asbury10: Thanks for the tips about the Delta waitlist. BTW, we will also be taking a trip from Florence to Siena. Was there a reason why you decided to take the train instead of the bus? Many people have advised us to take the bus...told us it was faster.

We took the train simply because it was a spur-of-the-moment decision to go to Siena. We walked over to the train station, bought tickets, and went for the afternoon. It was easy. (Take the taxi or bus from the train station up into Siena.)

Dear Luca,

Please stop advertising. Your post has nothing to do with the request.

Thanks for the great report. What did you specifically like about the hotel you stayed at in Venice, the Accademia?
thanks
Barb

Spacious public areas; formerly the Russian embassy; quaint rooms, with some looking out over a side canal, (and from ours you could see the Grand Canal); it's in the quiet Dorsoduro section conveniently near the Accademia bridge where you can walk over to the San Marco area, plus there is a vaporetto stop there at the bridge,(where the Accademia art museum is). Good breakfast. Neighborhood around it seems like where normal people live, but you are close to the big sights.

Your report plus your answers to all the questions are extremely helpful. Do you know if Pompeii and Capri-Blu Grotto can be done in one day, and if there are day tours from Rome going there? Thanks.

Great report and answers a lot of questions often seen here...enjoyed reading it and glad you had such a wonderful trip.

We did not take a trip to Pompeii from Rome, so I can't be of much help. I think I remember reading that it would be a very FULL day trip from Rome. Lots of books suggested that another ruins site near Rome, Ostia Antica, would be a very enjoyable outing (but we didn't go). There are also day tours to the ruins of Hadrian's villa at another site just outside Rome. But our 4 days in Rome were so full that we didn't get out of the central city. The Roman forum and Palatine Hill provided a great visual spectacle of the "glories" of yesteryear.

When I wrote about how hot it was in June, I never imagined that Italy would be suffering the heat wave it's going through now! Wow. My sympathy goes out to all those traveling there now, and those who live there without AC!

Great tips! Thanks.

Nice report, thanks. Glad to see you liked the restaurant at the Locanda Montin. We did too but, unfortunately, were there too early in the year for the lovely courtyard.