After about 18 months of planning, our much anticipated Italian Adventure is over and we are now back home in Ontario, Canada. I would like to thank all of you on this forum who responded to our queries over the last year or so. This is a priceless resource to gain down to earth information from people who have gone before you and for some, many times.


I would just like to respond to a question that has been discussed here and I would like to add my opinion now, after having been there. As to how to see Italy- on a conducted tour, cruise, or do it yourself. There are definitely pros and cons to all three. This trip was organized totally on our own. We booked all our accomodation through the Internet using HomeAway and other websites. This is somewhat of a gamble, as not always the pictures and descriptions are as they appear, but in our case all our apartments were exactly as described and in most cases nicer than expected.


We rented a car through Kemwell in Pisa and dropped it in Sorrento and toured the Tuscany area for a week and got along just fine- not even a scratch which is a miracle. There is hardly a 100 m stretch of straight road in that area so if you are planning on driving be prepared for many sharp curves, impatient drivers who honk their horns, speeding motorcycles and stay out of cities, especially Florence and Rome.


Public transport is plentiful and efficient for the most part in Italy. We did not hire drivers to get from place to place but used the train or public buses which were very inexpensive. The only problem was, that at rush hour, the buses are overcrowded, to say the least, and on the Amalfi Coast it can be the same towards the end of the day if you are making your way back to Sorrento, for example. We did hire a private guide in Pompeii and The Vatican.


The downside of doing it on your own is looking after belongings and transporting luggage. If you are on a cruise, you unpack once and pack up again at the end with very little responsibility of hauling luggage except for to and from airport to bus to take you to and from ship. We found (because we did not pack lightly enough and had the addition of our purchases as time went on) our luggage a very big drag. With one medium suitcase and one backpack loaded to the hilt, I'm sure we have shrunk two inches and it will take awhile for our shoulders and arms to stop aching.


The upside of doing it on your own, is that you can get going in the morning whenever you feel like it (no loading the bus at 8 AM after breakfasting at 7 AM, bags out by 6:45) You can spend as much time strolling around a town as you want - no "We'll meet here in 45 minutes". No deadlines to be back at the ship or it will sail without you. Also, as we found out, you can do most things very inexpensively on your own vs. tours.


We wrote a blog while away and if you would like to read it for more details of our trip you can find it at www.travelpod.com/member/nanaof7.


We are two, fairly fit, 60ish females.

I skimmed through your pictures, but haven't read your blog yet. Looks like you had a great trip.

If you repost your trip details here, then people searching Fodor's for places to stay, etc. will be able to find them. Just linking to a blog, they will not show up here for searches.

What a delightful read! Thanks for posting.

Laughed through Venice description, what fun!

ttt 4 later

Thoroughly enjoyed your blog. Lots of interesting facts and information. Should have been doing housework but had to read it through to the end, I was hooked. Am planning our trip to Italy next year and your report gave me good insight to places and good information about driving and public transport. Which we are doing a bit of both. You seemed to have the train and bus travel down to a fine art.

Glad you had a great trip

I loved your blog - what a great read! It brought back memories as we have been to many of the same places.

For future reference the No 64 bus is also known as the'pickpocket express'. My purse was nearly stolen out of my bag on that bus, I was only saved from it because I suspected that a couple of young women on the bus were intent on stealing and I had my hand over the zip.

Sounds like you had a great trip.

I noted you mentioned the crowded buses on the Amalfi Coast ("The bus which had 50 seats was packed tighter than sardines, very warm, but luckily, we had a seat unlike at least 25 others"). We were there in July and always got a seat, and can't recall anyone standing. Same with the trains. So obviously July is NOT the high season so many people seem to try to stay away from. More and more I read these trip reports from Spring and Fall and am actually glad I go in July. On the other hand - 75 degrees sounds a little nicer than the 95 we had.

Too bad about the pickpocket. You didn't have a money belt? But it sounds like you had a great trip and next time with a money belt and smaller suitcases will be even better.

I'm a 68 year old female, going to work. Your pictures were great. And I always remember, this is why I'm still working, so I can return to these beautiful places. Thank you.