Critique my 14-NIGHT ITALY trip (1 Viewer)

[jamny]

My favorite stops were the smaller cities , also Sienna was one of my Favs... Montepuciano, Montelcino and Cortona...

Yeah, I was searching for the best wines ; )

We stayed outside of Sienna and found a Hot Springs / Spa, I think it was in Rapolono...

My favorite was just exploring smaller cities where they barely spoke english but, wouldn't let you leave until you were well fed!!

We didn't spend a lot of time in Rome - Felt like NYC to me... The food options were not nearly as good as what we found in the country... Of course there's a lot of Must see / must do things in Rome and Florence - I just loved the Hospitality of the country.

We would drive up to Vineyards thru Tuscany and they would be like "Help Yourself"... Go to dinner and they keep you there All Night like family and make you drink Grappa for hours ; ).... Go to dinner in Rome and it's more money, nothing friendly, less quality and Get out... Yeah, I'm generalizing - We hit a lot of the Restaurants on the main strips in Rome..

Well that's just it. We've gotten good over the years at picking out places to eat and we always avoid the main strips and look for the restaurants out of the way and down hidden blocks. The most we'll do is have a drink in the touristy areas to do some people watching. Would never eat there.

 

[Rick James]

We'll be fine that first night. Our flight is from 7:00pm-5:00am (OUR time) so we should be able to get sleep naturally on the plane. Also we have like 7 hours to nap after we check into our hotel. Plus we'll be full of adrenaline.

I do agree that the 9:00am tour the next day is pushing it, so I've already contacted the guide and rescheduled for 13:00pm.

 

[Bucky86]

I highly recommend looking up restaurants on the Chowhound message boards. Those nerds know their food and typically never recommend places on the main strip unless they're legitimately good.

That's how I discovered La Carbonara which I recommended in another Italy vacation thread. I think they said they enjoyed it.

 

[jamny]

I highly recommend looking up restaurants on the Chowhound message boards. Those nerds know their food and typically never recommend places on the main strip unless they're legitimately good.

That's how I discovered La Carbonara which I recommended in another Italy vacation thread. I think they said they enjoyed it.

Never checked out chowhound. I use tripadvisor from time to time, especially if I'm in a place for only one night and want something really good without walking around too much.

 

[Sweet Love]

This is Sweet Love's wife - never thought those words would come out of my mouth! Anyway, he asked me to reply because I lived in Italy for a while and have been there many times.

I, personally, think you're in Rome for a little too long. There is certainly some great stuff there, but it's also "just" a big city Italian-style. There are some good day trips, and of course it's neat to see things like the Coliseum in person and certainly the Vatican. The Trevi Fountain and the area around the Spanish Steps are worth a visit, too, and the Barghello. That said, it's kind of polluted with buses and cars everywhere. It just doesn't really give you a sense of what I believe is the essence of Italy.

I would take a day from Rome and add it to Florence or take a pit stop for a night (on the way to Venice) in Verona. Verona is really cute - a beautiful city with a river bisecting it and lots of lovely bridges. The basilica there is worth going to, and there's also a spot you can visit to see Giulietta's balcony.

For Florence, here are my thoughts for some things to do:

1) Boboli Gardens - beautiful huge park that is fantastic for a picnic and people watching. There's a great view of the Duomo there, too. It's on the altrarno side of the river across the Ponte Vecchio (fantastic window shopping).

2) Rent a moped and go up to Fiesole (a suburb with Etruscan ruins and some good restaurants) or Piazzale Michelangelo (phenomenal city views) or both. Fun and it gets you away from the heart of the city. The city's pretty easy to navigate.

3) Climb the tower at the Duomo - beautiful views. Our daughter still proudly wears her "414 Steps and No Lift" shirt three years later.

4) The leather market near San Lorenzo is worth going through - definitely barter.

5) Santa Croce is a church that's a little out of the way but really neat - lots of famous people buried beneath the marble floors.

6) The synagogue is very interesting - that's true in any Eurpean city because the sense of history is clearly different there. The inside is beautiful, there is a moving memorial to the families who never came back from the camps, and the blue dome is a well-recognized sight in the city.

7) I personally don't think the l'Accademia is worth the line. There's a full-sized model of The David outside the Palazzo Vecchio if seeing him is important to you. The Uffizi is worth it, though. Instead of the Accademia, go to the Medici Palace and take a quick tour.

8) Dinner at 13 Gobi (13 hunchbacks). Small and delicious.

9) Of course lots of pizza (huge but thin so one per person) and gelato is also a must everywhere. If you're a meat eater, try a Florentine steak, rare, and a roast chicken with potatoes because their preparation is simple and amazingly good. Boar and rabbit are also very traditional Tuscan meat sources worth trying. Italian hot chocolate (cioccolate) is amazing, but any cafe will charge you different prices if you sit vs stand vs take it to go (vai via) so be clear where you plan to eat or drink. And don't eat within 2-3 blocks of the Duomo - they'll charge you tourist prices.

10) I can't remember when you said you're going, but if you're there when Fiorentina is playing, definitely go see a game. Loud and rowdy and so much fun. THAT is the real Italy!

11) A day trip to Lucca is DEFINITELY a must - get a taxi once you arrive at the train station and ask to go to the walled part of the city. It's wonderful.

Cinque Terre is a great call - it is so stunningly beautiful. It's very real hiking, so wear appropriately sturdy boots or shoes. That will also be a very long day, so I'd plan for the next day to be a mellow one.

I'm also not a huge fan of Venice, as some people said - over-crowded and smelly. However, it is a pretty cool concept and a city that isn't going to be around too much longer, so it isn't a bad idea to see it while you can! There, Murano is worth going to to see the glass-blowing (though be prepared for a very hard sell). The Bridge of Sighs and that whole complex is also very interesting historically. Do not eat anywhere near Piazza San Marco - gross food for tourists. There's good seafood to be had in Venice, though - just use Trip Advisor to find somewhere off the beaten path.

Have a great trip - I'm sure wherever you go, it will be amazing. Italy truly is a special place.

 

[jamny]

Leather market, eh?

 

[Reaper]

My favorite stops were the smaller cities , also Sienna was one of my Favs... Montepuciano, Montelcino and Cortona...

Yeah, I was searching for the best wines ; )

We stayed outside of Sienna and found a Hot Springs / Spa, I think it was in Rapolono...

My favorite was just exploring smaller cities where they barely spoke english but, wouldn't let you leave until you were well fed!!

We didn't spend a lot of time in Rome - Felt like NYC to me... The food options were not nearly as good as what we found in the country... Of course there's a lot of Must see / must do things in Rome and Florence - I just loved the Hospitality of the country.

We would drive up to Vineyards thru Tuscany and they would be like "Help Yourself"... Go to dinner and they keep you there All Night like family and make you drink Grappa for hours ; ).... Go to dinner in Rome and it's more money, nothing friendly, less quality and Get out... Yeah, I'm generalizing - We hit a lot of the Restaurants on the main strips in Rome..

Well that's just it. We've gotten good over the years at picking out places to eat and we always avoid the main strips and look for the restaurants out of the way and down hidden blocks. The most we'll do is have a drink in the touristy areas to do some people watching. Would never eat there.

Agreed - We did have 1 better meal that almost compared to the country in a back alley....

This was before all the restaurant review apps and smart phones so we did fall into the touristy traps more in Rome...

Agree with SL tho about Rome...

 

[Chemical X]

This is Sweet Love's wife - never thought those words would come out of my mouth! Anyway, he asked me to reply because I lived in Italy for a while and have been there many times.

I, personally, think you're in Rome for a little too long. There is certainly some great stuff there, but it's also "just" a big city Italian-style. There are some good day trips, and of course it's neat to see things like the Coliseum in person and certainly the Vatican. The Trevi Fountain and the area around the Spanish Steps are worth a visit, too, and the Barghello. That said, it's kind of polluted with buses and cars everywhere. It just doesn't really give you a sense of what I believe is the essence of Italy.

I would take a day from Rome and add it to Florence or take a pit stop for a night (on the way to Venice) in Verona. Verona is really cute - a beautiful city with a river bisecting it and lots of lovely bridges. The basilica there is worth going to, and there's also a spot you can visit to see Giulietta's balcony.

For Florence, here are my thoughts for some things to do:

1) Boboli Gardens - beautiful huge park that is fantastic for a picnic and people watching. There's a great view of the Duomo there, too. It's on the altrarno side of the river across the Ponte Vecchio (fantastic window shopping).

2) Rent a moped and go up to Fiesole (a suburb with Etruscan ruins and some good restaurants) or Piazzale Michelangelo (phenomenal city views) or both. Fun and it gets you away from the heart of the city. The city's pretty easy to navigate.

3) Climb the tower at the Duomo - beautiful views. Our daughter still proudly wears her "414 Steps and No Lift" shirt three years later.

4) The leather market near San Lorenzo is worth going through - definitely barter.

5) Santa Croce is a church that's a little out of the way but really neat - lots of famous people buried beneath the marble floors.

6) The synagogue is very interesting - that's true in any Eurpean city because the sense of history is clearly different there. The inside is beautiful, there is a moving memorial to the families who never came back from the camps, and the blue dome is a well-recognized sight in the city.

7) I personally don't think the l'Accademia is worth the line. There's a full-sized model of The David outside the Palazzo Vecchio if seeing him is important to you. The Uffizi is worth it, though. Instead of the Accademia, go to the Medici Palace and take a quick tour.

8) Dinner at 13 Gobi (13 hunchbacks). Small and delicious.

9) Of course lots of pizza (huge but thin so one per person) and gelato is also a must everywhere. If you're a meat eater, try a Florentine steak, rare, and a roast chicken with potatoes because their preparation is simple and amazingly good. Boar and rabbit are also very traditional Tuscan meat sources worth trying. Italian hot chocolate (cioccolate) is amazing, but any cafe will charge you different prices if you sit vs stand vs take it to go (vai via) so be clear where you plan to eat or drink. And don't eat within 2-3 blocks of the Duomo - they'll charge you tourist prices.

10) I can't remember when you said you're going, but if you're there when Fiorentina is playing, definitely go see a game. Loud and rowdy and so much fun. THAT is the real Italy!

11) A day trip to Lucca is DEFINITELY a must - get a taxi once you arrive at the train station and ask to go to the walled part of the city. It's wonderful.

Cinque Terre is a great call - it is so stunningly beautiful. It's very real hiking, so wear appropriately sturdy boots or shoes. That will also be a very long day, so I'd plan for the next day to be a mellow one.

I'm also not a huge fan of Venice, as some people said - over-crowded and smelly. However, it is a pretty cool concept and a city that isn't going to be around too much longer, so it isn't a bad idea to see it while you can! There, Murano is worth going to to see the glass-blowing (though be prepared for a very hard sell). The Bridge of Sighs and that whole complex is also very interesting historically. Do not eat anywhere near Piazza San Marco - gross food for tourists. There's good seafood to be had in Venice, though - just use Trip Advisor to find somewhere off the beaten path.

Have a great trip - I'm sure wherever you go, it will be amazing. Italy truly is a special place.

Raleigh knows its sh!t!

 

[Rick James]

Thanks for the rundown Sweet Love's Wife!

From all the research and discussions I've had with people who have lived/vacationed in Italy, I gathered one thing-- no single city is universally loved the most. Some prefer Rome, others Florence, Venice, Positano, Capri, etc. So I just decided to spend equal time in Rome and Florence, and just a few days in Venice because I did hear that 3 days would be too much in Venice. I know Rome is a big city, but I'm fine with that. Actually that's mostly the point of doing 6 days in Rome and 6 in Florence -- it's like two vacations in one.

plus I've already booked the hotels so I can't change anything, lol.

Thanks for mentioning the futbol match! It looks like Fiorentina will be playing Chievo during my stay, so I will look into that.

Boboli gardens and the vespa are a great idea. Also, our 2nd hotel in Florence is very close to the Piazza Michaelangelo so we'll definitely visit that.

 

[Brony]

Work is "making" me go to Milan for 20 days in September. Unless I want a divorce my wife is flying out near the end of the trip and we are going to travel over to another city. We keep going back and forth between Florence and Venice. Most people we speak with say Florence hands down.

What say you?

Since you'll be in Milan, take a look at Lake Como. It's more of a relaxing vacation spot than a historic destination city, but one of the favorite places I've ever been and I've seen a decent chunk of this planet. You certainly wouldn't be wrong to go to Florence either - just depends what you're looking to do, see or accomplish.

 

[Scoresman]

One thing I noticed about Venice is that my experience changed dramatically based on the time of year. In the summer it's hot and the canals can really smell bad and it's also a lot more crowded. My last trip was in April and it was a much better experience.

 

[Bucky86]

Thanks for the rundown Sweet Love's Wife!

From all the research and discussions I've had with people who have lived/vacationed in Italy, I gathered one thing-- no single city is universally loved the most. Some prefer Rome, others Florence, Venice, Positano, Capri, etc. So I just decided to spend equal time in Rome and Florence, and just a few days in Venice because I did hear that 3 days would be too much in Venice. I know Rome is a big city, but I'm fine with that. Actually that's mostly the point of doing 6 days in Rome and 6 in Florence -- it's like two vacations in one.

plus I've already booked the hotels so I can't change anything, lol.

Thanks for mentioning the futbol match! It looks like Fiorentina will be playing Chievo during my stay, so I will look into that.

Boboli gardens and the vespa are a great idea. Also, our 2nd hotel in Florence is very close to the Piazza Michaelangelo so we'll definitely visit that.

I wouldn't worry. You're on vacation. Sometimes it's nice to spend a little extra time somewhere. Wander around and park yourself somewhere nice to sip some delicious wine.

 

[Rick James]

Yeah we like to take our time in a city

 

[The Ref]

Work is "making" me go to Milan for 20 days in September. Unless I want a divorce my wife is flying out near the end of the trip and we are going to travel over to another city. We keep going back and forth between Florence and Venice. Most people we speak with say Florence hands down.

What say you?

Since you'll be in Milan, take a look at Lake Como. It's more of a relaxing vacation spot than a historic destination city, but one of the favorite places I've ever been and I've seen a decent chunk of this planet. You certainly wouldn't be wrong to go to Florence either - just depends what you're looking to do, see or accomplish.

Had a talk with my boss yesterday. Turns out the contractor who is working on the Italy project may be getting his walking papers sooner then expected. So my one 3 week trip may turn into 4-5 trips over the next 12-18 months.

Spoke to the girls in our Munich office as well... They want me to take the trip up for Octoberfest one weekend. I'm going to leave that part of the story out when i tell my wife.

 

[Chemical X]

gonna reply to OP in parts, since I am using an iPad and worried about spaz outs.

some hotel info we used;

Venice was Hotel Ruzzini Palace

Florence was Hotel Degli Orafi

Chianti Countryside was Castello di Spaltenna

Rome was Hotel Minerva, but we also like Hotel Rex.

guides we have used and like are as follows;

Venice - Albatravel Venezia - +34 041 521 0123

Florence - Maria Elena Fanti +39 335 525 9652

Chianti - Sergio at www.mytuscanbuddy.com

Rome - Valentina Crivellari +39 335 7050125

 

[Chemical X]

SAT May 23 ROME - arrive @ FCO around 11:00am. take cab to hotel and maybe take a nap if we're exhausted. Booked a B&B in Trastevere for 6 nights. If we're up for it, walk around the streets of Trastevere and soak it in for a while. I booked two things that evening, after we've rested. (1) a 7:00pm quick tour [30min] of the Pantheon with a local guide, and (2) an 8:45pm tour of Ancient Rome & The Colosseum after dark. This will end around 11:30 and we'll probably be dead by the end. Pass out at our B&B.

though you arrive 11am, hotels won't let you check in till 2p, maybe 3p. while you say you can sleep on the plane, don't bank on this based on varying things, liquor and excitement. this will make any evening tours against my recommendation. I would leave this day open to get your bearings, check in, get settled and explore a bit locally if you feel up to it. I recommend, a stroll of trastevere and the Jewish ghetto, maybe hitting one of my favorite restaurants, Il Giardino Romano. fried artichokes and cacio e pepe, maybe try the fried zucchini flowers. side note, you could take the Leonardo express train from just outside terminal 3 into center Rome and termini, then grab a cab from there if you are daring and want to save a couple of bucks. arriving on a Saturday is great to cut back on traffic.

SUN May 24 ROME - 13:00pm tour of the other side of Ancient Rome not covered in last night's tour...Capitoline Hill, Circus Maximus, etc. Just a quick, cheap 2 hr guided tour. Rest of day is OPEN. Thinking about taking bikes down the Appian Way b/c I heard cars are banned on sundays and it's a cool bike ride. Maybe see the catacombs. Head back to the city and just walk around.

I saw you were touring this day around 1p. Sunday is church day, so things may not be open and are a bit slow, I recommend an easy morning after your flight. walk to St. Peter's from trastevere for the noon angelus by the pope in the square. I recommend this day for a trip to Pompeii and maybe dinner in Naples? we used Franco Petrucci +39 339 5228559. maybe meet him near the square. not sure if he gets tix or you can always purchase a guide upon arrival. the guides get you to some places off limits to others. also. this area has a great winery, mastroberandino. if you pass on Naples you could hit these guys for a tasting and some sfizi.

MON May 25 ROME - 10:45am Testaccio Food Tour for a few hours, then I was thinking of hitting up the Villa Borghese and the museum there. if we don't ride bikes on the 24th, I'll probably rent some bikes and ride around the Villa Borghese. Our evening will be free here. check out some bars and the night life. stay up late.

no issues

TUE May 26 ROME - head to the Campo dei Fiori around 10:00am and just wander around that general area. Signed up for a Vatican tour @ 13:00 so we'll be in the area. Vatican tour ends @ 17:00 so again we'll have the evening free. This is actually our anniversary so I'm looking for a really nice meal here. Any suggestions for a romantic meal? Not too worried about price, just quality.

romantic meal via International Wine Academy highly recommended. make a reservation. vatican tour, we talking the Vatican or Vatican museums? the Vatican is 2 days in my opinion and I highly recommend my link to try to get scavi tickets, pretty awesome.

I would take a 4 hour Ancient Rome tour here.

WED May 27 ROME - Still in Rome. Open day right now. This might be a perfect to visit Ostia Antiqua. I heard it's just as cool as Pompei but with considerably less tourists. I'd book a guided tour for this.

I would make this Vatican day, using the morning and evening.

THR May 28 ROME - last night in Rome. I've left this open in case I've totally missed something. Opera, pub crawl, nice meal...not sure yet.

my last night in a city I try to stay local and not do too much. your itinerary is extensive and down time is needed to avoid getting sick and missing days. I haven't seen trevi fountain or the typewriter pop up, maybe use this day to hit the metro and explore and shop via condotti.

near the trevi is a favorite of ours, Spaghetteria L'Archetto. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spaghetteria-lArchetto/228842023842179 appetizers, drinks and Spaghetti with 100 types of sauce. thru trastevere is a light rail tram, line 8 I think. but it's hard to get tix after 7.30, since tobacco shops close. so, buy some tickets in advance, just remember to validate them on public transportation in those funny yellow machines. maybe villa d'este for awesome fountain fun. ####, I forgot a hidden macabre gem, the capuchin crypt! skeletons stapled to walls is awesomeness!

http://www.cappucciniviaveneto.it/il_museo_3.html

near the pantheon just behind via v Emanuel II (I think) is IMO the best coffee house in Rome, sant'eustachio.......granita is quite good. http://www.santeustachioilcaffe.it

many people will recommend restaurants, but honestly, there are so many good and bad ones, it's hit or miss IMO. I will say this, avoid tourist areas and don't eat anywhere with a so called tourist menu or price fixed. in Rome, hidden in a little courtyard near the Spanish steps is another favorite of ours, trattoria otello alla Concordia. http://www.ristoranteotelloallaconcordia.it it's down an alley and has its on piazza and large outdoor seating area. cucina tipica!

oops, forgot you might still be able to ride on the Tiber via a tour boat.

 

[Chemical X]

here is some random advise;

bring converters and adapters. you need to convert the current and use an adapter. both northern and southern Italy types may be required. what we do is bring a small US power strip, plug it into a converter and adapter, then you can charge everything.

bring a glade plug in oil or something like that for the hotel room, Italians are a smoky bunch.

make 1 or 2 good copies of your passports and carry those at all times when you go out. leave the real guys at the hotel safe.

no cappuccino after breakfast ever.

buy a couple of those .99 rain ponchos at Walmart and carry them......they have saved us many a time.

tipping is not expected and if you do, it's not like the states. you can add up to the next whole number usually and it's much appreciated. for instance, a if you spend 63, leaving 5 is fine or going to 65 or 70 works too.

tobacchi stores and stands sell metro tickets for public transport, but they all close at 7.30.

tourist areas stores generally have orari continuato (continuous hours), but some places still do the siesta thing, you may find stores hours to be 9.30-1.00 and 4-7.30, especially banks.

Italian eateries are generally osteria, trattoria, ristorante, with ristorante being most expensive. they do not seek to turn tables, so dinner is sometimes 3 hours......relax and enjoy the pace. sides rarely come with meals, usually they are served ala carte. salad is served after meals, not before. primi are usually pastas and secondi the meats......don't feel compelled to get both, either one is fine for me for a meal. sometimes we each get pasta dishes and split a meat. coffee and dessert are separate. grappa after meals a must! if they offer or have grappa, find one flavored, maybe con miele (honey). make reservations if you see something you like. some don't start dinner service until 7.30p.

they use the 24hr clock. get ready for 20.00 dinner reservations......no tip here, but after 12p, take their number and subtract 12 for the time.......17-12 is 5p, etc.

while it may be nice to sit outside and eat, many places still allow outdoor smoking, check the location before committing.

eateries charge cover charges of around 1.50 pp, this is for table cloth and bread and standard.

public toilets are not easy to find, may actually be coin operated, can be filthy and some don't have toilet seats........try to use your hotel facilities as much as possible.

wine........while it's nice to order bottles of local wines, with prices being much more reasonable that the states, I highly recommend you try some house wine if you are not fancying things up too much. house red and white are pretty equivalent IMO to $10- bottles of US stuff, but will cost under 5euro. you can also get half bottles of house.

get the viber app and start inviting your contacts......free texts internationally is cool.

contact your CC companies and let them know you will overseas and to unlock your card.....find out which ones do and don't charge a foreign transaction fee.

contact your cell carrier and alter your calling plan and texting plans for international.......turn off your roaming!!!! use free wifi only.

carry some sunscreen when siteseeing.

Italian is a rough language, but a tip on vowels is that they are always pronounced and always the same sound;

a - ah

e - ehy (from the back of the throat, no tongue)

i - ee

o - oh

u - oo

 

[jamny]

public toilets are not easy to find, may actually be coin operated, can be filthy and some don't have toilet seats........try to use your hotel facilities as much as possible.

We always go into a hotel nearby, just act like we're guests there, and use their lobby bathroom. Never an issue, especially if it's a large chain hotel like a Hilton or Marriott.

eta: good stuff as usual X

 

[Ilov80s]

Good one. After 10 am no dairy in your coffee. Go espresso.

 

[PinkydaPimp]

Stayed at Boscolo Venice back in April. Great hotel. Very venesian. Located in a quiet part of town, but still walking distance to stuff.

also airbnb had alot of options as well if you want to find an apartment or house.

Honestly, in Venice, spend a day just walking through town and wandering into different places for a drink or a bite. Get the full day pass for the water taxi as well. Should be worth it just to get to and from the train station or airport.

 

[Brony]

I don't follow the no cappuccino after 10am. Is the OP a gremlin?

 

[Chemical X]

I don't follow the no cappuccino after 10am. Is the OP a gremlin?

it is an Italian faux pas - FAUX PAS and screams tourist. macchiato, lungo, americano o corretto can be your friends instead.

 

[Brony]

I don't follow the no cappuccino after 10am. Is the OP a gremlin?

it is an Italian faux pas - FAUX PAS and screams tourist. macchiato, lungo, americano o corretto can be your friends instead.

gotcha.

 

[Ilov80s]

Italians are big on eating and digesting. Milk isnt the easiest to digest so it's for mornings only.

 

[Chemical X]

rick james - what are your plans for bringing back stuff? plan on shipping some wine back, etc?

 

[RUSF18]

I planned to sleep on my red eye into Rome as well. I probably slept for 20 minutes instead. I tried powering through to get to the night but by 3pm I was a complete disaster. Thankfully I was able to just sleep for a couple hours and still stay on a normal schedule beginning that night.

 

[Chemical X]

FRI May 29 FLORENCE - check out of hotel. go to car rental place @ Termini. Visit Decugnano dei Barbi in Orvieto @ 10:00am. I haven't actually booked this but I've sent an email to the staff. Not sure how long the tour and wine/food tastings will last but I'm guessing probably 2-3 hours, if that. Get back in car and depart around 13:00-14:00. Headed towards Florence, but I think I want to make another stop along the way. Local agriturismo, same sort of thing as in Orvieto but maybe focused on olives/cheese/meat. Haven't had much luck. Ultimitely I need to drop off the car at the Florence airport @ 21:00 so I think I have plenty of time. Take a cab to hotel. Check into Hotel.

so, this goes thru my neck of the woods........you know i love decugnano dei barbi (i think anna rita haligan is the contact there), but its not in orvieto proper, so it will take a bit of finding. her tour is a solid 2-3 hours. while i am all for stopping along the A1 and doing this trip, i think the time will get away from you. if you aren't staying in the area, i hate to say i would do something a bit different.......go to termini, but take the high speed frecciarosa right to florence and santa maria novella station. it turns a 3+ hour drive into a 1.5 hr train trip. SMN is in the heart of florence and 2-3 blocks away is an autoeuropa rental spot to grab a fiat 500 automatic. get to florence, get settled and use that as a base to side trip to siena, biking, chianti, etc. we have a favorite lunch spot in a town called volpaia (bar ucci). i would hit that area instead of grabbing the car and stopping in orvieto and having to drink and drive. in panzano is the famous (or infamous) dario cecchini. lots of hype and opinions, but an experience nonetheless.

here is a link to something we did.............. http://www.dariocecchini.com/home/officina-della-bistecca/

more to follow.....

 

[Judge Smails]

rick james - what are your plans for bringing back stuff? plan on shipping some wine back, etc?

I came back with 50 ties from Florence. No BS. It was like 4 italian silk ties for $10e

 

[Rick James]

Some revisions-

Probably going to cut Ostia antica in favor of a day trip to Pompeii. We've got 6 days in Rome, there's no reason to not visit. I've found some reasonable packages that include round trip transport to Pompeii and Naples and lunch. Not bad.

Not going Orvieto on our way to Florence. We're stopping in montepulciano instead to hit up a wine vineyard for a tour and their chef will prepare a meal for us. Then we'll go straight to Florence.

Not counting the full day in cinque terre, we'll have 5 nights in Florence. I think I'm going to leave them open for now. When we get over there we'll decide if we want to venture out to sienna or somewhere else. Our hotel can arrange stuff for us if we want. Staying in gran hotel minerva.

 

[Rick James]

Avignonesi is the vineyard we're visiting.

 

[Chemical X]

avignonesi is the bomb! 5-10 minutes from my house. i hope you booked The wine tour And lunch......they offer a 10 course tasting menu and The setting is amazing. they have a great wine tasting area an store, We shipped back 12 bottles. they are converting to organic And its fascinating stuff.

 

[Rick James]

Yep that's what we booked. Lol. Are you in town? It would be awesome to meet an FBG-er

 

[Chemical X]

i wish, would be a blast.....heading back sept-oct. For Milan Expo. envious. if the exit you take is Chiusi, you are 10-15 minutes from Terme Sensoriale in Chianciano Terme. tops on my list of roman spas And massage stuff. Google them up.

http://www.termesensoriali.it

 

[Chemical X]

in Florence I recommend Ristorante Accademia, make reservations.

in Siena, Sotto Le Fonti (under the fountains).........same thing.

in Florence across the Arno and in front of the pitti palace is a great wine bar.....name escapes me, but you can't miss it.

porchetta sandwiches from street vendors are your friend.

 

[Chemical X]

in florence, here's something me and mrs. x have been planning to do, but haven't made yet.........

www.cuisinecollectif.eu

its a pop restaurant, italian style. differnet themes, announced funky locations, never know what you'll be eating or with whom.

get on their list and check the site for events, i think they do lunch and dinner. last one we saw was in a church.

could be a great time.

 

[Rick James]

in florence, here's something me and mrs. x have been planning to do, but haven't made yet.........

www.cuisinecollectif.eu

its a pop restaurant, italian style. differnet themes, announced funky locations, never know what you'll be eating or with whom.

get on their list and check the site for events, i think they do lunch and dinner. last one we saw was in a church.

could be a great time.

Oh that's cool. We have the "secret dinner party" thing in Atlanta too. It's gotta be mostly locals going to these right? I wonder how much English they would speak. I can hold my own w/ Spanish but I'm totally clueless when it comes to Italian.

 

[Chemical X]

likely all locals, but spanish is close to italian And large cities do have english speakers. english is required learning in their schools.

also, i have recommended before www.roadtoitaly.com they do private tours, so no perillo group crap if you dont want. they will customize, just tell them what you want. they will also help with transportation between the major cities.

 

[Rick James]

I only like taking tours when it gets you into places you otherwise couldn't get into. We did one in Bologna where you visited cheese, vinegar, and prosciutto factories and it was amazing. Stuff you couldnt do on your own.

do you remember the company you booked this with?