TRIP REPORT: Naples - (Salerno) - Varenna - Torino
 

Hi Fodorites. We just got back from about 9 days in Italy with our 2 sons (age 9 and 12). As some of you assisted with the planning of this trip, I figured I'd let you know how it turned out.

Preliminary matters: We bought our tickets in September 2022. BOS-AMS-NAP; TOR-CDG-BOS. Air was about $800 per person (euro was 1-1 then). Booked on KLM. Good connections.

Our goal was to see a Napoli soccer match, see Northern Italy, take a night train, sleep eight -ten hours per night, spend some time together as a family, and not hate each other. Because of the two kids, we pretty much limited ourselves to one event per day (everything else was considered bonus). We consulted Rick Steves and Lonely Planet and this forum, but to be honest, there wasn't a ton of helpful info out there. We ended up relying on the advice of the owners of the places we stayed, which turned out to be spot on.

Getting the soccer tickets was an epic event in itself. When we booked in September, Napoli was slated to play Verona on April 16 in Naples and Juventus on April 23 in Torino. So we planned to try and get tickets in the ensuing eight months and arranged out trip so we would be in Naples on April 15 and Torino by April 21. This year, however, Napoli had an incredible season during which it wrapped up their first Scudetto (Italian League title) weeks before the season ended, making tickets impossible to get. Also, as we learned through the process, tickets don't get sold until 10-14 days before the game because the dates and times aren't always set until then. That's right!!! The dates and times of the game can change!! We ended up getting Napoli-Verona tickets on April 7 through a great redditor who has a business in which he acquires tickets for foreigners (for about 35 euro per person). Google "getnapolitickets." He explains where to sit and will hold your hand through the process. We ended up paying 2-3x face value for the seats - about 90 euro per person) but it was well worth it for the experience. We thought about Juve tickets (there was a redditor who offered tickets for 75 euros each) but decided against it, given the cost of the Napoli tickets, and figured we'd watch it on tv or in a bar or in some square somewhere. More on that later.

On to the trip report. Here is the itinerary:
Day 1: depart Boston
Day 2: arrive Naples
Day 3: Naples
Day 4: Naples
Day 5: Train to Salerno. Overnight train to Milan
Day 6: Train to Varenna
Day 7: Varenna and Lenno
Day 8: Varenna and train to Torino
Day 9: Torino
Day 10: Torino
Day 11: Depart Torino

Day 1-2: Boston to Naples
 

KLM put us on Delta to Amsterdam. We checked in online the day before, but when we got to the airport, our boarding passes had no seat assignments! Is this normal? We ended up having to wait at the gate until everyone boarded and finally we got seat assignments (with side of attitude from a Delta employee who informed us that some people gave up their seats so we could have the ones we booked eight months earlier?????).

Anyway, the flight was cold but fine. Food was fine (butter chicken or ravioli), and Delta gives out free wine or beer. Did you know this? I did not know this. Not only do they give free wine and beer but they give refills. The refill got was so large that I could only finish a third of it. We had a few hours to kill in Schipol, which was tulip central, and we had a glorious breakfast in a bakery. I wish I had bought some of the wooden tulips for sale (they would look great in my office) but we were flying carry on only and I didn't want to lug them all over Italy for ten days.

One annoying thing: At the gate, I was standing by my husband's carryon (a July suitcase) and the KLM flight attendant came up to me and told me I would have to check it. I was annoyed as it seemed like plenty of people had larger carryons but I followed her orders. She didn't require my husband or kids to check in my (IT) carryon or the kids' IT carryon but we decided since we were checking one, we would check them all. More on this later.

Flight to Naples on KLM was fine. We landed, collected the bag (grrr), and went about finding a taxi. We'd been to Naples six months earlier and expected to pay about 20 euros to the center. Last time we had our hotel (the wonderful Fodorite-approved Hotel Piazza Bellini) call the taxi for us. This time, we were staying at a B&B, and figured we were seasoned enough to order our own taxi, so we did. Ended up costing 33 euros for what seemed to be a similar distance. Grrr.

This time, we chose to stay by the Lungomare, and selected Orsini46. It's in a B&B in an old Neapolitan building, which houses offices and other businesses, and is run by a couple (one of whom seems to have a jewelry business). On a scale of 1-5, for us, it scored 10. We booked the family room (175 euros per night). It was a large room with one queen bed, two twin beds, a breakfast table, and a tiled bathroom. The color scheme was orange, white, and blue, and the details exquisite. Nothing fancy but more charming than a hotel. Beds looked simple but ended up being extremely comfortable. I'm not skilled enough to describe what made this place so special. Go to their website or try it yourself.

Once we arrived, we chatted with the owner, who offered dinner recommendations. He was happy we had been able to score tickets to the game (his own friends couldn't get them), advised us on how to get there (explained the trains), and recommended things he thought we might like to see (Vomero, Castel Sant Elmo, restaurants) based on our interests and the fact we had been to Naples before. He mentioned that it was great that the game was at 6 PM because it would be easy to get back.

It was about 2 PM, and raining when we arrived, so we crashed. Well, everyone else crashed, and I ate lemon cakes that I saved from the plane. At around 5 PM, stomachs started grumbling, so we started getting ready to go out. By about 5:20, we were ambling out of the building to get food and we ran into the owner, who asked us why we weren't on our way to the game. It's tomorrow, we said - we booked our trip so we would have a day to rest. He said, no, no, no, it's today, I'm going to watch it at a bar right now, and you need to get into a taxi five minutes ago.

So, as I foreshadowed earlier, schedules for Italian soccer are fluid!!! Meaning just because the schedule in September says a regular season game in on April 16 doesn't mean the game will be on April 16. The true date/time of the game might not be fixed until ten days before. I didn't expect this, so I didn't know to check the ticket to make sure the game was on the date it was supposed to be on. It wasn't!!!! Yikes. Luckily it hadn't been scheduled for 1 PM that day (although if it had been we could have made it).

Anyway, we ran up stairs, grabbed the tickets, grabbed the passports (you need your passports to some games in Italy), and ran out! We had only 50 euros in cash and hadn't eaten in 10 hours. We ran to the Lungomare and called an Uber/taxi, a young man who said "oh, you are late!!!" It was 5:40. No $^%# sherlock,

Luckily the stadium wasn't far away, and the man skillful driver who weaved in and out of traffic all while watching the pregame show on his phone. He asked us where we were sitting, we told him the section, he knew exactly where it was was ("Distinti") and he deposited us in front of the correct gate at 5:56. Somehow, we were in our seats at 6:03. 20 euros. What an experience.

The seats were fabulous (getnapolitickets is legit and knows what he is doing) - family section, lots of kids, great view. Incredible atmosphere. In the days to come, we would come to understand how special this season was for Napoli. It was a defensive game (which I enjoyed), but the die-hards were stressed because they had a big game (Champions League against AC Milan) coming up on Tuesday (which was probably why the game was on Saturday and not Sunday) and the lack of offense was stressing people out. We had no such stress, so had much more fun, but were mindful about concessions because we had only 30 euros and no clue about how to get back. We ended up buying two packets of chips and hoping the way home wouldn't take too long.

Game ends, we go to the metro station. Chaotic chaos. We get in line for tickets, and by the time we get to the front, we had no idea what train to take, and no one had any patience with us. Did I mention it was raining off and on the whole time? It was raining off and all the whole time. So we tried to find the bus. We couldn't find the bus. We ended up taking a weird, shared taxi, for ten euros a person (thankfully they didn't charge us for the little one, which was great, since we only had 30 euros).

We dumped the passport in the room and went to Da Ettore, a trattoria recommended by the B&B owner. It was cheap and cheerful and perfect. We had fritto misto, a pasta, and a pizza. Then crashed.

Day 3: Naples (Vomero)
 

Breakfast was scheduled for 9:30 (you make your selections the night before) and is in the room (ugh) so we all had to drag our selves up and look presentable (both the room and ourselves).by 9:30 when the breakfast literally rolled in on an exquisite two layer cart, complete with a teeny tiny vase with a flower. We ordered cappucinos, orange juice, bacon and eggs (which arrived in adorable little mini dutch ovens), ham and cheese toasts (who knew that two slices of bread with one slice of ham and one slice of cheese could be so perfect), croissants, and homemade jam. I feel like there was something sweet but can't remember what it is. It was only a week ago but feels like a beautiful dream. Too good to have been real.

Side note: the shower was fabulous, but some might find it claustophobic. We are ectomorphs, so didn't feel squeezed, but I feel I should warn people. My "10" may not be your "10."

It was still raining, but we still had to go out. We wore our gear, thought about public transport, but ended up walking through the neighborhood and up to Via Toledo. The neighborhood was all decked out to celebrate Napoli's title (which they technically still hadn't won). My husband was pleased to see a poster of his favorite player hanging in the street right outside of our hotel (posters of the entire starting 11 + goalie were strung to the streetlights but the one of my husband's favorite player happened to be front and center and one of the few that wasn't folded from the wind).

This was our second time in Naples, so we knew the area. We ducked in and out of stores as we made our way up Via Toledo and just drank in the atmosphere. The entire city was decorated to celebrate Napoli's not-yet title. Blue and white streamers everywhere, Posters, flags, scudetto hats - everywhere. At the time, we had no idea what a big deal the title was. (Later in the trip, I noticed that the nytimes on April 20 reported this- by then we had left Naples).

We then grabbed to funicular up to Vomero to see the castle and view the city from above. We wandered through the streets looking for the castle, in the rain, which wasn't fun at the time but seems less bothersome now. It was totally worth it. The views are incredible-even on a cloudy, rainy day, and the Neapolitans do a really good job preserving their heritage and explaining the significance of their monuments and historical buildings.

Our plan had been to poke around the Vomero (upscale neighborhood) but it was too rainy so we took the funicular back and had lunch in a random restaurant near the Montesanto station (by then it was pouring). We ended up in a totally local trattoria full of Neapolitans having their Sunday brunch. The server and owner tolerated us (our Italian is not that great) and dumped all our food on us at once (tsk tsk) but it's their city, not ours, and the food was good.

After that, we walked back, in the rain, to our hotel, and dried off. I tried to read my guidebook, and the kids watched Netflix (the B&B had Netflix!!!). My husband and I decided to try to grab a drink, so we browsed the internet and settled on Cantine Sociale, on Via Santa Lucia (about two blocks away). According to the internet, their aperitivo game (drink+snacks) was strong and much better than it's next door neighbor (Officina).

Cantine Sociale is a jewel box of a place. Dark blue interior, oil paintings, exquisite details. Not unlike the B&B. The atmosphere makes up for the charming but inept service. They have an exterior and an interior. We chose the exterior (there were a few people sitting outside) because were still cold from wandering around all day in the rain. We had to use our phone to see the menu (grrr - this was a theme in Italy and I don't like it). No paper menus. For some reason we couldn't get the menus to load on our phones so the waitress gave us the wifi password, which worked, but scrolling down an Italian menu on a iphone 12 mini is less than ideal. The entire time, a big guy was lurking around our table. He wasn't scary, but it was odd. We finally ordered - a French martini, a beer, and a tartare.

Turned out the big guy was the friend/boyfriend of our waitress, who was about to end her shift. As she waltzed out, with him, she informed us that the bartender would take care of us and he was great. I watched him make my martini - he took a looooooong time, and I could smell the rosemary that he was burning to infuse the glass (I think), but I didn't see him grabbing the chambord or the pineapple. What ended up on my table was a glorious, aromatic, gin martini. Not what I ordered, but it was probably the best gin martini I've ever had. We never ended up getting the plate of snacks that the people outside ordered. We also didn't get the tartare we ordered. But the place was beautiful, and the drinks were delicious, and we had them take the tartare off the check before we paid and left.

We collected our children and headed towards Signora Bettola, the restaurant that the owner said was his absolute favorite in the area. Thank god for Google Maps, because the route was a maze, and it was raining! And when we got there , there was a 40 minute wait. On Sunday night! So it had to be good, and it was (I had octopus, and it was one of the best I ever had), but the waiter never brought us our drinks (a theme of the evening). We did ask him halfway through the meal, but our Italian is not great, and perhaps he is the sort who speaks English better than he understands it (Which is totally fine! We are in Italy. He shouldn't have to speak English!) When we got the bill, we pointed out the error to the manager, who took the drinks off the check and yelled at the waiter, who came by with a bottle of wine and two glasses and yelled at us for not making sure we got our drinks!!! We tried to tell him no worries and the kids were falling asleep and we had to go. He left and then slammed two shots of limoncello on our table. They were great!

Side note: the 40 minute wait was fine. We chatted and people-watched.

Day 4: Catacombs of San Gennaro
 

Another great breakfast! It was not pouring!!! The weather was still iffy, though, so we decided to try to see the Catacombs of San Gennaro up in the Rione Sanita neighborhood (made famous by the Netflix series, La Camorra). We decided to walk up to the Dante station and take the bus up to the Catacombs. When we got to Dante, we waited for the bus and tried to figure out how to buy tickets. The bus didn't come, so we decided just to walk.

And we did, all the way up past the museum and through some less than fancy neighborhoods. We saw groceries and meat shops and lots and lots and lots of SSC Napoli streamers, posters, and flags, We ended up stopping in an underwear/home storefront to buy a Napoli scarf and ended up buying a little jacket and pants set for our son after chatting with the owner, who was enthralled with my husband (who comes from the same country as one of Napoli's foreign stars) and even brought his own personal collection of soccer memorabilia to show us. It was all very sweet, and we really saw a part of the city that most tourists probably never see.

On to the Catacombs!! Their website, https://catacombedinapoli.it/en/luog...ennaro-naples/ explains it much better than I can. It's an underground burial site that dates back from the 2nd century and started out pagan and ended up Catholic. It's in what used to be in a very rough neighborhood. About a decade ago, some young people decided that it was time to clean it up and show it to the world, and they started a little society and collected money and made it happen.

By the time we got there, the English tours were sold out (book ahead if you want to go there!!) but the Italian guide did his best to speak slowly in Italian and add some English commentary so people could follow along. It was mystical. The guide explained two centuries of Neapolitan history and culture in one hour. The tour ends at the hospital that was featured in the first episode of the show, La Camorra, and then you end up walking through Rione Sanita, a neighborhood that used to be very rough but is extremely atmospheric.

Thanks to Google Maps, we made it back to the historical center in about 30 minutes. No rain!!! We were starving and ended up seduced by the fabulous restaurant design of Vitto Pitagorica, a vegan/vegetarian restaurant across from the Archaeological Museum (which we visited last time in case you are wondering why it's not in this report). The restaurant was good but rather expensive (because it was vegan). I ended up getting "vegan speck" on my pizza and spent the whole time wishing it was the real thing. If you are vegan , however, this place would been heaven.

We went back to the hotel and then decided to take advantage of the lack of rain (the sun was peeking out!!) and headed to the Lungomare for an evening stroll. Once we passed Via Santa Lucia, we saw the police!!! And tons of people!!! As we made our way to the Lungomare, we saw a ton of people chanting (not all PG) at the Albergo Vesuvio (famous hotel on the waterfront). It turned out that everyone was there to "welcome" AC Milan for the next day's Champions League quarterfinal match between AC Milan and Napoli. So we saw all of it - the busses arriving, the swearing, the chanting, the chefs and maids watching from the windows, and the shades to all the rooms dramatically being flung open once the visiting players were safely ensconced in their rooms. What a scene!!!

After that we wandered around the harbor and Lungomare, people watched, poked around, gazed at the bay, and saw some amazing restaurants. We made mental notes to come back next time with reservations to one of them (they were packed!).

We ended up having dinner at Officina, the tapas bar we had rejected the night before for Cantina Sociale. Again, great restaurant design, and as a bonus, we got everything we ordered. The kids had burgers, my husband got croquettes and something else, and I had Cantabrian anchovies on toast and a glorious glass of wine. We watched people and our server, who had the whole place to himself and was genuine and efficient, there when you needed him but never hovering.

Loving this report - great details and anecdotes! I’m glad to hear you appreciated Orsini46. I’ve stayed there twice (with a third stay in July already booked) and think it’s lovely.

Day 5: Salerno and the Night Train
 

After another great breakfast, it was time to leave Napoli. Well, checkout was at 10:30 am, and we needed to be in Salerno by 11:33 PM to catch the night train to Milan, so we decided it was time to leave Napoli. The weather was glorious, however, so it was kind of hard to leave Naples. In retrospect, we probably could have hung around longer but we decided to go so we left. Before we left, we mentioned to the owner that we were hoping to watch the game at a bar or something in Salerno. He laughed and said that they don't really care for Napoli in Salerno, which seemed odd to us because it was so close. He was not wrong.

We grabbed a taxi from the hotel to the station. The young man who picked us up had the radio on - the city was buzzing for the day's match with AC Milan. The driver was very excited - he was only 25 years old and hadn't been alive the last time Napoli won the Scudetto, He tried to talk us into driving us to Salerno for a 100 euros but we declined- we wanted to take the train.

When we got to the station, ticket buying was not straightforward. First, we were greeted by a friendly representative of the fancy "Italo" service, who showed us the available tickets and noted that her trains were running late. No thanks. I then went to the ticket machine and entered in all our details and passport numbers and everything. but our card didn't work. Then, I ended up buying tickets from the "Last Minute" ticket desk. The whole thing was fine but ended up taking about 25 minutes. Consider buying your tickets before you get to the station.

Side note: I'm obsessed with night trains and having my kids take one. I even asked about the night trains here, and the consensus was, why bother?????!! The fast train gets you into Milan in four hours!!! I disregarded the advice and, in March, after a ton of research, ended up buying four tickets for the deluxe sleeper train from Salerno to Milan, leaving Salerno at 11:33 PM and arriving in Milan at 10:10 AM. Total cost for 2 adults and 2 kids was 268 euros. I also ended up buying train tickets from Milan to Varenna for a train that scheduled to leave Milan at 10:20 (about 21 euros). I wasn't sure about making the connection but I ended up being glad I bought those tickets in advance!!! More on that later.

So, Salerno. Guidebooks don't really have much to say about Salerno except that it has an amazing waterfront (which it does). According to the internet, it would be easy to find a place to store our luggage while we explored the city for 5 euro per bag and that there were places that stored your stuff that were open 24-7. The internet was wrong. When we arrived at the station around 1 PM, there was no information anywhere about left luggage. The guy at the tourist information office had no clue, didn't speak English (again our fault not his), but pointed us to a travel agency. The travel agent was lovely but said she could only hold the bags until 7:30. What were we going to do from 7:30 to 11:30. We had no clue. It had started to drizzle. So we left our bags and hoped for the best.

The Lungomare in Salerno is a short walk from the station, and is indeed lovely. We strolled in the sun and picked a place to eat that seemed fancy but had reasonable prices. It was called Spunzillo, and there I had the best pasta with shellfish I have had in my entire life for about 15 euros. So! much! shellfish! The sun was shining and the waiters were lovely and the food sublime.

When we left, the sun was still shining, so we explored Salerno. There's not much to see except Salerno itself, which was fine. We wandered into their Duomo, which was surprisingly great and well-kept. We wandered into their shops and spent some more time strolling around the Lungomare. Walking walking walking walking. Some of it in the rain.

Around 7:30 we grabbed our bags and wandered around town looking for a place to watch the game (Champions League AC Milan v. Napoli). No one had any idea where to watch it. We consulted the internet, which suggested a cafe. We used Google Maps to find the cafe, which did not want to be found. We circled around the supposed location and decided it must not exist anymore. No one was watching the game anywhere.

Around 8:30, just before the game was about to start, I reminded my husband that Spunzillo had a TV in the room we had been in. Maybe they would let us watch it? We went there, and yes, they would let us watch it, and not only that, but guess who else was coming there to watch it? The second string players from the local team, "Salernita." And come they did, with their WAGs. So did the chefs. Everyone was rooting for Napoli and kind of somber because it was not their day.Again, a scene. Anyway, Napoli lost (boo!) but the seafood antipasto I was spectacular and the game ended at 10:45, which gave us plenty of time to roll to the station to take our train.

The night train! Loved it. It was kind of confusing in that there weren't any employees at the station and the conductor wouldn't let us on the first four cars we tried to get on but thankfully we managed to get on the right car in time. The train comes from Sicily and stops only for four minutes (to my surprise Italian trains are very timely!!) so I was sweating it a little. We had two cabins, and the beds were way more comfortable than I expected. The cabins came with four waters each and a delightful little breakfast (espresso, orange juice, croissant, toast, nutella). My kid climbed down from the top bunk to join me around 6 am, but other than that, I slept until the conductor woke me up at 9 AM! Then, I had breakfast and watched the scenery fly by. Other than being unable to charge my phone (my fault as I didn't have a converter) the whole thing was perfect.

We arrived in Milan right on time, and luckily our train was on the next platform, so the transfer was no big deal. On to Varenna!!!

Side note: we skipped Milan, because it was the "Furniture Festival," and hotel prices were insanely high. Looking forward to checking it out next time.

Oh good. I thought I was maybe saying too much but this trip was so hard to plan that I thought other may benefit. We had such a great time (the exchange rate did not hurt).

excited to read since we will be in Turin early June. Great report

More please!

Thanks for this! I'll be in Napoli next week--I didn't think they had locked down the Scudetto yet. Like you, I elected to stay off the Lungomare this time, after staying at Hotel Piazza Bellini on my last trip. Maybe I will try Signora Bettola.

Looking forward to reading about your time in Torino, another city I really enjoy.

Question: I know it was rainy while you were there, but did it feel cold too? I can't decide what to pack...

To Leely2

They haven't technically won yet, and as of last week there was some drama around Juventus getting some points back, but yes celebrations started early. The NYT did a whole article on it on April 20. Check it out.

It was't hot but it wasn't cold, if that made sense. It was warm in the sun. We definitely got cold when we were wet (3 of the 4 of us didn't bother with umbrellas and we walked everywhere). I'm not sure how you should pack. I ended up not wearing my dresses and wished I had brought tights so I could have worn my dresses. I wore denim or chinos and nice sweaters most days. Wore stylish sneakers every day (another reasons why I didn't bother with my dresses). We ended up doing laundry in Turin.

Thank you! It was very nice to read. I love Napoli and live in it:)

Day 6: Varenna
 

Trenitalia is sooooooo punctual. We arrived in Milan at 10:10 AM. The arrival time. We scurried off the train with the hopes of catching the 10:20 to Varenna. Thankfully, the platform was nearby and we made it (barely).

Following Rick Steve's instructions, we made sure to sit on the proper side of the train (I think it was left) to make sure we caught the views. Like the night, this local train did not have USB ports, which was annoying because I did not have a converter and had like 10% battery left. Luckily, a young woman on her laptop offered me hers when she saw me struggling. I plugged my phone in and started reading about Varenna. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to me, my kid decided to watch NBA videos while my phone was charging, so I only had 10% battery when the angel alighted at Monza, one of the first stops.

Side note on guidebooks: Finding guidebooks for this trip was tough. We had a 2020 Rick Steves for Naples because we had been there before (I also had the Lonely Planet Naples/Amalfi which I regrettably left at home because we travel carry on only and books are heavy), but it was tough to find something small for the Lakes area. In the past, I use to browse Borders or Barnes and Nobles before trips but there aren't many anymore in my city and our library's collection is painfully out of date. I ended up borrowing some virtual book (Rough Guide) about the Lakes before the trip and "flipping" through it, which was supremely unsatisfying. What I ended up doing is buying Rick Steve's entire Italy guide and copying the Varenna/Como section (doublesided) and bringing it with me so I didn't have to lug the bulky guide around. It worked well, and RS's advice was really spot on. I am considering buying his Italian Lakes book next time I go there. Sadly, Rick Steves doesn't seem to cover Turin in any of his books (which may keep it off the beaten path, which I am fine with). I didn't feel like ordering all the other books to find one that worked for Torino but ended up buying the Blue or Green Guide for Torino/Piedmont area. Unfortunately it did not arrive until after we left for our trip (I haven't opened the package yet and am debating whether to return it). I ended up getting tons of info on reddit. I even found a guide written my a local about what locals do in the Lakes District.

Anyway, the train to Varenna offered some spectacular views, and I had to resist taking a picture every second.. The lakes, the mountain, the trees, the flowers, the little houses. All magical. Even though the internet had warned that we would have rain all day every day for our three days in the area, the sun was shining.

We rolled into Varenna a little late, around noonish, which was fine as check in for our lodging was at 2 PM and we knew the place wasn't manned 24-7. If you are going to arrive before 2, you need to tell them in advance - I didn't because I did not believe there was any way we were going to catch that 10:20 train to Varenna, and once we did, I had almost no battery left on my old iphone and my kid used whatever I charge I got on the train. So it was airplane mode, so I could take pictures, and we had to rely on Rick Steve's hand-drawn photocopied map to find our hotel.

RS's little map worked well, and we rolled our bags from the station through Varenna and up to our "hotel," Villa Monti. It's a selection of apartments in a little castle/tower building a little way from the town center. It was a little hard to find, because there is no "sign," but it is also the only building in the area where it is supposed to be, so in retrospect it's location is clear. We ended up having to use google maps a little to find it, but google maps didn't really help us find it. We ended up walking back and forth past it a few times, past a guy on his phone, until we figured out that it was our hotel.

The "hotel" is actually an old building that has been carefully decorated with antiques and art by the owner. It was our splurge of the trip (about 300 euros a night), and was worth every penny. Our apartment (Primrose) had a ski lodge/treehouse feel with two separate bedrooms (this was the only time we didn't have to share a room with our kids), a comfy lounging area, and a full kitchen. The views out the windows were spectacular. There is a small pool.

After we located the hotel, we really couldn't stay there because there was no one around. I used the last dregs of my battery to call reception, which we heard ringing. No one answered. Again, this was all our fault, since it wasn't 2 yet. We walked back to the square (Varenna is extremely picturesque and charming) and plopped down in a cafe for a pizza and a drink. I can't remember which one it was.

Around 2 PM we rolled up to the hotel and to our surprise, the guy on the phone we saw earlier was Christian, who manages the hotel. He asked us if we had gotten his texts, emails, or whatsapps. We apologized - we had no battery!!! Turns out he had been trying to get in touch with us all day. He took us upstairs to the delightful little treehouse we booked, showed us everything we needed, and then proceeded to tell us what he thought would be the best use of our time. He gave us some maps, circled two restaurants (Quattro Pass and Veranda de Pescadoria), told us to try to take the ferry to Lenno and see Villa Balbaniello (totally worth it, he said), poke around the little passageways in the town center, and hike up to the castles for the views. After imparting such knowledge, he told us to call/text/whatsapp him if we needed him and waltzed off.

The apartment was so beautiful that we could have stayed in it for two days and been perfectly happy. In the kitchen was a picture window with postcard-like views of the area, which looked different each hour. One of us took a nap, while the other went with the kids to check out the pool. It was 65 and sunny but not pool weather. Our kids jumped in and out of the freezing pool, thoroughly annoying the elderly couple who had come to the pool to relax. Oh well. The kids came back to the room and crashed, and I read my RS material (his recommendations included Villa Balbaniello and the castle). I also read all of Christian's messages, because now I had battery on my phone.

I also slipped out to walk around the town. One my way into town were two villas (Cipressio and Monastero), orange trees, a little bar/cafe, a bakery, and some hotels. Then you get to the main square (San Giorgio). There are dozens of little alleyways off the main road that lead you down steep steps to a beautiful promenade by the lake that is filled with little cafes and restaurants that offer diners a view of the entire lake and the towns on the other side (i.e., Bellagio).

Around 6-ish we decided to try to hike up to the castle, per the Christian's recommendation. The entry to path was right by Villa Monti. The path up to the castle was steep and a little rocky but we were fine with sneakers. It goes without saying that it was beautiful, and the views were spectacular. You can add that sentence to every paragraph about Varenna. The castle was a little hard to locate, and we walked past it several times before finding it. By the time we found it, it was closing time. Oh well. There is a whole little town up there, and restaurants I think, but one of the kids had an upset tummy (more on this later) so we decided to head back to Varenna.

There are two paths to the castle (one of which starts by our hotel and one that starts closer to the ferry port/train station), so we took the second way back down. Equally pretty. We ended up on the main road of the town center. By then, the little one was suffering, and we had to eat, so we didn't try to find the charming or authentic restaurants recommended by Christian, RS, or the internets (such as Il Cavatappi, which I am totally trying to find next time).

We ended up plopping down on the patio at Il Molo, a touristy place on the promenade and got a beautiful view of the lake area. The service was cheerful and a little hammy, and the food was fine (mostly pizza/pasta/burger etc.). A little expensive. The "kids" menu promised that junior with the tummy ache would get an 11 euro plain burger no bun with french fries but what arrived was a cheeseburger with the works, so there was some drama there and tears. The other kid inhaled his plain chicken and fries, and I got polenta with gorgonzola in an attempt to try and order something local. My husband got something he liked. Sometimes it's okay to be a tourist.

Around 9ish, the heavens opened up so we paid our bill and scurried back to Villa Monti, in the pouring rain. Luckily it was only ten minutes away, but we arrived drenched. Luckily, Villa Monti has excellent heating! I don't know how they do it - everything was just so perfect there. The storm caused a little bit of an issue (we lost hot water and the cable stopped working for a minute) but we called Christian and everything was all set in 20 minutes. This was at 9 PM, mind you. My kid had a hot shower, and we all settled on the couch to watch AS Roma battle some Dutch team in an Europa league playoff match with consequences (so it was exciting).

Rain, rain, rain all night, but the beds in Villa Monti, although very unassuming (think Ikea-like but real wood) with thin mattresses and plain cotton coverlets, were extremely comfortable and warmer than you would ever imagine. Just as good, if not better, than fancy big mattresses. I don't know how they do it - how are such simple looking things are so luxurious??

Day 7: Rain, Ferry to Lenno, Villa Balbaniello, Varenna
 

Raining cats and dogs when we got up (but the views out the window were still incredible). It was too rainy to venture out and forage from breakfast, so we made do with the toast, crackers, cookies, teas, and instant coffee (I added nutella) that was stocked in our little kitchen. Breakfast of champions. We watched Italian TV. They have commercials for toilet paper that feature a women sitting on the toilet in a collared shirt without her pants that somehow seems elegant and not totally weird.

Around noonish we really needed to get out. It was still raining, so we scurried over to the bar/cafe about five minutes away. There was a bar with a counter and back room with a few wooden tables, and a cheerful waitress/counterperson who humored our poor Italian/Spanish. We ordered hot chocolates and coffees and paninis and everything was so delicious and somehow the bill was less than 20 euros.

Still raining, but we only had one day in Varenna, so we figured we would do what Christian told us to do and see Villa Balbaniello. RS also recommended it, as well as the ferry from Varenna to Lenno. Both warned us that the ferry schedules were hard to decipher, and they were not wrong. Thankfully, the brusque but kind lady at the ticket counter ordered me to spend time not money by waiting a little longer for the slower boat, and I complied. The roundtrip ticket for two adults, two kids was 27 euros. I have no idea what the math was but it felt reasonable. I spent the half hour in the waiting area trying to figure out the ferry schedules while my family entertained themselves. We didn't bring any devices for the kids for the entire trip so they were left to their own devices (hahahaha), and it was kind of fun watching them figure out how to entertain themselves.

To our surprise, we were not the only people there. There were about 15-20 people taking the ferry, including a trio of young women, potentially Eastern European, in their late twenties who were impeccably dressed. Smart trenchcoats, white wideleg pants, the works. I have no idea how they stayed dryish with all the rain and wind but they did.

By the time the boat arrived, I kind of understood what boats we could take back. Still raining, but the ferry passed by Bellagio, Villa Carlotta, and other points of interest before depositing us in Lenno. According to RS, we could either take the ferry or walk (30 min) to Villa Balbaniello (which was used to film Star Wars Attack of the Clones and a James Bond movie). It's a villa bought by a business man/mountain climber/art collector/"most interesting man in the world" candidate who donated it to the government with instructions to keep it exactly how he left it. His own private museum.

So, to get to the boat slip to villa, you have to take a left from the ferry port, walk by some cafes (including a gelateria) and there's a little tent from which the boats leave. If you keep walking, there is a path up to the villa (but we didn't know that yet and couldn't consult RS because it was raining and we didn't want our paper to get wet) For some unknown reason the kids had not yet melted down, so we decided to try the boat instead of trying to figure out the walk. We bought roundtrip tickets (it's 6 euros one way, 8 RT, and kids were discounted), which deposited us at the foot of the Villa property around 3:00 PM. The ride was a little rocky, and the driver was an elderly man. His assistant, who sold us the tickets, remarked that the driver was "struggling."

It was still raining, a lot, but we were there and we bought tickets to see it anyway. The tour was at 3:45, and there was nowhere to wait except the little shop. So we bought a lemonade and tried to stay out of people's way. Around 3:25, we asked the shop ladies how long we would need to get up to the Villa in time for the 3:45 tour. Right away, they said. So we trudged up the hill in the rain, which took all of five minutes. There was nowhere to stand and not be rained on except for two tiny doors that opened up into the villa. So we squeezed in to the door with a woman and her daughter and got to know each other. We stood there, shivering, for about 15 minutes (except for the short amount of time that another lady asked us to move into the rain so she could take a picture).

Finally, the guide arrived, and the tour began! Christian and Rick Steves were right - this place was fascinating. We were wet and rushed and the guide moved at a fast pace so there was no time to take any pictures which was great because I could actually focus on what she was saying. She had a thick accent and dry humor and kept me chuckling. There are about 18 rooms (but only 3 bedrooms, because the owner really didn't want anyone to stay there), including an incredible rooftop room housing artifacts from his climbs (including Mt Everest) and travels through Asia and America. Green grasscloth walls, and a yellow and ochre and blue color scheme. Then, there were the postcard views outside of every window. Breathtaking. The landscaping and the gardening -- what we could see of it--was exquisite. There is a tree out front that is trimmed to look like the most beautiful umbrella that ever existed.

Side note: right as we were supposed to start the tour, a guy popped his head in the villa and pointed to us. The guide told us that the boat people weren't doing return trips because of the bad weather. So I spent a lot of time during the tour worrying how we would get back. Luckily, at the end of the tour we met some women from California who had walked up, and they showed us how to get back. The path took about thirty minutes, it was mostly downhill, and reminded me of Endor (where the Ewoks lived in Return of the Jedi). It was drizzling, but still super beautiful, and I couldn't be mad about the boat people. I was glad to have experienced both ways to get to the villa.

I sorted out which ferry I needed to take, and we waited at the port for about 20 minutes. I am not sure what my kids did during this time, but I got to know a lady from China who had come with her mom. Sadly, they missed Villa Balbaniello because there were no tours by the time they got there. When we got on the ferry, the ferry folk told us we would need to get off at Bellagio and change for Menagio to get to Varenna. That's not what the schedule said but what do I know? Anyway, we got to Bellagio, got off at Bellagio, and then were told to turn around get back on the same boat to go to Varenna. I didn't ask.

The night was uneventful. I had half a mind to try out the recommended restaurants (Il Cavatappi, Veranda de Pescatori, etc.), but we were cold and wet and for some reason my kids were still talking to me so we settled on a cheerful, touristy joint in the center. The food was fine but more expensive than what we had been doing. We did the specials - seafood ravioli, octopus with potatoes, orecchiette with broccoli, sausage, and sundried tomatoes), while we forced the kids to try the pork milanese, which was a giant, delicious, Fred Flinstone style chop breaded in what looked like very fine cornmeal, which they gobbled up.

It was still raining when we got back to Villa Monti, but by then we barely noticed it. We stuffed newspaper in our shoes, hung everything to dry, and crossed our fingers that everything would be ok in the morning when we had to leave. My husband started researching laundry places in Varenna and at our next stop, Torino.

So sorry about all the rain but glad you saw the gorgeous views, OverIt. Villa Balbaniello sounded neat.

<<When we got on the ferry, the ferry folk told us we would need to get off at Bellagio and change for Menagio to get to Varenna. That's not what the schedule said but what do I know? Anyway, we got to Bellagio, got off at Bellagio, and then were told to turn around get back on the same boat to go to Varenna. I didn't ask.">>

just found your TR Overit and am really loving it. Great detail and sense of humour, which when travelling in Italy [much though I love it] is essential. And I am so impressed that you managed to get tickets for the Napoli game. Having tried and eventually succeeded in getting tickets for an international rugby match in Rome which was nothing like as popular, I'm sure that this was much more difficult. How did you locate the redditor?

Thanks for the info. My Italian teacher and her husband are both from Napoli, so we have been talking about the Scudetto, but of course our conversations are in Italian so I'm sure I miss a lot (plus I don't follow soccer/football). The husband is flying back to celebrate week after next. My teacher has been cautioning me that I might be there when it's really C R A Z Y.

<<Thanks for the info. My Italian teacher and her husband are both from Napoli, so we have been talking about the Scudetto, but of course our conversations are in Italian so I'm sure I miss a lot (plus I don't follow soccer/football). The husband is flying back to celebrate week after next. My teacher has been cautioning me that I might be there when it's really C R A Z Y.>>

Buona fortuna, Leely2. Hopefully the fans will be reasonably good natured given they are celebrating, and not too drunk. It should be an experience at any rate.

Day 8: Varenna to Torino
 

After another blissful night in our treehouse, we woke up to rain, rain, rain, and more rain. The picture window in the kitchen looked postcard-perfect still, but we couldn't go out and risk re-wetting all of our not-yet-dry clothes. So we breakfasted on leftover bread from dinner the night before (my husband side-eyed me when I doggy bagged it the night before but didn't complain when it mean we didn't have to leave the apartment).

Checkout, however, was at 10:30 AM, so we had to leave. Our stuff was mostly dry, but my husband was still fretting. We went to say goodbye to Christian, who asked us where we were going next. Torino, we said. He said, why? We said, why not? It's not Varenna, he said, It is a big city, and I will not be there to help you!

I wish I could clone Christian and take him everywhere.

It was starting to clear, so we decided to risk the 15 minute walk to the station (Varenna is that beautiful). I tried not to stop and take pictures every 30 seconds. We had to buy train tickets for the 12:35 PM train. There's no ticket office at the station; you either have to buy online or at the travel agency next to the station. I didn't want to risk battery issues, so I went to the travel agent. I asked for tickets to Milan at 12:35; she advised me to buy tickets for earlier train which was already late. I explained we needed to eat, and she advised us to take our food on the train. I asked to take the late train, and she warned me that it might be very, very late. It was odd how adamant she was about how we should take the late early train, but I didn't want to fight with my hangry family. She sold me the ticket but didn't seem happy about it.

Meanwhile, my family had ordered food at the station cafe, which was adorable and wooden and knickknacky and twice as expensive as eating in town. I know I sound like a penny pinching miser but this is something I would want to know. The hot chocolates and paninis were just as delicious as those we got in town though, and we had a place to sit while we waited for the 12:35 train.

The 12:35 train wasn't that late. 5-10 minutes. We climbed on and sat on the wrong side of the train. The views were still pretty. The ticket collector chastised us for not validating our tickets. Wait, what? We were supposed to validate? Why didn't the travel agent tell us? We thought the conductor was going to fine us but he didn't mention a fine or anything. He just gave us a disapproving look and moved on.

Anyway, I got over the talking to and tried to figure out what we were going to do in Torino. I had a hard time finding good information about Torino from guidebooks. Rick Steves didn't cover it, and I didn't want to order a bunch of books on Amazon to find out who did. Unfortunately, we have very few bookstores in my area, and the one we have didn't have any books on Northern Italy. There happens to be an Italian themed bookstore in my city, and I went there before I left, but the only book they had on Torino was in Italian. Which I don't speak. I did end up picking up a kids' map of Torino there that turned out to be pretty useful. R/torino was pretty helpful in suggesting parks and things. They suggested we rent a car and go to wine country, which sounded awesome but was not realistic for budgetary reasons and because we were traveling with kids and because only one of us drinks wine. One of the books the Italian-themed shop had, however, was called "Italian Ways," by a gentleman named Tim Parks. The jacket stated that Mr. Parks was an Englishman in Italy and that the book was about what he learned by riding the rails in Italy. I borrowed it from the library and brought it with me.

The train arrived in Milan around 1:40, and it seemed like I had plenty of time to buy tickets for the 2:15 train to Torino. Based on my experience in Naples, I knew to skip the automatic machines and take my passports to the "Last Minute" booth. The line had about four people in it. Seemed fine! I got in line, and a jolly, young Trenitalia ambassador asked me if I was paying by card. Yes, I said. Good! he answered. You can stay in this line.

I spent a few minutes looking around the station and at the departures board, dreaming (or scheming) about future trips, before I noticed it was about 1:55 and the ticket person was still serving the same person who had been there when I joined the line. The women before and after me, both foreigners, agreed it was concerning. What on earth could these people be talking about? Just buy the ticket. The minute hand creeped closer to 2 PM, and there were still two people ahead of me. Finally, the woman at the booth reached for her wallet and pulled out a 50 euro note. Oh no no no no. No no no. Thankfully, she shuffled off. I hope she got where she needed to go.

The next customer took forever too. What were these people doing? Talking talking talking. Consulting with someone who was not in the line. More talking. The lady in front of me agreed to let me go before her, if this transaction ever ended. Thankfully it did. I went to the counter, asked for my ticket, and presented my passport. I must have had frantic energy, because the ticket person didn't try to convince me to do anything. He did, however, confirm that the tickets would NOT need to be validated (huh?). I didn't ask why or why not. Also, unlike the tickets seller in Naples, he didn't need my passports, which saved me just enough time, I guess, because we made the 2:15 train. Barely.

On the train, I cracked open "Italian Ways," and about 15 minutes in, I was howling, as Mr. Parks described a scenario that mirrored the one I'd just found myself in. Apparently, the ticket buying experience in Italy is not just about buying the ticket. No no no. It is a consultation in which the seller imparts their vast knowledge of the various trains (direct! not-so-direct! slow-as-molasses!), discounts (family, student under 10, student under 18, person under 26, senior, senior on a weekend, midday, what have you). He also described a business model in which young people stand by the automated machines and help people figure out how to buy their tickets for a small fee. He described the whole "validation" experience I'd had on the Varenna-Milan train as a flex but not an actual threat.

The book is an absolute treasure and everyone who has either travelled to Italy or plans to travel to Italy should buy it right now. I am trying to read it slowly so it lasts longer but am planning to return my copy to the library and buy my own. I am going to pay full price for it at the Italian-themed bookshop, which brought this book into my life.

The train took about 1 hours and 45 minutes to get to Torino. The ticket seller was correct, we did not need to validate. We alighted and found ourselves on the street with no trouble. Torino looked liked Paris, to me, with its wedding-cake buildings. It was not raining, so we decided to walk to our lodging, Terre D'Aventure Suites, using Google Maps. Oh, Christian, Torino is not a "big city." It is very, very beautiful though.

Google Maps got us to the right street but we could not find the hotel. That's because, like Orsini 46 in Naples, and Villa Monti in Varenna, it's not actually a hotel hotel. It is a B&B type lodging in an old, atmospheric building, with other tenants. We walked back and forth down the streets, dragging our luggage, looking for the place. Finally, we called the owner, who pulled up in his car and let us in.

Grumpiness aside, I loved loved loved these Italian B&Bs. They have so much character, the design is so thoughtful, and the owners/managers are so invested in making sure every detail is perfect, and you get honest and practical advice but they don't overwhelm you. They take so much pride in their businesses and in their cities/towns. I almost don't want to tell people about them because I want to make sure that I can get a reservation when I go back!!!

Terre D'Aventure Suites was just lovely. We got a beautiful, modern room with two beds, a TV, a small kitchen, and a perfect little bathroom (with a towel warmer). The lighting in our room made the pictures look like oil paintings. The owner provided breakfast every morning on a little terrace with homemade cakes, cookies from the area, juice, coffee, yogurt, and croissants. Each morning, we would tell him what we were thinking to do, and he told us how to do it.

After we settled in, we set about exploring Torino. We wandered through the pretty little streets until we ended up on Via Garibaldi, which seemed like a main shopping street. My kids, who are sneakerheads, popped into the athletic/sneaker stores, of which there were many. One was called Snipes. As in Wesley Snipes. Did you know that Wesley Snipes has a shoe store in Torino?

Torino is known for apertivo culture, and while I did not really need an aperol spritz, we did need to eat something, so we sat at cafe near the end of Via Garibaldi. I ordered a glass of Dolcetto, which is my new favorite wine, and it came with a plate of focaccia with toppings.

After our snack, we resumed our wandering around Torino. We fell into [a] main square and walked through a garden-y park. The kids ran and ran and ran. We looked at the pretty, Paris-like buildings. We wondered what they were. We went to the tourist information office to inquire about the Cinema Museum and learned that the Cinema Museum was sold out for the weekend. Oh well. We will just have to return to Torino.

Around 8 PM, we decided to have dinner but had no idea where to go. We decided to stick near the B&B so we didn't get lost. Around the corner from the B&B, were a few small restaurants with almost no people in them. It was a Friday night. Not a good sign. But there was someone making fresh pasta in one of them, so in we went.

The restaurant was called La Farcia, and it served me one of the best meals of my life. My husband and I were still a little full from apertivo hour, so we decided to eat like Italians and split the tajarin (pasta) as a first course and the octopus with potatoes (second course). Tajarin is hand cut, homemade fresh pasta. We used to serve it at an Italian restaurant I worked at and people went crazy for it. It was expensive ($25 a plate in 2004 dollars!), and the noodles are cut to order, so the owner would never let us waiters have any of it. Here, at La Farcia, it was about 12 euro, and served in an exquisite white, and light, ragu sauce. The octopus was even better than the one I had in Naples. None of this was fancy or elaborate. A few ingredients, expertly handled, with clear flavors. I had a Dolcetto. The kids ate pork in sauce(!!!) with potatoes and did not complain one bit. Still, we were not rushed. I was very tired at the time, and at one point, the waitress asked me how everything was and I said, no thank you. My husband roasted me for that. I redeemed myself (I hope) afterwards, by saying, in Italian (thank you, Rick Steves), that the meal was the best one I had in Italy. My nine year old used Rick Steves to tell the server that his pork had sublime flavor. The service overall, was impeccable, even though by the time we were halfway through our meal, the other diners were finished and we were the only ones left. Still, we were not rushed, and she offered us everything the restaurant had to offer (which is what I was taught as a server to do out of respect for the customer). The bill was 55 euros. It was all so perfect that I am not sure that it really happened or it was a dream.

Didn't you validate your tickets from Milan to Varenna either? Tickets for regional trains (slow trains that stop a lot and have no amenities) must be validated before boarding. You are lucky you didn't get fined. Regional trains don't have seat reservations although they usually have a 1st and 2nd class with a small difference in price. Fast trains (like your train between Milan and Turin) do have assigned seats (mandatory). Fast trains don't stop at all the little towns and they have amenities (snack car, power ports, etc.). Trenord runs those regional trains for Milan/Varenna and around that area. You can buy on their website. The fast trains in Italy are Trenitalia or Italo.

https://www.trenord.it/linee-e-orari...nee-regionali/

You would see a validation machine like these trackside.

Attachment 8022

**KLM put us on Delta to Amsterdam. We checked in online the day before, but when we got to the airport, our boarding passes had no seat assignments! Is this normal?**

Do you have status with either airline? While sometimes seats don't stick on the other airline when booked this way, it's also possible you bought economy tickets. You can;t choose seats booked in economy on Delta and they are assigned at the gate. I don't know about KLM's policy for economy. You have to book tickets at least main cabin on Delta to be able to select seats (even if you have status).