Just back from Italy, some random observations...

We were flying American Airlines, but our connection from Amstererdam to Rome was was on ESBrusselsAir. that's when our carry-ons were taken from us (and one bag lost for 8 days.)The plane wasn't full, but had carry-on bins the size of computer cases. I think their particular limit was about 11 pounds. Now I check EVERY connecting aircraft's limits before traveling!

Thanks for trip report, sounds like a great trip. I do think that you shouldn't be too surprised that GF backpack was pickpocketed, they are just prime picking , especially when worn on your back.. big no no anywhere there are crowds of any sort.

I agree with you about restaurants and RS recommendations.. I tend to think that being so popular with tourists can make a place slack off on their standards. I can't say I had any great meals in Italy anyways,, Italian food underwhelmed me , but I was always in such big touristy cities so perhaps food is better in small towns.

Pickpockets: These guys are GOOD! Have no idea of when or where, but my iPod got taken out of my fiance's backpack while she was wearing it. The good part is, she is more likely to listen to me know. That is worth more than any iPod

Rick's Audio guides: Can be corny, but I thought they were great. Could use some sort of numbering system, but they are a lot better than the cold, impersonal audio guides you get at the museums. Unfortunately, I didn't get to use them all, see above.

Transportation: My first time to Italy without my own set of wheels. Don't expect anything to be clearly labeled or numbered. Even if it is numbered, don't expect it to be correct. Ask ask ask ask In any case, I will be going back to rental cars, but that's just always been my preference.

Airlines: The printed airline baggage restrictions didn't mean anything, including on American Airlines. We had one older Rick convertible bag and one wheeled backpack and we had to check them every time except out of SFO, even though they met the requirements. We flew AA, Easy Jet & Blu Panorama

That's all I can think of for now, maybe more later :-)

Otter: Appreciate the trip report and especially your focus on lessons learned rather than bragging about how great a traveler you are: you gave us the good and the bad and that is helpful.Yep, pick pockets love to see Americans with goodies in their backpacks--we keep trying to warn people here not to put stuff that you want to keep in a backpack, if it's behind you they can get it and did in your case--at least it wasn't your passports or credit cards.Accommodations & Restaurants: You've encountered the Rick Factor re hotels and restaurants, thousands of us buy his books and, big surprise, we all start trying to book the same accommodations and eat at the same restaurants.Tourists: Yep, the darn tourists are ruining Europe. I wonder why the other tourists keep saying that about me? (I'm not a tourist, am I?)

Thanks Otter!

I am a little nervous about the backpack situation. We plan to take and carry-on Rick Steves backpacks. We are flying Air Iberia. I will be upset if they make us check them! Anyone else have an experience with the backpack? Thanks. Julia

We used Rick's Convertible Carry-On and another one that was slighly bigger and had wheels and straps and had no problem on United. We just carried them on board leaving from DC and returning from Rome. No problems at all.

Julia: What's been reported here is that the European discount airlines flying within Europe usually rigorously enforce the dimension and weight limits that are posted on their websites, don't expect to be cut any slack by them. Their requirements are posted on their websites. The major airlines sometimes don't enforce their dimension limits but you never know: if your laptop or something else fragile is in your backpack and you have to check it at the last minute, it's a problem for you.

Regarding luggage:

A lot of European check in agents are employees of the airport, not the airlines. So, they don't always go by the airlines' own written rules even if it's United, AA, etc. Like I said above, flying out of the USA we could carry-on our backpacks, no problem. It was flying within Europe and flying home that we had to check bags (which caused us to miss our connection)

Was your flight home full? Was it at the gate or at check-in that they insisted you check the bags? Which flights were you charged to check?

Which airports in Europe did you fly out of on AA? The budget carriers are very strict on weight and size. The rolling backpack may have been over the size limit but the RS bag should have been okay.

Nice Report. In travelling to italy several times we have yet to be pick-pocketed (knock on wood). Ialways bring my back pack but i am also careful not to bring anything i dont need when out of the hotel room. I also have a TSA lock on the main compartment, the one i use most so its a bit difficult for prying hands to negotiate.
CT is nice to spend a day but you are absolutely right, there is no need to visit all five villages. if you have the time and the desire it is a nice hike but it wont take away from anything you have currently already visited and loved on the journey through the villages.

As much as i respect Rick i do not eat at his suggested restaurants or stay at his hotels as noted in his books. You are on point when you say that perhaps tourists have nested at these locations to the point of driving the local color away.

I must disagree with you on the Ugly American Tourist however - lol Whenever we are in Italy i am constantly reminded how foolish and self centered we can be overseas. I love it when people say... do you take american dollars? Or if they dont like some thing or its different than whta their used too yo hear the "but they do it in america." My all time favorite was in Naples and an american man asked a man for directions and the man shrigged his shoulds to explain he doesnt speak english. well the american angrily asked him doesnt any one speak english in this country? lol give me a break.

The death knell for a restaurant is being listed in a travel guide. Although the owner will get a lot of business, it changes the place. The new business is tourist trade and will expect and eventually get a tourist menu and tourist service (essentially fast food).

I don't take any advice on eating from a guidebook. I ask locals for a good place to get some decent food. I always add, "nothing fancy" because often people think "rich Americans" will want a fancy restaurant.

Regarding luggage, having a bag within or smaller than the carry-on policy is not a guarantee that you will be able to carry-on. The airline has the right to limit any in-cabin luggage at checkin, at the gate, or once you board. You would have a valid complaint though if they tried to charge you because you were only allowed one checked and one carry-on for example and they made you check two bags...assuming the one met carry on requirements.

We've had similar bad luck with RS's restaurant picks. (The very first one we went to was in Varenna on Lake Como. It was dreadful.)

We've taken to asking the locals instead.

Michael,

We are going to Varenna next week. Which restaurant did you not like?

Also, I'm wondering how exactly you "ask locals" where to eat? Sounds like a stupid question but in a place that caters mainly to tourists, who is to be trusted for an unbiased suggestion? I mean, logistically, if you are only in a place for 1 or 2 days, what to you do? Do you ask employees of the hotel you are staying at? How do you know that they don't get kickbacks? Do you walk up to people on the street who don't look like tourists and ask them where to eat? I live in Boston and see a lot of tourists in my day-to-day life and although I'm very opinionated about where I eat, I'm not sure that I could really provide a stranger from another country better info than what's in a guidebook. And personally, I don't go up to people in Chinatown in Boston and ask them where I should eat - I use guidebooks, Zaggats, online boards, etc.

I've actually had great luck with Rick's hotel suggestions. I feel that he effectively lays out the pros and cons of each place in an honest way so that I can make an informed decision.

-Matt

The funny part was, the backpack wasn't being worn on her back. It was over one shoulder with one arm over the pockets to protect it, like a purse. Like I said, they are GOOD!!!

@Frank: The flight home from MXP to JFK was full, but I believe all the stand-by passengers got on. They snagged our bags at the check-in counter, not the gate. If you are already ticketed, I'm sure you could sneak them on the plane. Our check-in agent literally got up from around the counter to look at our carry-ons. We flew out of Rome, Catania & Milan. Easy Jet charged us for checked baggage, all others did not.

And, to clarify...we expected to check bags on the low-cost European carriers, we were just really surprised that we also had to on American.

I think you should be able to trust the hotel employees to recommend a restaurant. Even if they would get a kick-back and I think this is a very slim chance, is there something inherently wrong with that if the restaurant is great and what you want. Unless they are taking you there personally or giving you a card, how would that even be controlled. So, go ahead and ask away. Or ask the lady in the store where you just bought something, Or look where all the locals are sitting, reading their Italian papers and chatting in Italian. Trust that people would not send you to a crappy place, cause where is the logic in that? Most people are proud of their town and want you to like it, so they will tell you their favorite place or be helpful to you so that you have a good time.

I would have said that the convertible carry-on definitely fits the carry-on restrictions and if there is not room in the overheads or under my seat, I'll gate check it. They can't stop you at check in if you say this. They knew it was a full flight and were trying to get as many bags as they could to check so there wasn't a problem at the gate.