THERE ARE TWO COUPLES WHO ARE SPENDING FOUR DAYS IN FLORENCE AND THEN THOUGHT WE WOULD HEAD NORTH BY TRAIN (COOLER) THE FIRST WEEK IN JULY. LOOKING FOR WONDERFUL PLACES TO SPEND MAYBE 2 NIGHTS IN ONE PLACE AND TWO IN THE NEXT PLACE....ANY IDEAS FROM YOU SEASONED TRAVELERS??? HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, MUST SEES, ETC!!!!! <BR>

Hi Kay, <BR>You might consider going to Cremona,home of Stradivari and a beautiful museum displaying his violins and others also. In the old village there are violin makers plying their craft and I found them axious to show their beautiful instruments. There are several other museums as well as many concerts. <BR> <BR>Another town you might consider is Vencenza. Went to the Teatro Olympia which was very interesting. <BR>Padua is another place to consider the town itself is not to appealing as a whole, but there is the Giotto Chapel which is wonderful and the grounds around it are beautiful. <BR>Of course Verona is delightful. <BR>Bon voyage, <BR>Joy <BR>

Good afternoon, Kay <BR>My vote would be for #1 Bologna due to <BR>its many reasonable ristorantes, its a <BR>short train trip north of Firenze. It <BR>is a different city as to others in IT, however interesting. We have used the <BR>Hotel Roma in the past and it has some <BR>excellant med. priced ristorantes. <BR># 2 San Marino, use this is a very touristy town, but has some good hotels <BR>and good ristorantes and is in a very <BR>beautiful location. We have used the <BR>Hotel Titano a number of times in the <BR>past, I will include below some url's to <BR>check out, any questions, contact me. <BR>Richard of Hickory Hills, IL&gt;... <BR>http://www.hotelguide.ch/-----www.ho.../bologna/----- <BR>http://www.smart.it/bologna/-----www...ww.omniway.sm/ Good surfing.

Good afternoon, Kay <BR>My vote would be for #1 Bologna due to <BR>its many reasonable ristorantes, its a <BR>short train trip north of Firenze. It <BR>is a different city as to others in IT, however interesting. We have used the <BR>Hotel Roma in the past and it has some <BR>excellant med. priced ristorantes. <BR># 2 San Marino, use this is a very touristy town, but has some good hotels <BR>and good ristorantes and is in a very <BR>beautiful location. We have used the <BR>Hotel Titano a number of times in the <BR>past, I will include below some url's to <BR>check out, any questions, contact me. <BR>Richard of Hickory Hills, IL&gt;... <BR>http://www.hotelguide.ch/-----www.ho.../bologna/----- <BR>http://www.smart.it/bologna/-----www...ww.omniway.sm/ Good surfing.

Good afternoon, Kay <BR>My vote would be for #1 Bologna due to <BR>its many reasonable ristorantes, its a <BR>short train trip north of Firenze. It <BR>is a different city as to others in IT, however interesting. We have used the <BR>Hotel Roma in the past and it has some <BR>excellant med. priced ristorantes. <BR># 2 San Marino, use this is a very touristy town, but has some good hotels <BR>and good ristorantes and is in a very <BR>beautiful location. We have used the <BR>Hotel Titano a number of times in the <BR>past, I will include below some url's to <BR>check out, any questions, contact me. <BR>Richard of Hickory Hills, IL&gt;... <BR>http://www.hotelguide.ch/-----www.ho.../bologna/----- <BR>http://www.smart.it/bologna/-----www...ww.omniway.sm/ Good surfing.

Good afternoon, Kay <BR>My vote would be for #1 Bologna due to <BR>its many reasonable ristorantes, its a <BR>short train trip north of Firenze. It <BR>is a different city as to others in IT, however interesting. We have used the <BR>Hotel Roma in the past and it has some <BR>excellant med. priced ristorantes. <BR># 2 San Marino, use this is a very touristy town, but has some good hotels <BR>and good ristorantes and is in a very <BR>beautiful location. We have used the <BR>Hotel Titano a number of times in the <BR>past, I will include below some url's to <BR>check out, any questions, contact me. <BR>Richard of Hickory Hills, IL&gt;... <BR>http://www.hotelguide.ch/-----www.ho.../bologna/----- <BR>http://www.smart.it/bologna/-----www...ww.omniway.sm/ Good surfing.

Good afternoon, Kay <BR>My vote would be for #1 Bologna due to <BR>its many reasonable ristorantes, its a <BR>short train trip north of Firenze. It <BR>is a different city as to others in IT, however interesting. We have used the <BR>Hotel Roma in the past and it has some <BR>excellant med. priced ristorantes. <BR># 2 San Marino, use this is a very touristy town, but has some good hotels <BR>and good ristorantes and is in a very <BR>beautiful location. We have used the <BR>Hotel Titano a number of times in the <BR>past, I will include below some url's to <BR>check out, any questions, contact me. <BR>Richard of Hickory Hills, IL&gt;... <BR>http://www.hotelguide.ch/-----www.ho.../bologna/----- <BR>http://www.smart.it/bologna/-----www...ww.omniway.sm/ Good surfing.

One place that might be considered is Montegrotto Terme, just south of Padua. Montegrotto, together with Abano, constitue the famed Therme Euganae center. Montegrotto, by itself, isn't interesting at all, but ... <BR> <BR>July is super low season there, meaning that you would be able to get a double in a fully A/C resort hotel (not only the rooms are A/C), with several pools, restaurant, etc., for about US 100. You may use it as a very confortable base to visit Padua (15-20 minutes), Venice (45-60 minutes), Ferrara (40 minutes), Vicenza (50 minutes). Even Verona (80 minutes) might be considered for a day trip. <BR> <BR>I don't remember the name of the hotel we stayed on Via Stazione ... leave the train station to your right and walk to the first hotel (about 300 mts on your right). You don't need reservations ... the hotel will be empty. Bargain the rate (if they ask you more than Lit 160,000 say you're going to look for something cheaper). <BR> <BR>If this scheme doesn't seduce you ... you may consider: <BR>* 2 nights each in Bologna and Ferrara. Ravenna and Modena are easy day trips, respectively, from Ferrara and Bologna. <BR>* 2 nights each in Verona (or Lake Garda) and Padua (visit Vicenza on a day trip) or somewhere in the Dolomiti <BR>* ... <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>

One place that might be considered is Montegrotto Terme, just south of Padua. Montegrotto, together with Abano, constitue the famed Therme Euganae center. Montegrotto, by itself, isn't interesting at all, but ... <BR> <BR>July is super low season there, meaning that you would be able to get a double in a fully A/C resort hotel (not only the rooms are A/C), with several pools, restaurant, etc., for about US 100. You may use it as a very confortable base to visit Padua (15-20 minutes), Venice (45-60 minutes), Ferrara (40 minutes), Vicenza (50 minutes). Even Verona (80 minutes) might be considered for a day trip. <BR> <BR>I don't remember the name of the hotel we stayed on Via Stazione ... leave the train station to your right and walk to the first hotel (about 300 mts on your right). You don't need reservations ... the hotel will be empty. Bargain the rate (if they ask you more than Lit 160,000 say you're going to look for something cheaper). <BR> <BR>If this scheme doesn't seduce you ... you may consider: <BR>* 2 nights each in Bologna and Ferrara. Ravenna and Modena are easy day trips, respectively, from Ferrara and Bologna. <BR>* 2 nights each in Verona (or Lake Garda) and Padua (visit Vicenza on a day trip) or somewhere in the Dolomiti <BR>* ... <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>

<BR>Try the Casentino region near Florence. You can take a bus to Ponte a Poppi, and go up the hill. There is a wonderful old fashioned hotel there (You can find it on the net by doing a word search under Poppi, or the same under hotels in Italy). There is a castello there of the Guidi family which you will recognize a repro from Florence. You can also go to Arezzo by train, then take the local to Poppi and take a taxi up the hill. <BR> <BR>The Casentino area is not a popular tourist area. It is quiet and cool. We used blankets in AUGUST. The views into the valley are incredible. There are little towns like Stia which has wonderful food, and the Camaldoli monestary founded before William invaded Normandy. <BR> <BR>Arezzo is interesting too. You can visit the home of the first great art historian, Vasari, and see tons of Piero della Francesco. <BR> <BR>Enjoy!