We just returned from Italy the other day and now that I am recovering from jet lag-- I want to thank everyone who has shared tidbits of advice that helped me plan our trip! We brought our sixteen year old son along who thoroughly enjoyed the trip again after last year's success! <BR>We started in Venice--stayed at the hotel Flora which we loved--the staff was extremely helpful, gracious and enthusiastic about the hotel! The sicilian blood orange juice was a highpoint. Sergio gave us directions to 2 great restaurants! Il Mercanti which is close to Da Ivo (over the bridge) and Hosteria dei Crostini. We enjoyed both and had the local cuisines, black ink squid, turbot , clams etc with great wines! <BR>When we arrived at the airport we rented a water taxi ( a little pricey, but worth it!) <BR>The view and the tour as we approached Venice was spectacular and we were dropped off right by the hotel! The Flora is in a great location to everything-- we went to the Peggy Guggenheim, St Mark's Basilica and the Doges Palace-- we sat in the square and had cappuccino and walked all over Dorsodoro, San Polo and San Marco!!! The weather was great and the city was incredibly clean--- We loved Venice! <BR>We continued on to Tuscany with a car and I will write about this later! <BR>Mary <BR>

Mary...am waiting for the Tuscany portion of your trip report with baited breath!! Bring it on!

We left Venice on a Sunday and picked up the car on the way out of town by the train station--the traffic was light down to Tuscany since it was Sunday! First two nights we stayed at the Locanda La Costa in Montefollonico-what a fabulous find!!! Our suite with balcony overlooked the entire valley with an exquisite sunrise!! Paolo and Paula, the innkeepers were wonderful and gracious--the dinner was incredible!! I wished we could have stayed there longer!!! Even though the town was very remote it was accessible to Pienza and Montalpulciano! The first day we sent to Montalcino to buy wine and headed to Sant Antimo Monastary to hear the gregorian chants by the monks( very beautiful!) The next morning we went to Montalpulciano for cappucino ( we visited these towns last year so we didn't need to stay hours) We headed to Assisi to see the frescoes in the Basilica of St Francis--- even though the frescoes were amazing, I found Assisi very touristy and under major construction with alot of dust! We drove back to southern Tuscany and headed to the Abbazia Mont Oliveto ( a must see) very wonderful frescoes and we also had a lovely lunch ! We went through Pienza on our way back to Locanda La Costa and sat on the veranda and looked at the beautiful scenery!! <BR>The next day we headed to Chianti region! <BR>Stayed at L'Ultimo Mulino ( an old olive oil mill which has been renovated) very wonderful hotel with good food, but the highlight of the day was lunch at Lamole ( a fodor tip) and we were not disappointed! the view was incredible as well as the food and the staff! We stopped at Villa vignamaggio and Badia et Caltibouno for tours!! If the lunch wasn't enough we had dinner at the hotel ( which was excellent, especially the desserts!) <BR>The next day we headed to the Italian Riviera and stayed at Camogli--to be continued! <BR>Mary

Dear Mary, <BR> <BR>Read your Tuscany report and it sounded wonderful. Do you have websites for the places you stayed? <BR> <BR>Thanks, Diane

Diane, <BR>Both hotels have websites. If you search on yahoo --just write in the names of the Locanda la costa and the L'ultimo Mulino. They both have very nice and informative websites- I made all our reservations via email and had no problems. <BR>If you can't find them let me know and I will send the sites to you! <BR>Thanks for the interest <BR>Mary