TXTransplant
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2012
We actually don't leave until tomorrow, but I like to do trip reports as I go (getting older and the memory isn't as good as it used to be), so I thought I'd go ahead and start this thread while I have a few quiet-ish moments.
Traveling are myself and my Junior Adventurer son (age 11 1/2). This is our second ABD, as we did the Germany trip last June. We did not do any pre- or post-days last year, and since I could not get a direct flight from our home airport to anywhere in Italy, I thought pre-days in Rome would be a good option.
We are flying KLM to Amsterdam and then on to Rome. Some of you may have seen my post about luggage requirements. KLM's are very strict, and it was difficult to find a carry-on that met the specific size requirements. I wound up with a Delsey Chatillon expandable two-wheel trolley. It looks like I'm going to be able to fit 2-3 days worth of clothes and necessities for myself and my son in that bag, so I'm happy with the capacity considering how small it actually is. I'll be sure to follow-up on this topic after our flights.
Our itinerary consists of three pre-days in Rome, after which we take the train to Naples where we will be picked up by ABD. Our ABD tour starts in Sorrento, where we will tour the Amalfi Coast, and then we travel to Florence. We have day-trips in Pompeii, Pisa, Lucca, and Siena.
I originally booked the Waldorf Astoria in Rome at a really good rate; however, I was not happy with the location (way on the west side of town on a hill, which pretty much meant we wouldn't be able to walk anywhere). In February, I bit the bullet and booked a studio-type apartment through Airbnb for about $160/night. We are right in the middle of the city, with the Pantheon and Piazza Navona being a couple of blocks in either direction. Our host is sort of acting like our concierge and has arranged for a driver to pick us up at the airport (he will also arrange our transportation to the train station). I'm excited to try this new method of lodging and will be sure to report how it goes.
I've been to both Rome and Florence, but it was almost 16 years ago when I was a cheap college student. This time I opted to book several tours in Rome through Walks with Italy. We will be doing a walking tour of Rome on Sunday evening, the VIP Colosseum/Roman Forum tour on Monday, the early-entry Pristine Sistine tour on Tuesday, and a pasta-making class on Tuesday night. Monday morning I plan to take my son up to the top of the Dome at St. Peter's, since I don't think that's included in the WoI tour. I've done the Dome before and didn't feel like a tour was necessary.
Other than that, my plan is to eat gelato at least once, if not twice, a day, drink limoncello, and live la dolce vita for 10 days. If anyone has any suggestions or must-dos in any of these cities, please share! I'll also be sharing pics via Instagram. My account is private, but if anyone wants to follow, send me a PM and I will tell you my user name so that you can send me a request.
Traveling are myself and my Junior Adventurer son (age 11 1/2). This is our second ABD, as we did the Germany trip last June. We did not do any pre- or post-days last year, and since I could not get a direct flight from our home airport to anywhere in Italy, I thought pre-days in Rome would be a good option.
We are flying KLM to Amsterdam and then on to Rome. Some of you may have seen my post about luggage requirements. KLM's are very strict, and it was difficult to find a carry-on that met the specific size requirements. I wound up with a Delsey Chatillon expandable two-wheel trolley. It looks like I'm going to be able to fit 2-3 days worth of clothes and necessities for myself and my son in that bag, so I'm happy with the capacity considering how small it actually is. I'll be sure to follow-up on this topic after our flights.
Our itinerary consists of three pre-days in Rome, after which we take the train to Naples where we will be picked up by ABD. Our ABD tour starts in Sorrento, where we will tour the Amalfi Coast, and then we travel to Florence. We have day-trips in Pompeii, Pisa, Lucca, and Siena.
I originally booked the Waldorf Astoria in Rome at a really good rate; however, I was not happy with the location (way on the west side of town on a hill, which pretty much meant we wouldn't be able to walk anywhere). In February, I bit the bullet and booked a studio-type apartment through Airbnb for about $160/night. We are right in the middle of the city, with the Pantheon and Piazza Navona being a couple of blocks in either direction. Our host is sort of acting like our concierge and has arranged for a driver to pick us up at the airport (he will also arrange our transportation to the train station). I'm excited to try this new method of lodging and will be sure to report how it goes.
I've been to both Rome and Florence, but it was almost 16 years ago when I was a cheap college student. This time I opted to book several tours in Rome through Walks with Italy. We will be doing a walking tour of Rome on Sunday evening, the VIP Colosseum/Roman Forum tour on Monday, the early-entry Pristine Sistine tour on Tuesday, and a pasta-making class on Tuesday night. Monday morning I plan to take my son up to the top of the Dome at St. Peter's, since I don't think that's included in the WoI tour. I've done the Dome before and didn't feel like a tour was necessary.
Other than that, my plan is to eat gelato at least once, if not twice, a day, drink limoncello, and live la dolce vita for 10 days. If anyone has any suggestions or must-dos in any of these cities, please share! I'll also be sharing pics via Instagram. My account is private, but if anyone wants to follow, send me a PM and I will tell you my user name so that you can send me a request.
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