Italy 2010

Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:

Best: Venice, Florence, Cinque Terra, Rome
Why: Each Town has its pace and unique sites. Visited Italy for the first time going in this order was good by the time we got to Rome it did not seem as fast paced as some say and we were acclimated to Italy. Gelato in Florence. Rick Steves don't leave home without it. I did extensive pre-reading and planning with the book. It paid off no lines for any sites. Nice lodging, good food, kept away from the touristy ristorante places. Saved from the the $10 gelato! The people the food!

Worst: Senia
Why: While pretty and a nice ride to the country I had higher expectations. Glad I did it but staying in Florence and hanging out may have been just as rewarding for me.

Tom & Laura in Denville, NJ USA 11/18/2009

Best: Too many, but Siena is at the top
Why: It is a delightful town in the Tuscan Hills. The recommendation, which we did not take, was to possibly make this home base. On another visit, we would plan on spending 5 to 6 days there with at least one day excursion to Firenze.

Worst: Lake Como (Varrenna, Bellagio)
Why: While not the "worst" it was at the bottom of our list. The place obviously caters to the well-heeled Milanese and tourists, with high prices and less-than-stellar results (although our accommodations at Hotel Oliviedo were excellent, but the food so-so).

Richard Raub in Portland, OR USA 11/17/2009

Best: Borghese Gallery
Why: It was smaller and the displays were of very high quality.

Worst: Vatican museum
Why: They make you walk miles to see the Sistine Chapel and most of the art work is very repetitive altar pieces.

Mary Bruce in Surrey, BC Canada 11/16/2009

Best: Vatican Museum
Why: Having reservations was smart, but the lines were relatively short when we arrived anyway. We went on a day when the Pope was having an audience, so I think we missed bigger crowds since they were all at St. Peter's. Eye-popping art collection. I have to say, since we had seen so many beutifully painted ceilings, the Sistine Chapel was a little bit anti-climatic!

Susan Beach in Forest Park, IL USA 11/16/2009

Best: Vatican Museum
Why: Having reservations was smart, but the lines were relatively short when we arrived anyway. We went on a day when the Pope was having an audience, so I think we missed bigger crowds since they were all at St. Peter's. Eye-popping art collection. I have to say, since we had seen so many beutifully painted ceilings, the Sistine Chapel was a little bit anti-climatic!

Susan Beach in Forest Park, IL USA 11/16/2009

Best: Sistine Chapel/Rome
Why: I've been to the Sistine Chapel 2 times before and this is first time I used the Rick Steve's audio guide. It was very useful and interesting.

Worst: Naples
Why: Naples self guided tour in the book was very hard to follow. Wasn't really a big deal as we branched out on our own but was difficult to orient us back to train station and Naples is more problematic than other cities in finding English speaking people for directions. Finally found police officers. :) Also..I agree with others that Naples is more gritty than I expected.

Nancy Antin in Minneapolis, MN USA 11/14/2009

Best: Cinque Terre, Rome
Why: As you described in the book, this area is beautiful. We might have overlooked this area had it not been highlighted in the book. We did a day trip there, took the boat ride-which was great. Also, in Rome we hired the driver you recommended Autoservizi Monti Concezio "Etzio" who was great. We did a day tour, he was on time, his car was spotless, and it was a relaxing and enjoyable way to see Rome. Etzio dropped us off right in front of St. Peter's Square at 10:30 am on Sunday for Mass with the Pope. Etzio also steered us to the Forum gate which was a 15 minute line. From there, we walked to the Coliseum and the lines were about 45-60 minutes to get in.

Worst: Vatican Museum tour
Why: We did the Vatican Tour on a Monday, the day after five saints were beautified and it was so crowded, that the tour was the worst part of our trip. We wished that they would let you go through the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Bascilica without the tour.

Colleen Farnan in Saratoga Springs, NY, NY USA 11/11/2009

Best: Lago Maggiore
Why: As my wife said many, many times, this is the most beautiful place we have ever been. We spent 4 nights at the hotel at the top of the cable car - after the close of the season in Oct. Magnificent sights, sunsets, lights, mountains covered with snow, beautiful lake, etc., etc.

It didn't hurt that on the first evening the staff prepared a wonderful antipasto of prosciutto, etc., complete with Spumanti! We had a wonderful time.

Worst: One lousy restaurant in Firenze
Why: I love Italian cucina. In 5 years of traveling Italy, I have only had 2 bad dining experiences. One is on a side street in Florence. Do not remember the name of it. It pays to check them out with Rick.

Carl in St. Paul, MN USA 11/08/2009

Best: Civita di Bagnoreggio
Why: Beautiful old church and surrounding tiny town with amazing views. Highly recommend stopping at the ristorante in the old olive press mill. It mostly serves various types of bruschetta- which was the best I had in Italy- and a glass of wine is 1 euro.

Susan Cramer in Lynnwood, WA USA 11/04/2009

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: The incredible views, the uniqueness, a slower pace and closer to nature.

Worst: Not my favorite: Rome
Why: Now that I have seen Vatican City, Ancient Rome, Spanish Steps, and Trevi Fountain, probably would not return there. I did like the convenience of the Roma Pass especially well though.

Terri in Central Point, Or USA 10/31/2009

Best: Il Caminetto Ristorante & Cookery lessons Varenna
Why: Chef Moreno has passion for food, family & teaching and it shows in his cookery lesson making it the highlight of our trip. It is well worth going out of your way and spending some quality time to reach into the culture and history of the region related to food presented with a little bit of humor and politics. Dinner the nite before the lesson was the best quality & value we had on our trip. We volunteered to come work there as sous-chefs, but he is a one-man wonder (with the graciously acknowledged support of Rosella, his wife).

Worst: train travel
Why: Long lines unless you can figure out the self-serve which don't always work--a problem after hours. Recommend buy tickets early in the day before windows close. WC's dirty & emptied straight onto tracks below.

Suzanne Chabon in Greensboro, NC USA 10/26/2009

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: After touring Rome, Florence, Venice and having your brain on art/history/cathedral overload and the novelty of trying to communicate in another language has worn off - this is the perfect break. Thanks to Rick, it is mostly Americans and we even seem to be squeezing out the Germans. It's a great place to meet other tourist and share tips. Especially at the Pirate Bar. If you're seen chatting with others while waiting for a table it's likely that you'll be seated with your new friends. Lots of great accomodations there and not too expensive.

Worst: Portofino
Why: I really didn't get it. Maybe it used to be awesome, but it was really expensive and not as fun as Cinque Terre.

PJ in Carlsbad, Ca USA 10/22/2009

Best: Vernazza
Why: This is the most charming, beautiful little town with great hiking. We loved that the restaurants remained open throughout most of the day so that after a vigorous hike we could get something to eat!

Heidi Fryman in minneapolis, Mn USA 10/21/2009

Best: Sinstine Chapel
Why: Even after having taken several art history classes in my undergraduate studies, and thinking I already knew enough of what it was relying only on my prior school studies, I would have never known all the history, details and significance of what I was experiencing first hand with Rick's personal descriptions, his welcomed personal opinions and guided tour. Easy to follow, wonderful to have the personal option of listening, or just sitting down and very informative. Thanks!

Mark in Mesa, AZ USA 10/21/2009

Best: Christine, tour-guide in Positano
Why: This is an excellent 3 hour tour of Positano and very reasonably priced. It also includes three small tastings. Christine is a funny, savvy, Australian ex-pat with a youthful energy that is infectious. This was the highlight of our Positano stay!

Mark in Wickford, RI USA 10/15/2009

Best: Venice, Cinque Terre
Why: Faboulous places for different reasons

Ray Kirk in Thorburn , NS Canada 10/12/2009

Best: Orvieto
Why: La Magnolia B&B was the most homey place we stayed on the entire trip. Serena was very helpful, the morning meal was good, and the city itself was so welcoming.

Worst: Lucca
Why: It was extremely hard to find our B&B, we were warned that the street names were way up high on the buildings, if we hadn't been accompanied by a young Afghani man on a bicycle we would have had to sleep on the street. Day # 2 was a vast improvement. I recommend that travelers use a GPS to find their way around Lucca and have plenty of time, it is really a city within a city.

Diane in Salem, OR USA 10/11/2009

Best: Varenna
Why: beautiful, not a tourist trap with tacky vendors, the train tips were extremely helpful. We were on the train at 6:30 pm on a Sunday and it was standing room only returning to Milan.

Worst: Pisa
Why: it was such a tourist trap, nice to finally see though. And we did see the ladies on the side of the road, we laughed at how accurate the book was!

Beth in Lansing, MI USA 10/09/2009

Best: the Naples/Sorrento/Amalfi transportation information
Why: We "made it up as we went along," and your guidance to get to/from Ercolano, Sorrento, Amalfi, Rome was invaluable. Thank you!

Worst: preparation for Naples
Why: EVERYone warned us away from Naples, but although your book described Naples as "reality travel," we were really unprepared for the grittiness.

Laralyn Sasaki in Columbus, OH USA 10/09/2009

Best: venice
Why: I was overwhelmed by its beauty and history.

Worst: trains in the chinque terre
Why: we just found it difficult to figure out what train was coming into the station (they ran late) and where it was going. We got on a wrong train that was running 29 minutes late and instead of going from Monterosso back to Vernazza we went all the way to La Spezia. There were many peope at the stoop who did the same thing.

Margo in Cadegan, Canada 10/07/2009

Best: Civita de Bagnoreggio
Why: It is gorgeous and magical, a real treasure to experience, especially when staying overnight. It's hard to top Maurizio's bruschetta from his family's 500 year old olive oil mill.

Worst: Venice
Why: Super crowded and over-run with tourists, we also felt just a little bit swindled by everyone and weren't able to connect with anyone or any place there. Beautiful, worth the trip, but manage your expectations.

Terri in San Francisco, CA USA 10/04/2009

Best: Orvieto
Why: The views of the valleys below were astounding.

Ralph Perry in Cincinnati, Oh USA 09/30/2009

Worst: TI In Naples, Italy
Why: I went to both TI offices listed in Naples. No one spoke any English at either location!

Mel in Kirkland, WA USA 09/30/2009

Best: all but Venice, esp Cinque Terre and Siena
Why: well the plan that Rick lays out it would seem he puts a higher priority on more days in Venice over many other places in Italy. We went up for a quick day and night of romance and seeing what we could. It seemed like hype to us. Kind of like the Times Square of Italy.. We liked it ok but for all the build up of the grand canal and romantic evening and all you hear about it, it was a pretty huge disappointment. We also went to Rome, Siena, CT and every place in between and all of them were great compared to Venice.

Worst: Venice
Why: I already explained it.. One thing we realized is that traveling from place to place is work and it takes planning and if you are not really experienced with all of it, well it takes a lot out of you in some ways. The places we stayed longer were much more rewarding. No way we would pack up and travel 5-7 hours by the time you get all organized and take a train and get settled in the next place just to make sure you don't miss something. CT and Siena for 4 days each was like heaven.

george scholz in las vegas, nm USA 09/27/2009

Best: Civita di Bagnoregio
Why: Beautiful place. We happened to be heading that way late on a Sunday afternoon 9/6, and were delayed a couple of hours when THE Pope came to Bagnoregio. It was us, the locals, and the Pope and his entourage--it was amazing. We did eventually get to Civita and then it was just us. Apparently all the tourists must have turned back at the barriers put up on the outskirts of Bagnoregio. We parked and walked around and celebrated the Pope's arrival. The only down fall was that no restaurants were open in the area because all the locals closed shop to see the Pope. It certainly was the highlight of our trip.

Jacky Arnold USA/Military living in UK 09/23/2009

Best: Naples walk
Why: fun walk, lots of sights, a view of a whole different world. Having a pizza at Trianon (one of the best I've ever had) didn't hurt!

Mike in LA, CA USA 09/18/2009

Best: Alessandro's tours of Venice
Why: Take his back street Venice tour and bar tour. Great way to see Venice and hear things about the city and the Venetians that you might not hear otherwise.

Chris & Kelly Leu in Sheboygan, WI USA 09/14/2009

Best: Assisi
Why: The landscape, small size of the area, St. Francis church, cleanliness of the whole area, best wine/olive oil store ever!

Maria Neatherton in Palm Desert, CA USA 09/13/2009

Best: Benvenuto Limos
Why: Wonderful driver, Fulvio, for the great day we had touring the Amalfi Coast on September 6, 2009. Fulvio was waiting for us on the dock when we arrived in Naples. The car was spotless and very comfortable. Fulvio was very knowledgeable and knew all the best photo stops, as well as interesting information about the culture and history of the area. He was perfectly on time for every pickup and did everything to make us comfortable and to insure a great time. His experience working on a cruise ship and living in the U.S were also valuable in providing perspective for the sights we were experiencing. I would recommend this tour to anyone. It was some of the best travel money we ever spent. Grazie!

Andrew Wheeler in Durham, NC USA 09/13/2009

Best: Amalfi Coast tour with Monetti taxi
Why: Spectacular scenery with an excellent, informative, personable driver (we had Lorenzo). A real treat and worth every euro! This was the highlight of our trip to Italy.

Craig Sale in Brookfield, IL USA 09/08/2009

Best: Tour by Alessandro Scherzzini in Venice
Why: This was an outstanding afternoon with a knowledgeable, and friendly Venetian who provides non-stop insights in Venice that you could never get from other resources. And it was a great value for an almost private tour.

Jim in Freedman, MA USA 09/07/2009

Best: Church of Santa Maria Maggiore
Why: was even more stunning than the book said!

Worst: I got mixed up once with the Victor Emmanuele II
Why: it was in a sketchy park and I knew I was lost!

Mary Catherine Donnelly in Brooklyn, NY USA 09/01/2009

Best: B&B Dei Mori in Florence, Hotel Giardino in Rome, Hotel London in Milan, La Torretta B & B in Varenna
Why: All were clean, comfortable, well located and friendly. However, the hospitality shown by Peter, Danny and Suzanne at the Dei Mori in Florence was outstanding. We felt like we'd known them forever and they just couldn't have done more to ensure that our visit to Florence was memorable.

Karen in Reading, MA USA 08/30/2009

Best: Rome, Venice
Why: Context guides trough the Ancient Rome and especially trough the Vatican were wonderful. Small groups and good guides. The restaurants that Rick recommends are very good. Eating cicchetti in Venice can save you a lot of money. Also the museum tours in book as well as MP3 tours were very helpful and interesting. Thank you Rick, we love your books.

Worst: twice bas cab drivers in Rome, and food in Rome without Rick's guidance
Why: Cab drivers think that you are idiot. When you tell them that you know what they are doing and you will call the boss (English or Italian doesn't matter), the price drops dramatically. Once we took a cab from Vatican (4,5 hours guided tour)to Pantheon and ask a cab driver to show as a place to eat, because many restaurants were closed after 4.00.

Natasha Novitskaia-Adams in Greenwich, CT USA 08/29/2009

Worst: SAN MARINO
Why: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN THE BOOK ABOUT SAN MARINO

PAUL ROBERTSON in Conroe, TX USA 08/21/2009

Best: Carmelo Monetti and the drive to Amalfi
Why: We left our car in Sorrento and hired Carmelo for the drive to Amalfi. It was just my husband and I, but well worth the price. Carmelo is such a charmer! It was at times a little hard to understand him, but it's Italy! His family stories and knowledge of the history of the region was perfect. He was able to stop along the infamous Amalfi drive for us to enjoy and snap photos in places we never would have stopped if my husband was white knuckle gripping the steering wheel. He dropped us at a wonderful restaurant in Ravello for lunch and we ended our day at our hotel in Amalfi. We loved Carmelo! It was one of our most favorite days on a 6 week trip to Italy!

Worst: Pompeii tour - UGH!!!
Why: A lot of the tour groups are touting their audio miked guides as THE way to take a tour. NOT! We were in a huge group (as most of them are and could hear our guide through the audio receiver. However, we could not see what he was talking about until the group moved on and then he was already talking about something else. No chance for questions. I'll stick with the tours that insist on small groups and are not using microphones. We took 2 such tours in Rome with Avventure Belissime. Both times the group was under 10 and we had a fantastic time though I don't remember that there was a big price difference.

Christina Anderson in Hacienda Heights, CA USA 08/19/2009

Best: Castelrotto and Rome
Why: Good people, good food and good hotel!!

Anita Szeto in Hong Kong, 08/17/2009

Best: Venice
Why: Our granddaughters, ages 17 and 15, were with us and it was an exceptionally good experience! Our 17 year old granddaughter had her hair done by Benito; she was thrilled with his approach and the results - make an appointment as early as possible.

The gondolla ride was a great time.

Jim Colgan in Bixby, OK USA 08/15/2009

Best: Franco Fadda Wine Tour Experience
Why: Franco Fadda was an excellent guide for a wine tour of Tuscany. He is a native of Siena and has a lifetime of knowledge to share. He is young and energetic with a welcoming personality. He took us to 2 wineries and a castle, picking us up directly from our hotel in Florence and taking us back to the hotel door. This tour was a highlight of our stay in Tuscany. You can contact him at francofadda@hotmail.com and he responds to e-mails quickly. I highly recommend him.

Thomas Strayhorn in Snyder, TX USA 08/12/2009

Worst: Making reservations the Uffizi Gallery & Accademia
Why: I tried your "easy" suggestion to make online reservations for the Uffizi Gallery & Accademia in Florence. I put in our dates, times, and credit card data. The website said it was done processing our order but then went totally blank with no confirmation codes or any other information. I tried sending inquiries using their help button and their web address, but the e-mails were rejected as undeliverable. I sent a fax to the number given on the website, but never got a reply. And I called the reservation phone number in your guide, but they said they were a different company, not connected to the website reservations, and couldn't tell me if my charges had gone through. They did however make their own reservations for us. And today I got our phone bill for the $60 international call. so we did get to the head of the line at the Uffizi, but it was neither easy nor cheap.

Meredith Powers in Arcadia, CA USA 08/06/2009

Best: Herculaneum
Why: Friends told me to skip Pompeii and come only here. I'm glad I didn't, because of the grandeur of Pompeii, but I loved that Herculaneum was so much less crowded and so accessible. It may not have a forum and all the public buildings, but it is a great site in an excellent state of preservation. Even the wood still exists! If you're into ancient ruins and architecture, don't miss it!

Laura in Kirkland, Wa USA 08/04/2009

Best: Gambero Rosso, Vernazza , Italy
Why: Claudio served us marinated anchovies and anchovies with potatoe, bread, and wine and would take not money. I had told him that I read in your book to be sure and eat the anchovies and I wanted to try them, but we were almost out of time. It was ten till 12 and we were leaving at 12. This was one of the highlights of our trip and by the way, they were so wonderful and I love Claudio!! Please tell everyone of your readers to go there to eat. Thank you and I enjoyed your book and it helped so much. Terry G in Mississippi

T Gilbert in Ridgeland, MS USA 07/31/2009

Best: Vernazza Harbour
Why: Stunning and will definitely wish could have stayed for longer!

Sazia Samad in London, UK 07/27/2009

Best: making advanced tour reservations
Why: It was amazing to walk to the head of the line each tour and feeling bad for those waiting in 90 degree direct sun for a possible entry that day, and knowing we all have such limited time with each travel destination

Christine Elias in Vancouver, Wa USA 07/17/2009

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: Beautiful place. You coverage is better than other guides.

Brandon Johnson in Encinitas, CA USA 07/17/2009

Best: Assisi
Why: We toured Trento, Verona, Venice, Florence, Siena, Assisi, and Rome and for us, the best was Assisi - for its scenery, churches, food, and we had a great hotel!!!

A close second was Verona - we especially enjoyed the opera in the arena!

Marianne Greer in Saskatoon, SK Canada 07/13/2009

Best: Florence
Why: of the Italian cities we visited, this was the the best. We arrived from Rome, so Florence was, while busy, quieter and more relaxing and we loved the Renaissance history.

Worst: Not specifically recommended in the book but..
Why: Watch out for the street cafes in Florence. One lured us in with inexpensive sandwiches (about 3 Euros), but when we got the bill for the soft drinks they were 5 Euros per drink, including refills. Our "cheap" lunch ended up at about 50 Euros for 3.

Jo Bennett in Laurinburg, NC USA 07/12/2009

Worst: Venice-St. Mark's Square
Why: June 2009. There is scaffolding over half of the Doge's Palace (on the water side, and it completely covers the Bridge of Sighs), and there is more over the new Uffizi in the Square. The bad part is they covered the scaffolding with large ads for Swatch and other companies-they look "great" in our photos. So much for ambience. The ads are jolting and just destructive of the scene.

M. Nelson in Federal Way, WA USA 07/09/2009

Best:
Why: Your book was terrifice and we want to thank you for the MP-3 tour guides. We downloaded them to our cell phone memory chips and used virtually all of them in Venice, Florence and Rome. Terrific.

Dr. Robert Kiner in Sioux Falls, SD USA 07/09/2009

Best: The Forum
Why: The amount of history that these ruins represents is incredible. Getting a sense for this site can be a challenge, but recognizing that such a vast empire grew from these few acres is phenomenal.

Worst: San Sebastiano Catacombes
Why: The tour was pretty quick, without a tremendous amount of insight from the guide. This wouldn't make my list of sites to see again, nor would I recommend it.

Barry Blodgett in Cary, IL USA 07/07/2009

Best: The Cinque Terre
Why: Small towns, great people (Cristiana Ricci and her husband were every bit as nice as you made them sound), relaxing beaches. We got a room with a kitchen in Corniglia, found a fish market/truck in Riomaggiore, and my husband made a fabulous Italian-style pasta, bruschetta and salad which we enjoyed with a local wine. It was wonderful. Then there was a St. Peter's festival the locals were participating in outside.

Michaela Baglietto in Medford, OR USA 07/05/2009

Worst: National Archaeological Museum in Naples
Why: Dazzled by the treasures herein on a previous trip, we traveled to Naples specifically for a return visit to this museum in May 2009. "Lack of sufficient staff" was the explanation given for 14 of the 20 rooms being CLOSED and a 15th room open for a mere 2 hours. And there was NO reduction in admission fee. They had little business, as well, since most people --including us -- walked away. Info desk people said they make a decision day-to-day on what rooms they can open. Sad.

Deborah in North Port, FL USA 06/27/2009

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: What a nice break from sightseeing. I was traveling with my daughter and 3 granddaughters. We all loved it there.

Mary in Tucson, AZ USA 06/22/2009

Best: Tips on how to use the Trains
Why: very helpful and it is so affordable!

Worst: Naples is scary dirty and not worth a stop.,
Why: Gangs of teenagers on the subways were scary and the area around the National Archeological Musuem was dirty, lots of people sitting around drinking liquor in the park. Also, their subway is much dirtier than other towns.

Kristi Flax in Rose Hill, KS USA 06/17/2009

Best: Paestum, Capri, Bernini sculptures, and the Vatican.
Why: Among other things I was on a journey to track our civilization through the ages so Paestum was big for me. Even thou the site was a mixture of Greek and Roman the three big Greek temples overpowered the Roman ruins. The wonderful Etruscan museum at Chiusi aided in the pre-Roman piece of the puzzle. The temporal layout of the exhibits were very helpful. Seeing aspects of the ancient Romans in Rome, the Renaissance Rome in Florence/Tuscany helps to make it all very real.

I now consider Bernini the greatest sculptor ever but I think I learned more about his personal life than I wanted to know

All the art is beyond rating and was incredible. It was all more than I could absorb but I am glad I had the opportunity to try. I saw enough to be able to identify a sculpture as Greek or a Roman copy of a Greek. The Vatican was way cool too.

People in my group who were not as into the art as I was enjoyed Capri best and I have to admit the view from the top was incredible. We enjoyed the hike down too.

Worst: Naples
Why: People in my group (seven of us) were more excited to go to Naples than I was but less appreciative of it than I was once we got there. Because of all the warnings of pickpockets and such everyone was a bit sacred of it. I think with time it will be put into perspective as a very good experience. This rating is from my group, not me; I think it is all good.

By the way, I did spot a pickpocket in Naples and my wife spotted one in Venice outside the Hard Rock Cafe. Since we spotted them no one lost anything to thieves.

Dave Schoneweis in Tulsa, OK USA 06/16/2009

Best: Bologna
Why: It was great to discover such an untouristed town in Italy. The medievel centre was amazing and the porticos meant that we were dry even when it was raining. The food was great to.

Worst: The area around the Duomo in Florence
Why: The Duomo was magnificent but the area outside is quite claustrophobic after 10am. Be prepared to be shoulder to shoulder with every other tourist in Florence when you go to see this beautiful building. Also watch out for the pickpockets.

Louise in Perth, WA Australia 06/11/2009

Best: Gelato experiences in Florence
Why: We tried every one and it was really fun. The best was Grom. It's very close to the Duomo but doesn't seem to be overrun with tourists. Try the melon flavor when it's in season. It's really great!

Worst: Boboli Gardens - Florence
Why: We were disappointed since we had to pay 10 euros each to enter the Boboli Gardens (they have 2 types of ticket bundles to see the Gardens and Pitti Palace - you have to buy one or the other or both) and then when we entered it wasn't really a garden. There were no flowers or anything like that. It was basically just a bunch of hills with some grass. I wouldn't waste my money to go there again.

Zoe in Port Washington, NY USA 06/01/2009

Best: Lucca
Why: Least touristy, most laid back, best food, lots of bike rentals for really cheap.

Worst: Venice
Why: Its like one big expensive theme park... its just a parody... Don't ever ever recommend the one trip vappareto ticket either. Its too easy to get lost on the streets of Venice and wind up at a water taxi that won't sell you tickets.

Duane Henderson in Chico, CA USA 05/31/2009

Best: Musea and the advice to get online reservations
Why: The lines at most musea or sites were horrendous; the fact that we at your urging got reservations on line cut the times to almost zero even at Uffizi. The best advice was the Roma Pass in my opinion or the ATVO vaporetto tickets

Worst: hotels without elevators
Why: the fact that many hotels in the older cities have no elevator and for 2 late sixties people that is a chore, hoisting heavy suitcases up four flights of stairs

Henny van Dijk in Houston, TX USA 05/31/2009

Best: Vernazza
Why: Beautiful

Judy Petersen in Sammamish, WA USA 05/28/2009

Best: Seeing the Last Supper in Milan
Why: It was amazing. Not something most people visiting just Rome would get to see. Worth the side trip to Milan. Duomo was also awesome.

Worst: Nothing
Why: Well, maybe the train lady.

Janice Humphrey in Colorado Springs, CO USA 05/26/2009

Best: Ristorante iL Buco (Sorrento)
Why: Nice folks, pleasant venue, good food. Accepted the 10% discount w/o reservations. Would come here again.

Worst: L'Antica Trattoria (Sorrento)
Why: Guidebook says 10% discount w/ Rick's book. Placed book on the table (as I did the night before at Ristorante il Buco who had no conditions) and when the waiter brought the bill, he said the discount only applied if I paid cash. So I paid cash and he brought my 4 Euro change with 12 or 14 small coins (everything on their menu is even Euro numbers so he had to search to find these coins). So I felt he was punishing me for using the Rick Steve discount.

Michael McGirr in Crete, IL USA 05/26/2009

Best: Borghese in Rome, Borgelo in Florence
Why: Great collections of art without the crush of crowds.

Gary Swett in Port Ludlow, Wa USA 05/19/2009

Best: Assisi
Why: Wonderful small medieval town. Walking areas were very nice, churches were wonderful. Food was great. Hotel Belvedere was terrific.

Barbara Shurr in Walnut Creek, Ca USA 05/17/2009

Best: Tour of the Jewish Ghetto in Venice
Why: The tour of the synagogue in Venice mentioned in Rick's book peaked our interest, so we planned to go after checking the website. It was a very informative tour that took us through 3 out of the 5 synagogues. The English speaking guide provided great info. This was something out of the ordinary.

Meredith Kupferman in Rancho Murieta, CA USA 05/16/2009

Best: Le Casine di Castello
Why: An enjoyable retreat in a part of Tuscanny called Val D'Orcia. Our family rented both upstair and downstair apartments for the week. Isabella, our hostess, worked hard to help schedule and coordinate many activities. The apartments were clean and authentic to the Val d'Orcia (the region of Tuscanny the town resides). The surrounding town is picture postcard perfect - even the parking lot in back of the town has commanding, idyllic views of the country side falling below!

Worst: Calle de le Rasse? (sandwich row) in Venice
Why: Establishments on the southwest and northwest corners of the intersection between Rasse and San Provolo were the worst. Waiters ignored us, food portions were unusually small (even for Venice), and the prices were no bargain. Worst experience of a 10 day tour through Italy.

mark in boston, ma USA 05/16/2009

Best: CinqueTerra
Why: Loved all five towns, although Manarola, where we stayed, was actually our favorite. Because of scheduling, we were there on a holiday in April, but really wasn't overwhelmingly crowded.

Barb DeArmond in Kansas City, MO USA 05/15/2009

Best: Cinque Terre Hike from Monterosso to Riomaggiore
Why: Thanks for giving us the heads-up about how difficult that first leg from Monterosso to Vernazza is! We were well dressed/prepared while we saw other hikers struggling in high heels (no joke) and denim mini-skirts!

Gina in Los Angeles, CA USA 05/11/2009

Best: Sorrento by far.
Why: Beautiful town. Clean. Great hotel at Hotel Mignon. Amalfi and Capri close and easy to do.

Worst: Volterra
Why: Not much there that isn't in other hill towns and it is so steep to walk. Traffic harrassment on narrow roads is constant.

Thomas Chamberlin in Salem, OR USA 05/07/2009

Best: see below
Why: The Coliseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, all of the art museums, the Duomos, St. Mark's Square on St. Mark's Day,the gondola tour, shopping in Florence, taking the local train from Naples to Rome... all was fabulous

Worst: the Vatican guided tour
Why: It was so crowded that she kept on going ahead and we lost her voice and had to struggle to find her... It was also too crowded to use the ipod Venice Grand Canal for two. People kept breaking our connection.

Lorraine New in Troy, MI USA 05/05/2009

Best: Agriturismo Seliano at Paestum
Why: It is not in the book, but this agriturismo has a big water buffalo operation, where they process milk for the famous mozzarella di buffola. Readers with cars who are interested in the Italian side of ranch life will find this place very interesting.

Kyle & Jan Dameron in Tulsa, OK USA 05/04/2009

Best: Il Pirata delle Cinque Terre in Vernazza.
Why: The Canoli twins are big Rick Steves fans. They have Christmas cards from Rick & family for the past several years stuck on their window. They are famous for their pasteries, but their evening meals are equally delicious. They are unfortunately located on the "wrong side of the tracks" - literally - and too many arrivals from the train walk down hill and miss their place. They have several great rooms for rent which were empty when we were there the middle of April.

Worst: None
Why: In four weeks, following Rick's guidelines, we did not have a bad meal in Italy.

Kyle & Jan Dameron in Tulsa, OK USA 05/04/2009

Best: Walk around Venice and get lost!
Why: It was an extraordinary place to enjoy on a sunny day.

Worst: Taking cabs in Rome.
Why: Very stressful. Over 90% of our drivers were dishonest.

ben caputo in arlington heights, il USA 04/30/2009

Best: Civita, and Romantica Pucci & Vaporetto in Venice
Why: What a great way to see the classic hill top town. We loved the room and the food at Romatica Pucci.

I love the vaporetto in Venice. Great value, good advice (to go early and sit in front or back.)

Worst: Figuring out busses to hill towns
Why: I had difficutly understanding the blue ticket machines and sometimes finding the right tobacco shop or newstand for bus tickets. The tobacco shop at the train station for the bus to Cortona was closed. The diagram for busses from Volterra and other hill towns was uncelar to me. For instance, I didn't know that you take a bus from Volterra to Saline, and a train to the coast.

Jeanette Rollinger in Visalia, CA USA 04/27/2009

Best: Assisi
Why: We were there over Easter and it was amazing. It's a beautiful city.

Worst: Rome
Why: We loved Rome so much, but we were surprised by how dirty it was.

Erica Blankenbehler in San Jose, CA USA 04/19/2009

Best: Pompeii
Why: We loved Pompeii and were glad we hired a guide. Theone Rick Steves recommended was not there that day but our guide was wonderful. His name is Francisco.

Ellen in Anaheim, ca USA 04/11/2009

Best: Tower of Pisa and St. Marks Basilica in
Why: The kids really enjoyed both of these plus there were great veiws of the cities. They were also great breaks from all the art and culture we forced the kids to "enjoy".

Kyla Miller in Ruckersville, VA USA 04/11/2009

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: It was even better than described, at least at the end of March. It was quiet, friendly and so beautiful.

The little bus ride was awesome. You might want to mention just how high up this road goes. For those of us scared of heights, it might be good to know! I am glad I took the ride but wasn't aware how far up we would be on the narrow little road. On the other hand, if I had known, I might not have gone.....

Pat Millar in Dartmouth, NS Canada 04/08/2009

Best: http://www.todine.net/lanaverossa/index.html
Why: The quality of food is very high-leve, you will stay next to the sein a very romanthik place.

Todine.net in Milano, Lo Italy 04/07/2009

Worst: Lack of Torino and the Piemonte region
Why: This section needs to be added before the 2010 book comes out!

Colin Carandang in Houston, TX USA 04/05/2009

Best: Pompeii
Why: The combination of your guidebook and info provided at the site was perfect. You are right. you really need their map. Somewhat confusing. We really appreciated the detailed transportation info on getting there. You made it easy.

Suzy Pare in Cleveland, OH USA 04/04/2009

Best: Exploring Lake Como's villages.
Why: We were there in Feb. 09 and stayed in Bellagio. The off-season is a great time to visit because there are no crowds and the snow covered mountains are spectacular. The weather can be bad but the upside is prices are lower for hotels!

Gale in Melbourne Beach, FL USA 03/29/2009

Worst: Amalfi Coast by Taxi
Why: Our trip was in May-June 2007. We originally scheduled with Raffaele Monetti for an all-day drive of the Amalfi Coast. Although we received an email confirmation for the above named service, Carmello Monetti was our driver instead of Raffaele. While Carmello was very nice and "jolly" as the guide book states, it was difficult to understand him much of the time.

The biggest issue was that part of our tour took us to a place called, "Piccadilly".There we could shop and purchase Italian pottery, including some very pricey pieces of furniture and pots for large plants. We were there for and hour or more and made a large purchase of a garden table with 2 chairs, pasta bowls with a serving bowl, and a large jardiner or vase. While the table, chairs and bowls arrived (almost 2 months after promised in Sept. of 2007) the vase or large pot did not arrive. According to Luigi (10-1-2007) it broke as they are packing it in the shipping crate on the Amalfi end. They would have to create a new one and we would be receiving it in spring of 2008. I telephoned directly to Piccadilly no less than 6 times; each time recording the date and who I spoke with--usually Luigi or Giuseppe. They would always offer they were checking and I should call back or they would call me back. Finally last December 2008, after getting no where I called Raffaelle's (the taxi company Rick Steve's recommended, that took us to Piccadilly) cell phone and spoke to him. He said with Christmas so close he couldn't get a response from Picadilly until January 2009. He would call me back. Again, I have not received any communication. As a last effort I am emailing you at Rick Steve's. The item that never shipped was valued at 750 euros-- a sizable amount of money that we never received anything for. I thought it important that other travelers be aware of the dishonesty that we encountered at the Piccadilly pottery store.

Bette Massaro in Oconomowoc, WI USA 03/26/2009

Best: Santa Croce
Why: When we visited Florence back in 1997, we became horribly lost and was not able to find this lovely church. We felt redeemed to get a chance to return to Florence and see Santa Croce.

Furnacefighter in Philadelphia, PA USA 03/20/2009

Best: The self guided walks
Why: They were so exact in giving directions it made us feel relaxed and enjoy more of the sights at our own pace. Plus,I guided 6 people thru the Roman Forum with your book! (sorry..no picture)

Patti Koupal in Rapid City, SD USA 03/19/2009

Best: Rome/Florence/Siena/Pisa/Venice/Milan
Why: Everything in this book was great.

yy in San Francisco, CA USA 02/13/2009

Best: Private Guides in Milan & Florence
Why: Lorenza in Milan and Cynthia in Florence (in Ricks Book) were 2 of the highlights of our family trip to Italy over New Years. Thanks Rick. They were well worth the investment. Highly recommend them.

Pat Oliver in Palos Park, IL USA 01/28/2009

Best: The Frari Church in Venice
Why: While this is covered in the guidebook and your DVD I suspect few people visit this site. It is extraordinary. To me this is one of the best sites in Venice. We were there in January and there were few crowds and you could absorb the art and sculpture. I would give this one a 3 star rating.

Scott in Wainess, CA USA 01/21/2009

Best: Rome and Florence
Why: Amazing History and Art

Worst: First class trains
Why: Toilets that are more disgusting than cattle trucks on Italian trains and station bathrooms Eurail passes are totally more expensive than individual tickets.

Lee in Washington DC, DC USA 01/15/2009

Best: Rome and Florence
Why: Amazing History and Art

Worst: First class trains
Why: Toilets that are more disgusting than cattle trucks on Italian trains and station bathrooms

Lee in Washington DC, DC USA 01/15/2009

Best: Venice and a Vivaldi Concert, The Last Supper in Milan,
Why: It was wonderful to be there in December....the crowds were manageable. I'm sorry I only booked 2 nights there thinking I wouldn't be able to handle the crowds....it was such a charming city! I loved walking the little lanes at night. I went to the Chamber Orchestra of San Marco's concert one night, and I really enjoyed that. Milan is worth visiting solely just to see the Last Supper. Even in it's state of deterioration, this is the best Da Vinci anywhere. I just wish they gave you more than 15 minutes in front of it!

Worst: Naples
Why: The dirtiest, most disgusting city I've ever seen. There are piles of trash in the street, it smells, and its generally ugly. There are these really annoying vendors selling what I think are mostly stolen goods on the streets, and it narrows the sidewalks making for a slow flow of pedestrian traffic.

Abby in Tallahassee, FL USA 01/12/2009

Best: Riomaggiorie
Why: Fantastic views, low cost, excellent room, friendly people. Suttest taking the cruise ship up the coast rather than the train.

Worst: Pickpocketed on bus between Pisa and the Leaning tower.
Why: Buses were packed literally like sardines and targeted by pickpockets. My wallet was in a front pocket with velcro. I am not sure which was worse - allowing myself to be pickpocketed or dealing with the local police to file a report.

Gary Reichanadter in Mooresville, In USA 01/01/2009

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: So different from everywhere else in Italy - love the proximity to the ocean and enjoyed the hiking between the villages.

Carolyn Seager in Toronto, On Canada 12/02/2008

Best: Gaetano Manfredi Pompeii Tour
Why: Gaetano was highly recommended by Steve and our group of 5 were delighted with his knowledge, style, humor and professionalism. If you are a lover of history, you will love Pompeii and Gaetano makes your visit especially wonderful.

Sue Day in Foster City, CA United States 11/28/2008

Best: Civita
Why: Amazing, different, unique, etc.

Worst: the bathroom in Civita
Why: The bathrooms were ok, but the showers needed more cleaning.

Mabel Luna in GLENDALE, CA USA 11/11/2008

Best: Florence - Accidental Tourist cooking class
Why: The full day wine tasting and cooking class offered by Accidental Tourist provided the best day of our 3 week trip, bar none!  Guides Steve and Jesse were friendly and informative, the wine was great, scenery was amazing, and the cooking class was so much fun!  Cristiana, the hostess at the cooking class did astonishing things with the pasta we made, turning it into a fantastic meal with her tasty, simple sauces.  Her tiramisu alone was worth the price of the tour! It's easy to see why they don't take payment until the end of the day - I'm sure dis-satisfied customers are rare.  A full day, ending with full tummies!

Ruth S. in Innisfail, AB Canada 11/07/2008

Best: Local Guide: Pina Esposito
Why: As mentioned in the 2008 book, Pina specializes in art and archeology. I later learned that she has two doctoral degrees. I hired her for both the Archeological Museum and Pompeii and what a wonderful experience! I learned so much and the connection between the two places were perfect Pina is a dynamic speaker who is an enthusiastic expert. I should also add that she was very quick to respond to my inquiry, especially in short notice. Thank you for the recommendation.

MM in Los Angeles, CA USA 10/31/2008

Best: Vernazza
Why: Most beautiful town in Cinque Terre, most scenic harbor, great restaurants. A great place to stop for lunch on the waterfront piazza while hiking the trails between towns.

Worst: Naples
Why: Other than the great pizza, the city was a disappointment - hot, dirty, very high priced cab fares (double what you estimated in your book), and sidewalks almost impassable and occupied by sleazy vendors selling tacky merchandise. The front of the train station was obstructed by construction barricades and fleets of huge buses blocking the entrance. It was very difficult to cross streets with the reckless, aggressive drivers. The National Archeological Museum was under renovation and a large proportion of the rooms were closed to public access.

Chris Peter in El Cajon, CA USA 10/26/2008

Best: Borghese Guide
Why: Notably, your guided tour of the Borghese Museum made our morning expedition a success and set the tone for our dependence on your book (it became a must have for every exploration). I really wish that you could do the same type of tour for the Uffizi Museum in Florence, but I recognize that that tour would be a book in itself.

Worst: Rome & Assisi Maps and Orientation
Why: In Rome, we had a difficult time getting acclimated and struggled with the maps in your book. I doubt there is any way to improve them since the streets are so windy and abundant, but perhaps knowing that the city is confusing would have been helpful. Assisi was nearly impossible to navigate with the guidebooks tour and maps. Considering that many of the RS's city/town guides are articulate and spot-on, Assisi was a little weak and could be improved.

Karen & Jon Roses in Boston, MA USA 10/25/2008

Best: Galleria San Marcos
Why: When one of the sales persons at this outlet for very high quality glasswork saw the Italy 2008 book under my arm, he immediately became extremely helpful and mentioned the 20% discount for book carriers right off the bat. We ended up with a beautiful Murano glass vase which we hand carried home. And yes, we got to see that "leetle 'orse" get blown from glass. [I noted that after we left, the 'orse went back into the furnace. ;-) ]

Richard York in Tyler, TX USA 10/21/2008

Best: locanda barchetta in bellagio page 223 (2008)
Why: warm wonderful excellent rooms did not know anything about Rick steves or book... could you mail them a book? they were delerious one of the nicest inexpensive rooms in all of italy... let me know if you mail them a book please

Worst: hotel giardinetto
Why: did not honor price in 2008 book despite my questioning and inquireing and this was in oct

s wren in bayside, ny USA 10/21/2008

Worst: Rome:
Why: Only that the bus system is a little hard to work out and help is not available. Big city; I think the buses work in zones.

Kathy in Chandler, TX USA 10/18/2008

Best: Orvieto
Why: This was a very unique find. We enjoyed the smaller town feeling and were impressed with what you could do within one day.

Worst: Rome
Why: This just wasn't like the rest of Italy. It is so cosmopolitan that it was like being in New York, but in Italian. Getting around was much more of a hassel. We had blistered feet from the unlevel, cut-stone roads. You may wish to recommend that people make sure they have hard soled shoes in Rome. Our soft-soled shoes just did not cut it.

Rory Scanlon in American Fork, UT USA 10/18/2008

Best: Lake Como, Varenna, Cooking Course with Chef Moreno
Why: Of all of our travels throughout Italy, one of our favorite memories was the time spent learning from and eating with Chef Moreno! Lake Como was lovely and beautiful, of course, but the experience at the Chef's restaurant with people from all over the world enjoying each other, the food, and the languages was unforgetable. Maybe it was the magic that is Italy itself... what a memorable event. We highly recommend calling Chef Moreno for a reservation if you're in the Lake Como region! It will be an unforgetable day!

Loren Beason in Searcy, AR USA 10/17/2008

Best: Where to avoid taking your car/parking
Why: So glad we dropped off rental car before going to Florence.

Worst: Only used one Hotel, the Maxim in Florence, it was ok for us, but should warn older travelers, (we had my 80 year old mom), that it is hard to get your luggage around without help, and getting in and out of the shower could be difficult for the elderly.
Why: Could have used more details.

Rene Pellissier in Merced, Ca USA 09/24/2008

Worst: Trambusopen/Archeobus Tour of the Appian Way
Why: While the guidebook offers some cautionary words against this service, you should probably only mention to STAY AWAY from it. The staff is incredibly rude, the buses run about half as often as the schedule notes, and they are always full/oversold so many times you end up waiting over an hour to actually "hop on" and get anywhere. I would never, ever suggest this company to anyone and hope that in 2009 readers are duly warned.

Kayte in Milwaukee, WI USA 09/17/2008

Worst: Locano Catullo in Verona (hotel)
Why: This was recommended by your book, and we have always had nothing but praise for everywhere we have stayed or eaten that you have recommended. But this place was the worst place we have stayed in years. The man who checked us in was sullen and the only ammenity in the room was a tiny bar of soap as big as a quarter (I kid you not). There were no blankets on the bed or in the closet, only a sheet on the bed, and it was warm days but very chilly during the nights of our stay (Aug 15-17) There was just one tiny paper packaged bit of shampoo. They did not replenish the soap or shampoo, though it was used up the first day. When I asked for another piece of soap, he harumphed and took a long time in the back room, finally coming up and tossing me another teeny piece of soap. The room was stifling the first day. My husband has a heart condition and needs fresh air, and the room was extremely close and stuffy. When I asked him if he had a fan, he said no. We inquired where we could buy one and he didn't know. A few minutes later he came to the room and said he had a little fan that he would let us use for $30/day. We thought that was a bit stingy too, as the former hotel in Sienna which we loved (Albergo Canon)furnished a fan. The worst thing was the way we were treated like criminals. The first night I was freezing and had seen a stack of sheets in the hallway on a little stool. I assumed they were for our use. I took one and left it on the bed, though it wasn't warm enough to do much good. The next day the guy confronted us and literally yelled at us for stealing a sheet. I explained that I was freezing and didn't want to disturb him in the night (I was afraid he will shoot me, he was so unfriendly). He continued to rail on us as we walked down the very steep stairway to the street. I would not recommend this place to my worst enemy. His wife was equally unpleasant, sitting in the back playing cards with another woman and not wanting to help with anything at any time. When I asked her to get the key for me one day she moaned and groaned and sighed and slammed it down on the counter for me. She was unkempt and non communicative. I would definitely take this place off your list.

Laurie Ballam

Laurie Ballam in Logan,, UT USA 09/15/2008

Best: DOLOMITES
Why: THE VIEWS ARE BEAUTIFUL. WE WENT TO COMPATCH.

Worst: VAPORETTOS IN VENICE
Why: We had a party of 6 (two small children 5 and 7, two grandmothers and us). Vaporettos were so crowded we very lucky to see anything at the Grand Canal and keep our family together.

CLAUDIA TOMASELLI in KENNESAW, GA USA 09/15/2008

Best: Vatican
Why: Lives up to the hype.

Worst: Sienna
Why: We made a day trip to Sienna, arriving mid-day, which was a mistake. It's a beautiful city, but if it's 80 degrees outside the walls, it's easily 100 degrees against all the brick on the inside. A great place to see, but depending the weather, probably some place to walk through in the morning or evening.

Dave Matsumoto in Tacoma, WA USA 09/10/2008

Best: There is to many to count
Why: I loved the rating system! If we only had a short time in a particular place it helped us to decide what was a must see and what we could miss, for now.

Nikki Campagna in Tampa, FL USA 09/05/2008

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. Petersburg, Fl USA 06/23/2007

Best: Pisa
Why: Your account called it as it was -- and a good time-saver for me. Pisa is worth the visit, certainly, but not a circumstance in which to spend an inordinate amount of time.

Worst: Rome
Why: "Worst" is not the appropriate word because your indepth account was very thorough. I guess the reading, though, didn't fully prepare me for the madness of the motorscooter riders and spaghetti-like maze of streets.

Karl Kunkel in High Point, NC USA 06/20/2007

Best: Rome
Why: Rome has a lot of history and culture. We were in pain when we had to say "Arrivaderchi Roma". We loved all the sights. Evening walk from Spanish steps to Campo Di Fiori and then dinner at Ristotante La Carbonara was fantastic.

Vinay Malur in Queensbury, NY USA 06/18/2007

Best: Venice-Grand Canal Tour Florence-Renaissance Walk
Why: Venice, I actually adored your entire Venice book re St. Marks Square, the history, the art, you name it--it is so rich. The Grand Canal Tour, the Peggy Gueginheim, even to go so far as explaining the art! For Florence, I loved the Renaissance Walk--we did it, it helped us to make sense of the city, get our bearings, understand what we were seeing, it was great

Linda Nasser in Danbury, CT USA 06/18/2007

Best: Rome - Through Eternity Tour and The Accidental Tourist
Why: Booked a private tour with Through Eternity. Awesome guide; handled all logistics. Really brought Excellent with my teenager - made Rome come alive with stories. The Accidental Tourist was highlight of our trip. One of our best days in Europe ever.

Worst: Pisa - Leaning Tower
Why: There simply isn't much to see in Pisa and the crowds are terrible.

Carol Fink in Tampa, Fl USA 06/17/2007

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: I had never considered including The Cinque Terre on a trip to Italy. But we scheduled in 3 days and it was beautiful. I've never been to anyplace so unique. It was mind bending to be eating in a great restaurant and look up and see the laundry hanging from makeshift clotheslines on balconies. We watched the sun set over the hills every night with the sea lapping against the shores and it was very relaxing.

Worst: Graffitti, especially in Rome
Why: Although I loved the historical sites the rampant graffiti(as someone already mentioned)made me shake my head in disbelief, especially in Rome. The Italians must care about their cities but if they do they certainly don't show it. The vandelism is really bad and the tagging has not been removed for years. It's a shame to see what should be beautiful old buildings marred like this. There was also a lot of trash in the Tiber.

Sandra in Santa Rosa, CA USA 06/17/2007

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: The Cinque Terre is just so unique. There's nothing else like it. The 7 miles from #1 to #5 is quite challenging some areas but well worth doing. The Cinque Terre is a feast for the eyes. Each town is so different and so charming and so beautiful.

Worst: Verona
Why: Maybe it's me. I just didn't think that there was much there to see that was unique, that something similiar couldn't be seen in other towns. There really was anything there that really gripped me and me say WOW.

Tracey Allerton-Kuldanek in Edgewood, WA USA 06/12/2007

Best: The hike from Monterossa to Riomaggiore
Why: The exercise was great; the scenery was outstanding. We took the train in the morning from La Spezia to Monterossa and hiked from 9 until 4 with a lunch in Corniglia. I am 66 years old (my wife a little younger), and my daughter is 25. We unanimously agree that this day was our best in Italy.

Worst: Capri transportation information
Why: As explained above, we struggled from the beginning to arrange for a bus to Anacapri. We wasted an hour and a half before we figured out how to get to Anacapri efficiently

robert varnum in fort myers, fl USA 06/11/2007

Best: Varenna and Bolzano
Why: I wished we would have stayed the night in Varenna instead of Milan! Bolzano was a pleasant surprise. The downhill hiking possibilities from Oberbozen were many! What a view!

Worst: Milan
Why: Terrible hotel (Hotel Valley). We should have visited the Duomo and then moved on to Lake Como.

Michael in Swanson, TN USA 06/07/2007

Worst: Guvano Nude Beach in Corniglia, Cinque Terre
Why: I went to this beach (described in the 2007 Italy guidebook) with two of my girlfriends. Two of us took advantage of the "nude" part of nude beach. It was sparsely populated with people - about half nude (we were the only nude girls).

We sat at the edge of the beach, away from most other people. A man set up near us (not on top of us, but near) and stripped down. He then began playing with himself and looking at us. We got dressed, he did as well and went back to someone else at the other end of the beach. We walked around a big rock and set up over there.

A while later, we went to check out the other beach (there were two stairways to two segments of the beach). This one was deserted and we set up again. We were there not 5 minutes when the man showed up at the top of the stairs, again playing with himself and making lewd gestures.

We got dressed and angrily approached management about the situation. Once they realized what we were talking about, a couple insisted they didn't speak any English. The man who took our entrance money relieved himself. One man got on a moped and may have been looking for the offender, but I doubt it.

While I would hope that this harasser doesn't work there, management didn't seem very interested in helping us out. At the very least we wanted our money back and decency, but we got neither. From the little they said to us, it sounded like they thought we should've expected this kind of behavior.

I'm curious what our 5 Euros each went to exactly, because it sure didn't go to making this a safe environment.

We asked for an escort through the long, dark tunnel to get back to the train station, and this request was not granted either. Had I not had my two companions, I would've been even more frightened of the offender showing up in the dark tunnel and harassing me/us.

I think this beach should not be recommended or even mentioned in future editions of your guidebooks.

Elizabeth Fiorani in Chicago, IL USA 06/04/2007

Best: Cortona
Why: We stayed one night in Cortona as a break after three hectic days in Rome. So peaceful, with breathtaking views. A walled town that is a delight to just wander. Also, we visited Le Celle in Cortona, originally built in 1211 by St. Francis and his followers. Clinging to the hillside with a rushing stream, you can see where St. Francis slept and prayed. And free.

Worst: Siena
Why: I haaaate Siena. Loud, shoulder to shoulder people, hot. The cars rumble down too narrow streets, with the sound reverberating off the buildings. In May, the air conditioning in our hotel was off, so we slept with ear plugs and the windows open, but people were screaming and singing until well after 3:00 am. This is one place I was so glad to get out of and to which I will never return.

Liz in Palmer Lake, CO USA 06/01/2007

Best: ContextTravel
Why: The only organized tours we took were in Rome with RS recommended Context Rome- excellent small group tours with fascinating guides. Very much worth the small increase in fees over large group tours.

Worst: Large City Graffitti
Why: While not an RS issue- the big cities ( Rome, Florence and Venice in our case) are being destroyed by taggers. Business, government and historic buildings are trashed by rampant grafitti- the combination of the vandels that do the tagging and the apparent complete inaction by government and business to either prevent it or remove it is unbelievable. We didn't see anywhere near the problem in smaller cities. We don't see this level of problem in cities in the Northwest US.

Steve and Linda Wilhoit in Anacortes, WA USA 05/27/2007

Best: Hotel Alimeda Vaticano
Why: Pleasant staff, nice breakfast, clean rooms and fantastic location. Complimentary trip to airport on departure a nice touch too.

Rosemary Castiglioni in Woodstown, NJ USA 05/26/2007

Best:
Why: If you read Rick's book BEFORE you go on your trip you will be much better prepared. That is what we will do next time. And we do plan a next time.

Virginia and Wayne Miller in Selma,, CA USA 05/19/2007

Best: Pompeii
Why: I would say because of the history. Knowing real people lived there and left such a stunning legacy, albeit, unintentionally. Following Rick's honesty we enjoyed ourselves immensely.

Worst: Having my camera lifted from my fanny pack two days before leaving Rome. I had had a cd made in Sorrento and hadn't taken enough pictures yet to have another made.
Why: It had some family pictures taken in my father's birthplace, Bounvicino, Italy. I had never been there before nor met my cousins who still lived there. A man followed my husband and I on the #64 bus in Rome and stayed so close to me I was perplexed. We had not had a bit of problem up to that point. We got off at our stop which was near St. Peter's Square and he got off too. As I took a few steps I looked down at my fanny pack and noticed it was wide opened and my camera was gone. I said as much as I looked around and no one was around us. We immediately reported it to the Carabinari who gave us directions of "300 meters" to the right. The second one said "straight ahead and then turn (left). We finally made it by sheer chance and filled out the report taken by a less than interested policeman. American women are not by nature able to confront anyone in public. Next time I will...

Virginia and Wayne Miller in Selma,, CA USA 05/19/2007

Worst: Gelateria Stalin
Why: Gelateria Stalin in Vernazza in the Cinque Terre was not at all "generous" with the free tastes as reported in the Italy book.

We walked in after lunch one day and were met with the stern glare of an older lady who then proceeded to deny us a taste of a flavor we couldn't identify. She just shook her head and said, as near as we could tell with our limited Italian knowledge, that we should just pick whatever we wanted but NO free tastes.

A younger woman walked in carrying some supplies, and the older lady asked her to translate the flavor's name into English for us, and the younger woman just barked "peanut" and kept about her business.

We decided to try a cone of gelato despite the shocking service since Rick recommended the place, and the gelato turned out to be pretty bad -- basically like standard ice cream that you can get back here in the States.

Gelateria Stalin is a definite NO GO. I'd tell everyone to cross that one out of the book.

Matt in Los Angeles, CA USA 05/17/2007

Best: All the Rome Self-Guided Tours
Why: Easy to follow and informative. thank you

Worst: Restaurant Target
Why: Rude in addition to poor survice. Your guidebook stated "do not expect good service." We anticipated slow or indifferent but not rude! We were seated at 8pm on a Sunday evening. the restaurant was 1/2 full. The waitress informed us we were to leave at 10pm as the table was reserved. We agreed. We ordered a light meal which included a bottle of wine, bottle of water and desert. At 9:30 the waitress and a gentleman in a tuxedo came to our table and told us were had to leave and insisted this was the agreement when we arrived. We had ordered desert and it had not yet arrived. We attempted to clarify the agreement regarding the 10pm timeline. We were hounded several times to leave. You can imagine how unplesant this was given our desert had now arrived. We paid our bill and vacated the table at 9:55. We will not return--no surprise. We informed the desk clerk at Residenzia Cellini. George told us he has received this same type of information several times before and does not recommend the restaurant to guests. We are age 63 and 72 and are able to conduct ourserves in any setting. We have the 2006 guidebook so I apologize if our information is dated and you made changes to the 2007 publication.

Arthur and Susan Adler in Spokane, WA USA 05/13/2007

Worst: Harry's Bar in Venice
Why: Overrated and overpriced (and they erroneously claimed that my credit card was denied when in fact the charge went through, which led to an agonizing half hour on the phone with my credit card company). Better bellinis can be found in the lovely piano bar at the Hotel Bauer.

Maria in Cambridge, MA USA 05/12/2007

Best: Umbrian countryside
Why: Beautiful hills and comfortable driving. Each town had something to offer.

Worst: Rome
Why: Though we were first-time visitors to Rome, we thought that one day to see the Colosseum and vicinity, and then the Vatican sights would have been enough. It is a large, hurried city, and we missed the beauty and more relaxed pace of Cinque Terra or Umbria and Tuscany, or even Florence.

Clay Oglesbee in Northfield, MN USA 05/11/2007

Worst: Vatican Museum/ St. Peters
Why: Vatican Museum line so long on a Monday, couldn't possibly get in.

St. Peters, oppressive crowds even in April (not Easter week). Basilica itself is gross compared to other major churches. Triumphalist, oppressive. Disgusting to put Crosses on top of Egyptial obelisks as in this square.

Susan Matisoff in Berkeley, CA USA 05/09/2007

Best: Best accomodations: Hotle Olivedo in Varenna and also La Crociona Agriturismo inear Montalcino in Tuscany
Why: Hotle Olivedo was the cleanest and most hospitible; La Crociona was the quietest, quaintest and we had the most enchanting little cottager apartment!

Worst: Hotel Provencal in VilleFrancheSur Mer, France and Hotel Ca' SanTrovaso in Venice
Why: Such tiny rooms, almost unable to move around in them!

Laura and Robert Harriman in SAN DIEGO, CA USA 05/05/2007

Best: Siena advice, in general
Why: Getting there by bus from Florence, Wednesday morning market, and how to best see the sights.

Worst: Murano Glass
Why: This really turned out to be a huge disappoint to me in Venice. Perhaps, coming from the NW, with all of it's accomplished artists, etc. I imagined much more originality. While Murano is a great, quaint get-away, don't expect to find too much unique art glass treasures.

Barb and Greg Damon in Portland, OR USA 05/03/2007

Worst: Tenuta Le Velette Winery
Why: Our friend, an Orvieto local, called the night before and was told to PLEASE COME by 11 the next morning which we did. We were greeted by Cecilia who wanted to know how we heard of them. I explained Rick Steve's show and book and with that she rolled her eyes. From there she became ruder and ruder. She very reluctantly opened 2 bottles of wine for us but not before commenting the cork smelled bad but she poured it anyway! We asked about the house, cellars and vineyards all of which I saw on Rick's show and got minimal information. She was having a large tasting in 3 days and suggested we return to get the info on the home, etc. Needless to say we DID NOT return. She should have told us NO when we called and asked to come, she was very sweet on the phone but when we turned out to be tourists and not BIG SPENDERS she wanted nothing to do with us. We wanted to buy wine but after that reception we didn't. I felt embarrassed at first like I had imposed but then got mad because we had done all the things asked of us in the book. It was an awful experience especially for first time travellers to Italy! SOUR GRAPES!!!!!!!!!!

Joanne in Carmichael, CA USA 05/02/2007

Best: Volterra - Tuscany region
Why: We took a break from our 3 city sweep of Venice, Florence, Rome and rented a car in Florence for a day. Minor hastle getting in & out of Florence, but once in the countryside, it was gorgeous. Rick Steves' recommendations were right-on for Volterra. A beautiful town inside ancient walls. Not touristy (OK, we were there..) but more lay back. Relaxed in the sun on grass hill/park, strolled around town with gelatos checking out buildings & history.

Ron & Ann Korzun in Clifton Park, NY USA 04/29/2007

Best: Villa Margherita Levanto near Cinque Terre
Why: Spent five wonderful nights in March 2007. Villa Margherita was simply amazing!!!The view from our garden room was magnificient , staff was really helpful and we will back for sure next September\October.

John in Garrett, UK 04/19/2007

Best: Sara from Carrara
Why: Sara Paolini's tour of Carrara was fantastic. She provided great insight into the marble industry and helped make sure our 2 sons (age 7 and 11) understood all of it. Very impressive drive up the mountain. Highly recommended.

Worst: Vatican Museum line
Why: Waited 2.5 hours in line on the morning on 3/30. Insanity. I would highly recommend paying for a guided tour just to avoid the line. The museum is well worth seeing, of course, but the line precipitated more family arguments (all around us!) than anything else we saw in our 2 weeks in Italy. Ugh! The escape door to St. Peters was open, so that is a great tip. You get to skip standing in another huge line for St. Peters security. Also, if you arrive at St. Peters just before it opens, you will have it to yourself for an hour or so, with no line to get in. 7:00 am is way early, but perfect for your first day if you wake up early with jetlag.

Angela in Sammamish, WA USA 04/15/2007

Worst: Blue Marlin in Vernazza
Why: The pretty bartender at the Blue Marlin wouldn't let me use the Internet service without first providing him with not only the new restriction of a passport, but he also wanted my phone number, driver's licence, etc. When I asked if he was kidding, he said, "THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU AMERICANS DECIDE TO BOMB AFGANISTAN AND IRAQ"!!! How insulting. Basically, he wasn't going to let me use the Internet service without a hassle because I was American.

I also read another review where the bartender said racist remarks against Asian tourists, citing them as evidence that travel around the world is altogether too accessible. He actually pulled the corners of his eyes to make them slant. It was pathetic and offensive.

I'll bet it was the same guy. What a loser! He shouldn't be working in a tourist environment.

I certainly wouldn't go back to the Blue Marlin.

Valaree in Raleigh, NC USA 04/13/2007

Best: Borghese Museum in Rome
Why: Incredible sculptures.

Lawrence Judy in Evansville, IN USA 04/11/2007

Best: Orvieto
Why: We loved Orvieto. It was the perfect location for touring Italy with our sons. Be sure to stop in and see Mario at the Cafe Cafetal - he was friendly and our boys became Cappucino fans.

Maggie Kilpatrick in Saint Paul, MN USA 04/10/2007

Best: Vernazza/Cinque Terre
Why: We wish we'd devoted more time to Cinque Terre - just like Rick says, it completely derailed our momentum! We're ready to buy an apartment there! It was the PERFECT ending to our busy Italian holiday, with a couple of days in this gorgeous, quiet, peaceful town. We were only disappointed that two of the restaurants we really wanted to try (Castello and Belforte) were closed for winter when we were there.

Also a great, underrated site - Mamertine Prison in Rome. Small, yes, and not really much to see, but very powerful for us as Christians to see where Peter and Paul were imprisoned.

Beth and Mike Nelson in Cumming, GA USA 04/09/2007

Best: Cinque Terre, of course
Why: So quiet, so Italy, not too touristy very relaxing, hated to leave

Worst: Florence
Why: Dirty, noisy, WAY TOO many tourists, and this was in March and rude local people

Madlyn Accardo in Shirley, , NY USA 04/09/2007

Worst: Capri
Why: The book was right on about the itinerary for Capri: do it backwards and you'll avoid the hordes of tourists. We were just there in March '07 and the crowd is unbelievable. If you like hiking, Capri has some paths with magnificent views and you'll avoid the crowds as well. Blue Grotto is a short and expensive experience (about 20 euro pp total) -- nice to have done once, but probably not again.

Dario G in Seattle, WA USA 04/06/2007

Best: Going to Cinque Terre and geting tickets at the Colloseum
Why: We almost did not go to Cinque Terre due to time but what a mistake that would have been. It was gorgeous and we stayed one night in Vernazza. Your recommendations for this area made us go and we are so glad we did! We found a pretty long line to purchase tickets and because of the guidebook we able to go around and purchase the tickets at Palantine Hill with no line. This also goes for being early for the Vatican Museum.

Tangee Glass in Homer, GA USA 04/02/2007

Best: Cinique Terre
Why: the beauty and quaintness of it and the hiking trails.

Pam Dickinson USA 03/31/2007

Best: Scula San Giorgio, Venice
Why: the Capaccios

Worst: Doges' Palace, Venice
Why: empty rooms, high tariff

Michael Gamer in Philadelphia, PA USA 03/29/2007

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: A lovely area with wonderful people and breathtaking hikes even on the stormy days during our stay.

Marigail and Robert Stamnes in Seattle, WA USA 03/24/2007

Best: Night walk in Rome
Why: Rick Steves is right on the mark. This was so much fun that we did it 2 nights in a row.

Steve Tackes in Carson City, NV USA 03/23/2007

Best: Colosseum, Ancient Forum, Palatine Hill
Why: An amazing experience! Do yourself a HUGE favor (follow Rick's advice)--buy your Archeologia card on Palatine Hill and skip the LONG lines at the Colosseum. We waited only 10 minutes! Don't skip Palatine Hill either, there's a great view of the Colosseum and the Forum from the top. Plus, you'll see where Caesar's throne was located (you can stand on the spot and take a pic!) The Archeologia card is worth the money.

Worst: The Baths of Diocletian
Why: I wouldn't say it was the worst: it was disappointing. The baths were converted to a church, so don't expect to see anything--tubs, pools, steam rooms--except the actual structure in which these things were located. If you are on your way to the National Museum of Rome (which is a small, but great museum), consider stopping in (it's free with your Archeologia card).

Nita in Washington, DC USA 03/22/2007

Best: Loved all your tips. Best was going to the Vatican Museum in the afternoon when there would be no crowds.
Why: My husband and I had a nice lunch and waited 10 minutes in line to get into the museum and your book was right on.

Worst: Camera stolen in Venice
Why: We just didn't realize how distracted we would be from the view of Venice from the steps of the train station. I saw the person who took the camera and he was dressed as a sharp looking tourist with a sports jacket and panama hat and he had another person working with him. They walked by my husband who had his Rick Steves backpack on and our camera was in its carrier over my husband's shoulder and sticking out behind him. While I was searching for the place to get a map in the train station, my huband got robbed. We didn't discover the camera was missing until we got on the water taxi.

Susan Vander Hoek in Bainbridge Island, WA USA 03/22/2007

Best: Assisi Welcome Walk
Why: Saved much time and encapsulated the major sites.

Brenda in Vicenza, Italy 03/20/2007

Worst: Hotel Ungherese, Florence
Why: One of the worst experiences of my mother's and I trip. Hotel was very loud, breakfast was worst we had yet and only one of the staff present was friendly. Would have rather stayed closer to city center and realized that we could have done so for the same price.

Donna Uno in Austin, TX USA 03/18/2007

Best: Orvieto
Why: The evening walks were absolutely enchanting, the gelato by the duomo was the best I had in Italy, the two nights we stayed in The Duomo Hotel were the best two nights in the three weeks we were in Italy. The views at night from any viewpoint was breathtaking. Even doing our laundry was a blast because of the people we met there.

Worst: Only doing a day trip to Venice
Why: We did a day trip to Venice from Verona, we should have stayed in Venice for at least three nights. This faux pas ensures me of another trip to Italy to see Venice for more than one day

Les Jorgenson in Vancouver, BC Canada 03/16/2007

Best: Cinque Terre
Why: Despite Rick Steves' recommendation, we went in January. The C.T. was fantastic, lively, green, warm--just beautiful. We were very lucky on the weather, I'm sure. The towns weren't altogether sleepy. We had our pick of places to stay. Great hiking. Good food. Good fun. I wouldn't trade the time there for anything short of world peace.

Eric Bosse in Topeka, KS USA 03/14/2007

Best: Siena
Why: Siena to me was a "mini Florence". A lot less traffic, great eating (Ristorante Guidoriccio), great B&B (Palazzo Bruchi B&B), and a fun place to walk around.

Worst: Florence....but
Why: To me Florence was a too big,too dirty, too busy city. I had to remind myself a lot to focus on the museums, the great restaurants, and the greatest collection of art history of the world which really should be the main focal point of Florence. I still felt very safe (no dangerous crime). I just hope I never see another Vespa

Rick Bart in Taunton, MA USA 03/14/2007

Best: Every where in Italy
Why: We were in Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, Pisa, and Rome. Thanks to the information in your guide we had a trip of a lifetime. I recommend it to everyone.

Worst: All the buskers in Pisa
Why: We had a brief stop off in Pisa to see the Tower. We couldn't get a taxi from the train station as none wanted the short run. Luckly for us a wonderful local informed us that it was a short bus trip and showed us here to get on. Once we were at the Tower complex it was a nightmare walking towards the Tower with all the buskers hasstling you trying to sell their wares.

Ron Easson in Brampton, On Canada 02/14/2007

Best: Venice back streets
Why: Venice can be overwhelming if you spend all your time around Rialto and San Marco. Instead go early morning, before 8 am to the fish and vegetable markets near Rialto. Walk around the Cannareggio and Dorsoduro areas. There will be few tourists and beautiful churches with "in situ" art. I lost count of all the Bellinis and Titians we saw. Buy the Chorus Pass which will get you into about 16 churches for a lot less! The Campos Santa Margherita and San Polo seemed to have mostly locals.

Worst: The cruise ships in Venice
Why: San Marco is filled with day trippers. It was really sad that most people in line with me for the Basilica did not even know what they would be seeing!

Devika Saletore in Olympia, WA USA 02/13/2007

Best: Our day trips to Verona and Padua
Why: Everything that we read in our 2007 Italy guide was true and accurate. Directions, descriptions, train info, etc. We will never travel again without a Rick Steves guidebook.

Margie Davis in Verona, KY USA 02/01/2007

Best: Rome's Capitol Hill/Colosseum/St. Peter's in Chains area
Why: I absolutely loved walking in the footsteps of Peter in his early years in Rome.

Kathy Chominski in Wallingford, PA USA 01/30/2007

Best: Hard to say, but Rome was probably the best in a tight race.
Why: the plethora of Roman art and buldings to explore, and the Vatican is nearby. Also, Rome is big but pretty ambler friendly with a pretty good bus system. We were there on New Year's Eve too and watched thousands of well dressed, inibriated Romans let of fireworks and hurl empty wine bottles into the Piazza del Popolo. What a blast!

Worst: Florence
Why: The gelato is velvety and delicious and the art can't be beat, but Florence is not very pedestrian friendly and there aren't many rest spots.

Jamison Fenderson in Issaquah, WA USA 01/26/2007

Best: The original Last Supper by L. DaVinci in Milan and getting a ticket at the La Scala for a concert for 5 Euro.
Why: It was the largest and the most colorful version of the Last Supper I have ever seen. The character next to Jesus looks exactly like a women(Mary Magdelene or John the Baptist?) We were able to listen to a concert Strauss and Wagner at the La Scala for 5E(vs 60E).

Worst: Burano and Murano Islands and their Museums.
Why: They were tourist traps.

Colleen Cooper in River Falls, WI USA 01/16/2007

Best: Dr. Pina Esposito (tour guide) at the Archeology Museum in Naples
Why: worth every penny - took us directly to all the best places, expounded upon each exhibit beyond anything available to read in English and made the best use of our time.

s. jackson in seattle, wa USA 01/13/2007

Best: Crete Sienese Drives
Why: In all my travels this will remain my favorite scenic drive and like nothing I have seen before. No picture can ever do it justice.

Worst:
Why: All the worsts were the result of our own inexperience and became fewer as we learned to check luggage in train stations and remember "siesta time".

Margaret McLean in Chilliwack, BC Canada 01/12/2007

Worst: Pickpockets on Bus in Verona
Why: a beautiful city and very quiet and calm so our guard was let down some. When we boarded a crowded bus from the center to the train station, I was the victim of a pickpocket who was apparently facing me and unzipped a front pocket to steal my cell phone and I didnt' realize it was happening until we got off the bus--

Lauran Wingo in Collierville, TN USA 01/09/2007

Best: Tickets to the Colosseum; guide to the Borghese Gallery
Why: There were helpful hints on the 'secret' ticket booth at Palatine Hill (to include the pass to the Colosseum.

Ryan in Lyons, IL USA 01/08/2007

Best: Tour of the Jewish Ghetto
Why: It was through your client feed back I noticed such great comments in regards to Micaela and her tour of the Jewish Ghetto. We contacted Micaela via email to arrange for the tour. She had such knowledge ,passion and energy. Jewish or non Jewish the tour is truely a must see.

Lynn Newcombe, Okanagan Valley BC Canada

Newcombe in Okanagan Valley, Bc Canada 01/08/2007

Best: Duomo and Baptistry in Pisa
Why: I know a lot of people are put off by the crowds etc. But we reached Pisa at 8:15 am before any of the tourists traps or tourists were there! We had the Baptistry to ourselves and our 13 year old Autistic son sang beautifully for 10 minutes! It was eerie! Perfect acoutistics! Then we went to the Duomo just as it opened and the crods were just starting. I have to say the Duomo was better than the Florence and Siena ones. Then just as the rush was starting and the obnoxious shops started opening, we left. That is the only way to see Pisa!

Devika Saletore in Olympia, WA USA 01/07/2007

Best: Tie: Lake Como or Cinque Terre
Why: Scenic vistas, friendly locals, lots of options for adventure, total relaxation, easy transportation by boat or train, and immersion into the Italian language.

Sandi Tedford in Atlanta, GA USA 01/06/2007

Best: Assisi
Why: It's a wonderfully light and bright hill town that has made an effort to maintain and upgrade the buildings which are made of light beige and pinkish rock) as opposed to some others (like Orvieto) which is dark and run down.

Ilana Slonim in Blairsden , CA USA 01/01/2007