Rick Steves' Europe: More Feedback on Rick Steves' Italy 2002

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.)

Read more about this book.

La Pergola in Orvieto not a good deal
We ate at the La Pergola restuarant in Orvieto today, and while the food was good.. you will pay way too much for small portions.
Angela <email>
Naples, Italy 12/28/02

Amalfi Coast
Positano is a great place to visit in October. We had only one morning with light rain the week we were there. A few of the "tourist" ristorantes were closed, which did not bother us one bit. We tend to eat where the locals eat. The places we enjoyed were La Fenice, La Cambusa and Ristorante da Vicenzo. The Delikatessen located on the walk down to the beach will make nice panini at a great price for lunch. Ristorante Da Constantino is located high above Positano in the village of Montepertuso. This Ristorante has a van service that comes to your hotel and picks you up and returns you after the meal. This is a great dining experience, with a great view of the lights of Positano at night. This was our favorite ristorante in Positano.

The Amalfi Coast was beautiful. It is a lot less crowded than in the high season, although some road maintenance had begun for the winter. We used the local SITA bus for our travels to Sorrento, Amalfi, Ravello and Vietri sul Mari. In Amalfi we had lunch at 2 nice places, Il Tari and Il Teatro. Both places were great. Ravello is a must if you get to this area, with Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone being very beautiful places to visit. We went to Vietri sul Mare to visit the ceramic factory. We found the prices better in Positano, with virtually the same selection. Overall we had a great stay on the Amalfi Coast.
Bruce <email>
Covington, La. USA 12/19/02

Rome — Hotel Spring House
Hotel Spring House was very helpful in canceling a reservation after the refund deadline. Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it to the hotel due to a transit strike. After I told them I would post a note on this site saying how helpful they were, they cancelled the charge without any penalty or fee.
DFessell <email>
Akron, OH USA 12/18/02

Manarola, Italy
We stayed at Casa Capellini in Manarola. Our room was the 'alta camera' or top floor apartment. While the view is spectacular, the accommodations are average at best. Granted it was only 54 euros per night, but the apartment was actually a rigged kitchen with a counter that had to double as a luggage rack, a bedroom that barely fit the bed, and a bathroom so small your knees hit the wall if you tried to sit on the toilet. The proprietor was curt and quite rude. I would recommend this place but only in a dire pinch.
C. Santangelo <email>
New Orleans, LA USA 12/18/02

Malpensa Express Train discount
The express train ticket female ticket agent at the Cadorna Station in Milan refused to give the two of us a discount on the Express train to the Malpensa Airport in September 2002. We showed her our Alitalia ticket but she denied us the discount mentioned in your bood, Rick Steve's ITALY 2002.
A. Lukosky <email>
Naples, FL USA 12/16/02

Italy Trip
We just recently got back from our first trip to Italy, two weeks (11/5 to 11/21) following Rick's recommended itinerary; Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, Siena, Orvieto, and Rome. Flew into Milan, took the bus to the train station and bought our train tickets at Pasaggi Travel Agency for our trip to Venice and on to Florence. Should have tried to fly directly to Venice, but the train trip was a good start for us beginners.

Hotel in Venice was great and highly recommended; Locanda Al Gambero, just off of San Marco's Square, newly remodeled, and non-smoking. No elevator however, but worth the walk up.

In Florence stayed at Hotel Basilea which is getting a little tired. Would recommend looking elsewhere, somewhere in the middle of the action. While in Florence bought our train tickets to Cinque Terre and on to Siena at American Express Travel Service. This was another good recommendation.

After a total of seven nights in Venice and Florence, Vernazza was just what these tired travelers needed: very quiet. Stayed in one of Franca Maria's rooms looking out on the plaza. It rained the day we got there, so we slept all afternoon. The next day we did the towns and had a wonderful lunch in Manarola at Il Porticciolo.

Our four train trip to Siena was uneventful (most of the way) and we stayed at Alma Domus which is just as advertised; neat, clean, with great views of the Duomo. We loved Siena and should have stayed another day.

Took the train to Orvieto but, since it was Saturday, there was a bus from Siena to Chiui which turned out to be great. Clean bus, lots of room and great scenery. Next time would consider taking bus trips on the shorter routes. Orvieto is another town we could have spent some more time in. Hotel Corso was very nice and easy to get to.

In Rome we stayed at Hotel Spring House near the Vatican, very nice ending to our trip, and included a free trip to the airport. We used the metro and had no difficulties. While in Rome DO NOT miss the Borghese Gallery and Rick's tour of the Vatican Museum. Mondays are VERY busy and would suggest other days. Another event which should not be missed is the Pope's Wednesday morning appearance. An 1 ½ hour event.

Overall this turned out to be a very good first trip to Italy. It may have even better had we gone in October as lots of the smaller towns were really starting to close up for the winter.

PLUSES - Locanda Al Gambero in Venice, using American Express offices to buy train tickets.

MINUSES - Hotel Basilea in Florence, Air France's scheduled 1 hour layovers in Paris, missed our flights both going to and leaving Italy.
Susan and Jim <email>
Los Altos, CA USA 12/11/02

Better Maps
Regarding the guide books, I think the maps should be more clear. I am referring specifically to the map indicating the route from Termini to the Hotel Aberdeen. Also I don't recall if there is mention on the necessity to have train tickets stamped or validated prior to boarding. A friend of mine was fined something like 55 euros for not having it stamped.
George Knuepfel <email>
San Francisco, CA USA 12/11/02

Rome
The Rome guidebook was extremely helpful in planning and executing our trip in November 2002. We stayed in a rental studio apartment through Greatrentals.com at Piazza Farnese and Campo di Fiori (excellent). Very central location. Rick was right on with most everything — i.e. Pompeii was a great day trip (easy to get to via the train system), the Vatican and his descriptions of the Sistine Chapel were wonderful, Borghese Gallery, the Forum, Capital and Palatine Hills, the Colosseum, etc. He really made old Rome come to life for us. Two criticisms: 1. The maps leave a lot to be desired — please get computerized map drawing software (for all books). 2. Naples was the worst place I have ever been — crowded, TONS of street vendors, crazy drivers, loud, etc. We searched for 2 hours for the "home of pizza" but finally gave up. Rome was a welcome relief to return to. Its a really great city! Lots of nightlife and great food, wonderfully historic sights. Caio.
Ashley Kirkland <email>
Oldsmar, FL USA 12/10/02

Cinque Terre Vacation Rentals
If staying in Cinque Terre you must check out www.cinqueterreproperties.com! They rent apartments with a 2-night minimum stay to vacationers for less than a hotel room. The service of the owner, Federico, is fabulous. Federico is a local and know really well the area and can help you with the language barrier. He offers many services with its apartments and has over 15 to choose from, all of which have full kitchens, bathroom, living rooms, dining rooms, some with gardens, etc. It's really a bargain for couples and families alike and he does an excellent job at making everything simple and wonderful. He even pick you up and bring you to the apartment, prices are all-inclusive; there are no hidden fees or costs. I highly recommend Cinque Terre Properties! www.cinqueterreproperties.com or info@cinqueterreproperties.com is how he can be reached.
Donald Russo
Santa Monica, Ca USA 11/30/02

Italy — Rome North to Piedmonte
My husband and I just returned from two weeks in Italy (11/8 to 11/23). We used Rick's book as aguideline (along with Eyewitness Guide)and found most recommendations to be comfortable and affordable. Albergo Barbara in Vernazza was great at $45/night with a small view of the sea (attic room with average size window). A hotel with that view in the US would have easily doubled the price even with a shared bath!I loved Vernazza and since it was after "tourist" season, I found it charming, relaxing, and the people to be very helpful and kind. The cats are GREAT! I cried when we left. I think November is a great time to do the Cinque Terre. Il Capitano was great for dinner and the owner is friendly and talkative. Siena was another favorite of mine. Piazza del Campo was impressive. Our hotel was one recommended in Rick's book. Albergo Bernini was clean and comfortable, but if you stay there, don't stay in Room #4. It overlooks a tiny restaurant downstairs which closes early only to re-open to friends of the owners(?). The noise echoes up through the narrow street and into the window. And these people can party...two nights until 3AM. In Rome, Hotel Oceania was clean and comfortable with good breakfast. Thanks, Rick, for being our unofficial tour-guide of Italy. Why don't you include Piedmonte in your Italy book?
Jules <email>
Eden Prairie, MN USA 11/29/02

Positano
My wife and I stayed at La Tavolozza, recommended in Rick's Italy 2002 guidebook. We stayed there for one week and have nothing but praise for Celeste' and her staff. The entire place is spotless and it was the most tranquil place we stayed in Italy. The views from the balcony we had were outstanding. I highly recommend La Tavolozza.
Bruce Corkern <email>
Covington, La. USA 11/26/02

palermo hotel
just came back from 10days in Sicily. Palermo has many hotels to offer that are safe and efficient for around 100 euros..i would highly reccomend the hotel Joli..walking distance from the piazza castelnuovo which has direct bus service to the airport..centrally located and close to auto europa if you should decide to rent a car, pick it up in the city and save the 12% added airport tax, no extra charge to drop the car at the airport.
richard laplaca <email>
san francisco, ca USA 11/23/02

Cinque Terre
There is no luggage storage in La Spezia station. The staff at the station states that there is a storage at "Cinque Terre" without guaranteeing which town will have it. We got creative and asked the giftshop/internet shop just outside the station exit {go right as ou exit} if we can leave it in the corner of their store. They won't guarantee security, but we thought nobody would want our dirty underwear. Take your valuables and enjoy this amazing set of towns.
S Rhee <email>
Toronto, ON canada 11/16/02

Getting Around in Siena
For travel between Locanda Bernini, Alma Domus, or Hotel Chiusarelli and the train station, the Number #3, #9, and #10 yellow busses stop in Piazza San Domenico. Quick and convenient.
Dudley McFadden <email>
Sunnyvale, CA USA 11/14/02

recommended restaurants
Locanda Garibaldi in Siena-poor food (tough tasteless veal and burned dry chicken). Recommend revisiting before adding to next book edition.
Donna Weber <email>
Fort Wayne, In USA 11/14/02

A tip for transportation to and from Rome airport. We pick up a brochure at the TI in the train station for Airport Shuttle 06 42 01 45 07 phone and easily made a reservation for two from downtown Roma to the airport for two of us with one bag for $37.05. The taxi fare from our hotel was &75 plus tip. The van arrived on time and we had a pleasant before dawn drive through still lit city to airport.
Rochelle Becker <email>
Grover Beach, Ca USA 11/12/02

Rick Steves Disciples in Italy
Just back from three weeks in Italy, we wish to post a testimonial to the Rick Steves ETBD philosophy. In Rome we met an Italian navy pilot who had trained in the United States, and who proudly pointed out that his little daughter was "an American," having been born in Cherry Point, NC. He responded very cautiously to my questions about his opinions of our administration and its foreign policy, but we were able to convey the message that all Americans are not reckless and belligerent.

Everywhere we encountered the influence of Rick Steves. In Civita de Bagnoregio, as the book suggested, we wandered down a pathway to a lovely garden, where "Maria may show you her garden, accepting a euro or two." We saw this woman, and I said, "Maria?" She said, "Si. Rick Steves, eh?" In Vernazza on the Cinque Terre, we had dinner at Taverna Capitano. I mentioned to our host, Giovanni ("Call me John."), that we chose his place because of the Rick Steves guidebook. "Oh, Rick is a friend of mine. I've been to Seattle many times when I was a chef on the Princess cruises." Then people at all the nearby tables chimed in that they, too, had come on Rick Steves's recommendation. One even took our picture with everyone holding a copy.
Roger and Pat Loschen <email>
Lake Forest Park, WA USA 11/10/02

Oct. trip to Italy and places to stay
We were in Italy the first two weeks of Oct. Sooo much better than it was in August when I was there four years ago. Just lovely weather. We drove in spite of all the warnings not to. The warnings have merit. But we wanted to explore. If you do drive, get a small car; a big one is just too hard to navigate in the villages. The Rick Steves' Italy 2002, this website and the internet were invaluable in planning the trip. Rick's best tip was Edi's rooms in Riomaggiore. We stayed in 45 Via Colombo. The entry was scary (all peeling paint and crumbling concrete and dark stairway) but the stairs got much better the higher we went and our fifth floor "room" consisted of a sitting room with TV, a king-size bedroom a large two-room bath with kitchen space and, best of all, a private balcony overlooking the sea and the fishermen's little boats. All clean and comfortable and only $52! We loved it and I want to go back. Also liked very much dinner at La Lanterna.

We found a good deal on a hotel in Rome: Tourist House, 211 Via Cavour, touristhouse@rome4u.com. This is a 7-room B&B on the fifth floor, again, but this time with an antique but efficient elevator. The rooms with private bath are simple, clean, conveniently located near the forum and across the street from the Metro, quiet and only $82 for a double! Lucca, the owner, was very helpful arranging an inexpensive ($35) shuttle to the airport. For luxury, Hotel Tuder in Todi can't be beat at $85.
Carolyn Laceky <email>
Helena, MT USA 11/07/02

Italy Favorites
Italy favorites from our month long trip: Paestum...amazing Greek temples. Stayed at Seliano Agriturismo and found it to be one of the best places we stayed in Italy. Outstanding food, be sure to go half board. Friendly, nice accomodations, with a quiet, farm atmosphere. Visit their other farm with the water buffalo for a new experience. They now take credit cards.
Sorrento: We stayed at Il Nido, not in Rick's book. Small rooms but the dinner view from the terrace at sunset is unbeatable. Good food too. Their free shuttle makes staying 5 km from the town center easy. Love that Limoncello!
Cinque Terre: Best hike: Take the trail from Levanto to Monterosso. Much of it is shaded with spectacular views of the sea. Few hikers were on this trail! Directions to it are listed under the Levanto information in Rick's book.
Castelrotto/Kastelruth: Lots of great places to stay and easy to book with their information board by the bus stop. This board lists accomodations including photos and has a video screen that will show costs and availability of these places. There is also a phone attached for placing the reservation. Very handy! We stayed in Albergo Torre and loved it. Try Cafe/Restaurant Bachler for reasonably priced great Italian and German food. Try the Bachler Speisfein Garniertfur 2 Personen. It is a huge platter filled with various vegetables and schnitzels...enough for 4 people. Delicious!
Buses: It was unseasonably hot during out trip and we found 1st class train travel often hot. The buses we took between cities were always confortable, cool & reliable. A nice respite!
Joan <email>
Las Vegas, NV USA 11/03/02

Cinque Terre
We spent Oct 24-26 in Riomaggiore. Rick's book came in very handy, but I think you should probably allow more time for the hikes. There was no way I could complete the hike from the Monterosso train station to Veranzza in 2 hours. We didn't complete all the hikes as we had some rain. Take the detour and don't go through the tunnel in Monterosso. Go up and over to visit the church and cemetary at the top of the hill: beautiful. The trail from Monterosso to Vernazza is great, with a variety of scenery. I wouldn't call it dangerous, but watch your step. The Corniglia to Manarola walk is pretty much a bore except when you are drawing close to Manarola (don't skip the playground/castle area at the top of the trail, it is pretty up there). The Via del'Amore was neat and probably shouldn't be missed because it takes so little time to do.

We showed up without a reservation and booked an apartment through Edi's. It was nice, clean, and spacious, and was right down in the harbor for 55E/night. Ate at La Lampara one night: cost about 40E for antipasti and first plate and wine for 2. It was a good meal. Hands down, though, the best meal was at La Lanterna in the harbor at Riomaggiore. It isn't cheap (76E plus service for anitpasti, 2 primi's, 1 secondi, and 1 dessert), but it was the best meal and the warmest, most friendly service we had in Italy.

The best gelato we had in Italy was in Vernazza...can't remember the name of the place, but it was on the main street in Vernazza just where the trail from Monterosso meets it.

I have to admit that the area is loaded with tourists (esp. French and German), but it was probably the best part of our trip. A wonderful relaxing interlude before going home after pounding the pavement in Florence and Rome. Didn't want to leave.
Dan <email>
Avon, CT USA 11/01/02

Trip to Italy/Lodging in Milan
My girlfriend and I just got back from 10 days in Italy and I would like to add some comments about the trip and the use of Rick Steve's books. We visited Rome, Florence, and the Cinque Terre. Flew in to Rome and out of Milan. I'll probably put up several notes on different parts of the trip when I get my thoughts in order.

First, however, I would like to make a suggestion for lodgings in Milan if you are just passing through (to or from Malpensa airport). A recommendation was posted for the Hotel Ristorante Cervo in Milan (www.hotelcervo.it). I would like to add a strong second to that recommendation. 83 Euro per night for a double. It is a clean, modern, friendly motel and is 3 minutes from Terminal 1 at Malpensa. Takeoff and landing noises were a bit loud...but we were so wiped out we didn't even notice. Made the reservations through emails. Only snag...they wouldn't take my Euro travellers checks.

If you come in to Milan by train, you can catch the Malpensa shuttle to the airport for 4.50 Euro each then call the hotel shuttle bus from the terminal for a prompt pickup (3 Euro pp for the shuttle....but the taxis want 20 Euro for a 3 minute trip). Their restaurant is closed on the weekends (too, bad...we were told the food was great), so we made do with a really good meal at the tavalo calda at the airport of all places (upstairs in terminal 1 at Malpensa...bit expensive, but good). By the way, they charge .60 Euro to use the restrooms in Central Station in Milan....use the WC on the train.
Dan <email>
Avon, CT USA 10/30/02

Assisi restaurant
Best meal we had in Italy Gourmet quality, reasonable prices Friendly service Locanda Podesta in Assisi
Georgino <email>
Oregon city, OR USA 10/29/02

Italian Holiday
Just returned from Rome, Florence and Venice. Stayed near Spanish Steps, great loation...but we thought area around Trevi Fountain was good too. Two trattorias, new one near Pantheon, "Due Colonne" Via del Seminario, 122, (06-67-81-449), very reasonable ate lunch there and dinner one night, (believe it says open all day). A truly local place "Gino" near Piazza del Parlamento, Chiuso La Domenica 06-6873434. Family business, nephew spoke enough English, very busy reservations recommended. Great veal and atmosphere. We didn't have any problems with pickpockets, everyone was real friendly. In Florene stayed a the Il Guelfo Bianco, about two minutes from the Accademia, quiet, attractive hotel, great staff, highly recommended. Had them book reservation to Accademia ahead of time. Made our train reservations ahead of time from states, 1st class non-smoking, stamp them at the binario, although going to Florence not a conductor in sight! The Santa Croce Leather School was recommended to shop, it is hard to find and very pricey, had better luck in the outdoor kiosks, great values, pay cash. In Venice stayed at Hotel Ala, perfect location, wonderful breakfast buffet. Venice was breathtaking, very crowded with Americans. If you sit at the outside cafe, "The Lavena" to be exact and listen to the orchestra at St. Marks Square, we had four cups of coffee and sat there for 2.5 hours and it cost 44euros!!! You can stand and listen for free, but it was fun.
Linda <email>
Cambridge, MA USA 10/29/02

McVernazza
My family just returned from a great trip to Italy, and I would like to thank Rick and the rest of you for some great ideas and tips. The one negative comment I have is about The Cinque Terra, and Vernazza in particular. It is certainly a very beautiful place, but it is now so overrun with a clone army of upper-middle-class, expensive-collapsable-aluminum-walking-stick toting, guidebook clutching, sauce-on-the-side, American tourists that a visit there is like vacationing in Eddie Bower(I include myself as part of the problem). I hope the residents enjoy the money, because they have obviously lost so much in the willing or unwilling prostitution of their town. After hearing the stories of friends who visited over a decade ago, I wish I could have seen it before Rick's books. We did find some great towns in other parts of Italy, but I'm not telling where! Please Rick, leave some gems unpublished!
Jeff <email>
Shoreline, WA USA 10/29/02

Italy Trip
This was my first time to Italy. We traveled to Rome, Siena, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, and Venice.

Rome-Stayed in Hotel Oceania and Residence Adler. They were clean, comfortable, safe (next to police station and embassies), and conveniently close to the main train station. Had a fabulous lunch at Ristorante Alla Rampa (near Spanish Steps). Borghese Gallery (definitely need reservations beforehand) was my favorite museum. Gelateria della Palma, good gelato and very close to the Pantheon.

Siena-Wonderful and restful town to get away from the noise and pollution of Rome. Worth staying at least one night to enjoy a refreshing morning and evening in Tuscany. We stayed at Alma Domus. It was only 70 euro per night for a triple. Great view from our balcony and we had no trouble meeting the 11:30 curfew. BEST tiramisu at Trattoria La Tellina and had a tasty, inexpensive meal at Osteria Nonna Gina (bring your Italian dictionary though). Siena's Duomo was the most elaborate and beautiful church in Italy. Climb to the top of Cathedral Museum to enjoy the great panoramic view and sit, enjoy, and relax at the brick piazza called Il Campo.

Florence-The three of us agreed that the best hotel from our trip was Residence Bellevue (email: info@residencebellevue.it, phone: 011 39 055 2608932). The room was big, comfortable beds, quiet, and it had a clean and modern bathroom. Senior Antonio was very kind and helpful. Restaurant Leonardo: Cheapest dinner we had during the trip and pretty tasty too.

Pisa-The tourist trap of Italy. Best to train over, enjoy the Leaning Tower, and make a quick escape.

Cinque Terre-We stayed at Punta Mesco in Monterosso. The modern room was small but clean. Nice buffet breakfast after a week of rolls with butter/jam and a cup of coffee. We enjoyed and endured the hikes between the towns. Also purchase the one day Cinque Terre card. It allows access to all the hiking trails in the area as well as the use of the trains and buses within the five towns. The BEST meal was at Trattoria Billy in Manarola. Walk up the main street past the church and head toward the steps toward your right (there'll be a sign ahead once you pass the church). We went back the next night. Billy has two floors so don't worry if the top floor is packed. Just continue down the steps. Stop by Vernazza for lunch. Had the best pesto pizza at the bakery across from the pharmacy.

Venice-Stayed at Albergo Doni and this was our least favorite hotel in terms of comfort and price. The beds were soft (could feel the springs) and the walls were so thin you can hear people walking past in the hallway. We had a very good meal at Osteria al Diavolo e L'Aquasanta. The soups were tasty. Go early since it fills up fast. We visited Murano and had fun shopping at the glass shops. Be sure to bargain if you're buying any big glass item (like half a dozen wine glasses) or more than two small purchases at once. We purchased a three day boat pass that allowed us unlimited rides within Venice. Although it was about 19 euro per person, the ride alone to Murano was over 9 euros and ride from train station to our hotel was 4 euros.

Finally, remember to stamp all tickets (train, bus, boat) at the yellow machines beside all stops. You only need to do this once for an all day or three day pass. Also, if you're going to travel just within Italy, it's cheaper to buy all train passes at a travel agency once you arrived there. I used one approved by the ASTA and it printed out my non-smoking with reserved seats right there. The commission it charged was small. If possible make reservations for all seats. Insist upon it even if the travel agent may think it is unneccessary. They're not the ones who have to put up their luggage in the overhead compartments and have to drag it away because someone else reserved those seats you're sitting on. I also just brought my bank checkcard and withdrew money from the ATMs whenever I needed cash. My bank only charged $1.50 fee and I had the best exchange rate at that time.
Laini
San Francisco, CA USA 10/27/02

Re: Laundry in Rome
Rick mentions Bolle Blu, another self-service laundromat near Termini, in his Rome 2002 book (p. 202), but the address should be Via Principe Amedeo 70. Since this forum is devoted to Italy in general, I've posted my (positive) comments about Bolle Blu in the Rome forum at http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/graffiti99.html .
Jeannie <email>
San Mateo, CA USA 10/26/02

Milan Experience
Our 2 short days in Milan were both enjoyable and unpleasant at the same time. First of all, we did not listen to Rick (stupid us!!) and booked a hotel in the Brera district recommended by another guide book. The hotel/albergo is in a residential neighborhood and quite interesting but for the money we paid, it was a total rip off! Hotel service was below standard and unsatisfactory. Anyway, we have learnt our lessons and will stick with Rick's recommendations next time. The Cathedral is indeed one of the most beautiful we have ever seen. Unfortunately, we couldn't see the church at its full glory as the whole front was being cleaned the time we visited. We ran into a Trattoria near the train station not mentioned by Rick which served excellent meals. I forgot the name of the place, but it is on Via Sammaritini (the first street that parallels the train station as you exit on the right). The area is a little seedy but you will see the Chinese run place because it is packed with locals. They served pizzas for around 4 Euros and my husband's spaghetti with lobster was only 9 Euros! We stuffed ourselves and the bill was around 20 Euros. It is not the most fancy place but they do serve up cheap and tasty food. Bring your Italian phrase book with you if you go because the waitress speaks very little English.
MG
Dallas, TX USA 10/26/02

Laundry in Rome
Hello from Rome! Tip for travelers to Rome: It was dificult to find a self-service laundraumat near our hotel near Piazza Navona. Rick's book suggested one near Termini. It is a fantastic place run by a family that also owns an Indian Food Restaurant. They gave us a great deal on both the laundry and lunch. The food was excellent (a great break from the pizza and pasta we have been eating for days) The price for a complete meal was eu 5, wash & dry eu 10. The address to the laundry is via milazzo 20/b. More reviews later when we get back. Ciao
Mark <email>
Seattle, WA USA 10/26/02

16 night in Northern Italy
We just returned and loved it, and have a few comments. Lake Como was beautiful and I would recommend the ALbergo Milano for location, hosts, breakfast, and fabulous views. About the Cinque Terre, we had planned to stay in Vernazza, but did not. We stayed in Levanto at the Villa Margherita after reading about it on the Graffiti Wall. We loved the Villa Margherita and Levanto. I would definitely stay in Levanto again and hated to leave there. You can visit all of the Cinque Terre and Portofino right from there, but have a better beach, its quieter, larger town, great restaurants, more of a local flavor. The walk from Levanto to Monterosso, while not the easiest, is one of the best and most beautiful. We used it because of a one day train strike and found it to be serendipitous. Venice, while it rained the whole time we were there was magical. We can't wait to return.
D Moore <email>
Pittsburgh, PA USA 10/25/02

Italy
The reason you have to pay to get in the Duomo in Siena is because from August 28th to October 28th they have the graffito floor uncovered. It is only uncovered two months out of the year. I was there earlier in October and felt very lucky to have accidently planned my trip to occur during the only two months of the year that the floor can be viewed.
Sherry
USA 10/25/02

lake como and siena are gems
Just returned home from a two week tour of Italy and Ricks book made it most memorable. First stop, Lake Como from October 10th-12th, 2002. Laura at the Hotel Olivedo can be difficult as she runs both the hotel and restaurant, but usually pleasant. Her mattresses are indeed lumpy as Rick suggests. She brought me a bed board. Her set menus are limited in food really, offering a soup or salad, not both. Her first course is the best of the meal. Her raviolis and eggplant parmigana are to die for.The charm of the place and the views are not to be missed. Ideally located, I woke up each morning to the horns of the ferries. What kodak moments from my balcony!! Buy a round-trip train ticket in Milan for Varenna, but book the rest of your trip at the travel agency in Varenna. Helpful Luana at I Viaggi del Tivano next to Albergo Beretta made all bookings and reservations. I recommend this approach highly as it is a relaxing atmosphere without the turmoil of train stations. She recommended point-to-point and my entire trip was 110euros per person!! Unbelievable. Took ferries around the lake (buy combo pass — cheaper), to bellagio and menaggio. I especially loved Bellagio. I must have just missed Liza Minnelli with her new hubby as her picture was in the window of a shop. The shop keeper said she was just there. After a ferry ride to Menaggio, I took a bus ride to Lugano, Switzerland and took a tram to the top of a mountain. What views!! Rick should mention how close this is from Lake Como. Every other person was carrying Ricks book.Do what Rick says and chat with locals on trains. What a wonderful experience. Be an extrovert!! Next, train to Florence (see Florence section) and then to Siena. I stayed in Siena for one night at Albergo Cannon D'oro. The place is charming and right in the old town just a few blocks from the campo and duomo. Rick is incorrect about the duomo. They now charge 5euros. The chapel itself is free but it is hard to notice that. If you want a freebee, pretend or really say you are here to pray. They have to let you in. To the right of the entry to the Duomo is the chapel. Free entry but the five euros for the main entry is worth it. The campo was lively. Alot of kids though. Serious suggestion for travel: If going to Rome from Siena as I did, take a bus to Chuisi train station about a hour away. The bus is comfortable and the views are killer. This route takes you through the heart of Tuscany and the hilltowns. It is among the highlights of my trip. Difficult to take pictures of this from a moving bus. A camcorder would have been better in this situation. Visit the rooftop of Albergo Bernini if you cannot stay there. Rick was right. the view is the best in Siena, directly of the Duomo in the distance. Bring a camera. The owner was especially nice. In fact, I visited several hotels Rick recommended if I could not stay there for the next time. Next onto Rome (see rome section) and then Venice (see Venice section).
mitchell grant <email>
coconut creek, fl USA 10/25/02

Italy 2002
My wife and I spent nearly 3 weeks in Italy. We used your book Italy 2002 as a reference and found it very helpful. We visted Rome (5 nights — friend's place), Siena (3 nights — Alma Domus) via Pisa, Riomaggiore (3 nights — Edi's rooms), Florence (1 night — Hotel Enza), Venice (3 nights — Hotel Marin) and Naples (1 night — Hotel Ginerva). Would recommend all these hotels except for Hotel Ginerva which we suggest people avoid. Bruno was certainly not cheerful nor helpful and the room had suspect linen and mouldy shower. He stored our bags on arrival in the morning but not so on the day we checked out — this was the only hotel not willing to do so. In fact, as stated in your book, avoiding Naples is recommended.

We travelled between cities by train and used the kilometric ticket plus extra tickets, all first class. I had previously looked up the train times on the FS web site that we wanted and used this as a reference when booking. This made it a lot easier for the travel agent. We had some trouble finding a travel agent in Rome that had the kilometric ticket in stock and was willing to help and make these bookings. For those who are interested these are the distances between cities: Rome to Siena — 254km, Siena to Pisa — 111km, Pisa to La Spezia — 76km, La Spezia to Florence — 157km, Florence to Venice — 257km, Venice to Naples — 787km & Naples to Rome — 215km. When the travel agent filled out the kilometric ticket we were slightly over the 3000km. This was no problem, it just meant that we paid a few Euros extra for the extra kms. The whole lot, kilometric, booking fees, supplements and extra tickets, including Venice to Naples sleeper cost E401.

Most of the IC trains were running between 10 and 35 minutes late. This meant that we risked missing connecting trains (that were on time!), but only missed one. We caught the night train between Venice and Naples in a cuccetta. This room could be set up for between 2 and 3 bunks with wash basin and was cosy and quite confortable. This cost E95.02 for both of us. Having booked seats on IC (bookings are not possible on IR or R trains), was in reality not always necessary but did guarantee us window seats in non smoking compartments.

The ticket inspectors reaction seemed bamboozled by the combination of bookings and kilometric tickets, but clicked them just the same. Only one ticket inspector on an R train stated that I should have the kilometric ticket stamped at the station's ticket office — the others did not worry. Buying the timetable hard copy was also useful. All the stations had an arrivals and departures chart, so you could look up your train and platform it departs from.

We found that most of the prices quoted for admission to museums, attractions, etc in the book were about 20% low and all wanted cash. We bought weekly tickets in Rome and 3 day tickets in Venice for public transport and found these to be good value for getting around. Only once was our ticket inpsected in Rome, but in Venice on a Monday we had our tickets inspected about 4 times!

Pisa was a real tourist trap. The internet pre-booked tickets for the Leaning Tower saved a 2 hour wait.
Peter Ratten <email>
Melbourne, Victoria Australia 10/23/02

Roma — Sorrento
Just returned from a week in Rome and a week in Sorrento. Rome comments have been added in that section. Took the Eurostar 1st class from Rome to Napoli and it was very good. If you arrive in Napoli and have to go down the coast, I recommend taking the ferry from Napoli's Beverello Port to Sorrento or Amalfi (every two hours — 6.75 Euro to Sorrento) to avoid the absurdly expensive cab ride or the Circumvesuviana adventure. As for Sorrento — spectacular setting for a tourist trap. We were a bit disappointed with the town, but the people were really nice and everything is geared toward the English speaking tourist (if that appeals to you). We stayed at the Hotel Minerva (in your book), despite almost being scared off by the comments in this column. It was really just fine. Our room had a commanding view of the town, the bay, and Vesuvius — it steals your breath the first time you open the shutters. The room was clean, the bathroom great, and the staff was frendly. Davide Gelato was great. Found a good day-trip tour agent — Staiano Viaggi, Via Capo, 19, just down the hill from Hotel Minerva and La Tonnarella. We took the guided day trip to Pompeii/Vesuvius — great trip and great guide.

La Conca Snack Bar, at Via Capo, 10, has much better Cappuccino than the Hotel and opens at 8. Ate at Minervetta restaurant (in the book), and it was fine. Also ate at Tonnarella next door and wasn't impressed (also more expensive). Pizzeria da Gigino on Via Degli Archi was good. If you go down the coast take the blue SITA bus from Sorrento to Amalfi — it will be the ride of your life. SIT ON THE RIGHT SIDE or you won't see anything, as the aisle fills with standing locals. Take the boat back to Sorrento from Amalfi and see it another way.
Eric
Oakland, CA USA 10/22/02

Sorrento/Amalfi/Capri: 10/02
My wife and I are back from a wonderful week in the Bay of Naples area (October weather perfect, season winding down, but no shortage of tourists).

1) Rick's THEFT ALERT for the Naples Circumvesuviana had us concerned so we decided to take the train on to Salerno instead. This turned out to be a great decision as the SITA bus ride to Amalfi (and beyond) is spectacular. Salerno has frequent boat connections to Amalfi/Positano during the summer season and hourly bus connections throughout the year. (We later went through the Naples Circumvesuviana station twice and felt no concern for safety)

2) AMALFI: We found the town a nice place to stay overnight and convenient for visiting expensive RAVELLO (the walk to the lovely Villa Cimbrone gardens offers wonderful views and you will pass perhaps the best hotel value on the Amalfie coast-Pensione Villa Amore. Back in Amalfie, a visit to the Cappuccini Convento hotel terrace will yield one of the most famous and spectacular views in the area.

3) SORRENTO: we stayed at the Hotel Loreley, great location, depressing rooms. It was probably nice 100 years ago but it appears no maintenance of any kind. It is popular and many quests appeared fully satisfied but I'd choose another hotel. Those on via Capo seem a much better value having the same great bay views.

4) CAPRI: some spectacular views can be had as follows. In Anacapri, the path to Villa San Michele continues on to offer a superb view of the town of Capri and the entire Bay of Naples. If you continue on this path, it becomes an almost verticle ancient stairway cut into the side of the mountain leading back to Marina Grande. If you suffer from vertigo, don't even consider going beyond the villa overlook. In Capri town, we followed an easy path to the Punta del Cannone overlook; marvelous. Also, the Gardens of Augustus are lovely and not to be missed.
Ronald Wickham <email>
Foster City, CA USA 10/22/02

Hotel La Tonnarella in Sorrento
We visited Sorrento this trip and it was heavenly. We stayed at the recommended Hotel La Tonnarella and it could not have been any better. Rick, this hotel is no longer a "well-worn Sorrentine villa" as it had undergone extensive rennovation from head to toe. We splurged and reserved a room with a private seaview terrace. It was worth every penny! The view was just breathtaking and the room was spacious. You can just sit back and relax. The hotel restaurant served excellent meals with very reasonable prices (I loved the antipasto buffet). We ate there several times! The owner wasn't "uninterested" at all. She even chatted with us while we were there. Although this hotel is just a little away from town center, you will be rewarded with the most memorable view in Sorrento. Good job for the recommendation, Rick!
Sebastian D <email>
Fort Worth, TX USA 10/20/02

Italy
My husband and I just returned from 2 weeks in Italy. We planned the trip entirely with Rick Steves' Italy 2002 book and it was invaluable! We started in Venice and LOVED the Albergo Doni hotel. In fact, that was my husband's favorite hotel... lace curtains, flower boxes, and the sweet sound of gondoliers' singing. We also give a "thumbs up" to Hotel La Scaletta in Florence. The roof terrace offers spectacular views and the breakfast is wonderful. Manfredo was not cooking, but he recommended La Galleria which is nearby and very good. A word of caution in Florence about opening windows. No where in Italy did we see screens. However, Florence was the only place where we were savagely attacked by mosquitos!

Onward to Hotel Italia in Rome, my pick for the best value hotel for your buck! We were housed in the annex across the street. Hotel Italia is clean & comfortable, has a very good breakfast, and is ideally located. You can't beat the price!

Next, we stayed in Sorrento at the Hotel Minerva. We could not believe our eyes when we saw the spectacular view from our very own room's balcony...the Mediterranean Sea and mountains... I will give a word of caution, though. Unless you are looking for a big splurge, I recommend declining the management's offer to take the shuttle with the other new arrivals to the Vela Bianca restaurant. You will be told that "It is soon to appear in Rick's book"...I don't think so! Also, we used cash euros for our whole trip but had some euro traveler's checks that we planned to use at Hotel Minerva. We were told that we had to pay a fee to use them even though they were in euros, so that did seem odd. We took the bus to Positano and the boat back, wonderful. Positano gets my vote for the most beautiful place in the world. Also, I hadn't planned to go to Pompeii, but I'm so glad I did. Even non-history-buffs will love it. I would never tour Europe with a group, because it was so satisfying to be independent. I love the Italian people and their culture. I will recommend Rick's books and videos to everyone.
Linda Casebere <email>
Dayton, OH USA 10/19/02

Italy Trip, October 2002
My husband and I just returned from 3 weeks in Italy and had mostly good experiences all around. I'd like to recommend a few places that I have not seen posted here.
Outside LUCCA (about 15 km) near Alto Pescia and Monte Carlo, we stayed at the TENUTA ALBERETA. The owners, Aldo and Cinzia, gave us the warmest welcome we received anywhere. This is a working farm (vineyard and olive trees, what else?) and the atmostphere was truly relaxing. The breakfast was especially great, including eggs if desired. There are 4 rooms in the main house and then the Mary Suite, which is separate from the house.
In CHIANTI we enjoyed the COLLE SALIVOLPE, which was busy every night. It is 800 m. from Castellina in Chianti, a great central location for exploring this region.
On to Umbria and a special treat staying in a 450-year old converted police station in a 1,000 year-old hill town called STRANCONE, which is near Terni. There isn't much to the town except a very good restaurant next door called Taverna del Mole, a true home-cooking spot (with special-occasion decor), which had a variety of fresh polentas each nght. Sroncone is convenient for driving up to Spoleto or Perugia or over to Gubbio. The owners gave us the idea to go to a town called NORCIA, which is in the mountains of the Nera River in one of Italy's national parks, and then on the Piano Grande, a wide wide flat plain, totally unexpected after so many cliffs and ridges. The hiking, biking, and hang gliding are great around here (as is supposedly the skiing sometimes). We even met a man who was walking from Assisi to Rome. After so many churches, seeing this natural beauty was a real treat! And, Umbria is very different than Tuscany, so it wasn't just more of the same.
Downside of the trip was Ravenna. The mosiacs were awesome, but we found the town boring and confusing. And even worse was driving down the Adriatic toward Rimini. Ugly. October was a great time to visit weather-wise. Cool but sunny and early fall colors in Tuscany and Norcia. Have a wonderful trip!
Jane Springer <email>
San Diego, CA USA 10/19/02

Memorable Loding in Northern Italy
I wanted to share with Rick's readers my most memorable lodging highlights for a just-completed 16 day vacation in northern Italy. All rooms (triples) were booked in advance by two months. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

Turin (Torino): Superga pilgrim and hospitality center.
http://www.parrocchie.it/torino/basilicasuperga/hospitality.htm This community of friars and nuns run a meticulously well-cared for institution for next to nothing (25 euros per person per night). The head priest gave us individual rooms at no extra cost. The photos on the site above do not do this place justice. The rooms were ultra clean, the beds very comfortable (those looking for stiff mattresses may need to check with the head priest before reserving), and the bathrooms were the finest we found in our trip. Ask the sacristan for access to the basilica's upper balconies (verboten to the general public), which give you a bird's eye view of the interior from the dome. The Superga basilica is one of the most beautiful sights in the Piedmont region. I do not know whether the priests speak English but they do take dollars in lieu of euros. If you stay here, eat at Bel Deut, a nearby authentic Piedmontese restaurant. Ask Father Marengo for details.

Venice (Venezia): Locanda Novo.
http://www.locandanovo.com/ Less than a five minute walk from the Rialto bridge, Locanda Novo stood out for its incredibly friendly and helpful owner, Ivan, its charmingly decorated rooms, and its wonderful atmosphere. Locanda Novo is relatively new but rapidly gaining a loyal clientele (Rick Steves himself was slated to stay here soon after we left). Ivan, who co-owns LN, is enthusiastically devoted to his new venture and made us feel right at home. The hotel's location is very convenient (less than 20 minutes walking distance to Piazza San Marco).

Assisi: Camere Annalisa Martini.
See Rick Steve's Italy guide. WOW. A super-friendly and eager-to-please lady who treats you like one of her own. Comfy and clean rooms, fantastic price (52 euros for a triple), super convenient location. She charged us 5 euros a piece for laundry service and got our clothes smelling like a bouquet of freshly picked flowers. Thank you Annalisa! You brought a smile to my face every time we chatted.

Spoleto: Istituto Bambin Gesu
Via S. Angelo 4 (Monterone), Spoleto, Tel: 0743 40232 or 0743 43442. Ask for Suora Chiara. I don't know if they speak English, but English speaking couples abound here. This convent in the heart of Spoleto and 15 minutes walking from the Rocca (Castle) and the famous Roman acqueduct was a joy. 75 euros for a triple got us a peaceful, clean room and a homemade high-energy apricot breakfast drink that was served in shot-size cups - you won't forget how good it tastes. Eat at Taverna La Lanterna in Spoleto and ask for the spezzatino di cinghiale - wild boar stew. Yum.
Lucas Womack <email>
Bowie, MD USA 10/19/02

Pompeii
Twice a year the Italian Government gives a free pass to all at Pompeii. One of these dates is the last Sunday in September. Be sure to avoid these dates. You save $10 but the crowds are worse than usual. This should be in the guide book so people can plan accordingly.
Jeanette Fisher <email>
Cincinnati, Oh USA 10/17/02

Comments on 2 weeks in Italy
My wife and I recently returned from a 2-week driving trip through Italy, following Rick Steves's guidebook for the first time. It was invaluable, and we agreed with almost every recommendation. We also enjoyed meeting numerous Rick Steves followers. A few comments and suggestions: 1. Varenna was a great way to see Lake Como area, especially meeting the first of many Rick disciples. It was a pleasant first day in the country. 2. Hotel Fasce in Santa Margherita was very nice and well run by Jane Fasce, whose management style was more akin to a drill sergeant than an innkeeper. 3. We used Lucca as our base in Tuscany, prompted by a tip in Newsweek magazine, and enjoyed it very much. Newsweek recommended Lucca and Hotel Puccini, and we do, too. The owner, Paolo, speaks excellent English and was enormously welcoming and helpful to us. Day trips to Florence, Siena, San Gimignano and other hill towns are very convenient by car or train. Rick should take a look at Lucca. 4. Rome was not the fearsome driving experience we expected. We tried everything to find a way to park our car outside the city, but nothing worked. We ended up driving into and out of the city, and it was really no big deal. Parking near the Hotel Aberdeen was 23.50 Euros/day, though. The Aberdeen was very nice, and well worth the 129 Euro daily rate. 5. Positano was wonderful, and the Hotel Bougainville was nice. We had planned to take day trips from there, but once we got there for our 3-day visit we stayed. Our planned trip to Capri by boat did not materialize because the seas were rough, and the Positano harbor is relatively unprotected. That was okay, though, as being "stranded" in Positano was great. A tip on laundry: We had small load done by the person Rick recommended and it cost us 86 Euros! Next 2-week trip we will pack enough to avoid doing laundry. Le Tre Sorrelle restaurant recommended by Rick was excellent; we ate 3 dinners there (with lots of wine), never spending more than 50 Euros for the 2 of us. 6. Assisi was very nice, as was the Hotel Ideale. We had been concerned, as a Rick Steves traveler had complained about it, but we found it very nice. 7. On our way back north to Milan for our return flight, we spent the night in Sirmione on the south side of Lake Garda, and loved it. The Hotel Chiara was good, too, and only 78 Euros. We had great trip, and we are now confirmed devotees of Rick Steves. I just wish I had thought of doing what Rick does before he did!
Ron <email>
DeWitt, MI USA 10/17/02

Portovenere a major disappointment
My wife and I stayed in the Grand Hotel Portovenere on our trip to Italy, and found both the hotel and the town to be awful. The hotel is essentially a two star hotel with a four star view. The rooms are cramped, and staff is unhelpful. Get a room on the first floor, or else be prepared to wait 5 minutes for their archaic elevator or use the stairs. The restaurants are sub-par. Avoid Antonio's at all costs. It's relatively expensive and the food is poor. Spaghetti Al Mare gets you mostly spaghetti with a couple of tiny mussels and little else. If you do find yourself in Portovenere, try Miramare instead. The stores are primarily tourist traps, filled with postcards and cheap souvenirs. The only worthwhile sight in town is a gorgeous monastery overlooking the ocean, but I wouldn't waste the time to come to Portovenere on its account alone. As a launching off point for Cinque Terre, it's terrible. Boat rides are 18 euros for a round trip ticket and run on a fairly limited time schedule forcing you to return by 6 PM. Buses run irregularly to the La Spezia train station, making this a hassle. Cabs do not come to the town at all unless you are lucky to catch one after it has dropped someone off at the hotel. Even then, it's a hefty 30 euro ride into La Spezia.
Ken Stoltz <email>
San Pablo, CA USA 10/17/02

Lake Orta worth a closer look
Orta San Giulio on Lake Orta is an incredibly beautiful town with a very relaxing feel. It's about 20 minutes away from Stresa and about 45 minutes away from Lake Como. The town itself is full of wonderful restaurants and small eateries situated near a beautiful lake. There is some good shopping as well. Absolutely great, and it doesn't have the tourist trap feeling of many other towns. I recommend the Hotel Contrada Dei Monte as a place to stay in town. The rooms are spacious yet cozy, and affordable at around 70 to 100 euros (the latter being for a full suite). The staff doesn't speak English very well, so the language barrier could be a little bit of a problem, but they are wonderfully cordial, welcoming and seek to please their guests.
Ken Stoltz <email>
San Pablo, CA USA 10/17/02

Varenna & Cinque terre
Have just returned from 3 weeks in Italy following many of your suggestions. Varenna on Lake Como was so lovely we added another day. Levanto near Cinque Terre and the walk to the next village were also wonderful finds.We stayed at Villa Margherita by the sea B&B and really enjoyed. (www.villamargherita.net)
Gordon Moore
London, UK 10/16/02

Florence and Tuscany
Greetings. My wife and I just spent a four-day weekend in Florence. As usual, Florence was great. We stayed at Hotel Bellettini for the second time. Yes we would return there again — even though prices increased 50% in one year. We live in Germany, so we are used to the inflation caused by the Euro conversion. However, Florence has had the highest price increases that we have seen thus far. We had the luxury of taking RyanAir from Hahn airport in Germany. While we flew into Pisa versus Florence, the cost difference is great (savings of over $200 per person). I'd like to recommend to all the American travelers who visit Florence: There is an American cemetary just outside the city. It is easily reachable on the SITA bus (ask at the station — across from SMN train station — for the bus number and departure times) or by driving. Visit this hallowed place and take a few hours out of your vacation time to pay respect to those who died serving our country. It is well worth your time! I spent Sunday touring some Tuscan villages. San Gimignano is toutisty and crowded, but an awesome site. It's a large walled town that has been extensively restored. Go during the week to avoid the crowds. It is very picturesque. I also stopped in Monteriggioni for lunch with new friends I met in Italy. Monteriggioni is a tiny walled village (about 100X200 meters) that is super charming. It's right next to the highway between Florence and Sienna. Definitely worth a small detour. The photo ops are spectacular. I'll be honest. We have kinda outgrown Rick's traveling style (of course living in Europe makes it easier for us). I still bring my wheeled carryon when I do weekend trips. And no, I didn't have Rick's book with me this year. In fact, I didn't have any travel books. In closing, a message for Elizabeth who took a lot of flack. We too hit the wrong #3 bus in Pisa. However, our mistake was trying to get back to the Pisa airport. We jumped on the #3 heading toward the tower. But no fear, as soon as I realized we were heading the wrong direction, I asked the driver (in my extremely broken Italian) how to get to the airport. The driver told us where to get off and meet the CORRECT #3 bus to the airport. Sometimes you just have to ask for help. It only cost us 10-15 minutes delay. No big deal, 'cause we still had an hour to wait for our flight home. Lesson learned: Always ask the driver if the bus is going where you think it is. Tim
Tim <email>
Germany 10/16/02

Rome: Residenza Cellini
My husband and I stayed at the Residenza Cellini while staying in Rome. We considered ourselves very lucky to stay there as there are only 6 rooms, all recently remodeled. The location was perfect — an easy walk with luggage from the train station. The metro and bus stops were also just around the corner, although we found walking everywhere was just as easy and convenient. Our room was lovely and the newly remodeled bathroom had a Jacuzzi bathtub — what a great way to relax after walking all over Rome all day. The Cellini family as our hosts were very friendly and helpful with any questions we had. They were also willing to make museum reservations for us. Visit their Web site at www.residenzacellini.it and see for yourselves why it is a great choice! There is a restaurant on Nationale near this hotel called Ristorante Zeus. Take our advice and stay away — unless you like high prices and tasteless food. However, the Target just down the street was a nice place to get a bite to eat close to home.
Kay Greivenkamp <email>
Tucson, AZ USA 10/15/02

Pisa — Revision
I just wanted to apologize to Rick and any of his readers who read my email regarding Pisa. He was right-on about every aspect of Pisa in his 2002 book which i had the good fortune to read later. He knows all about Italy and I should never question him; that is why he gets paid the big bucks for traveling. Once again, I am sorry if I offended anyone reading the "graffiti" here and hope people continue to bring Rick's most current book with them to Italy as I am sure I will do from now on. Thanks Rick and I'm sorry.
E. Blake <email>
Seattle, USA 10/09/02

Italian restaurants
I had a very good roman cuisine experience visiting the Hosteria Dino & Tony in Rome, near Vatican City (something like via Leone IV). I was there with two American friends. And they (with me) enjoyed the Pasta Amatriciana. Try it
Giovanni Leonori <email>
ROMA, ITALY 10/04/02

Rooms in Vernazza
Had some difficulty finding rooms in Vernzza because of language problems. It seems many rooms are tied into a coop. I found the lady at Enoteca Sciacchetra to be very helpful. She speaks English and connected us with a person with very nice rooms who couldnt speak english. Nice wine at good prices in her shop
Larry McKee <email>
Salt Lake City, UT USA 10/02/02

Sorry Elisabeth, but.....
A small investment in the CURRENT Italy guide book would have been a wise choice. Don't blame Rick for information that is two years old and as he even states in his books could change by the time of printing. Sorry you wasted a day, but the blame is misplaced!
SR
USA 10/01/02

Elizabeth Blake's Out-dated Guide Book
To Elizabeth Blake: You say that you were using Italy 2000 for a trip in September 2002, and then complain that bus information (which you acknowledge may "change frequently") is incorrect?!?! The book is more than 2 years old, how could you possibly expect the information to be current? This was your own fault, not Ricks!
A
USA 10/01/02

Pisa
I was so disappointed with so many aspects of Rick Steves 2000 Italy giudebook. We took the train from Rome to Pisa arriving at 6:30pm on 24Sep02-sunlight still shining. Rick suggests taken bus #3 or #11 to the duomo and leaning tower. There is no #11 and there are 2 #3s one going an hour outside of the city which is located in front of the train station (the one we mistakenly took) and the other #3 which goes right to the field of miracles which is across the street in front of a blank building. We didn't find that out until it was too late and the sun had set before we could see anything and had to move onto the next city. Rick, if you are going to list things like buses or things that can change frequently... make sure people know that there is another option and/or to ask if it is the right one. Since there are 2 possible choices...why not list them. Rick doesn't mention how to get to the proper busstops...just says to go to #3 or #11. We were going by what you said...which was extremely wrong and not only did we miss the beauty of it, wasted our whole day travelling to something we couldn't see, but our pictures were all black. Thanks a lot. For those travelling to Pisa, get there early and take the #3 across the station's square-across the street and for the #3 bus heading to the left. Not the one in the the bus circle going to the right!
Elisabeth Blake <email>
seattle, wa USA 09/30/02

Burano lodging
Anyone know of rooms for rent in Burano? The one place listed in all the books is full up for my time slot.
jim nilsen <email>
edmonds, wa USA 09/30/02

Centrovalli/Lago Maggiore package
Rick did not mention that there is a two day package for 30 Euros, combining the scenic rail and boat trip to Domodossola/ Centovalli train through mountains to Locarno, with return boat trip to Stresa, and one day open travel to visit the islands on Lago Maggiore. The rail/boat trip costs 26 Euro. For 4 Euro more you get the entire second day on the lake, getting on and off at Villa Taranto Gardens, Isola Madre, Isola Pescatori and Isola Bella. This is less than any day package on the lake. We bought the two day package at a travel agency in Stresa. It was the same price as at the "i" (Information), but it began with the rail trip first, instead of the long boat ride to Locarno. It was pouring rain but we still enjoyed the rail trip through the mountains. We will return on a sunny day! It was odd that the tourist services in Stresa did not seem interested or willing to offer information on Locarno, the Swiss city included in their package! We also found it difficult to buy anything for cash in Locarno, because many places prefer Swiss Francs to Euros. One Locarno "i" said that only Swiss Francs could be used. The other "i" by the docks said Euros were welcome. We would recommend stopping at small towns on the Centrovalli rail line and spending minimal time in Locarno itself.
Kathryn Hansman-Spice <email>
Tallahassee, FL USA 09/29/02

Alibus, Malpensa to Lago Maggiore
I forgot to add in my previous comments the phone number for the shuttle bus from Malpensa to Stresa and other cities around Lago Maggiore. Autoservizi Comazzi: 0322 844862 There is another bus that goes to Domodossola: 0324 240333 www.comazzibus.com.
Kathryn Hansman-Spice <email>
Tallahassee, FL USA 09/29/02

Stresa, Italy on Lago Maggiore
Hotel Luina, in Stresa, Italy, is a very friendly place with good food. We hesitate to recommend it to anyone with back problems because the beds were too soft for us. The first room was also very musty. We moved the next day to another room which was fine, with a better bed, but still very springy and unsupportive. We highly recommend the food at Chez Osvaldo. We followed recommendation of The Lonely Planet. It is very inexpensive for lodging and food. We did not stay there, but talked with many who found it very affordable and comfortable. It is family run, with many languages spoken there. We ate many meals there and heard from others that they returned to Chez Osvaldo often because it was the best food they found in Stresa or elsewhere in their travels! There are many daily specials.
Kathryn Hansman-Spice <email>
Tallahassee, FL USA 09/29/02

Malpensa to Stresa Alibus
Please update your guide with specific information on the shuttle bus from Malpensa to Lago Maggiore. We took your suggestion that Stresa was a good starting point. The Hotel Italie et Suisse gave us information on the bus, which saved us much money and time. We told everyone we could about it. It runs from end of March to end of October. Our hotel made reservations. It leaves Malpensa at 8:45, 9:30, 11:30, 14:30, 17:30, 19:30 and 20:30. It takes 50 minutes to Stresa, but it also makes other stops on the way to Intra. It costs 7.75 Euros for each person each way. It is also a great way to return to Malpensa. It leaves from Stresa at 6:30, 8:30, 10:30, 13:30, 16:30, 18:30 and 19:30. Before mid Sept it was a large bus. After, it was a mini-van. We found that nearby hotels did not know about this service, since it is new this year. People leaving Malpensa on a train were hindered by a strike; knowing about the bus would have saved much money, time and frustration. (PS, Hotel Moderno never responded to my email, so I found Hotel Italie et Suisse on the Internet. It was recommended by Cadogan book on Lombardy and the Italian Lakes. Great view of the lake. Balcony doubles for 99 Euros. More formal hotel like, but very helpful manager. Very comfortable, clean rooms with great views.)
Kathryn Hansman-Spice <email>
Tallahassee, FL USA 09/29/02

Return from Honeymoon — our third traveler was Rick!
My husband and I just returned from a 15 day holiday. We felt like we had our own personal tour guide with us...I can't tell you how many times we asked "Where's Rick?" Also, we took Mona Winks with us. While we both love museums, we tend to get "museum head," ie, too overwhelmed by all the beauty, history, and crowds. Mona made the museums so much more enjoyable — we left feeling refreshed and culturally fulfilled. We also did all the "walks," which we loved!! They hit almost all the major and minor sites, so we did not have to plan out our own routes. Here are some additional comments: 1. Take overnight trains — they are very romantic and fun. I would encourage you to buy the first cl. railpass if you plan to do the overnight train. The cost for a two person sleeper via first cl. is cheaper than 2nd...you end up saving. 2. POSITANO!! It was so amazing...we stayed at the wonderful Hotel MARINCANTO — worth every penny! A perfect honeymooy destination. The BEST restaurant that we found was IL Rotrovo....way up in the mountain...they hotel can arrange a free shuttle. Thank you rick, and i can't wait for the next trip!
Melissa and Doug <email>
Pittsburgh, PA USA 09/28/02

Stresa is Beautiful
Thanks for recommending the Hotel Moderno in Stresa (great location, very helpful service, reasonable rates). Stresa has a beautiful location on Lago Maggiore, with a view of the snow-capped Alps, and is very convenient for Malpensa airport.

We stayed six nights and made two day-trips into Milan via train. Stresa was very relaxing after a three week trip to Italy originating in Rome. We reversed your recommendation to start in the north, but the trip was still great. Thanks for your help. Bob & Pat Arango
Bob & Pat Arango <email>
Sausalito, Ca USA 09/26/02

11 Days, 5 Books, 1 DVD
Months before our recent too short visit to Italy I purchased Rick Steve s Italy, Venice, Florence and Rome books as well as Rick s Phrase Book AND Italy DVD. OK, I m the kind of person who goes on the trip many times before actually getting on the plane.

I heartily recommend these books, both the ‘All Italy and city specific books for anyone planning to visit Italy and these cities. We made space in our one carry-on each to take the books with us and we used them every day, particularly for museum tours. We enjoyed Rick s why-he-painted-it-that-way descriptions. We purchased some ‘Official Guides as much for the photos as descriptions but they seemed to be limited to hard facts like “commissioned 1504, sold to so-and-so in 1712, moved to the Bargello in 1850 &

We made most room reservations by email after browsing individual hotels web sites. We always mentioned “We read about your hotel in Rick Steve s Rome book and each hotel offered us the ‘book negotiated price which was always less than prices listed on the hotel web page. In fact, we easily saved enough off of the ‘rack rate at the wonderful Residenza Cellini in Rome to pay for all the ETBD materials (several times).

The Phrase Book is fun and portable. Learn left and right! (sinistra and destra?) sure as you learn how to say “Dove a &. Fontana Trevi? in Italian, you ll get a polite and detailed reply & in Italian!

The DVD was more for psyching up than details but a fun addition to the books. Production note: Each segment on the DVD begins with the same dunk-dunk synthesizer theme and my wife said, “That sounds like bad porno music. and I said, “wait a minute, how would YOU know?
Greg Cable <email>
Charlotte, NC USA 09/26/02

Varenna: Hotel Du Lac — Great from Start to Finish.
Following a Rick reccomendation we sent an email inquiring availability Hotel Du Lac. They immediately replied with the kind of ‘gentile professionalism we experienced many times sending emails to Italain hotels: “Thank you for you correspondence & we are only too happy to & best regards & Our room was lovely and the perfect antidote to jet lag. The staff were, There you are! We ve been waiting for you! friendly. A great bed. It s a small detail but even the sheets had ‘Hotel Du Lac woven into the fabric. Easily our best breakfast in Italy. A true keeper!
Greg Cable <email>
Charlotte, NC USA 09/26/02

Spelling in Italian.
To spell something over the telephone to an Italian speaking person the Italians use the names of cities. A for Agrigento, B for Bologna, C for Como , even N for New York. The letters H, J, K Y and Z, I have found hardest to learn since I they have very lttle relation to the English alphabet.
Kathleen CItrolo Gwinnett <email>
Burlington , NC USA 09/24/02

Varenna: The Invasion of the Yellow Book People
We thoroughly enjoyed Varenna and the lovely (and recommended) Hotel Du Lac. (however) Everywhere we turned we seemed to run into couples carrying a copy of Rick Steve s Italy. Later, we sat across from a couple from Australia on the Eurostar traveling from Florence to Rome. After we exchanged ‘where have you visited/ – what did you enjoy? stories I took out my Rick Steve s Rome book to review for our next destination. “There it is! the woman said. “Who is this Rick person? She laughed and said, “Our travel agent advised us to visit out-of-the-way Varenna and everyone there seemed to be Americans carrying yellow books! Still, Varenna was wonderful. A ‘vacation from the vacation .
Greg Cable <email>
Charlotte, NC USA 09/24/02

Autostrade Tour Milan: Bad Value
Tour is currently €43. I reccomend asking BEFORE buying tickets what is included in the tour TODAY. My wife and I took the tour and, frankly, regretted it. Since it was Sunday the tour included NOTHING of the Duomo (Cathedral) and nothing of the Sforza Castle. They basically walked us across the Cathedral square theough the Galleria then drove us to the Brera (art) Museum where a docent there gave us a one hour highlights tour then back to the bus and on to the Last Supper. The La Scala (opera) museum has been moved to a building across the street from Santa Maria della Grazie (Last Supper) while the the Las Scala theater undergoes renovation. It too was not included in our tour. The Last Supper is very worthwhile but I reccomend calling 011 39.028.942.1146 and booking directly and skipping the Autostradale tour altogether. We confirmed the tour is only offered afternoons (3pm) on Saturday and Sunday and only then during 'high season'. http://www.autostradale.it/altre/girocitt.htm
Greg Cable <email>
Charlotte, NC USA 09/24/02

Ravenna, Urbino, Assisi and cassanovas.
Just got back from a little 5-day trip up into North Italy (I'm an American living in Naples). I used Rick's book as usual and was not dissapointed. Here's a few things to remember:

1)in the Italy 2002 book, the map for Ravenna has a mistake. The Al Giaciglio hotel and the Hotel Ravenna are switched. I had a little bit of trouble figuring out where my hotel was because of that. Ravenna is really nice and low key, by the way.

2)Urbino in the region of Le Marche is worth a quick look, in my opinion. Nice little college town, birthplace of Raphael.

3) I stayed with Camere Annalisa Martini in Assisi, and they could not have been nicer, sweeter people. Don't miss Assisi at night.

4)Women traveling alone: Watch for the men on trains, I had to push a man away from me to keep him from kissing me. Sit with some other women, families or couples. Try not to make eye contact with the men who are bothering you and ignore them as much as you can. Tell them to "Vai via!"

5) EAT LOTS OF GELATO and have a wonderful trip!
Angela <email>
Naples, Italy 09/20/02

Cinque Terre
We just came back from 2 weeks in Italy with a 2 day stop in the Cinque Terre. I can't imagine any hotel being better than the Hotel Villa Steno. Very well run, nice room, great balcony view and at the top of the hill away from the train and the harbor, very quiet. Arianna and Alessandra were very freindly and helpful. Laundry was a steal at $9 for a big load, and folded perfectly.

We hiked from Vernazza to Manarola on the trails. The trail from Vernazza to Corniglia was very woodsy, narrow and required lots of concentration to avoid falling. And there really wasn't much to look at but the trail. We'd recommend the hike from Corniglia to Manarola and on to Riomaggiore. Relatively flat, right along the ocean wiht lots of great ocean views.

Some friends took the 7a to 6d to 6 trail up to Volestra and said it was a tough hike byt very pretty. I'd recommend taking the train between villages and saving your energy to hike up into the towns from the train station.

We had made arrangements to tour with Sean Risatti, but he cancelled the morning of the tour, claiming too many other commitments. He did give us lots of tips on whast to see and where to go.
Ron <email>
Cleveland, OH USA 09/19/02

Villa Margherita B&B , Cinque Terre
I just returned from a 2-week stay and as usual Italy is WONDERFUL. We visited Cinque Terre for the first time and stayed at Villa Margherita by the sea B&B in Levanto, the doorway, to the other villages. We really like Levanto and the Villa, we rented a large double room with patio and ocean view!!! Federico , the owner , speaks english really well and he was really helpful (ww.villamargherita.net info@villamargherita.net)
Jason Baroni
San Mateo, CA USA 09/19/02

Found italy guidebook on piazza san marco in venice
i found an italy guidebook on piazza san marco about two weeks ago, anyone missing one? the book is nice by the way... mail me if you miss the book
martin <email>
Linz, Austria 09/18/02

Hotels — Venice, Florence, Rome
Here are some comments about hotels that we stayed in during our recent trip.

Venice: Hotel Al Piave. This was the best hotel of our entire trip. It is minutes away from the tourist places, but is located on a quiet back street. This hotel is a true gem, excellent value and very charming. We had booked a regular double room but it had a separate kitchen with all kitchen items including fridge, dishwasher, etc. The restaurant next door was excellent too.

Florence: Hotel Casci. About 5 minutes walk from the Duomo. The people who run the hotel are very friendly and helpful. Quick to respond by emails. Good value.

Rome: Hotel Alimandi: This was the most expensive hotel ($140/night for a double room) of our entire trip and also the most disapponting. They put us in the buliding across the street instead of the main hotel. That building, we were told, was leased by the hotel from nuns. The rooms there were very sparse, had no amenities whatsoever, no soap, no shampoo, A/C did not work, no TV, traffic noise kept us awake all night. The next day we asked to be moved to the main building and they agreed. The rooms in the main hotel building were far better, much like a regular hotel. But I don't understand why they did not give us a room there in the first place. If you stay here, make sure to ask to stay in the main building.
Salil <email>
Austin, TX USA 09/18/02

Italy
My 4 daughters, my wife and I spent 12 days in Italy recently. Here are some pointers:

1.) The Cinque Terre was great. We stayed at the Hotel Suisse Bellevue (not mentioned by Rick). It was truly great and is much closer to Northern European standards than some Italian hotels. Many Germans, Austrians and Swiss stay there. It is located on the hill in Monterrossa and a private shuttle takes you up and down. The benefit is the hill gets nice and cool at night and the breeze from the ocean is great.

2.) In Rome, Monte del Gallo (montedelgallo@tiscalinet.it), by the Vatican is a very nice B&B.

3.) Be sure to see Pompeii, Positano and the Amalfi Coast! We took a private tour with Paola Apolloi (www.driving-guide.com)

4.) In Venice, rent an apartment and live like a Venetian. We stayed at one rented from venice rentals julia (iakhram@tin.it). A large 3 bedroom, it was located near the Greek bridge. Fantastic. The owner even bought us some groceries, knowing we would be tired when we arrived. Venice was great and many Venetians went out of their way to help us.
Barry <email>
Edmonton, 09/14/02

Rome and Chianti
We used Rick's Italy guidebook for much of our stay in Rome and Tuscany in June. We loved Hotel Sant'Anna. It is a small but elegant spot and so close to the Vatican. The rooms are both charming and well equipped and we enjoyed our triple, which had a built-in twin for our 10-year-old son. The restaurants in Rome are incredible, but we didn't rely on the guidebook. Roberto's, only a few doors from Hotel Sant'Anna and recommended by the gentleman manning the reception area, offered a simple but very delicous dinner. Rick's guidebook is also handy for navigating the parking situation in larger hilltowns and we consulted it often. We stayed in Panzano in Chianti, a lovely little town with a very nice view of the surrounding valleys and good central location for touring Siena, Florence, San Gimignano and towns further south.
Shelly
Seattle, WA USA 09/14/02

Cinque Terre — Please!
This drives me crazy!!!! The proper name of the area is — Cinque Terre(five lands), not Cinque Terra(five land)
Michelle
Clarksburg, CA USA 09/13/02

Italy: August 2002
I just returned from a two week vacation in Italy. Rick Steves' book was the best resource we had on our whirlwind trip. I wanted to point out a few things that worked and didn't work for us... 1) We loved the Cinque Terre!!! The book was right about the Hotel Villa Steno in Monterosso. It was perfect, beautiful, and the staff was very friendly. 2) I would not suggest visiting Italy in August. The book mentioned that most Italians are on vacation during this time. Many shops, resturants, bars, etc. are closed. Milan and Florence were practically shut down. It was a little disappointing. 3) I would stress even more in the book how important it is to make museum reservations. We learned that the hard way. 4) Finally, the religious holiday on August 15th really shuts the Vatican down for the majority of the week, not just on that day. I hope these comments are helpful!
Jen
Tempe, AZ USA 09/13/02

Here's what we think — Cinque Terra
My wife and I just returned from a one week trip travelling from Zurich to the Cinque Terra and back to the US from Milan. What a great trip! A few comments that I think anyone can use. 1. The Cinque Terra is beautiful. It's worth the trip. It feels like "real" Italy. 2. Three days was a perfect amount of time to enjoy the trails and some time on the beach. 3. The hike from Riomaggiore to Monteroso requires stamina and is narrow at points. It is a trail, and not a sidewalk (except from Riomaggiore to Manarola) 4. Riomaggiore was a great town to stay in — except for one night when a group of Australian skinny-dipper's decided to rudely share their late night enthusiasm with the rest of the village. Affittacamere Vesigna Edi in the middle of town had simple clean, and affordable rooms with a view. 5. Dinner at La Lanterna is a great choice. It's slightly "over-budget", but great food and service. In early September, reservations were required. 6. Train travel back to Milan was reliable and easy. One change of trains in Genoa. Definately cheaper and easier than risking the autostrada. All in all, the Cinque Terra should make your list of European destinations.
Gregg & Jean Brummer <email>
Dunwoody, Georgia, ga USA 09/11/02

Italy Guidebook
I spent 3 weeks in Italy this summer with my 13 year old daughter. The trip went well and I found Rick Steve's guidebooks to be good and full of very helpful information. I used both the Italy book and the Rome book.

We took the train with point to point tickets and it worked out well. Rick's tip to buy the tickets from a travel agent was excellent, saving a lot of time and stress. I was not much impressed by the Eurostar. The intercity trains are just as fast and a lot cheaper.

We had a very good experience at La Tonnarella in Sorrento. The hotel was very nice, the fanciest we stayed in, with great views and best of all, a small beach where we could swim. The beach was very crowded on weekends, but during the week it was wonderful, and a great relief after a sweltering day of sightseeing in Pompeii or Naples. The young women who worked the front desk were nice and friendly, very helpful when we got delayed by a train strike, and spoke excellent English.

The food at the restaurant was a bit expensive, but good, and the view was fabulous. One of the waiters was very snooty, but he didn't ruin the experience, and he gave us something to joke about.

We took the hydrofoil from Sorrento to Naples for a day trip, and it was much nicer than the Circumvesuviana train. We walked from the port to the archeological museum, it's not too far, and was an interesting walk.

I actually didn't like the town of Sorrento much at all, too much of a tourist trap, but it is convenient for touring the Naples area, and the setting is beautiful.

We loved Lucca, which is not in Rick Steve's book. We stayed at the Piccolo Hotel Puccini, 88 euros for a double with private bath. It was very nice with friendly staff, and right in the center of town. Lucca is small, quiet and beautiful. It's 15 minutes from Pisa by train (the Pisa San Rossore stop on the Lucca-Pisa line is just a few blocks from the Campo dei Miracoli).
AB
Eugene, OR USA 09/07/02

tips for guidebook
We visited Italy for the first time and used Rick Steves' Italy 2002 guidebook. We stayed two weeks (just returned home last week) and loved it. I had a couple of recommendations/suggestions.

1. Ambra Palace Hotel in Roma was fantastic. Staff was wonderful, rooms clean and beautiful. Reasonable rates, too. Check it out.

2. L'Antica Trattoria in Sorrento was superb. I think it was one of the best meals I have ever had. The staff was friendly, fun, and courteous. The food was to die for and the atmosphere incredible. It was by far the best restaurant we went to in our two weeks. Tony was great.

3. Animal lovers should be warned about the many starving dogs and cats living in the streets. It almost ruined my trip. Naples was the worst. Of course, the man beating his horse in Sorrento because he had a hurt leg wasn't much better. I saw people just stepping over a dog who appeared to have been hit by a car. Also, the homeless dogs at Pompeii was very traumatizing. Does Italy not have any animal advocacy groups?

4. Skip the Blue Grotto. It wasn't worth the money, chaos or diesel fumes.

5. You hit on the nail on the head with your gelateria choices.

Your practical tips were very helpful. Thanks!
Erin Bentrim-Tapio <email>
Spartanburg, SC USA 09/05/02

Milan: Autostradale Tour (Afternoon)
According to their website, http://www.autostradale.it/altre/gi rocitt.htm and I called them at 027-252-4300, the 3 hour tour (without Gilligan and the Skipper) is only offered in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday departing at 3pm. They were also happy to take my name and make a reservation. Speaking of names, I've found it's sometimes a struggle to spell names over the telephone with someone who is doing me the grat favor of speaking to me in English. I use common Italian words "amore" "bravo" "como" "domani"... to spell out the name. So far when I've tried this it's been met with laughter AND understanding from the person I'm talking to.
Greg Cable <email>
Charlotte, NC USA 09/04/02

ITALIAN HONEYMOON
Just come back from Italy 10 days trip !!! W O W!!! we have visited Cinque Tere, Assissi and Rome. The best spot for us was definitely Cinque Tere, we stayed in Levanto and it was a good option to avoid 5 T crowd. Best food: Il capitano di Giovanni Baso in Vernazza (GREAT SPAGETTI ) Taverna Garibaldi in Levant ... 36 pizzas ( some with pesto some wit roqueford frenc chese, and wondeRful mix of ANTIPASTTI)
FRANK & MARY
CAN 09/04/02

HOTELS ITALY
I am planning my second trip to Italy and am using Rick's book exclusively.

HOTEL ITALIA Rome: I have just made the reservations (3 rooms, 6 days) and the staff was very accommodating and responded the same day. All was done over the internet.

Venice: HOTEL FLORA is execptionally clean and comfortable. It is a 4min. walk to St. Marks square. The staff is friendly and helpful. My daughter's card got eaten by the banks ATM and the bank had already closed. Although there were people inside, they would not come to the door. We went back to the hotel (next door)and told the manager what happened, he called the bank, went over and retreived the card. We had great service the 3 days we were guests.
Elaine <email>
Wilton, CA USA 09/03/02

2-In Defense of 5 Terre & S.Margherita Ligure hotels !!
We are typing these few lines in defense of 5 Terre and S. Margherita Ligure hotels mentioned below.

We have traveled all over Italy since 1992. Every year we spend a few days (almost 1 week) both in the Cinque Terre and in S. Margherita Ligure. Always with RS Guide. We know how italian law judges hotels, from 1 star(lowest) to 5 stars (highest). When you choose a 1 star hotel, you cannot pretend the ambience and the service will be that of a deluxe hotel. When people go on holiday, they should consider their expecations: the higher these are, the higher must be the level of the hotel they choose to stay at.

In all our travels we have seen many embarassing situations where guests complain about silly things, when their low hotel bill clearly justifies their choice to stay in a 1 or 2 star hotel. The problem is that some people are becoming more and more pretentious and expect their problems (especially their "inside" problems, ie. unhappiness) to be solved by a vacation.

My wife and I always try to meet the local standard of living: it makes everything much easier. When we choose a small 1 star hotel, we accept it as it is. All the small hotels in RS guides have never disappointed us because we knew before arrival what we were going to get (in most cases even more !! see Famiglia Sabini's Nuova Riviera in Santa Margherita or Ca Andreani in Manarola!!!). Bon Viaggio to everybody !
Tania & Paul KING <email>
Seattle, USA, USA 09/03/02

Convent stays/ Unmentioned places.
I am surprised that noone has mentioned the beauty of Orvietto or Civita de Bagnoregio. (Both beautiful, non touristy Italian hill towns which are worth a visit).

I am also very surprised that none of you stayed in convents. Beautifully kept courtyards, spacious rooms, and hey, I know that they will not rip me off.:-) I stayed at the Oblate Sisters of Assumption in Florence, the Domenican sisters in Orvietto, and the Alma Domus in Sienna. I am not Catholic, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
cat dance <email>
Portland, OR USA 09/02/02

Museum Reservations in Florence Italy
We recently returned from a trip to Florence to see many of the art treasures of the Renaissance. As you can well imagine, the summer crowds were everything advertised with lines 2 hours or more at some of the major attractions. While Rick advises making reservations at the Uffizi and the Accademia by telephoning ahead, as an alternative, you can make reservations on the Intenet at www.weekendafirenze.com. Although there is a service charge, it worked exceedingly well, and was a small price to pay to avoid those long lines in a hot August sun.
Gary L. Birdwell <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 08/28/02

Como lake, Cinque Terre and Florence
We have just arrived from Italy, a beautiful country but with some points I would like to explain:

In the Lake Como area, we stayed in Candenabbia di Griante (between Tremezzo and Menaggio, opposite to Bellagio)in Albeghetto La Marianna. Someone recommended this little hotel and I agree with him. Signora Paola is a pleasant woman and the breakfasts on the sun garden with the lake views are incredible. The village is an easy walk from Villa Carlota and you can hike to San Martino church (1 hour walking up, but what a views!). In Bellaggio, I tried the best pizza in La Grotta. In Varenna we very much enjoyed the gardens of Villa Monasterio and Villa Ciprese. The ferries between the villages are cheap and the views excellent.

After that we went to Vernazza, in Cinque Terre (for me this was the best, although August is very crowded). We had booked a room with Giuliano Basso long in advance, confirmed twice by email, but when we arrived at Vernazza our surprise was that Giuliano had disappeared. We asked for him in the tourist office, they called twice but nothing. They sent us to the restaurant he worked at and he didn't appear that afternoon. Imagine, in the middle of August, Vernazza very crowded, and us waiting for someone who never appeared. In the end an old man offered us a room for two nights and we took it; we are still wondering what happened to Giuliano Basso. Another comment is that if you do not book a table in advance in the restaurants of the Piazza it is impossible to eat there (they said all the tables were booked, even in those restaurants of the Tower, etc.), at least in August. For us, the "Ruta del Amore" is not worth it and the views are not as good as everyone says.

Our last stop in Italy was Florence, staying at Soggiorno Battistero, excellent location in Piazza S. Giovanni with a great view of the Duomo (the problem is the noise till late in the night, but it is the center of the town). We ate very well in Oltrarno in a little enoteca near to Piazza Sto. Spirito. Don't miss the views of Florence from S. Miniato, it is wonderful. Take the bus out to Fiesole and spend a good amount of time in the Etruscan village.

The trains in Italy are a bit chaotic. Most of them are crowded, with no possibility of sitting if you don't have a seat reservation (at least in August when all Italians are on holiday).
Anna <email>
Barcelona, Spain 08/28/02

Rome ~
From a first time traveler to Rome, some suggestions. Use Rick's book as a Bible of insight! We stayed at the Aberdeen and the Oceania and had wonderful experiences. Both Hotels are charming and priced right, not to mention they are in the best neighborhood of Rome. Walking distance to the Fontina de Trevi, the Pantheon, Piazza Novona and more! Good shopping on via Nazional and the train station (Termini Stazione) is 2 blocks away. Day trips to Florence are very easy taking the Eurostar train. Viva Roma!
Patrick <email>
Boston, MA USA 08/26/02

Right on Rich Fritzson!
Right On Rich Fritzson! We went to Vernazza in May, and yes the crowds can be troublesome, but timing is everything. We stayed with Tonino Basso as well (clean rooms, lots of privacy). Perhaps other travelers can shed light on this. The time of day, which township in the Cinque Terre you are in, which day of the week, what events are scheduled for the particular town you are in, all play a part in the crowded conditions at any given moment.

For instance, my wife, whose mother had just passed away, found that the chapel in Vernazza was one of the holiest that she found in Europe for blue collar folks like us. Lit a candle, had as much time for private prayer as she wished, and no crowds to disturb her. Beats the socks off St Peter's in Rome.
Todd<email>
Atlanta, GA USA 08/24/02

Buying Euros in the USA
My husband and I are going to Italy in a week. I thought it would be good to have some Euros in hand for our layover in Germany and when we first arrive in Venice. It was easy to order them through my bank (B of A.) Just called customer service and they arrived at my home in 3 days. Now I don't have to look so lost when I first arrive looking for the nearest ATM.
Liz <email>
Roseville, CA USA 08/24/02

Qualification of CT comments
We found that Vernazza is a completely different place after the sun goes down. We had dinner al Costello, and it was wonderful — the ambiance, food, everything. During the day, however, we thought it had the charm and atmosphere of your local municipal pool or beach. Throngs showed up just to lie on the rocks or suntan on the beach — with lots of loud kids. True, they were Italians not Americans, but that didn't make the experience anymore enjoyable. Our advice would be to stay in Manarola or Corniglia, stick to the trail levels, and to fly in by helicopter — the rail service there was outrageously horrendous — delayed trains, rail employees physically accosting my fiancee behind my back, etc. I doubt that we'll go back if we return to Italy — it was just too overrun by the local beach crowd and getting there is too much trouble. If we need that setting, we'll go to Maine.
Ryan Candee <email>
Brooklyn, NY USA 08/23/02

In defense of Cinque Terre in August
My wife and I just returned from 15 days in Italy, planned largely with Rick's 'Italy', 'Venice' and 'Florence' books. We visited Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, Siena and Rome, in that order. I don't think we've ever had a better trip anywhere.

We had no choice about when to travel; we were there the first two weeks of August. The only gesture we made toward avoiding crowds was to stay away from Cinque Terre on the weekend.

We stayed in Vernazza, with Guiliano Basso. He's a very nice guy, with beautiful rooms, which share a wonderful view deck. (Our private bathroom was the largest and most attractive bathroom we had access to in Italy. It would probably be called 'spacious' even in Texas.)

We did not encounter crowds of obnoxious American tourists anywhere. Yes, there were lots of tourists in Vernazza, but they were primarily Italians, and there were not so many that we felt crowded. The only time we really were crowded (again by Italians) was on the commercial beach in Monterroso, and that was just fun.

Most of the Vernazza harbor restaurants were busy in the evenings. But we hiked alone on the trails. We only did the most popular direct town to town trails along the shore, but we didn't see anyone illegally camping along the trail. Most of our encounters with people were in or near the towns, or on the easy walk from Riomaggiore to Manarola.

The time we spent there was wonderful. Cinque Terre is as beautiful as you can imagine. The two most difficult trails, the two leading out of Vernazza, will take your breath away with their magnificent views as well as with their steep climbs. (My wife and I are 'around 50' and not particularly fit. These trails are a cardiovascular workout, but they're not dangerous and don't require skills other than stamina.)

We will definitely return to the Cinque Terre. We'll probably stay in a town other than Vernazza, but just for the variety of experience, not because we didn't have a great time.
Rich Fritzson <email>
Paoli, PA USA 08/20/02

Feedback on Italy
We returned from Italy 2 weeks ago and found your guidebook 'Italy 2002' to be really excellent. Thank you. We visited Lake Como, Cinque Terre, Sorrento and the Amalfi coast, and Milan. We would like to recommend 2 restaurants in Sorrento that are not in the guidebook: O'Parruchiano at Corso Italia 67, and Pizzeria Aurora on Piazza Tasso, 10/11. Our favorite gelati was at Davide Gelato in Sorrento.
Michael Heilbronn <email>
Toronto, Ontario Canada 08/19/02

Assisi...Walking Tour
Recently reviewed Rick's Italy 2002 and rather pleased with his review of Assisi. Italy being my favorite country and having been in Assisi 19 times (going back next year for #20) I was a bit unhappy with Rick's quoting Anne's Artisan Walk as 'pricey'....I have been on her 'Walk' at least 4 if not 5 times and each time learned something different...so for the enjoyment and knowledge received, I didn't consider it expensive. In fact when I take others of my SFO fraternity to Italy and Assisi, Anne Robichaud's Artisan Walks are always a part of the trip.
Betty <email>
Scottsdale, AZ USA 08/18/02

No kids (under 8 yrs.) allowed in Leaning Tower of Pisa
Since Rick doesn't mention it in his books or in the Italy update, please note that for security reasons, children under 8 years are not allowed to enter the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Unfortunately I didn't know that until right after I purchased a ticket online for myself and my 4 1/2 year old son.
Mark <email>
Midwest, USA 08/14/02

Antica Locanda dei Mercanti in Milano is great!
I wanted to come to the defense of the Antica Locanda dei Mercanti in Milano. We stayed there for 4 nights last October and thought it was delightful and a great value. By forgoing a street level location, you get nice rooms just a block off the via Dante which is a wide pedestrian-only street lined with cafes and shops. We splurged and stayed in one of their suites with a terrace. It was gorgeous and one of the quietest places we stayed in a 5-week trip to Italy.

As a previous message stated, breakfast is not included (they are a bit coy about that) but don't use that as a reason not to stay there. It's a great hotel in a great location in a great city. If you don't want to pay the breakfast charge, you can stroll over to the via Dante and eat outside at one of the cafes there. We did that several times and also ate in several times. No big deal. The staff was very helpful in recommending places for dinner. The Antica Locanda dei Mercanti ended up being one of our favorites in Italy.
Donna
Seattle, WA USA 08/13/02

Ratings
I found the Italy 2002 guidebook useful, but was taken aback at some of the relative ratings of sights. For example, the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, containing frescos by Giotto which are the equal of those by Michaelangelo in the Sistine Chapel, received only 2 stars out of three. So did Padua's open air markets, which sell fruit and vegetables (not always too fresh), flowers, clothing and souvenirs!
S. Newman <email>
Pleasantville, NY USA 08/12/02

Avoid Vernazza at all costs!!!
If hundreds of screaming kids and trashy beach hoppers are your idea of a good time, by all means come here. If you're looking for something besides another tacky tourist trap, make sure you hit civita instead of the 5 terre. We're there right now and can hardly wait to leave!!!!!
Ryan Candee <email>
New York, NY USA 08/12/02

Other Hotel Notes
Vicenza-Outside of Downtown, on the convenient #1 bus line, we stayed at Hotel Mary (not in Rick's book). The entire staff is well versed in English, as the hotel is heavily booked by US service members doing Temporary Duty at the nearby post. Riding in the elevator was worth a few Euros. AC, CC Db-52 Euro. Nice clean rooms and a little cafe in the lobby. Anna, Melissa, and Angie run a tight show. Note that they do turn the AC off from 7am-2pm during room cleaning.

Roma-Hotel Aberdeen. VERY nice hotel. Staff speaks very good english. Massimo no longer works there.

Florence-Hotel Accademia. A nice hotel, but please note they do not have an elevator, and about 30 steps to the hotel. No problem for my wife, as I was her pack mule :). They charge $5 per hour for the internet usage, a pretty good deal. The floor plan does defy logic as Rick noted, it was worth a little exploration.

Cinque Terre-Worth it, go! The rock beach in Corniglia requires a lot of stairs, if you just hiked from Monterosso, skip it (unless you are glutton for punishment).

Bolzano-Hotel Figl: this was our favorite hotel on the trip. Helga and her husband run a tight and friendly ship. They love getting Rick Steves' readers at their hotel. Helga indicated that the book was the best free advertising that money could buy. :) You can stay in Italy and get the German experience by going to this town. The earth pyramids in the mountains were not worth the 1 hour walk.

Venice-Hotel Albergo Guerrato. This 800 year old building makes for a cool hotel. I can see why Rick Steves' uses it. Be warned that taking the water bus to the Rialto stop requires that you haul your luggage over the Rialto bridge...of course no problem when you have the pack mule husband along :). There are other, more time and Euro-consuming ways to get there as to avoid the bridge.

This was the best Vacation we have ever taken and Rick Steve's book made it easy as ever.
Daryle W. <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 08/10/02

Loved Cinque Terre, did not care for Mar Mar room services
We just loved Cinque Terre, but would not recommend the services of Mar Mar. Additionally, we found Alberto (Bar Centrale) to be downright rude. All I did was ask that they fix the AC in the room (I was paying for an AC'd room). It is nice to be threatened with eviction when you are just trying to get a little customer service. I do not mind lack of AC, but this room was low on the natural air circulation and was over 80 degrees at night, with the window open. They did knock a few Euros off the room price...too little too late.
Daryle W. <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 08/10/02

Cinque Terre & S. Margherita Ligure
I've just spent a lovely vacation in the area of Cinque Terre plus S. Margherita Ligure. I chose family hotels like the Pasini in Monterosso and the Nuova Riviera (Fam. Sabini) in Santa Margherita Ligure. The Hotel Pasini is a 3 star, a little bit expensive but worth it for the view. Spent great time in excursions all around the 5 small villages. Met many people angry with some locals for giving away their room even if they made a booking ....

The NUOVA RIVIERA Hotel was great for 2 things: it's just a one star but offers nice accomodation with lovely renewed rooms (since I'm in hotel business too I asked to see all of them — just 12 — upon departure). I noticed that some of them are really large and bathrooms are easy to use with very wide mirrors and plenty of space to put your things.

Breakfast is continental but if you ask for capuccino or coffee (the best one I've ever had during my stay in Italy!) Mr. Sabini is happy to bring it to you with no extra charge (which is rare in the hotels of the area). I stayed there 5 nights and I will be back. The Sabini Family, daughter Christina, son JoanCarlo have been precious in advising us of what to do and what to see .... don't forget the friday market in town !!!
Mark & Susan TOOTH <email>
New York, NY USA 08/08/02

Hotel Montemare, Positano
Hotel Montemare is not in Rick's book. Its phone number is 089-875010-84017 Via Pasitea 119
El