Helpful Information: Italy 2
Feb 16th, 2005, 08:44 AM
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Helpful Information: Italy 2
Hi all,
Helpful Information: Italy http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34443340
Has become very long.
Please post your information to this thread.
Helpful Information: Italy http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34443340
Has become very long.
Please post your information to this thread.
Feb 16th, 2005, 09:03 AM
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Feb 16th, 2005, 10:58 AM
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Ira, I was just thinking about the length of your 'Helpful Information' thread the other day.
It was a great idea of yours and very helpful, Thanks.
Seeing that this is your baby
, I was wondering if you might think about expanding it to each seperate city (Helpful Infomation Rome, Naples, etc).
It would cut down on the very long thread size plus it would be easier to locate specific info.
But also still keep the 'H.I. Italy' thread alive by posting general info like trains, car rentals & driving, money issues, safety, etc. Regards, Walter
It was a great idea of yours and very helpful, Thanks.
Seeing that this is your baby
, I was wondering if you might think about expanding it to each seperate city (Helpful Infomation Rome, Naples, etc).It would cut down on the very long thread size plus it would be easier to locate specific info.
But also still keep the 'H.I. Italy' thread alive by posting general info like trains, car rentals & driving, money issues, safety, etc. Regards, Walter
Feb 16th, 2005, 02:30 PM
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I am so happy that you are providing a sequel so to speak - as my aged computer and precarious connection could not read through the other thread without freezing somewhere in the middle, so I finally just stopped trying. (Was that all ONE sentence? And I, as a picky teacher, used to use a lot of red ink on one such as that)
And dividing by cities, or even regions would be great of course. (If you really have that kind of time!)
Brahmama / Carol
And dividing by cities, or even regions would be great of course. (If you really have that kind of time!)
Brahmama / Carol
Feb 22nd, 2005, 10:08 AM
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Ira, I hope this is what people are supposed to do
references for travel to Orvieto
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34571477
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34571795
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34571764
references for travel to Orvieto
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34571477
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34571795
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34571764
Mar 3rd, 2005, 03:49 PM
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Mar 4th, 2005, 07:24 AM
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Here is link to my budget article at slowtrav.com:
http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/planning/budget.htm
http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/planning/budget.htm
Mar 6th, 2005, 02:37 PM
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Mar 18th, 2005, 05:53 AM
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Mar 28th, 2005, 03:29 PM
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Central Tuscany ~ planning restaurant itinerary!
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34591529
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34591529
ATML
May 15th, 2005, 10:24 AM
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Accidental Tourist Evening Tour
Author: bostonshopper
Date: 05/15/2005, 10:59 am
I went on the Accidental Tourist cooking tour a couple weeks ago and thought it was fabulous and highly recommened it. You are picked up by the guide in Florence and take a 30min scenic ride through olive groves, vineyards and farmland to a private villa that has the winery. (This ride to me was worth the $ I paid for the tour since I did not rent a car and would have never had access to the Tuscan countryside-- the Tuscan countryside is beautiful beyond description). Also, you're in a small van with a couple other people and not stuck on a bus with 50 other tourists.
The villa is very pretty and there are many nice panoramic views as it's perched on a hill. The winery is small compared to Napa valley versions and was very interesting to see. I think it depends on how much you're into wine. I don't think the winery tour is critical to the day's experience. If you can go while it's open, great but I wouldn't cancel the excursion just because you can't see the winery-- you'll get your money's worth. The wine tasting is held in a small garden behind the villa and they actually let you taste relatively good wine instead of the usual cheap table wines. You also get to taste the olive oil that they make at the villa.
You then drive another 10-15 min to this remote farmhouse built in the 1100's and this is where you learn how to make pasta. You are taught how to make and cut pasta dough. This was a lot of fun. There are more "advance" cooking classes that are available in Florence for those interested in making 3 or 4 course meals-- I only bring this up so that people have the right expectations. Most of these classes are actually more expensive than this whole day trip.
Then, the woman who lives in the farmhouse cooks the pasta and serves it with the most amazing antipasto (all made from scratch with the freshest ingredients) and you eat in her kitchen (which also has awesome views since the farmhouse is also on a hill). She'll let you know how she made anything that you really like. Then you're driven back to Florence.
Overall, I highly recommend this tour-- for the price, I think it's a steal and it's a lovely excursion to do to get out of the city and enjoy the countryside. I'm defintely going to start making my own pasta from now on!
Author: bostonshopper
Date: 05/15/2005, 10:59 am
I went on the Accidental Tourist cooking tour a couple weeks ago and thought it was fabulous and highly recommened it. You are picked up by the guide in Florence and take a 30min scenic ride through olive groves, vineyards and farmland to a private villa that has the winery. (This ride to me was worth the $ I paid for the tour since I did not rent a car and would have never had access to the Tuscan countryside-- the Tuscan countryside is beautiful beyond description). Also, you're in a small van with a couple other people and not stuck on a bus with 50 other tourists.
The villa is very pretty and there are many nice panoramic views as it's perched on a hill. The winery is small compared to Napa valley versions and was very interesting to see. I think it depends on how much you're into wine. I don't think the winery tour is critical to the day's experience. If you can go while it's open, great but I wouldn't cancel the excursion just because you can't see the winery-- you'll get your money's worth. The wine tasting is held in a small garden behind the villa and they actually let you taste relatively good wine instead of the usual cheap table wines. You also get to taste the olive oil that they make at the villa.
You then drive another 10-15 min to this remote farmhouse built in the 1100's and this is where you learn how to make pasta. You are taught how to make and cut pasta dough. This was a lot of fun. There are more "advance" cooking classes that are available in Florence for those interested in making 3 or 4 course meals-- I only bring this up so that people have the right expectations. Most of these classes are actually more expensive than this whole day trip.
Then, the woman who lives in the farmhouse cooks the pasta and serves it with the most amazing antipasto (all made from scratch with the freshest ingredients) and you eat in her kitchen (which also has awesome views since the farmhouse is also on a hill). She'll let you know how she made anything that you really like. Then you're driven back to Florence.
Overall, I highly recommend this tour-- for the price, I think it's a steal and it's a lovely excursion to do to get out of the city and enjoy the countryside. I'm defintely going to start making my own pasta from now on!
May 15th, 2005, 11:32 AM
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Paradise Lost has updated
Rome: Ostia Antica Daytrip Directions March'05
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=34619236
Rome: Ostia Antica Daytrip Directions March'05
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=34619236
May 21st, 2005, 07:38 AM
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SITA bus from Sorrento to Amalfi:
Posted by
Author: RuthMc
Date: 05/19/2005, 12:52 pm
....Our first full day, my brilliant idea was to take the SITA bus to Amalfi, and then ferry back to Positano and ferry from Positano to Sorrento. Well, you know what happens to best-laid plans. After waiting for the bus in Sorrento and finally getting on, we enjoyed the ride to the point above Positano where the driver said, "change bus." Despite all the homework I had done, I had not figured out that the SITA bus does not go directly to Amalfi, but that you have to get off in Positano, and then either wait for the small Positano bus or walk down the road to where the SITA bus to Amalfi picks up. We didn't figure that our soon enough either and ended up walking all the way down to the harbor, where we had a nice lunch before gathring the strength to try to find the Amalfi bus again.
So we walked about halfway back up through Positano to where the Amalfi bus begins, although at this time we still thought we had just got on the wrong bus back at Sorrento and had missed the direct bus to Amalfi. We had also learned that the ferry service from Positano to Sorrento had not started yet, so at least we knew we would be busing back to Sorrento.
Strolled through Amalfi but were soon ready to hit the road back. Asked a SITA person about the bus to Sorrento and he told us where to get it. Off we go on a packed bus with lots of other tourists, a lot German and a couple (as we later learned) Brazilian. Halfway to Positano, it began to dawn on us that this bus was going to leave us in Positano, where we would once again "change bus!" This time, however, we knew enough to get the Positano bus to take us up to the high road. The other foreign tourists from the SITA bus were ging to wait where they had been left for the Sorrento bus, but the Positano bus driver and I managed to convey to them they had to take his bus to make the connection. There was already a crowd waiting for the Sorrento bus and everyone rushed it when it arrived. Stood almost all the way back, while our driver had 2 separate 5-minute cell phone calls while driving that road. Yikes!
Posted by
Author: RuthMc
Date: 05/19/2005, 12:52 pm
....Our first full day, my brilliant idea was to take the SITA bus to Amalfi, and then ferry back to Positano and ferry from Positano to Sorrento. Well, you know what happens to best-laid plans. After waiting for the bus in Sorrento and finally getting on, we enjoyed the ride to the point above Positano where the driver said, "change bus." Despite all the homework I had done, I had not figured out that the SITA bus does not go directly to Amalfi, but that you have to get off in Positano, and then either wait for the small Positano bus or walk down the road to where the SITA bus to Amalfi picks up. We didn't figure that our soon enough either and ended up walking all the way down to the harbor, where we had a nice lunch before gathring the strength to try to find the Amalfi bus again.
So we walked about halfway back up through Positano to where the Amalfi bus begins, although at this time we still thought we had just got on the wrong bus back at Sorrento and had missed the direct bus to Amalfi. We had also learned that the ferry service from Positano to Sorrento had not started yet, so at least we knew we would be busing back to Sorrento.
Strolled through Amalfi but were soon ready to hit the road back. Asked a SITA person about the bus to Sorrento and he told us where to get it. Off we go on a packed bus with lots of other tourists, a lot German and a couple (as we later learned) Brazilian. Halfway to Positano, it began to dawn on us that this bus was going to leave us in Positano, where we would once again "change bus!" This time, however, we knew enough to get the Positano bus to take us up to the high road. The other foreign tourists from the SITA bus were ging to wait where they had been left for the Sorrento bus, but the Positano bus driver and I managed to convey to them they had to take his bus to make the connection. There was already a crowd waiting for the Sorrento bus and everyone rushed it when it arrived. Stood almost all the way back, while our driver had 2 separate 5-minute cell phone calls while driving that road. Yikes!
May 22nd, 2005, 06:36 AM
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SeaUrchin
Date: 05/21/2005, 08:57 pm
...the trick is to get on the correct bus in Sorrento and in Amalfi. Some of the designated buses go all the way connecting Sorrento and Amalfi w/o transferring. I have taken them many times, you have to check with the attendant in Amalfi and with the driver or attendant in Sorrento.
You can go into the tourist office in Amalfi and get the correct bus times too (and the correct bus).
Date: 05/21/2005, 08:57 pm
...the trick is to get on the correct bus in Sorrento and in Amalfi. Some of the designated buses go all the way connecting Sorrento and Amalfi w/o transferring. I have taken them many times, you have to check with the attendant in Amalfi and with the driver or attendant in Sorrento.
You can go into the tourist office in Amalfi and get the correct bus times too (and the correct bus).
May 22nd, 2005, 09:31 AM
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Just a helpful hint to all of you when you are copying the url addresses of "useful" sites to post.. since most of them are very long..if you copy them and thengo to the website
Http://www.tinyurl.com
you can paste them there and wella they will make you a "tiny" url to post.. just easier.
Http://www.tinyurl.com
you can paste them there and wella they will make you a "tiny" url to post.. just easier.
