Since I had such wondeful advice that made our trip so smooth and easy I feel that I have to thank everyone and give a quick report. <BR>We stayed at hotel Forte at the spanish steps in Rome, Hotel Casci in Florence and Pensione Accademia in Venice. All were wonderful, each different. The accademia was just very special and we had a room that looked onto a side canal as well as the grand canal (#24). Things to remember that I didn't know... <BR>1. Wear sneakers when you visit the Vatican. Specifically if you take the dome walk which involves 320 steps in a VERY small turning staircase. I was holding on for life as small spaces make me ill. <BR> <BR>2. If you can avoid it, do not go to Venice on a wednesday. 5 cruise ships make things very crowded. Also, try and go there in early July since many places are closed in the end of July, unlike the other cities. <BR> <BR>3See if your hotel in Venice offers a special trip to Murano (glass factories). Our hotel offered a private taxi (speed boat) to the island (20 min ride!), private tour and vaporetto tickets back for 10,000L ($5). Just the taxi ride was worth it! <BR> <BR>4. If you do not have a museum guide, buy Rick Steves' (sorry to those who dislike him) Mona Winks. It was a great help and light enough to enjoy and find seats in the rooms! <BR> <BR>Favorite restaurants: <BR>Rome- Ristorante Pallardo Paola is the main woman and 33,000L will get you 5 courses, water and a liter of wine.Set menu only...so you don't know what you're getting. <BR> <BR>Florence- Trattoria Croce al Trebbio on via delle belle donne 49r. Awesome gorgonzola ravioli, lamb with artichokes and beef stew. He gave us a glass of grappa and jaegermister afterwards so we stumbled home! <BR> <BR>Venice- trattoria ai cungi (between the accademia and guggenheim) Mama runs the place. She speaks a lot of italian to youi whether or not you understand and occaisionally rubs you head! Great homemade pasta and veal marsala. my husband had 4 courses!Sit in the back where there is a courtyard, but <BR>

to the top <BR>This is the beginning of my message. i got cut off and had to continue. see...Continued florence, rome, venice posting

AMY: What was the name of your Venice hotel that arranged private water taxi to Murano? We are staying at The Principe in mid September, and expect to go to Murano and Burano. Sounds like a great deal, hopefully without sales pressure from glaas people!!!

Do cruise ships typically arrive in Venice on Wednesdays? We were there on Thursday along with a HUGE Princess Ship and a smaller Radisson trip and it was much more crowded than the Wednesday before when I didn't notice any ships.

The name of the hotel was the Pensione Accademia, just on the other side of the san trovaso canal from the accademia bridge. It is a great deal to go to Murano, and hardly any pressure from the salesperson "Lou". I would do it again in a second. <BR> <BR>PLEASE see the other half of my post as I was cut off. It's "Continud back from Florence, VEnice, Rome.

We are planning this itinerary for late June of 2002. I have a few questions. <BR>1. Should we fly into Rome or Florence? <BR>2. Would 8 Days (including flight days) <BR> be enough? <BR>3. How many days for each city? <BR>4. How is the Metropole Hotel in Venice, the Marriott in Rome? <BR>5. Should we rent a car (2 couples) or go by train? <BR> <BR>Thanks!

Liv - <BR> <BR>I must have gotten the wrong "free" trip to Murano. We were "kidnapped"! <BR> <BR>The boat over is really a great deal - a private water taxi to Murano. It was really beautiful. When we arrived, we were shown a glass blowing exhibit. <BR> <BR>Then we were shown into the glass showroom. Quite hysterical, really - there are no exit signs. We kept trying to "escape" but every room just brought more and more glass - and more and more sales people. They were lovely - but not an exit sign in sight! Finally, I spotted a stairway going "who cared where"! Off we went, found an "unsuspecting" person who worked there, who directed us to the exit! <BR> <BR>I'm sure our photos appear in the local post office!! <BR> <BR>Seriously though, the water taxi alone is worth the trip - remember, you have to find your own way home by vaporetto (at least we did...) - and finally, keep looking for those exit signs! <BR> <BR>Dona

thanks for all the information. sounds like you took great notes. i'm in the count down mode...2 days and i'm off.

AnneMarie <BR> <BR>Saw you questioned the Grand Flora Marriott inRome..we stayed there last summer..fabulous hotel and great location!!!Would stay there again in a heart beat.