GOTCHA, again, and again, Italy’s New Way To Collect Traffic Violations

There is nothing like coming home from an Italy trip and receiving a letter, or email saying you screwed up and it is time to pay. In recent years I have not run afoul of the law recently, but last year they got me good. Our trip to Italy took us to Padua and Vicenza both beautiful cities. The FAMOUS ZONA LIMITATO or limited traffic zone is found in many major cities in Italy which have congestions. My first experience was in Rome back in 2009 while returning a rental car and enjoying the sights. I went by the Coliseum and several other location while heading to the airport. Never once did I see any signs saying ZTL.

But the camera saw me. This was no big deal and paid by credit card. 100 Euros is not cheap but this was easy and I was notified soon after returning.

TRAFFIC TICKET PAID BY CREDIT CARD

This year while in Vicenza and Padua I saw one sign and tried to avoid the area. Apparently I did not do it very well. We were in these town in October 2019 and I received my first notification from Hertz/Thrifty on January 28 2020. A bit of time had gone by. I was told there was a violation in both town and I would be notified by the municipalities shortly and be advised how to handle them.

ROME TRAFFIC CAM PHOTO

SOME SIGNS YOU SEE, OTHERS YOU DON’T

A lot to time passed. In fact I was not notified until December 2020 of the amount of the violation and the need to do a wire transfer. International wire transfers are not cheap. These were $45 each for a total of $90. The fines were $139 and $156. Now we are talking about really money, no cheap lira banknotes from old times. The old way was quicker and easier. Certainly it was less expensive

My advice is to be aware of limited traffic areas before you arrive in the cities. I did this successfully in Florence. I most likely will go back to Italy again (now that the fine is paid). I will plan more carefully.. Elven years between violations and It is not the end of the world

DUOMO PADUA, ITALY

DUOMO WITH WATERCOLOR FILTER

VICENZA , ITALY

SALVATOR DALI VICENZA ITALY

MUSEUM OF JEWELRY , VICENZA ITALY

I have not posted much this month, but will continue with posts about our previous nineteen trips to Italy. 2021 has to be a better year. To escape the virus and so some travel we purchased a motor home and this has helped us travel safely.

OUR RV IN APALACHICOLA, FL

ANGELA HEADING UP I95 IN COCA FL

TI AUGURO UN FELICE ANNO NUOVO

I WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR

December 31, 2020 0

Ci manca Roma. We miss Rome

We have been to Rome 5 or 6 times. Have lost count. Never see enough of the beautiful city. In October we walked most of the city and never stall the trash buildup that was posted on some news sites and in some newspapers in the US. It is a large city, but residential areas and tourist areas were clean. We can to wait to return. Here are some photos of the days in Rome.

Via Cappellari, out Airbnb was 100 feet away from this photo. The street was made into an art gallery for several days,

Art was hung all along the street.

\iew from the Tiber to St. Peters

A wedding im Trastevere

Museo di Roma

Piazza Navona from Museo di Roma

Then and Now

Piazza Navona

Coppede Neighborhood Roma

This area is know for it’s different and beautiful architecture

Below scuderie del Quirinale, the stables of Quirinale

We first came to the Scuderie del Quirinale three years ago for an exhibit by Picasso.

This time Pompei and Santorini both suffered volcanic eruptions.

Plaster casts from Pompei

Below a breathtaking view of Rome from the Scuderie del Quirinale

From Wikipedia

March 30, 2020 0

My Favorite Streets In Rome

This year we returned to Rome for eight wonderful nights. In 2017 we were in Rome for two weeks, and enjoyed becoming familiar with the city. It was no longer intimidating. On our last visit we stayed in an Airbnb on Via Dei Bianchi Vecchi. It was a great location to walk to many of Romes’s attractions. This year we found an Airbnb that did not have 67 steps to climb to the second floor. It was located on Via Cappellari about 200 feet from the Campo Dei Fiori.

From our location which was “Via dei Cappellari, 124 primo piano” we were able to walk to the following sights.

Chiesa Dei Santa Barbara Dei Librari

Chiesa Dei Santa Barbara Dei Librari Interior

Well worth the visit, small and beauitiful

Campo dei Fiori

The Campo dei Fiori is a great place to wanter and view the sights night and day. Surrounded by restaurants and shops, it transforms from a daytime tent city to vendors selling everything from fruits and vegetables to clothing and other items to a huge area wandering people.

Stalls and shops at the Campo

St Peters is about 10 min from the area. Walk down Corso Vittorio Emanuele and cross of the bridge by Castel Sant’Angelo and make a slight left and you will see it ahead.

St Peter from the dome

St Peters Interior

On to lunch in Trastevere

The chiesa of Santa Maria in Trastevere was another short walk

Always a wedding seven days a week

Crossing the bridge headed back to our Airbnb a beautiful view of St Peters in the distance

December 16, 2019 0

Lost In Rome, Again

Being lost in Rome is a treat, not a problem. We dropped our rental car off in Venezia, how amazing it is to drive to the edge of this cluster of islands. After leaving the car inform of the Hertz office, we walked across the street and closed a bridge to Venezia.

Next we walked to the Santa Lucia station to get our high speed train to Rome. Reserved seats and a great ride.

Italo provides fast and nice transport, It was a pleasure to travel by train.

Beverage service was provided and restrooms were spotless.

After arriving at our Airbnb on Via Dei Cappellari i, we head one block to the Campo Dei Fiori. We chose this location as it was near our last Airbnb and enabled us to walk to most of the destinations in Rome we wanted to see.

Campo dei Fiori at night. The market is gone, now it is dinnertime and people watching. A full moon came to welcome us.

IMG_1012.mov

Quick walk to the Vatican

We were located so close to so many wonderful sights ant things to do.

The downtown market was filled with food and wines.

A Rome market.

This small Filetti di Baccala is a tiny space which specialized in Cod Filets which were delicous

One man runs the kitchen. Everything is prepared while you wait.

Find at Largo dei Labari, near the church of Santa Barbara

Some more walking and another wedding. First of several we saw.

A walk across the tiber to a new area of Rome. Trastevere, another jewell. Trastevere translates to across the Tiber

IMG_1077.mov

An uncrowded street in Trastevere. Via del Moro.

This post will be continued.

Caico e Pepe, Osteria da Fortunata , Via Pelligrino

October 25, 2019 2

MILAN, ROME, LAKE COMO AND MORE ONE MONTH FOR TWO $4500

In five days my wife and I leave for a month in Italy. The cost is about $4500 which includes airfare, car rental for fifteen days, Airbnb apartments with wifi, ac, and kitchens, one extra night in Miami on return. A similar tour from Globus costs $5,400 and does not include airfare. And it is for 10 days, not 30. I have not included meals in my trip, and Globus usually does include some meals. Globus states it’s meals as follows “Full buffet breakfast daily; 2 lunches in Gabiano and Vercelli; 2 three-course dinners at a local restaurant in Milan” So that is two lunches, two dinners, and breakfast each day.

If we were t compare the Globus tour to mine, it would cost approximately $15.000 plus AIRFARE to get close to mine. PS, I purchased my tickets from AirItaly in February. I flew with them last year and it was a perfect trip.

The best way to travel so inexpensively is shoulder season, We fly out of Miami on Sept 19th and got airfare for $780 round trip non stop for two people. Flying into Milan less expensive than going to Rome. You can get rail or air transit to Rome at very reasonable prices. So why not see more, do more and enjoy more with the $10,000 you can save by doing it on your own.

Our Airbnb in Milano. Elevator service and lots of windows.

Our Airbnb in Vicenza

Each of our reservations has reasonable rates. Rome was the most expensive costing $120 a night for a first floor apartment in the Campo Dei Fiori neighborhood. We like this area as you can walk to the Vatican, the Ghetto, Piazza Navona, and many more locations. Bust stops are just a block away.

Vicenza, Italy last fall.

Milano, trams are the best way to travel.

Prada, Milano

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II , Milano

Prada, Versace, Pasticceria Marchesi, Luisa Spagnoli. Tod’s , Giorgio Armani, Gobbi 1842, all these and more await you at the Galleria

Follow the blog next week as I report on our trip. Airbnb review, dining, shopping, and doing it on a budget.

September 14, 2019 0

How to find a great Airbnb in Rome

We have visited Rome several times and always enjoyed our visits. Location is one of the most important factors. If you have a favorite neighborhood such as Trastevere, Testaccio, or Campo Dei Fiore base yourself there. Save time and money by being able to walk the areas. In 2017 we stayed near Campo Dei Fiore. It was a perfect place to explore the neighborhoods and walk to some many places. The Vatican and St. Peters was walkable. Restaurants abounded and shopping for food was close by.

When we booked it, the description looked great. The fact that it was on the Second Floor sounded doable. Keep in mind the Italian way of numbering floors is quite different from ours. The ground floor or piano terra which is what we in the US would call the first floor. The next floor is the first floor, or primo piano, then on to the second floor which piano second but you are really on the third floor.

Keep this in mind as elevators in the older ( but beautiful) buildings are not prevalent. This is a time lapse of the descent which makes it look easy

52 Steps each time you go in or out

Here are photos from Rome in 2017. Not bad, reasonable space and would return if not for the steps ( 52)

This year I began my search by indicating the dates I needed, the number or people and I specifically searched °Campo Dei Fiore°. This reduced the number of locations and I then searched from the map.

Viewing each listing VERY carefully, I looked for WIFI, KITCHEN, A/C, and NO SMOKING. When I found all of these I looked at all the photos, and at least the first four pages of reviews. It is important to evaluate a review. As some one who has stayed in Airbnb in the US and Italy I check carefully and recheck with my wife. One bad review does not make a place unworthy of staying. Keep in mind that the map prices shown do not show what the prices really are if you did not fill in your dates of travel. The time of year makes a big difference.

This is a review I posited after a stay in Rome for 18 days in 2017″

“Overall we enjoyed our stay with Marzia. She was very quick to respond to our requests. The location is amazing. Walk out the door to restaurants, shops, a wine bar, and Campo de Fiore. Vatican is about 7-minute walk, save with Piazza Navona. Bus stops on Via Vittorio Emanuele. There is a restaurant on the other side of the building is excellent, Polese, we spent several evenings there. Also,check out the Suplizo on the same street as you head to Campo de Fiore. Great for take out. Kitchen is small but fully stocked with pots pans etc. Small frig but grocery store and the market are so close you will always have fresh food. The bed is comfortable. Hot water works well. WiFi good for browsing and email. AC works, but we arrived in mid September and found building comfortable with out it. The rear has a small terrace which was nice for dinner and wine. It does not have a view, but it was very pleasant. This is an older building and you have 52 steps to get to the room. It was not a bother to me at 74 years old, but my wife took a break going up the stairs. Neighborhood is good and safe. Only problem was major construction going on next to us and loud banging on walls starting at 7 am. I believe this is now finished as far as the wall banging goes. My wife and I enjoyed our stay.”

I would add that I was give a refund of 300 Euros to compensate me for the noise. I would return there again, if I could not find something on a lower floor.

For this years trip, we found a great place on the Primo Piano which will make things much easier. Located steps from the Campo Dei Fiore, I look forward to walking to so many sights and attractions. The bus stops are close by and the neighborhood is very safe.

The photos below are of our Airbnb for this year.

This is a decent sized apartment and we are looking forward to it. I will review it in full when we return from Italy in October.

ROSCIOLI, A TRADITION

August 6, 2019 0

Wandering Rome

As I am going through my photos and videos of this years visit to Milan and Venice with the bike tour, here is a quick 3 min walk around Rome

The link to the video is here

October 18, 2018 0

One Hundred Of The Best Things To Do In Italy From Jen Reviews

I just received a copy of Jen Millers 100 Best Things to do in Italy and was fascinated by the diversity of the list. Almost every day we are bombarded with the “10 Things You Must Do” that usually link to a bunch of JUNK. This is not that type of list.

Of the 100 items on the list, I have only visited 39 that I can recall. That leaves quite a bit to see and do. Here is the link to Jens site which is entitled Jen Reviews. Take a look at it and you may wish to subscribe. This is not just a travel site, she does reviews on various products for he home and other items you may find of interest. Give it a look.

Here is the link to the list :

https://www.jenreviews.com/best-things-to-do-in-italy/

Here is a list of the table of contents of Jen Reviews The 100 Of The Best Things To Do In Italy

Contents

1 1. Colosseum (Rome)
2 2. Pompeii (Naples)
3 3. Venice Gondola Trip
4 4. Duomo Milan
5 5. Sistine chapel
6 6. Climb Mt. Vesuvius (Naples)
7 7. Leaning tower of Pisa
8 8. Solfatara (Naples)
9 9. Cinque Terre (La Spezia)
10 10. Vatican City (Rome)
11 11. Blue Grotto (Naples)
12 12. Trentino Winter Sports
13 13. Gardaland Fun Park
14 14. Nuraghi Sardinia
15 15. Murano glass factories (Venice)
16 16. Medici Villas and Gardens (Florence)
17 17. Arona/Lake Maggiore
18 18. Tremiti Islands
19 19. Siena
20 20. Catacombs (Rome)
21 21. Assisi
22 22. Ferrari Museum (Maranello)
23 23. Sicily
24 24. Sibillini National Park
25 25. Bridge of Sighs (Venice)
26 26. Bolzano
27 27. Castellana Caves (Bari, Puglia)
28 28. Museo Nazionale dell’Alto Medioevo (Rome)
29 29. Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (Stadio San Siro, Milan)
30 30. Alberobello
31 31. Aqualandia Jesolo (Venice)
32 32. Napoli Sotterranea (Naples)
33 33. Kite Festival Cervia
34 34. Civita di Bagnoregio- The Dying Town (Orvieto)
35 35. Pantelleria (Sicily)
36 36. Trevi Fountain (Rome)
37 37. Chocolate Festival Perugia
38 38. San Galgano (Siena)
39 39. Valley of the Temples (Agrigento, Sicily)
40 40. Lake Garda
41 41. Rabbit Beach (Lampedusa) and Rabbit Island
42 42. Valcamonica Rock Drawings
43 43. Etnaland (Belpasso, Sicily)
44 44. Santa Maria delle Grazie (Milan)
45 45. Gran Paradiso National Park (Aosta)
46 46. Palazzo Reale (Palermo)
47 47. Rainbow Magic Land Valmontone (Rome)
48 48. Acquario di Genova (Genoa)
49 49. Medici Aqueduct (Pitigliano)
50 50. Safari Park Pombia
51 51. Archiginnasio (Bologna)
52 52. Castel Nuovo (Naples)
53 53. Treviso Talking Tree Park (Venice)
54 54. Walk the Via Francigena
55 55. Capri
56 56. Ostia Antica (Rome)
57 57. I Sassi di Matera
58 58. The Pantheon (Rome)
59 59. Venice Carnival
60 60. Abano Terme (Padua)
61 61. Bioparca di Roma
62 62. Byzantine Mosaics Ravenna
63 63. Verona
64 64. Cinecitta Studios (Rome)
65 65. Santa Maria in Trastevere (Rome)
66 66. Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Rome)
67 67. Riserva naturale orientata dello Zingaro
68 68. Porta Palatina (Turin)
69 69. Peggy Guggenheim Museum (Venice)
70 70. Lucca (Pisa)
71 71. Galata Museo del Mare (Genoa)
72 72. Orto Botanico (Padua)
73 73. Castelmezzano
74 74. Castle Moncalieri (Turin)
75 75. Positano (Naples)
76 76. Parma
77 77. Caserta
78 78. Amalfi Coast
79 79. Dozza (Bologna)
80 80. Campo del Ghetto (Venice)
81 81. San Lorenzo Cathedral (Genoa)
82 82. Portofino
83 83.Bergamo
84 84. The Ruins of Paestum
85 85. Rialto Bridge (Venice)
86 86. Nora (Cagliari, Sardinia)
87 87. Punta Prosciutto and Torre Lapillo (Porto Cesareo)
88 88. Anzio (Rome)
89 89. Italia in Miniatura (Rimini)
90 90. San Leo (Rimini)
91 91. Tropea
92 92. Cortina d`Ampezzo
93 93. Museo Stibbert (Florence)
94 94. Zoological Gardens, Pistoia
95 95. Basilicata Adventure Parks
96 96. Frasassi Caves
97 97. Sorrento Ice and Pizza Cooking Course
98 98. La Scala Theatre and Opera House, Milan
99 99. Regata Storica (Venice)
100 100. The Chianti Wine Trail

https://www.jenreviews.com/best-things-to-do-in-italy/

The introduction from Jen Reviews

“It is difficult – if not impossible – to limit a list of things to do in Italy to 100, and even more difficult to put them in order of descending significance or entertainment value: home to Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Etruscans, Greeks and Romans, with islands as diverse as dour Sicily and African-influenced Pantelleria and cultures as far apart as Renaissance Venice and the prehistoric Trulli in Alberobello, Italy is a vibrant and colorful hotch-potch, a land of stark and passionately defended contrasts.

Famous for its ice-cream and its wine and with such characteristic culinary specialities as pizza and pasta (to name but a few), Italy is a land of lovers, of (often tragic) romance, of beautiful churches, ancient ruins and smoking volcanoes, of vendettas and grand opera. It is very child-friendly – Italians love children – and very relaxed with regard to organization and punctuality, which means there is no point getting upset when your train fails to show up. When in Rome, do as the Romans do; take a siesta and enjoy La Dolce Vita. If you are travelling by car, be aware that this cocktail of attributes shows up in their driving, too. Rules are made to be broken, signalling is haphazard and you will rarely see a car without dents. That said, there are few countries better equipped as a holiday destination for all tastes. Buon viaggio!”

May 21, 2018 0

An unexpected find: THE CHURCH OF SANTA BARBARA DEI LIBRAI, Rome

While wandering the far end of the Campo dei Fiore and came upon Largo dei Librai, a small dead end street. But it was not a dead end, it was the beginning of a great find. With children kicking a soccer ball in front I came upon the THE CHURCH OF SANTA BARBARA DEI LIBRAI.

This tiny church is located on Largo dei Librai, just past Alice Pizza and the Filleti di Baccala. Alice Pizza is a great and inexpensive lunch stop.

I came upon this by chance and then read about it in detail in the Blog “An American in Rome” which was my go to resource when we were there for eighteen days last summer.

This tiny space contains so much beauty. The small size of the church keeps it from being overwhelming.

I came back a few days later with my wife and found it was closed. The hours did not seem to be posted on the door.

If you visit near the Campo dei Fiore, head towards the far end and continue down the street. After passing by a number of shops, you will see Largo dei Librai on your left. The church is at the far end.

Tale a look at the American in Rome blog. Stephanie is an American living and working in Rome.

https://anamericaninrome.com

From Wikipedia:

Santa Barbara dei Librai, Rome
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 41°53′41.32″N 12°28′25.49″E

Façade
Santa Barbara dei Librai[1] is a small Roman Catholic church in Rome, Italy. It was once known as Santa Barbara alla Regola after the rione in which it was located. Today it now considered within the rione of Parione, near the Campo de’ Fiori.

History[edit]
Giuseppe Vasi dates the consecration of the church by 1306, although it is probable that a church existed at the site since the 10-11th century. Inscriptions inside claim that the church was established by Giovanni di Crescenzio de Roizo and his wife Rogata, who was a senator of Rome in the second century. In 1600, it was granted to the confraternity of the Bookmakers (bookbinders, publishers, and scribes) or Librari, who titled the church after St Thomas Acquinas and St John of God as patrons.

During the papacy of Innocent XI , the church was restored. In 1634, after a fire, the confraternity of book makers bought out adjacent properties. The baroque façade was remade by Giuseppe Passeri. The statue of St Barbara over the door was sculpted by Ambrogio Parisi, and the angel painted on a wall is attributed to Guido Reni. The church has paintings by Luigi Garzi; a fresco of St Saba by Giovanni Battista Brughi, pupil of Baciccio, in the chapel of Specchi; and frescoes by Francesco Ragusa and Domenico Monacelli.

The church was used by the confraternity till 1878, but fell into abandon and was deconsecrated. In 1982, it was restored and.[2]

The adjacent oratory is sited in the ruins of the Theater of Pompey.

Tryptich by Leonardo da Roma
Among the works of art inside the church are:

Tryptich of Madonna and child with John the Baptist and Archangel Michael (1453) by Leonardo da Roma.
Crucifixion by Garzi
Sources[edit]
Jump up ^ Diocese of Rome
Jump up ^ Itinerario istruttivo per ritrovare con facilità tutte le Magnificenze di Roma e di alcune città, e castelli suburbani. Settima Giornata in Romeartlover.it
Morelli Gonippo, la chiesa di sants Barbara dei librai, Roma 1927
C. Rendina, Le Chiese di Roma, Newton & Compton Editori, Milano 2000
C. Cerchiai, Rione V Ponte, in AA.VV, I rioni di Roma, Newton & Compton Editori, Milano 2000, Vol. I, pp. 335–382
Mariano Armellini,Le chiese di Roma dal secolo IV al XIX, Roma 1891
C. Hulsen, Le chiese di Roma nel Medio Evo, Firenze 1927 F. Titi, Descrizione delle Pitture, Sculture e Architetture esposte in Roma, Roma 1763

December 10, 2017 0

SALUMERIA AND OTHER FOOD BONANZAS

A salumeria is traditionally meat and sausages (salsiccia) are sold at the butcher and other meat products are sold at the salumeria. In more recent times, salumerie often sell various products including cheeses, eggs, pastas and ready-to-eat antipasti. These shops are spotless works of art! Amazing.