Trip Report -- Italy: Rome, Tuscany, Dolomites, and more
Jul 17th, 2007, 10:52 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Trip Report -- Italy: Rome, Tuscany, Dolomites, and more
Travel Log – Italy’s Rome, Tuscany, Dolomites, and Milan
For our first European vacation, my husband and I chose to spend two weeks in Italy with his Godparents, who are seasoned travelers. Thanks to the help of so many Fodorites with excellent suggestions for preparation, packing, and activities, we had a fantastic time. Here are the details!
But first, for those without the hours it will take to read my log: What I learned in Italy:
• All food tastes better when consumed al fresco
• You are not, necessarily, an alcoholic if you drink wine with two meals a day
• Moleskin prevents blistered feet
• Calories from gelato don’t count the way calories from ice cream do
• A cold beer helps motion sickness
• Unlike the way my New York Italian friends pronounce things, prochuitto does end in “O” and mozzarella does end in “A”.
6/19 We flew British Airways from Dulles to Heathrow then on to Rome. The airline is truly fantastic, even in the “cheap seats”, and I was able to sleep most of the night. Heathrow’s a bit of a mess of an airport – we went through security twice too many times. They post gates similar to the way Grand Central Station posts track numbers – be prepared to move once the gate is listed because you’ll have to go through another security line on your way. The flight to Rome was quick and easy and we arrived just in time to meet our traveling companions.
6/20 We were driven to Les Chambres d’Or (Via Dei Gracchi, 32; 39 06 39 08 161) by a car hired through the USO for $65. The “hotel” is various rooms in three different buildings. The room was very small and the once nice furniture was showing it’s age, but the service was fantastic and the location near the Vatican was great. ($150 euros/night)
Upon check-in, we enjoyed a complimentary “welcome drink” at the small café across from our building, then walked the city to find a good restaurant (one of the few I just can’t remember!)
6/21 Breakfast of fruit, pastries and cappuccino in the café across from our hotel building (included with the room) then we walked a couple of blocks to the USO office to meet our tour guide for the morning. We were taken by bus to the Roman Forum then walked through Palentine Hill, and back on the bus to the Coliseum. Obviously, the coliseum is a “must do”, but I was much more impressed by the Forum. I will definitely say that the $100 tour was worthwhile as we waited in no lines to buy tickets or enter any of these sites.
We walked down to Piazza Navona where we saw one of Bernini’s fountains and the ruins of an ancient Roman stadium. Then a little trek to the Pantheon, our first glimpse of Trevi fountain, then off to dinner at Ristochicco (Borgo Pio n 186; 06 68 30 8360) FABULOUS!! 108 eros for 4 with 2 bottles of wine and 4 free glasses of prosecco.
6/22 We began our day by taking a bus (okay, a couple of buses since we didn’t get off at the right stop) down to the “Wedding Cake” – the monument to Victor Emmanuelle. Once we realized just how much there was to see in this massive building, we decided we would return the next day when we had more time. We then bussed back to the USO office to meet our tour for Vatican City. There simply are no words to describe the scale of everything in the Vatican museums. EVERYTHING is so HUGE! Again, we waited in no lines since we took a tour. Our very knowledgeable guide took us through an assortment of museum rooms, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. I believe we barely scratched the surface at the end of our 4 hour tour, so we chose to then descend to the area beneath the basilica to view the sarcophaguses of our former popes.
We returned to our hotel’s café for pizza and beer (29e for 4) then had a little rest before heading down to Via Corso for some window shopping, a stop at the Spanish steps, another view of the Trevi and off to dinner. Ristorante le Lanterne (Via della Pilotta, 21A; 06 69924458) with was delicious and only 79 euros for 4. One final trip to the Trevi to see it after dark and toss our coins (backwards over the left shoulder, of course!)
6/23 Off to the Galleria Borghese. It is worth every penny of the 5 extra euro (not 3 as my Fodor’s guide said) to have the audio tour. For those with too many years behind them since their last art history class, the audio tour really gave meaning to the beautiful works we saw. We had some simple sandwiches at Sweetlife café (Via Veneto 104b) for 32 Euro, then headed back to the “Wedding Cake”. We rode an elevator to the top of the monument for some fantastic views of the city, toured the Museo Centrale Del Risorgimento (not much in English in there…) then took a bus to Via del Corso for more window shopping. We stopped at Rosati in Piazza del Popolo for beer 28 Euros then headed back up Via Cola di Rienzo for more window shopping before a short respite at the hotel. Another fabulous dinner with great wine at Dal Toscano (Via Germanico, 58; 0639725727) 104,50 E for 4.
6/24 Out of Rome and into the country. Our first stop is Orvieta a beautiful and gargantuan church marks the center of this hill town and the small streets are full of pottery shops. Our second stop was Montepulciano. We walked only a short way up the mountain before stopping for a fabulous lunch at Café il Marzocco (via di Gracciano Nel Corso; 00988920526) for 64,80 E for the four of us. Re-fueled and ready to go, we hiked up to the top of the hill town where we found many, many churches.
Finally, we headed to our inn – the Loccando le Piazze. This Tuscan setting is even prettier than I’d imagined and I can’t think of a better place to enjoy a rest after our hectic tour of Rome. The staff was very friendly and helpful, the rooms were cozy, and we looked out our window every morning to beautiful gardens and scenic grape vines. For our first night’s dinner, we walked across the road to Riserva di Fizzano (53011 Castellina in Chianti; 39 0577 737223). We were very amused to see an Olive Garden logo on their sign as my SA husband had been joking for days that all this Italian food was great but he’d rather have the Olive Garden. In all sincerity, though, it was a fabulous meal for 169,80 Euros.
6/25 Florence today! We drove to the Piazza di Michelangelo to park and enjoy the view, then took a bus across the river. A quick/okay lunch at Ristorante le Colonnine (28E for salads). We walked to il Duomo and the Baptistry, saw the copy of “The David”in Piazza Della Signoria, then found the guide-book recommended “Le Gelateria” on the Ponte Vecchio for a treat and headed to our cooking lesson.
We booked a private lesson with Vinarium (www.vinarium.com). We were able to select our desired menu (A More Complex Menu) in advance and very much enjoyed creating Tuscan cuisine with our very friendly instructor.
6/26 A blitz of Hill Towns today: San Gimignano, Montereggioni (a wonderful lunch at Il Pozzo for 112 Euro; Piazza Roma, 2; 0577 304.121), and Sienna. It did rain on our parade today, but the storms brought cooler weather that was very welcome! A short rest at the Inn and out we go again for more food Our hotel made reservations for us at La Torre in Castellina in Chianti (Piazza del Comune; 0577.740.236) which, again, was a great choice. 137,50 Euros.
And still ahead, the Asolo, Venice, the Domites, Lake Guarda, and Milan…
For our first European vacation, my husband and I chose to spend two weeks in Italy with his Godparents, who are seasoned travelers. Thanks to the help of so many Fodorites with excellent suggestions for preparation, packing, and activities, we had a fantastic time. Here are the details!
But first, for those without the hours it will take to read my log: What I learned in Italy:
• All food tastes better when consumed al fresco
• You are not, necessarily, an alcoholic if you drink wine with two meals a day
• Moleskin prevents blistered feet
• Calories from gelato don’t count the way calories from ice cream do
• A cold beer helps motion sickness
• Unlike the way my New York Italian friends pronounce things, prochuitto does end in “O” and mozzarella does end in “A”.
6/19 We flew British Airways from Dulles to Heathrow then on to Rome. The airline is truly fantastic, even in the “cheap seats”, and I was able to sleep most of the night. Heathrow’s a bit of a mess of an airport – we went through security twice too many times. They post gates similar to the way Grand Central Station posts track numbers – be prepared to move once the gate is listed because you’ll have to go through another security line on your way. The flight to Rome was quick and easy and we arrived just in time to meet our traveling companions.
6/20 We were driven to Les Chambres d’Or (Via Dei Gracchi, 32; 39 06 39 08 161) by a car hired through the USO for $65. The “hotel” is various rooms in three different buildings. The room was very small and the once nice furniture was showing it’s age, but the service was fantastic and the location near the Vatican was great. ($150 euros/night)
Upon check-in, we enjoyed a complimentary “welcome drink” at the small café across from our building, then walked the city to find a good restaurant (one of the few I just can’t remember!)
6/21 Breakfast of fruit, pastries and cappuccino in the café across from our hotel building (included with the room) then we walked a couple of blocks to the USO office to meet our tour guide for the morning. We were taken by bus to the Roman Forum then walked through Palentine Hill, and back on the bus to the Coliseum. Obviously, the coliseum is a “must do”, but I was much more impressed by the Forum. I will definitely say that the $100 tour was worthwhile as we waited in no lines to buy tickets or enter any of these sites.
We walked down to Piazza Navona where we saw one of Bernini’s fountains and the ruins of an ancient Roman stadium. Then a little trek to the Pantheon, our first glimpse of Trevi fountain, then off to dinner at Ristochicco (Borgo Pio n 186; 06 68 30 8360) FABULOUS!! 108 eros for 4 with 2 bottles of wine and 4 free glasses of prosecco.
6/22 We began our day by taking a bus (okay, a couple of buses since we didn’t get off at the right stop) down to the “Wedding Cake” – the monument to Victor Emmanuelle. Once we realized just how much there was to see in this massive building, we decided we would return the next day when we had more time. We then bussed back to the USO office to meet our tour for Vatican City. There simply are no words to describe the scale of everything in the Vatican museums. EVERYTHING is so HUGE! Again, we waited in no lines since we took a tour. Our very knowledgeable guide took us through an assortment of museum rooms, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. I believe we barely scratched the surface at the end of our 4 hour tour, so we chose to then descend to the area beneath the basilica to view the sarcophaguses of our former popes.
We returned to our hotel’s café for pizza and beer (29e for 4) then had a little rest before heading down to Via Corso for some window shopping, a stop at the Spanish steps, another view of the Trevi and off to dinner. Ristorante le Lanterne (Via della Pilotta, 21A; 06 69924458) with was delicious and only 79 euros for 4. One final trip to the Trevi to see it after dark and toss our coins (backwards over the left shoulder, of course!)
6/23 Off to the Galleria Borghese. It is worth every penny of the 5 extra euro (not 3 as my Fodor’s guide said) to have the audio tour. For those with too many years behind them since their last art history class, the audio tour really gave meaning to the beautiful works we saw. We had some simple sandwiches at Sweetlife café (Via Veneto 104b) for 32 Euro, then headed back to the “Wedding Cake”. We rode an elevator to the top of the monument for some fantastic views of the city, toured the Museo Centrale Del Risorgimento (not much in English in there…) then took a bus to Via del Corso for more window shopping. We stopped at Rosati in Piazza del Popolo for beer 28 Euros then headed back up Via Cola di Rienzo for more window shopping before a short respite at the hotel. Another fabulous dinner with great wine at Dal Toscano (Via Germanico, 58; 0639725727) 104,50 E for 4.
6/24 Out of Rome and into the country. Our first stop is Orvieta a beautiful and gargantuan church marks the center of this hill town and the small streets are full of pottery shops. Our second stop was Montepulciano. We walked only a short way up the mountain before stopping for a fabulous lunch at Café il Marzocco (via di Gracciano Nel Corso; 00988920526) for 64,80 E for the four of us. Re-fueled and ready to go, we hiked up to the top of the hill town where we found many, many churches.
Finally, we headed to our inn – the Loccando le Piazze. This Tuscan setting is even prettier than I’d imagined and I can’t think of a better place to enjoy a rest after our hectic tour of Rome. The staff was very friendly and helpful, the rooms were cozy, and we looked out our window every morning to beautiful gardens and scenic grape vines. For our first night’s dinner, we walked across the road to Riserva di Fizzano (53011 Castellina in Chianti; 39 0577 737223). We were very amused to see an Olive Garden logo on their sign as my SA husband had been joking for days that all this Italian food was great but he’d rather have the Olive Garden. In all sincerity, though, it was a fabulous meal for 169,80 Euros.
6/25 Florence today! We drove to the Piazza di Michelangelo to park and enjoy the view, then took a bus across the river. A quick/okay lunch at Ristorante le Colonnine (28E for salads). We walked to il Duomo and the Baptistry, saw the copy of “The David”in Piazza Della Signoria, then found the guide-book recommended “Le Gelateria” on the Ponte Vecchio for a treat and headed to our cooking lesson.
We booked a private lesson with Vinarium (www.vinarium.com). We were able to select our desired menu (A More Complex Menu) in advance and very much enjoyed creating Tuscan cuisine with our very friendly instructor.
6/26 A blitz of Hill Towns today: San Gimignano, Montereggioni (a wonderful lunch at Il Pozzo for 112 Euro; Piazza Roma, 2; 0577 304.121), and Sienna. It did rain on our parade today, but the storms brought cooler weather that was very welcome! A short rest at the Inn and out we go again for more food Our hotel made reservations for us at La Torre in Castellina in Chianti (Piazza del Comune; 0577.740.236) which, again, was a great choice. 137,50 Euros.
And still ahead, the Asolo, Venice, the Domites, Lake Guarda, and Milan…
Aug 20th, 2007, 10:11 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry for the delay -- boy, real life is tough after such a wonderful trip!
June 27
Okay, on our way to Asolo from Castellina, we found, with quite a bit of difficulty, the Galleria Ferrari. Yes, we had directions from their website, but this was a challenge. My husband seemed to enjoy the visit. It cost 12E each to view design prototypes and retired race cars. I thought the gift shop was the perfect place for a birthday present for a 5 yr old.
When we finished there we drove a couple of more hours to the medieval city of Asolo. It is obvious by the cranes surrounding the area that this place is undergoing a Renaissance, if you will. It was a quaint village area with modern art and interesting boutiques. We stayed at the Hotel Duse – the advantage to this place was definitely the location. Taking large bags was a bit of a challenge with a very narrow winding staircase and miniscule elevator, but the place was clean and service was friendly.
After settling in we walked the village a bit and selected the Due Mori for dinner. Be warned – dinner was good, the view from their terrace was beautiful, but they don’t take credit cards.
June 28th
We took a day trip from Asolo to Venice by driving to the train station in Castelfranco where the trip on a quiet, clean train cost only 6E round-trip. From the train station in Venice we took a water taxi around the Grand Canal to get a good view of the sights. We then cruised to Murano, were herded from the water taxi to a studio to watch a glass blowing demonstration, and had an adequate lunch at Al Soffiador for 80E (Viale Bressagio, 10, 0415275410) We did some glass shopping on Murano then headed back to the main island to view the Rialto. Then we took an audio tour through the Fenice Opera House. I am a music person, but the history of the Fenice was a little long-winded. We quickly viewed San Marco then headed back to the train station.
Upon arrival back in Asolo we enjoyed a glass of Prosecco at Enoteca Alle Ore, a trendy little wine bar then enjoyed pizza at a very busy outdoor trattoria full of locals. This place had at least 30 different combinations of toppings.
June 29th
My husband and I hiked up to the Rocca after breakfast. Nearly 300 stairs later, we found it closed! Unfortunately there was not much of a view either, but at least we got some exercise before hopping in the car toward the mountains.
Next up…the Dolomites!
June 27
Okay, on our way to Asolo from Castellina, we found, with quite a bit of difficulty, the Galleria Ferrari. Yes, we had directions from their website, but this was a challenge. My husband seemed to enjoy the visit. It cost 12E each to view design prototypes and retired race cars. I thought the gift shop was the perfect place for a birthday present for a 5 yr old.
When we finished there we drove a couple of more hours to the medieval city of Asolo. It is obvious by the cranes surrounding the area that this place is undergoing a Renaissance, if you will. It was a quaint village area with modern art and interesting boutiques. We stayed at the Hotel Duse – the advantage to this place was definitely the location. Taking large bags was a bit of a challenge with a very narrow winding staircase and miniscule elevator, but the place was clean and service was friendly.
After settling in we walked the village a bit and selected the Due Mori for dinner. Be warned – dinner was good, the view from their terrace was beautiful, but they don’t take credit cards.
June 28th
We took a day trip from Asolo to Venice by driving to the train station in Castelfranco where the trip on a quiet, clean train cost only 6E round-trip. From the train station in Venice we took a water taxi around the Grand Canal to get a good view of the sights. We then cruised to Murano, were herded from the water taxi to a studio to watch a glass blowing demonstration, and had an adequate lunch at Al Soffiador for 80E (Viale Bressagio, 10, 0415275410) We did some glass shopping on Murano then headed back to the main island to view the Rialto. Then we took an audio tour through the Fenice Opera House. I am a music person, but the history of the Fenice was a little long-winded. We quickly viewed San Marco then headed back to the train station.
Upon arrival back in Asolo we enjoyed a glass of Prosecco at Enoteca Alle Ore, a trendy little wine bar then enjoyed pizza at a very busy outdoor trattoria full of locals. This place had at least 30 different combinations of toppings.
June 29th
My husband and I hiked up to the Rocca after breakfast. Nearly 300 stairs later, we found it closed! Unfortunately there was not much of a view either, but at least we got some exercise before hopping in the car toward the mountains.
Next up…the Dolomites!
