Just got back: first trip to Italy!
 

My husband and I just completed our first trip to Italy: Rome, Florence and Venice! Rome was very beautiful, but ultimately, I think, not the city for us. It was a litle too hectic (and I am a NYC girl). We had experiences like waiter bringing us the bill before we'd even finished eating, and were practically run down by traffic while sightseeing! Before everyone jumps to conclusions, let me say that we liked Rome--I just don't think we'd go back anytime soon! We loved the Trevi fountain and the Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and the Roman Forum. Very intense to see these things I've seen all my life in movies and photographs! We used Sandra Gustafen's Great Eats book for the Rome leg of the tour, and, although I took her Paris book EVERYWHERE with me last year in France and it was indispensible, we thought that her Rome reccomendations were largely WAY off! My husband and I are foodies, so that was a little disappointing. We did have one great meal in Travestere though, which ended with the owner bringing us limoncello and grappa, and kissing us when we left. That was a great experience. Florence was gorgeous. We stayed at a great little one-star hotel called Il Bargellino that I made a separate post about. We loved the Duomo and climbed, huffing and puffing, to the very top! Seeing Micheangelo's David up close was astounding--I was thouroughly prepared to be underwhelmed, but it was one of the most powerful sculptures I have ever seen in person. We had lots of yummy picnic that we gatherend from the San Lorenzo Central Market (loved the Talegio! wish i had some now! ) Scrumptios gelato. And bought fantastic pastry from a cafe called Gilli which is on the piazza Republica. We spent New Years in Florence, which was very relaxing, and ate a great dinner at I Toscano restaurant on Via Guelfa. Restaurant Enzo e Piero was also incredible--and very reasonable. The owners of our hotel invited us up to their place for a New Years drink, and we got to meet lots of local Florentine's which was a great cultural experience! I fell in love with Venice. It is a magical, magical place where time has really just stopped. It was so relaxing to not have the noise of cars, buses, etc. I fell asleep listening to the water in canals and saw some of the most gorgeous sunsets of my life. We styed at a wonderful B&B called Gli Angeli. Our room was completely romantic with a frescoed ceiling of cherubs floating through blue clouds that made me smile every time I lay under it in bed! The room was HUGE, had a lovely modern bathroom and was decorated in a soft blue, Venetian style with period furniture--all this for only 100 EU a night! The room came equipped with a small fridge filled with snacks and wine which the owner provided. We were allowed to eat or drink ANYTHING in the room (and there was plently!) for NO extra charge! If you re interested the web site is gliangeli.com. It is a 2 minute walk from the Arsenale vaporetto stop, and a 10 minute walk from St Marks. I fell in love with St Marks church. I have been all over France and England, but have never had the reaction I had standing in that sparkling, glowing golden church so carefully sprinkled with mosaics. The small museum is well worth the 3 EU fee--you also get to climb to the top (I felt VERY Wings of the Dove!) and the view over the square is truly breathtaking. I loved the band which plays at Cafe Florian--one night we were walking by and they were playing a waltz, my husband and I, silly kids that we are, started disco dancing and generally hamming it up in front of the band--they stopped what they were playing and broke into "How Deep is Your Love" from Saturday Night Fever" We danced under the moonlight and they blew us kisses when the song ended. t was a truly magical moment, and the perfect place to celebrate our 7 year anniversary! WE also went to the Peggy Guggenheim museum which is now one of my favorite museums--a real palate cleanser after all the baroque art we saw, and the Ca Rezzonico museum of 18th century Venice. We didn' take a gondola ride because they were really expensve--it was freezing anyway! but with beautiful blue sky for all 3 days we were there. I just wanted to share my trip--we really loved Italy--although it hasn't replaced France as the place of our dreams! BUT we are spending June 1--August 1 in Paris this year! So, I will report back aftter that trip :-)

Thanks for your trip report - loved it.
I am leaving in 2 days for Venice and Florence - yea!!

What is Talegio?
You mentioned saying you wish you had some now?

Tallegio is yummy Italian cheese! ou can get it in the US but the cheese i had in Italy was miles better! Have a wonderful trip :-)

Excellent report. How lucky you are to have had two magincal moments to remember--New Year's drinks with the Florentines and dancing outside Cafe Florian.

Glad you had a great trip. Loved the report. I felt the same way about Venice as you did Rome. I really liked St. Marks square and feeding the pidgeon's, but other than that, it did not do much for me. I did like the tour of Doges Places.

Enjoyed your report, jbanash. Glad you had a wonderful time!

Nice report. My wife would get a kick out of your report about how hectic Rome is for a NYC girl. We went to Rome for the first time two years ago and NYC for the first time last year. I think NYC has nothing on Rome in that regard. It seems easier to cross main streets in NYC anyway. They are two of my favorite cities, but each requires just the right amount of time - enough days to be able to sightsee without running yourself to death but not enough to keel over from exhaustion. I completely agree about the view from the basilica in Piazza San Marco. That was one of the most magical moments for me on our trip to Italy.

Do you remember the name of your "one great meal in Travestere?" We are going to Rome in the spring and I would love to try it. Thanks

The B&B in Venice sounds heavenly! I cn't find their website though. www.gliangeli.com is not valid. Can you help?
TIA
Allison

Try typing in Gli Angeli Venice in Google - that brings up several agencies that can book it.

We are heading for our first trip to Italy in three weeks. Tuscany, Rome and Venice) I'm curious how you think weather may have impacted your trip? Do you feel you missed much traveling in a colder month? Could you appreciate the "squares" and linger outside or was it too cold? I'm wondering if we are going to regret traveling in February.

NicoleM-

With weather, of course, you take your chances, but we are taking our third straight February trip to Italy next month.

We have been really lucky for the last two years (Rome in 2002, Venice, Lucca, and Florence last year). We've had no rain.

Temps in Venice last year were cool, but nothing coats and scarves couldn't handle. (My husband adds that a possible exception might be in the wind on top of the Campanile.)

We even had a gondola ride under a full moon one night, and I don't remember being cold.

Still, we're packing some little fold-up-into-nothing ponchos, umbrellas, and our warm coats again this year, and I suggest you do the same.

I think we'll all have great trips.

Byrd

Your right about Gli Angeli we stayed there in October in the two bedroom apartment (sleeps four with a full kitchen). I peeked into the room you were in and it also looked very nice. We paid 130 Euros (cash) and it was the best deal of the entire trip. I wrote a trip report when we returned. Try this web site for Gli Angeli: http://www.gliangeli.net/ .

I was thinking about reserving a room at Gli Angeli. Could you please tell me how the area (Castello) was? Thanks.

wonderful report. I loved your reference to the Guggenheim being a palate cleanser after the other art you'd been seeing.

I am also booked at gli angeli and was just wondering did the room smell of smoke or that smokers had used the room. We are non-smokers and I forgot to specify when I booked with Sonia

Hi. I read your trip report and I loved it. I was wondering, did you take a gondola ride and if so how much was it??

Just a comment, original poster, jbanash posted the trip report Jan. 14, 2004.