The Fairy Godblogger: Disney Med July 9-20 On Our Own (New Pics Added)

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Edit 8/24: I added a new post with some pics I didn't use before. See page 3 for a link directly to that post. Thanks!

Hi, all. I've started a trip report on my blog, The Fairy Godblogger. I'm going to try to do a day each day, so check back.

If you have any questions, especially about Palma de Mallorca since we actually went there instead of Villefranche, I'm happy to help! We did each port on our own. Some were easier than others but all are totally doable!

If you want to see any picture larger, you can click on it FYI.

Added: all the other reports were so helpful to me planning this trip I want to pay it forward! Plus it's therapeutic for me to do this since I'm so sad it's all over I hope it does help someone though!

http://thefairygodblogger.blogspot.com/

 

[Kels Sem]

I'm really looking forward to reading your report. We are going with our kids ages 6 & 4 and are planning to do the ports on our own. I'm really interested to hear how you got on.

Kelly

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

I'm really looking forward to reading your report. We are going with our kids ages 6 & 4 and are planning to do the ports on our own. I'm really interested to hear how you got on.

Kelly

You'll do just fine with some research! We only screwed up one train so not a bad track record and we went all out in the larger ports...Capri, Sorrento AND Pompeii, Rome, Pisa and vernazza etc. I'll try to get it put up fairly quickly...there are just so many pictures!

You are going to have so much fun!

 

[Kels Sem]

I'm really enjoying your report so far. I bet you are glad you had decided to fly to Barcelona 2 days early!

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

So glad! That's what we kept saying

Thanks for reading!

 

[Angie_Ohio]

My DS16 and my parent were on the June 18 Med cruise. I'm enjoying your blog as it allows me to relive my trip! We went to the catecombs in Palermo but also went up into the hills to a little town and church. Our least favorite port. Keep those pictures coming! Great Job!

 

[Kels Sem]

Hi, another great day. We are thinking of going to Capri. Did you happen to notice how much a return ticket would be on the hydrofoil? How much are child tickets?

Thanks

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

My DS16 and my parent were on the June 18 Med cruise. I'm enjoying your blog as it allows me to relive my trip! We went to the catecombs in Palermo but also went up into the hills to a little town and church. Our least favorite port. Keep those pictures coming! Great Job!

Thanks, Angie! My husband was the photographer on this trip so I'll give him the photo credit I don't know how I'm going to put an album together with so many to choose from. Wasn't a great trip? And I won't personally be running back to Palermo. Sorrento maybe but not Palermo...

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Hi, another great day. We are thinking of going to Capri. Did you happen to notice how much a return ticket would be on the hydrofoil? How much are child tickets?

Thanks

Because of where the hydrofoils are just going to Capri for the day would be such an easy trip to make. It took about 45 minutes to get there and it was around 18 euros each way. It was by far our most expensive day because of the hydrofoils. If we would have just gone to Capri and milled around the island, shopped and had lunch, it would have been such a relaxing day--love Capri

 

[heatherbelle]

I love your blog. Not long now and we'll be there and we're doing all of our trips on our own too.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

I love your blog. Not long now and we'll be there and we're doing all of our trips on our own too.

Thank you! If you have any specific questions, like where train stations are etc., I'm happy to try to help. Things I had read online were pretty misleading as to how far they actually were from the ship, especially La Spezia, and more than once we wondered if we were walking in the wrong direction!

I'm working on Corsica now then that just leaves our last sea day and Palma, which was a nice surprise even though I'm still a little miffed about Villefranche. Hopefully you won't have too many "surprises" on your cruise

 

[janiebubble]

thanks so much for your blog ... we leave on Thursday for Barcelona and your description and photos of Cinque Terre have pretty much decided me we should go! The train sounds quite straightforward??

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

thanks so much for your blog ... we leave on Thursday for Barcelona and your description and photos of Cinque Terre have pretty much decided me we should go! The train sounds quite straightforward??

Yes, getting from La Spezia to any of the towns in the Cinque Terre is easy. Just know sometimes it takes a while for one to come to La Spezia in the morning and then they can get quite crowded as the day goes on. The people working the La Spezia station are very helpful and the machines are easy to use and take credit cards...one of the few places we saw that did.

To walk to the station from the port follow the signs to downtown. You'll walk through the downtown area (lots of super cute shops and cafes). When you come to the end of this area there will be four streets at a corner, you'll need to follow the one in front of you to the right up the hill. Don't make the hard right...I hope that makes sense. There is a little newspaper stand here you can ask if you aren't sure. Once up the hill you'll see the station.

Bring toilet paper. This was the one day I was so happy I had a roll with me! No toilet seats or paper in this part of Italy.

You'll love the Cinque Terre...be sure to eat some pesto. I wish we could have seen more than one town.

Have fun! You'll love it I'm sure.

 

[mkmommy]

Thanks for sharing, your blog is wonderful. Can't wait to read more


Your kids are amazing and great travellers for surving the day in La Spezia and staying up for pirate night.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Thanks for sharing, your blog is wonderful. Can't wait to read more


Your kids are amazing and great travellers for surving the day in La Spezia and staying up for pirate night.

Thank you! I've enjoyed yours, too

The kids did so much better than I ever imagined they would. It was hardest on my 3-year-old but that was to be expected. Considering what all we put them through they did amazing! The key was the stroller and plenty of gelato breaks haha.

 

[janiebubble]

Yes, getting from La Spezia to any of the towns in the Cinque Terre is easy. Just know sometimes it takes a while for one to come to La Spezia in the morning and then they can get quite crowded as the day goes on. The people working the La Spezia station are very helpful and the machines are easy to use and take credit cards...one of the few places we saw that did.

To walk to the station from the port follow the signs to downtown. You'll walk through the downtown area (lots of super cute shops and cafes). When you come to the end of this area there will be four streets at a corner, you'll need to follow the one in front of you to the right up the hill. Don't make the hard right...I hope that makes sense. There is a little newspaper stand here you can ask if you aren't sure. Once up the hill you'll see the station.

Bring toilet paper. This was the one day I was so happy I had a roll with me! No toilet seats or paper in this part of Italy.

You'll love the Cinque Terre...be sure to eat some pesto. I wish we could have seen more than one town.

Have fun! You'll love it I'm sure.

Thanks so much for this information! Adding it to my planning file as I type!

 

[Anal Annie]

Hi Becky - mkmommy posted a link to your blog on our meet thread because we were also considering trying to do Pisa and Cinque Terre on our own! Wonderful blog! (and THANK YOU, mkmommy!)

Anyway, I have some questions about that day! I am especially concerned about trying both for 2 reasons. ONE, it's a major holiday the day we're there and TWO how did you find the tendering process & what time (realistically) will we actually get off the ship & what train might we actually make that's headed to Pisa? So specifically, what time were you able to catch a tender & what time was your train to Pisa? And you say use a diff. train station in Pisa, not the central one? How long did you have to spend in Pisa? I don't want to be stressed & rushed but I was hoping to do 2 towns in Cinque Terre (start with Monterosso & then go to Vernazza by ferry). Sounds like from your day that would be a little too ambitious?! Lately I've been thinking we should forget Pisa & just do Cinque Terre to be less rushed.

I printed out a copy of the train schedule you posted a pic of but afraid I don't quite understand what I'm looking at. We have to find a track number? Where is that on the picture? How do I know what I'm looking at? I'm not following what you did wrong. Are the times on this the arrival times in those stations? I'm just "not getting it". Sorry.

If you were anal retentive & stressing (like me) and you had it to do over again would you suggest just skipping Pisa & keep it simple if we want to do more than 1 town in Cinque Terre and just go to Cinque Terre??

OH, and where did you find your fabulous pesto pizza in Vernazza? My DS LOVES pesto! Do you remember the name of the restaurant? Was it recommended by someone like Rick Steve's guide book?!

Thanks for any tips you have to share!! Glad you had so much fun! I want to do a blog like this too when we get back!! Looks like a great way to re-live the trip!

(PS) thanks also for the tip about the TP! I had started a thread a couple of weeks ago about bringing TP (trying to figure out how much to bring) and got a lot of snippy comments from some Europeans who insinuated that I was being rude for suggesting that they were uncivilized. They basically said I wouldn't have any problems anywhere and I knew that wasn't true 'cuz I'd read it too many times.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Hi Becky - mkmommy posted a link to your blog on our meet thread because we were also considering trying to do Pisa and Cinque Terre on our own! Wonderful blog! (and THANK YOU, mkmommy!)

Anyway, I have some questions about that day! I am especially concerned about trying both for 2 reasons. ONE, it's a major holiday the day we're there and TWO how did you find the tendering process & what time (realistically) will we actually get off the ship & what train might we actually make that's headed to Pisa? So specifically, what time were you able to catch a tender & what time was your train to Pisa? And you say use a diff. train station in Pisa, not the central one? How long did you have to spend in Pisa? I don't want to be stressed & rushed but I was hoping to do 2 towns in Cinque Terre (start with Monterosso & then go to Vernazza by ferry). Sounds like from your day that would be a little too ambitious?! Lately I've been thinking we should forget Pisa & just do Cinque Terre to be less rushed.

I printed out a copy of the train schedule you posted a pic of but afraid I don't quite understand what I'm looking at. We have to find a track number? Where is that on the picture? How do I know what I'm looking at? I'm not following what you did wrong. Are the times on this the arrival times in those stations? I'm just "not getting it". Sorry.

If you were anal retentive & stressing (like me) and you had it to do over again would you suggest just skipping Pisa & keep it simple if we want to do more than 1 town in Cinque Terre and just go to Cinque Terre??

OH, and where did you find your fabulous pesto pizza in Vernazza? My DS LOVES pesto! Do you remember the name of the restaurant? Was it recommended by someone like Rick Steve's guide book?!

Thanks for any tips you have to share!! Glad you had so much fun! I want to do a blog like this too when we get back!! Looks like a great way to re-live the trip!

(PS) thanks also for the tip about the TP! I had started a thread a couple of weeks ago about bringing TP (trying to figure out how much to bring) and got a lot of snippy comments from some Europeans who insinuated that I was being rude for suggesting that they were uncivilized. They basically said I wouldn't have any problems anywhere and I knew that wasn't true 'cuz I'd read it too many times.

Thank you for the kind words! I'm so happy our experience can be helpful to others...I know the trip reports I read before going really were to me. And I look forward to reading yours when you get back.

I'll try to help you with your questions as much as possible. We went to the theater around 8:15 to get on a tender and they were very quick to get us on one. I don't remember exactly how long it all took but I just looked at my La Spezia to Pisa train ticket and it says we bought them at 8:58 a.m. The station is a bit of a hike from the ship, 20 minutes at least with the kids.

Our train left around 9:15 and took an hour. I do suggest getting off at Pisa S. Rissore and not Pisa Centrale. The tower is a simple walk from there. You go left out of the station and take your first right and you will actually see the tower it's so close. We did Pisa Centrale last time we went and it quite a hike to the Field of Miracles. BUT if you do this, go ahead and buy your return ticket before leaving La Spezia.

There were at least two tracks at this station (we were rushing like mad so there could have been more I don't remember). We simply got on the wrong train but it came right on time and again we had not noticed two were coming at the same time. The tracks are listed on a different sign by the schedule. It will be obvious to you. Most other stations have them electronically listed above each track or at least a person to ask, which we always did to double check. On the schedule I have a picture of, the time on the left is the time the train comes and the others are when it will get at each stop. Does that help?

Whether I would go to Pisa again or not is a tough question because we did it for the kids. It would have been a much more relaxing day if we had just done the Cinque Terre. But I have no regrets (other than getting on the wrong train and screwing up our time ) The Cinque Terre trains seem to run less often and boy they really got crowded. I would imagine on a holiday this could be an issue unless they put more out there. And try not to use the bathroom on the train...it's literally a hole in the ground. You can see the tracks through it no lie. My kids thought this was hilarious, I couldn't get over how unsanitary it was

The restaurant we ate at was the Baia Saracena Pizzeria and was right out on the point of the waterfront. If you keep walking straight you'll run into all the umbrellas; the tiny restaurant is on the corner there...you can't miss it. It was GREAT and completely by chance that we picked it. Most places were not serving food by time we got there but it was. Cash only though FYI like so many places we dealt with on this trip, I was shocked by that.

Any other questions I am happy to help!

Oh the TP. Seriously, even the McDonald's at the La Spezia train station had no toilet seat and no paper. And with two girls too small to quat, I went through a lot of the paper I brought that day

Edit to add: We spent less than two hours in Pisa. Got there at 10:15 and were back at the station for the 12:15 p.m. train. I wanted to only stay an hour. We literally walked in, used the bathroom which took longer than anything because of the line, took our pictures, quickly grabbed some souvenirs and left. It was also pretty crowded which you can see in some of the pics.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

You know what's funny I just out of curiosity looked up that restaurant on Trip Advisor and it gets awful reviews but as you can see from our pictures, we loved it! We had pizza and my daughter got a plate of standard spaghetti and we thought it was all very good...best pizza of the trip and we had a lot! I just added my good review of the place.

FYI

 

[Kels Sem]

Your report is helping me get super excited about our trip.