O N T O U R:
Having allowed one daughter some prominence with the Waterside caf” (http://www.watersidecafe.co.uk) her sister has insisted that she gets a mention in ABTN too. These are her comments on a recent trip to Venice and Rome (with husband).
A TWO CENTRE ITALY
A trip to Italy can leave you breathless. This was certainly the case on a recent two-centre holiday to Venice and Rome.
One of the biggest benefits to the independent traveller of so-called ”no-frills” airlines is that it is very easy to book a one-way journey. This trip was by easyJet from Stansted to Marco Polo airport, sitting on the Venice Lido and a short ferry ride to the city, Eurostar from Venice to Rome (no need to book in advance) and return from Rome Ciampino to Gatwick. Ryanair also flies to Venice from Stansted to Treviso, an inexpensive bus ride away. You can take British Airways and Alitalia from Heathrow.
There is so much to see and do in Venice that at first you don”t want to stop. You want to capture every one of the 14th century buildings, take note of the architecture of the 409 bridges that cross the Canal Grande and be amazed at the efficiency of the Vaporettos ” the river bus system. Here you can learn of the lesser known Italian Empire ” the Venetian Empire and visit the grand and exquisite Doge”s Palace. It is a short Vaporetto trip from Venice to the island of Murano where there are countless shops - all trying to sell the distinctive Murano glassware to eager tourists. St Mark's Square (famously described by Napoleon as the 'drawing room of Europe') is not quite what it was and the whole island is just crazy with visitors and sinking. It can be very, very hot in July and August, the months to keep away from the place. Visit in the spring or late Autumn. It”s cheaper too.
However, the problem with Venice is that once you do finally stop and take it all in, you realise that you are in a Disneyesque city. It seemed as if the only industry was the tourist industry and soon you start to miss ”real-life”.
You would not have such a problem in Rome. ”Real-life” goes on around you, while you stop and stare in amazement at the two thousand year old buildings. If it is true that Rome wasn”t built in a day, it can certainly be walked in a day. The central hotels are in easy walking distance of most tourist sites. The Westin Excelsior proved an ideal base, five-star, relaxed and close to the Spanish Steps and the Vatican.
Rome certainly has much to offer. However, don”t do what one couple did when they visited the Vatican (”I wonder who they were?”- Editor) ” they arrived at 12pm to find out that it closed at 2pm. Guided tours of the Vatican were expensive (20 Euros + 10 Euro entrance fee), audio guides were not sold after 12pm because those selling the audio guides assumed that everyone would listen to the whole four hours worth of explanations on tapes. On this day the English guide books had sold out. Thus it is recommended that you start the day early and perhaps buy a guide book before you enter the Vatican - there are no signs on the inside to explain the history and significance of the various artworks.
The Coliseum was enthralling. A 7 Euro tour (plus 15 Euro entrance) was certainly value for money. For those who have watched the film The Gladiators or know anything about Roman history it was very moving to be in the place where hundreds” of thousands of soldiers were murdered in the name of sport, over a four hundred year plus period. The nearby Victor Emmanuel II monument was not built for tourists ” it was impossible to stand anywhere and get the whole magnificent structure in one shot. Its scale displayed an arrogance and a pride which could not be seen in Britain.
Before or during a stay, a highly recommended book is Tobias Jones, ”A Dark Heart of Italy”. In a similar genre to Michael Moore”s ”Stupid White Men”, ”A Dark Heart of Italy” gives a real insight into the unfathomable and sometimes simply unbelievable world of Italian politics and society. There are no jokes, as in Stupid White Men, but it is more shocking. The Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, owns 90% of commercial television, AC Milan and has a personal worth of ”9bn (and he is known for the odd non-diplomatic outburst). It is a country where lawyers have been known to go on strike and it is generally accepted that you cannot trust your bank to make payments for you through direct debit. The book certainly gives you a glimpse of modern day Italy as you soak up the atmosphere of the old.
It would be very difficult to be disappointed when visiting these two magnificent cities. Both offer history, style and culture in large doses. But do take lots of spending money with you, because a country like this cannot be visited on the cheap. http://turismo.regione.veneto.ithttp://www.enjoyrome.com