The Insiders' Guide to St. Barths: italy, in general

a week is going to be hard to get in a whole lot of sightseeing, especially due to the fact that you are so far north in Bergamo....however, you do have some really nice places close by in Lake Como and Lugano, among a bunch of others....Venice is also near...I dont care for Venice at all but I am very much in the minority with that.....if you are going to go to Sicily that is going to be about a 500 - 600 mile drive or so....if your husband has any interest in seeing the towns his ancestors are from in Sicily, I would suggest doing that...I did that and I'm really glad I did...Sicily is a very big island and its all beautiful with the exception, I think, of Palermo which has become a typical city with all that implies.I think the east and southeast sections of Sicily are the nicest...Syracusa..Taomina....the Mt Etna area in general too.

Rome is a must for the historical wonders alone. the Sistine Chapel is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen...the "Last Judgement" is the most powerful work of art I have ever seen..... whether you are religous or not , its something to see, as is all of Vatican City.

Florence just took my breath away.....Everyone should see David up close and personal..immediately upon seeing David you will feel like you've underacheived in your life when compared to what Michelangelo has done...no photograph of David comes near to doing it justice....it is overwhelming to see what we humans are capable of acheiving, when you look at David...also Di Vinci's Last Supper is worth a look too.

Amalfi Coast/Isle of Capri.....beauty beyond words..a great scenic drive and a nice boat ride out to Capri from Sorrento.

there is so much I am leaving out..
rural areas of Tuscany....Calabria...Naples etc etc...I have toured Italy from Sicily all the way up to the Swiss border, but it took me three trips and a month of time to do it right. There is just so much to see.

I would pick one area and see it in depth if I only had a week to do it.

One more thing....on the super highways that go north to south there are rest stops with a place to eat called "AutoGrille".....forget anything you know about highway rest stops and highway rest stop food...these place serve up Italian food better then most Italian restaurants here in the states...and its fast ( cafeteria style)..dont be afraid....the food is incredible and priced right...

Good Luck

Edited by Mike R (10/16/04 08:19 AM)