Italy Trip Report
 

Thanks to all of you for your comments and suggestions regarding our trip to Italy August 27-September 7. We had an amazing trip and, as promised, the following is a full report.

For the most part, we took things very slow and tried to stay away from tourist crowds as much as possible. In Rome, we spent the first day just walking a bit. We saw the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Spanish Steps area etc. It was particularly pleasant to sit by the Trevi Fountain at night after dinner along with an international crowd of tourists and locals and just people watch. The next day, we saw the Colleseum and Forum, Vittorio Emanuel Memorial and did a tremedous amount of walking. Our dinners were somewhat impromptu. We simply stopped at whichever trattoria looked most appealing and, of course, didn't have a bad meal. The last day in Rome was hot and we were pretty tired, so went to the Keats-Shelley House at the base of the Spanish Steps (a real treat for me since I am a huge fan of the romantic poets) and spent the remainder of the day sitting around reading and eating "roman sandwiches" and gelati in the Villa Borghese. Very relaxing and very wonderful. We never made it to the Vatican or the Catacombs which was fine because we have both seen St. Peter's and the Sistine chapel before and decided to leave the Catacombs for another trip.

The fourth day we picked up our car and headed for Tuscany. We got miserably lost trying to get out of Rome. Thank God it was early on a Sunday morning and there was no traffic! It was not a good way to start off our Italian driving experience. However, once out of Rome, everything was smooth and we found driving on the autostrada actually quite pleasant. We quickly learned the rules of the road and stayed to right out of everyone's way. We also learned to dump our American habit of wanting to rely on road and route numbers and found that the directional signage was actually easier and well done once we got the hang of it. We stopped in Orvieto for about three hours upon the suggestion of Bob the Navigator. Wow, what a great town! We loved the hilltop location with sweeping views of Umbria and their amazing Duomo. The San Britzio chapel was particularly fascinating and contained works by Fra Angelica and Signorelli. Then, it was on to Locanda Dell'Amorosa outside of Sinalunga. We arrived late in the afternoon and finally found the cypress lined drive leading up to the hotel after a few wrong turns. The minute we pulled into the driveway, I knew we were in for something special. We absolutely LOVED it. This was probably the only place I have ever been to which lived up to all the hype it gets and actually exceeded our expectations. It was the most peaceful, picturesque, lovely and amazing place I have ever seen. We had dinner there the first night, and I have to say, it was the only disappointing meal we had during our entire trip, not horrible but certainly not great for the money.

The next day, we had planned to hit Montalcino, Montepulciano and Pienza. We never made it because we simply could not pull ourselves away from the splendor of Amorosa. We spent most of the day lounging around our "room" which was actually more like a mini house on three floors within a medieval tower (Rm. 48). Spacious, rustic, superb and well worth the money. Sweeping views from every window. The top floor contained a beatiful marble bath with a great bathtub located right under a window with the most amazing views of the Tuscan hills and nearby towns. Needless to say, I took three baths while we were there. The remainder of that day was spent around their lovely infinity edged pool and sipping iced tea at many strategic locations around the compound where we just attempted to soak everything in. We finally managed to pull ourselves away for dinner at La Chiusa in Montefollonico, again at Bob's suggestion. I am not exaggerating when I say that it was the best and most memorable meal of my entire life. We got there early just as the sun was setting and were treated to their spectacular view of Montepulciano from the terrace were we sat and sipped our wine for about an hour. Then our host, Umberto (i came to find out that the place is owned by Umberto and his wife Dania who is also the chef) ushered us into the lovely dining room for a true dining experience. The complimnetary appetizers of crostini with puree of chick peas and spinach and "mashed" bruschetta formed into heart shapes on our plates were amazing. Next, I had ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese. The lightest most flavorful pasta I've ever had. Then I had the filet of beef with shaved black truffles on top. My first experience with truffles, which won't be my last. I now understand all the hype about them as well. We lingered over our meal which is a real feat for us since we both are the types that like to "eat and get out". Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! Umberto is an extremely gracious host and Dania a superb Tuscan chef. I would reccomend this experience to anyone. I also understand that they have several lovely rooms there where you can spend the night, or a week. I made a note of this for next time.

The next morning, after yet another bath, we, very reulctantly, said goodbye to Amorosa and hit the road. We had a busy but adventurous day. We saw Monteriggioni, Volterra and San Gim. in that order. Volterra, again on Bob's suggestion, was probably my favorite out of all the towns we visited, even despite all the uphill walking. It was peaceful and picturesque and the mountaintop location is breathtaking. We found the Etruscan ruins fascinating. San Gim. was wonderful too, but a little too crowded and touristy for my taste. We climbed the Torre Grossa and found the Museo de Tortura (museum containing various medieval torture devices and a dungeon) particularly interesting. Then on to Fiesole and Villa San Michele.

We got a little lost in Florence but soon forgot about that when we arrived at San Michele. We got out of the car and were dumbfounded by the sweeping view of Florence from San Michele's hilltop location in Fiesole. It took some getting over just to bring myself to my senses enough to check in. We had reserved a regular double room which was exorbitantly expensive, but which we were willing to pay for for the experience of staying there. However, upon check in, we were advised that we were being upgraded to the Michealangelo Suite (Rm. 8), their largest and most luxurious accomodation, for the same price which also indcluded breakfast each day and one gourmet dinner (I think they thought we were on our honeymoon, who was I to tell them differently). They advised me that they would return the rental car for us and drive us to the train station upon our departure. Thank goodness for that because I would not have wanted to endure driving in Florence again. With a flourish, they escorted us to our room where, upon entering, you could hear both of our jaws hitting the ground. It was positively baronial! It stretched the entire length of the front of the Villa and must have measured 20x60 not including the bathroom (I'm not kidding). The ceilings must have been 17' high, the fireplace was big enough for three people to sit in and we had three huge windows with completely unobstructed views of the entire city of Florence lying below us. Magnificent doesn't accurately describe it. The bathroom, which was actually two bathrooms (his and hers) contained a Jacuzzi tub for four people (more bath taking ensued). The room was graced with a huge bouquet of fresh lilies which kept the room smelling heavenly the whole time we were there. Soon after, a waiter arrived with a chilled bottle of spumonte and a tray of various cheeses and olives, compliments of the conceirge. We spent about an hour in a daze just walking around and sitting around the room wondering what we had done to deserve this before we could bring ourselves to unpack or even think about what to do next.

We decided to have our price included dinner in our room that night. Another unbelievable dining experience. They proceeded to serve us a four course, gourmet dinner complete with linens, china, crystal, silver, white glove service and candlelight in our room. The waiters must have been back and forth to our room at least five different times setting up the table and delivering various courses. They piped in classical music and the setting was complete. It was so amazing that I couldn't even concentrate on the food which was marvelous. I felt like I was living a dream.

Of course, the next day, forget about touring Florence or Fiesole, why leave San Michele? We spent another day lounging at the pool just gasping at the remarkable views of Florence from every angle and the manicured loveliness of the place we were in. I must admit, the laid back, rustic atmosphere of Amorosa was more my speed, and I did feel more comfortable there, but the refined beauty of this place is simply unsurpassed, at least in my experience. Everything was top notch. We actually started feeling strange about the staff continually fawning over us. In the end, despite our huge bill, we actually felt like we had gotten the most for our money. I don't know that I will ever have the means or the desire (the clientele was a little snobbish) to stay here again, but it is surely an experience that I will always treasure and I would reccomend to anyanoe who truly wants to treat themsleves.

After being delivered to the train station the next day, we had a pleasant 2 1/2 hour train ride to Venice. Upon crossing the causeway and catching my first glimpse of the city, I actually started to weep. Love it or hate it, anyone who has been to Venice cannot deny that it is like no place else on Earth. I loved it! It was so romantic and mysterious. We took a water taxi down the grand canal to our hotel which was an expereince in and of itself. We checked into the Hotel Colombina which is located on the same canal as the Bridge of Sighs on a quiet side canal behind St. Mark's. We couldn't have been happier with the location. Our room was small (my perception may have been a little skewed by our palatial room at San Michele at that point), but extremely well appointed and comfortable (Rm. 402). We were on the top floor and had a great view of the canal, the Bridge of Sighs and even the Campanile and domes of St. Mark's over the rooftops, which more than made up for the size. There was some construction going on directly across the canal, but I was so in awe of the whole setting and the city that it really didn't detract from anything. We spent a lot of time hanging out the windows admiring the views and slept with the windows wide open every night so we could hear the songs of the gondoliers as they passed by.

Venice was bustling while we were there. The Venice film festival was in its second week when we got there and there was a huge annual regatta taking place on the day we left. The town and the streets were jammed packed. We did our best to stay away from the crowds and spent the majority of our time just wandering through (and getting pleasantly lost in) the different neighborhoods and stumbling upon the lesser known, but worthwhile, sights. One such "discovery" was the Basilica of Pietro y Paolo in the Castello section. A mamonth gothic catherdral located in a relatively quiet neighborhood. We turned a corner, and, there it was. It was not at all crowded and was free so we wandered in. You could easily spend several hours investigating all the side chapels and nooks and crannies of this place. Aside from the amazing architecture, there is an abundance of stunning artwork and the tombs of 14 doges to explore.

Because of the crowds, we never made it into St. Mark's, the Campanile or the Doge's Palace. We had to view and appreciate these spectacular sights from the outside in the crowded, but exciting, square. We weren't disappointed because we know we'll be back. All in all, our three days in Venice were magical. The highlight being our sunset gondola ride on the second night. I never wanted it to end.

After our long but uneventful 20 hour trip home, we were exhausted but full of memories from what was truly the trip of a lifetime for us. I simply cannot wait to go back!

What a great report. It'll be a few years before we go on our dream trip to Italy (it's my husband's retirement gift to ourselves) but your report has me contemplating how I can live on coupons and Kraft Dinner so we can get there earlier.

I particularly like the way you just enjoyed yourselves instead of running about like dervishes trying to do everything that others might think important. I've found that sometimes us tourists seem to lose track of what's really important and I think it is a North American fixation to cram everything possible into a few days and most of the time we come home exhausted and can't really remember anything we saw. You, however, will have these memories forever because you took the time to enjoy the quality of the moment. Well done.

wow what a wonderful report. I am going to print it and read it more thoroughly on my lunch hour. Only 10 more days till my trip and you really brought it to life for me.

What a great time you had! We too visited Venice last year and you really made me feel as if I were there again. I'm getting teary eyed just thinking about my first view of the Grand Canal and of the Bridge of Sighs. We had an extra two days and were able to fit in the Doge's Palace (which wasn't bad) and the Academia (which we could have skipped for our preferences) but you really experienced the best part of the city -- the wandering around and being able to appreciate what a maze - and amazing city - it is!

Thanks for the wonderful report! Soaking in a bubble bath with a view of the Tuscan countryside sounds heavenly.

Fabulous report, Cat. So glad you had a wonderful time. Your stay at Villa San Michele sounds an absolute dream. We really enjoyed Fiesole recently, as well, however we didn't get to do something that special. Wow!

I can agree that an evening gondola ride in Venice is magical, as is the city itself. We recently renewed our wedding vows on a gondola in Venice, so I echo your sentiments completely. It's unlike any city in the world and keeps you rather mesmorized.

Thanks for posting your report!

Well, this is a first !
A fabulous experience in bella Italia where they admit intentionally missing many of the major attractions that draw travelers to Italy. I am so pleased for you cat. Next time you can take me. You have broken the code.

Thanks for your comments. I'm glad I was able to convey, at least to some extent, what a truly, truly wonderful experience this trip was. After many vacations running around like a dervish trying to cram absolutely everything possible into a few days, I have learned to travel by what I FEEL, and not what I can SEE. I am also blessed with a partner who is a wonderful travel companion. He and I always seem to be in synch about what we want to do at any given moment. We start with a rough outline of what we'd like to do, and then, if we are having a great experince somewhere and want to stay longer, we just do, even if it means having to give up something else. We also make an effort to stay well rested which really is necessary for any successful vacation. This may not be the method for everyone, depending upon your traveling interests, but it works extremely well for us. I also tried to describe my adventures of the day by writing about them in my travel journal each night. This really allows you to reflect upon where you went, what you saw, and how you felt at that moment. You can also go back and read it over and over and relive the experience as often as you like. For me, that is the best way to create memories which is really what traveling is all about. Isn't it?

Well said, cat! Sounds like you two travel just as my DH and I do. The memories last a lifetime.

This report has me wanting to get on a plane tomorrow. It is the perfect antidote to those who say they don't care what hotel they stay in, it's just a place to sleep. Not that I would probably spend the money to stay in such places, but wow, it sure sounds tempting.

Wonderful Trip Report. Thank you Cat!

A riveting report. I think I read the entire thing without taking a breath. Are you SURE the San Michele experience wasn't just a dream?

Sounds like you had a wonderful time, Cat. I, too, have changed my traveling philosophy. I used to schedule as much as possible into a trip and we would be worn out by the time we got home. This coming trip I intend to have a more relaxed attitude.

You mentioned that the train from Florence to Venice took 2 1/2 hours. Did you have to go through Milan?

Hi Ronda,

We booked the fast train from Florence to Venice which is called the Eurostar or ES train. It goes through several smaller towns on the way to Venice, but does not go through Milan. The Eurostar is a bit more expensive than the regular train service and has reserved 1st and 2nd class seating as opposed to the general, unreserved seating on the regular trains. Also, the Eurostar trip from Florence to Venice is about 2:30-2:40 while the regular trains take about 3:15. If you are traveling with a good amount of luggage as we did, I would definitely book the Eurostar to make sure that you will have seats and space to stow your luggage. If not, you may find yourself standing in the aisle with your luggage for the duration of the trip.

I hope this answered your question.

Wow, we are leaving tomorrow for Italy, 7 days in a villa near Siena, Florence 3 days at Villa San Michele and 3 days in Rome. I am so excited! Especially after reading your report. We are celebrating our 10 year anniversary! We hope to have as much fun as you did!

Tuleppy,

Happy Anniversary! I am sure you will love San Michele as much as we did. I don't know what type of room you booked, but don't be afraid to ask for an upgrade when you get there. I have the feeling that if they have the rooms available they will probably oblige.

Also, don't miss some time at the pool and I would highly reccomend the in-room dining experience. Make the most of it. However, have dinner on their beautiful loggia overlooking Florence at least one night. Try to get to dinner before sundown and spend some time sipping drinks in their Italian Gardens adjacent to the loggia while watching the sun set over Florence before dinner. Spectacular and very romantic.

Also, you probably have at least breakfast included in your room price. They have a breakfast buffet every morning, or you can have breakfast delivered to your room. Unimpressed with the breakfast buffets at the other places we stayed, we had our breakfast in our room everyday which was great. However, on the morning we checked out, we caught a glimpse of their buffet. Wow! There were two tables about 20' long each set up with every breakfast (and non-breakfast) food imaginable, and then breakfast takes place on the loggia. We were so impressed and sorry that we had missed it that we actually sat down and had a second breakfast at the buffet that morning before we left. My point is, even if you like to stay in bed and sleep late which is easy to do here, don't miss the buffet at least one morning.

I hope your experience in Italia is as wonderful as ours. Please let us know what you thought of San Michele when you get back. Have a wonderful time!

cat - thanks for posting your report. It was such a pleasure to read. You do a great job at describing ambiance. I took delight in being able to experience the place just by your choice of words. Sometimes when one is trying to describe a place they want to go, stay, etc. it's best to describe how one feels in the moment. Again, you did an outstanding job at this. It's how I know that those are places I want to go and experience. Thanks again for sharing!

Hi cat,

Thanks for sharing. Wonderful report. Glad you had such a good time.

Wow! That sounds amazing!

We leave in 2 weeks and are also staying at Locanda Dell'Amorosa. May I ask what type of room you booked? We booked a superior double - was yours booked as a suite?

Also, we plan on eating there, but am dismayed by your report of the restaurant. How did it compare in price to La Chiusa? How far in advance did you get reservations at La Chiusa?

Great trip report! Vacations are about great memories and you certainly have many to cherish.
May I ask if La Chiusa is reachable by train or public transportation, we don't have a car this trip? Thanks