Italy: Viva Italia Meets Thread

[Curlygirlinsm]

Is anyone else on this tour? We are from Santa Monica California, and it's our first time to Italy. Very excited!! We have one daughter who will be 10.

 

[Curlygirlinsm]

We may be on the same trip as you to Italy 6/29 - 7/7? We will be arriving on Sat., 6/28.
It's me, DH & DD10. So excited! Never been on a ABD trip before.

 

[sayhello]

Is anyone else on this tour? We are from Santa Monica California, and it's our first time to Italy. Very excited!! We have one daughter who will be 10.

Welcome to the ABD Forum, Curlygirlinsm! I've added you to the Roll Call on the first post.

We may be on the same trip as you to Italy 6/29 - 7/7? We will be arriving on Sat., 6/28.
It's me, DH & DD10. So excited! Never been on a ABD trip before.

I'm not sure who you are replying to here. There's no tie-back to the original post unless you quote it. I don't see that anyone else on this thread is on your departure yet, but maybe I missed someone?

Sayhello

 

[Curlygirlinsm]

Sorry, if I'm not doing this correctly. Trying to get the hang of DIS Board.

The trip is 6/29-7/7. We are arriving Sat. 6/28. Very excited!!

Where are you traveling from?

Curlygirlinsm, DH & DD(10)

Roll Call:

June 28 - July 6: Jlou (Jlou, DH, DS(16), DD(12.99)

 

[sayhello]

Sorry, if I'm not doing this correctly. Trying to get the hang of DIS Board.

The trip is 6/29-7/7. We are arriving Sat. 6/28. Very excited!!

Where are you traveling from?

Curlygirlinsm, DH & DD(10)

OK, now I see. I know it's rough with a new message board. Don't worry about it! You'll need to check the dates on the posts you're looking at (or look at the Roll Call on the first post of this thread). These "Meets" threads were started a few years ago and are on-going. jlou took this trip in 2012. I'm sure she'd love to answer any questions you have!

Sayhello

 

[georgiagirl2]

We are back! The trip was fantastico and exceeded our expectations! There were 32 in our group and our guides were Cathleen and Marco S.


My favorite part was our time in beautiful Tuscany. DH's favorite was the after hours visit to the Sistine Chapel - very special. DS15's favorite was visiting the Coliseum, and DS17's was gelato. He also liked all the new modes of transportation we experienced: high speed train, gondola ride, and the water taxi to the airport in Venice.


I'll be happy to answer any questions.

 

[pihanettie]

We are back! The trip was fantastico and exceeded our expectations! There were 32 in our group and our guides were Cathleen and Marco S.


My favorite part was our time in beautiful Tuscany. DH's favorite was the after hours visit to the Sistine Chapel - very special. DS15's favorite was visiting the Coliseum, and DS17's was gelato. He also liked all the new modes of transportation we experienced: high speed train, gondola ride, and the water taxi to the airport in Venice.


I'll be happy to answer any questions.

What great timing - we leave tomorrow. I am so happy you had a great time. Your weather must have been fabulous. Our trip looks like it will be in the 90's already.
What time was the after hours tour of the Sistine Chapel? I am wondering how much free time there will be in that afternoon to do a tour or shop. Also, what time were breakfasts? I like to eat early and then have some time to exercise.
Thanks!

 

[georgiagirl2]

You are going to have a wonderful time in Italy!


Yes, we were blessed with fantastic weather. Highs in the 70's and it rained only one evening.


We met in the hotel lobby for the after hours SC tour at 5:20. There was a break of about five hours that afternoon. We had a leisurely lunch on our own at one of the restaurants the guides recommended, shopped for a while, and returned to the hotel for a break. DH and the boys took a nap and I went to the pool. The pool area at the Gran Melia is very nice.


Breakfasts were buffets and began at 7 AM each day. The Gran Melia had a wide variety of breakfast offerings; the fruit was delicious. Some days we didn't meet to tour until 9:00 or 9:15, other days were as early as 8:00. There is a nice gym at the Gran Melia. You will get quite a workout in Rome with all the walking and climbing steps. I was very surprised to get home and discover that I had only gained one pound in the 11 days we were away, thanks to all the walking. Be sure to take good shoes as you will be walking on cobblestones for most of the trip.

 

[sayhello]

We are back! The trip was fantastico and exceeded our expectations! There were 32 in our group and our guides were Cathleen and Marco S.

My favorite part was our time in beautiful Tuscany. DH's favorite was the after hours visit to the Sistine Chapel - very special. DS15's favorite was visiting the Coliseum, and DS17's was gelato. He also liked all the new modes of transportation we experienced: high speed train, gondola ride, and the water taxi to the airport in Venice.

I'll be happy to answer any questions.

So glad you had such a good time! The after hours tour of the Sistine Chapel sounds wonderful. Although the daytime tour was awe-inspiring, it was pretty crowded. I can't imagine how wonderful it would be to have it basically to yourselves! (Were there other groups there?)

Sayhello

 

[georgiagirl2]

No, we were the only group. Our tour of the Vatican Museum began at 6:00pm and lasted until 8:00. The only other people we saw were security guards and the custodial staff. We spent at least 45 minutes, maybe longer, in the Sistine Chapel. The magnitude of what we were experiencing wasn't lost on any of us. The room was so quiet as we were just in awe. Christina, our local guide for the Rome part of the itinerary, gave us about 10 minutes to just take it in before she started explaining the works, one fresco at a time.

We were allowed to take pictures inside the Sistine Chapel as long as we didn't use a flash. This was unexpected as there were several signs along the way indicating no photos.

 

[wdwtheplacetobe]

No, we were the only group. Our tour of the Vatican Museum began at 6:00pm and lasted until 8:00. The only other people we saw were security guards and the custodial staff. We spent at least 45 minutes, maybe longer, in the Sistine Chapel. The magnitude of what we were experiencing wasn't lost on any of us. The room was so quiet as we were just in awe. Christina, our local guide for the Rome part of the itinerary, gave us about 10 minutes to just take it in before she started explaining the works, one fresco at a time.

We were allowed to take pictures inside the Sistine Chapel as long as we didn't use a flash. This was unexpected as there were several signs along the way indicating no photos.

Wasn't Christina Fantastico???? Your whole trip description reminds me of ours...just last year at this time! I think our "family" of 12 was the first of the after-hours tours of the Sistine Chapel. We gave such positive reviews that Disney decided to keep it in for everyone! Tuscany and Orvieto were my favorites, and Venice was my favorite of the cities. (even if it flooded in May!)

Welcome Home! Where are ya'll going next????

 

[georgiagirl2]

We adored Christina! While the other local guides were quite good, no one matched Christina's warmth, wit, and knowledge. My sons asked if she was going to be with us for the whole trip. She made learning about history so interesting!


The after hours tour of the Sistine Chapel is an experience I will never forget. I'm so glad it's now included as part of the regular itinerary.


Venice was also my favorite city. I liked the way the trip was paced, beginning in bustling Rome, then on to relaxing Tuscany, then to beautiful Venice.


Where to next? We have a Disney cruise planned for the fall. We have to save some $$$ before the next ABD. I'd love to go to Scotland with them.

 

[sayhello]

No, we were the only group. Our tour of the Vatican Museum began at 6:00pm and lasted until 8:00. The only other people we saw were security guards and the custodial staff. We spent at least 45 minutes, maybe longer, in the Sistine Chapel. The magnitude of what we were experiencing wasn't lost on any of us. The room was so quiet as we were just in awe. Christina, our local guide for the Rome part of the itinerary, gave us about 10 minutes to just take it in before she started explaining the works, one fresco at a time.

We were allowed to take pictures inside the Sistine Chapel as long as we didn't use a flash. This was unexpected as there were several signs along the way indicating no photos.

That sounds AMAZING! Exactly how a tour of the Sistine Chapel should be. I'm so jealous! And you got to take PICTURES! When we were there, the Swiss Guard were being VERY strict about silence and NO PICTURES! You are very, very lucky!

And I'm doing the Scotland ABD this year. It *does* look like an amazing itinerary!

Sayhello

 

[pihanettie]

We are back! The trip was fantastico and exceeded our expectations! There were 32 in our group and our guides were Cathleen and Marco S.


My favorite part was our time in beautiful Tuscany. DH's favorite was the after hours visit to the Sistine Chapel - very special. DS15's favorite was visiting the Coliseum, and DS17's was gelato. He also liked all the new modes of transportation we experienced: high speed train, gondola ride, and the water taxi to the airport in Venice.


I'll be happy to answer any questions.

Do you have any restaurant and shopping recommendations or anything you suggest when you have on your own time?

 

[georgiagirl2]

That sounds AMAZING! Exactly how a tour of the Sistine Chapel should be. I'm so jealous! And you got to take PICTURES! When we were there, the Swiss Guard were being VERY strict about silence and NO PICTURES! You are very, very lucky!

And I'm doing the Scotland ABD this year. It *does* look like an amazing itinerary!

Sayhello

Yes, very very lucky! That experience really made the trip for most of us. It could've ended the next day and we would've been satisfied. But luckily, it was just the beginning of a wonderful week.

 

[georgiagirl2]

Do you have any restaurant and shopping recommendations or anything you suggest when you have on your own time?

We enjoyed a place called L'Osteria de Memmo in Rome. It's very close to the Piazza Navona. Christina, our local guide, recommended it, as did Marco, our Italian adventure guide. It was the best place we visited on our own. The restaurant in the Borgo de Cortifreda had the best tiramisu of the trip. We went there on our own after we got back from Florence. In Venice, Marco gave us directions to a place called Vino Vino that was really good. It's very close to the Luna Hotel Baglione. By that point, I was tired of pasta dishes and ordered the roasted chicken with rosemary potatoes. Delicious!


As far as shopping, I would wait for Florence if you're going to buy leather goods. I bought a bag in Rome but found others I liked better (for a lower price) at the market in Florence. The ceramics in Orvieto were beautiful. The prices are higher at the shop across the square from the church, but they ship your items home at no charge if it's over a certain amount. Shipping heavy pottery items can be quite expensive.


Be sure to leave room (and weight) in your luggage for souvenirs. We took an almost empty suitcase and were very glad to have it.

 

[pihanettie]

We enjoyed a place called L'Osteria de Memmo in Rome. It's very close to the Piazza Navona. Christina, our local guide, recommended it, as did Marco, our Italian adventure guide. It was the best place we visited on our own. The restaurant in the Borgo de Cortifreda had the best tiramisu of the trip. We went there on our own after we got back from Florence. In Venice, Marco gave us directions to a place called Vino Vino that was really good. It's very close to the Luna Hotel Baglione. By that point, I was tired of pasta dishes and ordered the roasted chicken with rosemary potatoes. Delicious!


As far as shopping, I would wait for Florence if you're going to buy leather goods. I bought a bag in Rome but found others I liked better (for a lower price) at the market in Florence. The ceramics in Orvieto were beautiful. The prices are higher at the shop across the square from the church, but they ship your items home at no charge if it's over a certain amount. Shipping heavy pottery items can be quite expensive.


Be sure to leave room (and weight) in your luggage for souvenirs. We took an almost empty suitcase and were very glad to have it.

Thank you so much for answering our questions. We have everything packed in our carry-ons (my Dad just returned from a Med cruise last week and one piece of luggage was lost on the way over and one on the way back) but I am going to check a piece of luggage for any souvenirs.

 

[georgiagirl2]

Thank you so much for answering our questions. We have everything packed in our carry-ons (my Dad just returned from a Med cruise last week and one piece of luggage was lost on the way over and one on the way back) but I am going to check a piece of luggage for any souvenirs.

Bon voyage! I hope you have a magical time in Italy!

 

[SingingMom]

I think this is my next ABD! Would love that after hours tour!! Have a great trip!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[richflour]

I think this is my next ABD! Would love that after hours tour!! Have a great trip! "SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

We did this trip this year and the after hours tour to the Vatican was worth the price of the trip alone.
It truly was awesome!