Trip Report: Mom and Teens Back from Fabulous European Vacation; Very Grateful for Fodor's Forum Advice!
Jul 13th, 2004, 12:40 PM
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Trip Report: Mom and Teens Back from Fabulous European Vacation; Very Grateful for Fodor's Forum Advice!
We're back from our European adventure, and it was amazing! I'll have to submit this trip report in sections, as time permits. Returning home from vacation is NOT fun...
We flew USAir nonstop Phila. to Amsterdam. We all had backpacks plus daypacks. My kids'(age 15 and 17) packs had to be checked but mine fortunately qualified as carry-on. We put the checked backpacks in cheap nylon stuff sacks from Walmart to protect the straps. Worked fine. Flight was okay, but we were delayed getting access to a gate in AMS, which left us with not enough time to go into Amsterdam before our next flight to Rome. Oh well, we ate an overpriced-airport- lunch and tried out our first european ATM.
We flew Virgin Express from AMS to Rome. No problems. We went to the Trenitalia counter in the train station at the Rome airport and, following Fodor's Forum advice, tried to make all the train reservations we needed for our time in Italy. We had Rail Passes, but I wanted to reserve seats on 2 eurostars (required) and 1 intercity (paranoia), plus get our ticket to Rome's Termini. This may be theoretically possible, but the Trenitalia man flat-out refused to sell us anything but a ticket to Termini. I had even written out everything in Italian for him, but he would have none of it. So much for that idea. We took the train to Rome and planned to get our tickets there.
HA! The lines in Termini were unbelievable, and they were not labeled in any comprehensible way for people who only need seat reservations! What to do??? I got in one line, I put my son in another line, and I sent my daughter to investigate. She reported that railpass holders should go into a little room with ticket desks 1-8. Inside, you take a number like at the deli counter. And then you wait and wait. There are lots of Americans to talk to. This office closes at 8 PM, and it was nearly 7 PM. I had read on the internet that if it goes past closing time and you're still waiting, you're out of luck. Not so. At 8, they turned off the number machine and closed the queue, but those with numbers were still seen in order. We had no trouble buying all our reservations from a friendly, english-speaking woman. Sigh of relief.
Time for our first "hike" with the packs on. We walked to Hotel Giorgina, only 3 blocks from the station, booked thru Venere.com. (Venere.com was great...) I can't remember the price, but it was around 100 euros for a triple: a simple, mostly clean room with double bed, single bed and our own bathroom with shower. Not too bad. Hotel had an elevator! and included breakfast. The hotel's neighborhood was not elegant, but there were plenty of tourists walking around so we didn't feel unsafe even late at night.
After checking in, we went to a nearby pasta/pizza chain called something like Pastarito-Pizzarito. We had decent pizza, house wine, and bottled mineral water, and it was cheap. Cool, we can do this travel thing!
Day 2: Ate breakfast at hotel--endless supply of coffee, steamed or cold milk, hot chocolate, good orange juice, a hard cold roll, a pre-packaged croissant, and a packaged crusty thing that looks like petrified toast. Not bad, but a bit of an adjustment for me and my ballet-dancer daughter, who had been living the Atkins-diet lifestyle back at home. After breakfast, we found a tobacco store just around the corner where we bought metro day passes and an international phone card. The metro is nearby, at the train station. We had to hurry to the Vatican because we were booked on a 10:00 tour with Through Eternity. We very much looked forward to this tour, but instead we had our first trip fiasco. We could not find the tour guide. The piazza in front of St. Peter's cathedral is a sea of sweating humanity in June. We were supposed to find the news kiosk and look for the guy with a certain badge on. There are numerous news kiosks and you cannot read a tiny badge on someone's lapel. Most tour operators have giant banners and stands. Tour leaders parade through the square holding flags aloft, trailing huge lines of tourists. We looked everywhere we could think of and couldn't find our tour guide. We telephoned the cellphone number but only reached voicemail. Finally, we had to give up. Disappointed but determined to see the vatican anyway, we immediately joined the line for St. Peters. The line moved quickly and we were soon inside, where we hooked up with one of the free tours, conducted by a young english woman (Julia) who works for a company that gives short free tours in the hopes of roping you in for the paid tour. Her tour was good and she had a nice sense of humor. Since the Vatican Museum closes early on Saturdays and we were afraid of missing the important things in the museum's ocean of treasures, we let ourselves be roped in for the paid tour. It was a little short, but covered the high points well and left us with adequate time to contemplate the sistine chapel. Fiasco redeemed!
Tired and hungry, we made our way to Castel Sant'Angelo nearby. I had read that there's a nice restaurant up top. We paid admission and went straight to the top where we had lunch overlooking an amazing view of Rome. Then we took some time to view the museum on our way down. Outside, the kids used the phone card to call their dad in the U.S.from a pay phone. It worked great, except we were so disoriented we called him at work and left a message, totally forgetting that it was a Saturday. Took us 2 days to even figure out we'd done this. Oops.
We crossed the street and took a bus to the Pantheon. We could have walked, but we were tired. We should have walked. The driver didn't tell us where to get off and we couldn't figure it out from the map. Finally, we just got off at a stop. No Pantheon. But, it turned out to be Largo di Torre Argentina, which was on my agenda for the next day because of the cat sanctuary. So we looked at the cute cats in the ruins and then set off on foot to find the Pantheon. Our map was not helpful and no one was able to give us correct directions. Even though it turned out we were only a few blocks away, people acted as if they had never actually been to the Pantheon. Even the police seemed mystified. Until I sent my attractive daughter to ask directions. Then the police were very interested in giving her a thorough and caring description of how to get there! Ha! We went there directly, noting a store selling homemade gelato enroute. After we visited the Pantheon, which is being rehabbed inside, we made our way back to the gelato store, which is on a small street behind the Pantheon and to the right as you face the Pantheon. They had tons of flavors, not just the usual pre-fab flavors you get from the stores selling the commercial brands. Plus the sales guy was a hunk. Took us ages to each pick 2 flavors. I think I ended up with nocciota (hazelnut) and panna cotta. Fabulous!!!
No rest for the weary, we walked a few blocks to the fountain of 4 rivers which is in a piazza whose name escapes me because I am both jet-lagged and at work. There we met up with a tour guide from EnjoyRome for an evening walking tour (we had reserved this on the internet from home, but paid for it at their office near Termini early that morning). The tour guide was a bit brusque in her delivery, but the tour was good anyway, including the 4-rivers fountain, the Pantheon, the Trevi fountain, the forum, Capitoline hill and the Colosseum (from the outside only). It was a great time for the tour, cooler and less crowded, with lovely sunset colors as the backdrop for all our photos. We finished at the Colosseum at 10 PM, under a full moon. Cool.
Metro back to the hotel neighborhood and out to a very late dinner at a nearby pizza restaurant that we picked because it seemed to have locals in it. More good pizza and wine, then to sleep! Note: wine and beer were cheaper than water and soda, so I gave in and let my kids drink it, in moderation. We also consumed enormous and expensive quantities of bottled water. We were always thirsty, and Americans are spoiled by supersize drinks, free refills, and water served free at every restaurant. In Europe, you pay for your thirst. Even though we carried our own water bottles and filled them at every opportunity, including the street fountains in Rome, we never could get enough to drink.
And all that drinking brings me to my next point, the public bathroom. Italian bathrooms have come a long way since my last visit 30+ years ago. They now have modern plumbing fixtures, privacy, and toilet paper that doesn't look like pink crepe-paper. But, you have to pay for most public restrooms in Europe and the entry machines only accept certain coins and don't give change. Leave yourself enough time to deal with this, and save your change. Who knew that this time around, at my age and having borne 2 children, that bathrooms would actually become a line item in our trip budget???
Day 3: We packed our packs and ate a very fast breakfast. Stowed the packs in a locked closet in the hotel lobby and took a metro to the Spanish Steps. From here we walked to the Borghese Gallery, but followed a taxi driver's directions (scenic, through the park, no signs, took forever) rather than looking harder at the metro station to find the correct exit indicated in the gallery's own directions, which would have given us a shorter but less scenic walk. We had reservations (from the internet) but were late. Fortunately, as it was early Sun. morning, there was no line so no problem getting in. We had to check our daypacks and then we rented the audio tour which we really enjoyed. The Borghese is amazing, and my son, who had just finished his AP Art History course, was in heaven and regaled us constantly about Bernini. After the Borghese, he insisted we find a small church in the neighborhood (again, whose name escapes me at the moment) that houses Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Theresa. My daughter, who had already established herself as a map-reading genius, took over the navigation, and we got to the church just a few minutes before the next mass, so we could see the sculptures before the church staff kicked out the non-worshipping tourists. From the church, we returned to the Spanish steps with time to take pictures. During June, local brides and grooms cruise the sightseeing landmarks of Rome, dressed in their wedding finery. They bring troups of their friends and photographers who take their pictures in front of every significant landmark. An interesting custom that certainly gets you more use out of your wedding dress.
From the Spanish steps, we took the metro to the Colosseum area. We decided we didn't have enough time before our train to go into the colosseum, and instead we wandered inside the Roman forum, tagging along on another free tour. Then we raced back to the hotel for our packs, and to the train station for our train to Naples, quickly buying paninis and drinks at the station. But, the departure board said "Ora effectivo..." and listed a departure time an hour and a half later. We figured that meant the train was late, and ate our picnic sitting on the station floor.
Eventually, we boarded the train but found that our reserved seats were occupied by Americans who refused to budge. The train was packed and it was really hard to walk down the aisle with our packs on. I got separated from the children and began to panic. I tried walking the other way, but people wouldn't let me walk that direction. Finally I found the kids and a friendly Italian man offered, in English, to help. He guided us to the back of the train where we finally found seats. Just before leaving us, he asked where we were from and when we said Philadelphia, he was ecstatic. He had lived there for 4 months last year, he said, working at a small italian restaurant in a town outside the city. Turns out the town is close to where we live and we have eaten several times at the restaurant. The guy was thrilled at the coincidence. He sat with us and we shared Philadelphia stories. He gave us a letter to his friends at the restaurant and even invited us to stay at his home in a mountain village on the way to Naples and offered to show us the sights. We had to decline as our plans were fully booked. That is the downside of being organized--you can't avail yourself of those unexpected opportunities. But as a mother escorting children, I was glad that most of our arrangements had been made in advance.
We arrived at naples way later than planned, too late to see the archaeological museum as we had hoped. Advice from this forum recommended taking a taxi to our hotel, and that's what I planned to do, being totally paranoid about crime in Naples. However, I asked a guy at a newsstand in the station how far it was and he said very close, recommending a bus rather than a 20 Euro taxi ride. So we bought bus tickets. And here's where a new and not-so-wonderful side of my son's personality began to emerge. He began a habit of complaining bitterly and repeatedly when things did not go perfectly or according to plan, more specifically according to HIS plan. He railed at my daughter and at me for stupidly deciding to take a bus when we had no idea where the bus stop was, or where to get off, or where we could eat because he was very hungry, etc. etc. This behavior grew old really fast, and my daughter and I basically ignored him as we puzzled out where to get the bus. After asking directions from several people, we at last found our bus. When I told the driver our stop, he said something like "quattro arretto", which, with the kids' knowledge of Spanish, and my knowledge of music, we took to mean the 4th stop. We got off at the 4th stop, with my son complaining the whole time. Sure enough, there was Via Duomo. We walked up the street looking for the sign "Albergo Duomo". When we found it, we were dumbfounded, or perhaps duomofounded. Before us was the most uninviting, locked gate blocking access to a dirty, disgusting courtyard. "Way to go, Mom", said my son. We were all filled with dismay and a sudden surge of exhaustion. I happened to glance upwards over my head and spotted an unlabeled intercom button, so I pushed it. We heard a click and my son pushed on the gate, which opened. In the gray courtyard, we saw a sign directing us upstairs to the hotel. And inside, the hotel guy couldn't have been friendlier, the room large (though tackily decorated) and clean, with an in-room bathroom with shower, and a much-appreciated ceiling fan. Mom narrowly escapes disgrace.
We took showers and changed, then went to the lobby to inquire where to eat. The hotel guy gave us lots of restaurant choices, gave us a map and drew on it a good evening walking tour, and then refused to let us go out carrying our daypacks because of the risk of pursesnatchers on motorbikes. We took his advice and carried only a little money in our pockets, and walked into the heart of Naples. The streets were dark and narrow, filled with young people on whizzing motorbikes going every direction. A little scary. But we kept encountering the most incredible little churches and squares and ancient buildings, all unassuming and seemingly unacknowledged by the neapolitans. This place truly felt foreign and intriguing! Whoever it was on this site that advised me that I needed more time in Naples than I had booked was SOOOOO right. It was an amazing place that we had almost no time to explore. Unbelievable buildings that in another city would be preserved and charge admission to enter instead housed dingy shops and everyday apartments, as if the populace had never looked up and noticed the architectural wonders they inhabited. Time and again we were astounded. It was very late, though, and we found a pizza restaurant across from the symphony hall and had dinner. The pizza was delicious, but we didn't linger too long because we had an early start the next morning. We walked back to the hotel via the most well-lit roads we could find. I would not have wanted to be walking around by myself that late at night, and I was relieved when we got to the hotel. We used the internet in the hotel lobby, which had a sign saying it cost 4 Euros an hour, but the guy never charged us anything for it. And that is where I must end for now. I will continue with the next installment soon. Hope I'm not including too many boring details. --Leslie
We flew USAir nonstop Phila. to Amsterdam. We all had backpacks plus daypacks. My kids'(age 15 and 17) packs had to be checked but mine fortunately qualified as carry-on. We put the checked backpacks in cheap nylon stuff sacks from Walmart to protect the straps. Worked fine. Flight was okay, but we were delayed getting access to a gate in AMS, which left us with not enough time to go into Amsterdam before our next flight to Rome. Oh well, we ate an overpriced-airport- lunch and tried out our first european ATM.
We flew Virgin Express from AMS to Rome. No problems. We went to the Trenitalia counter in the train station at the Rome airport and, following Fodor's Forum advice, tried to make all the train reservations we needed for our time in Italy. We had Rail Passes, but I wanted to reserve seats on 2 eurostars (required) and 1 intercity (paranoia), plus get our ticket to Rome's Termini. This may be theoretically possible, but the Trenitalia man flat-out refused to sell us anything but a ticket to Termini. I had even written out everything in Italian for him, but he would have none of it. So much for that idea. We took the train to Rome and planned to get our tickets there.
HA! The lines in Termini were unbelievable, and they were not labeled in any comprehensible way for people who only need seat reservations! What to do??? I got in one line, I put my son in another line, and I sent my daughter to investigate. She reported that railpass holders should go into a little room with ticket desks 1-8. Inside, you take a number like at the deli counter. And then you wait and wait. There are lots of Americans to talk to. This office closes at 8 PM, and it was nearly 7 PM. I had read on the internet that if it goes past closing time and you're still waiting, you're out of luck. Not so. At 8, they turned off the number machine and closed the queue, but those with numbers were still seen in order. We had no trouble buying all our reservations from a friendly, english-speaking woman. Sigh of relief.
Time for our first "hike" with the packs on. We walked to Hotel Giorgina, only 3 blocks from the station, booked thru Venere.com. (Venere.com was great...) I can't remember the price, but it was around 100 euros for a triple: a simple, mostly clean room with double bed, single bed and our own bathroom with shower. Not too bad. Hotel had an elevator! and included breakfast. The hotel's neighborhood was not elegant, but there were plenty of tourists walking around so we didn't feel unsafe even late at night.
After checking in, we went to a nearby pasta/pizza chain called something like Pastarito-Pizzarito. We had decent pizza, house wine, and bottled mineral water, and it was cheap. Cool, we can do this travel thing!
Day 2: Ate breakfast at hotel--endless supply of coffee, steamed or cold milk, hot chocolate, good orange juice, a hard cold roll, a pre-packaged croissant, and a packaged crusty thing that looks like petrified toast. Not bad, but a bit of an adjustment for me and my ballet-dancer daughter, who had been living the Atkins-diet lifestyle back at home. After breakfast, we found a tobacco store just around the corner where we bought metro day passes and an international phone card. The metro is nearby, at the train station. We had to hurry to the Vatican because we were booked on a 10:00 tour with Through Eternity. We very much looked forward to this tour, but instead we had our first trip fiasco. We could not find the tour guide. The piazza in front of St. Peter's cathedral is a sea of sweating humanity in June. We were supposed to find the news kiosk and look for the guy with a certain badge on. There are numerous news kiosks and you cannot read a tiny badge on someone's lapel. Most tour operators have giant banners and stands. Tour leaders parade through the square holding flags aloft, trailing huge lines of tourists. We looked everywhere we could think of and couldn't find our tour guide. We telephoned the cellphone number but only reached voicemail. Finally, we had to give up. Disappointed but determined to see the vatican anyway, we immediately joined the line for St. Peters. The line moved quickly and we were soon inside, where we hooked up with one of the free tours, conducted by a young english woman (Julia) who works for a company that gives short free tours in the hopes of roping you in for the paid tour. Her tour was good and she had a nice sense of humor. Since the Vatican Museum closes early on Saturdays and we were afraid of missing the important things in the museum's ocean of treasures, we let ourselves be roped in for the paid tour. It was a little short, but covered the high points well and left us with adequate time to contemplate the sistine chapel. Fiasco redeemed!
Tired and hungry, we made our way to Castel Sant'Angelo nearby. I had read that there's a nice restaurant up top. We paid admission and went straight to the top where we had lunch overlooking an amazing view of Rome. Then we took some time to view the museum on our way down. Outside, the kids used the phone card to call their dad in the U.S.from a pay phone. It worked great, except we were so disoriented we called him at work and left a message, totally forgetting that it was a Saturday. Took us 2 days to even figure out we'd done this. Oops.
We crossed the street and took a bus to the Pantheon. We could have walked, but we were tired. We should have walked. The driver didn't tell us where to get off and we couldn't figure it out from the map. Finally, we just got off at a stop. No Pantheon. But, it turned out to be Largo di Torre Argentina, which was on my agenda for the next day because of the cat sanctuary. So we looked at the cute cats in the ruins and then set off on foot to find the Pantheon. Our map was not helpful and no one was able to give us correct directions. Even though it turned out we were only a few blocks away, people acted as if they had never actually been to the Pantheon. Even the police seemed mystified. Until I sent my attractive daughter to ask directions. Then the police were very interested in giving her a thorough and caring description of how to get there! Ha! We went there directly, noting a store selling homemade gelato enroute. After we visited the Pantheon, which is being rehabbed inside, we made our way back to the gelato store, which is on a small street behind the Pantheon and to the right as you face the Pantheon. They had tons of flavors, not just the usual pre-fab flavors you get from the stores selling the commercial brands. Plus the sales guy was a hunk. Took us ages to each pick 2 flavors. I think I ended up with nocciota (hazelnut) and panna cotta. Fabulous!!!
No rest for the weary, we walked a few blocks to the fountain of 4 rivers which is in a piazza whose name escapes me because I am both jet-lagged and at work. There we met up with a tour guide from EnjoyRome for an evening walking tour (we had reserved this on the internet from home, but paid for it at their office near Termini early that morning). The tour guide was a bit brusque in her delivery, but the tour was good anyway, including the 4-rivers fountain, the Pantheon, the Trevi fountain, the forum, Capitoline hill and the Colosseum (from the outside only). It was a great time for the tour, cooler and less crowded, with lovely sunset colors as the backdrop for all our photos. We finished at the Colosseum at 10 PM, under a full moon. Cool.
Metro back to the hotel neighborhood and out to a very late dinner at a nearby pizza restaurant that we picked because it seemed to have locals in it. More good pizza and wine, then to sleep! Note: wine and beer were cheaper than water and soda, so I gave in and let my kids drink it, in moderation. We also consumed enormous and expensive quantities of bottled water. We were always thirsty, and Americans are spoiled by supersize drinks, free refills, and water served free at every restaurant. In Europe, you pay for your thirst. Even though we carried our own water bottles and filled them at every opportunity, including the street fountains in Rome, we never could get enough to drink.
And all that drinking brings me to my next point, the public bathroom. Italian bathrooms have come a long way since my last visit 30+ years ago. They now have modern plumbing fixtures, privacy, and toilet paper that doesn't look like pink crepe-paper. But, you have to pay for most public restrooms in Europe and the entry machines only accept certain coins and don't give change. Leave yourself enough time to deal with this, and save your change. Who knew that this time around, at my age and having borne 2 children, that bathrooms would actually become a line item in our trip budget???
Day 3: We packed our packs and ate a very fast breakfast. Stowed the packs in a locked closet in the hotel lobby and took a metro to the Spanish Steps. From here we walked to the Borghese Gallery, but followed a taxi driver's directions (scenic, through the park, no signs, took forever) rather than looking harder at the metro station to find the correct exit indicated in the gallery's own directions, which would have given us a shorter but less scenic walk. We had reservations (from the internet) but were late. Fortunately, as it was early Sun. morning, there was no line so no problem getting in. We had to check our daypacks and then we rented the audio tour which we really enjoyed. The Borghese is amazing, and my son, who had just finished his AP Art History course, was in heaven and regaled us constantly about Bernini. After the Borghese, he insisted we find a small church in the neighborhood (again, whose name escapes me at the moment) that houses Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Theresa. My daughter, who had already established herself as a map-reading genius, took over the navigation, and we got to the church just a few minutes before the next mass, so we could see the sculptures before the church staff kicked out the non-worshipping tourists. From the church, we returned to the Spanish steps with time to take pictures. During June, local brides and grooms cruise the sightseeing landmarks of Rome, dressed in their wedding finery. They bring troups of their friends and photographers who take their pictures in front of every significant landmark. An interesting custom that certainly gets you more use out of your wedding dress.
From the Spanish steps, we took the metro to the Colosseum area. We decided we didn't have enough time before our train to go into the colosseum, and instead we wandered inside the Roman forum, tagging along on another free tour. Then we raced back to the hotel for our packs, and to the train station for our train to Naples, quickly buying paninis and drinks at the station. But, the departure board said "Ora effectivo..." and listed a departure time an hour and a half later. We figured that meant the train was late, and ate our picnic sitting on the station floor.
Eventually, we boarded the train but found that our reserved seats were occupied by Americans who refused to budge. The train was packed and it was really hard to walk down the aisle with our packs on. I got separated from the children and began to panic. I tried walking the other way, but people wouldn't let me walk that direction. Finally I found the kids and a friendly Italian man offered, in English, to help. He guided us to the back of the train where we finally found seats. Just before leaving us, he asked where we were from and when we said Philadelphia, he was ecstatic. He had lived there for 4 months last year, he said, working at a small italian restaurant in a town outside the city. Turns out the town is close to where we live and we have eaten several times at the restaurant. The guy was thrilled at the coincidence. He sat with us and we shared Philadelphia stories. He gave us a letter to his friends at the restaurant and even invited us to stay at his home in a mountain village on the way to Naples and offered to show us the sights. We had to decline as our plans were fully booked. That is the downside of being organized--you can't avail yourself of those unexpected opportunities. But as a mother escorting children, I was glad that most of our arrangements had been made in advance.
We arrived at naples way later than planned, too late to see the archaeological museum as we had hoped. Advice from this forum recommended taking a taxi to our hotel, and that's what I planned to do, being totally paranoid about crime in Naples. However, I asked a guy at a newsstand in the station how far it was and he said very close, recommending a bus rather than a 20 Euro taxi ride. So we bought bus tickets. And here's where a new and not-so-wonderful side of my son's personality began to emerge. He began a habit of complaining bitterly and repeatedly when things did not go perfectly or according to plan, more specifically according to HIS plan. He railed at my daughter and at me for stupidly deciding to take a bus when we had no idea where the bus stop was, or where to get off, or where we could eat because he was very hungry, etc. etc. This behavior grew old really fast, and my daughter and I basically ignored him as we puzzled out where to get the bus. After asking directions from several people, we at last found our bus. When I told the driver our stop, he said something like "quattro arretto", which, with the kids' knowledge of Spanish, and my knowledge of music, we took to mean the 4th stop. We got off at the 4th stop, with my son complaining the whole time. Sure enough, there was Via Duomo. We walked up the street looking for the sign "Albergo Duomo". When we found it, we were dumbfounded, or perhaps duomofounded. Before us was the most uninviting, locked gate blocking access to a dirty, disgusting courtyard. "Way to go, Mom", said my son. We were all filled with dismay and a sudden surge of exhaustion. I happened to glance upwards over my head and spotted an unlabeled intercom button, so I pushed it. We heard a click and my son pushed on the gate, which opened. In the gray courtyard, we saw a sign directing us upstairs to the hotel. And inside, the hotel guy couldn't have been friendlier, the room large (though tackily decorated) and clean, with an in-room bathroom with shower, and a much-appreciated ceiling fan. Mom narrowly escapes disgrace.
We took showers and changed, then went to the lobby to inquire where to eat. The hotel guy gave us lots of restaurant choices, gave us a map and drew on it a good evening walking tour, and then refused to let us go out carrying our daypacks because of the risk of pursesnatchers on motorbikes. We took his advice and carried only a little money in our pockets, and walked into the heart of Naples. The streets were dark and narrow, filled with young people on whizzing motorbikes going every direction. A little scary. But we kept encountering the most incredible little churches and squares and ancient buildings, all unassuming and seemingly unacknowledged by the neapolitans. This place truly felt foreign and intriguing! Whoever it was on this site that advised me that I needed more time in Naples than I had booked was SOOOOO right. It was an amazing place that we had almost no time to explore. Unbelievable buildings that in another city would be preserved and charge admission to enter instead housed dingy shops and everyday apartments, as if the populace had never looked up and noticed the architectural wonders they inhabited. Time and again we were astounded. It was very late, though, and we found a pizza restaurant across from the symphony hall and had dinner. The pizza was delicious, but we didn't linger too long because we had an early start the next morning. We walked back to the hotel via the most well-lit roads we could find. I would not have wanted to be walking around by myself that late at night, and I was relieved when we got to the hotel. We used the internet in the hotel lobby, which had a sign saying it cost 4 Euros an hour, but the guy never charged us anything for it. And that is where I must end for now. I will continue with the next installment soon. Hope I'm not including too many boring details. --Leslie
Jul 13th, 2004, 01:05 PM
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Leslie: Great trip report! Loved the humor and all the details - you are a talented writer.
But as I sit here at work in my remote Nortehrn California town, all I can think about is how lucky you were to have all that wonderful Italian pizza - IMHO the very best in the world!
But as I sit here at work in my remote Nortehrn California town, all I can think about is how lucky you were to have all that wonderful Italian pizza - IMHO the very best in the world!
Jul 13th, 2004, 04:09 PM
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What a great Mom you are! You shared an experience with your kids that they'll never forget and chances are, when the time comes, they'll do the same with their children.
But then, you sound like the kind of person who, when the time comes, will yourself be fearlessly leading the whole tribe of grandkids off on adventures.
Most excellent trip report, too!
But then, you sound like the kind of person who, when the time comes, will yourself be fearlessly leading the whole tribe of grandkids off on adventures.
Most excellent trip report, too!
Jul 13th, 2004, 04:42 PM
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Isn't traveling with teens fun ?
I have done it twice now, this past spring with 3 (2 mine)
If you ever get back to rome , go meet the women who run the Cat Sanctuary. They are great! the entrance to the sanctuary is off Via Florida and they are open from noon to 6.
and isn't that the sweetest little gelateria by the Pantheon? I enjoyed the fact one can buy a tiny baby cone flavor sample. One of my children was really taken with the rose gelato.
I am glad you had fun time with your children, and hope you post more soon, including all the details
I have done it twice now, this past spring with 3 (2 mine)
If you ever get back to rome , go meet the women who run the Cat Sanctuary. They are great! the entrance to the sanctuary is off Via Florida and they are open from noon to 6.
and isn't that the sweetest little gelateria by the Pantheon? I enjoyed the fact one can buy a tiny baby cone flavor sample. One of my children was really taken with the rose gelato.
I am glad you had fun time with your children, and hope you post more soon, including all the details
Jul 13th, 2004, 05:50 PM
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Great report. Yea my kids and I had a hard time finding the Pantheon as well and we ended up at Argentina, not even knowing at the time how close we were to the cats! And we were just trying to get there from the Trevi fountain which should have been very easy. It's harder than it seems. And nobody warns you about the buses - how are you supposed to know where to get off? Especially when it's so crowded you can't see where you are. Ah...the memories.
Joelle
Joelle
Jul 13th, 2004, 06:43 PM
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I am so there. Your report has hit me with the travel-envy stick! Great BTW tips, too . . . would never think of taking a nightime walking tour . . .
Also, well done for setting a responsible drinking example for your teens & allowing the littlest bit of wine/beer consumption. Every European teen is allowed to drink -- and in some countries, Sunday lunch means a nip for everyone in the family (in France, kids get "some pink" meaning half red wine with water up to the rim).
You'll have more mature young adults than most parents in the neighborhood. IMO the puritanism here from the ridiculous 21+ laws only effects more binge/underage drinking . . . so, you can enlist and be sent overseas to fight for your country, but you can't have a cold one? Yeah right.
Rant over. More details re: bella Italia per favore !
: )
Also, well done for setting a responsible drinking example for your teens & allowing the littlest bit of wine/beer consumption. Every European teen is allowed to drink -- and in some countries, Sunday lunch means a nip for everyone in the family (in France, kids get "some pink" meaning half red wine with water up to the rim).
You'll have more mature young adults than most parents in the neighborhood. IMO the puritanism here from the ridiculous 21+ laws only effects more binge/underage drinking . . . so, you can enlist and be sent overseas to fight for your country, but you can't have a cold one? Yeah right.
Rant over. More details re: bella Italia per favore !
: )
Jul 13th, 2004, 06:56 PM
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lesliec1 - Thanks for the good report. I have a question about Virgin Express. Did you have any problems with luggage? Were they stict about weight on checked or carry on luggage? Just wondering what to expect as we will be flying Vigin in October from Brussels to Nice.
Jul 13th, 2004, 11:38 PM
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Wow, thanks for all your comments. Blh--I can't say how strict Virgin Express is about weight. I made sure our backpacks were within the 20 or 22 kg. limit (I forget which it is) and no one checked the weight of our carry-on day packs. If we had been over the weight limit, we would have just put on some of the clothes and stuff to make our packs weigh less.
Now I'm at home and can find a few of the specifics I omitted earlier. In Rome,the Hotel Giorgina is at Via Principe Amedeo 69, tel. 39-06- 481-7118, and the triple room for 2 nights cost Eur 110.00 per night. My notes remind me that there were 3 small single beds, not a double and single, and that the shower had no door or curtain. The bathroom had a bidet, and that required an explanation for my 15-year old daughter, who replied something like "yuck". There was a 24 hr. desk clerk. Our meal for 3 at Pastarito/Pizzarito cost approx. US $36 for 3 people and included 3 different pastas, not pizzas, plus a small carafe of wine. Lunch at Castel Sant'Angelo for 3 cost approx. U.S. $24.00, not counting museum admission, and the view alone was worth about $20 of that! The piazza where we met up with our EnjoyRome evening tour was Piazza Navona. Bernini's Ecstacy of St. Theresa is at Santa Maria di Vittoria church. I forgot to mention that, when we went to take our first railpass journey--to Naples--we had to get our railpasses validated at statione termini. As usual there is neither a sign nor a person to tell you where to do this. We just got in the shortest ticket line we could find, which took about half an hour, and luckily the ticket woman just validated it with no problem. We rarely saw conductors on the trains in Italy, and our tickets were only checked occasionally. I guess they rely more on the honor system backed up by big fines.
In Naples, Hotel Duomo is at via Duomo 228, tel. 39-081265988. Cost for a triple was Eur 81.00 per night. Like almost all our hotels, I booked it on the internet after checking for any bad reports on TripAdvisor.com. My notes say that there were weird but somewhat functional shower doors, and only a few unidentified hairs in the bathroom when we arrived. Our wood-fired pizza dinner in Naples cost U.S. $29.00 for 2 large pizzas with interesting toppings, and drinks. Hotel Duomo is across from a church called the Duomo, and we later heard that it's a fascinating church to visit, showing layers of history dating back through hundreds of years. We did not have time to visit it, unfortunately. I really think anyone visiting Naples for the first time should allow 3 days, 2 at the minimum, considering Pompeii and Herculaneum should get at least a full day. Since we had only one day in Naples, it's at the top of my list for a return visit, probably in a few decades after I've paid off this trip plus the kids' college educations! And now I must get some sleep, but I'll be back with my Trip Report Part II as soon as possible. --Leslie
Now I'm at home and can find a few of the specifics I omitted earlier. In Rome,the Hotel Giorgina is at Via Principe Amedeo 69, tel. 39-06- 481-7118, and the triple room for 2 nights cost Eur 110.00 per night. My notes remind me that there were 3 small single beds, not a double and single, and that the shower had no door or curtain. The bathroom had a bidet, and that required an explanation for my 15-year old daughter, who replied something like "yuck". There was a 24 hr. desk clerk. Our meal for 3 at Pastarito/Pizzarito cost approx. US $36 for 3 people and included 3 different pastas, not pizzas, plus a small carafe of wine. Lunch at Castel Sant'Angelo for 3 cost approx. U.S. $24.00, not counting museum admission, and the view alone was worth about $20 of that! The piazza where we met up with our EnjoyRome evening tour was Piazza Navona. Bernini's Ecstacy of St. Theresa is at Santa Maria di Vittoria church. I forgot to mention that, when we went to take our first railpass journey--to Naples--we had to get our railpasses validated at statione termini. As usual there is neither a sign nor a person to tell you where to do this. We just got in the shortest ticket line we could find, which took about half an hour, and luckily the ticket woman just validated it with no problem. We rarely saw conductors on the trains in Italy, and our tickets were only checked occasionally. I guess they rely more on the honor system backed up by big fines.
In Naples, Hotel Duomo is at via Duomo 228, tel. 39-081265988. Cost for a triple was Eur 81.00 per night. Like almost all our hotels, I booked it on the internet after checking for any bad reports on TripAdvisor.com. My notes say that there were weird but somewhat functional shower doors, and only a few unidentified hairs in the bathroom when we arrived. Our wood-fired pizza dinner in Naples cost U.S. $29.00 for 2 large pizzas with interesting toppings, and drinks. Hotel Duomo is across from a church called the Duomo, and we later heard that it's a fascinating church to visit, showing layers of history dating back through hundreds of years. We did not have time to visit it, unfortunately. I really think anyone visiting Naples for the first time should allow 3 days, 2 at the minimum, considering Pompeii and Herculaneum should get at least a full day. Since we had only one day in Naples, it's at the top of my list for a return visit, probably in a few decades after I've paid off this trip plus the kids' college educations! And now I must get some sleep, but I'll be back with my Trip Report Part II as soon as possible. --Leslie
Jul 14th, 2004, 02:05 AM
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FABULOUS report...among other things it disproves this ridiculous Fodorite concept that if you don't stay"near the Spanish Steps" you "haven't seen the 'real' Rome" and that people don't get murdered when they stay near Termini.
I WISH I had been there with you on that train so we could have kicked the ugly Americans out of YOUR reserved seats.
Wonderful reading....and you KNEW you could do it, too!!!
I WISH I had been there with you on that train so we could have kicked the ugly Americans out of YOUR reserved seats.
Wonderful reading....and you KNEW you could do it, too!!!
Jul 14th, 2004, 06:16 AM
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TopMan--I agree: it is better to stay near Termini in Rome, than never to visit Rome at all.
Leslie--you have given your children a great experience they will always remember. My sister was 16 when my parents "made" her take an optional Pompeii daytrip from Rome. She had wanted to stay in Rome with the other teens on their tour. Though she complained and was sullen all day, years later she admits it was the most interesting and memorable excursion of the three-week trip.
Waiting for the rest of the story. . .
Leslie--you have given your children a great experience they will always remember. My sister was 16 when my parents "made" her take an optional Pompeii daytrip from Rome. She had wanted to stay in Rome with the other teens on their tour. Though she complained and was sullen all day, years later she admits it was the most interesting and memorable excursion of the three-week trip.
Waiting for the rest of the story. . .
