- Joined
- Jul 16, 2010
- Messages
- 11,245
- Reaction score
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- Location
- The Weirs, New Hampshire
- Resorts Owned
- Innseason Pollard Brook
Well, we returned from our 16 day journey on Tuesday night and are still recovering from jet lag, two daylight savings time changes, and exhaustion from walking steep hills, stairs and cobblestones for several hours every single day.
First off I have to say that Odysseys Unlimited was fantastic- professional, treated us like royalty, attention to detail, on time itinerary schedule, etc. Our Croatian tour guide, Eva, was awesome. Caring, knowledgeable, attentive, excellent communication regarding each day’s expectations, and flexible.
It also helped that we were a group of 24 cooperative, friendly people. No trouble makers or complainers. We bonded immediately. Almost half of the group was comprised of 10 women from a Bowling Green, Ohio book club. One woman took her 31 year old daughter with her and another took her 29 year old developmentally disabled daughter, who was great- kept up with the group and no trouble at all - and the rest were couples from Massachusetts and Minnesota and New Jersey, a few single women from NYC and one from Washington DC. Most all of us were in our late 60’s and 70’s.
The flight going to Munich for our 6 hour layover before heading off to Catania was torturous for me. I think the fact that it was a red eye, plus that it seemed it was an older plane so the premium economy did not feel premium at all was a big issue. I could not get comfortable or sleep and I was about to be on the news screaming to be let off the plane at any moment. When we finally got to Munich I laid down on several seats at the gate. I was so wiped out and my body was suffering. I had to lay down! Later we had lunch and then took off for Catania and the economy seats in our connecting plane were actually more comfortable than the ones in Premium economy on our prior flight! Our transfer car was at the airport waiting for us and we were finally on our way to the hotel in Taormina.
Anyway- all the hotels were rated First Class except the one in Lecce which was rated Super First Class. Each hotel had something special about it. The one in Taormina was set on a cliff with sweeping views of the Ionian sea and coastline, with Mt Etna steaming in the distance, all seen from our balcony. In Matera, caves were converted into the hotel and rooms and we had an awesome view of the ancient city right outside our door. Heck, we were in the heart of it! In Lecce and Sorrento the hotels were exquisite and located right in the main squares.
This all said, all the rooms were – well-ok. Some of the beds were like 2 twin beds put together to make a queen or double. We left everything in our suitcases as there was not really a lot of room to put anything. So it was tough getting stuff out of them every day as they had to stay on the floor. All the showers except the one in the cave were in bathtubs requiring us to step into them. One tub was so narrow we had to stand sideways to shower.
Anyway, the schedule was essentially breakfast at 7am+, depart around 8:15-8:30 or 8:45-9 am, back at the hotel around 3, 4 or 5 and then out again for dinner around 7pm- if it was an included meal that day. There was a lot of free time but if we were out and about that meant mostly shopping and we don’t shop so we spent that time resting or people watching and taking in the scenery. Maybe having a gelato, which I have had better in the states. To me it was simply ice cream and nothing special and we had it several times in different places.
As for the rest of the food, we had some fantastic meals and some were just ok for me. I missed having a glass of Orange Juice each morning as they did not have what we consider OJ juice. More like Tang. And also my husband missed having a nice big hot mug of coffee each morning. Seemed everything was always luke warm and not hot and small. I never got used to having pastries, cold cuts or cheese, etc. for breakfast. Thankfully we could have eggs and toast, cereal, yogurt, fruit.
After a while I tired of olives, hearing about olive oil, lemons and lemoncello and all that. I have lost my taste for wine the past few years and I did drink it there, but after a few days I decided to refrain because between eating late and the wine it was not helping me sleep at night.
I also never want to see a public toilet again if I can help it. No seats on the public toilets. Heck my husband said in one men’s room there were NO toilets only urinals! LOL! Thankfully our tour guide always paid for us to use the toilets except when we were out and about on our own. I think I paid the 50 cents just once.
We only took 100 in Euros with us and never had to use an ATM or take out a physical credit card as we were able to use apple pay everywhere. Came home with 1.50 Euros in coins.
So now for the good stuff: We loved seeing the ancient Greek theater and public garden in Taormina and the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. We went up 6000 ft to Mt Etna and hiked around the craters.. The Sassi area in Matera where we stayed was magical. The trullies, Capri and the Amalfi coast, Pompei. Wow!!! Many UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
We all voted to take a private small boat ride around Capri on the Tyrranean Sea and it was definitely a highlight.
We also had a couple of meals at farms, a winery and also took a cooking class making gnocchi and a marmalade tart as part of our meal. Also dinner and dancing at the home of a Baroness, whom we met.
Our last night we were treated to a Michelin rated restaurant in Sorrento with an Enrico Caruso theme for our farewell dinner.
I have to say I was nervous about the flights to get home, but it helped that some people in our group were on the same flights. And thankfully the long haul to Boston was on a newer plane and the Premium Economy was way better than the first one. It helped that it was an afternoon flight and also I sat in the aisle seat so I did much better. Turns out though our plane heading for the connecting flight was 10 minutes late we still made it with the less than hour connection time and in fact the plane waited for other people who’s planes were delayed so it took off later than scheduled. And with all that the plane still landed on time in Boston. Go figure.
Did not use a wheel chair once. Did not have the patience to try to find how to get one and the only time there were wheel chairs waiting as we left the plane was on our arrival back in Boston and at that point I skipped it.
In summary, I’m glad we did our first and only trip to Italy this way, avoiding the big cities and crowds. Plus we got to see the diversity of the culture with all the Greek, Spanish, Turkish, Arab, Norman, North African, etc. influences.
Yes- there were some crowds but we started out early each day and avoided the worst of it. I’d say Pompei was the most crowded, but again, our guide got us through effortlessly.
Italy is experiencing an influx of tourists and the problems that brings with it and it has forced them to put restrictions of road access, parking, etc., and balance it with the much needed revenue.
We had the absolute best weather you could ever ask for- 70 degrees and sunny every single day! Actually the direct sun made it feel hotter than that since there was barely any shade anywhere. There were people on the beaches and even swimming in the sea in November!
Glad we got to do this. The first week was rough between the flight and with adjusting to everything. The first week I actually wanted to go home. By the end of the second week we were both ready to go home, as were other members of our group, though some were heading off to Rome afterwards. I think also that I have not aged as well as some other people who seemed to have more energy than me. So this trip for me was hard. I still prefer a condo and staying in one place and doing a few day trips here or there- more slower travel. But I also do not want to fly anywhere either. I hate airports and the planes and their bathrooms and all of it.
I realized how American I really am. I could not see us living in a country like Italy or any foreign country actually and really have no desire to visit any other countries or fly anywhere again.
This doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate what we saw and did. It was great, but I guess I am satisfied now and happy to be comfortably home.
I will try to post some photos from my phone here under this thread. Sorry I rambled on and this is so long.
First off I have to say that Odysseys Unlimited was fantastic- professional, treated us like royalty, attention to detail, on time itinerary schedule, etc. Our Croatian tour guide, Eva, was awesome. Caring, knowledgeable, attentive, excellent communication regarding each day’s expectations, and flexible.
It also helped that we were a group of 24 cooperative, friendly people. No trouble makers or complainers. We bonded immediately. Almost half of the group was comprised of 10 women from a Bowling Green, Ohio book club. One woman took her 31 year old daughter with her and another took her 29 year old developmentally disabled daughter, who was great- kept up with the group and no trouble at all - and the rest were couples from Massachusetts and Minnesota and New Jersey, a few single women from NYC and one from Washington DC. Most all of us were in our late 60’s and 70’s.
The flight going to Munich for our 6 hour layover before heading off to Catania was torturous for me. I think the fact that it was a red eye, plus that it seemed it was an older plane so the premium economy did not feel premium at all was a big issue. I could not get comfortable or sleep and I was about to be on the news screaming to be let off the plane at any moment. When we finally got to Munich I laid down on several seats at the gate. I was so wiped out and my body was suffering. I had to lay down! Later we had lunch and then took off for Catania and the economy seats in our connecting plane were actually more comfortable than the ones in Premium economy on our prior flight! Our transfer car was at the airport waiting for us and we were finally on our way to the hotel in Taormina.
Anyway- all the hotels were rated First Class except the one in Lecce which was rated Super First Class. Each hotel had something special about it. The one in Taormina was set on a cliff with sweeping views of the Ionian sea and coastline, with Mt Etna steaming in the distance, all seen from our balcony. In Matera, caves were converted into the hotel and rooms and we had an awesome view of the ancient city right outside our door. Heck, we were in the heart of it! In Lecce and Sorrento the hotels were exquisite and located right in the main squares.
This all said, all the rooms were – well-ok. Some of the beds were like 2 twin beds put together to make a queen or double. We left everything in our suitcases as there was not really a lot of room to put anything. So it was tough getting stuff out of them every day as they had to stay on the floor. All the showers except the one in the cave were in bathtubs requiring us to step into them. One tub was so narrow we had to stand sideways to shower.
Anyway, the schedule was essentially breakfast at 7am+, depart around 8:15-8:30 or 8:45-9 am, back at the hotel around 3, 4 or 5 and then out again for dinner around 7pm- if it was an included meal that day. There was a lot of free time but if we were out and about that meant mostly shopping and we don’t shop so we spent that time resting or people watching and taking in the scenery. Maybe having a gelato, which I have had better in the states. To me it was simply ice cream and nothing special and we had it several times in different places.
As for the rest of the food, we had some fantastic meals and some were just ok for me. I missed having a glass of Orange Juice each morning as they did not have what we consider OJ juice. More like Tang. And also my husband missed having a nice big hot mug of coffee each morning. Seemed everything was always luke warm and not hot and small. I never got used to having pastries, cold cuts or cheese, etc. for breakfast. Thankfully we could have eggs and toast, cereal, yogurt, fruit.
After a while I tired of olives, hearing about olive oil, lemons and lemoncello and all that. I have lost my taste for wine the past few years and I did drink it there, but after a few days I decided to refrain because between eating late and the wine it was not helping me sleep at night.
I also never want to see a public toilet again if I can help it. No seats on the public toilets. Heck my husband said in one men’s room there were NO toilets only urinals! LOL! Thankfully our tour guide always paid for us to use the toilets except when we were out and about on our own. I think I paid the 50 cents just once.
We only took 100 in Euros with us and never had to use an ATM or take out a physical credit card as we were able to use apple pay everywhere. Came home with 1.50 Euros in coins.
So now for the good stuff: We loved seeing the ancient Greek theater and public garden in Taormina and the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. We went up 6000 ft to Mt Etna and hiked around the craters.. The Sassi area in Matera where we stayed was magical. The trullies, Capri and the Amalfi coast, Pompei. Wow!!! Many UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
We all voted to take a private small boat ride around Capri on the Tyrranean Sea and it was definitely a highlight.
We also had a couple of meals at farms, a winery and also took a cooking class making gnocchi and a marmalade tart as part of our meal. Also dinner and dancing at the home of a Baroness, whom we met.
Our last night we were treated to a Michelin rated restaurant in Sorrento with an Enrico Caruso theme for our farewell dinner.
I have to say I was nervous about the flights to get home, but it helped that some people in our group were on the same flights. And thankfully the long haul to Boston was on a newer plane and the Premium Economy was way better than the first one. It helped that it was an afternoon flight and also I sat in the aisle seat so I did much better. Turns out though our plane heading for the connecting flight was 10 minutes late we still made it with the less than hour connection time and in fact the plane waited for other people who’s planes were delayed so it took off later than scheduled. And with all that the plane still landed on time in Boston. Go figure.
Did not use a wheel chair once. Did not have the patience to try to find how to get one and the only time there were wheel chairs waiting as we left the plane was on our arrival back in Boston and at that point I skipped it.
In summary, I’m glad we did our first and only trip to Italy this way, avoiding the big cities and crowds. Plus we got to see the diversity of the culture with all the Greek, Spanish, Turkish, Arab, Norman, North African, etc. influences.
Yes- there were some crowds but we started out early each day and avoided the worst of it. I’d say Pompei was the most crowded, but again, our guide got us through effortlessly.
Italy is experiencing an influx of tourists and the problems that brings with it and it has forced them to put restrictions of road access, parking, etc., and balance it with the much needed revenue.
We had the absolute best weather you could ever ask for- 70 degrees and sunny every single day! Actually the direct sun made it feel hotter than that since there was barely any shade anywhere. There were people on the beaches and even swimming in the sea in November!
Glad we got to do this. The first week was rough between the flight and with adjusting to everything. The first week I actually wanted to go home. By the end of the second week we were both ready to go home, as were other members of our group, though some were heading off to Rome afterwards. I think also that I have not aged as well as some other people who seemed to have more energy than me. So this trip for me was hard. I still prefer a condo and staying in one place and doing a few day trips here or there- more slower travel. But I also do not want to fly anywhere either. I hate airports and the planes and their bathrooms and all of it.
I realized how American I really am. I could not see us living in a country like Italy or any foreign country actually and really have no desire to visit any other countries or fly anywhere again.
This doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate what we saw and did. It was great, but I guess I am satisfied now and happy to be comfortably home.
I will try to post some photos from my phone here under this thread. Sorry I rambled on and this is so long.
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. Your trip sounds beautiful! 
