Let's start a 100 best things to do in Italy list
 

Okay- I'm going to Italy in March- Let's start a list. J

anyone?

Where does one begin? <BR>1. Emerge from the stazzione in Venice and thrill to your first--and lasting--view of the Grand Canal there before you. <BR>2. Climb the 463 steps to the top of the Florence Duomo and gain a wonderful view of the city.....to say nothing of the bragging rights for having made the climb. <BR>3. Sit on a nearby bench and marvel at Michelangelo's magnificent David in the Accademia in Florence. <BR>4. Gaze in awe and wonder at Michelangelo's incredible Pieta in St. Peter's in the Vatican....and perhaps even feel a teardrop welling up in your eyes. <BR>5. Get lost in the maze of narrow streets and small canals in Venice. <BR>6. Talk to the Italians every chance you get! <BR>7. Eat gellato at every opportunity. <BR>8. Eat pasta at every opportunity! <BR>9. Stroll the streets of Bellagio, Varenna and other small towns on Lake Como. <BR>That's a start! <BR>

Wow Jessyca, what a great idea, as the Paris list will be at its 100 pretty soon I guess. So this is Nr. 10: Have a delicious ice cream at Vivoli's in Florence after a stroll through the Boboli gardens.

Thankyou Ursula! <BR> <BR>10) go to an Italian night club with a handsome Italian man. (went to a club called the Fish Market in Mestere) <BR>11) Attend a Roman catholic mass in Assissi(It took my breath away) <BR>12)Take the chairlift to the top of the mountain on the Isle of Capri. <BR>13)See the Duomo at night! <BR>14)buy a beautiful watercolor painting in Venice and Florence -take them home and frame them. <BR>15)Talk to people you'll never see again! <BR>16)St. Marco's basillica in Venice- light a candle and say a prayer for a loved one.. Look out over Venice from the roof. <BR>17) Lean over Juliet's balcony in Verona <BR> <BR>14) <BR>

Jessyca: Nr. 10 is mine!

18. Wander around Assisi <BR>19. Wander Bassano del Grappa <BR>20. Gondola through Venice, as close to midnight as possible. <BR>21. Visit Villa Balbianello <BR>22. Drive up through the Piemonte, up over the Queyras into France, following the footsteps of Hannibal. <BR>23. Drive the Amalfi coast. <BR>24. See the Last Supper in Milan. <BR>25. Visit Pompeii <BR>

OOps- sorry on the numbers... Ursuala-- I thought maybe you wanted the Italian man and the night club! J

eat a truffle in spoleto <BR>eat at a restaurant in frontone (you won't find it in most guidebooks, but it's incredible) <BR>check out perugia, urbino, assisi, spoleto, gubbio <BR>hang out in the piazza <BR>get a shave in a barbershop <BR>eat the fruit <BR>get a bottle of wine and cheese and have a picnic <BR> <BR>

Jessyca: The Italian man would be fine -especially in a nice restaurant - rather than the nightclub.

I'm being greedy and taking a second turn! <BR>26. Look out the window of your seaside hotel room and see the beyond-belief view of the Positano hillside. <BR>27. Walk down the streets of Rome and marvel at the fact that the city numbers its past in millenia, while we Americas do it merely by centuries. <BR>28. View La Scala Opera House (preferably during an opera, but even without one is memorable).

29)Have a seven course meal at a restaraunt playing accordian music, and look over Florence. <BR>30) Ride a scooter through Sorrento! <BR>31) Listen to Andrea Bocelli while driving through the hills of Naples and Postino. WOW! <BR>32)Take a lake cruise at Lake Como. <BR>33)Stay in the Lake Como area and sit on <BR>your front porch until the wee hours of the morning. <BR>34) Italian men, Italian men, Italian men! <BR>35) Venice as the lights start to dim over the canals.

any chemistry brewing between you and angelo yet? <BR>

Jessyca and Howard: it's not all for you! I haven't been to Italy for a while (besides that I'm Swiss and getting old, i.e. slow). <BR> <BR>37) Go to the Campo in Siena (greatest piazza) and then to the patisserie Nanini (Gianna Nanini family/remember her hit years ago: Bello e impossibile??)

36 Go to tuscany to a villa and take a hands on cooking class form a Italian chef. 37 have a glass of wine on the porch of the Hotel Continental Santa Margherita Ligure 38 sit on a bench eating fresh foccia berad in portifino

you see, I'm getting old - I skipped nr. 36. sorry about that.

Visit Vieste and hike the Gargano hills

Tee hee... is that you Rex?? I wrote Angelo and he hasn't written me back. He MUST not know how cute I am!!!

Since we haven't been yet, but are going this summer, I will list some real touristy things to do <BR>39- see the Colosseum at night. <BR>40-throw our coins in the Trevi Fountain. <BR>41-take the children to an outdoor puppet show in Rome. <BR>42-Take the ferry to Ischia (to see if it will be a good place for my 50th B-Day Vacation) <BR>43- Explore the town of Sperlonga <BR>44-Visit an WW2 cemetary, and think of all those who died in that terrible but necessary war. <BR>45-see all the marvelous sites of Italy through "virgin" yes. <BR>46-sip very balsamic vinegar, (to see if it is as yummy as "they" say) <BR>47-sit on the terrace of our Rome apartment at night, with a glass of something, and look out onto Rome. <BR>48- swim in the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea , and give thanks I am in Italy for summer vacation, and not Maine (as much as I love Maine) <BR>49-speak italian to italians <BR>50-eat gelato everyday in order to find the *best* flavor. <BR>Hope these aren't too ordinary, but for a newbie to Italy they will be fun. <BR>

They are great.. and I found that some of the simpliest thing there(AKA drinking a cappucino and looking at the Piazza) are the most memorable and wonderful. Have a lovely time!

51. Listen to the church bells in Verona in the late afternoon <BR>52. Walk on the walls of Lucca then have a glass of wine at an outdoor table in the old Anfiteatro <BR>53. Go to the opera, preferably outdoors <BR>

51. Go to any open-air food market. <BR> <BR>(Jessyca: what means AKA? I am German speaking that's why I'am asking)

sorry <BR>food market is <BR>54. <BR> <BR>(it's getting late almost midnight,bye for now)

58 pickpocket a gypsy 59 make fun of david 60 have hannible Lector your tour guide.

AKA - means also known as... wrong terminology... (what I meant is Ex.- For example. Ursuala are you in Germany?? Hey, we're all coming to visit. It's on 2:38 pm my time. Sweet dreams.. Or Buono Notte, caro!

55. Visit Villa Borghese. The Bernini statues will bring tears to your eyes. <BR>56. Climb up on the wall along the Arno near Ponte Vecchio & smooch with your lover. <BR>57. Sit at a cafe in Bellagio eating risotto & watching the boats go by. <BR>58. Rent a small motorboat, cruise south on the Amalfi Coast to find your own little private grotto or beach. <BR>59. Get to know some of the locals. Their stories are the best & you will never want to leave! <BR> <BR>

I haven't been yet (Oct.) but this is what I'm looking forward too: <BR> <BR>60. Gaze up at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel...

61. Go on the Scavi tour at St. Peter's. <BR>62. Climb to the top of St. Peter's and look out on to the Square. <BR>63. Tour Pompeii. <BR>64. Ride along the Amalfi Coast, on a scooter or motorcycle (preferably holding on to an experienced driver). <BR>65. Buy your favorite Italian designer shoes at 30% discount compared to US department store. <BR>66. Eat tartufo at Tre Scalini at Piazza Navona. <BR>67. Stay clear of the pigeons flying above in Piazza San Marco. <BR>68. Enjoy the view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo. <BR>69. Don't forget to stamp your ticket before getting on the train. <BR>70. Meet your future husband. <BR> <BR>

Did you meet your husband there? Do tell?

<BR>71. <BR>Lay on a beach somewhere in the Cinque Terre and let your eyes wander over the young italian boys in small bathing suits. I'm sorry, am I drooling?

72. Go inside the Pantheon in Rome. Look up, way way up. Marvel at how the ancient Romans built this perfect and marvelously proportioned building. <BR>73. Visit the catacombs in the outskirts of Rome. <BR>74. Walk along the ancient Appian Way, looking at the centuries-old artificats built into humble farmhouse walls and gates. <BR>75. Walk along the Ponte Vecchio over the River Arno in Florence, window shop, find a piece of gold jewelry and buy it for the memories later.

Eat a perfect insalata caprese at a little cafe somewhere off of Piazza Navona in Rome. <BR>Cry at Michelangelo's captives. <BR>Walk at night through the crowds near the Duomo in Florence and find a great bench to just sit and watch the folks. ( is that one or two?) <BR>Sail the Bay of Naples. <BR>Hey, it's Italy. Almost anything.

Tour the caves beneath the wonderful town of Orvieto. <BR> <BR>Visit the ceramics factories in Deruta & see the biggest vases ever. <BR> <BR>Stay on Isola dei Pescadore (SP?) at Lago Maggiore & sip local wine as you enjoy the sunset from your terrace. <BR> <BR>Take a walk down a cypress-lined dirt road in Tuscany. <BR> <BR>Visit Scuola di San Rocco in Venice & marvel at the art. <BR> <BR>Lay a rose on Verdi's grave in Il Fari, Venice. <BR> <BR>Take the gondola up Paso di Falzzarego (SP?) in the Dolomites. <BR> <BR>Ski the Sella Ronda route through Val Gardena. <BR> <BR>Stroll the isolated town of Civita di Bagnoregio & contribute to the preservation society to save the town. <BR> <BR>I could go on forever.....

Meet a sweet Italian girl and have muffled sex up against a door in an alley. Don't wake the residents until the very end. Run away giggling.

Standing in the Pantheon in Rome at night as a Passion Play begins - 100 voices sounding like a thousand perfect angels rising to heaven through the top of the perfect dome. <BR> <BR>Being mesmerized by the mystical waters of Venice with someone you love <BR> <BR>Sitting in a hill town, sipping a perfect cappuchino and wishing you could live in Italy <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Marvel as you approach San Clemente Church in Rome at it's unusual (for Rome at least) secluded courtyard and fountain and then descend into the depths to visit an ancient Roman building, a Mithraeum, a 4th century church with frescoes, all under the 12th century basilica. All these layers bring home the multi-layered nature of Rome.

#100 Toss two coins in the Trevi Fountain to assure your return to Rome to do you 100 favorite things in Italy

101 stroll through the streets of Siena and admire the beautiful knockers I mean door knockers 102 Be grateful to pay 1000 lira to go to the bathroom in the Casa di St Cathrine. 103 watch the Palio from the Torre del Mangia in the piazza del campo

104. Go to the Bargello museum <BR>105. Go to the Uffizi almost at sunset and watch the sun set. Then visit the Boticellis. <BR>106. Eat pizza at Cicca Bomba in Rome <BR>107. View the Sistine Chapel first thing in the morning before the crowds descend. Marvel at the genius of Michaelangelo <BR>108. Walk the hills in San Gimigano as the mist is over them. Thinking how surreal it is that you are actually in the Tuscany region (as well as fortunate!) <BR>109. Have grappa at least once!

Big , heavy sigh as I read all these wonderous things to do! <BR>Thanks Jessyca, for starting this delightful thread, and thanks also, yes, we will have a blast! <BR>