WendyWhy's Italy and Paris Trip Report
May 27th, 2004, 08:20 AM
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WendyWhy's Italy and Paris Trip Report
Re-posting...
I have just returned from my first trip to Europe - 2 weeks in Italy (big 3) and 1 week in Paris. I want to sincerely thank all the generous people on this board who helped me plan my trip. This board was an invaluable resource.
I did plan this trip a bit obsessively, but I actually LIKE planning and pretending I have some control over things
In addition to the boards which I checked almost daily, I really liked the Rick Steves guides (brought photocopies that I would chuck as we traveled along) and used the Rough Guide maps for the cities that we visited. A little background on me and DH (dear hubby), we are in our mid twenties and it was the first time for both of us to visit Europe. Also we were on a tight budget, so all of our reviews/recommendations are for economy minded travelers. This will not be a full report since we were gone for three weeks it would take forever and would not be as useful to most Fodorites so I will just stick with tidbits that might help future travelers.
One word about our flight on AA from the US to FCO...More room in coach...HA! We had a window and aisle seat, but there was this inexplicable metal box in the precious little leg room of the aisle seat. I usually sit in the window seat, while DH sits in the aisle but we switched since he is much taller and it was OK, but a bit funny with all the fuss AA has been making with their new marketing pitch for coach! For some reason, on the flight back the box was gone so I got my window seat back.
When we arrived at FCO, we went through customs and found our driver from Airport Connection (www.airportconnection.it). We had signed up and paid for a shuttle service (25E for both of us), but we were picked up in a private car (Mercedes Benz) and driven directly to our pensione without any other passengers. The driver was very friendly, pointing out sights to us and giving us a mini-tour before dropping us off. We were able to use our CC and I would not hesitate to use them again.
In Rome, we stayed at the B&B, Residenza San Pantaleo (RSP). The location was excellent and we had a view of Campo d' Fiori from our room and Piazza Navona was around the corner. I thought it was fine for 100E a night, especially since our room was actually quite large (it might have been a triple) and clean. Unfortunately, I learned on this trip that DH is a bit of a prima donna. He is used to my finding rock-bottom deals for 4-star hotels in the US (internet or Priceline) that I could not find in Rome without sacrificing location. If you are looking for that then RSP is not it. The towels and drapes/bedcover are a bit old and threadbare, though clean. The bathroom was TINY. Also the walls are thin and you can hear the manager yelling during the day, though it was thankfully quiet at night! I think for our first time in Rome, RSP was great because it was within our budget and was in such a central location. However, when we return to Rome, I would not mind staying farther out since the public transportation system was super easy to use, in order to stay in a nicer hotel. One minor issue I had with Rick Steves' Rome guide was that he wrote pretty emphatically about the pickpockets and thieves on the buses, especially line 64, "This bus gets horribly crowded - ride to watch the pickpockets in action!" Um, I found this to be a bit histrionic, the bus was fine, as was the metro. We never had any problem and took the bus everywhere, though we did wear our money belts (RSP did not have a room-safe).
As first timers, we did all the usual things. I loved visiting the Spanish Steps early in the morning as we had it to ourselves, and those gorgeous flowers were in full bloom. It was perfect. Also, the AmEx office was nearby, so we purchased our train tickets for Florence and Venice where they spoke perfect English (as we found everywhere) and we were able to use CC. I did find it helpful to bring print-outs of the exact train that we wanted from the trenitalia website.
At the Colosseum we did join in on a tour for 16E/pp which was only eh. You get what you pay for! Too bad we cannot afford much! The group that was amassed was huge and the guide?s first language wasn?t English (feisty older Italian lady) though it was better than DH and I wandering the ruins with just our little Rick Steves copies, but next time I will book in advance and pay more to be apart of a smaller group. The one thing about the tour that was great was that it included a free tour of Palatine Hill/Forum that was excellent. So after our tour of the Colosseum, we explored on our own, grabbed a quick lunch and went back to join in the free tour. The reason it was so great was that the guide was a young, funny American college-aged guy who really knew his stuff. The group on the second go-around was much smaller (wonder why?) and people were much more comfortable asking questions, some of them quite tough, but the guide was never fazed and always had the answer. I was impressed!
When we had visited St. Peter's Basilica, another young American guide was trying to get people to join his free tour. Since we had such good luck with the other American guide, we decided to join this one as well and it was excellent and I was very pleased to have joined at the beginning (other people joined as the tour progressed). The guide gave the Basilica a depth and richness that we would not have gotten from a book. Everyone was so pleased that we all applauded and were eager to take his brochures advertising for the tours that were NOT free. It was a great advertising trick but there was no pressure to buy. We were very pleased and I think I will ask a bit about the age and English fluency of tour guides when booking in the future.
Another tip for people going to Rome and wanting to see the Pope on Wednesday morning...do not worry if you did not write in advance for tickets. Though I did, and it was neat having the card from the Vatican about where to go pick up tickets, the Swiss Guard will hand out free tickets to anyone who asks, AND they did not even check tickets the morning we went anyway. There were plenty of seats too if you did not mind sitting in the back. I found it to be very moving and a worthwhile experience.
Do not forget to make your reservations for the Borghese Gallery. It was a small gem of a museum after the mammoth that is the Vatican, especially if you appreciate Bernini's sculptures. There were some people who after waiting in line to get tickets were turned away b/c they had not made reservations and they looked quite disappointed. DH loved Bernini's David and it is his favorite David, actually.
If you have time, visit the church near Piazza Barberini with Bernini's "The Ectasy of St. Therese" It is between the Piazza and the Borghese Gallery, so it is a convenient stop if you are walking. Also Piazza Barberini has a really huge and cheap internet café and it makes for a nice rest stop as well.
In Rome, we had some of the best gelato during our stay in Italy. It was on a quiet side street near the Vatican and we went there twice for the kiwi and pear gelato YUM. We had gelato twice a day. Oh, it was a sad sad day when we realized that the gelato would stop when we arrived in Paris where it was so much more expensive and not as good. We definitely went into gelato withdrawal.
My last Rome tidbit is that I started reading Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons" on the flight and I loved all the descriptions of Rome, it is a great travel read. DH loved it too though he started reading it while we were in Florence and he was always commenting that he wished he paid more attention to certain locations in Rome!
I absolutely loved Rome. It is bustling and so beautiful. I never felt unsafe ? we walked and took public transport everywhere and at night without any problems. I regret that we did not have time to visit Travestere. I can only hope that our coins in Trevi will work their magic for our safe return!
Next installment, Florence.
I have just returned from my first trip to Europe - 2 weeks in Italy (big 3) and 1 week in Paris. I want to sincerely thank all the generous people on this board who helped me plan my trip. This board was an invaluable resource.
I did plan this trip a bit obsessively, but I actually LIKE planning and pretending I have some control over things
In addition to the boards which I checked almost daily, I really liked the Rick Steves guides (brought photocopies that I would chuck as we traveled along) and used the Rough Guide maps for the cities that we visited. A little background on me and DH (dear hubby), we are in our mid twenties and it was the first time for both of us to visit Europe. Also we were on a tight budget, so all of our reviews/recommendations are for economy minded travelers. This will not be a full report since we were gone for three weeks it would take forever and would not be as useful to most Fodorites so I will just stick with tidbits that might help future travelers.One word about our flight on AA from the US to FCO...More room in coach...HA! We had a window and aisle seat, but there was this inexplicable metal box in the precious little leg room of the aisle seat. I usually sit in the window seat, while DH sits in the aisle but we switched since he is much taller and it was OK, but a bit funny with all the fuss AA has been making with their new marketing pitch for coach! For some reason, on the flight back the box was gone so I got my window seat back.
When we arrived at FCO, we went through customs and found our driver from Airport Connection (www.airportconnection.it). We had signed up and paid for a shuttle service (25E for both of us), but we were picked up in a private car (Mercedes Benz) and driven directly to our pensione without any other passengers. The driver was very friendly, pointing out sights to us and giving us a mini-tour before dropping us off. We were able to use our CC and I would not hesitate to use them again.
In Rome, we stayed at the B&B, Residenza San Pantaleo (RSP). The location was excellent and we had a view of Campo d' Fiori from our room and Piazza Navona was around the corner. I thought it was fine for 100E a night, especially since our room was actually quite large (it might have been a triple) and clean. Unfortunately, I learned on this trip that DH is a bit of a prima donna. He is used to my finding rock-bottom deals for 4-star hotels in the US (internet or Priceline) that I could not find in Rome without sacrificing location. If you are looking for that then RSP is not it. The towels and drapes/bedcover are a bit old and threadbare, though clean. The bathroom was TINY. Also the walls are thin and you can hear the manager yelling during the day, though it was thankfully quiet at night! I think for our first time in Rome, RSP was great because it was within our budget and was in such a central location. However, when we return to Rome, I would not mind staying farther out since the public transportation system was super easy to use, in order to stay in a nicer hotel. One minor issue I had with Rick Steves' Rome guide was that he wrote pretty emphatically about the pickpockets and thieves on the buses, especially line 64, "This bus gets horribly crowded - ride to watch the pickpockets in action!" Um, I found this to be a bit histrionic, the bus was fine, as was the metro. We never had any problem and took the bus everywhere, though we did wear our money belts (RSP did not have a room-safe).
As first timers, we did all the usual things. I loved visiting the Spanish Steps early in the morning as we had it to ourselves, and those gorgeous flowers were in full bloom. It was perfect. Also, the AmEx office was nearby, so we purchased our train tickets for Florence and Venice where they spoke perfect English (as we found everywhere) and we were able to use CC. I did find it helpful to bring print-outs of the exact train that we wanted from the trenitalia website.
At the Colosseum we did join in on a tour for 16E/pp which was only eh. You get what you pay for! Too bad we cannot afford much! The group that was amassed was huge and the guide?s first language wasn?t English (feisty older Italian lady) though it was better than DH and I wandering the ruins with just our little Rick Steves copies, but next time I will book in advance and pay more to be apart of a smaller group. The one thing about the tour that was great was that it included a free tour of Palatine Hill/Forum that was excellent. So after our tour of the Colosseum, we explored on our own, grabbed a quick lunch and went back to join in the free tour. The reason it was so great was that the guide was a young, funny American college-aged guy who really knew his stuff. The group on the second go-around was much smaller (wonder why?) and people were much more comfortable asking questions, some of them quite tough, but the guide was never fazed and always had the answer. I was impressed!
When we had visited St. Peter's Basilica, another young American guide was trying to get people to join his free tour. Since we had such good luck with the other American guide, we decided to join this one as well and it was excellent and I was very pleased to have joined at the beginning (other people joined as the tour progressed). The guide gave the Basilica a depth and richness that we would not have gotten from a book. Everyone was so pleased that we all applauded and were eager to take his brochures advertising for the tours that were NOT free. It was a great advertising trick but there was no pressure to buy. We were very pleased and I think I will ask a bit about the age and English fluency of tour guides when booking in the future.
Another tip for people going to Rome and wanting to see the Pope on Wednesday morning...do not worry if you did not write in advance for tickets. Though I did, and it was neat having the card from the Vatican about where to go pick up tickets, the Swiss Guard will hand out free tickets to anyone who asks, AND they did not even check tickets the morning we went anyway. There were plenty of seats too if you did not mind sitting in the back. I found it to be very moving and a worthwhile experience.
Do not forget to make your reservations for the Borghese Gallery. It was a small gem of a museum after the mammoth that is the Vatican, especially if you appreciate Bernini's sculptures. There were some people who after waiting in line to get tickets were turned away b/c they had not made reservations and they looked quite disappointed. DH loved Bernini's David and it is his favorite David, actually.
If you have time, visit the church near Piazza Barberini with Bernini's "The Ectasy of St. Therese" It is between the Piazza and the Borghese Gallery, so it is a convenient stop if you are walking. Also Piazza Barberini has a really huge and cheap internet café and it makes for a nice rest stop as well.
In Rome, we had some of the best gelato during our stay in Italy. It was on a quiet side street near the Vatican and we went there twice for the kiwi and pear gelato YUM. We had gelato twice a day. Oh, it was a sad sad day when we realized that the gelato would stop when we arrived in Paris where it was so much more expensive and not as good. We definitely went into gelato withdrawal.
My last Rome tidbit is that I started reading Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons" on the flight and I loved all the descriptions of Rome, it is a great travel read. DH loved it too though he started reading it while we were in Florence and he was always commenting that he wished he paid more attention to certain locations in Rome!
I absolutely loved Rome. It is bustling and so beautiful. I never felt unsafe ? we walked and took public transport everywhere and at night without any problems. I regret that we did not have time to visit Travestere. I can only hope that our coins in Trevi will work their magic for our safe return!
Next installment, Florence.
May 27th, 2004, 01:49 PM
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Thank you for the encouragement! It's intimidating posting a report here!
Florence...After checking out of our B&B, we took the bus to Termini and took the Eurostar to Santa Maria Novella. We had booked a stay in the Oltrarno area, near Piazza Santo Spirito at Residenza Il Carmine apartments. We really liked our cozy little apartment - it is basically a large studio, but it was very clean with new bathroom, and fully stocked kitchen. I also loved how it was furnished with lots of charming little touches like dried lavendar in watering pots, little vases, beautiful lamps, etc. When we had some trouble with getting hot water, we called the manager and she came immediately and fixed the problem. There was also daily maid service. I would love to stay here again. The Oltrarno area was very quaint, much quieter and with much fewer tourists. On the other hand, DH would prefer to stay on the other side of the Arno next time, which he says is closer to the action, and precisely why I would still prefer to stay in Oltrarno! We also very much enjoyed having a kitchen - grocery shopping at the little markets was fun and we really liked having foods for picnicking and some light meals.
One of the unexpected highlights was the hike up to Piazzale Michaelanglo. It's a great energizing walk and it felt good to be outside after all the indoor museum walking. We walked up the winding stairs and would take breaks to take in the view and to take pictures. We hiked up all the way to San Miniato and the view of Florence from that height was stunning. There were a couple dozen art students perched at the edge of the church's edge on little stools with their sketchpads. When it started to rain, they would simply prop an umbrella on their shoulder and continue to draw until the showers stopped! There was a lot of off-and-on showers while we were there, but we always used the rain as a sign that we should sit in a café or check our email and by the time we came out, the sun would be shining again. We did decide to cancel our daytrip to San Gim because it was raining that morning, but now I wish we had not since of course, the sun was out by the afternoon!
We daytripped to Siena by bus and we loved wandering in the beautiful little town. One thing that was really fun was having a gelato on a balcony overlooking Il Campo. We would have never noticed it if it were not for a tourist who was up there with a huge camera, and we decided we needed to have a gelato there as well! I can also recommend a great café near the square called Nannini - perfect place to stop have a cappuccino and try the classic Sienese sweets - panforte and ricciarelli. The ricciarelli were super yummy and we got a box to go, perfect for the train ride to Venice.
If you have time, check out the Santa Maria Novella profumery. It's very inconspicuous from the street and I almost sailed right past it! I did pick up some little soaps and some potpourri. If I had been with a girlfriend or my sister, we would have definitely taken up a ton of time deciding on a perfume, but alas, I was with DH who gets hives in any kind of retail store unless there are golf related items inside. Also, it's not like your typical perfume counter where you can spray and sample independently. You must ask the salesgirl to spray the scents for you to try. Even if you do not buy anything, it is still a beautiful stop. If you do buy, it is definitely a good deal, as the perfumes retail for much more in boutiques in the US.
We did go to Vivoli to try their famous gelato and it was superb. We sampled the rice flavor which was strange but yummy, definitely try it!
All in all, Florence was a very relaxing and beautiful city. Of all the places we visited, it was DH's favorite. Unlike our time in Rome, we had lots of time for wandering in the markets, sitting in little cafes, sleeping in, etc ? in addition to all the major sites and museums. I think we were a bit jet-lagged in Rome and our days were stuffed full, so it was nice having Florence as a restful stop. My only regret is that the showers prevented us from taking the daytrip to San Gim, and next time I would like to visit other little towns like Lucca or Arezzo.
Next installment, Venice.
Florence...After checking out of our B&B, we took the bus to Termini and took the Eurostar to Santa Maria Novella. We had booked a stay in the Oltrarno area, near Piazza Santo Spirito at Residenza Il Carmine apartments. We really liked our cozy little apartment - it is basically a large studio, but it was very clean with new bathroom, and fully stocked kitchen. I also loved how it was furnished with lots of charming little touches like dried lavendar in watering pots, little vases, beautiful lamps, etc. When we had some trouble with getting hot water, we called the manager and she came immediately and fixed the problem. There was also daily maid service. I would love to stay here again. The Oltrarno area was very quaint, much quieter and with much fewer tourists. On the other hand, DH would prefer to stay on the other side of the Arno next time, which he says is closer to the action, and precisely why I would still prefer to stay in Oltrarno! We also very much enjoyed having a kitchen - grocery shopping at the little markets was fun and we really liked having foods for picnicking and some light meals.
One of the unexpected highlights was the hike up to Piazzale Michaelanglo. It's a great energizing walk and it felt good to be outside after all the indoor museum walking. We walked up the winding stairs and would take breaks to take in the view and to take pictures. We hiked up all the way to San Miniato and the view of Florence from that height was stunning. There were a couple dozen art students perched at the edge of the church's edge on little stools with their sketchpads. When it started to rain, they would simply prop an umbrella on their shoulder and continue to draw until the showers stopped! There was a lot of off-and-on showers while we were there, but we always used the rain as a sign that we should sit in a café or check our email and by the time we came out, the sun would be shining again. We did decide to cancel our daytrip to San Gim because it was raining that morning, but now I wish we had not since of course, the sun was out by the afternoon!
We daytripped to Siena by bus and we loved wandering in the beautiful little town. One thing that was really fun was having a gelato on a balcony overlooking Il Campo. We would have never noticed it if it were not for a tourist who was up there with a huge camera, and we decided we needed to have a gelato there as well! I can also recommend a great café near the square called Nannini - perfect place to stop have a cappuccino and try the classic Sienese sweets - panforte and ricciarelli. The ricciarelli were super yummy and we got a box to go, perfect for the train ride to Venice.
If you have time, check out the Santa Maria Novella profumery. It's very inconspicuous from the street and I almost sailed right past it! I did pick up some little soaps and some potpourri. If I had been with a girlfriend or my sister, we would have definitely taken up a ton of time deciding on a perfume, but alas, I was with DH who gets hives in any kind of retail store unless there are golf related items inside. Also, it's not like your typical perfume counter where you can spray and sample independently. You must ask the salesgirl to spray the scents for you to try. Even if you do not buy anything, it is still a beautiful stop. If you do buy, it is definitely a good deal, as the perfumes retail for much more in boutiques in the US.
We did go to Vivoli to try their famous gelato and it was superb. We sampled the rice flavor which was strange but yummy, definitely try it!
All in all, Florence was a very relaxing and beautiful city. Of all the places we visited, it was DH's favorite. Unlike our time in Rome, we had lots of time for wandering in the markets, sitting in little cafes, sleeping in, etc ? in addition to all the major sites and museums. I think we were a bit jet-lagged in Rome and our days were stuffed full, so it was nice having Florence as a restful stop. My only regret is that the showers prevented us from taking the daytrip to San Gim, and next time I would like to visit other little towns like Lucca or Arezzo.
Next installment, Venice.
May 28th, 2004, 05:27 PM
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Venice...After checking out of the apartment in Florence, we decided to take the bus to the train station. It seemed to be taking a bit longer than I thought it should, so I asked a woman who was getting off, "A Santa Maria Novella?" She shook her head emphatically and started speaking in rapid Italian, so obviously DH and I had gotten on the wrong bus! We got off, and with her help were able to find the correct bus to the train station without any other problems. We took another Eurostar train to Venice with our last stop at Santa Lucia.
We stayed in the Hotel Minerva in the Cannaregio, not far from the train station. Although the location was not ideal for the typical first-time visitor to Venice, DH and I really appreciated the convenience of the hotel to the train station and Piazzale Roma (you?ll see why later). On checking in, the manager told us there were two double rooms with ensuite bathrooms available. He gave us the key to the first room and when we saw it, our hearts sank...It was OK, but there were two twin beds and the bathroom had a shower without doors or curtain. I went back down, asked to see the other room which was in another building across the street. The second room was much nicer and larger with the bed being a double and the bathroom newly remodeled. Funnily, it ended up being the cheapest hotel (after a 10% discount for paying in cash) and the only one that came with breakfast during our travels. For 82E per night, it was a good budget hotel stay. We did walk by a 4-star hotel closer to San Marco and decided to ask about prices just out of curiosity. The concierge was so sweet and offered to show us the rooms and the little terrace they had overlooking a canal. The price he quoted was 150E which was very discounted from the listed price. The rooms were very nice but I didn?t think they were thaaat much nicer than the room we were staying in the Cannaregio.
On our first day in Venice, we had no set plan and just decided to get lost in the city. We walked from Cannaregio, trying to get to the Rialto, and somehow ended up in Piazza San Marco! I fell in love with the city immediately. Since there are no cars, we were free and safe to wander everywhere. It is great city for walking and getting lost. There were a few Rick Steves walks that we did that were great. I loved finding backways and quiet bridges over looking the little canals. I suddenly wished I could paint or at least draw. I wrestled the camera away from DH so I could be the photographer. Venice is so beautiful that it brings out the artist in you.
We actually tried to avoid San Marco as much as possible during the day. The plaza is just too crowded and gnarly. We did take the Secret Itineraries tour of the Doge's Palace which was good. I think everyone in our group was a bit apprehensive when our tour guide started talking as no one could understand her. Towards the end of the tour, we were able to decipher through her accent and it was a worthwhile experience. When we did go to the Basilica, I had a printout of our reservation through their website (www.alata.it) so we were able to skip the line. I got a pat on the head from DH for that one. We absolutely loved San Marco at night with the dueling orchestras and most of the crowds and vendors gone for the day.
We did not ride on a gondola while we were there. We decided that it was too much to spend and we had some friends who had bad experiences. One friend was so disappointed because her gondolier chatted on his cell phone and smoked during their entire ride, and would not stop even at her request. Another was pretty upset because he had bargained for a 30 minute ride and for a mini-tour with some explanation of the sights, and ended up getting a 20 minute ride (10 minutes out and 10 minutes back) and no tour at all. Of course, we do know someone who was very lucky and loved her gondola ride. As a part of her tour group, she and her husband only paid 24E and ended up with a singing gondolier. Joyriding on the vaporetti was a highlight for us instead. We were always able to sit in the front or back for the view. We bought 24-hour passes and used them to visit Murano and Burano. Our tickets were checked a few times and we did see people getting fined. Our pass actually expired during our last ride from San Marco back to Ferrovia. We saw the conductor checking other passengers, looked at each other and looked at our expired passes. While he was fining another couple, we jumped off at the Rialto stop. We figured we could try explaining that our pass had been valid when we had first sat down, but decided that the walk would be alot easier. Riding a gondola will definitely be something that we will have to experience on our next trip.
We did get some small Murano glass souvenirs for home, but what I really coveted were the beautiful lamps. I wish we had found the perfect one, but I am extremely picky and I did not want to spend too much time inside the stores. Something else for next time!
Our daytrip to Verona was definitely a wonderful surprise. There are a few sights, but the major attraction of Verona for me and DH was the town itself. We took the train and then a bus to the city center. We had a very relaxing day strolling and a huge delicious lunch. I highly recommend this little daytrip.
One gelato tidbit - the best we had in Venice was a recommendation from Sandra Gustafson's Great Eats book near San Marco. I can highly recommend the nocciolato and the fiord?latte which were heaven.
For a fast, good, and cheap meal in the Cannaregio, DH and I really liked Brek. Towards the front of the restaurant are panninis and pizza which are good for a fast snack, and in the back is a cafeteria style eatery. I thought the pastas were actually very good and we liked the salad bar too. Beer and wine were very inexpensive as well. It is a good place when you just want a simple meal without paying much. One time, DH was waiting to order his pasta (which they make in front of you) and he struck up a conversation with another couple. I asked him who he'd been yukking it up with, and he told me that they were American too, and were commiserating on how expensive it is being a tourist and how much they loved Brek. They were also laughing about how they had eaten at Brek in Florence and Rome as well
Now...the reason it was good staying in Cannaregio...The night before our last day, we asked the manager if we could settle the bill since we had to leave very early in the morning to catch our 4:40 AM bus at Piazzale Roma to San Marco Polo airport. I also asked about borrowing an alarm clock, since we had forgotten to pack one and there wasn't one provided in the room. The manager assured me that they would be able to knock at the door at 4AM to wake us up. He even joked with DH that he would send over a beautiful woman to wake him with a kiss. Well, we tried to sleep but that night the din from outside was incredible. I tossed and turned but was finally able to fall asleep. When I woke, I checked the time on our digital camera and it was 4:20 AM. We threw on our clothes, ran down, threw the key at the sleeping concierge, and sprinted to Piazzale Roma. We were on the bus at 4:35 AM. The bus left EARLY at 4:38 AM ? we couldn?t believe it. If we had been there four measly minutes later, we would have said to ourselves, "Whew! We made it with one minute to spare!" and then waited and waited since the next bus does not arrive for another hour. Anyway, we made it to the airport in plenty of time to check-in for our 7 AM flight to Paris.
Venice ended up being my favorite city in Italy. There are definitely cons with the crowds and the Disneyland tourism of it, but you can?t deny how beautiful it is! Venice is a city I can see myself returning to again and again.
Next installment, Paris.
We stayed in the Hotel Minerva in the Cannaregio, not far from the train station. Although the location was not ideal for the typical first-time visitor to Venice, DH and I really appreciated the convenience of the hotel to the train station and Piazzale Roma (you?ll see why later). On checking in, the manager told us there were two double rooms with ensuite bathrooms available. He gave us the key to the first room and when we saw it, our hearts sank...It was OK, but there were two twin beds and the bathroom had a shower without doors or curtain. I went back down, asked to see the other room which was in another building across the street. The second room was much nicer and larger with the bed being a double and the bathroom newly remodeled. Funnily, it ended up being the cheapest hotel (after a 10% discount for paying in cash) and the only one that came with breakfast during our travels. For 82E per night, it was a good budget hotel stay. We did walk by a 4-star hotel closer to San Marco and decided to ask about prices just out of curiosity. The concierge was so sweet and offered to show us the rooms and the little terrace they had overlooking a canal. The price he quoted was 150E which was very discounted from the listed price. The rooms were very nice but I didn?t think they were thaaat much nicer than the room we were staying in the Cannaregio.
On our first day in Venice, we had no set plan and just decided to get lost in the city. We walked from Cannaregio, trying to get to the Rialto, and somehow ended up in Piazza San Marco! I fell in love with the city immediately. Since there are no cars, we were free and safe to wander everywhere. It is great city for walking and getting lost. There were a few Rick Steves walks that we did that were great. I loved finding backways and quiet bridges over looking the little canals. I suddenly wished I could paint or at least draw. I wrestled the camera away from DH so I could be the photographer. Venice is so beautiful that it brings out the artist in you.
We actually tried to avoid San Marco as much as possible during the day. The plaza is just too crowded and gnarly. We did take the Secret Itineraries tour of the Doge's Palace which was good. I think everyone in our group was a bit apprehensive when our tour guide started talking as no one could understand her. Towards the end of the tour, we were able to decipher through her accent and it was a worthwhile experience. When we did go to the Basilica, I had a printout of our reservation through their website (www.alata.it) so we were able to skip the line. I got a pat on the head from DH for that one. We absolutely loved San Marco at night with the dueling orchestras and most of the crowds and vendors gone for the day.
We did not ride on a gondola while we were there. We decided that it was too much to spend and we had some friends who had bad experiences. One friend was so disappointed because her gondolier chatted on his cell phone and smoked during their entire ride, and would not stop even at her request. Another was pretty upset because he had bargained for a 30 minute ride and for a mini-tour with some explanation of the sights, and ended up getting a 20 minute ride (10 minutes out and 10 minutes back) and no tour at all. Of course, we do know someone who was very lucky and loved her gondola ride. As a part of her tour group, she and her husband only paid 24E and ended up with a singing gondolier. Joyriding on the vaporetti was a highlight for us instead. We were always able to sit in the front or back for the view. We bought 24-hour passes and used them to visit Murano and Burano. Our tickets were checked a few times and we did see people getting fined. Our pass actually expired during our last ride from San Marco back to Ferrovia. We saw the conductor checking other passengers, looked at each other and looked at our expired passes. While he was fining another couple, we jumped off at the Rialto stop. We figured we could try explaining that our pass had been valid when we had first sat down, but decided that the walk would be alot easier. Riding a gondola will definitely be something that we will have to experience on our next trip.
We did get some small Murano glass souvenirs for home, but what I really coveted were the beautiful lamps. I wish we had found the perfect one, but I am extremely picky and I did not want to spend too much time inside the stores. Something else for next time!
Our daytrip to Verona was definitely a wonderful surprise. There are a few sights, but the major attraction of Verona for me and DH was the town itself. We took the train and then a bus to the city center. We had a very relaxing day strolling and a huge delicious lunch. I highly recommend this little daytrip.
One gelato tidbit - the best we had in Venice was a recommendation from Sandra Gustafson's Great Eats book near San Marco. I can highly recommend the nocciolato and the fiord?latte which were heaven.
For a fast, good, and cheap meal in the Cannaregio, DH and I really liked Brek. Towards the front of the restaurant are panninis and pizza which are good for a fast snack, and in the back is a cafeteria style eatery. I thought the pastas were actually very good and we liked the salad bar too. Beer and wine were very inexpensive as well. It is a good place when you just want a simple meal without paying much. One time, DH was waiting to order his pasta (which they make in front of you) and he struck up a conversation with another couple. I asked him who he'd been yukking it up with, and he told me that they were American too, and were commiserating on how expensive it is being a tourist and how much they loved Brek. They were also laughing about how they had eaten at Brek in Florence and Rome as well
Now...the reason it was good staying in Cannaregio...The night before our last day, we asked the manager if we could settle the bill since we had to leave very early in the morning to catch our 4:40 AM bus at Piazzale Roma to San Marco Polo airport. I also asked about borrowing an alarm clock, since we had forgotten to pack one and there wasn't one provided in the room. The manager assured me that they would be able to knock at the door at 4AM to wake us up. He even joked with DH that he would send over a beautiful woman to wake him with a kiss. Well, we tried to sleep but that night the din from outside was incredible. I tossed and turned but was finally able to fall asleep. When I woke, I checked the time on our digital camera and it was 4:20 AM. We threw on our clothes, ran down, threw the key at the sleeping concierge, and sprinted to Piazzale Roma. We were on the bus at 4:35 AM. The bus left EARLY at 4:38 AM ? we couldn?t believe it. If we had been there four measly minutes later, we would have said to ourselves, "Whew! We made it with one minute to spare!" and then waited and waited since the next bus does not arrive for another hour. Anyway, we made it to the airport in plenty of time to check-in for our 7 AM flight to Paris.
Venice ended up being my favorite city in Italy. There are definitely cons with the crowds and the Disneyland tourism of it, but you can?t deny how beautiful it is! Venice is a city I can see myself returning to again and again.
Next installment, Paris.
May 28th, 2004, 06:20 PM
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Wonderful report, Wendy! You took me back thru my "now favorite city," Venezia. Looking forward to hearing about my second favorite, Paris. Sounds like you had a wonderful trip in Venice, and I'm so glad to hear/read it.
Continue on.....
Continue on.....
May 28th, 2004, 07:12 PM
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Wendy,
I'm enjoying your delightful trip report. I too love Venice and am planning another trip there, so appreciate your recommendations.
Any other suggestions for good, but not expensive restaurants?
I relate to your story about ALMOST missing the bus to make your flight...we MISSED our flight out of Malaga and as much as I love Spain, it's not fun missing a flight!
Looking forward to your report on Paris.
I'm enjoying your delightful trip report. I too love Venice and am planning another trip there, so appreciate your recommendations.
Any other suggestions for good, but not expensive restaurants?
I relate to your story about ALMOST missing the bus to make your flight...we MISSED our flight out of Malaga and as much as I love Spain, it's not fun missing a flight!
Looking forward to your report on Paris.
May 29th, 2004, 02:48 AM
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Wendy
I got a huge chuckle from your comment about your husband getting hives in retail stores unless there is golf stuff inside. It reminded me of the time we went car shopping. By the end of the day, in a complete reversal of roles, I was begging, begging to go home....
Glad to find a fellow lover of Brek, I was starting to feel quite guilty about my love of this chain...
I got a huge chuckle from your comment about your husband getting hives in retail stores unless there is golf stuff inside. It reminded me of the time we went car shopping. By the end of the day, in a complete reversal of roles, I was begging, begging to go home....
Glad to find a fellow lover of Brek, I was starting to feel quite guilty about my love of this chain...
May 30th, 2004, 04:38 PM
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Thank you all for the kind words!
Artlover - DH and I are not foodies at all and I honestly cannot remember specifics of any of the restaurants we ate at in Venice. We chose randomly on where we were and what the menu looked like. I did look through the Great Eats Italy book but the one time we tried to use it for dinner, we struck out and couldn't find the restaurants she recommended and just gave up. Sorry that I couldn't be of more help!
Paris...We flew from Venice's San Marco Polo airport to Paris Orly via Volareweb which couldn't have been easier. I had considered taking an overnight train, but after calculating costs including saving one night's hotel, it was still cheaper to fly. After our morning sprint from the hotel to catch our bus, I slept like a brick through the entire flight. On arriving at Orly, we bought tickets for the Orlybus and a carnet to get to the RER and reached our apartment in the Marais very easily. We later got two Carte Orange passes without any problem at all even though we are very obviously not locals, which was made even more evident after I attempted French We rented a small apartment through Rentparis.com and were met by the manager who showed us how to use the cable, kitchen appliances, washing machine, etc. We liked the apartment, even though it wasn?t quite as charming as the one in Florence, it fit our needs and was very reasonably priced. It looked exactly like the pictures on the website, so there were no surprises.
The Pompidou Center was right by our apartment and the square was always bristling with energy. On our first day, there was an enthusiastic crowd watching a mix of old and young French women belly dancing in traditional costumes. There was a balding chubby Chinese guy with a guitar belting out "Pretty Woman" and a gorgeous young French woman dancing along with him. We ended up seeing him with his guitar a few times during our stay And of course, there were all the people milling about or sitting at the cafes watching all the action. Walking along further, we stumbled onto a classical string quartet! I kept squeezing DH?s arm, so excited to be in a city that was so alive. We continued to wander and found ourselves walking along the Seine as the sun was setting. I loved seeing the groups of people picnicking with their friends along the bridges. We did see one Romeo alone on his blanket with two glasses and a bottle of wine, lit candles, staring at his cell phone...waiting. I like to tell myself that she ran and met him after we were already gone.
We visited the Eiffel Tower at night and it was simply magnificent. We went to the gardens for the view and I spied one guy crouching and bending trying to get the best shots of the tower and his girlfriend. This guy obviously knew what it took to get a good picture, and he was using a digi cam, so I pushed DH over and made him ask him to take our picture. We ended up taking a ton of pictures for them and vice-versa, we were laughing so hard and had so much fun. We actually said good-bye but then the sparklers went on and we ended up finding each other again and had round-2! The funny thing is that we had no problems communicating even though the gentleman was French, his girlfriend was Vietnamese, and we all spoke in English and just had the greatest time. I am very grateful to the couple, to who we must thank for the perfect shot of me and DH in front of the Eiffel Tower at its most beautiful.
One of the other highlights of our stay was our night at the Opera Garnier. We were able to get tickets for the same day and saw a ballet production of Giselle. We had the most amazing seats, sitting center in the first row of box seats. The French couple sharing the box with us also made a point of telling us to not miss viewing the salon which had just re-opened. I guess it was pretty obvious that we were first-timers as we were gawking at the Chagall ceiling and the rest of the opera house during the intermission. It was a magical night and something I will always cherish!
The Galeries Lafayette, which is right next to the Garnier, was a great place to wander and escape the heat of the afternoon. There is a gorgeous ceiling that had quite a few tourists taking pictures. It is also a good place to find a perfume. I actually liked how no one bothered me while I took my time to try out all the L'Artisan and Annick Goutal scents. There is also a wonderful gourmet grocery store that is a great place to pick up little souvenirs for home.
To say the museums were a highlight is a huge understatement. We visited the Louvre on two separate occasions and while that was DH's favorite, mine was the Musee d'Orsay. At the Orsay, there is a terrace next to the museum restaurant that is a perfect spot for lunch. Of course, the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay are must-dos, but I found the Pompidou a refreshing break from all the serious art. We walked around the Pompidou, stroking our chins and nodding, trying not to laugh...though we did love the Kandinskys and Miro exhibit. We almost got kicked out of the Pompidou though. We sat down at the computers in the multimedia area, where visitors are supposed to surf through the Pompidou website, but DH found a way to open up internet explorer instead. We were horrid and started checking our email. After ten minutes, the docent told us to finish our email and leave! I was so embarrassed...thank goodness we were the only people there.
At Versailles, I was so disappointed because the Hall of Mirrors was under construction! There was a sign explaining that the replacement of the floors would not be finished until June. I did like visiting the Hamlet - there was this little donkey who you could feed grass and he was so adorable and loved the attention. I loved the idea of a queen coming here to live the idyllic life of a peasant, with her servants farming the land and serving her hand and foot. When we left the gardens, it was fun walking in the town of Versailles outside of the palace. There were a lot of cute shops and restaurants/ice cream parlors.
For the some of the best views of Paris, we liked climbing Notre Dame during the day and the Arc at night. The Arc was particularly nice because it did not close until 23:00 and you have beautiful views of the Champs Elysees and the Eiffel Tower. It is a very romantic place to see the city of light at night.
As for that famous French attitude, we did not encounter any rudeness at all during our stay. In contrast to what we might have expected, everyone was lovely. For example, during one stop at a bakery in the afternoon to pick up pastries for the next morning, the shop girl threw in extra croissants just because. I have to admit I stopped trying to speak French because everyone would respond in English and I never was made to feel badly about it. There was one time I was being an obnoxious American and it ended up being a very good thing! We were standing in the long line to climb the tower of Notre Dame and I noticed another couple who were able to cut the line. I exclaimed to DH, "They must have slipped someone a 20!" He pinched me and only said, "SHHHH!" Anyway, it ended up being the catalyst for conversation with the people who were standing in line with us! We met the loveliest Dutch couple and another tourist who happened to not live very far from us!
Paris was a wonderful place to end our 3-week adventure. I adore this city for its beauty, romance, and history. It always seemed there was something wonderful just around the corner. I also loved how multicultural the city is and it reminded me of home. I wish very much that I could have learned French before I went, not because it would have been convenient, but because it is just such a beautiful language. I marveled at all the little kids of all different nationalities speaking French...even in their baby voices it sounded so elegant! The art was the major attraction for DH and we definitely put our 3-day Museum passes to work. However, the days where we didn't have our passes were some of my favorite because we had time to wander, sit at the cafes and window shop. My only regret is that we did not have time to have tea at Laduree and get to try the macaroons. And as I like to say, next time!!
Miscellaneous thoughts on our time in Italy and Paris...
Safety... Right before I left, my cousin freaked me out about his stories of the pickpockets in Italy. Even though he was never actually robbed, he was amazed at all the skillful attempts. He had trekked through Italy during the winter and said even with his thick leather coat on, he did feel the hands of pickpockets in unexpected places. He did say, "If you?re robbed or lose your passport, don?t let it ruin your trip and just think about it as part of the experience of being abroad," which I thought was a great travel attitude to have.
DH and I are very grateful that we never encountered the slightest problems with pickpockets or thieves during our vacation. The closest thing we came to robbery was what some places were charging for a cold soda. If the hotel we were staying in did not have a safe, we would wear our money belts. DH put his wallet in his front pocket most of the time. Those were the only precautions we took. I did notice how some other tourists made themselves easy targets. Standing in the line to get into St. Peter's, I noticed a girl with a backpack-style purse which was unzipped with her bright red wallet in plain view. I was going to say something, but DH kept yanking me back. Finally, she noticed on her own and zipped up her bag. I would say there were no times that I felt unsafe. Only once on the metro in Paris, some guy pulled on my hair to get my attention, but DH put the kibosh on that but quick! He got off on the next stop.
Public transportation...In every city that we visited, we always took the public transportation without any problems. In the Rick Steves books for Italy, there was always useful information about key bus routes that we found very helpful. I always relied on the people near me on the bus to ask when to get off closest to my destination. I found this to be the easiest way and people were always friendly and helpful.
The trains were very easy to use and with plenty of overhead space on the Eurostar to accommodate luggage. The overhead space on the train was similar to that available on a typical airplane. We would usually board the train 20 minutes before it left and this helped on our ride from Florence to Venice as the overhead space and space between seats filled up quickly. People who couldn't find space within the cabin would have just placed their bags at the luggage area at the end of the car. The Eurostar trains will announce your stop in plenty of time for you to gather your belongings and hop off. The IR trains that we used to visit Verona did not, but it was not a big problem and we just kept an eye out for our stop.
Packing...We packed VERY light and though it was actually DH who thought we should have brought a bigger suitcase, we never missed the extra space. Since we took public transportation almost everywhere, including trains, buses and the RER with our luggage, it was essential having traveled light. We did wash socks and some uwear with detergent that I brought in our hotel rooms, and we were able to dry them very quickly by hanging them on the heaters in the bathroom. The washer/dryer at the apartment in Paris was a waste of time. After washing the clothes, half of them were not even wet. After drying the clothes, everything was completely soaked. Sigh...
I am very glad that I brought my Longchamps nylon tote. It was perfect because it folded down to the size of a T-shirt and I used it when we went to open-air markets and to hold our picnic items. I also used it at the end of our trip to hold some of the gifts we bought onto the plane.
Clothing...Paris and Italy are certainly stylish and fashionable overall, but not necessarily that much more so than say San Francisco or NYC. It's not like when you flip through Italian Vogue versus the US version there are major style differences. What is hot in the US, like pointy flats or ruffle mini-skirts, are hot in Europe too. Popular stores in Europe, like H&M and Zara, are popular in the US too. And of course, what is classic and timeless in the US, like a chic scarf or bag, are classic and timeless in Europe as well.
Ultimately, I think it is more important to be comfortable but at the same time, I do not feel at ease when I am dressed sloppily. For me, the number one thing was to find stylish and comfortable shoes. I have very ouchy feet, so sandals were out. I was really happy with a pair of black ballet flats that were perfect because they had sporty rubber soles so they were very comfortable but also presentable. For casual outings, I did wear my favorite designer jeans and I never felt out of place. As long as your jeans are flattering and fashionable they are fine. I saw lots of cute capri pants and summery skirts on women in Paris. Bring clothes for cold and hot weather. For us, there were times it was rainy in Florence, but it ended up being quite sunny and warm in Paris. I wish I had remembered to bring my pashmina, which I saw on women everywhere. I made do with a black cardigan and a khaki trench coat for the colder days.
DH's typical daily outfit was dark khaki pants and a polo shirt or casual dress shirt. On travel days he wore his jeans. He took two pairs of shoes, one pair of black loafers and a pair of athletic shoes. I do not follow trends in men's fashion but one I noticed on stylish guys everywhere were really cool white leather athletic loafers! They kind of remind me of soccer or wrestling shoes, but I don't think anyone buys them to play sports in. They were sleek, with detailed stitching and usually had a small splash of color - usually in the form of a discreet logo. They looked great with jeans.
Fake Bags...Fake Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags are everywhere in Italy and Paris. Personally, I do not buy these bags for myself but I don't have a problem with people who do. However, these ubiquitous bags were really the most horrible and lowest quality fakes I have ever seen and it was almost always a tourist carrying one. If you buy a fake bag here, at least know what the real thing looks like so you don?t end up buying a bag that screams "fake"! I thought the worst offenders were the imitation Murakami Louis Vuitton multi-color bags. Ghastly. Although it sounds like an oxymoron, spend more to get a quality fake or better yet, forget labels altogether and just get a purse that you like.
Picnicking...DH and I loved going to the open-air markets, bakeries and grocery stores to assemble our picnic lunches. I thought it was a great way to save a little money and it was always fun eating outside. Sandwiches would usually consist of prosciutto and arugula on focaccia or a baguette. We don't drink alcohol so we usually had iced tea. There was this wonderful mango-passionfruit iced tea that I hope I can find here at home. Depending on what looked good at the market or what was recommended to us we would get some fresh fruit, like blood oranges or a little tub of grape tomatoes. In Paris, we liked those little glass jars of yogurt that they sell in the grocery store and were very convenient. And dessert was usually small pastries or cookies from the bakery. And when we were in Italy we would always supplement our picnics with gelato! I miss it very much.
That's it! I had so much fun re-living my trip by writing out this report and hope it helps someone else in their own planning. Thank you so much for reading!
Artlover - DH and I are not foodies at all and I honestly cannot remember specifics of any of the restaurants we ate at in Venice. We chose randomly on where we were and what the menu looked like. I did look through the Great Eats Italy book but the one time we tried to use it for dinner, we struck out and couldn't find the restaurants she recommended and just gave up. Sorry that I couldn't be of more help!
Paris...We flew from Venice's San Marco Polo airport to Paris Orly via Volareweb which couldn't have been easier. I had considered taking an overnight train, but after calculating costs including saving one night's hotel, it was still cheaper to fly. After our morning sprint from the hotel to catch our bus, I slept like a brick through the entire flight. On arriving at Orly, we bought tickets for the Orlybus and a carnet to get to the RER and reached our apartment in the Marais very easily. We later got two Carte Orange passes without any problem at all even though we are very obviously not locals, which was made even more evident after I attempted French
We rented a small apartment through Rentparis.com and were met by the manager who showed us how to use the cable, kitchen appliances, washing machine, etc. We liked the apartment, even though it wasn?t quite as charming as the one in Florence, it fit our needs and was very reasonably priced. It looked exactly like the pictures on the website, so there were no surprises. The Pompidou Center was right by our apartment and the square was always bristling with energy. On our first day, there was an enthusiastic crowd watching a mix of old and young French women belly dancing in traditional costumes. There was a balding chubby Chinese guy with a guitar belting out "Pretty Woman" and a gorgeous young French woman dancing along with him. We ended up seeing him with his guitar a few times during our stay
And of course, there were all the people milling about or sitting at the cafes watching all the action. Walking along further, we stumbled onto a classical string quartet! I kept squeezing DH?s arm, so excited to be in a city that was so alive. We continued to wander and found ourselves walking along the Seine as the sun was setting. I loved seeing the groups of people picnicking with their friends along the bridges. We did see one Romeo alone on his blanket with two glasses and a bottle of wine, lit candles, staring at his cell phone...waiting. I like to tell myself that she ran and met him after we were already gone.We visited the Eiffel Tower at night and it was simply magnificent. We went to the gardens for the view and I spied one guy crouching and bending trying to get the best shots of the tower and his girlfriend. This guy obviously knew what it took to get a good picture, and he was using a digi cam, so I pushed DH over and made him ask him to take our picture. We ended up taking a ton of pictures for them and vice-versa, we were laughing so hard and had so much fun. We actually said good-bye but then the sparklers went on and we ended up finding each other again and had round-2! The funny thing is that we had no problems communicating even though the gentleman was French, his girlfriend was Vietnamese, and we all spoke in English and just had the greatest time. I am very grateful to the couple, to who we must thank for the perfect shot of me and DH in front of the Eiffel Tower at its most beautiful.
One of the other highlights of our stay was our night at the Opera Garnier. We were able to get tickets for the same day and saw a ballet production of Giselle. We had the most amazing seats, sitting center in the first row of box seats. The French couple sharing the box with us also made a point of telling us to not miss viewing the salon which had just re-opened. I guess it was pretty obvious that we were first-timers as we were gawking at the Chagall ceiling and the rest of the opera house during the intermission. It was a magical night and something I will always cherish!
The Galeries Lafayette, which is right next to the Garnier, was a great place to wander and escape the heat of the afternoon. There is a gorgeous ceiling that had quite a few tourists taking pictures. It is also a good place to find a perfume. I actually liked how no one bothered me while I took my time to try out all the L'Artisan and Annick Goutal scents. There is also a wonderful gourmet grocery store that is a great place to pick up little souvenirs for home.
To say the museums were a highlight is a huge understatement. We visited the Louvre on two separate occasions and while that was DH's favorite, mine was the Musee d'Orsay. At the Orsay, there is a terrace next to the museum restaurant that is a perfect spot for lunch. Of course, the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay are must-dos, but I found the Pompidou a refreshing break from all the serious art. We walked around the Pompidou, stroking our chins and nodding, trying not to laugh...though we did love the Kandinskys and Miro exhibit. We almost got kicked out of the Pompidou though. We sat down at the computers in the multimedia area, where visitors are supposed to surf through the Pompidou website, but DH found a way to open up internet explorer instead. We were horrid and started checking our email. After ten minutes, the docent told us to finish our email and leave! I was so embarrassed...thank goodness we were the only people there.
At Versailles, I was so disappointed because the Hall of Mirrors was under construction! There was a sign explaining that the replacement of the floors would not be finished until June. I did like visiting the Hamlet - there was this little donkey who you could feed grass and he was so adorable and loved the attention. I loved the idea of a queen coming here to live the idyllic life of a peasant, with her servants farming the land and serving her hand and foot. When we left the gardens, it was fun walking in the town of Versailles outside of the palace. There were a lot of cute shops and restaurants/ice cream parlors.
For the some of the best views of Paris, we liked climbing Notre Dame during the day and the Arc at night. The Arc was particularly nice because it did not close until 23:00 and you have beautiful views of the Champs Elysees and the Eiffel Tower. It is a very romantic place to see the city of light at night.
As for that famous French attitude, we did not encounter any rudeness at all during our stay. In contrast to what we might have expected, everyone was lovely. For example, during one stop at a bakery in the afternoon to pick up pastries for the next morning, the shop girl threw in extra croissants just because. I have to admit I stopped trying to speak French because everyone would respond in English and I never was made to feel badly about it. There was one time I was being an obnoxious American and it ended up being a very good thing! We were standing in the long line to climb the tower of Notre Dame and I noticed another couple who were able to cut the line. I exclaimed to DH, "They must have slipped someone a 20!" He pinched me and only said, "SHHHH!" Anyway, it ended up being the catalyst for conversation with the people who were standing in line with us! We met the loveliest Dutch couple and another tourist who happened to not live very far from us!
Paris was a wonderful place to end our 3-week adventure. I adore this city for its beauty, romance, and history. It always seemed there was something wonderful just around the corner. I also loved how multicultural the city is and it reminded me of home. I wish very much that I could have learned French before I went, not because it would have been convenient, but because it is just such a beautiful language. I marveled at all the little kids of all different nationalities speaking French...even in their baby voices it sounded so elegant! The art was the major attraction for DH and we definitely put our 3-day Museum passes to work. However, the days where we didn't have our passes were some of my favorite because we had time to wander, sit at the cafes and window shop. My only regret is that we did not have time to have tea at Laduree and get to try the macaroons. And as I like to say, next time!!
Miscellaneous thoughts on our time in Italy and Paris...
Safety... Right before I left, my cousin freaked me out about his stories of the pickpockets in Italy. Even though he was never actually robbed, he was amazed at all the skillful attempts. He had trekked through Italy during the winter and said even with his thick leather coat on, he did feel the hands of pickpockets in unexpected places. He did say, "If you?re robbed or lose your passport, don?t let it ruin your trip and just think about it as part of the experience of being abroad," which I thought was a great travel attitude to have.
DH and I are very grateful that we never encountered the slightest problems with pickpockets or thieves during our vacation. The closest thing we came to robbery was what some places were charging for a cold soda. If the hotel we were staying in did not have a safe, we would wear our money belts. DH put his wallet in his front pocket most of the time. Those were the only precautions we took. I did notice how some other tourists made themselves easy targets. Standing in the line to get into St. Peter's, I noticed a girl with a backpack-style purse which was unzipped with her bright red wallet in plain view. I was going to say something, but DH kept yanking me back. Finally, she noticed on her own and zipped up her bag. I would say there were no times that I felt unsafe. Only once on the metro in Paris, some guy pulled on my hair to get my attention, but DH put the kibosh on that but quick! He got off on the next stop.
Public transportation...In every city that we visited, we always took the public transportation without any problems. In the Rick Steves books for Italy, there was always useful information about key bus routes that we found very helpful. I always relied on the people near me on the bus to ask when to get off closest to my destination. I found this to be the easiest way and people were always friendly and helpful.
The trains were very easy to use and with plenty of overhead space on the Eurostar to accommodate luggage. The overhead space on the train was similar to that available on a typical airplane. We would usually board the train 20 minutes before it left and this helped on our ride from Florence to Venice as the overhead space and space between seats filled up quickly. People who couldn't find space within the cabin would have just placed their bags at the luggage area at the end of the car. The Eurostar trains will announce your stop in plenty of time for you to gather your belongings and hop off. The IR trains that we used to visit Verona did not, but it was not a big problem and we just kept an eye out for our stop.
Packing...We packed VERY light and though it was actually DH who thought we should have brought a bigger suitcase, we never missed the extra space. Since we took public transportation almost everywhere, including trains, buses and the RER with our luggage, it was essential having traveled light. We did wash socks and some uwear with detergent that I brought in our hotel rooms, and we were able to dry them very quickly by hanging them on the heaters in the bathroom. The washer/dryer at the apartment in Paris was a waste of time. After washing the clothes, half of them were not even wet. After drying the clothes, everything was completely soaked. Sigh...
I am very glad that I brought my Longchamps nylon tote. It was perfect because it folded down to the size of a T-shirt and I used it when we went to open-air markets and to hold our picnic items. I also used it at the end of our trip to hold some of the gifts we bought onto the plane.
Clothing...Paris and Italy are certainly stylish and fashionable overall, but not necessarily that much more so than say San Francisco or NYC. It's not like when you flip through Italian Vogue versus the US version there are major style differences. What is hot in the US, like pointy flats or ruffle mini-skirts, are hot in Europe too. Popular stores in Europe, like H&M and Zara, are popular in the US too. And of course, what is classic and timeless in the US, like a chic scarf or bag, are classic and timeless in Europe as well.
Ultimately, I think it is more important to be comfortable but at the same time, I do not feel at ease when I am dressed sloppily. For me, the number one thing was to find stylish and comfortable shoes. I have very ouchy feet, so sandals were out. I was really happy with a pair of black ballet flats that were perfect because they had sporty rubber soles so they were very comfortable but also presentable. For casual outings, I did wear my favorite designer jeans and I never felt out of place. As long as your jeans are flattering and fashionable they are fine. I saw lots of cute capri pants and summery skirts on women in Paris. Bring clothes for cold and hot weather. For us, there were times it was rainy in Florence, but it ended up being quite sunny and warm in Paris. I wish I had remembered to bring my pashmina, which I saw on women everywhere. I made do with a black cardigan and a khaki trench coat for the colder days.
DH's typical daily outfit was dark khaki pants and a polo shirt or casual dress shirt. On travel days he wore his jeans. He took two pairs of shoes, one pair of black loafers and a pair of athletic shoes. I do not follow trends in men's fashion but one I noticed on stylish guys everywhere were really cool white leather athletic loafers! They kind of remind me of soccer or wrestling shoes, but I don't think anyone buys them to play sports in. They were sleek, with detailed stitching and usually had a small splash of color - usually in the form of a discreet logo. They looked great with jeans.
Fake Bags...Fake Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags are everywhere in Italy and Paris. Personally, I do not buy these bags for myself but I don't have a problem with people who do. However, these ubiquitous bags were really the most horrible and lowest quality fakes I have ever seen and it was almost always a tourist carrying one. If you buy a fake bag here, at least know what the real thing looks like so you don?t end up buying a bag that screams "fake"! I thought the worst offenders were the imitation Murakami Louis Vuitton multi-color bags. Ghastly. Although it sounds like an oxymoron, spend more to get a quality fake or better yet, forget labels altogether and just get a purse that you like.
Picnicking...DH and I loved going to the open-air markets, bakeries and grocery stores to assemble our picnic lunches. I thought it was a great way to save a little money and it was always fun eating outside. Sandwiches would usually consist of prosciutto and arugula on focaccia or a baguette. We don't drink alcohol so we usually had iced tea. There was this wonderful mango-passionfruit iced tea that I hope I can find here at home. Depending on what looked good at the market or what was recommended to us we would get some fresh fruit, like blood oranges or a little tub of grape tomatoes. In Paris, we liked those little glass jars of yogurt that they sell in the grocery store and were very convenient. And dessert was usually small pastries or cookies from the bakery. And when we were in Italy we would always supplement our picnics with gelato! I miss it very much.
That's it! I had so much fun re-living my trip by writing out this report and hope it helps someone else in their own planning. Thank you so much for reading!
May 30th, 2004, 06:17 PM
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Wendy,
I loved reading your report. We just got back from Rome, Florence, Munich and Vienna about 2 months ago and reading your report on Florence and Rome brought back all kinds of great memories. Your report also makes me wish we would have included Venice in our trip!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Tracy
I loved reading your report. We just got back from Rome, Florence, Munich and Vienna about 2 months ago and reading your report on Florence and Rome brought back all kinds of great memories. Your report also makes me wish we would have included Venice in our trip!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Tracy
