JM is Going to Italy!

jazzy mary · June-14th-2006, 02:00 PM

I'll be leaving for Italy on June 28th. Here's my itinerary. Venice, Florence, Perugia (one night & day only), Rome, Naples, the Amalfi Coast (Sorrento). I've been to all these places except Perugia, Naples and Sorrento. We plan on making day trips to Capri and Iskia too. Pompeii is absolutely a must. We'll be in Italy for 17 days.

I'm especially interested in restaurant recs., quaint shops, things that are a must that the tour books may not mention etc.

Thanks!!

Valerie · June-14th-2006, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzy mary

I'll be leaving for Italy on June 28th. Here's my itinerary. Venice, Florence, Perugia (one night & day only), Rome, Naples, the Amalfi Coast (Sorrento). I've been to all these places except Perugia, Naples and Sorrento. We plan on making day trips to Capri and Iskia too. Pompeii is absolutely a must. We'll be in Italy for 17 days.

I'm especially interested in restaurant recs., quaint shops, things that are a must that the tour books may not mention etc.

Thanks!!

oh, girl, i am so happy for you! i will definitely be living vicariously! are you, by any chance, going to the jazz festival in perugia? enjoy every minute of the entire trip (for both of us)!!!

xoxo

valerie

hornplayer · June-14th-2006, 02:53 PM

Mary, there's a small town near Perugia called Deruta that is famous for the most beautiful pottery! You won't want to miss that.

Please throw a coin in the Trevi fountain for me.

jazzy mary · June-14th-2006, 03:10 PM

Val, we're leaving the day before the Umbria jazz fest.! That's ok w/ me. A lot of the folks playing are people I can see in a smaller venue in NYC.

HP, I will throw a coin in the Trevi fountain for you. Do I have 2 more? That would make...well, you know.

HP: Where are the restaurant/food recs.?

Pete C · June-14th-2006, 03:14 PM

In Florence eat at Croce al Trebbio on via delle Belle Donne, near Sta. maria Novella church--reasonably priced, excellent Tuscan food.

In Rome, don't miss Cul de Sac, a great Enoteca with small plates on Pza. Pasquino, near Pza. Navona.

Have a big breakfast before you go to Pompeii. The worst meal I've ever had in Italy was at the Pompeii cafeteria.

Is Perugia a stop between Florence & Rome? What are you doing there for 1 day without visiting other places in Umbria?

If you'll be in Venice, make sure to make advance reservations for the Giotto frescoes in Padua (about 20 minutes away). They were under restoration when I was in the area.

How are you traveling? I believe Bologna is on the main rail line between Venice & Florence.

That's an exhausting itinerary. How come so traveling around?

moneyp · June-14th-2006, 03:23 PM

I want to do whatever Jazzy Mary does to get to go on all these trips. Damn.

Pete C · June-14th-2006, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mone peterson

I want to do whatever Jazzy Mary does to get to go on all these trips.

Regardless...?

jesus marion joseph · June-14th-2006, 03:29 PM

Yeah, me too.

moneyp · June-14th-2006, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete C

Regardless...?

No, not regardless.

jazzy mary · June-14th-2006, 03:45 PM

Hey Pete, thanks. Yes Perugia is really just a rest stop on the way to Rome. We're driving.

My older daughter decided that, instead of one of those big-blow out sweet 16 parties, she'd rather take a trip that everyone could enjoy-so she picked Italy. Fine with me!!

Mone, you don't want to do what I do. I work like a dog most of the time, well except when I'm on JC or checking my Yahoo! mail

Yes, this trip is costing me a fortune!! And I did every cost cutting thing I could think of. One cool thing, I put all my various airline points, Diner's club points, Priority points together and shot the wad of points for free hotel rooms. Figuring out how many points for what hotels in which cities etc. I ended up being able to figure out 8 nights of free hotels!! Not bad, huh? No, they aren't not cute little pensiones or lovely hotels--they are all Holiday Inn hotels, resorts etc. but some are right in the center of town and can acccomodate a family of four. Otherwise, it would have to be two rooms and that I could not afford. So, there is something to be said about an "American" chain of hotels for a family of 4 traveling through Italy. They have parking too.
And some aren't entirely "un quaint". Pretty much, though.

I told my girls we'd have breakfast at the hotel and then they weren't alowed to eat lunch--only a snack--then dinner. LOL.

Another thing that is costing me one arm & one leg is hooking up the admission tkts. for the Uffizzi, Academie, Vatican museums etc. It's not so bad until I multiply by 4!! But, we don't have the time to wait in line and especially not w/ 2 kids moaning & fighting!

It's a trip of a lifetime and it'll cost a lifetime to pay for it!!

hornplayer · June-14th-2006, 04:59 PM

Quote:

HP: Where are the restaurant/food recs.?

It's been a long time since I've been in Italy. Not sure my recs would be valid anymore.

There's a famous club in Perugia, too.. The Blue Gardenia.. Nat Cole used to sing there. you and the girls might enjoy checking it out.

Surfer · June-14th-2006, 05:01 PM

I'll be in Italy this summer too.

Pete C · June-14th-2006, 05:13 PM

Mary, in Rome you should go to Piperno, a Jewish-style restaurant, and eat carciofi all Giudia (crispy fried whole artichoke) & fiori di zucchini ripieni (stuffed zucchini flowers with mozzarella & anchovy, breaded & fried).

One of the best snacks is in Florence a porchetta (roast pig) sandwich at the covered market,

clinthopson · June-14th-2006, 05:24 PM

I recall you telling us about the trip when we had dinner at Roberto.

Have a ball!

June-14th-2006, 07:59 PM

JM is Going to Italy!

Have fun.

I'd like you to bring back a nice italian nymphomaniac for me; just one.

Uli · June-14th-2006, 08:13 PM

Enjoy yourtrip JM!

and don't forget to report.

I am sorry I am not much of a help. I even asked my daughter , whom I always have to tease a bit as a spoiled brat when it comes to food, for a restaurant recommendation. She has spent a school year abroad near Rome living with an Italian family with incredible food interests. But all she told me is that when she went to Rome with her schoolfriends they always went to an Indian restaurant.

June-14th-2006, 08:37 PM

Rome's got indians?

Gordon B · June-14th-2006, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surfer

I'll be in Italy this summer too.

My wife and I will be in Venice for two nights in late July before embarking down the Dalmatian Coast.

I'm excited about visiting Kotor in Montenegro the world's newest country.

Dr Dave · June-14th-2006, 11:13 PM

I highly recommend Faith Willinger's Eating In Italy. Check out her website for places to eat and shop. On the road from Florence to Perugia, there are some very noteworthy wineries and wine enotecas; I need some time to pull together information on these, although I'm almost sure I'd include Fattoria Felsina, makers of Berardenga Chianti; the tiny town of Castell' in Villa, home to the winery of the same name, and maybe Carpineto in Valdara. They speak English, have nice tasting rooms and restaurants, and the wines themselves ain't too bad either.

hornplayer · June-14th-2006, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

I highly recommend Faith Willinger's Eating In Italy. Check out her website for places to eat and shop. On the road from Florence to Perugia, there are some very noteworthy wineries and wine enotecas; I need some time to pull together information on these, although I'm almost sure I'd include Fattoria Felsina, makers of Berardenga Chianti; the tiny town of Castell' in Villa, home to the winery of the same name, and maybe Carpineto in Valdara. They speak English, have nice tasting rooms and restaurants, and the wines themselves ain't too bad either.

What Dave said... especially about Faith. I don't know how long you're going to be in florence, Mary, but if you want to pm me, I can put you in touch with her. You can have her personally take you on a market tour, or other foodie related event. and, since she's lived there for over 20 years, she knows virtually everything about the place...... You could spend all three weeks in Florence and environs and still not see everything you want to see!

timoleon · June-15th-2006, 02:37 AM

JM,if you have enough time try to hit taormina in sicily.
a great place,nice nature,many interesting antiquities to watch,festivals and a vivid atmosphere all around,and not so packed now,as it'll be in august.

Surfer · June-15th-2006, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon B

My wife and I will be in Venice for two nights in late July before embarking down the Dalmatian Coast.

I'm excited about visiting Kotor in Montenegro the world's newest country.

Hey Gordon,

I am going to visit family in Split. But we are flying to Rome because it is quickest. So we are spending 1 week in Italy couple days in Rome, couple days in Siena, maybe Florence (maybe), then the ferry from Pescara to Split, where we will spend 3 weeks in and around Split. Couple nights in Brac and Hvar, probably a night in Omis or Dubrovnik.

I would definitely recommend stopping in Omis (halfway between Split and Dubrovnik). Also, some of the best beaches in Dalmatia (pebble beaches) are on the stretch to Dubrovnik. One in particular is called Medici, just ask and the busdriver will let you off there.

The stretch between Sibenik and Dubrovnik is the most beautiful place on Earth, and I've been to a lot of places. None more beautiful. None.

clinthopson · June-15th-2006, 01:26 PM

Were cruising the Agean and Adriatic this fall and one of the stops is Dubrovnic.

We're looking forward to seing this beautiful place.

Gordon B · June-16th-2006, 04:48 PM

Surfer, we are actually travelling by cruise ship, Le Levant, albeit a small one with only 90 passengers. The itinerary is already set, three groups of 30 with a tour leader. The touring outfit is Tauck World Discovery.

We will tour the ruins of Diocletian’s Palace in Split. I don't see anything about Medici or Omis.

Day 1: Arrive in Venice
Tour begins at 6:00 p.m. at your Venice hotel. Your transfer from the airport is included in the tour. Enjoy the welcome reception and dinner at your charming hotel, a former 17th-century Camaldolesi monastery sitting on a private island in the Venetian lagoon.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: San Clemente Palace, Venice, Italy

Day 2: The romance of Venice
Head to St. Mark’s Square, the heart of Venice, with a local guide. Visit St. Mark’s Basilica, one of the greatest buildings in Europe, featuring exquisite mosaics and detailed carvings. See Doges’ Palace, a pink marble Gothic masterpiece. In your free time in the afternoon, you may want to take a classic gondola ride on the canals.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: San Clemente Palace, Venice, Italy

• Day 3: Venetian Islands
Visit picturesque islands in the Venetian Lagoon, part of the UNESCO World Heritage site with the city. See Burano, renowned for lacemaking, and Murano, famous for glass production since the 10th century. Board your sleek yacht, Le Levant, and enjoy the welcome reception and dinner. Le Levant’s stabilizers ensure smooth sailing.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant

• Day 4: Historic Croatia
Your first port-of-call on the Croatia tour is Sibenik. Visit the Cathedral of St. James illustrating the transition of Gothic to Renaissance church architecture. Down the coast in Split, tour the ruins of Diocletian’s Palace, built between the 3rd and 4th centuries. Both of these structures are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Late day, enjoy the ship’s library, sauna, or swimming pool.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant

• Day 5: A day in Hvar
Dock on the island of Hvar, where a walking tour includes Stari Grad, the oldest part of town founded in 384 BC by the Greeks; and the Cathedral of St. Stephen with richly decorated façade. Admire the views from the hilltop Spanjol Fortress over the red-tile-roofed town below. Enjoy a wine tasting at a local winery. Poke around town on your own in the afternoon, or challenge yourself on a rigorous, guided hike through the lavender-scented countryside.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant

• Day 6: World Heritage in Kotor
Head to the observation deck for the sail into Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor, one of the few fjords in the region. Visit the fortress city of Kotor, an important Roman and Byzantine stronghold. See the Romanesque Cathedral of St. Tryphon, built in 1166, and the Naval Museum, housed in an 18th-century Baroque palace. The bay and the city are an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Travel to Sveti Stefan, an island resort on the Budvanska Riviera.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant

• Day 7: Discover Dubrovnik
Your next Croatia tour port-of-call is Dubrovnik. The Old Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces, and fountains. Spend time here on a guided tour and exploring on your own. Don’t miss the priceless collection of artifacts in the Dominican Monastery.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant

• Day 8: Korcula & Kornati National Park
On the Island of Korcula, Croatia, tour the medieval walled city with Cathedral Square at its center. There are a number of palaces, plus the Cathedral of St. Mark decorated with statues on the façade. Enjoy a private Moreska cultural performance. Spend the afternoon cruising through Kornati National Park, an archipelago of 89 rocky islands with soaring sea cliffs.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant

• Day 9: The Croatian coast
Travel to the seaside resort of Rovinj, with pastel-colored houses on steep winding streets topped by a Venetian belltower. Then head to the town of Pula to see the Roman Amphitheatre, the best preserved in the world. Aboard ship, enjoy the farewell reception and dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Le Levant

Day 10: Journey Home
Disembark the ship in Venice, Italy, and transfer to the airport. Tour ends at Venice Marco Polo Airport.
Meals: Breakfast

Surfer · June-16th-2006, 05:37 PM

That looks nice.

Dioceltians Palace is a remarkable place, not necessarily because of the architecture, which is well preserved Roman (check out the sculptures of Ivan Mestrovic, Croatia's greatest, like this one of

Grgur Ninski - the man who fought for the right to have the Catholic mass in Croatian instead of Latin. The sculpture is outside the palace - rub his toe and make a wish, it comes true), but because it is a living working monument. People actually live in the walls and rooms of the palace. It has a utilitarian flair.

Have a shot of silvovica (plum brandy) for me.

Back in 1998, when Split's native son Goran Ivanesevic won Wimbledon, he dove into the harbor to the cheering throngs of Splitchani.

Also remember that when you are doing a winetasting on Hvar, that the original Zinfandel grapevine that was brought over and planted in the Bay Area by Croatian immigrants was traced back to (through DNA by UC Davis Looking for Zin in Croatia) vines called Plavac Mali and Crljenak of the rocky islands and mountains around Split.

Zivjeli!

Gordon B · June-18th-2006, 08:43 AM

I can't wait. Meanwhile, Congrats on your true to form A's, who once again, have overcome a weak start.

jazzy mary · June-19th-2006, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete C

Mary, in Rome you should go to Piperno, a Jewish-style restaurant, and eat carciofi all Giudia (crispy fried whole artichoke) & fiori di zucchini ripieni (stuffed zucchini flowers with mozzarella & anchovy, breaded & fried).

One of the best snacks is in Florence a porchetta (roast pig) sandwich at the covered market,

Pete, I think, when we were talking at Vision, you recommended a couple of other places. Would you mind posting them on my thread, so I can print them out? Thanks!

Pete C · June-19th-2006, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzy mary

Pete, I think, when we were talking at Vision, you recommended a couple of other places. Would you mind posting them on my thread, so I can print them out? Thanks!

It's called post #5.

jazzy mary · June-19th-2006, 03:35 PM

Ok, thanks!

jazzy mary · June-20th-2006, 10:22 AM

Or just wait until I get to Italy?