Just Returned from Beautiful Italy
 

We arrived in Rome on Friday July 17th AM. Train to Orvieto. Fr, Sat, Sun, Nite in Orvieto. Train to Florence Monday AM. Mon day and nite and all day Tues. in Florence. Train back to Orvieto and spent nite. Wed day trip by bus from Orvieto to Civita di Bagnoregio. Wed nite in Orvieto. Thursday train to Rome. Thurs, Fri, Sat in Rome and back to the states Sunday. Trains.. buy 1st class tix for any trip more than 1 hour. They ran to the minute on time, caution on confirming which track/ platform. Buses in Rome are a complete mess. Electric Train from Trastevere to center of Rome, a Gift from God. We had planned this trip for 6 months plus and dreamed of it for years. It was all I dreamed and 1000 x more. Many of you are world travelers on a regular basis, for those of you who are not, here are a couple of things we noticed. People are people everywhere, whether in Italy or your home town. Spending the amount of time we did in Orvieto gave us an opportunity to have a Cafe at the same place 10 - 15 times, Gelatto at another place half a dozen. We siesta'd (a MUST). Best line I heard in Florence while trudging thru Uffizi, " Let's be honest, I only got at best a B in Art, I've had about enough." I will post more soon. One last thing for now though. "David" statue in Florence makes ALL other sculptures look like high school art projects. I cried it was so breathtaking. And I never got better than a C in Art.:)

Glad you enjoyed your trip! I'm 100 percent with you - I've never been more blown away by a statue than by the David. Looking forward to hearing more.

Cant wait to here more...please write a trip report, sounds like you had a glorious time!

Day 1 Flight Idea #1, MUST have 100% Sound block earphones or else you have to listen to 9 hours of Jet Engine Noise. Traveled w/just carry on. American Airlines would have been OK w/ an additional backpack. Packing tip for guys. Summer in Italy, a few light dress shirts, socks, some Linen pants and a pair of shorts, done. Short train ride from Airport to Termini Train Station via Leonardo Express was easy as pie. Don't forget to get your ticket punched before boarding. Termini train station has an ATM near Track #1 to use for Euro withdrawal so forget all the cash Exchange places, they're junk and charge you crazy $$. Orvieto, if you can go, go. The wine for $6 was better than our $60, sorry Napa Valley. It is a small village on a hill top. We stayed at an apartment called Casa Flavia we found thru www.VRBO.com. It was an adorable 1 Bedroom w/A/C (July 87 F a must) that we paid $385 euro for 6 nites. Bakery downstairs, Chocate accross the street, Wine everywher, a Duomo up the street that was breathtaking. we had Wild Boar 3 or 4 times at various places and it was fabulous each time. We had Gelato everywhere but Mantuci's was the best. Italian's our in general much more well dressed than we ever could be. Shoes? They seem to have a billion shoes, none the same. The beauty of staying in Orvieto for that amount of time, Florence for 2 days during the 6, was that we Really got to experience the whole town. I got my hair cut at a local Barber, very cool. Climbed a clock tower in the middle of town. If you have never been overseas, or maybe you have, ther is no way you can see it the way some of the "Guide" books describe. We watched tour groups following there little flag waving guides and I felt very sad for them. Many times you would see someone "straggling" and then running to catch up. Orvieto; The Underground" tour was a bit of a dissappointment. Went to a small restaurant, Tipica Trattoria Etrusca Orvieto, and visited his wine cellar which was mouch more interesting. You should do the Underground Tour, just don't expect a Wow. I went for a hike around the outside of the city walls that made me imagine how impossible it would have been to attack this fortress town. Any Medeveil buffs will love this place. One more tip, always have a water bottle.

P.S. Here is the contact info for Casa Flavia in Orvieto:
Roberta
www.casa-flavia.it
39-331-581-4225 or 39-076-334-1821

Consider using the space car to allow people to read this fine report.

Good report. The apartment looks great!

I would love to read more, but could you please break up your report into paragraphs with spaces in between? It will make it so much easier for everyone to read.

What is the "Electric Train from Trastevere to center of Rome"? Can you tell me more?

Jonn, your post is so refreshing, waiting to hear more..Sometimes is best to spend some times in smaller towns, and enjoy the simple life and daily routines.

Sorry for lack of paragraphs and spaces. The "Electric Train" in Rome was a smallish train that ran on electric wires overhead and a track. Our landlord in Rome was Fabrizio Sordoni thru www.roman-rentals.com and the apartment name was Glorioso. I loved him 2 seconds after meeting him. He was a 10th Generation Roman and he was the one who referred to it as "The Electric Train". They ran every 2 minutes it seemed and were a quick easy way from Trastevere into the heart of town, a GODSEND.

For first time visitors to Rome, like we were, there is no way to describe it. Again, the "Guide" books don't scratch the scratches of the surface. The Roma Pass is a must and you can and should buy it. Just skipping the line at the Colloseum was worth it. The "tour guides" trying to sell themselves at the Forum/Paletine Hill/Colloseum was aggravating. Semi planned wandering of those places with a written guidebook from home was just fine. The audio guides you can rent there are boring and not worth it. Just go with it and realize you are walking 2000+ year old streets!

I don't want to go on and on but if you are thinking about maybe going to Italy and is it worth it, I can tell you that we hadn't left and we were trying to figure out how soon we could come back. I would advise that you do not bring the kids (Did you go to Europe when you were a kid?) Every kid we saw looked hot and bored. I am a middle class 42 year old father of a 13 year old and I can tell you now, find a baby sitter and borrow some $$ or sell something get a part time job, whatever, and go to Italy with your spouse. Stop talking about it and buy the plane tickets. We did, and I can truly say it has changed our lives.

Please do go on and on!

I was just in Orvieto and enjoyed re-experiencing it through your report. I stayed at Hotel Duomo but your place sounds great. Also I just stayed 2 nights in Trastevere and loved it but hadn't read about the "electric train" and wish I had!

Thanks for your report John and Jackie... I have already booked to take my 11yr old. I will kill her if she spends the trip looking bored ;-)

I loved having our daughter in Italy with us and she wasn't bored one second, but each child is different of course.

I wouldn't take babies, toddlers or little tykes although many parents do and have a lovely time but if one's child is interested in life, is basically well mannered etc., having an older child while in Italy if precious. Or at least that is my experience. I envy you emerald, I wish my daughter was again eleven years old. Enjoy each special moment!

It is refreshing to see Europe through the eyes of someone just experiencing it for the first time. Good report. Maybe it will push some people afraid of trying into going and getting a new perspective on life.

As for the comment about not taking your kids, I don't think that applies in all cases. I'm sure some kids are bored, but our 9 yr old daughter isn't one of them. She's been overseas six times already...

Rick

I have a quick question about kids in Italy... Can you take them to a bar with you in the early evening while you have drinks and bar snacks (I forget what you call then). I am not talking about staying all night.... just say an hour or so. My daughter is 11 almost 12 and looks older.

Nice report, especially since we'll be heading to Orvieto on our way to the Val d'Orcia.

I've got to disagree on the no kids thing though...I went to Europe at 13 and it was truly a life changing trip. IMO, there was nothing better in the world than experiencing a different country, culture and oh the architecture...bored? I couldn't get enough. I would have gone back every summer and vacation of my life.

Although it completely ruined Disneyworld for me.

BTW, we're taking our sons, 16 and 19, on Tuesday.

I'll be flying to Rome tomorrow and staying in Trastevere, the 'Electric train' is a tram? Whatever it is, we'll be using it. Thanks! And a great report on a great country!

The electric train from Trastevere to Largo Argentina is Tram #8

Re kids/no kids: We have enjoyed traveling with our two sons as they grew up. They are now 23 and 18, and we all had a great week in Guatemala in February. They have learned a lot through the family trips to Europe and Central and South America and the younger one is now very interested in Mayan archeology. We did find we had to compromise on destinations and sight seeing

Thanks for confirming that some kids travel well. All of my friends think I am mad taking her on a 7 week trip but I could not imagine leaving her behind. I did not have the opportunity to travel to Europe until my mid 20s and it changed my views and opened my eyes so much. She is learning some Italian and reading children's books on Leonardo and is such an adventurous eater I am hoping to have a great travelling companion in her.

emerald125--it sounds as though your daughter is already looking forward to and preparing for your trip which is a good sign that she will really appreciate and enjoy it. She might like to read David Macaulay's City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction and/or see the video if you can find that. Cathedral is also very good for the French part of your trip. And Castle for England.

Our older son always liked to travel. His younger brother was less enchanted with it until age 11 when he went to the Mexican Riviera and started touring Mayan sites. He had a great unit on ancient Rome in 6th grade and started on a multi-year campaign to go there. My husband and I finally took him for a week when he was 16 and we all had a wonderful time.