We decided to take our daughters to Italy this past June as a graduation present (one graduated from high school, the other from college). Needless to say, we had a wonderful time. I will try to keep this brief but include enough details on the highlights for those who are interested.

Trip planning began a year in advance with a quest for 4 business-class tickets on BA, using mileage points. With the help of advice from a Fodorite, I did it! (Thanks, Julia1). Two with Alaska Airlines miles, two with upgrades using BA Executive Club miles. We kept this part a secret from the girls; they didn't figure it out until we arrived at the airport and I asked them to follow me up into the lounge.

I chose to fly into Zürich to avoid the Heathrow-Gatwick transfer that comes with many BA flights to Italy. Also, I just like flying in to Zürich; it is easy to navigate after the long flight from the West Coast. And I hoped to squeeze in a few days in Switzerland, but that didn't happen as there was too much we wanted to see in Italy.

The trip went through several iterations, but we ended up with 2 nights in Verona, 2 in Firenze, an apartment in Lucca for 3 nights, Cinque Terre (Manarola) for 2, up to Varenna for three nights, and a final night in Milan before returning to Zürich for the flight home.

Once I started looking at accommodations in Verona, I discovered a big price jump on certain nights, indicating an opera was on. I thought we would be too early (mid-June) but no, we could see Aida in the arena if we went straight there from Zürich. Had we spent any more time in Switzerland on the way, it would have been Rod Stewart instead---a poor substitute for the magnificent Aida. So there went my hoped-for time in Switzerland, but it was a good trade, I'd say.

Looking at Milan, I discovered the same thing---a price jump on one night, indicating a performance at La Scala. It was to be a ballet, Romeo and Juliet. Perfect! Our girls both studied ballet for years, and DH and I both love it as well. He has wanted to see something at La Scala since his first time in Milan 30 years ago. So we calendared the date the tickets went on sale (April 24 at midnight our time!) and explored the La Scala website so we knew how to navigate. We did get tickets (a nice box right above the orchestra) but it wasn't easy.

Our trip was thus bookended by these two events---Aida in Verona to start, Romeo and Juliet in Milan to end. (Actually there was a surprise ending in Zürich after that).

I'll go on to where we stayed, what we ate, and the highlights in the next section.

Ooo, I'll bet the girls LOVED going business class. What a great surprise!!!

Looking forward to more, more, more!!!!! Am not doing as you did-planning fora trip well in advance--and needing lots of great suggestions.

VERONA

We stayed at La Finestra sull'Arena, which I found from reviews on Tripadvisor. It is listed as a "B&B" but we had a 2-bedroom apartment. The location is perfect---just steps from the arena, which we could see from our balcony. We could also look down on the activity on Via Mazzini, the main pedestrian street. The apartment was very comfortable and Massimo is a gracious and friendly host. Breakfast was provided and he had a list of recommended places for dinner. He made a reservation for us at Osteria Casa Vino for the night we arrived. This was our opera night, so we had to dine early (7:00).

It had rained off and on throughout the day and threatened to rain out the opera. I had heard that people line up outside the gates an hour in advance but we wanted to enjoy our dinner and not stand in the rain, so we arrived 15 minutes before starting time and went straight to our seats. I bought the "cheap" seats, sitting on the stone steps of the arena, and we were not unhappy with the choice (although we should have rented cushions).

The rain had stopped by this time and the crowd was in a festive mood. A young man circulated through the audience, calling out his wares: "Coca, vino, impernabile!" The clear plastic raincoats were a hot item.

The orchestra came out and started tuning up, then quickly fled as the raindrops started to fall. An announcer said there would be a brief delay while they consulted with the "weather girl". After another 10 or 15 minutes, the rain stopped, the stage crew came out to dry off the stage and the orchestra seats, and the orchestra returned to huge applause. The show was ON.

As the lights went down and the overture started, many in the audience lit candles they had brought for this moment. It was a stunning sight.

I won't go into the performance itself other than to say it is well worth whatever it takes to go and see this. Even the girls, who know nothing of opera, loved the experience. Since this was just our second night in Europe with a major time-zone change, we did not expect to watch the whole thing. My goal was to see through the Grand March and we did.

Next morning the girls went out early for a 5K run which ended up much longer as they got a bit lost. But they did discover some sights they wanted to show us, so after breakfast we headed out with raincoats and umbrellas to enjoy the city. We headed to the Museo Archeologico and climbed as high as we could through the ruins and the buildings. Then back through town with a stop at a bar for a quick lunch.

We spent the afternoon walking and enjoying the town, with an hour or so at a bar to watch the World Cup match. Italy won that day, so it was good. On our wander we checked out Il Bertoldo and decided to return for dinner. I tried calling for a reservation, but no one answered, so we just decided to show up at opening time, 7:00, and hope for a table. Hah! We had the place to ourselves for an hour. The owner/host was very attentive, and we had a very nice meal. The room is very pleasant, decorated in warm reds in a slightly rustic style. I would happily return to this place if we're in Verona again.

Our train to Florence was not until 1:00 then next day, so we spent the morning on another walk and visiting the Castelvecchio. It's a good thing we don't have to buy film anymore as DH and the girls too a few hundred photos of the castle, the bridges and the river.

Then it was off to the train station for our train, a regional one to Bologna where we caught the fast Frecciarossa to Firenze. Nice train, but we barely had time to drink the free glass of prosecco that came with our first-class tickets.

"Italy won" hmm....

Paraguay 1 - Italy 1
New Zealand 1 - Italy 1
Slovakia 3 - Italy 2

Italy went home without a single victory. Either:
You didn't grasp the principles of real football (no reason to be ashamed, as you live on the west coast) or
You were shown old tapes or
You fell through a time warp

No matter as you obviously enjoyed your trip

Bring along the next instalments! Please!

Enzian: so glad to see the beginnings of a great report. I remember you and I were planning Italy trips at the same times, and you gave me a couple of good clues. Many thanks, and can't wait to hear more of your adventures with your family.

Looking forward to the rest of your report. I've been to Italy twice with my adult DD (32) and we had such a wonferful time. I know your daughters will remember this trip forever.

Thats funny, because I was about to say the same thing - Italy didn't win a single match this world cup and were a huge disappointment this year, not as bad as the French were, but still.. it was a bad showing for Italy at the world cup!

Enjoying your trip report though.

Thanks for the correction. It must have been the Paraguay game. We did not stay to the end and assumed from all the cheers we heard going up around town as we walked home that they had won. And we didn't try to read a newspaper or watch the news until days later, after thy went home in disgrace.

But now it's on to

FIRENZE

We stayed at a B&B, Casa Tintori, that had a nice quad room on two levels, big enough for the 4 of us. It is beautifully restored and in a good location, just a block from the Arno, one bridge down from Ponte Vecchio. We had a short walk along a busy street and then could duck into a pedestrian street to the Piazza Signoria area and on up to the Duomo.

Our older daughter had friends in town at the same time, a family with 2 boys the same age as our girls. We turned the kids loose so explore Firenze on their own the first evening and most of the next day, and they had a great time (we saw the photos).

DH and I wandered up to the Duomo and climbed the bell tower (tower climbing is one of our favorite activities) before checking out the Museo dell' Opera del Duomo. Then back to our room to change for dinner. We went to Trattoria Borgo Antico on Piazza Santo Spirito so we could sit outside. It was a lovely evening, and the food was surprisingly good for a place that is very popular with tourists.

On the way back we stopped for a gelato at the place by the Ponte Vecchio and there it happened---the "UA" sighting (fortunately the only one we encountered the whole trip). A woman with what my husband identified as a Long Island accent loudly announced "This is bulls**t! Ten dollars for ice cream!!!" (There were four of them, counting her husband and 2 children, so I don't know why she was complaining so loudly). We took our cups of gelato, paid our 4,5 euro, and slunk away. . .

On the other side of the bridge we heard music and we went to investigate. We had seen a stage set up in Piazza Signoria earlier in the day, but never dreamed they would still be performing at almost midnight. But there it was---a full-on dance productions, some modern ballet that we did not recognize. This was on June 21 so perhaps it was a midsummer's eve celebration? The following night the kids came across a horseshow in another square, so they were definitely celebrating something.

The following day, our one full day in Firenze, we did the usual---Accademia, Mercado Centrale, and then the Giardini Bardini (the girls had visited the Boboli Gardens the previous day). The Bardini gardens are beautiful, and at this time in June they flowers were at their best. The ticket is a combined one with the Boboli, so one can exit at the top of the Bardini Gardens and cross over to enter the Boboli from Corsa di San Giorgio. The girls did this---they wanted to return to the Boboli for more photos----but DH and I turned the other way and walked up to San Miniato first. Then we walked back down, past the cat refuge (does anyone know the story behind that?), along the river to the Bardini entrance again, up through the gardens so we could enter the Boboli Gardens for a quick visit. Then home. It was a long walk but we thoroughly enjoyed it.

We saved climbing the Duomo for our last morning, hoping that by going early we would avoid the crowds. I have a bit of claustrophobia and did not want to get stuck in a line of people and feel hemmed in. It worked---there was no line at all, even at 9:30, and we walked up as fast as we liked with no one in front of us. As we read "Brunelleschi's Dome" before the trip we found the actual building fascinating, especially where you can see the construction details. It's hard to believe you are actually between the two layers of the dome.

The views from the top are sublime. I do not like the crowds and traffic in Firenze, but it certainly is a beautiful city.

After the Duomo climb and a lunch stop, we retrieved our luggage and headed to the train station for the short trip to Lucca.

Wonderful!

LOVELY LUCCA

Ah, what can I say. After the bustle and traffic of Florence, we loved Lucca. We had an very comfortable 2-bedroom apartment inside the walls, in a nicely-restored 14th century building. http://www.casaolivieri.it/description.html
The master bedroom is very large and the twin bedroom was fine for the girls. The kitchen is a good size and well-equipped, which is good as after 5 days in Italy we were ready to try our hand at cooking!

We found all we needed at a fruit and vegetable vendor just up the street, and the salumeria across from that. Very little English spoken, so this is where our Italian study came in very handy. We made a fine meal of salad, bread, prosciutto e melone, and pasta with tomatoes and basil. The ingredients are so nice that simple is best. And then of course we went out for gelato. . .

We made good use of the walls of Lucca with running every morning, and one afternoon leisurely bike ride. We climbed the tower, strolled the pedestrian streets, and in every way just relaxed and enjoyed a slower pace, with no rushing around to museums or other sights.

And, dare I say, we watched another soccer game? This was the game Italy lost, 3-2, and we stayed to the bitter end. The owner of the bar spoke good English (he said he travels to the US every year for vacation) and loved having an audience for his rant about the Italian team.

That evening the girls chose our dinner spot. I don't remember the name, but it was a pleasant place with a row of tables outside, under large market umbrellas. No English menu, which is good.

I could happily have stayed longer in Lucca, maybe making daytrips away, but our schdule was set, and it's time to be off for Manarola.

what a lovely trip. keep it coming!

enzian,

I'm so glad to finally hear about your trip! Your lucky daughters. I work with a friend who married an Italian (much younger - you go girl) and on one trip home they went to see Aida in Verona. She said it was amazing!

Love it - keep it coming!

Can't wait to hear more!

Very enjoyable report. Thanks for posting.

Enjoying reading your trip report.

They take time to write but give lots of reading pleasure. Looking forward to CT. I have been looking at staying Maranola.

Yay! Great trip! Maybe I missed this, but did you train to Verona from Zurich? Lucca sounds wonderful.

Hi iamq, Lucca was wonderful. Not anything I can put into words; it just was nice to be there, especially in an apartment where we could feel part of the neighborhood. Our Italian, limited as it was, served us well her, especially shopping for food. "Due etti" (200 grams) is a good thing to know.

We did train from Zurich to Verona, with a change at Milano Centrale. It rained the whole way so we did not enjoy much scenery from the train windows, but on the return trip it was gorgeous.

I'll get on to Manarola tomorrow! Have been too busy with with work to write.

MANAROLA

Say the words "Cinque Terre" in a room full of travelers and watch the fireworks begin.

Everyone I know who has been there either loves it ("it's paradise") or hates it ("it's been ruined by Rick Steves.") My own son, who visited 10 years ago while studying in Italy and loved it, returned in 2007 with his bride and is now firmly in the "it's been ruined" camp. So I decided we would go and see for ourselves, and allotted 2 nights to this I chose to stay in Manarola rather than Vernazza which is favored by the RS fans. It was a good choice . (Cut to the chase here, we really liked it!)

But first, the journey. We were traveling on June 26, the day after the general strike, and the trains were still catching up. It was also a Saturday and there was lots of weekend traffic. The stations and the trains were both very crowded. Our regional train for the short 12-minute ride from La Sezia to Manarola was about 30 minutes late in departing. We got on late and could not find seats, so we stood in the boarding area with our luggage, trying to make room for others to squeeze past as they boarded and looked for seats. It was a very hot day, and there by the doors was the coolest place we could be.

This was, by the way, the only time we had any trouble at all with the trains in Italy. The rest of the time they were easy, comfortable, and on time!

But not on this day. By the time we arrived in Manarola we were all hot and grumpy. It was mid-afternoon, the hottest part of the day, and we faced a long steep walk uphill to our hotel at the very top of the town, La Toretta. We crossed the little square, oblivious to the wonderful views, ducked through a doorway and down a few steps to the outdoor lobby area----and everything changed.

A friendly young man welcomed us by name and invited us to sit down. He brought us cold drinks (juice for the girls, prosecco for us) and took out luggage up to our rooms for us. I don't usually care to be waited on like that, but this was very welcome at that point.

When we got to our room, I thought "this is what we came for." We and the girls each had a double room, theirs a bit larger with twin beds, ours with a lovely deck outside. Next to this the neighbor (a private home) had a huge deck and arbor covered with bouganvilla. It was lovely just to sit out there with all those flowers at my elbow, and views to the vineyards and out to the ocean.

The room, although small, was nicely furnished, with a seaside theme to the decor, and a Nespresso machine and free minibar (very nice touch of generousity.) Breakfast came to us one a tray each morning and we sat on our deck to eat. I loved that place and would happily go back.

What did we do there? The usual Cinque Terre things: dined on seafood, walked through the vineyards, swam in the sea (there are some very nice deepwater swimming spots just out of Manarola, on the trail between there and Corniglia). And of course we hiked, as far as Vernazza, but once past Corniglia it was too hot and crowded to be really enjoyable. Vernazza itself was also crowded, so we grabbed a quick lunch of piadini and retreated by train back to Manarola for another swim and then a hike up into the hills above.

And then it was Monday and time to leave for Varenna, on Lago di Como. And now we get to the inspiration for my title.

Oh, yay! Can't wait for Varenna!