More Feedback on Rick Steves' Italy 2001
Please share any ways we can improve or fix this guidebook. Are there recommendations in this book that disappointed you? Do you have any new experiences or new places we should consider? Any warnings or tips for people traveling with existing edition?
(Please note: Feedback on specific hotels, costs, etc. is deleted yearly after Rick uses it to update his guidebook. However, general, timeless recommendations are left here online.)
resort in umbria
we had the best gourmet vegetarian food in a gorgeous resort on the border
between tuscany and umbria. the location was as great as the food. owners
speak fluent english. www.montalionline.com
jerry delmonte <email>
new york, ny USA 12/31/01
THE BEEHIVE — ROME
Beware of The Beehive in Rome! My credit card was charged an extra $50,
for an additional night after I had already checked out! I have made several
attempts at clearing this up, but The Beehive will not respond to my emails!
CJ <email>
Austin, TX USA 12/26/01
ROME TRIP DECEMBER 2001
We stayed at Hotel Aberdeen and found it was everything Rick said it would
be. The staff was friendly and helpful and the rooms were very clean and
comfortable. We would definitely stay there again! One of the resturants
recommended was Ristorante Target on Via Torino- one block from the Hotel.
They had excellent food and service. We ended up eating there twice. We
also ate at La Scala, off Via Veneto and had a great dinner. We found that
for the most part, Rick's guidebook was all the information we needed. The
only area that was cause for concern was the area immediately around the
train station. Everywhere else was fine.
Larry and Yvonne Neese <email>
Lawrenceville , Ga USA 12/22/01
Villa Borghese tour, Rome book
Used Rick's Rome book with success and much pleasure, but one tip — on trip
to villa borghese museum, found that the walk from Spagna metro was more
than 15 minutes! Not only is the villa is hard to find, but the metro station
has two exits; one exit deposits you by the Spanish steps, but the other,
which needs to be mentioned in the book, does deposit you 15-20 minutes
away from borghese, but only after going through several hundred meters
of stairways and moving walkways. This is the exit that needs to be specified
in the book, since it is unmarked in the metro station and seems to be unique
among all the metro stops. Borghese was definitely worth the minor rush
we were in — just a glimpse of the perfection of Pluto's hand clutching Persephone's
theigh (Bernini) was worth the price of admission.
Farro Rogers <email>
takoma park, md USA 12/21/01
Assisi
We grew tired of all the traffic and congestion of the big cities not too
long after arriving in Florence. So we consulted our Rick Steves' guidebook
and decided to give Assisi a try, and what a payoff that turned out to be.
It was simply gorgeous, and the Hotel Belvedere offered an incredible view
for a mere $50 US per night. Highly recommended.
Christy Ellsworth <email>
Acworth, GA USA 12/19/01
HOTEL IL NIDO, SORRENTO, IT
Five of us traveled to Italy in October. A real find was Hotel IL Nido in
Sorrento. Not only is the view from the hotel awesome, the service and rooms
were wonderful. Johnny and Dino outdo themselves with their friendliness
and helpful ways for us tourists. For example, we had to cancel a reservation,
no English was spoken so Johnny did the calling and faxed the hotel for
us. The food is also very good, so we would come back from sightseeing and
eat at the hotel. The hotel provides transportion, a real exciting bus ride
up the hill, but a wonderful service, also the prices are right. We will
stay here again if we make it back to Sorrento. Hats off to this great find.
www.ilnido.it
Judy Vinson <email>
Cody, wy USA 12/12/01
New Rome Back Door
I have retured from a trip to Italy with a wonderful tip! A new little "back
door" in Rome! Yes, Rome! It is a little apartment run by Mauro, a charming
Roman, who gave us the best Rome tips on where to eat, where to go, what
to see and do — all in very broken English. The apartment is off the Via
Coronari, on a tiny side street, Via Della Vetrina. Surrounded entirely
by REAL Romans, we were immersed in the culture-language,people,homes, food,etc.
What a joy! Yet, we were never more than a few blocks away from the metropolitan
Rome that we knew. This apartment is not fancy, but clean and incredibly
afforable. Mauro and his wife are just regular folks who take care of this
apartment. If you are planning a trip that includes Rome, this place is
a real gem. (Mauro Sacchetta Cali, his email is : omtour@omtour.com) Tell
him Natalie sent you! We hope to go back very soon! Happy travels! Ciao!
Natalie Komacek <email>
Charleroi, 15022, PA USA 12/12/01
Paris and Venice Hotel Review
My wife and I returned from a trip to Paris and Venice in late October,
2001. The Castex in Paris was as comfortable as I remember it from the 'Best
of Europe Tour' in 2000. It's conveniently located and inexpensive.
In Venice, the Hotel American was a disappointment. For $150.00 a night we were put in a wing with pounding construction and a moldy smell in the air. We left and found a 3 star place near St. Mark's called the Hotel Anastasia for the rest of the time. It was a small room, but very clean and nice at $110.00 cash per night with breakfast included.
Our worst experience was in Pisa at the hotel (the name escapes me) that's listed in the book that has a view of the tower. Yes, the partial view is there but the beds were just awful — in fact the worst I've slept in for a long time — thin mattresses over sagging coil springs. Ouch.
Then it was back to Belgium on Ryanair ($50 Round Trip for both of us)
and a Thalys back to the Paris airport. This is the second trip I've used
Ryanair and always have had a good experience. Sure saves time and money
over the train for long distances where their routes go.
Dan Cantrall <email>
Salem, OR USA 12/06/01
Hotels in France and Italy
My husband and I traveled in France and Italy during the month of Nov. and
only had reservations in two places - Paris and Florence. All the other
times we just planned on arriving early at our destination usually before
3 pm and used Rick's books to find a place. Except in Rome, within the first
two hotels in each city we found a room.
I would highly recommend the Hotel de Musee in Arles, Hotel Victoria in Varenna (only one of two open in town this time of year), Hotel Campiello in Venice (although it flooded each morning and we could not get out of our hotel until around 1 pm) and Hotel La Meridiana in Sorrento (wonderful staff).
In any hotel this time of year - make sure YOU control the heat in your room, even if you have to pay extra. We stayed at the Hotel Umbra in Assisi. NO HEAT. They turn the heat on for a very short time (10 pm til around 3 am) and then turn it off. I woke up at 4 AM freezing! Complaining did no good.
In Rome, we stayed at the Seidler Hotel - big mistake!! Room was adequate
but we had NO HEAT the entire 3 days. We also had a discrepancy with the
bill - I thought he said one price on arrival and he said that he had
said a different (higher) price. Get a price and have them write it down.
Also remember if you want a quiet room do not stay street side. Residenza
Apostoli in Florence is NOT on a quiet side street - very noisy if you
are on the street side.
Judy Sheeley <email>
Phoenix, AZ USA 12/06/01
Assisi tour
We thought that Rick's tour of Assisi, given in detailed plan, was worth
the price of the book! What a great time it was, and really opened up the
city to us in a way we would not have discovered on our own. Thanks Rick!
Valerie <email>
Albuquerque, NM USA 12/04/01
Hotel Pensione Italia in Rome
I echo Rick's (and other travelers') recommendation of Hotel Pensione Italia
on Via Venezia in Rome. It's quiet, clean, conveniently located and a great
value (Off-season about $71 USD a night for two, including breakfast.) Also,
if you're vegetarian, don't miss Margutta Vegetarian (on Via Margutta and
two other Rome locations). They have an amazing weekday lunch buffet! Happy
to e-mail those who want more Rome info.
Yoko <email>
Seattle, WA USA 11/21/01
Accommodation in the Italian lakes
Visitors planning to stay in Orta San Giulio next year might like to try
the new Hotel Garni in Contrada dei Monti. Rooms are very reasonably priced
and the location and ambiance are both excellent.
Twin rooms from about 90 euros per night.
Wendy Ashworth <email>
London, U K 11/19/01
Florence Hotel recommendation
Spent three weeks in Italy lat October-early November 2001. Although we
had stayed at the Hotel LaScaletta in Oct '99 and rebooked it without hesitation
for our '01 trip, we found it to be rather, well..dirty. There is construction
going on inside the adjacent building and lots of dust must go up the staircase
into the hotel. The beds and bathrooms were VERY clean, but the corners
of the (very spacious) rooms were in need of a good sweeping. Also, the
wire cage housing the elevator needed a going over with a stiff wire brush.
We got dust on our clothes riding the elevator (it is very small). If someone
had allergies, which someone in our party did, this would be a very unpleasant
place to be. Also, the owner is a chain smoker, and the entry hall for the
hotel is a constant haze of smoke. The rates are good, and the location
is fine, but just wanted to let Rick know about the dust factor. Can't beat
the sunsets from their rooftop terrace, though!!
Mary Kay <email>
Addison, TX USA 11/14/01
Italy correction Scala Reale and Bad experience Hotel Marin
In Rome we were overwhelmed with the wonderful tour through Scala Reale.
We paid $50 each for six people and from 9am to 1pm (Mayo our enthusiastic
and informed guide went over the 4hr time) we were fascinated every moment
through Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Forum. We were there October 6,
2001 and the phone number is changed from your 2000 Italy book. New number
is 06-474.5673 and fax is 06-481.9662.
We stayed at Sant'Anna near Vatican City and it was worth every dollar spent not only the location but also the friendly and helpful staff.
One disappointment on your recommendation was Hotel Marin in Venice.
The hosts there were very rude and could care less about helping us find
our way or repairing a constantly running bidet (it did not stop the entire
two days and nights spent there and the last evening the sink was plugged
and when we called to ask about it the reply was 'i am alone at the desk
and cannot help you." When we departed early in AM the hostess owner did
not speak one word to us as she straightened up lobby. We thought perhaps
there was a family argument going on. The attitude was not good. Venice
water bus and taxi were splendid and we were even lucky enought to find
"the best gelato in Venice." Thanks for all you do to make our travel
meaningful.
Diane O'Neal <email>
Seattle, , WA USA 11/12/01
Bellagio bus
My companion and I spent several days in Bellagio at the end of October.
I just want to comment on the bus ride from Como. It was definitely a highlight
for us. We enjoyed it immensely and had not expected such a spectacular
ride — high above the water on narrow roads winding in and out of many picturesque
villages. It was certainly a different view of the area than we got from
our boat trips and walks during our visit. The bus we were on served as
a school bus for teenagers and there must have been at least 50 on the bus
with us (at the start), including one half on my lap. At the train station
(the one on the Zurich-Milan main line) the bus stop for C30 is in front
and to the right. But buy tickets first at the bar (L4000 each).
Lina <email>
USA 11/11/01
Italian Riviera & Cinque Terre
We rented an apartment in Levanto for a one night "on the way to somewhere
else" stop. It was great. We arrived only minutes before the restaurants
closed, but the Taverna Garibaldi stayed open for us. We thought Pizza was
great and the prices were extremely reasonable...we sat outside and fell
in love with the town. We wish we'd planned several days on the coast! For
the apartment e-mail Federico at: cinqueterreproperties@yahoo.it mobile
3288426934
Claude & Maurice
Aix en Provence , France, 11/10/01
Visiting the David at the Acadamia — It's easier than you think!
In April, my husband and I and 2 other couples traveled Italy. We had not
made reservations at the Acadamia as we should have, but thought we'd try
our luck anyway. When we arrived the line was down the street and around
the corner and did not appear to be moving very quickly (it was 2 days before
Easter — we must have been insane to think it might be any different.) Not
wanting to waste our day in line, but also not wanting the others in our
party who hadn't seen the David to miss it, I got a phone card, stepped
up to a phone booth and called (hoping to make a reservation for the next
day.) To my surprise, I was told that we could have a reservation 30 minutes
from then or pretty much pick whatever time we wanted after that.
Angela
Lexington, KY USA 11/08/01
Italy guidebook update
First visit to Europe this summer and dreaming how and when I can return,
I absolutely fell in love with it. Italy by far was my favorite-bellisima!
My suggestions for hotels: Roma: Hotel Pensione Italia, www.hotelitaliaroma.com, a short walk from the train station and near a subway which we used entirely to get around and sightsee.
Florence: Soggiorno Battistero, battistero@dada.it, as we looked out our window, there was the Baptistry and Duomo, what a view! Incredible. And the couple who manage it are wonderful. But I do have a suggestion for the guidebook. I had the Italy 2001 but it said reservations were not allowed at the Academia so when we showed up there first so we could make our reservation time at the Uffizi, those without reservations had a minimum 2 hour wait. Alas, we could not see the David, well we saw the 'fake David' outside the Uffizi which was still cool. But we truly wanted to see the original.
Then we were on our way to Parma and the Adriatic to stay with friends.
Italy and its people rock. I can't wait to return. Thank you Rick Steves
for everything-we relied totally on your books to prepare, study, and
enjoy our trip.
Cindy
WI,USA, USA 11/08/01
Searching Graffit Wall Posts
In response to a previous post, I'd like to point out that you can use your
browser's find feature as a search tool. This is very helpful in mining
the Graffiti Wall for posts relevant to your upcoming trip. In Internet
Explorer you simply press Ctrl-F and then enter the text you wish to search
for in the box. I'm using this method now to search for comments on hotels
in Amsterdam and Haarlem.
Mukund S. <email>
Mountain View, CA USA 11/06/01
Suggestions for Guidebook/Graffiti Walls
I would like to see more options (and more detailed descriptions) for accomodations
in each location you cover. Because of your popularity, the few places you
highly recommend tend to be overrun with your readers and hard to reserve.
The other locations often have too little info on which to base a decision.
The Graffiti Walls are great, but a search feature would be EXTREMELY helpful,
so I can search for, say, comments on a particular hotel, restaurant or
city. Thanks!
Steve Heinen <email>
Tulsa, OK USA 11/06/01
Changes
We just returned from Europe, where we followed Rick's guide books for each
of the countries that we visited. Here are a couple of things that have
changed since the 2001 guidebooks for Italy and France were written:
*In Venice, the American Express office in St. Mark's Square no longer handles train reservations.
*In Paris, the museum pass no longer gets you into the Grand Arch. Also, the pass did not allow us to go to the front of the line at Notre Dame (towers). We ended up waiting in line for 2 hours.
*Beware of strikes in Paris. After experiencing a lengthy strike in Paris
(between civil workers at the museums and train and bus drivers), we found
that the museum passes we purchased were worthless.
Beatrice
Seattle, WA USA 11/04/01
Villa Margherita B&B , Italian Riviera
We highly recommend Villa Margherita B & B in Levanto. Great location, wonderful
breakfasts. Comfortable rooms with private bathroom. This B & B is an excellent
value with friendly hosts. Contact the owner Federico at: www.villamargherita.net
villamargherita@hotmail.com
Donald Petterson
Austin, TX USA 11/04/01
Self catering apartment in Vernazza
We just came back from our first trip to the Italian Riviera Cinque Terre.
We rented a nice apartment in Vernazza located just by the beach within
walking distance to the train station. Wide terrace offering nice views.
It sleeps four. For further details and pictures:cinqueterreflats@hotmail.com
Pablo Viduka
London (UK), 11/04/01
FLORENCE
I went solo to Florence for a month (July). I had never been abroad and
the entire experience was incredible! I did not know anyone in Florence,
but I speak enough Italian to get around. I wanted to go alone the first
time to explore on my own. Everyone I met in Florence was very kind to me.
I watch Rick's television show each week which helped prepare me for the
trip, especially in regards to packing and the long plane ride.
While in Italy I also went to San Gimignano and Sienna. San Gimignano
is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I recommend several day
trips if anyone stays more than two weeks in Florence. The heat, crowds,
and vespas will wear one down. If you should go to Florence or anywhere
else in Italy DO NOT expect it to be like the United States. I saw several
"ugly American" sightings. It was embarrassing to watch. I enjoyed and
embraced the differences and it made for a richer experience. Try at least
to learn several polite words and use them. I fell in love with the Tuscan
food and wine! Eat where the locals eat on the outskirts of Florence.
Hank Hewgley <email>
Hendersonville, TN USA 10/30/01
Travel and have fun....
We just returned from a 2 week trip in Italy and we had a wonderful time.
We were careful to allow more time for security checkpoints and needed that
extra hour when we saw the lines at the airport. Rick's suggestion to use
a travel agent was the best suggestion he could have given us. We kept in
touch with our travel agent through email. She was our lifesaver. Thanks,
Brenda!
We were well equipped with Rick Steves' "Italy", "Rome" and "Art 101" books. My suggestion is to read them (using your highliter pen) before you go, and then bring them along for reference. I tried to make hotel reservations 2 months before we left, but Rick's suggestions were full. It was disappointing, as we had used the hotels last time we were in Italy.
In Rome, our vote for best gelato is Blue Ice, just around the corner from Tre Scalini. Great portions and the flavors are wonderful. The gelato was so tasty, we went back several times and mentioned this place to our new found Italy friends! If you are able to decide on your itinerary ahead of time, I'd suggest getting your train reservations before you leave. That way you can make sure you are all sitting together, in a non-smoking car. We found this worked for us.
Our only disappointment was the "romantic spots" in Rome are now spoiled
with vendors selling flowers, bracelets and balloon toys. Trevi fountain
and the Spanish Steps are overrun with these men shoving stuff in your
face. Only once were they chased away by the authorities. Everyone was
happy, and we all took pictures of each other and kissed. Well, we kissed
whoever we came with, not each other. We had a wonderful vacation, made
some new friends and gained weight. Italy is great. Thanks, Rick.
Julia <email>
Victoria, TX USA 10/29/01
Rome, Italy
So far, so good. But be wary of the cabbies who stand INSIDE the International
terminal (B) to get a fare. The prices are higher than if you go to Terminal
A with the outside taxi stop. Rick mentions that a typical fare from the
Fiumicino Airport is around L80,000. I ended up paying L100,000.
Hotel Sieler is quiet and in a great location. Don't get creeped out
by the building and stairs inside to get to your room. I am waiting for
my Rick Steves tour to start, 30 October 2001. To be continued....
Sharon <email>
San Jose, CA USA 10/29/01
Italy
My husband and I just returned from travelling in Europe for three months
and found that Villa Gnocchi in Santa Margarita was wonderful. Roberto is
eager to share his knowledge of the area, you are minutes to Portofino and
can walk from the bed and breakfast through narrow paths to the town or
in the nearby woods. It has a killer view and his meals were wonderful.
You would be very lucky to have a chance to stay here and it is a great
location to daytrip to the Cinque Terre.
Deb and Steve <email>
MA USA 10/27/01
Travel in January
I went to Italy in May (solo) using Rick's book. It was great. I traveled
by train and made reservations as I went along. Venice was the only place
I had trouble finding a room. I can't get the whole experience out of my
mind. I MUST GO BACK! I have two weeks in January off. Has anyone been in
that time period — — what is the weather like. I am an outdoors person...
my favorite things were hiking in the C.T.... do you think it would be too
cold for this in Jan????
Meg <email>
USA 10/24/01
venice is a bargain now
Just returned from Venice and am happy to report that I did it quite economically!
I got great deals all the way from Lufthansa's flight, a wonderful apartment
behind St. Marks square (will tell you more below), a huge discount on a
taxi trip (which I haggled for but he accepted my offer from 150.000 to
100.000!), a nice discount in a jewelery shop on Rialto just for the asking.
All this because Venice is suffering terribly due to the lack of American
tourists...it's so evident everywhere, in the squares, restaurants, shops
etc. I spoke with shop owners and restauranteers, and they are all hurt
by the slow in tourism. But this is good for us travellers! We can reap
the bargains right now.
If you are staying in the city for a few nights, you must call Venicerentals.com
I rented a very nice and clean apartment from them for an extremely good
deal, about half price of their normal rate. They have lots of last minute
deals due to their cancellations as they explained to me and I truly was
impressed with them and their service. I would recommend them to anyone.
Their email is info@venicerentals.com, this is how we did most of our
conversing. However they do have a phone number in Venice and speak English
for anyone leery of the internet bookings. It's 041-276-9798.
susan white <email>
fla, fla USA 10/23/01
Hotel Santa Marta, Milan Thumbs Down
Hotel Santa Marta in Milan.
We were staying there just one night before leaving out of Malpensa. We tried to get information on getting to Malpensa for a early flight or at least some indication on how far Cardona station and the Malpensa Express train were. What we received was a large hustle on taking a cab and pleading of ignorance on Cardona. We then tried to use the phone, several times with "help" from the front desk to call our airline. We never got anything to ring. The night clerk was full of horror stories on the war and airport delays and the subways not working.
Bottom Line... Cardona Station and the Express were an easy 4 block walk.
Everything was on schedule. It didn't take 4 hours to get on the plane.
The Cab was a scam! To compound my distaste, when we tried to leave at
05:30 after paying the bill the night before, a demand was made for the
phone use (the very same phone that never connected to anything). He refused
to open the locked door so we could leave, until we paid. On a side note
the entry is dreary, the water / pipes very noisy, they refused to eliminate
breakfast even though we were very clear on leaving before they served.
The room was clean and of reasonable size. Spend your money elsewhere!
Dave Flanagan <email>
Castle Rock, CO USA 10/21/01
Cinque Terra Hiking Advisory
Just returned from 2001 Best of Europe Tour. Re: The five city coastal hike.
It is now in an Italian National Park. There is a small hiking fee in Lire.
Approx 2.50 US. Don't leave home without it. The fee may be collected by
someone looking less than official! Anyway its Italy."Badges, we don't need
no stinking badges!" My quote. Have Fun!
Mike Reed <email>
Mission Viejo, CA USA 10/18/01
Just returned from three great weeks in Italy, traveling mainly by train. We used a 1st-class kilometric ticket and then bought 2nd-class tickets when it ran out. Couldn't tell much difference between 1st and 2nd class except free juice/snacks on Eurostars.
Used Rick's book extensively, and it was very helpful, but it literally fell apart! Took individual pages out for our "guided tours". Previous versions held up better; if others also found this, Rick might want to talk to his printer. Now some comments:
VERONA: If you take the bus from train station to town, be sure to walk under the archway before following directions to Rick's hotels near Piazza Bra. Hotel Cavour was fine. Great dinner at nearby Ristorante Pizzaria Listone. This is a charming little town worth a visit.
MANAROLA: Stayed at Marina Piccolo, in a lovely room with balcony (great spot for laundry). No greeting — we never did meet the owner/manager! But loved it anyway. Compared to Vernazza and Levanto (where we’ve stayed before) we like Manarola’s accessibility; it has the easy walks to Riomaggiore and Corniglia, plus the more difficult hikes to Vernazza and Volastra. Good dinner and view at Da Billy.
ROMA: Hotel Seiler was fine. Rome was hot, sticky, overwhelming, exhausting, and our least favorite place despite its spectacular sights. Had a delicious dinner at Ristorante Target near the hotel. An interesting experience at Hosteria Romania: we were seated near the antipasto bar. After a good dinner (including antipasto) I was waiting for my husband to finish and noticed the waiter occasionally placing one tomato from a plate onto the antipasto bar, or a single piece of eggplant ... I wondered why he was restocking one piece at a time, and then realized he was probably putting uneaten bits from people's plates back on the antipasto bar! I don't think I'd order antipasto there again. The spaghetti carbonara was wonderful though.
MARINA DEL CANTONE: This place is a bit hard to get to but once you arrive, you're in Italian heaven. What a relief after Rome! Tiny fishing village — maybe six hotels and restaurants. We stayed at Hotel Certosa, with a balcony overlooking the sea and the sound of the surf while we slept. Charming Alfonso and his family run the hotel, which is open all year around. Great breakfasts, including warm brioche. Convenient day-trip boats to Amalfi and Capri from the dock in front of the hotel. We hired Carmine Monetti's taxi for the Amalfi coast tour (his nephew Emilio showed up -said he speaks better English). He charged a healthy L 360.000 to pick us up/drop us off in Marina del Cantone (it's now L 250.000 from Sorrento). After two weeks of public transportation, was great fun to be pampered for a day. We spent 4 nights here... wished we had 5.
PAESTUM: A scenic series of buses took us to this peaceful little town with beautiful Greek ruins. Spent the night at Seliano Estate for Agritourism, another great family-run place with beautiful grounds and pool. Our spacious room was furnished with beautiful antiques. We had a delicious family-style gourmet dinner and big breakfast. All this for L 180.000!
ASSISI: Hotel Ideale had wonderful views and staff, but we woke up covered in bug bites (even after we closed the window the second night) so not sure what that was. Fun to see all the nuns on pilgrimage, wearing backpacks and Birkenstocks! Bought olive oil (which has turned out to be fabulous) at La Pasteria. Great food at the ristorante across the street, next door to Hotel Sole.
VENICE: Stayed at Locando Barbarigo (email: locandabarbarigo@inwind.it).
What a find! Near the Giglio vaporetto stop, it's a palazzo being restored.
Five rooms are ready — all totally new inside (new bathrooms, windows,
beds, brocade wall coverings). Our lovely, huge corner room overlooked
a canal. L 250.000 (225.000 w/cash). Buy a vaporetto pass so you can hop
on and off at will. Great fresh seafood on Burano at Ristorante Galuppi.
If you want to eat dinner at any of Rick's restaurants (at least around
the Accademia Bridge), better make reservations. My husband found Cuban
Romeo & Juliet cigars in Venice for L 4.000 and was in heaven!
Charlene <email>
Centennial, CO USA 10/17/01
Portofino's Riviera alternative accomodation : Villino Matilde !Matilde
Travelling for more than 2 months up and down Italy we finally rested on
the Italian Riviera, in Santa Margherita Ligure. We first made a reservation
in a 3 star hotel recommended by RS but they did not keep the room, notwithstanding
my cc details becasue they told me, there was a big boat show in Genova.
I therefore chose to visit the Nuova Riviera Hotel (only 1 star but seems
to be at least a 2!). The Sabini Family was booked but recommended us to
their neighbours of the Villino Matilde : beautiful !!! They do offer this
small house for weekly stays with self catering kitchen, it's like a small
paradise in the heart of the town. Worth it ! have a look yourself : www.villinomatilde.com
Thank you very much to the owners, Cristina & Marco, who have been very
helpfull and nice. I wish I could come back soon !
Kathy & Mark Tooth, NY <email>
New York, NY, NY USA 10/17/01
Riomaggiore, Cinque Terra hotel
I just returned from a 3 week trip to Europe and stayed 2 days in Cinque
Terra on the Italian Riviera (October 1-2, 2001). I stayed in Riomaggiore
at the Villa Argentina Hotel and thoroughly enjoyed my visit. After staying
in mediocre 2-star accommodations in Italy, it was a surprise to find a
2-star hotel impeccably maintained and clean. The Villa Argentina Hotel
is an unbelievably modern hotel with large rooms complete with queen or
double size beds (large compared to European standards), modern furniture,
telephone and TV, and complete bathrooms with full shower, toilet and sink!
Truly an anomaly in Europe! The price for this single room (Oct 2001) was
L78,000 and included breakfast (pastries, fruit, bread, coffee, hot chocolate,
juices, etc) each morning. It was well-worth the price for a good night's
sleep at a terrific hotel such as this. The only drawback is that it is
quite a hike up from the main center of town, but the view makes up for
the slightly out-of-way location. I would highly recommend this hotel to
anyone going to Cinque Terra and Riomaggiore. It was a wonderful place to
stay and I would return again.
S. Reed <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 10/16/01
Hotel Oleggio-Malpensa Airport area
Grounded a week after Sept 11th, we found the Hotel Oleggio run by Mauro
Dell'Angella and family, comfortable, clean and highly accomodating for
a few days.If you are arriving in Malpensa late, or departing early, this
is the place. Excellent source of some outstanding restaurants nearby. Free
bus shuttle from the airport.
Dr. Rob <email>
Lake Arrowhead, CA USA 10/15/01
Italy-Lake Como
I'm going to beat Rick in heralding the merits of Ty and Paola's " La Marianna
" Restaurant and B&B in Cadenabbia, Lago di Como. Wow ! Outstanding dinners
and service, and rooms on the Lake. So good I brought my parents along to
celebrate our Anniversary. Ty and Paola, Mille Grazie !
Dr. Rob <email>
Lake Arrowhead, CA USA 10/15/01
Sorrento/Amalfi Coast on Easter
Advice for those like me who are stupid enough to try to get from Naples
to Sorrento on Easter (3/31 in 2002) — neither the buses nor the Circumvesuviana
railroad run on Easter! The only way to get from Naples to Sorrento on Easter
is by boat, which runs from the "downtown" Naples waterfront, not from Mergellina
as I was told at the Naples train station. The Amalfi Coast is inaccessible
except by auto or cab on Easter Sunday — no bus.
Mary from Oregon
USA 10/15/01
Our trip in october, 2001
Many thanks for this wonderful book. We followed the book for Roma, Firenze
and Venezia and were not disappointed. Borghese Gallery in Rome was our
favorite. The guided tour really brought Caravaggio's painting and Bernini's
sculptures to life. Please warn your readers about the table charges at
some of the restaurants. We found bars or pastacherris to be the cheapest
and best food in Rome and Firenze. Stayed with Soggiorno Pezzati in Firenze.
Daniels runs a very clean, professional business. It was also centrally
located in Florence helping us walk to all attractions. Please add Spaghetteria
close to Daniella's apartment as a wonderful and affordable restaurant to
your list. I would also appreciate it if you could expand on your chapter
on Italy with kids. Our kids (9 & 5) really enjoyed all the cities. We took
the Eurostars and Inter-city between rome, florence and venice. Thanks again
!
Ram Ramanan <email>
Plano, TX USA 10/15/01
Cinque Terre/Florence
Just returned from a hiking tour around the Cinque Terre with another travel
group — bella, bella, bella! I used Rick's Italy book as a resource for
further travel on my own. Cinque Terre — In Portovenere, climb to the old
church at the entrance to the harbor at sunset or to Poet's Grotto nearby — terrifically romantic views. And even if you don't like pesto sauce at
home, order it here. Fresh is best! Florence — Highly recommend Hotel Aldobrandini
for budget travelers. Gave me a double at single price when they didn't
have a single avaiable. Wonderfully warm welcome and information — I walked
everywhere from here and lots of internet centers in the neighborhood. Do
ask for the quieter rooms in back — I happened to love looking out my window
at 6 am watching the market day start, but resturant noise continues until
the wee hours. Visited Vivoli's for gelato — found Cinema Astro there had
closed. Asked around for other English cinemas — no one seemed to know of
one that had them on a permanent basis. Highly reccommend Walking Tours
of Florence — a Monday tour of the central area was fun, informative and
a great way to get oriented on a slow sightseeing day. Both my guides were
native English speakers — very easy to understand.
Cathy W. <email>
San Jose, CA USA 10/14/01
Hotels: Rome and Florence
New hotels to consider: As of 9/01. Rick, I tried to reserve at some of
your recommended hotels, for my trip to Florence and Rome, but alas! I was
too late. So I went online and found two that are well worth the price,
which are each about $120 US double with bath. In Rome, near the train station
(which is actually a very good location, off the beaten path, but an easy
walk to sights and 6 blocks from the train/metro/bus station), please check
out Des Artistes. A young-spirited, but very professionally run, no-smoking
hotel (but be aware, they occupy serveral floors in a building with other
offices which DO permit smoking in building), the rooms are truly among
the most beautifully appointed I've found (and my husband refurbishes European
antiques for a living, so we're seasoned observers). The quiet they promise
is real, with double-paned windows, and the roof garden is charming. What's
more, the staff bend over backwards to help you find what you're looking
for, and how to get there most easily. On Via Villafranca, 6 easy blocks
northeast of train station. And as for Florence, sample the Hotel Sanremo
for the same price. On Lungarno Serristori, just on the river on Oltrarno
side and two blocks from Ponte Vecchia, another beautifully appointed place
with either a "room with a view" or your own private roof-garden terrace.
Either way, it's out of the heart of the tourist center, but a short walk,
and a place to go and re-charge your tranquility battery! If you're driving,
you can park just up the street in a lot where a man's on duty about 8 hours
daily and collects the approx. $12 to leave your car for 24 hours. With
your help in the past, I've managed to find hotels wonderfully located and
comfy for under $100 easily. This time, we splurged a bit, but it was worth
it.
Marie Unini <email>
Pearblossom, CA USA 10/11/01
Eating!
Dear Rick, I am still using your Italy guidebook from 1999, and except for
perhaps adjusting for change in prices, it is exquisite — you've never
steered us wrong. I want to comment on three restaurants you recommend —
and add a couple. In Rome — Hostaria Romana is everything you promised.
It looks like a too-brightly lit open-air cable car, which could be off-putting
to some. But those who venture inside will get mouthwatering cuisine and
high-spirited friendly service from the gentlemen who own and run it. In
same city, the La Carbonara restaurent on Piazza dei fiori (?) — in spite
of the "attitude" of servers, food is delish — try the Fiori di zucca (zucchini
blossoms) yum! and the tortellini alla andreina. Finally, a possibly new
place in Rome, near the train station (a few blocks away — called The Bistro
— "haute cuisine" style meals, for a little bit more money, special occasion
meals, perhaps, can't be beat. The head waiter Francesco will see to it
that your wine and service are sublime, with a great attitude! And now for
Florence — your recommendation of Ristorante La Galleria, on Oltrarno side
of river, not far from the Ponte Vecchio — wow! Friendly and fabulous service.
don't order from the "fixed price" menu — take a chance and make your own
combination. Worth it. The pasta is superb. Please add to your suggestion
— Trattoria Sostanza, found just a couple of blocks from the Excelsior
hotel (which is right on the riverfront) on a small alley, Via del Porcellana,
25r.) Sostanza is popular with locals, go early, expect to wait. It is always
crowded with Florentines, seating is family style on long tables. One of
my clients here in Los Angeles area told me about it — she said "have the
tortellini, and the bisteca fiorentina" she was right. Also add the egg
omelette with artichokes florentine-style. I'm still trying to figure out
how to make my omelletes come out like that!
Marie Unini <email>
Pearblossom, CA USA 10/11/01
Sorrento and Florence
I traveled to Florence, Rome, and Sorrento with my wife and two teenaged
daughters this past summer, and found Rick Steves'Italy 2001 to be full
of useful and reliable information. Our stay in Sorrento was one of the
highlights of the trip, thanks in large part to Rick's recommendation of
the Hotel Minerva and his excellent tips for navigating through the region
to Pompeii, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast. We share Rick's enthusiasm for
the Minervetta Restaurant, where we ate twice. The views are spectacular,
the manager and staff friendly even by Italian standards, and the food quite
good. We were much less impressed by the Ristorante Bibo in Florence. The
food was ordinary at best and the staff was indifferent. Also, the Bibo's
credit card charge slip contains a prominent line for a tip even though
a service charge has already been added to the total — a fact stated in
the menu, but not the charge slip itself.
Dave G.
Rockville, MD USA 10/08/01
Self catering apartments on the Italian Riviera , Cinque Terre
Nice self catering accommodation on the Italian Riviera Cinque Terre , Italy.
It is a nice property located just by the beach and the train station within
walking distance . Wide terrace offering nice views. It sleeps four. For
further details and pictures contact Paola : cinqueterreflats@hotmail.com
Justine Lizarazou
Nice Ville , France, USA 10/07/01
Stayed recently at the Villa Margherita B&B in Levanto, Cinque Terre,
Italy. Federico was a very friendly host. The buffet breakfast each morning
was out of this world. Location was in the heart of the village and great
for walking around as well as easy access to the train station . They even
had a garage to park my rented car for a modest 15000 italian lira. Highly
recommended.
Dave Rodman <email>
Naples, FL USA 10/06/01
Villa Gnocchi Santa Margherita Ligure
Villa Gnocchi in Santa Margherita Ligure is wonderful. I have visited Roberto
two years in a row. He picks me up at the train station and his meals are
great. I love the area. He is the most effecient Italian I have met so far.
I had to take my son and his wife so they could stay at Roberto's Villa
Gnocchi.
Allie Elwell <email>
DeSoto, Tx USA 09/28/01
Italy, Santa Margherita
Villa Gnocchi, Santa Margherita Ligure is a magical place. Full of the beauty
of the countryside and the warm hearts of a wonderful Italian family.
Diane Gerrodette <email>
Seattle, WA USA 09/27/01
My adventure
VENICE- Very beautiful and charming city. Take Rick's advice and get lost.
Get away from San Marco and the Rialto bridge and discover the real Venice.
We stayed at the Hotel Astoria. Nothing to write home about. A very simple
hotel with a very unusual shower. Let's just say that I had to shower sitting
down, with my knees touching my chest. Worst food I had in Italy was in
Venice. Couldn't find a good meal anywhere. I don't know if other felt this
way as well.
FLORENCE- What a great city. A great restaurant is one located a couple of blocks from P. Republica. It's called Paolo. Another restaurant I highly recommend is Pasquina, also near the P. Republica, on a dark sidestreet. The restuarant was small which gave it character. Stayed at the Pensione Pendini. The staff was spectacular. So helpful and warm. The rooms were big and great. I highly recommend the "Walks of Florence" tour. Small groups, very energetic and knowledgeable tour guides. I went on the Tuscany tour which included Siena and San Gimignano. San Gimignano is a must see. A great little town with unbelievable views. I must say that this was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. Take Ricks advice and book tickets for the museums ahead of time. The line for the Uffizi must've been hours long.
ROME- Big city with much to see. Stayed at the Hotel Italia. Simple and clean with a very helpful staff. After visiting the Vatican, my fiance and I decided to take a cab back to the hotel. I got in and the meter was reading 15,000. I questioned the cab driver and he told me that this was the standard rate since he picked me up in Vatican City. Of course I was skeptical since I was from NYC. I questioned him and I threatened to call the police and he told me only to pay for a small portion of what the meter came out to. Surprisingly, I didn't encounter, or see for that matter, any gypsies. Hmmm.
To get away from the city we decided to take an excursion to Capri and
Sorrento. We hired Carrani tours to show us the sites. One word to describe
this company...CRAP. On a beautifully sunny day, we arrive at the port
to go to Capri island and the tour company tells us that the seas were
"too rough" for the journey. This was a complete lie since we saw other
boats leaving port for Capri. Also, the wind was calm and there was not
one single cloud in the sky. What surprised me was how calm most people
on the bus were. The tour company blatantly lied to our faces yet, with
the exception of a few people, everyone believed the "choppy seas" story.
So instead of Capri, we got a tour of Pompeii. No complaints about Pompeii.
The funny thing about this tour was that as soon as we arrived in Pompeii,
they had everything prepared for us. The tour, the food, the mandatory
shops we HAD to visit. How did they know we were coming? It's a conspiracy
I tell ya. So remember that name...Carrani, and stay away.
John <email>
NYC, NY USA 09/27/01
Italian Riviera, Cinque Terre
We recently had the good fortune to stay at the Villa Margherita B&B in
Levanto, north of Cinque Terre. The hospitality shown by Federico, the owner
definitely qualifies him for this portion of the Graffiti Wall. He was so
welcoming and always had time to answer the questions that we had regarding
everything from local hiking to local customs. Levanto is a small village
with the most of the conveniences one might need, such as an ATM, good restaurants,and
a small supermarket. It is also served by a very good train system located
just a few minutes from the B&B .
Allison Furtado
New York, NY USA 09/23/01
Soggiorno Pezzati Alessandra Florence
My husband and I booked a room in this Soggiorno for 2-6 Sept based on recommendations
from Rick Steves' and Fodor's websites but discovered to our complete dismay
that the accommodation we got was well below any acceptable standard. The
room was grim, dark and depressing, with a view to housecleaning tools leant
against the walls of a shaft into which something resembling a window opened.
We had to keep the lights on during the day because there was no natural
light coming in. The walls in the room were painted sickly white with an
appallingly distasteful fresco painted on the wall and laced with stucco,
that menacingly hanged over our bed like a gravestone. There was no bathtub
or shower, instead we showered right onto the bathroom floor. To do her
justice, her little maze of dark hallways and sordid rooms was impeccably
clean, which only reinforced the sickbed atmosphere. Although we complained
about the room after the first night, she wanted to charge us for the whole
period we booked and only after a short argument agreed to let us go with
paying for two nights. I will never forget the moment we walked out of that
bleak house — one can hardly experience such joy when staying in decent
places — perhaps that is what guidebook writers had in mind when they recommended
Ms Pezzati's place.
Ljiljana Mihajlovic
Sarajevo, Bosnia 09/18/01
The Villa Margherita B&B in Levanto, Cinque Terre is fantastic, tucked
down a quiet alley. It's run by Federico and serves a fantastic breakfast,
and it's cheap!
Nicole
San Mateo, Ca USA 09/13/01
Train tickets in Italy: Try the ticket machines in (I think) most of
the stations. I used them and had no problem and no lines! That was my experience!
Patrick <email>
boston, USA 09/10/01
Correction to my post following — the Amex in *Venice* doesn't book
train tickets anymore. I don't know about other Amex's in Italy.
alisa
USA 09/09/01
Though we've traveled a la Rick's books many years now, this year we really got our money's worth out of it. Usually we use it only for pre-plan, but this time we used it as our tour guide in Roma and Venice and what a added bonus it was!
Vaporetto Tickets — I think I have a solution to the question of whether to buy or not to buy your vaporetto ticket on the boat.
1) Buy a ticket on the dock and within a few minutes another one will come along — especially the 82 or 1, the primary boats.
2) If you are in a rush for some reason, make sure you tell the guy who is opening the gate and docking the boat you need your ticket. Have lire ready. Don't sit down til you get your ticket.
For food in Venice, food is mediocre and overpriced relative to the rest of Italy. This trip we did basics — pizza from the stand by the Rialto Bridge (very good actually) and other snacky bits. We've done the bars in the past, which is not a great idea if you can't eat seafood.
San Marco Basilica in Venice: the extra tour of the "Treasures of the Byzantine" was well worth the extra money and fascinating. It came with a free audio guide that was very engaging and informative.
Rome: Use Rick's Rome book for touring the Vatican Museum. We bought the audio tour and found it extremely useless and boring. We found Rick's book really fun. We also felt it's important to allow at least a day for the Vatican Museum. This place is *huge*. Take advantage of all the pleasant places and benches there are to sit. Eat lunch after you get through the Sistine Chapel. The cafeteria was great, the staff friendly. Expect to share your table with an Italian couple and a few smiles and nods as well. The Roman Forum tour: I found his guide to the forum to have at least doubled my appreciation and interest in the site. The Colosseum tour was great, we paid for our english tour (only $1.50 extra) inside and learned a lot about the myths and truths about it. We bought a book called "past and present" which is the same as "Then and Now" with a sturdier cover and actually better pictures for L15,000 (though he wanted L18,000 for it, that price seemed softer than the "official" book). Even if you're not comfortable talking them down it is *well worth* the L20,000 to help envision ancient Rome in its prime. I think it was our best investment in Italy.
Rick's Night Walk across Rome is a great first-night-in-Rome experience. I think this is his best tour. We ate at Al Carbonara as well, we sat by the fountain in Campo de Fiori until we saw them starting to seat people (about 7:30) and then by 8PM the line was really long for outdoor seating. The food was very good and worth a splurge. Food in Rome — — yes, you can get hosed on the price but overall I never felt ripped off when you consider ambience + food. We also found that the pricier restaurants are pretty good about serving just pizza and salad over the lunch hour. Do not miss Blue Ice for gelato. The one we went to was around the corner from Tre Scalini in the Piazza Navona.
We also used a travel agent to sort out our train ticket reservations
and so forth. This was the best thing ever. Though they seemed to only
accept cash, we waited in line probably 1/5 the time we'd have spent at
the rail station and got better service, english speakers and a patient
walk through our options. Rick should update his book, the American Express
will not book Trenitalia anymore. Keep your eyes peeled for an agency
with the "Trenitalia" logo in their window or door and you're all set.
Alisa <email>
Chicago, IL USA 09/09/01
Just got back from 17 days with my husband and my parents travelling through Germany, France and Italy. What a wonderful time. The trains were exceptional in Germany, pretty darn good in France and not so great in Italy. Then we rented a car for 3 days to travel the hill towns of Italy. That was not as bad as I thought it would be. Driving is on the same side of the street as here, just a whole lot faster.
The Cinque Terre!!!!! This was my favorite. This was the most picturesque, quaint, sleepy, yet bustling, non american invaded area we'd been to. The food was wonderful and the people great and oh yes, the Cinque Terre white wine was the best. We stayed in Vernazza in a couple of rooms (one with a spectacular ocean view balcony) that Mike Castiglione set us up in. He was recommended by Rick Steves and was extremely helpful. We called before we left and then he asked us to call 2 days before we arrived to reconfirm so he'd save us the room. Vernazza was the best although all of the towns were great. The best beach was in Monterosso. Walked there and took the boat back. Did check out the Guvano nude beach. Wasn't really our style.
Off to La Spezia to pick up our car and travel through the hill towns
or Tuscany and Umbria. Here we hit Siena for an afternoon of shopping
and then up high on the hill to Orvieto for the nite. What a beatiful
view from the cliffs of Orvieto. Then off to Rome for 3 nites. Here we
stayed across the street from the Vatican on via Tunisi at the Hotel Alimandi,
owned by the Alimandi brothers. This was a very nice hotel and our most
expensive. Unlike the 60 bucks a nite in Vernazza, this was more like
110. Rome was more expensive all around though.
Kristy Kraus <email>
Minneapolis, MN USA 09/03/01
Long lines at train stations in Italy are common especially during
the busy July season. For that reason (and others) buy your tickets from
a travel agent. Ask your hotel for the name and location of a convenient
location. You pay the same price and get the advantage of no lines. Rick
often mentions this in his books and for good reason.
Charles M. Luther <email>
Katy, TX USA 09/03/01
Train Stations in Italy
My partner and I were in Italy for one week in July 2001. We had a EuroPass
and moved from city to city through France, Italy, Austrian, Germany, and
back to France all by train. The worst train experience we had were in Italy,
and mostly at the train stations. We were in lines for three hours in Florence
to reserve non-smoking seats to Rome. And while in Rome, we actually had
to go to Roma Termini twice and stood in long line to get sleeper car reservations
to Vienna. During the several different times when we were at the main train
station, there were at least twenty people waiting in line for the "International" tickets, but only one open window, while 4 or 5 other windows taking care
of domestic travellers. Unfortunately, this single international ticket
window was only open from 7am to 7pm. So we had to spend precious daytime
sightseeing hours to get our train reservation needs taken care of. None
of the other countries seemed to have this problem.
Linda
Palo Alto, CA USA 09/02/01
Four weeks in Italy with my wife and youngest child (age 9) We are somewhat money conscious, so comments of locations and so forth probably reflect that.
Rome: stayed in Hotel Isa (triple 290000 L.expensive for us) liked the location....safe good walking distances to all locations. Clean rooms, high ceilings, air conditioning......make sure when you leave, if it is hot to ask for a card to be left in otherwise the air goes off. We like quiet inner rooms.
Sorrento: We read on this board about Hotel Il Nido. View is fabulous, shuttle service works well, Capuccino on the veranda at breakfast is great...no AC, but didn't seem to need it. Great dinner venue in the complex just down from it. Very very nice.
Florence: Stayed in Hotel Balcony...as a person recruited us at the train station. 2 stars with air. Very clean...nice balcony and two blocks to Duomo and beyond the somewhat unsafe area Rick warned us of. This was a nice surprise. Price 225000 L. (remember these are triple prices -no kids stay free policy in Europe)
Venice: We stayed at Hotel Fontana, a two star hotel, 300,000 L. per night. Expensive, as there was no air...in hot, humid times you will want air. The hotel, as noted by Rick, is very nice...and the family who runs it are all accomodating. It is accross from an inexpensive and well attended cafe making it very noisy till 1.p.m. (closes at 11 but crashing and banging till 1 and then deliveries start at 6...remember it is so hot that closing the windows is out of the question.
Cinque Terre: We used the Edy room finding service recommended by Rick (go through the tunnel walk up the hill a fair ways...it is to your right) 120,000 L got us a quiet room in one of the buildings (50 plus stairs up but remember everything is a bit vertical in this region). This is an excellent room finding service. He has a handle on a few places with views but you should contact him through his web page well in advance if you want one of these. Riomaggiore is a town with a lot of vitality, our favorite. The trains are not usually on time, so be prepared. One day we took the boat (which goes to all towns and the one below Riomaggiore, Portovenere). Because you can get on and off all day and they are on time, it's a really nice mediterranean (Ligurian) experience. Thrown in is a bit of a cruise around a few islands near Portovenere. If the weather is calm and the sea is blue...pay the money and enjoy.
The restaurant right by the water is wonderful. The owner has a good command of English and is very personable. It seems that there isn't an Italian alive who doesn't like kids and doesn't take an effort to make them feel welcome and special. We thank all of Italy for that.
Tuscany area: Lonely planet recommends Radda in Chianti as a good location to see Sienna, San G. etc. We would agree. As noted in this book the room finding service (the village one, not the private one) is excellent and the person running it very very helpful, personally knowledgable about each location and friendly beyond belief. After I said we thought we would like a view of the Tuscan hills, with a pool and small garden (who wouldn't say that?) This is what she gave us. In a 13th century town that has not changed (pop probably less than 100) we had a room with a peaceful poetic view of vineyards, olive trees and surrounding hills with the obligatory walled village. Below us was the pool surrounded by lovely rose bushes. This area of Chianti is quite lush and convenient by car to many wonderful day trips.
In an area south of Siena, we stayed at Montepulciano. We got lucky once
again and found a wonderful agriturismo 2km from the town. Picture sitting
on lawn chairs, flowers and bees everywhere overlooking the somewhat arid
Tuscan hills in front, to the left and raise your gaze and there is the
impressive walled city. Behind you is the main house with the older Italian
family (no English) and their daughter and son-in-law...(some English)
Beside you are your accomodations. A one bedroom nicely appointed place
with a kitchen. Pour yourself a glass of local wine (which you selected
through tasting at the walled city )...need I say more. Price...170,000
Triple. They are called Podere Poggio Al Sole...Montepulciano. email poggioalsole@cretedisiena.com.We
will return there as well.
Randy Kaneen <email>
Victoria, B.C. Canada 08/27/01
Just got back from Italy. Yes, I went in July! The weather was hot, but tolerable. Just dress for it and bring a hat. My number one suggestion for quick trips in these cities is to take walking tours. They are time well spent. In Florence we used "Walking Tours of Florence." In Rome we used "Enjoy Rome" and "Through Eternity", a Rick Steves recommendation. We preferred "Through Eternity" as the guides were friendlier and seemed more knowledgeable. Brochures were easy to find and a quick call or stop in their offices was all we needed to arrange our tours.
With the exception of Venice, our Rick Steves' recommended hotels were great. In Rome we stayed at the Hotel Italia. It was inexpensive, clean, and centrally located. The staff was top notch. Ask for a room with AC in the warmer months. In Florence we stayed at the Hotel Maxim which is located close to the Duomo and everything else! Again, the staff was great and the AC felt divine. We called ahead to Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre and reserved a room at Villa Argentina. It was wonderful! It is way up on the hill (an electric truck takes you up) and offers great views from the balconies. Call a day or two ahead of arrival day.
The only Italian disappointment was in Venice. We stayed at Hotel Astoria. I could tolerate the dark, sterile feeling room with a questionable bathroom, but I couldn't get past the rude staff. They were not friendly or accomodating.
I booked all the hotels, with the exception of the hotel in Cinque Terre,
ahead of time via email. It was so easy! One last Rome update: Rick gives
great directions on taking a train from the train station to the airport.
However, he says the train leaves from track 25. Our train did not, and
a conductor told us we could get on one of two trains. This was also incorrect
and we almost ended up going to some remote place in Italy. Double check
everything before you get on a train in Italy. A note to remember is that
the airport in Rome goes by two names. On your train ticket it will read
"Leonardo da Vinci Airport" but the sign for boarding the train says "Fiumicino."
Ask and double check.
Cherie
Chicago, IL USA 08/23/01
We stayed in the Hotel Marin in June. It was very easy to book by e-mail
and quite inexpensive. It's very clean and quiet. Quiet, because it's just
across the Grand Canal from the train station in a very sleepy part of Santa
Croce and therefore a long way from most of the Venice sights. However,
if you enjoy the slow strolls through Venetian neighborhoods away from the
crowds, it's a fine location.
Doug Marker
OR USA 08/22/01
Just recently returned from trip in Northern Italy, we stayed in Varenna on Lake Como for four nights. We enjoyed staying at Albergo Olivedo; Laura works hard to make the stay enjoyable & dinner is outstanding. We can still recite the menu!
This was my third visit to the area but the first time I "walked" to
the castle above Varenna. It was a VERTICAL walk; little tired & out of
breath when I arrived at the castle but what a view! We then hiked over
to the Fuime Latte (milky river), the shortest river in Italy. This was
also an experience because either we were on the wrong "trail" or the
trail was equal to a goat path...sorta overgrown & very hilly but worth
it. When we arrived at the river the temperature dropped at least 10-15
degrees & we were able to relax in the shaded areas surrounding the river
while eating an afternoon packed snack. I highly suggest it. BRING WATER!
NancyD <email>
Cleveland, OH USA 08/20/01
Don't buy the dancing Mickey's from the con artists!! Look for the
strings attached and listen to their lying sales pitch
Kevin
USA 08/20/01
I want to reply to the gentleman who criticized the "Rick Steves" way to travel. I used "Rick Steves Italy 2000" and "2001" to plan our three-week trip to Northerm Italy. I reserved wonderful places and met some wonderful people by using his suggestions and the e-mail addresses he provided. I want to point out that you can create the kind of trip you want if you read the book thoroughly. Rick clearly told us that, "If you want to avoid my readers, stay away from Vernazza." I read his descriptions and decided that Manarola was the most likely spot in the Cinque Terre for experiencing the goodness of a local fishing village. So, we stayed at Da Beranin in Manarola and had a wonderful, less crowded time. We took a boat and spent an afternoon in Vernazza, saw the crowds, and happily went back to Manarola in the late afternoon to have dinner in "our own" neighborhood at Da Billy.
We went to Varenna (along Lake Como) instead of the more well known of his recommended places and we did not have to wade through oceans of tour groups. We spent quiet afternoons sitting on Amelia's terrace (at Albergo Milano) sipping wine and looking at the lake. We stayed a bit out of the way (at Pomerlo Vecchio) instead of someplace closer to Civitia di Bagnoregio and we were able to experience the wonderful food and hospitality of "agriculturismo" instead of crowds in hotels and still take a day trip to Civita, returning home to Daniela's home cooking.
Still, we followed his advice in Florence so we could be within walking distance of the excitement to be found around Il Ponte Vecchio and the Piazza della Signoria. You can get the kind of experience you want from Rick's recommendations if you read carefully and pay attention.
Now, from the point of view of Vernazza locals who are tired of the crowds,
I sympathize. But I blame the crowds we saw on the pushy tour guides who
assemble groups too large for the comfort of the local environment and
drag them through areas that are not suitable for large groups.
DRSapone <email>
Pleasanton, CA USA 08/20/01
See my 5/24/01 post on the same subject, but here's the deal — Rome
is a very safe city. I can think of nowhere there that I have ever felt
even a little unsafe. Pickpockets are plentiful (though I suspect, much
less of a problem in November than in peak tourist season) so you will want
to be careful with your belongings, and wear money belts. I think that you
will find that you feel perfectly comfortable in any of the areas Rick recommends,
with the possible exception of the area immediately around Termini (the
main train station). It's not that this area is unsafe, but like the areas
around many major train stations, it tends to get a little seedy at night
(not dangerous, just less pleasant).
A
Lexington, KY USA 08/20/01
Had a horrible experience at the Hotel Giorgione in Venice (see my
posting under "Room Finding Tricks" for more details). Rick suggests this
hotel in the 2001 edition of his Italy guide, and it was also featured in
a recent edition of Conde' Nast Traveler. They locked us out and we were
stranded on the street in the middle of the night for over an hour because
the person trusted to service the guests and manage the hotel overnight
was a "temp" who slept through the buzzer and our frantic banging on the
door. We finally had to call the police to intervene. Aside from this, we
paid top dollar for a triple suite with no bathtub, and a shower barely
large enough for an average size adult. Don't go there!
Beryl E. Mahl <email>
New Orleans, La USA 08/19/01
Check out Hotel Bernardi in Venice. Just north of the Rialto Bridge
on S.S. Apostoli. The people were pleasant and very helpful. The cost was
very reasonable, though not too fancy.
Patrick <email>
MA USA 08/18/01
Just wanted to reply in response to the comment about Hotel Marin — we stayed
there in mid-March of 2001 and had a great stay. I thought the location
was a bit far from the sights, but I felt that the staff was very friendly,
accomodating and helpful. We checked out at 9:00am, but had a 1:00pm train,
and they let us store our bags in a back room so we didn't have to pay to
store them at a train station. I'm sorry to hear that someone had a bad
experience with the hotel. We had a great one.
Alyssa <email>
Toledo, OH USA 08/16/01
Just back from Italy. Avoid Marin Hotel in Venice. The woman there
was the rudest person I have ever met. We checked out because the heat was
unbearable and I was sick. She wanted to charge for another night. When
I disputed this she started going on about how good Europeans are and how
they know the right ways to do things and how all Americans (I'm Canadian)
are so ignorant etc. etc. She made a phone call and said that she was calling
the police. I said fine and just stood there. She then said that if I paid
with a credit card (higher rate) instead of cash I didn't have to pay the
additional night. I am going to be keeping a close watch to make sure that
she doesn't bill anything extra. I will usually put up with quite abit but
this was beyond anything!
Joan <email>
Vancouver, BC Canada 08/16/01
Cinque Terre was picturesque but swarming with tourists. We were disappointed with it's lack of "back door" feel. Don't miss the hike from Vernazza to Monterosso, though. It was fabulous. Because we couldn't get a room in the Cinque Terre (all full!), we booked at Hotel Facsi in Santa Margherita. What a great family-run hotel with wonderful, helpful, friendly staff.
We liked Venice once we got away from St. Mark's square. The part of
our trip that was the most fun was trying to speak Italian. Studied for
about 2 months before we went and knew enough traveler's Italian to easily
get by. We never assumed the person we were speaking to spoke English.
We always politely said good morning, etc. and asked if they spoke English.
If not, we did our very best. Most of the time, we had no problem. In
fact, I think we were received much better than other Americans who made
no attempt whatsoever to speak Italian. I usually had my phrase book out
and would look things up, but everyone was very patient and I think appreciated
our willingness to speak their language. Plus, it was fun!
cmd <email>
Houston, TX USA 08/14/01
The Cinque Terre is a must see. Visit Portovenere and Portofino as well
for a romantic look at Italy. A stay at the Villa Margherita in Levanto
will put you right into the middle of this area with easy access to all
of the locations and walking distance to the train. Email me for highlights
and to contact Federico at the Villa.
LA King <email>
Visalia, CA , USA 08/11/01
I absolutely suggest everyone to visit 5 terre!!! I visited Italy from north to south, even the islands, but the five villages (and the nearest towns, like Levanto, Portovenere, Lerici, Tellaro ) are the best corner I found.
Eating recommendations: Franzi in Vernazza, Micky in Riomaggiore for
seafoods: ask for gamberoni and fresh fish of the day. Taverna Garibaldi
in Levanto for the best Pizza of Italy — ciao Elena and Thomas — and Farinata
(a kind of salt cake, typical of Liguria and Toscana made with chick pies
flavour mixed with salt, olive oil and water ). Take the croxetti (a kind
of pasta made with rucola) or pansotti with nuts sauce. I like to eat!!!
Gunther
Gunther Magath
Munich, GER 08/11/01
All travellers need to be aware that the area around the Station in
Rome, as in most big cities is best avoided after nightfall. That is the
reason why hotels are slightly more affordable in that area. However, there
has been a big improvement since the Station was refurbished recently and
a new hostel built very close by.
witheld <email>
USA 08/10/01
For booking accommodation in Venice visit www.venice-rentals.com. Self catering allows much more freedom and I would recommend 2 couples traveling together take somewhere like Apartment Giustina which is very close to the Accademia Bridge. You even have your own washing machine. It would not be good for families as it is in a very dignified Palazzo and you are requested to be quiet. However there are lots more apartments that would be suitable for families, take a look and see. Some can be rented for short breaks and there are properties in Florence, Rome and Siena.
Budget conscious travellers could look at www.locandaartdeco.com
Wendy Ashworth <email>
Near London, U K 08/10/01
Curly, We have stayed in the Hotel Venezia tho not in several years.
Very nice, good security, lovely antiques, helpful staff. Owners have another
hotel in Roma too. Good breakfast. There is a great produce market in the
street a block away and Stazione Termini is very close.
Charles M. Luther <email>
Katy, TX USA 08/10/01
Spent 2 weeks in early July in Roma, Firenza and Venezia. Loved Roma could have easily spent 2 weeks there. Stayed in a great little hotel Teatro Di Pompeo, great location between Piazza Navona and Campo de Fiori.
In Venice, Hotel Paganelli was ok but really disappointed with the location. Being right beside St. Marks with a view of St. Marks basin did not make up for the terrible crowds outside our hotel. Also had to listen to the many vendors of dancing mickey mice with their obnoxious music blasting out of portable tape players. Kind of ruined the atmosphere. Did love Venice as long as we stayed away from St.Marks. Great restaurant in Venice was Al Conte Pescaor, fantastic seafood risotto, 041.5221483. Loved getting lost and seeing tons of little hotels off the beaten path.
Get your train tickets ahead of time as we did have some problems getting the day, time, and non-smoking reservation we wanted.
We used Scala Reale in Roma and it was well worth it. Could not imagine being stuck in one of those huge tour groups.
Before going would also recommend the book As the Romans Do by Alan Epstein,
a fun read.
Kathy Rodgers
USA 08/09/01
I used this guidebook to plan a three-week trip to northern Italy. The results were outstanding! Here are highlights:
1. We decided not to go everywhere, but tried to stay in each place 3-4 nights. That was a good idea. It allowed us to get to know some of the people you mention in your book.
2. Amelia and Silvano, at Albergo Milano in Varenna, became good friends. Even though they speak no English, my broken Italian (with the help of your phrase book)enabled lots of great conversation. Their grandson is delightful.
2. Da Baranin in Manarola was perfect. The best foccacia anywhere. After spending an afternoon in Vernazza, we were glad we chose Manarola. We went to Da Billy for dinner two nights and we have a wonderful story to tell if you are interested.
3. Torre Gualfa's Room #15 (four nights in Firenze) was glorious. Nella's trattoria around the corner was great. I have written many pages about Florence — the Piazza della Signoria, The David(s), the gelato just across Il Ponte Vecchio, Casa Buonarotti, Il Duomo, much more.
4. Bernini's in Siena was memorable, involving a night of red wine and accordian music.
5. Assisi was the most spiritually inspiring place — dominated by Francis and Clare.
6. We stayed two nights at Pomerlo Vecchio. Daniele served the best food we had ANYWHERE in Italy. Her father's wine and her husband's wood carvings made for great memories. When we checked out, Daniele gave us a bottle of her father's homemade port to bring home!
7. Civita di Bagnoregio was a huge thrill.
8. Four nights at Spring House in Rome was a good way to end our visit. Walking down to St. Peters every night after sunset with only a handful of people in the square and the cathedral all lit up (and the pope's bedroom light on) was a thrill my wife and I recall every day.
All of these places were reserved four months in advance by e-mail and
all came from Rick's book. The advice (from Mona Winks) about reserving
the great museums allowed us to walk past several long lines. We showed
up at the Vatican museum at 8:00 to see the Sistine Chapel. They let us
in at 8:45 after letting the tour groups in at 8:00. When we entered,
we went directly to the Sistine Chapel and were there an hour before the
tour groups got that far. Dan Sapone
Dan Sapone <email>
Pleasanton, CA USA 08/09/01
I'd like to make a strong complaint about one of Rick's suggested B&B's
in Cinque Terra, Italy. My wife and I reserved a room with Mike and Franca
(found in "Italy:places to stay"), from a town an hour away from Cinque
Terra. Due to a number of unexpected problems, we realized we'd not be able
to stay at that B&B after all. So we arrived in town, an hour and a half
later, and apologetically explained that we needed to cancel. Mike, the
owner, was horribly rude to both myself and my wife. After a long argument,
we decided to try staying with Mike after all. However, he wouldn't let
us see our room until late that evening and expected money up front. His
"New York, cigar-smoking, mafioso" attitude didn't seem very cute to me
after a long day of travel. After he again insulted my wife, we walked out
and didn't look back. The rest of our stay in town was uncomfortable because
the town is so small. In general, Vernazza, is overrated and overcrowded
with tourists. Corniglia looked like a much friendlier and quaint place
to stay of the five towns of Cinque Terra.
PB
WA USA 08/07/01
Please share any comments on the Hotel Galleria in Venice and the Hotel
Nuova Italia in Florence.
Cvlasach <email>
Pittsburgh, PA USA 08/07/01
I can't say enough about being prepared. We read, watched movies, talked to others, listened to cd's etc... All that planning made the trip even more meaningful. Rick Steve's books were invaluable! Europe Through the Back Door is a must read for everyone. The information helps put you in the right frame of mind for travelling. We are just visitors, but our Italian hosts were wonderful. We brought along Italy 2000, Rome 2001, parts of Mona Winks and the Italian phrase book and dictionary. We also brought along DK Italy.
Our trip started in Rome. I absolutely loved Roma! We stayed at the Hotel Pensione Italia. We highly recommend it. Great location and wonderful helpful staff. Having dinner just outside the Pantheon, near the fountain, under the moonlight was very special. The other neat stop was stumbling into the Forum without knowing it. We walked through it to the Colosseum. I never thought I would want to go in, but once you get there it is an easy decision.
Our next stop was Siena. Very quiet, peaceful and pretty. We stayed at the Alma Domus (highly recommend it). The view from our little balcony was of the valley below, and the Duomo and Baptistry on the hill.
We did take part of a day at San Gimignano. Beautiful hill town. Great ride in the country from Siena. Well worth the trip.
Next we hopped a train through Pisa. Now I never thought I needed to see the sights there either, but we caught a bus and saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Our next stop was Levanto at the Villa Margherita! Federico and Cecilia were fantastic! The villa was just beautiful. If you are going to the Cinque Terre, we highly recommend staying here. Tel/Fax 01-87807212. Email is villamargherita@hotmail.net. Take care Federico and Cecilia! We miss you folks!
The hiking between towns was fun. Take the trail from Levanto to Monterosso, not the other way around.
Next:Florence/Firenze. We stayed at the Liberty House (Alessandro Fiore). We would recommend staying here as well. The location was real close to the Accademia (which we didn't know). Climb the Duomo, it is well worth it. Great view!
Last but not least Venice. A beautiful place during the day, and my favorite city at night. We stayed at the Hotel Guerrato (we highly recommend it). Roberto and Piero were great. Wonderful location. Very close to the Rialto.
A few other tips. ATM's are the way to go. They are everywhere, and the
exchange rate really can't be beat. Trains are fun and easy. We purchased
point to point tickets. Very economical. Buses when needed were fun and
easy too.
Craig & Lisa <email>
Minneapolis, MN USA 08/05/01
So Sorry e -mail address correction for Locanda Art Deco Venice info@locandaartdeco.com
Wendy Ashworth <email>
Nr London, U K 08/03/01
Visitors to Venice should note that it is now possible to stay at one
of the newly opened "Locandas" or "Inns". You could try Locanda Art Deco
info@locandaartdec.com or Locanda San Barnaba. Both are situated in the
desirable Dorsoduro area. It is also possible to find Bed and Breakfasts
and one of your own American Guide books lists some of them !! This has
only become possible recently thanks to changes in the tightly upheld Tourist
Accommodation Restrictions.
Wendy Ashworth <email>
Nr London Surrey England, None U K 08/03/01
I am planning a trip to Italy in September with my sister. I am looking
into some of the online booking sites and most often it seems there are "double" rooms. From the hotel web sites it seems that some of these might
be "twinned" but not all. How can I request a room with two (twin or double)
beds? Or does anyone have a recommendation for a central Rome hotel that
would accommodate this request? Thanks... Barb
Barbara <email>
Rochester, MN USA 08/02/01
Hey Steve feel free to post your info, I'd love to get your scoop.
Literary Critic
San Diego, CA USA 08/01/01
Traveling to Italy w/babies of toddlers?? Bring your own portable highchair
or a tray that straps right on to the carriage. Also bring a mat to change
your baby on!! Italy is very kid friendly but not very accomadating for
babies and toddlers. If you go prepared you will enjoy the trip alot more!!
Have fun
Lisa
Boston, MA USA 07/29/01
Just returned from wonderful 3 weeks in Italy, and generally Rick's
books helped a lot. Plan to comment later on some great experiences, good
hotels, etc. However, wanted to get word out right away about one very negative
experience with a hotel Rick recommends — the hugely overpriced Hotel Belle
Arti, in Venice, where we stayed 5 nights. Most of the staff here were truly
nasty and obnoxious, not merely officious. This was not simply a cultural
phenomenon, as we experienced no such behavior from anyone else we encountered,
anywhere in Italy. They would roll their eyes at each other when talking
with the guests, and they reacted to even the slightest request as if it
were a major imposition (asking the weather forecast, asking directions,
etc.) In one more major incident, they advertise a free water taxi excursion
to Murano each morning. A group of about 10 of us dutifully waited in the
lobby, as the staff directed, until they told us to go to the dock and get
the taxi. We ran to the dock, and no taxi appeared. After a half hour we
returned to tell the staff, and they were angry at us, insisting that the
taxi HAD been there, and that we somehow stupidly missed it. The same man
who had told us to wait in the lobby now told us that "of course" we shouldn't
have waited in the lobby, we should have been waiting at the dock the whole
time. Although he seemed to be the manager on duty, he acted as if we were
all idiots or liars. We were very upset, not because of the expense (it
was cheap enough for us to pool our funds and simply get our own taxi) —
but because of the outrageous attitude of the staff. We were not obnoxious
Americans, we were all very well-travelled, courteous and polite, and could
not believe how insulting this man was. This hotel is rated 3 stars, and
the quality of facilities, breakfast and service were inferior to 2 star
places in which we've stayed. The only qualification for 3 stars seems to
be their elevator. Their location, in the Dorsoduro, is great — quiet,
yet easily accessible to all the attractions. However, we noted many other
hotels in that area, at much lower prices, that seemed to have both nicer
facilities and certainly friendlier staff.
Ed Edwards <email>
Fresno, CA USA 07/28/01
Even better, Cathy, contact your hotel well before your visit and they
will make the reservations at the museums with no fee at all.
Adrienne <email>
USA 07/26/01
You can purchase tickets for the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries in
Florence online at www.weekendafirenze.com The surcharge for ordering in
advance is well worth it since it saves hours waiting in line once you arrive.
Cathy <email>
Rehoboth, MA USA 07/26/01
Just got back from two great weeks in Italy. Stayed in Santa Margherita
for access to Cinque Terra, Venice, Florence, Siena, and Rome. Would be
happy to share any information as to where we stayed, where we ate, what
we saw, trains etc. Let me know.
Steve <email>
USA 07/25/01
Americans take note of what the man from the CT said. Europeans are
much neater than we are and are mystified by how messy we are. There was
recently a discussion on this wall on this same subject and some posters
did not seem to believe that the mess they found was caused by us. AS Rick
says, we are guests in their home. Be polite and neat.
Charles M. Luther <email>
Katy, TX USA 07/23/01
Me and my wife just come back from a two weeks tour in Italy. We're
from Norway and so we were astonished from the italian climate! we were
in 5 terre and we really loved it! We stayed in Levanto ( 5 minutes to Monterrosa
the first of the five villages) and we loved it like a wonderful place to
stay! We loved local restaurant and especially in Levanto Taverna Garibaldi
a Restaurant Pizzeria just 100 mt from the railway station. There were the
best pizza's I ever eated! And also Lardo di colonnata, a particular kind
of ham that I think it's a tuscany specialty. Cinque Terre were crowded
but they give us the price of the travel!!! Bye Sven Mykland
norway 07/23/01
About Italian Bathrooms... I live in 5 Terre. Since thousands of american
boys and girls come here many accidents happened (never happened before
when german people were the most part of the tourists): pubs damaged, cars
and scooters stolen or broken,fighting with local boys, garden seats destroyed,
hundreds of bottles and litter along the paths.... Have a good trip Dan!!!!
thomas
5 terre, ita 07/23/01
About Italian Bathrooms...
ita 07/23/01
I just got back from a wonderful trip to Italy (Rome, Venice, Castelrotto,
Pisa, and Florence) and I cannot suggest enough the value of the Rick Steves
Italy 2001 book. Real quick here is my website I created from my trip (100+
pics and videos): http://www.geocities.com/tippininitaly2001/ While in Rome
I also highly suggest having a a copy of Rick Steve's Rome 2001 and for
all other major museums Mona winks very useful. The trip started out not
too good because something happened to the hydraulics of my int'l flight
from US to Europe so it delayed me over 24 hours, I have to say USAir was
very helpful they cannot predict when mechnical failures happen. Luckily
I had two days open/unplanned at the end of my trip so it was not all that
BIG of a deal I just lost the unplanned days and because I had Rick Steve's
Italy book I was able to cancel and book new reservations within one hour
from the time my plane was cancelled. Word of advise: remember you are on
vacation mishaps can/will happen so take it in stride. By the way while
stuck at the airport during the 24+ hour lay over I got really sick and
threw up a few times only once in the plane though. :) The second I arrived
in Italy the trip went off without a hitch! Everyone I met was so very kind,
with the exception of one fellow American, I even had an Italian family
invite over to their table one night to share good food and more importantly
good conversation (turned out to be mainly about the Tour de France) and
another Italian family gave me a ride from the train station to my hotel
because I fixed their dog's leash while on the train from Pisa to Florence.
My absolute favorite part of the trip was Castelrotto/Kastelruth in the
Dolomites. It was BEAUTIFUL and I highly recommend it Rick Steve's found
a wonderful place that is easy to get to but far enough way from the ultra-tourist
parts of Italy. In closing a few words of advise: first and foremost whatever
you give while in Italy you will get back 10x, so if you are a stressed
out rude jerk expect to be treated that way but if you treat the people
with respect and attempt to speak their language you can make some friends
and have some good food and conversation. If you are not that good speaking
the local language then before you get to the train station write down your
train trip in Italian to avoid an confusion; I saw on American in Venice
who did not realize she was sold a ticket to Bologna instead of Bolzano
and she already validated the ticket and even though she had no more money
it was tough luck. If you plan on going to Cinque Terre do not show up at
4PM during peak season on a Friday and expect to get a room because that
is what I did and I called all the numbers in Rick's books and all were
full for all five towns (that is how I wound up in Pisa)! Lastly go to Italy
at least once in your life you will not regret it. Arrivederci!
Chris Tippin <email>
Jacksonville, FL USA 07/21/01
DEFENDING HOTEL BEL SITO IN VENICE. I have stayed at this lovely hotel
many times in the last few years, and will do so many more times. The staff
is polite, knowledgable, and always helpful. The rooms are SPOTLESS, and
all have private baths. Perhaps some travelers are unaware that most hotels,
etc. in Italy do not have air conditioning, and frequently do not have elevators!
The Bel Sito is very popular, and I have sent friends and clients this past
year, all of whom have loved it! — which of course may be why there were
no spare rooms to move to for that California family. Bel Sito should be
installing an elevator soon, for those who don't like to climb stairs — I will return every year no matter what!
Ellen <email>
Alexandria, VA USA 07/20/01
IN DEFENSE OF THE HOTEL BEL SITO IN VENICE: My friends and I have stayed
there several times over the past 4 years, and have been treated superbly
by the staff, especially Michele at the front desk. Since our first stay,
we've always specifically requested (and gotten) a room with a terazzo on
which we enjoy morning caffe'. Given the hotel's location, we think it's
a good value and consider it our Venetian "home-away-from-home!" In my experience
(including living 2 years in northern Italy and 2 years near Naples), very
few places in Europe have air conditioning... a fact that should be included
in travel guides! I know the Bel Sito has been undergoing some renovations
this year and (hopefully!?!) installing an elevator, so that may have been
a problem; however, I fully expect we'll enjoy our stay when we return this
fall!
Peggi <email>
San Antonio, TX USA 07/20/01
My husband and I spent three weeks in Italy this June.In Rome we stayed
at the Hotel Italia which was very convenient with a very helpful staff.
We took a Walks of Rome tour of the Vatican and were so glad that we did.
I can not imagine doing it without a guide.Do not think that getting to
the Vatican Museum early means shorter lines. On the contrary they were
much shorter around lunchtime. Assisi was very crowded but well worth the
two days we spent there. We loved the Cinque Terre. Stayed in Riomaggiore
where Mar Mar provided us with a wonderful room overlooking the harbor.
We found the people very welcoming even though they were overrun with tourists.
In Castelrotto in the Dolomites. We were lucky enough to hit the medieval
festival weekend and had a wonderful time. While there it snowed up in the
meadow so we got a glimpse of what it must look like in the winter (beautiful).
Venice was awesome though we found the residents sometimes less than friendly
or honest. Siena was everything we had envisioned. We were not dissapointed.
The Tuscany region around Pienza was our favorite area. We had some wonderful
times visiting nearby towns such as Montalcino -where we had the fabulous
Brunello wine- or just sitting at the overlook in Pienza and watching the
sunset. Rick Steves book was invaluable in our travels although he does
not cover much of Tuscany.Overall we have some very good memories and are
already thinking about our next trip.
Pat Mooney <email>
Cochranville, PA USA 07/19/01
I just came back from a month trip to England, France and Italy with
my family. We spent two weeks in Italy and loved every minute of it. LAKE
COMO- We stayed at the Menaggio Youth Hostel for two nights. The food was
great and the people we met were incredible. It was one of the best experience
of our trip. We then stayed across the lake for one night in Varenna. We
stayed at the most incredible hotel EVER. It is not in Rick Steve's book,
although it is the sister hotel to one of the listed hotels. It is called
Eremo Gaudio. It is located on top of a hill in an old, newly renevated
monastery (you have to take two lifts to get up to the hotel). It is a three
star hotel, but is very resonable and we have paid more for a two star hotel.
The rooms were the most spacious and spotless we encountered and most of
the rooms have a balcony or terrace overlooking the lake. The view is absolutely
breathtaking! The internet address is www.eremogaudio.it. VENICE- We stayed
at Hotel Fontana. The location was great and the two brothers who own it
are extremely helpful. The rooms were nice and clean. Beware of the restraunts
on the grand canal, make sure they take VISA before you get dinner. One
of the restraunts had a sign that said they took it but they didn't. Also,
grab your map and walk away from the tourists, it is the only way you will
see true Venice. FLORENCE- We stayed at Hotel Accademia. It has a great
location and everything is within walking distance. The staff was great
and the rooms were nice and air conditioned, which is a must in Florence!
ROME- We absolutely loved this city! We should have spent more then two
days here. We stayed at Hotel Aberdeen. The hotel is very nice and has been
recently renevated. It is family run and extremely friendly. This is where
one of Rick Steve's tours stays. We took a tour from a group called Discover
Roma. The tours were awesome. We found out about it when we joined a free
tour in the Forum (it was at 4:00), we learned much more about the city
then we normally would have by taking these tours! We found Rome to be an
extremely safe and exciting city.
Molly <email>
USA 07/18/01
Just returned from 3 weeks in Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium.
I highly recommend the Albergo Geurrato in Venice. Very nice people and
good breakfast. The view is hard to beat from the terrace of the Albergo
Bernini in Siena but the breakfast was meager and the beds awfully hard.
The Albergo Milano in Varenna on Lake Como was wonderful, especially if
you can get one of the 4 rooms that directly faces the lake. Drank a whole
bottle of wine with my wife one afternoon on our deck while just looking
at the lake the ferry boats go by. The Hotel Staubach in Lauterbrunnen in
Switzerland is a very good value; be sure to ask for a room that faces the
falls. Gimmelwald and Murren are nice but it so much more convenient for
transportation connections to stay in the valley. Personally, I think that
Baden Baden and Black Forest are overrated and not that scenic; particularly
if you are from the pacific northwest like me. If you do go, the Deutscher
Kaiser in Baden Baden and the Hotel Herschen in Staufen are very nice. Lastly,
the Hotel Adornes in Brugge is very nice and has a great breakfast. It is
an easy 10-min walk to the Markt.
Peter
Salem, OR USA 07/16/01
We just got back from Italy and I would have to say that the bathrooms
were awful. Maybe they are better in the winter when there’re fewer
tourists but you can’t blame only Americans although we certainly
do contribute. I actually carried my own soap around since the bathrooms
never seemed to have any.
Jane Carlson
Los Angeles , CA USA 07/16/01
I am surprised by the last posting. Our experience in traveling in
Europe at least twice a year and usually one of those to Italy was the bathrooms
were much cleaner than the public bathroom in America. Still, summer is
a bad time. Lots of American tourist messing up the bathrooms.
Charles M. Luther <email>
Katy, TX USA 07/16/01
PUBLIC BATHROOMS IN ITALY When thing that was never mentioned in the
book were the public and restaurant bathrooms. It is probably one of those
experiences that you must do first hand. To put it simply the vast majority
of them I would consider vile, disgusting holes. The remaining were worse
but the guidelines for this site would probably prohibit me from describing
them. It was so bad that I created a scoring system. 15 points –
soap (1 out of 10 had it) 15 points — toilet paper 10 points – paper
towels/hand dryer (not likely) 20 points – toilet seat (as opposed
to just the bowl) I am not kidding! 10 points – locking doors. I
found that using my foot to hold the door shut worked most of the time.
30 points – cleanliness. Feel free to adjust. Tally your points.
Maximum score = 100 points. 0 — 20 points – Commonly found in Italy!
It would probably have been better to pack a shovel. 40 points — Average
for Italy. 50 points – You found a decent one by Italian standards
60 points – Consider yourself the luckiest person alive. Be sure
to mark in on your map for future trips. 90+ points – GOLDMINE!
It would be advisable to pack a small bar of soap and some toilet paper
when you are outside the hotel room. Don't get me wrong, Italy was a lovely
place to visit. They just have a different level of standards when it
comes to bathrooms. It is all part of the Italian experience. Buon Viaggio!
Dan
Bethesda, MD USA 07/16/01
Vicenza Do try the Albergo Casa San Raffaele as suggested by the book.
It is situated on the slopes of Monte Berico within walking distance of
Villa Valmarana and Palladio's La Rotonda(note the interior is only open
on Weds). The hotel has just had a makeover so everything is new. Regrettably
this includes the beds which is a shame because they are now so hard that
St Francis would be happy to sleep there. That aside it 's really good,
each room is decorated simply but with style, showers are good and there
are lots of little extras that make you wonder how the business can survive
on room rate of 135 00 lire per night. Breakfasts are generous and the
family charming. Air conditioning will be functioning soon and there is
a certain amount of noise from the nearby bells of the Santuario and roads
but I think it would be hard to do better. It is perhaps as well to mention
that the Hotel has been extended and hopes to encourage business from
conferences etc N B I am English and still love Rick's books!
Wendy Ashworth <email>
Lightwater Surrey, U K USA 07/13/01
My husband and I used your guidebooks for our 3 trip this year and you
never let us down. Italy was great but there is too much to see. Rome — we took 2 tours with Through Eternity — and it was well worth it — the
Forum and Vatican came to life. Siena — we discovered a great restaurant
Guidoriccio on Via Dupre — one of the best meals we had in Italy (though
they were all great) Also the best pizza we had in Italy was in Siena
at a little take away place called "Mister Pizza". We liked it so much
we went there both days. Florence — I highly recommend making reservations
for the museums — it saved us a few hours. Cinque Terre — we stayed in
Monterosso — we loved this town — such a welcome after all the big cities.
We found a little wine bar in old section of town after you go thru the
tunnel up the street a ways — only outside seating tables with lights
around the treees and they had the best bruchetta we had in all of Italy.
Teresa Tsotsos <email>
Palm Harbor, FL USA 07/13/01
We returned last month from a 3-week trip to Sweden, with a 5-day trip
into Norway. Your Scandinavia 2001 was very helpful. I do agree with Doug's
comment that the Darlana area of Sweden should be included in your book.
We spent a lot of time there with many relative, since my grandmother
emigrated from that area. We even spent a few nights at the home where
she lived as a child. We did the "Norway in a Nutshell" and completely
loved it. It was easy to do and the waterfalls were incredible! I would
recommend it to anyone. We were not bothered by tour groups. The only
problem we encountered on the trip was not having hotel reservations in
Oslo (we ended up paying $330 for one night for three people) and not
having made reservations early enough for Bergen or Stockholm. We had
nice rooms, but spent much more than we anticipated. When we returned
to Oslo, we did stay at the Nye Perminalen — the hotel for military personnel
on leave — and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The room was large with a nice
bath and the breakfast was good. (It was only $25 a person a night.) We
enjoyed Frogner Park in Oslo, the museums and fishmarket in Bergen and
Gamla Stan and Skansen in Stockholm. Thanks for all of the good advice.
In August, we are going to Italy and hope that we will have the same good
luck with your help there. (By the way, we purchased a Scanrail pass from
you and it was wonderful. We never did compute our savings, but the convenience
was worth it, even if we didn't save much. The same goes for a Stockholm
Card, an Oslo card and a Bergen card. They make it so much easier to see
lots of sites and travel around the cities.)
Judy <email>
Colorado Springs, CO USA 07/10/01
We stayed at the Villa Margherita in Levanto and were extremely pleased.
On the other hand, in Venice, one of Rick's hotels, Hotel Galleria, recommended
that we stay at "a sister hotel", Locanda San Trovaso, since Hotel Galleria
was booked. Well, Locanda San Trovaso was a bad choice. The hotel management
was rude. The maid threw away my contacts case and when I told management
about it, they didn't even apologize and insisted that I threw it away
myself. Well, it was to late to go out and buy another case, so I had
to throw away my contacts.
Penny
San Francisco, CA USA 07/10/01
Your book gives great info on what to see and how to get around. With
one major exception. You need to advise people that travel by train during
summer is hugely busy. If you want first class you must reserve 24 hours
in advance at a train station (not all stations in small towns can do
this) or from a travel agent. Without reservations you will likely stand.
Milan especially to anywhere in Cinque Terra — total nightmare without
reservations. I am sure that most of the places you visited when you wrote
the guide book were local — but due to your publicity they are all tourist
traps now and the only fellow travelers you meet have "The Book" We looked
for places you did not recommend and I will not share them as then the
poor owners will be plagued and I can assure you they do not like the
huge influx of sometimes ugly Americans regardless of how many dollars
we spend
Carol <email>
Redding, CT USA 07/10/01
AVOID HOTEL BEL SITO at s.m. del Giglio in Venice, Italy! I made a reservation
for myself, wife, and daughter back in April, 2001, for our stay in June,
2001. As this hotel charged us much more than any of Rick's other recommendations,
we were really looking forward to staying in luxury at this hotel. HA!
When we arrived we were given a room on the fifth floor, with no elevator,
and no air conditioning. This room was so horrible, and so unbearably
hot, that we immediately complained to the desk. We were told we had no
other choice, and that we would be charged for this room even if we didn't
stay in it. My family was in tears at the horrible prospect of staying
in this dump. I tried to get a room at several other nearby hotels, but
was unsuccessful. Getting late, we had to sleep in this room. There were
places on the floor of this room so hot that they would burn your stocking
feet...maybe the steampipes, or something, ran under this attic location?
We laid awake most of the night, unable to sleep because of the unbearable
heat. We were all covered with bug bites the next morning. We left this
"hotel" early the next morning and did not even eat their breakfast. We
also left Venice, and Italy, that morning. Our opinion of the Italians
was very low at that point. Instead of spending three days in Venice,
we went back up north and enjoyed Switzerland. We have done much complaining,
but still have not received an apology or a refund from this dump of a
hotel. Please don't take your loved ones to this horrible hotel.
Jerry Mohler <email>
Fresno, California USA 07/10/01
italy can be both wonderful and appalling... just get used to a few basic things and you'll love it. for example: when in cinque terre hiking follow the red and white marks.... but if you come to a highway make sure you're not hiking the difficult vineyard trail to corniglia from manarola. i've never climbed so many steps in my life only to reach another town not connected to the rails and which couldn't of been corniglia. make reservations before you leave... save yourself a lot of trouble and stress... next time i go, i'll make them in advance....especially in venice. eat all the pasta you can, but avoid fignocchi...it's nothing like the gnocchi that you and i love. drink the wine, it's cheaper than soda....substantially. STAY AT THE BEEHIVE... i could not recommend this place more highly... when our room needed to be "de-bugged" the owner steve gave our group of four a three bedroom apartment of his friends and ate the cost difference.book albergo guerrato before steve's tours do... this place was great and cheap...or do as we did when we wanted to stay another night....fork out 250 american for the only room in venice at hotel bella arti. lastly, yell "KISS HER" at the gondolas from the base of the rialto with some friends! if you have none...you'll make some like the 30 we met when we did just that!
one more thing! if you value your life.... stay out of milan's train
station. i have never been in a more vile place in my life! i'm sure milan
is great....but run full speed through the station... and never use the
basin style toilets!!! bring tissue with you everywhere cause there is
never toilet paper.... and wear a skirt.... it makes the whole thing easier
krissy <email>
san jose, ca USA 07/10/01
Just wanted to add a few comments, both good and bad, about our experience
with Rick's guidebook. I have been traveling for over 20 years and was
looking forward to the different perspective that Rick's books provide.
So, we just got back from two weeks in Italy (Rome, Sorrento, Sienna,
Cinque Terre, Venice), and were very happy with the hotel recommendations.
Every place we stayed was a recommendation from the book, and the people
and accomodations were excellent. However, I did have some disappointments.
First, the maps in the book do leave a little bit to your imagination.
It took me awhile to realize that North is not always at the top of the
page. Come on, I know this may be a little picky, but put North at the
top and South at the bottom. Took us a while to understand why the map
in the book didn't match the city guide map we got. Also, I know it is
tough to provide detail in such a small space, but it took us almost 20
mins. to find our hotel in Monterosso using the map in the book. No map
is better than one that isn't accurate. Finally, we never had a bad dinner
using Rick's suggestions, and the people we met were great. However, it
seemed to both my wife and I that all of Rick's suggestions lean towards
the "budget" side of things. I realize that way is one of the better ways
to experience Europe, but if I'm on vacation, there are times when we
want a nice, classy meal. Not an extravagent $100 per person deal, but
certainly not a walk-up/take-away self service event either. We don't
need another "Erupoe on $80 a Day"! All-in-all though, a great experience.
Very surprised at the number of people walking around with one of Rick's
books. A great way top start a conversation. Maybe they can't be perfect
books, but a little more fine tuning and they will be close.
Keith Vozel <email>
Dayton, OH USA 07/05/01
During our recent trip to Italy and France, I wondered several times
what people did before rick Steves'. Your books have made our trips so
much more enjoyable.
Linda <email>
Los Altos, CA USA 07/03/01
In May we spent 10 days in Florence and Rome. We had stayed at Pensione
Pendini 2 years ago, and enjoyed our stay, and reserved a room there for
this trip, too. We felt that the quality of the hotel had declined since
1999 and should not be rated three-stars. There were plumbing problems,
and accommodations are cramped. In Rome, we took Rick Steves' advice about
Hotel Aberdeen and were thoroughly pleased with our accommodations and
the courtesy of the personnel. We asked for a quiet room and got one.
The room was large and spacious. Same for the bathroom. We received a
very good recommendation for a neighborhood restaurant from the hotel
— Target (can't remember the address, sorry). A very pleasant restaurant
with outdoor seating, excellent and courteous service, and an exceptional
menu — especially local seafood entrees, excellent vegetables and salads.
We had dinner there twice. It's conveniently located near Hotel Aberdeen.
Paula Willis <email>
Austin, TX USA 07/03/01
We just returned from a 2 1/2 week trip to Italy — Rome, Florence, and
Venice. We had a fantastic time and found Rick's books a wonderful source
of information. Two Bed and Breakfasts i would highly recommend are: Rome — Eva's Rooms (Millenium Bed and Breakfast at the Spanish Steps) and in
Florence, Dei Mori (Between Duomo and Uffizi). One warning about a particular
Bed and Breakfast in Venice — Alloggi ai Bareteri — We checked into this
Bed and Breakfast (had it booked for 4 nights) and found the accommodations
unacceptable — not air conditioned and a room that opened up onto a narrow
alleyway with no ventilation at all. We immediately found an air-conditioned
hotel room, however, upon checking out the Bed and Breakfast(the same
day we arrived), we were charged the entire 4 nights. According to their
cancellation policy, if we had not showed up at all, we would have only
been charged 2 nights. The owner showed me a supposed Italian Government
Cancellation policy (Written only in Italian). After much arguing, to
no avail, I accepted the charge, but advised I would let everyone know
about their practices. I've since disputed the charges and am attempting
to file a complaint with the Italian Tourist Board. Other than that, our
trip was wonderful and shopping was fantastic. Thanks Rick for all the
help!
Rick Fowler <email>
Dallas, TX USA 07/03/01
My husband and I just returned from Italy..Milan, Venice, Florence,
Siena, Orvieto, Civita, Pienza, Montepulciano, Rome, Cinque Terre (stayed
in Monterosso). We purchased most of our train tickets at a travel agency
just down the street from the American Express office in Venice (near
Piazza San Marco). We purchased 2nd class, non-smoking, with reservations
where possible. The trains worked great for us. The only place we used
a car was from Florence to Siena to drive the Chiantigiana (wine road)...well
worth it and from Siena thru Pienza, Montepulciano to Orvieto. We had
a great lunch at the Osteria at Castle Brolio. The views on the wine road
are fantastic. We walked or took metros, never used a taxi anywhere. We
saw gypsies at the train station in Rome, but avoided them. Otherwise,
we felt safe in Rome..even walked to the Forum and stayed until after
dark...lots of people did. Cheap internet access in Rome...very expensive
access in the Cinque Terre. Monterosso worked well for us..we used the
boats to visit the towns along the Cinque Terre as the humidity was high
and temps were up. Vernazza was very pretty...we saw why Steve likes it.
But the beach and view from Monterosso are excellent. And the shops in
the old town were more interesting. We could see the 4 other towns from
the boardwalk at Monterosso. Best gelato was in Florence...walk up to
Piazzale Michelangelo was tiring but well worth it...sunset was fantastic
over the Arno. Took the bus to Civita from Orvieto and had a fine meal
at the restaurant just before the pedestrian bridge. It's an amazing site!!
Love to visit Italy again.
Sue & Roger Cramer <email>
Peoria, AZ USA 07/02/01
We bought our train ticket at the American Express office in Florence
and were very pleased with the speed and no lines. However, and Rick should
note this in his next book, we tried to buy our train tickets at the AE
office in Venice and the informed us, somewhat rudely, that they no longer
handle train tickets at that office.
Jennifer <email>
Portland, OR USA 06/29/01
Fortuantly, while in Rome 2 Canadian tourists suggested we buy a 3-day
vaporetto pass at the vaporetto station by the train station. This worked
very well as we did not have to continually keep buying tickets. It is
not that much more expensive than the single tickets. They also have 1
and 2 day passes available. Incidentally, we had our tickets checked twice
by officials. The fine is similar to that in any big American city that
has a subway or lightrail — it's a way to prevent people from getting
a free ride on the vaporetto. And considering that most income generated
in Venice is through tourists, they must enforce the fines. Venetians
typically had laminated monthly or yearly passes. If you are ever in doubt
about anything, ASK someone. We found that in most situations, Italians
are very helpful.
Jennifer <email>
Portland, OR USA 06/29/01
Vernazza of the Cinnque Terra was a huge disappointment. On our way
to a room suggested in Ricks book the guy said "Tourists had ruined our
town". What a treat. Left the next A.M. on the first train. Easy place
to see in a day. Prices are way out of line with everything else we saw
in Italy. Would not reccomend this town at all.
Joel <email>
sea, wa USA 06/28/01
Vernazza of the Cinnque Terra was a huge disappointment. On our way
to a room suggested in Ricks book the guy said "Tourists had ruined our
town". What a treat. Left the next A.M. on the first train. Easy place
to see in a day. Prices are way out of line with everything else we saw
in Italy. Would not reccomend this town at all.
Joel <email>
USA 06/28/01
For anyone interested, I have my travelogue of my trip to Rome last
Thanksgiving posted at www.johnpmartin.com.
john <email>
madison, wi USA 06/28/01
Oh — and one last thing — you can buy tickets on board the vaporettos
(a lot of stops don't have tickets counters). You just need to ask the
worker on the boat who lets people on and off.
Beth <email>
Columbia, SC USA 06/28/01
I do not think the fines on the vaporettos are a racket aimed at American
tourists — I think they are meant to provide some incentive to buy tickets.
We were in Venice for three days, and no one ever checked our vaporettos.
It was our impression that most of the native Venetians did not have tickets.
The vaporettos can be somewhat confusing to first-time visitors to Venice.
We addressed our confusion about how to buy tickets by asking at our hotel.
We also took the chance and did not buy tickets on several occassions.
I guess we were lucky.
Beth <email>
Columbia, SC, USA 06/28/01
To Helen and anyone else considering a bike day tour of Tuscany. When
choosing a bicycle, make sure that it has a triple chainring (three gears
at the front). This will allow you to climb even the steepest hills, although
slowly, but the work is paid off by the beautiful views at the top and
the downhill ride on the other side. Spin the pedals at about 70-80 rpm
on the climbs. Spinning too fast will result in you tiring aerobically,while
spinning too slow will tire the legs. It doesn't matter which gear you're
in, or how fast you're going, as long as you spin at 70-80 rpm. Of course
a strong rider will be able to climb without the third gear, but these
suggestions are for those who don't ride regularly. We will be making
our first trip to Italy this September and plan on spending at least one
day on bicycles. From what I've seen on their website, Florence By Bike
spends much of their ride time getting out of Florence and very little
time actually in the countryside. I found another bike tour company called
Ciclo Posse. They drive the group out of Siena to a small nearby town
where the ride will start and end. I really can't recommend either because
we have not experienced them. However, we'll probably use Ciclo Posse
because we will be based in Siena for a week. Check them out: florencebybike.it
cicloposse.com
Brad Letney
Houston, TX USA 06/28/01
We also had a 45,000 lira fine on the vaparetto in Venice for getting
on board with no ticket. They will not sell you a ticket on board — the
fine is the only option. Another tourist who was fined but did not have
enough to pay was accompanied to her hotel by the boat police until she
got more lira from her room to pay.
Robert Sanchez <email>
USA 06/27/01
Just returned from Italy using Rick's book, which was very helpful.
All of the hotels we used, except Milan , were in the book and we were
very pleased. The real standout was Hotel Aberdeen in Rome. Great location,
pretty rooms and helpful people. We did Rick's Floodlit Rome Hike and
loved it. I would suggest that he clarify that you should get off the
tram at the first stop across the bridge. The book was not clear on this
point. Another tip for Rome is if there is a long line to buy tickets
for the Collesium, you can buy them at the Forum in the building where
they rent the audio tours. This tip from a kind American saved us a hot
hour's wait in the sun. In Venice, please be warned that if the Vaparetto
station is closed when you get on and you do not have a ticket, DO NOT
SIT DOWN ON THE BOAT without asking the guy who handles the ropes to sell
you a ticket. We did not know that if you sit down and wait for the guy
to come around, they fine you 45,000 Lira for this honest mistake. The
ACTV guy was a real jerk and followed us off the boat until we paid this
ransom. My daughter was so frightened, she started crying. He even threatened
to call the police and I'm sure he did this because we were three women
alone. He also did this to other Americans who did not understand this
procedure and who fully intended to pay as soon as they were asked for
a ticket. If anyone knows how to get recourse for this, please let me
know. This is clearly a racket aimed at Americans and other foreigners.
Tina Davis <email>
Englewood, CO USA 06/27/01
Just returned from Italy using Rick's book, which was very helpful.
All of the hotels we used, except Milan , were in the book and we were
very pleased. The real standout was Hotel Aberdeen in Rome. Great location,
pretty rooms and helpful people. We did Rick's Floodlit Rome Hike and
loved it. I would suggest that he clarify that you should get off the
tram at the first stop across the bridge. The book was not clear on this
point. Another tip for Rome is if there is a long line to buy tickets
for the Collesium, you can but them at the Forum in the building where
they rent to audio tours. This tip from a kind American saved us a hot
hour's wait in the sun. In Venice, please be warned that if the Vaparetto
station is closed when you get on and you do not have a ticket, DO NOT
SIT DOWN ON THE BOAT without asking the guy who handles the ropes to sell
you a ticket. We did not know that if you sit down and wait for the guy
to come around, they fine you 45,000 Lira for this honest mistake. The
ACTV guy was a real jerk and followed us off the boat until we paid this
ransom. My daughter was so frightened, she started crying. He even threatened
to call the police and I'm sure he did this because we were three women
alone. He also did this to other Americans who did not understand this
procedure and who fully intended to pay as soon as they were asked for
a ticket. If anyone knows how to get recourse for this, please let me
know. This is clearly a racket aimed at Americans and other foreigners.
Tina Davis <email>
Englewood, CO USA 06/27/01
Re: Cinque Terre. I did not see any info on the website that the path
from Riomamaggiore to Manorola is closed for repairs. We took the train
there to start our walk per Rick's advice, but no one told us that it
is closed. Because the trains are so unreliable within Cinque Terre, we
wasted 2 hours trying to get back to Manorola and ended up hiking in the
midday heat. Rick's other suggestions about the hike are right on. It
is a bit tough, but anyone not suffering from physical infirmities should
be able to handle it. By the way, bringing hike boots was a waste of space.
Athletic shoes are sufficient. Just remember to bring lots of water.
Tina Davis <email>
Englewood, CO USA 06/27/01
Rick's advice to buy train tickets at American Express offices instead
of train stations saved us a lot of grief. The staff there spoke perfect
English and was very patient and helpful in answering all of our travel
questions. This is in stark contrast to the treatment we got at train
station ticket offices. Also the line to buy tickets at the American Express
office was always about one tenth as long as the line at a major city
station such as Florence or Rome. If you want the Eurostar (fast train)
and you don't like cigarette smoke, be sure to ask for a non-smoking car
because seats are reserved and if you are assigned to a smoking car, you
might not be able to change. Also, check ahead regarding the hours of
the American Express ticket offices — -they are not 24-7 operations.
Robert Sanchez <email>
USA 06/26/01
Rick was absolutely correct about finding good restaurants in Italy:
go to a part of town with zero to few tourists walking the streets, be
sure there are no English words on the menu. Look for the words Trattoria
or Osteria in the restaurant name instead of Ristorante. Peek in the door —
if nearly all the patrons are speaking Italian, that's a good sign as
is no butter served with the bread and no french fries in sight. You will
need a good Italian-English restaurant dictionary to order but it will
be worth it (Rick publishes an excellent one). At all these types of places
we had outstanding meals. At the places full of tourists with menus containing
English translations, we had very disappointing meals. This may not always
be the case, but it was in our experience. On the issue of pickpockets
and theives, perhaps the authorities are now doing a better job of cleaning
up the problems. I was in Rome and Florence in mid June, 2001. Every major
tourist shopping or gathering site was heavily infiltrated with high profile
police walking in pairs or triplets and although I looked for the kinds
of street crime activities descibed in various guide books, I saw none.
The high level of police presence at prime thieving sites may be having
a positive effect.
Robert Sanchez <email>
USA 06/26/01
All of Rick's advice is right on the mark. It greatly added to the pleasure
of our Italy trip. However, beware of the hand drawn maps. They are in
many instances inaccurate or misleading. I recommend that you always supplement
or replace them with local maps available at sights, tourist offices,
or hotels.
Robert Sanchez <email>
Monterey, ca USA 06/26/01
My wife and I are traveling to Rome this fall. Would like some insight
on the best area to begin looking for a hotel. Want to go out at night
and walk, do some shopping enjoy the atmosphere. My first thought was
to fine a place near St. Peters but not after looking at Rick's book I
see the Spanish Steps might be another selection. Help.
Jack Fitzgerald <email>
Hicksville, NY USA 06/24/01
For anyone interested, we have a web site of our trip to Italy in June
of 2001. Aside from the pictures of us having a great time (thanks to
our guru St. Rick), we have included a listing of the places we stayed,
what they charged us, and our opinionated review of the room. Hope you
find it useful in planning your trip. http://www.geocities.com/kentabacchi2/italy.htm
Ken Tabacchi <email>
Ann Arbor, MI USA 06/23/01
Brieannan: First get Rick Steves Italy 2001 and read it. It has everything
in it you need to know. Then if you still have questions, and you probably
will if it is your first trip, email or re-post and I and others will
be happy to help.
Charles M. Luther <email>
Katy, TX USA 06/19/01
I am of two minds regarding Rick's contributions to tourism. One is
thank you for recommending the Cinque Terre — I would never have found
it without you. The other is STOP recommending it!! It's getting too crowded!
I would definitely advise anyone traveling in the CT to BOOK AHEAD. The
days of just blowing into one of these towns and getting a $40 room are
OVER. We got into town at 4:00 PM on a Monday and paid $100 for a very
tiny room (with no private bathroom)at the edge of town (admittedly only
a couple of blocks from the center of town). It turned out to be the most
expensive and least enjoyable room we had in two weeks in Europe. Having
said that, we thoroughly enjoyed the CT. Don't be afraid to drive there,
either. We contacted the CT tourist website beforehand and they recommended
we park in La Spezia at 'a large parking lot across from the train station'
and take the train in. After spending the better part of an hour driving
circles around La Spezia looking for this parking lot, we went to the
tourist office. The 'parking lot' turned out to be on-street parking about
a mile from the train station. We said forget it and drove to Vernazza,
and I'm glad we did — what an unbelievable drive! The road ends about
a half-mile outside of town, but there's a parking lot ($5 a day) and
a shuttle into town that runs from 8 in the morning until 8 at night ($3
each way and they help you with your bags!). Anyway, the people are very
friendly, the food is outstanding, and the scenery — as beautiful as you
think it is from the pictures, it's more so when you're there.
Robert Young <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA 06/19/01
im a 17 year old girl in love with italian culture. i plan to spend
all of next year in italy, but i have no clue in the world where to go.
i need major help!!!! please send all of your own oppinions on the best
places in italy to do anything.
breiannan way <email>
elk grove, ca USA 06/19/01
One thing I forgot to mention: the American Express office in Venice
is no longer (at least through October) selling train tickets. You'll
need to get them from another travel agency or from the station itself.
Beth <email>
Columbia, SC USA 06/18/01
Just returned from a trip to Paris, Switzerland, and Venice. Rick — you definitely need to add a Venice book to your collection! Stayed
at the Locanda San Barnaba which was at the higher end of budget for Venice.
A nice double with private bath ran 300,000 lira. Great area (Dorsdoro)
which gave us the sense of being in a Venetian neighborhood. Would highly
recommened the "Secret Itinerary" tour of the Doge's palace. It is an
extra 24,000 lira but shows you rooms not normally open and lets you walk
on the ceiling of the great hall. We signed up right at the palace, but
you can call ahead too. The vaporettos are crowded. We bought tickets
sometimes but other times we didn't — no one checked for tickets while
we were riding around. You can eat lunch really cheaply away from the
tourist areas — four slices of pizza and two drinks for less than $5
at a little pizza place near the hotel. Venice is great — definitely
worth at least 2 days!
Beth <email>
Columbia, SC USA 06/18/01
For those interested in hiking on the Amalfi coast, away from the road,
get Julian Tippett's book Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. I ordered it
ahead of time from amazon.co.uk but it is sold in Sorrento.
Lorraine Swerdloff <email>
Williamsburg, DC USA 06/17/01
Just returned from stays in Rome, Sorrento, Positano, and Capri, with
day trips to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Naples. ROME: Rick recently added
Hotel Due Torri near Piazza Navona to his recommended hotels, and I heartily
recommend it. hotelduetorri@interfree.it. It's a small, charming hotel
that's very comfortable and quiet, well located, helpful staff, great
breakfasts (fabulous hot chocolate!) (I also second Rick's recommendation
of Cafe Tre Scalini's tartufo!) I felt very safe in Rome — they have really
cleaned up their act (although I met some people who had their luggage
stolen from the trunk of their rental car while visiting the catacombs).
As usual, Rick's book was indispensable. Be sure to carry the most recent
edition, as things (such as museum access) keep changing. NAPLES: One
comment about his Naples slice-of-life walk: much was closed on Sunday,
so I didn't get to experience the pulse of that city. (Although later
in the trip I met a woman who was thrown to the ground when a Naples thief
on a scooter grabbed her purse, which was hung diagonally across her body.)
Lorraine Swerdloff <email>
Washington, dc USA 06/17/01
got back from italy in may and have a tip and a suggestion. the tip
is in rome now the college kids give a tour at the roman forum for free
to induce you to use them for other tours. rick use to say they did this
at the coluseum but now they were in the forum. my rub with the guide
book was that in salerno the bus terminal that is described does not exist.
looked for over an hour with help from locals. finally found a bus stop
for the amalfi bus but no terminal or office
tom redington <email>
anaheim, ca USA 06/16/01
The reason Italian young people take their clothes home to clean is
the same as why American children do. They are lazy, it is cheaper for
them and they are used to having their parents do everything for them.
She is partly right. Laundrymats are not as common in the old parts of
town where tourists usually stay. But they are there. I know where at
least one is in each of the towns you mention but you will want one close
to your hotel. I suggest you read Rick Steves Italy. He often mentions
ones close to his recommended hotels. Second, fax or eamil the hotels
you have chosen or ask them when you are there. Some may offer laundry
service but ask the price first. Lastly, we travel often to Europe and
only rarely use a laundramat. If you pack light, pack right, and think
ahead you can do fine washing a few things in your hotel room and letting
them dry while you see the sights. I think Rick has good advice on packing
light so you might read him. Finally, if I can help further, email. We
never take more than one rolling bag and a day bag each and we often stay
a month in Italy.
Charles M. Luther <email>
Katy, TX USA 06/12/01
Our family of four will be traveling in Italy for two weeks — Florence,
Rome, Casperia, Siena, Cinque Terre, Lucca — and we plan on taking only
one carryon bag each. We had planned to find laudromats but have just
learned from a cousin in Bologna that they are few and far between — even
students bring their llaundry home to mama instead. Is this the case?
Molly <email>
MA USA 06/12/01
We have taken the train many times in Italy. Italy's train system is
great. In fact we just returned from two weeks there and used the trains
repeatedly. We want to reserve a 1/c private sleeper from Florence to
Paris in December. Has anyone done it from the US or directly from Italy?
We'd sure appreciate some first hand information. Thanks
Tim <email>
CA USA 06/09/01
Just got back from Italy. Followed Rick's Guidebook and was definitely
not disappointed. Stayed in Hotel Aberdeen on Via Firenze in Roma — fine
place. One warning about sight-seeing: the newly opened Domus Aurea (Nero's
House) opposite the Coloseum — they will ask you if you want the earphones
and tape, just like all other museums. Since the tour, reserved in advance
in small groups, is supposed to be "guided," we said no, as did about
half of our gruppo. Mistake! The "guiding" consists of a girl leading
you into the caverns, stopping every so often, and telling you "Turn on
your audio to Section 1." That's it! And, your 100 yards into the hillside
before this happens. Several of our group rushed back out, to be told
that no more English versions were available. Some then bought guidebooks,
but quickly found that lighting was extremely dim, and that the books
didn't follow the same paths as the "guided tour" anyway. We left, feeling
quite irritated, after about 15 minutes. Beware!
Bob Schutt <email>
Chicago, IL USA 06/08/01
Anne Robichaud's guided tours of the other undiscovered Umbrian hill
towns are rated as outstanding as those she does in Assisi. Umbria ia
a land of picturesque medieval towns, saints, culture, Gothic and Romanesque
architecture, artistry, paintings, sculpture, woodworking, maiolica pottery,
cathedrals, castles, cuisine, religion, royalty, relics, and medieval
history of the Umbrians, Romans, and Etruscans...and festivals. Festivals
honoring the town's saints and colorful festivals of century old traditions.
Anne offers Festatours which center around some of the great folkloristic
festivals of the region, incorporating guided tours of the town that day,
a special 'festa' lunch and an inside look and understanding of the event....Feast
of St. Francis, Oct. 4 in Assisi, The Corsa dei Ceri, that wonderful mad
candle race in Gubbio, May 15, Good Friday in Assisi, Calendimaggio the
first weekend in May in Assisi, Mercato delle Gaite the end of June in
Bevagna, the Infiorate , flower petal carpets in Spello in June, Umbria
Jazz festival in Perugia in July, and in Orvieto around New Years, Christmas
in Assisi, the Spoleto festival in July, and more. And DON"T MISS the
tours of Narni and Bevagna, two gems, undiscovered by mass tourism which
hide some extraordinary hidden secrets...not to be found on your own.
Anne's tour have blessed me with many memories as well as the urgency
to return and redo the tours. Some I have and each time have learned and
experienced something new. Anne's knowledge, personality and presentations
continue to be outstanding. She can be reached at arobichaud@tecnonet.it.
Betty <email>
Scottsdale, AZ USA 06/07/01
I'll keep this brief — we LOVED the Cinque Terre! However, everyone
there is running around with a copy of Rick Steve's book. If Rick goes
back there periodically, he must wear some kind of a disguise to keep
from being hounded by everyone. My wife & I were wondering how Rick is
able to retain his objectivity (much like a resturaunt critic must) with
everyone knowing who he is. If you're thinking of staying in Vernazza,
forget it unless you book well in advance. We stayed in the 1st town &
got lucky by meeting a nice local lady at the train staion — the place
she rented to us had an INCREDIBLE view & only costed about $50/night.
The hiking was 1st rate.
Al <email>
Castro Valley, CA USA 06/06/01
I'll keep this brief — we LOVED the Cinque Terre! However, everyone
there is running around with a copy of Rick Steve's book. If Rick goes
back there periodically, he must where some kind of a disguise to keep
from being hounded by everyone. My wife & I were wondering how Rick is
able to retain his objectivity (much like a resturaunt critic must) with
everyone knowing who he is. If you're thinking of staying in Vernazza,
forget it unless you book well in advance. We stayed in the 1st town &
got lucky by meeting a nice local lady at the train staion — the place
she rented to us had an INCREDIBLE view & only costed about $50/night.
The hiking was 1st rate.
Al <email>
Castro Valley, CA USA 06/06/01
The Italian tourist industry should give Rick a medal of some sort.
His book is everywhere, and it is reliable. He even tells us how to avoid
people using his book if we want to get away. We used it for Florence,
Milan, and the Cinque Terre without a problem. We stayed in Levanto because
of postings here, and were extremely pleased with the Villa Margharita.
Frederico and Cecelia (Checheelia) are cousins, and run a fine small hotel.
Her 1000 Watt smile is the best way to start a day that I can think of.
In a way, I hope Rick doesn't add Levanto, because it wasn't as touristed
as the rest of the Cinque Terre. We made the 7 K. walk from Levanto to
Monterosso in street clothes despite the serious hikers with boots and
ski poles. The views are fantastic, but it is a bit of a challenge. We
dawdled, and it took about 3 1/2 hours. Chatting with walkers from Austria
and Holland along the way was pleasant. As for the comments about places
in Italy being dirty, I think the world is divided between the people
who see the beauty of a place and the people who see the dirt in the corners.
It will always be so. If the dirt is too distracting for you to enjoy
a place, you probably should stay home where you can control your environment.
Rick's page about how to approach travel is a masterpiece and should be
required reading for all who venture into other's lands.
Jim and Judy Krueger <email>
Aberdeen, SD USA 06/06/01
Here is another long post but I hope it is helpful. We planned our trip
with the help of the comments on this site and would like to give in return.
We just returned from 19 days in Italy and found it a fascinating and
delightful country. Yes, Rick's book borders on the ubiquitous, but is
indispensable for independent travelers. I would recommend supplementing
the book with another that has more details, but RS Italy was truly our
manifesto. This was our first trip to continental Europe, and we plan
to visit other countries, but Italy will be difficult to top. Hotels:
The recommended hotels (Hotel Sonya, Rome; Al Gambero, Venice; Olivedo,
Varenna [Laura-unforgettable! A hardworking and charming woman! spacious
rooms and spectacular view]; Villa Liberty, Siena) were all reasonably
priced, well situated, staffed with friendly people, and clean (Italy
is a peculiar but interesting combination of immaculate and filthy; don't
be put off by posts that complain about dirty, just go with the flow-filth,
dust, and smells are natural by-products of antiquity). For the most part,
I agree with Rick's philosophy of staying near the center of things so
that you can get to most of the attractions easily (yes, it can be noisy,
but again, go with the flow-this is a country and they need to get things
done-just shut the windows). We also recommend Villa Margherita in Levanto-Cecilia
and Frederico were kind and helpful-it was wonderful to see Cecilia's
smiling face every morning for breakfast. Rick doesn't really recommend
Levanto but there is more to do there (also more convenient with laundry,
phones, mail, etc.) and it is just as close to the other towns by train.
As well, it is better equipped to handle the hordes of tourists that inundate
Liguria on Rick's recommendations. I almost felt sorry for the people
of Vernazza-their village is too small to accommodate all of the visitors.
Touring: We also visited Portofino (walked from S. Margherita — also a
beautiful city) and thought it definitely worth a half day visit. We loved
finding the TIs (sometimes difficult-need better directions in the book)
and getting around on foot or by train, bus, or boat-so much more educational
than pulling up in a big tour bus! We also drove (AutoEurope was the cheapest
and very convenient for pick up and drop off); Milan traffic and streets
were the worst but not so bad in retrospect! Using maps and navigating,
we found driving not difficult, but ran into some terrible traffic jams
both on and off the autostrada. Milan's Duomo was the most beautiful,
and the rooftop was spectacular. Walks of Rome did a wonderful job for
us-the tours are low-key and the guides very knowledgeable and friendly-helped
us tour the Vatican, central Rome, and pubs all in 2 days. Our favorites
were Varenna (and the other Lake Como towns) and Cinque Terre. We highly
recommend the hikes in Varenna (we hiked to the castelle vecchio-great
workout-it was closed, but we climbed over the fence and just enjoyed
the solitude, the view, and the romance of it all), toured the lakeside
gardens, and sat at the café and had hot chocolate — a superb way to end
up after Rome and Venice (which are demanding, but should not be missed).
In Cinque Terre, we were fortunate to catch the Lemon Festival and sampled
all kinds of lemon specialties. Hiking the trails is a one-of-a-kind experience!
(But take the boats, too, and go to Portovenere — don't be afraid to break
out of the Rick syndrome!) A swim in the Ligurian sea after a long hike
is the ultimate, and then to cap it off with a little foccacia, cappuchino,
and world-class shopping-what a way to spend a day! Our only regret is
that after all this we barely had enough time to go back and shower and
dress and join the evening passeggieta (the Italian national pastime,
after soccer? A fascinating ritual!) before we hit the restaurant for
some delicious fresh seafood and excellent, cheap vino (try Prosecco-Italian
sparkling chardonnay-light, delicious and cheap). Safety: We had one attempted
pickpocket in Rome but would not say that Italy is an unsafe country.
Yes, there are some desperate people, but you just need to watch yourself
in a crowd and be careful. Don't ruin your trip with paranoia-the worst
kind of ugly Americanism. Recommendations for the book: Rick's suggestions
are excellent for doing Italy in a time-efficient way but here are a few
gaps that I found. He focuses on museums, cathedrals, castles, bars, and
hiking-these are all great, but I would like to hear more about the following
activities: shopping (a slight gender bias in the book!)-the shops in
Italy are superb because the Italians seem obsessed with high quality-for
a great book on this, see Born to Shop Italy, and plan to shop in Bellagio,
Florence, and Milan; winery tours; concerts and music (we were lucky enough
to hit a rock band in Siena and in Levanto-could Rick recommend a way
to fit in a little classical music too?); agriturismo (again, not really
in keeping with Rick's philosophy of staying near the center of things,
but we found it difficult to find a decent one without some direction,
and it was getting dark-ended up at Villa Liberty, which was fine). Thank
you Rick, for your suggestions. You must be making tons of money off this
book and you deserve it. My final recommendation is that you donate some
of the profits to the black people trying to make a living selling the
fake handbags and sunglasses. They are discriminated against and do not
seem to be very popular with tourists. I felt badly for them because they
are only trying to make a living like everyone else, and not begging,
and I did not see people buying their things much.
Celebrated 20th in Italy <email>
WI USA 06/06/01
Would like to add another star to comments aboout Anen Robichaud. Her
guided tours of the other 'undiscovered' Umbrian hill towns are rated
as outstanding as those she does of Assisi. Umbria is a land of picturesque
medieval towns, saints, culture, Gothic and Romanesque architecture, artistry
(paintings, sculpture, woodworking, maiolica pottery) cathedrals, castles,
cuisine, religion, royalty, relics, and medieval history of Umbrians,
Etruscans, and Romans:..and too the festivals. Festivals honoring the
town's saints and colorful festivals of century old traditions. This and
much more encompassed by the beauty of the environment. There's something
for everyone at any time of the year! Anne covers it all, with her expertise
and love of the region. She even offers FESTAtours which center around
some of the great folkloristic festivals of the region, incorporating
guided tours of the town that day, a special 'festa' lunch and an inside
look and understanding of the event as she tells you all about the historical
origins ...and gets you in touch with the locals: Fast of St. Francis
in Assisi (Oct. 4), The Corsa dei Ceria (that wonderful candle race) in
Gubbio (May 15), Good Friday in Assisi, Calendimaggio (first week-end
in May) in Assisi, Mercato delle Gaite (end of June) in Bevagna...the
Infiorate (flower petal carpets) in Spello in June...Umbria Jazz festival
in Perugia in July and in Orvieto around New Year's....Christmas in Assisi...the
Spoleto Festival in July ....much much more. And DON'T MISS the tours
of Narni and Bevagna, 2 gems, undiscovered by mass tourism which hide
some extraordinary 'hidden secrets'...not to be found if you do it on
your own. There is much to see, learn and experience in the Umbrian Valley
and Anne's tours have blesssed me with many memories, as well as the urgency
to return and redo the tours with her. Some of them I have and each time
have learned and experienced something new. Anne's knowledge, personality,
and presentations continue to be outstanding.
Betty Chipman <email>
Scottsdale, AZ USA 06/05/01
I recently returned from my 3rd trip to Italy, my first w/Rick's book.
Each time it's Venice plus someplace new; I'll always go back to Venice.
I've never been able to get a room at Pensione Accademia there but have
had great luck at Hotel Ala (great location just west of Piazza S.Marco),
Hotel Flora (more expensive and not any nicer), and Hotel (or Pensione?)
La Calcina in Dorsoduro, overlooking the Giudecca Canal. This one had
great views from the front and is just a bit less centrally located. I
would stay here only if I were planning to be in Venice more than a couple
of days; for a quickie, I'd opt to be at Hotel Ala near St Mark's. Next
year it'll be Venice plus Cinque Terre. I know I'm not allowed to ask
questions here, but I'm hoping somebody will suggest a 'room with a view'
in MANAROLA, which for some reason is the town I've decided I want to
stay in even though Rick likes Vernazza.
Logan Smith <email>
Little Rock, AR USA 06/04/01
My husband and I just returned from a 14 day vacation in Italy. Our
best accommodations by far was the Residence Bellevue in Florence. For
under $100 a night we had a large double room that was very clean and
comfortable. The owner Antonio was extremely nice and helpful. He recommended
a nearby restaurant that ended up being our best meal in Italy. Hotel
City in Sorrento was disappointing. Our room that faced the main street
was very loud. Our double room had 2 uncomfortable single beds. Il Doumo
in Assis was a great deal. A very charming room for a very low price.
ABJ
Baltimore, MD USA 06/04/01
TELL PEOPLE HOW DIRTY FIRENZE IS!! UR RIGHT STAY IN SIENA AND DO A DAY
TRIP TO FIRENZE YES GET RESERVATIONS, BEFOREHAND,TO THE MUSEUMS TAKE THE
FAST BUS FROM SIENA TO FIRENZE
JACK SULLIVAN <email>
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL USA 06/04/01
We just spent 18 days in Italy, got back on Memorial Day. We used Rick's
book exclusively for the trip and found it to be very accurate in destination
advice and hotel recommendations. Some observations from the trip and
other tourists: Everyone has Rick's book, we saw it in hotels, on trains
and at restaurants. The only stressful part of the trip was making sure
we caught the right train and we never gave ourselves enough time but
always managed to get on the right one. The most annoying part of the
trip was the people who feel the need to videotape every second of their
vacations. I can't tell you how many times we were pushed or stepped on
by someone with a camera walking around oblivious to anyone else but getting
the shot. We absolutely loved everything about Italy, the people, the
scenery and just taking in as much as we could of their culture. Our trip
started in Rome, we stayed at the Residenza Zanaradelli which was in the
book, it only had 6 rooms but was one block away from Piazza Navona and
a 10 minute walk to the Vatican. We thought Rome was the best city we
went to, loved the action and the history. I have to disagree with Rick,
I would give Rome a good 2-3 days, especially if you like going out for
a late dinner and seeing the city at night. We had a night walking tour
by Scott McFiggin of Roman Adventures, had a great time and found it highly
interesting. We also used Scala Reale for a tour of the Forum and Palantine
Hill which was also great. We wished we had used a guide for the Vatican,
there is too much in St. Peters to understand without one. We also went
to the Borghese Gallery which was very interesting and what a setting!
We mostly got around by foot, 8-10 hours a day and also used the excellent
buses. I would definitely try and stay near Piazza Navona or the Pantheon,
those areas were great during the day and even better at night. POMPEII:
We took the morning train to Pompeii from Rome, it was well worth it.
The ruins are fascinating, especially the ampitheatre at the end of the
tour. From there we headed to Sorrento where we stayed at IL Nido outside
the town. SORRENTO: This was a great home base as Rick says. We loved
the Il Nido, very helpful and friendly staff. We took a day tour to Capri,
what a place, great little streets with expensive shops and restaurants.
We also took the bus to Anacapri but didn't like that as much. We then
decided to walk to the Blue Grotto which was quite a hike, luckily all
down hill. The Blue Grotto is probably one of the biggest tourist scams
ever but it was interesting and I guess you have to do it once. The next
day we hired Carmelo Monetti for his Amalfi Coast tour by taxi. Rick was
right, he is the jolliest man in all of Italy. We laughed all day long,
he had great stories and knew all the places to stop for pictures. We
went to Positano, Amalfi and Ravello where we had the lunch of our lives.
I would say if you are going to this area, you need to hire him! FLORENCE:
We stayed at the Hotel Torre Guelfa, it was somewhat more exp. than the
other hotels but what a view from their tower. The rooms were big but
the bathroom had a strange odor coming from it(no comment). We liked Florence
but it really is overrun by tourists, like us. We had a great meal at
Baldovino's one night and spent a good 2 days walking around and seeing
the sights. We bought some leather from a store called Vivaldi next to
Santa Croce church. Great store, had some goods you won't find at other
stores, believe me, we checked. We reserved our tickets for the Uffizi
and Accademia before we left and it worked out great, skipped some major
lines! We liked being able to walk everywhere and not have to use public
transportation. TUSCANY: We left Florence for Siena and were met by Gianni
of Tours Around Tuscany. We took the red tour thanks to a suggestion on
this site and it was fantastic. We got to see an abbey, the countryside,
Pienza, Montalcino, Montecchello and other small villages. It was expensive
but we were gone for 10 hours. We spent the night in Siena and the spent
the next day seeing the sights in Siena. At the Duomo, make sure you go
to the museum and find the best secret view in Siena. It was fantastic,
well worth the stairs. LEVANTO: From Siena we hit Pisa for an hour before
heading to Levanto and stayed at Villa Margherita thanks to many comments
on this site. They were so helpful and knowledgable there it was great.
We went to Riomaggiore and Monterosso the first day, after it stopped
raining, the only drops of the whole trip. The next day we hit Manarola
and Vernazza and ended up in Monterosso again. If you want to get away
from the crowds I would recommend Manarola, we also really liked Monterosso
and Vernazza. Levanto was very nice also, with a real beach which we didn't
use. VENICE: From Levanto we went to Venice and stayed at Locando San
Travaso which Rick recommended. It was in a great location and in a quite
neighborhood unless you count the construction of a new sidewalk. Venice
is truly the most unique city I have ever been to. The sites are just
amazing and we fit everything in mostly one day, St. Marks, Doges Palace
and just cruising the Grand Canal. Took the obligatory gondola ride for
about $75 for 45 minutes. Definitely got lost for a while and also enjoyed
hanging out watching the dueling orchestras at night. We found that just
like Rome and Florence, if you walk a block or two away from the major
sights, thats where you will find the best restaurants. Sometimes its
worth it for average food to pay for the view though. LAKE COMO: We went
from Venice to Varenna which was the best! What a setting, it was 80 and
sunny and the lake was gorgeous. We were supposed to stay at Villa Cipressi,
I had a reservation but they sent me up to their sister hotel the Ereme
Gaudia. I was pretty mad at the time until I saw our room and view of
the lake and Varenna from our balcony. This place was amazing. You have
to take to exterior elevators to get up to it and you can see for miles.
The staff were absolutely wonderful, the best of our trip! you look down
on Varenna which we thought was the nicest village we went to in Italy.
Its only a 10-15 minute walk down hill to the harbor. We also spent a
day in Bellagio and Villa Carlotta. Bellagio was fabulous, had a great
time eating lunch at the Hotel Du Lac and walking the small streets and
doing more shopping. It definitely had a different feel than Varenna.
MILAN: We were flying out of Milan and almost skipped it to spend more
time on Lake Como but am so happy we didn't. It was Sunday there and everyone
was out enjoying it. The Duomo there is incredible, next to St. Peters
the most impressive church I have ever seen. The views from the roof top
are well worth it also. They had a street festival going on so we hung
out in a cafe and watched all the action for hours. At night we went to
a district called Labrea I believe. It was really nice, little restaurants
and tons of people, especially locals out enjoying it. We thought Milan
was great. I hope this isn't the longest post in the history of the web
site but we had such a great time I really wanted to get that across and
it was mostly due to pre-planning and extensive use of Rick's book. Please
e-mail me with any questions.
Nigel <email>
South Lyon, MI USA 06/01/01
We have just stayed in Levanto at the Villa Marghrita- would highly
recommend this hotel next to the cinque terre.
Michael Darnell
Denver, CO USA 05/31/01
Returned 5/19 from 30 days in Italy, mostly Rick's way. Fabulous!! Highly
recommend Villa Margherita in Levanto (not in Rick but should be - www.villamargherita.net)
and Levanto for a nice quiet taste of small town Italy (this beach town
may be crowded in summer). Terrific views: in Siena, from Alma Domus a
view of the town and the Duomo; in Sorrento, Hotel Desiree, listed by
Rick as "humbler" but with a view that includes the Bay of Naples, the
private beach, the canyon with the sounds of the stream falling down,
the trees on the opposite side of the canyon, and the birds was the best
view of the whole trip; in Castelrotto, Gasthof zum Turm, a view of a
green, chalet-dotted mountainside, the church tower, and a craggy Dolomite
peak; in Varenna, Hotel Milano view of the Lago di Como and Varenna. Each
one was soul-filling - and everywhere the swallows (le rondine in Italian).
We trained it, buying individual tickets, much cheaper than a railpass.
Second class got to be a grind with the crowds and our luggage. First
class was much nicer for about 50% more. Rented a car for Tuscany and
Umbria, and then again for the trip from Venice to Castelrotto and then
a drop-off in Milano. Driving is a snap: good roads, excellent signs.
Driving through Orvieto and Milano downtown at morning rush hour were
the worst and were not bad at all. Worst experiences: Only two. Room one
of Hotel Galleria in Venice was very noisy. It is right next to the reception
desk and we could even hear when they picked up the phone!! A night clerk
talked from 10 until midnight and whispered after I complained, but we
still heard every word. At 3AM, some device started clicking and only
stopped at 5:30AM when we turned it off. Our three nights there became
one, and we were treated royally at the Hotel Torino. The other bad experience
was in Sorrento at the Ristorante Zi'Ntonio, a Rick-recommended place.
We were seated by the owner (wait staff is never that brusque) who gave
us English-language menus and was intolerant of our Italian (which served
us well everywhere else) and then served "Chef Boyardee" spaghetti, overcooked
and very sweet, the worst food of the trip. Biggest surprise: The beautiful,
rustic, untouristy hilltown of Stroncone, south of Terni in Umbria. Wonderful
restaurant (Taverna la Mola), no tourist shops (sorry, shoppers), window
boxes and planters brighten the too-narrow-for-cars streets, cats and
dogs abound, an old gentleman mans a fascinating one-room museum for Stroncone's
war dead (Independence, WWI, Ethiopia, and WWII). Second biggest surprise:
Piazza San Marco in Venice.
Russ <email>
Sacramento, CA USA 05/30/01
We just returned from a 9 day trip to Italy consisting of Venice, Florence,
Rome, and Cinque Terre. We stayed at Al Gambero in Venice in a room without
bath which was clean and comfortable but had a tiny hall bath. In Florence,
we stayed at Hotel Nuova Italia and loved it. The rooms were clean and
had air conditioning as well as modern showers. The place is also decorated
with artwork of all kinds. We participated in a bike tour with Florence
by Bike which was lots of fun. We saw beautiful countryside and had lunch
at a quaint home in Chianti. Our guide was kind, patient, and informative.
In Rome, we stayed at Hotel Venezia which we do not recommend. There was
a high pitched noise (we believe from water pipes) at 6am in room 128.
The staff was not friendly, although the breakfast buffet was substantial.
The audiotours at the Vatican, Colliseum, and Forum are all worthwhile.
In Cinque Terre, we stayed at Hotel Pasquale in Monterosso. We had a view
of the ocean from our private balcony. The staff was very friendly and
gave us advice on which hikes to take. The scenic hike by the coast is
beautiful and each city has its own character. We used Rick Steve's guide
for most of our trip and thought that it was accurate and concise guide,
although occasionally we wished that the book had more information about
the sights.
Happy Tourists
Dallas, TX USA 05/30/01
Italy is one of the must see's in Europe. Cinque Terra is one of the
most beautiful places in the world. If you are traveling on a budget there
are some great bunglo's in the 3rd village of Corniglia. After exiting
the train station you go up to the street and take a right. Keep going
until you come to some stairs that will take you under the bridge to the
bungalos. There are community showers and stoves in the room. They were
very inexpensive. I think that we paid $8 a person. The best part was
that there was a balcony that overlooked the ocean. At night we opened
the windows and feel asleep to the sound of the waves crashing below.
We also ate a really good pizzaria in Vernazza. It is on the right side
a few houses down from the train station. Down the street in one of the
best places to get gelato. They have a lemon flavor and they use the lemons
from the trees right outside the shop.
Amy
TX USA 05/30/01
My wife and I used the Rick Steves 2001 book almost always during our
2 weeks in Italy(19 Apr-3 May). Good size for carrying around during the
day. Not too bulky Recommendations for Albergo Milano, Albergo Bernini(Siena),
Hotel Del Corso(Sorrento), & Locando San Trovaso(Venice) were all excellent.
Clean rooms and friendly staff. Also, in Riomaggoire rented an apt by
chance on arriving in town from a gentleman named Umo for $40/night. It
was clean and overlooked the harbor area. Recommendations for seeing Italy
were usually good(ie, wandering back streets in Venice, the comfort of
Siena, and walking thru Rome) In the night walk of Rome you may want to
say that #8 to Trastevere is a tram. We were looking for a bus. Not in
your book but also good were the Hotel LePetit on Via Torino in Rome and
Ristorante La Piazetta in Trastevre. Ristorante The Garden in Sorrento
near corner of Strada Tasso and Via del Corso had great food, fair number
of locals. Alfonso the waiter there was a lot of fun! Not in Rick Steve's
book but a good side trip from Siena(with a day car rental) was a winery
near Greve in Chianti called Castello di Uzzano which had some beautiful
gardens to tour. In a little shop called Il Pozzo in Varenna struck up
conversation with shopowner who procedded to give some helpful advice
on seeing Italy such as good restaurants in Trastevre and La Trattoria
Madonna in Venice. Only one unpleasant experience with the Roman soldiers
hanging out in front of the Coloseum who tried to gouge people for $ for
taking their pictures. Not in Rick Steve's book but a good side trip from
Siena(with a day car rental) was a winery near Greve in Chianti called
Castello di Uzzano which had some beautiful gardens to tour. Overall,
great trip!
John Kane <email>
Washington , DC USA 05/29/01
Ciao friends! I just returned from two weeks traveling solo through
Italy from Rome to Venince and sites in between and had a terrific time.
This even though my girl friend was still in the states. I'm used to doing
quite a bit on my own so this was ok...go where I want when I want...sit
and watch the world go by or visit the Accademia and marvel at David as
long as I want. I spent more time on my feet wondering about the hill
towns and cities than sitting in restaurants...bars provided a quick snack
or cappuccino, while small markets and pizza shops provided everything
I needed for a picnic...wine too! Train travel was great and easy...just
be prepared to speak enough Italian to communicate the basics. Hostels...the
Beehive in Rome was very good and co-ed. The hostel experience, new to
me, was great and it kept me closer to people all along the way, rather
than being insulated in a hotel room. Meeting people...well, Rick's book
seemed to open up many people to conversation about travel and more...just
having it visable seems to open you up to people also using it. After
a few days I began to be a bit bold and threw caution to the wind and
had no trouble striking up conversation with people. This is how I met
some great people and also ended up traveling, hiking, eating, drinking,
and hanging out with them. A group of French students I met in San Gimignano
offered to let me travel with them on their bus to Florence...then we
toured that city for the day together! Saftey...I had no problems at all
anywhere I went. In fact, after missing my 1am curfew at my hotel in Venice
(due to a late night walk/talk with Helen from Switzerland at Piazza San
Marco)I was forced to stay out all night there...this was a great experience
to walk all around Venice through the night, like a ghost town, completely
quiet and not another soul around other than occassional crabinieri...I
felt safe the entire time. The best thing was not having a travel partner
to lean on, which meant that the alternative was to meet new people whenever
I could. OK, so I may not sit around years from now recounting tales with
a would-have-been travel partner, but that is OK. Now that I've done the
trip solo, I would like to share the experience with my girlfriend! P@
Boston, USA 05/25/01
USA 05/28/01
Buy Rick's book. About half the Americans I ran into in Italy, had a
copy of one of his books. I stayed in Rick's recommended hotels in Rome,
Milan and Florence. All were a good deal and extemely helpful in getting
me info on what I wanted to do.
Don Preecs <email>
Weslaco, Tx USA 05/28/01
Just spent two wonderful weeks in Italy (how can Italy not be great?)
Stayed at Albergo Loreley in Sorrento which is a 2-star with BILLION lire
views. The rooms all overlook the Bay of Naples. Take the plunge and rent
a car for day to drive to Paestum south of Sorrento. Seeing Greek temples
in Italy was awesome. Two of the temples have scaffolding but still well
worth the time! Next stop was Florence at Hotel Belletini. We stayed in
room 45, which really is "A room with a view". We had a view of the San
Lorenzo chapel and the duomo and campanile from our room. The staff at
Belletini is great, particularly Serena and Claudio. We day tripped from
Florence to Sienna by bus, and to the Cinque Terre and Bologna by train.
Last stop was Varenna on Lake Como. We stayed at Albergo Milano in room
5. Request room 6 which has a "real" enclosed shower, rather than ours
which showers the entire bathroom. Other than that, no complaints. Amelia
is super friendly. The breakfast here is not worth the cost, however,
it is good and there's really no where else to go. Varenna is the nicest
and coziest town on the lake in the central region. If you are motivated,
do as we did: hike from Varenna to the Fiume Latte (don't walk on the
road — HIKE in the hills), then hike to the castello above town. Both
are well worth the effort. The river has a fountain near its beginning
and up at the castle there are beautiful views of Lake Como and Varenna.
2nd class trains are the way to go. Other than driving to Paestum we took
the trains everywhere and paid next to nothing (nine segments for USD
$107 per person). I agree with someone's earlier statement. Use the automated
ticket machines in the stations to avoid lines. Unfortunately they don't
accept credit cards, so carry 100,000 lire. Boun viaggio to all and ciao.
Tim
Tim <email>
USA 05/27/01
Took my family to Rome last summer and I can tell you that we all found
it much safer than most American cities we have visited. Yes, we almost
got pickpocketed on the train, but the response from the "good" Italian
folks surrounding us just made it an interesting story to tell. I even
allowed my younger two children to wander on their own to find the best
gelato in our area (around Trevi fountain). My older two went on a "pub
crawl" and stayed in a hostel for 2 nights on their own and also felt
totally safe at all times. The sheer numbers of people walking around
the city day and night make you feel like you are part of an ongoing celebration.
We can't wait to go back!
Karen <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 05/26/01
Rome unsafe?!! I take it you've never been there! I've been lucky enough
to visit Rome numerous times (most recently a month ago), and have never
felt unsafe anywhere at any time. Now you will want to be particularly
careful with your belongings, especially on the subway, as pickpockets
are plentiful. If you wear your money belts and take the same basic precautions
you would anywhere else, I can not imagine that you would have any safety
problems. All that being said, I think that you will find that you feel
perfectly comfortable in any of the areas Rick recommends, with the possible
exception of the area immediately around Termini (the main train station).
It's not that this area is unsafe, but like the areas around many major
train stations, it tends to get a little seedy at night (not dangerous,
just less pleasant).
A
USA 05/24/01
My husband and I will be travelling to Europe next fall. We were originally
going to take a tour, but in my last few months of research and reading
Rick's books and web pages, we are putting together our own itinerary.
Our one biggest fear is the safety factor in Rome. If anyone could please
let me know what areas/neighborhoods to avoid while making accomodations.
As in any big city, I know there are always "ghettos" or neighborhoods
that are not safe to stroll in during the evening, and I just want to
make sure that we aren't in the middle of one! Many Thanks!
Amy <email>
Austin, TX USA 05/24/01
We've used Ricks Guide to reserve places to stay in Northern Italy for
next October. Has anyone tried the Hotel Nuovo Italia in Florence. I've
seen a very unfavorable comment about it, so am reconsidering. We're also
considering traveling from place to place by train, using the pay as you
go system. Milan to Lake Como(Hotel Milano in Varenna), to Venice(Galleria),
to Florence, Siena (Albergo Bernini), Cinque Terre-Vernazza (Albergo Barbara),
San Margherita Ligure(Hotel Fasce), back to Milan (Hotel Speronari). Has
anyone experiences to share on the train system or the hotels we've selected.
Just returned from London using the Rick's London guide. The location
he recommended near Kensington Gardens was great, close to 2 tube locations
and a nice residential area. We stayed at the Abbey House Hotel, a clean,
but basic place w/lots of steps. No complaints though, the price was reasonable
for London and the beds were comfortable and clean.
D Moore <email>
Pittsburgh, PA USA 05/23/01
My husband and I booked a 14 day tour of Italy in March. We did go with
a tour group but also used Rick Steves Italy book to explore on our own.
This book is fantastic!! I have recommended it to my travel agent, who
has already shared it with several of her clients. The Self-Guided Walk
of ROME was very helpful. We enjoyed Rome and want to return for another
visit. Vatican City is large and we were grateful to have a guide for
St. Peters, Vatican Museum, and Sistine Chapel. When we visisted Campo
de' Fiori we were the only tourists in the area. It was wonderful!! Rome
was one of our favorite areas. We loved Piazza Navona. The atmosphere
was wonderful. Candle lit dinners, muscians and artists. In FLORENCE we
did have reservations for the Uffizi gallery which made it easier. We
visited RAPALLO it was one of the friendliest places and beautiful views
of the ocean. We enjoyed the open markets. In MILAN we walked on top of
the Duomo. It was worth the extra cost. LAKE COMO was also beautiful.
We stayed in PORLEZZA at Hotel Regina on Lake Lugano. It was very nice
and not crowded. The area was a fishing village with beautiful views!
VENICE was another of our favorites. It was not crowded and very pleasant.
We loved everything about Venice. It was breathtaking! Great meal at AL
Colombo. The gondola ride was also nice. Thank you, Rick Steves. We got
lost and loved it! VERONA was fantastic!! My husband and I explored this
area on our own and ended up in Piazza Erbe. I met the most wonderful
Italian women who worked in her open market. Teenagers translated for
me as we talked. I got caught up in the whole experience! In ASSISI we
had a Friar guide us through the church of St. Francis and it was a moving
experience. This was the most beautiful and moving churches we experienced
in Italy!! POMPEII was worth the extra drive. We learned more about this
area. It was rich with history. SORRENTO / ISLE OF CAPRI this was a very
beautiful area. We enjoyed the cable car ride in Annacapri. We loved Italy
and will return.
Tina
Atlanta, Ga USA 05/23/01
Ciao to everybody My name is Sandro, and I live in a small town of northern
Italy (the "Riviera" : in the coastal line not too far from the French
border) I red frequently these pages : It's so funny, interesting and
also "educational" to discover my country with american tourists eyes.
I think this site is well done, with excellent advice, and the "backdoor
philosophy" is the key to really understand Europe (and first of all Italy).
I was born in La Spezia so I'm so proud on Rick's discoverer of "Cinque
Terre" these wonderful places deserved being known like other italian
famous tourist spots. If somebody needs advises from a "native" I'll be
happy to help you; my mail is passero@katamail.com. Sorry for my bad english
and ciao!
Sandro <email>
Albisola, 05/21/01
In response to Ben Cope, I spent a month in Florence last summer studying
Italian and visited the restaurant a couple of times. We loved it. You
are thinking of is Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco (white wild boar) Borgo
S. Jocopo 43r, oltrarno phone 055 21706 They don't accept credit cards.
Another restaurant well worth going to is Il Latini, Via dei Panchetti
6, tel. 055-210-916 The house wine is incredible. That's near Santa Maria
Novella and both are an excellent true Italian experience.
A. Iacono <email>
Huntington, NY USA 05/18/01
Italy first week of May. Great time of year. Temps in 70's and 80's.
Still a fair amount of tourists. Got the kilometric pass-GREAT DEAL! if
it works out for your trip. 3000 km total between up to 5 people. Can
go to rail europe website to get detailed schedule/price/kilometers for
most train routes to figure out if this will work for you. In the book,
Rick says to go First class. I don't know if it was worth it. We bought
first class tickets, but on some routes only second was available and
it seemed just fine. Maybe this is more of a factor in summer. LAKE COMO-Stayed
in Varenna at Albergo Milano. Great location (closer to "main" part of
town than Albergo olivedo) and friendly staff. Nice views from room terraces.
Bar Nilus is great. Inexpensive/tasty pizzas, sandwiches. Fresh porcini
mushroom laden pizza and bruschetta was a score. Siena-Hotel Cannon d'oro
was great location, clean, etc. Helpful staff with parking available (I
think, since everyday we were asked if we needed to park a car). One particular
Hill town we liked was Montalcino (1 hr. by bus from Siena). Less touristed
and great if you like Brunello. All the same fabulous Tuscan views from
its hill top location and a castle with wine tasting inside. Cinque Terre-Stayed
in Levanto which is only 5-10 min. train north of Monterosso. Agree with
others that Levanto was a great town. Few tourists. Villa Margherita bed
and breakfast was fabulous. Super-friendly and helpful staff and very
comfortable rooms (7 or so). The cinque terre towns were very nice, but
lots of tourists — less crowded at night. Hikes were not too bad and definitely
worth it. Milan-Hotel london was so-so. Great location though. Good enough
for one last night to catch the plane the next morning.
SC <email>
Bellevue, WA USA 05/17/01
My wife and I just returned from 2 wonderful weeks in Italy. We actually
ran into Rick Steves himself in Florence at the Hotel Pendini, and simply
thanked him for producing such an outstanding tour book. We adhered very
closely to its recommendations, found it 95% on the mark for voyagers
like us, and offer the following: 1) We heard many knocks against Venice
(too expensive, bad food, too commercial, grumpy people, etc.), but we
agree with Rick that Venice is a must, a medieval and very romantic wonderland.
Just go for one night and take lots of boat trips and get completely lost.
2) Rick needs to recommend more restaurants in Florence. We suggest considering
a couple restaurants on Via San Jacopo in the Oltrarno neighborhood (one
was named Mama something (Gia's?)) and one had a wild boar theme (name
escapes us). We liked Bordini's and Bibo's a lot. Bibo's has possibly
the best house red wine we have ever tasted. 3) Rick should emphasize
the size and bussle of Siena. It is a hill CITY, not a hill town. As such,
it is not a rural relief from urban Florence. We tried to drive there
and literally gave up trying to navigate it. 4) As for the hill towns,
we think Rick should explicitly suggest a short car rental phase for your
Italy trip. After touring by train for the first 75% of our itinerary,
we rented a car in Florence and gradually meandered through Tuscany and
Umbria for 3 days. We bought a Thomas Cook guide to driving trips in Tuscany/Umbria
that provided excellent maps and short descriptions of countless little
burgs. Then we drove to Rome airport (avoiding driving in crazy Rome)
and flew home. This enabled us to get off the beaten path to really experience
the rural countryside at our own pace. One last note: add Gubbio to the
list of worthwhile hill towns! It's nicely off the beaten path and has
lots to offer. 4) Rick should caution readers on the difference between
weekday and weekend hotel availability as a general issue when you decide
to wing it without reservations. We found that there are a lot of Italian
tourists in the Cinque Terra and hill towns on weekends. 5) Two nights
in the Cinque Terra is a perfect quiet, beautiful break between noisy
centers like Florence and Rome. Rick likes Vernazza. We vote for Riomaggiore.
Edi's room finding service was perfect. We arrived tired and confused,
and he took one look at us and pulled out a bottle of wine and offered
us a glass! Viva Italia! His apartment for us was cheap, clean, and had
a view of the water. The food and house white wine at La Lampera (recommended
in the book) was excellent — the pesto was unreal.
Ben Cope <email>
Seattle, WA USA 05/15/01
Ah Venice... One of the highlights of my trip this past week. We stayed
at the Pensione Guerrato. I highly recommend. The rate was ITL160,000
if you paid cash and ITL10,000 more for credit card. Very inexpensive
for Venice, but good quality. The room was spacious with a sink. It shared
a bath with one other room. From the window I had a view of the Grand
Canal to the left and a fruit/veggie market to the right. The staff is
very friendly too! I got away for ITL150,000 for the gondola ride. I know
it says ITL120,000 in the guidebooks, but you can forget about that fare.
Ask around & don't except the first offer. After declining an ITL220,000
rate, they chased me down for what I got. If you're looking for good inexpensive
eats, get away from San Marco. I ate in the San Polo area two nights for
a very reasonable price & good portions. There isn't tourists everywhere
you look either.
Joe Fill <email>
Westminster, CO USA 05/14/01
Just returned from three weeks throughout Italy...a wonderful trip and all of Rick's suggestions were right on the mark, except for one, the Hotel Gritti in Milan. It was a horrible room. We could hear every other guest in the hotel — toilet flushes, conversations, footsteps. The walls were paper thin. Cigarette smoke started coming through the A/C vent from a neighbor room. We heard dogs barking all night. In the morning, the lobby was full of smoke as was the dining room. I know everyone smokes in Europe, but all of our other 7 hotels throughout Italy were quiet, comfortable, and relatively smoke-free.
By the way, if you get to Perugia, check out the Hotel Fortuna and ask
for room #501. Huge room, gorgeous view, and quiet!
Kevin and Diane <email>
Eugene, OR USA 05/08/01
My fiancee and I visited Italy this past March. We used some of Rick's suggested hotels on our trip and he was right on the money. We stayed at the Hotel Speronari in Milan, Soggiorno Pezzati #2 on the Oltrarno side of the river in Florence, and the Hotel Nuova Riviera in Santa Margherita Ligure. I would recommend these hotels to anyone. They are all basic, especially Soggiorno Pezzati and the Hotel Speronari, but they are safe, friendly, and very clean.
In Rome we didn't use any of Rick's recommendations, but we found a decent moderately-priced motel — the Hotel Embassy, Via Salandra 6. We paid 160K lira per night for a double. All rooms have bathrooms and are clean. They offer a 5% discount for paying in cash and include a contintental breakfast.
Our favorite places by far, however, were the Hotel Nuova Riviera in S. Margherita Ligure, and Soggiorno Pezzati Alessandra in Florence. Our room in Florence was only 98,000 lit/night for a double. We had a private bathroom but it was directly across the hall.
Food recommendation for Florence: The 4 cheese gnocchi at Giglio Rosso (main entrance on Via Panzani 5, with a secondary entrance on Via dei Giglio 13).
A good restaurant we found in Rome is L'Abruzzese. The address is Via dei Gracchi 27/29 near Vatican City not far from the Ottaviano-San Pietro Metro stop. The owners just recently opened a bed and breakfast called Orchidea located on Via Catone (also near Vatican City). The phone number for both is 06-39-733-290.
For those who buy train tickets as they go, use the electronic ticketing machines that are found in the stations of the larger cities. There are simple instructions in English and we found it was faster than waiting in line. The only catch is that right now, it seems that the machines only take cash and the computer can get a bit touchy about some of the city names. For example, we bought tickets for Rome to Santa Margherita Ligure. Unless you abbreviate Santa as "S." it didn't find the station. You can also research tickets and schedules — in English — at the Italy State Railway site: http://www.trenitalia.com/
Good luck and have a great time. We sure did!
Ed D'Amato <email>
Stow, OH USA 04/30/01
Regarding the Domus Aurea (Nero's Golden House) reservations...it's
best to simply ask your hotel in Rome to make them for you. We will be
staying at the Hotel Cortina on the Via Nazionale, and they very graciously
and efficiently arranged for our reservation. In Florence we did the same
thru the Hotel Allessandra, and they were very helpful in adjusting our
reservation time by 15 mins. so that we would miss the school children
flooding the streets around the Accademia. Now we can look forward to
our adventure in Italy!
Sue & Roger Cramer <email>
Peoria, AZ USA 04/30/01
We would like to express our distaste for Hotel Magic in Rome. The staff were very, very rude, even to the point of threatening us with violence. They falsely accused us of breaking their community shower, and then proceeded to scream at us at 11 PM until we paid them a lot of extra money. They threatened to call the police and even to break my wife's glasses if we did not pay up immediately! It was a terrible experience. Besides all that, it was very noisy, they never gave us a key, and they did not honor the prices in your book even though they said they would on the phone.
Otherwise we have had great luck with your recomendations (especially
Pezzati Allessandra in Florence), and a great trip thanks a lot to your
guides.
kevin <email>
denver, co USA 04/30/01
Book recommendation: Read "As the Romans Do" by Alan Epstein, about an American who moved to Rome. The stories and information are dead-on right about Italy and would be extremely useful to a discerning traveler on their way to Italy for the first time. Gives you the "feel" of Italy. If you've been and loved it, read the book anyway — you can reflect on your trip. I just finished reading it and it only made me want to go back!
A few bits of info that will help first-time travelers to Italy:
When you make a purchase and receive change, Italians will put it on the counter, NOT in your hand — they fear germs.
Do not order cappucino once breakfast is over — kind of a social faux pas.
Want to blend in with the locals? Ditch the tennis shoes and blue jeans — Italians dress to the nines to run around the corner and buy milk.
Carolyn Thomas <email>
Dallas, TX USA 04/30/01
Hi all! My wife & I are about to embark on a trek "across the pond."
I am currently on hold (and have been for the last 45 minutes) with the
reservation line for the Domus Aurea, or Nero's Golden House, in Rome.
I just thought everyone should know that it takes FOREVER to get through
to a operator on this reservation system!
Michael Landon <email>
Burbank, CA USA 04/29/01
We went to Italy the first 2 weeks in April. Venice was great, however the gondola ride was quoted at 250,000L.
We made advance reservations the Uffizi and beat the line.
Siena, Florence and Tuscany were fantastic.
We spent 2 days at Cinque Terre in Monterosso at the Porto Roca Hotel and it was great. Rooms were $200 per day but well worth every penny.
The Tre Re hotel in Sesta Calinde outside Milan was a great find and
only $100 per night.
Denis rowan <email>
Miami, FL USA 04/27/01
Saluti di bella Italia! Sorrento and Amalfi coast are beautiful, garbage no more than usual for 4-day Easter weekend (garbage problems have been in Naples).
Hotel Nice in Sorrento is alive and well; when I'd called in February I got the impression that they were closed, but it turned out that a substitute person answering their phone and I were victims of linguistic difficulties (her English was poor and my Italian was worse!). The regular staff speak excellent English. Their breakfast cappucino (served in room) some of the best I've had in 3 weeks in Italy.
I am at the Menaggio Hostel which is as advertised and more. Ty and
Paola have turned management over to Marta and Alberto, but food (per
those who've been here before) is as great as ever. Trains from Milano
to Varenna don't run as frequently as Rick describes; they are every 2
hrs and the last is at 10:10.
Mary
USA 04/26/01
I just returned from 2 wonderful weeks in Italy, and I have a few comments on some of the hotels listed in Italy 2001.
HOTEL CANADA (Venice) — I made reservations in February for 3 double rooms. When we arrived we were told that they did not have the 3 doubles and that we would instead be given 1 double and 1 quad. The quad turned out to be a double with 2 extra cots wedged in. My brother and his wife had to spend their "romantic nights in Venice" sleeping across the room from one another. The hotel had the nerve to charge us L420,000 per night for the room. Also, Rick might want to add "lots of stairs" to his description.
HOTEL DUOMO (Orvieto) — I have stayed at Hotel Duomo many times over the last 10 years, and always before found it perfectly charming. They have done a complete remodeling job, and reopened as a thoroughly modern 4-star hotel (L200,000 doubles). I am sad to say that almost everything I found charming has been removed. They have installed ghastly, hideous modern art throughout. It's still the best location in town, the service is excellent, and the plumbing is A-1; I was just very disappointed to find it so severely modernized.
PENSIONE SORRELE BANDINI (Florence) — Rick, thanks for this one! It wouldn't be for everyone, but for my travel companions and me, it was a highlight of an already wonderful trip. Every night we sat out on the huge (common use) balcony and had bread, cheese and wine. My only regret is that we never met the cats.
ALBERGO OLIVEDO (Varenna) — The hotel is beautiful, each room is furnished with gorgeous antiques, and the view is unbelievable (lakefront with snow-capped mountains in the distance). The owner, Laura, is wonderful, and the meals we were served in her dining room were outstanding!
HOTEL LONDON (Milan) — YUCK! We found this place to be completely without
charm or comfort (indoor/outdoor carpeting and the hardest beds I've ever
tried to sleep on, anywhere.) It also had the strangest plumbing I've
ever encountered. There was a nozzle at the back of the toilet, inside
the bowl, that sort of looked like a bidet spout (actually it looked more
like a microphone) with choices of water or air. There was a label on
the lid stating in 5 languages that it was equipped with an electric shredder
(I'm not making this up).
Angela
USA 04/24/01
Re: interesting places on the Adriatic: try the Conero beaches south
of Ancona. My friends and I went to Sirolo and stayed at the Hotel Monteconero,
on the mountain next to the sea. It was great! It's a 3-star hotel, and
a little rustic, but they have their own hiking trails around the place,
with some great views. It used to be a monastery. I think it cost $100
for a triple room w/two king beds, for 3 people. The rooms had a terrace,
from which you could see down the mountain to the honey fields on one
side, and down to the blue ocean on the other. The ocean is beautiful
there. Also (this is the best part), we got there at night, and there
were seemingly thousands upon thousands of fireflies in the trees! I'd
never seen one before, and we just turned off the lights and cruised up
the road at 5 miles an hour (don't try this at home! Well, no one was
around) and drank it in. What a moment. Enjoy!
USA 04/23/01
bus and metro are quite easy around milan and the trip to lake como
is a 45-minute one. shopping is very, very good though quite pricey.
marie
USA 04/22/01
I read a review in the San Francisco Chronicle about the Hotel Paba
in Rome, Italy. It was the find of the trip! It was perfectly located,
literally right around the corner from the Colosseum. The room was very
classy, with all the trimmings. It is a 2-star; I had stayed in mostly
1-2-star rated hotels on my trip and this one was easily the nicest of
the lot. Prices were pretty good (100.00) for a 3-bed suite. But best
of all where the owners, Pasquale and his wife. They have been owners
of large hotels in Milan and have been in the business for a long time.
They know how important the little things are in making a trip perfect.
AJ Ross
CA USA 04/20/01
My daughter and I stayed at Hotel Pasquale in Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre on April 10 and 11. The hotel's location, next to the train tracks, was offset by the hotel's proximity to the ocean which provided the soothing sound of the surf. In all, a very pleasant place to stay. No elevator though. The Pasini family who operate the hotel were very accommodating during our stay.
The Cinque Terre area was like a bit a heaven. I feel lucky to have
experienced this part of Italy and I sincerely hope its location protects
it from herds of American tourists. There seemed to be a lot of German
tourists.
pamela chavis <email>
tucson, az USA 04/19/01
In September of '97, after reading "Under the Tuscan Sun," I had to
visit Cortona. I stayed at the Hotel Athens, a monastary. Pretty bare-bones,
but clean and very good for my budget. I had a triple room to myself.
The downside is that the hotel is also used by the Univ. of Georgia and
there are a lot of American students.
Julie Dolan <email>
Decatur, GA USA 04/17/01
On a previous trip to Rome, I stayed at Hotel Pensione Italia, which
is listed in Rick Steve's Italy book, and was very pleased with it. It's
a good location and value, very clean and comfortable rooms with pleasant,
helpful staff.
USA 04/17/01
Looking for accommodation in S. Margherita Ligure near the Cinque Terre?
Try the HOTEL NUOVA RIVIERA (www.nuovariviera.com). It's a small hotel
in a villa with garden. We have been there twice. It's in a good peaceful
location, all the rooms have been recently renovated and most have balcony.
Rates are very good: Lire 170.000 max per night with full breakfast included.
But reserve early; the Sabini Family is always booked!
Cindy&Mark JOHN <email>
La Jolla, CA USA 04/15/01
Make reservations online for the Uffizi Gallery in Firenze. We wasted
over 5 hours in lines in March to get in. If you have reservations you
go to the front of the line!
Melanie <email>
Birmingham, AL USA 04/13/01
120,000 lira for a gondola ride? Fat chance! Although the official guidebook
agreed with that price, no gondolier I talked to would accept it. And
this was midweek in March! I'd hate to see what it would be like in peak
season.
John Pezzano <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 04/10/01
To all those interested in a place to stay on the Italian Riviera and
Santa Margherita Ligure: Our travel agent who booked airfare (and who
goes to Italy every year) recommended the Hotel Laurin. She said the hotel
is located very near the ferry (50 feet or less) and it is very nice.
It is also close to the train. You can find it on the bestwestern.com
website.
Jennifer <email>
Portland, OR USA 04/10/01
This is our second time to Venice. Couple of years ago stayed at Hotel
Canada which was clean and pleasant with a great location, but our room
was TINY, even for Italy. When we requested rates this time from them,
they quoted L260,000 — an excessive amount in my opinion given the room
on our previous trip. However, if you can stay at Hotel Canada in the
off-season when rates are more reasonable I would recommend it. (Alloggi
alla Scala was L130,000).
joe b. <email>
USA 04/06/01
Ref: Pensione Sorrele Bandini (see below). ETBD staff told me the "musty
youthfulness" comment refers to antiquated, artistic, and maybe a bit
stuffy! Run by an artist who is living a medieval fantasy. Sounds intriguing!
Ed Echt <email>
Littleton, CO USA 04/04/01
I love Venice. The whole city has an atmosphere that I can't resist, crowds or no crowds. If you're into it, you'll be into it, and if you can't stand it, it's understandable; the only caution I would give is to be as good-humored and tolerant as you can, of both the million fellow-tourists and the more sour of the locals.
Give Venice a few days at least. If you're into art, the Accademia and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco are wonderful; the Accademia is jawdropping. The Doge's Palace has an incredible armory that's interesting to see. The Campo dei Mori is a really cool place too; they have these stone Moors (hence the name) in sconces in the walls. Very charming. There are a few cool cafes in that vicinity too, and the true Venetians seem to gather near there. If you're into history, you'll be in heaven, because almost every building you see is hundreds of years old. The Byzantine influence is there, and a bit of Arab flavor, and the Gothic architecture is the most beautiful in the world. Although it's within Italy these days, it seems to be a completely different country.
Recommendations: The best gelateria in the city (and the best I've ever tasted) is the one right next to the Scuola Grande di San Rocco.
The hotels are great; for budget, the Antica Locanda Al Gambero (see Rick's guide), near the Rialto bridge, is excellent for a 2-star hotel; for a more expensive hotel, the Hotel Cavalletto e Doge Orseolo is the good stuff. Pretty rooms, which overlook the gondola yard near Piazza San Marco.
I found Florence infuriating, but great. (I feel that it's a good idea
to spend a day or two in Florence, but more time out in the beautiful
surrounding countryside.) The people were the best thing about Florence;
they seem very humorous, sharp, and intelligent. There's this weird weather
there that changes from moment to moment; it's oppressively hot and muggy,
and then minutes later, fresh and breezy. My traveling companions got
"Florence Sickness," this strange woozy dizziness that seems to overtake
people sometimes. Seems to come from too much footpadding in the muggy
heat. Stayed at the Hotel Porta Rossa, which has a great location, some
interesting features like stained glass, and doesn't cost too much; also
is one of the oldest hotels in Italy.
CA USA 04/04/01
Hi all! Italy is the best. I stayed at "Residence la Tavolozza" in the
town of Positano (very near Sorrento and Amalfi). Rick Steves' Italy book
recommended it. It was so incredible. These really nice ladies run the
place, and great-grandma does the dishes, grandma oversees everything,
mama does the books, and sister and daughter do the housecleaning. The
rooms have beautiful tiled terraces that overlook the ocean, the 11th-century
yellow-and-green tiled dome, and the town itself, which seems to grow
like a vine on the hillside. I remember taking breakfast on the little
table on the terrace, and just staring at the blue ocean or at the gorgeous
town. Really one of the most special moments in that trip. The people
who run the place are very nice too. Call them right away, because they
do get filled up. Enjoy!
CA USA 04/04/01
I just came back from my first trip to the Italian Riviera — Cinque Terre,
what a lovely place! In Vernazza we rented a really nice apartment located
30 meters from the sea with terrace and sea view. If you are interested
contact Alex at: cinqueterreonline@hotmail.com
Michel Zamboni
Paris, France, 04/04/01
Rick Steves' Italy 2001 was our main resource for a 10-day March 2001 trip to Venice, Sorrento and Rome. These comments are for those taking kids as we had our two ages 9 and 11.
— We enjoyed San Marco pigeons, vaporetti and gondola rides in Venice,
and Murano glassblowing (we got a "special demonstration" after buying
a small frame).
— The overnight sleeper from Venice to Naples was an adventure (and safe)! — Pompei was made more interesting by a guide shared with a dozen others
(the guide thoughtfully warned us of the Pompei pornography) and the kids
enjoyed exploring the ampitheatre.
— The Il Nido at Sorrento was fantastic — especially Gianni! — On Capri we enjoyed the chair lift to Mount Solaro (followed by the
45-minute hike back to Anacapri) as much as the Blue Grotto. — In Napoli, Pizzeria Trianon was a hit. — Internet cafes were everywhere and, for about $4 per hour, great rest
time while kids e-mail friends.
— Pace yourself in Rome — tough on kids' feet! With kids the museums are
a chore, but the outdoor things such as The Forum are enjoyable if a guide
is used.
DR <email>
Jonesborough, TN USA 03/31/01
In Rome, don't miss the Mammertine Prison which is just a stone's throw
from the Forum. It's a very moving experience to be in the same prison
where St. Peter and St. Paul were. Also, don't miss the Holy Stairs. These
stairs were brought to Rome from Jerusalem from Pontius Pilot's palace.
People climb the stairs on their knees in prayer. The catacombs were wonderful,
too. Well worth seeing!
Amy V. <email>
Dallas, TX USA 03/26/01
Hotel Alimandi in Rome, recommended by Rick, is a very nice hotel. Their
breakfast was one of the best we had in Italy. It's the perfect location
for seeing the Vatican museum and St. Peter's. My parents and I lost each
other in the Museum, but felt no panic since the hotel was just a few
minutes away. Dad was hanging out the window like a local waiting for
me upon my return.
Amy V. <email>
Dallas, TX USA 03/26/01
This was my 3rd stay at Pensione Bretagne in Florence. They have changed
the bathroom format. Most rooms now have assigned private bathrooms. On
my 2 previous trips I used their largest bathroom. This time we were assigned
a very small, dark bathroom. My parents and sister disliked it. I, the
adventurer, didn't mind.
Amy V. <email>
Dallas, TX USA 03/26/01
Hotel Pensione Italia in Rome was lovely! A great price for a great
hotel in a great location.
Amy V. <email>
Dallas, TX USA 03/26/01
The Galleria Borghese in Rome now requests that you come 1 hour before
your reservation time. You can book about 1 month ahead at www.ticketeria.it
Sue & Roger Cramer <email>
Peoria, AZ USA 03/26/01
You must add the Residence Bellevue to your recommended hotels in Florence.
Antonio Di Grazia opened his small hotel in August and it is very nice.
Large, comfortable rooms and very comfortable rates. I was there in February
and enjoyed it very much. I have stayed at many of Rick Steves' recommended
places throughout Europe. Residence Bellevue definitely has the Rick Steves
feel to it. It has a great location not far from the train station and
an easy walk anywhere in Florence. At Via della Scala 21, it is directly
across from the perfumery Rick raves about. Check out their website http://bellevue.interfree.it
Tell Antonio I said Hello!
Mark Williams <email>
Midland, MI USA 03/23/01
Just returned from two weeks in Italy — the first week in Rome, Venice, Florence, and the second week driving through Tuscany and Umbria.
In Rome, we had a FANTASTIC time doing tours with Scale Reale — I can't recommend them enough.
We decided that we really wanted to stay near the Spanish Steps, and ended up at a hotel called La Locanda di Van Gogh — really small, but very convenient.
In Venice, we stayed at Hotel Ala — a terrific hotel very close to San Marco, right at the Giglio taxi stop. The off-season rates were very reasonable for the area, and it was our most spectacular hotel of the entire trip (we spent from $50 to $80 a night for a double with bath throughout the trip, but we spent a bit more in Venice).
In Florence we stayed at Soggiorno Batistero based on recommendations from this board. It wasn't bad, but it was the only place where the hot water never quite got hot. The people are very friendly, and very helpful about making reservations for the Uffizi and the Accademia.
In Florence, please DON'T take anyone's recommendation for dinner at ZAZA — it was filled with American students and was mediocre. However, if you are in Florence, DEFINITELY find a little trattoria called Che C'est C'est. The food is spectacular, including the bistecca fiorentina, and it is VERY reasonable. One of those places where the chef really loves his work.
In Siena, hotel Cannon D'Oro, which is in the Rick Steves book, was terrific. We had a huge double (actually a triple) with bath for 120,000 Lire ($60). It is inside the walls, very central, and has a great green neon sign above the alley leading to the hotel, so you can't even get lost when you are wandering home after midnight. The staff was great, and had terrific recommendations for restaurants both nights we were there.
The best recommendation from Rick's book was for a hotel in Assisi — the Hotel Ideal was spectacular! Beautiful rooms, and a gorgeous view overlooking Assisi and the valley below. Double with bath was $70, including a great breakfast and parking.
After spending a week driving through the hilltowns (Cortona and Siena
were my favorites, but Civita was magical, even though it is not quite
in season), we spent the last night in Porto San Stefano, on an island
about 2 hours north of Rome. It was a perfect last night, and a very easy
trip to the Rome airport the next morning. More wonderful fresh seafood
cannot exist in the world.
Joan Holland <email>
Arlington, VA USA 03/22/01
We plan to visit Florence in June. Our hotel informed us today that
the Accademia and Uffizi are only open until 18:50 (6:50 pm) on Saturdays.
So you may want to keep that in mind when planning your itinerary and
reserving a time to visit the museums.
Sue & Roger Cramer <email>
Peoria, AZ USA 03/22/01
This is an addendum to my previous message about Rome eats: Best pizza by the slice is Pizzeria Europa di Amicone Palmerino, on Via Merulana N 28A Tel. 0644640225, just down the street from Santa Maria Maggiore. This was by far the best pizza we had, not just a little better but a lot better. The shop is decorated with pictures of Amicone Palmerino winning awards in contests.
La Vecchia Conca on Via Carlo Alberto 26A Tel. 064466576, between Santa
Maria Maggiore and Piazza Vittorio, has good food at moderate prices.
Good pasta, and good flatbread (was thin, light, and crispy and covered
with olive oil and sesame seeds; it was like eating popcorn!).
Denise Chan <email>
Kirkland, WA USA 03/21/01
Just returned from Rome and Florence. In Rome, for good cheap eats, try Pastarito/Pizzarito; it's a chain, and they give you lots of pasta for your money. We ate at the Via Veneto one right next door to the Cappuccin Crypt, at the Barberini metro stop.
And, we definitely recommend The Beehive (http://www.the-beehive.com/index.htm) as the place to stay in Rome; it's inexpensive, clean, has a great location, and Steve and Linda are fantastic!
In Florence, dine at Baldavino, near the Santa Croce church. Great focaccia!
And a note about the Soggiorno Battistero, where we stayed...you can smell cigarette smoke from the office, since the rooms are right there. Our shower didn't drain well, despite a new plumbing system, and it flooded, and we had to be very careful the rest of our stay, always worrying. And it is noisy, since the hotel is located centrally above a square. Despite those drawbacks, the hotel is a good place to stay; breakfast is included, and the resident cat, Mister No, is quite cute.
Florence was too touristy for us.
Denise Chan <email>
Kirkland, WA USA 03/21/01
Four days in Rome was perfect.
Had two wonderful dinners at Il Frantoio. It is just north of Piazza Poppolo at 77 Flaminia. Not impressed with La Rustichella, too touristy!
Bought first class, smoking for the train to Venice. Big mistake for non-smokers. The next two train trips were NS, 2nd class and it was just fine. Couldn't believe that every time we purchased a train tkt, NS/1st would be sold out.
Venice was great with Carnavale raging in San Marco Sqr. Almost everyone was dressed in costume, and actually it was pretty tame. Our wonderful pensione, La Calcina, was located on the Giudecca Canal. Good suggestion, Steves. We had a third-story, water-view room and the best cafe latte on our trip. Of course, the quiet is a wonderful welcome after the noisy moped traffic in Rome.
Our original plan was to stay 2 nts in Florence, but we quickly realized we needed a third. And we could have stayed even longer. The Hotel Accademia became our base and Tea was very accommodating. We had room #12 in the back, but it was noisy because of the mopeds and apt. house right across the narrow street. It is a good idea to ask for a "tranquilla" room. There were no other rooms available to move to so we wore earplugs. (This was Feb. and every place we stayed was a full house.)
We fell in love with Giglio Rosso Ristorante at Via Panzani 35. We ate there 2 of the 3 nights we were in town. My son said it was the best tortelleni he had ever had. The staff was tourist-friendly. The 3rd night was at LaSpada, RS-recommended and very good.
It was great traveling during the winter months and not having crowds to deal with, however I was surprised at how busy it was. Case in point, the first class/NS train situation. Perhaps in the future it would be wise to buy the tickets more than a day ahead! It just felt good to be so flexible and make last-minute decisions. I don't have that luxury here at home.
P.S. I should mention that I got taken for a "ride," literally, by a
Roman taxi driver. I knew the minute I got settled in the back seat and
noticed that he didn't have a meter, I was in trouble. I had a very clear
vision of R. Steves' book where he states, "Do not hail a taxi — go to
a taxi stand." When we pulled up to the hotel there was no bellman or
any other soul to get me out of this mess. I paid him the 45,000L and
still had the presence of mind to ask for a receipt. I grabbed that and
my suitcase and upon checkin discovered that my ride was double the ten
dollars it should have been. (By the way, when I looked at the receipt
the cab driver gave me it had a rate of 16,000L and the imprint was from
the Boom Boom Room Night Club!)
N. Lund <email>
San Jose, CA USA 03/20/01
Last October I traveled with my mother and sisters to Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan using the trusty Italy guidebook. Reading it aloud to each other really added to our trip. We even huddled under umbrellas in a downpour in the Forum, turning in unison as we read about what we were seeing.
I wasn't sure they really appreciated my insistence that we tear out
the pages and bring them along each day until we began planning a trip
for here in the US. My sister told me my mom said we need to pick up the
right book by "that guy Kim likes" for our trip. She was quite disappointed
to find out that Rick only covers Europe and not the entire world!
Kim <email>
Chicago, Il USA 03/16/01
The books are great and I especially like the timetables and price listings.
I do wish the maps could be more accurate, much like this one of Florence:
http://www.tiac.net/users/pendini/pic/FLORENCE.PDF It prints out very
nicely and is handy to fold up in a pocket.
Tim <email>
St. Louis, MO USA 03/15/01
Rick Steves' Italy book was right on the money for the most part. Everything was accurate and up to date.
I would like to see slightly larger maps in the books, but still keep them hand drawn and not too detailed. Makes it very easy to decipher the basic information needed. I suggest to everyone using Rick's books to bring a hightlighter pen and mark your travel route at various points through the day. This way, you know where you have been and where you still have to go.
When I returned to the States, everyone asked if Venice smelled. I always
tell them, "It didn't smell, but even if it did, it was beautiful. Besides,
nothing can smell worse than Disneyworld!"
Matt Jordan <email>
Okemos, MI USA 03/08/01
Rick Steves' Italy turned out to be our travel bible — what a lifesaver. I did most of the planning and research and it made my job so much easier.
Definitely follow the hints given. The ONE time we didn't call the day ahead to confirm our hotel, in Florence, was the one time they didn't have us booked (this was three flights upstairs later, too, with our luggage!). The place at the train station saved us — found us a much better hotel, for a lesser price too. You will need to check around, because a lot of the hotels Rick recommends stay booked.
Robert the Tour Guide in Siena is WONDERFUL! But book early because he stays busy. We learned so much about the history of the area from him.
Most of my film was taken at Pompeii. It was beautiful. I expected to see "casts" everywhere, but most of them had been moved to museums.
And I was ready to move to Sorrento. Everyone (actually in all of Italy) was super friendly. (And the dog lying in front of the butcher shop was priceless!) And the gelato shop is the best anywhere. Rick is right: too many flavors, too little time.
Be careful about booking a night train to Venice. We went to a travel agent in a shop off the street. They only booked us for the night cabin, not the actual ticket. The one time we had a hard time communicating was with the conductor who wouldn't let us on the train, but we didn't understand what we were missing since we asked the travel agent if this was all we needed. Plus the train arrived early in Venice so we had to get dressed and cleaned at the train station. What excitement!
Definitely keep your humor with you, because there will be times you need it. It'll make the trip that much more enjoyable with your stories to tell back home.
The only thing Rick doesn't mention in his book is to be careful of
the "water." Nine months later, our daughter was born with "made in Italy"
stamped on her bottom!
Amy <email>
Houston, TX USA 03/05/01
I purchased the book and read page for page. It was the best read ever.
I spent 6 days in Rome and did everything the book said and still had extra time. As stated in the book, things change without notice, so when I found out that the Trajan's Market was closed I wasn't disappointed. I was so prepared, the trip was great.
We used our feet and the train system mostly to get around. I did find that you need to be forceful when trying to get on the train — also when trying to cross the street. I recommend staying away from the Piramide/Ostinese station. This station was the one with the most trouble — a lot of pickpockets.
We ate dinners wherever we were at night; never had a bad meal. We stated at the Hotel Royal Court (theroyal@tin.it), about two blocks from Termini station. It was a very nice place, and the people were great and very helpful with whatever our needs were. We felt very safe there. We had a room, full bed, with a bathroom (standup shower, toilet). We ate breakfest at the hotel (included).
Thanks for making my first trip overseas GREAT.
barbara kester <email>
portsmouth, va USA 03/05/01
In fairness to the Hotel Helios in Paestum (which got a rather mixed review from Rick), in April, 2000 our 150,000-lire room included a jacuzzi tub, heated towel bar, and a fan heater. Normally one might think of these as useless luxuries, but not when one has just walked to the hotel from the bus stop in the pouring rain...
Dinner was not included in the price (although we didn't expect it to
be) but at 30,000 lire per person it was quite reasonable, given that
it was a 4-course dinner and, despite being limited to 2 choices at each
course, one of the best meals we ate in Italy. Staff was also very accommodating
and lent us umbrellas (badly needed!) to tour the site.
clare
Nova Scotia, can 02/25/01
Levanto on the Italian Riviera is a lovely village. I happened to catch
at its annual festival where people are dressed up in traditional garb
and there is a fireworks display. I rented a really nice apartment in
the centre, for more info. contact cinqueterreproperties@yahoo.it
Ruth Darnell
Los Angeles, CA USA 02/19/01
Sometime last year, Rick Steves' newsletter highlighted "Sassy Sicily." For our September 2000 trip, we spent our final 5 days in Sicily. But, instead of flying from Rome to Catania as we did in 1998, we took Rick's advice and went by ferry from Naples to Palermo.
Left Arezzo by train, arrived Naples around 10:00 am, did Rick's quick Napoli walk, bought panini, fruit and wine for our on-board supper, and boarded the ferry at 7:00 pm for the 8:00 pm departure.
We had reserved our tickets (all first-class cabins on this new ferry, The Florio) before leaving the US (look up Tirrenia on the web). As Rick wrote, we paid less than $70 each for a very comfortable cabin with a totally modern private bathroom with shower. They have a restaurant and cafeteria on board with pasta, salads, hot entrees, and prices not bad, if you prefer that to your "sack supper."
Arrived Palermo at 7:00 am. Smooth, pleasant trip; loved seeing the moon and stars en route and the distant lights as we passed the northern part of Sicily.
Do it! It's an adventure in itself. Much better than a long train or car ride, and you have a whole new day ahead when you arrive.
When we finished our 5-day stay, flew back to Rome from Catania via Lufthansa at a great rate of $90 each.
Thanks a bunch, Rick! Now, please write more about Sicily in your next
Italy guidebook, and don't forget the ferry!
Joe & Peg Rhodes <email>
Prescott, AZ USA 02/15/01
We just returned from a week in Italy.
The Hotel Navona in Rome has a wonderful location, near the Piazza Navona and Campo di Fiori. However, the attitude of the staff fluctuated between indifference and disdain. I think they would rather you stay somewhere else. Do it.
In Siena, the Piccolo Hotel Etruria was great. Clean, cheap, and central. Very friendly staff.
Visit Orvieto if you have a chance. It's magical. We stayed at the excellent
Hotel Corso.
Pete Smith <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 02/15/01
I recently was in Milan on my way to and from India. I really recommend the Star Hotel. It was clean, with a sauna/shower that was particularly appealing after cold showers in India. The staff went out of the way to help me. I wanted to get a reservation to see The Last Supper but somehow never got to it. I left a note at the desk asking for help with a reservation on the date I would be passing through again. When I arrived back from India, the reservation had been made for me.
The weather in Milan was brisk (45 F) but pleasant for walking. There were relatively few tourists at the Duomo and I got to take advantage of great sales in the department stores.
I ate at the Trattoria Milanese (in Rick's book) one night and it was excellent and friendly. At Ciao the food was cold.
At the Brera Art Gallery the audio guide was extremely helpful as everything printed was in Italian. The only surprise was at The Last Supper. I misread Rick's book and and expected to only pay 2,000L (reservation charge) instead of 12,000L (reservation plus admission). That could be clearer in the writeup.
It was a wonderful trip and I am already planning a return to the continent
with my daughter using Rick's books.
Judy Warner <email>
Victor, NY USA 02/12/01
when in rome, hook up with jasper and scot, the best english tour guides
of the city. those guys were simply the best. we saw the whole city and
they brought us to a lot of places we would NOT have found ourselves.
they were both historians and art majors, but we loved that we weren't
bombarded with dates and names but that they told us all the stories behind
the Eternal City. see romanadventures@yahoo.com
John& Elenore <email>
New York City, NY USA 02/11/01
I went to Italy last June by myself (single woman) and had an incredible time! People were extremely friendly, non-threatening and willing to help.
I stayed mostly in convents, which were awesome and very inexpensive.
One hotel I really recommend, though, if you're going to visit Umbria,
is Hotel Europa in Perugia on Viale Pompeo Pellini 19 (tel: 075-5726883).
I was in a single room (#3) with 2 twin beds and balcony. The room was
small but incredibly charming and filled with antiques. Double french
doors opened up onto a balcony with a lovely view of the city. For approx.
$35/night, it was a steal! Giacomo, the owner, is absolutely delightful,
decent and honest. The location is convenient, near parking and worth
it. If I go back to Perugia, this is where I'll be staying again!
Margaret
Boston, MA USA 02/08/01
I am a big fan of Rick Steves' travel series and have relied on its
guidance for my trips through France, Spain, London and Italy. I have
found the books to be very helpful and concise. However, one major shortcoming
was its failure to warn about hotels that are too close to the train tracks
in Cinque Terre. We stayed in Monterosso al Mare and spent two near sleepless
nights as trains rumbled by throughout the night. If you plan on booking
a hotel, make sure you ask them if you can hear the train from your room.
<email>
USA 02/04/01
In Rome, there is an excellent company Rick mentions called "Walks of
Rome," which organizes very informative short walks around the city. I
took 3 of their tours (Vatican, ancient city, and evening Renaissance),
and was very impressed at the detailed knowledge and entertaining guides,
who are mostly young students doing a semester abroad, and all were native
English speakers. The tours cost about $13 each, and were well worth the
money. Rome was our favorite city, thanks in part for the walks we did
with Walks of Rome. Their web site is www.walksofeurope.com, and their
number in Rome is 06-484-853 or 0347-795-5175. Thanks Rick for the tip!
John <email>
Miami, FL USA 02/04/01
We went to the Cinque Terre and loved it, but found Rick seems to think everyone is in great shape and can hike 12 hours straight. We recommend going to the southernmost city first, hike to the next city then take the train to the 4th, have lunch at the fort, then hike to the most northern city — the 5th. It is like hiking up the Empire State Building, so beware!
In early November the weather was cool but great for hiking, and there were few people, so we really felt like we had the hills to ourselves.
Make sure you reach your destination before dark because there are no
lights up there and the paths are very primitive.
Cheri Olson Brown <email>
Miami, Fl. USA 02/03/01
For gelati in Roma, little place on Campo de Fiori was the best; much
better than Giolottis. This was our fourth trip to Rome and we usually
have gelati twice a day; it is my sons' favorite part of the trip.
don tracy <email>
bethesda, md USA 02/01/01
For our 25th (!) anniversary last fall, my husband and I split a week between Lake Como and Venice. We tried to pick two of the most romantic places we could think of — and they were. We did a "jog" down to Florence on the way to Venice (all by train).
I've spent time in Rome — it's wonderful: chaotic, bustling, noisy. Be
sure to pack along small binoculars so you can see the ceiling of the
Sistine Chapel in detail.
Joan <email>
Chicago, IL USA 02/01/01
We went to Italy in May of 2000 and Rick's book was right on the money most of the time.
In Vernazza (HIGHLY recommended), before you commit to a room, figure out how far you are from the train tracks. The little alleys are confusing and we found ourselves right next to the tracks and it was like having mini earthquakes ALL night. The closer you go the water the further you are from the train.
Siena was beautiful but it was the first time we had our safety threatened. We stayed outside the main walls of the old city and upon walking home late we were followed by three men. When we figured it out we saw 4 people walking towards us so we turned and joined and oddly enough these men turned too. We saw a police officer and as we approached him they ran.
Rick does not say too much Montepulciano but it was our absolute favorite and well worth a day to side trip, if not an overnight stay.
Civita de Bagnoreggio was wonderful and worth the trip, but I think
fame may have gotten to the inn owner's head. He got a bit nasty at times
to the 5 of us that were staying there. And you will be served the same
dishes at his restaurant for every meal.
Jean <email>
NYC, NY USA 01/30/01
We disagree! The Hotel Corso in Orvieto was a value — not a great value,
but very nice. Also try the LA BUCA DI BACCO, just down the street — antipasti
of salumis, prosciutto, cheese and olives; gnocchi with truffle-cream
sauce; vittello con funghi portabello; and chicken cacciatore. 91,000
lire = $49 including wine (not Barello!) and service.
Karen Meyer and Paul DUggan <email>
Truckee, CA USA 01/28/01
I just returned from a 40-day trip through Europe. I visited nine countries and spent eight nights in Italy. Most of the time I stayed in hotels recommended by Rick's guidebooks, and I was consistently very satisfied.
One exception was Hotel Corso in Orvieto. This was the only place I
stayed during my entire trip where I was ripped off. Rick's guide book
promises a 10% disount at this hotel if you mention his book. When I checked
in the hotel quoted me the rate indicated in Rick's book and in fact promised
the 10% discount. They also indicated that the price includes breakfast.
The next day when I checked out I was told that the price does not include
breakfast and that I had to pay extra for this. The price of breakfast
turned out to be equal to the 10% discount. This seemed to me to be too
much of a coincidence. I think the discount is really a scam.
Bill Mullaney <email>
Hoboken, NJ USA 01/28/01
I went to Italy for the 4th time this past August. It was the first time using Rick Steves' guide & it really was invaluable. I bought Mona Winks too & was very thankful to have it! I traveled with my husband and two young daughters, ages 4 and 7. My husband is Italian and we have a villa near Sperlonga, so we are no strangers to travel in Italy.
We spent several days in Sorrento and stayed at La Minerva, based upon the guide's recommendation. The hotel was lovely and everything was as described, with one very significant exception. Although we had called to confirm that the room was air-conditioned, we found out after we arrived that the hotel only provides this service (regardless of your offer to pay extra) during very limited hours: 7:30am-9am, 1pm-4pm and 9pm-1am. After 1am in the morning, the air goes off and you spend a very restless and uncomfortable night in a hot, airless room.
We complained and were shown a very small sign in an unobservable location in the main office where this policy is posted. Even my Italian husband was surprised at this "fine print" and unaware of this practice. The hotel would not provide fans.
This is the perfect hotel in cool weather & I subsequently sent friends
there in September on their honeymoon. They raved. But please do not recommend
this hotel to Americans during the hot summer months as one offering air
conditioning. They would be better off staying at a lower-priced inn where
they are forthright about their lack of air conditioning, or at a more
expensive hotel where they can sleep through the night in peace.
Beth Graham <gramom123@aol.com>
Boston, ma USA 01/23/01
I was in Italy last week and I visited the Cinque Terre and the nearby town
of Levanto. I highly suggest to you these gems! What a surprise was Levanto,
especially the old part of it that nobody mentioned — a castle, a wonderful
church (S.Andrea), and little roads that told me about MEDIO EVO (middle
age) in Italy. I found a lot of tips in www.cinqueterreonline.com where
you could find some of the best photos on the net about 5 Terre.
Francois Le Pen <esperienzeinrete@yahoo.it>
Nice, fra 01/16/01
We stayed in Bellagio on Lake Como and found it a charming place and not as overpriced and stuffy as Rick seems to make it. We loved it! We stayed at the Hotel Belvedere which was great. The staff was very friendly, breakfast yummy with views of the lake, the room clean with a balcony. Instead of taking the train back to Milan we took the two-hour boat into Como. Amazing is the word that comes to mind.
In Milan we loved staying at the Antica Locanda dei Mercanti. The room was small, but gorgeous and we had a real shower. Bottled water was given to us at check-in, breakfast was served in our room, and the front desk attendants were very friendly. Easy walk to the Duomo.
In Venice we stayed at the Locando Sturion right on the Grand Canal.
Though our room did not face the Grand Canal we had a great view overlooking
the rooftops of Venice. Our first morning I opened the window and the
gentleman from a few buildings away was singing loudly in Italian. Beautiful!
Starr and David <scarr@iex.net>
Highlands Ranch, CO USA 01/15/01
We were disappointed in Rick's recommended Trattoria Al Cugnai in Venice.
Long wait for a table, with many people walking in and being seated ahead
of us. We were told they had reservations, but we never did see a list.
Food was OK but overpriced. They kept pushing the higher-priced items and
kept asking if we wanted full courses. We just didn't feel comfortable.
Joe and Kay DeVita <jdevita@qwest.net>
Phoenix, AZ USA 01/15/01
We just got back from an 11-night stay in Milan, Venice and Florence. Being a teacher, I am forced to travel during the peak weeks. Therefore, I haven't worked up the courage to go without hotel reservations and most of the time I am glad. We used Rick's book to plan a general itinerary and he was right on the money!
FLORENCE: As one traveler previously noted, HOTEL CASCI is a real find. They have clean, comfortable rooms with ALL the amenities at an extremely affordable price. We paid $93/night in the high season. You cannot beat the location — within walking distance of ALL the sights. They offer on-line reservations and will answer any questions by e-mail. It is modern, with firm beds, TV, and hair dryers. They serve a great breakfast and the staff, the Lombardi family, is extremely helpful. They gave us information, made phone calls to confirm theater tickets and are very friendly warm people. They even have an extensive library of guidebooks to lend, a lounge with free e-mail and internet access, coffee bar and board games. Although a 2-star hotel, it rose far above the 3-star hotels we stayed at.
I was happy to see that Rick is including info on buying tickets to the UFFIZI and ACCADEMIA online. It is well worth the small extra price to buy these in advance! At both museums we saw lines waiting 90 min. to get in.
We were enticed by the Florence Ballet and purchased tickets online. Being used to the Boston ballet, we were quite surprised: best described as "interpretive dance" to the rhythm of heavy breathing! Most of the international audience walked out after the first act.
We agree that PISA is not worth much time. Literally the only thing to see is the tower and cathedral. But I am glad I did it.
MILAN: I definitely recommend HOTEL BAVEIRA. Although not within walking distance of major sights, it is one block from a metro stop, and one metro stop from the Duomo. The rooms were a bit tacky, but clean, comfortable and affordable. The breakfast was very nice and the staff was helpful. Being a bit off the beaten path, it was easier to find affordable local restaurants and we were within walking distance of the popular Buenos Aires street.
Milan is a wonderful, clean, small city that is easy to navigate and I wish we had spent more time there. Please take the elevator to the roof of the Duomo, definitely worthwhile! Breathtaking!
Note that the MALPENSA EXPRESS TRAIN that runs directly from the airport terminal to downtown, at the Cardona Metro stop, IS FREE to people traveling on all the major airlines. Ask at their ticket counter if your airline covers it. They will ask to keep or make a copy of your boarding pass/ticket. It is the same both to/from.
VENICE: Arrange for someone from the hotel to meet you at the closest vaparetto stop if you are staying off the canal. We have traveled independently all over Europe and never get pre-arranged transfers, always relying on public transport. This was a mistake here. Our hotel was only a few blocks off the canal, but it took us nearly two hours to find. It is hard to be prepared to navigate Venice, and best to wander aimlessly and enjoy the quaint charms of the back alleys and side streets. This is not possible while carrying luggage after a long train ride, and it can be very frustrating. Vendors and locals are often not helpful or forthcoming with directions and initially it is difficult to imagine how something that looks to be a doorway or ally is actually a street. Have the hotel staff meet you and get settled, then you can go out and really enjoy all Venice has to offer.
Don't expect to find the real Italy in these cities. They are extremely
commercial and tourism is their primary industry. This means that they
are overrun with high-priced souvenirs and restaurants and little of the
true Italian culture is left. Go to see the uniqueness of Venice's architecture,
and the beauty of Florence's art, but don't expect a whole lot more. After
visiting Prague right after the Velvet Revolution, before the tourist
trade was up and running, I can only imagine what Venice and Florence
must have been like 20 years ago. I could not help feeling that much of
the charm had been drained from them, but they were still well worth the
experience.
Cathy Routhier <cathyrouthier@mediaone.net>
Rehoboth, MA USA 01/13/01
We had a great visit to Rome, Florence, and Venice the last 11 days. We went with Rick's recommendation of the HOTEL ABERDEEN in Rome and the HOTEL MARIN in Venice. We were more than pleased with both hotels as I will explain below. We also slept on a night train from Venice to Rome in a couchette. We tried to sleep on the night flight to Italy without much luck.
ROME: The staff at the Hotel Aberdeen was pleasant, helpful, and spoke English. They helped us find a bank that gave good exchange rates for our traveler's checks; made reservations for us to an opera; helped us find a nearby church for Sunday mass in English (at a very nice church — St. Susanna); and picked up Vatican tickets to a Papal event for us since we weren't in town early enough to pick them up before the event. (And we left a tip but Sabrina insisted we did not have to).
The rooms were very nice and clean, with TV, mini-bar refrigerator, and hair dryer. Breakfast was very good with many choices. The hotel is on a quiet street close to many points of interest as well as a bus stop, subway stop, and the Termini train station. We pulled our bags from the train station to the hotel with no problem.
There was a very nice inexpensive pizzeria about a block away from the hotel on the little street, Via Napoli, running parallel between Via Firenze and Quattro Fontane Oepretis. There was also a very nice little food place diagonally across the street from the hotel on Via Firenze where we bought drinks and ice cream. If we make it to Rome again again, we will definitely stay at the Hotel Aberdeen.
VENICE: The Hotel Marin was also very nice and clean, with hair dryer in the bathroom, and a satisfying breakfast. Best of all, the hotel was close to the train station. We recommend this hotel to everyone.
TRAINS: One unexpected problem we faced was figuring out how find the right track for the train we wanted to catch and which train car we were reserved for. It took some time to find an English speaker who could explain how to read our reservation cards. We also finally found someone who showed us how to use the departure board to figure out at what track (binario, abbreviated as BIN) and whether or not it was on time.
We used the kilometric pass but had to pay extra for the trains we needed. We could not make reservations from the USA on the trains we wanted. When we arrived in Italy, first class was the only room they had on one train. First class seats are much bigger than second class and they electrically reclined. You received a beverage at your seat. Train travel was an experience not to be missed.
PICKPOCKETS: We traveled as a group of nine. Four of us had hands in our pockets. We managed to catch it as it was happening and avoided getting anything taken. Three of us had the experience on a crowded subway or bus. Since we three had money belts as Rick suggests, nothing much but a small amount of Lire was vulnerable. When caught, they drop what they were after. The fourth instance was two gypsies on a streetcorner who managed to get the wallet of one of us who did not have a money belt. He noticed it missing immediately and saw it in her hands. She claimed she found it on the ground and he took it back from her.
CHURCHES: In Rome I recommend visiting St. Susanna (many gorgeous frescoes and pleasant nuns) and St. Mary of the Victory (stunning statue by Bernini of Ecstacy of St. Teresa) which are across the street from each other close to the Hotel Aberdeen. We also recommend visiting the major basilicas: St. Peter's, St. Mary Major, St. Paul's Outside the Walls, and St. John Lateran. We were able to walk through the Holy doors of each one. The churches are large and very beautiful.
Rick's Rome 2000 book was indispensable for Rome. Our trip to Italy
was well worth it!
Mike <maljdougherty@netzero.net>
Cuyahoga Falls, OH USA 01/08/01
I stayed at some great hotels on my 2-week visit to Italy in Oct. 2000. Recommended: Hotel Casci in Florence (www.hotelcasci.com) is a 2-star but let me assure you it is perfect — just a 2-min. walk to the Duomo and San Lorenzo market (great outdoor market). Hotel is extremely affordable and very nice — friendly Lombardi family runs the show.
If you are fortunate enough to travel to the Amalfi coast, I stayed at Hotel Aurora in Amalfi (www.amalfinet.it/hotelaurora), a lovely hotel with beautiful rooms and view of the waterfront. Once again affordable for the location and rooms. I really loved Amalfi.
In Venice I stayed in Hotel Tintoretto (www.hoteltintoretto.com), which is a 3-star hotel kinda off the beaten path but still close to a vaporetto stop on the Grand Canal. No elevator, however, decent rooms and the rates for Venice weren't bad.
In Milan, Hotel London in Rick's book proved to be a decent, relatively
inexpensive, well-located 2-star. We had a very short stay in Milan but
I was able to see the Duomo, shop at the Galleria and explore the shopping
area in the old section of the city.
ckeathley <ckeathley@earthlink.com>
st. louis, mo USA 01/05/01
We spent the Christmas/New Year's holidays in Italy. Comments:
TRANSPORTATION: We rented a 7-passenger van in Rome, which worked out great (6 adults plus luggage). We parked the car and used public transportation or walked in Venice and Rome, but it came in very handy in Tuscany, and of course for traveling between areas.
The autostrada is excellent, and you can tool along at 140 or 150 KM per hour very safely. One danger however is the cars going MUCH slower in the righthand lane — very scary when you come upon them quickly.
Driving in Tuscany is very slow, since the roads are extremely hilly and hairpin curves constantly slow you down. But the countryside is awesome, with astounding views. So just allow plenty of time and enjoy the ride. And don't even think about driving the backroads of Tuscany if you have been drinking.
Driving in Rome is certainly not for the faint of heart, but the trickiest part of it is not the drivers but rather trying to figure out where the heck you are and how to get to where you're going. Just trying to drop our luggage off at the hotel (near the Pantheon) and then park the car at the Villa Borghese took a good three hours, mostly because we couldn't find the hotel. My advice would be to try to find a large boulevard-type road and use it to get near your destination, then ask for help.
VENICE: The Antica Locanda Al Gambero is nicely situated between the Ponte di Rialto and Piazza San Marco. It was great, and was only about $115 per double with bath. We had a nice meal at the "Bistro" that the hotel runs on the first floor of the same building.
Venice is wonderful. We took Rick's advice and just wandered through the tiny streets like rats in a maze and had a blast. The vaporetto boats are reasonable and are a great way to see the palaces along the Grand Canal. Make sure the vaporetto you get on goes along the Grand Canal — we got on one by mistake that didn't.
TUSCANY: We stayed in a 3-bedroom, 2-bath apartment on the Il Caggio estate (booked through Cuendet on the Internet), about 10 miles north of Siena. This worked out great. The apartment was recently renovated, so we had all the modern conveniences in a circa-1400 building. The downside of this (villa/apt.) approach was that we had to pay for an entire week even though we were only there for 3 nights (these places mostly don't rent for less than a week, even in the off-season, and those that do are REALLY expensive on a daily basis). The 3-bedroom apt. cost us $850 + $210 cleaning + $75 heat, or a total of $1135.
We took day trips to Florence and Siena, and went to San Gimignano and Castellina-in-Chianti at night. All were interesting and worthwhile. I definitely recommend the Gallopapa Restaurant in Castellina-in-Chianti: great atmosphere, food, and wine, and the waiters were charming and fun (ask for Fabio).
By the way, we (six reasonably intelligent adults) spent about 30 minutes trying in vain to find the "Osteria Sapori" restaurant that Rick recommends in Florence. If anyone can find it, I recommend a career with the FBI.
ROME: Hotel Navona has an incredible location between the Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, and we would highly recommend it. The English-speaking staff was very helpful and knowledgeable. They recommended two restaurants ("Tre Amici" and "Pizzeria Monte Carlo"), both of which were excellent. We found that going to dinner early (arriving by 8:00) worked best for avoiding the crowds.
A word of warning when timing your sightseeing: do not trust the hours of availability listed in Rick's book! This is not a knock on Rick — the fact is that these places seem to change their hours on a whim. For example, we waited in line for 45 minutes at St Peter's only to find out that they would not sell us tickets to ascend the dome, even though it was more than an hour before the listed closing time, because they "had a lot of people today, and the lift is very busy." So, get there early in the day to avoid this problem.
Also, we arrived too late to get into the Colosseum on New Year's Eve afternoon, but were told by some dude outside dressed up like a Roman soldier that "it will be open again tomorrow at 9:00." Who better to trust in Rome than a Roman soldier? Well, we returned the next day only to find out that both the Colosseum and the Roman Forum were closed the entire New Year's Day.
GENERAL: We found Rick's book to be really helpful. Three top reasons
to use Rick's book: 1) It's light — when you're lugging stuff around all
day, you really appreciate a small, light, book; 2) Hotel recommendations;
3) the cut-to-the-chase, no-nonsense sightseeing information. One suggestion:
list three or four internet sites for booking a villa.
Jay <james.keeley@unisys.com>
Erdenheim, PA USA 01/03/01
My husband and I just returned from Rome after a one-week stay. Wonderful
city, great food, best pizza restaurant EST EST EST. We lodged at Hotel
Pensione Italia — very clean, comfortable with a great buffet breakfast;
our host Andrea was extremely helpful as well. The only word of caution
with this hotel: there's a bar next door that has a disco on the weekends,
so Fridays and Saturdays don't plan on falling asleep much before 3:00 A.M.
Vera and Yves Hebert
Toronto, on canada 01/02/01
Bologna definitely merits an entry in any guidebook to Italy — Europe's
oldest university, numerous churches, some of the best food produced in
Emilia Romagna (Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese, culatello, prosciutto, real
balsamic vinegar), what some people consider to be the gastronomic capital
of Italy, an ancient and compact town centre just excellent for walking,
a vibrant lifestyle with 80,000 students from the university, etc. To miss
Bologna is to miss what some consider to be the 2nd best-looking city in
Italy (after Venice) and some of its best food.
John <jman@home.org>
London, UK 01/01/01