Hi GN,

>what was the bus # for Fiosole, and didn't you say you had dinner there?<

Take the no.7, It is on the right side of the SMN station as you face the entrance.

I can't recommend the resto where we had dinner,

However, there are a number of them on the main square.

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

hi giftnurse,

a couple of suggestions - one for Flotence, the other for Venice.

Florence - if you don't have a reservation, go to the Accademia towards the end of the day. the crowds should have gone by then. [BTW, that stands good for most museums - the coach tours usually arrive and leave early]. afterwards, turn Right out of the museum - it brings you into the piazza san marco [sound familiar?] and on the south side of the square, to your left, you will find the bus stop to Fiesole. buy your ticket from the little bar near the corner. [great and cheap cafe correto if you are feeling the cold]. it takes about 30 minutes. in fiesole, you can wander up a little lane just past the cathedral to a tiny garden and look out over florence, then have supper in the restaurant in the square. or go into "Ira's bar" and have a drink. the times for buses back will be on the sign at the bus stop [fermata]. and if it's a nice night, of course it's worth it. you have 5 nights in Florence - getting out for one night won't hurt.

in venice, as you are staying on the zattere you could get the alilaguna as a cheaper alternaive to the water-taxi, and still have the experience of arriving by water rather than bus. the trip to Burano and Torcello takes just over half a day, depending on how you do it. personally, I feel that it's nice to combine it with a lunch on an island, so if you leave Venice at about 11 [vaporetto from the fondamente nove] you can eat on either one. we ate very well at the trattoria attila [the hun!] on Torcello and at one of the restaurants along the main street on Burano, where we had "moleche" - deep-fried baby crabs, only available this time of year, and delicious. Don't look at me like that! the basilica on Torcello is lovely and the mosaics fascinating, and if you are as lucky as us, you'll be able to see the dolomites in the distance.

on the way back you can get off, if you like, at the Faro [lighthouse] stop on Murano, and walk through the town though I'm not very foond of it. there are two vaporetto stops in the centre which wil take you back to Venice.

do get a vaporetto pass before you do this trip - it would cost well over €20 to do without a pass.

have a great trip,

regards, ann

PS - if you search my name, you'll find my trip report for the week we spent in Venice last easter.

Thanks, Ann and Dayle....I'm printing all of these to take along. Including your trip report, Ann. Gee, do you think I should start packing? lol..

giftnurse - wednesday, hey - lucky you.

just remember, there are no "rights and wrongs". It's your holiday, not mine! if you don't want to do something, you're allowed not to do it. some of our best memories are from the things we didn't plan, and didn't expect. A

Splurging at the Locanda Cipriani--my guess would be between $100-150 per person for salad, pasta, entree and dessert. However, before I went there with my husband on our honeymoon and for my 50th birthday, I went with a friend where we just had pasta and salad and the prices were much more moderate. In April, we had a risotto primavera that was to die for. Great food and beautiful surroundings. However, I'm not sure that I would spend the money to eat the same excellent meal inside, I'd save it for Da Fiore.

My husband is from Italy and an excellent cook; we don't eat out Italian food (or these days much of any food) in the United States, but when we are in Italy we always treat ourselves to one very special meal. Da Fiore and Locanda Cipriani are our favorites of anywhere.