Italia Bella where you can check out details and descriptions of the hotels and other accommodation available from Italia Bella, all based in the Abruzzo region of Italy
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A small room in Cagliari (beautiful city with sea) 100 euro per 15 days, in a confortable house, from June to September. For more information send an email
Oddly, the map given out for free at McDonald's (yes!) in Florence seems to be the best. I would have never thought to go in there, but the desk clerk at a hotel said that he had found it to be the best for tourists.
Information from Anne: My husband and I just came from a fantastic Art Lecture and we promised to let people know about it. We were only in Florence for a few days but we should've gone our first day here. I actually understand this amazing art that surrounds us now! They are called Florence Art Lectures and they bring you into this beautiful Palazzo right in Santa Croce Square (with wine too!!) It only lasted about an hour and a half but she (the historian) made the art fun and interesting. We thought we couldn't afford something like this - too extravagant - but they gave us a deal so that we could. I highly recommend contacting them upon your arrival to Florence. Don't know the phone number but they are at 21 Santa Croce Square and they do lectures every day, and they have a website - www.florenceart.org. Happy and safe travels!
PADUA:
General Information: May could be very hot, but evenings are not so hot. Don't forget sunglasses and hats. In the curches they scold you if you enter with *very" short skirts or t-shirts without sleeves, or "too short" (to see the navel.)
Cappella degli Scrovegni If you want to see Giotto paintings don't forget to call up 48 hours before and have the booking because you cannot just arrive there and stay in line to enter!
On Saturdays in the middle of the town in Prato della Valle square there is a good open air market in which you can find anything you are looking for (no foods).
Dining:Antica Trattoria Fasolo: a 1200 villa in Guizza quarter (take the 8 bus line from anywhere in the middle of the town, go in the direction opposite to the railway station, ask the driver for "capolinea Guizza" bus stop), (it takes 15 min with medium traffic), then you have to walk 100 mt to reach the Trattoria. It's hidden, so ask someone for it. From 10 to 20 euros (it depends on what you order) but very good food, homemade. You may pay less, if you ask for the ready/little choice menu.
Dining:Brek: In Piazza Pedrocchi in the center of the town near caffe Pedrocchi there is the "Brek" a self service. From 2 euros to what you want to pay, your choice and your service, like school restaurants.
Dining:Every pub bar and caffe has some hamburgers or "tramezzini" (bread with everything inside, sandwiches) so you can have a light/medium meal only by sitting in the bar and ordering some sandwiches. From 1 euro up to what you prefer. The most of them serve also "primi piatti pronti" (pasta first courses) heated in the microwave and big veggies pots ready and fresh. Try "bruschetta" too, bread on the frying pot and veggies and everything.
ROME:
ATAC the website for Rome public transit (click on the icon for the English version)
Virtual Rome virtual tours and information about Rome. [A separate window will pop up when you click on this link, with the SleepingRome web site in it. This is beyond my control.]
SleepingRome short time rent apartments and rooms in Rome, including B&Bs.;
Trastevere is definitely a good place to rent an apartment, but it's not necessarily quieter than just across the river. Trastevere is saturated with restaurants, pizzerias, bars, pubs and Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, the main square, is very busy.
If you want to stay in a quiet area then check out Monti, just east of Piazza Venezia and going towards Termini. Monti is one of Rome's oldest quarters and in many ways similar to Trastevere minus the millions of places to eat and drink. Apartment prices are a little cheaper there than in Trastevere. If you're looking for an apartment look for the Via Baccina, Via del Boschetto and Via Panisperna streets that are closer to the Fori Imperiali and the centre-centre.
Also check out the Prati district, near the Vatican and really in the center of Rome. The Prati district is also great for shopping.
There's an Irish Pub just off Piazza Navona, behind the bar 'Tre Scaline' or something like that. It's a bit uncouth and rowdy. Just the sort of place for a good night out.
There is a Scottish pub close to Piazza Cavour, on the main street (whose name I've forgotten), halfway between Via Ovidio and Piazza Cavour. Didn't serve Guinness only, wasn't a tourist trap, many locals. Owners spoke some English.
Try Fonclea, where you can eat, drink and also listen to good music.
In the Esquiline area you have one of Rome and Italy's top restaurants "Agata e Romeo" in the Via Carlo Alberto just off St Maria Maggiore. Pricey but quite an experience!
Theater of Pompey: This is where the Senate was in session on the day that Julius Ceasar was killed. Walk out of Campo dei Fiori on Passetto del Biscione; go right at V.d. Grotta Pinta.
Day trips from Rome: Orvieto; beautiful medieval Umbrian town, with a fine Gothic cathedral.
Day trips from Rome: Take the train to Orvieto. From there take a pleasant bus ride to Bagnoregio and walk across the footbridge to the tiny hilltop town of Civita. A really delightful way to spend the day...
Day trips from Rome: Assisi; famous for St. Francis, with some of the most beautiful art anywhere, but also a lovely Umbrian hill town.
Day trips from Rome: Tivoli (reachable by bus) you can visit the Villa d'Este, with its spectacular water garden. You can also visit the Villa Adriana, the summer residence of the Roman emperor Hadrian. If you want to visit both, you have to plan your itinerary carefully as the Villa Adriana is a bit out of town on a different bus line. However, both can be seen in a day.
Day trips from Rome: Ostia Antica, the ancient Roman seaport, with very well preserved Roman houses, apartment buildings, theatres, shops, bars and even an ancient Roman public toilet with intact seats. This is very close to Rome, and can be reached by a short commuter train ride.
Day trips from Rome: This is not really a day trip, but a nice way to spend a Sunday a bit out of town. Visit one of the catacombs south of Rome and then take a way on the ancient Appian way, which is closed to traffic on Sundays. The road is lined with various Roman tombs and other monuments, and you will be walking on the actual ancient Roman paving blocks.
TUSCANY:
Villa Guilia Via Pino Gorgognano di Sopra, 426 - 50052 Certaldo (FI) Tel. 0571.669067 Fax 0571.679884
www.italiaqui.com Typical rustic in Tuscany-Chianti between S. Gimignano and Certaldo frendly atmosphere!! email 2 double-rooms, 1 single room, 1 common bathroom, garden, breakfast included -20 euros by person ** Lunch and dinner by reservation Podere Monastero I� contact cell. 3480457906 Sig. Andrea Natt