Rick Steves' Italy: More Feedback
If you've traveled with this guidebook, please help us improve it for future travelers. How can it be more helpful and accurate? Did any recommended hotels, eateries, or sights disappoint you? Do you have any new experiences or new places we should consider? Any warnings or tips for people traveling with existing edition?
Archived postings: 2004 | 2003
il Nido
Il Nido was a superior experience. The staff was very accomodating, the food wonderful. They went beyond what they needed to do by returning a sweater I left in my room. They were the best hotel experience we had on our trip.
Susan Mast <email>
Portsmouth, NH USA Mon 05/30/2005
Civita
I asked the people in the tourist information office in Bagnoreggio how to pronounce Civita -- cheeVEEtah (as it says in the book) or cheeveeTAH (as it would be in modern Italian). They both said that it was actually CHEEveetah (the Latin pronunciation without the final s), i.e., accented on the first syllable.
Mike Wavada <email>
Enfield, CT USA Mon 05/30/2005
Siena's Hotel Lea
Siena's Hotel Lea was pleasant and comfortable. Located outside the old city, it's a little bit of a walk to get to Il Campo (perhaps 10 minutes or so depending on your stride), but not far (5 minutes) from Piazza Gramschi, the first main bus stop from the train station. (You pass a beautiful overlook on the way into town--great for photos.) I wandered around for awhile trying to locate the hotel as Rick's Italy 2005 guidebook does not provide specific directions or an exact location on a map. I should note that I also contacted the hotel prior to my departure from the US and asked for locations and here's the reply: "From train station you take a bus for Piazza Gramsci (station bus). From Piazza Gramsci to hotel lea five minutes walking." Not very helpful, either, so I went to Map Quest and found a decent area map that was somewhat helpful. Part of the fun of this adventure, though, was walking through the neighborhood surrounding the hotel.
JSC
Pittsburgh, PA USA Mon 05/30/2005
Naples Reflections
I was disappointed in Naples. A historian, I had been to Pompeii on a previous trip to Italy and wanted to see the treasures that Naples had collected from that site. The Archaeological Museum houses some mosaics and other artifacts from Italy (as described in Rick's book on Italy), but nothing worth going out of your way to see (in my humble opinion). On a positive note, admission to the museum was free as I was in Italy during something akin to a cultural awareness week. Half the museum was closed, though. I rented the audioguide and found the commentary helpful, but many of the pieces about which there was commentary were not labeled with the audioguide symbol, so I had to do a lot of hunting and guessing.
As for the city itself, I followed Rick's walking tour and enjoyed it. Despite my best efforts at speaking Italian and smiling a lot, all (save one) of the people I interacted with were rude or indifferent. I traveled extensively throughout Italy this month and found this nowhere but Naples. As I talked with other travelers during my journey, they had the same experiences or had heard the same type of comments from others.
The one kind gentlemen I met was a guard at the Banca Commerciale Italiana (see p. 554 in Rick's Italy 2005) who welcomed me warmly and invited me to sit in the bank's lobby and view the architecture. (Apparently the Caravaggio Rick speaks of was unavailable. I believe the guard suggested it was in Milan. I speak a basic level of Italian, but that's what I picked up.)
My feeling about Naples: If you've seen everything else in Italy (twice), spend a day in Naples.
JSC
Pittsburgh, PA USA Sun 05/29/2005
Trenitalia's Electronic Ticketing--It's the Best!
Rick's next book on Italy should include information on using the Trenitalia website to make reservations. I made all of my reservations over the Internet before leaving for Italy this month and picked up my tickets at one of the self-service machines upon arrival at Rome's Termini. The process was simple and convenient. Note, though, that you need to write down the PNR that you are given when you book each ticket (each has a different PNR) as the machine will ask you for the PNR and the last name of the person holding the reservation. Once this information is supplied, the tickets are issued. I had booked 6 separate trips and accessing the tickets took less than 10 minutes. Of couse, I didn't have to get all of my tickets at once. I could have printed them at any station whenever I wanted during my time in Italy.
As a side note, I found the ticket kiosks helpful when I forgot the time my train was departing (it's not always on the ticket). Just go through the initial process of making a reservation on the machine and the departure times will be displayed. Cancel the process once you get the information you need. Trenitalia actually encourages this method of accessing information.
(Note: There's some discussion of this topic on the Traveler's Helpline page, too.)
JSC
Pittsburgh, PA USA Sun 05/29/2005
Driving in Italy (more)
Russell from Cleveland writes re: driving as a tourist in Italy. All he says is exactly correct... take it from a guy who is used to driving in the Pacific Northwest. Italians know how to drive and its a pleasure to share their roads. Here are a few more hints.
IF you are a group of 4 and your stays in one place are no more than 3 days, a car will prove less expnsive and offer more freedom than the train IF you are budeget minded re: parking. Autos also allow you to stay a little outside the town center of the more popular places and commute.
When on the strada, NEVER NEVER pass on the right under any circumstances. NEVER drive in the far left lane unless you are passing or the fastes moving car within 100 yards in any direction. Pay close attention to your mirrors, flashing headlights mean "get the ____ out of the way" (in Italian) One more thing..... you must stop at the AutoGrill. Its a 7-11, Dennys, TGF, Pizza Hut, Citgo, Walgreens, and a whole lot more all rolled into one. enjoy the road and see Italy like a local!
MJL <email>
Tacoma, WA USA Thu 05/26/2005
Uffizi Reservations
My wife and I just returned from a wonderful three weeks in Italia; thanks, Rick, for your great guidebooks.As many of you have discovered, the availability of reservations for the Uffizi in Firenze is well into June. Here's a suggestion: My wife and I got there at 0700 and were tenth in line. We had an interesting chat and shared an expresso with several of our fellow early risers. The museum opened at 0830 and by 0832 we were inside !! And, by that time, the line behind us stretched to the Arno and around the corner toward the Ponte Vecchio. It sometimes pays to be an early riser.
Ash Morris <email>
Tulsa, OK USA Thu 05/26/2005
Old vs new
Is there anyone else who likes the old 22 days guidebooks (Italy ect) better that the new Best of series? The 22 days guidebooks seem easier to carry, smaller, more manageable. The Best of series, Italy is over 500 pages. or am I just romancing the old?Jp
John <email>
NYC, NY USA Sun 05/22/2005
I'd rather be driving in Italy
I have to agree with Robin from Austin about driving in Italy. The one thing that I can add is that Italians in Italy seem to be much better and more consciencious drivers than Americans in the US. They pay attention and do what they are suppose to be doing when they are driving (driving, of course). We rented a car in Rome, drove to Siena then on to Firenze.
Lanes, speed limits and of course one way streets are truely suggestions. Once you get the picture of how they drive, it works well. Just telegraph your intentions (turn signals help) and don't hesitate (if you do, you will probably be hit because they are expecting you to go). They are also fairly courteous. I never saw any road rage, any middle fingers or heard any horns. Today in Cleveland it hit me, I was trying to pull out of a driveway into a street. Obviously, the other drivers knew what I wanted to do. My experience is that had I pulled out in Rome, all would have gone well. In Cleveland, if I pulled out, there would have been a horn, a finger, and probably a shaking fist, unless they could have sped up enough to keep me from pullng out (which they did--as usual).
When we were picking up the car in Rome another American, just dropping his car off said, with all earnestness, sincerety and concern for our well being told us, "God help you."
The only awful part was trying to drop off the car in Firenza. The driving is very difficult and confusing, even though I stopped 3 times for directions (and I AM a guy).
Now I just wish that the people in Cleveland would drive like Romans. When you first experience it (in a taxi if you are smart), it appears to be quasi-orgainzed chaos. In reality, it is a well oiled machine (we only saw 2 cars with dented fenders). Once you get used to the scooters passing you on all sides at traffic lights, the whole experience is liberating, as long as you don't mind the adreneline rush.
Russell <email>
Cleveland, OH USA Thu 05/19/2005
JUST SAY NO to Ostello San Marco
We had a very disappointing experience at Ostello San Marco in Cortona in April. I reserved a private family room for 2 over a month in advance and was given a confirmation email with info and price. We arrived and were given a bunk bed in a room of 8-16. I explained that we had reserved a double private familyroom. He said that he didn't have this type. I argued, as I know he did, (it even lists rooms for 2 in Rick Steves book)....AND he had confirmed our reservation. To make a long story short...we noticed quite a few older guests that probably had the familyrooms taken and we were left out to dry. We did leave and ended up finding a GREAT hotel with great prices, friendly staff, and lovely view...Albergo Italia.
Erin <email>
FL USA Thu 05/19/2005
Good rooms in Cinque Terre!
While in the 5T, I stayed at Camere Fontana Vecchia in Vernazza, at Rick's recommendation. It was clean, quiet and friendly. The rooms are at street level. If nobody is there, go to the top floor. BTW, Annamaria speaks English, but her mom doesn't. Enjoy!
Robin <email>
Austin, TX USA Thu 05/19/2005
Driving in Italy
Driving in Italy is not for the faint of heart. The autostradas are dominated by big trucks and impatient cars. The lanes are narrow, there are no shoulders and the roads are winding, especially in Tuscany. It's dangerous, especially if you don't know the Italian way of driving. Lanes are merely a guide, Speed limits a suggestion. If someone behind you flashes their lights, move! If a truck wants to pass you, let it. They're bigger and they know it. If cars in front of you put on their hazards, they are warning of a traffic jam ahead that may require a sudden stop. Good luck!
Robin <email>
Austin, TX USA Thu 05/19/2005
B & B La Magnolia, Orvieto
I recently did a driving tour of Italy, and used Orvieto as a place to leave our car and take the train to Rome, as Rick advises. Good advice, BTW. I reserved a room at La Magnolia for the night before & the night after my Rome trip. Upon arrival, I was told that we could stay that night, but there was a computer problem, so the reservation for our second night had been given away (Easter night at that!). The lady at first offered no help in finding another room. She said that we could go to TI to find a room. TI couldn't find one, so we returned and begged for her help. She found a room at a friend of her's B&B. It was substandard in every way and very expensive. We got burned again (see Albergo Sileo posting). The moral: reconfirm hotel rooms shortly before leaving on your trip.
Robin <email>
Austin, TX USA Thu 05/19/2005
Albergo Sileo
I travelled to Rome over Easter weekend. I reserved a room for Good Friday at Albergo Sileo via e-mail. I wrote them requesting a room. They replied saying that they had one and they needed my credit card # to confirm. I sent it. I never heard back from them, so I assumed that I had a room. I arrived and found that I had no room. The people claimed that I never confirmed it. The moral of the story: get a confirmation that the hotel received your confirmation (preferably in writing), and reconfirm shortly before the trip to make sure that your reservation has not been lost.
Robin <email>
Austin, TX USA Thu 05/19/2005
Alberfo Cettimo Cielo
My husband and I just returned from Italy and stayed in Sorrento at Albergo Settimo Cielo. It was walking distance from town and run by a lovely family. The breakfast room overlooked the sea. They gave a discount for Rick's book and paying cash.We agree with Rick, Sorrento would not be our first choice as we found it very crowded with tourists and huge buses even the first week of May. Tom and Linda
Linda Bell <email>
Sewell, NJ USA Sat 05/14/2005
Stresa to Malpensa Airport
My daughter and I just returned from a 12 day holiday in Italy, following your 2005 guide. We spent our final night(great choice)in Stresa. The Albergo Meuble was a good choice for 50 euros and we had an excellent dinner at Osteria degli Amici. Our only problem was the bus from Gallarate to the Malpensa Airport...it ran approximately 1/hr instead of 3/hr, as stated in your book.We made our flight and were thankful that we had allowed plenty of extra time. We checked the price of a cab...20 euros! Thank you for all your FINE information...we had a superb time.
Janet Davidson
Minnetonka, MN USA Sat 05/14/2005
21 days in italy
bella italia, 3rd trip and they only get better! thanks to your guidebook (and helpful e-mails)i had a great time. to fellow travellers, don't miss san gimignano, i know it's touristy but hey that's what we are. we are guests in a lovely country that has something for every taste. from rome (hotel smeraldo honors ricks price quote of 125. euro but then takes away your included breakfast which actually was good, everyone needs their morning cappacino!) so the rate of 140. euro was charged. if you're into pencil sketches of your kids/grandkids, go to piazza navona and find leonardo (not kidding about the name) he is superb will do an on spot fabulous picture of you and if you ask nicely will take home a snapshot and bring you an awesome likeness back for a forever memory. i have all my grandkids now and he is very charming.
when in sorrento, be sure to find the factory for inlaid wood and act like a native, you will get a discount. this was a very diverse trip for me, really don't know where to begin but if in venice ricks suggested hotel hotel campiello is very nice as stated in guidebook, safe, i was alone. and the breakfasts are better than the rome hotel and the cost of room 85. euro including breakfast was more than reasonable. they let me leave my bag in their lobby and kept it the entire day while i was sightseeing, my nite train wasn't until midnite. take ricks' advice on the couchette, the only way to make an overnite trip and very safe. i slept very well and my roomates going both ways were pleasant.
when you've seen all the sights in ricks books, head for alberobello, the trulli houses are so unique. matera also down in that area of italy very interesting (for those who are interested, this is where gibson filmed the passion????)
tuscany and umbria well, what can one say, only go and experience them. one agritourism not in the book is le pescille, oh my, looking over san gimignano drinking wine on a private balcony, their breakfasts are awesome, a beautiful place, 100 euro/night. what a deal. rick, you need to visit there if you haven't already. accidentally ran into one of ricks guides in assisi, looking for a restaurant that was reccomended in the book, she guided us to another right up the street and it was a fabulous, moderately priced meal, then told us about the medieval fair that was going on that evening so kudos to your staff even when not working, for being so helpful and pleasant. i am such a fan i had her sign my 2005 edition of your guidebook!
the only negative comment i have is about the hotel belvedere in assisi. we called ahead and asked if there was a room, was told yes and arrived, asked to see the room and was told no, take it or leave it. getting late, we took it and actually for 65. euro was very nice. had a nice view of the vista and when we checked out he apologized for being rude. (it might have been the guidebook, i'm sure he doesn't want to be excluded) but all in all, for whoever wants to experience the place that is italy, go with an open mind, patience, fortitude and you will have an absolutely wonderful time. i am mentally planning another trip, altho prague is next. happy trails!
nancy mccoy <email>
suffolk , va USA Sat 05/14/2005
Rome and Positano area
Came back from Italy 2 weeks ago. It was everything I hoped for and more.Just wanted to give some input.
Rome-stayed in an apartment in Trastavere.I would suggest Trastavere because it is local to the Vatican and ancient Rome. Trastavere itself is fabulous because it isn't as busy as the other parts of the city. The streets are small and it is very quaint. We rented from Romerents.com and the price was very reasonable compared to the hotels and B&B's we looked at. The only drawback was we did not have the help of any concierge so getting around was a bit more difficult but the neighbors were very kind and helpful.
After 4 days in Rome we were ready to go south to relax. Once again we rented an apartment from 'Summerinitaly.com".We stayed in the small town of Priaino. It is between Amalfi and Positano. It was absolutley perfect. We had a huge patio which overlooked the ocean and we had mtns to our right were we could watch the sun set. It was very quiet as well. There were many local markets in which to buy food.It was heaven.And one last tip....if you go to southern Italy, look for Melloncello. It is the cantloupe version of Limoncello and it is out of this world! If anyone knows where we can buy some PLEASE let us know. We are addicted!!feel free to email if any questions.
Va Bene!!
Lisa and Mark <email>
NH USA Fri 05/13/2005
Hotel Cervo - Milan - a winner
Hotel Cervo is REALLY a convenient overnight stop if you are flying in or out of Milan. The shuttle service was practically instantaneous after we let them know where we were at the airport. They were also ready to take us back to the airport at 6:45 the next morning. The hotel was clean & quiet, and the restaurant was good, too. Another convenience was that they added everything to the hotel bill - including the shuttle ride. Also, it was the one place we stayed in Italy that had breakfast - even at 6 am before our flight! Good service & good accomodation. I recommend it.
Ann
NC USA Fri 05/13/2005
"Last Supper" in Milan
If you are going to make reservations for the Last Supper in Milan do it at least six weeks in advance in peak season. I had tried today but there no openings until June 22!
Stuart Kaplan <email>
Teaneck, NJ USA Thu 05/12/2005
Our recent Italian trip
My wife and I just returned from a two week trip to Italy. As usual, we found Rick's guidebook and the notes posted here to be extremely helpful. We just wanted to add a couple of notes from our trip.
In Sorrento, we stayed at Casa Astarita B&B. It was alsolutely wonderful! It was one of the best places we've ever stayed--put it down as "highly recommended".
In Assisi, we stayed at the Hotel Ideale. We would also "highly recommend" it--especially for the view from the room's balcony and the great breakfast (included in room price).
If you're going to visit the hill towns of Tuscany, pay attention to Rick's advice about driving and public transportation. Trains go a few places and buses go a few more. However, Italian timetables are, at best,a suggestion. Plan to walk--a lot! Cortona and Assisi (and other towns too) are mostly uphill and downhill. Get in shape before you go.And take GOOD walking shoes!!
We laughed many times about Rick's comments about the banning of cars in Siena's center. Apparently, that ban was lifted--with a vengenance! They are everywhere!! Even the narrowest alleys have cars coming by. The ONLY place we didn't see cars was on the Campo itself (except of course for 3 police cars and a garbage truck which did appeared there). Again, THANKS! Rick (and staff) for all the useful tips. All-in-all, we had a great trip to a great country.
Ray
Clemmons, NC USA Thu 05/12/2005
Re: Uffizi reservations
Brenda -- I panicked when I read your message, but called the reservation phone line today, anyway. There was only one time slot left (12:00) for the day I wanted in a couple of weeks for the Uffizi, so I took it. Options were available for Accademia as well. So, there are still some openings left before June -- but I guess Rick Steves' recommendation to reserve just a few days in advance is outdated.
Roger
Madison, CT USA Mon 05/09/2005
Guidebook
We just returned from two weeks in Italy with our three teenage boys. Rick Steve's guide book was invaluable! We used many of your recommendations and were never disappointed. We had many fun experiences carrying the book and the incredibly positive reactions we received when entering restaurants and hotels. We were novices to train travel and European travel and we read everything we could get our hands on. Of all the guide books, Rick's was the best.
Of note -- to those who may not have traveled by train -- we were not aware that we could stand at the ends of the car and wait for seats. We had quite a panic when we thought we would have to leave the train (we were blocking much of the narrow aisle with our luggage). We were on a late afternoon train from Milan to Venice and it was very crowded. We had been assured we wouldn't need reservations and so we were shocked at the numbers and the attitudes of the "commuters" to we tourist types. Within 30 minutes we had seats together and were laughing at our stress.
Another recommendation - the chairlift up to Monte Solaro on Capri is worth the time. What an incredible view and experience.
Finally, our visit to Pompeii was incredible and we would echo Rick's recommendation about Gaetano Manfredi. His tour was quick (2 hours) and thorough, keeping three teenagers enthralled.
cindy gustafson <email>
Tahoe City, CA USA Mon 05/09/2005
Hotel advice
Some general advice on hotels - the star ratings of Italian hotels are based on the facilities they have, NOT their ability to deliver a certain level of service. Example: the Starhotels Savoia Excelsior in Trieste is 4-star, but their promised air conditioning is not turned on until mid-May. Opening the windows to relieve the 80 degree temperature in our fifth-floor room exposed us to the music from the all-night disco down the street. Hot water is irregular, and the staff is snooty at best, unresponsive at worst. Mostly the same at the 4-star Quirinale in Rome, but at least the staff is friendly. As Rick advises, make the trip an adventure and don't let ANYTHING ruin your it.
Tom Iarossi <email>
Encinitas, CA USA Sun 05/08/2005
Tuscan Hill Towns
Rick's advice on the Tuscan Hill Towns inspired us to rent a car and spend two days touring several during our trip. Our only disappointment was Siena - too many people, WAY too much trash, too little parking, and the Piazza del Campo is about the least romantic square we saw during our 17-day Italy trip.
But the rest - SWEET! We spent a day in Motepulciano, Pienza and Montalcino. Hardly any tourists, fabulous food, friendly people, good prices, and stunning beauty in late April. Driving in Italy is not as hard as people think, so bite the bullet, rent a car (Hertz upgraded us to a Mercedes C220 for free), get on the A1 from Florence and follow the signs. The day could not have been more perfect if we had placed a custom order for it.
Tom Iarossi <email>
Encinitas, CA USA Sun 05/08/2005
Uffizi Gallery Reservations
Following Rick's advice, I just called to make reservations for the Uffizi Gallery in Florence for my upcoming trip. The Uffizi is booked until the beginning of June! I thought I was calling early, 2 weeks ahead, but not early enough. Rick suggests you need to book only a couple of days ahead, but that is not the case. If you are going to Florence this summer, I suggest you reserve as early as possible. I guess now we'll be part of the line of tourists that he makes fun of in his book.
Brenda <email>
Iselin, NJ USA Fri 05/06/2005
Malpensa to Varenna Italy
Found a typo in the 2005 Italy Guide, p.182 (Malpensa Airport to Varenna); the phone number is wrong; It should read:0342-216-220
Karen J <email>
Boston, MA USA Thu 05/05/2005
Hiking Cinque Terre
Will I ever shut up? Reading about Cinque Terre below: A milk train is one that stops at every town (picking up the milk is the source of the idiom). Going against Rick, we recommend starting at Monterossa with the hard trek first thing in the am. (that is if you are doing the hike in one day like we did) The second leg was almost as difficult as the first. The last two were a breeze. I do a three mile walk almost every day here in SoCal land, but not nearly as many ups and downs. The hand rails were about halfway done in late April, and really helped. Trekking sticks helped my bad knees a lot! We found some at the station in Vernazza after the first leg. We did the whole walk in about 6 hourswith an hour break for lunch in Cornelia at La Lanterna, outside, we had caprese and something else light, but nice people, and another early stop for caffe in Vernazza. Big downfall of the hike? No public toilets except for one outside Manrola. Don't carry your own water, buy one at the cafe so you can use the publico banyo! And hopefully it isn't a rustico banyo!
Lindy <email>
Laguna Niguel, CA USA Thu 05/05/2005
Bellagio! A dream.
Lake COMO! Hotel Florence in Bellagio was wonderful, we had a totally beautiful room, ate there one night, and at San Giacomo too! Both very good. Highly recommend Lake Como as a start off from Milan. We also took the ferry from Como, with a train from Malprensa to Como. The train station was an easy walk to the ferry. And once in Bellagio, the walk from the ferry to Hotel Florence was quite easy. We left from Vernazza for Venice, and the walk from the ferry to the train station was not easy.
Lindy <email>
Laguna Niguel, ca USA Thu 05/05/2005
La Crociana and other sites
La Crociana, again not great, but tolerable. We were there over a holiday weekend, and there was no construction while we were there, but we saw the evidence. No cooking classes offered, a wine tasting which was rather perfuntory. I don't remember being charged for the showers, just the heating. They are greatly expanding the winery, almost quadrupling their production, and I think they have lost their enthusiasm for the apartments. We loved Montalcino, Pienza, Florence was nightmare of people over a holiday weekend!
Hotel Steno on the Cinque Terre in Monterossa was perfect! Matteo and his wife were outstanding hosts, and the laundry was invaluable! We really liked Monterossa a lot, it didn't seem very resortish to me. We found a restaurant, Al Carugio, ate there two nights, OUTSTANDING service and food, about 70 euros each night with nice wine and two- three courses each for the two of us.
Groppo Blu in Montalcino made me sick, I think the gnocchi was undercooked, but my husband and daughter had no problems. We also would recommend Il Moro in Montalcino.
We went to the Piedmont to look for Barolo and Barbareso Wines, we would have stayed there with some recommendations from you. Lots of biking, trekking opportunities, and the countryside was wonderful! I think that is an area where we would return.
Vino Vino in Venice was wonderful! We really enjoyed that. The Cantinone Storico was much more expensive, and not nearly as good overall, but two of the pastas were great, the secundo piatta less pleasing.
Lindy Garber <email>
Laguna Niguel, CA USA Thu 05/05/2005
Kudos for the Hotel Saini Meuble
Kudos for the Hotel Saini Meuble in Stresa. All the guidebook promised and more. Mr. Saini greeted us at the door, took pains to give us a thorough tour and description of his 400-year old pride and joy. Extensive remodeling with exotic woods in each room and the public areas. He called and made reservations for us at the non-touristy local restaurants, made arrangements for us to take the bus directly from his hotel to Malpensa airport (he even went out in the early morning rain with us to make sure that the bus stopped for us!), made us breakfast, and even gave us a box of local cookies. He certainly set the standard for genuinely friendly hospitality! We're already making plans to return to the Saini soon!
Art S <email>
San Diego, CA USA Tue 05/03/2005
Beware of La Crociona-Montalcino
Ohhh, what a trip! My husband and I just returned from a 19 day, Rick Steve's inspired trip to Italy! We have been planning this trip for months, using the helpful hints and ideas provided in both, Rick Steve's Italy 2005 and Rick Steve's Florence and Tusany 2005. All of the information was so precise and accurate we were able to tear pages from the book on our daily excersions and go step by step. The accuracy was impeccable. The only complaint we have, was the treatment we received at one of the places we stayed. We booked a 7 day stay at La Crociona, the Agriturismo near Montalcino referenced in both books. I must say, this was the place I could not wait to get to, yes Venice was WONDERFUL and I knew Positano would be BEAUTIFUL, but for some reason my heart was in love with Tuscany, even before we arrived! I can't descirbe how happy I was to see our signs leading to La Crociona. Your description of 'seven fully equipt apartments'...'offering cooking classes and tastes of the Brunello wine grown and bottled on the premises" could not be further from the welcome we were faced with.
After traveling quite some time by car we arrived at La Crociona. Which is currently under construction. They are adding more buildings for wine, I presume. Anyway, here's a recap of our stay at La Crociona. We are awoken daily by the construction crew...which was not an issue, we like to get up and out early. The fact that we scheduled to stay 7 days and were given only 2 "free" towels was not an issue either. Nor was it an issue that the showers cost $10. These were all small issues that we were not going to let ruin our trip. We chose La Crociona because we wanted to stay someplace family owned, operated and that would enjoy sharing the warm family feel that was expressed in your books.
Not only were there were no offers of cooking classes and wine tastings. Fiorella and Barbara could not have made us feel any less welcome. I know Fiorella mentioned that she was exhausted with all of the construction details but the two of them were so preoccupied with it that my husband and I felt more like burdens, than guests. We actually wound up leaving the apartment early and moving to another area. We LOVED Montalcino. The residents, store owners, and local vineyards could not have been more gracious and we will definitely stay in Montelcino again! Just not at La Crociona. I know a great deal of people use your books as a guideline (or rely on it a great deal...like us!) So I wanted to let you and your readers know, so they do not wind up having to be faced with the inconvenience of packing up and moving in the middle of a trip. Thank you again for all of your expertise. We really had a great time and are already talking about heading back!
JD <email>
FL USA Tue 05/03/2005
We love Guiliano! -- Cinque Terre
You have perhaps heard of "Giuliano" in Cinque Terre (Vernazza). He lives up to the hype. Fabulous host with fabulous rooms (75Euro). Our best stay in Italy. Don't missout on the morning chocolate pastries and espresso at his bar, as well, The Blue Marlin. His e-mail is giuliano@cdh.it His website is http://www.cdh.it/giuliano/
Jessica <email>
Chicago, IL USA Mon 05/02/2005
Verona and Bolzano
Thank you for recommending the Hotel Torcolo in Verona. Very well situated, good value, and friendly people. We enjoyed touring the museums and churches in Verona. Bolzano - don't skip the Ice Man museum. Well worth a detour to Bolzano! The headsets were definitely worth the 2 Euro.
robbie
Hooksett, NH USA Mon 05/02/2005
Italy from Venice to Pompeii
I just returned from two weeks in Italy from Venice to Pompeii and I wanted to tell everyone how much I used and enjoyed Rick's books. My friend and I had the Italy, Rome, and Italian language guides and they were all very helpful and informative. When we didn't know where to head we decided to "ask Rick" and pulled his book out of the daypack.
I especially enjoyed the walks and self-guided tours. My favorite was the walk in Assisi and I know I learned more about the town and saw things I would have never stumbled across on my own.
I would like to add this hotel recommendation for Venice: The Albergo Marin. It's located across from the train station behind the San Simon church. They offer clean, comfortable rooms; a helpful, English speaking staff; and an excellent breakfast. The location is perfect and the rate was only $85 Euro per night (with a cash discount) for April.Buon viaggio!
Tiffany Bucci <email>
Puyallup, WA USA Sun 05/01/2005
Cinque Terre & Tuscany
Just got back from another wonderful Rick-inspired trip. We spent a week in an apartment in Vernazza. It's owned by Albergo Barbara (tho not there with the other rooms in the red building). It's a super-clean, 2 bedroom apt. with kitchen, bath, and wonderful balcony overlooking the harbor; fully stocked with utensils and linens, and, again, CLEAN! We couldn't have been more pleased. The owners are great to work with, as well!
Vernazza is a fun little town and a good base for all the 5T towns, by train or hike. Some great places to eat - Gianni Franzi, Ercole Pizza (try the Farinata pizza - chickpea - delicious!), and the other pizzeria across the street. Also, Il Pirata is not to be missed up at the edge of town - great coffee, pasteries, and people!
In Tuscany, we stayed about 6 days at the wonderful Agriturismo Le Trappoline near Monti in Chianti. Andrea & his dad Franco couldn't have been nicer! This is a unique experience -- one we fully enjoyed. We stayed in the Sangiovese all'Aia apartment (separate building) which had a great little kitchen stocked with all the utensils. So nice to wake up to the birds chirping and sunlight streaming down. If you have never stayed in an agriturismo before, I will try to describe it, because it is a bit different than just a hotel. I would equate it to staying in a national park cabin, where your linens and kitchen things are provided, but otherwise you are on your own, and in a GORGEOUS setting! Trappoline is also very convenient to Siena's train station, as it is an easy drive maybe 20 minutes East of town. It's convenient to hop a train somewhere or park cheaply at the station (we were gone to Florence by train all day and it only cost us EUR 3.60 to park there! It's also convenient to park there to take a bus (less than EUR 1!) into Siena.
We also day-tripped to San Gimignano, which was a cute town, and to Pienza, another neat town. That church building's altar really IS sliding sliding down the hill!!
Thanks for more superb details, Rick. Your concise inforamtion about the trains and towns really made for a smooth trip for us once again! Loved it there!
Ann & Mark
NC USA Sat 04/30/2005
Apartments
I would love to see some apartments with kitchens listed. Many of us love to stay in one place for awhile and get tired of eating out for every meal.
Mary Austin <email>
Manhattan Beach, CA USA Fri 04/29/2005
Farmhouses and laundrymats
I would like to see more farmhouses listed in Tuscany. I could not find one laundrymat in any of the Hill towns listed.
Diana <email>
W. Sacramento , CA USA Wed 04/27/2005
Hotel in Monterosso
Great place to stay in Monterosso (Cinque Terre): Villa Adriana,located 2 blocks from main street in new town,great breakfast,English spoken, 65Euro/person, e-mail: hotel-villa-adriana@libero.it
Roger Bell <email>
Ottawa, KS USA Fri 04/22/2005
Tour company "ROMAN PROMENADES"
In reply to Mr Ron about the comment titled "Rome- Colosseum Area Tours and Restaurant"Our company "ROMAN PROMENADES" does not have any connection with the tour company ROMEAROUND. We are sorry for the bad experience you have had. Our dictum is to have all our guests happy and satisfied. At the end of each tour we always invite our guests to inform our staff for any unpleasant inconvenience to be able to improve our services. We hope that in the near future it will be possible for you to use our services to verify the substantial differentia with the other company.www.romanpromenades.com
Stefano <email>
Rome, Italy Tue 04/19/2005
Osteria Gatto Nero
Forgot to mention below that the Osteria Gatto Nero on Via Correale mentioned in Rick's book is no longer in business as of about 6 months ago. The restaurant is now called Photo. We did not eat there, but instead returned to Il Nido to eat dinner there.
Conny <email>
Williamsburg, Va USA Tue 04/19/2005
Hotel Il Nido in Sorrento
My husband and I spent 2 nights at Hotel Il Nido in Sorrento. It sits up on a hill overlooking the bay and Mt. Vesuvius. The views are spectacular. The hotel provides a shuttle service for their guests to transport them between town and the hotel, about a 7-10 min. ride, depending on traffic. The restaurant in the hotel is an excellent value. The food was very good, and nicely presented, and my husband and I ate there both nights. Our dinner bill was less than 40 euros each night. The room was pleasant, comfortable and very clean and came with a balcony with awesome views and nice size bathroom. The rate was 100 euros, and they will give a discount if you pay by cash. They have a great website with lots of pictures: www.ilnido.it. We would definitely stay here again on our next visit to Sorrento.
Conny <email>
williamsburg, Va USA Mon 04/18/2005
Re: Levanto apartment
The website address for the apartment is : http://www.villamargherita.net/apartment.htm
Regina
Canada Sun 04/17/2005
Bolzano, Italy
We decided to stay in Bolzano only because there was a convention in Verona and couldn't get a room. We are SO GLAD! It was a beautiful drive (came up from Nice, France) and the town is easily walkable and lively! HOTEL: We stayed at Hotel Scala Stiegel and wished we could have stayed longer. Kind and friendly staff, clean rooms and good breakfast. Easy stroll to town center. The bathroom was a bit small. When you sat on the toilet you could put your feet in the shower! Clean and comfortable room. Suggest asking for a room in the back of the hotel. Street noise is very noticeable. RESTAURANTS: Grabbed Doner Kebabs (gyros) from a street stand for lunch and wandered the city. For dinner we ate at Vogele upstairs in the nonsmoking section. Nice enviroment and good food. SIGHTS: The city itself is GREAT for shopping. Close to Milan so boutique shopping is great. My husband bought two pairs of shoes. Visited the archeology museum and the "Ice Man". Small but great little museum and our kids loved seeing the frozen mummy from the ALPS. Wish we had spent more time there. We drove from Bolzano to Vienna and it was beautiful country!
Meg <email>
USA Sat 04/16/2005
Levanto apartment
We stayed in the apartment for five nights and loved it. I would suggest that any visitor stay in Levanto because it is not nearly as crowded as the other towns in the Cinque Terre Region. The apartment is very spacious and has a private garden area. We will definitely come back.C.F. Sask Canada
<email>
Regina, Sk. canada Thu 04/14/2005
See Ostia
Ostia Antica is a marvelous experience. It was Rome's port and thus one of the busiest places in the ancient world. The stalls of merchants and the terrazzo signs indicating what went on there are remarkably well preserved.There are too few opportunities to see such things close at hand. This is like Pompeii or Ercolano but without the tristesse of tragedy. It is easily reached by Metro.
Paul n Sara <email>
Newburyport , MA USA Wed 04/13/2005
Naples-Sorrento Hydrofoil
We will be traveling from Rome to Sorrento in June and I have been trying to find the schedule of the hydrofoil from Naples Mergellina Port to Sorrento. There is alot of conflicting information about this route. Our reserved Hotel Desiree has just answered my fax and told me that the Mergellina to Sorrento hydrofoil service has been suspended for now,and may not be running in June either. The line that did this route before was Alilauro, and it will be the decision of "Campania Regional office" if the service will be returned.The service from Molo Beverello continues.
Lorrie <email>
cincinnati, oh USA Mon 04/11/2005
I think that you have a well written and fun guidebook. Moreover, it has good, basic useful info.I did not always agree, however, with your take on some areas. For example, the book poo-pooed staying in Levanto. It claimed that Levanto was an alternative to staying on the Cinque Terre itself. Nonesense! It was great. It was reasonable and had things to do. Moreover, for traveling by car,it was accessible and, for all intents and purposes was really convenient by a three minute train ride to the hikjing trails. Also we found a great B an B there called Hotel Margherita. Two thumbs way up!I guess that, by nature, guidebooks are subjective. Thats ok. All in all a fun guide and good read. Keep up the good work
Jim Fisketti <email>
Duluth, Mn USA Sun 04/10/2005
Sergio Calla
We just spend 2 days in Veranazza with Sergio Calla. On page 262 in the book, Sergio is on the list of folks who "don't agree" to the Rick Steves Pricing policy. However he didn't appear to know anything about that, and treated us great.
Charles Gluck <email>
Reston, VA USA Fri 04/08/2005
Venice
I just returned from Italy on April 4 and stayed in Hotel Galleria in Venice. We were in room 2 which was very noisy due to the fact that it was above a restaurant and right at the water taxi stop. Otherwise, the hotel staff were very helpful,it was clean, the breakfast was good. So if you could suggest not to stay in room 2 that would probably be helpful. I think for some travelers it would have been very disruptive.
Kathy <email>
Richboro, PA USA Thu 04/07/2005
Rick Steves' Rome 2005 notes that the Ara Pacis is closed for restoration and may re-open in 2005. It will be inaugurated and reopened to the public on September 9, 2005.
Kat
USA Wed 04/06/2005
Cortona Il Sole Del Sodo
Rick should check out this bed and breakfast and add it to his guidebooks. It was the cheapest that we stayed at during our two weeks in Italy, but was among the most charming. Very clean, with down comforters and pillows, each room is decorated differently. The breakfast had wonderful pastries, meats, and cheeses, along with great coffee and chocolate. www.ilsoledelsodo.com. It is located outside of the town walls and down the hill, but, if you are driving, that is not a problem. Wonderful courtyard, too.
Liz <email>
CO USA Sun 04/03/2005
Re: Kirstin in NY
I could be wrong here, but I am pretty sure that the "milk run" (or milk train, I guess) is a route that makes lots of stops to cater to locals who are commuting. That is what I had just always assumed, but maybe that is wrong...
CB
North Vancouver, BC Canada Wed 03/30/2005
Naples/Amalfi Coast Drivers
I just got back from Italy with my wife and 14 year old daughter and I have a strong recommendation--hire a driver if you are headed to the Amalfi Coast area since the Naples train station is a scary place, even in the day. We arrived there from Florence in the evening and left there late afternoon going back to Rome several days later. In both instances, we were approached several times there and we had had to say "no" more than once to people who wanted to take our bags or direct us downstairs to some mysterious location at the station. Without question, hire a driver and be sure the driver meets you at the end of the tracks when your train arrives. The drivers hold up a sign with your name on it. It will be money well spent.
We used a few English-speaking drivers who were great:
1. Giovanni Maresca (mobile: +39 335 681 3492) or email: johnnymaresca@libero.it
2. Paolo Bellantonio (mobile: +39 338 248 4301) or email: bellantonio.model@inwind.it
They both made our trip to the Amalfi Coast even more enjoyable. They are both really nice people as well.
Ron <email>
Boston, MA USA Sun 03/27/2005
Rome- Colosseum Area Tours and Restaurant
Rome- I would avoid using the tour company called RomeAround--they market themselves all around the Colosseum and use a lot of college student types to sell. They tell you little about what you really get for your money. It appears that they are connected in some way to Roman Promenades Tours but I am not certain. What they promise is that for their price, you get a joint admission ticket to both the Colosseum and the Palatino area. This combined ticket is pretty standard.
However, the tour guide (and owner or manager, Roberto) never gave any of the 18 people in our group the ticket to get us in to the Palatino. We pointed this out to the guide who took over at the end of our Colosseum tour, we gave her our name and hotel name and we received no ticket or call from RomeAround.
Roberto was a good entertainer in giving the tour but was mean spirited and arrogant with several people in our group when they asked him questions afterward. While the tour in the Colosseum itself was acceptable, their dishonest behavior and lack of follow up makes this a tour company to avoid.
The Forum Pizza is located close to the Colosseum area and has good pizza and service. It is a large place and we found the service to be pretty good in an area not known for good and reasonably priced food.
Ron <email>
Boston, MA USA Sun 03/27/2005
trains
The Oviesse stores now only carry clothes, you cannot buy bottled water there anymore. Also, its very easy to get on the wrong Circumvensia train. We were on the right track, but ended up on a train from Naples to Sarno vs Sorrento, had to back track to Barra, then a woman got on who had seen us earlier and told us we would now end up in Salerno and we had to get off right away at Bella Vista and wait for the next train. We had asked officials etc about the train and were told in Naples it was the correct one, so just remember to look at the front of train first. What a pain, it ended up taking several hours to get back to Sorrento, but was otherwise uneventful.
Jamie <email>
jamul, ca USA Sat 03/26/2005
Sorrento
SORRENTO We had a wonderful stay in Sorrento at a B & B not listed but demands a visit!! It is brand new and the owner Carlo LaVia could not have been more helpful and charming. The name of the B & B is La Magnolia and it is very conveniently located! walk anywhere. Rooms are beautiful with authentic Italian inlay in doors and furniture totally hand made. www.magnoliasorrento.it. I hated to leave :-(
Roni Clark
Santa Barbara, CA USA Sat 03/26/2005
Milan
We had a lot of difficulty finding the exact location of the Malpensa shuttle buses from the central Milan train station. As you come from the train tracks, go out the door to your left to find the shuttle buses. The Malpensa Express is currently running a special of 3 people for the price of 2.The Hotel Cervo near the airport was a great place to stay for an early flight out of Milan. They were very helpful and made sure we had breakfast before departing at 5 a.m. Our only glitch there was that, when we called for a ride from the airport, we didn't know exactly where to tell them to pick us up..so know where you are before you call them for a ride.
Karla Rojas <email>
Dallas, TX USA Thu 03/24/2005
as of march 11 the cingue terre path from manarola to corniglia was closed for repairs/reconstruction. there was no date given for re-opening. there is another(higher, longer)path that is supposedly available to hike between the towns. with regards to how strenuous is the hike? i think the question is more about the condition of your knees as there are alot of steps between corniglia and vernazza. i am glad i did it now and didn't wait. my knees needed a day off after that hike.
lisa <email>
USA Tue 03/22/2005
Hiking in the Cinque Terre
I think how strenuous a hike is through the Cinque Terre villages is really a very subjective opinion. The only way to find out if it is too strenuous for you is to do it yourself. Remember that if you decide that it is too difficult for you, you can always turn around and take the train instead. I don't consider myself an active person. I have a desk job and go to the gym once a month, if that. While I absolutely agree that the initial steep climb between Vernazza and Monterosso is strenuous (and not recommended in a hot afternoon after a heavy lunch), I find that most of the trail is pretty easy. The CT National Park has also been improving the trails to make it accessible by more people. When we were there in early March, we saw handrails being installed at the narrower parts of the trail and other improvements being made to make the trails safer. The views between Corniglia and Vernazza are gorgeous and, in my opinion, not to be missed. Sure, get into shape before you go, but even if you haven't, make an attempt to experience the scenic nature trails that made Cinque Terre famous in the first place.
Amy <email>
San Francisco, CA USA Wed 03/16/2005
Italy 2005
My husband and I just got back from 17 days in Italy and can honestly say that Rick Steve's Italy 2005 was an invaluable tool in planning our trip!! The book literally walked us through the bus and train system and made an otherwise confusing situation, very, very easy!!! Loved our trip and highly recommend the book!!
caroline <email>
coral gables, Fl USA Mon 03/14/2005
Cinque Terre
The Italy guidebook was very helpful - espeically the Cinque Terre section. I spent 4 days there and would have never known that this was such a beautiful locale had Rick not hyped it up so much. Two comments though: the trail is NOT for the meek - hiking from town 1-2 is a breeze, but by the time you are in the steeper sections between 3-5 you may start cursing the narrow, steep, and stepped terrain. The final accomplishment is worth it, but I'm not sure the book emphasizes enough how strenuous parts of this hike are. (And I'm an active runner, not lazy!) Second, why does Rick call the train through Cinque Terre the "milk train"? My sister and i pondered this forever before getting to Cinque Terre - "does it deliver milk?", "a train can't run on milk, can it?", etc. But, we discovered a normal train, much like the others. What does this MEAN?!?!?!?!?
Kristin <email>
New YOrk, NY USA Sun 03/13/2005
Orvieto: Valentina B&B
A note about Valentina B&B. The location, room, and bed were fine, but there were two problems. One, the hall is smoky (the owner smokes in her apartment downstairs). Two, the breakfast is really bad. You have to stand up in the (smoky) hallway or take food to your room. The food is meager and consists of rolls, OJ and mediocre coffee in a thermos. And the hallway light has an automatic turn off feature so the light keeps going off and leaving you in the dark.
Amy
Seattle, WA USA Tue 03/08/2005
Milan, Cinque Terre, Orvieto
My boyfriend and I just enjoyed a two-week trip to Italy. While it was my third time in Italy, it was my boyfriend's first trip to Europe. We used RS's guides for the most part, supplemented by Lonely Planet's guides. As always, I found RS' guides to be most helpful in museum tours, self-guided walking tours and crowd-avoiding tips. We followed RS' recommended hotels and restaurants some of the time but also explored a bit to try to find our own back doors. Visiting Italy in the winter has its pluses and minuses. Some sights and tours were closed. A lot of the recommended restaurants in the Tuscan hill towns were closed. But with the exception of Florence and Rome, we were able to enjoy the sights (and even some of the towns) all to ourselves. Here is a summary of our hotel and restaurant experiences:
Milan hotel: For big cities like Milan with good public transportation, I usually go against RS' advice and I am willing to stay a little bit away from the main sightseeing area. I found that I generally get better value. As long as there is good public transportation, getting to the sights is not a problem. I chose Eurohotel (www.eurohotelmilano.it) based on an earlier posting on this graffiti wall and was not disappointed. It is within a couple of blocks from the subway stop Porta Venezia and in a safe neighborhood. The staff was very courteous, helpful and speaks good English. We did not like the first room given to us because of cigarette smell and we were quickly given another room. There is no elevator but the stairs are open and wide.
Milan restaurant: We went to La Ragazza (Via Paolo Frisi 3, 02 29521739) which is a pizzeria recommended by Eurohotel. Its pizzas supposedly won second prize in an all European contest. We liked it very much as it is close to the hotel, the pizzas are good, the prices are right and we dined with non-English speaking tourists and locals at the restaurant.
Cinque Terre accommodations: I had a good experience with Mar Mar Rooms in Riomaggiore before so I reserved with them again. However, it appears that the Cinque Terre is slowly becoming a conglomerate of room renting businesses. Seems to me that there are "rooms for rent" signs everywhere. There was even a guy at the train station meeting the trains and asking us if we need a room. If I visit in a slow season again, I may arrive without reservations and shop around. I would think that most of them are not well-advertised and cannot be found on the internet.
Cinque Terre restaurants: Despite the general consensus, we like La Lampara better than La Lanterna. La Lampara has much better prices and a more homey feel. This old gentleman Cesare is just adorable. He doesn't speak much English but still try to learn about his customers and chat with them. From what we heard, he is retired but he likes it there so much he works there for free now. It is my return visit to La Lampara and I love the food just as much. We also ate at Belvedere in Monterosso and Aristide in Manarola and were very satisfied with the food and the service.
Orvieto accommodations: Hotel Duomo was really nice, clean, modern and centrally located. The staff was friendly and helpful. Since it was recently remodeled, we again had a modern bathroom including the heated towel racks. The double room was really spacious. Breakfast here was one of the better ones as far as hotel breakfasts go.
Orvieto restaurant: We especially enjoyed the coffee shop Montanucci (on Corso Cavour), which is also a big chocolate shop. I believe some of the chocolate is made on site. We also enjoyed the wine bar Nazaretto (also on Corso Cavour). The girl behind the bar treats everyone like a close friend. There appears to be many regulars and she knows their favorite drinks by heart. It was a wonderful place for people watching. We got enough snacks with our glass of wine that, if we had ordered one or two appetizers, we probably would have enough food for a light meal.
Orvieto transportation: Very easy train ride from Rome. We may consider staying in Orvieto and "doing" Rome as a daytrip in the future. Orvieto was where we picked up our rental car to explore Tuscany. Hertz is only a couple of blocks from the train station. By the way, we took a detour to check out Civita. Since it is winter, nothing was open and we did not see anyone there except two other couples who apparently look a little disappointed. The place looked like a ghost town. Nonetheless, it is a really cute little town and we would very much like to return.
Also see my postings on the Rome and Florence (includes Cortona and Siena) graffiti walls.
Amy <email>
San Francisco, CA USA Tue 03/08/2005
Cinque Terre
Like most of Rick's reader I traveled to the Cinque Terre for its charm and traffic environment. I stayed in Monterosso and enjoyed it. The next day I got up at 5:00 AM to hike the five towns and besides the cats I was the only soul in Monterosso walking around. A strange, but unique feeling. Just be aware that you will a lot of Rick's readers there (not a bad thing but you have to stow away your guidebooks sometimes). Take a photo tour of my trip by visiting http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=996357&uid=159379
Sam Antonio <email>
San Diego, CA USA Fri 02/25/2005
Re Verona area accom
Check out hotels in nearby locations,including Venice (Mestre section), which is stop before the city station), also Bolzano and places along Lake Garda, such as Desenzano. Buona Fortuna.
Paul n Sara <email>
Newburyport , MA USA Thu 02/24/2005
Help needed around Verona!
Okay, Verona has a fair going on and is all booked! The hotels in Vicenza and Padua Rick recommends aren't returning my emails! We need a hotel for one night in that area. We are using it as a midway point for traveling to Vienna and need to stay somewhere between Verona and Vienna in April. Anyone out there have any ideas or suggestions!!!!!! I would be greatful. Thanks.
meg <email>
Elgin(Tourrettes sur Loup, France), Il USA Tue 02/22/2005
Hotel del Corso, Sorrento
So glad I was able to find your correction for the 2005 Italy book. We had stayed at Hotel del Corso, per your recommendation, two years ago and had a great time exporing Naples to Amalfi. We are planning to stay at Hotel del Corso next month because it is a great place to relax.
T Lyons <email>
Rochelle, IL USA Wed 02/16/2005
Error in Itay Guide for Hotel Del Corso (Sorrento) web site
Point well taken below Jon about the website mixup. Imagine the horror to arrive in Sorrento when your reservations are actually in Orvieto.
To those of you who might be inclined to post a sarcastic reply just keep in mind those poor souls who intended to vote for Gore in 2000 but actually ended up voting for Pat Buchanan.
Oh well maybe you could just tell them you intended to make a reservation correctly. That should be good enough.
Shiny Bob
San Diego, CA USA Tue 02/15/2005
Monterosso
We stayed at Il Gigante. It was very nice. Not on the cheap side but well worth it.For dinner we fell in love with Il Pirate. The hostess Paola was very nice. We made quick friends and she entertained us for 3 nights.
Jorge
USA Tue 02/15/2005
agriturismo in Tuscany
In November 2004 we had the pleasure of staying at a beautiful agriturismo - I Barronci located just 12 K from the centre of Florence in the small town of San Casciano val di pesa. The grounds are beautifully landscaped with spectacular views and pool. The apartments are beautiful and fully equiped. They have beeen professionally decorated and yet the owners chose the furnishings as if for their own home. The informative web site www.ibarronci.com contains an accurate depiction of the rooms and beautiful grounds. In fact the apartment we stayed in is exaclty the one in the photos. Not only is this a wonderful place to stay it's location is perfect in that day trips to Florence, Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, Luca and all of Chianti are possible. Driving to the centre of Florence takes only 30 minutes maximum. The owners, Piero and his son Philipe, live on the property and are most helpful in providing accurate maps, advice on places to visit and dine. We highly recomend I Barronci and look forward to returning in the future.
Ron and Nancy Marr <email>
Oakville, ON Canada Sun 02/13/2005
Hotel accomodation, Napoli
Hotel Il Convento in Napoli, Italy, was a superb place to stay. My son and I and two of his classmates secured a room for four - one king-size bed and two singles - within an hour of getting off the train, 100 euros for the night. At 25 euros each, PLUS breakfast, private bath etc., this turned out to be better than had we selected a hostel or B&B [for four people].
While small and a little tricky to find, [see its webpage for a map: www.hotelilconvento.com] it is scrupulously clean, well-appointed, brightly-lit, comfortable and quiet. The staff are helpful and friendly, and know enough English if your Italian is not workable. They are more than eager to help make your stay as comfortable as possible. The beds are conventional sizes [not narrow European dimensions] with very firm mattresses, crisp clean sheets and plenty of pillows and comfortable temperature.
Breakfast is available, self-serve and buffet-style, in 2 charming rooms, from 7:00 - 10:00am. Just a partial list: cheese, pineapple slices and bread; jugs of pineapple and orange juice, milk; bread, butter, jams and honey, packaged pastries of three kinds, fresh supply of croissants arrived, and a cappuccino was available for the asking. "American coffee" was also available. Cold cereal was 'ChocoPuffs', and there seemed to be no limit to amount eaten.
The shower worked well and the bathroom was sparkling clean.
While our shared cost helped keep costs down, at even 50 euro each for 2 people I would still recommend this establishment. Napoli is without question an exciting city to visit, but many other locations we looked into did not hold a candle to this one. Five stars.
David <email>
Toronto, CAN Wed 02/09/2005
Italy lodging
Our Oct. 2004 travels in Italy for 3 weeks were enriched by the wonderful lodging Rick recommended in his ITALY 2004 book. We want to highly recommend that Elisabetta's rooms in Vernazza/Le Cinque Terre be discontinued as a place that Rick recommends. We had a horrible time there. They charged the top price allowed in the book, which would have been fine, but many things were not in good repair, i.e. the shower. There were no windows in the very small room, but there was a small double door that would have given us a gorgeous view had it not been for the fact that they have not repaired the door, so only one small half of the door could be opened. Considering the many stairsteps, hauling our small suitcases up, it is not worth the climb. The towels were not all clean towels, and the bedsheets which were hastily put onto the bed when we arrived, were still damp. The room was so small that it held a bed and had a small space where we could put our 2 suitcases. That was it. We think there are many places in Vernazza which would be much nicer to be featured in Rick's ITALY book.
Jeanne Mazzoni <email>
Edmonds, WA USA Tue 02/08/2005
Gaeta - coastal town on Ulysses' footsteps
Driving back from the Amalfi Coast from the Autostrada we exited on the SS.7 Appia and drive through quaint towns until a stunning bay called the Gulf of Gaeta opened to the horizon. We had to visit and we ate in a nice little restaurant, wine bar called "Il Saracino". It's located at the entrance of the historical part of this town in a historical building that is a hotel. Not wanting to leave right away, and with our nice pot bellies, we decided to stay in this historical hotel called after the mythological name of the city: Gajeta (see their site at gajeta.com. Yes, because this whole coastline is called the Ulyssus' Riviera. The next day we visited the Split Mountain and its Santuary, we strolled on the beach and then we continued our drive along the via Flacca (old coastal Roman road. We drove through a white-washed town called Sperlonga (where there's Tiberius's Cavern), then a ancient town called Terracina, up to The national park of Circeo. If we had stayed on the Autostrada, we would have missed all this off the beaten path wonder. I saw that there were some islands off the coast, where the hotel receptionist told me that they are a must see and can be visited as a day trip. So during our next visit we'll definitely have do the sea adventure. We reached the Appian way again and did it until we passed through the Roman hills called 'Castelli'. Great wine and local food.
Max E. <email>
LA, CA USA Sat 02/05/2005
Monterosso Hotels - Plan Far In Advance!
If you want to stay in Monterosso at either Villa Steno or Albergo Pasquale (recommended in RS Guide)I would suggest booking months in advance. I contacted both hotels in January for a room in late June, but they were already completely full. RS Guide has made them very popular! Ciao!
Lynny J <email>
Long Beach, CA USA Tue 01/18/2005
Error in Itay Guide for Hotel Del Corso (Sorrento) web site
Please note that in the 2005 edition of the Italy guide that the web address for Hotel Del Corso in Sorrento is incorrectly given as www.hotelcorso.net. This leads you to a different (nicer, I think) hotel in Orvieto. Hotel Del Corso's web site is www.hoteldelcorso.net.
I could imagine this leading to an unexpected booking for an inattentive trip planner.
I must say I expect a bit higher attention to these sorts of details in the Rick Steve's guides, particularly for accomodations, as that's a big reason I buy them.
Jon Gilliam <email>
Sharon, Hill, PA USA Mon 01/17/2005
Editor's Note: Thanks, Jon, for notifying us regarding Hotel Del Corso. However, the correct website for the hotel is www.hoteldelcorso.com We also recommend readers visit our main update menu http://www.ricksteves.com/books/update/update_menu.htm as the best place to look for future corrections.
Villa Margherita, Levanto
We also stayed at the Villa Margherita. It's been 2 years now, but we still have fond memories of it. Prior to going we were unsure, since it was not in "Ricks Book" at that time and it was not one of the "Cinque Terre". However, it was one of the best places, Federico was helpful and we loved the room and the breakfast. Levanto is a wonderful town with a beautiful beach to walk and not over-run with tourists. We walked all 5 towns of the Cinque Terre, but both agreed that the hike from Levanto to Monterosso was the most beautiful of all. Our only regret was that we did not stay 4 nights, with one less night in Milan.
Donna Moore <email>
Pittsburgh, PA USA Wed 01/05/2005