tedgale trip report: Rome, Venice, Tuscany (Barberino val d elsa)
Mar 21st, 2006, 04:48 PM
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tedgale trip report: Rome, Venice, Tuscany (Barberino val d elsa)
Just returned today from Tuscany via Fiumicino; will post a full report when I can once again see straight.
Condensed version:
Pretty decent weather considering it has been a lousy winter all round -- but we had a bit of rain at the end
Biggest discovery: Tuscany's high (HIGH!) end outlet malls. If m_kingdom2 ran the world this is how we'd all dress. Got some great Prada loot!
Lots of restaurants to report on, e.g. La Rampa, near Spanish steps -- Amazing. And Giggeto in the Roman Ghetto -- excellent.
New favourite Tuscan towns: Certaldo, Volterra
New NON-fave: the hill towns of Chianti: What's the big deal?
Where we stayed:
Spanish Steps, Rome, March 1-8:
http://www.vrbo.com/75004
Venice, March 8-15: http://www.veniceapartments.org/html/fegalliano1.html
Tuscany, March 15-21:
http://www.italy-villas-rentals.com/property/7264
Apartment rankings:
Venice, apartment Fegalliano and Barberino Val d'Elsa tied for first place
Rome apartment a distant third BUT it would really suit some travellers and is very large and wonderfully sited. (Basically: It needs a paint job)
More anon...........
Condensed version:
Pretty decent weather considering it has been a lousy winter all round -- but we had a bit of rain at the end
Biggest discovery: Tuscany's high (HIGH!) end outlet malls. If m_kingdom2 ran the world this is how we'd all dress. Got some great Prada loot!
Lots of restaurants to report on, e.g. La Rampa, near Spanish steps -- Amazing. And Giggeto in the Roman Ghetto -- excellent.
New favourite Tuscan towns: Certaldo, Volterra
New NON-fave: the hill towns of Chianti: What's the big deal?
Where we stayed:
Spanish Steps, Rome, March 1-8:
http://www.vrbo.com/75004
Venice, March 8-15: http://www.veniceapartments.org/html/fegalliano1.html
Tuscany, March 15-21:
http://www.italy-villas-rentals.com/property/7264
Apartment rankings:
Venice, apartment Fegalliano and Barberino Val d'Elsa tied for first place
Rome apartment a distant third BUT it would really suit some travellers and is very large and wonderfully sited. (Basically: It needs a paint job)
More anon...........
Mar 21st, 2006, 04:52 PM
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Darlin!!
I loved the Rome and Venice apts but the Tuscany would not open...but from a look at the others, I am convinced that our trip to Italy must happen sooner rather than later!
The view of Chanel from a window conjures up all sorts of ideas
Hurry back, there is so much for you to tell~
Welcome home, Tedgale!
I loved the Rome and Venice apts but the Tuscany would not open...but from a look at the others, I am convinced that our trip to Italy must happen sooner rather than later!
The view of Chanel from a window conjures up all sorts of ideas
Hurry back, there is so much for you to tell~
Welcome home, Tedgale!
Mar 21st, 2006, 05:00 PM
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The Barberino apartment was furnsihed by an antiquary who buys mostly in France and Hungary. Then he sold it furnished to his sister and brother in law who live downstairs -- and the sister has her law practice on the floor below.
Decoratively it was the most UN-Italian place you could imagine -- full of horsey-doggy-English-countryhouse stuff but all in perfect taste and set amidst Tuscan exposed beams and stone fireplace AND it was the cheapest place we rented..... More when I revive tomorrow
Decoratively it was the most UN-Italian place you could imagine -- full of horsey-doggy-English-countryhouse stuff but all in perfect taste and set amidst Tuscan exposed beams and stone fireplace AND it was the cheapest place we rented..... More when I revive tomorrow
Mar 22nd, 2006, 02:18 AM
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Salut Ted! 
What a shame the link to Tuscany has expired I couldn't see the apartment!
What was the rate for Venice/Fegalliano? Can't find it on the website...
La suite maintenant!
Et bienvenue à la maison alors!
coco
What a shame the link to Tuscany has expired I couldn't see the apartment!
What was the rate for Venice/Fegalliano? Can't find it on the website...
La suite maintenant!
Et bienvenue à la maison alors!
coco
Mar 22nd, 2006, 03:15 PM
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RE outlets in Tuscany:
The Prada outlet (which also stocks some Helmut Lang and Miu Miu) is almost impossible to find. I will look for better coordinates. But basically:
There is a main highway/road that runs through the centre of unlovely Montevarchi, SE of Florence. Between Montevarchi and its southerly neighbouring community, the equally unlovely Levane, is the "Sector Levanella". When travelling south from Montevarchi, pass the Agip (I think) gas station on your right and turn left at the next stoplight. On your left is a dull light-industrial building, off whose rear parking lot is a shop called Space. This is the place. Take a number at the dispenser.
If there is a crowd you may have to wait. On a rainy Thursday in March, there was no wait.
Keep the number: You will use it to "reserve" items of interest to you that will be held for you at the cash for your final selection.
Unlike a "real" store there is no pressure to buy -- indeed almost NO service from the staff, who spend all their time chatting among themselves.
If you are still motivated to shop here after this unappetizing description:
I can assure you that the selection was great, the merchandise was first-rate and the prices were terrific, given the label's cachet.
And once inside the store, you'd think you were in a really high-end emporium (right down to the marble-clad WCs)
In Canada I have seen "my" Prada standard black trainers priced at $500 Cdn; I paid $170, if you include the VAT rebate. For grey wool Prada dress trousers, I paid about 90 E beofre subtracting the VAT, which was rebated at the airport -- I could pay the same for no-name dreck here at home.
In nearby Regello is The Mall, which is a set of 3 new pavilions each with a clutch of high-end shops in which merchandise is generally 50 percent of original retail prices but sometimes much less.
Shops include: Gucci, Fendi, Armani, Ferragamo, Ferre, Bruno Magli, Loro Piano, Pucci and the unavoidable Burberry (all the Japanese head there first)
The Gucci shop had everything from briefcases to bugle-beaded ballgowns. Dear spouse bought a satchel-type briefcase, originally 1090 E (!!), for 425 E. Not a purchase I would have made, perhaps, but if you want a Gucci briefcase that is a good price.
Had I been one size smaller I could have got a beautiful Gucci Harley-type leather jacket -- the skins were as soft as butter -- for 250 E. Now that IS a bargain.
The Prada outlet (which also stocks some Helmut Lang and Miu Miu) is almost impossible to find. I will look for better coordinates. But basically:
There is a main highway/road that runs through the centre of unlovely Montevarchi, SE of Florence. Between Montevarchi and its southerly neighbouring community, the equally unlovely Levane, is the "Sector Levanella". When travelling south from Montevarchi, pass the Agip (I think) gas station on your right and turn left at the next stoplight. On your left is a dull light-industrial building, off whose rear parking lot is a shop called Space. This is the place. Take a number at the dispenser.
If there is a crowd you may have to wait. On a rainy Thursday in March, there was no wait.
Keep the number: You will use it to "reserve" items of interest to you that will be held for you at the cash for your final selection.
Unlike a "real" store there is no pressure to buy -- indeed almost NO service from the staff, who spend all their time chatting among themselves.
If you are still motivated to shop here after this unappetizing description:
I can assure you that the selection was great, the merchandise was first-rate and the prices were terrific, given the label's cachet.
And once inside the store, you'd think you were in a really high-end emporium (right down to the marble-clad WCs)
In Canada I have seen "my" Prada standard black trainers priced at $500 Cdn; I paid $170, if you include the VAT rebate. For grey wool Prada dress trousers, I paid about 90 E beofre subtracting the VAT, which was rebated at the airport -- I could pay the same for no-name dreck here at home.
In nearby Regello is The Mall, which is a set of 3 new pavilions each with a clutch of high-end shops in which merchandise is generally 50 percent of original retail prices but sometimes much less.
Shops include: Gucci, Fendi, Armani, Ferragamo, Ferre, Bruno Magli, Loro Piano, Pucci and the unavoidable Burberry (all the Japanese head there first)
The Gucci shop had everything from briefcases to bugle-beaded ballgowns. Dear spouse bought a satchel-type briefcase, originally 1090 E (!!), for 425 E. Not a purchase I would have made, perhaps, but if you want a Gucci briefcase that is a good price.
Had I been one size smaller I could have got a beautiful Gucci Harley-type leather jacket -- the skins were as soft as butter -- for 250 E. Now that IS a bargain.
Mar 22nd, 2006, 03:53 PM
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RE the Tuscany apartment (in Barberino Val D'Elsa): Try the company's other website, www.tuscany-villas.it and type in the property number, 7264, in the box that lets you search for specific properties.
The apartment is a spacious 1 bedroom completely rewired, replumbed and refloored. It has exposed beams, a lovely stone fireplace, tiled kitchen, custom made bedspreads (to match the custom headboards) etc
There is even an (unused by us) upper level, the old belvedere or maybe dovecote.
The one negative is that it is situated on the via Cassia, which runs from Florence to Rome. This was NOT an issue in this season but could be in hot weather, when windows must reamin open.
On the plus side:
I really appreciated our proximity to the nearby Florence-Siena 4 lane road (this is not the via Cassia that I mention above but a recent freeway)
We truly do not tear around the countryside. But I really cannot imagine touring effectively from remote places like Radda in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti or some of the other popular villages.
Final note: within 2-3 minutes' walk from the apartment are 2 very nice, VERY moderately priced restaurants: L'Archibugio and Il Campanellino. Most people would consider us "foodies" yet we ate 3 times at Archibugio.
I would not have believed anyone who said I would dine 3 times on pizza but these pizzas were something else. And a representative antipasto was the wild game plate: wild boar, deer, venison sausage -- eked out with: bresaola, pork cheeks, prosciutto wrapped around ricotta....
This dish cost 8 E.
The apartment is a spacious 1 bedroom completely rewired, replumbed and refloored. It has exposed beams, a lovely stone fireplace, tiled kitchen, custom made bedspreads (to match the custom headboards) etc
There is even an (unused by us) upper level, the old belvedere or maybe dovecote.
The one negative is that it is situated on the via Cassia, which runs from Florence to Rome. This was NOT an issue in this season but could be in hot weather, when windows must reamin open.
On the plus side:
I really appreciated our proximity to the nearby Florence-Siena 4 lane road (this is not the via Cassia that I mention above but a recent freeway)
We truly do not tear around the countryside. But I really cannot imagine touring effectively from remote places like Radda in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti or some of the other popular villages.
Final note: within 2-3 minutes' walk from the apartment are 2 very nice, VERY moderately priced restaurants: L'Archibugio and Il Campanellino. Most people would consider us "foodies" yet we ate 3 times at Archibugio.
I would not have believed anyone who said I would dine 3 times on pizza but these pizzas were something else. And a representative antipasto was the wild game plate: wild boar, deer, venison sausage -- eked out with: bresaola, pork cheeks, prosciutto wrapped around ricotta....
This dish cost 8 E.
Mar 22nd, 2006, 04:43 PM
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RE the Rome apartment, which is also listed on www.romeur.it:
Reasonably priced accommodation in Rome is always a challenge. The place we stayed last year near P.zza Navona is no longer available so we took a flyer on this vrbo listing.
The pluses:
1. Location: You are about 100 metres from P.zza di Spagna. There is a fair bit of traffic on this street, v. del Babuino -- but we were not troubled at night.
Moreover, you are right by a metro station. We travelled with ease to Termini station from the apartment, when we took the Eurostar to Venice. And there is a Di per Di supermarket in nearby v. della Vittoria.
2. Space: We like to spread out and this apartment had 2 sitting rooms, a spacious entrance hall, largeish kitchen and a dressing room/ area that gave access to the 70s or 80s marble bathroom.
The rooms (beamed ceilings) were about 11 or 12 feet high.
By my estimate, derived by looking at local real estate listings, this place would sell for about 800 000 E.
3. A pretty decent kitchen and a pretty good bathroom. Quiet neighbours. Excellent king sized bed. A few quite nice antiques, though the more modern furniture looked very tired....
The minus: It really needs a coat of paint -- the walls are getting quite grubby, which is not apparent from the photos.
If they spruced it up a bit they could easily get at least 50 percent more than the very modest 103.50 E we paid
I doubt I would return but we were, in very large part, satisfied with the rental.
Reasonably priced accommodation in Rome is always a challenge. The place we stayed last year near P.zza Navona is no longer available so we took a flyer on this vrbo listing.
The pluses:
1. Location: You are about 100 metres from P.zza di Spagna. There is a fair bit of traffic on this street, v. del Babuino -- but we were not troubled at night.
Moreover, you are right by a metro station. We travelled with ease to Termini station from the apartment, when we took the Eurostar to Venice. And there is a Di per Di supermarket in nearby v. della Vittoria.
2. Space: We like to spread out and this apartment had 2 sitting rooms, a spacious entrance hall, largeish kitchen and a dressing room/ area that gave access to the 70s or 80s marble bathroom.
The rooms (beamed ceilings) were about 11 or 12 feet high.
By my estimate, derived by looking at local real estate listings, this place would sell for about 800 000 E.
3. A pretty decent kitchen and a pretty good bathroom. Quiet neighbours. Excellent king sized bed. A few quite nice antiques, though the more modern furniture looked very tired....
The minus: It really needs a coat of paint -- the walls are getting quite grubby, which is not apparent from the photos.
If they spruced it up a bit they could easily get at least 50 percent more than the very modest 103.50 E we paid
I doubt I would return but we were, in very large part, satisfied with the rental.
Mar 22nd, 2006, 04:52 PM
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Coco: Nous l'avons paye 88 E (tarif de basse saison) -- nettoyage, 40 E en sus.
I.E. 88 E per night for our Venice rental plus 40 E final cleaning.
This rental would not suit those who prefer a secluded place off a tiny canal. OTOH, we faced the Grand Canal and they would not.
And it was NOT at all noisy, despite the vaporetto stop in front of the house and the proximity (to put it mildly) of P.le Roma -- which you do not see nor hear from the apartment.
Plus there is an excellent COOP supermarket 5 doors away.
I.E. 88 E per night for our Venice rental plus 40 E final cleaning.
This rental would not suit those who prefer a secluded place off a tiny canal. OTOH, we faced the Grand Canal and they would not.
And it was NOT at all noisy, despite the vaporetto stop in front of the house and the proximity (to put it mildly) of P.le Roma -- which you do not see nor hear from the apartment.
Plus there is an excellent COOP supermarket 5 doors away.
Mar 23rd, 2006, 02:14 PM
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by the way, here are the coordinated for The Mall, which is signposted more or less from the main highway we took from Montevarchi to Florence. Around Incisa you turn east at the yellow and brown sign for Dolce and gabbana's outlet. When you get near the Dolce and Gabbana turn off, you will see signs for The Mall, which is a little further on:
"THE MALL—outlet center - Via Europa 8, Leccio Regello (Firenze)
Monday-Saturday 10a to 7p and Sunday 3p to 7p
"Call to reconfirm before going! Tel. (055) 865.7775
"Brand names include: AGNONA, BOTTEGA VENETA, EMANUEL UNGARO, ERMEMEGILDO ZEGNA, GIORGIO ARMANI, GUCCI, HOGAN, LA PERLA, LORO PIANA, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, SERGIO ROSSI, YVES SAINT LAURENT, TOD’S VALENTINO.
"They provide a shuttle bus that takes visitors from hotels in Florence to The Mall and back for 25 euros. You can also get there by train and the SITA bus costs 2.60 euros one way."
(This latter info comes from a website unrelated to The Mall -- I cannot confirm info re shuttles etc)
"THE MALL—outlet center - Via Europa 8, Leccio Regello (Firenze)
Monday-Saturday 10a to 7p and Sunday 3p to 7p
"Call to reconfirm before going! Tel. (055) 865.7775
"Brand names include: AGNONA, BOTTEGA VENETA, EMANUEL UNGARO, ERMEMEGILDO ZEGNA, GIORGIO ARMANI, GUCCI, HOGAN, LA PERLA, LORO PIANA, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, SERGIO ROSSI, YVES SAINT LAURENT, TOD’S VALENTINO.
"They provide a shuttle bus that takes visitors from hotels in Florence to The Mall and back for 25 euros. You can also get there by train and the SITA bus costs 2.60 euros one way."
(This latter info comes from a website unrelated to The Mall -- I cannot confirm info re shuttles etc)
Mar 24th, 2006, 02:54 AM
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if there were a shuttle bus that didn't drop you off and come back 5 hours later that would be great - the one "tour" I found did just that. I like shopping, but not 5 hours in one place! thanks for the info.
Mar 24th, 2006, 03:35 PM
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Here are the promised restaurant suggestions for Rome and a comment on one in Venice:
Corte Sconta in Venice:
Much touted on these pages and elsewhere. A thoroughly professional restaurant catering to an international clientele. Charming simple rooms, deft service.
But 115 E for two for lunch???? -- which was a bottle of Prosecco (their house wine), plus the delicate, inventive, multi-dish seafood antipasto plus a pasta course. No dessert or coffee.
The other half of our 4 person group was my brother and his wife from NYC. For them, this was a nice lunch out. For this admittedly well-heeled but humble country-mouse it was a bit rich.
La Rampa, Rampa Mignanelli, just to the right of the Spanish Steps in Rome:
A revelation. Bustling; handsome, high, vaulted rooms built into the hillside -- I understand that in warm weather they spill out into the street.
Very professional service -- Older multilingual gents who've seen it all and whom nothing can faze.
If you try their "self-service" (their term) antipasto you may not want anything after, though we soldiered on through a secondo.
The antipasto dishes to which you help yourself were the excellent versions of the standard vegetarian dishes (melanzane, carciofi) plus bresaola, prosciutto, bufala mozzarella, roast chicken and I can't recall what-all.
They also do a mean line in seafood, though on the antipasto table I cannot at this point recall much more than something akin to our Lake Winnipeg gold-eye -- i.e a delicious smoked whitefish.
The antipasto plate costs 9 E 50 and a litre of their house wine was about the same; I cannot see how they make either pay.
Cantina del Vecchio, in via dei Coronari near P.zza Navona:
Our dear Cantina was our chic/ casual neighbourhood bistro last year and we went back to re-kindle our memories.
Thoughtful service, nice rooms, fine Lazio cuisine. At about 70 E for 2 it was a good deal. Wish I had tried again the mushroom risotto I ordered twice last year.
Da Giggetto, in the Ghetto near the Teatro Marcello:
This was a compromise between one who said "I want carciofi all giudea (sp.?)" and I who said "I'm not paying Piperno prices for fired zucchini blossoms!"
Da Giggetto was terrific -- traditional ghetto menu (carciofi, zucchini, gnocchi) at very fair prices and with far fewer tourists (at least in our room).
Great seen-it-all waiter,too. no one in this humming restaurant gets too much attention, But we got quite enough and left very satisfied with the experience.
Il Bacaro, v. dei Spagnoli, north of P.zza Navona:
Our multilingual waiter ran through the menu and specials in excellent English, then held a lengthy discussion of the menu with our neighbours in flawless though lightly accented French. I asked him if he could repeat himself in German and he said, "No, but I could in Mandarin".
Small, pretty, simple rooms in a backwater street. Mix of well-off younger locals and European and NA visitors. Quiet, relaxed atmosphere. The food was very "nice" though perhaps not spectacular; the service was even nicer. I liked it that (as I had been forewarned) they bring you a small side plate of your dinner partner's primo so you can taste it too: A nice touch for a "greener-pastures" gourmand like yours truly.
("None for me, I'll just pick", to echo the laugh line of a 1970s Albert Innaurato Broadway play)
About 70 E for 2.
Corte Sconta in Venice:
Much touted on these pages and elsewhere. A thoroughly professional restaurant catering to an international clientele. Charming simple rooms, deft service.
But 115 E for two for lunch???? -- which was a bottle of Prosecco (their house wine), plus the delicate, inventive, multi-dish seafood antipasto plus a pasta course. No dessert or coffee.
The other half of our 4 person group was my brother and his wife from NYC. For them, this was a nice lunch out. For this admittedly well-heeled but humble country-mouse it was a bit rich.
La Rampa, Rampa Mignanelli, just to the right of the Spanish Steps in Rome:
A revelation. Bustling; handsome, high, vaulted rooms built into the hillside -- I understand that in warm weather they spill out into the street.
Very professional service -- Older multilingual gents who've seen it all and whom nothing can faze.
If you try their "self-service" (their term) antipasto you may not want anything after, though we soldiered on through a secondo.
The antipasto dishes to which you help yourself were the excellent versions of the standard vegetarian dishes (melanzane, carciofi) plus bresaola, prosciutto, bufala mozzarella, roast chicken and I can't recall what-all.
They also do a mean line in seafood, though on the antipasto table I cannot at this point recall much more than something akin to our Lake Winnipeg gold-eye -- i.e a delicious smoked whitefish.
The antipasto plate costs 9 E 50 and a litre of their house wine was about the same; I cannot see how they make either pay.
Cantina del Vecchio, in via dei Coronari near P.zza Navona:
Our dear Cantina was our chic/ casual neighbourhood bistro last year and we went back to re-kindle our memories.
Thoughtful service, nice rooms, fine Lazio cuisine. At about 70 E for 2 it was a good deal. Wish I had tried again the mushroom risotto I ordered twice last year.
Da Giggetto, in the Ghetto near the Teatro Marcello:
This was a compromise between one who said "I want carciofi all giudea (sp.?)" and I who said "I'm not paying Piperno prices for fired zucchini blossoms!"
Da Giggetto was terrific -- traditional ghetto menu (carciofi, zucchini, gnocchi) at very fair prices and with far fewer tourists (at least in our room).
Great seen-it-all waiter,too. no one in this humming restaurant gets too much attention, But we got quite enough and left very satisfied with the experience.
Il Bacaro, v. dei Spagnoli, north of P.zza Navona:
Our multilingual waiter ran through the menu and specials in excellent English, then held a lengthy discussion of the menu with our neighbours in flawless though lightly accented French. I asked him if he could repeat himself in German and he said, "No, but I could in Mandarin".
Small, pretty, simple rooms in a backwater street. Mix of well-off younger locals and European and NA visitors. Quiet, relaxed atmosphere. The food was very "nice" though perhaps not spectacular; the service was even nicer. I liked it that (as I had been forewarned) they bring you a small side plate of your dinner partner's primo so you can taste it too: A nice touch for a "greener-pastures" gourmand like yours truly.
("None for me, I'll just pick", to echo the laugh line of a 1970s Albert Innaurato Broadway play)
About 70 E for 2.
