Italy

Self Catered Tour

http://airbnb.com/, http://hotels.com/, or http://booking.com/ for travels. Some of my touring resources come from https://www.ricksteves.com/europe  I also look at ‘images’ of towns and general information on Google to plan trips.

For eating in town, hand written menus are the best choice! Eat Mozzarella di buffalo & chicato/Piattini on small plates, drink Limoncello and liquirizia. Tourist information offices quite helpful.

Flew to Rome and took train into Venice and beyond –

VENICE; ACTV waterbus/Vaporetto pass. For a gondola ride take quick hopes across the canals, can be accessed along alleyways for a few Euros.

Apartment lodging – Al Leon di Dall’Agnola Giuliano, Castello, Campo St. Filippo e Giacomo

Start at St Mark’s Square (The Clock Tower, Basilica de San Marco, Campanile di san Marco, Plaza Ducale)

  • Cafe dei Frari – Across from church; Santa Maria dei Frari
  • Venice Museums (Monday closed) (Fortuny, Doge’s Palace, glass & lace museums)
  • Stand up for coffee; charge more for sitting. Places outside best price
  • Geto (exit San Marcuola Station ; along grand canal Vaporetto and head northwest)
  • Borola Staircase & Bridge of Sighs
  • Torcello- Rosa Salva
  • San Marco Plaza; clock tower, Basilica di San Marco, Plaza Ducale

FLORENCE; Reach by TRAIN from Venice https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-events/

  • Hop-on-hop-off Bus – decided on site along the way
  • Beautiful spots on either side of the river
  • Casa Howard
  • Uffizi Gallery -tickets. Took us most of the day to tour. We bought tickets a couple of days in advance and still had to wait in line off-season.
  • San Lorenzo Market Piazza del Mercato Centrale Via dell’Ariento
  • Wine Vineyard tour http://www.verrazzano.com/en/ Fattoria Castello di Verrazzano
    Via Citille, 32A Località Greti
    50022 Greve in Chianti (took a bus just out of the city to get there – really enjoyed the dinner and tour)

CINQUE TERRA; Train from Florence 3 hours (5 Towns to explore— Walk or local tram) http://www.cinqueterreriomaggiore.com/en/guides/cinque-terre-by-train

Stayed in an apartment in Corniglia at a place called La Posada

Via Alla Stazione 11, Corniglia, 19010

  • Stairs take you up to the apartment. The restaurant across the street was delicious and personal. The town is small and nice to stroll around, but hilly. From this town the local tiny train can take you up to the other towns or you can walk along the vineyard trails.

SORRENTO; Arrived by train from Corniglia

Sorrento Hop-On-Hop-Off bus; with https://www.viator.com/

Stops we liked; Piazza de curtis, Capolinea, Rione Cappuccini, Cocumella, Piazza Tasso, Largo Vescovado, Piazaa Santa Croce, San Agasta sui due Golfi

Side Trips from Sorrento

  • Capri Boat trip – Motoscafisti di Capri 13euros for one hour Capri Grott trip (9-5pm). Private pier at Marina Grande. Via Krupp winds to sea – hike
  • Positano – round trip bus from Sorrento
  • Food on main road Da Vincenzo; Le Tre Sorelle on beach; La Palazzo
  • Naples National Archaeological Museum –Piazza Museo, Decumano Maggiore
  • Groto – Bagne della regina Giovanna (not far from Marina Grande; take bus from main train station to Massa Lubrenese; then walk to Groto and pass Fort, walk on plank bridge)

HERCULANEUM; archaeological site less crowded than Pompeii. Open 8:30-7:30; last entry 6pm). Visit here but lodge elsewhere.

ROME from Herculaneum train station https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Ercolano/Rome Naples is on the way but we didn’t have time to tour. Maybe next time.

Apartments52 Via Del Banco Di Santo Spirito 21 Rome

Walked through the city with small roller suitcase. Visit;

  • Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica (on other side of Rome Termina where we arrive; off Via Gioberti pass by food; Pastarito Pizzarito)
  • Basilica open 7am – 7pm daily
  • Piazza di S. Maria Maggiore, 42

If larger bag public transportation. We stayed down the street from the Vatican on a main thoroughfare. There is a delicious pizza and ice cream shop around the corner as well as a restaurant tucked away on the same side road (must get there by 7 and wait in line, limited no reservation seating with several couples per table)

Piazza Venezia

  • Vatican (St Peters Basilica & Castel Saint Angelo (Da’Vinchi Code)
  • Capuchin Monastery/Catacombs (Church of Santa Maria della Concezione)

Via Vittorio Veneto 27 | Chiesa dell’Immacolata Concezione della Beata Vergine Maria, 00187 Rome

METRO Barberini(all on opposite side of the river from Vatican City)

  • Combine ticket Colusseum-Forum-Palatine (ticket available at the Palatine)

Colosseum, Piazza del Colosseo, Open daily 8:30am to 7pm

Palatine,Via della Salara Vecchia, 5/6

  • Spanish Steps & Trevi Fountain
  • Porta Portese Flea Market (Sundays) Then Pope at Noon
  • Piazza Navona, Pantheon, (Da’Vinchi Code by Dan Brown)
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