Italy AprilMay 2007 Trip Research and Tips
May 23rd, 2007, 10:49 AM
#21
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Thanks for the great report, mdod.
You asked for info on how to get stops and scheduled times for the entire train route - use the German Rail website for this, they show info for Italy too.
Once you put in your requested origination/destination, they will give you several train options. Once you make a choice, they will take you to a new screen where you can click on the train icon and it will show you every stop and
scheduled times for that train.
http://tinyurl.com/2hsxxj
You asked for info on how to get stops and scheduled times for the entire train route - use the German Rail website for this, they show info for Italy too.
Once you put in your requested origination/destination, they will give you several train options. Once you make a choice, they will take you to a new screen where you can click on the train icon and it will show you every stop and
scheduled times for that train.
http://tinyurl.com/2hsxxj
May 26th, 2007, 06:49 AM
#23
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Thanks for the train info LA Woman.
Tripadvisor finally got my hotel reviews posted. Apparently they remove links but I included them in my original info above. I only reviewed the 4 that I couldn't find much info on when I was looking.
Here are the links:
Casa della Corte, Venice: http://tinyurl.com/2vld8n
FYI, I don't know where they came up with the overall rating of 2. It looks like the service rating (which I didn't think I gave them a 2 anyway). For 110 EU in Venice, I'd go back in a heartbeat.
Agristurismo Il Colombaiolo, Pienza: http://tinyurl.com/2po9x6
Note they posted it in Siena,Pienza. There is also an Agriturismo Il Colombaio (no "lo" at the end) listed in Siena that is NOT the same place.
Hotel Vecchio Asilo 5 min from San G: http://tinyurl.com/2tusmj
Francesco House B&B in Rome: http://tinyurl.com/2ujors
Also, in searching online to figure out what some of my pictures were, I ran across a couple of sites I thought I'd add here.
Good site for Florence
http://www.tourism-in-tuscany.com/florence/
LOL...this is where I discovered that we made it to San Minato Church afterall.
What we missed was Piazzale Michelangelo. I guess we missed the turn and just kept climbing, thinking that was it-doh!
Finally, in looking through the Churches in Rome thread that I linked I noticed that the http://roma.katolsk.no/ site mentioned multiple times has been converted to a wiki at http://romanchurches.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
I found another neat site in a thread linked off the church thread. It is an interactive Map with info and pics of 57 Churches in Rome.
http://tinyurl.com/2cnbzw
Tripadvisor finally got my hotel reviews posted. Apparently they remove links but I included them in my original info above. I only reviewed the 4 that I couldn't find much info on when I was looking.
Here are the links:
Casa della Corte, Venice: http://tinyurl.com/2vld8n
FYI, I don't know where they came up with the overall rating of 2. It looks like the service rating (which I didn't think I gave them a 2 anyway). For 110 EU in Venice, I'd go back in a heartbeat.
Agristurismo Il Colombaiolo, Pienza: http://tinyurl.com/2po9x6
Note they posted it in Siena,Pienza. There is also an Agriturismo Il Colombaio (no "lo" at the end) listed in Siena that is NOT the same place.
Hotel Vecchio Asilo 5 min from San G: http://tinyurl.com/2tusmj
Francesco House B&B in Rome: http://tinyurl.com/2ujors
Also, in searching online to figure out what some of my pictures were, I ran across a couple of sites I thought I'd add here.
Good site for Florence
http://www.tourism-in-tuscany.com/florence/
LOL...this is where I discovered that we made it to San Minato Church afterall.
What we missed was Piazzale Michelangelo. I guess we missed the turn and just kept climbing, thinking that was it-doh!
Finally, in looking through the Churches in Rome thread that I linked I noticed that the http://roma.katolsk.no/ site mentioned multiple times has been converted to a wiki at http://romanchurches.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
I found another neat site in a thread linked off the church thread. It is an interactive Map with info and pics of 57 Churches in Rome.
http://tinyurl.com/2cnbzw
May 30th, 2007, 06:52 AM
#27
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We are planning our first trip to Italy next year for our 30th anniversary. I saw a special on TV about Venice flooding, but can't remember when they said it would be dry. Does anyone know which months are the best to go to avoid the walk boards? Thanks for the help.
May 30th, 2007, 08:01 AM
#28
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Donna,
I actually thought it might be neat to see but it was dry as a bone when we were in Venice. I'm sure there's a post somewhere in Fodors but this link looks like it has what you want to know: http://tinyurl.com/5ed2o
I actually thought it might be neat to see but it was dry as a bone when we were in Venice. I'm sure there's a post somewhere in Fodors but this link looks like it has what you want to know: http://tinyurl.com/5ed2o
May 30th, 2007, 11:03 AM
#32
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How do you go about traveling on a night train? In Rick Steves' book on Italy he recommends taking a night train, but I can't figure out how to do it. My husband and I are traveling with our 6 & 8 year old children & think it would be fun. The biggest reason I'd like to do it though is because we're flying in and out of Rome and have to back track at some point. We're first spending time in Rome, then driving through Tuscany & Umbria, then Cinque Terre, then over to Venice. We want to go to Amalfi but don't want to drive clear down the country and the kids would go bananas if we did it during the day (which in turn would drive us crazy). Is there a way to travel at night from Venice to the Sorrento, Amalfi or even Naples (if we have to) area? We've never been to Italy before and are planning on spending 3 weeks there. We're very excited, but clueless. Thanks.
May 30th, 2007, 11:12 AM
#33
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Hey, mdod, would you please take another trip this year to the UK? I really could use this kind of info for our trip there in Fall, 2008. ;-)
Honestly, this info is really good, compact and very helpful. Thanks for sharing your research tools.
Honestly, this info is really good, compact and very helpful. Thanks for sharing your research tools.
May 30th, 2007, 11:54 AM
#34
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travelmom 68, Some longer train routes will run in the middle of the night and have sleeper cars. I think the train category will end in "N" for night but I'm not sure they all do. If you click the details link, trains with sleeping facilities will have a bed symbol on them. If you go to the Trenitalia site http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
and enter Venice to Naples leaving at 19:00, a couple of night trains show up. The 771 Marco Polo leaves Venice at 00:04 and arrives Naples at 10:00 with no train change so that would be the one I'd suggest for that route. That's the one we took, only in the opposite direction.
I just noticed that I mispoke in my info about the night trains. We had the "Couchettes for Four Comfort", not "Couchettes for two". I think that woudl work great for a family with 2 small kids if they can stay up that late to catch the train. Just make sure you're all in the same compartment. It's 2 sets of bunk beds in a walled off compartment. You'd have to go down the hall for the sink and toilet. I'm not sure if they have the fancier sleeper compartments with bathroom facilities on this train.
and enter Venice to Naples leaving at 19:00, a couple of night trains show up. The 771 Marco Polo leaves Venice at 00:04 and arrives Naples at 10:00 with no train change so that would be the one I'd suggest for that route. That's the one we took, only in the opposite direction.
I just noticed that I mispoke in my info about the night trains. We had the "Couchettes for Four Comfort", not "Couchettes for two". I think that woudl work great for a family with 2 small kids if they can stay up that late to catch the train. Just make sure you're all in the same compartment. It's 2 sets of bunk beds in a walled off compartment. You'd have to go down the hall for the sink and toilet. I'm not sure if they have the fancier sleeper compartments with bathroom facilities on this train.
May 31st, 2007, 06:57 AM
#38
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Thanks for the info on the trains. It's very helpful. I love reading these posts! Mdod you're information is great. I've never in my life joined a message board and I love it. Thanks you all so much!
May 31st, 2007, 07:53 AM
#39
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My 6 & 8 year old children are traveling with us to Italy for 3 weeks. I promised my husband that we would take a 4 day swimming/beach break with no sightseeing, possibly a resort? We don't want too touristy, but at the same time can't be too remote because we need the amenities usually offered in bigger places for our kids and close restaurants. When we're in the Amalfi area can we do this? We'd like to stay in a place that we can walk out onto the beach and that has a pool. I know we can do this in the USA anywhere, but that was the deal I made, and if the kids are happy, lets be honest, we're all happy. Any suggestions? or are their better places than Amalfi? We'll be along the western coast of Italy and don't plan on going to the Eastern side or Sicily because of the extra traveling and time constraints. Thank you!
