Italy

Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: Beautiful scenery, good food, kind people! We stayed at the Albergo Marina in Monterosso which was fine except for the very hard bed (however, it seems to be the norm across Europe). I suggest doing the hike between all 5 towns, however if you have knee problems, SKIP the hikes between Monterosso, Vernazza, and Corniglia- there are many, many steep stairs! In Monterosso, the lobster pasta at Miky's restaurant is wonderful.

Vanessa Bauders in Wiesbaden, Germany 09/05/2008

Best: Angel Tours-Vatican
Why: Our tour guide Kenneth was amazing. Knowledgeable with a wee bit of irreverence which made our tour SO great! I noticed other tour groups listening in, probably because their tour guide was too boring and we were having such a good time! Although it was crowded, we never had to wait in line; Kenneth guided us through all the high points. I'm sorry I didn't book all my tours with Angel Tours. They are a great find!

Deborah Webster in Rancho Cucamonga, CA USA 08/29/2008

Best: Piazza Navona
Why: Spending some time here after dark was AMAZING. There were musicians playing everything from folk music to a solo guitar rendition of Stairway to Heaven, beatifully-lit fountains. Dozens and dozens of artists selling their wares, and some even painting in front of a crowd.

Yuliy in Fargo, ND USA 08/25/2008

Best: Meeting the Considerate, Helpful Federica Rossi, Manager of Verona's L'Ospite
Why: Federica is deserving of some kind of special Verona-generated commendation, a kind of Chamber of Commerce award for honest and helpful business practice.

Worst:
Why: Upon arriving in Verona, my wife and I learned that Federica Rossi's L'Ospite was experiencing an auditory assault, courtesy of nearby construction work. Federica apologized for this situation, given that the work would take place just outside our room and commence early in the morning. More tellingly, Federica offered to drive us to a similarly-priced and entirely acceptable, centrally-located accommodation. Between arriving at Federica's place and our new hotel, the Relais Franciscus, Federica helped us with our luggage, saw to it that we were satisfied with the Franciscus, and, perhaps most importantly, provided us with a level of quality service that was most impressive. Bravo, Federica!

David Dillon in Westford, MA USA 08/23/2008

Best: Taormina, Sicily
Why: Perched high on a cliff, look one way and see Calabria across the Straights of Messina, or look the other way and see Mt Etna. Probably the most visually stunning place I went. It has the most dramatically set Greek Theater in Italy, has easy access to 3 incredible beaches, and is as well connected to bigger transportation hubs (Catania and Messina) as a Sicilian town can get. I liked it so much I spent 2 extra nights and would definitely choose this town over Cefalu, which I found to be quite generic and over touristed.

Worst: Bellagio
Why: I know most people probably wouldn't rank that quaint northern town in their worst experiences, but I have never seen a bigger tourist trap in my life. Culturally, it's the equivalent of visiting Disney Land. Towns in Italy that live solely off tourism I found to be quite cold, over priced, and forgettable. I stayed in Como and fell in love with the town. It's a medium sized, vibrant town that's a great home base for the area. You'll eat well for less, and be more likely to meet and interact with locals who are as excited to meet you as you are to talk with them.

Paul Rosini in Victoria, BC Canada 08/17/2008

Best: Abbey of Sant Antimo near Montalcino
Why: While in Montalcino, we went on a whim to the Abbey of Sant Antimo. 8 times daily they open their 800 year old church for a 20 minute session of prayer with Gregorian chants. Rain in S

Worst: The guidebook itself
Why: Everywhere we went, in every town, we saw these blue Rick Steves Guidebooks. Everywhere. Could you publish them in various colors? lol The guidebook is excellent!

Ray Bartley in Saint Helens, OR USA 08/16/2008

Best: "Cutting" in line at St. Mark's Square, Night Walk of Rome, Cafe music at St. Mark's
Why: We saw a line that was probably one hour long to get into the Basilica but we followed your tip about checking bags and we walked right in! We really enjoyed your Night Walk of Rome and saw several other people taking it as well--we bonded with fellow tourists while eating dinner and discovering that we were all about to leave on your guided walk. We were in Venice for our one year wedding anniversary and went to St. Mark's Square to listen to the music and have some wine--it was my favorite part of the trip.

Karen and Andy Ramroth in San Carlos, CA USA 08/15/2008

Best: Colosseum
Why: Using the Roma Pass, we breezed right in using the line on the left. All those poor souls waiting in the line on the right, in the hot hot sun. They should have read Rick Steves! The Colosseum was awesome. I recommend watching "Gladiator" before seeing this site. The movie really brings this historical site to life.

Worst: Roman Odyssey Tours
Why: We believed that by paying for a tour for the Vatican, we could avoid the lines. This tour group advertised as much, but we ended up waiting in line for over an hour, anyway. Also, they advertised a tour of everything in the Vatican, including St. Peter's Basilica. However, after going through the Sistine Chapel, our tour guide dropped us off at the Basilica door and wished us well. It was just an odd day. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable, but at one point when we got inside, he asked for all of our IDs, had us stand in line for tickets (which was an incredible zoo), then ran off somewhere and disappeared. We in the group all looked at each other, concerned that this man took off with our IDs, never to be seen again. He did, however, reappear with our tickets AND IDs. There was just a mish-mash of miscommunication and falsehoods, coupled with a good, if incomplete, tour. I would NOT recommend this touring company. I paid $132.00 for two people for this tour. I would expect a more professional organization for this amount of money.

Bess E. in Santa Rosa, CA USA 08/12/2008

Best: Siena
Why: Even though there are a lot of tourists, the town has a laid-back vibe. I spent 4 days in Florence and 3 in Siena, and if I ever go back I'd be tempted to spend the entire time there and just do day trips into Florence and nearby towns.

Suzanne in St. Paul, MN USA 08/12/2008

Best: The Dolomites
Why: The exceptional Hotel Cavallino d'Oro with friendly and helpful owners Stefan and Susanne made it so easy to find our way to Alpe di Suisi and Marinzen. Beautiful and relaxing!

Ann Doty in Juneau, AK USA 08/11/2008

Best: Hikes in the CT
Why: Beautiful scenery, and a great bit of exercise! Don't underestimate the steepness of the terrain. The trails from Vernazza to Monterossa and Corniglia require decent walking/hiking shoes. If you do not walk regularly, you may find these trails rigorous. Would have loved to hike the upper trails into the hilltop towns!

Lynn in Colbert, WA USA 08/10/2008

Best: Eiffel Tower Tips
Why: We walked up to the second floor. Paid for the lift to the third floor. As you wrote, took the lift for free all the way down. We saved for two people about Euros 9. Merci

Natalie Winslow in Monroe, WA USA 08/05/2008

Best: Train from Milano to Varenna
Why: We really appreciated the detailed description of locating the right train from Milano Centrale to Varenna, as well as the warning to be ready to exit the train during a short stop at Varenna. We were poised in the vestibule between cars with 2 other Rick Steves readers, ready to jump!

Mary Jo & Patrick in Portland, OR USA 07/29/2008

Best: Campanile of San Maggiore
Why: Very easy to take the vaporetto across to San Maggiore. The Church is interesting - I caught the end of the Gregorian mass one morning - it was only the priests and 2 tourists. No one was there, so I had the whole place to myself until shortly after 9 when an Italian family came to ride up the bell tower. So it was me and them and a 360 degree view of Venice and the lagoon all around us. It was great to see St. Mark's square from across the lagoon.

Kiera R in Redondo Beach, CA USA 07/29/2008

Best: Reply to a fake comment about Villa Margherita
Why: Good morning my name is Federico Campodonico and I own and run Hotel Villa Margherita and Levanto Rentals hereby I enclose copy of the reservation that this client made with us any other comments is not worthy:

Excellent. We will take it!!!!! We will get there on Tuesday night June 24th and check out on Thursday June 26th. It will be easy to take the train from there to Nice? We are meeting a family in Nice on Thursday. Thank you so much. We are looking forward to it!!!! Let me know what you need from me in terms of a credit card etc. Grazie!!!! Joan Muller Carlson Fairfax, CA -----Original Message----- From: Villa Margherita Levanto [mailto:villamargheritabythesea@hotmail.com] Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 11:25 PM To: joancarlson@comcast.net Subject: RE: Richiesta da Villa Margherita Buongiorno, we still have the availability of a 3 bedroom apartment located 150 meters from the beachn for the days requested. You can see photos and description of the apartment at www.levanto.net, the Admiral apartment. Daily rate is in June 180 Euro and include all the necessary for the apartment,final cleaning fees. I look forward to hearing from you. Grazie Federico Campodonico Villa Margherita by the sea Hotel B&B-Levanto Rentals Via Trento e Trieste 31,19015 Levanto (SP) Italy www.villamargherita.net www.levanto.net Tel 0187807212 As this clients posted another comment on tripadvisor with a completely different version( I replied also there) we have contacted a lawyer in California in order to protect our Hotel and our good reputation.

Federico Campodonico in Levanto, Italy 07/29/2008

Best: Pompeii
Why: The guide you recommended, Gaetano Manfredi, was outstanding. That was our first exposure to a recommendation by you in the book and it was excellent. We were always pleased with your recommendations.

Worst: Vatican Museum
Why: Too long a wait and too many people allowed into the Museum at one time. They ought to control the number of entrants in the same manner as they do at Borghese Gallery.

Gordon Cochrane in Crete, IL USA 07/23/2008

Best: Giolitti/Night Walk
Why: The gelato is phenomenal, inexpensive, and big servings. It should be a required stop on the night walk, which was also great and the directions were almost foolproof.

Worst: National Museum of Rome
Why: We used our second free entry with the Roma Pass for this because it was a "Must See" on your list, but we were disappointed. It's pretty small and expensive for what you see. Also it's mostly sculptures (10-20 per room) and very little else, so it doesn't spark an interest with everyone's tastes. The coin room was interesting and there's a mummy kind of hiding in the baseement, but I think the St. Angelo would have been a better use of our other free entry. This museum should probably lose a couple of triangles.

Anna Lee in Birmingham, AL USA 07/22/2008

Best: Il Campo- Siena
Why: Great people watching and a great way to enjoy the true Italian lifestyle. We were there 3 days prior to the July Palio and it was alive with excitement!

Lindsey in Oakland, CA USA 07/18/2008

Best: Venice
Why: One of the most unique and lovely spots on earth; Truly amazing how easy it is to get away from the tourist masses - find a little side street, piazza, or cafe next to a canal and pretend you're a local. Their Chorus Pass is great and Correr/Doge's gives one a great feel for what the Republic of Venice was all about.

Worst: Florence
Why: Sadly, Florence may be a vision into the future of Italian tourism where the emphasis is on entry fees and souvenier sales - seems like they don't even want fountain water to be free. Also, the increase in American and other students walking around with open beer bottles is starting to give Florence a Daytona Beach feel; very unfortunate.

Al Q in San Diego, CA USA 07/15/2008

Best: Ancient Rome
Why: Palatine Hill was my favorite site of the entire trip.

Worst: Accademia
Why: The statue of David was not worth the wait in line or the amount to get in. The rest of the museum was not terribly interesting.

Michelle Whorley in Kirkland, WA USA 07/14/2008

Best: Ravello, Italy and Lago Maggiore
Why: It's like visiting dream places--hardly any tourists.

Worst: Cique Terre
Why: A Disney--zoolike place full of tourists. How can you be romantic when you have to share the Via de Amore with thousands of people even on a weekday.

F. Piesiecki in Chicago, IL USA 07/12/2008

Best: Carmello Monetti Amalfi coast taxi
Why: Carmello treated my family of 4 with 2 teenage boys like his own family and showed us a wonderful day along the Amalfi coast. His "program" was perfect for us, slow, with many facts, spots of interest, many stops for photos as he knew we like to do. Lunch spot in Ravello was heavenly. Highly recommend Carmello!!

Worst: Rome guide
Why: Our guide Marc from Roman Odyssey was way too detailed (he IS knowledgable), talked non-stop, quizzed our kids to the point of annoyance and despite our guidance went way over our time limits. We missed other things in Rome because he didn't respect our time and request. After a brief comment i made he railed against us paying cash at hotels to get a discount - said that it was under the table and unethical- ironic since he only took cash and couldn't provide a receipt!

Tony Caruso in Alpharetta , GA USA 07/12/2008

Best: St. Peter-in-Chains Church, Rome
Why: We found this church only because of the guidebook and it was so breathtaking. The Moses statue and chains of St. Peter were overwhelming. I was there on Palm Sunday (while my husband ran the Rome Marathon)and it was probably my favorite sight in Rome.

Bonnie Cardow in Shalimar, FL USA 07/09/2008

Best: Rome
Why: Great food, I love the turmoil of traffic and people.

Daniel in Calexico, Ca USA 07/04/2008

Best: The people at Enoteca Sotto l'Arco (Vernazza)
Why: After failing to find a room at Albergo Barbara and Gianni Franzi, the friendly owners phoned friends until we were able to find a room. They also have lovely products, especially pestos and liqueurs! Via Roma 70

Sandy in San Bruno, CA USA 07/02/2008

Best: Murano
Why: After dealing with the hustle and bustle of Venice for a couple days, I went to Murano and Burano. In Murano, I just wanted to walk around and didn't check out the glass museum. I walked around most of Murano. In fact, also went to the cemetery on the north side. But just wandering through the quiet streets of Murano was something I couldn't get enough of. Just walkin around, seeing a couple random kids playin around. I sat at a bench at one of the intersections and can just imagine what life is like here. It made me want to stay at one of the families for a week, just to see life as an Italian.

Anthony in Irvine, CA USA 06/28/2008

Best: Pitti Palace and the Boboli/Bardini Gardens
Why: After walking all round the palace and gardens, you can find a cafe in the Bardini Gardens, sit down, have a glass or two of wine and have the best vista of Florence imaginable.

Worst: Venice and the "vaporettos" down the grand canal
Why: That was awful! They force you into the covered, seated area like we were cattle, they were rude, it was long, there is no "rapido" anymore and the vaporetto would bang on both sides of the canal for "stops" for drop off/pick up.

Ana Miner in Novato, CA USA 06/26/2008

Best: Monetti taxi
Why: I cannot say enough about Tony Monetti. He was a brilliant driver and we had a wonderful day with him - we went to Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and Pompeii! I highly recommend Monetti taxi - you will not be disappointed.

Cyndi in Watertown, MA USA 06/26/2008

Best: Cinque Terre and Varenna, honerable mention for Montepulciano
Why: the Cinque experience was the most relaxing part of our trip(3 weeks in italy, we spent 4 days in Monterosso)the locals are friendly and the laid back nature of the whole area far exceeded our expectations, every traveller should take the time to visit this world class little known area.Varenna at lake como was also a fantastic get away from the hustle and bustle and culture overload of the vast majority of Italian cities.

Worst: street peddlers
Why: We were ready for aggressive street "merchants" but were not expecting the level of "in your face" wont go away, wont accept no for an answer,individuals we encountered in Milan,Rome,Venice and Pisa.

Mark Hurworth in Courtenay, BC Canada 06/23/2008

Best: Pisa tower and park
Why: Excellent directions to free parking

Peter & Maureen in Ridgeland, MS United States 06/21/2008

Best: The statue of David
Why: A spectacular sight.

Worst: Capri
Why: So commercialized it wasn't worth the time, energy or money. We couldn't go to the Blue Grotto because the sea was too rough!

Jolien Mierke in Alexandria, VA USA 06/21/2008

Best: Colosseum and Vatican
Why: The best tip was about how to get around the long lines at the colosseum. We saw so many people waiting in 2-3 hour long lines, when we just zipped right in! Thanks to Rick!

katherine in cincinnati, oh USA 06/19/2008

Best: Rome Walks Colossuem and Ancient City Tour
Why: We can not say enough about the high quality of this tour! Gwen was our guide. She was expertly informed, witty, animated, courteous, and just plain old great company. She wove Rome's tales in a fashion so that Rome came to life. The tour was 3 to 4 hours...perfect (but Gwen was such a good story teller we could have had a longer tour) A remarkable 2 thumbs up! A highlight of our trip to Rome!

Noreen Reilly in Kannapolis, NC USA 06/17/2008

Best: Ostia Antica
Why: Best kid friendly site in Italy that we found. My daughter enjoyed crawling over, under, thru the ruins. We spent more then 5 hurs and she didnt want to leave.

Chet Brewer in Severna Park, MD USA 06/16/2008

Best: Cinque Terre, Monetti taxis
Why: So beautiful, easy to get around unlike Sorrento where we had long walk from our hotel on Via Capo down to Marina Grande as no steps open to public exist. Enjoyed also the fresh lemonade on hiking trail between Vernazza & Monterosso. Monetti taxis were also a great experience - we did their Pompeii/Herculaneum/Vesuvius tour with Tonio, and then the Amalfi Coast to Paestum with Carmello, who gave us lots of information about all the famous artists/writers/composers etc who have visited the region. He also knew all the best places for photos and was very thoughtful, sending us an umbrella at the restaurant in Ravello where we were having lunch...sure enough, it began to rain as we were exploring the Villa Rufolo.

Worst: Orvieto
Why: Infuriating place to drive to: got lost twice here, once in the dark going to Bagnoregio, then in daylight - we tried to follow signs for the funicular parking as the book suggests and ended up getting stuck in a restricted zone! Eventually parked near Via Roma about 15 minutes from cathedral, not very convenient when we needed to fetch something from car, and had trouble locating ourselves on the city map in the book. Definitely not a driver friendly town, may be OK to visit by train.

Alcalay in Platteville, WI USA 06/11/2008

Best: Verona`
Why: Wonderful city, pedestrian friendly, easy day trips by train to the Italian Alps, Venice, Padua.

Worst: Venice.
Why: Our second visit in four years. Even in early May,the crowds are elbow to elbow. It is impossible to enjoy. Warn people to go only off season (whenever that may be).

Alfonso Damico in Iowa City, IA USA 06/10/2008

Best: Piccolimini Palazzo in Pienza
Why: Such an unexpected delight: great guide, intimate look at the era, gave depth of meaning to this beautiful town.

Richard Harned in Kenmore, NY USA 06/10/2008

Best: Using the Roma Pass for the Colosseum
Why: It was fantastic to walk past the lines at the Colosseum and use our Roma Pass to literally walk right in. I shared this tip with lots of other folks I met during my trip.

Paula Lowe in Hillsborough, NC USA 06/09/2008

Best: Hiking the Cinque Terre: Monterosso-Vernazzo-Manarola
Why: Beautiful scenery along trail as well as spectacular views. However, trail moderately difficult/strenous at times. Can be slippery, and certain sections are very narrow. Dangers made worse if trail is crowded.

Worst: Hiking the Cinque Terre: Manarola to Riomaggiore
Why: hiking in a graffiti-filled, weed strewn abandoned dump

W. Wong in San Francisco, CA USA 06/08/2008

Best: Pantheon, St Peters in Rome
Why: The Pantheon was an incredible surprise. It just explodes out of the scenery when you reach it through the narrow walkways. The engineering of the Romans was incredibly amazing. St Peters speaks for itself.

Worst: None.
Why: None.

Russ Lorber in Westminster, MD USA 06/07/2008

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: we are hikers and love the outdoors totally

Worst: just a little bit with Venice
Why: beautiful city and we had a good time but too many tourists, guess it would be best to go in the winter. Antonio Di Grazia, our wonderful host at Bellevue house in Florence said that is when he goes to Venice

Ron and Linda Schroeder in Portland, OR USA 06/06/2008

Best: Elisabetta's Villino Azzurro
Why: I hope RS updates his information on Elisabetta's Villino Azzurro. It is an injustice to fellow travelers to refer to Elisabetta's as "ramshackle rooms" and "let me know if it's not reliable". We just returned from staying in the 2 uppermost rooms and I can't imagine staying anywhere else when in the CT. The rooftop terrace has the most unbelieveable views which I think everyone is being cheated of, if they go to a place without it. Elisabetta explained the problem she had last year when her mother had a medical emergency. She is trying very hard to please and show that she IS reliable but that period of time was something beyond her control. Her rooms are small but very clean, accommodating, and comfortable. Please update your book with all pleasing recommendations of her place so that many of your readers can be as thrilled with their selection of Elisabetta's as I was.

Linda Bousk in Somonauk, IL USA 06/06/2008

Best: Siena
Why: Lovely, quiet, relatively uncrowded and with some significant sites. The new Duomo museum proves that the Italians are not entirely ignorant of indoor climate control. It's a pleasure to see art properly cared for.

Worst: Naples and the Archaeological Museum
Why: I can't agree that Naples is worth visiting. Right now it is experiencing what the Italian news calls the "Emergenca di Rifuiti"--the Garbage Emergency--and lots of illegal garbage is being dumped in and around Naples. The Museum was tragic--most of the collection was "chiuso" ("closed"--one of Italian's most frequently used words), and we used the audio guide at only 6 exhibits (where were the rest? who knows?). In addition, it's just enraging to see Italian "guards" opening up the windows and letting in the sun, heat and humidity to destroy the Pompeii frescoes. This museum broke my heart and was a complete waste of time and money. You're better off taking more time in the museums in Rome.

Susan Aldridge in Milwaukee, WI USA 06/06/2008

Best: Lorenza Scorti-- guide in Milano
Why: Lorenza was the highlight to our trip to Milan. Her knowledge of the history & the families that created Milan, & are still part of Milan, provided a more intimate look into the city that was just what a large city like Milan needed to bring it some life.

Jill Manchester in San Bruno, CA USA 05/31/2008

Best:
Why:

Carol Voyles in Escondido, ca USA 05/27/2008

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: We only had time to see Vernazza, but even in the rain the views were enchanting!

Marge Sykes in Elbridge, NY United States 05/24/2008

Best: maps
Why: very easy to read, including the information that we are looking for.

Anne Wilson in Covina, CA USA 05/23/2008

Best: Day on Capri as Rick suggested
Why: Nice day trip with many hidden tips about how to reach Blue Grotto and other details.

Worst: Using GPS TomTom for cars while on feet
Why: Tried GPS (Tom-Tom with European maps) – did not work for us as we were mainly on feet or using public transportation. The GPS tried to mislead us to the ‘car’ road while many streets are closed for traffic or one-way, but accessible for pedestrians. Map gives much better prospective, esp. in Venice

Irina in Daly City, CA USA 05/20/2008

Best: Night Walk Across Rome
Why: fabulous way to explore the city and experience the ambiance

Worst: Cinque Terre
Why: we went in March- maybe not the best idea, as it was rainy the whole time. We still enjoyed the hike, but felt like there weren't enough indoor attractions for all the rain. Also, about a million American tourists were there. It was a bit overrun.

Katy Strange in Newcastle, UK 05/19/2008

Best: Page 660 - Part 2: Spaccanapoli Back to Centrale Train Station
Why: Walking through these little neighborhoods was fascinating - so much activity and life in this city.

Worst: page 670 - "Whenever possible, consider taking a boat"
Why: The boat is convenient; however, it costs 4 times as much as taking the Circumvesuviana Train to Naples and twice as much as the Curerri bus.

Scott in Renton, WA USA 05/12/2008

Best: Rome Pass
Why: Get your moneys worth just on the Metro, then free access to the Coliseum and Forum for us (first 2 attractions free), discounts on other sites.

Jim Asprinio in San Francisco, CA USA 05/11/2008

Best: Sorrento, Carmine Monetti
Why: Sorrento was the most memorable stop on our world cruise thanks to Carmine. We spent the most enjoyable day ashore we had in 102 days

Dale OBrien in Shelby, Mt USA 05/08/2008

Best: Hiking in Cinque Terre
Why: The sights were well worth the sweat. It is a nice reprieve from all the museums and tourist-filled sights. We stayed in Manorola and found it to be the perfect town. We felt as though we could walk down a street and be the only people on it. It was great!

Worst: Vernazza
Why: My husband and I were excited to visit this picturesque town, but very dissappointed when we arrived. We sat down for a glass or two of wine and were treated harshly when we said we didn't want to order food. They even snatched the bread that was in front of us. They did still charge us coperto for this bread. I think that Vernazza, once a charming town, has turned into a tourist trap. We went in April and didn't expect to have to battle through people to see this town.

Jennifer Barnhill in San Diego, CA USA 05/06/2008

Best: Suggesting museum reservations in Florence
Why: This was really easy to do and such a time saver.

Robin Rodrigues in Modesto , CA USA 04/30/2008

Best: Getting the Roma Pass
Why: It saved us a huge amount of time by not having to wait in line to buy tickets at the Colosseum and The Forum (and Palatine Hill). Also, we used the Metro a lot and the pass saved us lots of money.

Worst: Trying to get into The Forum using Via Sacra
Why: See above.

Sheila M. in Wheaton, IL USA 04/30/2008

Best: Borghese Gallery, Rome
Why: Stunning artwork in the setting it was meant for, excellent audioguide, immensely satisfying without being overwhelming.

Worst: Duomo Opera Musuem, Florence
Why: Limited explanations in English, which made it hard to really enjoy the art. The guidebook did say that it dealt with the construction of the Duomo, but I hadn't realized to what extent until I got inside. Mainly, I disagreed with rating this as a "don't miss" museum. Perhaps this is just me, but I did not feel that it was on par with the other "don't miss" destinations.

Hillary Smith in Denver, CO USA 04/25/2008

Worst: Termini Station
Why: Rude & dishonest cab drivers, best to hire a private car through your hotel. We did so on the second visit to Rome and it became a pleasant experience.

Les Garcia in Miami, FL USA 04/20/2008

Best: Pompeii, Herculaneum
Why: I'd been reading about these places and wanting to visit them literally since I was a kid (I'm 56). To actually see them and stand where someone else stood 2,000 years ago and to see what they saw and touch what they touched is a terrific jolt. And to think that, in a relative eyeblink in A.D. 79, it came to a halt. In Herculaneum, to see the city in a 50-foot-deep hole really gives an appreciation for just how much stuff rained down when Vesuvius erupted.

Worst: Are you kidding?
Why: This was my first trip to Italy and only my third to Europe. It's ALL fantastic!

Dennis Buster in Prior Lake, MN USA 04/20/2008

Best: Recommendation to eat dinner in Campo de Fiore
Why: We were able to people watch and enjoy the square over dinner at La Carbonara. It was our best night in Rome.

Doug in Philadelphia, PA USA 04/16/2008

Best: Grand Canal Cruise in Venice
Why: We followed along the book and read the captions along the way, and it gave a great overview of the Grand Canal.

Christy in Drexel Hill, PA USA 04/16/2008

Best: Angel Tours - Rome
Why: WE had a 4 person tour of the Vatican and a private tour of the Coliseum and Forum. Both guides were knowledgable and delightful. We learned far more then we would have on our own. It was well worth the expense.

Mimi Satter in Syracuse , NY USA 04/13/2008

Worst: Traveling in Italy by train during Easter.
Why: I think every Italian living in Rome was headed home for Easter on the train. It was crazy busy, and many trains were cancelled due to a holiday schedule. We made it to the train station in Naples (boat from Capri) only to find that there would only be one train to Pompeii that day. We could spend only 1 hour in Pompeii because of that.

Bob and Jennifer Campbell in El Paso, TX USA 04/12/2008

Best: Duomo in Orvieto
Why: I saw it 1st on the Rick Steves show on PBS of the Tuscan Hill towns, and that was what inspired my to take this trip. It was even more spectacular in person!! I went back to see it 5 different times in all different lights and it is breathtaking in each one!!!

Worst: National Museum of Rome
Why: It is SO BIG and has SO MUCH AMAZING stuff! But, it is SO disorganized!!! It was frustrating. Too bad, because they have such great stuff!

Brian Freund in keego harbor, mi USA 04/11/2008

Best: Il Campo in Siena and the Cinque Terre
Why: Il Campo is everything it is described as in the guides and more. Travelling alone, I typically found that I was always moving and doing things. Il Campo was one of the few places that, no matter what you were doing, you HAD to just sit on one of the perches that he recommends with a balcony over the square, and just enjoy the greatest Piazza in Italy. I chose the Key Largo Bar as my spot! The Cinque Terre was simply the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life! I am from Michigan, and its funny, because it seemed like it was mostly Americans, which, as you will read in my "worst" section, can be really bad. But, EVERYONE seemed to be Rick Steves Guidebook people, and they are different! They were respectful of a different culture, and, for the most part, seemed to try to fit in, instead of living their life exactly as they do at home, just in a different country, which kind of defeats the purpose of travelling, to me. Il Campo and Cinque Terre, 2 truly magical places!!

Worst: San Gimignano
Why: It is very beautiful to look at. It has some really fantastic views and great art to look at. Saying it is my worst, it was still a great place, it was my least favorite, though. I went there, saw the Collegiate, climbed the tower, took the city tour, ate some GREAT gelato and went to the Civic Museum. That was about 2-3 hours and then I was stuck in a city full of day-trippers who were rude and disrespectful and kind of obnoxious. I kept seeing the "Ugly Americans" It was a little sad. I did spend the night and had one of my very favorite meals at Trattoria Chiribiri. It is a more pleasant city by night, and not at all like it is during the day, but, in hindsight, I would have gotten there later in the day and spent alot less time there.

Brian Freund in keego harbor, MI USA 04/11/2008

Best: Uffizi
Why: I was determined to go to Uffizi before I laid a hand on the books, and I had no idea that reservations were recommended- especially not in March. On recommendation of the book I spent some extra money and bought tickets to Uffizi and Accademia online a month ahead of time. Thank heavens! The lines were ridiculous, and whatever I spent on fees was well worth the time and fatigue we would have wasted standing in queue.

April O'Connor in Portland, OR USA 04/07/2008

Best: ITLAY, all of it was a great experience
Why: cinque terre, pisa, florence, siena, hill towns, sorrento, amalfi coast, capri, and rome. all have their own personalities and landscapes

bruce lahr in sauk rapids, mi USA 04/03/2008

Best: Instead of Cinque Terre try Santa Margherita Ligure
Why: The crowds of Americans during the summer and fall turn the Cinque Terre into an Italian Disneyland...we stayed instead in Santa Margherita Ligure (at the Metropole) and had a very relaxing and very Italian experience with wonderful access to the water, a quaint town (home of Chris Columbus) and within walking distance of Porto Fino, the Rodeo Drive of the Italian Riviera. We also stayed in Sestri Levanti, another quaint small town on the Riviera, just north of the Cinque Terre. We were able to day trip into the Cinque Terre, but after seeing the crowds, we elected to stay in Sestri Leventi at the Miramare (right on a charming small bay), near the old town and all of its great inexpensive restaurants.

Bill Young in San Leandro , CA USA 04/03/2008

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: Everything Rick says is right. Beautiful and the highlight of our trip. Great hiking!

Another great experience is Rick's night walk in Rome. Unforgettable!

Scott Hovey in Durham, NC USA 03/31/2008

Best: Medici treasure chest (Museo degli Argenti) in Pitti Palace
Why: We loved seeing the jewels, carved ivory, and numerous treasures of the super rich Medici family. Also, strolling through the Boboli Gardens next to Pitti Palace was a nice break from museum overload.

Gale in Melbourne Beach, FL USA 03/24/2008

Best: Visiting many hilltowns and Cinque Terre
Why: We traveled from Sicily all the way up through the Dolomites. We saw many parts of Italy in our nearly three weeks on the road. We loved it all, but our favorites had to be the hilltowns of Tuscany and the five villages of the Cinque Terre. We got to see Siena and Florence, but our favorites were the smaller ones, especially Pienza, Montepulciano, Volterra, Montalcino and Monterrigioni. Each had its own character and we loved them all! The pecorino and no cars in Pienza, the underground wineries and shops in Montepulciano, the castle in Montalcino, the medieval walled village of Monterrigioni and the fabulous alabaster shops in Volterra, which we stumbled upon and provided a wonderful suprise, especially the electric guitars made of alablaster. Our teenagers went nuts! The Cinque Terre provided relaxing time on the beach, no tours, no museums, just great food, swimming, shopping and views. We stayed in Monterosso which was charming, but enjoyed the other villages as well. I'll never forget the smell of fresh basil in Rio Maggiore and the best pesto focaccia ever eaten!

Sue Laabs in Northville, MI USA 03/23/2008

Best: Murano, Italy
Why: For families with children the glass making demostration was fun. It seemed to be an uncrowded, less touristy version on Venice. We sat canal side and picinicked on Pannini bought at a grocery store and really just enjoyed a more relaxing day. Good tips on what Vaparetto to catch and getting from Venice to Murano by glass tour speed boat (also saved $26 Euro for our family).

Carolyn Sleeper in Phoenix, AZ USA 03/22/2008

Best: Venice, Florence, Siena
Why: Each unique and wonderful, and the guidebook provided a perfect companion to help us enjoy all of them.

Worst: Rome
Why: Obviously a must see, but Rome seemed overwhelming and a bit unfriendly, by comparison--even for big city folk from the US.

John Novick in Chicago, IL USA 03/21/2008

Best: Duomo, Florence
Why: Amazing site, dominating the city. Having read the book on the construction of the dome, seeing it in person and walking to the top was a great experience and an amazing vista at the top. (and i gotta sneak this in, an incredible night "flight" on the London Eye while overnighting in London our our way home - what an experience.)

Worst: Murano (Venice) - disappointing
Why: we enjoyed the glass shops in Venice, but the trip to Murano wasn't much. One low-level glass-blowing exhibition, more designed to sell the show, and several "private" glass-blowing locations apparently not open to the general public.

David in Southwest, WA USA 03/15/2008

Best: Levanto & Cinque Terre
Why: just visited this really nice Hotel for a weekend and I will be back with my wife next April. Federico and Paola , the owners were really helpful and suggested good restaurants for dinner. We really loved the town of Levanto and the Hotel!!!

Claude Vacheron in Paris, France 03/10/2008

Best: Hotel Pallotta in Assisi
Why: Stefano and his family were very sensitive to their guests and their needs, and were very welcoming. They were a breath of fresh air in a country which can be very intimidating. The rooms had free local telephone service and wireless internet, instead of trying to take advantage of guests by charging for these services.

Worst: Siena and Cortona, phone cards, rental car return
Why: Siena and Cortona seemed like very typical large Italian cities. Since we made special efforts to visit both places and stayed a night in Siena, our expectations were high, and we felt like we wasted more than a day of our week long trip.

Also, we had trouble using our phone card in Italy. We purchased a card in Rome and were not able to use it when we arrived in San Gimignano and needed to call the Rossis to have them meet us. This was pretty traumatic.

The return of the rent car to the Rome airport was extremely confusing. There are no signs to guide as one approaches the airport, and after asking for directions from the valet parking service, we discovered that the rental car return was on the fourth floor of the various parking garages.

Josh Harrison in College Station, TX USA 03/01/2008

Best: Hiking the trails between Cinque Terre towns
Why: Great hiking, great views, wonderful slice of "La Dolce Vita"!

Robert Villigram in St. Louis, MO USA 02/28/2008

Best: Hiking the Dolomites, Cinque Terre
Why: its breathtakingly beautiful!!!

DELIA EPIE in CLOVIS, CA USA 02/12/2008

Best: The Pantheon, Rome
Why: The first enormous building we happened upon in Rome. I was in complete awe. How amazing, there is not a picture that can possible do the beauty of this structure justice.

Worst: Confusing streets
Why: See the sights in Rome and get out. It's like New York City, with ancient history. Crazy, loud, dirty. Would go back but only to see a few things we didn't get to the first time.

Lynnette Roberts in Vancouver , WA USA 01/30/2008

Best: Rome and Pisa
Why: For Rome--You give suggestions re: staying at convents which also have triples... For Pisa, I wished I had looked at your section first BEFORE going to the Field of Miracles!

Worst: Lack of Emilia-Romania / Bologna Italy!!
Why: Because my husband and I picked up your ITALY 2008 guide thinking it would help us out..As we will be living in Bologna, Italy for two years, and were disappointed to find that you left Bologna OUT!! :(

Kathleen Hanes in Bologna, IT USA 01/27/2008

Best: Cinque Terre hike, Bargello Mueseum in Florence
Why: The Cinque Terre wasa different experience from all the museums, plus beautiful. It was the highlight of my trip. We enjoyed the Bargello as much or more than Uffisi, a definite must for Florence.

Tara Dickie in Warwick, Bermuda 01/26/2008

Best: Sicily, Siracuse. San Gimignano
Why: Quiet off season stayed at 5 star hotel on the marina for 120 Euros a night for 2 nights. San Gimignano always a favourite of mine, been there 3 times.

Worst: Naples
Why: Filthy

Len Resnekov in Sydney, NS Australia 01/17/2008

Best: Angel Tours Rome
Why: Okay...I have been meaning to write this review for a long time and now that I am headed back to Rome, I decided to finally do it.

Let me start by saying that I absolutely hate organized tours. I have been on tours all over the world...tours of historic homes, castles, plantations, battlefields, American Indian sites, vineyards, rain forests, museums, ...well...you get the picture. Most of them were dull, dry, long and boring and soon I began to avoid ALL tours like the plaque. In 2006 I was planning a trip to Italy for three weeks, Four days of which, were to be spent in Rome. I had wanted to see Rome, especially the Sistine Chapel, since my high school days, but I knew from my exhaustive research, that the lines at the Vatican Museum were incredible long...2 hours or more. There was no way I was going to stand in line that long so I immediately began looking for the quick way in. That's when I stumbled upon Angel Tours in Rome as mentioned in Rick's Italy book. I discovered that if I went with them I was guarenteed NO wait in line. Did you read that...No wait! That's why I signed up with them even though I hate tours. Angel Tours turned out to be one of the best experiences I had in all of Italy! It truly was the best tour I have ever been on anywhere. As advertised, we did not wait in line and once inside the Vatican Museum, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the tour leader was knowledgeble, witty, and highly entertaining. She led us through the museum, highlighting important works with fun facts and interesting stories. I finally got to see the Sistine Chapel and of course it did not disappoint.

Afterwards, our tour through St. Peter's Basilica was lead by the owner of the company, Sean. He's Irish, as are all the tour leaders, and exceptional. He is really first rate. I can't tell you how many people tried to listen in on what he was telling his tour group inside St. Peter's. Even people on other tours inched their way over towards Sean. He was extremely personable, witty,and full of interesting information about every nook and cranny inside St. Peter's. How many people walk through that church daily and never learn about the history that is inside? I'm not talking about Bernini's window or Michelangelo's dome....everyone knows that stuff. I'm talking about little known facts and stories that are rarely mentioned in tour books. He was a delight and I was so happy to have booked that tour with Angel Tours. > > You can not go wrong with this company. Tney are so accomodating and friendly and have tours to suit everyone's interests. Check them out. I just booked another one for spring. >

jodie in johnstown, pa USA 01/07/2008

Best: South Tyrol Archaeology Museum, Bolzano
Why: Otzi the Ice Man was very interesting. 5300 year old man discovered preserved in ice in the mountains in 1991. His clothes and tools were found nearby in amazing condition. Fascinating and well presented museum.

B ergeron in brussels, BE 01/06/2008

Best: Montalcino
Why: On oct 27 we joined in on a medieval archers parade. The four quarters of the village were all dressed in their "colors" for an archery showdown. It brought us back in time!

Worst: rome
Why: not enough bathrooms!

Diana Cipro in so. Dennis, MA USA 01/05/2008

Best: Civita
Why: There's nothing like this town. It was awesome and worth the side trip from Rome! We are very glad that we didn't miss it.

JOhn USA 01/05/2008

Best: Assisi Tour Guide Guiseppe Karabot
Why: My husband and I were very pleased with your Italy 2008 guidebook's recommendation of Guiseppe Karabot for a private walking tour of Assisi. He was fantastic ... interesting, personable, funny, full of great information. He shared fascinating details from the ancient history of the Umbrian region, to the days of Francis & Clare, right up to Pope Benedict's recent (Fall 2007) visit to his town! Cost was 120 Euros for an almost 3-hour tour and definitely worth every euro. Thanks for the great recommendation!

Laurette Benton in Raleigh, NC USA 12/23/2007

Best: Orvieto's duomo
Why: It was beautiful on the outside and the painting in the Chapel of San Brizio are well worth the 5 euros. The book brings the story of the paintings to life.

Amy in Pittsburgh, PA USA 12/20/2007

Best: Il Bargellino Florence
Why: One of the best parts of our Florence trip was coming home to Carmel and Pino each night. It felt like coming home to family. They were gracious, warm, funny and friendly hosts. We had great insider tips for where to get great service, great food and good deals. Once in our room we got a glimpse of the Doumo from over the great terrace and our stay in Florence got better and better from there. Cannot wait to return and wouldn't go anywhere else. terrace from our room

Susan DiRocco in Boston, MA USA 12/17/2007

Best: Cinqueterra, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Rome
Why: Paradise on earth. Amazing hiking trails. Views. Great inn. Good restaurants. Friendly people. Train.

Marie Lavendier in Unionville, Ct USA 12/14/2007

Best: Self guided walk in Corniglia
Why: Great walk with outstanding views.

John Theune in Sheboygan, Wi USA 12/05/2007

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: Breathtaking scenery and charm. One of the few places in the world I would return to enjoy again. A fantastic surprise and delight and wonderful change from the big cities of Italy. Truly the ocean vista, the charming people and shops, the steep hill and the hike were out of this world. I am so glad you continue to steer people to these villages as it was a great find and wonderful time for us. It's not like the most user-friendly place, that's for sure - we had elderly parents with us and steps and hiking and hills were not their thing, but we still managed to have a fantastic time as the wonder of discovering this place overshadowed the difficulties. A delight!

Worst: Bolzano Train Station
Why: Just because of the two-stop, getting off at the wrong stop thing. It actually worked out ok, we made our train by two minutes, but English was not highly spoken in this area and help was hard to find to get to the correct train station once we got off on the early Bolzano stop. We actually were advised by locals to jump on the bus, which we did, and just drove us out of the city to the hospital. Doh! Then we miraculously got off and waited for a cab at at taxi stop and one came by - lucky. He actually was the only one who spoke English and helped us reach the correct train station in record time. We caught the train just two minutes before it left for Florence. Also, we don't speak any German either although we did prepare with a little Italian class - - - really was quite a bit tougher to communicate!

Taya Rotering in Minneapolis, MN USA 11/30/2007

Best: Hotel Berna, Milan
Why: This little hotel has very clean, up to date rooms and a nice bar and breakfast room but the best part, for us, was that it was literally steps away from the Central Station and restaurants. The staff were wonderful and we wouldn't consider staying anywhere else in Milan.

Worst: Dominia Inn, Malpensa (Milan)
Why: This new feeling hotel advertises that it is "minutes away" from the airport and has shuttle service. The shuttle service is limited and you end up taking a taxi more times than not; that round up to about $25 US because "minutes away" turns out to be about 20 to 25 minutes away. Our room was also missed by cleaning staff and it took about 45 minutes to get clean towels. The have a restaurant but the menu is limited and expensive. Stay in Milan at the Hotel Berna...then take the shuttle bus from Central Station to the airport if you need to. It will probably save you money in the end.

Dawn Dawsey in St Paul, MN USA 11/27/2007

Best: Bergamo
Why: Outside of Venice, Bergamo was our favorite destination while touring between Milan and Venice. This beautiful, interesting city is worth at least two days and a night.

Dawn Dawsey in St Paul, MN USA 11/27/2007

Best: Verona
Why: We found Verona to be a charming and easy to navigate city on foot. The people were wonderful everywhere we went and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

Dawn Dawsey in St Paul, MN USA 11/27/2007

Best: Info on Assisi
Why: Directions were great. Had to find a different way to Santa Chiara's church because of construction.

Joan M. Burda in Lakewood, OH USA 11/25/2007

Best: Civita de Bagnoreggio
Why: Soooooo picturesque

Worst: Florence
Why: Very crowded and touristy, even in October.

Jill Grigsby in Claremont, CA USA 11/23/2007

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: Took the train from La Spezia..very easy. Loved the towns and the walk in between

Carol Dierkes in Hartford, Mi USA 11/19/2007

Best: Siena
Why: It was wonderful to get away from the hustle & bustle of Florence and all the tourists (sort-of) and wander the streets; it felt like going back in time. The Duomo there was very beautiful as well.

Worst: Avventure Bellisime Venice Tours
Why: Was an expensive waste of money. We went on 2 tours, 2 guides - both were below average. The Grand Canal tour was little more than the tour guide pointing at buildings and saying "this is a very special palace...look at the windows...they are very special..."

Shelley in St. Louis , MO USA 11/18/2007

Best: Varenna
Why: The lake is dreamy and delightful in a superb setting surrounding by mountains. Also, in Vernazza Egi Verduschi of Egi Rooms where I stayed helped me get to a doctor on Sunday because I got very ill from eating some dubious chicken. He took me to the doctor, translated for me, and talked the doctor down from a bill of 50 euros for a tourist to 20 euros for an Italian citizen. He and his wife Sonia were so helpful and kind to me in my weakened state. He and Sonia were one of the highlights of my entire visit to Italy. I encourage anyone going to Vernazza to line up a room with Egi.

Worst: Milan
Why: Big, industrial, dreary, impersonal. Except for the cathedral, the shopping gallery, and the Sforza Castle I could easily have bypassed it. Unfortunately I had to go there to get to Lake Como and the Cinque Terre.

Marc Harrison in Olympia, WA USA 11/11/2007

Worst: Women's toilets
Why: We recently spent time in Milan, Naples, and Rome, and in all three locations, as a rule the women's toilets did not have seats, and toilet paper must be considered an unnecessary luxury, because it was so scarce! Luckily, we were warned about this by friends, so it was not the shock it might have been, and packets of tissues were always in pockets! Over the three weeks we were in Italy, we could count on one hand the number of women's facilities that had both a seat and paper.

Marianne Baccus in Vancouver, BC Canada 11/04/2007

Best: tip to buy colussium tickets at the palentine hill ticket office
Why: we just walked up to the ticket both on palentine hill and got the tickets. When we went to the collisium, we just walked in -- past all the people who were waiting in very long lines to buy tickets. Rick, we wanted to kiss you!

Alexis Bock in Washington, DC USA 11/04/2007

Best: Cichetti bars in Venice
Why: Some places in Venice were charging a whopping 14 Euros cover charge just to sit and eat! The cichetti bars charge nothing extra, and it was fun to eat, drink, and chat with the locals!

Worst: Enoteca Il Pirun, Corniglia
Why: The girl working at this shop was unfriendly and seemed all so annoyed when we walked in with Rick's book, asking what we could sample. So we asked where Mario was, and she irritatedly went outside to call for him. Mario entered, smiling and gesturing that we could sample anything we wanted, and he left. So we tried again with this girl, who took her time primping in the mirror first. So we asked for a sample of the local Cinque Terre wine, which was so-so, selected some cookies to buy, and asked how much. She charged us for a full glass anyway(even though what she poured was more like a generous sample amount). Mario needs to fire this girl or be taken out of the book. After all, Corniglia is the most skippable town out of the 5, and they really need to try harder!

Linda Hornbeck in Torrance, CA USA 11/03/2007

Best: your itineray!
Why: we did slow-travel, from Venice to Milan, via Padua, ( side trip to Vicenza,) Verona and Varenna,(side-trip to Bellagio, Menaggio, Lugano and Como) spending 3 night in all 4 cities and spent the last night near the Milano Linate airport since our flight was early next morning: we skipped Milan altogether and we were very happy about this decision

francine faribault in Montréal, Qc CANADA 11/02/2007

Best: concerts in Venice
Why: We are lovers of classical music especially Albinoni, Puccini, and Verdi.

Worst: high prices in restaurants
Why: Mainly due to the weak dollar. Restaurants that we tried that were recommended were fairly good value.

Pat McClung in Mt. Pleasant, TX USA 11/02/2007

Best: Hiking the Cinque Terre and Lucca
Why: beauty of the countryside in the CT and charm of Lucca, not touristy.

Worst: the hoardes of people at Assisi, that really shocked me and all the tacky gift shops
Why: hadn't anticipated all the tour buses, crowds,noise etc.

Chere Weiss in Kelso, WA USA 10/29/2007

Best: Hotel Villa Rita in Paestum
Why: Luigi, the owner, is a kind, gentle, thoughtful, (and funny) man who was a big help to me during a solo September 2007 trip through southern Italy to visit my grandparent's ancestral home. I am a middle-aged woman traveling alone. This was only my second trip to Italy, and, my first time driving a car in Europe and visiting the southern regions of the country.

I had a bad experience renting a car in Salerno. I refused the car that I had reserved through a consolidator after an incredibly arrogant, nasty young Italian rental car agent would not explain the controls to me. The car was flashing red warnings at me in Italian on the dashboard! I don't speak Italian. I couldn't exactly pull out a dictionary to figure out the problem as I drove along. The situation was dangerous--and outrageous. The agent and I ended up arguing loudly on the street (she spoke English perfectly).

I was suddenly left in Salerno without a car. I had a reservation at the Hotel Villa Rita in Paestum that night. Fortunately, a British couple saw my plight at the rental car agency and very kindly gave me a ride to the hotel in Paestum.

I was pretty angry and shaken up by this incident. Luigi said it looked like he could light up the entire hotel by the electricity I was emanating! The experience left me shaken up and quite nervous about driving in Italy . I lost my confidence. But, I needed a car because of the remoteness of the region (Basilicata) I was planning on visiting. Public transportation wasn't an option.

If it hadn't been for Luigi I would have just cancelled the rest of my Italian journey and gone on to other parts of Europe. I really was so upset that I didn't want to spend another day in Italy at that point--or to ever return. But, Luigi went out of his way to help. He arranged for a different Salerno car rental agency to drop off a rental car for me at his hotel in Paestum . He made sure it was the kind of car I was familiar with and could more easily handle (which made a big difference).

He personally got in the car with me and showed me the various controls, encouraged me, cheered me on, gave me tips on driving on the autostrada ,and, when it was time to leave the next day he wrote out directions on the map . He even helped me with problems I was having with a brand new cell phone that I had purchased before the trip. He is such a funny and charming man, too. He often had me laughing!

I had a wonderful time visiting my grandparent's home town (Paterno). I unexpectedly met people who knew a distant cousin. This led to me meeting 6 cousins in all. It was so heartwarming to find my family and to get to know them (with the help of a translator). They have invited me back next summer, along with an Italian-American couple who are their neighbors and with whom I have become friends. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I will never forget it.

The trip across the rest of southern Italy and up the Adriatic coast went pretty well, too. I made some mistakes, got into some situations,but, it's all part of the learning. I feel confident I can drive in Italy now.

Of course, the accomodations at the Hotel Villa Rita were excellent, too. It's a very clean, attractive, professionally managed, country style hotel with an excellent location near the ruins and a peaceful setting--a good place to see the ruins, visit the beach, and just plain old relax. But, it's the caring and warmth that I received which made it an exceptional experience.

patricia dolan in san francisco, ca USA 10/28/2007

Best: Practical Advice
Why: We consulted the book frequently during our trip and appreciated the advice on seemingly mundane matters: e.g., where to park in Assisi, how to avoid the ticket line at the Doge's Palace, visit the Vatican at 5 pm to avoid the worst crowds. We also enjoyed several of the suggested itineraries, e.g., the Forum in Rome. Spending four days on an Agroturismo in Tuscany in mid-vacation was one of our best moves.

Worst: Venetian Vaporetto
Why: I suppose everyone should ride a vaporetto at least once, but we found them crowded, noisy and expensive, and decided to not take the recommended self-guided cruise.

Murray Duke in Ottawa, ON Canada 10/26/2007

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: has it all, certainly the food and drink, but outdoor activities, beaches, hikes. There is alot of history, art and interesting buildings churches.

Worst: all were very good or better
Why: we went to Milan, Venice, Cinque Terre, Roma, Palermo and Cefalu. While all differant for what they offered etc. each was unique and very special.

Frank Washburn in Orogon City, OR USA 10/22/2007

Best: cable car to apre de suisse
Why: This area in the Dolomites was the the most awesome natural beauty of our 2 week trip which inluded lake como,venice,lake garda and milan.not overly crowded and breathtaking hikes in incrdible scenery..

donald nunnari in la canada, ca USA 10/22/2007

Best: SOuth Tirol Museum of Arch
Why: This is a very well organizied and educational museum. Get the headset and very informative. Great history lesson for our teengers.

Wanda Thompson in Newton, NC USA 10/21/2007

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: The Cinque Terre was a beautiful and relaxing place. Great hiking, people watching, and atmosphere.

A. Overen in Montgomery, Al USA 10/19/2007

Best: San Giovanni in Laterano;Rome
Why: I found this first papal residence to be much more awesome and inspiring than St. Peter's. The statues of the apostles, the original doors from the Roman senate, the coronation chair...It was beautiful and not very crowded, which was hughly appealing.

L M Stewman TX USA 10/19/2007

Worst: Palace tour in Pienza
Why: The palace tour, which was listed as a must-not-miss tour, was the ONLY disappointing part of our recent Italy vacation. The tour guide did not want to be there. She was rude and did not let us spend any time inspecting some spectacular displays, and her cell phone kept ringing every 5-10 minutes. She did not have the courtesy to wait for 2 memmbers of our group who were delayed 5 minutes. I wish we had complained and asked for a refund.

Jim Lord in Chesterfield, Mo USA 10/18/2007

Best: Positano
Why: A gorgeous spot, we made our second visit there and loved it as much as our first stay five years ago. It's simply a special, very enjoyable place to spend a few days (or more).

Worst: Capri
Why: After Positano, Capri was a disappointment, especially with the Blue Grotto closed. With all the other gorgeous places on the Amalfi Coast, the trip there was just not worth it.

Ron in DeWitt, MI USA 10/17/2007

Best: Volterra
Why: This town has it all-history, great restaurants, wonderful views and sights, but is not overrun with tourists like some of the other Tuscany towns.

Carole Schuster in Ocean Isle Beach, nc USA 10/13/2007

Worst: Camere Elisabetta, Vernazza
Why: I reserved a room for 3 nights from Elisabetta in May for our September stay. We where guaranteed a room with terrace, private bath and ocean view. Two weeks before we arrived she informed me that the ocean view room was only available for 2 of the 3 nights we had reserved and we where to stay at her Mother's house. At this point it was too late to find another place so agreed to this arrangement, 2 nights with the ocean view would be fine. After arriving in Vernazza, going up hill to the Mother house, we where sent to the another relatives B&B, up hill again with luggage, put into a room with no window and a shared bath. The following day our luggage was moved to Elisabetta's, we where put into a room with no view and no terrace. We spoke with a couple from Australia who where staying at Elisabetta's and had the very same experience . Do not trust Elisabetta, reservations mean nothing!!

Eileen DelDuca in Canandaigua, NY USA 10/12/2007

Best: Osteria Roma, S. of Piazza Navonna, Rome
Why: Excellent food, wonderful ambiance, great prices. Seems to be undiscovered by tourists. This is an Osteria so you are greeted by and attended to by the owners. At the conclusion of your meal ask to see the owner's private "bodegas". These are below street level in ruins of ancient Rome (I kid you not) and are beautifully decorated with artifacts including an original mosaic. It is possible that these are designated as "historic places" by a brass plaque on the wall; but my Italian was not good enough to ascertain this as fact.

Pieter Booth in Kent, wa USA 10/10/2007

Best: Getting around by train
Why: It was a life-saver to have that photo of a train ticket and explanation for how to read it. Otherwise it would've been like deciphering hieroglyphics.

Cindy Baquiran in Centreville, VA USA 10/09/2007

Best: Vernazza and hiking the Cinque Terre
Why: Not only is Vernazza beautiful, but it is friendly and casual. People were more than willing to help us with directions. The hike from Vernazza to Monterosso is a delightful, entirely unique, local experience. Food and drink are plentiful and reasonable when compared with the big cities. And staying in an affitacamera with an Italian grandmother, as we did, completes the experience.

Worst: Florence
Why: Florence is a battle through an unrelenting and unsympathetic sea of humanity.

Jim & Megan Taylor in Seattle, WA USA 10/09/2007

Best: Lake Como
Why: No matter where you are, you are just surrounded by beauty.

John & Susan in St Petersburg, FL USA 10/08/2007

Best: Venice
Why: It's Venice.

John Watson in Houston, TX USA 10/06/2007

Best: Making the Uffizi reservations in advance.
Why: We took my elderly mother to the front of the line, and walked right in! No extra standing, no extra waiting. AND we got in between tour groups so we could actually enjoy the art work.

Worst: Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tours in Florence
Why: We were travelling with an elderly parent, and thought this would be a great way to get around the city while saving her some steps. The only problem was that this was the worst decision we made on our trip. The first issue was that we chose to go on Sunday and pick up the bus at the Duomo. The City Sightseeing Firenze brochure fails to tell you that route is different for Sundays, and doesn't stop at the Duomo. After walking about 15 minutes to the next available stop and paying 80 euros for four of us, we started the tour intending to hop off at the Boboli Gardens which is a stop on both the blue and green lines. The second issue arose when the bus stopped only long enough for us to disconnect our earphones and rise from our seats before it began moving again. We couldn't make it to the stairs, let alone get off the bus. Mind you, I'm in my 30's and physically active. At the next stop, as my husband and I raced to get off the bus, I slipped and fell down sprial staircase from the upper level. As I picked myself up after a fall down six steps to get off the bus, the driver began pulling away from the stop. Not only did no one on the staff ask if I was okay, I had to shout at the driver to wait so that I could get off. Thank goodness I grew up in an Italian speaking family and knew to shout "Spetta!" to the driver. After safely exiting the bus, we took a cab back to our hotel near the Duomo. With four of us and tip the fair was less than 12 euros. If I had to do it again, I would take a cab and save both the aggravation and the money. Or, better yet, do what my husband and I later did: enjoy the 25 minute brisk walk to the Boboli Gardens from the Duomo.

Danielle Lambert in Lake Oswego, OR USA 10/04/2007

Best: Uffizi & Accademia, Pompeii ruins, St. Peters Square, Hotel Santa Caterina
Why: Because the art and ruins were better than I expected. Even though everyone else had the same idea 'cause these places were jammed by European tourists also.

Worst: Hotel Basilea, Florence
Why: The attendant working in the mornings was very rude. This is a hole in the wall type place. The website advertising this makes this place look like a jewel. Rooms are tiny and old. You just get a place to sleep. This compares to a 1 star hotel in the States and the staff at this hotel doesn't seem to care. Rick Steves should take this hotel off his travelguides. Also, for as many English speaking tourists visiting Florence, I find it odd that not many Italians spoke English. I thought America was the only guilty country in being able to speak only one language. Finally, restaurants/pizzerias charge a cover charge/called "coperto" this way they don't have to give acceptable quality service which translates to another way of scamming the tourist. Such way of doing business! The sad part, we tourists, travel far to witness this!

John in Los Angeles, CA USA 10/02/2007

Worst: Al Todaro gelateria, St Mark's Square, Venice
Why: This was the only time during our 2 week visit to Italy that the service was actually rude. Everywhere else we went, people were friendly and seemed to really want us to enjoy their country. Also, the gelato was icy, not as creamy as the myriad other places we tried.

Tandy USA 10/02/2007

Best: Going to the top of the Duomo in Milan
Why: We were there two and a half hours, taking pictures as the sun went down--magical experience. Our second day in Italy, so this set a wonderful tone.

Diane Flindt in Sugar Land, TX USA 09/30/2007

Worst: Siena...Hated It!
Why: We hated Siena and couldn't leave soon enough. Dirty, clausterphobic and very rude, unfriendly people. Horrible Place! We've been all over Italy twice and we love everywhere else. It blows me away how Rick raves about this place. It's Awful.

Susan in Sausalito, Ca USA 09/29/2007

Best: Papal Audiance, Musse Borghese, the Last Supper, Capri
Why: Seeing and hearing the Holy Father was a dream come true, an answer to a prayer. The staff and clergy at Santa Susanna are Saints in waiting. Musse Borghese limits the amount of patrons in the gallery so you have time and space to explore and ponder. The Last Supper is a very powerful experience. Again crowds are limited so the experience is almost one to one. I did not expect much from Capri but was wonderfully surprised by the experience. We toured around the island on a small boat, got close to some grottos and got a good look at this beautiful isle.

Worst: Circumvesuviana Train
Why: This train makes the Septa R-5 look like the Eurostar. To make matters whose it was on strike when we needed it to get to Napoli Centreale for our connection to Rome. Also bus service to Sorrento from Napoli Airporto is unrelieable. Way too many passengers not enough buses. You ain't in Disney World baby!!! Always, always have a plan B on travel days.

Furnancefighter in Philadelphia, PA USA 09/29/2007

Best: Siena's Duomo & Pompeii's Ruins
Why: Because in my opinion these attactions were easy to get to and were self-paced. Also, each one of these attactions were either within walking distance from the hotel or walking distance from where the Metro dropped off.

Worst: Accademia & Uffizi, Florence
Why: Seeing the Accademia & The Uffizi was well worth our trip to Florence. However, even though we had our hotel make the reservation for tickets (per your recommendation), it was a fiasco. These attractions appeared to be the most popular of all the attractions we saw. The signage for both was very poor. There was several lines, depending on who was getting in first, and since there were a ton of groups, it was hard to tell which was which. Getting the tickets was still a hassle because we had to wait in this super long line @ the building across from the Uffizi. And once we had our tickets, it got even more confusing. Again, if there had been signs, I think we wouldn't have had such a tough time. Once we got in, we tried to put the hassle behind us.

Tony Ramirez in Huntington Beach, CA USA 09/29/2007

Best: Contucci Cantina in Montepulciano
Why: A must if you are in the Tuscany hill towns! Adamo is such a ham, and loves signing the Rick Steves' guidebooks with his photo. The wine tasting was yummy and informative. Glad we went!

Cory in Dallas, TX USA 09/29/2007

Best: Cinque Terra
Why: This is the perfect combination of natural beauty, good food and interesting towns.

Worst: Florence
Why: The book lists Florence as a top priority. There should be an asterik- only if you are interested in the museums. If you are looking to explore cities and be outside Florence is a huge disapointment. Too loud, and crowded. Way overrated!!!

Michael Lopez in Rochester, MI USA 09/28/2007

Worst: Pisa
Why: Truly a tourist trap. Follow guidebook recommendations for the one major attraction (Filed of Miracles - Baptistry, Cathedral, Tower and Cemetary) and make it a passing stop and not a stayover. Kind of ike Bakersfield with none of the charm....

John E. White in Altadena, CA USA 09/27/2007

Best: Advance tickets to Uffizi & Accademia, Tickets for Colosseum
Why: (1) I wish to emphasize the value of advance purchase of Uffizi and Accademia (Florence, Italy) museum tickets. Unless you go late in the day, or off season, they are a real time and hassle saver and worth every penny. (2) Also, Rick's tip on Colosseum admission was invaluable and saved at least an hour wait in the sun (go to the Arch of Titus/Palentine Hill ticket office, purchase the 8 euro combo ticket and go straight to the front of the groups/reservation entrance for the Colosseum). Palentine Hill and Forum were breathtaking experiences. The Pieta in St. Peters the most moving, as was David in the Accademia in Florence.

Worst: Sistine Chapel
Why: Judging from other reader feedback on the graffiti page, the crowd controls efforts on viewing the chapel are ineffective. It was stuffed to capacity, claustrophobic, and not very enjoyable. If Rick can determine a "best time or day" to view this, that would be great.

Deb Kozak in Redmond, WA USA 09/25/2007

Best: Rome's Forum, Reservations for the Uffizi and Accademia in Florence
Why: History at the Forum; convenience of the reservation system at popular sights.

Worst: Vaporetto at night tour, Venice
Why: Loud and too much vibration.

Lowell Houghton in Sylmar, CA USA 09/23/2007

Best: Caminetto in Gitta cooking class - Varenna
Why: Chef Moreno was very entertaining plus we learned a lot about cooking. There were 17 in the class and we ate the food he cooked at a communal table once he was done teaching. It was very fun and the food was great!

Cindy in Fox Island, wa USA 09/22/2007

Best: EVERYTHING we tried
Why: We spent nearly a month touring all around Italy and never went wrong when we followed the recommended places to stay. LOVED the convent in Siena - could have stayed forever!

Worst: Many encounters with the people
Why: We encountered a great deal of rudeness and those who could speak English well enough to explain said it was because of the American involvement in Iraq. Most Italians do not speak English well enough to explain to them that we understand and do not like it either!

Mary in Boulder, CO USA 09/22/2007

Best: Hard to choose but Lucca stands out in my mind
Why: It was such an interesting city. Took your rec. and rented bikes. Wish we had scheduled more time

Janet Thomson in Buttonwillow, CA USA 09/21/2007

Best: Capri and Anacapri, Mount Solare
Why: Laid back and no tour groups at night.

Worst: Rome and Positano
Why: Opposite of Capri. Too busy and not relaxing at all. We took at day trip from Sorrento to Positano. We wasted a half a day by feeling like a mountain goat hiking up and down the streets looking at overpriced art and the same type of clothing stores. For those looking for relaxation either stay where you are, or head over to Capri if you are not planning on staying a night or two there. I would not stay in Positano if I was going there.

scott in dallas, tx USA 09/20/2007

Best: Gelateria dei Neri
Why: Ok, the David was incredible, also, but everyone KNOWS that's there and it's awesome. But I wouldn't have found Gelateria dei Neri without Rick's recommendation, and it is so worth the trip -- or several! The gelato is incredible -- definitely superior to all of the other amazing italian gelato. Try the ricotta e fichi (ricotta and figs); it's fantastic!

Tiffany Mura in Boston, MA USA 09/18/2007

Best: Rome
Why: The information was excellent on how to get around, what to see and do, and where to eat when you only have limited time. We were in Rome for only 2 days and followed Rick's suggestions on what to do on a 2-3 day visit. The directions were awesome, transportation was easy, and we only got lost once on our first day! We were able to easily navigate several self guided tours, and saved lots of money by using the ROMA pass. There is no need to ever use a taxi in Rome when you have Rick to guide you. All the information was great!

Worst: Florence
Why: The city was great, but we did not have enough time to get around to everything as we were only there for a short time, which was really no fault to the book. The only problem with the information provided was that the maps could have been a little better for navigating Florence.

Megan Tannenbaum in Chicago, IL USA 09/17/2007

Best: Cinque Terra
Why: We loved the unique character of each town. We stayed in Monterosso, in the old town in mid-July. The variety of restaurants, shops and bars was great. Rent the beach chairs and umbrellas for a day to have a great beach experience.

Tim in La Crosse, WI USA 09/16/2007

Best: Our favorite destinations were Orvieto and Assis
Why: Their beauty., slow pace, religious significance.

beth in mackenzie, TX USA 09/15/2007

Best: Rome in 2 days
Why: day 1 followed recommendations and got Colesseum tickets at Palatine.. avoiding long line. also enjoyed 3E audio for Forum.. our B&B got us resevations to Vatican Museum and we had great guided tour.. again avoiding line.. then we exited through right side door following another tour..and got into St. Peter's with no line.. rode buses & Metro with now problem. walked around Pantheon in evening and over to Trevi fountain for our last night.. fantastic

Colette Pirie in Waikoloa, HI USA 09/10/2007

Best: Orvieto
Why: I think this town is underrated in your book... the duomo, the charming town, the restaurants and the ceramics are fantastic! I remember liking it better than Siena when I was 13. We skipped Siena and saw Orvieto this time.

Carey Caccavo Wheaton in Sebastopol, CA USA 09/07/2007

Best: Where to Get Tickets and When to Go
Why: In Venice, Rome, Florence the guide saved us hours from waiting in line. The practical recommendations and suggestion that we should not be afraid to go at it out on our own.

Mike Sulaver in San Jose, CA USA 09/02/2007

Best: Accidental Tourist cooking class
Why: amazing, individualized day of wine and olive oil making/tasting tour, plus cooking lesson at a Tuscan villa, meal prepared by local woman and we got to speak directly with her

Laura Bligh in Freehold, NJ USA 08/30/2007

Best: Vernazza, Cinque Terre
Why: Loved the people, loved Piazza Marconi on the Harbor, loved Gianni Franzi for dinner and friendly waiters, loved the gelati, loved Martina's famiglia, loved the view from La Torre ristorante, loved the CT trail hikes, loved the boat ride between towns, loved the tranquility at night in the harbor.

Worst: Driving in Milan
Why: We drove from Bellagio to Milan in order to meet our bus tour (for Last Supper), and the morning commuter traffic was horrendous! We finally made it to the Duomo area, parked in a garage, and ran to the bus. Luckily the bus was two minutes late, or we would have missed our wonderful experience of viewing The Last Supper. (Thank you for your tip of booking a tour with a guaranteed viewing. Perfect!)

Polly in Morro Bay, CA USA 08/28/2007

Worst: Ceramiche il Coccio - Montalcino
Why: This is no refelction on the book - just wanted to pass on some information. First off, I don't normally complain about foreign experiences - in fact I generally like them. However, we bought some ceramic platters from Ceramiche il Coccio in Montalcino in May 2007. The package finally arrived late June (~3 weeks after they promised delivery) and both platters were broken. I contacted the shop by phone that day and sent an e-mail with photos. It is now August and we are still waiting for replacements. The shop has continually ignored our e-mails and refuses to provide a delivery date for the new platters. We have also called the shop 3 times. Seeming to be out of options, we have referred the matter to VISA to see if they can exert pressure to either get us the new platters or our money (~$450) back. I would advise avoiding this shop - the customer service since the broken plates arrived is about the worst I have ever experienced.

Steven in Wolfe, WA USA 08/27/2007

Best: 1. Enjoy Rome Tours in Rome 2. Positano
Why: We booked two tours with Enjoy Rome: Vatican Tour and Ancient Rome. The guide for the Vatican, Lucia, was an Italian who spoke English and German. She is very passionate about her work. The tour went longer than what we paid for because she wanted to share so much. By booking a tour we didn't have to stand in the 3-hour wait to get in! The extra money is worth it.

Abigail Navarro in Belfair, WA USA 08/22/2007

Best: Ostia Antica
Why: It was a wonderful location! Hard to believe it was so ancient. So much of the ruins still in tact. The museum on the grounds there was one of the best! Excellent cafeteria!

Sharon & Leo Marty in Olympia, WA USA 08/21/2007

Best: Vernazza, Cinque Terra and Siena for the Palio
Why: Exquisite town on the water. Relaxing, fun, quaint. Everything you hope for when you travel to Italy. The buses and trains were on strike the weekend we arrived however, so our hike to the next town was extra long since we had to hike back as well. The water was too choppy for boats, but our legs were still working...we only stayed two nights and wished we had booked at least 4 nights. We did attend the Palio race for the July 2nd event in Siena. We stayed three nights in Siena and had a GREAT time watching all the processions, etc. and enjoyed the race very much. We loved all of Tuscany.

Amy Scherer in Menlo Park, CA USA 08/13/2007

Best: Tours by Roberto Bechi in Siena Italy
Why: Roberto's tour was fun and informative. He went out of his way to help us with transportation questions. He even made the trip back into Siena to return a pair of sun glasses left in his car after the tour. The tour was one of the highlights of our trip.

Curtis Wood in Pickerington , Oh USA 08/13/2007

Worst: Hill Town of Volterra
Why: Arrived late on the last Saturday of the month of July 2007. We were wondering why we could not find parking in the early evening. Turns out they have an all night party (lasting until approx. 4 a.m.)throughout the town the last Saturday of the month. Loud music was playing on speakers on the streets everywhere we went. It's great if you're up for a party, but we were wanting to settle down for the night. Not sure if this event happens only during the summer.

Denise Beever in Lake Foest, CA USA 08/12/2007

Worst: Restaurant Miky
Why: Service was horrible. After denying us a table outside they offered it to an Italian couple who came in without a reservation (they didn't know we understood Italian) and ignored us until we practically stood up waving all evening. The food was good but not worth the trouble or the cost.

Cindy Nelson in Palo Alto, CA USA 08/12/2007

Worst: Roman Odyssey Colosseum Tour
Why: On our last day in Rome we booked a 4:00 PM tour of the Colosseum and the guide spent too long outside of the Colosseum boring us with his hard-to-follow historical explanations. I kept urging him to move along so that we could get into the Colossum, but he kept assuring me we had plenty of time. By the time we finally got to the Colosseum it was too late and they would not let us in! To top it off, Roman Odyssey would not refund our money. They offered to give us the tour the next day, but our flight was leaving early in the morning. Nothing could have been more devestating and disappointing! I hope that Rick removes this tour from his recommended list, because this was the low point of our trip.

Donna Sanfort in Hamilton Square, NJ USA 08/10/2007

Best: all of the hotels, the house wines and the gelato
Why: every hotel we stayed was in your book and all were just lovely and fairly reasonable. Only complaint - no air conditioning in Hotel Riva(Venice) - very hot - mosquitos - couldn't leave window open.

Katie Ruggieri in Greensboro, NC USA 08/04/2007

Worst: Florence in late June
Why: Thankfully we only spent one day there and retreated to the coolness of Sienna. It was just too darn hot and I am from Texas.

Bonnie Reynolds in Manchaca, TX USA 08/03/2007

Best: Cinque Terre hike
Why: Amazing scenery made it all worthwhile. We even bought limoncello "moonshine" from a man who had a stand set up between Monterosso and Vernazza. Stopped for a beer and bruschetta at the Via Del Amore bar on the last segment, and we could look through the metal floor beneath our table to see the water far below.

Joanne Essenwein in Suwanee, GA USA 07/29/2007

Best: Wine tour of Tuscany
Why: Beautiful countryside and great wines.

Worst: Towns on Amalfi coast and tour of Rome's Jewish ghetto
Why: I like to shop, but the Amalfi coast towns are major tourist traps. We should have just taken the bus out to Amalfi and the boat back and skipped the towns altogether.

The tour is expensive and there is little of the original ghetto left to see. Tour is mostly of the small Jewish museum (entry price not included).

Marie in Oak Park, CA USA 07/27/2007

Best: Piazza San Marco at night; making reservations for Florence museums
Why: Venice's Piazza San Marco by night is free, romantically magical, and the essence of Italy.

Also, I would never have waited 2 plus hours in the July heat to see David or the Uffizi treasures in Florence. With reservations, we waited only 15 minutes.

Worst: Night Walk across Rome
Why: This is second time I have used your books and this is always the most frustrating part of the trip. I make it as fun as possible, but getting lost again and again after a hot, busy day of sightseeing, with my teen-age daughter along, strains the patience of all. We ARE laughing about it now though. How can they hide something so big as the Trevi Fountain?

[Editor's Note: Sorry you had so much trouble. Next time, ask a native Roman to direct you. Just say "Doh-vay Fontana di Trevi?" and watch where they point. Repeat as often as necessary.]

Rob DiCocco in Broomall, PA USA 07/24/2007

Best: The night walk in Rome, The grand canal cruise in Venice, Walk to Medici Fortress in Cortona
Why: All of the three suggestions lead us to beautiful places, with great views and with NO lines. That was amazing!! We think the 'walk to the Medici Fortress' (and the fort itself has an art museum inside of it) can be given more coverage :)

Worst: The lines outside Vatican museum
Why: While we made reservations for the Accademia and Uffizi, we did not realize the Vatican museum would be this crowded. We decided not to do the museum, because it the lines were 3 blocks around the museum (at 9.30am). Definitely recommend the reservation if people are interested.

Anu and Velu Bala-Subramanian in Westford, Ma USA 07/23/2007

Best: The Vatican Museum
Why: Simply unbelievable in scope and beauty. Worth any amount of standing in line, although we were in line about 7:15 am and managed to get in almost as soon as it opened.

Worst: Venice
Why: Too many uninformed tourists cramming the place (cruise ships!) and after seeing Rome, Florence, and Bologna, the place just seemed so shallow. On your recommendation, we stayed at Pensione La Calcina, however, which was lovely and probably saved the experience for us, since it was out of the way of the day-trippers.

Stacey Burzumato in Savannah, GA USA 07/22/2007

Best: View from Manorola
Why: The best view of the Cinque Terre also has a nice rose and grassy garden. Great picnic spot too.

Worst: Rome Restaurants
Why: If there is not a price on the menu for example beer the prices are going to be too high, just be careful

Patty Duffy in Eureka Springs, AR USA 07/20/2007

Best: Walking tours
Why: Great advise on most everything. Walking towards were fun and easy to follow. We really enjoyed the Verona and the Rome walking tours.

Worst: Museum reservations
Why: Even though you have museum reservatons in Florence. That only means you get in a different crowded line to wait and push and shove to get in. That was the case to see David.

Kathy Brownfield in Stow, OH USA 07/19/2007

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: Incredible scenery and location with great restaurants. Hard to beat such a beautiful location on the Med.

Worst: Siena
Why: Siena was by no means a disappointment, but I must admit I was expecting a bit more given how much it was "talked up" in the guidebook.

Michael Crichton in Ottawa, ON Canada 07/18/2007

Best: Trevi Fountain
Why: Our favorite in Rome: Just a wonderful spot to sit down amid the crowd and stare at the tumbling water; plus, the nearby Gelateria San Crispino serves fabulous gelati. Try the grapefruit!

Mark Adams in Gig Harbor, WA USA 07/17/2007

Best: Florence, Italy Guide Paola Barubiani
Why: Our family of 4 (2 adults/2 teenage children) enjoyed our private tour with Paola. She tailored our tour to keep our teenage childern interested and we couldn't have been happier! It ws nice not to have to walk around Florence with a map in hand and instead just enjoy the sights.

John USA 07/14/2007

Best: Austrodale tour and the Last Supper
Why: Because I was unable to score a ticket to the “Last Supper,” I followed Rick's advice and hopped on the Autostradale tour, which was one of the highlights of my Milan trip.

Worst: The smoking
Why: I had no idea that people smoked so much in Italy, especially in Milan. Since cigarette smoke is dangerous to my health, my trip was marred from the outset. A heads-up would have been helpful.

Jeff Klein in Cypress, CA USA 07/13/2007

Best: Climbing the Duomo in Florence
Why: This was one of the best experiences because of getting there early, so no lines, and seeing the paintings in the dome up close...there were many, many more in our 7 city tour by train, the David, the vatican and sistine chapel, tunnels of Orvieto, Siena's contade, pompeii, and all of the saint relics.

Worst: No worst
Why: I loved all of the country sites, art, churches and cultural experiences.

Jan Lapetino in Denver, CO USA 07/13/2007

Worst: Tilde's Camera; Vernazza, Cinque Terre
Why: The day before our reservation, we emailed her in order to re-confirm our reservation and schedule a time and place to meet. We received no response. The next day, we attempted yet another email, to which she never replied, and we then phoned her. At that point, they mistakenly reserved our room for the following two nights, leaving us with no place to stay in the peak of tourist season in Vernazza. They did not even attempt to help us find another place to stay, nor did they even recommend someone else. I spoke with a friend of hers, and she agreed that it was possible Tilde "mistakenly" dropped our reservation in order to make more of a profit off of someone else's booking for a longer stay. If it wasn't for the Canoli Brothers calling people for us at Il Pirate, we would have had nowhere to stay, or at the very least, wasted more precious Honeymoon time searching for a place to sleep!Please take Tilde off the book!

Stacy in DeLand, FL USA 07/06/2007

Best: Volterra
Why: Steve nailed it with his description on page 488. On our next trip, we'd like to stay one night in town and hang out longer with Bruno and Lucio at La Vena di Vino. One look at the photos on the wall, and you can tell that these guys know how to have a good time.

Worst: San Gimignano and Pisa
Why: Over crowded and felt like Disney attractions...think Epcot.

Joe St. Laurent in Gresham, OR USA 07/06/2007

Best: Hotel Giardino, Accademia and Rezzonico
Why: HG in Rome, Accad in Florence and Rezz in Venice. All the staff in those hotels are super people. Helpful, friendly and go out of their way to make your stay the best.

Worst: Elisabetti Morelli
Why: Not the worst but didnt know where else to go with this. We had scheduled with her by email for a 2 hour tour, June 18th. Sent me an email before left the US that she broke her leg in car accident. If true, I am sorry but somehow had feeling she might have picked up a bigger booking.

Otto Fafoglia in Chatham, Il USA 07/06/2007

Best: Rome Walk
Why: We reserved and took the Rome Walk tour through the Vatican recently. We had a young woman (Spring) from Texas who gave us an exceptionally wonderful tour of the Vatican (museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peters) along with the history of the religion, art, and architecture. Group was small (eight people), so we receive a lot of attention. A major recommendation on my list for anyone interested in the Vatican.

Ken J in Reston, VA USA 07/05/2007

Best: The Cinque Terra
Why: Although we have been to Italy many times, this was our first time to visit and hike the Cinque Terra. The Rick Steves guide provided accurate assessments of the trails and towns. We thoroughly enjoyed the views and scenes provided. It was a very welcome break from the fabulous churches and ruins that filled most of the rest of the trip.

Frank DeLustro in Charleston, SC USA 07/02/2007

Best: Beyond the major sites in Rome and Florence, a private, guided wine tour from Siena to Montalcino area sights
Why: View of Tuscany, instructive guide, visit to Abbey of Sant'Antimo; a/c in a minivan when it was 100 degrees outside; new understanding of Brunello wine.

Worst: The bus ride from Rome to Siena
Why: Hadn't learned how to book tickets in advance. Stuck in crowded, outdoor bus station for 2 hours and the bus was late. Once aboard the jam-packed bus, we sweated through a 3 hour drive with little-to-no air conditioning.

L & N Liss in Salem, OR USA 07/02/2007

Best: Volterra
Why: Wonderful small town feel. Try to be there on market day. It's a hoot.

Worst: Pisa
Why: Dirty and smelly, people are rude and surly.

Thomas Vincent in 2913 9th Ave W, WA USA 07/01/2007

Worst: Graffetti
Why: Graffetti in Rome (and elsewhere) really is terrible, however, please be aware that when old stone is spray painted the paint is actually absorbed into the stone making it extremely difficult to remove.

Marie in San Diego, CA USA 06/28/2007

Best: Venice Bar Tour with Alessandro Schezzini
Why: He was absolutely delightful, sharing incredible secrets and histories of Venice. We had the best wine and cicchetti (local munchies) you can imagine. We saw wonderful historic bars. We did not want the evening to end.

CSW TX USA 06/28/2007

Best: Fish Market in Venice
Why: Not just a fish market but a full market setting. Good local atmosphere, good food, very colorful.

Bruce Smith in Appleton, WI USA 06/28/2007

Best: Pizzeria Spadaforte in Sienna and Ristorante da Fortunato in Rome
Why: Excellent food and service.

Worst: Sienna
Why: I was just surprised at the level of rudeness in this city. Not everyone (some were really great), only 1 in 8, but given 16 human interactions per day that's enough to get you down. On two occasions we were subjected to outright anger (e.g. slamming my credit card down on the counter) and for no obvious reason at all. Maybe just the way I fumbled between Italian and English. We avoided the ugly Americanisms and are pretty quiet and polite in general. I think the people of Sienna must be sick of all the tourists or something--it was really horrible and in a few cases completely undignified the way we were treated.

Jeff in Merced, CA USA 06/27/2007

Best: Cinque Terre - Vernazza
Why: It was all it had been described to be. I felt that we got a taste of real Italy. The people were warm and friendly.

Worst: Venice
Why: So crowded but that is not your fault!

Margaret Ann Burtchaell in St. Pet