Puglia, and a touch of Rome
Oct 2nd, 2016, 10:17 AM
#81
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Thanks annhig, yes ducking in the smaller churches has been fun. Will check out the museum of Rome.
Tomorrow and Tuesday the synagogue is open but being Rosh Hashanah it will be services most of the day.
Tomorrow and Tuesday the synagogue is open but being Rosh Hashanah it will be services most of the day.
Oct 2nd, 2016, 02:33 PM
#82
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jubilada--glad that you are loving the sights of Rome if not all the crowds trying to see them at the same time.
I am not sure where you are going to see Caravaggio paintings but would recommend the three at San Luigi dei Francesi. I know you are a mosaics fan so hope you are also getting to see some of the churches with good examples.
I am not sure where you are going to see Caravaggio paintings but would recommend the three at San Luigi dei Francesi. I know you are a mosaics fan so hope you are also getting to see some of the churches with good examples.
Oct 2nd, 2016, 10:21 PM
#85
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Jubilada, Rome in late May was definitely love/hate for me too. The crowds seemed so overbearing this visit, I just wanted to sit on the roof top patio of our hotel and enjoy the view all day. We did manage to see Caravaggio in Santa Maria del Popolo in Piazza del Popolo, which was wonderful.
And saw the Trevi Fountain with 3000 or so of our closest friends, excuse the sarcasm, haha.
Ravenna may be my favorite place in Italy, hope you get there one day.
And saw the Trevi Fountain with 3000 or so of our closest friends, excuse the sarcasm, haha.
Ravenna may be my favorite place in Italy, hope you get there one day.
Oct 2nd, 2016, 11:45 PM
#86
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@daffy_traveller
<<My husband really wants to see the beaches so I think pre-Thanksgiving will be better.>>
Do know that the beaches will be deserted. Mid October is definitely the end of the season, if not earlier.
@jubilada
Going to Rome and not see the Vatican. I don't quite understand. But to each his own, of course.
<<My husband really wants to see the beaches so I think pre-Thanksgiving will be better.>>
Do know that the beaches will be deserted. Mid October is definitely the end of the season, if not earlier.
@jubilada
Going to Rome and not see the Vatican. I don't quite understand. But to each his own, of course.
Oct 3rd, 2016, 01:41 AM
#88
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@duffy_traveller
If you spend the night in Matera, stay IN the sassi and not in the centre of town. It's magical, especially at night when it's all lit up.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By9...ew?usp=sharing
Although it's pretty amazing during the day, too!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By9...ew?usp=sharing
If you spend the night in Matera, stay IN the sassi and not in the centre of town. It's magical, especially at night when it's all lit up.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By9...ew?usp=sharing
Although it's pretty amazing during the day, too!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By9...ew?usp=sharing
Oct 3rd, 2016, 02:02 AM
#91
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I have been having trouble walking so we hired a car and driver for three hours today. He took us to many churches to see art and sculpture and was wonderful. We also got out of the fray a bit, which made me happy.
I don't think I can look at another church for a long time.
An odd way for us, as Jews, to spend Rosh Hashanah.
Right now my wife is visiting her art school.
I don't think I can look at another church for a long time.
An odd way for us, as Jews, to spend Rosh Hashanah.
Right now my wife is visiting her art school.
Oct 3rd, 2016, 06:55 AM
#93
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DH and I usually travelled in March so we missed much of the tourist mobs, however, local school class trips made up for them!
Sorry about walking problems, jubilada. Is the Ignazio church you mentioned the one with the false dome painting? DH and I always tried to return to it--it imparted a sense of tranquility for us.
Sorry about walking problems, jubilada. Is the Ignazio church you mentioned the one with the false dome painting? DH and I always tried to return to it--it imparted a sense of tranquility for us.
Oct 4th, 2016, 02:17 AM
#95
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Today we continue to seek Carravaggios, most notably at the French Church.
Piazza Navona is so mobbed it is hard to move in, very beautiful but very unpleasant.
The desk clerk at our hotel says that in all his life in Rome, 28 years, he has never seen such crowds in October , more like July. He attributes this to the new Pope as well as to ever more cruise ships, though the crowds are barely less at night.
Also,I don't mean to offend anyone but I am finding the opulence of the churches, one every ten feet it seems, offensive in the wealth displayed especially as just yesterday refugee camps were disbanded. And I am not even going to the Vatican!
I know it is complicated, these works of art are preserved, indeed exist, because of the church, but what of feeding the poor?
I say this of course as a non Catholic.
Piazza Navona is so mobbed it is hard to move in, very beautiful but very unpleasant.
The desk clerk at our hotel says that in all his life in Rome, 28 years, he has never seen such crowds in October , more like July. He attributes this to the new Pope as well as to ever more cruise ships, though the crowds are barely less at night.
Also,I don't mean to offend anyone but I am finding the opulence of the churches, one every ten feet it seems, offensive in the wealth displayed especially as just yesterday refugee camps were disbanded. And I am not even going to the Vatican!
I know it is complicated, these works of art are preserved, indeed exist, because of the church, but what of feeding the poor?
I say this of course as a non Catholic.
Oct 4th, 2016, 05:53 AM
#97
I was in Rome perhaps a week before you were there and it wasn't that crowded (compared to all my other trips to Rome), but I didn't go to the Vatican area. I was actually surprised how few people were at Piazza Navona and the Jewish ghetto (practically deserted). Piazza della Rotunda, on the other hand, was always crowded (day and night). It does seem the Vatican always schedules a lot of things for Oct. that attract large crowds. It's also possible you encountered European Heritage Days which were Sept 24 and 25 in Rome when all the museums had additional night hours with admission of 1€ (until recently, it was an entirely free weekend).
>>>If you spend the night in Matera, stay IN the sassi and not in the centre of town.<<<
I think there are pros and cons to staying in the sassi. One of the cons is getting to your hotel and parking. Also, having dinner out at night and attempting to navigate very uneven terrain back to your hotel in the dark (after a glass or two of wine). There are hotels at the very top of the descent down which give easy access (not in the dark), but they aren't in what I would consider the center of town. The area just at the top has much more even walking (still cobblestones though and stairs in some areas), but also has a wonderful passeggiata starting around 6pm.
>>>If you spend the night in Matera, stay IN the sassi and not in the centre of town.<<<
I think there are pros and cons to staying in the sassi. One of the cons is getting to your hotel and parking. Also, having dinner out at night and attempting to navigate very uneven terrain back to your hotel in the dark (after a glass or two of wine). There are hotels at the very top of the descent down which give easy access (not in the dark), but they aren't in what I would consider the center of town. The area just at the top has much more even walking (still cobblestones though and stairs in some areas), but also has a wonderful passeggiata starting around 6pm.
Oct 4th, 2016, 06:25 AM
#98
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Kybourbon, we weren't here in Sept. The ghetto was packed perhaps because it was just before Rosh Hashanah, though nobody seemed to be looking at it as a place of Jewish history, more like a theme park. We were nowhere near the Vatican.
elberko, it should be better, and it won't be the Jubilee year and maybe less people cruise then.
I doubt I will ever return, though I am glad we came, and for my wife it was like returning home
For me, Puglia was so much more compelling , and fun, and real. I could spend months there.And much better for practicing Italian.
We did have a great meal today at the highly touted Armando de Pantheon. My favorite food in Rome, especially the duck with prunes.
elberko, it should be better, and it won't be the Jubilee year and maybe less people cruise then.
I doubt I will ever return, though I am glad we came, and for my wife it was like returning home
For me, Puglia was so much more compelling , and fun, and real. I could spend months there.And much better for practicing Italian.
We did have a great meal today at the highly touted Armando de Pantheon. My favorite food in Rome, especially the duck with prunes.
Oct 4th, 2016, 06:50 AM
#99
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<<I think there are pros and cons to staying in the sassi. One of the cons is getting to your hotel and parking. Also, having dinner out at night and attempting to navigate very uneven terrain back to your hotel in the dark (after a glass or two of wine). >>
Well, our hotel (Antico Convicino Rooms & Suites, FYI) mailed us a detailed description of a nearby parking garage (guarded), with the opportunity to have someone carry your luggage to/from the hotel.
We didn't find it difficult to 'navigate' uneven terrain (that wasn't uneven, to be honest ... just a lot of stairs) at night after a bottle of wine.
To each his own, but staying in a (luxury) cave room in the sassi was a very special experience. Almost as special as staying a night under the stars in the desert.
Well, our hotel (Antico Convicino Rooms & Suites, FYI) mailed us a detailed description of a nearby parking garage (guarded), with the opportunity to have someone carry your luggage to/from the hotel.
We didn't find it difficult to 'navigate' uneven terrain (that wasn't uneven, to be honest ... just a lot of stairs) at night after a bottle of wine.
To each his own, but staying in a (luxury) cave room in the sassi was a very special experience. Almost as special as staying a night under the stars in the desert.
