In Lucca, we liked Trattoria Da Leo. Central and very good.
We loved biking on the city walls: in June the weather will be perfect for that. Also, if you are going to be in Lucca around June 16, you should go to Pisa and see the Luminaria. It's impressive.

Thank you! I'll put Trattoria da Leo in my trip book.

We will bike the walls but would like to extend for a ride outside the city. Somewhere I read of a nearby path along a river, but can't find it again.

We depart the US for Italy on the 17th and won't get to Lucca until a week later, so we will muss the Luminaria on the 16th. But we will visit Pisa for sure.

enzian,
Take a look at http://www.knowital.com/html/lucca_-_villas_and_gardens.html


Henry

In Firenze my friend and I enjoyed a cozy wine bar with great food on the way back from Piazzale Michelangelo and the Basilica San Miniato A Monte called Fuori Porta. It's where I first discovered burrata.

http://www.fuoriporta.it/

In Firenze we just happened on to this small trattoria, it was so good, authentic and friendly that we ate lunch there everyday we were in Firenze. They only do lunch and close at 3:00pm. We thought it was a real find.

http://trattoria-mario.com/index_english.html

Enzian: I've been "piggybacking" on some of your posts, cuz, as you know, DH and are going to Southern Tuscany via Zurich next June also.
Am thinking we'd like a couple of days in Lucca en route. can you give me some clues as to hotels in Lucca? Where are you staying? you might have mentioned it before, but I didn't "bookmark" if you did. thanks.

In Verona, not far from Juliette's balcony, Ristorante Greppia. The website offers a language choice, but is only in Italian so don't bother clicking language. Order Tris della Casa for a primi.
http://www.ristorantegreppia.it/gallery/esterno/gallery.html

I understand there is a similar named restaurant in Lucca, but haven't been there and don't think they are connected.

I consider the Rome area as central Italy (southern Tuscany to Naples area) and the most of the towns you listed as more northern Italy.

JenV--the wine bar looks charming, and we'd love the burrata. I've made a note in my little book.

And Marycang, I've had recommendations for Mario's from others as well---the place ssems much-loved. The menu looks heavy on the meat, which my husband will love, but the girls might not. Do they have salads and pasta as well?

taconictraveler---I found a nice 2-bedroom apartment in Lucca that will be perect for our family, so no hotels. While I was researching those, I found lots of recommendations for B&B La Romea. It didn't work for us as it appears all rooms have double beds. But if there were just the 2 of us, I'd give it a try.

Or if you are staying 3 nights, I can point to some other apartments I found.

We loved Varenna--stayed at the Hotel Du Lac and enjoyed the hike up to the castle behind the town. Probably took about 2 hours including looking around the castle/ climbing the tower/looking at the falcons displayed outside the castle walls. Had a couple of great dinners--here is a description of a great place we ate in Varenna.

"Try Il Cavatappi (The Corkscrew), a tiny 5-table restaurant off a narrow alley in Varenna. It was recommended by the bartender at Hotel du Lac, where we spent 3 nights last May. Everything is run by 2 people, the very quirky, funny chef/owner, and the charming hostess/waitress. The risotto with red wine and smoked cheese was the best rice dish I've ever eaten. I can't remember the exact prices, but it was very reasonable. Reservations are a must!"

macgogmom---a hike up to a castle is just the thing for us! Perfect. And I'll check out Il Cacatappi---it sounds like our kind of place.

I have also heard of a restaurant there (In Varenna) that offers cooking classes in the afternoon. . . starts with a "C" but I don't think it is Cavatappi. Somewhere up the hill, maybe out of town a bit? Does this sound familiar to anyone?

I was misled by your header. "Central Italy' to me means Umbria and Lazio area. In Lucca (northern Tuscany) we'd recommend Hotel Romantica- small and charming, just outside city walls.

bellini---I knew I was taking a risk on defining the region---I tried to say "Veneto, Tuscany, Liguria and Lombardy/Lakes" but the header only allows 75 characters. I thought "central Italy" might cover it as it seems neither Northern nor southern to me. But I guess "Central" has a different meaning.

Fuori Porta is a great suggestion. My absolute favorite wine bar/snack place in Florence is Le volpi e l'uva - http://www.florence-on-line.com/food-drink/le-volpi-e-luva.html

It sounds like you would really enjoy the newly reopened Museo Bardini http://www.florence-journal.com/florence/2009/04/museo-bardini-reopenstion-.html - after which you can enter the Giardino Bardini, and walk up the hillside gardens for some spectacular views of the city. From the top of the garden, you can go across to the Boboli, or walk down Costa San Giorgio (one of the steepest streets in Florence), past Galileo's house, and end up at Le volpi e l'uva for some wine and snacks (I am getting hungry just thinking about this!).

Check the map at this link for this itinerary - http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=museo+bardini+florence&daddr=giardino+bardini+to:Le+volpi+e+l'uva&geocode=FRPNmwIdP8qrACn_OwzW-FMqEzHc8SX7TD3LWA%3BFfTJmwId88CrACGwRvwlJ8hyEymf4Mzx_lMqEzFtOjiCrXE91Q%3B&hl=en&mra=ls&dirflg=w&sll=43.764915,11.25681&sspn=0.002131,0.003846&ie=UTF8&ll=43.765074,11.257017&spn=0.004261,0.007693&t=h&z=17

Just note that you don't walk around and up to enter the garden, there is an entrance on Via dei Bardi near the bus stop and arrow - you enter there, walk up the hill through the park, and then exit at the top (B on the map) then you can walk downhill to C.

we were in Lucca in September and had two fabulous meals. One at All 'olivo and the other at Giglio. both were outstanding with All 'olivo being a slight favorite. They may be a little more expensive than you're loking for but perhaps for a treat---they were not at all "stuffy". We ate outside at both and service was warm and friendly.

Also if you enjoy opera, every evening there is a concert at 7 or 7:30 with a variety of Puccini and other music. Lucca was Puccini's home. The concerts are in a church very close to Giglio restaurant.

On our recent visit to Florence, we ate at del Fagioli, a popular local casual place (recommended to us, originally, by the owners of the B&B we stayed at). Great local cuisine, the best bistecca Fiorentina that we had in Florence, and the pastas were good as well. They don't have a website, but there's a video that someone made of the restaurant that you can find by googling it.

Our favorite lunch in Florence, though I had a long list of restaurants, were the pizza-by-the-slice places. We could get reasonably-good pizza at a great price, and not spend hours waiting to be served. Our favorite is Pizzeria Piccadilly, on via Por Santa Maria, 43-r (about one block from the Ponte Vecchio). You get in line, order pizza by the slice (pizza al taglio), a salad if you want, drinks (including wine), then they have an outdoor seating area in back that's quite pleasant.

enzian

Yes, Mario's has pasta and soups, I don't remember salads

We ate at a new place in Varenna. It's not on the water, but just beyond on the walk to Hotel du Lac. The name is Nuevo Isola 1169. We had the risotto with Gogonzola and small bits of porcini mushrooms. Very good. Then Lavarello, a Como lake fish, and roasted goat. Both main plates were 15 euros. The restaurant has outdoor seating in a small courtyard. Very charming.

On the walk along the water from the ferry stop to Hotel du Lac, you will also pass by two very cute cafe/restaurants directly on the water. We did not eat there, but they were filled every night with what appeared to be happy diners and the views were spectacular.

We also dined at Il Cavatappi. It's down a narrow street from the square where the church is. There are only about 5 or 6 tables, but it is cute, quirky and has good food. I'm not sure it's the cult favorite that some foodies claim, but it's good and worth going to.

My favorite place is

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/restaurants/review.asp?a=y&n=le+mossacce&s=duomo

I believe it may be closed sataurday and sunday

Enzian: Thanks for the tips on Lucca. We'll be there around the 9th, 10th & 11th of June, but not for all three nights. I'll check out that B & B.

When you are in Verona, there is a most interesting museum: the Castelvecchio Museum: near the River. It's a restored Medieval Castle, and it's been restored in a very modern way by Carlo Scarpa. It's almost like a treasure hunt, as there are many different floors, a lot of open air, and walkways,stairways, and some dynamite stuff to see, my favorite being an almost life size equestrian statue of Cangrande della Scala, who was the patron of DANTE! A huge photo of his horse is hanging at our house, cuz he is the sweetest horse you can imagine.
It's more of a fun place than most museums, so I thought your family might enjoy spending an hour there.

Enzian: I forgot to add that if you have not seen Villa Balbianello in Lenno, when you are at Lake Como, it is well worth the boat ride! Also Villa Carlotta, in Tremezzo, I think. Both reachable by boat, and both lovely gardens.

Don't know how you'd get there without a car, but the best meal we had while at Lake Como, was up in the hills above Tremezzo, at a marvelous restaurant calle "Al Veluu" - can't remember the menu, but Oh, boy, did we love the food!

For gardens, I second Giardino Bardini in Firenze and Villa Carlotta on Lake Como . We visited both this past June. Liked the Bardini better than the Boboli, although I think you can visit both on the same ticket, and the views from the top of Boboli are impressive, as is the Porcelain Museum. After visiting the Bardini Gardens, we walked down that very steep street (mentioned above), saw Galileo's house, and then had a delicious dinner at a local place called Angiolino at Via Santo Spirito 36r. The ferry rides across Lake Como from Varenna to Bellagio and Villa Carlotta are fun. You are going to have a wonderful trip!

This is what I love about Fodors. You all have an excellent sense of what I am looking for, and all your suggestions are great!

Lexma90---I believe we are staying at the same B&B as you did. I plan to ask Alfredto to make a reservation at Il Fagioli for us the evening we arrive in Florence.

JulieVikmanis---we have 3 nights in Varenna, so we should have a chance to try each of your suggestions. Nuevo Isola in particular sounds just right for us.

taconictraveler---we have a full day free in Verona so we'll do a long walk and visit the museum and other sites. I love equestrian statues---(and horses) and seek them out wherever we go. We'll try to get to the Lago di Como sites you mentioned too---we lave a good amount of time there.

InFlorence---you've "made our day" in Florence---at least the half that isn't filled with the Accademia visit. We will start after lunch and end Le Volpi e l'Uva for some "refreshment" (does the name mean "the wolf and the grape?".

MaggieOB---the Lucca suggestions are very helpful. A place on the $$$ side is fine now and then for a treat, as long as the welcome is warm and genuine.

Enzian: If you love equestrian statues, the Cangrande della Scala is a GEM. Look it up on Wikipedia and you will see his picture with his horse - it's very modern and very medieval at the same time!! amazing!

Enzian -

Yes, you are staying at the same B&B; you'll love it; Alberto and Valeria are wonderful hosts (though Valeria's English isn't great - if you need anything complicated, ask Alberto).

We also had drinks at Le Volpi e l'Uva, yes, it means the wolf and the grape (from the story, I assume).

This is another vote for Basilica San Miniato A Monte. We walked there from the Duomo which was a pretty strenuous walk, but well worth the effort. The church itself is lovely and offers gorgeous views back to Florence city centre.

We also enjoyed the gardens at the Pitti Palace.

Book marking all this great information, thank you.

Just back 2 days ago from Lucca (our first time there), Florence and 6 glorious nights in Vernazza, Cinque Terre (2nd time in both places). We traveled with our 8 year old son.

LUCCA
-LOVED it.

-We had to stay within the city walls and rented an incredible 2 bedroom/2 bath (Del Toro) apartment from Lucca Destinations (they offer 10 wonderfully appointed apartments/villas). Andrew and Bernadette from "LD" were fabulous to work with. They were responsive, friendly and knowledgeable. http://www.destinationlucca.com/index.html
Our apt. was on a quiet residential street, but very close to the main attractions. It was furnished with a full kitchen, 2 bathtubs (important!), tuscan beamed ceilings, lovely antique furnishings sprinkled in with wonderful original art. Not to mention luxury linens and comfy beds.

-Dinner at Trattoria Da Leo (make reservations) was amazing. They were completely booked, but squeezed us in on the patio. I would definitely have opted for the bustling, cozy indoors if I had a choice. Only downside was that the house Red wine was the worse we had for our entire trip. Next time, I'd order a bottle of local red.

-Dinner at Rusticanella. Very reasonable, great local rustic fare and filled with locals (we were the only non-locals). Great ambiance, yet simple good food. We loved that the cooks kept coming out of the kitchen to cheer on their soccer team along with the rest of the patrons. Pizza and local soups to die for. Menu changes daily.

-The Walls. FABULOUS! We rented bikes for us all and rode the walls for 2 hours. HIGHLY recommend renting from Chrono bikes. Lee the owner (from Alabama) was very helpful and friendly. Bikes were in excellent shape and not emblazoned with ads (like all the other rental bikes we saw). The next morning I walked the walls (2 1/2 miles; 45 min per loop) which was great to see all the locals out and about. It was so wonderful looking into gardens and over the side of the wall into the "new" city.

-Gelato from Veneto (no description necessary) They have been making gelato concoctions since 1927. Needless to say, they know their stuff.

-Passeggiatta on Via Fillungo. Take an early evening stroll on this long street with all the locals. So much to see!

-Window shop. Your teens will love all the fashionable window displays. This was a surprise to us to see so much fashion in a charming tuscan town.

-top of Torre Guinigi. The climb up to the tower with the 6 trees growing on top seemed like a gimmick to me. But, the views at sunset made it all worthwhile.

-visit the Piazza Anfiteatro for some interesting architecture, boutiques and people watching.

FLORENCE
-climb the Duomo. We did this twice and both times were an amazing experience. Seeing "the bones" of the duomo and being able to nearly touch the fresco lining the interior of the duomo were almost as fascinating as the view from the top. Breathtaking! The climb is 463ish steps up in tight quarters, but so worth it!

-lunch at Mario's. If local is what you want, local is what you'll get! Fun ambiance at communal tables with locals. The ragu pasta, roasted chicken, basic pasta with tomato sauce was simple, but memorable. Good house red wine. This is the place to get your bistecca if you've got an appetite.

-We splurged on our last trip at La Giostra and it still prevails as one of our all time greatest gastronomic and atmospheric experiences. The "Prince" owner/chef is magical.

-Sunset at Piazza Michelangelo or Fiesole. Nothing compares to seeing the red roofs of Florence and the Duomo basking in the setting sun.

-wood fired pizza at Il Pizzaiuolo. Nothing compares.

CINQUE TERRE
Too much to name. I invite you to check out my long trip report from 2007.
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/finallyour-19-day-glorious-october-2007-very-long-detailed-trip-report-to-italy.cfm

-note: for your teens, be sure to hang out in Vernazza (harbor and at the Piazza Marconi). After dark, there is alot of action and fun going on. Have a glass of CT wine from Burgus bar that spills onto the Piazza and watch the sunset from the rocks.

-this recent trip we took the boat to Portovenere. What a great day trip! The town is lovely and the church, castle are worth a peek. We also took the 45 min. excursion around the 3 islands in the bay. Stunning views.

-if you have time, take the train up to Santa Margarita Ligure, Camogli and Rapallo. Great seaside towns loaded with charm and local eats. The day we went it was pouring rain, but we forged on and (sadly) only lunched at SML.

Buon viaggio....
A/S

Ottimo!! this is wonderful. Thank you so much for your detailed suggestions, adventureseeker. It is good to hear you loved Lucca, and especially Trattoria da Leo--it had caught my eye but a personal recommendationis best. Why would you have prefered to sit inside instead of out on the patio?

Regarding climbing the Duomo---I love climbing steps but was thinking of Giotto's Tower (which I have done before). Is the Duomo climb tight or crowded? I am a bit claustrophobic, so would prefer to avoid being jammed into a smallish space with lots of other people.

And another question, not related to adventureseeker's post but regarding food at Le volpi e l'uvo. What are Schiacciate? It seems to be some kind of sandwich, but I've not seen this word before---and I've read lots of Italian menus. I'm trying to decide if we should make this a lunch stop (for a light lunch), or just a wine/refreshment stop late in the afternoon.

Schiacciate is the plural of schiacciata. Here's what I copied about it into my notes for our last Italy trip: A multipurpose word, it essentially means crushed, broken, squashed or slammed, though when you’re hungry, the most important definition is a perfect rectangle of salty, golden focaccia-like bread. It is Florence’s answer to Liguerian focaccia, which is higher and airer. To make it, the bakers take the dough for pane toscano, flatten it into a sheet, poke it with their fingers, and top it with a hefty dose of salt and oil before baking. The result is a delicious snack, often crowned with onions, anchovies, or various other savories.

Contrary to that, on previous trips and the one we just took, I have only seen schiacciate as a sweet item, in the pasticcerie, made with grapes cooked into the top. It would be much better if the grapes didn't have the (large) seeds in them!

Le volpi e l'uvo, from what I recall, their cheese plates looked very good. We were thinking of it for a light lunch, but ended up having pizza instead, and just having drinks here. One thing we realized about Le Volpi, it's in a beautiful little piazza, but tucked away, so there wasn't much in terms of people-watching opportunities. This is always our dilemma when travelling - good food or great location; not many places have both! (Here, the location is good but not good for people-watching.)

In Monterosso, we've eaten several times a Belvedere. It's near the railroad tracks, but also on the water. I love their marinated anchovies. Also, there's a fantastic focaccia place, just a counter, really, in Monterosso.

E,

re: Da Leo. The outside patio (in late October) was covered in plastic walls and the restaurant itself is located on a non descript alley. It may be more atmospheric in June.
When I went inside it was warm, cozy and full of energy. The kitchen was open from the front and you could see the dishes being prepared.

As far as the Duomo climb. We did it on the first trip and again on the second. It was one of our highlights. It is 463 stairs and yes, there are some parts of it that are cramped. In June, it may be more so. But...the climb is a single file and there are open spaces here and there. The beauty of the climb is that before you get to the top, you circle inside the lower part of the dome. It is amazing to be so close to the frescoes and almost touch them. When you come out on top, you get this magnificient 360 degree view of Florence. It is magical to be there when the church bells peal. Okay, I am trying to sell this, but I should get back on track to whether or not you are able to do it. I will create a photo slideshow of our climb from both trips and you can see what you're in for. I'll post that later.

I'm so jealous....

Great---thank you. More questions on the Duomo climb--is there a different stairway for the descent, or are you constantly squeezing past people? Also, if the ascent is single file, I assume you have to go the pace of everyone in front of you---no passing? I think a slow pace might drive me crazy! But then, if the view from the top, and the close-ups of the frescoes make it worthwhile, maybe I could just cowboy up and do it. Can you see out at any point before the top?

By way of explanation, I even had trouble with the stairway up to the balcony at Basilica San Marco---one flight of stairs, but in a narrow and crowded corridor, with the line barely moving. But when I reached the top and went out on the balcony among the horses, it was so worth it!

Since you still have plenty of time, I'll add some advice though I know I'm late.
In Lucca, there are two truly excellent dining options: Mecenate, www.ristorantemecenate.it, outside the centro storico; and Giulio in Pelleria, Via delle Conce, 45 (inside the walls). Both are serving traditional fare of Lucca and the north-western end of Tuscany; Mecenate is more expensive, and a really filling experience, Giulio in Pelleria has smaller prices and smaller helpings; the quality of both is on the same level (I liked Giulio slightly better).
Florence: my top choice is Cibreino, the "small brother" of the famous (and overly expensive) Cibreo restaurant: Via de' Macci, 122r. Here, the food is prepared by the same staff as Cibreo's (the kitchen is in the middle between the two neighbouring restaurants), and even many dishes are the same as next door, where you'd pay three times what you pay at Cibreino's. Great, familiar service, really great dining. No reservations accepted, which means you'll probably have to wait. Not bad either (though far simpler) is Marione, Via della Spada, 27 r - funny detail: this place is open 24/24, which is really rare in Italy. Great Tuscan primi (in most of Tuscany, there is traditionally no pasta, just thick soups), great roast meat.

As far as gardens, you might enjoy Villa Torrigiani near Lucca: a sumptuous private villa, half mannerist, half baroque, set in a pretty (and partly wonderful), peaceful garden. The owners still live there, but it's open to visitors at set times.

Thank you-, franco--I wrote them both (the Lucca restaurants) in my little notebook.

I believe Cibreino is the place my son recommended the last time I went to Florence (he spent a year there as a student). We didn't make it last time---so I guess we better go this time!

In Milan: Antica Trattoria della Pesa
Viale Pasubio, 10

Phone number: 39 02 655 5741


Johanna

One of my favorite little known museums is in Milan, called the Ambrosiana. It is a short walk from the duomo. It is an intimate architectural wonder. Also, there is a district in Milan with cafes along a canal that was very charming.... it is called the Navigli district. here is a link with pics: http://www.bugbitten.com/photos/Europe/odw_m/Exploring_Italy/86042-1605-3076762.html.

btw, Varenna is spectacular! one of my favorite spots in Italy.