Dan's Italy Trip Report - A long one
 

I will try to load this successfully in several posts within a post. It is not as short as I envisioned. <BR> <BR>My wife and I just returned from Italy. This trip report may be a little longer than usual, but I didn’t want to write completely separate ones for here and my Web site (www.oneeyed.homestead.com). Read as much or little as you like. We spent most of three days in Venice, three whole days in Florence, and five days in Rome. The weather was simply amazing. We seem to always get lucky in that regard. We had only one cloudy day the entire trip (in Florence) and never had to contend with rain. Crowds were light, and I fell in love with Italy as I knew I would. I loved each place we visited, probably Venice and Rome the most. My wife loved Venice and like Florence a lot. She enjoyed Rome (especially the food), but it was a little too hectic for her. <BR> <BR>Days 1 and 2: Arriving <BR>We flew from RDU in North Carolina on a Saturday to Venice via London on American and British Airways. We had a long layover in London due to a cancelled flight (originally scheduled to fly Alitalia), so we didn’t get to Venice until almost sunset. We took the Alilaguna boat directly from the airport to our hotel near Piazza San Marco. It was easy to use, and within twenty minutes of landing we had gathered our luggage, received money from the ATM (after three tries) and were on a boat. The ride in was beautiful, as the sun was near setting as we pulled into the Grand Canal. <BR> <BR>We stayed at the Albergo Doni, located on a small canal and sidestreet, less than five minutes from the piazza and about 100 meters off the Grand Canal. It was an excellent choice. The hotel was very quiet and only $70 a night. The bath was one floor up from our room, the shower was one floor down, and we never saw anyone else use either. A small breakfast of rolls and jam, plus coffee or tomato juice was included in the price. The bed (two doubles pulled together) was pretty solid, but we slept soundly due to being so tired at the end of the day. The evening staff usually consisted of younger people who knew good English. An older man usually worked the mornings, and he knew little English. We got by ok. <BR> <BR>

Part 2 <BR> <BR>Day 3: Venice <BR>To my temporary horror, I realized I had forgotten to pack a washcloth, believe it or not. Made do with larger towels throughout the trip. Walked around the piazza and canal area for photos. We walked up to the Palazzo Ducali just before it opened and got in without waiting more than a minute. There were a few small tour groups, but they were receiving introductory talks so were not in line. The palace was fascinating and was not at all crowded at any point. We never did have time to do the Secret Itinerary tour on this trip, as I had planned. We called home to talk to our daughter (2 ½) and then walked toward the Accademia Bridge, stopping for pizzas on Campo Santo Stefano. I love all the squares of Venice, which are very atmospheric. We proceeded to Dorsoduro for a walk up the Giudecca Canal side, stopped for our first of a zillion wonderful gelato snacks, and toured a few churches along the way. My wife is not a big ice cream eater but she was hooked from the start. The Frari church is magnificent and deserves its place as a must see in Venice. We continued through the narrow streets of San Polo and Santa Croce (I loved the local atmosphere) until we reached the train station. We bought a couple of masks at little shops along the way for our daughter, as we had promised. She loved looking at the mask photos in the travel guides and wanted us to bring her one to put on <BR>her wall. We rode the Number One vaporetto (which stops at all the stations) for a nighttime view of the Grand Canal. Wonderful. We continued to Castello, where we departed from the boat hoping to find a meal in a nontouristy part of town. The hotel had recommended looking on Garibaldi Street. We had an overpriced and not so great meal on the mostly deserted street. Seems it is not so untouristy either. I think some of the other diners may have been from cruise ships.

Part 3: <BR> <BR>Day 4: Venice <BR>We walked over to the Rialto Bridge, which was great. Nice light for photography and one of Venice’s most photogenic spots. We picked up a few postcards to mail to our daughter. We returned to the basilica by 9:45 when it opened and only had to wait in line about 15 minutes. The basilica was wonderful, and the crowds really were not bad at all. We were able to view the jewel-filled Pala d’Oro panel unobstructed and at leisure. The time on the balcony of the basilica was magical, watching the people on the square below, with music playing around us. Watch your arms. I got pigeon poop on my elbow trying to prop on the railing for photos. Wet wipes came in handy here. Took the elevator to the top of the campanile. No line at that time. It seemed the lines at major sights were worst right at opening but soon dissipated. In other cities, the lines seemed worst a while after opening. Great view from the campanile, but not the best light at this time of day. Walked to the Accademia museum, stopping to buy train tickets to Florence at a travel agency along the way. It didn’t take nearly as long as expected to see the museum, but there is certainly a lot of great art there. I especially liked the large paintings portraying life in Venice. We then took a vaporetto to the train station and began a walk through the old Jewish ghetto and the sestieri of Cannaregio. This was probably our favorite part of Venice because we were the only tourists much of the time, and the backstreets were peaceful and uncrowded. We visited three churches along the way, ending at the Zanipolo (SS. Giovanni e Paolo). This was late afternoon, and for most of our visit to this wonderful church on a very atmospheric and busy square, we walked around the church alone as music played in the background. For our last evening, we decided not to venture too far for dinner and decided to dine at a place recommended on Fodors, but it was closed. We ended up at Da Raffaele (also recommended by several people on Fodors).The service was unusually friendly, and the food was excellent. I had fried calamari and shrimp (scampi) for the main course, and the portions were very large. Gina had mixed fried fish, but she wouldn’t eat the one that was fried whole. We were consistently impressed by the portions in Italy, which were generally much larger than expected. Mostly tourists were dining here, but it was good, and the setting on a small canal made for a nice final Venice dinner. The price wasn’t bad either, but Venice is generally a little expensive.

Part 4: <BR> <BR>Day 5: Venice <BR>We decided to visit the islands of Burano and Torcello in the morning. I would recommend morning versus afternoon if this was indeed a normal morning experience. We caught the big boat at San Zaccaria stop, very close to our hotel, and the trip took just over an hour. You can also go there from Fondamente Nuova in 40 minutes, which is the route we chose for the return trip. Luckily, at one of the stops someone on the boat came back and asked if we were going to Burano. We did not know we had to switch over to a smaller boat at that point. Burano was wonderful; its canals and brightly colored buildings are a photographer’s dream. We were about the only non-locals around for the first hour or more. Without a lot of shopping (Burano is famous for lace), two to three hours is very adequate for a nice walk and some touring of the church and a few shops. We ate breakfast sitting on the church square. After a couple of hours, we took the 10-15 minute boat ride to neighboring Torcello. From the boat stop, we walked about 10 minutes to the beautiful and highly interesting cathedral. The sights on the island are all right there, and there are only a few. Very few people live on the island. We climbed to the top of the cathedral tower for a great view of the island. 1 ½ to 2 hours would be best for Torcello, not including lunch at one of its few restaurants located between the dock and the cathedral. We were there for just over an hour but had to run part way back to catch our boat. We bought a nice wooden Pinocchio puppet for our daughter as we walked back toward the hotel. We took the quick boat ride over to San Giorgio Maggiori and ascended the bell tower there for a superb view (the best in Venice) of the Grand Canal and the whole layout of Venice. The light is right in the afternoon as the sun is shining back onto the city. We ended with a gelato on Piazza San Marco and caught the 82 vaporetto through the Giudecca Canal (a much longer ride than expected) to the train station. We took the three-hour Eurostar train to Florence, arriving at 9:20. We picked up sandwiches at one of the multitude of shops near the station and ate on the train. <BR> <BR>In Florence, we stayed four nights at the Hotel Elite, near the church of Santa Maria Novella and not too far from the train station. A lot of people comment negatively on the area of the train station, but I didn’t feel unsafe there. It certainly was a busy area, but the hotel was very quiet as we were in a room facing the church and not the main street of Via della Scala. We easily walked to and from the station with our luggage in about 5 minutes. For less than $65 a night we had a newly painted and furnished room with shower and sink. We never had to wait for the bath, which was a few steps away. I would definitely recommend the hotel. The only negative was that the guy working the desk at night tended to play the TV until about 10:30 or a little later at a volume about 5 times too loud. We were so tired that we could get to sleep anyway. The woman working during the day is extremely friendly and helpful, and she speaks excellent English. The guy speaks English pretty well too.

Part 4: <BR> <BR>Day 5: Venice <BR>We decided to visit the islands of Burano and Torcello in the morning. I would recommend morning versus afternoon if this was indeed a normal morning experience. We caught the big boat at San Zaccaria stop, very close to our hotel, and the trip took just over an hour. You can also go there from Fondamente Nuova in 40 minutes, which is the route we chose for the return trip. Luckily, at one of the stops someone on the boat came back and asked if we were going to Burano. We did not know we had to switch over to <BR>smaller boat at that point. Burano was wonderful; its canals and brightly colored buildings are a photographer’s dream. We were about the only non-locals around for the first hour or more. Without a lot of shopping (Burano is famous for lace), two to three hours is very adequate for a nice walk and some touring of the church and a few shops. We ate breakfast sitting on the church square. After a couple of hours, we took the 10-15 minute boat ride to neighboring Torcello. From the boat stop, we walked about 10 minutes to the beautiful and highly interesting cathedral. The sights on the island are all right there, and there are only a few. Very few people live on the island. We climbed to the top of the cathedral tower for a great view of the island. 1 ½ to 2 hours would be best for Torcello, not including lunch at one of its few restaurants located between the dock and the cathedral. We were there for just over an hour but had to run part way back to catch our boat. We bought a nice wooden Pinocchio puppet for our daughter as we walked back toward the hotel. We took the quick boat ride over to San Giorgio Maggiori and ascended the bell tower there for a superb view (the best in Venice) of the Grand Canal and the whole layout of Venice. The light is right in the afternoon as the sun is shining back onto the city. We ended with a gelato on Piazza San Marco and caught the 82 vaporetto through the Giudecca Canal (a much longer ride than expected) to the train station. We took the three-hour Eurostar train to Florence, arriving at 9:20. We picked up sandwiches at one of the multitude of shops near the station and ate on the train.

Part 5: <BR> <BR>In Florence, we stayed four nights at the Hotel Elite, near the church of Santa Maria Novella and not too far from the train station. A lot of people comment negatively on the area of the train station, but I didn’t feel unsafe there. It certainly was a busy area, but the hotel was very quiet as we were in a room facing the church and not the main street of Via della Scala. We easily walked to and from the station with our luggage in about 5 minutes. For less than $65 a night we had a newly painted and furnished room with shower and sink. We never had to wait for the bath, which was a few steps away. I would definitely recommend the hotel. The only negative was that the guy working the desk at night tended to play the TV until about 10:30 or a little later at a volume about 5 times too loud. We were so tired that we could get to sleep anyway. The woman working during the day is extremely friendly and helpful, and she speaks excellent English. The guy speaks English pretty well too. <BR> <BR>Day 6: Florence <BR>One of my planning mistakes. I had us climbing the campanile first thing for good light. Don’t make your wife do something so strenuous this early. I decided to put off the dome climb until another day. Unless you just have to do both, as I did, I would advise against it. The view from the campanile is about the same, it is a much easier climb, and the view includes the dome of the Duomo. I had called the hotel from Venice and asked them to arrange reservations at the Uffizi for 1:15 on our first day. I called the hotel at 10:00 to make sure the reservations were set and found out they had been made for 10:15. Lucky I called and that the Uffizi was not far away. We spent nearly 2 ½ hours touring the Uffizi fairly thoroughly. Personally, I felt the museum was very easy to visit, and I was blown away by the collection. I spent quite a bit of time in the Botticelli room. The views of the Palazzo Vecchio are a must too. The lines we saw out the window were not bad at all for this place that always seems to always have a huge wait. After the museum, we had lunch on the Piazza Signoria, the best square in Florence, and backtracked to visit the Duomo and Baptistry (after the regular 1:00 call back to our daughter and her baby sitter (my mother-in-law)). We then walked back to the bus station beside the train station and caught the bus for Piazzale Michelangelo. This was a great decision. We toured the hill-top church of San Miniato al Monte and its huge and stunning cemetery. Piazzale Michelangelo is a happening place because of the gorgeous view of Florence from the terrace there. Definitely make this trip if you are in town for a couple of days or more. We walked from there to the church of Santa Croce, but it was closing. There are lots of leather shops nearby. We had gelato and Vivoli, which is one of the best gelato spots. I had some of the riso (rice) which Rick Steves recommends trying and really liked it. We had dinner at Ristorante La Posta, where I had perhaps the best steak (bistecca alla fiorentina) I have ever eaten. We just happened across it. I had a conversation with a vacationing journalist from CNN who commented on how quiet Florence was compared to Rome, from which he had just arrived. We had the opposite impression because we had just come from traffic-free Venice.

Part 6: <BR> <BR>Day 7: Florence <BR>We walked from the hotel to the Accademia to see David. There was a tour group waiting to enter, which made it seem like there was a line (between 8:30 and 9:00), but individuals entered beside the group entrance. We had no wait. No matter how much you have seen photos of David, nothing can prepare you for the majesty and the exquiteness of the real thing. Michelangelo was not just a genius; he was a magician. Afterwards, we visited the San Marco museum, across the square. If you like frescoes, this is a must, as the ones by Fra Angelico that deccorate the numerous monks’ cells are very nice. I visited the surprisingly large and good Duomo museum while my wife did a little shopping. After lunch, I climbed the dome of the Duomo, while she relaxed a little more. The climb took a long time, was exhausting, and was somewhat hectic because I had to wait for others a lot. It did provide excellent views of the artwork within the dome. From there, we walked a short distance to visit the Basilica of San Lorenzo (never made it to the library as it was only open in the morning) and the Medici Chapel. We were underwhelmed with the latter, although the Michelangelo statues were very nice. The place was undergoing quite a bit of restoration work, which made appreciating it difficult. We wandered around the market stalls near the basilica and purchased a few leather items. We walked to the Ponte Vecchio for sunset, and I hope I got some good photos of the two dozen or so I took. We were not all that impressed with walking on the bridge itself, but it is very attractive from either side. We found a great little restaurant over in Oltrarno, near the Pitti Palace. It is called La Baruciola (Via Maggio), and it turns out the place is listed in a few travel guides. One group of Americans came in and asked for their regular table. My dinner include risoto with mushrooms and baked chicken with zucchini and green onions, and all was delicious and at a good price. So far we were more impressed with the food and prices in Florence. <BR>

Part 7: <BR> <BR>Day 8: Florence <BR>We decided against daytrips because there was so much to see and do in Florence. We started the day with the Bargello sculpture museum. I really liked this small and easy to see museum. There were very few people there when we visited about 9:00 in the morning. I would have liked to visit the Palazzo Vecchio but decided to save it for another time since we were going to visit the Pitti Palace. On the return visit to Santa Croce, we bought leather jackets from a shop not far from the Palazzo Vecchio. Many of the street vendors actually work with shops and will take you back there to show you more merchandise. I think everyone in Florence owns at least one leather jacket, and it seemed to be an even more style conscious city than Rome. Santa Croce is a truly beautiful church, and many famous Florentines are either entombed or honored by monuments there. It is a must with at least two days. Of course before visiting the church, we returned to Vivoli for more gelato. We then walked across to the Pitti Palace, stopping for a quick lunch along the way. The Pitti Palace is spectacular inside, with colorfully decorated rooms loaded with lots of wonderful art. I tried to find some relaxation time for Gina each day, as I know my schedule was tiring. She sat and read in the Boboli Gardens at the palace, while I walked up to the Kaffeehaus for more great views of Florence. After a foot rest for me, we headed over to the church of Santa Maria Novella. It is funny how I so often save the things nearest the hotel for last. We had considered going up to Fiesole on the previous day, but I wanted to wait until I was sure I could see the most important things in Florence. We caught the bus at the main bus station and reached Fiesole in about half an hour. Unfortunately this was the only cloudy day of the trip, so we didn’t get to see the sunset over Florence from this high spot in the beautiful surrounding hills. Still, it was very nice. We relaxed on benches (with few other people around) in the small park on the hillside, read, and watched the nighttime settle over Florence as lights popped on here and there. Actually the slight haze was fairly atmospheric. We didn’t go for a big evening of food at one of the expensive spots with a view. Instead, we had very good wood-fired pizzas at Pizzeria Etrusca, a highly popular spot with locals, right below the church bell tower. Gina had an extremely spicy one that she really liked but which made her a little flushed. The hotel had not been able to cash our deposit check for some reason, so I had to head out in search of an ATM as we were short of cash.

Part 8: <BR> <BR>Day 9: Rome <BR>We decided against the 6:00 train to Rome because it didn’t save enough time to make it worth rising so early. We took the 7:40 Eurostar and reached Rome by 9:15. It poured rain as we neared the city, but it cleared not long after we headed out for sightseeing around 10:00, and we never saw rain or many clouds again. We stayed five nights at Hotel Primavera, in the same building as Residenza San Pantaleo, on Piazza San Pantaleo, a small square facing busy Corso Vittorio Emmanuel II, just past the south end of Piazza Navona. Cheap Sleeps had said the hotel’s fifth floor rooms were very nice, and I had asked for one. They were already taken, but apparently due to cancellations, we ended up with one anyway. We had one good-sized double bed and a single, plus the first TV of our trip. We had a good view out of our window and could see much of St. Peter’s dome from the hallway window. There was an elevator, which was great, since we were so high up. The older lady working at the hotel was very nice and fairly grandmotherly (except for her driving). This is a very noisy place to sleep because of the traffic, but if you are very tired it is not too hard to doze. We toured Medieval Rome on the first day, seeing the Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori (including a gelato break) areas, as well as the Pantheon, which Gina said was certainly very impressive. The hole in the ceiling was even larger than I expected, and I kind of wished it was still raining so I could see the <BR>drops coming through. As evening approached, we crossed Tiber Island into Trastevere. The river area was wonderful in the golden glow of late afternoon. We just sat in the square at Santa Maria in Trastevere, Gina read, and I watched the world go by for at least an hour. We stepped into the church, which was quite crowded for the start of an evening service. We were able to step in enough to see the wonderful mosaics and enjoy the atmosphere. We were scheduled to meet Betsy from the Fodors Web site and her husband Mark for dinner at Al Fontanone, located at Ponte Sisto in Piazza Trilussa just across the river in Trastevere. They had already been in Europe for about three weeks, and she made the reservations before leaving home. This was perhaps the friendliest restaurant at which we dined, and the food was excellent and inexpensive. Many of us had pasta con funghi and the roast pork, which was just too tempting after seeing it sit on a table nearby. We had a couple of hours of good conversation, and I am very glad we did it. I was very surprised that Betsy had once taken a field trip to the company where I work. Afterwards we walked back together as far as our hotel. They told us about a good gelato spot near the Pantheon (Della Palma), and we ended up eating there three times before leaving Rome. The Sacher Torte gelato gets our highest recommendation as something different and particularly good. There must have been 50 or more flavors.

Part 9: <BR> <BR>Day 10: Rome <BR>Vatican day, since the Forum was closed. At first I had planned to get to St. Peters good and early at about 7:00 and then go to the Vatican Museums, but I was just too tired. We reached the cathedral at close to 8:30. This was a great time to go. There were few other people, and we were really able to appreciate it the way I wanted. By the time we left, the crowds had started arriving. We walked down to Castel Sant’Angelo, which I had forgotten was closed on Mondays. No problem. We just had lunch and then headed to the Vatican Museums. Believe it or not, when we reached the Museums at around 12:45, there was no line at all. We just walked right in. Gina made a call home (had to buy a Vatican phone card for use there), and we toured the museum. It was not at all crowded, except for the Raphael rooms and the Sistine Chapel. That didn’t detract too much though. We just sat and examined the ceiling in detail. I thought it was quite amazing, even though I thought for some reason that it would be underwhelming. I absolutely loved the ancient sculpture collection too; just spectacular! Also, the Caravaggio paintings were very special. I have become a real fan of his paintings and love his use of light and dark to highlight the most important points. We took the metro over to Piazza del Popolo and visited Santa Maria del Popolo to see a couple of great Caravaggio works (liked the square too). Then we walked to fashionable Via Condotti and sat for a while on the Spanish Steps. The steps were good for people watching, but it was not a very relaxing spot. First, the “Step Police” ran us off with a whistle when we tried to eat a quick gelato on the steps (seemed this rule was unevenly enforced), and they occasionally cleared a crowd off to clean an area of the steps. Then we made our way to the packed Trevi Fountain and threw in the obligatory coins to ensure a return to Rome. Gina sat and read for an hour, as I wandered around taking photos as the night approached and the fountain lights came on. Gina was not that impressed with the fountain at first but agreed that it was nice after dark. I think she was already growing a little tired of the hectic pace of Rome. We ended the night with a relaxing dinner at Ristorante Abruzzi (Via Vacarro 1), a restaurant recommended highly by Ed of www.twenj.com, Paulo, and other Fodors participants. It was very very good and inexpensive. Gina loved the breaded veal steak, and I thought the Ossobuco was heavenly. We once again dined next to a couple of nice people (Americans from California) and carried on a two-hour conversation with them. The service was very friendly and fast, and the restaurant provided free after dinner drinks. Luckily, they gave me Sambuca, which I really liked. <BR> <BR>

Part 10: <BR> <BR>Day 11: Rome <BR>Time for ancient Rome. We took the bus to Piazza Venezia and walked to the Campidoglio, where we had pastries from a bag, overlooking the ruins. We walked through the Roman Forum, which was little trafficked at 9:00, and was lit by beautiful early light, and arrived at the Colosseum just after it opened. The Colosseum was fabulous. We spent at least 1 ½ hours there, and I shot over a roll of film. There was an excellent exhibit of artifacts relating to gladiators. As we exited, we posed for photos with some of the guys out front dressed as Roman soldiers. I don’t know how the photos look yet (for about $10, I hope they are good), but it was fun regardless. I just read in the paper that those guys are missing the American tourists, not just for money but because they seem more willing to have fun with them than most others. I also read that 250,000 Americans have canceled trips to Rome since September 11. We toured the Forum and listened to one of the American grad students giving free tours on the House of the Vestial Virgins and a few other parts of the site. We both felt the talks were informative and added to the experience. We were not as impressed with the Imperial Fora, which we visited after lunch. Trajan’s column had quite a bit of scaffolding, Trajan’s markets were closed (although we could have sworn we saw tourists walking around in there), and most of the site was visible only from the street. Don’t pay the fee to get into Trajan’s forum; just see it from the street. We visited the Mammartine Prison, which is small but interesting, and then walked to the Palatine Hill. I loved this peaceful spot, but I was exhausted by then. We walked around the site and then sat on a bench, where Gina took a short nap and I rested my feet. We ended the day by walking back to the Campidoglio terrace and watching the lights come on in the Roman Forum as night fell. For dinner, we dined at a spot on Piazza Navona. Sure the food was a little more expensive on the square, but it wasn’t too high, and the atmosphere was worth it. I tried all the main pasta types during the Rome part. I liked them all. I found pasta carbonara fairly rich and little much unless I was very hungry, but it was good. We both loved the spicy arabiata sauce, and I also really liked Amatriciana.

Part 10: <BR> <BR>Day 11: Rome <BR>Time for ancient Rome. We took the bus to Piazza Venezia and walked to the Campidoglio, where we had pastries from a bag, overlooking the ruins. We walked through the Roman Forum, which was little trafficked at 9:00, and was lit by beautiful early light, and arrived at the Colosseum just after it opened. The Colosseum was fabulous. We spent at least 1 ½ hours there, and I shot over a roll of film. There was an excellent exhibit of artifacts relating to gladiators. As we exited, we posed for photos with some of the guys out front dressed as Roman soldiers. I don’t know how the photos look yet (for about $10, I hope they are good), but it was fun regardless. I just read in the paper that those guys are missing the American tourists, not just for money but because they seem more willing to have fun with them than most others. I also read that 250,000 Americans have canceled trips to Rome since September 11. We toured the Forum and listened to one of the American grad students giving free tours on the House of the Vestial Virgins and a few other parts of the site. We both felt the talks were informative and added to the experience. We were not as impressed with the Imperial Fora, which we visited after lunch. Trajan’s column had quite a bit of scaffolding, Trajan’s markets were closed (although we could have sworn we saw tourists walking around in there), and most of the site was visible only from the street. Don’t pay the fee to get into Trajan’s forum; just see it from the street. We visited the Mammartine Prison, which is small but interesting, and then walked to the Palatine Hill. I loved this peaceful spot, but I was exhausted by then. We walked around the site and then sat on a bench, where Gina took a short nap and I rested my feet. We ended the day by walking back to the Campidoglio terrace and watching the lights come on in the Roman Forum as night fell. For dinner, we dined at a spot on Piazza Navona. Sure the food was a little more expensive on the square, but it wasn’t too high, and the atmosphere was worth it. I tried all the main pasta types during the Rome part. I liked them all. I found pasta carbonara fairly rich and little much unless I was very hungry, but it was good. We both loved the spicy arabiata sauce, and I also really liked amatriciana.

Part 11: <BR> <BR>Day 12: Rome <BR>This was a good day spent galloping all over. I never finalized reservations for the Domus Aurea (Nero’s Golden House), so we just dropped by after breakfast. We were able to get a spot for a visit 40 minutes after arriving. It wasn’t one of my top five Rome experiences, but I did enjoy it. We both found it interesting and easy to follow; we used the audioguide tour, not the English guided tour. Afterwards, we walked to a metro stop and whizzed over to Castel Sant’Angelo. This was a nice visit, although somewhat rushed because we had a Scavi Tour reserved for 3:15 at St. Peters. We had lunch at the site to save time. I had left the dome climb for this day as well, and there was quite a crowd at St. Peters. While Gina went to mail a couple of postcards at the Vatican post office, I stood in line. By the time I made it up, I barely had time to take a few photos and hurry down for the tour, but I was glad I did it. The view was spectacular. The Scavi Tour was one of the best things on the whole trip. Eight people didn’t show, so only four of us accompanied the guide (an art historian) as she showed us the pagan tombs and the tomb of St. Peter. It was utterly fascinating, and I cannot recommend it too highly. The tour actually only lasted about an hour because there were so few of us that getting around and seeing everything was very easy. I never did get to the Capitoline museums as planned, but I did visit the Museo Nationale Romano, which was open until 7:00. We just took the metro back to Termini and walked across the street to the museum. Gina sat in the park and read while I visited. She was tired of walking. The sculpture collection on the first two floors is superb. I was told I had to take a tour to visit the mosaic floor, so I passed on that one. I did have time for a quick look at the amazing coin collection in the basement, comprised of thousands of coins spanning the course of Italian history. Each panel had a magnifying glass that could be moved mechanically to observe coins in more detail. Since we were both pretty tired, we just had dinner at a convenient pizzeria near the Pantheon and gelato again at Della Palma, which was across the street.

Part 12: <BR> <BR>Day 13: Rome <BR>The last full day and time to see everything possible not yet covered. I had originally planned on visiting Ostia Antica, but I decided to spend all the time in Rome to really see it well. We took a bus to Piazza Venezia and walked to Santa Maria in Cosmedin, a pretty little church with the famous “Mouth of Truth.” Of course, I had to take a photo of Gina with her hand in the mouth. We just did beat the crowds of tour groups and continued a walk through the glass-strewn Circus Maximus. Once the site of chariot races, it is now a popular exercise spot and provides good views from below of the Palatine Hill. We stopped at the Baths of Caracalla for a look at the baths. Guidebooks don’t play them up much, but I enjoyed it. This was one big bath house. There are a decent number of mosaics still to see, and I found the ruins fairly photogenic. It wasn’t far off the street, but it did provide some peace from all the pervasive traffic. From there we walked quite a ways to the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, one of Rome’s most important and most beautiful churches. The large statues of the apostles lining the nave are really quite expressive and glorious. We then took the metro to Termini and transferred to the other line to get to the area of San Pietro in Vicoli, where we saw Michelangelo’s famous sculpture of Moses. We walked from there to Santa Maria Maggiore, perhaps even more beautiful than San Giovanni. The ceiling and mosaics are superb. We called Claire and then had pizza near Termini before grabbing a cab to make our reservation at the Borghese Gallery, which sits in a large, beautiful park. We arrived before our appointment (you have to pick up tickets at least thirty minutes ahead), so Gina relaxed on a park bench for some reading while I walked around for some photos. Each visitor is allotted two hours to visit. The sculptures are on the lower floor and the paintings on the upper, although the Caravaggios were placed on the lower floor. A visit to this place is worth it to see the fabulous Bernini sculptures alone, including the incredible Apollo and Daphne and David. I was stunned by the sense of motion and detail in these pieces. Like Caravaggio, Bernini captured my soul. We had no trouble finishing in less than two hours, but it helps to read ahead and not try to read too much during the visit. Visitors could only enter the upper floor every thirty minutes and only stay for thirty minutes. This was the most difficult part, especially because many of the best paintings were placed at the end. We walked from Borghese Gardens down Via Veneto to see another one of the fancier parts of the city. We stopped at the church of Santa Maria dei Concezione to see the ossuary, which is decorated with the bones of thousands of Capuchin monks arranged in all kinds of weird designs. The hanging lights were even constructed from bones. We chose to have our last dinner at Abruzzi, which we had both enjoyed a lot, and it was in a fairly quiet location. We talked with a German couple dining beside us. They were traveling with a two-month old child and had met Bill and Chelsea Clinton at St. Peters the day before. We had been there at the exact same time but didn’t go inside the church. They were excited to tell us this news and that they had seen the Pope. They laughed when I said that not too many Americans say Bill Clinton and the Pope in the same sentence. There were a lot of German tourists in Rome but not all that many Americans it seemed. In fact, there was some large German celebration at Piazza Navona one night.

Part 13: <BR> <BR>Day 14: Rome <BR>Time to head home. We missed our daughter, so we didn’t mind so much that the trip was over this time. Our flight didn’t leave until after 1:00, so we walked to Piazza Navona and then went over to Campo dei Fiori to see the market. I am glad I didn’t miss it. I shot another whole roll of film that morning. We bought some pasta mixes at the market and went back to check out. The hotel said it would provide a driver to take us to the airport for 65,000 L. This was to prove one of our lasting memories from the Eternal City with the eternally crazy traffic. The woman who drove us must have been 70 – the grandmotherly one I mentioned. She drove like a bat out of hell, occasionally making some comments about other drivers that I could not understand, and at one point said to us “it is such a hard life here.” She flew by everyone on the highway, probably running 85-90 mph much of the time. She shook our hands like she really knew us as she said goodbye. When she left, I just looked at Gina and said “wow!” The security was pretty interesting at the airport. The area of the terminal containing the desks for Delta and American was roped off and manned by an armed guard who checked passports and tickets. Several heavily armed guards manned an upper level with automatic rifles pointed over the edge. Two airline employees hand-checked the checked baggage, and two more hand-checked the carry-on luggage as we prepared to board the plane. Rome was hectic beyond belief, but I loved it all. I think Gina got pretty tired of the traffic, but we both loved the food and the sights. Coin in the fountain, or no coin in the fountain, I am sure to return. <BR> <BR>Impressions of Italy <BR>Italy is now my favorite country for travel, and I hope I can eventually see a huge chunk of it. The history, art, food, fashion, and people are just amazing. It is a photographer’s paradise too. The only thing I could do without is all the traffic and noise of Rome, but in a way that is part of its charm. I think that got to my wife more than it bothered me. Two things that struck me as even more true about the people than I had expected: sense of fashion and cell phones. Italian people just simply know how to dress, and even the simplest outfit is worn with a lot of style. I almost expected to see someone making love to a cell phone at some point. They are everywhere and always seem to be in the hand. The leather jacket I bought actually has a pouch for a phone inside, but I am going to have to get a smaller phone to make use of it. <BR> <BR>I don’t regret going to Venice, Florence, and Rome, and not really getting out into the countryside, but it is a part of Italy that I really want to see. The days allotted for each were about right. Ideally, I would give four to both Venice and Florence (Venice should be seen at a more relaxed pace, and Florence just has so much to see). Five is about right for Rome, but most people could get by with four. We are already talking about a return trip with our daughter within the next two to three years. I foresee flying into Milan, starting in the Riviera, driving through Tuscany, and ending with a few days in Venice. I feel Venice is a great place for kids, as long as you can keep them from falling into a canal. <BR> <BR>

Part 13: <BR> <BR>Day 14: Rome <BR>Time to head home. We missed our daughter, so we didn’t mind so much that the trip was over this time. Our flight didn’t leave until after 1:00, so we walked to Piazza Navona and then went over to Campo dei Fiori to see the market. I am glad I didn’t miss it. I shot another whole roll of film that morning. We bought some pasta mixes at the market and went back to check out. The hotel said it would provide a driver to take us to the airport for 65,000 L. This was to prove one of our lasting memories from the Eternal City with the eternally crazy traffic. The woman who drove us must have been 70 – the grandmotherly one I mentioned. She drove like a bat out of hell, occasionally making some comments about other drivers that I could not understand, and at one point said to us “it is such a hard life here.” She flew by everyone on the highway, probably running 85-90 mph much of the time. She shook our hands like she really knew us as she said goodbye. When she left, I just looked at Gina and said “wow!” The security was pretty interesting at the airport. The area of the terminal containing the desks for Delta and American was roped off and manned by an armed guard who checked passports and tickets. Several heavily armed guards manned an upper level with automatic rifles pointed over the edge. Two airline employees hand-checked the checked baggage, and two more hand-checked the carry-on luggage as we prepared to board the plane. Rome was hectic beyond belief, but I loved it all. I think Gina got pretty tired of the traffic, but we both loved the food and the sights. Coin in the fountain, or no coin in the fountain, I am sure to return. <BR>

Part 14 - The End - Sorry for the duplications, but there were bound to be glitches <BR> <BR>Photography <BR>I shot 24 rolls of film in 11 ½ days in Italy. I found the people just as interesting as the sights and tried to take as many of them as I could. I would have shot a lot more film if we hadn’t spent so much time inside visiting museums and other sights. Most of the museums and many churches prohibited photography; a little more than I expected. I took my tripod but wished I had left it at home. I was too tired to bother with it in the evenings and didn’t want to lug it around at other times, so it never came out of the bag. I did carry two cameras a couple of days, but I enjoyed it more when I just took the one. I did always carry three lenses, ranging from 20 to 210 mm. Although I took a lot of photos, I tried to experience Italy the way it should be experienced and not through a camera lens. The light was gorgeous, particularly in Rome. I shot mostly 100 speed film, since the weather was so nice, and I just adjusted the aperture settings to account for the lower speed as required. Sometimes I found a place to sit the camera for longer exposures, such as evening at the ruins. I usually travel with my film in plastic containers to keep it from scratching and use clear plastic bags. Hand-checking is required in the U.S. if you ask. In Europe, it is tough to get. Because of increased security, I bought a nice new lead-lined bag for this trip; it holds 70 rolls of film. I took all the rolls out of the containers to make it easier for people to check them. At RDU they hand-checked each roll but looked suspiciously at the lead-lined bag and questioned us thoroughly as to what it was. A supervisor came over and reminded the security personnel that hand-checking was required if asked to do so. At Gatwick in London, the lead-lined bag went right on through x-rays with the film inside with no questions asked. I was quite surprised at that one. The same thing happened in Rome, but they later hand-checked it at the gate anyway. They only took a brief look at the film and commented that I took a lot of photos. At O’Hare, I asked for hand-checking, and the person wouldn’t do it until she asked a supervisor. I said I didn’t want to argue but that it was supposed to be required by regulations and that I would really rather not send all that film through if I didn’t have to. They used a wand to check it for explosives. There will be more photo tips on my Web site later. <BR> <BR>Language <BR>I learned numbers and quite a few words and phrases before I left, but Sept. 11 kind of set me back a bit as I couldn’t get into the planning for a while. I found that what I learned really helped, especially with the few people we encountered who didn’t speak English. Just like in Switzerland though it was frustrating that often people wanted to speak English with us even if Italian was attempted. In fact, I think it confused them sometimes if I was trying to speak Italian when they expected to hear English. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

I meant to add something about the dreaded shoe issue. I bought SAS Time Out shoes for this trip. They are not really ugly but are not all that sylish though. However, they are wonderful for walking. I wore them for most of the trip. My feet give me a lot of trouble, but these didn't even come close to giving me blisters no matter how much my arches hurt. I put my old running shoes on for the morning island trip and wished I had not. I could tell right away that the SAS shoes were far superior - so much more room. I paid about $120 at an SAS outlet store in the RTP area of NC.

Welcome home Dan! Wonderful, wonderful report! I can't wait to go to Italy, which is in 2 days. I'm glad you wrote about the film/security check. I wasn't so sure if I should take my film out of the plastic containers, and put them in a zip lock bag. Sounds like you did the same but put them in the lead bag. <BR> <BR>I look forward to seeing your photos on your web site!

Oh Dan, I was so happy to read your trip report; welcome back! I know you had to make a tough decision to go, and I'm glad to hear you loved Italy so much. <BR> <BR>Thanks for a great post! <BR> <BR>(And P.S. to Monica: Have a wonderful trip, and be sure to tellus all about it on your return!)

Dan: <BR> <BR>Welcome home and I'm so happy you had a glorious trip. I was one of those pulling for you and hoping you would decide to go in the weeks before you left. I noted on your post at the beginning of the trip how proud I was that you decided to go and were on your way! <BR> <BR>Printed your trip report and will read it at leisure. Again, so glad you went and now you can enjoy all the fabulous memories! <BR> <BR>j

Welcome back Dan, Very nice report. Now that Italy is your new favorite destination, and having done the major art cites, now you can plan to see the places in Italy that are even more photogenic. You would go crazy at the Lakes or the Cinque Terre or the Amalfi coast or the Dolomites. I have always said it takes 6 weeks to see Italy. You have started well--you might as well plan your next trip now.

Yes Bob, I am dreaming already. The very mention of those places makes me drool. Our flights provided stunning views of the Dolomites, Alps, and other areas, so I got a small taste of what is to come. I really consider myself a world traveler more than a European traveler, but a place like Italy (or France) can make you want to go back again and again and again. I pick up my first few rolls of photos today and can't wait.

Dan, What a wonderful report especially for a person like me getting ready to go for the first time. Thanks for all the effort. I have question. You said your hotel Primavera is the same building as the Reidenzia San Pantaleo. Which is nicer the hotel or the San Panatleo? I was considering staying there and this is the first I heard of which hotel was in the buliding? Also would you recommend a room facing the street or the back in the San Pantaleo? Are they owned by the same people? I have to ask, What book was your wife reading? IT must be something good. I need to know. Can you tell me more about your website? Thanks Karen

Karen, <BR> <BR>I am not sure if the same people own the two hotels. I didn't think to ask, and I had wondered the same thing. I think the Primavera had rooms on two floors, and the other hotel had rooms on a couple of floors, but I didn't look that hard. I think the building had six floors, and there were some apartments in the building. Our hotel desk was on the first floor (second for us in the U.S.). The large outer door opens into an inner courtyard, where a few cars are parked. You then go through a second door to the elevator, which is creaky but very functional and large enough for quite a bit of luggage. If you use it, be aware that it does not stop for you if someone else is already in it. You watch for the light to go out and push the button as quickly as possible. The elevator is heavily used. The square only has about four buildings on it and is about one short block south of Piazza Navona. It is an extremely convenient location. There is a news kiosk outside, an ATM machine on the wall of the building right by the door, and a McDonalds right down the street if you want a late-night Coke to take back to the room. There are bus stops very near the hotel, and we used the buses quite a bit. Campo de' Fiori is about a 5-7 minute walk in the opposite direction from Piazza Navona, and you can reach the Pantheon in about the same amount of time. You can take a bus to St. Peters in less than 10 minutes. I am not sure which hotel is nicer. I know you hear a lot more on this site and elsewhere about the Residenza San Pantaleo. I learned about Hotel Primavera in Cheap Sleeps. They are about the same price. $110 for our room with complete bath (fairly large and new).You will find more on the hotel on www.twenj.com under "Hotel Selection: Tips and Tricks <BR>by Margo Classé." We stayed in room 13. I would definitely ask for a room off the street. Our's was not on the main street but faced a small side street. The double-paned windows with shutters kept out a lot of noise, but it is still a noisy spot if you are a very light sleeper. The shutters make the rooms extremely dark, which should help with sleep too. <BR> <BR>My wife just took along a couple of romance novels. I don't think she would have wanted any heavier reading, considering how much walking I made her do. <BR> <BR>My Web site is a personal site for travelogues and travel photography. I am really into photography. The site is called "The One-eyed Traveler" (think about looking through a camera lens). The address is www.oneeyed.homestead.com. I do all my own scanning right now, so I expect it will take me a month or more to get all my selected Italy photos online, but I already have loaded about 200-300 from other trips. <BR> <BR>Hope this helps. <BR>

Hi Dan, <BR>I live and work in Rome now as a tour guide and was very interested to read your report. <BR>Yes everyone has been affected here by the events of 11 September in relation to Tourism as Americans make up such a big part of it. As you say also it is nice because Americans do have a great sense of humour and are so interested in what they see and do. <BR> <BR>I have advising people that if they want to come they should just go ahead and do it! The safety here is excellent with many, many undercover police, normal police and Caribinieri around. Yes it can seem intimidating seeing them with guns but it is for the best. At the Vatican they are in the process of installing airport security checked on the side of each of the colonnade so that you are checked before even entering the piazza itself. <BR> <BR>Anyway it was lovely to hear that after making a difficult decision to go ahead, that you thoroughly enjoyed yourselves while in Rome. <BR> <BR>I have lived here for 4 years and absolutely love this city and as a tour guide here it is my absolute joy to share this with other people. So I was constantly smiling when reading your report, in particular the Italian sense of fashion and telephones, how true!! <BR> <BR>Anyway I would like to extend an invitation to anyone who is coming to Rome, that if I can help you out with any questions about where to stay, the situation as I see it in Rome, the weather, tours and things to do etc, I would be more than happy for you to contact my email at <BR>[email protected] <BR>Regards <BR>Marianna

Marianna,thanks for the compliments. Yes, I really loved your city. I still love Paris more I think, but it is fairly close between Paris, Rome, and Venice for my favorite city in Europe (alas, Prague has finally been moved back on my list). Paris is a more relaxed and less noisy city than Rome, but Rome has a slight advantage in how easy it is to find excellent food. I have a few questions for you, since you mentioned security. We noticed a definite police presence in Florence and Rome. Many squares and buildings had heavily armed officers, in flak jackets on many occasions. We saw several police helicopters and noticed very heavy security at the big synagogue on the Tiber. We also saw ambulances in many spots in Florence. We had a feeling a lot of this is just the norm. I wondered about the Vatican, which didn't seem to have much security for such a prominent place. How much of what we saw is related to what happened in the U.S.? It didn't bother me; it actually made me feel more secure. The police officers in Florence were particularly nice and provided good directions too.

Great trip report, I enjoyed it very much.

Terrific report Dan! It was interesting to read your impressions since I was just in Rome a couple of months ago too. I have to say that Paris is still my favorite, but Venice is right at the top of my list too, and Rome is not far behind. My impressions of the David in Florence and Apollo and Daphne in Rome were just like yours -- they are both astounding. It sounds like you really planned your trip well and it wasn't too rushed.

I am ready to change plans and instead of coming home from London, head straight to Italy for some Calamari and the wonderful sites you mentioned. Thank you.

Dan: <BR> <BR>Read your report last evening and thoroughly enjoyed it. Will certainly use some of your suggestions on our return to Italy next May. We have been to Rome many times and once to Florence, but this will be our first visit to Venice and we are really looking forward to it. <BR> <BR>Again, glad you had such a good time and I look forward to seeing your pictures. <BR> <BR>j

Great travelogue, Dan. Please post a link when you have your photos ready. <BR> <BR>I'll be checking your site, also.

I totally agree with the previous poster. Dan's report deserves a wider readership.

Great report Dan! Are your photos developed yet? We took 34 rolls and ended up with two albums (and a box full of dupes and not as extraordinary shots!) Italy hooked us for good, too. What a wonderful place.

I have had four rolls printed, but they scratched my negatives a little more than I like (scanners really pick those up), so I am mailing all my film to a local pro-lab that doesn't use machine rollers for developing. I am going to just swallow the exta cost on this one. Twenty rolls of 36 to go. So far I have a few that I like a lot. The 20 second exposures I did of the Forum, by placing my camera on the wall and using the timer, turned out great, and I got some good ones of Torcello. I think I may switch over to slides for future trips. Maybe I am a little too picky, but I can't find the perfect travel print film. I used mostly Fuji Reala 100. It prints beautifully. The colors are very realistic with Reala, which is good, but it isn't the most vibrant film. However, it does have very vibrant reds in the right light, and with custom printing enlargements can be really beautiful. One other good thing about Reala is that it tends to handle harsh lighting fairly well (not too much contrast), but it is not as good on cloudy days (I use other film for that). The 20-35 mm wide angle I got before the trip came in very handy, especially in the tight quarters of Venice. It really is great in crowds. You can get wide structures in the shot without having to back up so far that you also get a lot of extraneous things in it too. I was able to photograph the whole Victor Emmanuel Monument in Rome through the fence and still leave plenty of space around it. I expect to have some photos on the Web by the middle of next week, but it will likely take a month or so to complete all the scanning.

Thanks for a super report, Dan! Sounds like you really did have a great first trip to Italy! Glad to hear you loved it - I knew you would. I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures. Grazie!