[Idyllchat] Return from Italy and Tuscany North

[Patricia Edie]

Dear Idyllers,

We recently returned from our one month trip in Italy (2 weeks of which was 
an Untour at the Azzurro apartment in Calci.)  It is my hope to get some 
Trip Notes posted of our experience.  But for today, I want to personally 
thank all of you who contributed to our planning and helped us have a very 
successful trip overall.  We had a courageous intinerary and with 
foreplanning were successful at getting from point A to point B to point C 
with minimal hassle.

Thank you Jay Cloidt for your invaluable information on the trains in Italy. 
Your instructions got us on the trains and buses and we carried copies of 
your posts with us.  We even knew which way to turn to find the ticket 
kiosks!  Thank you Russ Crum for your train advice as well.

Thank you John Stevens for your recommendations for Ferrara and Bologna.  We 
did stay at the Locanda Borgonuovo and we loved it.  We used the hotel 
bicycles to ride around the town.  Contessa Irlandini was delightful and 
gracious.

Thank you Marcia Seifert and Scott Baldwin for encouraging us to take an 
overnight peek at Venice.  It was truly worth it.  The weather was perfect 
and we actually walked a hugh loop through Venice and saw all the high 
spots.  We stayed in the Dorsoduro sestieri, which was perfect and away from 
the tourist haunts, at the San Barnaba Hotel and loved it as well!  Someday 
we will return for a longer stay but this peek was very worthwhile for us.

Thank you Charlotte Sprawls for the advice to overnight near Malpensa before 
the return flight home.  It was perfect and we stayed at the Domina Inn 
which provided free shuttle service.

Thank you Selby Rich and Deb Van Schaack for all your advice about Azzurro 
and Calci.  We carried your posts with us as well.  We have lots to share 
about the Untour but I have to find time to actually sit down and document 
it in a trip log.  In the meantime, if anyone is considering a Northern 
Tuscany Untour, please feel free to email me.

This discussion list is a great resource.  Thanks to all who were so 
generous with their time and input.

Ciao,
Patricia Edie