BS: suggestions for trip to Italy

Subject: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: leeneia
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 10:42 PM

In a month, I am going to Italy with my husband and another couple. Mostly we are going to the famous cities - Florence, Rome, Naples, Venice.

To tell you the truth, I am not excited about this trip. I have had art museums up to here! Can anybody suggest any fun, mudcatterly things to do on such a trip?

Examples of things I like: traditional music, beads, fabric, pottery, people having fun, birds.

There is one unusual thing we are going to do. We are going to stay on the island of Stromboli (home of the famous volcano) for three days. I wonder what the air quality is like on Stromboli?

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: bobad
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 11:04 PM

Ingrid Bergman


Ingrid Bergman, Ingrid Bergman
Let's go make a picture
On the island of Stromboli
Ingrid Bergman

Ingrid Bergman, you're so perty
You'd make any mountain quiver
You'd make fire fly from the crater
Ingrid Bergman

This old mountain it's been waiting
All its life for you to work it
For your hand to touch its hard rock
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman

If you'll walk across my camera
I will flash the world your story
I will pay you more than money
Ingrid Bergman

Not by pennies dimes nor quarters
But with happy sons and daughters
And they'll sing around Stromboli
Ingrid Bergman

This old mountain it's been waiting
All its life for you to work it
For your hand to touch its hard rock
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman


found on: Mermaid Avenue

words: Woody Guthrie

debuted/last played: performance history

back to the Wilco lyrics archive

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: jacqui.c
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 11:09 PM

When in Venice do the trip to the islands - one of which is Murano, famous for beautiful glass.

It's much more fun just wandering around, seeing the sights, than going to museums. I wish I could remember the names of the hill towns in Tuscany, one known for production of alabaster, that other for the numerous 'towers' put up as a symbol of wealth in previous centuries. Then there's the marble quarries at Carrera - the source of the marble for many important works of art. Well worth a visit, even just to marvel at how they got the stone out in the days before mechanisation.

whatever you do have fun. Italy is one of my favourite countries and the people are very friendly!

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: Mrrzy
Date: 22 Apr 07 - 11:38 PM

Eat in Naples. Don't miss the ferry to Capri. take a boat round to see the Stromboli. Eat everywhere and then tell us what you ate...

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: GUEST,KT not logged in
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 02:55 AM

leernia, if you have the time, go to the Cinque Terras. Five seaside towns that are built into the cliffs that tower above the sea.The longest hike was no more than 2 hours or so and they're all easy hikes. We went to all 5 in two days with a 7 year old in tow. The trails are all groomed and a couple are even paved. We went last year and absolutely LOVED Cinque Terra.
look here


If you're spiritually inclined, visit Assisi. There's something special about that place. Hard to describe, but ...we were deeply moved by Assisi. and here


Also, get yourself a copy of RIck Steves' latest Italy tour guide book. We found that VERY helpful. Lots of good tips on restaurants, how to avoid waiting in long lines to get into certain places, etc.

The food is fabulous and the people so friendly. Eat lots of gelato and start each day with a cappecino...

Jimmyt is an expert on Italy.

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 04:55 AM

If you go to the Plaza San Marco in Venice, they'll charge you a fortune to sit down, the pigeons will mob you and if you're really unlucky, the same quintet will be playing as were when Manitas and I visited last May. Piano accordion, violin, grand piano, double bass and viola. The accordionist doubled on second violin and shaky egg...

Watch out for a lemon drink called Limonitto or variant thereof - it's evil and will snare you! It's fantastic ice cold, in Italy, not so good on a cold, wet, winter's night in London!

Visit Verona if you can, it is an amazing town. Apparently it's lucky, when visiting the 'House of Juliet' to make a wish whilst touching her left breast. Make sure you are touching the statue, and not some tourist called Juliet.

Padua is also a wonderful town, some great shops and fantastic historic buildings.

We visited the Villa Contarina on a Sunday, which had the most incredible market in the grounds and throughout the town. This market must have been a good square mile or more... You could have bought anything from amber beads to a three piece suite, kitted out a church with full ecclesiastical robes and furniture, WWII ordinance and equipment or acquired the world's worst selection of cutesy google eyed porcelain kittens.... you name it, it was there! I only wish I remembered the villa as well as I do the market!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: bubblyrat
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 04:59 AM

Some years ago , I read this story in the Readers Digest.
An American aircraft -carrier was on a visit to Naples ,and anchored in the Bay thereof. One of the first crewmen to go ashore was a very young enlisted man ,who had never been abroad before.On his return to the ship, he was very excited, and couldn"t wait to tell his companions his news !
"Hey! Guys! " he shouted--- " Guess what !! They do PIZZA here !! "
      
( My belief is that it is a deliberate ploy by the Italians, to attract American tourists ! )

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: alanabit
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 05:03 AM

An hour north of Milano is the lovely town Como, built on the side of a lake of the same name, on the Swiss border. It's a lovely, friendly place to walk around.

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: Blowzabella
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 05:24 AM

A little treasure that is not very well known about is the ruined town of Ostia Antica (Old Ostia). It was a port, in Claudius' time, but the river changed course etc etc. It is a vast site - parts of it still under grass - it always reminds of of how the Forum in Rome would have appeared to the C18th engravers - columns, with ivy growing all over them etc. Because it is so big and not too touristy, it is always spacious. You can go there with a picnic and eat your lunch, on the grass, in a temple - or fall asleep in the sun in the forum. The ruins themselves are as amazing as Pompeii - houses several storeys high, wall paintings etc, but without the coachloads of tourists! After time spent visiting sights / sites in cities, Ostia is always a welcome relief - breeze, grass, birds etc
Ostia Antica

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: Blowzabella
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 05:31 AM

http://www.igougo.com/travelcontent/JournalEntryActivity.aspx?Caption=Rome_Ostia_Antica&BusinessCardID=58489&oIndex=4&Mode=10

More Ostia Antica reviews - really cannot praise this place too highly - and it seems it is still as cheap to visit as i remember - 5 euros!

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: mandotim
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 06:15 AM

If you go to Venice (and you really should)then it's worth having the experiencer of arriving by boat, especially at night. There's a ferry from (I think) Lido di Jesolo that drops you off outside the Doge's Palace and the Campanile. Get off the beaten track in Venice; the real delights are behind 'the facade' that the tourists see. Also; just up the coast towards Trieste is the old Roman seaport of Aquileia. Full of ruins and great churches (one of which has a mosaic floor that is over 1000 years older than the roof.) Rome itself is just fabulous, with a sense of being surrounded by most of Europe's history.
Tim
PS eat lots of ice cream, it's great in Italy!

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: The PA
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 06:43 AM

PortoFino - its just so beautiful.

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: leeneia
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 08:57 AM

Thanks, everybody, you are cheering me up immensely.

LTS, if you are still reading this, in what city was the Villa Contarina that you spoke of?

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: jacqui.c
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 09:02 AM

All those memories are coming back - I wanna go to Italy again!

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 09:10 AM

Not entirely sure, but it wasn't that far from Padua. Try this one?

Manitas remembered it as Contarina, but it may well be Contarini.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 09:40 AM

That is the one, the other link I was going to post threw me out so I won't post it.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: GUEST,KT not logged in
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 03:34 PM

Jacqui, I wanna go with you!!

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: Blowzabella
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 05:37 PM

What! Ya don' wanna go wid me???!!!

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: Phot
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 02:46 AM

Avoid eating at the restraunts near the Colliseum, they are horribly overpriced. Take a trip to thew top of St Peters, the view is stunning, but the Sistene Chapel is only open until two in the afternoon, so go early in the morning, buses in Rome are cheap and frequent, the main tourist information office near Roma Termini Station gives out free maps and lists of whats on, and it's a good place to start from. Hope this is helpful.

Wassail!! Chris.

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: leeneia
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 01:27 PM

Thanks, everybody, especially Phot.

I am especially interested in "what's on."

Just to chat a little -

I do not wish to go to the Coliseum. I am not interested in seeing the place where people fought and were tortured and where helpless animals were cruelly abused. I think the Coliseum should be bulldozed and a butterfly garden should replace it.

I am much more interested in music, markets, et cetera where people are being pleasant to one another.

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 02:31 PM

If you are not interested in what the others are for the most part, I would rent cell phones there (unless you can use ones you have) and perhaps just agree to stay in the same general area and meet for dinner...mg

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: Gulliver
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 03:33 PM

My favourites are Bolognia, parts of Rome and the Amalfi Coast. I lived for 3 years in Naples. It's a bit rough but interesting.
You can read all about it at my Naples site here

If you need any further info, PM me.

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: MartinRyan
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 03:50 PM

Found some good jazz (and outstanding food!) in Bologna. Enjoyed Siena much more than Florence.

Regards

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 08:19 PM

You want suggestions for trip to Italy?

Send Shanbles!!!

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: michaelr
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 08:49 PM

KT beat me to the Cinque Terre recommendation. It's a gorgeous area, just down the coast from (pretty but thoroughly touristified) Portofino. No cars allowed, but the walking is great. We stayed in Riomaggiore.

Chheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: Donuel
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 10:00 PM

I traced this thread since my idea of a most wonderful journey is seeing Italy from the red mountains on top to the blue islands down below.

Gore Vidal has chosen to live in Italy for the last 30 years.

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: dianavan
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 10:21 PM

I will be the third to suggest Cinque Terre, a World Heritage Site. My daughter and I stayed in Manarola and visited the other towns from there. We took the train.

Subject: RE: BS: suggestions for trip to Italy
From: Dazbo
Date: 25 Apr 07 - 03:10 AM

Folkermesse is held every spring/early summer in north west Italy (Piemont).