The Italy Thread

[Mo Horn 8852]

1 minute ago, sidis said:

go for the whole thing!  wife and i hiked it...breakfast in monterosso, gelato stop in vernazza, corniglia, manorola, and then late lunch in riomaggiore.  great way to spend a day.

The trail from Riomaggiore to Manarola is closed. It's supposed to open back up in Spring of '22. The shorter one from  Coniglia to  Manarola is closed as well. The only option between those two is a 4 to 5 hour hike. We opted not to do that one, but loved the other 2. Plus we're not young anymore, and not sure we could do it all in one day. They are fairly strenuous hikes, at least for old folks like us. 

[Biff Tannen 45695]

2 hours ago, sidis said:

go for the whole thing!  wife and i hiked it...breakfast in monterosso, gelato stop in vernazza, corniglia, manorola, and then late lunch in riomaggiore.  great way to spend a day.

So jealous. When I was there the only trail open was Monterosso to Vernazza. Rest were closed for maintenance. 

[wild_turkey 3172]

Cool story bro time…

Wife and I were in Cinque Terre in 2011 for several nights. We stayed in a 3 room B&B in the Monterosso old town, owned by a guy named Francesco, where his Italian mother cooked breakfast each day. Great little place.

Anyways, one day we set out on the hike towards Vernazza. We had breakfast in Monterosso, then a stop in Vernazza for wine and focaccia. Sat by the water and sunbathed on that outcropping. Then we headed on towards Corniglia.

The trail from Vernazza to Corniglia was noticeably less crowded. There were still a few people but not many. Eventually someone who spoke English told us it was technically closed. Oops. Oh well, it was important for us to keep hiking because I had been informed of a secret nude beach along this stretch. Wife was skeptical but she was wined up so the world was our oyster.

We eventually saw a rock on the ground the size of a baseball that said “Spiaggia” written in sharpie with an arrow pointing down towards the water. At this point the water was ~100 feet below us on a steep coastline. We of course trusted the magic rock and veered off on a tiny side path. It snaked down and at one point required us to crawl under a thorn bush tunnel thing. I slid on the rocks and scraped my hands. Worth it if we could only find the damn nude beach.

We dumped out onto a wider gravel path closer to the water. I realized our chances of returning to the original trail were slim and we had no phone service. My wife would possibly kill me once her buzz wore off. Luckily I had 3 more bottles of wine in my backpack to buy me some time.

A naked man walked down the path. No shoes or bag or anything. Just naked. “Ciao.” “Ciao.” Okay, so should we follow him or go the opposite way?

While debating our options and somewhat regretting our choices, a group of 4 people came down the path. One of them said “Have y’all seen the beach?”

I responded “Y’all? Who says y’all in Italy? Where are y’all from?”

Turns out they were Texans, from Austin, 3 of them UT grads. So that made 5 UT grads walking down the same gravel path in Cinque Terre, looking for the same secret nude beach. We collectively decided to follow in the direction of the naked guy and we acquired a Canadian couple along the way.

Well we find the beach and it was a picturesque stone beach with choppy water. There were 3 naked Italian men but no one else was there. The stones made a cool crackling sound as the waves kicked them up and dropped them back down. I swam a bit. The Canadian guy tried to swim and almost drowned but didn’t. The ladies went topless. We drank all the wine. Life was perfect for an afternoon.

Eventually it was time to leave and we all headed towards Corniglia. According to the Canadian couple, the gravel path led to an abandoned train tunnel that could take you straight into town. Great, so no scaling up the cliffs to the hiking trail.

Problem was that the train tunnel was dark and the Canadian couple had passed through the first time with a flashlight that was now dead. Turns out I had an iPhone 4? that was the only light source in our group of 8 people. So we all set out through the tunnel using my iPhone (I think it was just the screen light before flashlight mode was available) as our guide. It was about 3/4 mile long if I had to guess.

About half way through, the phone died. So now it was pitch dark and you couldn’t see light at either end. We kept walking with one hand against the wall, feeling along the ground and holding each other’s backs to keep from falling.

Then we heard a train coming. We thought this tunnel was abandoned?! The earth around us started shaking and we could see a light approaching. We all flattened ourselves against the wall and waited to get crushed. The train flew past in an adjacent tunnel that had some openings into our tunnel so we could see through. Whew, we avoided death.

We made our way to the end of the tunnel through the dark. We said our goodbyes and the wife and I hopped a train to Riomaggiore (the trails were closed) where we had some bruschetta and wine at Pie de Ma. That’s a can’t miss place if you’re ever there. Stunning views of the Mediterranean.

Later that year, flooding and mudslides destroyed parts of Cinque Terre, especially Vernazza. The towns recovered but the trails were forever changed. We returned in 2017 and spent 4 days in Monterosso, which is one of the best places on Earth to laze the day away, drinking wine and limoncello, eating gelato and trofie al pesto. Just typing this is making me want to book a flight. Maybe I’ll surprise her in the morning.

But the trails to the beach are permanently closed from the floods and the abandoned train tunnel was apparently blocked off. We searched it out on our last trip and it was a no-go. Hopefully one day that will be accessible again.

[52-80 19205]

17 hours ago, Hate said:

That's such an easy trip.  You could easily venture off to Siena for a couple of days and not have to adjust your schedule too much.  From Florence, Siena is a 30-40 minute train ride.  Once there, you can wander the Chianti wine region south of Siena.  It's phenomenal and may have been my favorite place in Italy.  

Siena is the best city.  Just dough it.

[Biff Tannen 45695]

8 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

Cool story bro time…

Wife and I were in Cinque Terre in 2011 for several nights. We stayed in a 3 room B&B in the Monterosso old town, owned by a guy named Francesco, where his Italian mother cooked breakfast each day. Great little place.

Anyways, one day we set out on the hike towards Vernazza. We had breakfast in Monterosso, then a stop in Vernazza for wine and focaccia. Sat by the water and sunbathed on that outcropping. Then we headed on towards Corniglia.

The trail from Vernazza to Corniglia was noticeably less crowded. There were still a few people but not many. Eventually someone who spoke English told us it was technically closed. Oops. Oh well, it was important for us to keep hiking because I had been informed of a secret nude beach along this stretch. Wife was skeptical but she was wined up so the world was our oyster.

We eventually saw a rock on the ground the size of a baseball that said “Spiaggia” written in sharpie with an arrow pointing down towards the water. At this point the water was ~100 feet below us on a steep coastline. We of course trusted the magic rock and veered off on a tiny side path. It snaked down and at one point required us to crawl under a thorn bush tunnel thing. I slid on the rocks and scraped my hands. Worth it if we could only find the damn nude beach.

We dumped out onto a wider gravel path closer to the water. I realized our chances of returning to the original trail were slim and we had no phone service. My wife would possibly kill me once her buzz wore off. Luckily I had 3 more bottles of wine in my backpack to buy me some time.

A naked man walked down the path. No shoes or bag or anything. Just naked. “Ciao.” “Ciao.” Okay, so should we follow him or go the opposite way?

While debating our options and somewhat regretting our choices, a group of 4 people came down the path. One of them said “Have y’all seen the beach?”

I responded “Y’all? Who says y’all in Italy? Where are y’all from?”

Turns out they were Texans, from Austin, 3 of them UT grads. So that made 5 UT grads walking down the same gravel path in Cinque Terre, looking for the same secret nude beach. We collectively decided to follow in the direction of the naked guy and we acquired a Canadian couple along the way.

Well we find the beach and it was a picturesque stone beach with choppy water. There were 3 naked Italian men but no one else was there. The stones made a cool crackling sound as the waves kicked them up and dropped them back down. I swam a bit. The Canadian guy tried to swim and almost drowned but didn’t. The ladies went topless. We drank all the wine. Life was perfect for an afternoon.

Eventually it was time to leave and we all headed towards Corniglia. According to the Canadian couple, the gravel path led to an abandoned train tunnel that could take you straight into town. Great, so no scaling up the cliffs to the hiking trail.

Problem was that the train tunnel was dark and the Canadian couple had passed through the first time with a flashlight that was now dead. Turns out I had an iPhone 4? that was the only light source in our group of 8 people. So we all set out through the tunnel using my iPhone (I think it was just the screen light before flashlight mode was available) as our guide. It was about 3/4 mile long if I had to guess.

About half way through, the phone died. So now it was pitch dark and you couldn’t see light at either end. We kept walking with one hand against the wall, feeling along the ground and holding each other’s backs to keep from falling.

Then we heard a train coming. We thought this tunnel was abandoned?! The earth around us started shaking and we could see a light approaching. We all flattened ourselves against the wall and waited to get crushed. The train flew past in an adjacent tunnel that had some openings into our tunnel so we could see through. Whew, we avoided death.

We made our way to the end of the tunnel through the dark. We said our goodbyes and the wife and I hopped a train to Riomaggiore (the trails were closed) where we had some bruschetta and wine at Pie de Ma. That’s a can’t miss place if you’re ever there. Stunning views of the Mediterranean.

Later that year, flooding and mudslides destroyed parts of Cinque Terre, especially Vernazza. The towns recovered but the trails were forever changed. We returned in 2017 and spent 4 days in Monterosso, which is one of the best places on Earth to laze the day away, drinking wine and limoncello, eating gelato and trofie al pesto. Just typing this is making me want to book a flight. Maybe I’ll surprise her in the morning.

But the trails to the beach are permanently closed from the floods and the abandoned train tunnel was apparently blocked off. We searched it out on our last trip and it was a no-go. Hopefully one day that will be accessible again.

I was just waiting for when you fell in mud and ruined the very pants you were returning.

 

 

But awesome story.

[VABuckeye 2472]

18 hours ago, Mo Horn said:

I have not been to the Amalfi coast, so I have nothing to compare, but this place is magical. Scenery and food are both outstanding. Maybe someone who has been to both can say. 

Amalfi coast is beautiful but driving there is not for the faint of heart.  You also have Capri (Cap-ree) a short ferry ride away.  Shopping in Capri is like Rodeo Drive on steroids.  It truly is an island hideaway for the ultra-rich and famous.  Going to the top of the mountain yields some breath taking views and Anacapri is a quieter town to hang out at for an afternoon.

Edited September 18, 2021 by VABuckeye

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19129]

Amalfi coast is beautiful but driving there is not for the faint of heart.  You also have Capri (Cap-ree) a short ferry ride away.  Shopping in Capri is like Rodeo Drive on steroids.  It truly is an island hideaway for the ultra-rich and famous.  Going to the top of the mountain yields some breath taking views and Anacapri is a quieter town to hang out at for an afternoon.

Capri is absolutely stunning. I'm thinking about returning for a week next June or September.

[South Austin 52523]

2 hours ago, VABuckeye said:

Amalfi coast is beautiful but driving there is not for the faint of heart. 

My ex and I had a driver take us from the Salerno train station to Furore, a small town between Amalfi and Positano where we were married. My ass was clenched for the next two days.

Same thing driving into Cinque Terra during our 10-year anniversary trip. If you veer a couple feet off the road you could fall 100 feet or more to your death. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19129]

My ex and I had a driver take us from the Salerno train station to Furore, a small town between Amalfi and Positano where we were married. My ass was clenched for the next two days.
Same thing driving into Cinque Terra during our 10-year anniversary trip. If you veer a couple feet off the road you could fall 100 feet or more to your death. 

Furore is gorgeous, but the beach there only gets 3 hours of sun in the AM. Here is the bridge there. They have a diving competition off it every year.

[South Austin 52523]

Just now, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Furore is gorgeous, but the beach there only gets 3 hours of sun in the AM. Here is the bridge there. They have a diving competition off it every year.

We never got down there. We only stayed two nights and then moved to Positano for five days. 

According to the town mayor, we were the first American couple married there.

[Mo Horn 8852]

2 hours ago, South Austin said:

My ex and I had a driver take us from the Salerno train station to Furore, a small town between Amalfi and Positano where we were married. My ass was clenched for the next two days.

Same thing driving into Cinque Terra during our 10-year anniversary trip. If you veer a couple feet off the road you could fall 100 feet or more to your death. 

That's why you take the train to the Cinque Terre. We picked up a rental car today in La Spezia for our time in Tuscany. In Rome and the CT, we used public transportation or walked. 

[Biff Tannen 45695]

1 hour ago, Mo Horn said:

That's why you take the train to the Cinque Terre. We picked up a rental car today in La Spezia for our time in Tuscany. In Rome and the CT, we used public transportation or walked. 

Or a boat, but yes. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19129]

10 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

Or a boat, but yes. 

I highly recommend boats in the Amalfi Coast as well.  The road is terrifying.

[VABuckeye 2472]

It is but once you hit September getting on a ferry or booking a boat is hit or miss as the waters start to get choppy and there are a lot of cancellations.

[Biff Tannen 45695]

Planning a June trip to northern Italy and then Sicily. I’ve done northern Italy before, but any recs for Sicily?

[South Austin 52523]

46 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

Planning a June trip to northern Italy and then Sicily. I’ve done northern Italy before, but any recs for Sicily?

Watch the Parts Unknown episode on Sicily. That’s all I got.

[Biff Tannen 45695]

46 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Watch the Parts Unknown episode on Sicily. That’s all I got.

And Stanley Tucci’s show. Watched them both. Pretty excited. My wife’s family is from Sicily, so will be really cool for her. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19129]

3 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

Planning a June trip to northern Italy and then Sicily. I’ve done northern Italy before, but any recs for Sicily?

This is a trip I have been wanting to take for ages now.  I think it would take me 2-3 trips to see everything I would want to.

[Reynolds Woodcock 4788]

I’ve been thinking about trying 10 days in Sicily this October. Always been on my list but seems like a real pain in the ass to plan. Interested in recommendations also

[Telegraph_it 3358]

I need to go back to Cinque Terra. “Miniaturized” photo I took with my iPhone 7 or something back in the day.  

 

The one of Florence came out better. 
 

[Mo Horn 8852]

When in Tuscany you have to get the Tuscan T- bone. Pretty damn good. That and the panna cota with carmalized figs. 

 

[Mo Horn 8852]

Spent the day in Florence. The city itself was actually disappointing. I felt like i was on the miracle mile in Chicago, with every high end, name brand store. Not what I expected. The art; however, OMG. Things I've only seen in pictures. Just amazing. 

[Doug E. Fresh 452]

3 hours ago, Mo Horn said:

Spent the day in Florence. The city itself was actually disappointing. I felt like i was on the miracle mile in Chicago, with every high end, name brand store. Not what I expected. The art; however, OMG. Things I've only seen in pictures. Just amazing. 

To each their own. That’s generally how I think of Milan. Florence, on the other hand, is my fav of the large cities in Italy. The art, architecture and food are amazing. 

[sidis 9832]

4 hours ago, Mo Horn said:

Spent the day in Florence. The city itself was actually disappointing. I felt like i was on the miracle mile in Chicago, with every high end, name brand store. Not what I expected. The art; however, OMG. Things I've only seen in pictures. Just amazing. 

go to the boboli gardens tomorrow and spend some time on the south side of the arno.  i think you will discover a very different experience.  also, go to vivoli to get some gelato while you are there.

[Biff Tannen 45695]

4 hours ago, Mo Horn said:

Spent the day in Florence. The city itself was actually disappointing. I felt like i was on the miracle mile in Chicago, with every high end, name brand store. Not what I expected. The art; however, OMG. Things I've only seen in pictures. Just amazing. 

I can see this. I’ve been twice and if you go back and explore more, there are other parts to appreciate. That said, I don’t really like the big cities in Italy in general. That’s not it’s charm. The history of the big towns is great, but the little towns have just as much history and the small town Feel is what I love.  Tuscany, Dolemites, Cinque Terre.  Maybe because small towns in America suck so much. 

[conVINCEd 21469]

4 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

I can see this. I’ve been twice and if you go back and explore more, there are other parts to appreciate. That said, I don’t really like the big cities in Italy in general. That’s not it’s charm. The history of the big towns is great, but the little towns have just as much history and the small town Feel is what I love.  Tuscany, Dolemites, Cinque Terre.  Maybe because small towns in America suck so much. 

Do any of those small towns in Italy have an Allsup’s?

[Mo Horn 8852]

7 hours ago, Doug E. Fresh said:

To each their own. That’s generally how I think of Milan. Florence, on the other hand, is my fav of the large cities in Italy. The art, architecture and food are amazing. 

 

6 hours ago, sidis said:

go to the boboli gardens tomorrow and spend some time on the south side of the arno.  i think you will discover a very different experience.  also, go to vivoli to get some gelato while you are there.

 

5 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

I can see this. I’ve been twice and if you go back and explore more, there are other parts to appreciate. That said, I don’t really like the big cities in Italy in general. That’s not it’s charm. The history of the big towns is great, but the little towns have just as much history and the small town Feel is what I love.  Tuscany, Dolemites, Cinque Terre.  Maybe because small towns in America suck so much. 

All fair points. We are staying in the heart of Tuscany and only planned one day in Florence, so we just did the highlights. We want to spend more time in the smaller towns. I'm sure there's more of Florence I didn't see or experience.

[Mo Horn 8852]

Drove back to Rome today and staying at an Ibis hotel near the airport. Will turn in our rental car in the morning and fly back to reality. In the next few days I'll write up a trip report. I book everything on my own and, we do pretty much everything on our own. I'd be happy to share any specifics. 

[South Austin 52523]

On 9/21/2021 at 1:01 PM, Mo Horn said:

Spent the day in Florence. The city itself was actually disappointing. I felt like i was on the miracle mile in Chicago, with every high end, name brand store. Not what I expected. The art; however, OMG. Things I've only seen in pictures. Just amazing. 

I sort of felt that way in Florence, but still loved it because it was the first experience in Italy.  We moved from there to Sienna for two nights, and I enjoyed my stay there much more than Florence.

[VABuckeye 2472]

We stay across the river in Florence overlooking the Ponte Vecchio.  We love that side of Florence.

[Ted Lange 16110]

On 9/24/2021 at 12:28 PM, Mo Horn said:

Drove back to Rome today and staying at an Ibis hotel near the airport. Will turn in our rental car in the morning and fly back to reality. In the next few days I'll write up a trip report. I book everything on my own and, we do pretty much everything on our own. I'd be happy to share any specifics. 

Heading to Italy in November, how were the Covid restrictions?   I’ve read about having to get a Green Pass?

[Mo Horn 8852]

18 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

Heading to Italy in November, how were the Covid restrictions?   I’ve read about having to get a Green Pass?

Restrictions are everywhere and are required to enter any tourist attraction. Many restaurants also require it.  Every European will have their green pass. We just showed our vaccination card, and we were fine. When we got our test to return, we got a green pass, so you could get tested early and then use that, but our cards worked fine. I felt much safer, and less likely to be infected, there than I do here. 

[Mo Horn 8852]

Spoiler

I posted a few things during our trip to Italy but wanted to share more details in case anyone was interested. I’ll spoiler it, in case anyone doesn’t want to read it. I am a huge Rick Steves fan, so I used his guidance for almost everything. I think he does a great job and would highly recommend him. He has an app which guides you through a lot of sights. We used it a ton, and loved it. As I have stated before in other places, we choose to spend our money on food and activities, and as long as the accommodations have a clean bed, hot water, and wi-fi, we’re good. But, if you prefer more upscale hotels, you can do that.

We landed in Rome on a Sunday morning and were there until Wednesday morning. We stayed in a convent that was very close to the Colosseum, and in a neighborhood that was less touristy with great restaurants. In Rome we spent the first day just wandering and seeing sights from the outside. We spent ¾ of a day at the Vatican/Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel. The rest of the day we walked all over and did the Pantheon. The next day we spent the majority of the day at the Colosseum & Forum. That evening we had dinner reservations and then saw a lot of the major things at night. In retrospect I might have planned an additional day in Rome. There were some museums & such we didn’t get to, but we did see everything we really wanted to see.

We took the train to the Cinque Terre, which has beauty beyond words. We stayed in Vernazza for 3 days, which was IMO a perfect place to stay. Not as big and resorty as other places, but big enough to have great places to eat. We did 2 of the 3 available hikes. Vernazza to Cornigila & Vernazza to Monterosso. We took about 2 hours for each, but they could be done quicker. We had no timetable so we stopped to enjoy the view and just took our time. There is another hike that is 3 to 4 hours from Corniglia to Manarola, which we opted not to do. The trail from Manarola to Riomaggiori is not open. We bought the 3-day pass, which gives you access to the trails and unlimited train rides. Phenomenal seafood and pesto.

We picked up a rental car in La Spezia and headed to our Agrituirismo (bed & breakfast) in Tuscany, outside the town of Poggibonsi. On the way we stopped and spent a few hours in Pisa. We were in Tuscany for 6 days. We did a wine & olive oil tour (the only tour we booked) through the Tuscan hills. We rode the train to Florence and did all the major sights there. In hindsight we would probably do an additional day in Florence, to wander the city. We took one day and went to San Gimignano, which a walled city with great views of the countryside. We drove to Siena one day and spent the day wandering through that great city. We purposely built in downtime, just to relax. 

The last full day we drove from Tuscany to a hotel about 10 minutes from the airport. We turned in our rental car at the airport the next morning and flew back home. It was a phenomenal trip, and a great way to see a lot of things in Italy. Food is amazing and scenery gorgeous. We opted to not cram too much into our schedule, since we also wanted to have some downtime, but we could have seen and done a lot more. All in all, a fantastic trip. I’m happy to provide more details if anyone wants, or other specifics.

Here is a full trip report of our two weeks in Italy, if anyone is interested. If not, just move on. 

[Biff Tannen 45695]

12 minutes ago, Mo Horn said:

headed to our Agrituirismo (bed & breakfast) in Tuscany, outside the town of Poggibonsi.

What was it called?  We stayed at Borgo San Luigi in the same area.

[BHMCruiser 1814]

12 minutes ago, Mo Horn said:

  Reveal hidden contents

I posted a few things during our trip to Italy but wanted to share more details in case anyone was interested. I’ll spoiler it, in case anyone doesn’t want to read it. I am a huge Rick Steves fan, so I used his guidance for almost everything. I think he does a great job and would highly recommend him. He has an app which guides you through a lot of sights. We used it a ton, and loved it. As I have stated before in other places, we choose to spend our money on food and activities, and as long as the accommodations have a clean bed, hot water, and wi-fi, we’re good. But, if you prefer more upscale hotels, you can do that.

We landed in Rome on a Sunday morning and were there until Wednesday morning. We stayed in a convent that was very close to the Colosseum, and in a neighborhood that was less touristy with great restaurants. In Rome we spent the first day just wandering and seeing sights from the outside. We spent ¾ of a day at the Vatican/Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel. The rest of the day we walked all over and did the Pantheon. The next day we spent the majority of the day at the Colosseum & Forum. That evening we had dinner reservations and then saw a lot of the major things at night. In retrospect I might have planned an additional day in Rome. There were some museums & such we didn’t get to, but we did see everything we really wanted to see.

We took the train to the Cinque Terre, which has beauty beyond words. We stayed in Vernazza for 3 days, which was IMO a perfect place to stay. Not as big and resorty as other places, but big enough to have great places to eat. We did 2 of the 3 available hikes. Vernazza to Cornigila & Vernazza to Monterosso. We took about 2 hours for each, but they could be done quicker. We had no timetable so we stopped to enjoy the view and just took our time. There is another hike that is 3 to 4 hours from Corniglia to Manarola, which we opted not to do. The trail from Manarola to Riomaggiori is not open. We bought the 3-day pass, which gives you access to the trails and unlimited train rides. Phenomenal seafood and pesto.

We picked up a rental car in La Spezia and headed to our Agrituirismo (bed & breakfast) in Tuscany, outside the town of Poggibonsi. On the way we stopped and spent a few hours in Pisa. We were in Tuscany for 6 days. We did a wine & olive oil tour (the only tour we booked) through the Tuscan hills. We rode the train to Florence and did all the major sights there. In hindsight we would probably do an additional day in Florence, to wander the city. We took one day and went to San Gimignano, which a walled city with great views of the countryside. We drove to Siena one day and spent the day wandering through that great city. We purposely built in downtime, just to relax. 

The last full day we drove from Tuscany to a hotel about 10 minutes from the airport. We turned in our rental car at the airport the next morning and flew back home. It was a phenomenal trip, and a great way to see a lot of things in Italy. Food is amazing and scenery gorgeous. We opted to not cram too much into our schedule, since we also wanted to have some downtime, but we could have seen and done a lot more. All in all, a fantastic trip. I’m happy to provide more details if anyone wants, or other specifics.

Here is a full trip report of our two weeks in Italy, if anyone is interested. If not, just move on. 

FYI I lived in Rome for about three months in college and you'll never see it all. 

[Mo Horn 8852]

41 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

What was it called?  We stayed at Borgo San Luigi in the same area.

Tenuta Il Tresto

[Biff Tannen 45695]

10 minutes ago, Mo Horn said:

Tenuta Il Tresto

Yep, just down the road.  What a beautiful area.

[Mo Horn 8852]

2 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

Yep, just down the road.  What a beautiful area.

It is. We spent time just hanging there and enjoying the view. 

[Ted Lange 16110]

2 hours ago, Mo Horn said:

Restrictions are everywhere and are required to enter any tourist attraction. Many restaurants also require it.  Every European will have their green pass. We just showed our vaccination card, and we were fine. When we got our test to return, we got a green pass, so you could get tested early and then use that, but our cards worked fine. I felt much safer, and less likely to be infected, there than I do here. 

Thanks!  So did you show the actual card, or just a copy/photo?   If the green card is that easy to get, then we will probably go that route, I dont want to take a chance of losing my vax card if at all possible.

[Mo Horn 8852]

34 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

Thanks!  So did you show the actual card, or just a copy/photo?   If the green card is that easy to get, then we will probably go that route, I dont want to take a chance of losing my vax card if at all possible.

The actual card. We have covers for our passports, so I just kept them there. My passport is always in my front pocket when I'm traveling internationally, so that and my card are always with me. Finding a place to test isn't as easy as it once was I guess. Used to be every pharmacy did it. Now, only some do. But you can find one of you look. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19129]

I really want to go back to Italy in May or June.  Just got notification that Singapore air has Business between JFK and Frankfurt for about 2200.  I am seriously thinking about pulling the trigger and then figuring out where I go after.  Once I am in Frankfurt, can get anywhere in Italy via plane or even train if I want.  

[Biff Tannen 45695]

35 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I really want to go back to Italy in May or June.  Just got notification that Singapore air has Business between JFK and Frankfurt for about 2200.  I am seriously thinking about pulling the trigger and then figuring out where I go after.  Once I am in Frankfurt, can get anywhere in Italy via plane or even train if I want.  

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19129]

10 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

Yeah, I am leaning towards it.  Though the question is late May/or June.  And then the question is where?  I could also rent a car and drive through the Rhine river valley hopping between Germany and France and end up in Switzerland.  May and June would be gorgeous there.  Or head straight down through Switzerland and hit the north of Italy.  Or, go hang out in Venice in May before it gets nuts.  The possibilities are endless.

[texasdago 7575]

12 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Yeah, I am leaning towards it.  Though the question is late May/or June.  And then the question is where?  I could also rent a car and drive through the Rhine river valley hopping between Germany and France and end up in Switzerland.  May and June would be gorgeous there.  Or head straight down through Switzerland and hit the north of Italy.  Or, go hang out in Venice in May before it gets nuts.  The possibilities are endless.

Just remember if you rent a car in one country, you don't want to return it in another country or they will hit you with some absurd fees.  Plan on driving back to the country where you rented it.  I had the same idea once... and then I saw the drop off fee.  Nope.

 

[VABuckeye 2472]

Plus the rail system is so darned efficient and easy to use.

[Reynolds Woodcock 4788]

Just booked a last minute trip for this October. 6 nights in Monforte d'Alba during the truffle festival in Alba, and 3 nights in Lake Como. Grabbed a dinner reservation at Piazza Duomo. Need to book some winery visits in Barolo and Barbaresco, and maybe a truffle hunt. My wife and I may be the youngest people there by 40 years, but looking forward to a relaxing trip after 2 years of mostly shit. If anyone has been and needs any recs, I'm all ears. 

Also need to figure out the transfer from Milan to Alba region, but I'm guessing it is going to end up being a car rental. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19129]

3 hours ago, texasdago said:

Just remember if you rent a car in one country, you don't want to return it in another country or they will hit you with some absurd fees.  Plan on driving back to the country where you rented it.  I had the same idea once... and then I saw the drop off fee.  Nope.

 

Yeah.  I actually detest having to deal with rental cars.  I mean, I like to upgrade them and get nice ones, and I enjoy driving.  But I hate dealing with parking and really hate getting late tickets months after I have returned thanks to an unknown camera.  

[texasdago 7575]

1 hour ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Yeah.  I actually detest having to deal with rental cars.  I mean, I like to upgrade them and get nice ones, and I enjoy driving.  But I hate dealing with parking and really hate getting late tickets months after I have returned thanks to an unknown camera.  

I actually love having rental cars in Europe - so much freedom to visit so many places that are not frequented by tourists.  You just have to learn the road signs and also, especially for Italy, know where the ZTL is located as once you go in there, the ticket is automatic.  BUT, to have a stick shift in Italy is glorious, especially on back roads in the countryside.

[Biff Tannen 45695]

1 hour ago, texasdago said:

I actually love having rental cars in Europe - so much freedom to visit so many places that are not frequented by tourists.  You just have to learn the road signs and also, especially for Italy, know where the ZTL is located as once you go in there, the ticket is automatic.  BUT, to have a stick shift in Italy is glorious, especially on back roads in the countryside.

I second this.  We rented a BMW convertible (sadly, not manual) in Venice and drove through the Dolemites, up through Austria and Switzerland, back down to Lake Como, over to Cinque Terre, then over to Tuscany and back to Venice in 16 days.  It was fucking amazing.  AND didn't get a single ticket.  Fuck you ZTLs.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19129]

52 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

I second this.  We rented a BMW convertible (sadly, not manual) in Venice and drove through the Dolemites, up through Austria and Switzerland, back down to Lake Como, over to Cinque Terre, then over to Tuscany and back to Venice in 16 days.  It was fucking amazing.  AND didn't get a single ticket.  Fuck you ZTLs.

Yeah, I have a bit of a lead foot.  I also think some of those ZTLs are bullshit.  I got a ticket notice from La Ciotat where I was stuck in bumper to bumper traffic.  Avis charged me the 40 Euros, I never got an actual ticket notice, and when I called the French authorities, they had no record of the ticket.  I do wonder if there is a scam.  For the ones in Italy, I got the ticket notices well over a year after I returned from my trip that occurred in 2018.  It was fucking nuts.  And I got charged 40 Euros a pop for Avis to do jack shit.

I might give it one more go, but I am not sure when.  Also, if I am driving, that means less imbibing.  So where is the fun in that?!?  I tend to travel solo.