Viva Italia

Twelve days of wine tasting, museums, shopping and taking in the coastal sights Italian style

Travel location: Italy
Travelers: Debbie Podmore, Meredith Franczyk, Carrie Steffes and friends.

Where you stayed: We opted to rent a car and explore cities starting north and heading south: Milan, to Venice, Cinque Terre, Tuscany (which included Florence, Sienna and a small town called Montepulciano), then off to Pompei and a small enclosed city called Lucca, to the Almalfi Coast (Sorrento), a boat ride to Capri Island for the day and then back up north to Rome. In terms of accommodations, we ran the gamut, with the exception of hostels. We stayed in hotels, apartments and a bed and breakfast. One word of advice: Check out apartment rentals in towns like Rome and Tuscany, as we found much better deals going that route in terms of money and space, especially if you have a group of people going.

The people, the culture: It was the small, quaint towns we found best represented these traditional people for the most part. Although there were some points where I felt like I was amongst people from New York City, minus the tall buildings and trash on the sidelines. For example, towns like Sienna were flooded with stores such as Nike, Max Mara, Sephora, etc. There were so many tourists that in all honesty, it’s hard to speak on behalf of the people. But the Italians we did meet were so incredibly helpful with providing directions. And at stores and restaurants, they were very honest with money and making sure you received your proper change. I felt like no matter what I did, I wouldn’t get ripped off. The stereotype in Rome was validated, as many men are very assertive and have no qualms about making comments or staring you up and down. Two friends, blondes with blue/green eyes, got the smoochy sound demonstrated to them in their face at a gas station. Classic! ... Northern Italians were more relaxed with lighter features while Southern Italians had darker features and were more forward and flirty. A very relaxed culture. They take their time with everything — lots of siestas! ... Overall, the people were very friendly and always willing to help out the lost Americans who couldn’t speak Italian, except for the few who were only trying to get my green eyes in a jar for show! Things are much more laid back and relaxing compared to the U.S., as I think they take more time to sit back and enjoy life with friends and family and of course a bottle of wine.

Activities of note: We accidentally hit “Cultural Week,” and by surprise, we got into every museum for free. Yeah, this was a good deal. There’s so much incredible history no matter where you go. My favorite towns included: Venice, for the experience, history and originality; The Almalfi Coast (Sorrento), for the breathtaking views and beautiful coastal towns; and Tuscany, for the wine tastings, the small, quaint towns and of course the wonderful shopping in Florence (a providence of Tuscany). Pompei and Rome both have to be in there because of the rich history. There’s so much to note here that I wouldn’t do it justice. Milan was nice, but nondescript, and this is coming from someone who loves to shop. ... Some of my favorite activities that were off the Rick Steves’ path included: getting lost in small towns, experiencing a shopping trip in a local grocery store, learning you’re claustrophobic, running up and admiring the hills of Tuscany, wine tasting in Tuscany and, of course, hiking through Cinque Terre.

What makes you want to go back: Everything! It was a blast! We learned a lot and truly had an amazing time. We would definitely rent a car again, although I never took the train. I guess it’s a matter of preference. It was nice to hit so many cities and really explore Italy in its entirety — and get off the beaten path, if even for a little. There’s not one reason not to go back. ... The relaxed culture, great food and wine, historic sites. ... To get more pashmenas.

The costs: About $1,800 for air, hotels and a rental car for about 10 days. On average, we paid about $50-60 per night for housing per person, and sit-down dinners typically ran about $15-20, but that included wine.

What you’d do differently: Get a GPS system if you plan to drive! ... Not listening to the couple that we met from Virginia who stated, “Oh, it’s fine if you take two bottles of wine on the plane ... we do it all the time.” Another word of advice: Pack it in your bag. Otherwise, you’ll be at the ticket counter like a bunch of goofballs trying to figure out where and whose bag you’re going to stash it in. ... Next time, while eavesdropping on a tour group, I’ll be a little more discreet and not stand in the front row. They’ll make you leave. Hide behind a pole, or hang out in the back. ... I’d probably only rent a car for part of the time. It got to be a pain in certain locations to have a car, where the train would have been easier.

Rumor Mill: No to: Venice smelling poorly. It is no longer sinking. And bargain for your gondola rides — it’s easy to be ripped off. Define a time before you get on, saying you’ll pay for X minutes. Otherwise, you will have paid for one hour’s worth and have to get off in 30 minutes. My opinion, gondola rides are overrated, but a must-do if you’re in Venice.
Yes to: Assertive men.
Yes to: Pickpocketers (although we were fortunate to not to have anything stolen).
Yes to: GPS if you’re driving!!!

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