Most sensible people that visit this beautiful place walk down from the top, not up from the valley floor; that way you arrive cool and fresh not looking like you’ve just got out of a dirty swimming pool!
We set off just before 9am to try and avoid the worst of the heat. I knew there would be lots of steps as it’s uphill all the way – I wasn’t prepared for walking on the equivalent of a rockery most of the way though. At about half way, there was a metal wire in the rock face for people like me to hang on to …I always see it as a warning sign! On and on we climbed until suddenly we started to hear a choir boy singing – it was so strange hearing it echo off the cliff faces. The basilica finally came into view with a few final steps – proper ones at last!
Very beautiful church – goodness knows how they built it into the rock. Mass was taking place and I was amazed to see the collection being taken by means of a cloth bag on the end of a broom handle!!! If the church needs money, Covid ain’t gonna stop it!
We were in such a state compared to the rest of the visitors 😂 – both soaked in sweat and I’d used my T-shirt to wipe my face several times – not my best idea.
It took us 1 hour 40 mins to climb up but coming back down, well, let’s say two hours! Very hard as the steps were too big for me legs!
Made a dash for the lake thinking campsites would be half empty this week. Bad idea. Full, full and full again! Finally got one just south of Bardolino but boy did we have trouble getting into the tight spot we’d been allocated. Eventually, we got a different one and with the help of neighbours, moving cars and watching the sides, we got in. On a big slope though – ramps have had nil effect. Our neighbour is jacked up by about a foot at the front so we have no chance!