Sunday, November 27, 2011

Thanksgiving at the Castle!

Because we were just getting back from our Paris trip, our family decided to do something different this year for Thanksgiving....like going to Juliet's Castle for lunch!! So for the first time in decades, I had no shopping, no cooking and no baking to do! And no clean up either - perfection!!! We took about a 25 minute charter bus ride to Montecchio Maggiore! (For more info, you can visit THIS WEBSITE.)

A little history about the restaurant:
The undying myth of Romeo and Juliet, considered the most romantic love story of all time, is authentically rooted in Vicenza's territory. It was, in fact, Luigi Da Porto, born in Vicenza, Commander in the Serenissima army and original poet, who wrote it in 1524. The novel, that tells about the unfortunate love story between two young noble people, Juliet and Romeo, is set in the hills of Vicenza, with the two face-to-face castles, that are still visible in Montecchio, forming the background of the story. The great dramatist William Shakespeare was inspired by this novel and he made it famous in 1597. The legend was in fact that the two young people belong one to the family of the Capuleti and the other to that of Montecchi, implacable enemies.

And who should also be going? Bella's 1st grade teacher, Ms. Rogers!

Frescoes in the large dining room
Pumpkin soup - excellent!!

The smaller children had pasta & sauce, instead. Bella is taking a photo here, lol!

Turkey!!
A happy, feasting Bella!
Turkey, stuffing and Italian sweet potatoes
Pumkin "pie" for dessert. More of a cake, but yummy!
Everything had an Italian flavor to it!
Views from the dining room window
Courtyard below
Curving staircase
"The Kiss"
Bella looking at "The Kiss" and not paying attention, lol!
That's better!
Ouchie!
Smaller, private dining room
Decorated Christmas tree
Photograph of the two castles
Juliet's in foreground, Romeo's in background
Original castle layout
Ground floor - for drinks
Simple curtain sheers, create intimate spaces!!!
Entrance - Bar
They host weddings - in renaissance costumes!
Pretty castle cake!
They set up for the ceremony on the roof!
GORGEOUS!!!
"Merry Christmas" wreath
In the summertime, they have live music and outdoor dining.
Base of the tower.
Walking up the stairs - main dining room windows
Rooftop views
Romeo's castle




Original castle well
Bella makes a wish!
Draw gates
Bella "pouts" in "jail", lol!
Walking down the hill. Too steep for the bus!
Vineyards on the property
Bella in front of Romeo's castle.
Views of Juliet's castle tower
Lovely church on the way back.
Gorgeous, Palladian villa
We really enjoyed our Italian Thanksgiving, and we will always be so thankful that we had the chance to enjoy yet another travel adventure in Italy!!!

8 comments:

Rita said...

Wow! That looks like the most wonderful meal (I love the cakier pumpkin pies the best--LOL!) and a gorgeous day of sunshine. Beautiful views, too, from the videos! Great day! :)

Faye said...

Jeannie, what a wonderful Thanksgiving experience! We also ate out, just the 2 of us, and had a great TG meal of turkey and all the trimmings. How did Italy happen to do thanksgiving with the right menu? I loved your pix. The castle and the scenery made me want to hop a plane for Italy. Thanks for sharing. Faye

joe tacoma said...

Breathtaking. Really.

Unknown said...

This looks spectacular! I love the views and the pictures are amazing.

Deanna said...

Those views are crazy beautiful! I didn't realize they celebrate Thanksgiving in Italy? If you walked down that crazy steep hill, did you have to walk back up? Or maybe the bus met you at the bottom...

They food all looks so scrumptiuous and the ambiance. Wow. I love those sheers making intimate dining spaces.

Thanks for sharing your Thanksgiving with us. Spectacular.

Intense Guy said...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Looks like you had an awesome time!

Did you recite any Shakespeare whilest on the battlements?

:)

Anonymous said...

Oh wow, what an absolutely beautiful location to spend Thanksgiving. It's just beautiful. The food looks & sounds really yummy too. Happy to hear you all had a great celebration!

AliceKay said...

Beautiful area. I love seeing castles. Maybe one day soon I can visit one. Boldt Castle on Heart Island in the Thousand Islands comes to mind. :)

Looks like you and your family had a great Thanksgiving. :)