<BR>I just got back from a 16 day trip to Italy. It was wonderful! I just want to say thanks to all of those folks who have given out advice on this forum. It helped make my vacation a memorable one! <BR> <BR>I could give details, but I'm afriad it would just be too long of a message and I don't want to bore you all. Thanks!

details PLEASE.

I am leaving for Rome and Venice tonight. Please give any details or recent advice on you trip. Thanks

Which tips from the forum were helpful? Details, PLEASE!!!

such a tease!!

<BR>Okay okay! First a quicky for Chrissy...I'll write up a little more later. <BR> <BR>Rome <BR>Rome has got this new "stop-and-go" bus system that allows you to get around pretty good in the city. Believe it or not, it's sponsered by McDonald's. You're not forced to go into McDonald's except to get the initial map. Also, though I'm sure you have a hotel already, we stayed at the Smeraldo Hotel near Campo di Fiori. It's a wonderful little place with nice people and a great location. (This was one of those forum hints that helped so much. Thanks, guys!) <BR> <BR>While in Rome, eat at Trattoria da Gigghetto. It's a wonderful restaurant in the heart of the "Jewish Ghetto" of Rome and sitting right beside an ancient Roman structure "Potico d'Ottavia". You'll want to make reservations and check the price range for your comfort level. Contact information: Via del Portica d'Ottavia, 21/A-22-00186. Tel. 06.68.61.105 (closed Mondays). <BR> <BR>There's so much more I could tell you about Rome that you're probably already looking forward to seeing. <BR> <BR>Venice <BR>You can't go wrong in Venice. Go get lost in the wonderful mazes of canals and buildings. I'm telling you that around every corner, there's a view worth a photo or a restaurant to die for. We went to a place called (believe it or not) "Bora Bora", but I can't find the address information to save my live. Believe me, you can't go wrong. <BR> <BR>On San Marco Square: if you plan on having breakfast there, be warned...once the music starts (small stringed quartets filling the piazza with lovely song), the prices all go up. We weren't caught by this, but heard about it from some other tourists. <BR> <BR>We visited Burano while in Venice. It's a lovely little town on an island not far from the city. There are shops and all, but once you scratch through this surface, you'll see the people. I was moved by it, but I can see how some might not feel it a worthy trip. <BR> <BR>Some general advice on Italy. Don't be shy to ask for directions, even if you don't know Italian. If they speak English, they will likely go out of their way to point you in the right direction. If they don't, they'll let you know with a smile. <BR> <BR>Have coinage ready for bathrooms. McDonald's facilities are free, but most other public facilities aren't. No big price, but just keep some change in your pocket. <BR> <BR>Speaking of pockets, we never had trouble with pick-pockets...but we were always on guard. It's when you let that guard down that you're vunerable. <BR> <BR>One last piece of advice. When you're strolling down a sidestreet of Rome, if you glance through an open gate and see a small open square that looks interesting...don't be afraid to peek in and experience it. There may be someone there who gives a look your way, but a smile pays entrance fee to most of those places. <BR> <BR>I told you I was wordy. I'll get something together about the full trip and post it soon.

Thanks, for the helpful hints!!! Off I go, I'd be sure to check out Trattoria Da Gigghetto and Bora Bora.

<BR>Hmm. I posted my trip details and they aren't showing up on the "Italy" forum. If you want to read about my experiences in Italy, look in the general "Europe" forum for "E's Trip to Italy", Parts 1-4. I goofed on a couple, so keep looking. Sorry for the mix-up. I don't know what happened there.

We just returned from Rome and I concur: WOW!!!! The only problem we had was that our 4 digit pin number refused to work at the banks!!!! Our other card which actually has 6 digits was fine!!!! We learned early on to shrug and say "That's Rome" and to move on from there, although I will be having it out with my bank!! <BR> <BR>Remember to look up as well as around; there are fantastic sights every ten feet, and around every corner it just keeps getting better and better. <BR> <BR>The Borghese Gallery was superb; the Metro though limited, easy and quick to use. We pretty much walked everywhere between the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona and Trevi area. Took Metro to Colosseo and walked around the Foro at night--do this!!!(Colosso will be closed after 7). <BR> <BR>The food at the Vatican cafeteria was perfectly adequate for my family and believe me, after four hours of walking through the museum and not having even gotten to St. Peter's, we were not of a mind to traipse out looking for a recommended restaurant. And, dare I say it, the McDonald's on the Corso near our hotel was handy for our kids to enjoy a soda and fries snack...we simply did not have the huge budget for food that Rome requires...we ate a lot of pizza and gelato and found that even inexpensive restaurants soon stretched us... <BR> <BR>Get in touch if you have further questions.

I was just reading the previous post about food being expensive in Rome, and I thought back to my husband's and my visit last year. We spent 5 days there, and our average price for the 2 of us was probably $25. <BR>We ate well, and what we did worked very well for us; we ordered one of each course and shared. That is, one primi piatti, one secundi piatti, one main course. We'd probably have one dessert at the restaurant and then have a gelati later-- at Giolitti, near the Pantheon. This is the BEST gelati place I've been to. <BR>My feeling about eating is to just stop into the small trattorias; I found that some restaurants that were highly recommended are disappointing, while the ones that we just "found" by accident were wonderful surprises. While not all meals were great, it's true that there were no bad meals. <BR> <BR>Besides the obvious Vatican/St. Peter's and the Colosseum, other places that we visited that we found really special were the Borghese Gallery in the Villa Borghese gardens; Ostia Antica,the remains of a nearly 2,000 year old port town, beautifully located amongst trees and flowers. The layout of the entire town is well-preserved, and unlike the ruins in the city, you can walk in and out of most of the ruins. <BR>The Jewish Ghetto is small, but does have a unique character; visit the synagogue (tours only, I believe) to get a good introduction to the history of the community. <BR>I have several LONG files of my trip to Italy (summer 1999) if anyone is interested. <BR>Paule <BR>

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