returning to italy after 20 year absence- need a little help
Apr 17th, 2003, 12:34 PM
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returning to italy after 20 year absence- need a little help
i lived in italy as a student studying abroad and i am finally going back with family. my sister is renting a villa in northern umbria(about 15 mins from perugia). i was thinking of flying out of boston to rome, staying over in rome (to see a bit and to rest up after flight). i think from there i should be able to get a train to perugia because i think that is on the rome-florence line?? either from there, a bus to the town or hopefully my sister can pick us up. i have some plans in my head but since it has been 20 years, i really dont know best way to go about booking hotel for when i want to take a side trip-- i.e. travel agent or internet. i am a bit skeptical about the internet because i like to be able to talk to someone. i am also unsure of what dfferences i am going to find. i lived in florence when i was there. any info would be appreciated. i have been reading the fodors and fommers books for a refresher.
Apr 17th, 2003, 01:54 PM
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I'd bag the travel agent and get busy on the web. There's a huge amount of information available to regular people (as opposed to those in the travel industry) these days, lots of it right here on this forum. <BR><BR>As for talking to people, the web is a great place to communicate directly with hotels (via email, so no need to worry about rusty Italian skills or big phone bills), and you can solicit other people's opinions of locales on this and other forums.<BR><BR>As for what's changed in the last 20 years...well, public bathrooms are less horrifying than they used to be, and public phones mostly take pre-paid cards now and credit cards are widely used. Other than that you'll mostly notice that you are 20 years older, and your perspective on things will have changed a bit.
Apr 18th, 2003, 12:06 AM
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I'd say look for hotel recommendations in guide books and also check out people's opinions here. Next, you can check the hotel's website and other internet sites and you'll have a pretty good idea of what is out there. I think doing the research is part of the fun of planning a trip!
Apr 18th, 2003, 01:38 AM
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ang, I am answering this from a cafe in Salamanca--traveling in centro Spain during Holy Week.<BR>Start at 2 web sites ans spend time exploring the many and varied articles.<BR>www.initaly.com<BR>www.slowtrav.com<B R>That will take you hours.You do not needa travel agent--you need tons of homework--there is no free lunch.
Apr 18th, 2003, 04:13 AM
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thanks everyone for the info. i have been reading and that is the fun part. itis funny about the credit card thing because when i went over there as a 19/20 year old, i brought a ton of cash and travelers checks since i spent the year there. i know now that at fiumicino there is a train that brings you to the staz.centrale and 20 years ago, i had to take a bus!! any more info on amalfi coast would be appreciated. i want to go back to capri and was thinking of staying in positano. have been to sorrento but not to positano or amalfi. which would be better?
