Trip Report: Just returned from Italy
 

Hi Everyone,<BR><BR>Well, I have read so many trip reports on this board over the last 2 years as I prepared for our trip to Italy .... I can't believe that I am now actually writing one! I hope that my report can be as helpful to some of you out there as the ones I read in the past. I will probably write this in installments when I have the chance or a break at work.<BR><BR>Anyway, our Itinerary was as follows:<BR>3 nights Positano at Palazzo Murat<BR>3 nights Rome at the Colonna Palace<BR>3 nights Florence at Hotel de la Ville<BR>2 nights Venice at Hotel Giorgione<BR><BR>Overall ... a WONDERFUL trip! I was so sad to see it end. My husband and I tried to combine seeing some of the main sights in each city with taking time to just wander, shop, sit and watch the world go by. <BR><BR>We were SO lucky with the weather. In Positano and Rome it felt like summer. Glorious sun and in the upper 70's ... though it felt even warmer sometimes. In Florence, it cooled off ... fairly chilly in the early morning and evenings .... but the days were sunny and in the sixty's ... perfect crisp fall days. The only bad weather we had was in Venice ... it poured rain the day we arrived and the next morning ... but by the afternoon it was beautiful.<BR><BR>Anyway, on the the report. <BR><BR>POSITANO:<BR><BR>We arrived in Naples about 12:30 pm (left Chicago at 4:30 pm the day before!) and had a driver waiting for us right at the exit holding a sign with our name. This was arranged by our travel agent. Our driver was a funny little old Italian man ... who spoke no English! During the hour and a half ride down to Positano he kept saying things to us that we couldn't understand ... and he didn't know what we were saying or asking him at all! No big deal ... but since this was our first introduction to the country, it seemed like we had a long 2 weeks of not being able to communicate with anyone. In retrospect ... this was really the only time we had a problem with the language.<BR><BR>It was actually raining the day we arrived ... but I will never forget my first view of Positano ... as we came around a cliff ... there it was ... all of the colorful buildings nestled into the mountainside. I have seen a million pictures of Positano ... but nothing compares to seeing it in person. I was really taken aback. It just seems like a magical little fantasy world. <BR><BR>Our driver stopped at the edge of the traffic free zone, and before we knew it our luggage was whisked away by another man on a little cart. That made us a little nervous ... but our driver just pointed down a little road ... so we followed it for about 2 minutes and came upon our hotel, the Palazzo Murat ... and there was our luggage!<BR><BR>Anyway, we checked in and decided to go get some lunch. By this time it was was close to 3 o'clock. It was kind of a dreary day and we were exhausted ... so the plan was to eat lunch and then take a nap so we'd be feeling recharged for the evening. <BR><BR>We stopped at La Zaraga for lunch ... partly because it was the first thing we came across ... just up the hill from our hotel ... but it was just what we needed. They have the most delectable looking pastries in the window ... lots of little tables, outside ... but under a covered roof. We ordered a 1/2 carafe of red wine and my husband got a tomato, basil and mozzerella panini and I got a little tomato, basil and mozzerella pizza (pizza marghuerite). Both had huge thick, fluffy slices of mozzerella ... sooo good! Then we decided to delve into our first gelato ... our waiter brought out a huge bowl of chocolate chip! Mmmm. Sure we were tired and a little cranky ... but our first taste of Italy was a great one!

<BR><BR>We napped from about 4 to 7:30 then got ready for dinner at Da Vincenzo ... a recommendation I got on this board and one that the concierge at our hotel confirmed was a good choice.<BR><BR>Da Vincenzo was quite a hike uphill from our hotel (more on it later) ... but it felt great to walk and enjoy the twinkling lights of Positano all around us. Da Vincenzo was great ... bustling with people ... but it had a great warm and cozy atmosphere. The food was good ... we both had salads, simple pasta dishes and a huge platter of calamari. Great bottle of wine too ... I don't remember the name off hand ... but it was only about $20 euro.<BR><BR>After dinner, we walked back down into town and stopped at a little cafe for cappucino and biscotti. <BR><BR>Not sure if that was a good idea ... combined with our long afternoon nap. neither of us could fall asleep until about 2 am! Oh well.<BR><BR>Palazzo Murat was very nice and very centrally located. However, we didn't have a view from our room ... and I wished we could have been able to sit out on our terrace and enjoy the view. I think next time I would choose a place that was a little higher up with balconies overlooking the town and sea.<BR><BR>Well, that's all for now ... I 'll continue with more later! Feel free to ask any questions!<BR><BR>

top for amy

Amy, I'm anxiously awaiting your report on Venice. Please tell us all about the hotel, how much it cost, location, and whether or not you'd stay there again.

Sorry everyone! I have been swamped at work since my return!<BR><BR>Heather ... we stayed at the Hotel Giorgione in Venice. It was a charming little hotel in a great location. The staff was very friendly and they had a great breakfast. My only complaint was that our room was TINY! As was the bathroom. Two people could not fit comfortably in the bathroom unless one person was in the (tiny) shower.<BR><BR>It was probably the least desirable room of our stay ... but it was also the least expensive place we stayed ... about $185/ night. <BR><BR>Having said that, we really were not in our room all that much ... so it wasn't a big deal. I would still recommend it as a pretty good place to stay.<BR>

POSITANO, cont'd. <BR><BR>Well, we awoke to glorious sunshine on our first morning. (We had slept through the hotel's breakfast ! ... so we went out for coffee and croissants.) As amazed as we were by the scenery the day before ... it was a hundred time more magical in the sunshine.<BR><BR>We decided to walk back up the hill we went up for dinner to take some pictures then meandered around the little sidewalks checking out some of the stores. A lot of them are little boutiques ... a found some great hand beaded evening bags ... got one for myself and one for my sister. <BR><BR>Eventually we made our way down to the beach which was bustling with activity. It was like a summer day! We decided to have lunch at La Cambusa which sits on the second floor of a building right on the beach.<BR><BR>We lucked out and were seated right the windows (although the windows were all open) ... so we had a front row seat on all the action. We enjoyed mussels and a &quot;rocket salad&quot; ... which we learned was made with &quot;rocket&quot; lettuce. Maybe others have heard of it before, but I hadn't. It was wonderful ... it really has a bite to it ... you don't even need much dressing because it is so flavorful!<BR><BR>Anyway, we did a little more shopping after lunch, then ventured to find Le Sirenuse ... the 5 star hotel I had heard so much about. <BR><BR>Would have loved to stay there, but it was a bit out of our price range. Instead we had dinner reservations for the restaurant the following night. (More on that later ... it was fabulous!)<BR><BR>Anyway ... after seeing Le Sirenuse, I would say ... if you can afford it ... do it! What a charming place ... and the views were amazing. We were so taken by them that we decided to just sit on their verandah and read our books for a while as the sun went behind the cliffs. It was delightful ... and so quiet. I kept thinking someone was going to come and ask us if we were guests ... but no one ever did.<BR><BR>

That night we had reservations at La Tagliata ... another rec I got from this board.<BR><BR>Our concierge made the reservation and said that a Mercedes van would be waiting for us, just up the hill at 8:15 to take us to the restaurant.<BR><BR>There were two other couples in the van as the driver took us up, up, up over Positano. We were so high up ... with the lights of Positano twinkling way below. It was about a 15 minute drive until we finally stopped on a dark stretch of road at a little stone building that was right on the edge of the cliff.<BR><BR>Inside the room was warm and bright ... a large Italian family had one long table in the middle of the restaurant and were celebrating someone's birthday.<BR><BR>The place had the feel of someone's cottage or a very a large tree house.<BR><BR>We started with the caprese salad ... which honestly was the best one on our whole trip (and we had one almost every day!) Huge slices of tri-colored tomatoes and the fluffiest, tastiest mozzerella cheese!) <BR><BR>Next we were trying to decide on pastas and our water said he would just bring out a sampler platter of several different kinds. It was huge! Gnocchi, canneloni and ravioli in a flavorful tomato sauce. Delicious. As if that wasn't enough we ordered one grilled chicken and one grilled steak. <BR>They had a huge open grill right in the restaurant ... clearly ... grilled meats are a specialty. Again, the plates were huge ... but we sampled both and they were extremely tender.<BR><BR>Finally, we ended with 2 limoncello's ... the liquer everyone talks about because it is prioduced n the Amalfi Coast and Capri.<BR><BR>It comes in a shot glass, but you are supposed to sip it. I know this is blasphemous to say ... but I didn't really like it. (I'm sorry to all those who love it.) It was just too sweet or something for me ... it tasted like lemon cough syrup. <BR><BR>In hindsight, I probably should have tried it again somewhere else just to compare ... but from this one experience I was not inclined to try it again. <BR><BR>Overall a great experience at La Tagliata! I would definitely recommend it ... it was one of our most unique dining experiences of our trip. It is nothing fancy or elegant ... but it is also quite inexpensive. Our same driver drove us and 3 other couples back down to our hotels ... by this time, everyone had had enough wine that the trip down was much more lively than the trip up!

Dear Amy,<BR><BR>I'm really enjoying your report - makes me want to go back desperately !!<BR><BR>Had a similar first opinion of Lemincello - but let me tell you, it gets better and better. I just wish I had talked my husband into buying more to bring back home :)<BR><BR>Looking forward to the rest of your trip report.<BR><BR>Nancy

Amy, rocket (or roquette) in the US is known as arugula. It's available here in CA in farmer's markets and some grocery stores. You're right, it does have a bite and it's deliciously bitter. Just planted some in the back yard, and if the snails don't get to it first, I plan to enjoy it this winter.

Betsy ... I thought that roquette reminded me of arugula! I will have to start buying more of it now that we are home.<BR><BR>Anyway, the next day we took a 10 am ferry to Capri which left right from the beach in Positano. (We had bought tickets the day before from a little booth right on the water below the Covo dei Saraceni hotel. This really helped as we didn't have to wait in the long line that morning!)<BR><BR>The ferry ride is about 40 minutes (I felt a little queasy .... the waves were high) and we were dropped off at the Marina Grande.<BR><BR>I know that many people have said that to truly enjoy Capri, you must stay the night ... but I must say, that we really had a fun day. Yes, there were a lot of people bustling about ... but not too bad. I can imagine that it would be even nicer to stay overnight and enjoy the peace and quiet of the evenings ... but if you can only go for the day ... I would still encourage you to go.<BR>

CAPRI:<BR><BR>We took a bus from the Marina up to Anacapri ... which was quite an adventure in itself! I thought for sure we weren't going to make it on this bus because it already looked full and there were 8 or so people ahead of us in line. Not only did we make it on ... but about 10 more people packed in behind us! And our driver even stopped along the way to let more people on! <BR><BR>The winding road up to Anacapri is what I would consider a one-lane road ... but not in Capri ... we passed by buses and cars coming the other direction with less than an inch of space between us! My husband and I were laughing the whole way up.<BR><BR>We got off the bus in Anacapri and went to our right, hoping to reach a look out point where we could take some pictures. Instead, we walked past shops and cafes and finally found ourselves lost in a kind of residential section ... but that in itself was kind of interesting!<BR><BR>Anyway, we should have gone to the left from the bus stop ... throught the little main square. If you go back around the Villa San Michelle there is a lookout point that offers incredible views of the island and the marina.<BR><BR>BUT ... don't stop there. Back by the main square is where you catch the funicular which takes you to the very top of the island and the views are magnificent! It was much quieter up there and you could just see for miles and miles. I felt like I was on top of the world. <BR><BR>After that, we took the bus down to Capri Town. We shopped around a little bit than grabbed a table at one of the little cafes and just enjoyed the sunshine and the people watching while having a little pizza and panini.<BR><BR>I do wish we had had more time to check out the beach and some of the bigger hotels ... the day really goes by so quickly ... so I would certainly recommend taking the earliest ferry you can get in the morning and the latest one you can get in the afternoon.<BR><BR>As sad as I was to leave Capri, I was anxious to get back for our dinner at Le Sirenuse!

Amy,<BR> Thank you for your report. Very helpful in planning my trip.

Dinner at Le Sirenuse was a magical experience. The setting was one of the most romantic I 've experienced in all of our travels. <BR><BR>The room was lit with hundreds of votive candles with views of Positano twinkling below. The service was impeccable and the food was delicious. We tried two new fish we've never had before ... amberjack for my husband and sea bream for myself. Both were delicious ... although we liked my husband's amberjack a little better because it was topped with luscious olives and tomatoes, while mine ... though good was simply grilled and could have used a touch more flavor.<BR><BR>Overall, a wonderful experience.<BR><BR>The next day we slept in a little, had a lovely breakfast in the Palazzo Murat couryard and packed up our things.<BR><BR>We were supposed to meet a driver at 11 am that was going to take us to Pompeii .... wait for us there for 2 hours and then take us on to the Naples train station where we would catch a train to Rome.<BR><BR>POMPEII:<BR><BR>Like I said, we only had 2 hours at Pompeii, and while we felt a tad rushed ... it was still an amzing experience. <BR><BR>It seems there are many ways to go about visiting Pompeii. Certainly, we did the &quot;short an sweet&quot; way ... which I'm sure would not suit some people ... but if you don't have a lot of time to devote a full day or half day to Pompeii ... this was a good way to see it. We simply purchased a book from the bookstore outside the entrance that had descriptions and pictures of all of the sites along with a several different &quot;walks&quot; to take along these sites ... a 2 hour walk, a 4 hour walk, a 6 hour walk.<BR><BR>Be prepared ... you'll do A LOT of walking ... I had no idea the area would be so big ... but, it was an actual city ... so it is quite spread out. It was a beautiful sunny day when we were there ... in the 70's .... and even then we kind of broke a sweat walking around. I can't even imagine what it must be like on a 90 degree day in the summer. There really is no shade and the sun reflects of off all of the light stone structures.

Dinner at Le Sirenuse was a magical experience. The setting was one of the most romantic I 've experienced in all of our travels. <BR><BR>The room was lit with hundreds of votive candles with views of Positano twinkling below. The service was impeccable and the food was delicious. We tried two new fish we've never had before ... amberjack for my husband and sea bream for myself. Both were delicious ... although we liked my husband's amberjack a little better because it was topped with luscious olives and tomatoes, while mine ... though good was simply grilled and could have used a touch more flavor.<BR><BR>Overall, a wonderful experience.<BR><BR>The next day we slept in a little, had a lovely breakfast in the Palazzo Murat couryard and packed up our things.<BR><BR>We were supposed to meet a driver at 11 am that was going to take us to Pompeii .... wait for us there for 2 hours and then take us on to the Naples train station where we would catch a train to Rome.

Hi Amy<BR>sounds like a wonderful trip! you didn't happen to see the Grand Hotel Tritone did you? wondering what you might have thought of it.<BR>Thanks

Ooops. Sorry ... part of that last post somehow got posted twice.<BR><BR>Anyway, we finally caught a 3:30 train from Naples to Rome. We had our travel agent reserve first class tickets on the Eurostar.<BR><BR>I must say that our experience with trains was quite easy. My husband, who sits in traffic for at least 2 hours a day here in Chicago and does a lot of driving for his job wanted no part in renting a car. Although I do think that would be a fun way to travel ... I knew that we'd both be a lot happier if my husband didn't have to get behind the wheel of a car! And the trains were great. (Except for the fact that we had to slightly change our schedule due to a train strike on the say we were supposed to go to Florence ... more on that later.)<BR><BR>I'll never forget coming out of the train station and hopping in cab to our hotel. The city was alive and bustling with people ... such a contrast from Positano. It hit us that we were in one the world's greatest, largest cities ... and it was so exciting.<BR><BR>We checked into the Colonna Palace which was in a great location. We were a two minute walk from the Pantheon and a 5 minute walk from Trevi Fountain.<BR><BR>The hotel was situated on a quiet square across from the Parliment building. I would definitely stay there again. Our room was quite large and they had the most delightful breakfast served up on the roof, offering views out over the city. Nothing super luxurious about it ... but it served us well.<BR><BR>That night we decided to find a casual pizza place for dinner . We found a very small square called Piazza Maddelena, just north of the Pantheon that was lined with 5 or so little pizzerias. We chose one called Pumarossa (I think!) Though they all looked good and had tables spilling out onto the street. <BR><BR>What a great , lively atmosphere for our first night in Rome. <BR><BR>After dinner we meandered over to Piazza Navona and got a table facing the square at Ai Tre Tartufi ... the little cafe right next to Tre Scalini ... we wanted to get gelato ... and they had many more flavors than Tre Scalini. <BR><BR>Talk about people watching. I couldn't believe how many people were out and walking through the Piazza. We order a large bowl of gelato ... 3 huge scoops of tiramisu, creme caramel and pistachio and two cappucinos. Wonderful.<BR><BR>Afterwards, we wandered back past the Pantheon to our hotel. We almost felt guilty going to bed ... there were still so many people out around 11:30 ... but we were beat from all the walking at Pompeii.<BR><BR>Tomorrow would be our tour of the Vatican with Scala Reale!

Lewis,<BR><BR>No, I'm sorry ... I don't believe we saw the Tritone .... it is in Positano, right? I think I mentioned this before ... but I would definitely ensure that you are getting a room with a view while in Positano ... that was my only gripe about the Murat. No view ... I would definitely go with a &quot;lesser&quot; room in order to have a view.<BR><BR>Anyone who's been to Positano I'm sure would agree ... the view is EVERYTHING!<BR><BR>

ROME cont'd.<BR><BR>The next morning we headed to Campo dei Fiore which was lively and colorful and bustling with people ... although we did not need as much time there as I had anticipated. It would be a great place to go if you want to buy fresh produce or flowers ... but I was glad we saw it.<BR><BR>After that we took a leisurely walk around the city, stopped for a coffee and then finally crossed the Tiber at Castel San Angelo and then headed over to the Vatican. As we approached St. Mark's we could hear a voice over the loud speaker, and then we saw a hug mass of people sitting in front of the basilica. On two video screens we could see the Pope ... he was sitting under a red canopy in front of the basilica ... but from where we were standing he was just barely a dot. The mass was ending just then ... but we felt lucky to happen upon it. This was a wednesday ... and we were later told by another couple we met that you can write to the Vatican and request tickets for this wednesday mass ahead of time. <BR><BR>After that we headed over to the entrance to the Vatican Museums where we were to meet our guide from Scala Reale. <BR><BR>I want to thank everyone on this board who recommended Scala Reale ... I would have never known about them ... but we took two tours with them ... this and the one of the Forum. Colloseum, etc. ... and they were both great. Our guides were so knowledgeable ... and it was just so pleasant to be in a group of only 6 people.<BR><BR>Sara was our guide for the Vatican ... and we spent the rest of the afternoon with her there. Very in-depth. There were so many things we saw that just left us awestruck. Afterwards, we were so tired ... we ended up taking a cab back to our hotel! (One of the few cabs we took!)<BR><BR>After relaxing and recharging a bit, we walked from our hotel over to Trastevere. We had dinner reservations at Sabatini. <BR><BR>We really liked Trastevere ... it defintely had kind of a hip, edgy feel to it. There were tons of quaint little restaurants over there ... and while we loved Sabatini ... I don't think you could go wrong just going over there and finding a place.<BR><BR>Sabatini sits right on Piazza Santa Maria with many umbrella tables spilling out onto the piazza. We sat outside and really enjoyed watching all of the people meeting and hanging around the fountain.<BR><BR>We had a great dinner too ... about 100 euros for the two of us ... so it wasn't cheap ... but the food and atmosphere made for a delightful evening.

Amy: Please continue. I'm really enjoying your posting during my lunch hour. I can't wait to hear about Hotel de la Ville in Florence as I'm going to be staying there. Please tell me how it was, etc. (decorating, room size, bathroom, quiet or not). Grazie!

Amy,<BR>There are 4 of us going to Italy next June, {all women}. Did you reserve Scala Reale before your trip or when you got there? How much was the vatican and the old rome tour? Do you know if they do a tour under St. Peters?<BR>Your report is great, thanks <BR>Diane

What a delightful trip report! Thank you!

Hi everyone ... I'm sorry I've been off all weekend! We just moved into a new house before we left for Italy and still don't have phone service ... which means no internet at home ... but I'm back!<BR><BR>Eye Spy ... I will go into more detail about the De La Ville later ... but I would definitely stay there again ... it was a quaint, yet urban hotel with pretty nice rooms (large bathroom!) and a cute little breakfast room with ample breakfast. We thought the location was good too.<BR><BR>Diane, I booked our Scala Reale tours before we left ... which I think is a good idea. Since there are only 6 people in each tour, they fill up fast. And if you are limited by which days you can do it, I would definitely reserve ahead of time. We only had to pay the $20 registration fee to reserver our spots, and then paid for the tours in cash the day of. <BR><BR>I recommend check out their website, www.scalareale.org for a full description of all their tours and prices. The two we took were called Roma Antica and Arte Vaticana, listed under in-depth walks.<BR><BR>The $20 reg. fee also includes a free (so-to-speak) Orientation walk and there are two to choose from. We weren't able to take one since we got into Rome too late on our first day, but I would imagine it would be worthwile to get a feel for the city when you first arrive.<BR><BR>I don't believe they offer a tour under the Vatican. You must contact the Vatican directly to reserve a spot.<BR>Send an email to [email protected] requesting tickets for the Scavi tour with the dates you will be in Rome and they will email you back with a time ... if there is anything available. If you don't hear from them, you are to assume that there is nothing available.<BR><BR>I did hear back from them ... but the time they gave us coincided with one of our Scala tours. When I emailed them back for a different time, they responded with a time on the next day ... but unfortunately it also coincided with our OTHER Scala tour. Oh well ... I've heard it is an amazing tour ... so if you can be totally flexible ... I'd say go for it. It took me about a month to hear back from them the first time.<BR>

ROME cont'd<BR><BR>Our next day in Rome we were supposed to meet our Scala Reale tour guide in front of the Colloseum at 9am ... so we got up, had a quick breakfast and walked over there. We were really struck by seeing the Colloseum for the first time. As you approach it ... there is just this unbelievable feeling of &quot;Wow. There it is ... this structure I've seen in a hundred different pictures, movies, ads ... etc.&quot; But it is much more impressive close up.<BR><BR>We really enjoyed the Scala tour which started with some history of the Colloseum (from the outside) before heading over to the Circus Maximus, up to Palatine Hill and then down to the Forum before heading back to the Colloseum and going inside.<BR><BR>We were a little frustrated by the tour, however. But it wasn't totally the fault of our guide. There were two single women in our group of 6 that asked a million and one questions ... most of them not really having to do with what we were seeing. It wasn't even just questions ... but it was as if they were each trying to show how much they knew about Italian history and politics and trying to outshine the other. Our poor guide, who was very nice, kept answering their questions and engaging them ... but to the detriment of our hearing more about what we were actually seeing.<BR><BR>The tour was supposed to be 4 hours ... and about 3 and a half hours into it, we were just getting into the Forum and hadn't even been in the Colloseum. We were standing just outside the Forum as these two started in on the politcal philosophies of Italy when my husband spoke and asked if we could just get back to the tour. Our guide felt bad ... and was able to keep things more on track after that. <BR><BR>At one point he had said that he would just drop us at the front of the Colloseum since we were running out of time ... but after my husband's comment, he took it upon himself to stick around an extra half hour and take us inside himself. <BR><BR>Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves ... I guess that's just one of the risks you take with a small group like that ... but still, I think the benefits outweighed the negatives.<BR><BR>After the tour we headed up to the Spanish Steps area for some SHOPPING! ....<BR><BR>More tomorrow!

Amy: I am glad you liked the La<BR>Tagliata: I recommended it! I liked it better than the Sirenuse, although, it was my husband's birthday on our night at the Sirenuse, and they did make a big deal out of it!! Oh, I would love to be in Positano or Venice or Rome right now.

Amy: Keep sending your report. I am really enjoying it. What did you buy in Rome? What else did you see? More more more please! <BR><BR>

ROME cont'd.<BR><BR>Well, we were pretty pooped after the Colloseum and Forum ... and it was a bit of a hike back to the Spanish Steps area ... so we found a little cafe on one of the streets parallel to Via Condotti where we stopped to recharge with (another!) caprese salad and a couple panini's. And then ... we were ready to hit the streets!<BR><BR>A lot of the shops in this area are quite expensive ... but it was fun to look ... and we did make a few select purchases. My husband got a really nice pair of brown leather dress shoes and a few shirts and ties.<BR><BR>I bought a small black purse from the Prada store overlooking the Spanish Steps. I must admit, I wasn't all that impressed with the prices ... though I did get the VAT tax back, which helped bring the price of my purse down a little bit. I thought perhaps they would have some different or unique styles too ... but it was a pretty basic collection.<BR><BR>I don't own anything else from Prada ... but I figured that if I was ever going to get a Prada purse ... I might as well get it in Italy ... I will always remember looking out at the Spanish Steps while buying my purse!<BR><BR>I also bought several pairs of gloves at a tiny little shop right at the base of the Steps. They had every color imaginable and I thought they'd make good gifts ... you could get a nice pair for $25-$35 Euro.<BR><BR>We also found that Via Corso ... the street that runs perpendicular to Via Condotti was a great street for shopping, with stores that were more affordable. I got a scarf and a sweater from a great store called Stefanel, a fun peasant blouse at a store called Etam and a pair of brown suede-like pants and a light blue top at Habana.<BR><BR>(I had quite an experience at Habana however ... I went into the dressing room to try on several things. My husabnd was waiting just outside and when I stepped out to show him some pants and a shirt I had on ... one of the clerks came running over and started yelling at me. She kept pointing to a sign on the mirror of the dressing room that was written in Italian. I had no idea what it said ... and she didn't speak much English. Finally I determined that she was telling me that I wasn't allowed to try on any shirts that I had to pull over my head ... I could only try on things that were buttoned down the front! I was so close to walking out of the store ... but I REALLY loved these pants! Even at the cash register, they gave me a lot of attitude. It took everything my husband had in him to keep quiet ... he was so mad that I was actually giving them my business! Ah ... what we do int he name of fashion ! I still really do love these pants though ... I have them on today!)<BR><BR>

Great trip report!<BR><BR>I just hope you get to Venice quickly - we leave for our vacation there on Thursday and I want to read what you did there before I leave!

Hi Amy, I am enjoying your report and your escapades. I felt the same way about a store in Positano, the clerk was so haughty and rude when I tried on one of their peasant blouses that I really wanted to throw it a her and walk out, but I, too, REALLY wanted that blouse. I bought it and now when I wear it I think of her and get upset all over again, I will have to have it exorcised!<BR>Keep up the report!

Well, for our last night in Rome we decided to have dinner on one of our favorite piazzas ... the Piazza Rotunda in front of the Pantheon ... it's much smaller than Piazza Navona ... but very charming with several trattorias spilling out onto it, offering front row seats to viewing the Pantheon (which is one of my favorite monuments in Rome.) After dinner we walked down the street for some gelato ( two scoops!) and then meandered over to the Trevi Fountain ... which was packed with people ... even at 11 o'clock at night! We did the obligatory tossing of coins into the fountain to ensure our return to Rome!<BR><BR>The next morning we had to catch a 7 am train to Florence. We were originally booked on a 10:30 train but found out that day that there was going to be a transportation strike from 9 to 5 pm that day. At first we panicked ... but a travel agent was able to get us on an early train that got us to Florence before the strike started ... a minor inconvenience, but no big deal.

Sue ... just for you I am going to report on Venice next ... and then Florence ... so hopefully you can glean some helpful info before your trip!<BR><BR>VENICE:<BR><BR>We left Florence mid-morning on a train that got us into Venice around 1:30 pm. Unfortunately, this was the first bout of bad weather we experienced on our whole trip. I was cloudy, rainy and cold ... yet even so ... walking out of the train station to see the Grand Canal is an experience one never forgets.<BR><BR>Our hotel, the Giorgione, had advised us to take Vaparetto No. 1 to the CaD'oro stop. We bought a two day pass right at the ticket stand on the canal, stamped our tickets in front of the boat dock and got onto the next vaparetto. We were debating what kind of ticket to buy and settled on the two-day pass, which was worth it ... although no one ever checked for our passes. When you buy a multi-day pass, you don't have to pay extra for your luggage ... which cost 3 Euro per roller bag if you just purchase a one way ticket.<BR><BR>Anyway, we traveled down the Grand Canal, taking in the view in the rain. Our stop was the 4th one from the train station ... our hotel was in the Carneggio section ... a great location, I thought. We were far enough away from St. Marks to get away from the crowds when we wanted to ... but still less than a 10 minute walk to the Rialto Bridge ... 15 min. to St. Marks.<BR><BR>Our hotel, the Giorgione, was very charming from the outside. A cute little lobby with a bar, a pool table room and a pretty little courtyard greeted us. They also had a computer hooked up to the Internet ... which was the first hotel on our trip that had that. <BR><BR>Anyway ... as charming as the hotel and lobby were ... the room left a little to be desired. It was not BAD by any means ... it was very clean and neat ... but it was basically the size of a double bed ... with (barely) enough room for a small desk.<BR><BR>And the bathroom was not any better. My husband and I could not both stand in there at the same time. I was a little worried that my husband wouldn't even fit in the shower ... but he did.<BR><BR>Anyway, it wasn't horrible. I had heard that a lot of the hotel rooms in Europe are small anyway ... so I was somewhat prepared for that ... we were just lucky in that all of our other hotel rooms were fairly large ... so we were kind of spoiled at this point.<BR><BR>

VENICE cont'd.<BR><BR>Well, unfortunately ... our first afternoon and evening in Venice were not high points of our trip. I think the weather had a lot to do with it. It's hard to compare places you've fully explored in the glorious sunshine to a place that's cold, damp and dreary.<BR><BR>After checking in, we decided to go out and wander ... making our way towards the Rialto Bridge. It was raining, so I brought my umbrella .... but quickly learned that you just cannot use an umbrella in Venice. The streets are so narrow and crowded that you spend all of your time worrying about poking someone in the eye. So I put away the umbrella and just decided to look like a drowned rat. Of course, we almost got poked in the eye with other people's umbrellas about 47 times.<BR><BR>(Sue ... don't worry ... our time in Venice DID get better and we were able to enjoy ourselves ... I promise ...)<BR><BR>We kept encountering these huge groups of Japanese tourists ... 50 or 60 of them walking in groups ... literally making the streets impassable ... we finally made our way to the Rialto Bridge and shopped around a little bit ... but it soon became apparent that we were both a little too crabby and hungry to deal with all of the people around us. We found a little cafe to get a light lunch and then made our way back to our hotel. We decided to go back to the room and take a nap, see if the weather cleared and then hopefully be in a better mood for dinner.<BR><BR>Well, the weather wasn't any better ... but after seeing the crowds that afternoon, I suggested we get out of the tourist areas for dinner and head into the Dorsoduro section.<BR><BR>First we decided to take the Vaporetto again all they way down the Grand Canal and get out at Harry's Bar. I really wanted to go there to get Bellini's and see the place where Hemmingway and countless others have enjoyed a drink and a meal.<BR><BR>It was about 8 o'clock and the bar area was packed with people. We couldn't even get close enough to order our drinks. The prices are outrageous, I know ($14 euro for a tiny little Bellini, I think) but we were willing to splurge for the sake of doing it at Harry's Bar. But this was ridiculous ... there was no point in doing it if we were going to have to stand in front of the door and get bumped and shoved the entire time ... so we left and decided to wander over to the Accademia bridge, where we would cross and head into Dorsoduro. On the way, we passed by the Hotel Brauer ... which looked quite impressive from the outside ... and decided to go inside and have a drink there. <BR><BR>They had a lovely bar towards the back ... where my husband had a martini and ordered a Prosecco ( a light and delicious sparkling white wine). But the place seemed deserted ... it was so quiet! They also had a wonderful looking outdoor patio overlooking the grand canal that no doubt is delightful in good weather.<BR><BR>By this point we were both famished and looking forward to finding a casual little dinner spot.<BR>

VENCE cont'd.<BR><BR>Well, it was drizzling ... but we crossed the Accademia and decided to make our way to Santa Margherita Square. I had read on this board that this was the place in Dosoduro to find some good, inexpensive pizzarias and eateries.<BR><BR>In contrast to the crowds we experienced earlier ... now Venice seemed desserted ... almost eerily so. There was something sort of exhilirating about it ... here we were walking in the dark foggy streets of Venice where every once in a while a dark stranger would turn the corner, nod and hurry by.<BR><BR>But the exhiliration soon passed as the rain began to come down harder and we just were still trying to make it to Santa Magherita square.<BR><BR>Keep in mind, we had passed several small little places a while back... one that smelled very good ... but I kept telling my husband &quot;No, no ... let's keep going to Santa Magherita Square ... I read that it's really neat and there will be lots of good options.&quot;<BR><BR>So FINALLY we made it to S.M. Square ... and I'm sorry to say ...we were quite disappointed. There were only like 3 places open ... one looked more like a bar ... so we stopped into one of the other one's which was a pizzeria. I can't remember the name ... probably because it wasn't worth remembering. Sadly to say ... this was our only bad meal of the trip. <BR><BR>We had two very bland salads ... some grilled calamari and what were essentially two bowls of noodles in olive oil ... <BR><BR>Mine was supposed to be a mixed mushroom pasta ... but there were only about 3 and a half mushrooms on my plate. Likewise, my husband ordered linguiini in clams sauce and found about 5 tiny clams buried under his pasta.<BR><BR>What's more, the wait staff was quite rude and seemed insulted by some of our simple questions about the menu.<BR><BR>It was just not a good way to reward our long effort of venturing out into Dosoduro.<BR><BR>I don't know if it was just an off night for Santa Margherita Square or what (I'm sure the weather had something to do with it) but I personally would not recommend going out of your way to find it and eat there. I saw so many other cute places in the Cannaregio and San Palo sections that I so wished we had not wasted one of our two meals here.<BR><BR>(I will look back in my notes and see if I have the name of the restaurant anywhere ... so that no one else has to make the mistake of going there. It was on the east side of the square.)<BR><BR>But alas ,,, we still had reservations at Osteria de Fiore the next night ... which just had to make up for our first dismal evening.<BR><BR>Sue ... tomorrow I will continue with the more POSITIVE aspects of our stay in Venice! But hopefully you were still able to pick up some helpful insights from what I have posted today!<BR>

Amy, I am really enjoying your trip so far!<BR><BR>I found it interesting to hear about the problems people had of trying on clothes. I had the opposite experience in Montefalco (a quaint little, very UNtouristy town in Umbria) where my grandmother and I were encouraged to try on many different sweaters before making our purchases. I guess it depends on where you are! I'm glad I have read about your experiences though - I will be sure to ask and not to assume it's ok next time I go!!!<BR><BR>:)<BR>

I am looking for some help, if you can. I am going on a trip to Italy in Dec-Jan. I booked the flight,but am unsure if I should book a land only package. I saw the you flew from Chicago. Did you go thru a travel agent in Chicago? That is were I will be flying out of &amp; just not sure if I want to go thru an agent or book the hotel &amp; train myself. I am flying into Rome then going Florence, Venice &amp; back to Rome. If you could help I would appreciate it. <BR><BR>

Connie, I recently returned from Rome, Florence, Venice traveling solo. I also flew out of Chicago. I booked everything myself on the internet. Very easy and convenient. Just make sure you print off confirmations and bring that with you (also reconfirm a couple of days before you go). Enjoy!

Lastly, for Vaux-le-Vicomte: http://www.vaux-le-vicomte.com<BR><BR>Hope this all helps!

Sorry Amy. Wrong post. My apologies. Can't wait for your next episode.

Amy<BR><BR>Thanks for bringing Venice forward - I'm really grateful.....and looking forward to the enjoyable bits!

Connie,<BR><BR>We did go through a travel agent who booked our driver to Positano, all of trains, hotels, and a couple of half day tours. But as Dori said ... you could probably do it yourself too.<BR><BR>I found working with the travel agent very easy ... however, I had done quite a bit of research on my own. I had given her a list of hotels I was interested in ... she came back with a list of 3 hotels in each city that were recommended by European Sojurns, the Italian agency she goes through. Some where on my list, some weren't. Based on price, the description of the hotel and the hotel's website, we made our decision and she booked them. She also gave me a lengthy list of 2 hours, half-day and full day tours we could take in each city, so we picked one for each city. (Except Rome ... I booked through Scala Reale.)<BR><BR>Anyway, before we left, we got a really nice packet with all of our documents, explicit directions for everything and all of the necessary contact information. It was great ... I made copies of everything ... but felt really good about having everything we needed to survive in this little packet.<BR><BR>Oh ... one other reason we went through a travel agent was because we wanted to fly into Naples and out of Venice ... I wasn't able to coordinate the flights like that on my own, so she did it for me. We had quick layovers in Munich and Frankfurt.

VENICE con'td.<BR><BR>Well. we woke up the next day somewhat early, had a nice breakfast at the hotel, and made our way to St. Mark's Square where we we supposed to meet our 9 am walking tour. <BR><BR>Unfortunately it was pouring rain again and the Square was beginning to flood.<BR><BR>Our tour took us into St. Marks Basilica which is just so amazing . I cannot get over the millions of tiny gold tiles that cover the walls and all the ornateness. <BR><BR>We also went toured the Doges palace which was equally extravagant. What unbelievable wealth existed in Venice at that time! Whew!<BR><BR>The only problem with this tour was getting out! By the time the tour had ended, St. Mark's Square was flooded with about 3 feet of water! They had set up elevated planks for people to walk on ... but we had to wait in line for about 30 minutes just to get on the plank that lead out of the Doge Palace.<BR><BR>It was just an unbelievable site to see all of the thousands of people walking single file across these planks above the water. As much of a pain as it was ... I feel kind of proud to say I've seen &quot;the flooding&quot; in St. Mark's ... it is like nothing I've ever seen before.<BR><BR>Anyway, we finally got out of there and decided to walk some of the side streets ... we were surprised to see that many of the shops and streets near St. Mark's were even flooded! There were shopkeepers sweeping water out of their shops!<BR><BR>Eventually though the sky started to clear and the sun actually came out! We had fun wandering around all the little passageways ... stopping in shops and at food stands. We were happy to be able to take some better pictures in the sunshine.<BR><BR>We had heard that the flooding in S.M. square usually cleared out around 2 ... so we decided to go back and see ... and sure enough, the water was gone and the Square was filled with people and pigeons. We decided to sit at Cafe Florian with a cappucino and just watch all of the action ... it was delightful! This is what Venice was supposed to be all about!