Hello Gemma, Many thanks for organizing us such a wonderful Italy experience. Everything went smoothly, and exceeded our expectations. Tivoli good but rushed. Vatican good, great getting into Sistine before the crowds, bought a book so I could get it clear in my head! Car worked out well, as did Tuscany.
Cinque Terre excellent, the hotel was good with good breakfasts, but noisy. Girls managed to get their room changed. Most of the noise was from a group of Germans who thundered their way back from dinner each night, and we didn’t hear it but girls said the staff getting breakfast ready were noisy. Hey it is Italy and they are gregarious and loud. Howard and I completed Monterosso to Vernazza walk, girls went on to Corniglia. Took ferry to Porto Vernere, a real find and not too many tourists. Manarola our favourite CT town.
Loved Bellagio, the hotel superb, wonderful lake view. It changed colours all the time! Milan great, your Passion for Italy hotel the best, staff could not do enough for us. Enjoyed Last Supper, and La Scala, as there was a show on we didn’t see the auditorium, but they gave us tickets for the next day and we went back at 9am and pretty much had the museum and auditorium to ourselves. On the recommendation of a girl in a shoe shop we took a taxi to the canal area and had a great dinner of pizza and pasta.
Loved Venice, walked lots, crossed lots of canals, went to Burano, Murano, Torcello. Helen and I did a tour of La Fenice and even sat in on some brass guys rehearsing, special. Venice hotel – excellent owner very attentive. Howard and my room overlooked Campo de Leon, bit noisy as there were some restaurants there, but all quiet about 10pm.
Train trips all went well, most were somewhat “retardo” but as we didn’t have connections it did not worry us. That’s Italy. We did lots of walking, Helen’s fitbit recorded us at 18km sometimes! Thanks again, best wishes from Howard and Jan Bale, Brisbane, Australia