Florence, Rome, Venice for 10 Days (+/-)
Jan 5th, 2012, 07:33 PM
#23
@kybourbon, yes, the hotel in Florence is paid for from 10/9/12-10/14/12.
Bummer as I could have suggested a very economical apartment.
I've stayed in several convents and have several books with monastery/convent listings. Some are better than others. Which ones are you considering?
Bummer as I could have suggested a very economical apartment.
I've stayed in several convents and have several books with monastery/convent listings. Some are better than others. Which ones are you considering?
Jan 6th, 2012, 07:03 AM
#25
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lennyba, sounds like you already paved the way. could you please give me more details of your trip (transportation, lodging, etc)? Thanks!
anothertravelinsong, makes sense to me but will the vaporetto give us that "photo opportunity" to show the facebook world that we are/were in Venice? do they look like a gondola?
GoSox, it sounds like nascar and i am not into nascar
... any details?
anothertravelinsong, makes sense to me but will the vaporetto give us that "photo opportunity" to show the facebook world that we are/were in Venice? do they look like a gondola?
GoSox, it sounds like nascar and i am not into nascar
... any details?
Jan 6th, 2012, 07:45 AM
#26
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Ruisa, the vaporetto doesn't look at all like a gondola - they're larger boats meant to pack in a lot of people for mass transit - but they will give you the opportunity to cruise up and down the Grand Canal and other spots. If you get a spot by the window or open air, you'll be able to get some great photos, including ones of the gondoliers.
If you're looking for a shot of you and your husband *in* a gondola, of course, your options are to either pay a lot more or attempt to sweet-talk a gondolier into letting you climb in.(I have doubts about how likely option #2 is, but maybe others have experience with it!) There are lots of other "we're in Venice!" spots to take photos, though - Piazza San Marco being the most obvious. Depends on how many euro that one shot is worth to you!
If you're looking for a shot of you and your husband *in* a gondola, of course, your options are to either pay a lot more or attempt to sweet-talk a gondolier into letting you climb in.(I have doubts about how likely option #2 is, but maybe others have experience with it!) There are lots of other "we're in Venice!" spots to take photos, though - Piazza San Marco being the most obvious. Depends on how many euro that one shot is worth to you!
Jan 6th, 2012, 07:57 AM
#27
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Hi Ruisa -
Glad to give you some details. We stayed in a convent in Venice, at the tip of the Dorsoduro neighborhood, which we loved. It was so quiet compared to the other areas we were in, and very pretty and atmospheric. In case the link doesn't work, it was #VE116. http://www.monasterystays.com/?a=sea...6&venue=VEV116 90 euros per night twin. The nuns were just lovely to us, with our completely pathetic Italian. We spent our one full day touring the Doge's Palace (highly recommend), the Frari Church, and mostly just walking around absorbing how beautiful Venice is. It was pouring so we did not take a gondala ride, but enjoyed splashing around in the Acqua Alta.
In Rome we stayed here: http://www.bbaviewofrome.it/ which I cannot recommend highly enough. It is directly across from the Vatican wall in Piazza Risorgimento. The bedrooms look directly at the dome of St. Peter's, and the owners are two delightful Italian guys who will charm your pants off (or try
).
We booked train fares about 60 days in advance and got Mini fares. Can't remember exactly what the fares were, but they were very reasonable. I think under 60 euro for both of us each trip.
Glad to give you some details. We stayed in a convent in Venice, at the tip of the Dorsoduro neighborhood, which we loved. It was so quiet compared to the other areas we were in, and very pretty and atmospheric. In case the link doesn't work, it was #VE116. http://www.monasterystays.com/?a=sea...6&venue=VEV116 90 euros per night twin. The nuns were just lovely to us, with our completely pathetic Italian. We spent our one full day touring the Doge's Palace (highly recommend), the Frari Church, and mostly just walking around absorbing how beautiful Venice is. It was pouring so we did not take a gondala ride, but enjoyed splashing around in the Acqua Alta.
In Rome we stayed here: http://www.bbaviewofrome.it/ which I cannot recommend highly enough. It is directly across from the Vatican wall in Piazza Risorgimento. The bedrooms look directly at the dome of St. Peter's, and the owners are two delightful Italian guys who will charm your pants off (or try
).We booked train fares about 60 days in advance and got Mini fares. Can't remember exactly what the fares were, but they were very reasonable. I think under 60 euro for both of us each trip.
Jan 6th, 2012, 09:22 AM
#28
Monastery Stays mentioned above is a reseller and marks the rates up (as much as 15€ per night for a single). It's better to book directly with the convents as you get a better rate. Monastery Stays is good for looking at the convent and it's amenities although they only list a few of the convents that exist. Rome has 214 convents with accommodations yet Monastery Stays only lists about 20.
Here's an older thread about convents in Venice with a list. Some of the contact info is out of date.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...e-360224-2.cfm
The current contact I see for Istituto Suore Salesie that lennyba mentioned is:
Dorsoduro, 108
Madonna della Salute
30123 Venezia (VE)
telefono: 041.5223691
fax: 041/5221100
cellulare: 347/8706043
e-mail: [email protected]
It seems you have quite a bit of time in Florence (I think you've shortchanged Venice and Rome) so you will want to do some day trips. I would also plan to arrive late from Venice (most hotels will store your luggage or at the train station) and depart early am for Rome.
Siena makes a good day trip. Take the Sita bus from Florence to Siena.
http://www.sitabus.it/sita-toscana/F...-Siena2010.pdf
When you arrive in Florence, check to see if there are any nearby festivals that you can reach by bus or train. The Chianti festival was going on when I was in Florence this year, so I hopped a bus and went down there for the day.
http://www.firenzeturismo.it/
You can book your train tickets on Trenitalia's website (not until after mid June and no more than four months in advance)or as soon as you arrive in Venice if you want to try to get mini fares.
Here's an older thread about convents in Venice with a list. Some of the contact info is out of date.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...e-360224-2.cfm
The current contact I see for Istituto Suore Salesie that lennyba mentioned is:
Dorsoduro, 108
Madonna della Salute
30123 Venezia (VE)
telefono: 041.5223691
fax: 041/5221100
cellulare: 347/8706043
e-mail: [email protected]
It seems you have quite a bit of time in Florence (I think you've shortchanged Venice and Rome) so you will want to do some day trips. I would also plan to arrive late from Venice (most hotels will store your luggage or at the train station) and depart early am for Rome.
Siena makes a good day trip. Take the Sita bus from Florence to Siena.
http://www.sitabus.it/sita-toscana/F...-Siena2010.pdf
When you arrive in Florence, check to see if there are any nearby festivals that you can reach by bus or train. The Chianti festival was going on when I was in Florence this year, so I hopped a bus and went down there for the day.
http://www.firenzeturismo.it/
You can book your train tickets on Trenitalia's website (not until after mid June and no more than four months in advance)or as soon as you arrive in Venice if you want to try to get mini fares.
Jan 6th, 2012, 10:33 AM
#29
here you are - a picture of a vaporetto:
http://www.aviewoncities.com/gallery/showpicture.htm?key=kveit2278>>
it's a water bus, and like ordinary buses you can buy individual tickets [quite expensive at €6.50 each, or passes that cover you for a number of days - much better value. also like buses, there are a number of different routes around Venice and the lagoon, with different numbers- No 1 is the one that goes down the Grand canal stopping everywhere, no 2 is the express, etc. et.c
to get from the airport, you don't get a vaporetto but either a bus that goes on land [2 sorts, one is the regular stopping bus, route 5 which costs about €2 each way and the other which doesn't stop so is faster and is run by a different company called SITA, but only costs a euro or so more each way]. or a water taxi [motorscafo, about €100 each way] or the alilaguna, which is a fast boat between the airport and several major parts of Venice, costing about €12 each way. Both buses stop at the Piazzale Roma and from there you will either need to walk or to get a vaporetto to your hotel.
you should ask your hotel which the nearest vaporetto stop is, and the easiest way to get to them from the airport. their customers do this all the time so they should know!
http://www.aviewoncities.com/gallery/showpicture.htm?key=kveit2278>>
it's a water bus, and like ordinary buses you can buy individual tickets [quite expensive at €6.50 each, or passes that cover you for a number of days - much better value. also like buses, there are a number of different routes around Venice and the lagoon, with different numbers- No 1 is the one that goes down the Grand canal stopping everywhere, no 2 is the express, etc. et.c
to get from the airport, you don't get a vaporetto but either a bus that goes on land [2 sorts, one is the regular stopping bus, route 5 which costs about €2 each way and the other which doesn't stop so is faster and is run by a different company called SITA, but only costs a euro or so more each way]. or a water taxi [motorscafo, about €100 each way] or the alilaguna, which is a fast boat between the airport and several major parts of Venice, costing about €12 each way. Both buses stop at the Piazzale Roma and from there you will either need to walk or to get a vaporetto to your hotel.
you should ask your hotel which the nearest vaporetto stop is, and the easiest way to get to them from the airport. their customers do this all the time so they should know!
Jan 6th, 2012, 12:29 PM
#31
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@Jent103, thanks for the info
@lennyba, i emailed b&b and got a reply (so quick!) $125 double room per night with a view of the city and the dome.
@kybourbon, thanks for the info
@annhig, broken link but i appreciate the detailed info
@tenthumbs, so glad to be of help
@lennyba, i emailed b&b and got a reply (so quick!) $125 double room per night with a view of the city and the dome.
@kybourbon, thanks for the info
@annhig, broken link but i appreciate the detailed info
@tenthumbs, so glad to be of help
Jan 6th, 2012, 12:47 PM
#32
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I did this trip with my mother a few years ago.
We flew into Venice for 2 nights in Venice, then drove to Tuscany where we did day trips to Pisa, Cinque Terre and Florence.
We then drove to Rome for 3 nights and flew back from Rome
I think this is a great itinerary and you will be sure to enjoy it.
We flew into Venice for 2 nights in Venice, then drove to Tuscany where we did day trips to Pisa, Cinque Terre and Florence.
We then drove to Rome for 3 nights and flew back from Rome
I think this is a great itinerary and you will be sure to enjoy it.
Jan 6th, 2012, 01:52 PM
#34
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@lennyba, i emailed b&b and got a reply (so quick!) $125 double room per night with a view of the city and the dome
Let me know if you end up staying there...I will tell you where to find the best gelato and guanciale e carciofi bucatini.
Let me know if you end up staying there...I will tell you where to find the best gelato and guanciale e carciofi bucatini.
Jan 9th, 2012, 10:33 AM
#36
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Ruisa, now that you have your itinerary nailed down, DO BUY a guidebook! I agree that for you the Rick Steves basic Italy book is best. Or the Fodor's, Essential Italy, which has a pull-out map in the back. But if you get that and read the introductory parts about travel in Italy it will be very, very helpful.
No one has mentioned what the going rate is for a gondola ride. I jist looked it up in Fodor's and last year it was 80 Euros for 40 minutes. That means about $120. More at night. There's also some good helpful info about booking a gondola, which you really could use, being new to this! To be honest, I have never taken a gondola ride because of the cost, but I do believe that there is so much to Venice that you are not aware of that you could have a wonderful time even without the gondola.
No one has mentioned what the going rate is for a gondola ride. I jist looked it up in Fodor's and last year it was 80 Euros for 40 minutes. That means about $120. More at night. There's also some good helpful info about booking a gondola, which you really could use, being new to this! To be honest, I have never taken a gondola ride because of the cost, but I do believe that there is so much to Venice that you are not aware of that you could have a wonderful time even without the gondola.
Jan 10th, 2012, 06:32 AM
#37
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An inexpensive way to ride a gondola is to take a traghetto (ferry) across the Grand Canal. These are gondolas that are rowed across. The passengers stand. The cost is only half a euro -- unless it's been upped recently. This is not romantic like the fancy gondolas you have to yourself. But it's also a quick way to cross the canal instead of walking to one of the relatively few bridges.
Here's a link with a map: http://italy.worldwide-accom.com/ven...utes-in-venice
Here's a link with a map: http://italy.worldwide-accom.com/ven...utes-in-venice
Jan 10th, 2012, 11:54 AM
#38
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Here's a link with a photo of a traghetto.
http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/...raghetto-2.htm
http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/...raghetto-2.htm
Jan 10th, 2012, 03:43 PM
#39
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