barbara

Need help with nice hotels or other lodging places. July 2001. Having difficulty finding openings. First stop either at Lake Como or Maggiore, second stop near Genoa, Santa Margherita or Cinque Terre, third stop, Elba (can't be too many there, right?). Luckily, farmhouse worked out for Tuscany. Intend to spend bet. US$200-250/nt. Would love both air condit. and pool. Personal recommendations appreciated (ie, been there, done that). Thanks.

thomas

I highly reccomend you Levanto, just a train stop to the 5 Terre. <BR>Take a look at www.cinqueterreonline.com <BR>a site that has a lot of info and an extraordinary photo page. <BR>Ciao

xxx

Hi, Thomas... <BR> <BR>...are you the new Federico? <BR> <BR <BR> <BR>

tommy

No, are you the old shit?

Patrick

Isn't it wonderful how we all get along so well on this site? What a charming lot some of us are!

Dayle

Hi Barbara! <BR>This last May, we stayed at Hotel Verbano on Isola dei Pescadore on Lago Maggiore. It was wonderful! It's the only hotel on the island & have about 16 rooms. We had a large terrace shared w/ 4 other rooms that was right on the water facing east with a view of the lake. The Hotel Verbano's ristorante was good and again the only one on the island open at night. Public boat service to the island ends at 7pm and I forget what time it starts in the am. So you may need to make private boat arrangements depending on your arrival/departure times. It's dead quiet at night. We came in on train to Stresa from Milano Centrale (1 hr.), walked down to the dock & purchased a multi-day ticket for the public boats. They run freqently between all 3 of the Borromean (SP?) islands & other town lakeside. Very convenience, but not too speedy. We loved Isola Bella and Stresa. We also loved Santa Margherita Ligure. Used it as a base for Portofino (wonderful, long sunny expensive lunch) and the Cinque Terre. Again, you can take public boat to Portofino from SML - very scenic! SML itself is a lovely town with a wonderful public piazza on the water. We stayed at a hotel right on the waterfront, can't remember the name right now, but it was a best western and was very nice. CT was about a hour to hour and a half train south from SML. We started at Riomaggiore and hiked as far as Vernazza. It was very hot & humid (even in May). We stopped in Corniglia for lunch -- a real highlight! We were too pooped to hike to Monterosso, so we had a double gellato & took the train back! Even in May the train was very crowded, but the flowers and scenery were great! Buon Viaggio!

nancy

Boy Patrick, <BR>do I agree with you! Thomas has a bit of a temper. <BR>Barbara, <BR>Don't know what you mean about Elba (can't be too many there) <BR>But from what I understand, Elba does get quite crowded with European travelers in the summer. <BR>Good luck in your travels