Report on 3 week Italy trip, part 1.
Aug 6th, 2004, 05:01 AM
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Report on 3 week Italy trip, part 1.
I want to report on the trip my wife and I just cocnluded to Italy. We stayed in Positani, Sorrento, Rome, Florence, Siena, and Milan. Had a great time and I want to give my report as a thank you to all those who helped in the planning and to all those who may want some additional information on their trips.
So here goes.
Flew Alitalia from Boston. Flight was uneventful, crew was fine, planes interior is a bit worn out, food not good (I took some Mrs Fields cookies with me) but we made it on time to Milan and then Naples where the hotel Poseidon in Positano had arranged for a limo to pick us up.
The ride down the Amalfi Coast was beautiful. I could not have driven it myself because I would have been distracted by the scenery. However, I would like to drive it at some point, it looks like fun. One must be confident in their abilitiy and drive defensively (always be prepared and anticipate what may occur around the next curve.) Being from Boston, I am used to driving diffculties, narrow streest, and crazies on the road so it should help.
Got to Positano and it was beautiful, went immediately to the Poseidon Hotel and we got the top room. Up 49 stairs down a hall up a few more stairs and only one door on our floor, it was ours. The room or small suite had two huge French doors and a balcony.
We later laid on the bed and you could see the deep blues of the water and follow the coloful buildings as they rose up the mountain to meet the equally blue sky. It was so romantic that we....! Well lets just say that at 60 the fire has not died.
Walking dwon the one main street to the beach is easy. But we also had to walk up and while it is not hard, for some it might be exhausting. I will discuss the driving habits of Italians later but be forwarned there are no rules of the road for drivers except one: I do what I want, so get out of my way.
Ate our first pizza Buca di Baco and while the beach is not sand the are is very colorful. We preferred the hotel pool that was on a terrace overlooking the city.
Had 3 meals: first, at the hotel that was excellent again on their terrace. Second, Il Ritrovo in Montepertuso (they sent a car for us) it was not great, service was poor and for the price the meal was only average. The third meal was at Dona Rosa alsos in Montepertuso and while it cost more it was excellent. I would reccomend it highly.
The second day we went to Paestum, the ancient Greek town south of Salerno. As a history buff, I wanted to see some of the best preserved temples in Europe and I was not dissapointed. There were few people there and I got great pictures with no scaffolding on any of the buildings.
Anyone who has seen the Parthenon in Athens will understand how impossible it is to get a good picture of that builidng without people or scaffolding. These temples also include the inner columns, alters and walls still intact, so they are basically complete. It was amazing to see them standing in the fields alone and wonder about the Greeks who came far from home to this isolated place in the 6th century BCE
The only problems with the day trip was getting there and back. We first took a 40 minute ferry from Positano to Salerno. Fine. Then at the ferry office we were told to take the direct bus, a big mistake. 45 minutes after the indicated time of arrival for the bus we jumped on the local for a 1 hour 45 minute bus ride. Every time we passed a cemetary the driver gave the sign of the cross. Was this a portent of things to come for us we wondered.
While waiting, I kept trying to ask other bus drivers if their's was the Paestum bus. On two occassions they shut the door in my face and left without even answering.
To return to Positano we decided to take the train and it was fine. Asked how to get to the station, we were told 300 meters on the left. Got there and someone told us another 300 meters. Both were wrong.
In fact, we walked for well over 1 mile in 90 degree heat on a road with no sidewalks to get to the station. We are both walkers so we made it.
However, remember, as we also learned later, do not listen to anyone about distances, 300 seemed to be a standard distance everytime we asked directions. They were always wrong.
Final day, we went to Amalfi and Ravello. As has been told, Ravello has beautiful views of the coast. Ate at a small pizzeria in the suare and shopped. Went to Camo in the square for cameos for my wife. Both Hillary Clinton and my wife have now shopped and bought cameos there although ony Hillary's picture is on the wall. But their quality and selection are good and the owner took far less for cash payment.
Did not have much time in Amalfi itself because we had to get the last feery but I was not impressed. It is so hard to believe that this small seaside community was from the 9th through 12th centuries a naval military and economic power in the Mediterranean.
One other thing, the bus trip up was 1/2 hour, down 15 minutes, he was really motoring.
More later on Sorrento.
So here goes.
Flew Alitalia from Boston. Flight was uneventful, crew was fine, planes interior is a bit worn out, food not good (I took some Mrs Fields cookies with me) but we made it on time to Milan and then Naples where the hotel Poseidon in Positano had arranged for a limo to pick us up.
The ride down the Amalfi Coast was beautiful. I could not have driven it myself because I would have been distracted by the scenery. However, I would like to drive it at some point, it looks like fun. One must be confident in their abilitiy and drive defensively (always be prepared and anticipate what may occur around the next curve.) Being from Boston, I am used to driving diffculties, narrow streest, and crazies on the road so it should help.
Got to Positano and it was beautiful, went immediately to the Poseidon Hotel and we got the top room. Up 49 stairs down a hall up a few more stairs and only one door on our floor, it was ours. The room or small suite had two huge French doors and a balcony.
We later laid on the bed and you could see the deep blues of the water and follow the coloful buildings as they rose up the mountain to meet the equally blue sky. It was so romantic that we....! Well lets just say that at 60 the fire has not died.
Walking dwon the one main street to the beach is easy. But we also had to walk up and while it is not hard, for some it might be exhausting. I will discuss the driving habits of Italians later but be forwarned there are no rules of the road for drivers except one: I do what I want, so get out of my way.
Ate our first pizza Buca di Baco and while the beach is not sand the are is very colorful. We preferred the hotel pool that was on a terrace overlooking the city.
Had 3 meals: first, at the hotel that was excellent again on their terrace. Second, Il Ritrovo in Montepertuso (they sent a car for us) it was not great, service was poor and for the price the meal was only average. The third meal was at Dona Rosa alsos in Montepertuso and while it cost more it was excellent. I would reccomend it highly.
The second day we went to Paestum, the ancient Greek town south of Salerno. As a history buff, I wanted to see some of the best preserved temples in Europe and I was not dissapointed. There were few people there and I got great pictures with no scaffolding on any of the buildings.
Anyone who has seen the Parthenon in Athens will understand how impossible it is to get a good picture of that builidng without people or scaffolding. These temples also include the inner columns, alters and walls still intact, so they are basically complete. It was amazing to see them standing in the fields alone and wonder about the Greeks who came far from home to this isolated place in the 6th century BCE
The only problems with the day trip was getting there and back. We first took a 40 minute ferry from Positano to Salerno. Fine. Then at the ferry office we were told to take the direct bus, a big mistake. 45 minutes after the indicated time of arrival for the bus we jumped on the local for a 1 hour 45 minute bus ride. Every time we passed a cemetary the driver gave the sign of the cross. Was this a portent of things to come for us we wondered.
While waiting, I kept trying to ask other bus drivers if their's was the Paestum bus. On two occassions they shut the door in my face and left without even answering.
To return to Positano we decided to take the train and it was fine. Asked how to get to the station, we were told 300 meters on the left. Got there and someone told us another 300 meters. Both were wrong.
In fact, we walked for well over 1 mile in 90 degree heat on a road with no sidewalks to get to the station. We are both walkers so we made it.
However, remember, as we also learned later, do not listen to anyone about distances, 300 seemed to be a standard distance everytime we asked directions. They were always wrong.
Final day, we went to Amalfi and Ravello. As has been told, Ravello has beautiful views of the coast. Ate at a small pizzeria in the suare and shopped. Went to Camo in the square for cameos for my wife. Both Hillary Clinton and my wife have now shopped and bought cameos there although ony Hillary's picture is on the wall. But their quality and selection are good and the owner took far less for cash payment.
Did not have much time in Amalfi itself because we had to get the last feery but I was not impressed. It is so hard to believe that this small seaside community was from the 9th through 12th centuries a naval military and economic power in the Mediterranean.
One other thing, the bus trip up was 1/2 hour, down 15 minutes, he was really motoring.
More later on Sorrento.
Aug 6th, 2004, 08:21 AM
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Very enjoyable reading, davidjac.
Your description of the trip to Paestum made me ever so glad that my husband's cousins drove us there...they live in Salerno.
And, yes, thank goodness the fires are still burning....and with that view, who could ask for more....
Your description of the trip to Paestum made me ever so glad that my husband's cousins drove us there...they live in Salerno.
And, yes, thank goodness the fires are still burning....and with that view, who could ask for more....
Aug 10th, 2004, 12:11 PM
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The best way to reach Paestum would be by train from Salerno. It was about 40 minutes. But then there is a 1 to
1 1/2 mile walk or cab ride to the sight from the train station.
The ancient Greeks did not make it easy fro us.
1 1/2 mile walk or cab ride to the sight from the train station.
The ancient Greeks did not make it easy fro us.
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