Eternal Italy in 15 days : 2013 Trip Report
Aug 28th, 2013, 11:20 AM
#21
Worse was to follow in Rome with respect to August closures. Have not seen this happen anywhere else in the world, at such a scale.>>
As I'm not very good in the heat, we tend not to visit southern europe between June and August, so i have no personal experience, but I believe it's to do with the heat normally expected in Rome and Florence in August, so the locals all leave for cooler climes. Paris is supposed to be the same.
As I'm not very good in the heat, we tend not to visit southern europe between June and August, so i have no personal experience, but I believe it's to do with the heat normally expected in Rome and Florence in August, so the locals all leave for cooler climes. Paris is supposed to be the same.
Aug 28th, 2013, 07:09 PM
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Hi live42day, you are lucky to be visiting Italy in October. I understand from locals there that May and October are now considered the best times of the year to visit Italy, from a weather perspective.
Aug 29th, 2013, 09:18 AM
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Day 5 : Wednesday August 14th : FLORENCE :
The hostess of our B&B informed us that breakfast will be served in the room. Great ! We were ready at 8:15am, as we had reserved tickets for the Uffizi Gallery for 9:30am. However, there was some delay, as most of the guests in the B&B probably wanted their breakfasts at the exact same hour ! Giuliana looked a little hassled, but our breakfasts finally came (very elaborate and sumptuous), which we bolted down and dashed off to Plaza Signoria.
Florence had cooled down considerably today to 29C, with a cool breeze blowing everywhere. Great to be away from the stifling heat. At Plaza Signoria, there was a long line for the Uffizi gallery : one line for people without tickets, and one for those with pre-reserved tickets. Despite having reserved our tickets over two months in advance, we had to stand in line for 45 minutes before we could get our tickets and go in. I am sure they can manage these things better.
What is there to write about the Uffizi ? One of the largest storehouses of art treasures in the world, with the most number of masterpieces. We loved the Boticelli room (although the group tours constantly hovering around “Birth of Venus” was obnoxious), the solitary painting by Michaelangelo, and many many other great masterpieces by various artistes. The frescoes on the ceilings in the corridors were also great. After about 90 minutes of viewing, we rested with some drinks on their rooftop cafe, and then resumed. We finally exited after spending about 3.5 hours inside, fully satiated, when the mind could absorb no more art ! Very different from the solitary David statue in the Accademia, although it would be a very difficult choice to pick one over the other.
On the way back to our B&B, we stopped for sandwiches at the “ I Due Fratellini” sandwich shop nearby, which receives rave reviews. We were disappointed; the sandwiches were overhyped and quite bad. Had some gelato on the way home at Perche No,which was great, before resting at our B&B for a few hours.
We left again at about 4:30pm, making a repeat visit inside the Duomo. Then walked to Plaza Signoria, where we spent some time admiring the various statues around the plaza. Probably the best plaza in Florence, and one can never tire watching the sites in the square. We promised to come back here later, and crossed the Ponte Vecchio to reach Palazzo Pitti. We were basically interested in the Boboli gardens, but its ticket comes along with entry to the Silver and the Porcelain museums.
We decided to try out the Silver museum, which was average. There was no time for the Porcelain museum, and we walked into the Boboli gardens. This turned out to be a disappointment. Most of the garden was devoid of grass, and there was nothing worthwhile to see. Have seen public gardens a hundred times prettier. Despite the hype, we would strongly advise people to give this garden a miss.
We walked back towards the Ponte Vecchio, and sat down at a lovely restaurant called “Golden View Open Bar”, which had killer views of the Arno river. We got a window table, and the views were super, and the place was classy. We had drinks, followed by dinner. Good food coupled with impeccable service made it a very enjoyable experience. We exited around sunset, and stopped on the Ponte Vecchio to click pictures in fading light.
We walked back to Plaza Signoria, and sat there for quite a while. I loved the feel of this plaza. After spending time here, we also strolled over to Plaza Repubblica nearby, and then returned to Plaza Duomo and just sat outside on the steps, watching the scene. So nice to sit here, watch the street vendors, the horse carriages, the people. Finally, one more round of gelato, and off to bed.
The hostess of our B&B informed us that breakfast will be served in the room. Great ! We were ready at 8:15am, as we had reserved tickets for the Uffizi Gallery for 9:30am. However, there was some delay, as most of the guests in the B&B probably wanted their breakfasts at the exact same hour ! Giuliana looked a little hassled, but our breakfasts finally came (very elaborate and sumptuous), which we bolted down and dashed off to Plaza Signoria.
Florence had cooled down considerably today to 29C, with a cool breeze blowing everywhere. Great to be away from the stifling heat. At Plaza Signoria, there was a long line for the Uffizi gallery : one line for people without tickets, and one for those with pre-reserved tickets. Despite having reserved our tickets over two months in advance, we had to stand in line for 45 minutes before we could get our tickets and go in. I am sure they can manage these things better.
What is there to write about the Uffizi ? One of the largest storehouses of art treasures in the world, with the most number of masterpieces. We loved the Boticelli room (although the group tours constantly hovering around “Birth of Venus” was obnoxious), the solitary painting by Michaelangelo, and many many other great masterpieces by various artistes. The frescoes on the ceilings in the corridors were also great. After about 90 minutes of viewing, we rested with some drinks on their rooftop cafe, and then resumed. We finally exited after spending about 3.5 hours inside, fully satiated, when the mind could absorb no more art ! Very different from the solitary David statue in the Accademia, although it would be a very difficult choice to pick one over the other.
On the way back to our B&B, we stopped for sandwiches at the “ I Due Fratellini” sandwich shop nearby, which receives rave reviews. We were disappointed; the sandwiches were overhyped and quite bad. Had some gelato on the way home at Perche No,which was great, before resting at our B&B for a few hours.
We left again at about 4:30pm, making a repeat visit inside the Duomo. Then walked to Plaza Signoria, where we spent some time admiring the various statues around the plaza. Probably the best plaza in Florence, and one can never tire watching the sites in the square. We promised to come back here later, and crossed the Ponte Vecchio to reach Palazzo Pitti. We were basically interested in the Boboli gardens, but its ticket comes along with entry to the Silver and the Porcelain museums.
We decided to try out the Silver museum, which was average. There was no time for the Porcelain museum, and we walked into the Boboli gardens. This turned out to be a disappointment. Most of the garden was devoid of grass, and there was nothing worthwhile to see. Have seen public gardens a hundred times prettier. Despite the hype, we would strongly advise people to give this garden a miss.
We walked back towards the Ponte Vecchio, and sat down at a lovely restaurant called “Golden View Open Bar”, which had killer views of the Arno river. We got a window table, and the views were super, and the place was classy. We had drinks, followed by dinner. Good food coupled with impeccable service made it a very enjoyable experience. We exited around sunset, and stopped on the Ponte Vecchio to click pictures in fading light.
We walked back to Plaza Signoria, and sat there for quite a while. I loved the feel of this plaza. After spending time here, we also strolled over to Plaza Repubblica nearby, and then returned to Plaza Duomo and just sat outside on the steps, watching the scene. So nice to sit here, watch the street vendors, the horse carriages, the people. Finally, one more round of gelato, and off to bed.
Aug 30th, 2013, 08:44 AM
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Day 6 : Thursday, August 15th : FLORENCE (with daytrip to Pisa/Lucca) :
Today was August 15th, the Ferragosto holiday in Italy. We had planned on doing a daytrip to Pisa and Lucca today. Once again, breakfast was served in our room, and we were off by 9am. First I stopped to click early morning pictures of the Duomo (minus the crowds), and then we walked to the train station to board a train for Pisa. From Pisa Centrale station, it is a fairly long walk to the Leaning Tower (almost 25 minutes), and suddenly the iconic landmark came into view.
I have been seeing pictures of the Leaning Tower since my childhood, and no matter how cheesy or touristy it is, I always wanted to see the Leaning Tower. My first reaction on seeing the tower was that it was leaning far more than what I had imagined. We walked all around the Tower, and clicked pictures from every angle. Obviously, the tilt appeared much more from certain angles than others. It was great to photograph the Tower, and I must say we thoroughly enjoyed it.
We had no intentions of climbing up the tower, as it entailed a 4 hour wait, and E 18 per person charge – no thank you. Sat down at cafes, sometimes for sodas, and sometimes for granitas (it was hot again today). Finally, there is only so long that you can hang around a tower that leans, and after 90 minutes or so, we felt that we had had our heart’s fill. We walked over to the other side of the plaza, and found a bus stop where the Lazzio bus to Lucca was to stop. We waited in the afternoon heat for 30 minutes, but no bus showed up, and no one around knew the schedule. So we gave up on the bus, and walked a little further to reach Pisa S. Rossore station.
The station was deserted and there was not a soul visible there. We bought our train tickets to Lucca from a vending machine, which also informed us that the next train would be at 1:50pm (after another 30 minutes). We had no option but to wait, during which time a couple of other passengers also showed up, as lost as us. Finally, the train arrived, we clambered on, and reached Lucca 20 minutes later.
It was a very hot and humid day, and as we entered the walled city of Lucca, we ducked into the first restaurant that we saw to have lunch, and to shield ourselves from the sun. We had beers to cool ourselves down, and a slow and leisurely lunch, as we were in no hurry to step out in the harsh afternoon sun.
At about 4pm, when the restaurant looked like closing down post-lunch, we strolled over to a nearby square, sat on a shaded bench and snoozed for a while.
As the day cooled down, we walked towards the city walls, and rented a tandem bicycle. The next hour, we behaved like teenagers, riding the tandem bicycle all over Lucca ! There were smiles from various onlookers, but who cared ! However, much of the town appeared to be closed due to Ferragosto holidays. Also, the number of one-way streets made riding a bicycle very difficult. We somehow made it to the Piazza Anfiteatro, and parked the bicycle. What a lovely plaza, full of life. Sat down at a café for some sodas. I could understand why people like Lucca so much. It is a compact little town, not too many tourists, and yet it is full of life and energy. Would have been much nicer if it was not a holiday.
We returned the bicycle, and started walking around. It was much cooler now, and the humidity had vanished. Came across a lovely gelato bar, with great interiors, where you could mix and match and make your own gelato combinations, with a wide variety of toppings. We strolled to Plaza Michele, where some musicians had drawn a large crowd, walked past Gunigi Tower, and returned to Piazza Anfiteatro to have some wine. If the shops had been open, it would have been far more lively in the town. Unfortunately, the streets looked a little dead today.
We walked back to the train station, took a train back to Florence. Our stomachs were full from a late and heavy lunch, and dinner was not on our agenda. We picked up some donuts on the way back to the B&B, and on reaching home we retired to sleep. We had an early alarm set for the morning, as we had to leave for Sorrento.
Today was August 15th, the Ferragosto holiday in Italy. We had planned on doing a daytrip to Pisa and Lucca today. Once again, breakfast was served in our room, and we were off by 9am. First I stopped to click early morning pictures of the Duomo (minus the crowds), and then we walked to the train station to board a train for Pisa. From Pisa Centrale station, it is a fairly long walk to the Leaning Tower (almost 25 minutes), and suddenly the iconic landmark came into view.
I have been seeing pictures of the Leaning Tower since my childhood, and no matter how cheesy or touristy it is, I always wanted to see the Leaning Tower. My first reaction on seeing the tower was that it was leaning far more than what I had imagined. We walked all around the Tower, and clicked pictures from every angle. Obviously, the tilt appeared much more from certain angles than others. It was great to photograph the Tower, and I must say we thoroughly enjoyed it.
We had no intentions of climbing up the tower, as it entailed a 4 hour wait, and E 18 per person charge – no thank you. Sat down at cafes, sometimes for sodas, and sometimes for granitas (it was hot again today). Finally, there is only so long that you can hang around a tower that leans, and after 90 minutes or so, we felt that we had had our heart’s fill. We walked over to the other side of the plaza, and found a bus stop where the Lazzio bus to Lucca was to stop. We waited in the afternoon heat for 30 minutes, but no bus showed up, and no one around knew the schedule. So we gave up on the bus, and walked a little further to reach Pisa S. Rossore station.
The station was deserted and there was not a soul visible there. We bought our train tickets to Lucca from a vending machine, which also informed us that the next train would be at 1:50pm (after another 30 minutes). We had no option but to wait, during which time a couple of other passengers also showed up, as lost as us. Finally, the train arrived, we clambered on, and reached Lucca 20 minutes later.
It was a very hot and humid day, and as we entered the walled city of Lucca, we ducked into the first restaurant that we saw to have lunch, and to shield ourselves from the sun. We had beers to cool ourselves down, and a slow and leisurely lunch, as we were in no hurry to step out in the harsh afternoon sun.
At about 4pm, when the restaurant looked like closing down post-lunch, we strolled over to a nearby square, sat on a shaded bench and snoozed for a while.
As the day cooled down, we walked towards the city walls, and rented a tandem bicycle. The next hour, we behaved like teenagers, riding the tandem bicycle all over Lucca ! There were smiles from various onlookers, but who cared ! However, much of the town appeared to be closed due to Ferragosto holidays. Also, the number of one-way streets made riding a bicycle very difficult. We somehow made it to the Piazza Anfiteatro, and parked the bicycle. What a lovely plaza, full of life. Sat down at a café for some sodas. I could understand why people like Lucca so much. It is a compact little town, not too many tourists, and yet it is full of life and energy. Would have been much nicer if it was not a holiday.
We returned the bicycle, and started walking around. It was much cooler now, and the humidity had vanished. Came across a lovely gelato bar, with great interiors, where you could mix and match and make your own gelato combinations, with a wide variety of toppings. We strolled to Plaza Michele, where some musicians had drawn a large crowd, walked past Gunigi Tower, and returned to Piazza Anfiteatro to have some wine. If the shops had been open, it would have been far more lively in the town. Unfortunately, the streets looked a little dead today.
We walked back to the train station, took a train back to Florence. Our stomachs were full from a late and heavy lunch, and dinner was not on our agenda. We picked up some donuts on the way back to the B&B, and on reaching home we retired to sleep. We had an early alarm set for the morning, as we had to leave for Sorrento.
Aug 30th, 2013, 08:58 AM
#31
Also, the number of one-way streets made riding a bicycle very difficult>>
indiancouple, you are probably the only people in the whole of italy who would worry about riding a tandem the wrong way down a one way street on Ferroagosto.
indiancouple, you are probably the only people in the whole of italy who would worry about riding a tandem the wrong way down a one way street on Ferroagosto.
Aug 30th, 2013, 09:06 AM
#32
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annhig, some of us are law abiding (atleast when in a foreign country) !!
To be truthful, we did try going on the wrong side of a one-way street on one or two occasions, but a lady motorist who crossed us waved a wagging finger at us angrily, and we did not wish to disturb the town's peace anymore !
To be truthful, we did try going on the wrong side of a one-way street on one or two occasions, but a lady motorist who crossed us waved a wagging finger at us angrily, and we did not wish to disturb the town's peace anymore !
Aug 30th, 2013, 09:54 AM
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Day 7 : Friday, August 16th : SORRENTO (with daytrip to Pompeii) :
We had to get up before 5am. Our hostess had left us some fruits and stuff in our room for an early breakfast, which we consumed. By 6am we were out of the B&B with all our luggage, headed for the train station. It was a breeze in the morning, with no traffic on the streets. We boarded our 6:50am train headed for Naples. Had some coffee on the train, and took turns in snoozing.
The train reached Naples on time at about 10am. We walked over to the Tourist Information counter on the station, and bought our 3-day Arte Campania Regional cards (E 32 each, but very good value for money if you do the maths). Then we walked to the Circumvesuviana train station below, and boarded the 10:39am train to Sorrento (train ticket included in the Arte card purchased earlier). Train took a little longer than scheduled over the journey, and it was noon when we reached Sorrento.
We were booked at a highly rated B&B called Villa Monica, which was up on the hills. The owner Pasquale offered free pick up and drop to Sorrento town as part of his package. We had called him 15 minutes earlier to alert him about our arrival, and he was there at the station to receive us. We instantly struck a rapport – he was full of wit and humor, and it was a delight to chat with him. It was an adventurous ride up the hill to the B&B, with Pasquale assuring DW that he was the best driver in Italy, and that she should not get scared !
Once there, we got an excellent room, with a balcony with super views looking down at Sorrento. We sat in the living room of the B&B, sipped excellent complimentary red wine, and read through a dossier of tips and suggestions left behind by fellow travelers.
At about 2pm, Pasquale dropped us back in Sorrento town near the train station, at a restaurant which he had recommended called “Leone Rossa”. It turned out to be an excellent selection. We had a wonderful lunch at very reasonable prices, in nice environs. We then boarded a Circumvesuviana train back to Pompeii (transport free with Arte card), reaching there at about 4pm. Entry into the Pompeii ruins was also free with our Arte card. We rented audioguides at the entrance, which is highly recommended for Pompeii. The quality of narration in the audioguides is very good there.
The sun was still strong, and it was a hot day, but Pompeii was Pompeii, and we were determined to enjoy it. The signages inside are terrible, and if you lose your bearings once, it is very difficult to locate your position and direction again, without assistance from any street sign. However, the site itself is fantastic. It is hard to imagine such a complete city, 2600 years old, in such an intact state. We loved the Teatro, the Little Teatro, the Public Baths, the Lupanare (the brothel of yore !), the Foro, the Temple of Jupiter. The overall layout of the city and its grandeur, set in 600-700 BC, was mind-boggling. It is truly remarkable that such intactness is there, despite being buried under volcanic ash for centuries. Even the erotic paintings in the brothel are very much visible and clear. We were excited about walking through this historical site, and felt that this was a must-see on any trip to Italy.
We exited at about 7pm, had some sodas, and boarded the train back to Sorrento. From the train station, we walked to Plaza Tasso, and further for about 20 minutes before we reached a highly recommended restaurant called “Inn Buffalito”. We were told that there would be a very long wait for a table, so we left. We walked another 30 minutes or so, looking for another restaurant called “Mondo Bio”. We found it, but it was closed for August vacations. We had by now been on the road for almost 75 minutes looking for food, and were tired and hungry. We walked to Plaza Tasso, sat down on the first available restaurant (called Aurora Light). The food was bad, but we were too tired to care. Pasquale picked us up at 9:45pm, and we returned to our room for the night.
We had to get up before 5am. Our hostess had left us some fruits and stuff in our room for an early breakfast, which we consumed. By 6am we were out of the B&B with all our luggage, headed for the train station. It was a breeze in the morning, with no traffic on the streets. We boarded our 6:50am train headed for Naples. Had some coffee on the train, and took turns in snoozing.
The train reached Naples on time at about 10am. We walked over to the Tourist Information counter on the station, and bought our 3-day Arte Campania Regional cards (E 32 each, but very good value for money if you do the maths). Then we walked to the Circumvesuviana train station below, and boarded the 10:39am train to Sorrento (train ticket included in the Arte card purchased earlier). Train took a little longer than scheduled over the journey, and it was noon when we reached Sorrento.
We were booked at a highly rated B&B called Villa Monica, which was up on the hills. The owner Pasquale offered free pick up and drop to Sorrento town as part of his package. We had called him 15 minutes earlier to alert him about our arrival, and he was there at the station to receive us. We instantly struck a rapport – he was full of wit and humor, and it was a delight to chat with him. It was an adventurous ride up the hill to the B&B, with Pasquale assuring DW that he was the best driver in Italy, and that she should not get scared !
Once there, we got an excellent room, with a balcony with super views looking down at Sorrento. We sat in the living room of the B&B, sipped excellent complimentary red wine, and read through a dossier of tips and suggestions left behind by fellow travelers.
At about 2pm, Pasquale dropped us back in Sorrento town near the train station, at a restaurant which he had recommended called “Leone Rossa”. It turned out to be an excellent selection. We had a wonderful lunch at very reasonable prices, in nice environs. We then boarded a Circumvesuviana train back to Pompeii (transport free with Arte card), reaching there at about 4pm. Entry into the Pompeii ruins was also free with our Arte card. We rented audioguides at the entrance, which is highly recommended for Pompeii. The quality of narration in the audioguides is very good there.
The sun was still strong, and it was a hot day, but Pompeii was Pompeii, and we were determined to enjoy it. The signages inside are terrible, and if you lose your bearings once, it is very difficult to locate your position and direction again, without assistance from any street sign. However, the site itself is fantastic. It is hard to imagine such a complete city, 2600 years old, in such an intact state. We loved the Teatro, the Little Teatro, the Public Baths, the Lupanare (the brothel of yore !), the Foro, the Temple of Jupiter. The overall layout of the city and its grandeur, set in 600-700 BC, was mind-boggling. It is truly remarkable that such intactness is there, despite being buried under volcanic ash for centuries. Even the erotic paintings in the brothel are very much visible and clear. We were excited about walking through this historical site, and felt that this was a must-see on any trip to Italy.
We exited at about 7pm, had some sodas, and boarded the train back to Sorrento. From the train station, we walked to Plaza Tasso, and further for about 20 minutes before we reached a highly recommended restaurant called “Inn Buffalito”. We were told that there would be a very long wait for a table, so we left. We walked another 30 minutes or so, looking for another restaurant called “Mondo Bio”. We found it, but it was closed for August vacations. We had by now been on the road for almost 75 minutes looking for food, and were tired and hungry. We walked to Plaza Tasso, sat down on the first available restaurant (called Aurora Light). The food was bad, but we were too tired to care. Pasquale picked us up at 9:45pm, and we returned to our room for the night.
Aug 30th, 2013, 08:32 PM
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msteacher, keeping to a rigorous routine does work for the first few days of any trip. As the trip progresses, the flesh gets weaker, and early morning starts begin to vanish !
Thanks TXtraveler, will keep posting a few installments everyday.
Thanks TXtraveler, will keep posting a few installments everyday.
Aug 30th, 2013, 09:02 PM
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Thanks for your report so far. Just a quick question. How was your experience with the Alilaguna service at Marco Polo. Did you wait long to get the boat? We used the Alilaguna service previously - it was excellent - but that was going to the airport not from.
Aug 30th, 2013, 09:06 PM
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Love reading your reports.
Tell us how you manage to write all the details so well. Do you take notes while resting daily or do you come to the room at night and jot down the highlights.
Many of us try to include details but often forget names of restaurants, dishes or even some other facts.
Your advice would help many other Fodorites.
Truly impressed by your travels and wonder who you can take time off your work or maybe you are retired or lucky to have enough vacation time.
You have seen many corners of the world, so I am wondering what are your travel plans for 2014.
Have a splendid weekend.
Tell us how you manage to write all the details so well. Do you take notes while resting daily or do you come to the room at night and jot down the highlights.
Many of us try to include details but often forget names of restaurants, dishes or even some other facts.
Your advice would help many other Fodorites.
Truly impressed by your travels and wonder who you can take time off your work or maybe you are retired or lucky to have enough vacation time.
You have seen many corners of the world, so I am wondering what are your travel plans for 2014.
Have a splendid weekend.
Aug 30th, 2013, 09:42 PM
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worldinabag, no problems at all with the Alilaguna service from the airport. We did not have to wait more than a few minutes. I believe the service is quite frequent, and efficient.
Aug 30th, 2013, 09:55 PM
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ileen, thanks for the kudos. I do carry a small notebook with me during every trip, to jot down in brief the places that we covered each day. Usually jot them while resting in the afternoon or evening, or sometimes for the last 2-3 days at one go. Writing a detailed trip report immediately upon return, when the memory is fresh, always helps. And the notebook that I have maintained comes in handy when writing the TR. Without those jottings, there is no way in which I would remember those details at the end of the trip.
Unfortunately, I am not retired as yet (wish I was), so I do have to work. But I run my own business, so I do not have to ask anyone for permission to take a vacation. We do try to take 2 vacations per year; sometimes only one is possible.
As for 2014, we have a trip to Australia in mind, and maybe one to Scotland and Ireland.
Unfortunately, I am not retired as yet (wish I was), so I do have to work. But I run my own business, so I do not have to ask anyone for permission to take a vacation. We do try to take 2 vacations per year; sometimes only one is possible.
As for 2014, we have a trip to Australia in mind, and maybe one to Scotland and Ireland.
