Hi Everyone,

We are traveling around Italy for two week, doing a few days in Venice, a hunk of time in Tuscany and finishing a few days in Florence. Can anyone give me feedback on any of these places to stay? In Venice: Hotel Dalla Mora and Hotel Bernardi? Also, I am a photographer and want to know if it is worth it to go to Burano an dMurano (I love glass - can you see the glass blowing in Oct?) In Florence, – Hotel Bretagna? In Tuscany, we are torn between staying near Siena, or out by Pienza. We will have a car then. We are considering: Farmhouse Cretaiole (Pienza), San Lorenzo a Linari (Nr Siena), Podere Arianna (Nr San Gimignano) Their prices seem reasonable. Thanks!

As a photographer--albeit an aspiring one---I would stay at Hotel Galleria in Venice, I would go to Burano, and I would stay at Cretaiole which is very near some of my favorite Tuscany shots.
Good luck !

Hmmm ! You may enjoy these:
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3827

So, where is Cretaiole, and what is it near? I am thinking of trying to stay more centrallyt, prehaps at San Lorenzo a Linari, which enables us to explore both directions. I am sure almost anywhere you are in Tuscany will be an excellent photo op.

Near Pienza !
Not all of Tuscany has the same topography. Most of the photo books you see are all shot in Val d' Orcia and Le Crete---the area south of Siena and near Pienza and San Quirico.
I am confused. You mention Pienza in your message.

You can see glass blowing in Murano in October. There are a number of workshops/factories with showrooms where it is possible.

Sorry, my bad...thought you meant a city, not the farmhouse. Looks like that may not work out now, timing wise, but we will go to that area no matter where we end up. Any suggestions on what to see there would be welcome

basingstoke1: That is good to hear! Thanks. Do you have to arrange to see the glass blowing in advance or just show up? I heard the museum is good to see, but not to buy glass out on the island. Would you agree with that?

You just show up to see glass blowing and they are open all year round.

The reason I am asking is that friends were just there this June or July, went to Murano, and told me they could not see any glass being blown. They were not part of a tour.

Honeybear - check this url: www.venetian-glass.info/foundries.php

It lists and has links to all the Murano glass foundries. You can contact them directly and arrange a visit.

When I visited a foundry in October a few years back it was because I went to Murano with the specific intent to buy a chandelier to ship home. Visiting the Island gave me the widest choice. I found exactly what I wanted at an excellent price and was invited to tour their foundry and meet the people who actually made the chandelier that I purchased. I believe it was the Serguso Giani foundry.

Excellent, thanks. Good to know the museum is closed on Wed., too!