Stuart

Hi

This will be our second visit to Italy (on Honeymoon), after a
whistle-stop 'Archers' tour in August 2000 to Venice, Assisi, Rome,
Naples, Capri, Rome, Pisa, Florence, Venice (but they know their stuff
- getting you to places early and avoiding crowds).

We are spending 12 days, from 3rd May, in a relative's farmhouse near
San Martino (?) in Le Marche with a hire car. From 9-12th May we are
staying in a B&B in Rome, about halfway between Termini & the Spanish
Steps.

Any advice or suggestions from any of the knowledgable ones her about
Italy? Where to go? What to do? We already have decided to return to
Assisi as we only had 2 hours, including eating, there last time.

Also, I am not going to drive to Rome. We have found there is a
regular coach to Rome from the East coast to Rome for €30/person
return
<http://www.romamarchelinee.it/lista_fermate.php?id_linea=1,2,5> does
anyone know it? Is it good? Where in Rome would we end up (can't
make it out from the site)? Any suggestions where we could leave the
hire car while on the coach/in Rome? Is there an alternative (e.g.
train - again, where to park)?

Any tips and tricks for seeing Rome? Public transport? Travel cards
(name & where to buy)? Honest, inexpensive food? Thankfully, we have
visited the Vatican during the last trip as well as the catacombs and
St Paul outside the walls.

Any websites (e.g. <http://www.le-marche.com/>) with useful tips and
information for Rome or Le Marche? We have already been to the Italian
Tourist Board in London, but would appreciate first-hand experiences
and suggestions (it's also quicker than looking for the needles in the
haystack that is the web!).

Sorry about all of the questions :o)

Many thanks in advance

Stuart
--
The "reply to" address in this email is never checked. Please reply
to the newsgroup.

Anzov

"Stuart" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

<< We are spending 12 days, from 3rd May, in a relative's farmhouse near
San Martino (?) in Le Marche with a hire car. From 9-12th May we are
staying in a B&B in Rome, about halfway between Termini & the Spanish
Steps.

Any advice or suggestions from any of the knowledgable ones her about
Italy? >>

There are umpteen of San Martino's in Italy. I counted something like 130 in
the index of my map with a dozen or more in and around the Marches in
various guises. Could you be more specific. Is it Monte San Martino in the
province of Macerata? that is a popular place for visitors to stay.

Having said that, there is lots of things to do and see in the Marches
wherever you are staying. Some of my favourite trips are:

A run out into the Monti Sibillini National Park. If you head for Norcia and
go through the Piano Grande, past Castelluccio, the views are outstanding.
Norcia is small but nice. It is the spiritual home of all Italian Pork
Butchers. The shops are a delight to look in with plenty of offers to taste.

A trip to the coast. Almost anywhere will do. At that time of the year you
will be on your own but it is nice to stroll along the beach and lick an Ice
Cream. Senigallia is not a bad choice.

Depending which province you are in, but the four provincial capital cities
are all worth a look. Ancona, the Regional and Provincial Capital is a bit
biggish and not really worth a visit if you are short on time but the other
three, Ascoli Piceno, Macerata and Pesaro are all nice.If you make another
post saying where exactly you are going, I will give you some good places to
eat in and around the Region. Also, what you like doing. If you like looking
at nice pictures, for example, I can offer some suggestions for a run out.

If you are in the North, then I suppose you should go to Urbino but it isn't
my favourite place. A bit over touristy. Near there is a lovely little
castle perched on top of a mountain at San Leo, about 15 km from San Marino.

Jesi is a pleasant little city just in about 25 km from Ancona. It is the
centre of the winegrowing area of "Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi". Don't
be put off by the fancy shaped bottles of glop in Tesco's. There is some
serious wine to be had around here.

I would think that that would keep you busy for the time that you have but,
where ever you go, the views are stupendous.

The world and his wife will probably give you advice about Rome but, if not,
I will get back with some reasonable places to eat.

Ken Blake

In news:[email protected],
Stuart <[email protected]> typed:

    > This will be our second visit to Italy (on Honeymoon), after a
    > whistle-stop 'Archers' tour in August 2000 to Venice, Assisi,
    > Rome,
    > Naples, Capri, Rome, Pisa, Florence, Venice (but they know
    > their stuff
    > - getting you to places early and avoiding crowds).
    > We are spending 12 days, from 3rd May, in a relative's
    > farmhouse near
    > San Martino (?) in Le Marche with a hire car. From 9-12th May
    > we are
    > staying in a B&B in Rome, about halfway between Termini & the
    > Spanish
    > Steps.
    > Any advice or suggestions from any of the knowledgable ones her
    > about
    > Italy? Where to go? What to do?


Everybody has different tastes, and likes to do different things.
For me there is more than enough to do and see that you won't
have close to enough time to do it all.

So a question as general as yours is very hard to answer. It does
no good, for example, to tell you about my favorite art museums
if you don't like art. Give us some information about what kinds
of things you like, and how far you're willing to travel, and you
can get better advice.



    > We already have decided to return to
    > Assisi as we only had 2 hours, including eating, there last
    > time.
    > Also, I am not going to drive to Rome. We have found there is
    > a
    > regular coach to Rome from the East coast to Rome for
    > ?30/person
    > return
    > <http://www.romamarchelinee.it/lista_fermate.php?id_linea=1,2,5>
    > does
    > anyone know it? Is it good?


I don't know it and can't comment on how good it is, but I don't
see any reason why it should be a problem. But have you compared
the cost and convenience with taking the train instead?


    > Where in Rome would we end up (can't
    > make it out from the site)?


Apparently at the Stazione Tiburtina.


    > Any suggestions where we could leave the
    > hire car while on the coach/in Rome?


Why not return it to the car rental agency? Why pay for it during
the time you won't be using it?


Is there an alternative (e.g.
    > train - again, where to park)?
    > Any tips and tricks for seeing Rome? Public transport?


I find that I can get around all of downtown tourist Rome very
easily on foot. And there's much more to be seen by walking. If
you want to get to an occasional site that's farther out, the
metro usually works well.


    > Travel cards
    > (name & where to buy)? Honest, inexpensive food?


There are many excellent restaurants in Rome, but again it's hard
to give advice without knowing more about your likes and dislikes
and what you mean by "inexpensive." Since you've been in Rome
before tell, tell us where you've eaten and what you thought of
those places; that could be a good starting point for further
recommendations.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup



    > Thankfully, we have
    > visited the Vatican during the last trip as well as the
    > catacombs and
    > St Paul outside the walls.
    > Any websites (e.g. <http://www.le-marche.com/>) with useful
    > tips and
    > information for Rome or Le Marche? We have already been to the
    > Italian
    > Tourist Board in London, but would appreciate first-hand
    > experiences
    > and suggestions (it's also quicker than looking for the needles
    > in the
    > haystack that is the web!).
    > Sorry about all of the questions :o)
    > Many thanks in advance
    > Stuart

Stuart

On Mon, 4 Apr 2005 13:15:22 +0100, "Anzov" <[email protected]> wrote:

    >"Stuart" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected].. .
    ><< We are spending 12 days, from 3rd May, in a relative's farmhouse near
    > San Martino (?) in Le Marche with a hire car. From 9-12th May we are
    > staying in a B&B in Rome, about halfway between Termini & the Spanish
    > Steps.
    > Any advice or suggestions from any of the knowledgable ones her about
    > Italy? >>
    >There are umpteen of San Martino's in Italy. I counted something like 130 in
    >the index of my map with a dozen or more in and around the Marches in
    >various guises. Could you be more specific. Is it Monte San Martino in the
    >province of Macerata? that is a popular place for visitors to stay.

eeek! :o)

Of course you are correct about the plethora of San Martinos! We are
trying to pin down our relatives about the /exact/ address, but I
believe it is 5 mins (drive) from Polverina, 15 mins from Camerino and
near Fiastra - just off route 77.

From the photos we have seen of the area I totally believe it will
have breathtaking scenery - it looks gorgeous!

<snip good stuff>

Many thanks for your time, and sorry for not being specific enough the
first time.

Stuart
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The "reply to" address in this email is never checked. Please reply
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Stuart

On Mon, 4 Apr 2005 12:33:45 -0700, "Ken Blake"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >In news:[email protected],
    >Stuart <[email protected]> typed:
<snip>

    >Everybody has different tastes, and likes to do different things.
    >For me there is more than enough to do and see that you won't
    >have close to enough time to do it all.
    >So a question as general as yours is very hard to answer. It does
    >no good, for example, to tell you about my favorite art museums
    >if you don't like art. Give us some information about what kinds
    >of things you like, and how far you're willing to travel, and you
    >can get better advice.

I ought to know that I should be more specific - the same is true of
the computer & mobile phone groups I frequent. "best phone contract"
or "best computer" depends too much on what the user wants them to do.
Sorry, I'll try to be more specific.

We like any natural features - scenery etc... For example we once
walked for a couple of hours to see a supposedly 'mystic' waterfall in
the middle of a wood. Also, I suppose, buildings of significance,
whether they be religious or ancient. Not really a gallery or museum
person, prefer to see things 'in situ'. We are really history people,
where we can find out the story behind items.

We will be based for most of the time half way between Macerata and
Assisi. I suppose we would be prepared to travel for 1 hr between
sites, but would prefer closer. Note that this doesn't mean we only
would want to be 1 hr away from our base, would be happy to 'hop' away
(but probably within 2 hours drive of our base at furthest).

    >> We already have decided to return to
    >> Assisi as we only had 2 hours, including eating, there last
    >> time.
    >> Also, I am not going to drive to Rome. We have found there is
    >> a
    >> regular coach to Rome from the East coast to Rome for
    >> ?30/person
    >> return
    >> <http://www.romamarchelinee.it/lista_fermate.php?id_linea=1,2,5>
    >> does
    >> anyone know it? Is it good?
    >I don't know it and can't comment on how good it is, but I don't
    >see any reason why it should be a problem. But have you compared
    >the cost and convenience with taking the train instead?

Had thought of the train, but wouldn't know where to go from, where to
park or where to find out - I assume the railways have a website? But
haven't happened across it yet (must admit, I hadn't looked too far
either ;o) ). My Italian is minimal (close to zero) and I find
looking some things up quite daunting. Visiting the Italian Tourist
Office again in the middle of next week and am hoping to pick up ideas
from here so I can ask them to help out with specific details and
maybe things like how to organise rail travel etc...

    >> Where in Rome would we end up (can't
    >> make it out from the site)?
    >Apparently at the Stazione Tiburtina.

Many thanks

    >> Any suggestions where we could leave the
    >> hire car while on the coach/in Rome?
    >Why not return it to the car rental agency? Why pay for it during
    >the time you won't be using it?

Unfortunately I had booked the car early on, before we decided to go
to Rome. However, I did think of looking for a Hertz depot near a
station or coach stop and leaving it there while away - at least they
couldn't blame us for any damage over that time ;o)

    > Is there an alternative (e.g.
    >> train - again, where to park)?
    >> Any tips and tricks for seeing Rome? Public transport?
    >I find that I can get around all of downtown tourist Rome very
    >easily on foot. And there's much more to be seen by walking. If
    >you want to get to an occasional site that's farther out, the
    >metro usually works well.

We will, no doubt, walk a lot (my fiancee hates that part of me) - I
expect Rome could very much almost look after itself, but there might
be a few suggestions to interesting parts that many tourists miss - we
often do 2-3hr guided walks in London, for example, that cover very
interesting historical points and stories that seldom get touched on
by tourists and standard guidebooks. Not saying we want guided tours
like that, but definitely the 'quirky' or different sites. I suppose
we will probably want to focus on Roman sites by preference.

However we will definitely be seeing the Trevi fountain as it was dry
when we visited last time.

    >> Travel cards
    >> (name & where to buy)? Honest, inexpensive food?
    >There are many excellent restaurants in Rome, but again it's hard
    >to give advice without knowing more about your likes and dislikes
    >and what you mean by "inexpensive." Since you've been in Rome
    >before tell, tell us where you've eaten and what you thought of
    >those places; that could be a good starting point for further
    >recommendations.

I can't recall the couple of places we ate in Rome, but they were ones
we were herded cattle-like into as a tour group (along with the
'unique opportunity' to purchase the CD from the entertainers every
mealtime!). One was very pleasant, but it all felt somewhat staged
for the tourist. We are prepared to experiment food-wise and would
like to try places where you might hear more than the odd Italian
accent amongst the customers but where we wouldn't be seen as
intruders (though I don't like seafood - so there would have to be an
alternative - I'll have to learn the Italian for not liking seafood!).
Prices, well I would probably like to put a ceiling on of €40 per
person, without drinks, preferably closer to €30 - or am I being
totally unrealistic?

I suppose what I have written above just shows that I don't seem to be
able to pin down my preferences :o/ Hope this has been more specific
in at least some ways and many thanks for your time and efforts in
responding.

Stuart
--
The "reply to" address in this email is never checked. Please reply
to the newsgroup.

Ken Blake

In news:[email protected],
Stuart <[email protected]> typed:

    > On Mon, 4 Apr 2005 12:33:45 -0700, "Ken Blake"
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> In news:[email protected],
    >> Stuart <[email protected]> typed:
    > <snip>
    >> Everybody has different tastes, and likes to do different
    >> things.
    >> For me there is more than enough to do and see that you won't
    >> have close to enough time to do it all.
    >> So a question as general as yours is very hard to answer. It
    >> does
    >> no good, for example, to tell you about my favorite art
    >> museums
    >> if you don't like art. Give us some information about what
    >> kinds
    >> of things you like, and how far you're willing to travel, and
    >> you
    >> can get better advice.
    > I ought to know that I should be more specific - the same is
    > true of
    > the computer & mobile phone groups I frequent. "best phone
    > contract"
    > or "best computer" depends too much on what the user wants them
    > to do.
    > Sorry, I'll try to be more specific.
    > We like any natural features - scenery etc... For example we
    > once
    > walked for a couple of hours to see a supposedly 'mystic'
    > waterfall in
    > the middle of a wood. Also, I suppose, buildings of
    > significance,
    > whether they be religious or ancient. Not really a gallery or
    > museum
    > person, prefer to see things 'in situ'. We are really history
    > people,
    > where we can find out the story behind items.
    > We will be based for most of the time half way between Macerata
    > and
    > Assisi. I suppose we would be prepared to travel for 1 hr
    > between
    > sites, but would prefer closer. Note that this doesn't mean we
    > only
    > would want to be 1 hr away from our base, would be happy to
    > 'hop' away
    > (but probably within 2 hours drive of our base at furthest).


Even two hours radius limits you quite a bit. That's the main
reason why, when we travel with a car, we typically don't stay n
any one town more than a night or two (in cities, we stay much
longer).

The town of Spello, near Assisi, is charming and one of my
personal favorites. A curious, but interesting, spot you might
like is the Parco dei Mostri (Park of the Monsters)
http://www.girando.it/parchi/lazio/bomarzo/index.php You should
check a map, though, to see if it's not too far for you.



    >>> We already have decided to return to
    >>> Assisi as we only had 2 hours, including eating, there last
    >>> time.
    >>> Also, I am not going to drive to Rome. We have found there
    >>> is
    >>> a
    >>> regular coach to Rome from the East coast to Rome for
    >>> ?30/person
    >>> return
    >>> <http://www.romamarchelinee.it/lista_fermate.php?id_linea=1,2,5>
    >>> does
    >>> anyone know it? Is it good?
    >> I don't know it and can't comment on how good it is, but I
    >> don't
    >> see any reason why it should be a problem. But have you
    >> compared
    >> the cost and convenience with taking the train instead?
    > Had thought of the train, but wouldn't know where to go from,
    > where to
    > park or where to find out - I assume the railways have a
    > website?


http://www.trenitalia.it/


    > But
    > haven't happened across it yet (must admit, I hadn't looked too
    > far
    > either ;o) ). My Italian is minimal (close to zero) and I
    > find
    > looking some things up quite daunting. Visiting the Italian
    > Tourist
    > Office again in the middle of next week and am hoping to pick
    > up ideas
    > from here so I can ask them to help out with specific details
    > and
    > maybe things like how to organise rail travel etc...
    >>> Where in Rome would we end up (can't
    >>> make it out from the site)?
    >> Apparently at the Stazione Tiburtina.
    > Many thanks
    >>> Any suggestions where we could leave the
    >>> hire car while on the coach/in Rome?
    >> Why not return it to the car rental agency? Why pay for it
    >> during
    >> the time you won't be using it?
    > Unfortunately I had booked the car early on, before we decided
    > to go
    > to Rome.


Have you asked if you can change it? They may let you.


    > However, I did think of looking for a Hertz depot near a
    > station or coach stop and leaving it there while away - at
    > least they
    > couldn't blame us for any damage over that time ;o)
    >> Is there an alternative (e.g.
    >>> train - again, where to park)?
    >>> Any tips and tricks for seeing Rome? Public transport?
    >> I find that I can get around all of downtown tourist Rome very
    >> easily on foot. And there's much more to be seen by walking.
    >> If
    >> you want to get to an occasional site that's farther out, the
    >> metro usually works well.
    > We will, no doubt, walk a lot (my fiancee hates that part of
    > me) - I
    > expect Rome could very much almost look after itself, but there
    > might
    > be a few suggestions to interesting parts that many tourists
    > miss -


Ther are many intersting things that tourists often miss, but you
have only three or four days. That's barely enough to see the
highlights. My wife and I have been in Rome about a dozen times.
The last time we stayed for a month, and still get to all the
places we had planned to.

If you're really interested in out-of-the-way places, I'll
recommend an unusual one we like a lot: the Casina delle Civette
(the Swiss Cottage of the Owls). It's in a park in a residential
neighborhood north of the downtown tourist area, a short metro
ride away. I recommend it with some hesitation because, as much
as I like it, I'm not sure it's worth the time for such a short
visit.

You also want to pick up a copy of "Little-Known Museums In and
Around Rome," by Rachel Kaplan (Amazon.com has it). There are
numbers of interesting suggestions there.


    > we
    > often do 2-3hr guided walks in London, for example, that cover
    > very
    > interesting historical points and stories that seldom get
    > touched on
    > by tourists and standard guidebooks. Not saying we want guided
    > tours
    > like that, but definitely the 'quirky' or different sites. I
    > suppose
    > we will probably want to focus on Roman sites by preference.
    > However we will definitely be seeing the Trevi fountain as it
    > was dry
    > when we visited last time.
    >>> Travel cards
    >>> (name & where to buy)? Honest, inexpensive food?
    >> There are many excellent restaurants in Rome, but again it's
    >> hard
    >> to give advice without knowing more about your likes and
    >> dislikes
    >> and what you mean by "inexpensive." Since you've been in Rome
    >> before tell, tell us where you've eaten and what you thought
    >> of
    >> those places; that could be a good starting point for further
    >> recommendations.
    > I can't recall the couple of places we ate in Rome, but they
    > were ones
    > we were herded cattle-like into as a tour group (along with the
    > 'unique opportunity' to purchase the CD from the entertainers
    > every
    > mealtime!). One was very pleasant, but it all felt somewhat
    > staged
    > for the tourist. We are prepared to experiment food-wise and
    > would
    > like to try places where you might hear more than the odd
    > Italian
    > accent amongst the customers but where we wouldn't be seen as
    > intruders (though I don't like seafood - so there would have to
    > be an
    > alternative - I'll have to learn the Italian for not liking
    > seafood!).


Non mi piace frutta di mare. Few places are seafood only, so that
shouldn't be a problem.


    > Prices, well I would probably like to put a ceiling on of ?40
    > per
    > person, without drinks, preferably closer to ?30 - or am I
    > being
    > totally unrealistic?


No, you're not being unrealistic. There are lots of good places
in that price range. Here are some personal favorites, in no
particular order, that should be in your price range:

- Il Pompiere, in the Ghetto, on the Via Santa Maria Calderari,
just east of the Via Arenula.

- Giggetto, in the Ghetto, on the Via Porta d'Ottavia

- Sora Margherita, on the north side of the Piazza Cinque Scuole.
No sign. Go in where you see a beaded curtain over the door.
Lunch only. It's sort of a fake private club, but they give you a
free membership when you go in.

- La Rampa, just southeast of the bottom of the Spanish steps,
behind the American Express of (very touristy, but a fabulous
self-service antipasto table).

- Osteria Romana (Via San Paolo alla Regola, 29/31, a small
street east of the Campo dei Fiore). No menu; they ask you the
following questions: meat or fish, red or white (wine); with gas
(water) or without. For a fixed price (was 35 Euro for the meat
dinner a year and a half ago; the fish dinner is more.) you get
whatever they're serving that day: Antipasti, two or three
pastas, meat dishes, dessert, a glass of Prosecco to start, as
much wine as you want, after-dinner drinks, coffee, water, etc. A
lot to eat and drink, but very good, and a bargain considering
how much you get. Very friendly people.

Ciccia Bomba on the Via Governo Vecchio, just west of the Piazza
Navona.

There are lots of others I like a lot, but these are what quickly
come to mind, and it's a start.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

Stuart

On Mon, 4 Apr 2005 17:08:31 -0700, "Ken Blake"
<[email protected]> wrote:

<lots of good stuff>

Many thanks Ken - some ideas that I shall definitely follow up there.
I can't see this being our last visit to Italy, so what we don't
manage to cover this time (and we DO tend to be somewhat
over-optimistic when visiting places) will be kept for future visits.

best wishes

Stuart
--
The "reply to" address in this email is never checked. Please reply
to the newsgroup.

Anzov

"Stuart" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > On Mon, 4 Apr 2005 13:15:22 +0100, "Anzov" <[email protected]> wrote:

<< Of course you are correct about the plethora of San Martinos! We are
trying to pin down our relatives about the /exact/ address, but I
believe it is 5 mins (drive) from Polverina, 15 mins from Camerino and
near Fiastra - just off route 77.>>

Stuart,

Camerino is a good choice for your local town. It isn't very big and,
although there aren't any grand centre pieces to see, it is very pleasant
and the people have not yet become inured to the streams of tourists you get
on the coast. There is a large car park outside the walls which costs a Euro
or two all day. From there a series of free escalators and lifts take you up
to the centre of the town. But, sadly, not down again if you have stiff
legs, there is a lift but no escalator. If you go between 1 pm and 4 pm you
will be talking to yourselves though. You come out of the lift in Piazza
Cavour where there are a few nice bars for your morning sticky bun and
coffee.



There is one very good restaurant which is worth travelling miles for,
"Osteria dell'Arte" in via dell'Arco della Luna. They don't do lunches
though. It is not too expensive but it is good value for money since you eat
well.



There is another one which is worth mentioning which is open for lunch. It
is inside the Borgia fort at the far end of the town. I had my lunch there
last September and it was quite good although not as dear as the other
place.



Here is the link to Camerino:



http://www.camerino.sinp.net/turismo/



There is a reasonable place to eat in Polverina itself. Here is a link



http://www.hotelilcavaliere.com/#



If you go to Macerata, here is a good places to eat. We were there last
Autumn and it was good but not expensive.



"Da Rosa" via Armaroli 17.



If you go to:

http://www.tuttocitta.it/tc/home.jsp



and type in:

Citta - Macerata

Indirrizo - via Armaroli

No. - 17

Then click CREAmappa



It will show you a location map.



If you park against the City Wall in Viale G.Leopardi there is a lift which
will take you up to via L.Armaroli. You go up the hill about 100 mt and it
is on your left. Well worth a visit.







Here is a link to Marche Voyager with a lot of info.



http://www.le-marche.com/Marche/



Hope this helps.

Ken Blake

In news:[email protected],
Stuart <[email protected]> typed:

    > On Mon, 4 Apr 2005 17:08:31 -0700, "Ken Blake"
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    > <lots of good stuff>
    > Many thanks Ken - some ideas that I shall definitely follow up
    > there.
    > I can't see this being our last visit to Italy, so what we
    > don't
    > manage to cover this time (and we DO tend to be somewhat
    > over-optimistic when visiting places) will be kept for future
    > visits.
    > best wishes


You're welcome, Stuart.

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Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

Stuart

On Tue, 5 Apr 2005 13:45:56 +0100, "Anzov" <[email protected]> wrote:

    >"Stuart" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected].. .
<snip excellent info>
    >Hope this helps.
Looks like it could be excellent information - many thanks for the
websites and advice on parking too.

Best wishes

Stuart
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Anzov

<< "Da Rosa" via Armaroli 17.
If you park against the City Wall in Viale G.Leopardi there is a lift
which
will take you up to via L.Armaroli. You go up the hill about 100 mt and it
is on your left. Well worth a visit.>>

Oops, Correction: Go uphill and it is on your RIGHT not LEFT.


I thought you might have had a better response about Rome but I'm not
surprised since you are not enquiring about being plundered by Gypsies near
Termini Station or any of the other nonsense discussed here by the intrepid
Transatlantic Traveller.

I'm sure you will have no trouble filling in a couple of days but a good tip
is to buy a multi journey ticket from the machine in any Metro station
(Instructions in English). Here is a link which will guide you through the
transport system. Look up the No 11 and, I think, the 17. They potter around
a circular route through the Centre and will take you near enough to most
things to see.
http://www.atac.roma.it/

This is moving map of Rome. You move the little square on the small map and
it is reflected in the large map where you can adjust the scale. Very
useful.
http://www.hot-maps.de/europe/italy/rome/homeen

There are zillions of places to eat, some v good some not so but there is
one place I like to go for good food and service. It is poked away in a
little side street close to the Trevi Fountain but you won't see many
tourists in there.

Moro
via della Bollette 3
Roma

Use TuttiCitta to find it.

If you want to know more reply to group.

Stuart

On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 13:09:35 +0100, "Anzov" <[email protected]> wrote:

    ><< "Da Rosa" via Armaroli 17.
    > If you park against the City Wall in Viale G.Leopardi there is a lift
    >which
    > will take you up to via L.Armaroli. You go up the hill about 100 mt and it
    > is on your left. Well worth a visit.>>
    >Oops, Correction: Go uphill and it is on your RIGHT not LEFT.
    >I thought you might have had a better response about Rome but I'm not
    >surprised since you are not enquiring about being plundered by Gypsies near
    >Termini Station or any of the other nonsense discussed here by the intrepid
    >Transatlantic Traveller.
    >I'm sure you will have no trouble filling in a couple of days but a good tip
    >is to buy a multi journey ticket from the machine in any Metro station
    >(Instructions in English). Here is a link which will guide you through the
    >transport system. Look up the No 11 and, I think, the 17. They potter around
    >a circular route through the Centre and will take you near enough to most
    >things to see.
    >http://www.atac.roma.it/
    >This is moving map of Rome. You move the little square on the small map and
    >it is reflected in the large map where you can adjust the scale. Very
    >useful.
    >http://www.hot-maps.de/europe/italy/rome/homeen
    >There are zillions of places to eat, some v good some not so but there is
    >one place I like to go for good food and service. It is poked away in a
    >little side street close to the Trevi Fountain but you won't see many
    >tourists in there.
    >Moro
    >via della Bollette 3
    >Roma
    >Use TuttiCitta to find it.
    >If you want to know more reply to group.

Many thanks Anzov, I'll do some research and probably be back to the
group in a couple of weeks, just before we go.

I'm not worried too much about 'undesirables', either a firm 'no' or
having fun with their warez (if they are a hawker) tends to put them
off - had much fun with the ones round the (non-working) Trevi
fountain last time. They avoided me after I tried to introduce one
hawker to another and started laughing at the ridiculously enlarged,
erm, "proportions" of the little models they were selling :o)

Best regards, and thanks for the atac site

Stuart
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B Vaughan

On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 10:40:07 +0100, [email protected] (Stuart) wrote:

    >Hi
    >This will be our second visit to Italy (on Honeymoon), after a
    >whistle-stop 'Archers' tour in August 2000 to Venice, Assisi, Rome,
    >Naples, Capri, Rome, Pisa, Florence, Venice (but they know their stuff
    >- getting you to places early and avoiding crowds).
    >We are spending 12 days, from 3rd May, in a relative's farmhouse near
    >San Martino (?) in Le Marche with a hire car. From 9-12th May we are
    >staying in a B&B in Rome, about halfway between Termini & the Spanish
    >Steps.

I live in Le Marche. I know of a Mount San Martino in the province of
Macerata, but I don't know of any town with that name. Do you know
what province your relative lives in? If you have the address, there
should be a 2-letter code for the province; e.g., Macerata would be
MC.

    >Any advice or suggestions from any of the knowledgable ones her about
    >Italy? Where to go? What to do? We already have decided to return to
    >Assisi as we only had 2 hours, including eating, there last time.

As I understand it, you will have 9 days total in Italy, including 3
days in Rome, which leaves you six days. You could easily spend those
6 days in Le Marche, which is a very beautiful region and very
untouristed. If you tell me what sorts of things you enjoy, I will
make some suggestions. Assisi could be a day trip from Le Marche. I
would place Urbino near the top of my list, but a lot depends on what
sorts of things interest you.

    >Also, I am not going to drive to Rome. We have found there is a
    >regular coach to Rome from the East coast to Rome for €30/person
    >return
    ><http://www.romamarchelinee.it/lista_fermate.php?id_linea=1,2,5> does
    >anyone know it? Is it good? Where in Rome would we end up (can't
    >make it out from the site)?

It says that they arrive at the autostazione Tiburtina, which is near
a train station with the same name. I think there is also a metro
station nearby. I once took a coach from there. It's not in the center
of Rome, but fairly convenient.

    >Any suggestions where we could leave the
    >hire car while on the coach/in Rome? Is there an alternative (e.g.
    >train - again, where to park)?

If your vacation ends on the 12th and you will be in Rome from the 9th
to the 12th, why not turn the car in before going to Rome?

    >Any tips and tricks for seeing Rome? Public transport? Travel cards
    >(name & where to buy)? Honest, inexpensive food? Thankfully, we have
    >visited the Vatican during the last trip as well as the catacombs and
    >St Paul outside the walls.

Three days won't even scratch the surface of Rome. Again, it would
help if you tell us what sorts of things you enjoy.

    >Any websites (e.g. <http://www.le-marche.com/>) with useful tips and
    >information for Rome or Le Marche?

That's the best web site I know.


--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

B Vaughan

On Mon, 4 Apr 2005 13:15:22 +0100, "Anzov" <[email protected]> wrote:

    >If you are in the North, then I suppose you should go to Urbino but it isn't
    >my favourite place. A bit over touristy.

Anyone who can say that has never been to San Gimignano. Urbino on its
most crowded day is nowhere near as touristy as your average town in
Tuscany.




    > ... Near there is a lovely little
    >castle perched on top of a mountain at San Leo, about 15 km from San Marino.

This is indeed a very pretty spot. However, there are lots of other
castles in Le Marche. Calderola, in the province of Macerata, is also
very nice and has a good guided tour. (I'm not sure the tour is
available in English.)

Matelica, which is near Macerata, is a very nice town. There are many
beautiful towns in Le Marche, and many of them have fairly
well-preserved medieval walls.


--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

Anzov

"B Vaughan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
On Mon, 4 Apr 2005 13:15:22 +0100, "Anzov" <[email protected]> wrote:

If you are in the North, then I suppose you should go to Urbino but it isn't
my favourite place. A bit over touristy.

<< Anyone who can say that has never been to San Gimignano. Urbino on its
most crowded day is nowhere near as touristy as your average town in
Tuscany.>>

Oh dear, not you again. If you don't have anything positive to contribute to
the questions on travel asked here, why don't you just stick to your
knitting news groups.

One of the nice things about the Marches is that, for the moment, there is
relatively little mass foreign tourism, with the exception of the northern
coast line around Rimini and the pilgrim destination at Loreto. Urbino is
one of the few places in the Marches which is overtly touristy and, since
there are many more places just as nice, if not nicer, in the Marches, it
is - in my opinion - not worth the bother unless you are on the Piero trail
and want to see his "The Flagellation of Christ ". Especially if you only
have 9 days to get a fairly comprehensive taste of the Marches with a view
to returning, as the OP suggests.

Incidently, Yes I have been to San Gimignano but before it became de rigueur
to go there on your bus tour. I was there when Franco Zeffirelli was filming
"Tea with Mussolini " which was by far the most interesting item on the
agenda.

I am not quite sure what you mean by "your average town in Tuscany". There
is still a wealth of diversity there. The main tourist centres certainly
tend to mop up the "Do Europe in five days" travellers which can only be a
bonus for the rest of the region but it is a very snobby thing to be
disparaging about Tuscany. If you want to visit Italy to see much of the
wealth of Italy's Art heritage and you don't want to spend your time
travelling long distances, then Tuscany is your only real choice. The only
other major contender is Venice but that doesn't have the splendid panoramic
views of the Tuscan landscape.

Hope this clarifies a few things for you.