours.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
At the top left as you enter the monastery, in a window, is the Guardian Father to greet you.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Close–up of the Guardian Father.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Inside the monastery’s church.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Also inside the monastery’s church.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Another photo of inside the church.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Ceiling of the church.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Another view of the ceiling.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
The tombs of Ludovico di Moro and Beatrice d’Este, the Duke and Duchess of Milan. The sculptures were done by Solari Cristoforo. Neither is actually buried here.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
The rectory.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Ceiling of the rectory.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Our monk tour guide sitting in one of the rectory chairs.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Close–up of the rectory chairs.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Wall and ceiling of the church.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
The inner courtyard of the monastery.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Corridor in the inner courtyard.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Painting at the end of a corridor.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Corridor along the outer courtyard. You can see the monks’ houses in the photo. Each monk has his own house with a little garden in front.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
The monks’ houses.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Another view of the outer courtyard.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Close–up of one of statues on the arches.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
The monastery’s store. They sell their own Chartreuse liqueur and herbal soaps and scents.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Another view of the front of the monastery.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Great souvenir stand outside the monastery selling fancy pens (I bought some as gifts and they were very well liked) and inexpensive but very nice jewelry (bought for me). A must stop if you visit the Certosa di Pavia.
Certosa di Pavia
Certosa di Pavia
Pretty canal at the front of the monastery.
Certosa di Pavia
To Santa Margherita
From Certosa di Pavia, we drove southwest to Genoa and then followed the coast until we reached Santa Margherita on the Italian Riveria. On the way we passed to Genoa, we passed this town.
To Santa Margherita
To Santa Margherita
As we approached Genoa, we saw many beautiful villas in the hills.
To Santa Margherita
To Santa Margherita
We did not stop in Genoa, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, but I think that this is a view of Genoa.
To Santa Margherita
Santa Margherita
We drove on the coast road from Genoa which took us throught many, many tunnels cut into the mountains. The road extends all the way from France to La Spezia, which is south of Santa Margherita. Paola told us that there are a total of 190 tunnels on this route. Santa Margherita is on the Italian Rivera. Its bright–colored buildings were a spectacular sight.
Santa Margherita
Santa Margherita
We checked into our hotel and walked along with water to a boat that would take us this afternoon to Portofino. Another view of Santa Margherita.
Santa Margherita
Santa Margherita
Buildings of bright Italian Rivera colors and an old fort.
Santa Margherita
Santa Margherita
Another view of these buildings.
Santa Margherita
Santa Margherita
Leaving the harbor of Santa Margherita to travel to Portofino.
Santa Margherita
Santa Margherita
Another view.
Santa Margherita
Santa Margherita
And another beautiful view.
Santa Margherita
On Our Way to Portofino
We passed these villas on our way.
On Our Way to Portofino
On Our Way to Portofino
We also passed this villa.
On Our Way to Portofino
Portofino
We are coming into Portofino. You cannot believe how picturesque this town is. It was wonderful. I have put a slide show of Portofino on this site: Go to Slide Shows, Western Europe, Italy–1, “Portofino.” Enjoy the photos of this beautiful town.
Portofino
Portofino
When I put photos on a slide show, they all need to be the same size, which is difficult to do if you want to enlarge only parts of the photos. I have enlarged some buildings in my photos and here is one of the new photos which I couldn’t put on the slide show.
Portofino
Portofino
Another one of these photos.
Portofino
Portofino
And another one.
Portofino
Portofino
Portofino has a castle up high in the hills. There is a path up to it, which I took. I counted at least 100 steps to climb when you get closer to the castle. But the views of Portofino from this pathway were spectacular.
Portofino
Portofino
One of the views of Portofino from up high.
Portofino
Portofino
View of boats in the harbor below.
Portofino
Portofino
This church and its cemetery are also up on the hill, before the castle.
Portofino
Portofino
Final group of stairs before entering the castle.
Portofino
Portofino
Beautiful old Italian tiles were on an inside stairway.
Portofino
Portofino
The castle was holding a special exhibit called the Portrait of a Star.
Portofino
Portofino
The exhibit consisted of photos of well–known people who had visited Portofino. This first one is of Greta Garbo, year 1963.
Portofino
Portofino
This is a photo of a photo of Sophia Loren (no year given).
Portofino
Portofino
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, 1950.
Portofino
Portofino
Louie Armstrong, 1959.
Portofino
Portofino
We could either take the early boat or one an hour later or even a bus back to Santa Margherita. Most of our tour group took the early boat. I am watching it leave from my view from the castle. It is the smaller (much smaller) boat in the photo. The very large yacht’s name was Siran.
Portofino
Portofino
I walked down the hill from the castle, through the town, and then up another smaller hill to see this church.
Portofino
Portofino
The church had very interesting doors.
Portofino
Portofino
Sailboat backing up into its stall. I was watching this feat with two of my tour group members. A crew member threw toward the dock a line with something heavy on its end, which came within inches of hitting me, and if it did, probably would have injured me. Good thing I stepped on that bull’s genitals yesterday in Milan! It did give me good luck.
Portofino
Leaving Portofino
We said goodbye to beautiful Portofino.
Leaving Portofino
Arriving at Santa Margherita
Santa Margherita is now in view, with the statues of the Virgin Mary and Victor Emmanuel II welcoming us.
Arriving at Santa Margherita
Santa Margherita
We walked up the hill to our hotel, the Park Suisse. The hotel was very conveniently located and the public rooms were nice, but the room facilities were not quite up to par, such as some rooms not having shower curtains and sockets almost coming out of the wall (none of the sockets in my room worked and one was too loose to make contact––I had to take have my camera battery and storage hard drive down to the desk for them to charge them––which was very nice of them). But there was a very nice view from my hotel room.
