Dinner at Crotto Dei Platani

Hello,

I am aware that ferry & boat is the only means of reaching capri and back, would you know what the best route is and what time is the latest ferry going back to the mainland? We will most likely be staying in Positano or Sorrento. We would love to have dinner in Capri but unsure if this is possible with the Ferry schedule? If there are late ferrys returning around 10pm, this would be perfect.

Appreciate any help I can get on this matter.

Thank you!

Noor

We have currently have plans in place for our annual one week stay in Bellagio at the beginning of September. Can anyone advise what the current situation is due to COVID-19? Are restaurants, shops etc re-opening and getting back to some sort of normality ? Is public transport operating as normal - buses, ferries etc ? Any information much appreciated as we need to decide whether to go ahead with our plans or postpone to next year. Many thanks.

I have been to Vendicari (twice) and Lo Zingaro and absolutely loved both. To walk through trails with not a million people around & the sea right by one's side is pure bliss.

I'd love to return to at least one this summer, Vendicari by preference, but hotels are not cheap closeby (I won't have a car). Is Baglio Sicliamo hotel too far (if part was done by bicycle)? I've had dinner there & that and Corte del Sole (now much more expensive than 2 years back) would be my ideal places to stay. Any thoughts or ideas?

Lo Zingaro is wonderful if more crowded. Scopello is lovely but more small / less space.

Any other thoughts on other reserves / nature spots in Sicily (by the sea) with nice walks, not crowded & with nice places to stay (if they do dinner like Baglio Siciliamo & Corte del Sole that would be ideal). I'm not a huge fan of the beaches with lots of people (Marina di Noto for ex). Is Cava grande cassibile worth a look?

Thanks in advance,

Andrew

Buongiorno everyone! For context we are a family of 6 (2x40s, 24, 15, 12, 11) all athletic and experienced international travelers only bringing carry ons. I have been to Florence, Venice and Rome but rest have not. Kids and hubs not into art. (I know, I know.) We have an ex au pair that is Italian living in Verona currently that is going to meet us in 5T for the first part of our trip and then leave us in Florence and see us again in Verona for a daytrip later but anyway here goes!

Day 1 (Sat): arrive FCO at 8am on COVID tested flight. Adults are preregistered for tests on arrival but it doesn't currently allow me to register the kids. Booked the 1157am fast train from Termini to La Spezia, hoping 4 hours will be enough time to test, take Leo Express to Termini, grab a bite and hop on train (its the Frecciabianca - should we wait and eat on train instead?) transfer to 5T train at La Spezia, arrive approx 1613 at Vernazza about an hour after our Italian and check in and chill.

Day 2 (Sun): See how we feel, likely do an am hike to either Corniglia or Monterosso. We can come back to apartment midday or do a private boat tour for 3 hours.

Day 3 (Mon): See how we feel, do am hike (whichever we didn't do day before), or do boat tour this day. Dinner at lovers table at Ristorante Belforte for hubs and I at 7pm.

Day 4 (Tues): Early am train to Pisa, stow bags at Stow Your Bags near Pisa Centrale and walk through Pisa to tower. Likely get Tower appointment for about 10am so we are not rushed. See how long kids last in museums, perhaps grab lunch here (any recommendations?) and then hop back on train to Florence and check in, go somewhere for dinner before Italian AP has to leave us. A lot of Americans say ZaZas is fun - recommend or alternatives?

Day 5 (Wed): Florence - the big two plus likely the Galileo museum because our kids love science

Day 6 (Thurs): am in Florence (so maybe split the big two into one each morning), check out and catch 1120 train to Venezia. Apartment is walking distance from S Lucia so check in and then one museum or activity and dinner - recommendation?

Day 7 (Fri): Venice

Day 8 (Sat): am maybe one thing in Venice, then train to Verona, spend day with Italian AP and then fly VRN to FCO at 1930, check in go to bed

Day 9 (Sun): Rome

Day 10 (Mon): Rome - Scavi tour at 1330 for adults

Day 11 (Tues): Rome

Day 12 (Wed): Rome

Day 13 (Thurs): depart FCO at 10am arrive super early to COVID test at FCO before flight

Will definitely do Pompeii one day - any recommendations for day or guide and eats?

Anything else I missed?

Hello, can you please recommend a boat trip for a small group out of Vieste.

My husband and I will be traveling through Puglia, staying the last 4 days in Viesta and would love to go on a great boat trip, but are looking for a trip with just a very small group, versus a big tourist boat.

Thank you so much!

Hello!

Planning on traveling to Italy for New Years. Specifically Milan for New Year’s Eve. I know that a lot of things could be closed/ restrictions because of covid, but trying to figure out what the best thing would be! Anyone have any recommendations for dinner reservations ? Or places to go that evening?

Thanks!

Hi

After a lot of thought we changed our plans to stay in Castellamare instead of San Vito. The reason was because we wanted a more authentic Sicilian town without hordes of tourists and crowds and really like the look of the marina, fishing boats and buildings.

We are really keen to go to Scopello and Zingaro by boat but can only find tours from San Vito, any advice on this? How much is it to rent your own boat, how does this work, how far is it to Zingaro? If boat is not an option, how frequent are buses and how far is it? I read somewhere that the park is partially closed due to a fire is this still the case? We will not have a car.

Is there any local beach in Castellamare or anything else to do if we don’t want to go to Zingaro every day?

FYI our itinerary will be:

Flying into and out of Palermo we have 10 full days

3 nights Castellamare

3 nights Trapani/Erice

3 nights Favignana

Many thanks!

Me and my friend are staying in the Castellamare Del Golfo and we want to be able to take a half/full day chartered boat trip (preferably a catamaran but it does not matter too much). I've had trouble find a service with enough reviews for me to trust/finding a service at all. If anyone has any go-to boat service that they trust, let me know?

We are a ‘mature’ couple traveling to Italy with 11 nights open between Rome & Florence so decided to visit Sardegna in early September. Probably flying into Olbia & departing from Cagliari.

Enjoy white sandy beaches, crystal clear water (who doesn't?), swimming, drinking local wine & local food. Also realize that beaches in Sardegna are rocky.

Prefer to stay at hotels in town to walk to dinner and stroll around town at night. Will rent a car to drive to close beaches during the day, perhaps stay at a beach hotel for 2 or 3 nights if on a beautiful beach.

Any suggestions on itinerary - where to stay & for how many nights? Perhaps 3 locations with 11 nights? The more I read on this helpful forum, the more overwhelmed I become on where to stay.

San Teodoro, Orosei, Villasimius, Isola Carloforte? Departing from Cagliari; how many nights would you recommend staying there?

Will reserve rental car prior to arrival, as well as hotel 1st and last night. Should I make hotel reservations in advance for the rest of trip? September is a busy month and may be more so this year.

TYIA!

Hi, I will be spending 1 night (and day ) in bergamo in mid- October. Will we find bars/ restaurants open on Sunday evening ? We would like to go somewhere for dinner then to a bar for some drinks after. We have never been to bergamo so don’t know how it’s like at night. Thank you :)