Got Water?
by painterdave
Don't leave your hotel without a full water bottle, especially during the summer. Prices for water near the colisseum from the vendor there is astoundingly high. This fellow takes full advantage of the fact that people are standing in line for what could be several hours on a hot day. It might not be a high temperature but it could be muggy and the sun is intense.
If you have children with you, this line will be torture for all. Try to get reservations so you can avoid the line. This is also good advise for the Vatican museum.
Why does the hotel keep my passport?
by Lacristina
When you check in, the hotel will ask for and take your passport or identity card. They may keep it for a while, but they will return it.
Some front desk employees will just take your passport and write down your name and number on a separate piece of paper and give it back to you immediately. Sometimes, if they are busy and espcially if there is a line checking in or out, they will ask to keep it so they can collect the information later. I have never heard of anyone losing a passport by leaving it with the hotel. They usually will ask you to pick it up after you've unpacked and settled in your room.
The hotel is required to report the identity of anyone staying in their establishment to the local police. In fact, the law states that if you're not staying in a hotel or other commercial establishment where they report your whereabouts to the police, you're supposed to do it yourself at the local questura within eight days of your arrival in Italy.
It's actually illegal for anyone to be in a hotel room who isn't registered in it.....not that this rule hasn't been broken! ;-) An Italian friend told me the regulation is related to anti-terrorist legislation passed during the 1970s.
The Abbey of Montecassino
by janchan
The Abbey of Montecassino (Frosinone).
Founded by S. Benedetto in the VI century and destroyed many times in its story... last time with the devastating bombing by the allies in 1944. They thought the site was a german stronghold.
Fortunately the monks had the time to save the extremely precious treasures held in the Abbey, so that now it is still possible to admire them in the museum inside.
Not far from the main building on the hill there are huge war cemeteries, where the soldiers of all sides are buried. It should help us to remember what crime really is the war.
To get there by car take the highway A1 to Napoli and get out at Cassino exit. By train it takes about 2 hours, then a bus takes you to the abbey.
Pisa to Rome: The Cheapest Way
by Mozumbus
17.85 Euros, 2nd Class Regional Train is dead cheap for more than 200 miles of journey. So, if you want to save some good pennies than this is the right option for you. First class of this train costs 26.90 Euros but then there is not much difference between the two, so why not pay less.
The train takes 4 hours, which shows that it is among the slowest options but even than it offers a good trade off when money comes into play.
The first such train leaves Pisa 05:45 in the morning and it is the first train to reach Rome from Pisa, so save money and be there in Rome the earliest. Subsequent such trains leave Pisa on regular intervals: 07:45, 11:45, 13:45, 15:45, 17:45, and 19:56.
No advanced booking, no seat reservation, and no need to buy the ticket until you are in Italy. Tickets can be purchased via easy-to-use vending machines installed in abundance at Italian Train Stations via cash, credit card, or debit card. These tickets remain valid for one months; just buy one and whenever you wish to embark, go to the relevant platform, validate the tcikets from the yellow machine, and board-on. With Regional Trains, it is easier than it sounds, so nothing to worry about.
And if money is not such a big concern for you then see if one of the below options suits you (for 2nd Class):
Intercity Trains, IC; 29 E; 3 1/2 h; 3 per day
Intercity Night Trains, ICN; 26.50 E; 3 1/2 h; 1 per night
Euro Star City, ES*City; 39.50 E; 3 h; 5 per day
Euro Star Fast, ES*Fast; 42 E; 2 1/2 h; 1 per day
Above trains, in general, offer various discounts on advanced booking and require reservations. And trenitalia website is notorious for accepting Credit Cards, so its your luck.
Now, rest assured, this part of your journey is sorted-out, say a big NO to Eurail/Rail Europe, and have a great trip...
Brilliantly tasty ice cream
by vichatherly about Il Gelto Di San Crispino
This place makes ice cream as it was always meant to be. It's just around the corner from the Trevi fountain and so it is worth seeking out before you sit down at the fountain to enjoy the view. Excellent ice cream, full of flavour.
This place is much better than some of the other more obvious ice cream places which surround the fountain. The melon and pistachio were excellent...but we went back a few times to try out some more.
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Fiumicino by air (not my pic)
Narrow streets
Palatine Hill
Fish market in front of Porto d'Ottavia
