Kevin / John - regarding your trip to Italy

[disneyholic family]

Hi Kevin and John!

you mentioned on the podcast that you really liked the hotels you stayed at in Italy. I'd really appreciate knowing which hotels they were.

I'm planning a sort of spur of the moment trip to Italy the first week of October (a month from now).

The Italy idea came up suddenly when we again had to cancel our trip to WDW (i just cancelled our 2 week free dining package - unfortunately, losing $200 in the process to the walt disney travel company).

We've decided a few days in Italy might possibly compensate a little bit for the missed trip to the mouse.

I would really appreciate hotel recommendations and any other suggestions, advice you might have.

thanks in advance!!

 

[Cyrano]

In case John/Kevin do not get back immediately the following podcasts may help -
26 Sept 06, 3 Oct 06 and 10 Oct 06

 

[FireDancer]

I love Italy. I did a two week trip there last year to celebrate turning 30. Where are you going? I can let you know what hotels we stayed in in Venice, Florence, Rome, San Gigimano, Siena, and Pienza.

If you are looking for a tour guide I'd be more than happy to suck it up and come along.

Disclaimer: I don't speak Italian nor do I probably know anything more about Italy than you. My offer to be a guide is merely for my own benefit and enjoyment.

 

[disneyholic family]

In case John/Kevin do not get back immediately the following podcasts may help -
26 Sept 06, 3 Oct 06 and 10 Oct 06

thanks!! I'll download them as soon as we re-install i-tunes. (we had a major virus attack on that computer, which destroyed the C-drive. Had to replace it and now are busy getting the computer back to where it was before the virus invasion)

I love Italy. I did a two week trip there last year to celebrate turning 30. Where are you going? I can let you know what hotels we stayed in in Venice, Florence, Rome, San Gigimano, Siena, and Pienza.

If you are looking for a tour guide I'd be more than happy to suck it up and come along.

Disclaimer: I don't speak Italian nor do I probably know anything more about Italy than you. My offer to be a guide is merely for my own benefit and enjoyment.

you guide us in Italy and in return you take me as your (all expenses paid) guide to WDW


it's only going to be a quickie trip - 5 or 6 days i think - sunday to friday....something like that...
so with so little time, we won't be able to do more than a taste of italy...

maybe just florence and rome? or florence and venice? i don't think we have time for all 3...

what would you do if you only had 5 or 6 days?

 

[DisneyKevin]

In Rome, we stayed in the Excelsior Hotel on the Via Venetto.

The street was under construction at the time, but the hoyel was very nice.

In Tuscany, we stayed in the Villa Borgo Fontebussi. Not much I could say to reccommend it. It was nice, but a bit islotated.Huge We took day trips from there.

In Venice, we stayed in the Hotel Regina. It was beautiful and our room overlooked the Grand Canal. Across the canal was the huge "Maria Church". Thats not the actual name, but I cant remenber the name and I'm not really in a position to research it.

The Hotel Regina was in the high end shopping area and a very short walk to Piazza San Marco.

If you were asking my opinion......I would suggest Florence and Venice.

I say this because Rome reminded me of NYC. Crazy, hectic, crowded.

In Florence, there was no doubt we were un Italy. I loved Florence and could have spent weeks exploring,

And Venice is like no other place on earth. It stands alone.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[FireDancer]

you guide us in Italy and in return you take me as your (all expenses paid) guide to WDW

Deal. I assume you mean by all expense paid you mean I bring the tent.

what would you do if you only had 5 or 6 days?

If I were to go back I would do Florence and Siena to be honest. I loved Florence but Siena was my favorite city there by far.

Of the three you mentioned I would do Florence and Rome. Venice is cool but to be honest once you get past the city of water it is not all that impressive. If you click on my name in my signature you will go to my Facebook page. Go to my photos and check out the album named Italy Bike Trip. I have my page wide open so you don't even have to be my friend.

I don't know your transportation plans but taking the Eurorail from Florence to Rome or vice versa is really easy and relatively cheap.

 

[christygobar]

DH and I have our flights booked for April into Rome and out of Paris (8 nights). Yes, 1 day at DLP is on the books! This info helps - I am currently trying to figure out exactly what we want to do and where to go I will have to listen to the ABD review again and pick up some more hints and info!

 

[disneyholic family]

In Rome, we stayed in the Excelsior Hotel on the Via Venetto.

The street was under construction at the time, but the hoyel was very nice.

In Tuscany, we stayed in the Villa Borgo Fontebussi. Not much I could say to reccommend it. It was nice, but a bit islotated.Huge We took day trips from there.

In Venice, we stayed in the Hotel Regina. It was beautiful and our room overlooked the Grand Canal. Across the canal was the huge "Maria Church". Thats not the actual name, but I cant remenber the name and I'm not really in a position to research it.

The Hotel Regina was in the high end shopping area and a very short walk to Piazza San Marco.

If you were asking my opinion......I would suggest Florence and Venice.

I say this because Rome reminded me of NYC. Crazy, hectic, crowded.

In Florence, there was no doubt we were un Italy. I loved Florence and could have spent weeks exploring,

And Venice is like no other place on earth. It stands alone.

Enjoy your trip.

Kevin, thank you so much for taking the time to answer. I'm going to look up the Hotel Regina in Venice - that sounds like a perfect location.

You didn't mention your hotel in Florence. Or perhaps you didn't stay in one in Florence?

the only time i was ever in Italy, was on a class trip when i was 14 years old (40 years ago). At that time, i totally fell in love with Florence. I honestly don't remember Rome at all. It's interesting to hear that you fell in love with Florence so many years later. And Frank also recommends Florence, so i think i'll go for that - Florence and Venice (since venice is venice and so different from anything else).

Deal. I assume you mean by all expense paid you mean I bring the tent.

a tent's ok as long as we're camping at FW.

If I were to go back I would do Florence and Siena to be honest. I loved Florence but Siena was my favorite city there by far.

Of the three you mentioned I would do Florence and Rome. Venice is cool but to be honest once you get past the city of water it is not all that impressive. If you click on my name in my signature you will go to my Facebook page. Go to my photos and check out the album named Italy Bike Trip. I have my page wide open so you don't even have to be my friend.

I don't know your transportation plans but taking the Eurorail from Florence to Rome or vice versa is really easy and relatively cheap.

I don't even know where Siena is - i'm off to do some research into it.

We'll definitely take the train around Italy - no way am i willing to get on a plane other than to get to Italy and back...and i'd go by boat for that part as well, if it didn't take too much time.....anything to stay off a plane

DH and I have our flights booked for April into Rome and out of Paris (8 nights). Yes, 1 day at DLP is on the books! This info helps - I am currently trying to figure out exactly what we want to do and where to go I will have to listen to the ABD review again and pick up some more hints and info!

You might get some useful information on the UK Trip planning board (the other board i "live on" at the Dis)...
The people there are very knowledgeable about DLP.

If we do go, it will be before you - i'll let you know how it went --i never get around to trip reports, but i'll pass along any helpful hints if i discover any

 

[MyMuse]

I LOVED my trip to Italy last July. I would love to go back, but not for another couple of years, and I would go alot slower.

We were on the ground for 10 days and did 6 cities. If you are doing a short trip, I would stay in 1 city and perhaps a day trip to a close city.

We stayed in Rome, Venice, Milan, Montavo, another city I can't remember right now but it is the misaic capital of Italy, and visited Lake Cuomo for an entire day.

 

[disneyholic family]

If i'm understanding correctly, Kevin, you stayed in the Villa Borgo Fontebussi instead of staying in Florence itself.

We'll definitely stay inside Florence itself.

So i've been checking flights. Seems we have to fly via Rome, so i guess we'll 'do' Rome and Florence. We'll take the train from Rome to Florence and back, so we'll see the countryside along the way.

Now i'm checking in trip advisor to see what florence hotels are recommended.

 

[FireDancer]

a tent's ok as long as we're camping at FW.

Naturally!

I don't even know where Siena is - i'm off to do some research into it.

It is a province in Tuscany as well as a city. It is not to far from Florence (about an hour or so) and is worth a day if you are interested.

 

[DisneyKevin]

We also loved Sienna.

It's where the Palio is held each year (twice a year??)

Sienna is steeped in tradition and has a wonderful piazza.

All over Italy, you will see these wonderful ceramic pieces. We decided that we had to take some home with us.

We found this awesome store in Sienna named Antica Sienna. It's right there on the piazza. If you are standing across from and looking at the bell tower, it's in the upper right corner of the piazza.

They had good prices and did an excellent job of shipping stuff back to the States. Everything was packaged using an injection foam, so the package was custom fitted for our things. All of our stuffand gifts arrived intact.

They srill send a Chrsitmas email each year.

I hope you have a wonder filled holiday.

 

[mainegal]

And Venice is like no other place on earth. It stands alone.

Oh, my, YES! I think everyone should get to go to Venice at least once. What a fascinating place!

 

[FireDancer]

It's where the Palio is held each year (twice a year??)

You are corrent Kevin, it is twice a year. If anyone has seen the race in the opening scene of the latest Bon film, Quantum of Solace, you have seen the Palio.

Sienna is steeped in tradition and has a wonderful piazza.

Their plaza (where the palio is held)has been recreated all of the world. It is an amazing place to people watch.

The best meal I had in all of Italy was also in Siena at a restaurant called Due Porte (Via Stalloreggi, 62).

I think their Duomo is every bit as nice as Florence's and the frescos in the Piccolomini Library are up there with the Rafeal Rooms in Palace of the Vatican.

I do have to say though if you are in Florence and don't mind a bit of a hilly trek check out the Piazzale Michelangelo south of the Arno. You are actually higher than the top of the Duomo and look down on the city.

 

[disneyholic family]

thanks for the tips!

i'm well into planning now..
we've decided on only florence.....so i'll add a day trip to siena....it looks like a lovely place...

i have the flights and hotel booked....it's sort of off season, so not as bad in terms of price as it might have been.....

it's only a 4 hour flight for us to rome - so that's really nothing (not like the 24 hours of travel it takes us to get to orlando )...then the train from rome to florence......

i went by the trip advisor hotel reviews...mostly i went for location location location...