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 August 2005 Back to Table of Contents Back to Archives Main Page Section: End Page A Room With A View By Colleen Maroney Fahey
In celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary, my husband and I, along with our young daughter, decided on a two week trip to Italy. Recognizing that life doesn’t resemble an Edwardian novel or a James Ivory film, I decided nothing would be left to chance — particularly securing “rooms with a view.“ A close friend, and former travel agent, suggested a tour. “Everything is done for you,” she said, ”all you have to do is show up.” But I am a firm believer in the adage that “anticipation is half the pleasure” so I quickly convinced my husband to place his trust, and our trip, in my (and I was soon to learn, travel writer Rick Steves’) very capable hands. After scouring the local book store’s travel shelves I came home with Fodor’s tome on Italy — after all I had used it in the early seventies. Then a cousin, who just returned from a college semester in Rome, lent us PBS travel guru Rick Steves’ Italy guidebook, proving once again that knowledge is not wasted on the young. Steves is the master of the “birds eye view” on everything from booking hotels (always book directly) to planes and trains (always book through a travel agent) to where to eat (yes, we did run into fellow English-speaking diners but since we were not sharing a table and the food was great, we didn’t mind). So that we could leisurely explore each city, we decided to limit our visit to Rome, Florence and Venice. On the internet I found a round trip from Toronto to Rome for our target dates, but travel agent Dan Crawford, owner of Travel Outlet, was able to book us a charter to Rome with a return from Venice, savings over $500 in air and train time — and we didn’t waste a day returning to Rome. With that done I got down to the fun part — checking out potential hotels.
I’m not sure on what particular web site led me to La Torricella just outside of Florence. All I know is that with a nine year old, the promise of a swimming pool would offer cool relief and a just reward from the endless parade of art galleries. Fifteen minutes by bus from the center of Florence, this recently restored B&B offers spacious comfort, a pool, olive trees, gracious gardens and respite from the tourist crush. It was hard not to feel a little like Lottie Wilkins in Enchanted April as our shutters swung open to the stunning views of the Tuscan landscape. A little inconvenient (those 400 meters to the bus stop were at the bottom of the hill), but the $10 taxi ride home ensured that we never had to go uphill. Easy to navigate, this is also the perfect retreat for those travelling by car, as Lucca, Pisa and the hill town of Siena are all within an hour drive. Although my “room with a view” theory ended with our arrival in Venice, Pensione Guerrato was sparkling clean, centrally located at the Rialto Bridge vaporetto stop, and run by two brothers, who spoke perfect English and were extremely helpful — particularly with heavy baggage! And Venice is not the sort of place you want to stay huddled in your rooms, regardless of the view. The allure of the canals, galleries, food, music, shopping and of course San Marco, the world’s most famous square, guaranteed very little time spent resting at the hotel. On our last night we ended the evening once again with a visit to one of the many outdoor cafes lining San Marco. As I watched another of the endless groups of exhausted tourists following an umbrella waving guide, I thought of my friend’s tour suggestion. What we would have missed taking her advice. Although in one respect I was wrong — the realization far exceeded the joy of our anticipation.
•Draw up an itinerary and start making reservations at least 5-6 months in advance (particularly if you are looking for that special room). That includes gallery reservations — the larger galleries (i.e. Uffizi in Florence) sell out weeks in advance — something not mentioned in any guide book. Most sites will give you a reservation number — pay when you show up. •Make copies of your passports and travel documents: keep one at home with someone you can easily reach and one in each suitcase. Include copies of your health insurance, prescriptions and medical history. •Travel belts or pouches are available with steel bands which make it harder for thieves to cut and steal. •Travel books have valuable information on everything from tipping to bus tickets & validations. Read and bring them along on the trip — they will be your constant guide. •Try to learn a little of your host country’s language — it is the polite thing to do and will make you many friends along the way. (My husband’s three month study of Italian charmed even the taxi drivers!) •Change a small amount of currency before you leave — you’ll need it for taxi and bus service when you arrive. •Private guides for larger sites (i.e. St. Peter’s and the Vatican Museum) can fast track you through long lines. Ciao! back to top back to table of contents Current Issue | About Forever Young | Where to Find | Advertise | Our Advertisers | Community Calendar | Contest | Clubs | Contact Us | Archives | Home |
