Help ! Where should I go in Italy and what tour Group is the best ?
 

We are planning a first time vacation in Italy. We would love to see Rome, Venice and Florence but my husbands ancestors are from Ferrrazano which according to the map are no where near each other. We speak No italian and no longer know anyone in Ferranzano. Does anyone have know how to plan a trip to the major cities and then book a local to take us on a day trip to Ferrazzano? Does anyone also prefer one tour group over another. We are at a loss. We plan on going either late March or late September. 2011. Thanks so much

See my post to your other thread. As for getting to Ferrazano, look on trenitalia.it and see how to get to the nearest larger town. It appears to be southeast of Rome, near Campobasso. you may be able to rent a car there or take a bus. If you have a little Italian by the time yup go, from studying now, you will probably get along OK especially once the locals know which family you come from!

And perhaps someone here can help if you post a specific question about how to get to ferrazano. They might not look at your general thread, but would look at that one. also try slowtrav.com and post on their Italy forum.

Well, I got curious and Googled Ferrazzano and got the map, then Googled directions from Fiumicino Airport if you picked up a car there, and it's only 3 1/2 hours' drive, much of it on the autostrada (freeway toll road).

In the course of the next few months also look at guidebooks and slowtrav.com for information on driving in Italy. As long as you stay out of the big cities it's not all that challenging, once you know the rules and customs of driving there.

I am not familar with Ferrazano but if it is near Campobasso it sounds like it is in the newest and smallest region of Italy which is Molise.

Oh, I just looked at one of my maps and Ferrazzano is just south of Campobasso. I think there is train service to Campobasso but not positive as we always had a car when visiting that area. If there is you could than just take a taxi to ferrazzano as it is very close to Campobasso. Or, as charnees said, you could rent a car. If you do please remember you will need to get an International Driver's Permit which translate your US drivers license information into something like 15 languages including Italian of course. They can be obtained from an AA Club office. You take your US drivers license and your IDP with you to Italy. I am mentioning that as a couple I know didn't bring the US DL with them as they thought the IDP took the place of their US DL. The IDP is required under Italian law.

Molise is a beautiful Region with many charming little towns. I imagine you will find some people in Campobasso, at least the younger ones, speak English but I would be surprised if many in Ferrazzao do as the little towns tend to not have a lot of American and other English speaking visitors unless like you two people are visiting to find the town of their ancestor(s).

If you are interested there was a book published entitled "The Women of Molise" which was written by a Frank Monaco in NYC. His ancestors came from Moslise. There are many wonderful pictures in the book. It is not readily available but I found it on Amazon so I bought it from my dear friend who immigrated to CA from a very small town in the Region of Molise. Best regards!

I disagree with Loveitaly's claim that Frank Monaco's book Women of Molise is "not readily available". I was given the book by a friend who has a Italian bookstore but there are many available online- easy to find! Starting with Amazon.

There is also a movie based on this book: here's a link for the trailer on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf2ckeJHwTk

If you want to take a tour, I recommend Tauck. They are not inexpensive, but you stay at 4 and 5 star hotels, especially on their Rome, Venice, Florence tour (I think they are respectively, St. Regis, Danieli and Excelsior), and they don't try to sell you any extras. I don't work for Tauck, but have taken tours in the past.

Well bellastarr not many places have an Italian bookstore. You mentioned "starting with Amazon". What part of my post did you not understand wherein I posted I purchased the "Women of Molise" via Amazon?

The part where you said
"There are many wonderful pictures in the book. It is not readily available .."

In fact, I like this new questioning approach ever since you implied that I was (to quote your words again) "stretching the truth" when I shared an experience I had in Rome years ago on another thread (which happened to be true). It woke me up and made me realize that I too could question your posts just as you question mine. It's an even exchange. Thank you for awakening that desire in me. I appreciate the feelings of confidence it offers me.