DaveJJ

On Monday October 4th, my wife and I arrived in Rome after a short flight from Malta. We had just completed Insight’s Sicily in Depth with Malta Option tour and were about to commence the Italian Escapade tour (October 4-17, 2010).

Our travel agent had made arrangements (through the Cicerone Hotel) for a limousine to pick us up at the airport (60E). As we exited baggage claim our chauffeur was there, our name sign in hand. He had a beautiful Mercedes with leather interior and provided us with water, candies and the newspaper. After a 40 minute drive we arrived at the Cicerone for a quick check-in.

We had planned to visit a few sites that we were not included in Insights’ itinerary and that we had not had an opportunity to see during our last visit to Rome in November 1998. Unfortunately it was raining so we decided to simply get oriented, find a place for dinner and have a relaxing evening before we headed off the next day on our planned excursions.

The Cicerone is ideally situated just a few blocks north of the Castle Sant Angelo which is located about a 30 minute walk east of Vatican City and 20 minutes northwest of the Piazza Navona and the Pantheon.

That first morning we were at the restaurant for the buffet breakfast by 7:00. We had to wait for about 15 minutes as there was no table available. We later noticed that there were 4 tour groups already staying at the Cicerone. They each had the same timetable; in for breakfast by 6:30 and out to the bus by 7:45/8:00. The next two mornings we lined up much earlier.

By 9:00 we had departed for the Pantheon. As we exited the hotel we walked to our left, kept going straight until we got to the bridge just off to the side of the Castle Sant Angelo. Another 20 minutes and we had walked through the Piazza Navona with its’ marvellous fountains and arrived at the Pantheon (free admission). Thankfully there were not too many people so we could have a leisurely look around the various tombs and statues. The dome and its oculus is truly an amazing feat. I would think that the Pantheons dome was as significant to the development of Roman architecture as the Pyramids of Giza was to Egyptian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome

We then walked down the left side of the Pantheon to the Piazza di Minerva with Bernini’s elephant obelisk, one of the most curious monuments of Rome.

From there we took a taxi (5E) to the Roman Forum (12E entrance fee). The site is expansive. Even though we had been given a map we would have benefitted much more with either an audio or site guide. We then went up to Palatine Hill to tour the remnants of various temples, residence and the hippodrome. The Flavian Palace extends across the Palatine Hill and overlooks the Forum on one side and the Circus Maximus on another. The Circus Maximus is where they held the infamous chariot races. I would guess that the race track would have to be at least a quarter mile long.

After a quick jaunt through the Arch of Constantine towards the Colesseum we then headed (taxi 8E) to the Castle Sant Angelo (8E entrance fee). After a steady climb up a cobble-stoned winding ramp area we reached various rooms containing some amazing statues, paintings and frescoes. Once on the roof we were treated to a wonderful view of Rome (especially St. Peter’s Basilica) including the secret Papal escape route (the Passetto) atop one of the last remaining sections of the original walls of Rome. We had intended on entering the Papal Passage and were quite disappointed that it was closed to the public.

http://saintpetersbasilica.org/Exter...o/Passetto.htm

We returned to the hotel in time to get refreshed before the ‘meet and greet’ at a local restaurant around the corner from the hotel. There were 40 in our group with the majority from Australia, a fairly large contingent of Americans and 5 of us from Canada. The Tour Director (Ruth Pinnell) gave a quick summary of the tour itinerary and the various optional tours. She also informed us that the next day’s schedule had been altered due to the Papal Audience held each Wednesday at the Vatican. As St. Peter’s Basilica is not open till after the audience (around 2:00) we would start the day with the optional Introduction to Rome walking tour. After the meet and greet the group headed off on the Illumination of Rome optional tour with dinner at a nearby restaurant. From all accounts it was worthwhile. We didn’t go on either of these two optional tours as we had done similar tours when we were last in Rome.

Instead we were off on a hunt. For the last 4 years I have always travelled with a Wadda-Heater; an electric emersion coil that boils one cup of water at a time. That morning it had died. Now if you get up as early as I do and have the same need for an immediate intake of coffee then waiting till 6:30 when the breakfast starts is not an option. We tried luggage stores, travel agents, pharmacies and the nearby tabacchi (tobacco/sundries store). I was crestfallen when informed that they had never seen nor heard of such an apparatus.

By 11:00 we were off to the Colosseum. It was very crowded. While you did get a good view of the area there was not enough time allotted for a tour of the upper level. Note that it costs 20E to have your picture taken with the 'Centurions'. One couple thought it was free and were quite surprised when payment was requested.

Afterwards it was off to the Vatican Museum. Again it was extremely crowded. Thankfully we did not have to stand in line to purchase our entrance tickets. Unfortunately at the Sistine Chapel it was elbow room only when standing looking at the amazing sights. When we last toured the Chapel in November 1998 there were much fewer people and we had been able to sit alongside the outer walls and leisurely scan the amazing paintings and frescoes.

At St. Peter's Basilica the crowds (obviously most people who had attended the Papal Audience had stayed to tour the Basilica) made it difficult to get close to the Pieta, the High Altar and other areas of interest. There was no time available to tour the Grottoes or the Scavi (the excavations underneath the Basilica). In fact there was very little time available to even walk around St. Peter's Square. One ‘new’ item of interest since our last visit was the displaying of Pope John XXIII’s incorrupt remains below the Altar of St. Jerome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_XXIII

If you want to ensure you have enough time to enter the Pantheon (I am unsure if the walking tour allowed time to see the inside), tour the Roman Forum, the Castle Sant Angelo, the Catacombs or to see more of the Colosseum and St. Peters I would recommend that you come to Rome at least a day before the tour starts. If you are considering touring these areas after the tour note that the Sheraton Hotel (where you stay the last evening) is closer to the airport then central Rome. You certainly would not be able to walk to these sites.

The next morning (Day 4) we left Rome (8:00) for Siena and later Florence. Upon arrival in Siena we went through St. Mark’s Gate uphill towards the centre of the town. Once we arrived at the Eagle Contrade piazza Ruth provided a short orientation to the most popular sites including the vast Piazza del Campo where the Il Palio horse race is run each year
.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palio_di_Siena

As we listened we noticed an ‘Electrica’ store just off to our right. Lo and behold they had a European version of my Wadda-Heater. I bought 2 just to make sure I would never be without one during our next European excursions. After a light lunch we headed off for Florence.

We arrived in Florence (3:30) and immediately embarked on tour of the Santa Croce Basilica to see the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo and Dante and then went to the Academy Gallery to see the original David (there is also a reproduction in one of the main city squares). We arrived at our hotel (NH Firenze) by 5:30. We were extremely disappointed in the hotel.

Italy had been experiencing unusually warm weather (Indian Summer) over the last few days. It was 27C in Florence. Our room at the hotel was stifling hot. We were on the west side of the hotel so our room had been in the sun all afternoon. We tried to turn the air conditioning on but couldn’t override the system. Upon contacting the front desk we learned that in an effort to lessen hydro usage in the city the Mayor of Florence had declared that this year the winter season would start October 1st. After that date no air conditioning was to be used. We left our room and went down to the lobby to cool off and wait for dinner.
As we sat down for dinner everyone voiced their concern about the heat even though we recognized that there really wasn’t much that the Tour Director could do. Then the first course arrived. It was horrible. It was some kind of soup. It appeared to be a mixture of stewed tomatoes with perhaps gnocchi or some type of pasta noodle of unknown origin. No-one was sure if it was supposed to have been served hot but was now cool or the reverse. Ruth was quite upset. After a short absence she returned and informed us that not only had she complained to hotel management but she had also reported the difficulties to her superiors. She informed us that Insight would be buying the drinks that night. The main meal was equally lacking. There was half a chicken breast wrapped in under cooked bacon accompanied by beans in tomato sauce. I don’t think anyone emptied their plate nor waited to see what desert was going to be. In the 5 tours we have taken with Insight this was the first (and only) time we have ever had any problems or concerns with our accommodation.

The next morning was the optional excursion to San Gimignano, Tuscany’s most famous hill-top town. This medieval walled town with its’ many towers was magnificent. It is a gradual but steady climb to the Piazza del Duomo. From there you can venture down the many alleyways and walk-throughs. Before we left we made sure to try gelato in the local shop that recently won the designation as the World’s Best Ice Cream.

By noon we had returned to Florence. Given that it was already 28C and that my wife was still a little under the weather from the bug she had picked up in Sicily, we decided to skip the tour of the leather craft demonstration and the scheduled shopping excursion. Instead we took a taxi back to the hotel. We informed the front desk that my wife was not feeling well and we needed a fan brought to our room. There was no fan available but they did offer to turn on our air conditioning for a while. Shortly after, the lad from maintenance arrived and adjusted the system. Rather than wait for the room to cool down we went for a walk along the Arno River and then crossed over one of the many bridges to a quiet little sector of Florence. We had a wonderful light lunch at a sidewalk café, sitting in the shade, sipping an ice cold beer. When we returned to the hotel they had already turned off the a/c. While the temperature in our room had dropped a couple of degrees it was still way to hot. As my wife was still feeling poorly we cancelled our plans for the optional dinner at La Certosa. The next morning Ruth informed us that Insight had cancelled the contract with the hotel for the foreseeable future as it was unable to provide accommodation and meals that met Insights standards.

Early the next day we left Florence for the Italian Lake District. We stopped at Pisa for our photo opportunity. We were all surprised at how close the Cathedral and Baptistery were to the tower as they are never included in illustrations or pictures of the tower you see in travel guides.

Shortly after a late lunch at an Autogrill we arrived in Milan. While the gothic cathedral and La Scala Opera House were most impressive we were amazed at the Galleria.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galleri...io_Emanuele_II

Two hours after leaving Milan we arrived at the Grand Hotel Dino (rather than the scheduled Hotel Simplon) in the lovely village of Baveno on the shores of Lake Maggiore. The hotel and the views of the lake were stunning. Not only were the rooms and décor (chandeliers, stained-glass domed ceilings, sculptures) great but the meals were also worth noting. The family that owns the hotel offers a hospitality training program to the local residents (especially youth) to assist them in employment. It just so happened that on both nights the dining room staff were being observed and marked on their service. Each staff member and went above and beyond to ensure we had a wonderful meal. Both evenings were absolutely delightful.

http://www.jpmoser.com/grandhoteldino.html

We left the hotel early Sunday morning for the cruise on Lake Como. This place is gorgeous with the multi-million dollar estates along the shoreline or hanging from the mountain side. The lake even has a dedicated landing strip so float planes can secretly drop off the rich and famous for their vacations. After the cruise there was plenty of time to walk around the town of Como before heading back to the hotel. That afternoon most people went on the optional excursion to Isola Bella. Instead we choose to go to a local café for some light fare.

The following morning we headed for Lugano Switzerland. The mountain views were fantastic. Unfortunately we only had time for a quick walk about town and some shopping for Swiss chocolate. From there we continued on to Verona. Some went to find the ‘fake’ Juliet’s balcony while most of us searched for a place for lunch. By late afternoon we had arrived in Venice.

The coach could only bring us so far and then we took a water-taxi to the hotel. We were supposed to go to the Boscolo Hotel Belini but at the last minute Ruth informed us that she had changed our locale to the Molino Stucky Hilton. This was amazing. The hotel is exactly what you would expect from the Hilton but not what we expected in a city as old as Venice. It was very upscale with perfect accommodations and a fully stocked buffet breakfast. The hotel is perfectly situated a short distance from St. Mark’s Square.

http://www.molinostuckyhilton.com/

The first evening we had a wonderful dinner before heading out on the Magical Venice optional tour. Do not miss this. The sun had already set before we left the hotel. There we were cruising across the Grand Canal with most of the buildings alit. Upon arrival at the taxi stand it was a short walk to St. Mark’s Square. We sat at an outdoor café listening to 2 different orchestral quartets playing various standards. We were offered coffee, wine, beer or the specialty hot chocolate. We ordered the ‘speciality’ but couldn’t finish it as it was far too thick. It was trying to drink a melted chocolate bar in a coffee cup rather than the hot chocolate we were used to drinking on a cold winters day back home. We had a wonderful time. When we returned to our hotel we all raced up to the roof to get a grand view of Venice at night.

The following day we started with a glass-blowing demonstration at a local shop just off St. Mark’s Square. From there some of us went on the Hidden Venice optional tour. The excellent guide took us on a 1 hour walking tour of the back alleys over numerous small bridges interconnecting the various Campos. We ended up back at St. Mark’s Square before embarking on the requisite gondola ride through a number of small canal ways, under a few small bridges finally going under the famous Bridge of Sighs before arriving back at the gondola station.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Sighs

Later that afternoon we went on the Burano optional tour, another venture not to be missed. After a 30 minute cruise across the Lagoon we arrived in the village of Burano. What struck us most were the brightly coloured houses most often seen in the Caribbean. The late lunch was fantastic. You had a choice of the regular (beef, chicken, veal) or the vegetarian (calamari, shrimp, fish) menu. There was salad, pizza, anti-pasta, a main dish and then desert. All the while your wine glass was never empty. We had a wonderful time. We would certainly consider coming back for a holiday.

http://www.danheller.com/venice-burano.html

By 8:30 the next morning (Day 10) we were off to Ravenna and then on to Assisi. The tour of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was amazing. The local guide pointed out many interesting matters depicted in the paintings and frescoes before leading downstairs to the Saints’ tomb.

The next day we were faced with the long drive (at least 5/6 hours) to Sorrento. We arrived at the Hotel Corallo Sorrento around 1:30. As we entered our room we could hear laughter and greetings from others on our tour. As we opened our balcony door we saw why. The hotel is situated on a cliff overlooking the island of Capri. The view from each of our rooms was fantastic.

http://www.hotelcorallosorrento.com/en/

At 3:00 we headed out on the Amalfi Coast/Positano optional tour. The views along the way to Positano were amazing. Positano is quite nice but this tour is really not much more than a shopping excursion and a walk down through town to the beach. However the views still make this a worthwhile tour.

That evening was the Sorrento Evening optional dinner. It was great. We were located on an outside terrace of a seaside restaurant. Throughout the scrumptious meal the wine flowed and a local musician entertained us with a variety of music including some required standards. Then he started taking requests from our tables which led to some interesting moments and dancing. When some of our group got up for the ‘chicken dance’ it was obvious that we were getting ‘into our cups’. While it was raining when we left you couldn’t tell from looking at us as we scampered along through puddles and such, almost giggling like school children. My we had a good time.

The next morning we attended a marquetry (a form of woodworking using various veneers) demonstration before taking the crowded ferry to Capri. First thing was the cruise to the Blue Grotto. Unfortunately we were unable to enter it due to the high water but did get a wonderful view of some smaller tide carved caves along the shoreline. Upon our return we took the funicular up to top of the cliff and had a wonderful lunch before returning down to the marina for a short shopping opportunity.

We left Sorrento by 8:00 Saturday morning. We arrived at Pompeii shortly afterwards. The local guide led us through some interesting buildings and provided an edifying explanation of the paintings and graffiti. Unfortunately it started raining half way through the tour so we ended up running from place to place. I don’t know if the guide had intended to bring us elsewhere and the rain interrupted those plans or if the tour we had was all you get but I do know from our previous visit that there were other more interesting sites we could have seen (the villa with the dog mosaic, the baths/spa).

We arrived back in Rome at the Sheraton Hotel by 2:00. A number of us had expressed an interest in touring the Catacombs. However, rather than an organized excursion it was left to us to make our where there and back. Most did not bother deciding to spend a leisurely afternoon packing and getting ready for our last dinner together.

We left around 7:00 for this farewell dinner. Ruth put on some mood music as we made our way to the restaurant. The restaurant itself was nice but the main course was a failure. Why they would serve us steak for our last meal in Italy was beyond our comprehension. If it had been any good that would have been OK I guess but it was terrible. Most of us couldn’t finish it. However the rest of the meal and the free flowing wine made up for all shortcomings. By the time we got back on the bus we were all quite prepared to join in a sing-along as we headed to the hotel. The bus rocked, we sang, clapped and laughed and laughed. If I ever again here Dean Martin sing Volare, Mambo Italiano or Thats Amore it will be way too soon. I am sure there were a quite a few people the next morning that shared this sentiment.

All in all we had another wonderful tour with Insight and would recommend this tour to others.

suec1

Very nice trip report and I think an excellent illustration of the pros and cons of tours - Insight and probably the other brands as well. Now when posters ask about taking a tour vs going independently they can get a good idea from your post what a tour will be like. I do think the AC problem in Florence was probably not too much of a reflection on the tour hotels but rather a fairly typical occurrence in mid-priced Italian hotels. We have been is several Italian hotels where the AC is not like in the US - there is a thermostat but while the guest can "adjust" the temperature there is little effect. I enjoyed reading your post - brought back memories of our travels and made me really want to get to the Italian Lakes one of these days.

Libretto

Thanks for your report. I've often wondered about the Insight tours of Italy. (Have been on other Insight tours and liked them.) Although there are advantages to being on your own, sometimes a tour works best for all kinds of reasons. Thanks for the interesting details!