More Feedback on Rick Steves' Italy 2002
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.)
Hotel Montemare, Positano
Hotel Montemare is not in Rick's book. Its phone number is 089-875010-84017
Via Pasitea 119
Elisa Hensley <email>
Marietta, GA USA 07/31/02
Siena and Positano
My husband and I just returned from a wonderful trip to Italy. We loved
Siena and the Hotel Duomo was perfect. We had a great view of the city and
countryside. The best restaurant was in Siena; Da Divo was absolutely wonderful!!!!
Great food and a beautiful atmosphere.
We found Sorrento a disappointment and the staff at Hotel Minerva to
be rude. Our room was so awful that we spent only one night. We then headed
over to Positano which was wonderful and stayed at Hotel Montemare. The
staff was friendly, hotel has an awesome terrace. We would buy a bottle
of wine (get glasses from the hotel) and some cheese and sit for hours
in the evening as the sun went down. Our room was also large and had a
balcony w/a great view. Renting the umbrellas and chairs at the beach
is a must. A great restaurant in Positano is Cafe Max. Great food, but
pricey.
Elisa Hensley <email>
Marietta, GA USA 07/31/02
Hotels in Cingue Terre and Santa Margherita
After visiting Cinque Terre three times this year, I recommend Hotel Cinque
Terre in Monterosso. It was previously in a Rick Steve's guidebook; however,
did not reappear in the 2002 guidebook. We found the staff to be extremely
helpful and friendly. I left an item in a restaurant we had eaten in our
last night there, and they were gracious enough to retrieve the item from
the restaurant and ship it to me. They had beach towels for the beach, and
when I mentioned it was a bit warm in the room a fan was brought up immediately.
Breakfast was included with the room and was more then the typical continental
breakfast. It was nice to discover there still are hard working people who
try to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
Places I DO NOT recommend. Mike and Franca Castigilone's place in Vernazza. On arrival there were still guests booked in our room so we could not have it the first night of OUR reservation that had been confirmed several times. They tried charging 75 euros for the room (much higher then the price listed in the book). The bed was lumpy and the room was tiny therefore lacking any room to move about. It appeared as though a thorough cleaning had not been done for about 20 years, and they refused to clean the rooms during our stay.
Nuova Riviera in Santa Margherita. We arrived and we were told we had
a beautiful room, but it was not ready yet so we were offered breakfast
while we waited. During breakfast, the guests changed their minds and
decided to stay longer, so we were given a less desirable room. The shower
did not drain and the signs in the bathroom stipulated rules during your
stay. Number 1, do not use the towel to wash your face if you wear make-up.
Instead use the scratchy tissue. Number 2, do not rinse out items in the
sink. Upon checking out we were charged 12 euros for our coffee and hard
rolls.
Linda <email>
Paris, France 07/30/02
Cinque Terre: Bar Centrale
Cinque Terre was my favorite place in Italy. I loved all of Rick's reccos
except Bar Centrale. Ivo and fellow workers were terribly rude. We even
told him we're from SF (he used to live there) and he was very unfriendly.
He even kicked my friend out of the bar when he tried to pay them for Internet
use!
Michele Steele <email>
San Francisco, CA USA 07/29/02
Italy — General
The Italy guide book was right on. We went to Lake Como, Riviera and Florence.
At Lake Como, stayed at Hotel Olivedo. Rick's comments were right on (lumpy
mattresses and great food). Tony's in Bellagio appeared to be closed (and
possibly for some time). I would ask Rick on his next visit to the Riviera
to try Villa Gnnochi just outside of Santa Margherita. This is a great B&B
and was very reasonable ($88 per night). Also would mention that Rapallo
should get some publicity. Nice larger city that had some nice places to
eat. Florence was just as Rick described. For the nice end of the trip stay
at a nicer hotel try the Hotel Gallery Art. Check their website for specials.
This was a very nice place to relax and finish up our trip. Will never use
any other guide book from this point forward.
Phil Jones <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 07/29/02
Hotel near Malpensa Airport, Milan Italy
If you need to spend the night near the Malpensa airport after leaving Milan,
do not hesitate to stay at the Hotel Cervo. It is located less than 2 miles
from the airport in a quaint little village. The hotel was about the cleanest
of all that we had stayed in on our trip and the staff was completely helpful,
professional and friendly. When you arrive at the airport, just call them
and they will send a large van to pick you up and take you to the hotel.
You can make arrangements to be taken to the airport in the morning (there
are time restrictions on all of this, but not many ). We reserved our room
with them over the internet and had no problems when we arrived. They were
waiting to get our call, as a matter of fact. Highly recommend them for
a restful last night before a long flight (or a restful introduction upon
arrival to Italy!)
Margaret Payne <email>
Morris, MN USA 07/28/02
the "Last Supper" in Milan
If you are traveling to Milan and wish to see da Vinci's "Last Supper",
I do not recommend that you deal with SelectItaly which you can find on
the internet. They sell tickets to the "Last Supper" and set up a reservation
for you at the church in Milan. This is all well and good, and maybe for
some a perfect way to go, but please be aware of this: they charge 3 times
the cost of the regular ticket for their service. I can understand being
charged double (for providing a convenient service), but triple?
It looked to me like the day we were there that a person (or several)
could just wait and tag along with any group that showed up (presuming
the maximum number allowed in hadn't been reached). Consequently, it cost
four of us $76 to see the fresco, when buying tickets there would have
cost 26.00E.
Margaret Payne <email>
Morris, MN USA 07/28/02
Hotels in Italy
We just returned from 12 days in northern Italy. In MILAN, we stayed at
the lovely Hotel Gritti. Easy to find, clean rooms, great price, and genial
staff. In TRENTO, the Accademia is a perfect place to explore this town
with a glorious central piazza and near the breathtaking Riva del Garda
and Castel Toblino. In VENICE, we stayed at the Hotel al Piave. Another
great location, great price, very clean and spacious room.
Right next door is a restaurant that you will want to return to again
and again. Sorry, I can't remember the name, but believe me you won't
be able to miss it. (They do charge 1.50E pp cover charge — but the food
is worth this extra.) Each of these hotels served a very large breakfast — way more than bread and coffee! We did all our hotel reservations on
the internet and didn't have any problems with any hotel. We did reconfirm
about two weeks before leaving.
Margaret Payne <email>
Morris, MN USA 07/28/02
Tuscany
Just returned from a trip in Tuscany and stumbled upon the most amazing
accomodation. Located in between Florence and Siena is Bassetto. It's a
14th century monastry converted into a hotel and hostel with a swimming
pool and events going on every night to remind you are right in the heart
of the Tuscan countryside. They also have a little van they use to do tours
of vinyards and other Tuscan delights.... www.bassettobackpack.com don't
be put of by the name it's not only for backpackers
Mark Pescott
Jersey, USA 07/28/02
Cortona nd Toscana
Ciao Readers, I have spent most of the last nine months in Toscana and Cortona
and will offer info to those planning to travel or visit this area. Rick's
2002 guide finally offers a short profile of Cortona
P@ <email>
Cortona, Arezzo IT 07/27/02
Rome, mishaps and a treasure trove
My husband and I recently returned from Italy and had a GREAT time. What
an amazing country! Two bummers we'd like to share so others will avoid
the same mistakes:
In Rome we thought we had booked a room with the Hotel Navona. Turns out that when we booked it through the internet, some weird thing happened and instead we were booked into a rundown, unfriendly, no charm, bed and breakfast that was in the Navona building. When we mentioned this to the Hotel Navona, one floor down in the building they said this had happened to three other people recently. Not Hotel Navona's fault and they tried to help us out by finding us a room in the hotel. Beware, if you are trying to book a room in Hotel Navona, make sure it is the real Hotel Navona and not an unrelated B&B in the Navona building.
Secondly, be sure you get an experienced tour guide from the tour group Walks of Rome. We had a tour guide for the Vatican City who was literaly clueless. She kept saying she couldn't remember the name of many of the artists or the date or, you name it, she knew very little about the art as a tour guide. We were very disappointed with the tour and would have gotten more information just by reading some guidebooks. Also the tour price quoted in Rick's 2002 Italy guide book is wrong. I can't remember the amount we paid, it was less than quoted in the book, but it did not include admission to the Vatican Museum.
Lastly, The Borghese Gallery is not to be missed. It is spectacular!!!!
Incredible art. Be sure to rent the audiogude, it is filled with fascinating
information.
Arden Clise <email>
Seattle, WA USA 07/26/02
Museums in Milan Poldi Pozzoli
Just visited the Poldi Pozzoli Museum in Milan. Most underrrated museum
I ever heard of. Rick, you don't give it just desserts. Has plenty of great
stuff including Botticelli, Georgione, Bellinis, Perugino, and many many
more.
Alan <email>
Manalapan, NJ USA 07/26/02
bed and breakfast
my boyfriend and i made it to civita da bagnoregio in time for the donkey
race this june. later we found a room at a beautiful bed and breakfast in
bagnoregio called pucci romantico or romantico pucci. it is on the walk
to civita from b. and it was very nice. the owner was a very sweet italian
lady that also speaks english and she did everything possible to make sure
we were very happy. i think at the time it was only 65 euros for the night.
heather boylen <email>
atlanta, ga USA 07/25/02
Stresa — great for last night in Italy
A direct shuttle bus service (50 minutes and 7.95 Euros per person) from
Stresa hotels direct to Milan's Malpensa Airport terminal makes Stresa the
hands down best place to spend the last night before flying home from northern
Italy. Your hotel can arrange it (first run is at 0630) An excellent lake
location, good train service to the Matterhorn, great shopping for last
minute gifts, several good restraunts and resonably priced hotels add to
the attraction. The 3star Hotel Moderno was friendly and efficient and offered
us a great double room with a balcony and breakfast for 85 Euro per night
based on a 2-night stay.
Jerry Vaughn <email>
Warner Robins, GA USA 07/21/02
Leaning Tower
A quick visit to the Leaning Tower IS possible if you just have one suitcase.
Just hop on the bus across the street from the station and go directly to
the Field of Miracles and the Tower. The bus stops right there — hop off,
visit the Tower and church — and catch the bus right back to the station.
It wasn't expensive — and not a big hassle either.
Ann McCann <email>
Fairbanks,, AK USA 07/21/02
Cinque Terre Italy
Villa Margherita by the sea is now open. New e-mail address is :info@villamargherita.net
www.villamargherita.net
Susan Sheridan
London, Uk 07/21/02
Visiting the leaning Tower of Pisa
I assume because of security, it is no longer possible to store luggage
at the Pisa Railway Station, like the guide says. So if you are thinking
of a quick whistle stop trip to the Leaning Tower forget it! Luggage can
only be stored at the airport and it's a costly, time consuming process.
Peter Spring <email>
Warrandyte, Vic Australia 07/21/02
ANTICA LOCANDA DEI MERCANTI- WHAT A RIPOFF
When we checked in, we were told that breakfast was included. When we checked
out, we were charged E9 PER PERSON PER DAY!!! The owner, Paola Ora, just
laughed and said, "People sometimes get confused with that." She refused
to take it off the bill. Now I know why they don't take credit cards: too
many people were having the charged adjusted. Look below for someone else
who was overcharged. BE WARNED! DON'T STAY HERE!
mattylip <email>
Philadelphia, PA USA 07/19/02
Italy 2002
I took my 2 teenage daughters to Italy June 2002 using all of recommendations
from Rick Steve's Italy book.
Here are my critques: -Vernazza's Franco Maria's room overlooking the square was wonderful. -Siena was a disappointment. It seemed dark and dreary compared to the rest of Italy. Although, we stayed at Alma Dolmus it was nice and well located. -Rome's Hotel Adler was really nice. The service was great, the room clean and air conditioned. Their cappacino wasn't the best. -Venice, I highly recommend Hotel Paganelli. The room was nicely decorated, clean, AC and a great location. I'd return in a minute. -Milan's Hotel Gritti was great. I regret that we didn't spend more time in Milan. The shopping looked great. I underestimated how much I would like to see this city.
We did rent a car to drive to the Cinque Terre and Tuscany then drop in Rome. More warnings about driving in Italy would be helpful. The autostrada was well marked. The secondary roads are marked only by signs to towns. It really requires a very detailed map and a good map reading co-pilot.
We did find it a little humorous how many people we saw walking around
with Rick's book. It instantly bonded us!
Karen <email>
Indianapolis, in USA 07/18/02
Train travel
This book is worth every penny — no traveler should leave home without it.
We spent 3 days in Rome before beginning our guided coach tour and everything
we did and saw was exactly as advertised in the book.
The only exception was the train travel. It *is* extremely confusing and although the basics of fares, tickets, etc are covered in the book, there was only passing mention to supplements and reservations. We (2 adults, 4 children) took the EuroStar train from Rome to Naples with a 1st class 4-day Italy rail pass, thinking we simply get on the train and find a seat. Wrong! We got on, but we needed reservations on the ES trains to get a seat and avoid a hefty penalty fare paid to the conductor once on the train. Having a rail pass on the non-ES trains isn't a problem since you don't need reservations, but the ES trains require them for first class. You can get reservations at the station the day before (or sometimes the day of) your trip.
With our lesson learned, we made reservations for Pisa and Florence the next day. It was a magnificent journey and an unforgettable experience.
The ES train reservations should be clarified in future editions of the book. If you're traveling alone, it's easy to usually push your way to the front and get a seat in 2nd class, but if you're traveling with 4 kids, 1st class reservations are the way to go.
Except for that, the book was fantastic. We also had Rick's London and
Great Britain books (we stayed in London an extra three days after the
tour) and Rick just became one of the family. "Did you bring Rick?" and
"What does Rick say?" were two commonly heard questions on our trip. From
now on Rick's going to travel with us on all of our European vacations!
Roger Jaffe <email>
San Diego, CA USA 07/18/02
Re : Cinque Terre Villa Margherita closed
Concerning the message of 06/06/2002 , Villa Margherita is not bankrupt
is just temporarely closed due a change of the asset of the property. Villa
Margherita by the sea will reopen before the end of the month of July 2002
Thank you The owner Federico Campodonico
Federico Campodonico <email>
Levanto, Sp Italy 07/11/02
Sorrento and Rome
Back from what is becoming our annual trip to Italy. We loved Sorrento so
much that we repeated it again this year. For the second time we stayed
at il Nido hotel and continued our romance with the Persico family. Gianni
and Dino couldn't have been more wonderful. There is nothing to say but
raves for their hospitality. Momma cooks dinner and it is wonderful and
reasonable. Found other visitors from hotels all over the area just coming
in for dinner on the terrace that overlooks the Bay of Naples for miles.
Didn't find it a problem getting to Sorrento with their hourly jittney service
where we eiter hopped a train, bus or boat for sight seeing.
Stayed at Hotel Italia in Rome. Great location, friendly English speaking
staff. The only problem was not with the hotel but with the city that
doesn't keep their streets too clean. The staff and the accomidations
more then make up for it. Be sure to ask for an airconditioned room. We
stayed accross the street at the annex and in the main building. I prefer
the main building.
Sandy <email>
Boynton Beach, fl USA 07/10/02
Santa Margherita
We had a very enjoyable stay in Santa Margherita. We stayed in the Nuovo
Hotel Garden. The room was large and very comfortable. The town was lovely
and was close enough to visit the Cinque Terre.
C. Leopold <email>
Baton Rouge, LA USA 07/08/02
Italian Lakes
Try Lake Orta. Small and very atmospheric. A budget priced hotel is Hotel
Garni Contrada dei Monti right in the centre of town. It's quite new and
quietly and conveniently situated. Rooms are lovely and a double is 80 euros
single 70 euros, en suite. Beware however that breakfast is not worth the
price so book a room only.The hotel staff are not friendly and you will
receive no kind of a welcome at all. This is a great shame as the owners
have spent a lot of time and money converting the building and all is tasteful
and convenient. Sound proofing between rooms is inadequate, but as there
are currently few guests than this shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Wendy Ashworth <email>
Nr London, UK 07/04/02
Feedback
We just returned from 18 days in Italy and, overall, Rick Steve's book was
great! The directions were not always clear and the hotel recommendations
were not always great, but the sights and suggestions were invaluable!
HOTEL IDEALE in Assisi was a DISASTER!!! Although, they have a beautiful courtyard with a wonderful view, the people running the place were rude and unclean. The man that owns the place was dressed in an undershirt and watching a soccer game when we arrived and acted as though we weren't worth the bother of getting up out of his chair. He was extremely rude to our 17-year-old daughter because he thought she used more of his sugar (3 packets) than he preferred in her coffee!! Then he handled food with his bare hands and wiped silverware on his palms — once after just picking up a pile of grass outside!)without ever washing them.
The room was filthy — they must not remember that dust and dirt will accumulate under the beds because there was enough dirt, dust, and paper that it must have been at least a year since they looked under there! The toilet is in the shower and the shower floor is the bathroom floor, so you had to dry everything down before you could use the bathroom for any other reason at all!!!
The hotel is located just a half-block away from a bar...the Italians may not like drunk and noisy Americans, but they do a fine job of being drunk and noisy themselves and will go on until 4:00 am...and street noise is continuous. With no air conditioning, the windows must remain open (at least in June) in order to survive the heat, so noise and mosquitoes will make you miserable (the guy in the room next to us had a snoring problem that we had to share because of the open windows). I don't know who gave them 2 stars, but THIS PLACE IS A DUMP AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!
The HOTEL MINERVA in Sorrento had a beautiful view with horrible overpriced food and dirty rooms! There was a black footprint in the bathtub the whole time we were there, the bathroom light didn't work, the hairdryer didn't work, and the shower leaked all over the bathroom floor. Definitely not a first-choice hotel on our next trip!
We stayed at two different places in Florence. The first was SOGGIORNO PEZZATI ALESSANDRA on Via Borgo San Frediano. This was not a place Rick Steves included in his book but the owner is the sister of another he does recommend. This was a nice, extremely clean place with easy access to everything. The owner was most accommodating and helpful!! There also is a restaurant on the corner called DANTE'S that has absolutely the best food we had in all of Italy!!!
The second place in Florence was the HOTEL UNGHERESE which was convenient to the airport (we were flying out the next day) and away from the center of town (making it less expensive) but a quick bus ride to the Duomo. It was more "neighborhood-like" which made it interesting. It was nice...very clean and the breakfast really good. The people there were also extremely friendly and helpful! This one was worth the money.
In Venice we stayed at the HOTEL GALLERIA. This place was okay but very cramped (we got a flat for 5 people so we also didn't have any air conditioning — temperatures were in the 90's!). For short stay, this was not a bad place.
HOTEL SPRING HOUSE in Rome was nice. It was convenient, clean, and air conditioned and the breakfast was good. Pretty good place.
The HOTEL DUOMO in Orvieto was wonderful! The bathroom smelled funky for some reason, but the place has been recently renovated and was very nice! The owners are also very friendly and helpful here. They speak very little English but they were quite accommodating! This is definitely a good choice!!!
HOTEL STAR in Milan was a pretty good place to stay. The people there were also friendly and helpful and the place was quite clean.
Definitely follow Ricks' advice and get tickets in advance for the Uffizi and the Accademia in Florence...it was hugely helpful. Also, it is a good idea to carry a wrap or shirt because some places are stricter than others about letting you in with a sleeveless shirt! We had to leave the Basilica in Venice to buy a t-shirt for our daughter so she could get in. We saw several people turned away at other places as well. We were told that it depends on who is at the door the day you go. Also, remember that Italians use their own clock when it comes to their closing hours. We went to a couple of places that decided to close a half an hour early or so early without warning. When riding trains, it saves money to take the Inter-City (IC)trains but they are crowded and not very clean...also air conditioning is unreliable. It's definitely worth taking the Euro Express if you can!
In general, based on our experiences on this trip and others in the past,
if you're going to stay for more than a week, 3-star or better hotels
are more comfortable. Also, bathrooms tend to be TINY (we stayed in 4
places where if you dropped something in the shower, you couldn't bend
over to pick it up! Overall, we had a wonderful trip but there was an
unexpected heat wave in June this year in Italy, with temps in the mid-90's.
Be prepared for this possibility because ice and air conditioning are
pretty scarce. If it's possible to make the trip in May or October/November,
it would probably be a little more enjoyable...water is not cheap and
it takes a lot of it during a hot day to be comfortable.
Anne D'Agostino <email>
Chapel Hill, NC USA 07/04/02
ITALY WITH CHILDREN
Just returned from 14 day vacation with our children, ages 4 and 6. Used
Rick Steve's book for almost all accomodations in Rome, Florence, Venice,
Lake Como (Varenna) and Milan. My compliments to Rick for accuracy in descriptions.
All went smoothly.
We travelled between cities by train using Kilometric tickets. All that travel for 4 only cost total of $240 for non-smoking, first class, air conditioned travel. Taxis cheap enough in Italy. We got used to wearing money belt. We only took money from ATMs because we know there is only minor charge by bank.
Florence most charming, and excellent shopping, as was Milan. Recommend tour of island of Murano when in Venice. Surprisingly, we almost never waited for anything — museums, restaurants, taxis, metro, trains. Only 5 minute wait to get into the museum to see David in Florence. There seemed to be police everywhere in cities, so we always felt safe. Kids had a great time chasing pigeons at the Duomo in Milan, taking the vaporettos in Venice, and eating gelato every night. View from Villa Cipressi in Varenna, and dinner there were highlights, but BE SURE their air conditioning is working WELL. I bought superb ties for only $9 which would cost $55 in the U.S. Don't expect elegance from the hotels in Rick's book, but only modest accomodations. It is nice when breakfast is included, but same breakfast offered at every hotel (croissant, yogurt, coffee and orange juice,cheese). We ran into a group tour of Rick Steve's at the Hotel Accademia in Florence, and all 5 persons I spoke with from the tour said they were having a fabulous time.
In conclusion, one day we will certainly return to Italy, but next looking
at Switzerland and Austria, and we already went to Borders to look at
Rick Steve's guide for those countries. Keep it up, Rick!
Peter Quinter <email>
Boca Raton, FL USA 06/29/02
Italian Hotels
My husband and I just returned from 18 days in Italy. We consulted the Rick
Steves' Italy guidebook and saw many travellers using Rick Steves' guidebooks
everywhere. Just a comment on some hotel recommendations in the book.
Hotel Astoria, Venice — This hotel should be recommended only if some warnings are included. The rooms are spartan, the showers are icy, the breakfast is perfunctory; however, the location is good as it is steps from the Piazza San Marco.
Hotel La Scaletta, Florence — Might be worth mentioning the bizarre route one must take to get to one's room — drag your bag in the tiny lift to the reception desk and then down two flights of stairs to the room.
Hotel Palazzo di Valli, Sienna — A lovely 250 year old house with charming rooms and postcard views of the Tuscan countryside.
Hotel Santa Maria, Rome — An oasis of calm and quiet in the bustling Trasteverre area, especially the courtyard where breakfast is beautifully and meticulously served among the orange trees.
Hotel Punta Mesco, Monterosso (Cinque Terre area) — This charming, newly renovated hotel is not in the guidebook but we highly recommend it. The rooms are small but neat and new, with a small adjoining patio. The breakfast is generous and the breakfast room is lovely. Service is very nice provided by Roberto and Diego. Prices are reasonable.
Thanks for everything, Rick. Keep travelling. Anytime you need a roving
correspondent, just let me know.
Victoria Smith <email>
West Vancouver, BC Canada 06/28/02
Rome, Tuscany & Venice
Rome, Tuscany, Venice This was our third Italian trip and we enjoyed it
as much as the first two. The following are comments related to sites listed
in the Rick Steve's Italy 2002 guidebook. This was our 8th European trip
and while we love the Rick Steves (RS) travel philosophy and his hotel/restaurant
accommodations, (they always put you right in the area of the city or countryside
that you want to be) we have grown weary of staying in hotels and eating
in restaurants where it seems all other guests are American's carrying the
RS guidebooks.
This year we rented apartments in Rome and Venice and stayed at an agriturismo near San Gimignano. I will comment on these accommodations on the Alternate Accommodation graffiti board, but will say here that we were very pleased as to how this worked out for us.
ROME We went on the Scala Reale tours of Ancient Rome and the Art of the Vatican. Both sites were a repeat for us and the Ancient Rome tour added much more depth than we had in our previous visit, where we had just used guidebooks to identify what we were visiting. The Ancient Rome tour was excellent and I would highly recommend it. We had Liz as a guide and she made the history of the area come alive. When we paid for our admission to the Colosseum we bought the special combination ticket mentioned in the RS guidebook. This ticket allowed us admission to the Palatine Hill which is also on the tour and to several other sites that we visited while in Rome. The Scala Reale tour guides make no mention of this combo ticket, so you'll need to remember to get it yourself.
The Art of the Vatican tour was very well done, but we had previously spent a day at the Vatican several years ago and rented CD players that gave fabulous info on the Vatican Museum rooms. For the price of these tours (50 E a person per tour) I would recommend the Ancient Rome tour, but use the CD guides at the Vatican. The CD players also let you focus on your interests in the Museum, not the preset tour interests. Scala Reale asks for your arrival and departure dates and then gives you suggested dates for the tours. We were offered a "free" (I use that term lightly since we also had to pay a $20 registration fee to Scala Reale) Get Acquainted walk for the day that we were to arrive in Rome. I replied via e-mail that the timing seemed a little tight and wondered whether we would be able to make it on time. The guy that responded said that he didn't see any problem and didn't seem to want to change it, even tho we were in Rome for six days. Sure enough, both of our flights to Rome were delayed resulting in us missing this walk, I would insist on scheduling this on a day other than your arrival, if possible.
Borghese Gallery — I would also recommend this visit, the sculpture is spectacular. We booked tickets in advance on-line before we left home — no problems picking up our tickets. We took a taxi to the park and it can drop you off a short walk from the Gallery. When you make reservations they ask that you pick up your tickets one hour before admission. The Borghese park was a nice walk during this time, and if you want to use a pit toilet (they seem to be vanishing from Europe! It was the only one that I saw this trip, even in the countryside of Tuscany.) there is one in the park that is brand new and even has an electronic eye flush. Seems kinda weird that they would employ new technology with an ancient system. This was also the only commode that I had to pay to use during our 2 week stay, another change in the new Europe!
National Museum of Rome — This was covered in our special combo Colosseum ticket, so it was well worth a look. We watched the old PBS series "I Claudius" again before our trip to get in the mood and it was exciting to see the frescoes from the walls of Livia's house on the upper floor. The sculpture was also great.
Cappuccin Crypt — Went a second time because my husband wanted to, once was enough for me. But go once if you've never been to a crypt with fully dressed skeletons hanging around. It is very easy to get to from Barberini metro stop.
Ostia Antica — Had an interesting experience here — allowed a day to go out to this ancient seaport, it's easy to get to, but once we were there we found out that the site was "On Strike" and closed. (This was also occurring at the Forum while we were in Rome and many people were disappointed.) That wasn't the worst of it, we were waiting at the OA train station for a train back to Rome when some local teenagers on the other side of the rail track starting throwing rocks and pebbles at us. Couldn't figure out why, but obviously Ostia Antica was not at all receptive to visitors that day, and in fact the populace was stoning them!
Because of the above experience we got back to the Pyramid train stop in Rome early, walked around and saw the Pyramid, and walked to the Baths of Caracalla which was also on our combo admission ticket purchased at the Coloseum. Interesting, and we had a lovely couple of hours of peaceful quiet away from the Roman traffic, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it if you aren't nearby. From here it is an easy walk to the Circus Maximus and that is a good point to view the Palatine Hill structure from below.
Also had a very good time doing the "Night Walk Across Rome — Travestere to the Spanish Steps. After a great dinner in Travestere, we only made it to Trevi Fountain by 1:00 AM and we were beat. The problem here was most buses had stopped running and taxi's weren't to be found. We had a looong walk back to our apartment near Santa Maria Maggiore.
Umbria, Tuscany and surrounding area- Overall, let me say this was the highlight of my trip. Next trip to Italy I intend to rent in Tuscany or Umbria and just relax/enjoy. My 25 year old daughter much preferred the bright lights/big city of Rome and the uniqueness of Venice.
Orvieto Went here mainly to spend the night near Civita di Bagnoregio, however, it is worth a look in it's own right — great Duomo and we were able to see the beautiful Chapel of Brizio for free in the morning, before they start charging admission. Lots of ceramic shopping opportunities. Stayed at Hotel Duomo listed in RS book. It was very nice and worked well for our group of 3, (parents and daughter) since the "suite" includes a pullout sofabed plus a Queensize bed. We didn't make reservations and were able to get a room at about 3 in the afternoon in early May.
Civita di Bagnoregio This was one of the highlights of our trip. It was a truly magical experience and a beautiful spot. Highly recommend it if you can get there — might be hard without a car — follow RS suggestion and go to Lubriano first for a really breathtaking view of the valley and Civita — only takes a few extra minutes and is well worth it. It would be really cool to stay here, but when we were there Antico Forno was closed. There is now a souvenir shop in Civita which has really good prices on items that we saw for sale elsewhere in the region, and we observed how the locals no longer use donkeys, but motor scooters and small trucks to go up the "pedestrian" bridge — although we had to hoof it like donkeys — but it wasn't a difficult walk, even for middle agers not in triathlon shape. After touring Civita we had a great lunch at Hostaria del Ponte. We ate on the terrace with a million dollar view of Civita and really enjoyed it.
San Gimignano Our agritorismo was 2 km outside of SG so while we didn't make this an "event" to visit it, we pretty much saw the sights while having dinner there over four nights. That was a perfect time to visit, after the bus tours had gone for the day. It's a beautiful little town and the surrounding countryside is even more beautiful. I think the RS book doesn't give this town it's props — we much preferred SG to —
Siena — Did a day trip here and wish we had spent the time somewhere else in beautiful Tuscany. For this to be called a "hill town" is a stretch, it really is a pretty good size town/city. Lots of crowds, we did enjoy the doumo and museums. Did have some kind of mime character shoot a squirt gun of water (I hope) up my skirt for the amusement of all in the campo. Try to act composed when you don't see that coming. Didn't add to my enjoyment of Siena. For train travelers this may be a good option of getting a taste of Tuscany, but if you have a car, you know that this doesn't even come close to the beauty of hill towns such as:
Volterra — If you want Etruscan history they have a great museum and the town is interesting (every time they remodel or do road work they need to stop and excavate because they find more Etruscan ruins) lots of shopping too! We stopped at two Etruscan tombs just on the outskirts of town and were able to walk down into the tombs, pretty cool and virtually no one else there — this is not what every tourist is out doing!
Cortona — Loved it, if you have a car, enjoy the drive and lunch here. It is beautiful and I have the impression, rather a well heeled little town. We were "museumed out" the day we went to Cortona, just enjoyed soaking up the ambiance.
Florence — This time we made Florence a day trip, I think I would recommend staying there instead, having done both now. We did make reservations the day before for the Accademia and Uffizi, this worked brilliantly and it would be a major mistake to go without advance reservations. We were a little disappointed in the Uffizi, during lunch hours (our reservations were for 12:15) they started closing off rooms because they didn't have enough staff to cover them. A major site such as the Uffizi should be adequately staffed. Florence was packed with people, much more crowded in Spring than when we had previously visited in Fall time. There is so much more to do and see in this city than one day allows, so I would give it more time than we did if you have never been before. We had no problem driving into the city and parking underground at the train station. RS makes it sound like a nightmare, but does give excellent directions, we had no problem finding the right location to park.
Venice — I loved it the first time when we had been there several years ago in Autumn, weather was perfect, in spring it was like being on the inside of a terrarium. Very humid and uncomfortable. Besides the usual, wonderful sites, this time we spent a day touring the islands of: Torcello (not worth going to — they have an enforced route to the old church and back to the vaporetto stop, you can not get off this path unless you jump into a canal to see what else is on this island. They charge to go into the church and everything surrounding it and then march you back to the vaporetto- skip it) Murano — kind of a mini Venice — not worth going to for glass purchases if all you are buying is souvenirs (can buy cheaper in Venice) if you have more serious purchases in mind than this is the place. It was nice to stroll around tho. Burano — cute but again it's all about selling you stuff, here it's lace. In sum, only investigate the Lagoon islands if you have alot of time in Venice — we had 5 days so it was an OK thing to do.
We like the Peggy Guggenheim Art Museum, it is worth a stop, especially
if you've read about her wild life. There was a great Jackson Pollock
exhibit at the Museo Correr — look for current exhibits. Also strolled
the Ghetto, Fish Market and San Paolo areas, be sure to try to keep your
balance standing up on a traghetto. We did not buy a weekly vaporetto
pass, didn't need it because we walked almost everywhere. The day we went
to the islands we bought a 24 hr family pass. We were able to get to the
airport early in the morning using the Alilaguna boat — no problem.
Marilyn <email>
Big Rock, IL USA 06/24/02
Hotels in Venice
Re: Italy 2002: it's a great guide and is really helping plan an upcoming
trip to Venice and the Dolomites. One problem: the website given for the
Hotel Galleria in the Accademia area of Venice actually is a website for
X-rated materials (my Italian isn't good enough to know what they're selling
but the photos are pretty clear). What is the correct website? Thank you
very much.
Pamela Zimmerman <email>
Philadelphia, PA USA 06/23/02
Chisone Valley — Piedmont
For a real "back door" experience try the Waldensian Valleys in the mountains
west of Torino. The Chisone Valley was beautiful and each small village
seems untouched by time (although there are signs along the way preparing
for the 2006 Olympics). We stayed at the Hotel Valentino in Perosa Argentina — very economical, with clean yet small rooms. The hotel restaurant prepares
fantastic food at reasonable prices. Not much English spoken in these remote
areas, but if you seek beautiful scenery and rustic Piedmontese charm and
hospitality I recommend it highly. The roads through the valleys are narrow
but not heavily travelled.
Craig Sale <email>
Schaumburg, IL USA 06/19/02
Albergo Olivedo, Varenna
We were in Varenna for a few nights as part of a European trip.We didn't
stay in the Albergo Olivedo but had dinner there one night. The owner Laura,
who took the orders was very difficult to deal with. There was a menu posted
outside but that was the last one I saw. She would come to the table and
would recite what do you want pasta rice, meat fish, wine,what sides etc.
I asked to see a menu several times but she ignored me and would just continue
to recite the nights offerings until I made a choice. Of course you wouldn't
know how much anything cost or that the sides were extra.
The one question I managed to get in was about the costeletta Milanese. On the outside menu I noticed the English translation for it listed as a veal chop. I assumed being a chop it had a bone, she informed me no it was a cutlet and did not have a bone. I ordered it and it turned out to be very small and yes to have a big bone, and the cost was 15 Euros. All this after having just driven down from Germany and Austria where we had several delicous Weiner Schnitzel that were three times the size, had no bone, came with sides, and cost less than what she served. When she came with the check and we asked her about the bone, she changed her story to, one veal dish has a bone, the other doesn't.
I noticed the same routine at all the other tables. No menu, just her asking what do you want pasta, meat fish, wine etc. To the Americans she spoke English. To the Germans she spoke German. Sadly there were no Italians dining there that night.
Luckily we did find other local restaurants where there were menu's,
good food and Italian people eating. To be fair while her first course
Gnocchi Bolognese was very good, overall the cost and the small size of
her second course and most of all her attitude makes this place a definite,
skip it.
Anthony <email>
Brooklyn, NY USA 06/18/02
Left luggage at Pisa
The left luggage office and lockers at Pisa train station are closed and
likely will remain so — the woman in the tourist office said it was due
to there being an Italian military base some 15k away (seems kind of wacky
to me, but there it is). If you still want to do the tower, you have two
options: 1) Haul yourself out to the airport and drop the bags there, or
2) Take your bags with you. We opted for #2, took a taxi to the tower and
then nursed the bags at a nearby restaurant while we individually toured
the tower and Duomo. Not ideal, but it worked.
Note that it appears that this situation is peculiar to Pisa — the left
luggage office in Florence (at least) was functioning as normal.
Ian
Oakland, CA USA 06/17/02
Best and Worst of Italy
My husband and I just came back from a jammed-packed, 10 day trip to Italy.
We visited Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, Siena, Orvieto, Civita di Bagnoregio,
and Rome. Here's our best and worst list:
BEST PLACE TO STAY Without a doubt, the best place was B & B Pascucci in Rome, just steps away from St. Peter's and Piazza Navona. Go to http://www.cross-pollinate.com for more information.
BEST GELATO While the gelato was great everywhere in Italy, the lemon gelato at Micheangelo's in Venice was absolutely divine.
BEST BARGAIN For just 7 euros, you can get a plate of mussels, focaccia bread, and your choice of pasta or pizza at Navona Notte in Rome.
BIGGEST RIP-OFF The 60 euro fish we ordered at Ristorante Al Buso next to the Rialto Bridge in Venice. Exchange booths and the 1st class train ticket from Venice to Florence were runner-ups.
BEST AUDIO-GUIDE The audio-guide at the Borghese Gallery in Rome is a must.
WORST AUDIO-GUIDE The one at the Roman Colesseum was worthless.
LATEST TRAIN The train from Monterosso to Vernazza was about 1 hour late.
BEST MUSEUM/GALLERY The Borghese Gallery was well worth the hike from the Spagna metro stop (we took the long way). We actually stayed there for the full 2 hours.
BEST CINQUE TERRE TOWN Riomaggiore, with Manarola in close second. These towns were intimate, quaint, and not overrun with tourists.
WORST CINQUE TERRE TOWN We would have to disagree with Rick on this one. Vernazza was crowded and lacked the charm of the smaller towns.
MOST OVERRATED RESTAURANT Although Trattoria Dal Billy in Manarola was
highly recommended by readers, we thought was food was on the salty side.
The seafood was mediocre.
Christine
Rockville, MD USA 06/17/02
Milan, last stop
Advice for Milan. If you are catching a flight out of Malpensa Airport to
the USA (or anywhere in North or South America) chances are the flight will
leave early (Ours at 7:25 AM) Unfortunately, the airport is a good 50-60
minutes outside of town and trains do not start running until 6:00 AM. The
only viable option is the shuttle buses that leave from the Centrale Train
station (Mentioned in Rick's books) In May, the first bus leaves at 5:00
AM, no traffic makes the trip only about 40 minutes. (Cost is 4.50 Euro
vs. an 80 Euro Taxi!)
Plan to stay in a Hotel near the station, pick up a list from the TI.
Important: Make sure you ask the Hotel if you are able to get out the
door at 4:30 AM or so. Several we asked at we would not have been able
to. Wound up staying at Hotel Mondial, a two star, at Via Vitruvio 24,
for only 65 Euro. The manager and his wife stay at the hotel and had no
problem getting up to let us out (they seem to do it often) Also ate at
the Brek cafeteria near the station, surprisingly good healthy food at
a good price.
Paul <email>
IA USA 06/16/02
Hotel Albergo Olivedo, Varenna
Would like to share a comment about the Hotel Albergo Olivedo, Varenna on
Lake Como — our reservation was for One double w/ bath & lake view and one
double w/ bath & no lake view. (17 Euro difference in price of 2 rooms)
Turns out the room with lake view was super, on the third level of the building.
The one with no lake view was on the fifth level, five very steep flights
of steps, no elevator, no assistance with carrying bags available from hotel
staff, room had a tiny window at floor level and was located up just under
the roof of the building. We felt that we should have been warned of the
location of the room, rather than being told "no lake view."
Mary S. Johnson <email>
St. PetersburgL, FL USA 06/16/02
Italy in May/June
Just returned from 12 days in Italy visiting Rome, Cinque Terre, Florence
and Venice. Stayed at Hotel Italia in Rome. This hotel was adequate but
the bathroom was extremely small and our room had only a small window which
opened up on to a dark and noisy alley way.
In Cinque Terre we stayed in Levanto in the apartment at Villa Margherita. The B & B is closed but the apartment, which was beautiful, may still be available. We really liked Levanto and felt it was very charming and a perfect place from which to enjoy the Cinque Terre.
In Florence we stayed at the Hotel Accademia. This hotel was perfectly located and our room was very quiet.
Our best hotel, by far, was the Locanda Barbarigo in Venice. We had a
beautiful and huge room with a modern large bathroom. Locanda Barbarigo
is ideally located only a few minutes walk from San Marco and is reasonably
priced. I would recommend it highly. Italy was fabulous.
Donna
USA 06/14/02
Hotel Marin — Venice
I used your book to plan a 2 week trip for my parents anniversary. They
had an amazing time!
The only disappointment was Hotel Marin in Venice. The hotel was noisy and the hosts were plain rude. They called my parents and two other sets of guests "stupid Americans" to their faces on more than one occassion. One night the owners were up talking loudly late into the night and my father went and asked if they would mind closing the door or speaking more quietly. They said no, and my father returned to the room (it was their last night and he didn't feel the need to create a fuss) The owner chased him up the stairs and went into their room yelling at them. Highly inappropriate behavior, no matter what the country or circumstance.
I have seen complaints about this hotel elsewhere on this board and I
hope you remove it to save other travellers the bad experience. Otherwise
they had a wondeful time and LOVED your book. Thanks!
Manisha <email>
Warren, NJ USA 06/14/02
Hotel Rooms
We just returned home from 17 wonderful days in Italy thanks to Rick's book.
We were traveling with our 16 year old son, so our hotels had to have a
triple room. All had air-conditioning and private bathroom.
Venice — Stayed at Hotel Campiello. The room was very nice and had character and charm. It was clean. The staff was kind and helpful. The location was near St. Mark's but right off the main thoroughfare so it was quiet. Would stay there again.
Florence. Stayed at Hotel Silla. We had a wonderful HUGE room with very high ceilings. It was like staying in a castle because the room was so large. (Maybe this is because there were 3 or us) Great bathroom with tub. They had the best breakfast buffet on a rooftop terrace. Staff was very helpful. We would highly recommend this hotel.
Rome- Stayed at Hotel Paba. This is a small 6 room hotel. Alberta, the lady who runs it, made it seem like home. She speaks excellent English and was a huge help to us. It is immaculate and in a wonderful location near the Forum and Colosseum. We asked for a quiet room and she gave us a room at the back away from the noise of the street. This is a great place to end those fabulous days spent walking and walking in Rome.
Sorrento — Hotel Minerva. This hotel was our only disappointment. We spent 3 terrible nights there. The main lobby of the hotel is on the 5th floor. The rooms above the 5th floor seemed nice and maybe even quiet. Our room was on the level above the street. Yes, we had a beautiful view with a balcony, but one could almost touch the tops of trucks that roared up the hill beneath our balcony. The room was dirty. Long black hairs were everywhere..and none of my family has long black hair!! The toilet had a terrible odor. The staff was not helpful. I would not recommend Hotel Minerva.
Orvieto — Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini (not in Rick Steve's book). Unique,
recently refinished rooms in an old building. Very nice. Marsha from Houston
Marsha <email>
Houston, TX USA 06/14/02
Italy in May
After being pickpocketed (thank God for our money belts), almost ripped-off
by the $ exchange booth (at train station we were shorted $100 us, but caught
them), and run over in Rome...we will still go back! It was an experience
of a lifetime and the hints and tips Rick's books offered were worth their
weight in gold (and then some).
In two weeks we visited Rome, Orvieto, Siena, Florence, and Venice. You definitely have to stay at least one night in Orvieto and Siena to be able to truly appreciate what they have to offer.
Orvieto was, by far, our favorite town. The word "charming" doesn't even give it enough credit, especially with virtually no tourist here! It also has 360 degrees of "WOW" view that surrounds Orvieto.
When we arrived in Siena I was a bit disappointed after all the praise Rick gave it; but after we walked the cobbled streets, the town's charisma and allure definitely came out. In Siena, stay at Albergo Bernini's spare apartment (his sister has the apartment); it had a wonderful view & is very peaceful. Also, for a wonderful & authentic Sienese meal we did a one night cooking class. For very little $ at Gianluca Pardini's Italian Cuisine Academy we cooked a fabulous meal and took home aprons & all the recipes. Highly recommended!!
Overall the best hotel we stayed in was in Venice at the Locanda Novo. Beautiful and priced modest.
Next trip we go on we'll definitely rely on Rick Steves' books!! Thanks
for removing our fears and showing us the true Italian lifestyle.
Angy <email>
Houston, TX USA 06/13/02
Hotel Oceania in Rome and Siena
We lived in Italy in 1997, and found your guidebooks for Italy, France and
Great Britain to be very accurate and helpful. Your evaluations of hotels
and bed-and-breakfasts has been very accurate.
Perhaps you could add a note though about the use of email to make reservations at bed-and-breakfasts. There seems to be some variability in the ability of the hotel operators to read and respond to emails as part of their normal business practices. I thought I had everything worked out with the Hotel Oceania in Rome (exchanged emails to reserve a room, then sent them an email with my credit card info to confirm the reservation), then found out a week before the trip that they hadn't received it or lost it or something. Lesson learned: Be careful to get a written confirmation that the room has been reserved. Probably better to use FAX for the final room confirmation.
About Siena. Gee, there are a couple of communications below that are
critical of Siena. I lived in Siena during 1997 and thought it was absolutely
fabulous. Rick, my experience is the same as yours. To really appreciate
Siena, you need to stay overnight there, and walk through the town in
the evening with the streaming masses of Sienese out for a stroll after
dinner (particularly on Friday or Saturday evening). If an American tourist
is primarily interesting in seeing sights, maybe Siena will be a disappointment
(although the town square is incomparably beautifu, and the cathedral
in Siena is incomparably bizarrel). But, if an American wants to be immersed
in Italian life for an evening in a mid-sized Italian town, Siena is hard
to beat.
Charles Goochee <email>
Doylestown, PA USA 06/13/02
Vatican and Rome
Regarding the Vatican, we found it best to visit St. Peters square and the
cathedral first (and early) It opens at 7 AM. We were able to walk around,
take our time, and see everything with no crowds. The line for the Vatican
Museum starts early, but security and ticketing moves quickly. Plan on seeing
most of the museum, there is really only one circuitous path with a few
optional loops through some galleries, and ending with the Sistine Chapel.
Crowds are a problem in the museum, not a relaxed quiet tour, but a must-see
in Rome. We then hopped off the Metro at the Spanish Steps and did Ricks "night walk" in reverse, and in the afternoon, stopping along the way for
lunch. Overall, an easy but packed day in Rome.
Paul <email>
IA USA 06/11/02
Albergo Ristorante Olivedo in Varenna
I was very surprised by Stewart Cohen's post regarding Laura, the owner
of Albergo Olivedo in Varenna. My husband and I, and 2 other couples stayed
there last spring and found Laura to be very accommodating, friendly and
helpful. Maybe Stewart just caught her on a bad day.
Angela
USA 06/11/02
Hotel Aberdeen phone number update
The telephone number listed in the 2002 books doesn't seem to work for Hotel
Aberdeen in Rome. Here is the number from their email — don't drop the "0" when dialing from the US like you need to for other countries: Hotel Aberdeen
TEL +39/06/4819340
Jim
Corvallis, OR USA 06/11/02
A Warning About The Vatican Museum...
Please go to the Vatican Museum early!!! My husband and I were a little
surprised to find out they stop admitting people at 2:30 and close at 3:30!
Karen
Ashland, Or USA 06/10/02
Cinque Terre Restaurant Recommendation
Best meal in the Cinque Terre, maybe of the trip, was in Riomaggiore at
the La Lanterna (as opposed to the La Lampera). This is a small (half dozen
tables outside, less than a dozen inside) restaurant right on the harbor.
They have easily the most varied menu based on the local seafood and traditional
dishes, all wonderfully, perfectly prepared. The staff is great, friendly,
and helpful. The only hitch (not for the lucky few though) is that reservations
are a must (1 to 2 days ahead). They reserve the tables for what appears
to be one seating per night, so you may be eating in a half or less full
restaurant. The reason given is that the kitchen is very small, so the meal
stretches out (slow preparation for the cynics). We didn't mind in the least.
Paul <email>
IA USA 06/10/02
Cinque Terre, The good and bad.
First, let me say that the Cinque Terre is a fantastic stop, loved it two
years ago, also hit it twice this trip, 3 days once, two days the next...however..."supply
and demand" is taking it's toll. Some observations:
Prices seem to be significantly more in at least Vernazza than our other stops in Italy, for Internet (4.50 Euro for half hour), laundry (4.50 to wash, 4.50 euro to dry-but not that well. Restaurants were much more, for the quality, with fewer cheap options. Even a micro room with a bath, no view, will cost you 60 Euro; although prices for the quality of the room vary wildly based on demand.
During the day, crowds are a problem. Even in May, on a Sunday, the Vernazza train platform was packed shoulder to shoulder waiting for the train. Many more tour groups for the day in the towns.
Much to still love, though. Evenings still settle down, the Blue Marlin is still a great place for cheap eats and killer Sangria. Bar Centrale in Riomaggiore serves drinks...WITH ICE!
We stayed the second time in Riomaggiore, and loved it. Grocery stores,
off the beaten path, in Monterosso make great picnics.
Paul <email>
IA USA 06/10/02
Pisa Update
We did a "whistle-stop" tour of Pisa on our way from Cinque Terre to Siena
just this late May. The tower and "Field of Miracles" is well worth at least
a short stop. A couple of updates to the Guide:
There is NO place to store bags at the train station (Pisa Centrale) The lockers are/were "Out of Order" and the Baggage Office is closed. A sign noted that bags could be checked at the airport (short bus ride); but someone had also written in "at 6 Euro a bag".
Bus 3 goes to the Field of Miracles and the tower, as does a "Bus A",
Ignore the bus stop for bus 3 and A in front of the train station and
go across the street and wait in front of the hotel (like Rick's book
says) The stop in front of the train station says it goes to the tower,
but the bus took us on a loop to the airport, then dropped us off in front
of the hotel. We went and lugged the bags with us, took turns watching
the bags, and still saw a great sight that was worth the hassle.
Paul <email>
IA USA 06/10/02
Italy
We just got back from Varenna having stayed at Albergo Ristorante Olivedo
(one of Rick's recommendations). While the hotel is charming and the lake
views are enchanting, the person who runs the hotel, Laura, can be rude,
unpleasant, and difficult to deal with. If you plan to stay there, be prepared.
We were not and she definitely put a damper on what otherwise was a wonderful
time.
Stewart Cohen <email>
Scottsdale, AZ USA 06/09/02
Italy and Rick Steves' Book
Just returned from two weeks visiting Assisi and the hill towns in the book,
Umbria and Siena, the Chinque Terre and Como. Met people from Canada and
US with your book and everyone loved it. Every restaurant you recommended
was great. We were not that impressed with the Chinque Terre as we were
in Provence last year and thought it was much nicer there. The most beautiful
church we visited was in Santa Margherita Ligure just of the main street.
It was breathtaking! We met a couple who did not have your book and I ripped
out the Florence section and gave it to them. They were delighted. Thanks
for the wonderful information which made it so easy for first timers to
Italy.
Tom and Linda Bell <email>
Sewell, N. J. USA 06/08/02
Antica Locanda dei Mercanti, Milan
Just made a reservation by fax at Antica Locanda dei Mercanti for three
nights in October. Everything went smoothly, and my questions to the hotel
via email were answered very quickly. One thing to note: Although you can
indeed use a credit card to hold your room reservation, they only accept
cash for payment, which is contrary to what's written on p. 306 of Rick's
Italy 2002 book. I will report back on my experience at the hotel itself
(and that of Hotel Aberdeen in Rome, which Rick also recommended) when I
get back!
Jeannie <email>
San Mateo, CA USA 06/08/02
Italy; Venice; Hotels
If you are traveling to Venice and are thinking of staying at the Hotel
Wildner I have one word of warning . . . bedbugs! That's what my wife and
I experienced ther on a three night stay in May. There are much nicer hotels
for the price
James Gillespie <email>
Morristown, NJ USA 06/07/02
Italy — restaruants and accomodations
My friend sharon and I just got back from a 2 week vacation in Italy. As
always, your guidebook was a huge help. We were amazed at how many fellow
travelers we met in various cities that were also using your guidebook!While
in Venice we stayed at the Hotel Guerrato — very nice staff, clean, good
location. In florence we stayed at Hotel Maxim — very spacious rooms, nice
staff, excellent location. In Sorrento, we stayed at Hotel Del Corso which
by far was our favorite hotel we found in your guidebook. The staff was
very helpful and the hotel was beautiful with several outdoor balconies.
We ate at the Hotel Loreley for a spectacular view of the Mediterranean
and had a very nice meal and excellent service. In Rome, we ate at the Ristorante
alla Rampa near the spanish steps on two occasions because the food was
excellent. While eating there, we saw 3 couples at nearby tables using your
guidebook so I guess everyone followed your recommendation to eat there.
The most underrated place we found in your guidebook was Sorrento. We found
it to be beautiful, charming, and a great escape from all the larger cities
we had visited — it is definitely somewhere we both want to return to on
our next visit! Thanks again for all your great tips and recommendations
for hotels and restaurants...this is our third trip to europe and we have
used your guidebooks for all 3 because of the useful and accurate information — keep up the good work!
Danielle Paoletti <email>
Elizabeth, PA USA 06/07/02
accommodation
I have recently returned from 5 nights in Venice and would like to recommend
Hotel Antico Capon — budget accommodation that is basic but very clean with
extremely friendly staff, particularly Elias and Guiseppe, who speak fluent
English, a definite bonus! The hotel is located in Campo Santa Margarita
which is right in the heart of Venice, close to all the sights and very
lively with bars open well past midnight. It's a great place to sit and
people watch and down a glass or two of Prosecco!
karen davies <email>
UK 06/07/02
Cinque Terre — Villa Margherita Closed
Villa Margherita in Levanto just cancelled my reservations because they
are bankrupt. "Unable to receive guests starting May 4th."
Robert Martinez <email>
Kirkland, WA USA 06/06/02
Italy Tour — May 2002
We visited Venice, Bologna, Rome, Santa Margherita & Florence. This site
was a great help in planning, especially with hotels — Thanks! Here's some
feedback from our trip:
Venice: Hotel Al Piave (139E) had a small room, skimpy breakfast and thin walls. Don't need to know the other guests that well. Disappointing!
Rome: Hotel Italia (93E) had excellent service and we really appreciated the ceiling fan. The shower was the worst of our trip. It was in a tiny bathtub and trickled out cold water. We enjoyed the "Through Eternity" twilight tour of Rome. Book online in advance for a 10% discount.
Florence: Residence Bellevue (100E) was our favorite "hotel". The friendly owner has only 8 rooms, but they are huge, clean and quiet. Breakfast is with a coupon at the coffee shop next door. Convenient to train, but no elevator to 4th floor. Calling ahead for reservations at the Uffizi & Accademia is best. We called from Rome 2 days ahead and had no problem getting a time.
TRAINS: We trained to all cities and bought tickets at the station that day or in advance. The only exception was in Florence when we used the Amex office. We didn't buy a Eurorail or other type of travel pass. We found individual tickets for both of us was still cheaper than a pass, even with 1st class. Before leaving home, we printed off the schedules from the Italian rail web site...this was helpful for explaining to ticket agents what we needed and when we missed connections since many trains ran late.
There is a lot more detail & photos on our web site: www.mywebpage.netscape.com/smithsaa/ItalyItinerary.html
Amy Smith <email>
Erfurt, Germany (US Expat), NC USA 06/06/02
Re reservations AIlimandi Hotel
You need at least 4 months in advance to make a reservation at this hotel.
I tried for Oct. and Irene said they were already fully booked. Wow!
Gord Bradbury <email>
Ancaster, Ont. Can. 06/05/02
Italy
Just got back from Italy. Rick's Italy 2002 guide was right on. Stayed with
Tonino Basso in Vernazza. Clean room, no view, so what? I was only in there
to sleep anyway. Beleforte bar in Vernazza is one of the top five places
in the world to drink beer and watch the sun go down. Rivals Rick's Cafe
in Negril, Jamaica and Harry's in Encinada, Mex. May have to start a new
list. Much research. Rome was a museum. Rick's tip about the secret door
out the back of the Sistine Chapel was way cool. Didn't have to fight the
crowds and it shoots you right into St Peter's. Firenze was a museum too,
but you could have fun there as well. The back side of the Duomo Piazza
in Firenze may be the best unofficial amphitheater for impromptu jazz in
Italy. Awesome accoustics. We danced till the roosters crowed. Venice is
overrated. San Marco square is pretty cool with the competing bands. Prepare
to waltz, though, unless you can weasel a swing dance out of one of them.
Went to Zurich on the Trene. Up through the east side of Switzerland
this time though. The train ride from Tirano, Italy to Chur, Switzerland
through the Bernina Pass is worth the trip all by itself. Yodeled all
the way. Don't know why it doesn't get any more ink than it does though.
Beats the socks off the west side of Switzerland.
Toddrod <email>
Atlanta, Ga USA 06/05/02
Cinque Terre, Sorrento, Pisa, Orvieto
Sunday travel suggestion...We noted that many towns have special events
on Sundays making travel more hectic. When in Siena there was a soccer game.
When in Pisa there was a regatta. In Cinque Terre, the trail between Manarola
and Corniglia is closed indefinitely(were told for at least a year) due
to a woman falling to her death over the edge. We took the higher trail
which, although was more difficult, had a great views and was well worth
it. In Monterosso we stayed one night at Hotel Palme which is very overrated
and the staff unfriendly. We switched to Villa Steno which was wonderful.
Not only is the staff very friendly and helpful, the hotel is lovely. The
staff at Hotel Baia is very rude. Belvedere Rest. there is very good. In
Sorrento, we stayed at Settimo Cielo, which had wonderful views and good
price. La Minervetta was a great choice for dinner(next door to Settimo
Cielo). In Pisa La Buca had very good food. In Orvieto, Al SanFrancesco
had very good food.
Ellen Lewchenko <email>
Thousand Oaks, CA USA 06/04/02
Hotel Bretagna, Florence
I'm sorry to hear that someone had a bad experience at the Hotel Bretagna.
For the record, my husband and I stayed at this hotel for three nights in
mid-May. Our room at this hotel was more basic than others we stayed in,
but it was clean and cost a bit less than some other places where we stayed.
We enjoyed the location of the hotel and having breakfast in their dining
room overlooking the Arno.
Kelly <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 06/03/02
Hotel Bretagna, Florence
Just returned from a three week tour of Italy. The Hotel Bretagna in Florence
was a terrible disapointment. We'd made reservations for four nights. Deskman
gave us our key, and when we went to our room we were shocked to find there
was no window. Well, okay, there was a small window, the bottom sill of
which was seven feet from the floor. Access to the window was a makeshift
platform that held a NOISY air condition unit, the window looked out to
a rooftop, which you couldn't see because the exhaust portion of the air
conditioner blocked both the view and much sunlight from entering, and the
outside sill was covered in pigeon droppings.
We were horrified, but reacted politely. "Maura" had said the room did not have the river view we requested, but we were not prepared for this. The following morning, I asked if it were possible to change rooms and they said no, even though three rooms were being vacated. (I had made the reservations in early February, and this was the middle of May.)
We fled the Hotel Bretagna after one night, and had to agree to pay for two nights even though we had only stayed one, and even though we observed a fellow inquire as to the availability of a room — they told him they were booked solid.
By the way, all other recomendations in Rick Steve's Italy were right
on the money, both restaurants and hotels. Hotel Oceania in Roma and La
Torreta in Manarola were particularly delightful and beyond our expectations.
Chris Hager <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 06/02/02
Bellagio — Tony The Wine King
I am sad to report that Tony The Wine King that Rick mentions in his book
for Bellagio, Lake Como, recently passed away. When we visited Bellagio
a couple of weeks ago, his store was closed and it does not appear that
anyone will take over for Tony. Rick will need to update his book for next
year.
David <email>
Fort Lauderdale, FL USA 06/02/02
Sorrento — Warning — Hotel Minerva
Just returned from 3 weeks in Italy and had great luck with all hotels reserved
from Rick's book except Hotel Miverva in Sorrento. When we arrived, they
informed us they had given away our room even though we had reserved with
a credit card a few months in advance and I had the e-mail to prove it.
We reserved a total of 13 hotels in Italy in the same manner and the only
problem we had was with this hotel. It is my understanding the hotel had
been recenly renovated, and my guess is they did not want to honor Rick's
doscount rate, as it was clearly full of British folks at the time we visited
(probably paying full rate). The management seemed to care less about us.
Watch our for this hotel! Otherwise, Rick's book was right on everything!
Italy is wonderful!
David <email>
Fort Lauderdale, FL USA 05/31/02
Rick's video — Rome etc.
My husband and I just returned from a trip to Sicily, then Sorrento, Pompeii
and Rome. We just watched Rick Steves' video on Rome, Pompeii and the Amalfi
etc. It was like being there again. This was our third visit to the Sorrento
area. It was fun to see the waiter who served us on two of our visits to
the Hotel Lorelei in Sorrento. I've painted three watercolors at the beautiful
spot. Our own video is fun to watch, but Rick's is better. Visit my Italian
and Sicilian websites by going to "Travel Links" and Personal websites on
this site. We are happy to share any travel info we are able to about Italy
and Sicily.
Kathleen <email>
Burlington, NC USA 05/29/02
Milan Hotel-The Best Hotel
"The Best Hotel" is very clean and a good value. It was much nicer than
expected.
Jeanne <email>
Kalamazoo, MI USA 05/28/02
driving Italy
The general guidebook on Italy skimps on driving information. I just drove
Zurich-Como-Venice, then boarded a ship for Istanbul, then reversed direction.
I had the perfect car — Opel Astra 1.6 and enjoyed the freedom and the surprising
saving over rail travel (I'd always favored Euro rail as the most cost-efficient
mode, but the car cost me just over half the rail fare). But your book leaves
out a few key points. Open stretches of the Autostradas are posted 130kph
limit, but virtually no one pays any attention. Apparently it's just a suggestion,
with no enforcement — which is okay with me. I was going up to 180kph and
still being passed by Volkswagen Golfs, Jettas, and Sciroccos. Trying to
find one's way through an Italian town or village can be maddening, as the
directional signs are ALL posted on the far side of the intersections where
the turns must be made. No advance notice, and as everyone drives as fast
as possible, one is always being tailgated. The only solution I found is
to simply drive slowly into the intersection and ignore the impatience behind.
The book does mention Mestre — very briefly — in the same breath with Venice,
but it deserves more attention. One can stay much more cheaply in Mestre
yet be across the causeway by bus or train in 10 to 30 minutes. Also, the
quite secure parking garage in Mestre is conveniently opposite the train
station, and costs 4 euros per day compared with about 19 euros at the Venice
garage.
John P. Tiernan <email>
Greenwich, CT USA 05/28/02
Italy Vacation
My wife and I spent three weeks in Italy. All three weeks were with relatives
that I found through Genealogy and the Internet. We were 100 kilometers
south of Rome in a town called Monte San Giovanni Campano, in the province
of Frosinone. I used Rick's rucksack/backpack and packed light per Rick's
advice and glad we did. My wife used the wheeled bag, because she didn't
want to carry her bag on her back. I realized that would be my complaint
also after awhile. So when we returned back to the states, I ordered Rick's
wheeled bag and now waiting for our next trip abroad. I also took Rick's
Phrase book and his latest Rome book. As it was, I didn't need either one
of them because my cousin took us on a personal tour of Rome and Pompei.
She knew all the streets and back alley's for shortcuts. A lot of our personal
tour did coincide with Rick's book, so it was more or less on target. We
did the complete Rome city tour in two eight hour day's. As far as the phrase
book, there were a lot of words that I would have wanted to know in Italian
that were not listed, so I just winged it. My cousin knew fair English and
we got by beautifully. I will continue to refer to Rick's web site for advise.
John Evangelisti <email>
LORAIN, OH USA 05/28/02
no luv in Siena
Siena — we did not 'luuv' Siena but definitely see the Palio film at Cinema
Moderno. Uffizi — great works of art in a dingy building, run by an aloof
thoughtless staff. Pisa (leaning tower)- worth the trip, even in the rain.
Mary Chou <email>
boston, ma USA 05/27/02
Vernazza
Spent 3 wonderful "chill-out" days in Vernazza, from May 18th to 21st. Called
2 days ahead & got a room (65 stairs!) with one of Rick's recommendations,
Nicolina. Not a room with a view, but after the train from Florence to La
Spezia, then on to Vernazza, the only view we were interested in was the
one from inside our eyeballs!) However, we were VERY lucky to get the room,
even two days in advance. While Rick says that hotels/rooms don't want to
reserve more than a few days in advance, showing up and asking around (as
advised in the 2002 book) is definitely not workable. We met one couple
who took this advice having to take the train back to La Spezia (late in
the day) to try and find a place to stay. We had seen these folks all during
the afternoon, suitcases in tow, looking for a room, when we spoke to them.
And the word in the cafes (Blue Marlin) was that there were no rooms anywhere
(at least 10 people had inquired that afternoon.) Our time in Vernazza was
just magical, but we were among the very fortunate to have found accommodation
only 2 days before our arrival. In the next edition of your book, I'd hesitate
to advise just showing up in the Cinque Terre and asking around for a room
the same day that you need it; even early in the season, it's very crowded
and accommodations are scarce.
Carol Curry <email>
Lake Helen, FL USA 05/26/02
Siena
On a recent visit to Italy, we visited the highly touted Siena. We found
the city quite lacking in charm, crowded and overall rather dingy. We visited
the Duomo (really the only reason to go there; Il Campo's cobblestones were
littered with sun-seeking bodies and rip-off restaurants. The only bright
spot was a fantastic pizza restaurant on a remote side street (and the ONLY
pizza we ate in Italy!). Can't understand why folks "luuuv Siena". Wish
we had spent our day in Montalcino. Maybe we were spoiled after spending
2 days in Pienza...
Carol Curry <email>
Lake Helen, FL USA 05/26/02
Cinque Terre trip: a success!! thanks to Rick
Just come back from 5Terre: the best restaurant experience of our 3-week
trip was in Levanto at Taverna Garibaldi. Excellent food, service and populated
by locals who made us feel at home (shared their after-dinner liquor Limoncino
or the Grappa, take an espresso or a Cappuccino!!!). The owners are a young
girl and guy, who were so wonderful and willing to help. Like you said,
if you show a little effort and try to speak the language, they respond.
They helped us and suggested the Levanto to Monterosso path: amazing view
as you reach the top of the hill, you can see the 5 Terra and on the other
side the coastline to Genoa. Take a look also around Levanto at S. Andrea
Church and the Castle. Levanto has also the best beach of the area and it
is considered the best spot for surfing in Italy.
Michael Palermo
Salt Lake City, USA 05/23/02
Leaning Tower of Pisa — Early May 2002
Pisa We drove from Siena to Pisa on the autostrada. We actually took the "free" highway from Florence to Pisa, which was fine. You can allegedly
make reservations for the Tower of Pisa at primaziale@sirius.pisa.it or
050-560-547 or book online at www.duomo.pisa.it. However, they did not yet
have the reservation system working when we were there. We arrived around
13:00, and we had to wait 4 hours (until 17:00) to go up in the Tower, since
all of the earlier tickets were sold out. Since there is absolutely nothing
else to do in Pisa, we decided to just take pictures of the outside of the
Tower and skip the tour of the inside. We went into the adjacent church,
which was very beautiful inside, well worth the 2 Euros for admission. The
Leaning Tower of Pisa was even more impressive than in pictures; the tower
is leaning significantly, and you expect it to fall down at any moment.
It took about 1.5 hours each way to drive from Florence to Pisa.
Todd Whitehurst <email>
Frazier Park, CA USA 05/22/02
Eurostar Train from Florence to Venice
We took the Eurostar train from Florence to Venice. It was very fast, ~3
hours. We made reservations through CIT Tours (800/CIT-TOUR) before we left
the US, and our seats were waiting for us when we got on the train. We sat
in first class, which was very nice and comfortable. Other passengers on
the train said that they had witnessed a thief who got on the train briefly
when it was stopped in Rome. The thief got on the train car at one end,
ran through, stole a bag on the way, and ran off the other end of the car.
Watch your bags closely when you are stopped in the station!
Todd Whitehurst <email>
Frazier Park, CA USA 05/22/02
San Gimignano and Siena
We loved San Gimignano. You park outside the city walls. We got there
late (17:00), so we found parking easily, but it might be really crowded
parking earlier in the day. It was very beautiful and romantic. The pictures
that I saw before I visited really do not do this city justice. It is
an adorable little hill town, with quite a few little shops selling ceramics,
etc., as well as a few restaurants and hotels. We walked rather by accident
to the highest spot in the city, which was a big park with a great view
of the town and the surrounding countryside. I wish that we had stayed
overnight in San Gimignano, but we left for Siena.
Siena is not a little country town. While not incredibly large, it does not quite have the feel of a quaint little town like San Gimignano. While most cars are banned inside the city walls, delivery trucks and other vehicles are allowed, which is rather a nuisance on the narrow streets. Overall, I would not have minded if we missed Siena in favor of other places. We stayed overnight in Siena at the Hotel (Albergo) Antica Torre (via Fieravecchia 7; 53100 Siena, Tel: 0577-222255, Fax: same, anticatorre@email.it). You are allowed to drive to the hotel to drop off your bags, but you basically cannot park anywhere inside the walls of Siena, so don't bother looking. Instead, go park just outside the Porto Romano gate, which is where you enter the city for the Antica Torre, anyway. It is only 4-5 blocks. The parking is just like in Rome. Park in blue spaces, and put money in a parking toll machine that will give you a parking receipt to put on your dash. The parking toll time ends at 22:00 and starts again at 08:00. However, you don't need to go out there at 08:00; a parking attendant will put a piece of paper on your windshield, and you simply pay him when you leave. He is not well-marked, but he is generally standing near the parking toll machine exchanging money with people.
The Albergo Antica Torre was a beautiful hotel. The steps leading up
to the rooms are a bit narrow and steep, but not a big deal. The rooms
themselves are very charming. We stayed on the top floor - definitely
do this if you can; otherwise, you probably don't have much of a view.
The hotel is pretty close to the main Campo and a few other restaurants
and shops, so the location is pretty nice. 14 Euros was mysteriously added
onto our bill (for one night) to cover the cost of breakfast. Breakfast
is served in the basement, which is kind of cute. However, it just consists
of coffee/tea and rolls, which is hardly worth 14 Euros. See if you can
skip the breakfast and get a coffee and a pastry at one of the coffee
and pastry places 2-3 blocks away. There really isn't much to see in Siena,
and we found it rather crowded with pedestrians and some vehicles in the
morning. We went to see the head and thumb of Saint Catherine of Siena
at the Church of San Domenica. The church is beautiful, and seeing the
head was very interesting if a bit morbid. It is a mummified head displayed
in a glass box on a shrine.
Todd Whitehurst <email>
Frazier Park, CA USA 05/22/02
Italy trip
Just retuned from a short but wonderful trip of Italy. For our first 3 days
we stayed in Rome at the hotel Duca d'Alba, I would recommend this hotel,
we booked our tours with Through Eternity which was a disaster. The first
day we showed up for a Colosseum and Forum tour but no guide showed up.
So we contacted the number provided and they told us the guide had called
in sick but a guide would definitely be there the next day. The next day
we showed up again and the guide was there but told us they needed at least
4 people to run the tour and we were the only 2 that showed up. So we called
again and they told us they would give us the Vatican tour for 1/2 price.
Guess what? The guide never showed up for the Vatican tour. What a DISASTER!
I wish I had followed the advice on this board and used Scala Reale or the
Three Amigos. For the second part of our trip we went to Sperlonga on the
coast. We stayed in the Hotel Grazia. This more than than made up for the
disaster Through Eternity gave us in Rome.
jim guthrie <email>
seattle, USA 05/22/02
Recent Italy Trip
Just back from a 12 day trip to Italy and thought that I would post my
hotel onservations on this board. I used the Rick Steves' Italy 2002 and
the Rome 2002 books to plan my trip. I also used this board and the Fodors
(www.fodors.com) Italy discussion board to get additonal feedback on Italy
during the planning phase of my trip. I found the boards helpful and I
wanted to add my experiences, so that they might help some of you with
your planning. Please feel free to email me if you have any additional
questions about travel to Italy.
Rome (3 days) I stayed at the Rome Cavalieri Hilton (EUR 184/night) and it was fantastic! The hotel sits on a hill overlooking Rome (pretty far from the center however). Great hotel for those wanting to ensure high quality and comfort for the price.
Naples (2 nights) Stayed at the Starhotel Terminus (EUR 170/night). The hotel was ok — not great. Naples was a disappointment in general and the best thing I can say about this hotel is that it is next to the train station. We had an early morning train one day and being able to simply walk across the street was nice. The hotel was dirty looking and loud at night. The management was not very friendly.
Florence (1 night) Stayed at the Hotel Accademia (EUR 124/night) and the hotel management was very helpful and friendly. The room (# 11) was small, but functional. Great location to sights. I would stay here again. Close to neighborhood laundromats. Pretty close to train station (we walked from station).
Siena (2 nights) Stayed at Hotel Garden (EUR 165/night). Good location just outside of the city. The room (# 333) did not have a stand up shower (I hate that). The hotel was nice but loud at night (they are in the middle of construction). Siena was nice and a good location from which to explore Tuscany.
Cinque Terre (2 nights) Stayed at Hotel 5 Terre in Monterroso al Mare (EUR 135/night). Good hotel and very friendly management. They only wanted to be paid in cash even though web site says they accept credit cards. Loved the Cinque Terre! A must see.
Milan (1 night) Stayed at the Milan Marriott (EUR 169/night). Nice hotel,
what you would expect from a Marriott. Free internet access. Relatively
close to red line of Milan subway. Definitely go to roof of Duomo while
in Milan. Great shopping.
Chris <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 05/15/02
Rome and Sorrento
We just returned from 2 wks. in Southern Italy. This was our 1st trip to
Italy. Rome wears you down but the sites were incredible. The Hotel Italia
was in a very good location from the train station and for walking to most
of the sites. Rick's tips on leaving the Sistine Chapel through the less
used exit straight to St. Peter's was worth the price of the book. The Borghese
Gallery was fabulous. Be prepared to walk a bit from the subway. We planned
to stay in Sorrento as a base for 5 nights, but loved it so much that we
stayed 8 nights at the Hotel Desiree. We went everywhere from there. Corinna
and staff adopted us and gave us such great information. This was very well
located, quiet, away from the town, but not hard to get to. Some of the
rooms have the most wonderful balconies and views. The beds were not very
good, but for the hospitality and views, I wouldn't hesitate to return.
From Sorrento, we went to Capri, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Mt. Vesuvius by train
and/or ferry. We rented a car for 2 days and drove the Amalfi coast, to
Positano,Ravello Mt. Pertuso, and Marina de Cantone, all incrediby beautiful.
We felt safe everywhere, but took precautions so as not to be a target for
the pickpockets. The trains were always on time and the machines to buy
the tickets worked very well. No lines and very easy. We can't wait to return,
next time to Northern Italy!
D Moore <email>
Pittsburgh, PA USA 05/13/02
Lockers
Just returned from Italy. The left luggage and lockers at all stations are
CLOSED due to ongoing security concerns.
Brian <email>
Pompano Beach, FL USA 05/11/02
Hotels-Torino, Sanremo
Torino — your recommended Hotel Bologna was great — location good and people
so helpful — will stay there everytime I am in Torino. Sanremo — Hotel Sole
Mare was great — ask for a room with a balcony. Location is near the water
but inthe center of town. we had a fun couple of days here. This is no longer
close to the train station since Sanremo has a new train station. TO is
past downtown near the Russian Orthodox cathedral.
Elizabeth Fox <email>
Denton, TX USA 05/11/02
Lockers at Pisa Train Station
In response to Monique's posting: The lockers are still there. But there
is tape over where you are suppose to put money in and operate them. There
is a big sign (in English) that says they are closed. Apparently this is
a recent change. I believe that they were operational last August.
Amy
USA 05/09/02
Antica Locanda dei Mercanti
I recently stayed at this hotel based on other's recommendations, including
Rick's. Compared to other hotels in Italy that I stayed at, I don't think
this hotel warrants the rave reviews it gets. We stayed in Room #31. It
was a small, but comfortable room. However, the bathroom had some problems
with it (leaky plumbing and a shower that wouldn't drain — flooding the
floor). Further, they tried to charge us for room service (even though we
didn't order anything or take breakfast with them). On the good side, I
will note that it's in an ideal location, a few short blocks from the Duomo
and Sforza Castle, and in a pedestrian-only area, which is full of shops
and cafes. If you are going to Milan, I think you can find better hotels
at lower prices.
05/09/02
Milan
I just came back from Milan and also took the Astradale tour. It cost 40
Euros a person and there was no discount available. Apparently, the Milan
Welcome card (or whatever it's called) is being reprinted and the Tourist
Information Center cannot provide an alternative. BTW-this card is only
available at the TI near the Duomo...you can't pick one up at the Train
Station TI. RE: Vicky Jo's comment about being left behind at the "Last
Supper." Our tour guide informed our group that we would be seeing the "Last
Supper" in groups of 25. The first group would go in for 15 minutes and
the second group would follow. She also told us where to meet in 30 minutes.
When she was ready to leave, she made a general announcement and looked
around, but also stated, "I'm leaving now...you'd better get on the bus." Fortunately, all of us made it to the bus for the rest of the tour. But,
I get the feeling that she wouldn't have searched for any stragglers.
Kathy
USA 05/09/02
Milan Update
Live report from Milan on May 9, 2002. The Astradale bus tour cost us £43
apiece and there was NO discount available. Then, at the end, the tour bus
LEFT four of us behind at "The Last Supper." Luckily we were able to share
a cab back to the Duomo and split the cost. All the recommended restaurants
were full when we approached them on Saturday night, so I take that to mean
reservations are a must. The robes in Room 20 of the Duomo museum were closed
to the public, although I caught a glimpse of them through the doorway.
The tapestry Rick described is missing, possibly on loan somewhere. The
tour of the spires atop the cathedral was fantastic and we were able to
lord it over locals who have never done it themselves. I wish it would stop
raining — we're on our honeymoon. :-(
Vicky Jo <email>
Hollywood, CA USA 05/09/02
Lockers at the Pisa Train Station
In response to a previous post: I was in Pisa last August and we checked
our bags in the station's lockers. Unless they've been removed (which I
doubt, since many people don't stay long and use these lockers), you can
leave your bags.
Monique <email>
Boston, MA USA 05/09/02
Hotel London and da Vinci's Last Supper in Milan
I stayed at London Hotel in Milan. The location was very good. I like the
many eateries along Via Dante. My room was really small. The shower and
toilette were so awkwardly added into the room that I decided to use the
shower down the hall instead. I could have saved 10 euros a night for a
room without showers. I poked my head into some double rooms and they appear
to be a lot roomier than my single room. The place is very clean and the
street is quiet. However, the walls are thin so pray for quiet neighbors
who don't use the bathroom in the middle of the night! Da Vinci's Last Supper:
I made reservations per the instructions in your book. This was more enjoyable
to me than the duomo rooftop. I also appreciate your advice to start listening
to the audioguide while in the waiting room. Most people waited till they
got inside and was told that time's up before they finished listening to
the whole thing!
Amy <email>
Oakland, CA USA 05/05/02
Cinque Terre — I like Riomaggiore
I was hoping to take a vacation from my vacation and was disappointed that
I had to deal with tourist crowds similar to those in Venice and Florence.
The trains, ferries and the easy Via del' Amore hike were packed with tourists.
So is Vernazza. Nonetheless, the hikes are really enjoyable. The trail between
Manarola and Corniglia was closed when I was there. The tough Corniglia-Vernazza
hike was the most enjoyable. I got a good workout to walk off the vino bianco,
pesto and gelato! In addition, I enjoyed really beautiful scenery along
the way. I stayed in Riomaggiore and will consider staying there again.
I will also consider the less touristy Corniglia. I got my room through
Mar Mar rooms and it was very clean and spacious (albeit a tiny bathroom).
It is on the harbor and it has a terrace with 180 degree views! Not bad
for 65 euros a night. For restaurants, La Lampara in Riomaggiore and Belvedere
in Monterrosso are both good recommendations.
Amy <email>
Oakland, CA USA 05/05/02
Pisa Leaning Tower
Contrary to the information on your guidebook update web page, you cannot
make reservations to climb the leaning tower in Pisa. You have to buy a
ticket in person at the ticket office at the Field of Miracles. You may
buy a ticket up to one day in advance and I believe the ticket office opens
at 7:30. "Tours" start at 8:00. Each "tour" lasts 40 minutes with the last
"tour" starting at 19:20. You are supposed to show up 15 min before your
allotted time. I bought a ticket at 11am and the earliest available tour
was for 2pm the same day. Still, I considered myself lucky considering how
many people were running around at the Field of Miracles. I suppose people
are put off either by the 15 euros admission or the 294 tilted steps. You
may leave your daybag in one of the free lockers provided to those going
up the tower. However, they are not big enough for suitcases or big backpacks.
While in Pisa, I had lunch at La Buca suggested in your guidebook. The food
was very good. If you sit outside, you can even eat with a view of the tower!
Amy <email>
Oakland, CA USA 05/05/02
Checking Luggage in Pisa
I decided to see Pisa as a stopover but found that you can no longer check
bags at the train station. I took a bus to the airport where there is check
luggage. However, the place is only open during 10:00 and 18:00. However,
you may pick up your bags during the extended hours of 8:00 and 20:00. It
costs 6 euros. They have to take a photocopy of my passport and made me
go to the security checkpoints to have my luggage x-ray'd. The process took
about 15 min. My guess is that the train station is not equipped to take
these security measures. Therefore, they have closed the baggage deposit
there.
Amy <email>
Oakland, CA USA 05/05/02
Vernazza — Albergo Barbara
I made reservations for Vernazza three days before my arrival, calling from
Florence. I tried Albergo Barbara first. She could only offer me a room
for two of the five days I was planning to stay, but I took it, even though
she warned me that it was an attic room with a "small window view" of the
harbor. When I arrived, she led me up and up the stairs to a perfectly satisfactory
room. I assumed my view would be blocked by a roof or building. But when
she pulled back the curtain of the small window, I had a magnificent, panoramic
view of the whole harbor, with Monterosso in the distance. I almost leapt
with joy! And it was only 35 Euros a night (single, shared bath)!! My other
three nights were in a room of Gianni Franzi, who runs a restaurant on the
square. Also very satisfactory, lots of climbing, but only 45 Euros a night
(single, shared bath).
Terry <email>
Oakland, CA USA 05/03/02
Pisa
If you plan to jump off the train in Pisa, snap some photos of the Tower,
and jump back on the next train, be aware that there is no place to check
your bags at the Pisa train station. And it's a LONG walk to the Tower if
you have to carry luggage. By all means take a bus (very convenient) or
taxi from the train station.
Terry <email>
Oakland, CA USA 05/03/02
Italy Guide Book
Great guidebook. Your guidebook recommended places I would not have normally
gone to on my own (e.g. Lake Como). I am greatful for the experience and
the memories of that wonderful place! Pick-pocketed: Unfortuately, I was
careless and it happened on the exact bus route you warned us about in Rome
(#64)! Overall, I had a wonderful time. Thanks for sharing with us!!! phine28@yahoo.com
phine28@yahoo.com <email>
CA USA 05/03/02
Guide books
Grazie mille! By using your guides I was able to put together an itinerary
tailored for my family's needs for a 3 week tour of London and Italy. The "secrets" were invaluable and kept us from standing in long lines at the
museums, searching for a laundromat, or taking that long hike back through
the Vatican Museum! My 12 year old was especially pleased with your suggestion
of the book at the vendors outside the Colisem that had vinyl overleaf pages
showing what Rome used to look like. I used your recommendations for all
of my hotels and was pleased with all of them — Elizabeth Hotel in London,
Albergo Doni in Venice, Hotel Basilea in Florence, Albergo Bernini in Siena,
and Residenza Cellini in Rome. Mona Winks got us through the museums in
a comfortable length of time and without a sense of overwhelm. I give you
"two thumbs up."
Karen <email>
South Lake Tahoe, CA USA 05/01/02
Vernazza Experience
Just got back from Rome, Florence, Vernazza, and Venice and found Rick's
books to be very helpful. Made a reservation at Filippo's in Vernazza and
confirmed a day ahead of time. When we got there, Filippo was nowhere to
be found and they did not have our reservation. They had two rooms for us
for the first night, but nothing for the second night. It was Liberation
Day, so there were no rooms to be found. We went for dinner at Trattoria
Gianni. Besides having one of the best meals of my life, Volerio (our waiter)
made a few calls and got us two rooms for the second night. He made our
trip!!
David
Washington, DC USA 05/01/02
Venice, Trains.
Venice: RIck's best advice was to get as lost as possible! Familiarize yourself
with the relationship of the main landmarks along the Grand Canal) and then
forget the map. You'll experience a lot more, and you will truly be able
to get where you want to eventually.. I can concurr with the positivies
given the Locanda Nouvo Venezia given eslwhere on this list. Its lovely,
they are helpful, and its convenietly and charmingly located (and quite).
Trains: Perhaps someone else can come up with more info...but I found through
un- fortunate experience that 1x per month on a wked, there is train fair
promotional that makes going all the way north to south or vice versa very
cheap. And very crowded and slow. My exp. was April 13, the local filling
me in said the next one is MAY 11 and he advised not travelling on that
day if at all possible.The fare was something ridiculous like 10 euros.
(My own fair did not reflect this, so I don't know how to have taken advantage
of it) I also ran into some need for revervations made at least 4 hrs ahead
of time. Even if there was room on the train, I couldn't get a reservation
because it was 3 hrs and 55 min. before the departure. This was going Venice
to Ferrara to Ravenna. making resevations at least 4 hrs ahead of time in
some circustmances which remain unclear .
Cynthia WHear <email>
Baltimore, MD USA 04/30/02
Accomodations/Services
I just wanted to tell you that we were so very very fortunate to run across
the services of Mauro Sacchetta Cali of Underground Viaggi for our recent
week stay in Rome. Mauro was incredibly hospitable and considerate as he
found us a lovely apartment in the Tastivere section of Rome. Mauro's transportation
to and from the airport as well as his constant help throughout the week
was truly above and beyond! We HIGHLY recommend the services of Mauro and
Underground Viaggi, and we can't imagine a travel agent being anymore wonderful!
Eileen Sutula <email>
Madison, WI USA 04/29/02
Rome
Just returned from 12 days in Italy and the Rick Steves' guide Italy 2002
was invaluable. In Rome, We stayed at the Monte De Gallo B&B (short walk
to the Vatican)and wonderful rates ($129 for two room suite). Tips for Rome:
Take the on-off Trolly's first (the Italian English was not understandable,
but it allowed quick visits to sites and good overview of how the city is
laid out)and was much safer than we found the #64 bus (Rick Steves' was
not kidding when he talks about the pick pockets on this bus line!). We
did the City 110 Buses (there are several different ones). We stumbled upon
a free tour at the Forum (Discover Tours) who were advertising their paid
walking tours. Wonderful fun and lead by English native speaking guides
who clearly loved the city and the sites (our guide was Julia). We were
sorry we stumbled on them our last day and didn't take their tours (Anticient
Rome, Rome at Dusk, the Vatican City, The Catacombs. Phone: 349 8726 943
or e-mail: discoverome@hotmail.com (web site www.discoverrometours.com).
Group sizes are limited to 20. Our best tour! Rome was marvelous, 5 days
was simply not enough....
P Gardner <email>
Boston, MA USA 04/27/02
Incorrect email address
The email address (celestedileve@tiscalinet.it) for Residence La Tavolozza
in Positano, Italy does not work. Please update. Thanks.
John Henry Beyer <email>
El Cerrito, CA USA 04/21/02
Travelling along the Riviera
Travelling down along the Riviera for my 4th time we met old and new friends
! 5 TERRE: tried this time the nice village of Manarola avoiding Vernazza
and Manarola too crowded for my taste (once in vernazza they gave away my
room and second time even if paid they sent me to another hotel in town
with a cozy and not-windowed room !!!!). Stayed at the lovely CA'ANDREAN.
Hotel is not facing the sea but rate is fine and easily reachable even with
heavy luggage. SESTRI LEVANTE: new area of the RS readers. Great for the
beach but not for the landscape. Better stay northern but spend a day laying
on the sand is fine. PORTOFINO : as usual avoided the famous resort for
a much more reasonable town like S.MARGHERITA. This is great. You've got
everything you need at a walking distance especially if you stay central
like at the Hotel Nuova Riviera of the Sabini Family. In my recent 4 visits
I've tried most of the hotels in town (from 4 to 2 stars hotels). This is
just a 1 star but they manage with great enthusiasm. It's a family run hotel
and you see everybody busy to make Clients happy. The hotel is not facing
the sea (it's not like in the 5Terre were almost of the houses are seafront
or at least with great seaview) infact in town only the 4/5 stars hotels
are seafront (apart a 3 star at the railstation but I avoided it right for
this reason!!). I had the chance to occupy a large quadruple room (we were
just 2 and I paid as triple not complaining at at all seing the space I
had all for me !)on the ground floor with 3 large windows and garden view.
Started with one day only and stayed 5 nights! Breakfast is included in
the rate and even if just continental is exquisite especially the great
coffee the Sabinis offer. The first morning we arrived early and they gave
us extra breakfast service just for 5Euro per person! Rich informations
on the area like maps, train schedule and walking pathes suggestions are
easily offered with joy. Better than the tourist office ! Yes, I recommend
it for sure (as I noticed many many readers have already done in the past
years). GENOA : it's a recent re-discovery, I mean I've been there 10 years
ago and was dirty, very badly kept but now is really something else. The
historical centre has been renewed and all houses re-painted. The harbour
area is now very actractvie with the Acquarium and museums plus the old
Palaces all restored (palazzo Rosso and palazzo Bianco). If you have an
extra day or it's a rainy day and don't know what to do, that's the place
to stay. Most of the hotels, even 3 stars, have reasonable rates. RS, thanks
for the oportunity you give all your readers to fulfill your suggestions
!
H.Roos <email>
New York, Ny USA 04/19/02
Northern Italy
Please make sure that you visit Bellagio when you are in the Lake District.
It is the most beautiful of the large lakes and accommodation at the Hotel
Florence is both affordable and charming. Remember to visit Varenna and
walk across the boardwalks for superb views of the old town and the lake.
Wendy Ashworth <email>
London, U K 04/16/02
Hotel Galleria
A rebuttal of a couple of previous posts. For the Hotel Galleria's (in Venice)
web site, try www.hotelgalleria.it instead of www.galleria.it, which is
apparently a porn site (I did NOT confirm!). Also, while I agree that Hotel
Galleria can be noisy (our friends had noise problems in Room #1 or #2),
it does not have to be. Our room (#8) was not noisy at all and had a BEAUTIFUL
Grand Canal view. The vaporetti do make some noise at the nearby stop, but
the windows (at least on the canal side) are well insulated and we were
not at all disturbed by noise. Apparently, the noise is much worse in the "Accademia Bridge view" rooms (which are right above the noisy restaurant
mentioned by the previous poster). Bottom line: stay at the Hotel Galleria
but pay extra for a canal view room (hey, you're in Venice!).
Steve Heinen <email>
Tulsa, OK USA 04/15/02
feedback
Your book was wonderfully helpful and made both planning and the actual
traveling fun. Since we are off-season travelers it would be helpful to
have more information on what is not available (e.g. the free tour of St.
Marks is not given until May — we were there in April)until high season.
Our most helpful tip is for drivers. We learned this from an Italian friend.
If you are confused about which way to go — either on a city street or
even on the Autostrada — do as the Italians do: pull over, put on your flashers,
and study your map until you feel confident enough to proceed. One thing
that needs changing: Vaporetti #1 in Venice leaves from the dock on the
right (not the left) as you leave the train station. Encouraging people
to read the directional signs is important so that they head the right way
on the canal. A few more comments about Venice. While we loved our stay
at the Hotel Galleria, its proximity to both the vaporetti stop for Academia
and the bridge makes it pretty noisy (the restaurant below also adds to
the din). So if someone is looking for a quiet experience (which you indicate
that it is) — this is not it. We though the food at Tratoria Al Cugnai was
fabulous — sea food, salads and pasta were all first rate — Osteria da Carla
was mediocre — salads were just head lettuce, pasta flavors didn't blend
well, in our opinion. Thanks again.
amy alpine <email>
Eau Claire, WI USA 04/15/02
venice, hotel web site??
I just thought you might be interested that a web site address for a venetian
hotel is actually a porno web site. Hotel Galleria, www.galleria.it was
the address listed in my italy guidebook, and it is a porno site!! No problem,
just thought you might want to check it out.
Linda Zaner <email>
ocala, fl USA 04/11/02
Rented an apartment with Venice Rentals
Hi, I am copying what I just wrote on the Venice board since it seemed to
be unused. We just rented an apartment with Venice Rentals and were pleasantly
surprised. We were a little leery in staying in an apartment, having never
done it before. We found many write ups here and ending up booking a 2 bedroom
2 bath apartment for a week near Campa S. Stefano and C. S. Angelo in the
S. Marks district. Everything was great, their service was superb truly,
the apartment (nicer and bigger than expected) and the price ($180 a night)
was unbeatable by other companies and hotels we checked. I highly recommend
them, its a true find in Venice. Here's their info. www.Venicerentals.com;
mail@venicerentals; Phone From U.S. 011-39-041-276-9798. Thumbs up!
Patricia Kaminsky <email>
USA 04/09/02
Spring break in Italy
Just returned from a 10-day trip to Rome, Naples, and Sorrento. Highly recommend
the Hotel Oceania. Very friendly and helpful staff. We were in one of their
new rooms and it was very comfortable and quiet. It is within walking distance
of all the major sights...even the Vatican..and the train station. This
is a very walkable city. If you need a WC..just duck into any of the McDonalds
you see everywhere. They don't seem to care if you buy anything and the
toilets are generally clean. Don't risk being fleeced on the metro...just
walk.
Had great meals at the Osteria da Mario, Osteria Enoteca al Bric and the Hostaria Romana. Travelled by train to Sorrento via Naples. They have a secure place to store your luggage if you wish to walk around the city; something I think is worth doing. We had a great pizza at Pizzeria Trianon. It is a little unsettling going from the Eurostar train from Rome underground to the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento but it turned out okay..just keep close to your possessions as Rick Steves warns.
We stayed at the Hotel Il Nido in Sorrento. It is cheap compared to the prices in the city but it is a little inconvenient in that you need to take the hotel shuttle back and forth. You do have a great view of the Bay of Naples from each room and they serve dinner for a very reasonable price. They also have free internet access. We ate twice at the Ristorante Pizzeria Zi'Ntonio in Sorrento..perhaps the best pasta I have eaten anywhere and very friendly service.
Give Pompeii a whole day...not just 2-3 hours. Rent an audioguide and
just wander up and down the ancient streets. I think the bus ride down
the Amalfi coast would be better in the summer when they run more buses
and you can take a ferry back..they don't run in the spring. For my money,
the towns on the Cinque de Terre are far more scenic and less touristy
than the towns on the Amalfi coast and have more charm.
Peter Oliver <email>
Salem, OR USA 04/08/02
Tour of Italy
We used Italy 2002 in March. The book was extremely helpful. We especially
loved Siena, Cinque Terre and Sorrento. We stayed in several hotels and
pensiones mentioned in Rick's book. However, we were not happy with 2 of
the hotels, Soggiorno Pezzati in Florence (the pensione itself is nice & Clean) the surrounding neighborhood is shady and scary. The other was Hotel
Speronari in Milan. It is in a prime/safe location. But the hotel itself
was disappointing, dingy and dirty. We are so glad that we had Rick's book
to help us navigate through the train, busses and accomodations. We truly
felt that all the information was current and helpful.
Julie Cruz <email>
San Diego, CA USA 04/07/02
Italy
Some great places at good prices, all pretty large rooms, particularly for
Italy
Milan-Locanda Anitca Leonardo-terrific location, lovely people, great rooms-get one on the first floor with a garden.
Florence-Residenza Johlea II-a little hard to find but once we did-wow! A great rooftop terrace overlooking the city.
Rome-Residenza Cellini-pay a little more and get the deluxe. We stayed in a room that was huge and freshly painted wedgewood blue, owned by a lovely family.
In Venice we stayed in an apartment from Views on Venice-Ca Soranzo-it was great but four flights of stairs and 2 big bridges to get there-so be forewarned if you have a lot of luggage. Finally, in Rome we had a funky guide named Mayta-I think her website is eternal tourist-she's a little odd but got us to the front of everyline, is American and knows a lot.
I recommend ordering museum tickets online-saves lots of time.
sara rutenberg <email>
los angeles, CA USA 04/06/02
Portofino & Santa Margherita Ligure : Villino Matilde
For our 25th wedding anniversary we chose the small Villino Matilde property
in S. Margherita Ligure, it's the unique self-catering accomodation in town,
80mq total surface on 2 floors with an outdoor area that the owners, Marco & Cristina are buying with a barbeque corner and private parking spot by
the end of this 2002 season. The rate was less expensive than going to a
hotel. Great for being independent but central and close to everything.
Villino Matilde is in the real town centre but on a private road, therefore
quite and intimate. Try it, from here you can go anywhere in Liguria by
all means of transportation (you DON'T NEED a car !)www.villinomatilde.com
Tom & Martha Leaf <email>
OH USA 04/06/02
Italian Riviera & Cinque Terre
I just stayed for 7 nights in a nice, clean 2 room apartment in the village
of Levanto just 50 meters to the beach for 100 Euro per night! It didn't
include breakefast but I made my own as there was a kitchen with fridge,
freezer, oven and stove top, also a washing machine. I read about this company
on your site. They did a super job and met us on time at the local train
station as they promised and showed us around. The company's site is: www.cinqueterreproperties.com.
Nice people, nice service, nice price!
Marcel Petit
Tolouse, France 04/01/02
Spring in Italy
Just came back from a mid-March trip to Venice, Florence, Pisa and Rome.
We had wonderful weather and Italy was in full bloom for Spring. We stayed
in Rick-recommended hotels and all were wonderful. In Venice, Hotel Campiello
has a can't beat location. You are just minutes from all the action on St.
Mark's Square but is peaceful and has a great breakfast. Florence's Hotel
Accademia was nice but pray you don't get Room 3. It is right behind the
bar and the staff uses it to make their expresso in the early a.m. (6:00
a.m.) and you will have no more sleep after that! We stayed at the convent
(Hotel di Santa Brigida) in Rome and, again, you are within walking distance
of almost all the sights. We took a taxi to Villa Borghese but walked every
where else. Request a quiet room as street noise can be a problem.
We enjoyed all of Rick's tours in the Rome book. The Night Walk Across Rome was great but we felt it fell apart after the Trevi Fountain. We never did find the Spanish Steps that night. (It's difficult trying to read a map in the dark!)
We planned to speed through Pisa with a quick two hour visit as Rick recommends. However, due to security problems, both the luggage deposit and the lockers were not open so we had to take our luggage with us on the bus and then just sat on "the most beautiful lawn in Italy" in front of the Leaning Tower and took turns visiting the sights.
Plan ahead and make reservations for the Uffizi and Accademia in Florence,
the Leaning Tower (if you want to go up it), and the Borghese Gallery
in Rome. We did and it saved hours of time. Thanks, Rick & Co. for making
our trip easy and wonderful.
Tricia Melgaard <email>
Tulsa, OK USA 03/30/02
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre was wonderful! We liked Manarola best of all. Although we like
Trattoria Da Billy, our favorite restaurant in all of Italy was Il Porticciolo
in Manarola. GREAT pesto, great anchovies, great seafood, great sorbetto,
great service — you get the point! Stayed a Da Barinin B&B in Manarola and
highly recommend, but it is quite a climb from the main part of town. If
you are not in shape when you get there, you will be when you leave! Fabulous
views from the rooms! If you care, see my comments re Rome, Florence and
Venice on those Graffiti Walls.
Steve Heinen <email>
Tulsa, OK USA 03/27/02
Amalfi Coastline
Just wanted to say Rick's books are very valuable. I have used his tips
on several trips now. I have a great tip. If you considering traveling the
Amalfi Coast, I used a wonderful taxi service-very reasonable-the owner
Umberto is a delight and has lived in Praino all his life. http://www.taxibenvenuto.com
is his website. He will give you a quote ahead of time. I missed my train
and was late by over an 1.5 hours and he was kind enough to re-arrange twice
to pick me up in the pouring rain and deliver me and my friend safely to
our hotel in Amalfi. He even gave us a little history lesson on the region
on the drive. I highly recommend his services.
C Keathley <email>
Clayton, mo USA 03/26/02
Rome and Sorrento
My wife and I just got back from a trip to Rome and Sorrento. Rick's book
was extremely helpful. Rome: Stayed at Hotel Italia. It was a very good
deal, clean, and close to all the sites and train station. All the places
we ate were really good (except the one mentioned next) especialy those
recommended by Rick. Warning: Stay away from ristorante Ciao Bella on Via
Veneto. The waiter kept pushing the highest items on the menu, especially
items sold per 100 grams. (The bill claimed I ate 1kg of fish) He also hinted
at a large tip — even though the servizio charge was already somewhat large.
Sorrento: Stayed at Hotel Il Nido. It is not directly in the town of Sorrento,
but has an amazing view of the bay. The hotel van picks up at a central
location in the town hourly after 5 pm and in the morning makes 3 hourly
stops at the port and the Circumvesuviana/bus station station. The hotel
also has a restourant that is quite good.
Dan Howell <email>
Alexandria, VA USA 03/26/02
Rome (the eternal city)
I just returned from Rome and followed the advice on this board and used
three amigos tours. You understand the company name as soon as you meet
them, 3 very friendly guys. My son doesn't like tours so much so we called
and asked for recommendations in Rome, the guide simply told us to meet
them and told us everything we needed to know for FREE. We then decided
to take their tour of Ancient Rome and even my son loved it. Questions are
answered without hesitation and Chay our guide had a very humorous way of
explaining things. Even at the end of the tour they offer your money back
if you did not enjoy the tour. e-mail threeamigostours@hotmail.com
craig lyle <email>
boston, USA 03/24/02
Naples' Gem of a Tour Guide
We've been using Rick Steves' guide books for three years and are delighted
with them! The only thing that could be improved upon are the small maps.
Then again, it is always worthwhile to obtain a local map anyhow and realize
that the Rick's maps are very condensed and, perforce, simple. We found
a FANTASTIC tour guide in the area of Naples. He regularly provides tours
for Americans stationed in Naples, and also to archeologists, etc. His tours
encompass the areas of Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and MonteCassino...and
many others off the usual tourists' screen. He speaks five languages and
is native Napoletano. His rates are very reasonable & I can assure the historically
minded person, his tours are the best. His name is Aldo Sparice, and his
phone is 011-39-339-153-8009 (cell). Remember the time difference (Italy
is +6 hours EST, +9 PST). So, if you wish to visit any of the Naples' sites,
this man is a powerful resource.
Anthony Ricci <email>
Menifee, CA USA 03/07/02
Italy with Rick
Just returned from a wonderful seven days in Rome with Rick's tour. Everything
was perfect; from the knowledgeable and simpatico Fernando, the accommodations
at Hotel Aberdeen, the weather, to our 15 friendly companions. A great time!
Following the week in Rome, we went on to Venice by train and spent two days exploring by vaporetto and walking. We enjoyed Pensione Guerrato so much when we stayed there with Rick's Italy BB&B tour in '99 that we stayed there again. It's still the friendly place with the same accommodating staff we remembered.
Next we took the train to Milan, a very scenic route. Make sure that your ticket is from Venezia S.L and not Mestre. Even though my tickets from Rome were to Venezia Santa Lucia, the agent booked my departure from Venezia Mestre. I should have checked, but it made for an interesting half hour making the connection to Mestre.
Milan is the perfect city to prepare you for reality at home. It's modern,
busy, and efficient with great connections to both airports. We stayed
at Hotel Gritti which is centrally located about two blocks from the Duomo.
The rooms are clean and comfortable, and the staff is efficient and cordial,
but don't expect warm fuzzies.
Dick Crawford <email>
Mercer Island, WA USA 03/04/02
Hotel in Siena — Albergo Antica Torre
Several other guidebooks (e.g., fodors.com) recommend a hotel in Siena called
the Albergo Antica Torre. They recently got an e-mail address, which is
not published anywhere yet. It is anticatorre@email.it.
Todd Whitehurst <email>
Frazier Park, CA USA 03/04/02
Lake maggiore
We went to Lake Maggiore in Italy last year. We had always been to Garda,
but were mesmerised by what we found. Stunning scenery, friendly people
and a great hotel, Le Palme in Stresa. It has a lovely rooftop jacuzzi and
beautiful food. Views of Isola Bella from the balcony !
Rachel Wakefield <email>
cambridge, UK, USA 03/03/02
Rome Hotel to Avoid
Rome-Avoid the "Hotel Adventure" A true nightmare.
Judi
Prescott, az USA 03/03/02
Rome, Florence, Venice
We just returned from Italy, religiously following Rick's recommendations
and had the time of our lives! All hotels we stayed in were very nice — clean, friendly and safe. The weather (February 2002) was wonderful! Mid-days
in Rome required no jackets...and very few lines at anything!
ROME: Stayed at the Hotel Oceania. Very nice place, however, they are doing construction on the exterior of the building, so it doesn't look nice from the outside. Owners couldn't have been nicer. The Colosseum should not be missed, along with the other sites Rick mentions. However, skip the "Risorante da Giovanni" in Rome, unless you want to experience rude service and mediocre food.
FLORENCE: Stayed at the Hotel Accademia. Nice place, very close to the train. However, the front desk staff are LOUD in the early am if you happen to be in a room near the desk (as we were). Otherwise, very nice & pleasant.
VENICE: The hotel al Piave is a gem! It was THE BEST place we stayed in the entire time...says it's "2 stars" but really seems like 3. Immaculate rooms & guest area. Wonderful hosts. Well worth the price...can't recommend it enough!
A recommendation for Rick: the directions from the train to the hotels
(in all cities) need to be improved. We got totally disoriented in each
city trying to get from train to the hotel — — and the maps were confusing
at best. Otherwise, the guide is great — for the hotel recommendations
especially.
Tom Mantoni <email>
Easton, PA USA 02/24/02
Rome, Florence and Venice accommodation
We went to Rome, Florence and Venice for 10 days in December 2001, and all
our accommodation bookings were based on postings here.
We stayed for 5 nights in Rome at the Rome B&B based on the numerous recommendations posted on this site. Whilst it was in a very convenient location right above the metro, no-one seemed to mention that this was simply a 3 bedroom apartment that has been rented out on a per-room basis! I hardly even met the 'very-friendly' Marco. His partner Carlotta was there, and whilst very nice and helpful, they made sure they charged for everything, in $US!! That was difficult considering we are from Australia. The room we were in was quite large. The location was ok, though not in the centre of Rome, it is approx a 15min walk just to to Colosseum, so at least 25-30mins to walk into the hub of things, or catch the metro. I think that this B&B was ok, though probably not so deserving of the glowing reviews.
We stayed at the Soggiorno Battistero in Florence. This was a fantastic place to stay!! We had a fantastic view of the Duomo and we were right in the middle of Florence, the location was fantastic and the rooms were large and airy. They recently renovated all the bathrooms so each room has a private bathroom. We would definitely stay here again on our return.
In Venice we stayed at the Pensione Guerrato (sorry about the spelling).
The location was just right off the Rialto Bridge. We absolutely fell
in love with Venice, getting lost in the maze of streets was wonderful.
This place was also fantastic.
Pauline
Sydney, AUS 02/24/02
Italy through the backdoor
My wife and I went to Italy f in Nov. We read the Rick's "Italy throught
the Backdoor" and used it throughout our adventures. The written maps were
so easy to follow and so convenient, instead of large maps. The places to
dine he recommends were wonderful. We found ourselves walking around everywhere
and not feeling lost, just using his maps showing points of reference.
Patrick <email>
Wickliffe, Oh USA 02/22/02
Milan Hotels,Food etc.
I stayed at two different hotels in Milan. One was a 1 or maybe two star
Hotel Speronari suggested by Rick Steves and it was a lot nicer than I expected.
It was VERY convenient to the center of Milan, clean, safe, staff was very
helpful and most of all CHEAP. I paid 44 Euro for a single room for one
night. It's better than a Motel 6 (as motel six does not have ceramic tile
floors. My room did not include a bathroom, only a sink and bidet but the
very clean bathrooms are plentiful on each floor..actually one every two
doors on each floor. The other hotel was a four star Hotel Lloyd. I paid
83 Euro. It was nice also but not as convenient as Hotel Speronari. I compare
it to a Comfort Inn in the states. Not fancy but very american and comfortable.
Some of my "greats" about Milan were....the subway system, very easy,
the ice cream (gelato) to die for and the pizza (or should I just say
all the food!) was excellent.
Tina Carter <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 02/20/02
Hotel Santa Maria
On a recommendation from this site, I stayed at the Hotel Santa Maria in
the Trastevere area of Rome. It is a gem. We found a gracious, helpful staff,
and expanded continental breakfast in a pleasant garden. Great walking access
to tourist sites, security gated at night. The rooms are smallish, but spotless
with a safe and I think I remember a refigerator. The air-conditioning seemed
a bit anemic, but perhaps it had been turned off at the end of the season.
Pam <email>
Egypt 02/18/02
LIGURIA — S. Margherita Ligure — Portofino
S. Margherita Ligure is perfect base to explore all the area of Portofino
(with San Fruttuoso & Camogli). We chose a self-catering accomodation. This
is rare in town but on the web we found the lovely Villino Matilde. It's
a small house, 80mq, on two floors with an equipped kitchen and central
to all. The owners, Marco & Cristina, give you all the information possible
to enjoy the town & the area. Just have a look : www.villinomatilde.com
John & Chrissie <email>
San Diego, CA USA 02/18/02
Rome and Pompeii
We took our 3 boys to Rome. We stayed in Hotel Pensione Italia, the only
hotel we could get that had a room for 5. We highly recommend it, particularly
for larger families. The hotel staff was very helpful, they called taxis
for us, found out opening times, and gave us directions. They have bus/metro
tickets at the desk that you can purchase from them. The room was spacious,
very clean, with wood floors and the beds were very comfortable. Breakfast
was included in the 130 euros and it was OK. We got spoiled in Germany with
their wonderful breakfasts.
We had dinner twice at the Hostaria Romana. The first night the food was wonderful, the second night it was just fine, two of the dishes were just ok. Flann O'Brien Irish Pub food was acceptable, but the service was not very good. We wouldn't go back there. The day we went to the Vatican, we had luch at Hostaria Bastioni. The food was good and the price right. The had wonderful gelati just around the corned from Bastioni on our way to St. Peter's.
We made a day trip to Pompeii from Rome by the Eurostar train. It was
little bit less than 2 hours from Rome to Napoli, and very comfortable.
Circumvesuvio train from Napoli to Pompeii was very crowded. It took about
45 min. from Napoli to Pompeii. Before heading for Pompeii, we visited
the Museo Archeologico in Naples. On our way back to the train station,
we had to walk b/c of a strike on line A of the subway. We loved Pompeii
and wished we had had more time. A couple of hours is not enough!
Emilia <email>
USA 02/13/02
Locanda Novo Venezia
I am pleased to see that the Locanda Novo Venezia is listed in the Venice
section of Rick's Italy book. We stayed there and found the accommodations
and service to be excellent. They asked what coffee, etc. we preferred and
what time we would like breakfast, then brought it up to our room each morning.
The staff was very nice. The hotel is only a 5 minute walk from the Rialto
Bridge.
Sue Cramer <email>
Peoria, AZ USA 02/09/02
rome.hotels and tours
On a recent visit to Rome I found the city so welcoming and easy. We stayed
at the hotel Navona which was beautiful and also had English speaking staff.
They recommended a tour company called the Three Amigos, so we tried them
and they were absolutely amazing! For only 100,000 lira they covered the
Vatican, Colosseum, Forum and the Catacombs. To contact the tour company
you call 3333269149 and ask for Chay, he's Scottish. Watch out for pickpockets,
they are easily spotted, look for young girls with babies!
julie <email>
san diego, cal USA 02/03/02
Levanto & Cinque Terre
We just stayed in a wonderful apartment in Levanto on the Italian Riviera,
Cinque Terre which is a 1500's building turned into 2 nice apartment, only
a 5-minute walk to the local train station. The apartment is called Casa
del Registro(ph# 3288426934, e-mail: cinqueterreproperties@yahoo.it). There
were two outstanding restaraunts there: Osteria Tumelin and Taverna Garibaldi
, both were excellent food and value.
Phil Browton
Islington, London, UK 02/02/02
venice & rome
The train from Rome to Venice is quite pleasant, the part up to Bologna
quite fast...I highly suggest getting lost in the city, away from the pzza.
san marco, near the ghetto & the miserecordia, the little streets and bridges.
The city also feels very safe, day or night and you can't really get lost.
I stayed halfway between rialto bridge & san marco at splendid suisse hotel,
which was very nice...
In Rome, a suggestion for kids is to take them to Villa Borghese, there's
lots of play areas, great for picnics. Stores and museums nearby...there's
also bike rentals and a horseriding area...steps away is pzza de popolo
and spanish steps...take the metro to espana...
josh <email>
hollywood, fl USA 01/30/02
FLORENCE HOTEL VALUE!
In Florence, RESIDENCE BELLEVUE, on the web at HTTP://bellevue.interfree.it
is a GREAT VALUE. Having stayed there a couple of times, I can't recommend
it enough. GREAT LOCATION for train travellers, HUGE AIR-CONDITIONED rooms,
all with showers, some with toilets. Easy access to all Florence has to
offer. Friendly Antonio will go out of his way to help you experience Florence.
THIS SMALL, FRIENDLY HOTEL SHOULD BE IN RICK'S BOOK!!!
falcon <email>
toledo, oh USA 01/28/02
travelling in
We just returned from 7 days in Rome with our 3 sons. We were there over
Christmas and had a wonderful time thanks to the book. We stayed at the
Hotel Aberdeen — it was fabulous. Everything he said about the accomodations
and the 2 gals who run it was right on target. The breakfasts were perfect
for our family and we recieved some wonderful recommendations about restaurants.
The hotel is warm, friendly and very nice. We had 2 rooms — a triple for
the boys and a double for my husband and I. The lobby included a sitting
room with a computer with internet access — we were able to email family
to keep thme posted about our trip. 2 blocks from our hotel was the subway
station which was very easy to figure out. We used the subway often to get
across the city. The train terminal was also very closeby and we would have
used it more often if our schedule had permitted. What a wonderful time
to go to Rome! We went to midnight Mass at the Vatican. We took in so many
sights with no crowds. People were so friendly and outgoing. We never felt
like strangers in a strange land. The morning after midnight Mass, we slept
in — until after noon. Across the street from the Aberdeen is a small deli-a
gastronomia — owned by a family having their Christmas luncheon. We came
in to get some yogurt and pastries for breakfast. The owner of the place,
eating there with her husband and daughter, the service person, broke out
a pantione — cake with fruit — and champagne and chocolates — brought us all
some and then toasted us — "Merry Christmas!" We felt so welcomed to our
little neighborhood. Rick is absolutely right that getting into the life
around you makes the trip the best. We ate at wonderful little pizzerias
or family like restaurants and had the best food. Our blue-eyed blond haired
boys were welcomed everywhere. Language was not a barrier. We were able
to get information and assistance everywhere with broken Italian and friendly
smiles. Safety was not an issue. We did not have any bad experiences — not
even close. Saw a few beggars outside St. Peter's Square, but no problems
with pickpockets. Although the weather was cooler than we had anticipated,
we did just fine with our zip out fleece lined waterproof jackets. The book
gave so many tips about places to go and things to see and restaurants to
try. It was the mainstay of our tour guides. Would I go again? In a minute!
The best place to stay — Hotel Aberdeen — so close and convenient. Thanks
for the recommendation!
Gretchen Farrar-Foley <email>
Milwaukee, WI USA 01/27/02
Travelling In
We just returned from 7 days in Rome with our 3 sons. We were there over
Christmas and had a wonderful time thanks to the book. We stayed at the
Hotel Aberdeen — it was fabulous. Everything he said was right on target.
The breakfasts were perfect for our family and we received some wonderful
recommendations about restaurants. The hotel is warm, friendly and very
nice. We had 2 rooms — a triple for the boys and a double for my husband
and I. The lobby had a sitting room and a computer with internet access.
2 blocks from our hotel was the subway. The train terminal was also close
by and we would have used it more often if our schedule had permitted. What
a wonderful time to go to Rome! We went to midnight Mass at the Vatican.
People were so friendly and outgoing. Across the street from the Aberdeen
is a small deli-a gastronomia. We came in to get some breakfast. The owner
of the place, eating with her husband and daughter, broke out a pantione — cake
with fruit — and champagne and chocolates — brought us all some and then toasted
us — "Merry Christmas!" We felt so welcomed to our little neighborhood.
Rick is absolutely right that getting into life around you makes the
trip the best. Our blue-eyed blond haired boys were welcomed everywhere.
Language was not a barrier. We were able to get information and assistance
everywhere with broken Italian and friendly smiles. Safety was not an
issue. Saw a few beggars outside St. Peter's Square, but no problems with
pickpockets. The book gave so many tips about places to go and things
to see and restaurants to try. It was the mainstay of our tour guides.
USA 01/27/02
Venice Rentals at a Bargain!!
I would like to highly recommend an apartment rental company in Venice,
Italy.....VeniceRentals.com to be added to your guide books. This company
was by far the best I have ever used. They answered my several questions
and emails within the same day, they set up dinner reservations, a babysitter
for our small children for a night out on our own, and showed us the entire
neighborhood (where supermarkets, internet cafes, best restaurants, etc)
before bringing us into the apartment and giving us the necessary info.
there as well. They were professional and sweet to work with. The site and
email address are Venicerentals.com and info@venicerentals.com. Your readers
would be at a loss if they didn't get this information. The best thing of
all is that they are a superb value. They had several apt. choices to select
from starting at $95 a night! I took one for $190 with 2 bedroom, 2 gorgeous
bathrooms, a lovely new kitchen and living room. If going to Venice, you
couldn't touch this bargain with any hotel. I have seen several 3 and 4
star hotels and they don't compare at all. The owners are Denise and Maurizio.
Their phone number in Venice is: 39-041-276-9798.
Phil S <email>
Dallas, TX USA 01/24/02
Hotel Pendini
I also want to speak in support of the Hotel Pendini. My wife and I and
our 4 children stayed there in July, and loved it. Yes, its an older hotel,
but the staff were great, the breakfast was good and the rooms were serviceable.
They gave my 5 year-old a little play set when we checked in that kept her
occupied as she accompanied us from museum to gallery etc. The first night
we were there they recommended a little family-run restaurant close by that
was wonderful, inexpensive and devoid of tourists. It is in a great location,
with a close walk to all the main sites and the train station. We would
try to stay there if we make it to Florence again.
Dave <email>
Richmond, VA USA 01/21/02
Pendini
I have stayed at the Pendini and even though it's a little "tired" it's
well worth the stay. I'm very picky about where I stay and I would return
there.
Ann
NY, NY USA 01/19/02
Bad Hotel in FlorenceHotel Pendini: My wife and I were very
disappointed with the condition of the Hotel/Pension Pendini. The hallway
carpet was dirty and worn. The hallway walls were damaged by water stains
and gouges. The double room was very small, and the queen sized bed took
up much of the room. The room shown on their internet sight is for a triple
room. The paint on the ceiling, doors and trim was dirty, worn, chipped
or peeling. The bathroom was very small and had no counter space. The clean
towels were laid across the garbage can and bidet after the room was made
up each day. Mold was growing on the shower walls, and the drain in the
shower plugged up. The toilet required repeated flushes. We could hear the
plumbing noises from neighboring rooms throughout the night. The positive
aspects of the hotel were the helpful staff, the morning breakfast and the
location central to all major sights in Florence. The condition of the accomodations
overshadowed the positive points the hotel offered.
Marc Barnes <email>
los alamitis, ca USA 01/17/02
Through Eternity No Show
We were also stood up by Through Eternity for the Colosseum Tour. We had
taken two other tours with them with only one problem. Its hard to identify
the tour guides at the meeting locations. They wear these small badges,
which are hard to spot. But that was not the problem at the Colosseum. Also
be wary of the free tours offered around the Colosseum by students. Its
a scam to get you to join a paid tour. Hotel des Artistes in Rome was great
and close to the main train station and subway.
Marc Barnes <email>
Los Alamitis, ca USA 01/17/02
Venice, Florence and Rome
Venice: our favorite stop. The best part of our 3 week trip was the food
at Trattoria Al Cugnai. The seafood was the freshest I've ever tasted. The
daily specials were grand and the wine was delightful. It is my favorite
memory of our trip. Most of Rick's recommendations are very good. The times
we went to other places we were not very impressed. Albergo Paganelli was
very nice as well, great location, very small rooms.
Florence: Had a hard time choosing from your hotel list. City Walking Tour company was very knowledgeable and enjoyable. Travelers should stay in the thick of it if they are not staying very long. Rick's best gelateria rec, has the largest variety we found.
Rome: Nearly everything was great! The gelateria Millennium and La Rustichella
near Vatican Hotels recs good. A guided tour through St. Peter's, the
Forum and Colosseum is relaxing and pleasurable. Rick must delete the
Through Eternity tour company from his recommendations. We were on our
last day of our trip, the last day in Rome and went to meet our group
at the Arch of Constantine for a Colosseum and Forum tour. They faxed
a tour confirmation to our hotel two days before and when we arrived no
one was there. We joined another tour by another company that just started
and cost 15,000 Lira more pp. Incidently it was a great tour, however
we were very distraught at first and suspected possible foul play when
the tour recruiter for the other company said they have rescued guests
who were stood up by Through Eternity tours before. Thanks for making
our trip enjoyable and smooth. We felt we were able to make the most of
our time with the use of your books and some pre-planning.
Carrie and Andre Roberson <email>
San Diego, CA USA 01/14/02
Venice
Anyone who does not stay in HOTEL RIVA in Venice is "pazzo"! It was the
best room I had in Italy, right behind Piazza San Marco and at a great price.
All at Mr. Steves' suggestion. Magnifico.
Duke <email>
Jacksonville, FL USA 01/14/02
Marco & The Beehive made Rome The Best
My son and I stayed at a wonder B&B recommended to us by The Beehive, as
they were full, This was run by MARCO. It was wonderful !!! Right down the
stairs to the metro stop, BEAUTIFUL ROOM, HUGE FURNITURE, and two of the
nicest people ever. Anyway, Rome was great, spectacular and fabulous due
to Marco and friends.
mom <email>
Jefferson City, mo USA 01/12/02
Hotel Aberdeen in Rome
We stayed at the hotel Aberdeen in Rome in over New Year's. The people who
own/run the hotel were considerate and helpful, and concerned about our
comfort. It is clean, has good beds, hardwood floors, mini-refrigerators
in the rooms and clean in-room toilet/shower/sink bathrooms. They helped
us make reservations for the museum in Florence to see the David statue
without waiting in line; made suggestions about transportation, etc. The
breakfast is a cold buffet that is well-balanced (cereal, yoghurt, fruit,
breads, cheeses, juices) with hot cocoa, coffee, etc. The room we had for
3 had two pushed together twin beds for us plus an alcove with a twin bed
for our teenager. We would highly recommend this hotel.
Deanne Hay <email>
Topeka, KS USA 01/11/02
Accommodation
Staying at Hotel Kraft later in January so thank you for the positive feedback.
Visitors to Venice could try Locanda Art Deco, one of the new budget Inns.
It's in a good location close to Accademia but still just in San Marco.
Or, Locanda San Barnaba in Dorsoduro.
Wendy Ashworth <email>
London, U K 01/09/02
A hotel I liked
I had a wonderful time at the Kraft Hotel in Florence. It's a high standard,
but there are interesting special offers. The shop at the hotel is kind
of tacky, but the barman makes up with his great Martini Cocktails! I am
a professional backpacker, but now and then I allow myself a treat, and
that was a good one.
Daniel Rouger <email>
London, UK 01/04/02
Accomodation on the Italian Riviera
I rented a nice apartment at the Villa Margherita, Levanto, in December
for one week. It is a lovely place to stay. The owner is very accomodating.
The walk to the train station is under 5 minutes. It's perfect for serving
as a base to C.T. I drove to the apartment and used the train for the villages.
e-mail: cinqueterreproperties@yahoo.it www.cinqueterreproperties.com
Samuel Franklin
San Mateo, CA USA 01/03/02
I'm a big fan of The Beehive
Re CJ's 12/26 posting: See "Best European Hostels" section for The Beehive's
response, which certainly justifies the charge. My own wonderful experience
with the Beehive strongly inclines me to believe their version.
Mary from Oregon
USA 01/03/02
Christmas & New Year's in Italy
My husband and I were in Italy over Christmas and New Year's. For anyone
thinking of going to Italy next summer, please reconsider and go in the
off season (ideally Oct-Dec). Our trip was magical! We knew it would be
cold (30's to 40's) so we were prepared. It was well worth it!
We started in Varenna on Lake Como. We stayed at Albergo Olivedo. It was fabulous. Lots of European charm: antique furniture, creaky wood floors, lumpy mattresses, hot water only at certain times of the day. It's in a great location close to the train station, and right next to the ferry stop. If you visit Varenna, you MUST have a meal at this hotel. Our room included breakfast and dinner for 250,000 lire per night.
Next stop was Venice. We stayed at Hotel Ala. This hotel is for those who have had enough of European charm and want a little American comfort: Full bath, minibar, heated towel rack, in-room safe, full breakfast buffet (in room for only $2.50 extra). It's in a ritzy shopping area (the shopping in Venice is fabulous!) at the Giglio vaporetto stop, just 2 blocks from St. Mark's. When we reserved the room we were told it would would be 270,000 lire per night. When they billed us, it was higher. Make sure you print out all of you correspondance and bring it with you as proof. This saved us $50/night.
We stayed in Manarola in the Cinque Terre for two nights at Capellini's Rooms. We had a basic room with bath and balcony for 80,000 lire per night. What a deal. However, do not even think about staying in Manarola if you are aerobically challenged! The hike up the hill is very steep and exhausting after a day of exploring. Monterosso or Vernazza would be better. In Manarola, dinner at Trattoria Billy (the only restaurant at the top of the hill) was fabulous. And when in Italy, chocolate lovers must try the tartufo, a rich chocolate ice cream.
We don't recommend staying at Rudy's B & B (associated withe the Beehive) in Rome. We reserved a room with bath, but when we arrived, we were told that we would have to share a bath. Two days later this was resolved, but the place was very noisy and not in the best area. And the lift was unreliable (Rudy's is on the 5th floor!)
Rome was packed over the weekend prior to New Year's. If you are planning a day for the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's, see the museum first because the line outside the museum gets very long and you will wait in another line inside for tickets, and a third line to get into the Sistine Chapel.
Our best meals of the entire trip were at Albergo Olivedo and in Rome
at a place just off Campo di Fiori called Ai Balestrari. It's conveniently
located across the plaza from a Blue Ice gelato shop! The Baccisimo Blanca
at Blue Ice is a little bit of heaven! Train tip: Before you go, look
up the train schedules online and print out some options for all of you
train trips. This helped a lot when trying to buy tickets from someone
who did not speak English.
Beth R.
San Diego, CA USA 01/02/02