We are packing up once again and heading for Italia next month! This will be our daughter’s second international trip and she will be 10 months old - phew, I am exhausted just thinking about all the packing!
First stop: Roma, Italia.
We are renting an apartment for 3 nights near Piazza Navona called Leutari.
Note: apparently throwing a coin at Trevi fountain does guarantee a return to the Eternal City (la citta eterna) - last time we were in Rome, Italy was 2002!
The Plan for Rome:
• Hang out with Sofia and Scott at lots of coffee + gelato shops
• Purchase food and flowers near Campo de Fiori
• MAYBE go to Ostia Antica via Metro
• Walk around and LOOK at people, fashion, and old buildings and monuments
• Will not do any tourist stuff we have already done, whats the point?
Second stop: rental car agency
• I will go grab our rental car at Termini station and go pickup the gang back at the apartment
• I do have my international driver’s permit just in case!
Third stop: Vagliagli, Tuscany
• Staying at Villa Cignano
• Planning day trips to Cortona, San Gimignano, Chianti, Cortona, Firenze, and maybe Pisa
• Scott and I have only been to Florence so exploring Tuscany will be awesome
Final Leg: drive back to Rome Fiumicino Airport
• Drop off rental car at airport
• Catch our Swiss Air flight back to Boston via Zurich
comment from Ginny (posted by anna)
Castello di Verrazzano, Located outside of Greve in Chianti on the Chiantigiana, Tel: 055-854243. Generally advanced reservations are required. If you want a nice winery tour, wine tasting and lunch, Castello di Verrazzano is a great place to go. Contrary to what people believe, there are not very many places in the Chianti area that offer this opportunity. It is in a beautiful setting with exquisite views over the countryside. Their website, http://www.verrazzano.com/en/index.php
Mon May 26?
From Theresa Regli for Roma:
In Rome you *must* go eat at Giggetto al Portico d’Ottavia…get the fried
zucchini flowers and the spaghetti with clams….oh my oh my.
http://www.giggetto.it/english/home.htm
Day Trips from Castellina in Chianti: Reply
jerryott, St. Marys, OH
11:44 pm, August 12, 2006
San Gimignano is quite a favorite for those staying near Castellina. There are hundreds and hundreds of wineries where you can go and visit and taste. Just on the south edge of Castellina is a wine co-op where you can buy wines.
Just a little south and west of Castellina is a winery called Rocca della Macie where you can go and taste. Very good.
http://www.roccadellemacie.com/sito/index.php?id_pagine=1&id_lang=2
You can also check out:
http://www.chianticlassico.com/english/home.htm
http://www.tuscany-wine.com/visit_tuscan_wine_estates.htm
http://www.cellartastings.com/en/wine-italy-5.html
italybound@verizon.net
CAMPO DEI FIORI/PIAZZA NAVONA
Da Sergio, Vicolo delle Grotte 27 (near Campo de’ Fiori)- This is a great little neighborhood spot. Home style Italian cooking. At lunch, it was full of neighborhood types, a few tourists and many regulars. Little English spoken. No credit cards taken. Great food at a very low price by Roman standards. Delicious and fun; a true Roman experience.
Osteria Romana, Via San Paolo alla Regola (near Campo de’ Fiori) - For a true Roman experience with course after course of meat or fish, wonderful outdoor dining with painted umbrellas, and service you usually only dream of. If it was good enough for Bill Clinton when he visited (they will be more than happy to show you the photos), it is certainly good enough for anybody else! Homemade creamy limoncello is not to be missed. If you’re really lucky, they will show you the museum and what they discovered when digging way back into antiquity.
Grotte del teatro di Pompeo, via del Biscione (nr. Campo de’ Fiori)- Roman cuisine, a favourite of locals
la Carbonara, Piazza di Campo de’ Fiori- Roman cuisine, beautiful view onto the square from the upper floor
Le Bain, via Botteghe Oscure (corner Largo Argentina) - Fusion, buffet style, excellent for lunch breaks.
Pierluigi, Piazza de’Ricci (Campo de’Fiori) - Great outdoors dining in the small Piazza de’Ricci. Large patio with good ambience, excellent (but not inexpensive) Roman food.
Cul de Sac, Piazza Pasquino, behind Piazza Navona - A wine bar-restaurant, don’t miss this little place.They are well known for their salame, prosciutto, lardo di colonnata, great cheeses, pates, and the city’s most comprehensive wine list. But you can also have pasta, or try the brandade di baccala’ (cod brandade), the topik (a chickpeas puree, very good). Desserts are also good. Try the coppetta di zabaglione, or fichi with ricotta, if they have them. No reservations - just go, queue up, get in, and enjoy. Good for lunch too; outdoor tables as well. Indoor eating is a bit more quiet though. 20 euros or less per person.
Roscioli–Via dei Giubbonari, 21-22a . It’s a grocery store, a bakery (Via dei Chiavari), wine bar and a restaurant: you get in and start to wipe your chin! Take a look to belive it: http://www.anticofornoroscioli.com/ph...
http://www.greve-in-chianti.com/restaurants/restaurants-eng.htm
http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/restaurants/review.asp?n=castello+di+verrazzano&s=greve+in+chianti
Dining in Tuscany:
osteria le logge in siena
la vena di vino in volterra
ristorante la mora in lucca
cantinetta antinori in firenze
dining in roma
http://www.diningcity.com/rome/index_eng.jsp