" the H having hardened the "sc" sound." I think that a more correct description is that "ch" in Italian is pronounced as "k" in English. For example, the word for key is "chiave"--keeAHveh. so for bruschetta, just add the "s" sound in front of the "k" sound.


annhig, I think sharp isn't as bad a possibility . . . knives are sharp.

Looking forward to more, specially Pienza; one of my all-time favorite places.

We are going to Rome and Pienza in May. Loving your report and hoping for pictures!
bxl

I'm really enjoying your report -- how nice to be able to travel with your son!

I was told to pronounce the appetizer with the "k" sound, as described above. I think she said that when pronounced with the "ch" or "sh" sound, it is the name of a mafia family.

Comparing Ostia and Pompeii is difficult. We were in Ostia with a guide, and went there first. What we learned from her, enhanced our later trip to Pompeii as well. Pompeii seemed larger with more buildings, more villas and wall paintings. The floor mosaics in Ostia, however, were amazing. Much of that kind of thing at Pompeii was removed to the museum in Naples. I had more of a sense of being in an abandoned city in Pompeii, particularly when we were wandering early in the day, away from other people. I guess I would say that if you only have time for one, you can't go wrong either way. That isn't much help in making the decision, but either one will be a very rewarding day. Obviously, if in Rome, Ostia is much easier. From reading other posts, I gather that in the high tourist season, Pompeii can be very crowded, and Ostia not so much. That might be a good reason to do Ostia.

And yes, it was wonderful being able to share this trip with my son. I appreciated his energy, which pushed me to do things I otherwise might have passed on, and he appreciated having me make a lot of the decisions while he just went along and enjoyed it all.

Nancy, I'm loving your report and eager for more. As a compulsive planner, I'm gratified to see the way that your homework paid off--but it's great that you're willing to be spontaneous, too.

A nice, thoughtful comparison and I thank you, NN. Ostia truly left me cold (ruins usually do though because they are, well, ruined!). Pompeii on the other hand inspired me totally. I realize any one can have a different experience on a given day. We did go to the museum in Naples also and that did complete the experience.

More, please!

Part III of the Trip Report

As we drove out of Pompeii, the rain began coming down in sheets. It was late afternoon, Monday, November 2nd. We could have stayed in Pompeii another night and seen Herculaneum and more of Naples, but I found myself anxious to get out of that congested area and into a more rural environment. We had a reservation at a hotel in Venice for the following Sunday – which gave us 6 nights for Umbria and Tuscany. I had decided not to do Florence this trip, figuring that if I ever returned to Italy, I could start there. Having given that up, however, I wanted to see parts of both Umbria and Southern Tuscany if possible. So, I decided we should try to spend at least one night at Locanda Rosati, a B&B outside of Orvieto that I had read about on Trip Advisor. I was particularly intrigued by the fact that they fixed a communal dinner for the guests each night. I figured my son would enjoy having someone else to talk to besides me for a change and the reviews made it sound like a lot of fun. I had emailed with them before we left home, but had not made a reservation. As we drove along the Autostrada I called, and again was fortunate. They said to come on, and that we would just make it in time for dinner.
The Locanda is a ways outside of Orvieto on little roads, but the Garmin got us there. We were shown to a large room with hand carved furniture done by the famous wood worker in Orvieto. My bed had the nicest linens of any of our stops so far, and there was a separate day bed for my son. Soon we joined the only other guests, two young women from Japan, and the garrulous host for dinner. It was spectacular. We began with bruschetta, then pasta with truffle sauce. This was followed by pork cutlets in tomato sauce and an apple, ricotta tart for desert. The wine flowed and as I predicted, my son loved having others to talk to. Even the fact that they charged by the hour for internet, and that it was only available in the lobby, didn’t dissuade him. He loved this place and demanded we stay two nights.
Day 9 – Assisi
After breakfast the next morning, we headed for Assisi. My son had been there before, and thought I shouldn’t miss it. It was a beautiful drive through a rural area and we enjoyed the time spent in the car. The hillsides were maroon and gold and there was little traffic. I had read about Deruta and its ceramics shops on the Forums and suddenly realized we were driving right by. We turned off the highway and did a little shopping. It is definitely on my list of things to do again if I return. I had also read how crowded Assisi is, but that wasn’t the case for us. We followed Rick Steves’ advice on where to park, at the far end of town from the Basilica, and strolled the length of town, stopping for lunch and shopping along the way. It seemed almost deserted. We again congratulated ourselves on coming to Italy in November. After exploring the Basilica (I loved the older part of the church) we caught a cab back up to the car park. We then retraced our route through the Umbrian countryside back to Orvieto. This had been a very pleasant and relaxing day.
We were anticipating a good dinner back at the Locanda, and it didn’t disappoint. There was a different couple at the table this time who had just arrived from New York. We enjoyed the visit, the wine, and the food which included a lovely risotto.
Day 10 – Orvieto to Pienza
We said goodbye to our new friends at the Locanda, and went in to Orvieto. We followed Rick Steves’ parking suggestion again, and emerged from the large underground parking garage in the middle of the old walled city. Once again, we felt like we were practically the only tourists in town. I loved the black and white stripes of the Duomo, and the intricate carvings on the outside walls of the facade. We had to leave when a funeral began (the procession was interesting) and went across the square to the museum, where we enjoyed the collection of Etruscan items. Shopping was fun here too. Orvieto seemed to be a fairly sophisticated city. We left about 3pm for the short drive to Pienza.
Why Pienza? I had really agonized over where to stay in Tuscany. With the advice of Fodorites (thanks to Bob The Navigator and others) I pretty quickly settled on the Val d’ Orcia, and the area south of Siena – but couldn’t make up my mind about exactly where to stay. In the end, I settled on Hotel Residence San Gregorio in Pienza. I first saw it mentioned in a complimentary Fodors post but had trouble getting more information. On Trip Advisor, it isn’t listed under “hotels” but instead under “B&Bs & Inns” which is odd. It appealed to me because it was in town and offered a 2 room suite for a very reasonable rate. My son could sleep on the couch in the living room, giving us both some privacy, and it had a large bath with whirlpool tub, and a kitchenette. In addition, I liked the idea of being in walking distance to restaurants and pubs, particularly given the time of year. Had it been summer or early fall, staying in an Agritourismo in the countryside might have been my choice. I also liked the idea that it operated somewhat like a hotel, meaning I didn’t need to reserve for a week, and in fact we arrived with no reservation at all. The staff didn’t speak much English, but could not have been more accommodating. It appears to have a sister hotel in the Austrian or Swiss Alps, and it had the flavor of that area of Europe. Breakfast was served in the lovely restaurant attached to the hotel, which had damask curtains and upholstery. It reminded me of Vienna. Our rooms were huge and modern. The internet was free and fast. The beds were good and the bath tub commodious. We loved it, and we loved being in Pienza. Although it got dark early, the shops (how many butcher/cheese shops can a tiny town have?) were open in the evening and it was fun to stroll around. We walked to dinner each night. In fact, the first night we just went across the street to a pizza place (Stu Dudley mentioned it in one of his posts as being good), and brought it back to the room.
Day 11 – Driving the Val d’ Orcia
I had printed out Stu Dudley’s directions for beautiful drives in this area, and we set off nice and early. We first stopped in Montalcino. The streets were fresh and clean from the rain that had fallen over night, and the town was almost deserted. We poked around a bit, bought some Brunello, and moved on. The next stop was St. Antimo Abbey. We weren’t there at the right time for the Gregorian chants, but enjoyed the chapel and the countryside. A few miles down the road, near Monte Amiata, we stopped at an olive mill. There were huge crates of olives sitting outside waiting to be crushed. They let us peek inside to watch as the beautiful green liquid poured out of the stainless steel vats, and of course we bought some to bring home. I was hoping to have lunch at La Porta in Montichiello, so we headed that direction, but found the restaurant closed on Wednesdays, so we drove on to Montepulciano. I was a little fearful that the walk up the hill to town would be hard, but we were able to park part way up from the bottom. As we walked the rest of the way, we saw above us a sign for one of the restaurants on my list of those recommended by Fodorites, Café Poliziano. We made a bee-line for it because it was now late for lunch. Indeed, we were the last ones seated in the large dining room with the elegant banquettes, and the stupendous view out over the valley. If in Montepulciano at lunchtime, I think this is a must do. My son ordered a glass of Vino Nobile and it blew us away. I am not that well educated about wine, but even I could tell that this was exceptional stuff. Happily “wined and dined”, we wandered the town, bought wine, and then drove the short way back to Pienza. I must have taken 700 pictures this day.
That evening, we walked to the other end of Pienza to Latte di Luna for dinner. It had been recommended by Fodorites and didn’t disappoint. We got there just as it opened, and as the evening progressed, it really filled up. Lots of the patrons seemed to know one another, or know the family that was in charge. I imagine one needs a reservation here during the high season. Wild boar, a specialty of the region, was on the menu in several different ways. As we walked back to the Residence, well-heeled visitors seemed to be arriving in town. It was Thursday evening and I wondered if Pienza is a weekend getaway, or second home spot for Romans, or Europeans from farther North. My son thought that few of the other travelers were Americans.
We had two more days in this area and knew we would spend one of them in Siena. As we strolled home we decided that we had enjoyed touring in the car, and would do so again the next day - perhaps driving toward Volterra.
And that will begin the next post.

nancy, I am so very much enjoying your trip report!

I traveled to Italy for the first time in late October of 07, with my then-29-yr-old daughter. We had an absolutely wonderful time. Besides being related, we enjoy the same things: art/history/wine/food.

I can think of nobody more fun to travel/share with than she. So we are going back to Italy in April for two weeks. I'm taking notes from your trip report. Especially restaurant recommendations.

I was particularly looking for that Pienza rec, as we will be lunching there one day on a private tour. However, I'm totally bummed because it appears they may be closed on Tuesdays, and that is the day of our tour. :( So, hopefully you have another recommendation coming in the next installment? :)

It was also good to get the recommendation re the optical place. On our last day in Rome, I got tripped up and landed face-first on the cobblestone street... smashing my brand-new glasses in the process! Fortunately, we were eventually able to put them together with some airline packing tape. Then hit the jackpot in the gift shop- super glue! (Heck, nobody was looking at my glasses, as my face was quite horrendous and one could not avoid staring!) :) I learned my lesson. I will have a second pair of glasses with me, and a second pair of clipon sunglasses, too. :)

Looking forward to the rest of your report!

Thanks for sharing!

So, Sarge, I take it you aren't going to carry pepper spray this time...?

Nancy,

I'm glad you enjoyed Orvieto. I had the same impression - the ancient buildings, but inside some very modern and sophisticated shops and galleries!

Nancy,
I'm really enjoying your report. I'm need to go to Italy soon!

Nancy, I just came across your report today, and I'm glad I did. I love the way things just fell into place and your luck with finding good food and accommodations.

I also have relied upon the advice from other Fodorites on my trips to Italy (your Day 11 looks suspiciously familiar!!)

Now, I'm happy to be able to refer back to your trip as well. It sounds like you and your son just had a blast together.

I appreciate the positive feedback. We did have a blast. Sometimes I wonder if I am remembering it through rose colored glasses, but I don't think so - I think it really was that good. And I firmly believe that the trip was greatly enhanced by all the things I learned from Fodorites. I was a novice about Italy, and although it is probably hard to "get it wrong" - I am sure the hours I spent ahead of time enhanced our experience. Sarge - your story about the glasses "cracked" me up. I will never again travel without a spare. I am envious of your return trip with your daughter. Isn't it great when children turn out to be people you really like!
The other place to eat in Pienza that I would highly recommend is Buca delle Fate. We didn't actually have dinner there, but went early one evening for wine and to sample the local Pecorino cheese - thinking we would eat dinner elsewhere later. When we ordered the cheese plate, the proprietor, who didn't really speak English, raised his eyebrows. We didn't know why. Then my son noticed a sign that said no credit cards, and realized we were out of Euros. He raced out to the ATM, but returned, rather panicked, because the ATM was malfunctioning. Then he started chatting with the proprietor in German, which he studied in college. Apparently there was a sign on the door announcing "German spoken here" or some such. I think the owner had lived in Germany. At any rate, through this common language, my son got directions to the other ATM in town, and soon returned with Euros. The cheese plate was awesome but huge. As an appetizer, it would have served four or six. It featured large slabs of at least five kinds of Pecorino, ranging from a new cheese to one that had been aged a long time - or so my son thought the owner said. It was accompanied by a basket of great bread, mixed olives, an onion relish, and fig preserves, which were incredible with the cheese. We ordered more wine and it soon became clear that this was going to be dinner. We stayed a long time, ate it all, and wound up visiting with the other patrons - it is a tiny place and you can't help but overhear other conversations. The owner brought us a complimentary glass of a sweet German wine for desert and we were glad we only had a couple of blocks to walk back to our hotel. What fun! After re-reading this, I am beginning to think that perhaps my pleasant memories of our trip are the result of lots and lots of great wine.

Sarge - For a list of restaurants, wine bars, etc. in Pienza, use Portale Pienza. Some will have links to their websites so you can look at menus and hours.
http://www.portalepienza.it/

Pienza sounds wonderful. Hope the Venice portion is as successful!

ky- thanks for the link!

nancy- awesome!!! Thank you SO SO MUCH for the info on Buca delle Fate! We're in! Hopefully, they'll be open for lunch on the day we are there. If not, I'll have ky's link!

you rock! Looking forward to more trip report!

Thanks for the fabulous report Nancy! My wife and I will be in Rome and Monticchiello in March, so this is spot on for us.

Nancy IS nice!! We're going to be in the val d"Orcia in June, and my mouth is watering. I love that Pecorino cheese, in all stages. will definitely go to Buca della Fate, and the other restaurants you mention as well.

Great reporting!

I had bruschette at La Buca di Enea topped with melted pecorino (one of the fresher ones, not the long aged), honey and pine nuts. So good. La Buc di Enea is more of a wine/snack place, not really a restaurant and the owner is very nice and helpful. I had tried to check into my apartment and no one was there so he helped me with my luggage and called the apartment owner and told him I was there.