Mad Cow's Italy trip discussion thread (1 Viewer)

[Chemical X]

so, orvieto seems to have a hertz and a joint i drove by called jolly auto & rent. the term here is autonoleggio. noleggiare is the verb for to rent/hire. i still think the train from orvieto to rome termini and termini to fco might be your friend. remember, you can always drop your vehicle at another location, rent at fco, return to florence. you could then grab the train in florence, which is frecciarossa, the high speed line.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

Perfect, thanks!

 

[Chemical X]

Perfect, thanks!

orvieto has a discount program for attractions called carta unica…..for €25 you get entrance to multiple attractions, including the duomo.
also, if you decide to take the funicular or buses, a ticket is 1.30€, but is valid for 90 minutes after you validate…..so, you can take the funicular and then a bus to the duomo for 1 ticket. in fact, me and my wife each bought a ticket, rode the funicular, hopped a bus to the duomo walked a bit, had a gelato and took the bus back to the funicular and back down to parking on 1 ticket, since we accomplished it all in 90 minutes.

 

[Chemical X]

spent 2 nights in rome before our return flight and found a pretty nice restaurant near campo de’ fiori called piccolo vicolo. in rome, they have many traditional roman places that offer a limited variety, but i liked this place because of the seafood options for my wife. she started with the mussels, which were not frozen and prepared nicely and finished with a sea bass grilled, which is offered by weight based on 3 sizes. it was skinned and deboned table side. nice decor, pleasant staff. i was pleasantly surprised.
also, italy has gone burger crazy and you can find gourmet burgers at many spots, but for some reason we really enjoy the kosher joint called fonzie’s, for some odd reason. no cheese or bacon, but they do a nice soy cheese and have beef bacon. many sizes and options and great sides.

 

[Chemical X]

i also failed to mention i think, we drove to lake bolsena, which took about 25 minutes from orvieto. very seaside feel, restaurants, bars, walking paths.

 

[Chemical X]

this is helpful for orvieto visitors;

https://www.orvietoviva.com/nuovosito/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Orvietoviva-map-2022.pdf

 

[ConstruxBoy]

i also failed to mention i think, we drove to lake bolsena, which took about 25 minutes from orvieto. very seaside feel, restaurants, bars, walking paths.

Yes, we're looking at that. Looks nice.

 

[gianmarco]

Finally going to head over there with my younger ones. As my oldest is going to get to study there for a year, planning a trip for December during the holidays in Florence for a little over a week.

So excited!

 

[Brony]

I'm about two months away now and I'm think I'm pretty set on the plan. Traveling in early June:

Sun - Arrive Rome in evening. Someone on here reco'd Hotel Ponte Sisto as good location, so we're staying in AirBnB close by there. With 2 teenage daughters, I really wanted everyone to have their own bed and space, so I went with AirBnB over hotel.
Have Vatican breakfast tour lined up for Tues morning and I still need to book Colosseum for Monday, but not too worried about that.
Wed - Travel from Rome to Amalfi. Looking to do train to Salerno and then ferry from Salerno to Amalfi.
Staying 4 nights in AirBnB with water view. Should be good.
Sun - Amalfi to Rome. Stay in hotel for 1 night close by Termini, but I think it will be just as easy for us to taxi Mon to the airport as train.

For Rome, I have about 20 restaurants earmarked for our ~4 meals there so I don't think I'm in need of suggestions there. I'll take any tips and hints on Amalfi though - considering private boat ride, Path of the Gods, cooking class, Ravello. Not trying to overplan that part of trip, but I also don't want to be stuck without a reservation if it's important.

 

[Senor Schmutzig]

For those who frequent Rome, we have toured with Katie and she is quite the knowledge base;

Where to Eat & Drink & Shop for Food in Rome in 2024 | Katie Parla

Where should you eat, drink, and shop for food in Rome? Get Katie's tips for the top trattorie, gelato shops, wine bars, delis, and more!

katieparla.com

Thanks. Just reached out to her to arrange a tour or two while we are there in June.

 

[Senor Schmutzig]

I'm about two months away now and I'm think I'm pretty set on the plan. Traveling in early June:

Sun - Arrive Rome in evening. Someone on here reco'd Hotel Ponte Sisto as good location, so we're staying in AirBnB close by there. With 2 teenage daughters, I really wanted everyone to have their own bed and space, so I went with AirBnB over hotel.
Have Vatican breakfast tour lined up for Tues morning and I still need to book Colosseum for Monday, but not too worried about that.
Wed - Travel from Rome to Amalfi. Looking to do train to Salerno and then ferry from Salerno to Amalfi.
Staying 4 nights in AirBnB with water view. Should be good.
Sun - Amalfi to Rome. Stay in hotel for 1 night close by Termini, but I think it will be just as easy for us to taxi Mon to the airport as train.

For Rome, I have about 20 restaurants earmarked for our ~4 meals there so I don't think I'm in need of suggestions there. I'll take any tips and hints on Amalfi though - considering private boat ride, Path of the Gods, cooking class, Ravello. Not trying to overplan that part of trip, but I also don't want to be stuck without a reservation if it's important.

Brony, how are you booking your tours in Rome i.e. the Vatican Breakfast?

Also, would you be willing to share your restaurant list? We are there in early June also. Looking for some good spots.

 

[Chemical X]

I'm about two months away now and I'm think I'm pretty set on the plan. Traveling in early June:

Sun - Arrive Rome in evening. Someone on here reco'd Hotel Ponte Sisto as good location, so we're staying in AirBnB close by there. With 2 teenage daughters, I really wanted everyone to have their own bed and space, so I went with AirBnB over hotel.
Have Vatican breakfast tour lined up for Tues morning and I still need to book Colosseum for Monday, but not too worried about that.
Wed - Travel from Rome to Amalfi. Looking to do train to Salerno and then ferry from Salerno to Amalfi.
Staying 4 nights in AirBnB with water view. Should be good.
Sun - Amalfi to Rome. Stay in hotel for 1 night close by Termini, but I think it will be just as easy for us to taxi Mon to the airport as train.

For Rome, I have about 20 restaurants earmarked for our ~4 meals there so I don't think I'm in need of suggestions there. I'll take any tips and hints on Amalfi though - considering private boat ride, Path of the Gods, cooking class, Ravello. Not trying to overplan that part of trip, but I also don't want to be stuck without a reservation if it's important.

Brony, how are you booking your tours in Rome i.e. the Vatican Breakfast?

Also, would you be willing to share your restaurant list? We are there in early June also. Looking for some good spots.

we found a most awesome spot in rome the last time we were there in january.

il piccolo vicolo, right near the ponte sisto.

here is my suggestion….get the app called “the fork”, it’s a green app with a green fork. you can use it to make reservations on line and many restaurants listed offer a 20% discount on food. il piccolo vicolo has this 20% offer. great menu, many seafood options.

it might seem nice to dine all’aperto or outside during june, but all the smokers eat outside and italy still allows smoking when dining outside. sadly, it’s best to dine inside, unless constant cig smoke is your thing.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I'm about two months away now and I'm think I'm pretty set on the plan. Traveling in early June:

Sun - Arrive Rome in evening. Someone on here reco'd Hotel Ponte Sisto as good location, so we're staying in AirBnB close by there. With 2 teenage daughters, I really wanted everyone to have their own bed and space, so I went with AirBnB over hotel.
Have Vatican breakfast tour lined up for Tues morning and I still need to book Colosseum for Monday, but not too worried about that.
Wed - Travel from Rome to Amalfi. Looking to do train to Salerno and then ferry from Salerno to Amalfi.
Staying 4 nights in AirBnB with water view. Should be good.
Sun - Amalfi to Rome. Stay in hotel for 1 night close by Termini, but I think it will be just as easy for us to taxi Mon to the airport as train.

For Rome, I have about 20 restaurants earmarked for our ~4 meals there so I don't think I'm in need of suggestions there. I'll take any tips and hints on Amalfi though - considering private boat ride, Path of the Gods, cooking class, Ravello. Not trying to overplan that part of trip, but I also don't want to be stuck without a reservation if it's important.

Brony, how are you booking your tours in Rome i.e. the Vatican Breakfast?

Also, would you be willing to share your restaurant list? We are there in early June also. Looking for some good spots.

The Vatican breakfast is booked directly through the Vatican. The breakfast is whatever. Getting access before anyone else is in there is unreal.

 

[Senor Schmutzig]

For those who frequent Rome, we have toured with Katie and she is quite the knowledge base;

Where to Eat & Drink & Shop for Food in Rome in 2024 | Katie Parla

Where should you eat, drink, and shop for food in Rome? Get Katie's tips for the top trattorie, gelato shops, wine bars, delis, and more!

katieparla.com

Thanks. Just reached out to her to arrange a tour or two while we are there in June.

Got a response from her admin. She was completely booked. They provided an alternative that costs €300 for 3 hours and they are only private tours. Yikes.

Maurizio Di Franco

Also provided the recommendation of Context Tours for small group tours.

 

[Brony]

I'm about two months away now and I'm think I'm pretty set on the plan. Traveling in early June:

Sun - Arrive Rome in evening. Someone on here reco'd Hotel Ponte Sisto as good location, so we're staying in AirBnB close by there. With 2 teenage daughters, I really wanted everyone to have their own bed and space, so I went with AirBnB over hotel.
Have Vatican breakfast tour lined up for Tues morning and I still need to book Colosseum for Monday, but not too worried about that.
Wed - Travel from Rome to Amalfi. Looking to do train to Salerno and then ferry from Salerno to Amalfi.
Staying 4 nights in AirBnB with water view. Should be good.
Sun - Amalfi to Rome. Stay in hotel for 1 night close by Termini, but I think it will be just as easy for us to taxi Mon to the airport as train.

For Rome, I have about 20 restaurants earmarked for our ~4 meals there so I don't think I'm in need of suggestions there. I'll take any tips and hints on Amalfi though - considering private boat ride, Path of the Gods, cooking class, Ravello. Not trying to overplan that part of trip, but I also don't want to be stuck without a reservation if it's important.

Brony, how are you booking your tours in Rome i.e. the Vatican Breakfast?

Also, would you be willing to share your restaurant list? We are there in early June also. Looking for some good spots.

The Vatican breakfast is booked directly through the Vatican. The breakfast is whatever. Getting access before anyone else is in there is unreal.

Yes, I booked through the Vatican website. I was surprised that I was able to book more than 30 days out, but we're all set with a 745 am start. Best not to translate to what that is in central time zone.

I'll post the restaurant list when I'm at a pc. Keep in mind that I've never been there. I've just been collecting input from reddit over the last few months.

 

[Senor Schmutzig]

I'm about two months away now and I'm think I'm pretty set on the plan. Traveling in early June:

Sun - Arrive Rome in evening. Someone on here reco'd Hotel Ponte Sisto as good location, so we're staying in AirBnB close by there. With 2 teenage daughters, I really wanted everyone to have their own bed and space, so I went with AirBnB over hotel.
Have Vatican breakfast tour lined up for Tues morning and I still need to book Colosseum for Monday, but not too worried about that.
Wed - Travel from Rome to Amalfi. Looking to do train to Salerno and then ferry from Salerno to Amalfi.
Staying 4 nights in AirBnB with water view. Should be good.
Sun - Amalfi to Rome. Stay in hotel for 1 night close by Termini, but I think it will be just as easy for us to taxi Mon to the airport as train.

For Rome, I have about 20 restaurants earmarked for our ~4 meals there so I don't think I'm in need of suggestions there. I'll take any tips and hints on Amalfi though - considering private boat ride, Path of the Gods, cooking class, Ravello. Not trying to overplan that part of trip, but I also don't want to be stuck without a reservation if it's important.

Brony, how are you booking your tours in Rome i.e. the Vatican Breakfast?

Also, would you be willing to share your restaurant list? We are there in early June also. Looking for some good spots.

The Vatican breakfast is booked directly through the Vatican. The breakfast is whatever. Getting access before anyone else is in there is unreal.

Yes, I booked through the Vatican website. I was surprised that I was able to book more than 30 days out, but we're all set with a 745 am start. Best not to translate to what that is in central time zone.

I'll post the restaurant list when I'm at a pc. Keep in mind that I've never been there. I've just been collecting input from reddit over the last few months.

That's cool. Doing the same. I'm almost at analysis paralysis levels right now.

 

[Chemical X]

For those who frequent Rome, we have toured with Katie and she is quite the knowledge base;

Where to Eat & Drink & Shop for Food in Rome in 2024 | Katie Parla

Where should you eat, drink, and shop for food in Rome? Get Katie's tips for the top trattorie, gelato shops, wine bars, delis, and more!

katieparla.com

Thanks. Just reached out to her to arrange a tour or two while we are there in June.

Got a response from her admin. She was completely booked. They provided an alternative that costs €300 for 3 hours and they are only private tours. Yikes.

Maurizio Di Franco

Also provided the recommendation of Context Tours for small group tours.

i’ve used toursbylocals.com

they are private and pretty customizable.

 

[Phil Elliott]

I'm about two months away now and I'm think I'm pretty set on the plan. Traveling in early June:

Sun - Arrive Rome in evening. Someone on here reco'd Hotel Ponte Sisto as good location, so we're staying in AirBnB close by there. With 2 teenage daughters, I really wanted everyone to have their own bed and space, so I went with AirBnB over hotel.
Have Vatican breakfast tour lined up for Tues morning and I still need to book Colosseum for Monday, but not too worried about that.
Wed - Travel from Rome to Amalfi. Looking to do train to Salerno and then ferry from Salerno to Amalfi.
Staying 4 nights in AirBnB with water view. Should be good.
Sun - Amalfi to Rome. Stay in hotel for 1 night close by Termini, but I think it will be just as easy for us to taxi Mon to the airport as train.

For Rome, I have about 20 restaurants earmarked for our ~4 meals there so I don't think I'm in need of suggestions there. I'll take any tips and hints on Amalfi though - considering private boat ride, Path of the Gods, cooking class, Ravello. Not trying to overplan that part of trip, but I also don't want to be stuck without a reservation if it's important.

Brony, how are you booking your tours in Rome i.e. the Vatican Breakfast?

Also, would you be willing to share your restaurant list? We are there in early June also. Looking for some good spots.

The Vatican breakfast is booked directly through the Vatican. The breakfast is whatever. Getting access before anyone else is in there is unreal.

Yes, I booked through the Vatican website. I was surprised that I was able to book more than 30 days out, but we're all set with a 745 am start. Best not to translate to what that is in central time zone.

I'll post the restaurant list when I'm at a pc. Keep in mind that I've never been there. I've just been collecting input from reddit over the last few months.

for Amalfi Coast, we really enjoyed Positano and took the ferry (40 min?) to Capri, which we loved. Take chairlift up to top of AnaCapri for some great views. Going in the Blue Grotto is unforgettable.
This ceramic store is just outside of Positano. We ordered some coffee mugs and couple other items and had them shipped home with no issues.
The Amalfi coast is everything lemon, from all the lemon trees, but the lemons are like grapefruit size.
Enjoy!

 

[gianmarco]

Well, my son will be spending his freshman year in college next year studying in Florence for the year. As a result, have booked a trip for the rest of the family to spend 9 days there in late December over the holidays. Can't wait. Will likely try to do a day trip in Tuscany while there but otherwise leisurely enjoy our time there.

 

[Senor Schmutzig]

I’m currently in Italy on a 3 week visit in Venice, Florence, Rome and Amalfi coast. Going to visit my BIL in Malta for 3 days at the end of the trip. Today is our last day in Rome and we’re heading to Sorrento for 4 days.

It’s been a fantastic trip so far. I’ll post some specifics for each of the cities when I return home on the 22nd. Needless to say, this thread has been a very helpful resource for us. Thanks to all that have contributed.

@The Dreaded Marco

Any insight on Sorrento? Where did you stay? Places to visit? Restaurants, especially restaurants!

We were going to spend a few days in Naples after our Rome visit but have pivoted to staying in Sorrento and making day trips from there instead.

Any insight would be helpful. We are less than a month out from our first leg to London and I'm already getting some anxiety from waiting this long to plan. Granted, that's pretty much how we do any trip, but the anxiety is still there. LOL

 

[Chemical X]

I’m currently in Italy on a 3 week visit in Venice, Florence, Rome and Amalfi coast. Going to visit my BIL in Malta for 3 days at the end of the trip. Today is our last day in Rome and we’re heading to Sorrento for 4 days.

It’s been a fantastic trip so far. I’ll post some specifics for each of the cities when I return home on the 22nd. Needless to say, this thread has been a very helpful resource for us. Thanks to all that have contributed.

@The Dreaded Marco

Any insight on Sorrento? Where did you stay? Places to visit? Restaurants, especially restaurants!

We were going to spend a few days in Naples after our Rome visit but have pivoted to staying in Sorrento and making day trips from there instead.

Any insight would be helpful. We are less than a month out from our first leg to London and I'm already getting some anxiety from waiting this long to plan. Granted, that's pretty much how we do any trip, but the anxiety is still there. LOL

i’m glad you pivoted to sorrento. naples is ok to visit, it is quite gritty and a bit more congested then rome. either way, are you going to hit pompeii or herculaneum?

 

[Senor Schmutzig]

I’m currently in Italy on a 3 week visit in Venice, Florence, Rome and Amalfi coast. Going to visit my BIL in Malta for 3 days at the end of the trip. Today is our last day in Rome and we’re heading to Sorrento for 4 days.

It’s been a fantastic trip so far. I’ll post some specifics for each of the cities when I return home on the 22nd. Needless to say, this thread has been a very helpful resource for us. Thanks to all that have contributed.

@The Dreaded Marco

Any insight on Sorrento? Where did you stay? Places to visit? Restaurants, especially restaurants!

We were going to spend a few days in Naples after our Rome visit but have pivoted to staying in Sorrento and making day trips from there instead.

Any insight would be helpful. We are less than a month out from our first leg to London and I'm already getting some anxiety from waiting this long to plan. Granted, that's pretty much how we do any trip, but the anxiety is still there. LOL

i’m glad you pivoted to sorrento. naples is ok to visit, it is quite gritty and a bit more congested then rome. either way, are you going to hit pompeii or herculaneum?

Definitely Pompeii. I have been there but my wife and son haven't. I thought it was a pretty cool place to visit and I think they will like it also. Is it an either/or with Herculaneum or would you suggest both?

Hotels/AirBnb's are getting a little scarce around there so we need to be flexible with what we end up with. It appears that things are pretty spaced out around there so does it make sense to rent a car or just rely on taxis to go up and down the coast?

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

I’m currently in Italy on a 3 week visit in Venice, Florence, Rome and Amalfi coast. Going to visit my BIL in Malta for 3 days at the end of the trip. Today is our last day in Rome and we’re heading to Sorrento for 4 days.

It’s been a fantastic trip so far. I’ll post some specifics for each of the cities when I return home on the 22nd. Needless to say, this thread has been a very helpful resource for us. Thanks to all that have contributed.

@The Dreaded Marco

Any insight on Sorrento? Where did you stay? Places to visit? Restaurants, especially restaurants!

We were going to spend a few days in Naples after our Rome visit but have pivoted to staying in Sorrento and making day trips from there instead.

Any insight would be helpful. We are less than a month out from our first leg to London and I'm already getting some anxiety from waiting this long to plan. Granted, that's pretty much how we do any trip, but the anxiety is still there. LOL

i’m glad you pivoted to sorrento. naples is ok to visit, it is quite gritty and a bit more congested then rome. either way, are you going to hit pompeii or herculaneum?

Definitely Pompeii. I have been there but my wife and son haven't. I thought it was a pretty cool place to visit and I think they will like it also. Is it an either/or with Herculaneum or would you suggest both?

Hotels/AirBnb's are getting a little scarce around there so we need to be flexible with what we end up with. It appears that things are pretty spaced out around there so does it make sense to rent a car or just rely on taxis to go up and down the coast?

Definitely a good call to stay in Sorrento and use it as a base for day trips. That’s exactly what we did.

We stayed at Hotel Mignon. It wasn’t posh but very nice, conveniently located and reasonably priced.

We had 3 or 4 great meals in Sorrento but the only name I remember is Ristorante ‘O Parrucchiano La Favorita. It was excellent but definitely reserve a table well ahead of time. You can’t go wrong with restaurants there—-just research them.

We used the bus line to get around. We reserved spots on the beach in Meta (just north of Sorrento). You have to pay for your beach spots but not too pricey. It was a nice beach with good restaurants and bars and better than the beach spots in Sorrento.

We rented a van to tour Pompeii and then to hike Mt Vesuvius (a must).

I’d also recommend doing a day trip to Capri. We payed a little more for a private boat but it was well worth it to have it just to ourselves for the entire day. It was one of the highlights of our trip. We used Mondo Guide Day tours.

We spent a day in Naples and visited a couple museums. The National Archeological Museum was fantastic. Highly recommended.

We loved our time in Sorrento and the surrounding sites. Hope you guys have a great trip.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I’m currently in Italy on a 3 week visit in Venice, Florence, Rome and Amalfi coast. Going to visit my BIL in Malta for 3 days at the end of the trip. Today is our last day in Rome and we’re heading to Sorrento for 4 days.

It’s been a fantastic trip so far. I’ll post some specifics for each of the cities when I return home on the 22nd. Needless to say, this thread has been a very helpful resource for us. Thanks to all that have contributed.

@The Dreaded Marco

Any insight on Sorrento? Where did you stay? Places to visit? Restaurants, especially restaurants!

We were going to spend a few days in Naples after our Rome visit but have pivoted to staying in Sorrento and making day trips from there instead.

Any insight would be helpful. We are less than a month out from our first leg to London and I'm already getting some anxiety from waiting this long to plan. Granted, that's pretty much how we do any trip, but the anxiety is still there. LOL

i’m glad you pivoted to sorrento. naples is ok to visit, it is quite gritty and a bit more congested then rome. either way, are you going to hit pompeii or herculaneum?

Definitely Pompeii. I have been there but my wife and son haven't. I thought it was a pretty cool place to visit and I think they will like it also. Is it an either/or with Herculaneum or would you suggest both?

Hotels/AirBnb's are getting a little scarce around there so we need to be flexible with what we end up with. It appears that things are pretty spaced out around there so does it make sense to rent a car or just rely on taxis to go up and down the coast?

Use the bus. It’s easy and cheap. When we went to amalfi, bullet train from rome to Naples. Regular train to sorrento. Bus to amalfi. Used the buses for 10 days. Went up and down the coast and up to ravello etc.

 

[Judge Smails]

Well, my son will be spending his freshman year in college next year studying in Florence for the year. As a result, have booked a trip for the rest of the family to spend 9 days there in late December over the holidays. Can't wait. Will likely try to do a day trip in Tuscany while there but otherwise leisurely enjoy our time there.

Oh man. Let’s talk!

 

[Chemical X]

some reminders and tips;

if you drive, be aggressive. there are no manners in italy. just go…..fast.
if you park, free parking is designated by white lines/spaces. blue is paid parking. check signs! you may not have to pay after a certain time, mostly 8p. free parking is either as long as you want or has a time limit. inside your car you will see a stupid spinning disk that looks like a clock hanging on the windshield. if you can park for 2 hours and you arrive at 12p, spin your disk to 12p and remember to leave at 2p or come back and spin the disk again lol. they call gas - benzina. they call diesel - gasolio. diesel has black stickers on the pump. gas is green. there is only unleaded. it is SP or Senza Piombo in italian.

i discovered an awesome parking place in orvieto! parking via roma is the name. it is covered and has been empty. it gets you to the main strip corso cavour in about 5 minutes. i will post what you need to do directionally in a bit, right now i am on a train to florence and getting nauseous typing.

 

[Chemical X]

here is a shark move. if you decide to rent a car and maybe want to hit up a supermarket for water, juice, fruit, etc…..always keep a €1 coin in the center console. carts in italy are not free (they have small free plastic baskets), you can unlock a cart for the coin. once done, return the cart and the coin refunds back to you via the coin lock.

 

[Chemical X]

some reminders and tips;

if you drive, be aggressive. there are no manners in italy. just go…..fast.
if you park, free parking is designated by white lines/spaces. blue is paid parking. check signs! you may not have to pay after a certain time, mostly 8p. free parking is either as long as you want or has a time limit. inside your car you will see a stupid spinning disk that looks like a clock hanging on the windshield. if you can park for 2 hours and you arrive at 12p, spin your disk to 12p and remember to leave at 2p or come back and spin the disk again lol. they call gas - benzina. they call diesel - gasolio. diesel has black stickers on the pump. gas is green. there is only unleaded. it is SP or Senza Piombo in italian.

i discovered an awesome parking place in orvieto! parking via roma is the name. it is covered and has been empty. it gets you to the main strip corso cavour in about 5 minutes. i will post what you need to do directionally in a bit, right now i am on a train to florence and getting nauseous typing.

to follow…..parking via roma is the way to go. it is just past piazza kahen. you take via roma to via belasario and make a left, then a right into the lot after you press button and get ticket. enter lot and stay on that level and make a diagonal left towards the area that says cassa, which is the machine you use to pay. go up the stairs and out of garage then make a left and another left onto via quattro canzoni…..that leads you to corso cavour, which is the main strip. make a right onto cavour and wa la. remember to get back you look for number 248 corso cavour, which is your landmark. i’ve spent 2-3 hours at a time and it has cost us €2.90. return, pay at the machine and leave the lot, make a left and right and you are on your merry way.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

some reminders and tips;

if you drive, be aggressive. there are no manners in italy. just go…..fast.
if you park, free parking is designated by white lines/spaces. blue is paid parking. check signs! you may not have to pay after a certain time, mostly 8p. free parking is either as long as you want or has a time limit. inside your car you will see a stupid spinning disk that looks like a clock hanging on the windshield. if you can park for 2 hours and you arrive at 12p, spin your disk to 12p and remember to leave at 2p or come back and spin the disk again lol. they call gas - benzina. they call diesel - gasolio. diesel has black stickers on the pump. gas is green. there is only unleaded. it is SP or Senza Piombo in italian.

i discovered an awesome parking place in orvieto! parking via roma is the name. it is covered and has been empty. it gets you to the main strip corso cavour in about 5 minutes. i will post what you need to do directionally in a bit, right now i am on a train to florence and getting nauseous typing.

to follow…..parking via roma is the way to go. it is just past piazza kahen. you take via roma to via belasario and make a left, then a right into the lot after you press button and get ticket. enter lot and stay on that level and make a diagonal left towards the area that says cassa, which is the machine you use to pay. go up the stairs and out of garage then make a left and another left onto via quattro canzoni…..that leads you to corso cavour, which is the main strip. make a right onto cavour and wa la. remember to get back you look for number 248 corso cavour, which is your landmark. i’ve spent 2-3 hours at a time and it has cost us €2.90. return, pay at the machine and leave the lot, make a left and right and you are on your merry way.

You're the best. Be there in 27 days.

 

[Chemical X]

some reminders and tips;

if you drive, be aggressive. there are no manners in italy. just go…..fast.
if you park, free parking is designated by white lines/spaces. blue is paid parking. check signs! you may not have to pay after a certain time, mostly 8p. free parking is either as long as you want or has a time limit. inside your car you will see a stupid spinning disk that looks like a clock hanging on the windshield. if you can park for 2 hours and you arrive at 12p, spin your disk to 12p and remember to leave at 2p or come back and spin the disk again lol. they call gas - benzina. they call diesel - gasolio. diesel has black stickers on the pump. gas is green. there is only unleaded. it is SP or Senza Piombo in italian.

i discovered an awesome parking place in orvieto! parking via roma is the name. it is covered and has been empty. it gets you to the main strip corso cavour in about 5 minutes. i will post what you need to do directionally in a bit, right now i am on a train to florence and getting nauseous typing.

to follow…..parking via roma is the way to go. it is just past piazza kahen. you take via roma to via belasario and make a left, then a right into the lot after you press button and get ticket. enter lot and stay on that level and make a diagonal left towards the area that says cassa, which is the machine you use to pay. go up the stairs and out of garage then make a left and another left onto via quattro canzoni…..that leads you to corso cavour, which is the main strip. make a right onto cavour and wa la. remember to get back you look for number 248 corso cavour, which is your landmark. i’ve spent 2-3 hours at a time and it has cost us €2.90. return, pay at the machine and leave the lot, make a left and right and you are on your merry way.

You're the best. Be there in 27 days.

please report back

 

[Chemical X]

there is a round-a-bout after you exit the a1 for orvieto. it’s where the coop and mini mall is. there is a guy there that sells porchetta sandwiches from a truck. do this.

 

[Chemical X]

you know, i say this without any snobbery, but we’ve finally outgrown rome. maybe it’s the amount of times we’ve been there and not having a plan, but man, i am sick of the crowds and the cigarette smoke. it is just brutal on my lungs and throat. i do love the energy, but it is an effort recently. it’s gotten dirtier and more crowded. heck, even the spanish steps are a waste since you can no longer sit there. from now on we are driving to the airport the day of our flight and bypassing rome. :(

 

[Brony]

you know, i say this without any snobbery, but we’ve finally outgrown rome. maybe it’s the amount of times we’ve been there and not having a plan, but man, i am sick of the crowds and the cigarette smoke. it is just brutal on my lungs and throat. i do love the energy, but it is an effort recently. it’s gotten dirtier and more crowded. heck, even the spanish steps are a waste since you can no longer sit there. from now on we are driving to the airport the day of our flight and bypassing rome. :(

couldn't you wait 7 days to #### on Rome?

Still looking forward to our trip and thankful that we'll do Rome then Amalfi.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

you know, i say this without any snobbery, but we’ve finally outgrown rome. maybe it’s the amount of times we’ve been there and not having a plan, but man, i am sick of the crowds and the cigarette smoke. it is just brutal on my lungs and throat. i do love the energy, but it is an effort recently. it’s gotten dirtier and more crowded. heck, even the spanish steps are a waste since you can no longer sit there. from now on we are driving to the airport the day of our flight and bypassing rome. :(

couldn't you wait 7 days to #### on Rome?

Still looking forward to our trip and thankful that we'll do Rome then Amalfi.

rome is still great. It’s just a megalopolis. Wife and I did the same trip last time. She’d never been to italy. Knocked out the necessary stuff in 3 days and then a week in amalfi. My report is in this thread somewhere.

 

[Chemical X]

you know, i say this without any snobbery, but we’ve finally outgrown rome. maybe it’s the amount of times we’ve been there and not having a plan, but man, i am sick of the crowds and the cigarette smoke. it is just brutal on my lungs and throat. i do love the energy, but it is an effort recently. it’s gotten dirtier and more crowded. heck, even the spanish steps are a waste since you can no longer sit there. from now on we are driving to the airport the day of our flight and bypassing rome. :(

couldn't you wait 7 days to #### on Rome?

Still looking forward to our trip and thankful that we'll do Rome then Amalfi.

i just think it’s that we’ve been there so much it has become played out. i still highly recommend, just stick to a plan and stay focused. take time to sit at a cafe, have a spritz or two and take in the sights and inhale the smoke.

 

[Mr. Mojo]

We were on a Mediterranean Cruise last month that stopped at Naples and Palermo.

Naples - saw Herculaneum (also wiped out by Vesuvius in 79 AD, but much smaller than Pompeii) and underground tour (Bourbon Tunnel - very interesting). Also, the Napoli soccer team was trying to clinch their championship and there were banners, people wearing shirts and general celebrating and excitement everywhere.

Palermo - went to Erice but fantastic view was negated by thick fog. But the highlight was seeing the magnificent Temple of Segesta in NW Sicily. A must see if you ever end up in that area. It's a 4th century BC Greek temple that is in great shape and is located out in the open in the hills.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

you know, i say this without any snobbery, but we’ve finally outgrown rome. maybe it’s the amount of times we’ve been there and not having a plan, but man, i am sick of the crowds and the cigarette smoke. it is just brutal on my lungs and throat. i do love the energy, but it is an effort recently. it’s gotten dirtier and more crowded. heck, even the spanish steps are a waste since you can no longer sit there. from now on we are driving to the airport the day of our flight and bypassing rome. :(

Yeah, we'll somehow be in Rome on three separate occasions on our trip. Fly into and then leave when we get there, two nights at the end of the Tauck tour and then one last night before we fly back out. That will be plenty.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

So the Italy "siesta" (can't remember what they call it there) from 1pm to 4pm. If we're used to eating breakfast at 9am, lunch around noon and then dinner at 6 or 7pm, how should we adjust?

I feel like I read it's more a mid-morning breakfast, a late afternoon lunch and then a 10pm dinner.

 

[Chemical X]

So the Italy "siesta" (can't remember what they call it there) from 1pm to 4pm. If we're used to eating breakfast at 9am, lunch around noon and then dinner at 6 or 7pm, how should we adjust?

I feel like I read it's more a mid-morning breakfast, a late afternoon lunch and then a 10pm dinner.

it really depends on where you are. they call it the “pausa pranzo”, pranzo being lunch.

most traditional osterias, trattorias, etc. may be open for lunch from 12-2 or so, but usually won’t open for dinner until 7.30p….reservations highly recommended since they do 1 sitting and don’t turn tables.

bars and pizzerias are usually open all day, but don’t serve a traditional sit down menu.

personally, i would grab a coffee and cornetto or 2 for breakfast. they don’t do american breakfasts there really. it’s a coffee and a pastry. lunch is their big meal, but we usually grabbed a slice of pizza or a sandwich and some fried stuff around 1p. we’d grab a drink like an aperol around 6p and then head to dinner. if you want to eat before 7.30p, you are likely looking at not sit down and more small pasta or hand foods.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

Great, thanks man!

 

[Chemical X]

it is a little off the orvieto path, but our area has a really elegant restaurant called la panatella. it’s in allerona, maybe 15 mins outside orvieto. the fork has 20% if you book thru them. we were impressed, worth the trip for a nice dinner one evening.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

Our view for the week:
Orvieto

 

[Brony]

Just got back from our trip. Had a great time. Weather was essentially perfect and all logistics worked out without a hitch. As a reminder, we did 3 nights in Rome, then 4 in Amalfi (the town) and 1 night in Rome again before flying out. It was just me, my wife and 2 teenage daughters. This was my first time in both locations. Some thoughts below

ROME

We did an AirBNB real close to Campo di Fiori. I wanted something central and that had 3 beds and 2BR. The apartment wasn't the best decorated, but was clean and had AC. Real happy with the location. Worked out fine, but I would find a different apartment in same area next time.

We basically did the greatest hits of Rome and walked to everything. Didn't do Borghese as that's not our kind of jam.

Day 1 was local neighborhoods and Colosseum/ forum. For Colosseum - we did the individual tour and not group with guide. It was really easy to navigate and we never had any lines we had to wait in. We did Rick Steve's audio on our own headphones for the Colosseum which is about 40 mins long. We encountered a lot of guided tours and I was never envious. I was really impressed by palazzo Venezia.

For dinner, we were few minutes walk from trastavere. Loved that area at night time. Just grabbed a beer from a local market and we wandered until we saw something that looked good (Tonnarello restaurant). Food was excellent which became a theme for the trip. I wasn't sure about reservations for summer time but I learned that, unless you're a hardcore foodie, you can wander / window shop and you'll find plenty, like tons, available without stressing about locking in a table esp. when you eat at 7 or 730.

Day 2 was early morning Vatican. I had reserved tix through Vatican website for 745a breakfast. Real benefit was the early entry to Vatican museum, but breakfast was actually pretty good despite our zombie brains. I was probably more impressed that we had most of the museum to ourselves than actually impressed by the art collection. Very glad we did the musuem (also unguided), but it did feel check the box-ish and I grew up Roman Catholic. We debated about st Peters basilica. We waited about 30 min in the security line and did the nickel tour without the dome climb.

After suppli and a rest at our AirBNB, we did Navona, Spanish Steps and Trevi. Spanish Steps felt like Chicago's navy pier - send tourists there for the sake of tourism. Trevi fountain is beautiful but packed as expected.

What I did love about Rome as a first timer is how easy it is to avoid these tourist hotspots and still finding plenty of great things. We'd be wandering, turn a corner and then hit a new piazza with beautiful buildings, a fountain, and gelato shop.

Day 2 dinner - we wound up using a reservation I had made before the trip at Salumeria Roscioli. Great food, but we were downstairs with many other Americans that had the same idea as me. Since we only had 2 nights in Rome for dinner, I was a little disappointed, but no biggie. Food was great.

Speaking of food, another learning for me was gelato. There's really no need to seek out 'the best' - there's tons of really good ones. Our favorite one was by trevi fountain that we stumbled on when the mood hit us. I don't get why someone would wait in a long line when the differences appear to be minor.

I'll post Amalfi later.

 

[Brony]

AMALFI -

Despite the multiple steps to travel there from Rome, it was pretty painless. Taxi to Termini. High Speed train to Salerno. Walk 2 blocks to Salerno ferry. Get tix and hop on ferry and you're there.

So we chose to stay in Amalfi as it seemed to be easy access to everything esp for our first visit. Now that I've seen how everything works, I don't know if I would stay in Amalfi again, but it wasn't clear what alternative would have been better. Amalfi does get an annoying amount of people during the day, but is a lot more navigable at night and morning with lots of restaurants available. I def would not stay in Positano. Significantly more crowded than Amalfi at this time of year.

We stayed in AirBNB that had great views in all directions, but was up about 150 steps. It turns out that 90% of accomodations in Amalfi will have some incline or walking, so this wasn't a huge detriment. Would stay here again.

We did Ravello on first day. No buses running due to serious accident a few weeks ago. Taxi or walking were our options and my wife's knee was bothering her, so taxi was really our only option ($$$). Beautiful views and enjoyed an awesome lunch with some beers at an overlook restaurant.

Day 2 was Boat tour. Smooth rental process via Click and Boat and then paid cash for a skipper for our modest boat. While the water was super calm our entire stay, there are no docks at any town for mooring so I'm glad we had a driver. We left Amalfi and then toured the coastline out to Capri. A little more than 2 hours Amalfi to Capri. We opted not to blue grotto - there was a 90 min queue and we have a neighbor that did this recently and complained about it. We stopped for lunch in Nerano but not the stanley tucci place. Your restaurants in Nerano are limited by water taxis for restaurants and it seemed like all of the private drivers reco'd one restaurant. It was a little bit of scam but had great mozzarella and zucchini pasta in fun atmosphere. I probably would drive the boat myself next time now that I know the layout.

Day 3 was Path of the Gods
This was only me and my younger daughter. Staying in Amalfi allowed us to get the early buses before other ferries arrived. The bus ride was a little intense. Packed with people and the driver is taking these hairpin turns on high up edges. Not uncivilized or hot. Just a little uncomfortable. The hike itself was easy to find and stay on during the hike. Lots of little ups and downs. Not difficult - only had to use hands a few times. You ought to have shoes with good traction since making landing on shiny rocks covered in sand. Our weather started off hazy and cloudy. Eventually cleared up as getting to positano. Left bomerano at 9 am. Arrived nocelle at 11 am. The walk from Nocelle to Positano is mix of sidewalk path, road and dedicated steps. It was not all steps as I was envisioning. The path to Positano gets a little confusing you get close to the center of Positano, but you're never really lost. 1245 arrive at ferry and had gelato.

I do have a fear of heights, so I wasn't sure how this hike would go. The heights issue was never a big deal. There are occasional times of steep drop offs, but the path is plenty wide. On the fear of heights scale, if 1 is Iowa and 10 is Horseshoe Bend, this was probably a 4 or 5.

I'm glad we did the hike early. There were no crowds and temperatures were cool.

We enjoyed Amalfi Coast overall. It was relaxing and not that difficult to escape crowds with just a tiny bit of effort. But, with so much else to see, probably won't be going back here for a while.

 

[Chemical X]

for those of you that love rome, katie parla just issued her new eatery guide. katie is pretty awesome, in fact we toured rome with her once and have attended one of her pizzeria book signings. she is pricey, but worth it for the knowledge and privacy of the tour. here is her guide:

https://www.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-rome-italy

 

[Chemical X]

109 degrees in rome next tuesday

 

[Chemical X]

so, who’s traveling?

 

[waiver wire]

so, who’s traveling?

I have nothing for Europe planned right now. Fiji and Tahiti in March and planning on taking a group to Peru is Sept

 

[Yambag]

Venice, Bologna, Rimini and Lake Garda in September. Third trip to Italy, can't wait.

 

[Phil Elliott]

so, who’s traveling?

Just had knee replacement so no travel for a few months. Have a lower Danube River cruise (Budapest to Bucharest) planned for this summer.