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Dear Friends of Italy,
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What's New In Italy
See Rome by Bike - If You Dare!
Finally, the city of Rome has created 19 stands where subscribers can pick up a bike, ride it for a short while and return it to another part of town, all for nothing or for a very minimal fee. Here's how this ingenious system works. When you get to Rome, ask your concierge or host to tell you where the nearest Tourist Board kiosk is; this is where you'll sign up, leaving a 30-Euro deposit that you'll get back before you leave Rome. They'll also give you a map showing where the stands are, as well as a password to use to pick up your bike. The aim is to encourage short-term use of the bikes so they'll be available for everyone. Thus, the first half hour is free of charge; you pay 1 Euro for the second half hour; 2 Euro for the third half hour; and 4 Euro for the fourth half hour. Of course, as they say in Italy, "Once the rule has been made, the way to break it will be devised," and sure enough! Romans just make sure they turn their bike in before the thirty minutes are up, then get a second bike from the same stand, and so on. If you have the nerve to ride a bike in Rome, this is a great way to beat the traffic!
Public Services in Venice
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In Italy, the word "services" has nothing to do with going to church on Sunday -- it refers to the restroom! And visitors to Venice will want to learn that word servizi, because there are no bars or hotels that allow you to use theirs. But no worries, friends! There are public servizi all over the city, and now you can buy tickets for them online, before you leave home, so that when nature calls you're ready. Choose a daily card (two tickets) or a weekly card (ten tickets). Click here for instructions. |
Visit the Home of Emperor Augustus
| In an area of the Palatine hill above the Roman Forum, previously strictly off-limits to us mere mortals, is the exquisitely frescoed home of Octavian, the man who would go on to become Rome's first emperor. Experts say the frescoes decorating its four rooms -- a dining room, bedroom, reception hall and study (which overlooked the Circus Maximus so Octavian could watch the chariot racing without going to the arena) -- are among the most splendid surviving examples of Roman wall paintings, on a par with those found in the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Click here to learn more about this wonderful new site to visit when you're in Rome. |  |
The Prettiest Towns in Italy: Spello, Umbria
And speaking of Augustus, it was he who conquered this tiny hillstop enclave in 41BC, building the fortified walls and two imposing city gates that are still quite visible today. Much later, in 1238AD, another imperial ruler -- Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II -- would decimate the town because of its alliance with the Church of Rome. Today Spello is a classic Umbrian hilltown, showing clear signs of its Roman, medieval and Renaissance history. The watchtower that looms above the entrance to the village dates from the Middle Ages and is surmounted by an aged olive tree, dual symbol of peace and of the area's most precious product, olive oil. As you climb the pristine cobblestoned alleys you'll pass the cathedral, extensively covered with frescoes by local 16th-century artists Pinturicchio and Perugino. Farther up, past the 18th-century jewelbox theatre, is the Belvedere, where you'll be treated to spectacular views of the hills, valleys and villages of central Umbria. When you stop for lunch or dinner, be sure to taste some of that world-famous oil on bruschetta. Two things we'd like to tell you about this rustic delicacy: (1) it is pronounced brus-KET-ah and (2) it consists of toasted bread upon which you have scraped the cut side of a clove of garlic and drizzled some pure olive oil. There is no tomato on bruschetta!! (OK, maybe you'll find it on brush-edda, but that doesn't come from Umbria!). If you'd like to savor the oil, the views, the history and the hospitality of this delightful area, click here for a historic place to stay.
What's New at In Italy Online
Telestial Cell Phones
Why rent a cell phone when you can own and roam for much less! Make sure you don’t leave home without a prepaid Italy SIM card. Telestial’s Italy SIM card by TIM provides a simple, convenient and affordable way for any visitor to make and receive those all-important calls while abroad. In the past your only options were expensive: to pay over $1/minute with an over-priced cell phone rental or pay international roaming surcharges on your local home wireless provider. With Telestial's Italy SIM Card, you can now avoid high rental fees and per-minute charges often associated with using a cell phone abroad. The prepaid SIM card for Italy is a practical option for using your existing world phone as a prepaid Italy cell phone while you’re in the country at a better rate than you’d pay for an Italy cell phone rental. This is what the Italians use themselves! Click here for details.
Castel Sant'Angelo Photo Album
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The list of world-class sites to see in Rome is so long that the spectacular castle often doesn't make it, and that's a shame. Because it combines the monumental tomb of an ancient emperor with the imposing fortress of Renaissance popes, it is a living window onto the history of the Western World. Inside its perfectly round brick walls are all the weaponry used to defend Rome from the barbarian hordes, the elaborate trappings of countless rulers, and the tombs of three emperors. There are also infamous prisons, execution grounds, and the ramparts whence Tosca leapt to her tragic death. For pictures and more details, click here. |
| Advance Reservations for the Vatican Museums |  |
| Off to one side of the castle is a covered walkway built in the 15th century so the popes could have a safe escape route from St. Peter's, next door. Behind the basilica is one of the largest buildings in Europe, the museum housing the Sistine Chapel and thousands of other treasures. At long last, it is possible to buy advance reservations and skip the lines which can often be four or five hours long. If you are planning to see the Sistine Chapel, whatever you do, either buy tickets or a private tour before you leave home! For more details, click here. |
"Angels & Demons" Walk Through Rome
If you read Dan Brown's best-selling prequel to "The Da Vinci Code," you know that the Vatican plays a central part in the mysterious plot. Join Americans Michael and Dennis, high school professors who have lived in Rome for almost 40 years, on a walk that traces the footsteps of Dr. Robert Langdon and Vittoria Vetra across Rome, visiting the spellbinding sites associated with the four primordial elements of all things in existence -- Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. It goes without saying that these are the same spots you'll see in the upcoming Tom Hanks movie. For more details, click here.
"Our Favorite Artists" Photo Albums
| Ah, the wonderous works produced by our favorite arists! You will see many of them on your "Angels & Demons" walk. Or check out our Photo Albums for a sneak preview. At the moment we are showcasing the works of Gentile da Fabriano, Giovanni Bellini, Tuscany's Impressionists, Artemisia Gentileschi, Galileo Chini and Masaccio. In coming months we will be adding Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, Caravaggio and many more. To get started, click here. |  |
As always, our travels have turned up several new hand-picked unique lodgings to present to you. Did you know that at In Italy Online we personally inspect each property, and welcome to our site only those where we ourselves would happily spend a few days? Start your search for lodgings on our Special Offers page. Only for readers of In Italy Online, many of the hotels and villas we represent are offering special low rates for 2009 bookings. Be sure to check this page first:
When searching for places to stay in Italy, be sure to use our brand-new Amenity Search Feature. Not sure where you want to stay but it better have air conditioning? Or a swimming pool? Or Internet access? Then simply click the map for the region of your choice (say, Tuscany or Veneto or Sicily) and select all the amenities you desire. Our very handy engine will find the properties that offer what you want, and present you with a picture and a brief summary of each one. Click on the property name to see a detailed description, photo album, map, guest reviews, complete amenity chart and price details. Here is the selection of newcomers we are proud to welcome to our site this month:
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Venice Santa Chiara The only hotel in Venice that you can drive to! Elevator, air conditioning, some Grand Canal rooms, all amenities, parking. From 75. EURO/night |
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Venice Arsenale Romantic studio apartment for 2 with a private terrace overlooking one of Venice's most charming canals; air conditioning/heating; washer and dryer; dishwasher. From 141.50 EURO/night; from 987. EURO/week |
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Venice Santa Croce Wonderfully authentic two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment for 4 in a quiet residential neighborhood near the station and the boat dock; central air conditioning/heating; washing machine; dishwasher. From 170. EURO/night; from 1187. EURO/week |
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Venice Cannaregio Seven apartments for 2 or 3 people, all facing a quiet inner garden; two have canal view and one has a terrace; all have air conditioning; floor heating; satellite TV; shared laundry with washer and dryer; fitness room. From 176. EURO/night; from 1261. EURO/week |
In Milan
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Grand Hotel Verdi Elegant boutique hotel in the most central location in town. Elevator, air conditioning, restaurant, all amenities, free valet parking. From 103.75 EURO/night |
In Umbria
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Assisi Countryside Hotel Country estate comprising a hotel with rooms, plus several farmhouses with apartments. Restaurant, air conditioning, all amenities, swimming pool, fitness and beauty center. From 75. EURO/night |
We are also proud to offer some wonderful short programs for independent travelers. Combining self-guided itineraries, excellent lodgings, some meals and transfers, they are perfect for those who like to travel on their own but leave the planning to the experts. In Tuscany and on the Amalfi Coast, we offer:
This just might be one of the most popular activities we have ever offered – if you read the Guest Reviews you’ll see why! Spend four days at a 4-star seaside resort hotel outside Ravello or Praiano and leave the driving to your hosts. They’ll pick you up at the airport or station and whisk you out to the coast, then take you to see Amalfi, Ravello, Positano, Capri, and Pompeii. You’ll tour on your own, at your own pace, but you won’t have to deal with crowded public transportation or – even worse! – with driving yourself on the Amalfi Coast! Prices start at 1115. Euro/person, including four nights accommodations and dinners, plus all excursions and transfers.
Enjoy seven days in the most authentic part of Italy's favorite region. You'll visit the quaint villages of Montepulciano, Siena, Pienza and Montalcino, see how wine is made in a historic Brunello winery, visit an ancient olive oil mill, delight to countless tastings of the local food and wine, and learn how to make your own Tuscan menus at four hands-on cooking lessons. Groups never exceed 12 people, and In Italy Online's exclusive low price for this unforgettable experience, including all food and unlimited wines, is only US$2400.-2650./person. Sign up now for the trip of a lifetime!
The Chianti is one of the loveliest little patches of this earth, and what better way to get to know it than by staying right at its heart and roaming among its enchanting villages, vineyards and castles on your own (with the help of detailed route maps, of course!)? This 4-night program includes all the Chianti experiences including tastings of wine, cheese and meats. Costs are kept way down -- and your individual freedom way up -- by using your own car. Only 495 Euro/person including lodgings, one dinner, and visits to wineries.
Treat yourselves to this 4-night independent full-immersion into la vita toscana. Travel at your own pace while discovering great art, perfectly manicured landscapes, abundant vineyards, comfortable stone houses with big fireplaces, foods that are as delicious as they are simple, and great wines to accompany all of the above. We have included just the right amount of exclusive activities you could never do on your own, so that you can experience all the things that make Tuscany one of the most magical places on earth. Only 505 Euro/person including lodgings, two dinners, and visits to wineries and a cheese farm.
You know the saying, "Insurance is like an umbrella: you take it so you won't have to use it." We represent Travel Insured, now offering coverage that will reimburse travel expenses even if you lose your job. All the "fine print" is online, as well as an order form and more general information to help you best protect your investment in your vacation. Please take a moment to read this page, for your own peace of mind on the road!
Not sure what to give your family and friends for the holidays? Be sure to visit our online bottega italiana for a vast range of gifts from your favorite country. We offer books, movies, gift baskets, calendars, posters, foods, wall displays and many more items guaranteed to thrill any Italophile on your list. Click here to start shopping!
We have well over 500 titles, including guidebooks, cookbooks, books for kids, novels, classics, biographies, memoirs, coffee table books, books about Italian-American heritage, Italian style, art history and history, genealogy research books, and more. Our collection includes the perfect gift for everyone -- even for yourself!
We have a wonderful selection, ranging from documentaries and travel films to such classics as Bicycle Thief, contemporary hits like Life is Beautiful and masterpieces like La Dolce Vita. Before you take your trip, select a few movies set in the areas you'll be visiting. This will help you visualize the places you want to see and things you want to do. Then when you get home you can watch the movies over and over to keep your own memories all the more fresh in your mind!
Whether you like old crooners, opera, wild rockers, baroque chamber music, or traditional folk tunes, we have something for you in our Italian Music Store. Browse the categories of Love Songs and Opera, or all the works of such favorites as Pavarotti, Bocelli, Ramazzotti and Battisti.
Whether you're trying to decide what part of the country to visit, or just hankering to relive the memories of your latest trip, pictures are the quickest way to get there. We have assembled a gallery with hundreds of colorful shots ranging from the Alps to the southern tip of Europe and featuring people, food, architecture, art, even the animals you'll encounter at the national parks! Be sure to bookmark the page so you can return often and visit the newest additions to the gallery.
If you're looking for something on our site that you just can't seem to find, the best solution is to start with:
With well over 4000 pages on our site now, sometimes even we don't remember where everything is! No matter what you're looking for, please start here. To make browsing even more enjoyable, we've added a little picture gallery to the page. This month's gallery is dedicated to the amazing Duomo of Milan.
If there's something specific you are looking for, try using our new search engine. Just enter the words or phrase (ie. Vatican Museum) that you want, and click "Search".
When you get to the actual planning stages of your trip, don't forget the regular features on our site:
In response to so many of your questions, we have put together some sample itineraries that you can do on your own. We've added information about how to get from place to place, how far it is between major destinations, how long to stay in each place and what order to visit them in. You'll also find tips about getting into Venice, taking the ferry to Sicily, moving around on the coast, and so on.
There is so much information on this page! Even if you don't book your accommodations through In Italy Online, you'll learn all about the differences between American and Italian hotels and apartments, and many other valuable tips about what to expect when you get to your casa italiana.
If you have time to look at only one page on our site, make it this one. It will help you create a very handy folder of information you might not care about now but might suddenly find yourself in desperate need of once you're on the road!
The very first thing you need to do when planning a trip is get good maps such as these. We use them for all our itinerary planning, our editor uses them on her semi-annual two-month marathon scouting trips, and the Italian government uses them for something that's probably classified. Well anyway, our editor could use any maps on earth, and these are the ones she packs. Here's her personal advice: if you're going to be driving in Tuscany, get several province maps rather than one regional map. You might spend $20. more now, but we think it's worth it to save countless hours of fear and frustration later.
Every single town in Italy is listed here, friends, so if you're having trouble finding a place, start here first.
Okay, it would be impossible for anyone to list all of these, but we offer a wide enough selection throughout the country for you to match your itinerary with at least one of these must-see events. We also offer a guidebook: for information, click here.
Make plans to see at least one of the blockbuster temporary shows, but don't neglect the classics! We were the first to make it possible to book the Uffizi and the Accademia, and now we've added several more museums, plus Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper in Milan (which is the hottest ticket in Europe right now, by the way!). We also offer specialized guided tours of the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's in Venice.
One of our favorite affiliates is a new specialist in wine tours in Tuscany, who will help you discover a hidden Tuscany. Wine tastings and Italian cooking lessons in Florence. Guided visit to wineries with wine tastings in the Chianti region. Wine shipping all over the world.
Cellular Abroad offers local cell phone rates many European destinations, including free incoming calls. They also have a convenient travel resources guide. Be sure to read this very informative article. It deals with the pitfalls and advantages or renting or buying a cell phone for your trip to Italy, and explains why it may often be the smartest way to keep in touch.
If you're going to be landing in Naples, Livorno, Civitavecchia and/or Venice, consider these private day trips. They are much less expensive than those offered by the cruise lines, and our licensed guides are as fun as they are educational. 70.-650. Euro/person, including private car and driver and personal tour guide.
For the independent traveler who doesn't want to join a group but doesn't want to have to do everything on his or her own. Visit Sicily or Tuscany by private car or bicycle, concentrating on food or history or just plain having fun.
Find out all about Italy’s most famous pageant. Occurring annually on July 2 and August 16, it has been the fulcrum of this ancient city’s life for 600 years. To attend it is to immerse yourself into an atmosphere of excitement and magic like none other. In Italy Online is proud to be one of the very few vendors in the world to sell seats for this event. We are now selling seats for the Palios of July and August 2009. Hurry, July is almost sold out!
English-Italian electronic pocket translators for travelers offer reliable and accurate two-way English-Italian Full-text Machine Translation (of any phrase or text) with voice output! The world's most sophisticated Speech Recognition that understands exactly what you say and provides instant translation of words and phrases. Travel Voice PhraseBook translates and speaks 14,000 phrases using native-speaker voice narration.
Whether you want a full-blown program or just a half-day lesson with a chef or a grandmother, check out this page to see what we offer in Tuscany and Rome.
This is the part of our web site that put us on the map: over 2000 pages of articles with our favorite itineraries, in-depth reports and suggestions about off-the-beaten-track attractions in Italy. We've added more photographs and information, so spend some time here gleaning the hard facts about the areas you want to visit - you'll probably end up printing out a few pages to take along with you.
Over a hundred pages of hard-core information: how to use the telephones; how to use the post office; how to contact the provincial tourist boards; how to rent a cell phone; traffic regulations; the weather; English-language church services; shopping conversions; and so much more. Especially important is the section entitled "Trains, Planes, Ferries, Buses and Cars In Italy," a series of links to the sources with schedules, fares, and other useful information (including specific information about the major airports).
A treasure trove of consolations for travelers caught between trips! Recipes, North American museums with Italian art, universities with Italian programs, movies, videos and books about Italy.
You've asked for this for so long - finally we have it for you!
Our revised newsletter details how to stay at a convent. We've added dozens more places to stay throughout the country, with information about kinds of accommodations, amenities, prices, curfews and so on.
This is the best way to familiarize yourself with the lifestyle of Italy as well as its hidden secrets and unknown monuments. All activities are for private groups and are led by artists, historians, art historians and professors who combine a love of Italy past and present with a zestful approach for life that's sure to leave lasting memories long after your trip is over. To spend half a day with them is to become an Italian for a while. Be sure to browse their offerings before you leave home, and read what their former guests had to say about them.
Calling all parents! There are several articles on our site about Family Friendly Activities in Italy, including this page, where you'll also find the beginnings of a new mini-site we hope will interest your offspring. Read this page before you leave home: it's bound to add a little more fun to your kids' holiday.
Some of the best news we have to offer you this spring is the Return of the US Dollar! We are pleased to say it has gained more than 20% from its dismal low of last summer, which means you can now have 20% more vacation! All indications are that the US currency will slowly regain its ground against Italy's Euro, and at the same time, bargains are sprouting like daffodils, from Venice to Palermo. Never before have we at In Italy Online been able to obtain such wonderful discounts, which we are passing along to you. Whether your plans include an exclusive villa, a well-appointed city apartment, a 4-star hotel or a rustic country inn, our prices are 20% to 40% lower than last year, and we will match any competitor's bona fide offer. And if you need any other reasons to reserve your trip through us, consider this: