Travel Notes - Italy

Travel Notes - Italy: I flew the horrible (Spirit Airlines of Europe) Iceland Air through Reykjavik to Rome for $452. No headphones or food, etc. Bad media. No soda on the European legs. No jetways. Buses to open cabin doors in the winter! In the rain! Dicks about bag size. I took them from Sanford a while ago. Don't remember this tomfoolery. Went through customs here. They don't use Euros. I'll also add here that I flew the equally bad Easy Jet one way from Naples to Palermo for $87 (cheaper at 7am) at 2pm. This was the only flight on the board delayed. A forty minute flight was four hours late. Italy is having some Jubilee and the Winter Olympics, as such, many things had their scaffolding off and were looking refreshed. They have reworked the front (buses/taxis) of the Roma Termini Station for instance. Though the area in front of the VE Monument was closed off.

I took the 14E train into Rome. Stayed at the Hotel Stromboli (Booking 7.2) near the station for $70. Bought capicola, half roasted chicken, mozz, capricciosa artichoke pizza and wine for late lunch and dinner from Conad at the station. Bought a train ticket on Italo to Naples for $46 on Italo. Made plans. Slept. 

The next day I went to Naples. I stayed at the Hotel Eden (Expedia 7.0) again for two nights at $85. Big mistake. Put me on a low floor in the back this time. Hella noisy all night. Window didn't shut = draft. Stunk of sewer water. TV and fridge and safe didn't work. Ignored complaints. I left after the first night. I walked down Umberto I to the port. Stopped halfway at some tiny pizza stand that claimed to have the most online followers (for whatever that is worth). Ok square of pizza margherita for 2E. Called Porzio...Ni Di Pizza. Walked through the Galleria Umberto I to the Palazzo Reale and Real Teatro di Sant Carlo and Sant Francesco di Paoloa across from them. Didn't find the funicular, so, I started climbing the hill. Found what I think is the first stop on the funicular (there isn't only one). Took it up to near the castle for 1E. Walked to Castel Sant Elmo. Paid 5E to get in. The best value in Europe. Experienced unbelievable views of Naples and the Bay and Islands from there. Best thing in Naples. Walked the ramparts. Walked down a path to town with some kiddos from Chicago who had downloaded the directions. Went past the Castel Nuovo to this great esplanade (road now being repaired) on Via Sauro Nazario to Via Caracciolo with all the ritzy hotels and Castel dell Ovo. You can take a route beneath the walls of the palace or past it. I took the beneath. People gather here for the sunset. I should state here that sundown was around 4:40pm. It limited what could be accomplished quite a bit. Grabbed a fried Completo (pork cracklings, ricotto and cherry tomatoes) pizza at 1947 Pizza Frita for 6E. It is near Da Michele Pizza. Across from one I heard of last year (Trianon) that wasn't open yet. Grabbed some bufala mozz (bad) and prosciutto from Conad at the station. Argued with the dim wit at the hotel who had done nothing to fix the items I alerted them to. Made hotel res for Palermo. Went to sleep early because no tv.

The next day I gave the hotel dim wit one last chance then went online for a hotel change. I stayed at the harbor at the Hotel Bella Capri (Expedia 7.4) for $68. It was a nice room with an interior balcony. But, it was in an old, weird/unmarked apartment building on the eighth floor that you needed to pay to use the elevator. And they had no one there until 3pm. A Cuban who didn't speak English. A maid let me dump off my bag. I had the 5E combo at McDs because I was hangry and wanted soda. Walked the same area-ish as the day before. I had a late start and lost time finding the hotel and bus stop. Found some street with shrines to Diego Maradona. Back to the esplanade via the upper route and right onto Via Santa Lucia. Past the Basilica Santuario Santa Lucia a Mare to the Castel dell Ovo. Went into the Porto di Santa Lucia. Then back the lower route. Looked in on the ferry terminal. They go to Ischia, etc from here. Came back and checked in and went to Sole 365 for salami and octopus and fennel salata and Falanghina Brut. I went here for lunch, but, the lines were too long. Back behind the Galleria and bought a pizza magherita portafoglia (folded) from Passione di Sofi for 3E. Funicolare Centrale was across from it. A Rossini residence was there (Palazzo di Domenico Barbaja). I took the food back to the hotel. Ate on the balcony.

The next day I took the Alibus from in front of the harbor to the airport (it stops at the other harbor and train station on the way) for 5E (paid the driver). Flew to Palermo. Had a cb and hb at McDs. Ran to the train station (there is also a bus) below arrivals and fought through idiots clogging up the ticket machines to get the hourly train to the Palermo train station just as it was leaving. 7E on Tren Italia. Because of the delay, it didn't seem wise to walk to the hotel by the sea at night. I had to hire a cab for 15E for a mile journey. I did this walk later on and it took 21 minutes and was safe. At night? I bought some prosecco at a mini market outside the station and had to buy two chicken sandwiches and a hb at McDs because of knowledge of the area. I stayed at the probably once proud San Paolo Palace Hotel (Expedia 7.4) for three nights at $248. I should state here that all these cunts demanded hotel tax in cash once you arrived. Cash drain. This room was ok except that the window didn't seal properly and therefore there was always noise and a draft. I didn't notice the gap until the last night. They also had a free buffet that I had every morning. 

The next day I walked down to the esplanade and stopped at the marina. Crossed into the city at Vittorio Emmanuele. Up to Mercato Storica Vucciria. Onto Chiesa di Sant Cataldo and Fontana Pretoria and Quatro Canti (4 Corners) and Chiesa di Sant Giuseppe dei Teatini. Back towards the station and Palazzo Comitini. Bought wine and bufala mozz (bad) and prosciutto and peach cakes and mortadella at Lidl for the remainder of my meals. Bought a ticket to Messina on Tren Italia at the station. Walked towards the hotel and passed the Instito Orto Botanico and a park.

The next day I walked back to the station and past Porta Sagata. In a block to a flea market and Chiesa Sant Francesco Saverio. I was looking for a short cut to the Cathedrale. Got a bit lost. Back to Maria SS del Carmelo and Chiesa del Gesu and Mercato Ballaro. Found a Palazzo Conte Frederico that led to a park where the Cathedrale is. Walked further west through some more streets with food vendors (they call these markets) to the Presidio. Two items sold that stood out were some kind of kebab wrapped in bacon and an eggplant stuffed with spaghetti. Everything seemed days old, so, I didn't risk it. They had a marathon this day. The way to the Teatro Politeama Garibaldi was blocked. Went back east towards the station and the Teatro Massimo. Left towards the sea on Vittorio Emmanuele. Tried to find a Rick Steves' restaurant. Think I found his hotel. Passed by Chiesa Santa Maria della Pieta and Chiesa Santa Teresa alla Kalsa and a Gate. Back to the hotel. Oh, I found all the lesbians not in Lesvos and tons of Bangladeshis.

The next day I took the three hour train to Messina on the northeast coast. Past Cefalu. I should add that there was a train to the northwest coast to Trapani. I stayed at the ok (except for the absentee landlord and entry code bullshit) Emme B&B (Booking 8.6) for $57. I was going to try and take the forty minute train to Taoromina, but, I wasted time getting my room and it looked like rain and the train station had no ticket office (total reconstruction under way). It was already late for lunch so I grabbed a 5E combo at McD. Dropped my bags off. I walked to the port and bought a 2E ferry ticket (anytime) to Villa San Giovanni. You can also go to the bigger Reggio Calabria. But, it was south and the trains pick up a VSG as well. Didn't see the point. Walked back to the piazza with the McD and right to a couple of churches (Chiesa di Santa Catherine Vergine Martire and Santuario Parrochia di Santa Maria del Carmine) and the Palazzo del Giustizia and back to the piazza. Not the big sites to see. Bought prosciutto, crudo, nut mix, plum cakes and wine at Conad. It started to rain. Ate at hotel.

The next day I took the ferry to VSG. The distance to Italy is only a few hundred yards. So crazy. They ok'd a bridge, but like here, an activist judge shut it down. Now in limbo. Oh, and would you believe you can take the train from Palermo to Rome. They put the train on the ferry. No bs. I bought a ticket to Salerno from a human for 67E on Tren Italia. Three hours through Calabria (never been). Mostly coastal views until the end. Stayed at the Hotel Montestella (Expedia 8.6) for $109. It was on and off drizzle here. I bought bagel chips, salmon cc, prosciutto cotto (ham), taleggio, chicken roll, nuts mix and wine for lunch and dinner at Ete. Walked the beautiful esplanade. A very cute little town at the end of the Amalfi Coast road. I went here because my middle school French teacher was named Mrs Salerno. Seriously. That's the reason. I don't think I even liked her. Ate the food on my balcony. Made a reservation for Mt Vesuvius for 35E.

The next day I ate the free buffet that their employee was coughing all over. Bought a 5.50E ticket on Tren Italia to Naples. Talked with a couple from Ontario for a while. Checked into the hard to find in an apartment complex H22 Hotel (Expedia 9.2). Found the Circumvesuviana ticket office one level down at the right side of the station facing it. It is a local train to Vesuvius, Pompei and Herculaneum (and Sorrento). I bought a RT from a person for 5.50E. Took track 3 to Ercolano Scavi station. Walked to the sea. I stupidly paid 16E to see this Pompei lite. You can see it for free from the rim. It goes all the way around. Back to Naples. Bought ventricina piccante, asiago, prosciutto crudo, crostini and wine at Conad. Ate it on my tiny balcony. This was the last warm day.

The next day I found the Antico Forno delle Sfogliatelle Calde RM Attanasio across the piazza and bought what I think was a slice of good ricotta lemon cake for 3E. It and the next place came up as highly rated when looking at the hotel maps. I also grabbed scrambled eggs and bacon and muffin from McD for 3.50E. I ate that at the hotel and then ventured out again to find Il Piastrato a block in and to the right of the hotel. I grabbed an ok chicken breast and zucchini sandwich for 12E. There wasn't time to eat it. Had to be at Vesuvius at 1pm. I bought a RT ticket (also Circumvesuviana ticket office) to Pompei Scavi for 5.60E. It was the stop for the Vesuvius tour. Track 1. Don't get on the wrong one. Different stops. I got a bit lost finding the tour office because of Google Maps. Went in town. Wrong. Office was right in the tiny train station (corner). They printed out the park entry ticket (necessary because they have a bar code reader) and gave me two bus tickets and a book on Vesuvius. The ticket said 11E. The bus tickets said 3.30E each. I guess the difference in price is profit. You can't buy them on your own. You have to do it online. They say. Others were buying the package for 24E right there and then. But, the internet was pretty adamant. Who knows? Forty minutes up a windy road to get to the crater. And wouldn't you know it, the rain that was meant for the day before came in just we approached. And it was cold. I probably got within a couple of hundred yards. People coming down said ten minutes and that you couldn't see anything anyway. Old people always overestimate. But, lucky because the moment I got back on the bus (it waits a half hour and then if you weren't on it, you had to wait another hour with no protection for the next one) it started to pour. I'll have to go back I guess. I also was cheated of the great views of Naples on the ride up and down. I took the train back to Naples. Bought wine and (bad) cacetti bianchi and ate it with the sandwich for dinner. Pulled the table to the balcony window because of the cold and rain. Saw on Foodish that pata with potatoes and provolone is a Naples tradition.

The next day I bought a ticket to Rome on Italo for 56E. Should have done it the day before. But...rain. Checked into the Hotel Robinson (Booking 7.5) for three nights at $249. Mostly good except for really late arriving guests. In an apartment complex next to the station. Most similarly rated hotels were $50-100 (in total) more. Walked via Nazionale past finally unfettered Terme (Baths) di Dioclezziano to Quirinale and down the steps and right to Trevi Fountain. Down Via dei Tritine and left past the Modern Art Museum to Trinita dei Monti. Down the Spanish Steps to Via Condotti to the river. Past Museo Napoleonico and Palazzo di Giustizia. Finally showed up to Castel Sant Angelo on the right day and waited only a few minutes to buy a 16E ticket. Totally worth it. Great views. Haddrian's mausoleum. The statue of Michael atop was used in Angels and Demons to denote the Illuminati HQ. Walked back to the hotel on Corso Vittorio Emmanuelle. Bought wine and hummus and Tigre. Half roasted chicken and capicola at Conad.

The next day I walked a few streets to the left of Nazionale to the Colosseo and luckily stopped at the bus stop just after Constantine's Arch. Tapped on the 118 bus. I thought you had to get on at Circus Maximus. That is a stop, but, it is at the END of the circular route and goes into the city before it comes around again. This bus goes to the Catacombs, Appian Way and Aqueduct and ends at the Hippodrome. I did the Aqueduct first. Got off at some Appia stop that started with an S. I could have taken it around and departed on the other side of the road at the end of the circuit. You walk back toward the city two lights and make a right on Viale Aprio Claudio to Parco Appia Antica. Under two train bridges to a golf club. There is a 4km circuit. I didn't do it because possibility of rain. Back on the bus. Went to the Catacombs of San Sebastian and San Calisto. Calisto was closed until 2pm, so, I walked Appian Way to Sebastian. Paid 10E for 1pm tour. Pretty cool. They said Peter and Paul were buried here at some point. He was a Roman Royal Guard. Depicted shot with arrows. Was an old quarry. Said there are six in Rome. All bones removed. Just crypts. Some Roman. Mostly Christian. Last work of Bernini here too. Got the bus going in the wrong direction. Took it around and past Porta Sebastian and Baths (Therme) of Caracalla. Got off at Forum. Back to hotel. Wine and salmon cc from Carrefour. Whole chicken from Conad.

The next day I took Via Merulana past San Giovanni in Laterno and Via Magna Grecia and then beared left to some area I think was called Zara in the mistaken belief that this would be a short cut to the Baths of Caracalla. Went a km or two too far. Took Via Latina back and found it. Didn't go in. Wasn't free. Back past Circus Maximus to the river. Left and past Parco San Alessio and Piazza Cavalleri di Malta on the cliffs to Ponte Sublicio to Trastevere. Saw Porta Portese and a weekend market. Up to Viale Trastevere and left. Right on Viale Glorioso and left onto Viale Casini to Villa Sciarra (this entrance is closed so I didn't really see it). Up Dandolo to Fabrizi past the stairs on Glorioso and up a bend to Garibaldi. There there is Chiesa di San Pietro in Montorio, Il Mausoleo Ossario Gianicolense and Fonte Acqua Paola and VIEWS. I should state here that I had not seen or heard of any of these things or the great park(s) here. Just saw things on a map that they put little icons on that I hadn't been to yet. Shame on me. It is an amazing (upper class) part of the city. I continued up to Museo della Repubblica Romana and Porta San Pancrazio. Through this entrance to the Parco Gianicolense. It leads to the Monumento a Garibaldi and another overlook. BTW I wasn't the only one up here! Tours and locals were up here. Just a secret from me. Through the Passeggiata del Giancolo to a lighthouse/faro and more overlooks. Down stairs. Past a hospital. More overlooks to Via di S Onofrio and down steps to the river. Across the Ponte Principe to San Giovani dei Fiorentini to Corso Vittorio Emmanuele again. I popped into the Basilica S Andrea dela Valle because I was almost sure I had never gone in. Went into the courtyard at Palazzo Venezia. Back up Nazionale. Bought wine at Carrefour. Bought my 14E ticket to the airport because I had been having issues with Tren Italia's machine reading the strips on credit cards. I found a newer machine. It worked like the old ones used to. 

The next day I uneventfully flew home. Took too long at MCO (as usual) for the idiots to attach the gateway so we could deplane. Plus we had a (no shit) fifteen minute plus taxi from whatever runway we landed on to Terminal C. They finished the area near the rental cars there. You don't have to walk through the parking lot any longer to get to the trams/train.

Spent $1022 on hotels. $539 on air. $205 on rental cars. 193E on food and wine. 275E on transportation. 82E on museums and parks. $550E using $1.15 exchange rate = $632. Total = $2398. Good trip. I saw More of Sicily than just Catania. Calabria. I was told to stop in Tropea or Amantea. Didn't seem worth it by train. Finally saw Castel Sant Elmo, Vesuvius, Appian Way and Castel Sant Angelo. Found some surprises. Saved Orvieto and Ostia Antica for next time. Leanrned that Gavi is from the Cortese grape and Orvieto from Grechetto and Trebbiano. Sicilian girls look like Tootsie.