Italy in the summer is HOT! We have twice gone in June and experienced temperatures above 100 degrees. The good news is that Italy is beautiful year round, so unless you are extremely heat tolerant or specifically looking to work on your tan, plan a visit that celebrates the awakening of Spring or the waning romance of Summer, in the Autumn. If it's the beach you are after, many are only open during the summer, so plan accordingly. Getting There We drive every year. It is a 600 mile drive to Camp Darby, a little less to Camp Ederle at Vicenza (near Venice). I am not sure about Aviano (1 hours north of Camp Ederle). We use our German gas coupons to fill up at the last Esso in Germany at Weil Am Rhine, the town just before you cross the border into Basel Switzerland. You have to actually take the exit off of A5 and go into Weil Am Rhine to get to the Esso, but then you can cross the border right in town. If you have never tried to get off the A5 at the WeilAm Rhein exit right before the German/Swiss border, then you need to know that trucks have to stay to the right and often get backed up for miles. Right at the last exit, however, they leave a gap for cars to get out of the center lane and cross over to the exit. So don't stay in the right lane behind all the trucks because you are worried about getting off at that exit. We've always had a spot to get over. Directions to the Esso: Exit A5 and follow the signs to Weil Am Rhine. You will pass a rusted, green, ball-shaped water tower, followed by a community college with a weird sculpture on its lawn. Turn right at the first light. This road will take you through a residential district. Stay straight until the road ends (the last block is through a residents' only block, but keep going). Turn left and you will see the Esso immediately on your left. When you leave the Esso continue to the left. There is a five way intersection immediately ahead. You want to take the road that amounts to going straight ahead. It actually takes you slightly left into the intersection and then to the right. Look for signs for the Police station. If you are on the correct road, it will appear on your left almost immediately. About another block ahead you need to make a left. After this left, stay straight and follow signs for Basel/Switzerland through the circle. Remember you need a Swiss pass for your car. If is easiest to get it through an ADAC dealer (one is down the road from the Pizza hut in Einsiedlerhof). If you don't have one, you can get one at the border. We did it once and that was the only time we had a problem with the crossing. You don't save any money by waiting to get it at the border, so get it here and you should be waved through the border. Because we take the van and it guzzles gas, we have to fill up in Italy somewhere before we get to Camp Darby. It really helps for us to use gas coupons leftover from prior trips. If you do need to actually pay for Italian gas, most places take credit cards and you can save money by calculating how much you need just to get to your destination. You can use your leave orders to buy 100 liters for up to 7 days or 200 liters of coupons for over 7 days once you get to a military base. In 2005, gas coupons were accepted by Esso. You don't want to wait to fill up your tank. It is difficult to count on finding the right kind of station when you are on empty. The best route down is the A1 from Milano to Parma and then south on the A15/E33 to La Spezia. The autostrada is wide open between Milano and Parma so that leg zips by. There are mountains and tunnels from Parma to La Spezia, but it is still less than the alternate. You can opt to take the A7/E62 from Milano down to Genoa (might be good for sight seeing if you are studying Marco Polo and I think there is a decent Aquarium down along that route), but it is mountainous with A LOT of tunnels/curves for a good portion from Milano down to Genoa and also from Genoa to La Spezia. The tolls amount to about $30 or $40 from the first toll north of Milano to the Pisa/Livorno exits. Some tolls you pay a small amount in advance, especially around Milano, then others, you get a ticket and pay when you get off (the bigger part of the trip once you leave Milano and then get off down in Pisa). Some people use their Visa. You just have to pick the correct lane (either a picture of a toll taker for cash or the credit card for VISA). There is a lane for pre-paid locals - I think it scans for a magnetic pass on the window. We have always paid cash. The cash line can be to the right or left - there's no pattern. Staying There On most of our visits, we have stayed at a hotel in Livorno so that we can visit with family. Our first year down, we stayed at Camp Darby in lodging. It was good then and they have expanded and improved their facilities since then. They have a pool and campground, but it is only open during the summer season. Friends that went down this spring stayed in a smaller town in the hills above Pisa. They used the internet to find a reasonable rate. Eating There Food can be expensive, but doesn't have to be. It really depends on your tastes. We ate mostly bar sandwiches this trip and saved money over getting regular meals. If you are out driving, it pays to look for places that are frequented by locals. Our favorite pizza place in Livorno is always packed with old men and white collar workers getting lunch. Places where truckers get lunch are usually good too. If you get your food for take out at a bar you can sometimes save as much as 50%. If you sit at the bar or at the tables outside, you pay for the service. Restaurants have the price list posted outside so you can decide before you go in if it is to your liking and price range. Restaurants tend to open later, some as late as 8 pm. In Tirrenia there are a bunch of smaller restaurants. We have found that most of the better ones (prices, serving size and quality) are not on the main street, but back a block. If the prices aren't posted, be wary. We paid about 3 times the normal rate for sandwiches right on the plaza. There is a great Chinese restaurant in Livorno with full meals for $4. It is the Rosticceria Cinese AL MARE at 341 Corso Mazzini by the Piazza Mazzini (ph. 0586 807282). The portions are generous, so we are able to split the "China 3" - Main dish, rice and eggroll, between the 2 bigger boys (and they normally eat a lot!). There is also a great Pizzeria where the Via Maggi intersects the Scali Degli Clandesi right off the Piazza Cavour. I think it is called Umbro. It is easy to get to by going from the Piazza Grande from the center of Old Livorno south towards the canal. Cross over the canal and look toward the east. The pizzaria is across from a music store on a triangular corner. It has always had some of the tastiest pizza and calzones. If you want to experience the full Italian dinner, you should go to a Trattoria. They serve the meal in courses. We paid about $75 last year when we wanted to splurge just to have the full treatment. Try to eat ice cream at an ice cream shop. The ice cream served in bars doesn't compare to that in a Gelateria. Out and About So once you are in Italy, where do you want to go? We have driven to Rome, Florence, Venice, and of course, Pisa. Camp Darby: It's a small post, so don't expect the stores to be open late. Most everything closes by 6. I think the commissary is closed on Mondays, but it could be Tuesdays. The BX is about the size of Ramstein's shopette with an area for clothes and smaller areas for electronics, cards/books and military clothing. It has always served us well though. The food court is a BK sometimes with an additional outside vendor. The shopette is just past the laundry mat (just past the commissary). There is a club that we have heard good things about. To get gas coupons (during duty hours), take your leave paperwork and registration to the Provost Marshall's office. It moves occassionally, but in 2005 it was in the old Four Seasons, attached to the laundry mat, to the left of the bank/commissary. They give you a form to take to the cashier at the BX. The American beach is in Tirrenia about 5-10 minutes from Camp Darby, so be aware that you will need a car to get to the beach. It is only open during the summer. It has a small snack bar and you can rent a lounge chair and some equipment. It is a true sand beach. One year we drove south on the road from Livorno and stopped to explore the coast/beach at several small towns. Some had pleasant beaches with public access. Most sand beaches are associated with the bar or club nearest them. Livorno: On the southern end of Livorno, there is an open area of ocean immediately south of the Naval Academy that we affectionately call The Rock Beach. It is right on the Viale Italia, on the most southern side of Livorno. It across the street from a long walled and treed area (the hipodrome - racetrack). Although it may be too cold to swim in except in Summer, it is a great place to let the kids unwind. It is a wide open area with rocks on the northern end and a sort of sandy area on the southern end. At low tide, you could waste a morning catching hermit crabs and crabs. Not a wide variety of things but a great break for the kids. Livorno has a nice central area. If you love to walk you can experience the real Italy. The old train station has been converted into an indoor market with butchers, bakers, (and candlestick makers! ... just kidding), sea food vendors, a toy store and a few other shops. We usually visit Piazza Septiembre at least once every time we go to Livorno for the vendors market. It is rather like a Bazzar with used military gear, cheap clothes, sunglasses, cell phones, ... a whole bunch of overstock type items. There is a small ocean museum in Livorno that is OK if you need something to do. They have also been building an aquarium on the water front for years, but as of 2005, it still was under construction. A beautiful place to visit to take ocean pictures is the ocean front Piazza on the Viale Italia (befoe the Naval Academy). It is large landscaped area with a wide side walk along the ocean. It is easily noticed by its rountunda. Montenero: In the hills directly above the southern end of Livorno is a monastery: Dan took the older kids into the church for a look see while I stayed outside and let Matthew run. We all took a round trip on the Funiculare, which goes down into the town. We didn't get off in the village since we were simply enjoying the experience. More about the church from an online source: The Montenero sanctuary dates back to 1345. It was first run by the Vallombrosan monks, then by the Sambuca's Jesuits, by the Testini and today it is run again by the Vallombrosan monks. In 1710 it was designed again by Giovanni del Fantasia, since 1818 it is the Basilica Minore. Since 1847, the Madonna del Montenero is Tuscany patron. It keeps, together with several ancient vows, some Giambellini's, Baratta's and T. Guerrazzi's works (I have lost the source of this info). Rome: About a 2 hour drive south of Camp Darby. Consider the train if you are not an accomplished driver. If you don't like the driving on the autostrada as you pass through/around Milan on your way down, you won't like driving in Rome or Florence. The biggest problem in any town are the mopeds. They can really crowd you. We were able to find street parking with a little circling. We used a parking garage near the Vatican our first year, but we had the BMW. Those little neighborhood parking garages are short and tight. When we took the van to Rome, we found street parking usually within 3 blocks of our intended destination and bought the ticket at the "T" machine (something like tobacco .. tabbecheri??? or nearest newsstand). You pay for the amount of time you want in advance. We always recommend the Roman Forum and Coliseum. The Palatinate Hill is ticketed and not better than the free Forum down below it. We love going into the Coliseum, even though we have to pay. It is even better now. On the other side of town, St. Peter's Basilica is a must see. NOTE: you must dress conservatively for most churches in Italy, no tank tops or (short) shorts. You can bring a sweater if you wear a tank top. I think that applies to the older kids too. Our boys always were decent t-shirts and down to the knee shorts. Along with the Basilica, the Vatican Museum is one of the best. At the end of it you go through the Sistine Chapel. Plan on making a morning or afternoon of the museum (note, you can't get in after 3 pm). It takes at least 2 hours to go through the museum quickly (we weren't really interested in the museum, just the chapel at the end and it still took us 2 hours to get to it). There is a cafeteria in there. Take breaks and your kids will get farther. Dan has taken other trips while TDY down there and seen the fountains and more. Rome in 3 days would be a joke if you really wanted to see Rome, but we have successfully seen a lot on one day. Even in one day you see so much that you come away satisfied. On one of our trips, we did the Coliseum, Forum in the morning and then drove across town to the Vatican museum and Basilica in the afternoon. (In the Basilica the is a door in the wall to the left of the altar. We went in and downstairs to the burial area (popes) including St. Peter. I have read in guides that it is a ticketed entry to go downstairs, but it wasn't when we were there. Ask around and see if anyone else has done it and whether they paid. Although I am not big on church graves (these are the same you see everywhere in Europe, carved image on top of a vault), but it was worth it to see St. Peter's (allegedly). Plan ahead. Friends that have taken the train down have complained that the train/subway stations are rather far apart from the typical tourist spots. Since they only spent one day in Rome, they didn't get to see but one section. Other friends planned better and didn't have this problem. Perhaps you want to sign up for a tour with a USO. Florence: Florence is our favorite city in Italy. It is the capital of Tuscany and is simply loaded with things to see. It is about an hours drive from Livorno. Perfect for a day trip. There is a great road from Livorno straight to Florence, that runs by Pontedera and Empoli. It is faster than taking the Autostrada, no tolls and large. When we took the BMW the first year, we parked at a parking garage on a small side street. One year we went straight to the train station and parked at its parking garage because we had the van. Many places are closed on Mondays, so schedule your sight-seeing accordingly. In Florence, David at the Academy is on my must see list. It is awesome in person. The Bargello, an old prison, now sculpture museum (also with armory, ceramics, glass, ...) is a great museum. It is by far our favorite. Not too big, some of the best sculpture in Europe, especially from the masters and just enough paintings and other things to see. San Croce church, is small but gorgeous and has many famous tombs. We like this better than the bigger churches. Florence also has the best leather market (purses, coats). The market fills the area nearest the Duomo. Speaking of which, we have always had so much to do in Florence that we have only ever taken pictures of the famous white and green marbled Duomo. We also go every year to kiss the pig, "Il Porcellino" in the Neuvo Mercato, also called the Straw Market. It is a bronze statue of a Boar made famous by Hans Christian Andersen's "Metalsvinet". Kissing the pig ensures good luck and a return to Florence The Ponte Vecchio, the bridge full of goldsmith's shops crossing the river Arno is worth strolling. Of course there are world renown sites including the Uffizi Museum. Pisa: The tower is now open (8 years and older only). Dan took the boys up and they loved it. One of those things you can say "Been there, done that". We got tickets for the tower and for the "Opera" (the museum just to the right of the tower as you stand facing the door). It is a small but nice museum. If you are doing other museums on this trip (the Vatican or the Bargello in Florence) then skip this one. We asked around and decided the Duomo and associated buildings were not worth the price. We always drive into Pisa and pay for street parking. It is incredibly hard to get to the part of town with the tower. There are signs, it just takes forever. Lots of one ways. Massa: This is where Michelangelo got his marble. Massa is on the autostrada about 30 minutes north of Pisa. Worth the trip. Follow the signs in town to the quarries up above the town. Go past the first couple of marble stores and you'll probably find better prices. If you stop and check the prices though, you'll be better able to haggle with other stores. Dan bought a marble chess set (expensive, but cheaper than anywhere else) and I got some vases, salt and pepper shakers and a lazy susan ($30 for all of mine). We went even further up the mountain and stopped and picked up some marble along the road. If you get a chess set, take note of the difference between marble (only natural colors) and the more colorful ones that are cheaper because they are made of (something else - can't remember what). Volterra: This is only about an hour south and inland from Livorno. It is a classical walled city. Although Mom enjoyed walking the streets and peeking into the artisan shops, the boys actually got the biggest kick out of the Bagnotto, a bathroom with a sliding door. It resembles an oversized port-a-potty, but was actually a real toilet room. There are ruins of a Roman amphitheater below the western wall of town. Venice: We visited Venice while we were staying in Vicenza at Camp Ederle. We drove onto Venice and parked at the garage and then took a water taxi to the main square. We feed the pigeons in the square (really touristy, but REALLY worth it). We tried the main church there, but everyone hushed us (the babies) so we made a hasty exit. We walked around admiring the canals and bought lunch at a small store. Our kids really loved the water taxi that we took out to Murano (Island). It is the glass blowing center and there are glass blowing demonstrations at several of the glass shops. More Tips Bring a dictionary. Although some people have had better luck, I have found that Italians in general do not speak English. There have been NUMEROUS times that I have had to simply give up and move on because I couldn't get my question across. I strongly recommend you check out Italy and Rome travel guides from the library. I really like the "Let's Go" series. It is written by college students, but their reviews and suggestions are great (ignoring the night life section, of course). Epinions.com has great reviews too. Check out their travel section. |
Italy Battern Family Travels Italia |
Italy in the summer is HOT! We have twice gone in June and experienced temperatures above 100 degrees. The good news is that Italy is beautiful year round, so unless you are extremely heat tolerant or specifically looking to work on your tan, plan a visit that celebrates the awakening of Spring or the waning romance of Summer, in the Autumn. If it's the beach you are after, many are only open during the summer, so plan accordingly. Getting There We drive every year. It is a 600 mile drive to Camp Darby, a little less to Camp Ederle at Vicenza (near Venice). I am not sure about Aviano (1 hours north of Camp Ederle). We use our German gas coupons to fill up at the last Esso in Germany at Weil Am Rhine, the town just before you cross the border into Basel Switzerland. You have to actually take the exit off of A5 and go into Weil Am Rhine to get to the Esso, but then you can cross the border right in town. If you have never tried to get off the A5 at the WeilAm Rhein exit right before the German/Swiss border, then you need to know that trucks have to stay to the right and often get backed up for miles. Right at the last exit, however, they leave a gap for cars to get out of the center lane and cross over to the exit. So don't stay in the right lane behind all the trucks because you are worried about getting off at that exit. We've always had a spot to get over. Directions to the Esso: Exit A5 and follow the signs to Weil Am Rhine. You will pass a rusted, green, ball-shaped water tower, followed by a community college with a weird sculpture on its lawn. Turn right at the first light. This road will take you through a residential district. Stay straight until the road ends (the last block is through a residents' only block, but keep going). Turn left and you will see the Esso immediately on your left. When you leave the Esso continue to the left. There is a five way intersection immediately ahead. You want to take the road that amounts to going straight ahead. It actually takes you slightly left into the intersection and then to the right. Look for signs for the Police station. If you are on the correct road, it will appear on your left almost immediately. About another block ahead you need to make a left. After this left, stay straight and follow signs for Basel/Switzerland through the circle. Remember you need a Swiss pass for your car. If is easiest to get it through an ADAC dealer (one is down the road from the Pizza hut in Einsiedlerhof). If you don't have one, you can get one at the border. We did it once and that was the only time we had a problem with the crossing. You don't save any money by waiting to get it at the border, so get it here and you should be waved through the border. Because we take the van and it guzzles gas, we have to fill up in Italy somewhere before we get to Camp Darby. It really helps for us to use gas coupons leftover from prior trips. If you do need to actually pay for Italian gas, most places take credit cards and you can save money by calculating how much you need just to get to your destination. You can use your leave orders to buy 100 liters for up to 7 days or 200 liters of coupons for over 7 days once you get to a military base. In 2005, gas coupons were accepted by Esso. You don't want to wait to fill up your tank. It is difficult to count on finding the right kind of station when you are on empty. The best route down is the A1 from Milano to Parma and then south on the A15/E33 to La Spezia. The autostrada is wide open between Milano and Parma so that leg zips by. There are mountains and tunnels from Parma to La Spezia, but it is still less than the alternate. You can opt to take the A7/E62 from Milano down to Genoa (might be good for sight seeing if you are studying Marco Polo and I think there is a decent Aquarium down along that route), but it is mountainous with A LOT of tunnels/curves for a good portion from Milano down to Genoa and also from Genoa to La Spezia. The tolls amount to about $30 or $40 from the first toll north of Milano to the Pisa/Livorno exits. Some tolls you pay a small amount in advance, especially around Milano, then others, you get a ticket and pay when you get off (the bigger part of the trip once you leave Milano and then get off down in Pisa). Some people use their Visa. You just have to pick the correct lane (either a picture of a toll taker for cash or the credit card for VISA). There is a lane for pre-paid locals - I think it scans for a magnetic pass on the window. We have always paid cash. The cash line can be to the right or left - there's no pattern. Staying There On most of our visits, we have stayed at a hotel in Livorno so that we can visit with family. Our first year down, we stayed at Camp Darby in lodging. It was good then and they have expanded and improved their facilities since then. They have a pool and campground, but it is only open during the summer season. Friends that went down this spring stayed in a smaller town in the hills above Pisa. They used the internet to find a reasonable rate. Eating There Food can be expensive, but doesn't have to be. It really depends on your tastes. We ate mostly bar sandwiches this trip and saved money over getting regular meals. If you are out driving, it pays to look for places that are frequented by locals. Our favorite pizza place in Livorno is always packed with old men and white collar workers getting lunch. Places where truckers get lunch are usually good too. If you get your food for take out at a bar you can sometimes save as much as 50%. If you sit at the bar or at the tables outside, you pay for the service. Restaurants have the price list posted outside so you can decide before you go in if it is to your liking and price range. Restaurants tend to open later, some as late as 8 pm. In Tirrenia there are a bunch of smaller restaurants. We have found that most of the better ones (prices, serving size and quality) are not on the main street, but back a block. If the prices aren't posted, be wary. We paid about 3 times the normal rate for sandwiches right on the plaza. There is a great Chinese restaurant in Livorno with full meals for $4. It is the Rosticceria Cinese AL MARE at 341 Corso Mazzini by the Piazza Mazzini (ph. 0586 807282). The portions are generous, so we are able to split the "China 3" - Main dish, rice and eggroll, between the 2 bigger boys (and they normally eat a lot!). There is also a great Pizzeria where the Via Maggi intersects the Scali Degli Clandesi right off the Piazza Cavour. I think it is called Umbro. It is easy to get to by going from the Piazza Grande from the center of Old Livorno south towards the canal. Cross over the canal and look toward the east. The pizzaria is across from a music store on a triangular corner. It has always had some of the tastiest pizza and calzones. If you want to experience the full Italian dinner, you should go to a Trattoria. They serve the meal in courses. We paid about $75 last year when we wanted to splurge just to have the full treatment. Try to eat ice cream at an ice cream shop. The ice cream served in bars doesn't compare to that in a Gelateria. Out and About So once you are in Italy, where do you want to go? We have driven to Rome, Florence, Venice, and of course, Pisa. Camp Darby: It's a small post, so don't expect the stores to be open late. Most everything closes by 6. I think the commissary is closed on Mondays, but it could be Tuesdays. The BX is about the size of Ramstein's shopette with an area for clothes and smaller areas for electronics, cards/books and military clothing. It has always served us well though. The food court is a BK sometimes with an additional outside vendor. The shopette is just past the laundry mat (just past the commissary). There is a club that we have heard good things about. To get gas coupons (during duty hours), take your leave paperwork and registration to the Provost Marshall's office. It moves occassionally, but in 2005 it was in the old Four Seasons, attached to the laundry mat, to the left of the bank/commissary. They give you a form to take to the cashier at the BX. The American beach is in Tirrenia about 5-10 minutes from Camp Darby, so be aware that you will need a car to get to the beach. It is only open during the summer. It has a small snack bar and you can rent a lounge chair and some equipment. It is a true sand beach. One year we drove south on the road from Livorno and stopped to explore the coast/beach at several small towns. Some had pleasant beaches with public access. Most sand beaches are associated with the bar or club nearest them. Livorno: On the southern end of Livorno, there is an open area of ocean immediately south of the Naval Academy that we affectionately call The Rock Beach. It is right on the Viale Italia, on the most southern side of Livorno. It across the street from a long walled and treed area (the hipodrome - racetrack). Although it may be too cold to swim in except in Summer, it is a great place to let the kids unwind. It is a wide open area with rocks on the northern end and a sort of sandy area on the southern end. At low tide, you could waste a morning catching hermit crabs and crabs. Not a wide variety of things but a great break for the kids. Livorno has a nice central area. If you love to walk you can experience the real Italy. The old train station has been converted into an indoor market with butchers, bakers, (and candlestick makers! ... just kidding), sea food vendors, a toy store and a few other shops. We usually visit Piazza Septiembre at least once every time we go to Livorno for the vendors market. It is rather like a Bazzar with used military gear, cheap clothes, sunglasses, cell phones, ... a whole bunch of overstock type items. There is a small ocean museum in Livorno that is OK if you need something to do. They have also been building an aquarium on the water front for years, but as of 2005, it still was under construction. A beautiful place to visit to take ocean pictures is the ocean front Piazza on the Viale Italia (befoe the Naval Academy). It is large landscaped area with a wide side walk along the ocean. It is easily noticed by its rountunda. Montenero: In the hills directly above the southern end of Livorno is a monastery: Dan took the older kids into the church for a look see while I stayed outside and let Matthew run. We all took a round trip on the Funiculare, which goes down into the town. We didn't get off in the village since we were simply enjoying the experience. More about the church from an online source: The Montenero sanctuary dates back to 1345. It was first run by the Vallombrosan monks, then by the Sambuca's Jesuits, by the Testini and today it is run again by the Vallombrosan monks. In 1710 it was designed again by Giovanni del Fantasia, since 1818 it is the Basilica Minore. Since 1847, the Madonna del Montenero is Tuscany patron. It keeps, together with several ancient vows, some Giambellini's, Baratta's and T. Guerrazzi's works (I have lost the source of this info). Rome: About a 2 hour drive south of Camp Darby. Consider the train if you are not an accomplished driver. If you don't like the driving on the autostrada as you pass through/around Milan on your way down, you won't like driving in Rome or Florence. The biggest problem in any town are the mopeds. They can really crowd you. We were able to find street parking with a little circling. We used a parking garage near the Vatican our first year, but we had the BMW. Those little neighborhood parking garages are short and tight. When we took the van to Rome, we found street parking usually within 3 blocks of our intended destination and bought the ticket at the "T" machine (something like tobacco .. tabbecheri??? or nearest newsstand). You pay for the amount of time you want in advance. We always recommend the Roman Forum and Coliseum. The Palatinate Hill is ticketed and not better than the free Forum down below it. We love going into the Coliseum, even though we have to pay. It is even better now. On the other side of town, St. Peter's Basilica is a must see. NOTE: you must dress conservatively for most churches in Italy, no tank tops or (short) shorts. You can bring a sweater if you wear a tank top. I think that applies to the older kids too. Our boys always were decent t-shirts and down to the knee shorts. Along with the Basilica, the Vatican Museum is one of the best. At the end of it you go through the Sistine Chapel. Plan on making a morning or afternoon of the museum (note, you can't get in after 3 pm). It takes at least 2 hours to go through the museum quickly (we weren't really interested in the museum, just the chapel at the end and it still took us 2 hours to get to it). There is a cafeteria in there. Take breaks and your kids will get farther. Dan has taken other trips while TDY down there and seen the fountains and more. Rome in 3 days would be a joke if you really wanted to see Rome, but we have successfully seen a lot on one day. Even in one day you see so much that you come away satisfied. On one of our trips, we did the Coliseum, Forum in the morning and then drove across town to the Vatican museum and Basilica in the afternoon. (In the Basilica the is a door in the wall to the left of the altar. We went in and downstairs to the burial area (popes) including St. Peter. I have read in guides that it is a ticketed entry to go downstairs, but it wasn't when we were there. Ask around and see if anyone else has done it and whether they paid. Although I am not big on church graves (these are the same you see everywhere in Europe, carved image on top of a vault), but it was worth it to see St. Peter's (allegedly). Plan ahead. Friends that have taken the train down have complained that the train/subway stations are rather far apart from the typical tourist spots. Since they only spent one day in Rome, they didn't get to see but one section. Other friends planned better and didn't have this problem. Perhaps you want to sign up for a tour with a USO. Florence: Florence is our favorite city in Italy. It is the capital of Tuscany and is simply loaded with things to see. It is about an hours drive from Livorno. Perfect for a day trip. There is a great road from Livorno straight to Florence, that runs by Pontedera and Empoli. It is faster than taking the Autostrada, no tolls and large. When we took the BMW the first year, we parked at a parking garage on a small side street. One year we went straight to the train station and parked at its parking garage because we had the van. Many places are closed on Mondays, so schedule your sight-seeing accordingly. In Florence, David at the Academy is on my must see list. It is awesome in person. The Bargello, an old prison, now sculpture museum (also with armory, ceramics, glass, ...) is a great museum. It is by far our favorite. Not too big, some of the best sculpture in Europe, especially from the masters and just enough paintings and other things to see. San Croce church, is small but gorgeous and has many famous tombs. We like this better than the bigger churches. Florence also has the best leather market (purses, coats). The market fills the area nearest the Duomo. Speaking of which, we have always had so much to do in Florence that we have only ever taken pictures of the famous white and green marbled Duomo. We also go every year to kiss the pig, "Il Porcellino" in the Neuvo Mercato, also called the Straw Market. It is a bronze statue of a Boar made famous by Hans Christian Andersen's "Metalsvinet". Kissing the pig ensures good luck and a return to Florence The Ponte Vecchio, the bridge full of goldsmith's shops crossing the river Arno is worth strolling. Of course there are world renown sites including the Uffizi Museum. Pisa: The tower is now open (8 years and older only). Dan took the boys up and they loved it. One of those things you can say "Been there, done that". We got tickets for the tower and for the "Opera" (the museum just to the right of the tower as you stand facing the door). It is a small but nice museum. If you are doing other museums on this trip (the Vatican or the Bargello in Florence) then skip this one. We asked around and decided the Duomo and associated buildings were not worth the price. We always drive into Pisa and pay for street parking. It is incredibly hard to get to the part of town with the tower. There are signs, it just takes forever. Lots of one ways. Massa: This is where Michelangelo got his marble. Massa is on the autostrada about 30 minutes north of Pisa. Worth the trip. Follow the signs in town to the quarries up above the town. Go past the first couple of marble stores and you'll probably find better prices. If you stop and check the prices though, you'll be better able to haggle with other stores. Dan bought a marble chess set (expensive, but cheaper than anywhere else) and I got some vases, salt and pepper shakers and a lazy susan ($30 for all of mine). We went even further up the mountain and stopped and picked up some marble along the road. If you get a chess set, take note of the difference between marble (only natural colors) and the more colorful ones that are cheaper because they are made of (something else - can't remember what). Volterra: This is only about an hour south and inland from Livorno. It is a classical walled city. Although Mom enjoyed walking the streets and peeking into the artisan shops, the boys actually got the biggest kick out of the Bagnotto, a bathroom with a sliding door. It resembles an oversized port-a-potty, but was actually a real toilet room. There are ruins of a Roman amphitheater below the western wall of town. Venice: We visited Venice while we were staying in Vicenza at Camp Ederle. We drove onto Venice and parked at the garage and then took a water taxi to the main square. We feed the pigeons in the square (really touristy, but REALLY worth it). We tried the main church there, but everyone hushed us (the babies) so we made a hasty exit. We walked around admiring the canals and bought lunch at a small store. Our kids really loved the water taxi that we took out to Murano (Island). It is the glass blowing center and there are glass blowing demonstrations at several of the glass shops. More Tips Bring a dictionary. Although some people have had better luck, I have found that Italians in general do not speak English. There have been NUMEROUS times that I have had to simply give up and move on because I couldn't get my question across. I strongly recommend you check out Italy and Rome travel guides from the library. I really like the "Let's Go" series. It is written by college students, but their reviews and suggestions are great (ignoring the night life section, of course). Epinions.com has great reviews too. Check out their travel section. |
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