Kelly

Hello. I just completed my first trip to Italy! I will go back! We toured Rome and stayed at Residenza Cellini (which was the best hotel I have ever stayed at). We also toured the Amalfi Coast and Capri and stayed at Grand Hotel Tritone which was breathtaking. If you need info on tours, hotels, restaurants, shops, I will try to help you the best I can since I got all my info from Travel Talk in planning my trip! And at this point, I'd love to share. <BR><BR>Kelly

Howard

Kelly -- <BR>Great to hear that you had a blast in Italy. We're headed to Rome (& Venice) next month. Would like to identify your recommendations (dos, don'ts) for Rome. Areas of interest include restaurants, tours, transfers to/from airport, shopping, etc! Thanks.

Connie Briggs

Kelly,<BR><BR>

len

Hello Kelly<BR>I am planning a trip to the amalfi coast with my daughters and their husbands next spring. I would appreciate all information: How did you get there; did you need a car; what towns did you visit; restaurant recommendations; costs of rooms, meals, etc.<BR>Thanks

Eddie

hey kelly, I can't wait to go to Italy, I'm planning a trip to rome, florence and then the amalfi coast for a few days. How do you get to the amalfi coast from florence and I hear the parking is a mess int eh amalfi area, where did you stay, if you don't mind telling me and is just a couple days there enough?? thanks/.....eddie

donna

Hi Kelly,<BR>We're leaving for Italy Oct 11 will be in Rome, Postiano, Ravello, Sorrento and Ischia any info you can share would be appreciated esp driving on the Amalfi Coast.

az

concur with kelly. hotel tritone is unique on amalfi coast. built into side of cliff, overwhelming views, much privacy. for sampling, visit: www.italyby.com/tritone<BR>for more info on hotel and driving the A. Coast, do text search on:<BR>"Rome/Amalfi Coast/South driving, hotels, sites" <BR>or on:<BR>"Rules for Drivng the Amalfi Coast" (tips and humor)<BR>if you can't find them via search, post reply and i will top them for you.<BR>enjoy.

excited

am leaving next monday for Florence, rome and positano.<BR><BR>i'd like to get any recommendations for walking tours in florence and rome.<BR><BR>i've been researching and several are already booked.<BR><BR>thanks!

Kelly

Hello to all! I am going to answer the best I can on the Amalfi Coast for now. Remember, this is only our experience/opinions - others may not feel the same way. Anyway, I'll have to get back to you on specific restaurant names as I don't have that information right now. Anyway, we rented a car in Rome and drove from Rome to the coast. You are fine if you can get through Rome out to the autostrata. Once you are there, it is very easy to drive to the coast. (You can get specific directions on earlier posts). Note that you do not need to drive through Naples but you go around it on the autostrada. We then followed the signs for the Amalfi Coast. We expected driving to be a nightmare because we had heard that it was so terrible. It wasn't that bad at all. You just have to stay alert. Even night driving wasn't that bad because you could tell another car was coming around the bend better than during the day from the headlights. From what I understand, it is worse in summer because there is so much traffic. We were there Sept 4-8 and it wasn't bad except for on the 8th (Sunday) when there were way too many motorcycles going through for the thrill of it driving very recklessly. Again, stay alert and I think you will be fine.<BR><BR>We wanted to be right in the middle of the coast so to speak and we were. We stayed in Praiano which is between Positano and Amalfi. Perfect location! We visited both towns very easily as well as took the boat to Capri from Positano. We used the SITA buses a few times and learned a few lessons. You have to buy tickets for the blue bus (do not let other tourists tell you otherwise as we did). You can pay on-board for the orange bus. Throw the schedule out the window. The buses come when they come - do not expect them to be on time and do not rely on them if you have to be somewhere at a certain time (like on a boat to Capri!!). Parking is difficult in both Amalfi and Positano but not impossible. We opted to walk a little from an out-of-the-way parking spot than rely on the buses. Plus you can find cheap spots in both towns.<BR><BR>On Positano, I have to note that it is beautiful, interesting and expensive. Stay there if you are fit and do not mind climbing stairs and hills as well as if you enjoy a bit of the hustle and bustle. We enjoyed visiting it but staying in a quieter place. The famous restaurant Chez Black is located here. We wanted to but did not get a chance to try it. They have a store selling overpriced Chez Black souveniers which made me wonder if they had become too famous and how that affected the food...? Anyway, we ate lunch at Cafe Positano and it was ok. That is all. <BR><BR>The best restaurants we ate at were recommended by employees of the hotel. (The hotel restaurant was overpriced but tasty). We ate at one place in Praiano called La Brace. It was excellent and well-priced. The place not to eat at was called Al Pesce d&Oacute;ro right on the Amalfi Coast drive on the way to Amalfi. It was disgusting and gave all in our party stomach problems... .<BR><BR>On tours, we did not take any set tours as I really don't feel you need them if you are staying in the area. We did, however, tour Capri. Eight of us hired a taxi for the day at 120 Euros and the driver took us all over the island. At $15 each, it was so much more convenient than hopping on and off the bus all day.<BR><BR>As you know, we stayed at Hotel Tritone. It was expensive but worth every penny because it was lovely. The hotel was amazing. It was quiet and picture perfect. The rooms are ok but the patio off of the rooms made up for their plainness. I would stay there again. Is a couple of days enough? No. If I went again, I would stay for no more or less than four. We did not even make it to Ravello (which I hear is beautiful). So, I will write about Rome tomorrow... .<BR><BR>Kelly

Mary

Kelly,<BR><BR>More of Praiano! We leave on Monday and have rented a place in Praiano for a week -- we are also going to Ischia. We picked Praiano because of the location on the coast, but know very little about it. Is the town of Praiano nice, or just a place to start from? Any other restaurant hints would be appreciated.<BR><BR>Thanks!

Kelly

Re: Praiano. Praiano is nice but small. It is thererfore quiet, which we appreciated after our busy days of sightseeing. I considered it a close place to dine, pick up things like water at the store. It is in the perfect position to tour. The restaurant I wrote about called La Brace is in Praiano. It isn't fancy but it is lovely in that it is stereotypically Italian with the red-checkered table-cloths, etc. More importantly, the food was well-priced and amazing. (The best calamari fritti was found here). I think you'll enjoy Praiano if all this appeals to you.<BR>Kelly<BR><BR>PS: The restaurant we ate at in Amalfi was called Marina Grande. It was right on the beach and was beautiful at night. And, the food was great.

Kelly

Note: I just wrote alot on Rome and it was lost when I tried to post it. I will try to re-write tomorrow. I can't believe it! What a waste of time!

ca

Just a little more info...... My hubby and I just returned from our 3 week Italia excursion. We also drove from Roma to Postiano. Even though I wasn't driving I couldn't wait to get out of the car! However, it is an amazingly beautiful drive. In Postiano we stayed at the Hotel Eden Roc in a nice front suite with a huge balcony and breathtaking view of the sea( rm. 318) and it goes for half the price of Le Senuise(sp?)Chez Black is a must. The story of the restaurant is almost as fun as the prompt service and good food. Senor Black is usually there all day and night with his "blond" wife. There really is no good shopping in Postiano.Amalfi was better in that catagory; besides being a very "cute" town. We didn't do any private boat tours. But did do a tour to the emerald grotto-DON'T DO IT.....<BR>Anyway just love talking about vacation.

Kelly

Hi I am going to try this again in little bits. OK, on Rome, we visited all of the usual attractions - St. Peter's (WOW!) and the Vatican, Colosseum, Pantheon, Forum, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia, etc, etc. In answer to your questions about tours, I feel that it is very important to take part in a tour. You do not necessarily have to sign up for a full-fledged tour of Rome, but sign up for the tour or at least the audio guide at each attraction. Everything is so accessible by transit, subway or even on foot, you can, if you choose, do it that way. I really regret not taking part in tours (some were free for example at the Vatican and the Colosseum). I had no idea in some cases what I was looking at and overheard a few interesting facts from the tour groups. So, yes do it. I have no specific information on any one tour but my two sense is pursue it!

Kelly

Restaurants and Shopping:<BR>Enjoyed two good meals at Target and Zeus near Via Nazionale. Many overpriced average restaurants. Enjoyed good meals at "bars" where you pick the food behind the counter. It was surprisingly good and cheaper than restaurants. But honestly, all that really matters is the gelato! HA! HA! (Good gelato was had at a gelateria in Piazza Navona but I can't recall the name).<BR>Shopping is everywhere. If you like designer shops, I can't help you but I simply just walked into shops that looked interesting while we walked throughout the city. I found some nice leather as well as home-decor type items at a good price especially if it is off-season. Souveniers are priced so variably that you have to be careful and remember that everything is negociable. One guy went down two 3 Euros from 10 for an umbrella!

Kelly

A final note on our hotel. As I said before, we stayed at a wonderful hotel called Residenza Cellini near Piazza Republicca. It was so clean you could eat off the floors so to speak. It was beautiful and small (only 6 rooms). The breakfasts were lovely and the staff was amazing. They treated us like gold. It is a four-star and I will definately stay there again. I highly recommend it.<BR><BR>On transfers to and from the airport, it is very easy to take transit or a car/taxi. Our taxi was 47 Euros for 4 people plus luggage. The train, I think, was around 8 Euros so for the extra bit, we opted for convenience. <BR><BR>I found Rome to be a typical big city. There was little need to plan everything so far ahead such as the post I just read wondering how to get tickets to the Vatican Museum in advance. Transit, tours, etc is all easily within your reach. Be spontaneous! You are on vacation! <BR><BR>Take care! I'll check in again in case anyone has questions or comments! I too love talking about the trip.<BR><BR>Kelly

Kelly Again

TO ca:<BR><BR>I didn't do the Emerald Grotto myself. But why did you not like it?

jo

How was getting around,train,car???Was it confusing at all??

Diane

When we were in Amalfi last year, we ate a wonderful dinner at Eolo (I think I did a review for Rants and Raves). The view as it gets dark and all the lights come on is enchanting, and the food was really wonderful. Do take a trip up to Ravello. It is simply stunning. I'd definately stay there next time, but regardless of which town, I'd make sure to get a view of the sea.

Jeanne and Joe

Hi Kelly- Thanks for offering your help. We are contemplating trip to Rome- we are choosing a place to stay and want to know what the public transportation system is like? Is it easy to get from one part of the city to the other, as in London, Paris, NY etc.? <BR><BR>Also any favorite sites, restaurants?<BR><BR>Thanks