Day 3 - Lugano - May 12

The sun rose this morning with heat on it's mind. I swung my tired legs out of bed and almost scream in agony. My god my calf muscles were sore. I mean I did walk a marathon yesterday! I completely over did it yesterday and now I would pay the price. Hindsight, walking down the hill to the city was a dumb idea. I asked Janet to hit me upside the head next time I have that type of dumb idea. She said she'd gladly do it. 

Today we planned a slower day. We had done so much on our list yesterday that today we merely had two churches we had to see. After another delicious breakfast of yummy European meats and cheeses, we hopped on the bus into town. We were old hats at it now. 

The bus drops us not too far from what I would consider an iconic view of Lugano. Look up Lugano and almost every tourist site will have this view. 

San Lorenzo

Again, I will say I never ever stepped foot in this church. In fact, I didn't even know where it was. I don't think I would have appreciated it as much 35 years ago as I did today. 

San Lorenzo was founded in the middle ages and rebuilt in the 15th century. It's inside was not ornate. Beautiful in it's simplicity. 

The funicular to downtown Lugano

The front façade

Inside you could see they were trying to restore some of the frescos.

After that we walked down that massive hill we walked up yesterday. I can say, down is way better than up - except my calf muscles were so sore that it hurt regardless. 

The street is lined with cute little shops selling their items. Everything expensive. I can't imagine how these shop keepers stay in business. 

At the bottom of the massive hill was one location I really wanted to check out D.Gabanni meats. Back in the day, this shop was small, full of meats, stunk a little, and yet had the BEST salami ever. They used to sell the best ham and cheese sandwiches too. Now it looks like they've expanded and have a cheese shop, meat shop, a bread shop and a restaurant. It wasn't so full and stinky in there anymore. 

Before we investigated D.Gabanni we stopped and had a beer outside their restaurant. 

Inside D.Gabanni your nose is assaulted with so many wonderful (and sometimes stinky) smells. First you meats and all their goodness. Then you walk to the other side and are greeted by a gloriously yeasty smell that only means fresh baked bread. I was in heaven. Finally, the cheese counter. There were cheese in there I've never seen before. One was so covered in "fur" that you couldn't even tell if there was cheese under it. 

All these sweets.

Jamon hanging from the ceiling. Oh the smell...mmmmm

Fresh made sandwiches outside. 

After the trip down memory lane in D.Gabbani, we walked to another church that I hadn't even known existed back in 1987, Chiesa Santa Maria degli Angioli.

Inside this unassuming church is what many say is the most famous fresco of the Renaissance period. The church was built in 1500 and isn't quite as grand as you sometimes expect when entering churches or cathedrals in Europe. 

The fresco is of the "Passion of the Cruicifixion" by Bernardino Luini. This fresco covers most of the wall in the front of the church. You're a little taken back when you see it because it's so massive and so beautiful. This fresco was finished in 1529. 

The large fresco, which can be admired on entering the church, is characterized by the vibrancy of the scene. In fact, rather than being limited to the representation of the three crosses, it is emboldened by a frenzy of figures. Overall, it features 153 heads alternated with soldiers on horseback and a throng of excited people. In the upper part of the scene, viewers can admire the Meeting with doubting Thomas and the Derision, while the lower part is frescoed with saints. The centre vault shows Saint Rocco and Saint Sebastian while the prophets can be seen above the arcade.

I just sat in the church and studied the fresco. It was so beautiful and so much going on I didn't want to miss anything. 

Also inside is a Bernardino Luini's Last Supper. 

Once we finished there we needed to refuel ourselves and it was lunch time. I wanted to hit another old stomping ground, Pizzeria Mary's. 

I remember the restaurant being larger on the inside and not so much seating on the outside. I remembered it being darker and not as fancy as it appeared to be now. Regardless, we had pizza and a beer to fuel us up for the afternoon.