brief post-trip update - midlife woman alone in Italy
Oct 5th, 2006 | 12:47 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 39
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brief post-trip update - midlife woman alone in Italy
Hi everyone,
I'm back and don't have time right now to do a major trip report, but wanted at least to give an update of my first sojourn overseas alone as a newly divorced woman who is just turning 50. As you may recall, I had signed up for a women's only walking tour in Umbria, preceded by 4 days alone in Rome. In a nutshell, it was fabulous! I had a completely wonderful time and loved every minute of everything.
I stayed at the Hotel Due Torri in Rome, and it was perfect for me. Yes, my single room was tiny and simple, but nice, and had a big wraparound plant-filled terrace with rooftop views. (I was in room 502). The public rooms were nice and the staff was extremely helpful. I didn't get my luggage for 4 days (never fly Alitalia, that's another story), and the staff went out of their way to constantly call the airline for me. Even the owner got involved and called when she showed up on Saturday morning to greet all the guests at breakfast.
The Due Torri's location couldn't have been better. I walked to everything (30 min. walk to Colosseum and Borghese Gallery, 15 min. to Vatican, 5 min. to Piazza Navonna and pedestrian only streets around the Pantheon, 10 min. to Spanish Steps, etc.). I will definitely stay at the Due Torri next time.
I really loved Rome, and it's true, I didn't feel alone there at all. There was so much to see and do that I was on the go constantly (which is what I like). And what everyone said about being more outgoing when you're by yourself is also true. Not only did I reach out more than normal, but others struck up conversations with me too. Since only American tourists are at dinner at 7:30, I was always seated next to other couples and always had nice conversations with them, so I wasn't lonely then either. It helps that the tables are close together in most Roman restaurants. So I definitely want to return to Rome, and wouldn't hesitate to go by myself again.
The Wayfarers walking tour in Umbria was also excellent. It was everything I hoped it would be. There were 7 of us women plus the two Italian female guides, and even though I was the only one there solo, they were all really friendly and inclusive. It was the perfect mix for me of 5-6 mile hikes in the morning, followed by a wonderul multi-course lunch usually in a rural restaurant with farm-fresh local specialities. (I could go on and on just about the food). Then after lunch the plan was to walk for another hour and a half or so to the sightseeing destination town. Most of the time we took the van though since we were behind schedule as one of the women slowed us down on the morning walking. That was fine though. By then we were all tired and ready to take the van. We would then get to our destination town and visit the cultural attractions, or have a local guide at the bigger towns (Assisi, Perugia, Spoleto) show us around. We usually wouldn't get back to our hotel until about 5pm and we'd have to 7:30 or 8 until dinner. Dinners were wonderful multi-course meals in good restaurants. The trip was definitely upscale, with 4 star hotels and great food. It was really nice and special, but I would have had just as good of a time doing a lesser trip staying at Agritourismos or 3 star hotels and scaling back the eating.
At the conclusion of the tour I stayed over in Perugia for an extra night, and then took the Sulga bus (very nice) back to Rome for a final day there. So, that's the high level overview of my trip. It was really uplifting, empowering and generally good for me. Thanks to everyone for your advice and encouragement! Post away if you want to know more.
Pam
I'm back and don't have time right now to do a major trip report, but wanted at least to give an update of my first sojourn overseas alone as a newly divorced woman who is just turning 50. As you may recall, I had signed up for a women's only walking tour in Umbria, preceded by 4 days alone in Rome. In a nutshell, it was fabulous! I had a completely wonderful time and loved every minute of everything.
I stayed at the Hotel Due Torri in Rome, and it was perfect for me. Yes, my single room was tiny and simple, but nice, and had a big wraparound plant-filled terrace with rooftop views. (I was in room 502). The public rooms were nice and the staff was extremely helpful. I didn't get my luggage for 4 days (never fly Alitalia, that's another story), and the staff went out of their way to constantly call the airline for me. Even the owner got involved and called when she showed up on Saturday morning to greet all the guests at breakfast.
The Due Torri's location couldn't have been better. I walked to everything (30 min. walk to Colosseum and Borghese Gallery, 15 min. to Vatican, 5 min. to Piazza Navonna and pedestrian only streets around the Pantheon, 10 min. to Spanish Steps, etc.). I will definitely stay at the Due Torri next time.
I really loved Rome, and it's true, I didn't feel alone there at all. There was so much to see and do that I was on the go constantly (which is what I like). And what everyone said about being more outgoing when you're by yourself is also true. Not only did I reach out more than normal, but others struck up conversations with me too. Since only American tourists are at dinner at 7:30, I was always seated next to other couples and always had nice conversations with them, so I wasn't lonely then either. It helps that the tables are close together in most Roman restaurants. So I definitely want to return to Rome, and wouldn't hesitate to go by myself again.
The Wayfarers walking tour in Umbria was also excellent. It was everything I hoped it would be. There were 7 of us women plus the two Italian female guides, and even though I was the only one there solo, they were all really friendly and inclusive. It was the perfect mix for me of 5-6 mile hikes in the morning, followed by a wonderul multi-course lunch usually in a rural restaurant with farm-fresh local specialities. (I could go on and on just about the food). Then after lunch the plan was to walk for another hour and a half or so to the sightseeing destination town. Most of the time we took the van though since we were behind schedule as one of the women slowed us down on the morning walking. That was fine though. By then we were all tired and ready to take the van. We would then get to our destination town and visit the cultural attractions, or have a local guide at the bigger towns (Assisi, Perugia, Spoleto) show us around. We usually wouldn't get back to our hotel until about 5pm and we'd have to 7:30 or 8 until dinner. Dinners were wonderful multi-course meals in good restaurants. The trip was definitely upscale, with 4 star hotels and great food. It was really nice and special, but I would have had just as good of a time doing a lesser trip staying at Agritourismos or 3 star hotels and scaling back the eating.
At the conclusion of the tour I stayed over in Perugia for an extra night, and then took the Sulga bus (very nice) back to Rome for a final day there. So, that's the high level overview of my trip. It was really uplifting, empowering and generally good for me. Thanks to everyone for your advice and encouragement! Post away if you want to know more.
Pam
Oct 5th, 2006 | 01:41 PM
#3
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 45,322
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Hi Pam, how nice to hear from you and to read that you had a wonderful time! I remember when you were planning this venture.
Your walking tour sounds wonderful and I am so glad you enjoyed beautiful Rome. And it is true that when one is on their own they get the opportunity to talk to so many different people.
Good old Alitalia and the missing luggage, sigh. Did you pack a change of clothes in your carryon? I never have as I recall but I am going to in the future as more and more luggage is not arriving with the passenger.
Best wishes to you with your new life Pam. With your attitude I think you are going to have a wonderful life. I hope you will be able to take many more trips. Always be good to yourself!!
Your walking tour sounds wonderful and I am so glad you enjoyed beautiful Rome. And it is true that when one is on their own they get the opportunity to talk to so many different people.
Good old Alitalia and the missing luggage, sigh. Did you pack a change of clothes in your carryon? I never have as I recall but I am going to in the future as more and more luggage is not arriving with the passenger.
Best wishes to you with your new life Pam. With your attitude I think you are going to have a wonderful life. I hope you will be able to take many more trips. Always be good to yourself!!
Oct 5th, 2006 | 01:53 PM
#5
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,569
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What did you think of Spoleto? I have always wanted to go there, but there is very little info. on this site pertaining to the city.
What were the names of some of the restaurants you ate at?
I have traveled all over the world, sometimes by myself. I have always enjoyed myself because I could do what I wanted, when I wanted, and did not have to worry about what my husband, mother, sister, friend Muffy, Aunt Pat, Uncle Terry, etc. wanted to do. Or eat.
What were the names of some of the restaurants you ate at?
I have traveled all over the world, sometimes by myself. I have always enjoyed myself because I could do what I wanted, when I wanted, and did not have to worry about what my husband, mother, sister, friend Muffy, Aunt Pat, Uncle Terry, etc. wanted to do. Or eat.
Oct 5th, 2006 | 01:56 PM
#6
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,395
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Hi Pam, I was one of those who encouraged you to spend some time in Rome alone. I'm so glad you loved it! I too found that people are much more likely to strike up conversations if you're alone. I'm going back over Christmas and can't wait!
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Oct 5th, 2006 | 03:15 PM
#8
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,748
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Hi Pam
I'm one more of those who gave you encouragement, and I believe I talked up the due Torri. Isn't the owner gorgeous? When I grow up, I want to be her.
gt;
I am so glad to hear that you had a great trip. Good for you!
I have never really gone on a trip by myself (just a night here or there or a conference) and I so admire the way you were able to seize this chance. You go girl!
I'm one more of those who gave you encouragement, and I believe I talked up the due Torri. Isn't the owner gorgeous? When I grow up, I want to be her.
gt;I am so glad to hear that you had a great trip. Good for you!
I have never really gone on a trip by myself (just a night here or there or a conference) and I so admire the way you were able to seize this chance. You go girl!
Oct 6th, 2006 | 04:27 PM
#9
Original Poster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 39
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The hotels I stayed at in Umbria with The Wayfarers tour were Cavaliere Palace Hotel in Spoleto, Villa Pambuffetti in Montefalco, and La Bastiglia in Spello. We ate at their restaurants for dinner one time each. We were disappointed with the Cavaliere Palace restaurant, but loved the other two.
In addition the rest of the group raved about their dinner at a different restaurant the first night in Spoleto, but I wasn't there as I was still in Rome waiting for my lost baggage! (Another story). So I can't report on the name of that restaurant. We also had a great casual dinner at a pizza place in Montefalco, but I forgot to note the name of the restaurant. On my own after the tour some of the other women and I had dinner in Perugia at a good restaurant recommended by the Hotel Fortuna called something like La Pizzetta, just down from the main square where the cathedral and fountain are. We had a delicious lunch in the hills outside of Trevi at a family run place called Ristorante di Roggia. Really fresh, local, farm type food. I didn't get the name of the other lunch places we ate at, but they were good. Since I was on the tour vs. selecting places on my own, I wasn't paying as much attention to the names of where we ate.
In Rome I had a really good dinner at a place recommended by the Hotel Due Torri, just around the corner, called Campagna. I found out from another couple there that it has one Michelin star. Their cold antipasti vegetable/salad buffet was outstanding, as was the beef I had. I also enjoyed the salads several times at Insalata Ricci. The fish was great at another restaurant recommended by the Due Torri, Locanda, also right around the corner, but I thought it was a little pricey for what you got.
Re: the question on Spoleto, it seemed like a nice, mid-sized Umbrian town, with a couple of interesting churches with great frescoes and facades, an ancient arched bridge from the Umbrian tribe (pre-dating Romans and Etruscans) and a castle, as well as good shops. I can't really say more, as again, I missed the first afternoon/evening there due to being stuck in Rome with the luggage situation. It's also the site of a big international music festival, The Two Worlds festival, so it has a lot of cultural/musical happenings. I think it's worth visiting if you're in southern Umbria. It's only about an 80 minute train ride from Rome.
The last thing is regarding the airport shuttle from FCO to Rome. I had good luck with www.romeshuttlelimousine.com, for 35 Euros. I even inadvertently stood them up the first time, and they still showed up again at 11pm. What happened was that I missed my connecting flight from Heathrow to Rome because of slow security and imcompetence by Alitalia. By the time I got rebooked on a later flight (via Milan 6 hours later), got a phone card and had a chance to call the shuttle to advise them, they were already waiting for me at FCO (I forgot that Italy is an hour ahead of England). I hadn't prepaid and they didn't have my credit card, so I wasn't out any money. Anyway, I told them what happened and said I'd be there 6 hours later at 10pm. I was afraid they wouldn't show up after being stood up once, but lo and behold, the guy was there when I finally walked out to the greeting area of FCO at 11pm after waiting for my luggage that never showed up and then filing a lost baggage claim. Since by that point it was night, they charged the late rate of 45 Euros, instead of 35, but I was fine with that. That was the price that all the competing shuttles were quoting for regular daytime trips. So I would definitely use them again.
Pam
In addition the rest of the group raved about their dinner at a different restaurant the first night in Spoleto, but I wasn't there as I was still in Rome waiting for my lost baggage! (Another story). So I can't report on the name of that restaurant. We also had a great casual dinner at a pizza place in Montefalco, but I forgot to note the name of the restaurant. On my own after the tour some of the other women and I had dinner in Perugia at a good restaurant recommended by the Hotel Fortuna called something like La Pizzetta, just down from the main square where the cathedral and fountain are. We had a delicious lunch in the hills outside of Trevi at a family run place called Ristorante di Roggia. Really fresh, local, farm type food. I didn't get the name of the other lunch places we ate at, but they were good. Since I was on the tour vs. selecting places on my own, I wasn't paying as much attention to the names of where we ate.
In Rome I had a really good dinner at a place recommended by the Hotel Due Torri, just around the corner, called Campagna. I found out from another couple there that it has one Michelin star. Their cold antipasti vegetable/salad buffet was outstanding, as was the beef I had. I also enjoyed the salads several times at Insalata Ricci. The fish was great at another restaurant recommended by the Due Torri, Locanda, also right around the corner, but I thought it was a little pricey for what you got.
Re: the question on Spoleto, it seemed like a nice, mid-sized Umbrian town, with a couple of interesting churches with great frescoes and facades, an ancient arched bridge from the Umbrian tribe (pre-dating Romans and Etruscans) and a castle, as well as good shops. I can't really say more, as again, I missed the first afternoon/evening there due to being stuck in Rome with the luggage situation. It's also the site of a big international music festival, The Two Worlds festival, so it has a lot of cultural/musical happenings. I think it's worth visiting if you're in southern Umbria. It's only about an 80 minute train ride from Rome.
The last thing is regarding the airport shuttle from FCO to Rome. I had good luck with www.romeshuttlelimousine.com, for 35 Euros. I even inadvertently stood them up the first time, and they still showed up again at 11pm. What happened was that I missed my connecting flight from Heathrow to Rome because of slow security and imcompetence by Alitalia. By the time I got rebooked on a later flight (via Milan 6 hours later), got a phone card and had a chance to call the shuttle to advise them, they were already waiting for me at FCO (I forgot that Italy is an hour ahead of England). I hadn't prepaid and they didn't have my credit card, so I wasn't out any money. Anyway, I told them what happened and said I'd be there 6 hours later at 10pm. I was afraid they wouldn't show up after being stood up once, but lo and behold, the guy was there when I finally walked out to the greeting area of FCO at 11pm after waiting for my luggage that never showed up and then filing a lost baggage claim. Since by that point it was night, they charged the late rate of 45 Euros, instead of 35, but I was fine with that. That was the price that all the competing shuttles were quoting for regular daytime trips. So I would definitely use them again.
Pam
Oct 6th, 2006 | 05:06 PM
#11
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,129
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Hi Pam. Thank you so much for telling us about your trip! I'm so glad that you went, after all, life is too short.
So sorry about the lost luggage w/Alitalia. Believe me, my family is still traumatized from our incident last summer (this summer, I actually took parting pictures at check-in and kissed them all goodbye!)
And thanks for that story about Rome Shuttle/Limo. Will definitely check them out my next trip to Rome!
So sorry about the lost luggage w/Alitalia. Believe me, my family is still traumatized from our incident last summer (this summer, I actually took parting pictures at check-in and kissed them all goodbye!)
And thanks for that story about Rome Shuttle/Limo. Will definitely check them out my next trip to Rome!
Oct 6th, 2006 | 08:09 PM
#12
Original Poster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 39
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I guess Alitalia isn't the only airline who loses luggage and doesn't get it back to you for days. I was just talking to a woman in my French class last night whose luggage got lost on a nonstop Air France flight from San Francisco to Paris this summer. She didn't get it for a week!
Of course if my Wayfarers tour leader hadn't had a friend who worked in the FCO lost luggage department, I wouldn't have had mine for at least a week either. As it was, it was 4 1/2 days and that was only because of that tour guide connection. I am definitely going to take a change of clothes or two in my carryon from now on. Everytime I told someone in Rome about my situation, they responded with similar stories. It seems to be epidemic.
Pam
Of course if my Wayfarers tour leader hadn't had a friend who worked in the FCO lost luggage department, I wouldn't have had mine for at least a week either. As it was, it was 4 1/2 days and that was only because of that tour guide connection. I am definitely going to take a change of clothes or two in my carryon from now on. Everytime I told someone in Rome about my situation, they responded with similar stories. It seems to be epidemic.
Pam
Oct 14th, 2006 | 04:44 AM
#15
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,135
Likes: 0
Hi Pam, thanks for your report! I have also just returned from my one week trip to Rome, and also don't have time to write a report. Your walking tour sounds marvelous - specially in respect to the possibility of losing all those extra lbs. I put on while in Rome...
