Italy

italy flagIf you yearn to view living as an art, this is the country for you. Italy embodies a history of the finest things in life, good food, good wine, beautiful couture, exquisite art, antiques, rich colourful fabrics, home decorative arts, and lush garden designs. You can find an abundance of these things in most towns and cities whether they are big or small. Most people begin their discoveries with the two great cities of Rome and Venice. This is not a bad place to start; they are two very different cities with a wealth of sights, sounds and experiences. And, the good news is, they are now joined by a direct high-speed train, the Eurostar Italia In a 4 and half hour evening trip you can leave Rome and bed down in Venice, trading streets for canals, and cars for water taxis.

Beginning in Rome…

If you only have a week in Italy, as many Americans going over for the first time do, three days in Rome and two in Venice are a good way to sample la dolce vita. So before you fly into Rome, check out Venere for your desired hotel. If you have a favorite spot, just go to it on their map and up pops all of the hotels in the area at various prices. There are also reviews so you get the latest assessments from the people who are staying there. We like to stay near the Pantheon or on the Via Cavour by the Coliseum, as these are fairly central locations.  Read more about Rome…

On to Venice…

So now you are on your way to the floating city of Venice. It is like no other city on earth. We never tire of Venice; it is a pleasure just to be there. When you arrive at the train station catch a water taxi to your hotel. Again Venere is an excellent site from which to select your hotel. We like to stay a reasonable walking distance to the Piazza San Marco – the Hotel Danieli and the Gritti Palace are two of our favorites.  Read more about Venice…

Wherever you go in Italy, there are many other pleasures in Italy just waiting for you to sample. Find out more about tours of Italy…

Venice Carnival

Venice Carnival

One of our most memorable travel experiences was attending the Doge's Ball in costume at the "Carnevale di Venezia", or Venice Carnival.  If you are in Venice this time of year don't miss the special Carnival experiences (until Feb. 25th). Check them out here... Upon...

Sunflowers in Tuscany

Sunflowers in Tuscany

It's that time of year to see the Sunflowers in Tuscany. But that's just a few of the many things you can do there. Going to Florence or Rome this summer? Don't miss Tuscany, get out of the city and see the countryside, where the real charm and la dolce vita lies....

The Verona Opera

The Verona Opera

If you love Italy and you love opera, this your time to be in the UNESCO world heritage city of Verona.  Attending an opera in Italy is very different than attending in the US.  And the Verona Opera isn't like going to the opera at the Royal Opera House.  You are...

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