Florence, Sorrento and Bologna Trip Photos

Four months has passed since my last post. Our November 18 day stay in Italy is in the memory book now. What a trip it was! While the weather was a bit more seasonal last year than in 2015, we were still able to be faithful to our itinerary with two exceptions. More on that in an upcoming post.

I thought I'd begin this series of posts on our 2016 adventure that took us to Milan, Florence, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Bologna, Modena and Ravenna, with some photos that highlight our experience. These  photos are from our first few days in Florence and as we arrived in Sorrento. Hopefully, you can glean some inspiration to start planning your trip to Italy. It's waiting for you - get going!

Florence. The white-haired gentleman is the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, on the 50th anniversary of the Flood of 1966.

Pitti Palace.

Security at the Duomo in Florence due to the visit of the president.

High waters of the Arno River as it passes through Florence in November 2016.

Debbie at the anniversary of the Flood of 1966 in Florence.

Debbie at the Milano Centrale train station.

Debbie with friends Gabriele, Alessandra and Stefania...visiting Certaldo.

Inside The Abbey of Passignano.

Inside The Abbey of Passignano.

Sorrento.

Mt. Vesuvius.

Self-catering Apartments - Are They Right For You? Part 2: Florence Aurora Apartment

  Yes, there are a myriad of choices when it comes to finding lodging in Italy, specifically in Tuscany. Villas, hostels, campgrounds, hotels, apartments and, even convents. Whatever your preference, do your homework by reading reviews, visiting websites, studying photos, mapping out the location, contacting owners with your questions and  talking to friends who have already visited. Having done all that, you can be pretty confident with your choice for places to stay.

   When we first began looking for an apartment to rent in Florence back in 2011, we were so impressed with the Tripadvisor reviews for the Aurora Apartment (see photos and reviews) and its owners that we immediately requested a reservation. Much to our disappointment, the apartment was already booked for several of the days of our stay, but Gabriele, the owner mentioned that he had a three bedroom apartment, Casa Iris (please see my previous post), that was undergoing a complete remodel and would be ready in time for our stay. We did rent that apartment in 2011 and in 2014 when we returned with friends.

   Contacting Gabriele while making plans for our last-minute adventure to Tuscany in September 2015, we asked if Aurora would be available? Fortunately, we were able to reserve the apartment this time for our seven day stay in Florence, after spending three days in Milan and 3 days in Bologna on the way. Aurora is on the same street as Casa Iris but closer to Piazza della Liberta.

Via Madonna Della Tosse looking toward Piazza della Liberta.

Via Madonna Della Tosse looking toward the parking garage entrance.

   So, fast-forward to November 14, 2015 when we got our first in-person look at Aurora. Just perfect! The building is very safe and secure.  While smaller than Casa Iris, it is fully equipped with stove, refrigerator, clothes washer, pots & pans, dishes, microwave, dishwasher, toaster, coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, TV/DVD player, heat and air conditioning (that you control) and everything else you might need. The bedroom is spacious (much like Casa Iris) and the sofa converts into a double bed.The quiet apartment is also decorated perfectly by Stefania with antique pieces including a huge armoire that is hundreds of years old! The Internet and WiFi work very well. You can't go wrong here, but be aware, there are two flights of stairs. There is even a small, nice and very quiet caffe/bar on the street level and, believe it or not, there is a German style pub right down the street.

Kitchen at the Aurora Apartment.

   We stayed with what we knew by renting this apartment. Gabriele and Stefania, once again, helped make our third visit to the wonderful city of Florence a memorable one. By returning to their wonderful apartments, Florence is beginning to feel like a second home to us. With the help of our hosts, we have learned which buses to take, where to get groceries and wine and where there are some great restaurants nearby. You can reserve one of their apartments with confidence, especially, if it will be your first trip to Italy.

Debbie and me enjoying Florence in October 2014.

  Next up, Part 3: a delightful apartment we rented in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre in 2014.

Self-Catering Apartments - Are They Right For You? Part 1: Florence Casa Iris

   As you're planning your trip to Italy, you'll have to decide early where you'll spend your nights. I'm guessing that most people traveling on vacations far from home choose to stay in a hotel, an inn or B & B, a rental villa or self-catering apartment. There are choices for every taste and budget. In each of our stays in Italy with one exception in Milan, we chose to rent an apartment. This worked out very  well for us each time.
 
   One of the best things about renting an apartment, aside from the obvious like saving money on meals, is the chance to live in an Italian neighborhood away from the tourist center hustle and bustle. If you're lucky enough to find an apartment with a balcony, you can open the doors to listen to the everyday sounds of Italian life. You don't usually get that by staying in a hotel in the city center.
 
   In 2011, after reading many reviews on Tripadvisor, Flipkey (Tuscany) and/or Booking.com, we were able to choose the best apartment for us. Our budget calls for spending no more than 100 euros a night, if possible, for lodging. Of course, a good exchange rate can definitely save you money. With a dollar/euro exchange rate of $1.39 a 100 euro/night apartment would be $139 per night, but if the rate is only $1.10 like on our last trip, the nightly cost is only $110 - a big savings!
 
   Once you've decided on a location, don't forget to read a lot of reviews because budget is hardly the only criteria to use when searching for your perfect place. When we were looking for our first apartment in Florence, the reviews describing the owners and the service they provided alone convinced us to go ahead and reserve Casa Iris (take a look at the owner's photos here). Not one of the excellent reviews turned out to be an exaggeration. So, on our very first trip to Italy we chose this apartment based more on reviews than on price - there were other apartments we found that were cheaper, but none compared to Casa Iris in any other way.

  The apartment is spacious and spotless with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a nice eat-in kitchen equipped with everything you need for meal prep including some food staples, a small balcony and a large comfortable living room with a flat-screen TV which we never used. The Internet and wifi worked quickly and well. There is even a small washing machine to do your laundry. There are two flights of stairs, which was not a problem for us. The apartment is secure with with keyed entry into the building as well as into the unit itself.

   If you do choose to rent a car, there is an underground pay parking garage right across the street. Be aware that you will not be allowed to drive or park in most of the city center. If you're caught, be prepared to pay a stiff fine. One store nearby, that we visited daily, was the Essalunga Supermarket on Masaccio (about a 8 minute walk from the apartment). You can find whatever you need there, including excellent wine at very reasonable prices. There are several city bus stops within about three minutes of the apartment door. Two of the buses will take you to points in the city center like the Santa Maria Novella (SMN) Train Station and points in between and, one where you can board Bus #7 to Fiesole. The city bus service in Florence is excellent.

The location of Casa Iris near Piazza della Liberta, (a local landmark) far enough from the sometimes noisy City center (citta centro), but close enough for walking. It's approximately a 20 minute walk to the Duomo at a steady clip and 25-30 minutes to the SMN train station and the SITA bus station. The Uffizi Gallery is about 20 minutes walking and The Accademia Gallery are about 15 minutes. We found that Casa Iris was ideal for all of our day trips to other cities like Venice, Rome, Siena, San Gimignano, Bologna, Pisa, Lucca and many more. Plus,there is so much to see in Florence that is just a 20-30 minute walk away or a 10-20 minute city bus ride. Here are Tripadvisor's top 10 attractions in Florence. You can not be bored!

   We loved everything about this apartment from its amenities to its location, but especially, its owners Gabriele and Stefania, who were there for all of our questions and solved any minor problems immediately. Their attention to detail can't be beat. Our 16 day stay was perfect! We liked this apartment so much that we rented it again, for two weeks in 2014. Gabriele and Stefania also have a smaller one bedroom apartment which we rented for 7 days in 2015, Aurora Apartment on the same street that I'll feature in my next post.

Door to Casa Iris

,

Barry relaxing on the balcony at Casa Iris

Debbie hanging out laundry

Great internet and wifi!

One of three very nice bedrooms

Calling it a night...

Keeping out the sun...

Lunch at Casa Iris

 

Our Bus Ticket Fiasco in Florence

   On our second trip to Tuscany in September/October 2014, four of us stayed in the same wonderful apartment Casa Iris that Debbie and I rented in 2011. On our last full day there, we decided to take the city buses to Piazzale Michelangelo to see the most spectacular view of the city of Florence. Since the bus ticket was good for 90 minutes, we thought we could make the whole trip from Piazza della Liberta near our apartment to the city center by the Santa Maria Novella train station and then up the hill to Piazzale Michelangelo and back to SMN on one ticket each. All went well until one stop before SMN station on the way back, when the bus was boarded by three "bus police" officers. They came directly to us and demanded to see our tickets. Unfortunately, our time had run out five minutes earlier. They asked for our passports. I had a copy of mine; Debbie had neither her passport of a copy. The other couple had theirs.
   One officer said "these tickets are finished!" This resulted in a 50 euro fine for each of us! Another officer said "they are only five minutes over." That got our hopes up, but the first one was relentless, repeating, "the tickets are finished." We protested to no avail. Debbie and I paid them cash after we received our fines. They decided not to charge Debbie another 50 euros for not having her passport. Phew! Our travelling companions didn't have the cash and were escorted to the bank at the train station to withdraw the money!
   We were foolish to try to cut the timing so close on our tickets and, considering that we had extra tickets with us (the "police" didn't care), we should have just validated those when we noticed we were over the time. Also, we were aware of the possibility of a big fine if we hadn't validated the tickets when we boarded the bus. We weren't without fault in this fiasco. Bus tickets cost only 1,20 euro each at most tabacchi shops (look for the sign with the big "T") and are a good deal, so don't try to save money by stretching their time limit like we did. It's just not worth it. While the fines could be appealed within thirty days, it must be in Italian and you may have to be present. We decided not to worry about that.
    Lesson learned: always validate your bus ticket ON the bus (see two bottom photos) and pay attention to the time limit! Click ATAT Bus Tickets. Also, train tickets (top three photos) must be validated BEFORE boarding the train (unless you have reserved tickets that you printed at home) or you will face a similar fine. Look for the blue or yellow validation machines on the platform.
   We chose not to let that experience ruin our day and found a nice trattoria near San Lorenzo for lunch. The food was good and the wine relaxed us enough to talk, complain and laugh about the incident.