Kim Brandt

I am going to Italy in August. We are planning on staying in Bellagio on Lake Como, Florence, Siena, Assisi, Cinque Terre, Rome and Milan. Using guidebooks and recommendations from friends, we have our lodgings already booked. However, I was wondering if any of you had suggestions for things in or around those areas which we should definitely see or do. We are especially interested in touring a vineyard or winery at one point. Both of us just graduated from law school and are doing this on a tight budget, but want to make the most of our time there. Any tips on good places to eat or things to see or do that are inexpensive would be appreciated! <BR>Thank you! <BR>

anne

Some inexpensive fun that we've enjoyed in Italy included a tram ride from our hotel to the Duomo and Galeria in Milan, then just walking around there at night watching all the "action"....and taking local buses to the little towns on the outskirts of Florence, such as Fielsole, , the ancients ruins & churches...and our favorite: getting a day long ferry pass and crossing Lake Como back and forth to wander in the little towns around Bellagio. <BR>Have a super time!

Nicole

We also visited Bellagio on Lake Como last August and loved it. It is a very picturesque relaxing town and the best thing to do is just walk around the streets and explore, maybe sit at an outdoor cafe and people-watch. Many of the towns along Lake Como are famous for their gardens. We visited Bellagio's Villa Melzi gardens...there is a small cost to get in. Basically it is a very large garden surrounding the Villa Melzi, a famous villa. It makes for a nice walk. Also, there are the gardens at Villa Carlotta across the lake by Tremezzo. We didn't go in, but I've heard it's great. As for a great restaurant in Bellagio, try Ristorante Bilacus. We thought the food was great, reasonable, and you can sit outside on a roof top surrounded by foliage -- very nice atmosphere. To see pictures of Bellagio (among other towns on last year's trip), go to our travelogue at www.lunadesigns.com/travels/. When you get to the page devoted to Bellagio, the third picture down on the page is of the Ristorante Bilacus. Sorry, I don't remember the street name, but it is mid-way up on one of the shopping streets perpendicular to the town's main street. [Bellagio is set up on a 45 degree angle, the main street being parallel with the lake and all the shopping/restaurant streets being perpendicular to the main street and on a steep uphill incline.] But Bellagio is very small so you'll find it.

Cathryn

We stayed in Perugia, very near Assisi. It's a charming city--one of the highlights of our trip. There are escalators that take you from the lower city (where the train station is) to the upper city (incredible views!) via the underground excavations of the early Roman city and fortifications. We were very impressed with the way the modern construction of the escalators were designed to not interfere with the ancient structures. There is also a winery with a tour nearby, but we ran out of time. The best meal we had in our 5-city Italian tour was in Perugia--at La Rosettas, near the square at the top of the hill. Good luck with your budget. Italy isn't cheap! We found that buying a loaf of pani (bread) or rolls, a hunk of cheese, a tomato and some fruit--plus great quantities of agua minerali---really helped our food budget. And you'd be surprised at how long you can go without eating if you stop for gelati! <BR>Have fun!

Jen Z

If you are anywhere near Siena on August 16th, make sure you go there that day for the "Palio", an intense no-holds-barred horse race that is really something to see. Guidebooks barely mention it, if they do at all, and it only happens twice a year (July 2 and August 16). I haven't even seen it mentioned in my beloved Fodor's! But do take it in. It's free. The people of Siena involved in the event dress up in amazing medieval (?) costumes, and there are diplays of flag throwing and interesting stuff going on all day. The carabinieri... oh, well, it cannot really be described; you simply must go. And try to read up before on it before you go; it was fairly confusing and it's not a touristy event, so nothing is explained. The Sienese take it very seriously, and it's a very emotional event. GO TO "IL PALIO"!!

Cassie Weir

We are also going to Italy on a budget. We still need an economical place to stay in Siena and on the Cinque Terre, probably Vernazza. Any suggestiions, it looks like you have already made reservations. Thanks! <BR>

kam

There's a Chianti wine road which will take you out into the countryside where meals are always cheaper--never had a bad meal in Italy!! Wineries to visit along the way. Also Monteriggioni and Montalchino are wine cities---the tasting rooms are called "enoteca" and are not necessarily at the winery. Monteriggioni was our favorite. There's an enoteca in the city of Siena that has a display of every wine made in Italy. They will serve wines by the glass and have a great selection. I keep losing the name, but it's on the old wall of the city and anyone in Siena can tell you about it. Hope you have a lot of time for this trip!! A good guide book to take along is the Blue Guide to Northern Italy. Congratulations on your graduations!! Are you doing this post bar exam??? Hope so, and then you can relax and celebrate it's over! <BR>