Travel Notes with simple drawings. All images are elaborated from real, original photos. That's it.
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Freiburg im Breisgau
Known as the "Jewel of the Black Forest", Freiburg im Breisgau is a sun-drenched university city where medieval charm meets pioneering environmentalism. Its skyline is dominated by the intricate open-work spire of the Freiburg Minster, a Gothic masterpiece that overlooks a bustling market square filled with local crafts and regional delicacies. As you wander through the cobblestone streets of the …
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Black Forest
The Black Forest, or Schwarzwald, is a mountainous region in southwestern Germany renowned for its dense, evergreen canopies and folkloric charm. Famous for being the setting of many Brothers Grimm fairy tales, the area is characterized by rolling hills, glacial lakes like Titisee, and traditional timber-framed villages. Beyond its natural beauty, the region is a cultural hub celebrated for its pr…
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Grisons, Switzerland
The journey from Sufers to Tomils is a breathtaking descent through the heart of the Grisons, tracing the path of the Hinterrhein as it carves through the dramatic landscapes of the Swiss Alps. Starting in the high-altitude tranquility of Sufers, nestled by its turquoise reservoir, you typically head north through the Rofla Gorge, where the power of cascading water provides a rugged soundtrack to …
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East Side of Lake Como
High up on the slopes of Valsassina, Parlasco serves as a living storybook where the walls of its stone houses trade traditional Alpine silence for vibrant narrative. The village is famously defined by its "paints," a series of colorful frescoes lining the narrow alleys that depict the life and times of Lasco, a legendary 17th-century bandit who was part Robin Hood and part local nightmare. This o…
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Valbondione
You’ll find Valbondione at the very end of the Seriana Valley, where the road finally gives way to the towering peaks of the Orobie Alps. It is a rugged, honest mountain village defined by its grey stone architecture and its role as the gateway to some of Italy’s most dramatic alpine scenery. The air here feels distinctively sharper, carrying the sound of the Serio River as it carves through the l…
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Turin
Turin is an exercise in industrial elegance, where the rigid geometry of Roman grids meets the soaring ambition of Baroque architecture. Often called the "Paris of Italy" for its wide, tree-lined boulevards and opulent 18th-century cafes, the city carries a distinctive, silver-toned atmosphere—a reflection of its dual soul as both the former seat of the House of Savoy and the gritty birthplace of …
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West Ligury
The Santuario di Valsorda, located in the silent green valley above Garessio, is an architectural marvel defined by its striking centralized octagonal plan and a towering dome that rivals some of the most famous religious structures in Piedmont. Built primarily in the 20th century on the site of a 17th-century chapel, the sanctuary is dedicated to the Beata Vergine delle Grazie and serves as a mon…
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Passo San Marco
High above the tree line where the Brembana and Valtellina valleys collide, Passo San Marco unfolds as a rugged, windswept ribbon of asphalt cutting through the Orobie Alps. At an elevation of 1,992 meters, the pass offers a raw, cinematic landscape of jagged peaks and deep glacial meadows that often remain dusted with snow well into the spring. Unlike the more manicured alpine crossings, San Marc…
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Val Masino
The granite peaks of the Masino-Bregaglia range rise like jagged, silver teeth against the sky, framing a valley where the air feels noticeably sharper and the scale of nature feels almost overwhelming. This is a landscape defined by stone; colossal boulders are scattered across the emerald floors of the Val di Mello as if tossed by giants, while the legendary granite walls of Sasso Remenno challe…
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Neva Valley
The crumbling limestone skeleton of Conscente Castle looms over the Pennavaira Valley, its jagged profile cutting a sharp silhouette against the Ligurian sky. Far from a manicured monument, the fortress wears its history in the form of weathered stone and encroaching greenery, reflecting the centuries it spent as a defensive sentinel for the Costa-Del Carretto family. Narrow slit windows and thick…
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The abandoned village of Siestri
⎯ ❤️1Siestri is a quiet, stone-built hamlet found within the rugged folds of Val Graveglia, where the landscape transitions from the coastal buzz of Ne towards the iron-rich peaks of the Ligurian Apennines. The village is defined by its traditional slate-roofed houses and narrow pedestrian alleys that overlook a patchwork of olive groves and ancient chestnut forests. It serves as a living reminder of t…
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Via Rhona
The Via Rhôna is a sweeping 815-kilometer journey that follows the pulse of the Rhône River from the crystal-clear shores of Lake Geneva down to the sun-drenched Mediterranean coast. This well-paved artery stitches together an incredible contrast of landscapes, transitioning from the dramatic, snow-capped backdrop of the Alps to the legendary vineyards of the Hermitage and the ancient Roman ruins …
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Moltrasio
Moltrasio unfolds along the western shore of Lake Como as a cascading collection of stone villas and sun-drenched gardens. The village is defined by its steep, narrow stairways—known as scalinate—that wind past ancient churches and hidden waterfalls toward the water's edge. Famous for its pristine grey limestone, which local artisans used to build the region's iconic lakeside estates, the town mai…
