Italy Travel Blogs | Travelogues | Travel Journals

Ni hau! I'm in some chinese internet cafe somewhere far from the main sights of Venice, no big deal even if everyone speaks chinese and so does the computer, I can deal with it! For 2.50eur an hour, sounds like the best deal for me because the internet at the campsite I'm staying at costs 5euros and just when I thought that was the worst I found one in the island of Venice for 8euros! What the hey! I'll work my best to save money even if I have to take 3 buses back to the campsite from here (...

It's 6am and I've been up for about an hour and a half whiling away my last few moments in Rome. The distinct smell of baby spit is permeating something.. I can't figure out if it's my hair or my sweater. Spending 2 days away from sometimes screaming, sometimes smiling and always charming Asia really broke my heart for some reason. I missed her so much while I was away and I am sad to know that I probably won't see her for at least another year and a half. By then, she'll be an entirely diffe...

The second day i could sleep till 10! Wow! That was great! I was sleeping that well, that i didn't notice when papa Ettore was leaving for work. Well - this was my second and last day in Milano. We didn't go to the city but stayed in Bollate (suburb town) - went to the center for coffe and shopping, the girls (Laura and Mamma Graziella) had also to do at the bank so i joined them.After lunch mamma Graziella drove me to Milan to the metro station cuz i was leaving for Genova/Genoa. I said 'cia...

At 7.46 I arrived by plan at Milan-Bergamo. Because I went to the 'bathroom' at the airport I was almost too late for my luggage. I walked there and really far away I saw my suitcase with black flowers: MINE!! He was almost gone but I didnt want to wait another round so I start running to get it on time. And yeah it works out! sorry for all the people I smashed.. :P I took the bus to Milano Centro and after I took the train train to Bologna. I twaas about13.00 hour when I arrived in Bologn...

Orbetello was an ancient Etruscan settlement, which in 280 BC passed under the control of the Romans, who had founded their colony of Cosa (near the modern Ansedonia).   In the Middle Ages it was a possession of the Aldobrandeschi family, who held it until the 14th century, when it was acquired by the city of Orvieto. After several struggles with the Orsini of Pitigliano and Orvieto, in the following centuries Orbetello was captured by the Sienese Republic. In the mid-16th century it w...

It was, more or less, the last day of our trip.  It felt so funny to have it be ending, and stranger still was the sense that we'd been gone a really long time already. The following morning our plane would be taking off from the Venice Airport; so our goal for the day was to get back to Venice, and we had a train scheduled for 4:00 to get us there by about 7:10pm. The morning was spent with Michelle packing, and I wandered out to hit an internet cafe for a few minutes.  We headed...

Two J Club members meet in Italy!   J4 and J5 maybe????????? The idea for this trip was conceived a few months ago while chatting with Jennifer(Jenn79) about our travels.  She had suggested meeting up somewhere but the timing just was not right yet.  Jennifer had told me that she was going to Rome in April and asked if I wanted to go.   Well of course I would!  I kept an eye out on the flights and it continued to look good for me to get to Rome, so I b...

I woke up to (trains) screeching and (cars) honking.  Ah, yes, I'm in Italy.  That bed was the most comfortable youth hostel bed I've ever slept in, and much better than most beds I've slept in!  I slept well, though I'm not sure why I woke up so early.  I showered and woke up Michele.  We went down to a nice breakfast where we discovered how delicious spreadable cheese is on rolls.  Mmmmm.  After breakfast we had a decision to make: what to do?  The or...

After landing in Vienna and spending a great week together my parents and I headed to Italy via a quick stop in Bratislava.   In Rome we managed to see all the major sites including: Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Roman Forum, Palatine, Vatican City. We saw the major plaza’s and walked through Villa Bourgese. I highly recommend the Palatine and the Forum. It's absolutely overwhelming. The Colosseum wasnt actually that much to look at if you've see...

Had the TIME OF MY LIFE. Very hot and humid but worth the sweat. Heres the list of towns i visited Torino 6-26-04 Pisa 6-28-04 Firenze 6-28-04 Fiesole 6-29-04 San Gininiano 6-30-04 Siena 6-30-04 Viareggio 7-1-04 Lucca 7-2-04 Genova 7-9-04 Santa Margherita 7-10-04 Portofino 7-10-04 Cinque Terre 7-11-04 Venzia 7-12-04 Rivoli 7-14-04 Saluzzo 7-16-04 Roma 7-18-04 Alba 7-24-04

David and I tried to leave Rome to catch the train up to Spenzia beginning around 9:30 am.  Unfortunately, there was a bus strike in Rome.  We stood at the bus stop for hours and couldn't understand why the bus number we needed hadn't come.  We laughed later and said probably everyone around us was talking about the strike but we couldn't understand them.  We finally got onto a bus.  It was incredibly crowded.   We had a day bag each and a suitcase/backpac...

I AM A MANIAC !   Back on September 25th Gene (genetravelling) sent me a message, stating “it would be maniacal for you to try it.”, and followed that with “Are you game?”  The two shots were of the famous Spanish Steps in Rome, one from the top and one from the bottom.  Of course both shots were taken late in the afternoon when the area is literally crawling with visitors and tourists. Now remember, these were not the small 640 x 480 size that I usually work on....

My dad came to visit me in Florence, which was really cool. He came by train from Milan and he was there for our group's last night in Florence. He was really tired since he had flown from Minneapolis, traveled around Milan fora few hours, then took the train to Florence. I think he was awake for over a day! In any case, once he was settled into his teeny hotel for the night, he came to say hi and took a picture of some of us on the steps of the Duomo. We made our plans to meet up the next da...

  Venice - Queen of the Adriatic   Charles Aznavour wrote and recorded this song in 1964 that describes how sad one of the world’s most romantic cities can be when you’ve lost your love. Aznavour, often described as the "Frank Sinatra of France", is considered by many to be the king of torch songs. I’ve posted his original lyrics as well as the English translation:       Que C'est Triste Venise   Que c'est triste Venis...

  TREVI FOUNTAIN   I was blessed to start my birthday in a 12th century castle in Tuscany (see my Florence, Siena, Montalcino blog)  and end it on the renowned Via Veneto in Rome (July 27, hence my handle, travelman727).    One of my day’s favorite moments was seeing Trevi Fountain.    The first fountain at the site was built in 1453 by Pope Nikolas V, financed from wine taxes. In 1732, Clemens XII ordered the current fountain to be built and...