Italy! Florence, Tuscany, Positano & Rome Favorites
Italy! Florence, Tuscany, Positano & Rome Favorites
No doubt, the allure of Italy is well-earned. With spectacular scenery, architecture, art, history, and food & wine – plus friendly people who inspire visitors to embrace “la dolce vita” – it’s no wonder Italy draws visitors from around the globe. One of our travelers, Justine, recently returned from a trip and we’re happy to share her highlights, observations and recommendations:
Italy is one of the most fantastic places on the planet! I loved every minute of it and was very sad to say Ciao at the end! The people are so kind and friendly to Americans and tourists in general. The landscape is breathtaking whether you are in Florence, Tuscany, Rome or Positano. It’s a must-see country that you’ll miss when you leave!
Florence – Art, Shopping, History…. And Food!
Florence is beautiful with its quaint streets, museums, churches, wonderful leather goods, and restaurants. The iconic Ponte Vecchio was a great starting point and enjoyable for its shops, views and wealth of history. The expansive Uffizi Gallery can easily fill a day or more; planning ahead is key to seeing the works of Leonardo DaVinci, Botticelli and other masterpieces.
The Hotel Minerva is in a great location near fantastic shopping, restaurants and sights. The stunning rooftop pool area gets busy on hot Italian afternoons, so we learned to arrive early to get a spot. The rooms are impeccably kept and beautifully modern.
We frequented Restaurante Buca Mario, for the incredible steaks, Caprese Salad, and pasta dishes. It’s pricey but well worth it for the excellent quality meal and service.
The private walking tour with Giovanni was a major highlight of the trip. He’s extremely knowledgeable and will happily recite the entire history of the Medici family, Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s most famous works of art. It was interesting to learn about the bankers and merchants who helped found Florence.
Tuscany – Vineyards, Rolling Hills, Relaxed Pace… And Food!
Abundant olive trees and wineries, vineyards set amongst beautiful landscapes and charming centuries-old towns make Tuscany a must-see for wine enthusiasts and anyone who loves the countryside. The mountains are breathtakingly beautiful as the sun rises on the valley. Definitely worth a few nights stay and the food, again, is incredible. Just poke around the area, relax and enjoy!
Positano – Cliffs, Vistas, the Sea… And Food!
Stunningly-beautiful, Positano is known for views of colorful houses built into the mountainside set against a backdrop of the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. Spending time wandering around the island, relaxing at the beach, and just soaking in the atmosphere is an excellent way to spend time here! . For yet another special treat on a trip full of wonders, take a private boat to an alcove off the beaten path.
The kind staff at the Hotel Posa Posa took good care of us, including arranging dining reservations and taxi rides. The patio view was incredible. Lovely to just have a coffee or a few drinks while admiring the incredible sun shining down on the pastel buildings or the bright lights illuminating the town.
We very much enjoyed Chez Black in town; the pizza is out of this world, as is the pasta and seafood! Da Adolfo was another great find, so popular that it should be booked a few days in advance.
Rome – Grandeur, the Roman Empire, Urbane… And Food!
Rome has so many breathtaking sites, it’s hard to choose which stand out the most! Regardless of your religious beliefs, don’t miss The Vatican. It’s essential to book a tour in advance (ie, through Viator), otherwise be prepared to stand in line for up to 3 hours to visit the museum, Sistine Chapel and Basilica. All three sections of the tour are incredible and separately beautiful in their own right. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and explained the panels of the Sistine Chapel in advance so we could focus on the important elements during our limited time there.
The Coliseum (aka Colosseum) and Trevi Fountain are also a must. The Coliseum is another place best visited via a pre-booked guided tour in order to avoid a long wait to enter. Plus, as you explore these ancient ruins you’ll hear the history of the Roman Gladiators, and no doubt be reminded of how good it is to live in present times!
For some off-the-beaten-track activities, you can explore residential neighborhoods and see the beautiful brownstone buildings with French doors and patios. Of course, the shopping in Rome is exquisite and you can browse high-end stores like Gucci and Prada. There is also an abundance of leather shops, especially by Trevi fountain.
The Marriott was very nice, with all the usual amenities, and close to many good restaurants and shops. As was the case throughout our trip, the staff members were extremely friendly and helpful.
A truly memorable experience all in all. Italy, you are forever in my heart!
Thank you Justine, we are thrilled your trip was so wonderful!
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Overall terrific trip along the Danube after three days in Prague. The AMA Sonata is new, sleek and comfortable; the crew were very polite, very efficient. Rooms were small but quite well planned and water pressure in showers always good. The tours were informative in positively beautiful sites, with equally beautiful cathedrals. Some tours were in very crowded popular spots e.g. Schonbrunn Palace. I preferred the less crowded ones. Tour guides ranged from good to excellent. Some highlights were: Vienna concert, local classic trio (La Strada) and on-board entertainer on keyboard, Tamas. Meals on boat were uniformly good but wine only so-so. Free time was barely adequate, but that may have been our fault for not taking more. We found great restaurants in Prague on our own, and other interesting events when we had the chance. Met very nice people on board. I took 400 plus photos.
Africa… a Magical Journey
By Travelong | Our Blog
Africa… a Magical Journey Africa has become a popular destination for many of our travelers – with good reason! Here we share some accounts of their fabulous journeys. This will surely help others planning to experience the continent…. February 2015, travelers Diane and Ted shared a lively account of their African Adventure with our Ginger Morrissey: The gorilla trekking was absolutely over the top for each of us. That we could get so close and be completely ignored (I think that there were about 11 of us) was spectacular. Cameras were clicking. After our treks, and with lovely accommodations in each place we stayed, we’d arranged for a flight to Ethiopia, to visit the single mom of the student we are supporting through our local private university. Mekdi is now half-way through her junior year, all As, which makes us feel proud for her. I am completely well from the bout of stomach problems, and am waiting for my raised bruise on my right shin to heal after a mother gorilla and her baby came careening down the trail and bumped into me. We’d been warned by Cyn that the way back we would expect slip and slide, but it apparently hadn’t rained for a couple of weeks, so the ground was blessedly dry. No slipping! I wish we’d had time when in Rwanda to see the Memorial Museum as you had suggested. Not pleasant, but definitely part of its history. We did take two hikes up the mountain, and even Ted remarked on how difficult it had been–tiring, but accomplished. That was the easy part. The hard part was when I was standing to the right of the trail when out of the blue came a 350 lb. mother gorilla down the path, and there just wasn’t room for both of us, so her 350 lb. heft bashed into my right shin. The gorillas seemed so passive and secure, knowing that we humans wouldn’t do them any harm. Thank you SO much for making the trip possible. It was just perfect in every regard–even the hotels were spectacular. But the best part was actually being with the gorillas, who seemed to contentedly pretend that we weren’t even there! The babies were adorable! We were knocked over by the luxury of our hotel(s), and the organized drives to the gorilla areas were smooth and positive. It was sad to observe the obvious signs of poverty, but we have been all over Africa in the past, so it was no surprise…only sad. You outdid yourself in providing the best possible experience. Ben was a fabulous driver/guide, and our rooms were comfortable and luxurious. The organization to put all eleven of us in separate vehicles to get to the animals was handled without flaw, and best of all, our gorilla trekking was a “one-off” experience that was made permanent in our memory banks. We definitely had plenty of time to quietly observe the gorilla families in their encampments. Thanks for everything you did to make the trip so positive! The trip materialized beyond expectations. As neither of us had time to read to read Gabriella’s itinerary it was a sequence of delicious surprises. The first day’s “speedboat” ride with Chris to Jane Goodall’s Chimps was the first unforeseen thrill. The next day it was the little plane across the equator into the luscious south. The trek after Uganda’s gorillas was one of the most strenuous hikes I’ve had since my summers in the High Sierra, and WELL worth it. The animals were very real! That morning we met our exceptionally capable and sagacious driver/guide, Ben, who on the next excursion ushered us into Rwanda with illuminating dialog. Our second gorilla trek was fortunately somewhat easier, and just as rewarding, but felt the same back at the truck….. Rwanda was an eyeopener. Nearly as neat as Switzerland, thanks to a tidy dictator, and its infrastructure impressive, the population crunch, as with much of the undeveloped world, hinted at the roots of their genocide, so well dealt with in Kigali’s Memorial Museum. It was hard saying good bye to Ben. He was like traveling with your own professor/Indiana Jones. We regard this expedition amongst our most rewarding, and it’s all your fault! Many & most sincere thanks, Diane and Ted A special trip to South Africa, 2014: Recently, we returned to South Africa on a magical journey (they always are) and wanted to share some of the highlights. SA Airways took good care of us in their Business class section; no sleep but the movies and the service were up to expectation, with French Champagne and a marvelous South African wine. Upon arrival in Cape town, our Ellerman House driver whisked us off to our residence for two nights; unfortunately not more, as this property is everything their web-site says it is – Moet on arrival, cocktails before lunch and dinner and a view to die for. Cape Grace for two nights, elegant, on the waterfront and their car is available for local trips, as in Table Mountain, which was spectacular, as it always is. The Blue Train overnight was fun, the accommodations ample and the food ample, not great – the local wines made up for it. The Saxon Hotel driver met us and transported us to this modern, sophisticated establishment with large rooms and the best restaurant in the country, the 500. Their service is, as expected, impeccable. Onwards to Rattray’s at Mala Mala, wonderful accommodations and the animals always turn out to impress us. Our young, knowledgeable ranger took every precaution to ensure we weren’t the lion’s next meal and it is always amazing to experience wild animals up close. At Ulusaba, the Branson camp, we had an affable, loquacious ranger who regaled us with his many close encounters, mainly with elephants. Their chef, Jess, made every meal a special culinary delight and the view from the property is stunning. Back to the Saxon, then on to Botswana, Savute Elephant camp, where our ranger, Watch, took us wherever game had been spotted and we sighted a pair of lion cubs frolicking on top of a termite mound, determining who was going to retain possession of the fabulous viewpoint. Back to Johannes burg, two nights with relatives and then back home on the non-stop SAA flight. This time I took a sleeping pill and was rewarded with 8 hours – enough to be back at the office on the day of arrival at JFK. As the saying goes: You can never brush the dust of Africa off your shoes… So… I know you will return someday.
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By Kris T. | Island Vacation
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