Getting Around In Rome With Google Maps

I always thought using public transportation was a good way to get around, but it takes a little getting used to in a new city. Rome has many maps of the bus, subway and tram routes available. They use a 3pt font ( at least from the perspective of my old eyes ). Google Maps offers real time routing for public transportation. In this case, I searched for Piazza del Popolo so I could visit the church that houses some Caravaggio paintings. I like the fact that the map will update as you walk, or take the bus. Helps to know when to get off.

We used this routing to get from our apartment to the Porta Portese flea market. It was a fairly quick ride with only one transfer.
At all bus stops, fermata, you find a route listing with the sequential stops listed. The arrow points to the direction of travel.

Some stops have the video board listing buses arriving at your stop and approximate time before arrival. We found this to be very accurate. Most of the Google routes are easy to follow. Expand the map section for details as you walk to a stop or between stops to final destination. This does require cellular data, and I would advise on an unlocked phone and purchase a SIM card on arrival in your country of choice. TIM has a great store at the Rome airport. Very helpful and my phone was activated in 10 minutes with all questions answered.

September 25, 2017 0

Opera Arias In Rome

We happened on a small theater which presented Opera Arias and Neopolitan Songs in a small theater near the Pantheon. The performance starts at 7:30 pm and runs a little over an hour. The performance was wondefful and they got several ovations. You can not get a bad seat in this theater. It is in a old church building on Piazza Santa Chiara. Google Opera Arias in Rome and you will get the web site. Tickets were 40 Euros, but the cheaper seats would have been just as good. There is a small bar in the theater that serves drinks beginning at 6;30 PM.

Outside on our walk back to our apartment near Campo De Fiore

September 24, 2017 0

Garda to Rome

After 12 days in Desenzano del Garda, we head for Rome. Garda has been a slower paced visit than our time in Sicily. Driving is less challenging. The temperatures are cooler. I love Sicily, but the more controlled pace of life in the lake region is definitely more relaxing.

One of the nicest things about the lakes is the boat transport that is readily available. From Desenzano you can get a lower lake travel pass for about 23E.

The Villa Romana is an amazing place. Small enough to visit in an hour and filled with information. They heated tha baths with underground fires that went through the walls and under the pools. We worth the visit. Cost 4E. The mosaics are exceptionally beautiful.

For a quite experience in Italy try to find a library. Free entry, and sit down. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Ciao

September 17, 2017 0

White Nights Again. Notti Bianche

I am amazed by the town of Desenzano Del Garda. For the least ever al months every Wednesday evening the White Nights appear along Via Roma and some other streets. Shops are open, vendors set up tents, and the people come out. Wonderful. Music and food are all around. Va bene.

September 14, 2017 1

BACK TO BUSINESS AFTER IRMA

We arrived in Desenzano del Garda a week ago, but I was distracted by Irma headed our way back home. Irma has come and gone and my wife and I have been blessed to have had no damage to our home. Power was out, but I checked our Logitech web cams and find we are back up. Great no loss of food. Many others in Florida and other states were not so lucky. Consider donating to the various groups out to help the recovery.

Lake Garda is an amazing beautiful place. Granite mountains rise up along the shores and little towns and villages appear all over. German is spoke as much as Italian here.

Limone Sul Garda, on the northern end of the lake. Nice day trip from Desenzano del Garda.

More posts will follow as my preoccupation with Irma leaves.

Garda on Garda

September 12, 2017 0

The train trip.

No it is not like Metro North it is far more interesting. Arriving at Romes airport from Catania, Sicily we found a ticket booth that would give us all the tickets we needed for our trip. Our final destination was Densanzano del Garda on the largest of Italy’s lakes. We probably could have paid less by going to the ticket booth, but we were running late (as usual),

First we took the Leonardo Express to Rome’s Termini Station. The nonstop train stopped three times due to signal issues but it was still quite fast. We then had to get on the train to Bolzano at which point my wife thought I was crazy and I had to review the route. We would stop at Florence, and Bologna before arriving at Verona Porta Nuova. Here we would take the local train to Desenzano del Garda.

We did not make the first train to Garda, so we have to wait a half hour. If we were not pressed for time, it would not have been stressful. It was a short 15 minute ride to our station where I called our host at Airbnb and he picked us up at the station and brought us to our apartment.

This is my first experience on a high-speed train, it goes fast. In Italy, trains do not go up or down hills when you can build ultra high bridges or tunnels instead. Riding for 10 minutes in a tunnel at high speeds is an experience. All in all, Italy does a great job with the trains. Would do it again, especially after the city driving in Sicily.

We were taking Train 8524 to Bolzano, but there was no track assigned till 10 min before departure. The locals just said ……normale.

Edit

September 7, 2017 0

On to Largo di Garda

Wifi has been very slow and the many new photos take a long time to upload. Tomorrow we fly to Rome and then go by train to Desenzano Dei Garda. Looking forward to exploring the lakes again. Hard at work contemplating tomorrows journey. We hate to leave Sicily and the wonderful people we have met. Today we visited IKEA. Love the creativity and design. Putting so much in small spaces with style and grace.