Travel to Italy

[Angelskates]

I arrived in Florence today, and a huge shout out to Tinami - all three hotels so far have been so different and fabulous! The Relais Cavalcanti is like a boutique hotel, it's stunning and homey! I LOVE IT! Loved San Carlo's location, Grand Vesuvius was, well GRAND, with a pool and stunning views...really pleased with all of them!! Thanks, Tinami!

[skatesindreams]

Your hotels do look wonderful.
I've been checking the websites; and vicariously enjoying them!

[cruisin]

I arrived in Florence today, and a huge shout out to Tinami - all three hotels so far have been so different and fabulous! The Relais Cavalcanti is like a boutique hotel, it's stunning and homey! I LOVE IT! Loved San Carlo's location, Grand Vesuvius was, well GRAND, with a pool and stunning views...really pleased with all of them!! Thanks, Tinami!

Very nice!

skatesindreams, I've been in Florence 3 times and every time have stayed here: http://www.plazalucchesi.it/ I love the location, right on the Arno and right behind the Santa Croce. And the concierge is the best ever! There are more luxurious hotels in Florence, but we stay at the Plaza Lucchesi because of the location and concierge.

[Angelskates]

I'm not for luxury, I'm usually not for a concierge either, I just like to be comfortable, and of course, free wireless!

Last night I was completely blessed to hear and see a once a year orchestral and choral concert outside the Duomo! It was the Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and this year their theme was "Il Maggio È Solidarieta" with donations to the Italian Red Cross helping the victims of the recent earthquake. I actually had tears in my eyes; the scene was a feast for the ears and eyes, and I sat there for ages taking it all in. It was a very spiritual experience for me, being in the presence of such beauty. Totally overwhelming and magical. I would have come just for this, and it was completely unplanned!

[cruisin]

I'm not for luxury, I'm usually not for a concierge either, I just like to be comfortable, and of course, free wireless!

Ordinarily, I don't worry about a concierge, but the one at Lucchesi is amazing. First, we found that in Italy, it made things so much easier to get tickets for all of the museums via the concierge. He called the museum, made a time reservation, we paid him for the tickets, and then just went to "will call" picked up the tickets and avoided lines. He also was brilliant in recommending restaurants. We don't like the "fancy", tourist places, so we asked him to send us to places he goes to. Every restaurant he sent us to was incredible! And every restaurant he sent us to, we were treated like long lost family . I, also, got into a conversation with him (our first trip) about my Italian heritage. My maiden name does not sound Italian, though my father's parents were born in Italy. We didn't know if it was a French spelling and that the family was originally from Northern Italy, or it was changed when they immigrated. So, my concierge friend did a search for me on the Italian version of "family tree".
3 years later, when we went back, he remembered us. Then when I went back with my friend, two years ago, he really went out of his way for us. It makes you feel special, when people are that kind.

Last night I was completely blessed to hear and see a once a year orchestral and choral concert outside the Duomo! It was the Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and this year their theme was "Il Maggio È Solidarieta" with donations to the Italian Red Cross helping the victims of the recent earthquake. I actually had tears in my eyes; the scene was a feast for the ears and eyes, and I sat there for ages taking it all in. It was a very spiritual experience for me, being in the presence of such beauty. Totally overwhelming and magical. I would have come just for this, and it was completely unplanned!

Sounds absolutely magical!

[skatesindreams]

Angelskates, I have tears in my eyes, just reading your post about the concert.

[alilou]

I'm not for luxury, I'm usually not for a concierge either, I just like to be comfortable, and of course, free wireless!

Last night I was completely blessed to hear and see a once a year orchestral and choral concert outside the Duomo! It was the Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and this year their theme was "Il Maggio È Solidarieta" with donations to the Italian Red Cross helping the victims of the recent earthquake. I actually had tears in my eyes; the scene was a feast for the ears and eyes, and I sat there for ages taking it all in. It was a very spiritual experience for me, being in the presence of such beauty. Totally overwhelming and magical. I would have come just for this, and it was completely unplanned!

So happy for you! THIS is what travel is for, these planned, or, usually unplanned, experiences that move us to tears or joy or rapture or excitement or all of the above. I can feel it just from your description

[alilou]

Just caught up on all your blog posts. Sounds as if you're having a fabulous time. It was such a great trip down memory lane for me - of course we have some of the same photos! And great to see pingu! She showed me and Mr alilou around Milan for an afternoon. Please say hi for me if you read this while you're still in Milan. I guess you're getting pretty near the end of your trip.

Can't believe you watched Mark Webber win his F1 race! Mr alilou is a huge F1 fan so I always know what's going on and was thrilled when a fellow Aussie won

[cruisin]

Just catching up on your photos, also going down memory lane .

The sunflowers are magnificent, this time of year. By september, they will be gone (or, at least mostly gone).

Little trivia, the Uffizi was the office building for the Medici. Uffizi literally means offices. The Palazzo Pitti was built for Luca Pitti (a banker), but was later sold to the Medici.

When you saw the David at the Academia, were you taken aback by it's size? In situ, it appears to be the size of a real person, it was intended to be an optical illusion. Walking around Firenze, and seeing the replica outside of the Palazzo Vecchio, you get used to having a sense of it's size. But, when you see it all pristine and white in a domed room, by itself, it really hits you, just how big it is.

Did you have a chance to go to the Mercato Centrale? Inside, the foods are just amazing. Outside, great souvenir shopping, and you can negotiate !

You mentioned that sitting at a restaurant or cafe in Venice costs more. I found that throughout Italy. It's called the coperta, which means blanket & = cover charge.

Ooo, you took photos in the Basilica! You're not allowed! You got lucky, they're really strict there. Did you see the Pala de'Oro?

Did you sit and have a drink in the Piazza San Marco in the evening? It is one of my favorite things in Venice. The orchestras playing around the Piazza, people waltzing in the middle of the Piazza, with the birds and the backdrop of the Basilica - just amazing!

So happy you had a wonderful trip. thank you for sharing your photos and experiences.

[Angelskates]

We were allowed to take photos at the Basilica, many guides were even helping take some. There were rules of where and what (as with most places), but the ones I took were allowed - the guards saw us and the tour guide said she owed them all coffee all the time And they were far from strict, for everyone. The only photo I took that was not allowed was at Michelangelo's David and actually they were pretty lousy and enforcing any of the "no photo" rules anywhere I went. I found that rather pathetic actually - worst in the Sistine Chapel, which was appalling. Either enforce it (and the silence) or don't, but don't make it worse by just YELLING, "Silence, no photos!!" in a bored voice.

The only place I went to with a cover charge only for sitting down was Venice. All the rest of the cover charges were regardless of how you ate, everyone paid them.

Mercato Centrale was nothing special to me. In fact, they have similar things in Beijing... and Australia... some of them are even better.

I sat down at Piazza San Marco and found it no where near as nice as most, if not all, of the other Piazzas I ate in.

[cruisin]

The only place I went to with a cover charge only for sitting down was Venice. All the rest of the cover charges were regardless of how you ate, everyone paid them.

We experienced it everywhere: Firenze, Pisa, Siena,...

Mercato Centrale was nothing special to me. In fact, they have similar things in Beijing... and Australia... some of them are even better.

Ah, but you can't get the vinegars and oils anywhere else. And upstairs the olives and other delicacies are just incredible. I'm not talking about the stalls outside, I'm talking about inside.

I've been to the silk market and the pearl market in Beijing, I thought they were horrible, sorry.

I sat down at Piazza San Marco and found it no where near as nice as most, if not all, of the other Piazzas I ate in.

I wouldn't have eaten in the Piazza San Marco. But the orchestras and the ambiance are wonderful, in the evening.

Did you go to the Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset? Brilliant!

My daughter took a photo of David, at the Academia. She did it with a tilt screen, which she held at her waist. I was rather with her for doing it. It's really unfortunate that people take photos in places where they are not supposed to. The flashes are not good for the frescoes and paintings. I never really understood why you were not supposed to take photos in the Basilica San Marco since it is all mosaic and not effected by flashes. I was shocked that we were allowed to take photos in the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay. But, we were.

Did you go over to Murano? It's really fascinating.

[Angelskates]

Ah, but you can't get the vinegars and oils anywhere else. And upstairs the olives and other delicacies are just incredible. I'm not talking about the stalls outside, I'm talking about inside.

As am I. There is nothing there I can't get at the speciality markets in Beijing (or Australia). There's at least two markets specialising in Italian and European products in Beijing- and they have vinegars and oils from Italy, Venetian sweets (the owner of that stall is from Venice) etc. You can get almost anything, anywhere these days. I like to buy local so I wouldn't buy anything there that I wasn't going to eat there anyway. My hotel in Sorrento gave me two bottles of olive oil, but I have specialty oils (made in Australia, and absolutely divine) and vinegars in Beijing. Italy is famous for mass making, but it, IMO, doesn't necessary have the best of these products in the world anymore - or at least you don't need to come here to get it.

I've been to the silk market and the pearl market in Beijing, I thought they were horrible, sorry.

No need to be sorry, I don't like either of these markets either, but seriously, what a ridiculous comparison.

I wouldn't have eaten in the Piazza San Marco. But the orchestras and the ambiance are wonderful, in the evening.

I don't disagree, but it's the same ambience as all of the piazzas I went to, but not as good, IMO. There's orchestras (or jazz bands, or whatever) in all of them. Best piazza was Florence for me, easily.

It's really unfortunate that people take photos in places where they are not supposed to. The flashes are not good for the frescoes and paintings.

David is not a fresco or mosaic, and it not affected by photos. Many of the things not affected, they don't want you to take photos of because they want you to buy stuff. But it's their responsibility to enforce their own rules, and they don't, not even in the places where the flashes do affect the surroundings. They did a terrible job there. If they don't take it seriously, they shouldn't be surprised when no one else does.

Did you go over to Murano? It's really fascinating.

Nope. I saw glass making around the corner from where I was staying (and have seen and done it in Beijing myself as well), and don't like big, touristy places like that. bought some glass though, but for family, not me. I didn't hear one good report about Murano - from Italians, Venetians or foreigners. From all reports, it wasn't worth it and it was all about SELL, SELL, SELL. I had friends who went there the week before me and said skip it since I only had two full days. I'd rather meet up with friends, which is how I spent my second day.

[skatesindreams]

Angelskates,

Thank you so much for sharing your memories of such a special trip; and allowing me to see Italy through your eyes.

[cygnus]

Very nice!

skatesindreams, I've been in Florence 3 times and every time have stayed here: http://www.plazalucchesi.it/ I love the location, right on the Arno and right behind the Santa Croce. And the concierge is the best ever! There are more luxurious hotels in Florence, but we stay at the Plaza Lucchesi because of the location and concierge.

I have stayed there too- really liked it. Pity we never thought to use the concierge. The location is great, though.

[cruisin]

I have stayed there too- really liked it. Pity we never thought to use the concierge. The location is great, though.

The head concierge is really fantastic. His name is Michele, in case you're ever there again. He is really friendly, very efficient, and just plain nice.

[Angelskates]

So, I'm bumping this thread up because I'm going to Italy again this summer. This time I want to do Rome, Sorrento, Florence, and Sicily. I'll stay in the same places in the first three, but any suggestions for Sicily? Any suggestions for order? I'm excited already!

[IceAlisa]

Taormina in Sicily (rather touristy but beautiful beaches and town).

[Angelskates]

Taormina in Sicily (rather touristy but beautiful beaches and town).

I'll be doing a Taormina and Mt Etna day trip at least

[IceAlisa]

If you are a migraine sufferer, be ready with meds--climbing up Mt Etna can be a trigger. It's really cool though!

[Angelskates]

If you are a migraine sufferer, be ready with meds--climbing up Mt Etna can be a trigger. It's really cool though!

Thanks for the tip, I take migraine medication when I travel, but have never needed it. I get maximum of once a year migraines.