Welcome home. Glad you enjoyed your trip. Looking forward to your next installment.

dcd,
I like your reporting style: practical, informative and easy to read. Looking foward to more.

<< -- we can't wait to go back!!>> I wish you the best - hope you don't wait another 20 years.

I like the trip report format too! Good job and can't wait to hear more. We too just got back from Rome, Florence and Venice and loved it.

Hi dc,

Glad you enoyed Italy. Thanks for sharing.

Any interesting hotels, restaurants, special sites?

Rome

Hotel: We stayed at the Daphne Inn Veneto (www.daphne-rome.com) located a half block north of the Piazza Barberini. With a bathroom in the room we paid 144 E per nite cash (or 160 E with a credit card). This place is incredible. Small hotel with maybe 10 rooms on 4 floors. The owners, Alessandro and his American wife, Elyssa, are hands on and together with their perfect english speaking staff, offer hospitality that is absolutely first rate. They aim to please and boy do they. No wonder this place is at or near the top on Trip Advisor (under B&Bs). They make a point of sitting down with you the first day to give you a map and to make suggestions on what to see and do. And they are in no hurry to do so. They give you a cell phone and only charge you for the minutes used. The phone really came in handy on a couple of occasions. Our room and bathroom were large, air conditioned, and quiet with a very comfortable bed. There is free internet service and a terrific breakfast which includes meats and cheese. The Daphne Veneto has an elevator. (Their sister property, the Daphne Trevi, does not.) All the necessary transportation (metro, taxi, and bus) is within a block. The location is fairly central to all the main sights in Rome: the Pantheon is maybe a 10 minute walk; the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and Borghese Gardens are a 15 minute walk; the Piazza Novona is a 20 minute walk; and the Colleseum is probably 45 minutes and the Vatican probably 60 minutes or so. The Via Veneto starts at the Piazza Barberini. The hotel's recommendations for restaurants and sightseeing were terrrific. All in all, a great, great value. We will stay there again.

Sightseeing: We had 4 days of sunshine, nary a cloud to be seen, with temps in the mid to upper 60s. We used Context Rome for 4 tours and were very pleased with all of them. They aren't cheap but the small group format (maximum 6 per tour) allowed for a lot of Q & A which we really like. Plus there is no trouble hearing. The guides all speak very good english, have or are getting advanced degrees in their topics, and have a passion for their subjects.

On Day 1, we did the Vatican/St. Peters tour (60 E each plus entry fee to Vatican museum of 12 E each) from 1:00- 4:00 and managed to stay awake and alert thanks to a diet coke (or coke "light" as they're called there) 30 minutes in! Most of the time was spent visiting the museum and Sistine Chappel. We probably spent about 30 minutes in St. Peters altho you could stay as long as you liked after the tour (it closed at 6:00pm).

On Day 2, we took the Naples and Pompeii tour (225 E each plus 16.50 E admission fees). We met our Rome guide at the train station who gave us our tickets and literally put us on the 7:45 am ES train (first class) to Naples. Get to the train station early becuz the meeting point is a little tricky to find. Two hours later we arrived in Naples where the Context Rome guide met us as we got off the train. She and a private driver then drove us 20 minutes to Pompeii for a fascinating tour. The afternoon was supposed to be spent touring the Archeological Museum where all the "good" stuff from Pompeii has been moved to protect it from the elements, but Air Italia was having a one day sickout/strike which somehow affected the museum workers. So no museum for us. But that probably worked out for the best because our guide, who lives in Naples, took us on a city tour which was fantastic, especially considering the beautiful weather. Ira is right, the Cappella Sanservo Museum (Via F. De Santis 19 at the Piazza San Domenico Maggiore) is not to be missed if you have any appreciation for sculptures. Then we caught the 5:30 ES back to Rome.

On Day 3, we did the Roma Antica tour in the morning which covers Palatine Hill, the forum and the Collosseum (60E each plus 8E fee to Colloseum). Just a great, informative tour that went about 75 minutes over the alloted time and the guide didn't care. The tour ends at the Colloseum and our hotel had recommended a place for lunch nearby which turned out to be terrific -- Ostaria de Nerone, Via della Terme di Tito 96. Sat outside and had a delightful lunch with an American couple from the tour who are living in Norway.

That afternoon, we walked past the Victor Emanuel statue only to find it being protected by 100+ police in riot gear. The street in front of it had been shut off and lots of people were standing around as if something was about to happen. There were camera crews as well. Turns out there was to be an Iraqi war protest by a group known to be violent. We didn't stick around but apparently it was non-violent.

On Day 4, we attended Palm Sunday service in a beautiful and historic church near the hotel, Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs. Like so many buildings in Italy, it doesn't look like much from the outside... It's near the train station if you're in the area. Then we took a cab to Gianicolo Hill for a beautiful panoramic lookout over Rome and then walked to Travestere for more sights and lunch. We then hopped a cab and headed to the Borghese Gallery for our Context Rome tour at 3:00pm which was excellant (35E plus 8.5E admittance fee). The Gallery limits everyone, regardless of whether you are on a tour, to a 2 hour visit which isn't enough time. Also, if you do this tour with Context Rome, double check the meeting point for the guide. The brochure gave 2 locations and the other people that were supposed to be in our group never found us.

Restaurants:

For lunch, we usually grabbed pizza somewhere which was uniformly delicious and/or gelato. Near the Trevi Fountain we found great gelato at Valentino's which was our favorite. It's at Via del Lavatore 96 (www.gelateriavalentino.com) They have an amaretto which is superb. We couldn't find that flavor anywhere else altho I'm sure it exists.

For dinners, we found moderately priced restaurants featuring fresh food and plenty of locals. All were very, very good with friendly, helpful waiters. We walked to them all: Trattoria da Armando al Pantheon, Salita de Crescenzi 31 -- near the Pantheon, 58E with a bottle of wine, everything was great; La Tartaruga, Via del Monte della Farina 53, this place was hard to find but worth it; it's in the Campo de Fiori area, just south of Victor Emanuel Blvd, halfway down some the street/alley. Artichoke pasta and swordfish appetizers, stuffed veal and grouper for the main meal and a bottle of wine for 84E; Ristorante Ditirambo, Piazza Cancelleria 74, also in the Piazza de Fiori area, 63E with a bottle of wine: for appetizers, lasanga unlike any I've had (flat and tasty) and a goat cheese pasta, which was my wife's favorite on the whole trip(interestingly, she's not a foodie and didn't understand why I would say prior to the trip that I planned to eat my way thru Italy; but right about now, into her 4th fabulous dinner, she figured it out!) and for the main meal, monkfish, which was just ok, and duck which was terrific.

Next: Tuscany

Ah, La Tartaruga! Yum!

You covered a lot of ground. Congratulations on some great planning.

Really enjoying your report, dcd. Brings back great memories of Rome. Look forward to reading the rest!

Tuscany/Florence

Day 5: We decided to splurge on a private driver/guide to take us from Rome to Florence with a stopover in Siena. Based on a few Fodorite reviews, we went with Luca Garrapa (www.hillsandroads.com). Turned out to be an excellent choice. He's 35, educated, clean cut, non-smoker, very personable, on time, grew up in Tuscany (lives near Siena) and knows the area and its sights very well, and multi-lingual with very good english. He has been doing this business for 5 years. He just purchased a new Renault SUV for his clients and is taking on an associate to help with the work load. He had the best rates of the 6 others I looked into and prepayment was not required. He does not take credit cards though. Cash or euro travellers checks only. He will suggest itineraries but your input is always welcome. He promptly responded to my numerous emails. He will set up lunch and winery tours if requested.

He picked us up at the Daphne Veneto promptly at 9:00 am and off we went. It was another gorgeous day. We visited Orvieto where we had lunch at a great spot, Hostaria Nonnamel, via del Duomo 25. The Duomo there is extraordinary. Then on to Pienza and Montalcino for visits. Charming towns. And the scenery getting there was darn nice too! Outside of Montalcino, we had a wine tour and tasting at 5:00pm at the Brunello winery. Very worthwhile. Picked up some fresh extra virgin olive oil. Then to Siena where we arrived at 8:00pm. Luca's fee for the day was 400E.

In Siena, we stayed at the charming and historic Palazzo Ravizza in a huge room which overlooked the garden and outside wall. Bathroom was also very large. Room was furnished with antiques. Used to be a palace. Has been in the same family for several hundred years now. Be sure to ask the front desk for a copy of its history. We highly recommend this hotel.

For dinner, we headed to Osteria le Logge, via del Porrione 33, just off the Piazza del Campo, where we had a fabulous meal. The Florentine steak melted in my mouth. But the best part was joining a table with 2 gentleman from Norway who were leading some senior citizens on a week tour of Tuscany. One was a scholar in classic Greek and early Rome and the other was a translator and radio actor. Terrific discussion about all kinds of things, including religion, with 2 very learned, open minded and wise men.

Day 6 started with a great breakfast in the hotel, featuring eggs, bacon, meats, sheep's cheese (which is local favorite and very tasty), breads, fruits, pastries, etc. Then we tried to walk off breakfast by exploring Siena for a couple of hours. We could have easily spent the day there. Luca picked us up at noon and took the old Roman Road to Monteriggioni for a quick look around and then to Volterra where we had pizza by the slice at La Mangiatoria, via Gramsci 33, which was very good, looked around the town, and bought some alabaster, which the town is known for. The sun was still shining, making the scenery getting to these towns all the more beautiful. At 5:00 we had a wine tasting at Tenuta Torciano and ended up buying 15 bottles which will be shipped to us from their Chicago distribution center. Prices ranged from 18E to 36E which includes the shipping. We also bought a small bottle of truffle flavored olive oil.

Then on to Florence where we arrived at 7:30pm and sadly bid our new friend farewell. Luca really was terrific. His fee for the second day was 170E.

We stayed at the Hotel Davanzati in the heart of the Florence near the Ponte Vecchio (www.hoteldavanzati.it). Lovely place. Fabrizio is the owner and he is the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back. He is hospitable to the max, friendly, charming and funny. Excellent english. He insisted on serving us complimentary Italin sparkling wine and some appetizers. His whole family runs the place and they are all very, very nice. There is free internet access and a very good breakfast with meats, cheese, fruit, etc. Our room was very large as was the bathroom. To get to the hotel lobby, you must go up a set of 15-20 steps or so and then take the elevator up one story. If hauling your luggage up the steps is a problem, Fabrizio and his staff will gladly do it for you. The room was fairly quiet although I did hear some noise the first nite. Nevertheless, we recommend this hotel and can see why it is so highly rated on Trip Advisor.

For dinner, we passed. We had been eating so much and so well that we gave our bellies a rest, altho I did eventually sneak out for a chocolate gelato.

Day 7 was spent taking the "Florence in One Day" tour with the Artviva touring company (www.artviva.com), consisting of 3 tours (94E per person for all tours, including entrance fees). Each tour was very worthwhile. These are small group tours where the limit appeared to be 20 people per guide. The first tour was a 3 hour walk with Freya as our guide beginning at 9:15am. She's a transplanted Aussie and was great. Then an hour and half break.

For lunch, we took the recommendation of the hotel and Freya and got some great sandwiches at a great price (2-3E each!) at Fratelini's which is a favorite with the locals. It's a very small take out place located midway between the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo on via dei Cimatori just off the via dei Calzaiuoli.

The second tour was a 2 hour visit of the Uffizi Gallery. We received headsets/receivers to hear our guide in the museum. They worked well. Then another hour plus break for some shopping. My wife's B-day was coming up so off to the jewelry stores! Actually, we only went to one. Freya recommended "Oro Due", via Lambertesca 12 (near the Uffizi) where she shops. They weigh the gold. I found 3 sets of gold earrings and a gold cross for her. Then she went next door to "Nevada" for some Italian made scarfs and another B-day purchase was made.

Our third and final tour was of the Academy to see the David. It lasted an hour, most of which was spent outside the Academy hearing about Michelangelo. There isn't much to see in the Academy other than the famous statue. But it's definitely worth seeing.

For dinner, I was very tempted to go to Il Ritrovo per Ira's recommendation for our only dinner in Florence. I discussed that option with Fabrizio but he steered us to 13 Gobbi instead, via die Porcellana 13. He'd been right about everything else so off we went. I obviously can't compare the two, but we were very satisfied with 13 Gobbi. Romantic dining room with very friendly and helpful waiters. The food was very good as well. My wife and I had a couple of filling appetizers and first courses and ended up splitting a 20 oz steak for the main course. Not as tender as the one in Siena though. Total came to 76E with a bottle of wine. Ira, we'll try Il Ritrovo next time.

Next: Venice

Dave

Thanks for posting dcg, and please keep it coming

Regards Ger

Hi dc,

>...13 Gobbi. ...<

A good choice.

>..we'll try Il Ritrovo next time.<

There will be a next time.

Thanks for taking the time to post this! It's great!

Sounds like you had a great trip. Looking forward to reading more.

Enjoying your report. You brought back so many fond memories.

Look forward to the Venice portion.

dcd, I'm really enjoying your report. I'm taking a similar route (in reverse) in Sept, using Luca and staying at Palazzo Ravizza! It's great to get reports on all this. Keep it coming!

dcd, great travel report. I can't wait to hear about Venice. I leave end of june to hike in Dolomites and then a week in Venice.

Sounds like the ATM card is the way to go. I'm a little nervous about it, tho. I only have one card.

Really enjoying this trip report, thank you! I, too, like your writing style and am so glad you enjoyed your trip.

It was a nice bonus for me to find out that you liked the Daphne Inn so much. We are booked there next month (thanks to the advice of folks on this board!).

dcd - great report, very informative.
Could you name a favorite city/town if we press you?

Looking forward to the Venice portion...

fantastic trip report, keep it coming!

dcd--enjoying your trip report. I think we were on the same flight as you on 3/16, although we returned home from venice on 3/31. Guess I better get going on my trip report!

Thanx for all the nice feedback.

I should mention that the Davanzati Hotel is 3 stars and that we paid 165E per night. Terrific value.

Venice

Twice before I had seen her smile. But that was long ago. There is no way to adequately describe the uniqueness, the beauty and the charm that is Venice. It's like the Grand Canyon. It doesn't matter how many pictures you've seen, until you've come face to face with her, you can't begin to imagine her splendor. I so wanted my wife to share my love of this city. Travellers we had met along the way had raved to her about it. I remained very quiet. Big buildups frequently have big let downs.

I was nervously awaiting her reaction as we departed Florence on the 8:39 am Eurostar, 2nd class. As we journied east, the clouds we had managed to avoid now cast dreary and somber shadows over the passing fields as we drew closer and closer. Not the grand entrance I had envisioned. As we exited the train station at 11:30 and headed for the vaporetto stand, the sun suddenly burst through and she lay before our eyes in all her glory. A huge smile swept across my face as the brillance of the Grand Canal and the multi-colored frescoes shone brightly. Ah, Venezia, it's been too long!! My wife was in awe. Such majesty she had never seen. I knew then that she, too, had fallen under her spell.

All right, enough of that...

Day 8

The Vaporetto (public water bus) system: There is a fundamental choice you must make upon entering Venice and that is whether to take a private water taxi (very expensive) or the public vaporetto (cheap). We opted for the vaporetto. (In case you don't know, there are no cars in Venice.) Now you must decide whether to get a one way ticket, which is good for that trip only (5E each), a 24 hour ticket which gives you unlimited use of the vaporettos for that period of time (10.50 E each), or a multi-day pass. We chose the 24 hour ticket. You buy them at a little booth down by the water. Just head out of the train station and you'll find it. Then you have to figure out which of the 2 platforms you need to take. This is similar to figuring out which metro platform to take in the States. One platform is for one direction and the other is for the opposite direction. Consult a map of the vaparetto system to find the closest stop to where you want to go (or better yet, ask your hotel for the closest stop). The train station is the Ferrovia stop. The water buses are numbered and the map will show you which ones stop where. The no. 1 stops everywhere while the no. 82 is kinda like the express, making fewer stops. To figure out which platform to take, look at the vaporetto map immediately ouside one of the platforms. Again, like the metros here, you want the vaporetto platform that has your stop listed on that map. If it's not listed, go to the other platform which is right next door. Or you can try asking the person selling you the ticket to point out which platform you need but you'll have to be able to tell him/her your vaporetto destination stop. When the vaporetto pulls in, look at its number to see if it's the one you want. The vaporettos are very efficient and easy to use once you get the hang of them. They run about every 10 minutes. We had no problem pulling our suitcases on board. There is no fee for the first 2 pieces of luggage.

Hotel: I decided to splurge here and booked the Foscari Palace on venere.com (215E per nite for superior double), a 4 star hotel located just off the Ca' d'Oro stop, which is the third one from the train station. Very short vaporetto ride. At the landing, go straight until you reach your first street (Strada Nova) and turn right. Go one short block to your first right and the Foscari will be on your left down by the water. Easy to find. The Foscari was fabulous. It opened in July 2004. The glowing reviews on Venere.com and Trip Advisor are right on. Large rooms very nicely decorated, large marble bathrooms, a foyer with a door to the main room which you can close at nite to keep out all the hall noise, flat screen TV, complimentary fruit basket, refrigerator, in room safe, very helpful front desk, huge breakfast with eggs, bacon, pancakes (but no syrup(?!)), fruits and lots, lots more, and a don't miss roof top terrace with table and chairs overlooking the Grand Canal. Most of the rooms do not face the canal. The "superior" rooms give you a side view of the canal, that is, if you stick your head out the window and turn it, you can see it. The hotel is in a very good location away from the throngs near St. Mark's but close enough to walk there in about 15-20 minutes. Would definitely stay here again if it isn't out of our price range then.

Sightseeing: The Fodor's City Pack "Venice's Best" had a great walking tour from the Rialto Bridge (only 5 minutes from Foscari) to St. Mark's. This route takes you past about half of Fodor's "best 25" sights, many of them famous churches where much of the great Venetian art is located (Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Scuola Grand di San Rocco, Scuola Grands dei Carmini, San Sebastiano, Santa Maria della Salute and St. Mark's). Unfortunately, these churches nickel and dime you to death with their admission fees but they're worth it. The churches are very different from those we'd seen in Rome and Tuscany. We spent the whole afternoon on this walk. Had a blast.

When we returned to the Focari, we were greeted by the sweet sounds of a 3 piece chamber ensemble playing in a room off the lobby. There was also free sparkling wine and chocolate! We gladly rested our weary feet. The ensemble played for well over an hour. It was a great opportunity to meet our fellow travellers at the hotel. Very, very nice.

For dinner, we chose Fiaschetteria Toscana, Campo San Giovanni Crisotomo in the Cannaregio district (close the the Foscari) based on the Fodor's Rants and Raves. Great meal! We started with asparagus with parmesan cheese and fettuccine scampi carcio before moving to the sole and John Dory fish for the main courses. With a bottle of wine, it came to 86E.

Day 9

I had called the Doges Palace from home and reserved the 9:55 am Secret Itinerary Tour in english. (Thanks for the number, Ira.) I received a code number which must be packed away and then presented to the information desk at the Palce in order to buy a ticket for the tour (12.50E). Get there early to figure out where you need to go. There was a long line of people out the front door (the one facing the Grand Canal) waiting to buy tickets for the Palace. We walked past those folks and once inside, there's a room immediately to your left. That's the information desk room. Go inside, give the person your code number, and you will get a piece of paper which you then take to another counter in the room to buy your ticket. Ask someone where the tour meets. They weren't too helpful with us and we kinda stumbled upon it. The tour was very good. It lasts 75 minutes. It's a "secret tour" because the places you go are off limits to the general public. The tour discusses the history of the palace and focuses on its legal system when Venice was a world power. You see the jails and some of the rooms used to mete out punishment (torture). At the end of the tour, you can explore the rest of the palace at your leisure. It is an amazing place.

After that, we went looking for the glass maker recommended by massagediva here on this site, Mauro Vianello, Calle della Mandol 3728 (www.glasshandmade.it). We had a great visit with this artisian. He makes glass right there in his shop. He was working as we walked in. Easy to talk to. We learned about his background and about the phonies in town who don't make glass here but buy it abroad and who falsely claim they put gold in the glass when it's really copper. He was refeshingly honest and proud of the glass making tradition. We bought a bunch of stuff from him, including another B-day present for the wife, a glass necklace and matching earrings. When he learned it was her birthday, he gave her a free glass Easter egg! A good recommendation, massagediva!

We spent the rest of the afternoon meandering around. We then bought a bottle of wine and some cheese and headed up to the Foscari's roof top terrace for a romantic last look over the red roofs and the Grand Canal.

For dinner, we ate at La Nove, on Di Salvalaio, also in Cannaregio near the hotel. Another good choice. We each had the grilled seafood "platter" (scampi, monkfish, sea bass, squid, and shrimp) which was outstanding. Without any vino, it came to 73E.

A great last day.

Day 10

Time to leave, unfortunately. We had a 10:45am flight out of San Marco. The best way for us to get there and by far the cheapest was to take the vaporetto to "P. le Roma", the bus station stop, which is just one stop past the train station. From there, you take the ATVO shuttle bus (a blue one) not to be confused with the ACTV bus (the orange ones). But get there early to figure out where you need to buy the ATVO ticket and where the bus stop is. Our hotel had a schedule for the shuttle times but we almost cut it too close. I tried buying the ATVO ticket at the bus station window next to the vaporetto stop but the guy must have misunderstood me and gave me an ACTV bus ticket instead which I didn't realize until it was almost too late. It would have been worthless on the shuttle bus. Another passenger directed me to the ATVO booth which is located on a street behind the bus station. It is a good 5 minute walk from the bus station. Off I ran. Those tickets are 3E each. Made it back to the bus stop with minutes to spare. The shuttle goes directly to the airport, a 20 minute ride. Your luggage fits easily under the bus.

The airport is small and easy to navigate. Our hotel said we only needed to be there an hour ahead of time, which would have been sufficient as it turned out, but we were uncomfortable with that and got there a bit earlier than that.

If you need to get the tax on your purchases refunded, it's surprisingly easy. You have to get a certain form filled out by the vendor which you then take to the customs desk in the airport (as you enter the airport, it's on your left, almost all the way down the hall behind a ticket counter). The agent will stamp it and give you a pre-addressed, stamped envelope to mail it to the appropriate Italian agency for a refund on your credit card. There's a specific mailbox for this purpose just past the security check-in point.

Well, that's it. One of the best parts of the trip was dicovering that we'd only added a couple of pounds, no doubt a reflection of the miles and miles we walked.

Travelphile, Venice continues to be my favorite ambience city, Rome my favorite historic/museum/church city, Florence my favorite shopping city, and Tuscany the most serene. In short, I wouldn't have wanted to miss any of them!

Dave

Forgot to issue a note of caution when visiting St. Mark's in Venice. First, no back packs are allowed inside. They must be checked in a separate building away from the church. The signs showing you where to go aren't the best. As you stand looking at the church, walk all the way to the far left hand side and you will see a small street starting off to your left. The free drop off service is about half way down that street on your right. Cameras are allowed in the church but pictures of its interior are forbidden. Second, we were inside the church after paying the 3E per person admission fee admiring the gold mosaic ceiling when the lights suddenly went off and stayed off. It was after 5:00pm. You couldn't see much of anything after that. Yet they kept selling admission tickets and the line continued to be long. Now that's a rip off. I felt sorry for all the people excitedly climbing the stairs to get a view of the beautiful interior of the church. (Apparently there is no way to get into the ground level of the church. All people are ushered up to the balcony level where you can go outside for a nice view of the square.) Moral of the story is to be inside before the lights go out.

Dave

Thanks for posting this! =)

Eurostar went to their website to find 2 2nd class seats from Rome to Florence and Florence to Rome. Only had info and choices of France and Belgium??? Any suggestions really want to book my seats before I go.

islandgirltime: Go to www.trenitalia.com to purchase those tickets.

Dave

dcd, did I understand you correctly that you paid 3E to get into the basilica? I only remember paying to see the Pala d'Oro.

So, did your wife fall in love with Venice?

Lorac1127: Yes, we did pay 3E each to go inside St. Mark's and, yes, my wife did fall in love with Venice!!

Dave

Wow, that description of seeing Venice for the first time as you exit the train station perfectly recaptures my experience.

Thanks for the great report.

dcd - have gone to the Trenitalia website can't purchase there either. Is there some kind of time limit imposed before you can purchase a ticket? I need the seats for June 7 and June 13? Your help is greatly appreicated.

islandgirltime: You will need to register with Trenitalia before purchasing. Trenitalia will then email you a password. At that point you will be able to purchase online. There is a resident guru on this site who knows all about the Italian train system. To find this person and their very helpful posts, type the initials GAC in the search box above. Hope this helps.

Dave

Forgot to mention under Trip Planning that it was helpful to have a celsius to fahrenheit conversion table for setting hotel room thermostats and being able to make sense of the weather forecasts. I downloaded one from the internet, cut it up and put it in my wallet.

Dave

Really enjoyed reading your report. Glad you had a great trip. We also ate dinner at Fiaschetteria Toscana, and enjoyed every morsel.

Thanks for the memories.

Thanks for the great report.

Where on the internet did you find the fahrenheit/celcius conversion table. Sounds like a great travel tool. Anything else like that to download besides a $/Euro table??
Cobbie

cobbie: Go to www.crh.noaa.gov/pub/metcon.shtml

If that doesn't work, google fahrenheit celsius conversion table and it should be the first link. It's a great sized table for wallets.

One more tip for Italian travel and it has to do with ATM machines. In Rome, the ATM I used limited the max withdrawal to 250E. I had tried higher amounts (to pay the hotel and Luca in cash) but got rejected. After trying several times, I almost gave up, thinking my card wasn't working. The downside was being charged a $1.50 fee everytime I withdrew the 250E. Also, if you plan on making significant cash withdrawals, call your bank before you leave to let them know so they don't freeze/close your account for "unusual activity" while you are away. Lastly, you may need to ask your bank to temporarily raise your daily withdrawal limit if you need a lot of cash in a short period of time. Please note that my bank said the time period from 2:00pm Friday (US time) to 2:00pm Mon (US time) counted as one day for ATM withdrawal purposes.

Dave

dcd:

Great report. Great details. Thanks.

(But please don't be so alarmed by the #50. Age is only a number.)

David,did you or someone on this post stay at a hotel called Gabrelli Sandwirth Hotel at Venice? Someone recommended this hotel. I am trying to figure out how to get there from Venice airport. We booked it for July 20 to 23. Let me know. By the way, I am enjoying your report. We are going to Venice 3pms, Tusckany 2 pm (Hotel Genio) and Rome-3 nights (Hotel Genio).
Anita

anitabelle: I did not stay at the Gabrelli Sandwirth Hotel and I am not familiar with it. Sorry. Try tripadvisor.com or venere.com. Have a great trip to Italy!!

Dave

ATML

When we went into the Basilica last May, it was free, and we walked around on the ground floor. We paid to go upstairs to see the Marly horses. I can't imagine how you ended up paying to go in.

Carol A: Thanks for your post. I do need to clarify a few things. We were in line at St. Marks after 5:00pm. I just went on the official St. Mark's website (which is pretty impressive www.basilicasanmarco.it), something I should have done before the trip, and confirmed that St. Mark's is free but that it was closed by the time we got in line. Thus, while we thought we were in line to go inside, we were really in line for the museum on the 2nd floor and that's why we were charged 3E each. My apology to all for the erroneous reporting.

Dave

Loved the report, thanks.
Do you recall the approximate price range for the items in the glass shop? Were there items under 50€, or was it a more pricey shop?
Thanks

dcd...Part way through and already I haev to thank you. Love the report and finding the hints at the beginning very helpful. We must be living parallel lives as my husband and I are about the same age as you and your wife and visiting Italy for the second time also.

Thank you for answering my post with the link to this thread Can't wait to finish.

TexasAggie:

Mauro's glass pieces came in all shapes, sizes and prices. I would not consider it an overly pricey shop. I think most items were less than 50E. We bought an 8 inch tall vase for 65E, a necklace for 20E, a pair of earrings for 15E, and a bird figurine for 20E.

Dave

Your first installment was very interesting and informative. Our trip to Italy/Greece will be in October and we're OK hotel-wise in Rome but I need some help for a good choice in Venice. We start our trip on 9/16 to Rome then immediately to Palermo as I have relatives in Marineo, Sicily - then back to Rome after 4 days with 3 days in Rome, then a 12 day cruise with ports of call Monaco, Livorno, Naples,Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, Kusadasi, Kotolon, Corfu and disembarkation in Venice on 10/5. We plan to stay in Venice for two days prior to leaving for home. Any help from any readers is appreciated. Please respond to my e-mail at wittespl@aol.com as I am having difficulty finding this thread.

What a great review! Makes me want to go right now!

Thank you.

dcd: I was so excited that you liked the davanzati because we are checking in there on the 13th. Plus we are also celebrating my bd and I hope that my DH is in a good gift giving mood. Thanks for all the info, we are also doing context rome so this just makes me so much more excited!!!!

Just got back from a 4 week trip in Italy and your advice about the ATVO bus in Venice was a big help. Saved us a lot of trouble and we were able to help some other people who were confused. Thanks!

I must have missed this the first time around since I was traveling in April.

Great report, dcd. I'm heading to Venice again in the fall and printed some of your tips to use in my planning for some sights we missed the first time around.

Thanks for the informative info.

MarciaS: Glad our near ATVO disaster has helped a fellow traveller!

Statia: I'm jealous!!

Dave

dcd:
We plan to using Lucca Garrapa in Florence. Can you tell me what's the appropriate amt for tips? Or is it included w/ his hourly rate? We're going in October and I can't wait!

I'm not surprised that your local hotel concierge steered you away from Il Ritrovo and into 13 Gubbio. During one of our hotel stays in Florence, our host at Casci also was not enthusiastic about our planned dinner at Ritrovo and we were disappointed because we did not heed their advice (but, we did take them up the following night's dinner suggestion at Sostanza for some great Florentine steaks.

ira, before you do a search on my previous posts, just as your did the last time I put in my negative $0.02 about Il Ritrovo, and berated me for not having enough posts here ... well, since I have a new laptop and have no recollection of my previous password, I found it easier to create a new handle. Previously, it was billy_boy.
Now, may I suggest that you get on with life and do a little more travelling than just the one that you did in Italy ages ago where Il Ritrovo was your only culinary highlught amongst the cheap places that you go to.

sammyc:

Sorry I didn't respond sooner. Just saw your post. On the first day, which was at least 8 hours long, we bought Luca's lunch (over his strong protest) and, at the end of the day, I think I tipped him 20 euro. On day 2 (a half day), we again bought his lunch, his protest notwithstanding, but I don't think we tipped him. I never got the impression he expected one. It just isn't as customary there as it is here. We tipped the first day because it was so long and he went above and beyond the call of duty. Please tell him that Dave and Joyce from St. Louis say "hi" and hope he is well.

Dave

Thanks Dave! I'll be sure to tell him you said 'hi'. One more month till our trip!!!

This trip sounds like it was so much fun! Thanks for the report!

Maryanne1 - were you looking for this trip report?

thank you, Dave, for this marvelous report. It is full of useful tidbits and I am earmarking it to my list in preparation for the November trip I am taking with my sister: Venice--Florence--Rome.

olive_oil, Glad I could help. Have a great trip. Dave

dcd - thanks so much for a wonderfully written trip report. The details you included will be a big help in planning my upcoming trip.

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dcd-Wonderful report! In a mere 50 days we will be on our way to Italy, for a week in the Lakes region, 4 days in the Dolomites and a glorious 6 days in Venice, can't wait. We have found that postcards of the churches/museums we visit work quite well for our albums & they are already marked with the name, etc. Thanks for your tips too. Shirley (PS-we began our European travels almost half way in to our 50's!)

LuvToRoam, Thanx for the kind words and have a great trip. I'll look forward to your report. We've never been to the Lakes region. It's on the list..... I love to take pictures but resort to postcards, too, for certain shots I know I can't get or to remind me of what we've seen.

dcd, this was a great trip report. I appreciate the time and effort you took to post it. I noticed that it has been a year since your trip. Any plans for a return visit in the near future?

Diane

Diane, no immediate plans to return, unfortunately. But that could change. We tend to travel off season and are very interested in exploring the Amalfi Coast and/or the Lake District. I'm bookmarking lots of info on those areas from the fine folks here.

Hi - was the Art Viva tour of David worth it? Thanks!

Hari_R, for us it was worthwhile but for others, probably not. We were on a very tight schedule so it was one way to make sure we got to see David without having to worry about long lines. And we learned a lot about Michelangelo, too. But if we had more time in Florence and had arranged for entrance tickets in advance, I think we would have passed. Dave

Dave, thanks much for responding. I guess one of my concerns is that we would be seeing the Accademia right after the Artviva Uffizi tour. Not sure if we would be too "museumed-out" to appreciate it! Besides David, does the Accademia have much worth seeing?

Hari, Sounds like you're looking at their "Florence in a Day" tour. We did the Academy tour after the Uffizi one and were not the least bit museumed-out. First, there's a break between all tours. Second, for the casual tourist, there really isn't much in the Academy to see except David. And David is definitely worth seeing. That tour took approximately one hour yet we only spent about 15 minutes inside the Academy, mostly looking at the David. The first 45 minutes was spent outside the museum with the guide telling us about Michelangelo's life. Dave

Dave - thanks for sharing that insight! My wife and I are indeed currently signed up for the Florence in a day tour and I'm just rethinking if it's worth spending the extra 70 euros for the David tour (and to hear all about Michelangelo)?

Dave, loved your details....have taken some notes but didn't see the "secret" phone number for the "secret tour" in Venice of the Doges. Can you pass the details on. Thanks, Carol

Hari and Carol, below is a very recent post from the always helpful Ira which will explain how to obtain Academy and Secret Itinerary tour tickets in advance:

"Secret Itineraries tour of Doge’s palace Phone number is 011 39 041 520 9070. English-speaking operator.

You will not be charged for your tickets if you don't go on the tour.


Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations
The easiest and cheapest way is to call Florence 1016868 (dial around number), 011 (U.S. international access code) 39 (Italy's country code) then 055-294-883 8:30-18:30 M-F and 8:30-12:00 Sat. Florence time. You will get an English speaking operator and in 2-3 minutes YOU CAN RESERVE FOR BOTH. This is through the reservation service at the Uffizi and costs beyond the normal entry fee only about 3 euro for the service. This is MUCH cheaper than the commercial booking services.

You will not be charged for the reservations unless you use them."

Hari, if you can reserve Academy tickets in advance for a time you know will work for you, I'd pass on the Artiva tour unless money is no object.

bookmarking ... great info thanks!!!

Bookmarking. Thanks

dcd, I hope that you are still hanging around here. When you used Context Rome for the Arte Vatican tour, did you actually buy your tickets before you met up with the tour guide? I am sure this should be self explanatory but I can't find the answer anywhere to explain to myself.

What airline did you take from Chicago and how was it?
Did you fly direct to Rome?

bkm

edhodge, we booked the Context Rome tours online from home and then showed up at the appointed places and times to meet our guide. Their website lists all the tours and you can find out about availability for each one by plugging in the dates you're interested in. You'll notice some of the tours repeat several times a week so you can you try to match their schedule with yours. If you don't see the Vatican tour being offered for the day(s) you want, it means either the tour isn't offered that day or it's already sold out. After you place a reservation, they'll send you back a confirmation by email.

Miz, we flew American from St. Louis to Chicago and then from Chicago to Rome. The Chicago leg was long but uneventful.

We ended up taking the Art Viva tours of Uffizi and the Walking Tour. Can't even begin to describe how awesome they were! We made (I think) the right decision on passing on the David tour - the Accademia didn't really have all that much besides the statue and though I'm sure the tour would have been enjoyable, may not have been good value-for-money, I feel. I would highly recommend making advanced reservations to get into the Accademia though - the line was super long, and we passed all that!

bookmarking

Hari R, Glad the 2 Artviva tours worked out for you. They are very good. And it sounds like you got tickets ahead of time for the Accademie, which I think is the way to go. Welcome home. Dave

Great report!

bkmking - thanks!

What a great report! Thanks for the secret number. My husband and I will be going to Venice-Rome-Amalfi coast in July. We'll definitely use some of your great advice!

bookmarking

Thanks, dcd, for posting a wonderful trip report. I'm yearning to go back to Rome and Venice (we finally got to visit Florence again last October) and reading your report brings back lots of memories.

thanks for the review... we're going in three weeks...

bookmarking

BKM

dcd,
WE are headed to Rome, Tuscany, Florence then Venice in a month and your trip report is going to be my guidebook. So many helpful suggestions and hints. I am so appreciative!

debwhite, have a great trip!! Dave

Bookmarking, great report!

Such a wonderful report. I am planning a trip to Italy for next year, and didn't know quite where to start. You've been a tremendous help! I've bookmarked many of your recommendations.

bookmarking.

I was at the restaurant on the mountain amiata in tuscany truly fabulous, eat well. its name is Hotel Lorena
http://www.HotelLorena.net

bookmarking