Looking for some Italian travel advice

[NERemodeling]

Everyone who replied and never heard back from me i apologize, this thread sort of slipped my mind and now that the trip is getting near i just remembered to dig it up.

responses to follow

John

 

[NERemodeling]

RL,

sounds like you had a blast!  thanks for all the great resturants and places to go things to see. The wife if doing alot of the planing but i know for sure we are going to see the coliseum (we have a tour which brings you under it which i thought would be cool to see what it all sits on) and the Vatican (have a tour here also)

I am going to make it a point that we search out Giolitti's!!  thanks for the heads up!

John

 

[NERemodeling]

Good advice on restaurants.  I always made it a requirement to not eat at a place that had pictures on the menu or on a sign out front.

As for the Vatican, anyone can skip the lines by buying there tickets the day before online.  Thats exactly what the tour guides do in an anticipation for each day.  My wife and I went through the vatican three times in a single afternoon.  The vatican opens more wings to different collections of art as more people enter so if your not part of a tour you can simply start over and discover newly opened areas.  My only added advice is to bring some Tylenol for the head ache.....Theres so much to see your head will throb....and I mean that honestly.

Jalvis,

like you and RL mentioned, i too agree that it is usually a good idea to steer clear of the high pressure sales pitch resturants!   i look for places that seem to be packed with locals and it has never failed me

I have a tour in the Vatican, will all wings be open to the tour?    Pack Tylenol... check!

John

 

[NERemodeling]

In August the cities pretty much empty out, everyone goes to the coast.

Still lots of fun stuff, but don't be surprised if the city traffic isn't as bad as everyone says and if the beaches are packed.

We drove into Milan on an August Sunday afternoon, thought it had been evacuated.  Had a hard time finding a decent restaurant - not like Milan the rest of the year.

Enjoy!

Jesse,

thanks for the heads up!, final dates are end of july into the begining of august. we are going to the amalfi coast first so hopefully we will just beat the rush,  in rome it might actually be nice if it is a bit emptied out!

John

 

[NERemodeling]

I would make sure you dont miss Herculaneum. Also a bus ride along the Amalfi coast is spectacular. I stayed in Positano and Praiano and enjoyed it.

cliffp,

We have the bus ride covered, i have heard it is beautiful from many who have been. Im not sure about Herculaneum, i just looked at it quick and it seems very interesting and right up my alley. i know we have a trip up Mt. Vesuvius planned so hopefully we can sneak that in!

Thanks,
John

 

[NERemodeling]

Watch out for Gypsies.  Don't leave anything valuable laying around without holding on to it when you stop to eat or rest outside.  They use distraction and children to confuse and disarm you, so be aware of that.

rljatl,

Very good to know!  last year we went to a few spots in the Netherlands and France for our honeymoon. (this trip is a bit of a 1 year anniversary, trying to get it out of the system before kids)    I was amazed at how much theft and scamming was going on in Paris!  on the streets and trains.   one we witnessed was a gang of young girls that were getting on the train, they were all pushing on and bumping others to create commotion, then one girl tried to steal a ladies purse!!  lucky for the lady she caught the girl in the act and gave her a good Bi**hing out!!! crazy to watch it though, we learned to always be alert!

John

 

[NERemodeling]

About 6 years ago I had 10 days holiday in Italy.

First 6 days we stayed in Sorrento and visited Positano (whilst there was a Mafia family wedding going on at the time!!!) Capri, and Pompeii. etc. Really enjoyed it all.

The last 4 days we stayed in Rome and visited a lot of the places that have been mentioned above.

So much history,......... so little time to see it!!!!!!!

Also had a 4 day break on a different occasion and spent 2 days in Verona and 2 days in Venice. Man, was it hot!!!!!!

Tim.

Tim,

That wedding must have been cool to see!! we are hitting all the spots you mentioned (except Verona and Venice) actually im not 100% sure about Sorrento,  glad to hear you enjoyed it!  im really looking forward to it myself.  First time in Italy but always somewhere ive really wanted to go.

John

 

[NERemodeling]

My wife and I spent a couple of weeks in Italy a few years ago, starting and ending in Rome and we did go over to the Amalfi for a few days.  If you are set on those two destinations, I wouldn't try to dissuade you as they are both great and worth seeing, but if you are up for some things a bit off the tourist path, I have a lot of suggestions for places that we both enjoyed more.

We had been to Italy before and done the major tourist sights, so this time we chose to go up north and wind through the Emilia Romagna, Piedmonte and Tuscany regions.  We are total food freaks, so that was the focus of our trip and we stayed in small places, often just rooms in folks houses and had some amazing experiences and meals- touring a balsamic vinegar operation in the attic of a hundreds of years old farmhouse, having lunch with a winemaker and his wife at his home while drinking the wine from the grapes growing right by us, attending a Sagre which is a local food festival where all of the towns in the region come to a central square and set up booths where 1 euro gets you a plate of the loca dish and a glass of the local wine and on and on... I'd be happy to share some contacts with you if you are into that sort of trip.  And, it was all so much cheaper than it would have been to have gone to Rome and the Amalfi.

For whatever kind of trip you decide on, Italy is relatively small and driving is really easy- take a GPS.  The highways are amazing, way better than ours.  We rented a tiny diesel Alfa and just went wherever we wanted- it ended up being cheaper than train tickets.  If you are just planning on making one trek from Rome to the Amalfi, then it may be less expensive to just take the train.

Shoot me a PM if you'd like some more info.

Dane,

your alternate trip sound right up my wife and I's alley, unfortunately this trip is set in stone, im gonna bookmark this post and if i ever get the chance to go back to italy will try to get in touch with you then to hear about the details!    sounds like you had an awesome time!

John 

 

[NERemodeling]

you should really go see Tivoli (i mean REALLY!) a 30 min drive east from Rome. Eating stuff, just two i remember out of my head: enoteca corsi (not far from the pantheon, heading towards corso vittorio emanuele) for an authentic rome easting experience (the waitresses are beautiful, don´t tell your wife...) and cul-de-sac (Piazza di Pasquino, near P. Navona) for one of the finest selection of italian wines and foodie stuff. Of course, just eating a focaccia near the TIbere will also work fine... Rome will never cease to amaze you...

Naples: it´s been a long time, can´t help you much - but i loved everything about naples, just walking near the sea (via comunale til via napole), or mingle in the spanish quarters. I guess you won´t escape eating pizza at the mother of it all:  Da Michele (Via Cesare Sersale), tourist atraction but very much worth it.

Amalfi: just precious. we stayed in amalfi and in ravello, trust me : you won´t want to leave. prices are generally high, but who cares? positano is also very charming. driving in the amalfi coste is one of the essential italian experiences. and, yup, do drink the limoncello.

have a nice trip!
miguel.

Miguel

(see green bold)    [laughing] hahaha  no way would i tell her that, that can be our little secret!! well and everyone on FOG i guess [tongue]

i dont think we are gonna get the chance to check out Tivoli, but i did make not of the restaurants you suggested!

nice to hear that you enjoyed Amalfi so much, we are staying in Amalfi and Positano but are planning a visit to Ravello, the limoncello seems to me all the rage, i may just have to sample several!!

John

 

[NERemodeling]

Dont drink the water..

sorry couldnt resist

with all that limoncello, who needs water???  [tongue]

 

[NERemodeling]

Having been to Italy twice, I would say yes, yes, yes to all the great suggestions in the posts above. Also walk on the Amalfi coast you will see more than driving and go to Venice and take a fairy boat and explore some of the outer islands.

Also use a car, except in Rome. Look up Peugot Europe where for more than 7 days you lease rather than rent. Depending on your length of stay this can work out significantly cheaper than hire. And it will be brand new. Look at small cars, anything bigger than a Peugot 308 will not fit through some towns and villages. I remember a village in Crete where to pass through on the main road we had to tuck In the mirrors on a 308! Diesel is cheaper in most of Europe.

Stephen,

neat info about short term leases, i never would have even thought about that!  we decided not to do any driving this trip but im sure that will come in handy in the future.

John

 

[NERemodeling]

John,

I've been to Italy several times.  My family is actually from an area between Rome and the Amalfi coast.  When travelling from Rome to Amalfi I would follow the recommendations from the other guys above, rent a vehicle, the roads are marked very well and overall it is very easy to get to Amalfi from Rome.  Now I'm not going to sugar coat the driving habits, most people drive very aggressively and fast.  In addition the road through the Amalfi coast is pretty exciting and nerve racking, the roads feel narrow especially when you have these large tour buses travelling the same road.  When you are driving through the coast, the towns I would definitely hit are Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello.  If you plan on staying a few nights on the coast Ravello will be the most expensive, try staying in the other three towns, there are a lot of family run bed and breakfasts you can stay at.  Do a web search and read the reviews online to find the one that best fits your needs.  I have no recommendations where to stay because when I go, I go for the day and return to my parent's home.  Now if you decide to drive and head up to Ravello,which is a must must must see, the road up can be fun or not so fun depending how comfortable you are driving up narrow roads where 2 cars barely fit. 

If you want to try some other places I highly suggest Gaeta and Terracina.  These are both beach towns that are great places to spend some time, just keep in mind that most of Europe is visiting these areas at the same time in August, normally the first 15 days of August.  There is a fantastic beach called Bahia Blanca, they have a really nice setup with great food on site.  Also if go to Gaeta there is an attraction called La Montagna Spaccata or The Cracked Mountain, do a web search. 

Another area I would make an effort to hit is the island of Capri, this island will blow you away.  Now with Rome, I would follow what others have said and not drive within the city, I do but I would not recommend it, it is very easy to get around the city by walking or by taking the public transit.  In Rome you want to hit Trevi fountain, the Pantheon, the Collosieum, and the Vatican.  When you go to the Vatican make sure you time it right because the Sistine chapel does not allow ticket purchases after 4:00 PM.  Now if you have the time or make a second trip ;D make sure you hit Cinque Terre, it is another coastal town north of Rome comparable with the Amalfi.

When it comes to food and drink the prices are very reasonable even in the tourist areas.  If you are driving make sure you stop at the Autogrill, this is Italy's version of a rest area, the food is really good.  You get everything from a panini with prosciutto or a plate of pasta cooked to order. 

If you have any questions let me know.

Carlo

Carlo,

No driving for us, i for one would love it, but my wife... can anyone say anxiety???  [tongue]

Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello are all on the list. im not sure but i think we are taking a bus up to Ravello, im sure that will be interesting in itself. Capri is also on the list as a day trip, with your description, i am very much looking forward to it.

all the Rome spots you mentioned are in the plan as of not (not 100% sure about the Trevi fountain but if its not, i will make sure to sneak it in)  thank you for the bit of info about timing the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. you would hate to miss something like that because you were 5 minuted late  [doh]

Thanks for the great review,
John 

 

[NERemodeling]

well, you american fellows (used to your big cars and highways) may find it daunting, but i found driving in Naples (also rome and palermo, but above all Naples) one of the more exciting things i´ve done, we had a ball - instant Di Sicca movie experience! those guys are crazy drivers, i mean, real crazy! and the police just doesn´t care and everybody curses and swears, the cars are all beaten up. of course, being portuguese i´m already half way there....

best,
miguel

Haha, to me that sounds like a good time!! but my wife... not so much  that sounds like the fastest way to ruin her day..  hummm, maybe i will keep it up my sleeve if she doesnt let me find a festool dealer [tongue]

 

[NERemodeling]

Done!  everyone should be accounted for!  thanks everyone for such great advice. if anyone has more to add please keep it coming!!

everyone is going to be wondering why the entire recent posts section of the home page is full of this thread only!!

My last question is about trying to find a Festool dealer (cause we all know that is the most important thing to do when in europe)

does anyone know anything or can find out anything about this one, from the festool italy site this one seems to offer the most including Shop-in-shop, however the companys website (if i was on the right one) seems to have very little to do with festool.
if i make a special trip to a dealer i want to make sure it isnt a dud

PAVONI STEP AUTOMAZIONI srl

Via Lucio Mariani, 36
00178 ROMA
info@pavoniautomazioni.com
Tel. 0672670595
Fax 067232404

HERE is a list of others in the area

Thanks

John

 

[Stephen B]

Having been to Italy twice, I would say yes, yes, yes to all the great suggestions in the posts above. Also walk on the Amalfi coast you will see more than driving and go to Venice and take a fairy boat and explore some of the outer islands.

Also use a car, except in Rome. Look up Peugot Europe where for more than 7 days you lease rather than rent. Depending on your length of stay this can work out significantly cheaper than hire. And it will be brand new. Look at small cars, anything bigger than a Peugot 308 will not fit through some towns and villages. I remember a village in Crete where to pass through on the main road we had to tuck In the mirrors on a 308! Diesel is cheaper in most of Europe.

Stephen,

neat info about short term leases, i never would have even thought about that!   we decided not to do any driving this trip but im sure that will come in handy in the future.

John

John, thanks for the personal response.

Have a great trip, enjoy the great sights, food and culture. Perhaps some pictures on the FOG?  [smile]