Jamikins and Bikerscott do Italy!
Jul 12th, 2012, 01:29 AM
#204
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Loved the photos Bikerscott
Jamikins, thanks for the info of your other trip reports, I will most certainly read them, especially the one of Cinque Terre/Piemonte, since that area of Italu is on my list.
Like us,you also seem to enjoy the Christmas/New Year's activities abroad, it is a nice time to go on holidy for sure.
Did you read about the big infestation of large red cockroaches Naples currently has to deal with? - it was on the news. The authorities are spraying poison everywhere to try and get rid of it. The heatwave had much to do with its spreading, and also probably the garbage problems they are still facing. When we drove past Naples in December 2010 we saw so many stacks of garbage around the harbour area - a real shame and really disgusting - hope they have by now dealt with the problem.
Jamikins, thanks for the info of your other trip reports, I will most certainly read them, especially the one of Cinque Terre/Piemonte, since that area of Italu is on my list.
Like us,you also seem to enjoy the Christmas/New Year's activities abroad, it is a nice time to go on holidy for sure.
Did you read about the big infestation of large red cockroaches Naples currently has to deal with? - it was on the news. The authorities are spraying poison everywhere to try and get rid of it. The heatwave had much to do with its spreading, and also probably the garbage problems they are still facing. When we drove past Naples in December 2010 we saw so many stacks of garbage around the harbour area - a real shame and really disgusting - hope they have by now dealt with the problem.
Jul 12th, 2012, 01:53 AM
#205
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Your mention of your travels to Tuscany in the winter reminds me of an article in the NYT. Looks like it's a beautiful place in the winter.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/03/07...pagewanted=all
We just returned from a week in Val d'Orcia which is absolutely beautiful. One word of caution - I think it may be difficult to drive there in the winter. Roads are windy, narrow and without railguards (straight plunge into the valleys below)! There are signs cautioning against ice almost on every bend! I would suggest to get an automatic (which we did for this trip) - could make the driving a lot less stressful in the winter months.
Thanks for sharing your trip report! I can't wait to go back to Italia myself.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/03/07...pagewanted=all
We just returned from a week in Val d'Orcia which is absolutely beautiful. One word of caution - I think it may be difficult to drive there in the winter. Roads are windy, narrow and without railguards (straight plunge into the valleys below)! There are signs cautioning against ice almost on every bend! I would suggest to get an automatic (which we did for this trip) - could make the driving a lot less stressful in the winter months.
Thanks for sharing your trip report! I can't wait to go back to Italia myself.
Jul 12th, 2012, 02:28 AM
#206
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I did read about the roach problem - I hope they solve that before Easter!!!! Not too concerned about garbage (to be honest we will be spending most of our time eating HAHA)
We love NYE travel - but thats a good point about the windy roads Piccolina...definitely something to consider!! Thanks for the link!
We love NYE travel - but thats a good point about the windy roads Piccolina...definitely something to consider!! Thanks for the link!
Jul 12th, 2012, 04:48 AM
#207
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Thanks for the photos! I got a good chuckle at the statue in Bologna!
Again thanks for an entertaining and informative read. I always look forward to your trips and am grateful that you share them with us.
Again thanks for an entertaining and informative read. I always look forward to your trips and am grateful that you share them with us.
Jul 12th, 2012, 08:42 AM
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Don't worry, I am sure that the cockroaches will all long gone from Naples by Eastertime, Jamikins!!!!
Who would not be eating away when in Naples or the Campagna region???!!! -Their pizzas are so delicious, you must go to Vico Equense and try the Pizza al Metro restaurant where they make the metre long pizza, really, really good, and they also make fried seafood as a side.
As piccolina mentioned, some placaes, might be quite challenging to drive (do not consider going up the Monte Amiata in the night-time though, I would wholeheartedly not recommend it), but I guess we were always lucky as on the two timees we were in Tuscany and the one time in Umbria always in December, we always found really lovely sunny - on two occasions it was snowing heavily just a month before in mountaineous or hilly areas we visited. But it should be ok if you do not find accomodation on a high hill top town to be on the safe side, and some research beforehand on accessibility on places you would like to visit would surely help.
Last December we did a day trip from Trento to the ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio, (it is a route up the Dolomite mountains, but it was an easy drive and the roads had barriers, and also luckily a nice day. I always seem to bring the nice weather with me when we go to Italy lol.
Like Piccolina said, the narrow winding roads without barriers with the straight plunge to the valley do REALLY give me the creeps, but at least some do have barriers and seem less dangerous than others. My husband got well used to them now and drives around with ease (he is more agitated in city centres), it is me that just clings to the car seat with fear. And anyway, you can still enjoy the Tuscan countryside and even towns and cities without going up hilltops if it is raining.
Believe me, Tuscany and Umbria are really beautiful in December. January and February you would definitely be expecting snow and hail,especially in areas with high altitude, last year they experienced such huge unexpected snowfalls in so many lower altitude cities in Italy like Florence, Rome Siena etc.
We stayed at Locanda del Borgo in Pietralunga in Umbria on Christmas Eve (after a long drive from Trento) . Since you (just like me and all my family) seem to enjoy the Italian food more than the holiday, you would like this relais for sure, maybe you would be interested in checking it out. On Christmas Eve they brought us a never ending feast, plate after plate of soup, pasta and endless plates of fish and shellfish (there must have been at least 7 dishes), accompanied by a whole bottle of prosecco and 3 whole good bottles of wine, desserts etc. There were five of us (they did not even charge my youngest daughter, not even for accomodation) and since we booked last minute (only a couple of weeks before) this huge dinner for four cost us 200 Euro - only 50 euro per person (and only 120 Euro for accomodation in a two-bedroom apartment for all of us including breakfast - there was even fruit and candies in the apartment) - incredible. Usually, as I found out, the same Italian families keep going to this relais year after year, they enjoy it so much (you encounter many Italian travellers in rural Umbria/Tuscany in December, unlike during the Summer months). The relais also has lovely country views and the owners are the nicest people you can ever hope to encounter. You can visit so many towns and cities of Umbria and Tuscany (since it is near its border). And so many other things to see like the world's largest Christmas tree in Gubbio - it can be seen from many miles around and the lights are lovely - we passed close to it when travelling to Rimini after Umbria (we are restless travellers, at least myself more than rest of family and do like to go around a lot in one holiday), so many presepe vivente, the ceramics in Deruta, Perugia, the lovely Lake Trasimeno area, and the father Christmases descending the Tiber river in lit-up canoes at arriving at Citta' di Castello, another lovely ancient town (we ended up missing this but we have to go again to this area another time). We also tried the Antico Forziere restaurant because of really raving reviews, could be because it was Christmas Day lunch and restaurant was full, but I felt a bit disappointed with the food.
Enjoy your sailing trip. It will be a lovely different experience from the usual holiday for sure!!! And happy planning for your future holidays. I will look forward to your trip reports for sure.
Who would not be eating away when in Naples or the Campagna region???!!! -Their pizzas are so delicious, you must go to Vico Equense and try the Pizza al Metro restaurant where they make the metre long pizza, really, really good, and they also make fried seafood as a side.
As piccolina mentioned, some placaes, might be quite challenging to drive (do not consider going up the Monte Amiata in the night-time though, I would wholeheartedly not recommend it), but I guess we were always lucky as on the two timees we were in Tuscany and the one time in Umbria always in December, we always found really lovely sunny - on two occasions it was snowing heavily just a month before in mountaineous or hilly areas we visited. But it should be ok if you do not find accomodation on a high hill top town to be on the safe side, and some research beforehand on accessibility on places you would like to visit would surely help.
Last December we did a day trip from Trento to the ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio, (it is a route up the Dolomite mountains, but it was an easy drive and the roads had barriers, and also luckily a nice day. I always seem to bring the nice weather with me when we go to Italy lol.
Like Piccolina said, the narrow winding roads without barriers with the straight plunge to the valley do REALLY give me the creeps, but at least some do have barriers and seem less dangerous than others. My husband got well used to them now and drives around with ease (he is more agitated in city centres), it is me that just clings to the car seat with fear. And anyway, you can still enjoy the Tuscan countryside and even towns and cities without going up hilltops if it is raining.
Believe me, Tuscany and Umbria are really beautiful in December. January and February you would definitely be expecting snow and hail,especially in areas with high altitude, last year they experienced such huge unexpected snowfalls in so many lower altitude cities in Italy like Florence, Rome Siena etc.
We stayed at Locanda del Borgo in Pietralunga in Umbria on Christmas Eve (after a long drive from Trento) . Since you (just like me and all my family) seem to enjoy the Italian food more than the holiday, you would like this relais for sure, maybe you would be interested in checking it out. On Christmas Eve they brought us a never ending feast, plate after plate of soup, pasta and endless plates of fish and shellfish (there must have been at least 7 dishes), accompanied by a whole bottle of prosecco and 3 whole good bottles of wine, desserts etc. There were five of us (they did not even charge my youngest daughter, not even for accomodation) and since we booked last minute (only a couple of weeks before) this huge dinner for four cost us 200 Euro - only 50 euro per person (and only 120 Euro for accomodation in a two-bedroom apartment for all of us including breakfast - there was even fruit and candies in the apartment) - incredible. Usually, as I found out, the same Italian families keep going to this relais year after year, they enjoy it so much (you encounter many Italian travellers in rural Umbria/Tuscany in December, unlike during the Summer months). The relais also has lovely country views and the owners are the nicest people you can ever hope to encounter. You can visit so many towns and cities of Umbria and Tuscany (since it is near its border). And so many other things to see like the world's largest Christmas tree in Gubbio - it can be seen from many miles around and the lights are lovely - we passed close to it when travelling to Rimini after Umbria (we are restless travellers, at least myself more than rest of family and do like to go around a lot in one holiday), so many presepe vivente, the ceramics in Deruta, Perugia, the lovely Lake Trasimeno area, and the father Christmases descending the Tiber river in lit-up canoes at arriving at Citta' di Castello, another lovely ancient town (we ended up missing this but we have to go again to this area another time). We also tried the Antico Forziere restaurant because of really raving reviews, could be because it was Christmas Day lunch and restaurant was full, but I felt a bit disappointed with the food.
Enjoy your sailing trip. It will be a lovely different experience from the usual holiday for sure!!! And happy planning for your future holidays. I will look forward to your trip reports for sure.
Sep 30th, 2012, 09:56 AM
#211
We are in Puglia now and have been rereading your TR for suggestions. gotta say, we completely agree with your rules of the road. Today we nearly got struck by a crazy motorcyclist on the coast road to Santa Maria Leuca.
re gelato in Polignano Mare, I think u walked in the weong direction. we actually had some of the best gelato this trip in Polignano right near the entrance to the old town.
again thanks for sharing all this great info,
re gelato in Polignano Mare, I think u walked in the weong direction. we actually had some of the best gelato this trip in Polignano right near the entrance to the old town.
again thanks for sharing all this great info,
Jul 24th, 2013, 08:56 PM
#219
travelplanner - You can click on their screen names to find their other trip reports and see if it's there(although I don't see one listed).
http://www.fodors.com/community/prof...ripreports.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/prof...ripreports.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/prof...ripreports.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/prof...ripreports.cfm
Jul 24th, 2013, 10:23 PM
#220
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Thanks kybourbon!
No we didn't because we didn't bring a laptop.
But it was amazing!! We loved it so much that we are doing another next year.
If you have any questions just let me know...I will try to put a link to our photos tonight!
No we didn't because we didn't bring a laptop.
But it was amazing!! We loved it so much that we are doing another next year.
If you have any questions just let me know...I will try to put a link to our photos tonight!
