Does anyone know how to tour the Abbey at Monte Cassino in Cassino, Italy? I have a friend who toured it, but she was on a guided tour. We will be visiting Italy this winter and considered going there from Rome, but we have no idea when it's open, if the public is allowed or how to get there (train, bus, etc.). The abbey's website isn't very helpful. Can someone recommend where to get more information?<BR>Thanks!<BR>

The Abbey is open to visitors from 8:30 to 12:30 and again from 15:30 to 17:00. On Sunday, only the Church is open, while the museum is open only on Sunday (this information is from the Abbey's website). You can easily reach Cassino by rail from Roma Termini. Morning trains leave at 8:20, 9:10, 9:15, 10:20 and 12:47, taking between 1 hr. 27 min. (the Eurostar at 9:10) and 2 hrs. 24 mins. The 9:15 train takes 1 hr. 33 mins. and is less expensive than the 9:10 Eurostar. From the train station in Cassino, you can take a taxi to the Abbey, which is up the hill.

GAC has provided most complete stats so I won't repeat that part. We visited on our own, not a tour, last year and found it enormously interesting and very moving. You don't need a guide if you get a guide book, and they are avial in English. One of our party joined a little on-the-spot guided tour that left the reception every hour or so. There is a charming little restaurant halfway down the hill for a lunch visit after your tour. Enjoy!

Janet,<BR><BR>The only thing I would add to the above posts, would be to take the Eurostar at 9:10.Don't be stuck on a train that makes a stop just about every three minutes. The distance from Rome is about 75miles and you don't want to spend over two hours on a local and really old train for this short a distance. The same holds true for your return if possible-check out the Italian line website for time.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>< BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

To follow up on Jim's posting, I was surprised to see that the 9:10 Eurostar from Roma Termini to Cassino (arrives 10:37) stops at Frosinone, while the 9:15 regular train is non-stop (arrives 10:48! (There is also a 8:00 regular train to Cassino arriving at 9:31). The Eurostar is six minutes faster, but costs twice as much (Lire 39,900 versus Lire 20,000), one-way, first class!!! As you are travelling in winter, air conditioning is not a factor. The Eurostar is a much nicer train, but the difference in performance here may not be worth the doubling of the fare.