# Italy May, 2011



## ouaifer (May 18, 2011)

_Well, we are on our last night of 2 weeks in Italy.  No tour groups, nothing particularly planned...except for general locations and car rental.

We arrived in Rome and picked up the smallest rental they have, and off we drove to our first week's location in Civitella Marittima at Casina Di Rosa in Tuscany.  This place is amazing.  It is in a small village very convenient to everything.  Gloria, the owner, and her husband, Marcel...truly the best!  Gloria has a PhD in English, and speaks French and German and Italian (of course)...is at the University in Pisa.  For only 450 Euros (about $675), everything was included...a one bedroom house with sitting area, full kitchen with one complementary meal of pasta, sauce, and a bottle of good Tuscan wine...also included electricity and water, and free internet and free parking.  We drove to Siena and Montalcino and Montepulchiano and Casole d'Elsa and many many more during the week...literally all over Tuscany...what an amzing place.  And the food at Locanda in the village...amazing!  These accommodations were the best!  The house was actually the home of Gloria's great grandmother, Rosa.  They recently renovated this place...seeing is believing.  

Driving and getting along is very simple.  Sure they drive fast, but not any faster or more aggressive than a big city back in the States.  We got used to it by the time we were on the Autostrada outside of Rome.  Very doable...we put on 1500 miles in 10 days.  If you want more details or want pictures...just e-mail me or PM me.  I've taken about 800 pics of the trip...it will take some time to organize and revamp them, though.

They charge for parking practically everywhere...it ranged from 1 Euro/ hr (about $1.50/hr) to about 3Euros for the day ($4.50).  Very expensive in Italy....we were told that when it came time to convert from Lire to the Euro, the EU gave a conversion rate of 2000 Lire to the Euro.  However, the merchants just sort of ignored this when pricing things, and kept their first digit as is.  So, something that would have cost 10000 Lire, probably should be 5 Euros, but in fact they are charging 10 Euros.  Wine is cheap, though!  Eating out, very expensive...gelato, small cup (one scoop) is between 1.50 and 2.25 Euro (about $2.25 - $3.25)...always room for daily gelato.


More to come wrt Palazzo Catalani, our second week._


----------



## deemac (May 18, 2011)

Always love to read about trips to Italy -- especially Tuscany.   

Thanks, and I will give you time to get photos together, before asking to see them


----------



## gregloucks (May 21, 2011)

Thanks so much for this post and the tip on Casina di Rosa. Just booked a week with Gloria and Marcel. All the reviews look great.


----------



## ouaifer (May 21, 2011)

gregloucks said:


> Thanks so much for this post and the tip on Casina di Rosa. Just booked a week with Gloria and Marcel. All the reviews look great.



_Are you serious?  You will love it!  E-mail or PM me your name and e-mail address so I can send you some more info and pictures.  You are absolutely going to love it and the area!  I need to write to Gloria...she is amazing!  Love it! Love it!  Love it!_


----------



## gregloucks (May 22, 2011)

Yes, we made the reservation after reading your post and then checking out all the Slowtravel and Tripadvisor reviews. It's exactly what we were looking for on our next trip to Italy. Thanks for the tips and photos. I will PM you my email address.


----------



## Zac495 (May 22, 2011)

This sounds perfect for next summer for us. I'll pm you when you return to ask some questions!


----------



## ouaifer (May 22, 2011)

_Well, we arrived home very late Thursday evening...always good to be home.

A few comments about Palazzo Catalani in Soriano nel Cimino.  It is a short distance from Viterbo...and by public transportation (bus and train), about 1 1/2 hours to Termini in Rome...you buy the BIGO ticket for 9 Euros and is good for all transport to/from Rome and all busses in Rome for one day...a deal!  If you want to visit Rome and stay here, I guess it might be somewhat convenient.

However, a few notes about the Palazzo.  All of the units are well appointed and in the classic tradition....quite nice.  There is a small garden out back and downstairs adjacent to their restaurant.  The units, themselves, are located on 3 1/2 levels...depending on which unit you get.  The smaller, 1 bedroom (club suites) are adjacent to the common room...which is a bar/lounge that is open 24 hours!  And yes, it is open...and yes, these units' doors open into the bar.  And, yes, there is plenty of noise throughout the night!  You can close of the kitchen and bathroom areas to cut down on the noise...but still there.  The reception area is also right there immediately before the bar...and is also open for check in 24 hours.  For Europe, and close proximity to Rome, ok...but, we would *never* opt for this one again!  In our 31 years of Timesharing, this is by far at the bottom of our list...and we have traveled all over!

They charge 8 Euros for electricity; 7 Euros/day for internet access; 55 Euros/person for the cooking with Mama.  They have no other tours, although some of the literature indicates that they do.  The directions they send you are *not exactly* accurate.  I told them I would rewrite the direction "in legible English" and forward them back.  Parking is quite convenient...not much of a walk...but it is uphill (not a biggie).  There are 2 levels of parking...and this is Public (not associated with the Palazzo).  The upper level is FREE; the lower level is 1 Euro/ day (i.e. from 8 am to 10 pm).  Usually plenty of space...and there is a good restaurant at the parking lot.

To be continued...._


----------



## ouaifer (May 25, 2011)

*A few more Notes.*

_The town of Soriano sits atop one of the many hills.  It has a small square with its main church and a few restaurants and a couple of gelato shops.  Above the central area, sits an amazing smaller church...on the way up to the castle on the very top.  

We found the town, itself, very dirty...quite a bit of small trash on the street...just totally opposite of Marittima (Casina di Rosa), where they washed the streets on a regular basis.

There is a wonderful Wine "cooperative" on the West side of the road immediately south of Montefiascone to S675 and Viterbo, called *Est! Est! Est!*.   A must stop for excellent (and very inexpensive) wines and treats.  Do not miss this one.  (By the way, the Duomo in Montefiascone is the second largest "dome" in Italy...only second to ST Peter's.)

Two "must see" trips are to Orvieto and Patigliano.  These are both built on top of Volcanic cinder cones (tufa rocks)....and I'll let you do the research....amazing!!!!  If you arrive at Orvieto via the Autostrada, get off at the exit for the town and park at the railroad station.  Tons of parking (free) for cars and busses...take the tram up the "mountain" and then the bus into the town...one ticket.  Walk back down from the town to the bus stop and that's where all the shops are.  The Duomo in town, a must see! as well as the underground larders._


----------



## lscott (May 26, 2011)

*Thank you!*

Makes me hungry for Italy.  Have never tried to drive there except once when we were very young and very poor and had an old wreck of a German landlady's car....Will read all your posts eagerly.
I meant,  the car was an old wreck, not the German landlady.  Frau Weiss..well...


----------



## alfie (May 26, 2011)

We drove thru Italy for over a month in our little Fiat.  I became one with the machine.  It was wonderful.  Enjoy as we did.  Unfortunately, there is a problem, it took me over a month to get back to normal when I got home.  Red lights were no longer a suggestion.  One way streets, bah...parking on the sidewalk, sure...150km no problem..I put on 20 lbs..la dolce vita...I go back every year.


----------

