Recently got back from a 12 day tour of Italy and this is my summary, thoughts, etc.
Air Travel: ITA Airways was great for 8 hour portion of the trip from the east coast - check in, greeters, gate attendants, cabin stewards, pilots - very professional, courteous. It was a pleasure to travel with them. Delta - not so much - issues on leaving DFW and upon arrival back in the US, gate and check-in not very cordial, stewards on one flight ok, on the other they didn't seem to be happy with their job. US airports - lots of dining options, security check points always backed up and attendants generally kinda rude. I seem to be experiencing much more unfriendliness on domestic flights these days. Rome airport - lots of dining options, clean, security seemed to flow much better, workers seemed to like what they were doing and very cordial.
Travel in Italy: Train stations in major cities were packed with people, but it moved very efficiently. The trains were clean and had different class options. Trains almost always on time arriving and departing. Don't miss your time, get to your train early. Can be cumbersome loading luggage. Attendants great. Scenery really cool. Very efficient and fairly affordable way to get around the country. High speed trains move. I don't see how Texas could implement trains to major cities, but it would be nice to be able to get on a train in Dallas and be in Houston, College Station, etc. in a fairly short time and not have to deal with traffic.
Itinerary: Venice, Como, Bellagio, Menaggio, Monterosso, Vernazza, Rome, Positano, Capri.
They all had something neat, scenic, etc. We heard we may not like Venice too much, but we actually really enjoyed it a lot. Scenery, landscape, villas in Como-Bellagio-Monterosso is top notch. Views of beaches, ocean, hillsides in Monterosso-Vernazza-Positano-Capri - amazing. Positano and Vernazza are like looking at a postcard. Rome - love the history of the city and would like to have more time to shop as the stores seemed to be quite affordable with lots of different types of one off stores. Rome was the most crowded, then Venice, then Capri.
People: Italians were fun to experience. They talk almost as much with their hands as their voices. They can raise their voices at each other and even tourists. They love their wine and cigarettes. The seem to be in better physical shape and a lot of them dress really sharp. I tried to ask several Italians on the trip what they thought of Americans, French, British, Germans, etc. Most seemed to be ok with Americans. One fairly young taxi guy said he is ok with Americans - but "we have to be, you won the war". It surprised me that this is still on their minds almost 100 years later. They apparently don't really care too much for the French at all.
Lodging: Against multiple suggestions, I booked and stayed only in Airbnb/VRBO apartments. Man did we hit a home run on almost every place location and price wise. We stayed in only two bedroom/two bathroom units. Rome apartment was on a major street about a half mile from the Colosseum and a major shopping area and about a 10 minute walk to the Trevi Fountain. Menaggio on the lakefront with great views. Monterosso, almost on the beach - but not quite - this was our least favorite apartment. Positano was up the hillside with amazing views. Venice was near Campo Manin with a view of Scala Contarini - but not a view of a canal. The hosts of all units were very attentive and easy to reach except the host in Monterosso.
Sights/Tours: We did the usual Colosseum, Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica, Palatine Hill in Rome (only there two days). Our tour guide for the Colosseum was very informative - but we spent to much time outside the Colosseum talking about the structure - and it was packed with people and other tours. I would have liked more time in the Colosseum. Palatine Hill was neat and less crowded. Vatican City we did without a guide and I'm glad we did. After a couple of museums and walking the grounds, we were ready to go to the Sistene Chapel. I was happy with only about two hours there. St Peter's was really impressive. There was a really long wait early in the morning for our "skip the line tour". We didn't skip much of a line. The Rome tours seem kinda like a bit of a racket as some of the tickets are actually very cheap or free, but you pretty much have to use a tour operator to get the tickets unless you try to get them weeks/months in advance. Two hour private boat tour of Como was great. We couldn't get tickets to Villa Balbianello (Star Wars scene filmed there) - but we got to drive right up close to it on our boat. It was cool and worth it. Capri was really bustling when we were there.
We got a private boat tour for a great price and neat boat, but the guide didn't take us to the Blue Grotto - which is one place I told him we wanted to go see. I paid him a little more to take us there as well. It was a funny and really dangerous scene when we got there. There was some weather coming in and the waves were starting to close off the entry to the grotto (entry is only about 6.5 feet). Chaos at the entry with these individual canoes jockeying to take into the grotto. They were getting ready to shut the grotto down for the day and we were literally the last canoe allowed in. Prior to us making it into the grotto a couple emerged from a wave coming out of the grotto. I asked them how it was - the guy looked shell shocked and said "ABORT". I thought it was funny and crazy all at once. We made it in the grotto, barely, and rowed around for about three minutes. it is an amazing sight. Then our canoe operator and the two other boats in the grotto with us started trying to exit the grotto as the waves were now completely covering the entrance between waves. It was getting really dangerous. The canoe before us tried for about five minutes to time a wave and get out - the other canoe guides were yelling at him in Italian and was getting more tense every second. Finally that operator put his oars down to pull his canoe through the opening just as a swell went down and back up and crashed their boat into the top of the grotto making a huge sound. I thought I just saw a few people get killed or break their necks. Somehow they got spit out to the outside and it was our turn to try to get out. Our operator timed it better and we got out without hitting the grotto entrance, but out canoe almost got swamped. We found out nobody was injured in the boat that crunched the top of the grotto and they all ducked down into the shell of the canoe before it cracked against the grotto. What a scene. In Monterosso we hiked the Blue Trail to Vernazza - it was a really challenging 1.5 hour hike, but the views of the coast and the view going into Vernazza were amazing.
Food: Lots of pasta and pizza. On day 8 when we were in Rome, I actually ordered hamburgers and steaks a couple of times because I pretty much had my fill of Italian food for that week. Sausage on pizza in Italy isn't the same as sausage on pizza in America, they don't serve ice with your drinks, they serve bottled water for meals, you pretty much don't tip as there is a per person charge already added at a lot of the restaurants, the meals are slow as they really seem to want you to dine. Overall, the food was pretty good and also pretty affordable.
Final Thoughts: We loved our packed tour of Italy. The country has so many amazing places to go and things to do - I think we only scratched the surface. Our world is so big and yet so small at the same time. We had a great time talking with people from other countries - even if we struggled at times with different languages. They have us pretty pegged here in America that our country is arguing/fighting a cultural/political battle right now - and apparently several of the countries are in a very similar situation to us here in America. It has really spurred my family to want to experience even more countries and cultures and we plan to make that an annual thing. But - we will always find time to go back to Costa Rica to experience the Pura Vida life (will be there the first week of July) and get our relaxing time in with some of our favorite people. This post was so long I didn't spell check. This is mine and my family's thoughts of Italy/air travel and know that others may have had different experiences. Gig Em.
Air Travel: ITA Airways was great for 8 hour portion of the trip from the east coast - check in, greeters, gate attendants, cabin stewards, pilots - very professional, courteous. It was a pleasure to travel with them. Delta - not so much - issues on leaving DFW and upon arrival back in the US, gate and check-in not very cordial, stewards on one flight ok, on the other they didn't seem to be happy with their job. US airports - lots of dining options, security check points always backed up and attendants generally kinda rude. I seem to be experiencing much more unfriendliness on domestic flights these days. Rome airport - lots of dining options, clean, security seemed to flow much better, workers seemed to like what they were doing and very cordial.
Travel in Italy: Train stations in major cities were packed with people, but it moved very efficiently. The trains were clean and had different class options. Trains almost always on time arriving and departing. Don't miss your time, get to your train early. Can be cumbersome loading luggage. Attendants great. Scenery really cool. Very efficient and fairly affordable way to get around the country. High speed trains move. I don't see how Texas could implement trains to major cities, but it would be nice to be able to get on a train in Dallas and be in Houston, College Station, etc. in a fairly short time and not have to deal with traffic.
Itinerary: Venice, Como, Bellagio, Menaggio, Monterosso, Vernazza, Rome, Positano, Capri.
They all had something neat, scenic, etc. We heard we may not like Venice too much, but we actually really enjoyed it a lot. Scenery, landscape, villas in Como-Bellagio-Monterosso is top notch. Views of beaches, ocean, hillsides in Monterosso-Vernazza-Positano-Capri - amazing. Positano and Vernazza are like looking at a postcard. Rome - love the history of the city and would like to have more time to shop as the stores seemed to be quite affordable with lots of different types of one off stores. Rome was the most crowded, then Venice, then Capri.
People: Italians were fun to experience. They talk almost as much with their hands as their voices. They can raise their voices at each other and even tourists. They love their wine and cigarettes. The seem to be in better physical shape and a lot of them dress really sharp. I tried to ask several Italians on the trip what they thought of Americans, French, British, Germans, etc. Most seemed to be ok with Americans. One fairly young taxi guy said he is ok with Americans - but "we have to be, you won the war". It surprised me that this is still on their minds almost 100 years later. They apparently don't really care too much for the French at all.
Lodging: Against multiple suggestions, I booked and stayed only in Airbnb/VRBO apartments. Man did we hit a home run on almost every place location and price wise. We stayed in only two bedroom/two bathroom units. Rome apartment was on a major street about a half mile from the Colosseum and a major shopping area and about a 10 minute walk to the Trevi Fountain. Menaggio on the lakefront with great views. Monterosso, almost on the beach - but not quite - this was our least favorite apartment. Positano was up the hillside with amazing views. Venice was near Campo Manin with a view of Scala Contarini - but not a view of a canal. The hosts of all units were very attentive and easy to reach except the host in Monterosso.
Sights/Tours: We did the usual Colosseum, Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica, Palatine Hill in Rome (only there two days). Our tour guide for the Colosseum was very informative - but we spent to much time outside the Colosseum talking about the structure - and it was packed with people and other tours. I would have liked more time in the Colosseum. Palatine Hill was neat and less crowded. Vatican City we did without a guide and I'm glad we did. After a couple of museums and walking the grounds, we were ready to go to the Sistene Chapel. I was happy with only about two hours there. St Peter's was really impressive. There was a really long wait early in the morning for our "skip the line tour". We didn't skip much of a line. The Rome tours seem kinda like a bit of a racket as some of the tickets are actually very cheap or free, but you pretty much have to use a tour operator to get the tickets unless you try to get them weeks/months in advance. Two hour private boat tour of Como was great. We couldn't get tickets to Villa Balbianello (Star Wars scene filmed there) - but we got to drive right up close to it on our boat. It was cool and worth it. Capri was really bustling when we were there.
We got a private boat tour for a great price and neat boat, but the guide didn't take us to the Blue Grotto - which is one place I told him we wanted to go see. I paid him a little more to take us there as well. It was a funny and really dangerous scene when we got there. There was some weather coming in and the waves were starting to close off the entry to the grotto (entry is only about 6.5 feet). Chaos at the entry with these individual canoes jockeying to take into the grotto. They were getting ready to shut the grotto down for the day and we were literally the last canoe allowed in. Prior to us making it into the grotto a couple emerged from a wave coming out of the grotto. I asked them how it was - the guy looked shell shocked and said "ABORT". I thought it was funny and crazy all at once. We made it in the grotto, barely, and rowed around for about three minutes. it is an amazing sight. Then our canoe operator and the two other boats in the grotto with us started trying to exit the grotto as the waves were now completely covering the entrance between waves. It was getting really dangerous. The canoe before us tried for about five minutes to time a wave and get out - the other canoe guides were yelling at him in Italian and was getting more tense every second. Finally that operator put his oars down to pull his canoe through the opening just as a swell went down and back up and crashed their boat into the top of the grotto making a huge sound. I thought I just saw a few people get killed or break their necks. Somehow they got spit out to the outside and it was our turn to try to get out. Our operator timed it better and we got out without hitting the grotto entrance, but out canoe almost got swamped. We found out nobody was injured in the boat that crunched the top of the grotto and they all ducked down into the shell of the canoe before it cracked against the grotto. What a scene. In Monterosso we hiked the Blue Trail to Vernazza - it was a really challenging 1.5 hour hike, but the views of the coast and the view going into Vernazza were amazing.
Food: Lots of pasta and pizza. On day 8 when we were in Rome, I actually ordered hamburgers and steaks a couple of times because I pretty much had my fill of Italian food for that week. Sausage on pizza in Italy isn't the same as sausage on pizza in America, they don't serve ice with your drinks, they serve bottled water for meals, you pretty much don't tip as there is a per person charge already added at a lot of the restaurants, the meals are slow as they really seem to want you to dine. Overall, the food was pretty good and also pretty affordable.
Final Thoughts: We loved our packed tour of Italy. The country has so many amazing places to go and things to do - I think we only scratched the surface. Our world is so big and yet so small at the same time. We had a great time talking with people from other countries - even if we struggled at times with different languages. They have us pretty pegged here in America that our country is arguing/fighting a cultural/political battle right now - and apparently several of the countries are in a very similar situation to us here in America. It has really spurred my family to want to experience even more countries and cultures and we plan to make that an annual thing. But - we will always find time to go back to Costa Rica to experience the Pura Vida life (will be there the first week of July) and get our relaxing time in with some of our favorite people. This post was so long I didn't spell check. This is mine and my family's thoughts of Italy/air travel and know that others may have had different experiences. Gig Em.
