Italy Trip Report: Venice, Village Italy, Florence & Rome

Day 4, August 30, Venice:
Palazzo Mocenigo Museo: I did not expect to see a lace making demonstration at the museum from a lace school near Venice (not in Burano). I wish I spoke Italian so I could have learned more about bobbin lace and needle lace making. I was told none of the items displayed were for sale, so I donated to the school to keep a dying art alive and buy a book marker.
Because the Palazzo Mocenigo is out of the way in San Polo, not many people visit. It is filled with antique furniture and clothes, plus movie costumes were displayed to compliment the Venice Film Festival.
Correr Museum: Is another overlooked museum in San Marco Square full of art, furniture and antiquities. This and Doge’s Palace were open until 10pm on the weekend, so I could leisurely explore both.

Day 5, August 31, Venice:
Querini Stampalia: A five minute walk from the B&B is another hidden gem. The first and ground floors have been remodeled with a 1960’s stone (marble?) staircase, student library and café. The 14th century upper two floors showcase period furniture and artwork.
Chiesa di San Zaccharia: The church’s basement is permanently flooded from the lagoon’s higher water level. There are stairs to walk down but no entrance allowed into the basement to see the flooding and damage. I made another donation to help with their renovation project.
Doge’s Palace: I visited five years ago, but took a guided tour then. Alone this time, the Palace takes on a more formidable look, grand but the jail cells are creepy. I just wanted to get out of there.

Day 6, September 1, Venice:
My last day in Venice. Today was the first day of Homo Faber International Craft Fair. I didn’t buy an advance ticket because I couldn’t decide if I really wanted see it. By the time I decided I did, there were no tickets available for the morning.
Naval Museum: I had been told that the museum was underwhelming. But I thought as long as I had the Museum Pass, it would be a good way to kill some time. It’s privately owned and not included in the Museum Pass; for €10, I wasn’t that interested. Onward to a café for coffee.
Fortuny Museum: is a 13th century palazzo later owned by early 20th century artistic Fortuny family. Besides paintings there are printmaking, clothing and furniture displays many with a mid-eastern flair.
Historical Regatta: Unless you paid the big bucks for a seat, there was nowhere to sit. The police cordoned off the docks and quaysides, so standing room only. I arrived early to find my standing spot with a bit of a view and nice “neighbors”. After an hour, the slow Parade of Boats, colorful festooned multi-oared boats and gondolas, rowed past. Then the races began. Each race started at Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute at the tip of Dorsoduro, up-canal past Rialto Bridge and back to the viewing stand near S Silvestro vaporetto dock. The only view we had was for a few seconds as the boats passed in front of us midway on the course; so if you blinked, you missed it. After several runs, many of us walked on to drink wine and eat gelato. I’m glad I saw the races, uniquely Venice, but once is enough.

Day 7, September 2, Padua:
I took a mid-morning train to Padua. The Rick Steves Village Italy began at 5pm, so I had most of the day to wander and get my bearings.
After checking into the tour hotel, Albergo al Fagiano, a very quirky 70’s vibe hotel, I headed out to Caffee Pedrocchi for coffee. Although mint coffee sounds awful, it turned out to be quite good. Only issue is the terrace is for drinks only, no food. So I found an outdoor café across the street from the University of Padua for a sandwich and glass of wine.

Rick Steves Village Italy Tour:
Tour Day 1 5pm September 2 to Tour Day 14 8am September 15:
This is the tour in a nutshell. I caught a nasty cold the second day which interfered with what I planned for free time. I just didn’t have the energy to do more than the basics for much of the tour. My trip report notes are spotty. I feel like I should go on the tour again to really experience the Villages.
I tested for Covid and was very happy it was negative. To keep my tour mates healthy, I wore a mask and isolated as much as possible. Four members of the tour, two couples traveling together, had Covid. They wore masks and isolated. No one else caught Covid, but one person unfortunately caught my cold.

Tour Day 1, Padua
As with all Rick Steves tours, the group met in late afternoon for introductions and tour overview. We were a group of 25 all from the United States. As we introduced ourselves, one couple looked very familiar. We were on the same South of France in 2022. So nice to see them again. Tour experience for the group ranged from first Rick Steves tour to 17th Rick Steves tours. Our guide Ruth was a joy: cheerful, funny, enthusiastic, and extremely helpful. We then went on a short walking tour of the neighborhood on our way to dinner.

Tour Day 2, Padua
First thing in the morning we walked to Scrovegni Chapel. Our local guide Cristina explained Giotto’s frescoes. Afterwards she led us to the University of Padua’s early 1600’s Anatomy Theater. It’s surprisingly small, funnel shaped with the gallery looking down to dissecting table. A scale model shows how steep the “funnel” is.
The afternoon was free time. I had a list of things I wanted to see but I felt like I was coming down with the cold so found a pharmacy to stock up on supplies. I then headed back to the hotel for a nap, which lasted the rest of the day. I’ve always gotten nasty colds that last over a week. No quick healing for me.

Tour day 3, Ravenna and Montefalco
We met our tour bus driver Stefano this morning for the drive to Ravenna to see the mosaic floors and walls at San Vitale Basilica dating from the 6th century. Afterwards we were free for lunch and explore a bit on our own before meeting the tour bus to take us to Montefalco.
We were greeted at Villa Pambuffeti with wine and snacks. It’s family owned B&B at the edge of Montefalco. During World War 2 it was occupied by Nazi soldiers, but was not damaged or ransacked. Several of us met for dinner on the old town square, eating pasta and pizza outside and getting to know each other.

Tour day 4, Assisi
Today was a road trip to see Basilica of St. Francis, built in the 1200s after Francis became a saint. It’s a large complex sitting at the top of a hill. Our local tour guide Giuseppe showed us the frescoes. After the tour, we were free to wander, eat lunch, to see small sites related to St. Francis and visit Basilica Santa Chiara which houses the tomb of St. Clare plus clothing worn by her and St. Francis.
In the evening our bus took us to watch a truffle hunt and enjoy a delicious dinner featuring truffles. Unfortunately rain interfered with the truffle hunt so an exhibition showed off the dog’s skills finding buried truffles in tree roots and playing catch as if the truffles were balls. Thoroughly entertaining. FYI, pigs are no longer used to hunt truffles; dogs have a better sense of smell and don’t eat the truffles.

Tour day 5, Orvieto
Today was a busy travel day with several stops before we reached Orvieto. Our first stop was Deruta to visit one of the pottery manufactures. Thank goodness we had time to shop after our tour! I couldn’t resist buying Christmas presents and ornaments. It was worth the shipping cost to avoid schlepping pottery for several weeks; my purchases made it home before I did. If you have a Sur la Table store nearby, you will be familiar with Deruta Pottery as they carry a line of brightly colored “Made in Italy” dishes.
Next stop was the tiny old hilltop village of Civitella del Lago. Highlight was the Egg Art Museum, all sizes of eggs carved or painted.
From there we drove to Tenuta Le Vellete winery owned by the Bottai family for an introduction to regional wines. We explored the wine storage caves that date back to Etruscan times before tasting several wines with lunch. In the distance we could see our evening destination, Orvieto, where we stayed at Grand Hotel Italia.

Tour day 6, Orvieto
Today started with a tour of medieval Duomo di Orvieto and San Brizio Chapel. The ornate and detailed frescoes filled the ceiling and walls. The windows are unique, thin alabaster slabs on the bottom and stained glass on the top. The organ has over 5000 pipes. I wish there would have been an organ concert.
The rest of the day was free time. It was market day in Orvieto but by the time I visited the Etruscan sights I wanted to see, it was too late to shop.
First was a guided tour of Orvieto Underground Etruscan ruins. A labyrinth dating back 2500 years lays beneath today’s Orvieto. Dovecotes line passageways, cisterns held rainwater. Most of the old city has not been excavated and it’s thought that caves are beneath most buildings.
After a bit of wandering the city walls with tour members, I saw Pozzo dell Cava, a restaurant with excavated caves below. I was too late for lunch so explored the small museum. Most of the artifacts were medieval and renaissance pottery.

Tour day 7, Tuscany
Today we moved to Tuscany, spending two nights at Hotel Belvedere di San Leonino in Chianti. The hotel is a charming mix of hotel rooms in a converted barn, restaurant in the converted farm house and fields of grape vines.
First stop of the day was the Etruscan Museum in Chianciano Terme. Our local tour guide Roberto was very informative, a stand-up comic wanna-be with Don Rickles’ sense of humor but with a doctorate in archaeology.
Afterwards we drove to Agriturismo La Pietriccia where chef Stefano (not to be confused with our bus driver Stefano) gave us a cooking lesson. Breaking into small groups, we prepared classic Tuscan dishes using fresh local ingredients. His philosophy is food should be organic and made with a minimal number of ingredients to enhance the flavor not hide it.

Tour day 8, Tuscany
Today’s day trip was to Siena. We met our local guide Anna, an ex-pat American who is an expert on St. Catherine of Siena. Relics make me cringe and seeing a finger complete with fingernail didn’t help.
Since I like all things “horsey”, I enjoyed the tour and explanation of the Palio horse race. The Piazza del Campo, where the race is run, is much smaller and at a steeper angle than I envisioned; I can’t imagine any horses I owned running a race there, much less riding the race bareback. We walked through several contrade (neighborhoods); Anna pointed out the flag and symbol, usually an animal, of each. There is a small museum with race silks and flags.
Free time in Siena could be spent view Duomo Siena. While the frescoes, intricate inlaid and mosaic floors and artwork are interesting, by this time I’ve seen too many churches, six so far and I have others planned for Florence and Rome. A quick glance at the floors and frescoes and I was ready to move on to the next sight. I did find the older pilgrims’ crypt, i.e. chapel circa 1200, below the Duomo interesting with its ancient frescoes. There was so many things to see in Siena that I missed the Duomo’s library opting for the sparse museum. Next time…

Tour day 9, Lucca
The itinerary says that today we will drive through Tuscan towns. Our one and only stop was Volterra. I’m so glad we spent several hours there; it was my favorite hill town. Dating back to Etruscan era, it is a mix of Roman ruins and medieval buildings. We started with a walking tour that took us to the intact Etruscan city gate with its weathered statues, past the ancient city hall walking over cobble stones with embedded seashells, on to Roman baths ruins next to the Roman amphitheater. Then we were free to explore on our own. My museum choices are always ones that show how people live(d), filled with antique furniture, books, art and preferably clothing. I found all at Palazzo Viti. Half the house is still the Viti family residence and the other half is a museum filled with the owner’s possessions. A portrait of ancestor Giuseppe Viti looks like opera great Luciano Pavarotti.
After lunch and a little souvenir shopping, we boarded our bus and headed to Lucca. After checking into our hotel, Alvergo Celide located just outside the city wall, we went on a walking tour of the old fortressed city.
There were opera concerts of both Tour Days 9 and 10, performing selections from Giacomo Puccini and others. Most tour mates chose the Puccini concert on Day 9; I chose a multi composer concert on Day 10. Although I’m not an opera fan, the concert was very good.

Tour day 10, Lucca
Our day started with a walking tour of walled city Lucca with local guide (I didn’t note her name). From the outside, the walls look short. Although the old city is not build on a hill, it proved to be impenetrable with 4 foot stone walls and munitions. Houses were built with the kitchen in the dormer attic so if the kitchen caught fire, it wouldn’t spread to the house below.
We then drove out to an olive mill. Besides growing their own 600 trees, the mill does small batch processing for other growers. The olives are washed, separating the stems and leaves from the olives; then pressed, single press only to make extra virgin olive oil; finally centrifuged to separate oil from water. Finally the oil is bottled. Processing takes 24 hours from farm to bottling. After our tour, we were fed a delicious lunch featuring what else – olive oil.
As noted above, when we returned to Lucca, it was my night at the opera.

Tour day 11, Carrera and Cinque Terra
On our way to Cinque Terra, we stopped at the Carrera marble quarry. The surrounding mountains looked sprinkled with snow. The marble is white, the top 6000 feet of the mountains a national preservation park filled with trees. Wouldn’t you know it, today was raining, the only really rainy day of the trip. Our quarry guide gave us abbreviated tour of how the marble is cut into large blocks, hauled down the mountain, the cut and chiseled into whatever. We then went to the gift shop to look for souvenirs and get out of the rain.
Next stop was our hotel in Levanto, Albergo Primavera. Our itinerary called for a boat ride along the Cinque Terre coast but the rain and wind prevented the boats from running. Instead we took the train to Monterosso for an introduction to Cinque Terre. We met back at the hotel for drinks and group dinner.

Tour day 12, Cinque Terre
The weather was sunny and calm today so we took our boat ride from Monterosso along the coast to Porto Venere to view the CT villages. Because of yesterday’s storm, these were the only two docks we could put in at.
I’m not a hiker unlike many on the tour. Ten miles on rocky trails for the views just isn’t going to happen. I bought a train pass to explore the villages.
First stop was Vernazza because I wanted to eat lunch close to the water. It is overrun with tourists, but I found a good restaurant with outside seating for pasta with fish (no squid, yuck!). I walked around the point to see what the small bay.
Next stop was Manarola with lots of tourists but not as crowded. Found a great gelato tucked away under the pedestrian bridge on the waterside. On the hillside, I wandered through a few souvenir shops finding cotton shopping bags for friends.
As it was getting late, I took the train back to Levanto. I forgot to mention, on the train from Vernazza to Manarola, I started a conversation with my seatmate. Turns out he’s a tour guide recommended in RS Italy guide book. Don’t ask me his name, I can barely remember my own, but there are only two listed in the book and I think it was Marco.

Tour day 13, Lake Orta
Today was our last day together. Our drive to Orta San Giulio took us pass Pisa. From the highway you can see the Leaning Tower. The over the newly rebuilt bridge that collapsed a few years ago in Genoa.
We said our good-byes to Stefano when he dropped us off at our final hotel, Hotel La Bussola. After settling into our rooms, Ruth led us on a quick orientation tour to get our bearings. After lunch we boarded a tour boat to see the town from the water and go to the Isola San Giulio, the tiny monastery island in the middle of the lake. Because there was a retreat going on, the chapel was closed to visitors.
At sunset we headed to our farewell dinner. This was a fantastic tour with a wonderful group of new friends and a fantastic guide. As a solo traveler and a not very brave one, I really appreciate the inclusiveness of the group

Post Tour – Florence and Rome:
The Village Italy tour ends in Orta San Giulio, cute lakeside town. The problem with the tour ending there, if you want to call it a problem, is there is no easy public transportation to go elsewhere. I knew this upfront. Ruth, our guide, arranged taxis for those of us moving on. There were five of us in my cab going the Milan Malpensa Airport either to catch a flight or the Malpensa Express train to Milan Centrale to go somewhere else. I had plenty of time to catch my ItaloTreno connection to Florence.

To stretch my budget I stayed in monasteries in Florence and Rome. Using Monastery Stays website, I researched my choices, but booked direct. I did this last year in Salzburg with good results. Monasteries have basic amenities , but are en-suite, clean, secure and usually under €100/night. By booking direct, I got better cancellation policies and sometimes an extended stay discount.

In Florence I stayed at Antica Dimora Sant’Anna for four nights. It is walking distance from the train station and to all the major sightseeing. My room had a balcony overlooking an overgrown courtyard. Surprise, surprise for Europe, the windows had screens so I could open them without an onslaught of bugs. Breakfast was simple but the sisters had vespers at breakfast time so I listened to their harmonious singing while eating. There is a small elevator but since I was on the 1st floor, I usually walked the stairs.

In Rome I stayed at Casa Santa Lucia Filippini, another simple but clean monastery. It is a block from Largo Argentina Cat Sanctuary. It was set up more like a hotel with a 24-hour front desk and more rooms. My single room overlooked the interior courtyard. Breakfast was basic pastry, meats and cheese. Happily there were two elevators since I was on the 4th floor.

Day 20, September 15, Florence:
Since today was a travel day I only scheduled one museum.
Accademia: Home of Michelangelo’s gigantic David. I bought tickets and passes for most sights in Florence before I left home. Although my entry time was late afternoon, the museum was crowded but I only waited less than 10 minutes for entry. There was a huge line of people who did not pre-book. Besides David, the museum is filled with other statues. The musical instrument wing includes unique period instruments, like a marble multi-stringed box dulcimer, unlike the 4-string Appalachian dulcimer usually seen.

Day 21, September 16, Florence:
Museo San Marco: The museum is filled with 15th century frescoes by Fra Angelico and other Florence artists of the era. The old monastery cells each have frescoes, wood kneeling blocks in front of the small window. One room is filled with archeological relics moved there when old Florence was updated in the 1800’s. Two Hebrew plaques are all that are left of the original Jewish neighborhood. The library displays 17th century manuscripts.
Santa Maria del Fiore: AKA the Duomo. I knew I could not climb 463 stairs up and down to view Brunelleschi’s Dome. 414 steps up and down the Bell Tower was a no-go too. 200 steps up and down is my limit now. So I settled for the 3-day Ghiberti Pass. The cathedral is actually quite plain as large as it is. Part was under renovation but the clock, stained glass windows, mosaics and marble statues were on view. The scene stealer is the Dome. Looking up into it, it’s magnificent.
But for all the glamour of the cathedral, I prefer the archeology history in the basement, the ancient basilica of Santa Reparata. Glass floors allowed viewing of the mosaics and tomb slabs plus views of historical layers from Roman to early Christian to Medieval.

Opera del Duomo Museum: The museum houses the original 15th century Ghiberti bronze cathedral doors, remarkable for dimensional relief detail. The rooms are filled with artwork and marble and other sculptures, including Donatello’s Mary Magdalene. The museum is larger than it appears.

Day 22, September 17, Florence:
Uffizi Gallery: Passepartout 5-Day Pass. I originally planned to skip the Uffizi as too big, too crowded. I’m so glad I didn’t. I spent four hours wander through the art and sculpture exhibits. The 17th century cloth and religious robes were interesting, but the dead saints’ bone “relics” in their silver display cases were a quick walk past. (I don’t like crypts either.) I missed the library and photographic displays; just too much to see for one visit.
Pont Vecchio: looks interesting in pictures but is lined with jewelry stores all competing for the tourists’ euros. Best view in at sunset looking at the back of the shops.
Eating Europe Florence Sunset Food & Wine Tour (Oltrarno): I have taken six Eating Europe tours. This was the most disappointing. The food and wine were good although heavy on the wine and skimpy on the food. What was off-putting was the guide took on the role as sales agent to facilitate the sale of wine and cheese in a couple shops.
Stumbling Stones: Stumbling Stones intrigue me. I take pictures whenever I find them. These commemorative brass cobblestones honor men, women and children murdered in the Holocaust. They are usually placed in front of the houses where the victim last lived. I only saw one in Florence but even one is one too many.

Day 23, September 18, Florence
Palazzo Davazanti: Pre-purchasing ticket was not needed and actually created problems. “B” Tickets cancelled my ticket twice, once saying they were not available, the second time saying “oops, our boo-boo.” I’m glad I persevered because old houses with period furniture are my favorite places to explore (think I’ve said that several times). This 14th century tower house has been remodeled enough to restore its antique character and is filled furniture as it might have once been. Each room displayed furniture, some antique, other pieces “married (old with new parts). One small triangular room was the toilet; sit-upon hole with wooden lid. Interestingly, there was an interior well. The staff explained that the well was originally outside but when three tower houses were combined into one house, it became part of the interior. One room has glass topped drawers filled with old lace and christening gowns.
Pitti Palace: Because I bought the Passepartout I didn’t need to reserve an entrance time. I wandered through the art galleries, some furnished rooms and admired the tile floor in Napoleon’s bath room (tub only, no sink or potty). The Imperial and Royal Apartments are closed for restoration. Disappointing but I knew this going in. Oh well, there is always next time.
Dinner: I haven’t mention food much. If I’m hungry I find somewhere to eat. I have some dietary restrictions so I’m only fussy around those (and a few dislikes). I almost never make reservations because there is always somewhere to find something, plus I eat early so it’s easier to find a table. I ate a lot of pasta and salads; not much pizza because I have to limit dairy.
I walked past an American Style diner near the hotel and a hamburger sounded so good. There is also a small local owned hamburger and fries café two door down from the diner. I’m so glad I chose the latter. Great hamburger and fries made to order!

Day 24, September 19, AM Florence
Medici Chapel and Michelangelo Wall Drawings: My favorite Florence museum because of the rarity of Michelangelo’s life size drawings. Tickets are difficult to get. Only 100 visitors per week are allowed in, two or three people per group. The guided tour lasts 10 minutes. The drawings were found in 1975 during restoration. It was interesting to see a leg drawn on the wall, then see the same leg as part of a marble sculpture on Lorenzo Medici’s tomb. Chapel of the Princes Mausoleum was over-the-top ornate with marble mosaic floors and walls. In the basement souvenir shop there is a remnant of Florence’s medieval city walls, circa 1200. It was uncovered in mid-2010s during renovation.
PM travel to Rome
The rest of the day was a travel day. I had stored my luggage at the monastery. I walked back to pick it up, then walked to the train depot. I had an hour to spare, so bought an ItaloTreno lounge pass and settled in with coffee and pastry to wait.
The train was delayed 75 minutes leaving Florence. Don’t know why but could see that other trains were delayed. When I arrived in Rome, I knew I would miss the Guru Walks Trevi/Pantheon tour.
Rome is a mess right now with construction and restoration. I thought it would be a brilliant idea to walk to the monastery inn next to Largo Argentina. Wrong! What Google Maps said was a half hour walk, turned out to be almost an hour, to avoid subway construction plus getting slightly loss.
After settling in, I walked two blocks to the Jewish Quarter for dinner.

Day 25, September 20, Rome
Galeria Colonna Museo: Guided tours in English or Italian are led by knowledgeable art historians. The Museum is open Fridays and Saturday morning only. Be aware when you visit, the Google Maps has the entrance on the wrong street. Go around the block to the entrance courtyard and into the palazzo. Grazie to two Italian women who did not speak English, but could read the signs directing them to their Italian tour. They took me in tow as we found our way.
As I was waiting for the English language tour to begin, I noticed a well-dressed older man talking to some of the guests. Turns out he is Prince Marcantonio Colonna di Paliano. He lives in the palazzo and frequently greets his guests. The Palazzo has belonged to his noble family since the late 1300’s or early 1400’s (20 generations, however long that is, 600 years?) The Gallery was built in the early 1700’s. It is huge and I will guess that only a quarter of the palazzo is the museum. The palazzo is very ornate, filled with gold-leafed and frescoed ceilings, art, mosaics, tapestries and furniture. It is my favorite Rome museum; I would like to visit again for a closer look at the displays.
There is a lavish tiered terraced garden displaying sculptures. It doesn’t feel like the center of Rome. A cannon ball fired by the French in 1849 is embedded in a step leading to the great hall. It missed a direct hit on the palazzo.
Lunch at BIBO: Next door to Palazzo Colonna is BIBO. I found a table, ordered pasta and a glass of wine for lunch. I noticed two men from the tour seated at a table across the sidewalk street side. Imagine my surprise when one came over and insisted I eat lunch with them so I wasn’t alone. How thoughtful and kind!
Galleria Doria Pamphilj: Also a privately owned Palazzo, it is filled with artwork and period furniture. The Grand Hall is as ornate as Colonna’s. The ballroom displays the orchestra alcove with period costumes. Among the artwork, marble busts of Pamphilj family are displayed.

Eating Europe Twilight Trastevere Tour: My faith in Eating Europe tours has been restored. Twilight Trastevere was a delight – lots good food, good wine, knowledgeable guide who did not act as a sales agent. The thoroughly enjoyable walk took us through parts of Trastevere neighborhood I visited on the RS South of Italy tour five years ago. Walking alone in the dark though Trastevere to the monastery was a bit nerve wracking. Good directions and well-lit streets got me home without getting lost.

Day 26, September 21, Rome
Walk About Day: My original plan for today was a day trip to Ostia Antica. Instead I decided to take a vacation from my vacation to stay “home” and walk about Rome, to revisit memories from five years ago and make new ones. I wandered to Piazzo Fiori to the food venders, then on Piazzo Navona where the fountains were closed for restoration. I kept walking and ended up near the hotel sister-in-law and I stayed in. On to Giolitti for coffee and pastry.
After walking a bit towards Trevi Fountain, I stopped for gelato. Trevi was packed, at least ten people deep waiting to toss their coins into the fountain. I didn’t wait and walked on to the Spanish Steps. On the lower steps were four military style instrumental and choir groups. I asked a few people what was going on but they were all tourists too and had no idea. Google told me they are members of Bersaglieri, infantry sharpshooters’ corps dating back to1830’s Sardinia. They served in World War 1 and 2. They still wear the corps’ black wide brim hats with a bunch of long iridescent black capercaillie (woodcock) feathers hanging down the right side. The Bersaglieri still has twelve active regiments, mainly as peacekeepers. I find this type of little known history very interesting.
Instead of climbing the Spanish Steps, I wandered towards the Pantheon to find a touristy restaurant to eat an early dinner.

Day 27, September 22, Rome
Today is archaeology day. Tickets can be a little difficult to get to coordinate times. Domus Aurea is only by guided tour on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Available tickets post for a rolling four weeks. The day I wanted posted a week before I left for Italy. I scheduled Domus Aurea first in the morning, then the Basilica San Clemente in the afternoon and finally Palazzo Valentini Ruins in the evening to make the day’s timing work.
Domus Aurea: Built as Nero’s Golden Palace in the 1st century, this huge complex was torn down and filled in with dirt and rubble after his suicide a few years after completion. Nero was disliked; buildings were built on top of the palace to erase its existence. During the Renaissance, the ruins were discovered. Restoration is ongoing only about a third of the rooms have been excavated. The guided tour led us through a labyrinth of rooms and passages most with frescoed walls.
Although interesting, of today’s three archaeological sites I liked this least, not because of the history but because of the mold problem. The frescoed walls and columns turn black with mold. The guide said, the white background on some of the frescoes has been cleaned but the mold starts growing back within a couple years. That tells me that a lot of mold spores are in the dirt. I think a disclaimer would be wise for health reasons. Unlike many, I wore a face mask whenever I was in an enclosed area or museum.
Basilica San Clemente: My favorite archaeology sight of the day. The Basilica sits below street level. It is a small 1600’s church, not overly ornate. It is still an active church. Stairs lead to the first basement level where there are remains of a 10th century church with frescoed walls, tile floor and a few archaeological rubble walls. Interestingly there are arched passageways with a column in the middle of the narrow arch and a bricked up arch with a column on one side. Why? There is another flight of stairs down to 1st century Roman houses. There are thought to be two houses with a lane between. It feels like a maze with a stream running through it and stairs going every which way. A little spooky.
Palazzo Valentini: Below the 16th century palazzo, two 4th century Roman houses belonging to the wealthy were found. The guided tour started in the thermal baths. A marble statue was in the corner of one bath. To enhance the tile and mosaics, the tour is highlights a light show to enhance each room. The tourist walking floors are made of heavy glass with wide black supports several feet above the ruins so you feel like you are walking back into time, really walking over time. It’s very disorienting; I couldn’t tell a step from a support. If you have eyesight problems or wear bifocals, be aware where you put your feet so you don’t trip.

Day 28, September 23, Rome
Horseback riding on the Appian Way: I always try to find something “horsey” to do on a trip. An acquaintance told me about Riding Ancient Rome tours. The ride was great; the taxi driver not so much. I forewarned the stable that my back problem limits me to walk and maybe a little trot. Not a problem. They had a kind old horse for me to ride for 90 minutes and the guide and I set off at a leisurely pass. The road is ancient Roman cobble stones, more like cobble blocks they are so large. Statuary still remains along the road. It was so nice to get away from the hustle and bustle; no tourists just kids on a field trip. After the ride Grandma cooked lunch, homemade food at its best.
Jewish Museum: I arrived in time for a guided tour of the synagogue. I know very little about Jewish religion. After the tour, I asked the guide why women and men sit separately which seems old fashioned in this day and age. She and a Reformed Jewish tourist explained the difference between orthodox and reformed sects which was very helpful. We don’t learn if we don’t ask.
The museum was a learning experience, spanning Rome’s ghetto history through World War 2. I’m showing my ignorance about the rich Jewish culture. There are embroidered torah covers, silver, what I would call brocade alter clothes. The horrors of the Holocaust are impossible to ignore: the museum displays concentration camp prisoner clothes, personal items and documents. In the Jewish quarter, there are multiple stumbling stones in from of many homes.

Day 29, September 24, flight home
The flight was uneventful except for the Creeping Crud spreaders.

Final thoughts:
The trip was fantastic, both my solo adventures and the wonderful RS Village Italy tour. I met so many fantastic people: my tour mates, our guide and all the friendly tourists. Each trip is a learning experience. At times I wish I was a little braver. Falling and then being sick took a bit of fun out of the trip. But these things happen. Nothing was life threatening, so no reason to moan and groan, just push on. I can't wait until June and my next trip and tour!

Really enjoyed your report, especially since we just got back from Venice & Florence less than a week ago. I share your love of Venice, what a beautiful place! And we had an all day tour with Roberto. He picked us up in Florence and gave us a tour of a couple hill towns and then we went to his home Madonna Bella to learn about olive oil and had a fantastic lunch. I have started my trip report, hope to finish soon.

Medici Chapel and Michelangelo Wall Drawings: My favorite Florence
museum because of the rarity of Michelangelo’s life size drawings.
Tickets are difficult to get.

Do you feel you were just lucky to get tickets or did you have a strategy?

Thank you so much for this lovely, detailed report! I share your love of riding and will check out your suggestion for Rome.

Allan, my Michelangelo strategy was to look at B Tickets website daily. As soon as I found the day and time I needed, I bought the ticket. With only 100 tickets a week and only 2 per tour (mine had 3), grab your tickets as soon as you see what works for you.
Same with Domus Aurea in Rome.

Tammy, can’t wait to read your trip report. Isn’t retirement great!

Marty, have fun riding! Here’s the website: http://www.ridingancientrome.it/our-riding-tours/

Reading your report I can see why so many people say Village Italy is their favorite Rick Steve’s’ tour. It really sounds like fun-varied in what you see and do too.

I was impressed by your days in Rome. We were there for a few days last year and you certainly saw some things we did not and we avoided all the major tourist sites as well.

We plan to return to Venice this next year. We went for the first time in 2021 and I must admit I never expected to like it as much as I did.

Thanks for writing such a detailed report. A trip report can never be too long for me. A good report will bring me back to my visit (if it’s a place I visited of course) and elicit happy memories.
What really interested me was your monastery stays. I’ve researched them a few times but never booked. It is definitely something I will keep in mind for future trips.
Just as an aside, we must have been lucky when we visited Florence this past August (last week) because we just walked in everywhere. The only line we saw was for the Duomo. We avoided that line by attending an English Mass on Saturday night.

What a delightful report, thank you for sharing. The Village tour is on my list for some day. I'm bookmarking your report for reference.

My experience visiting the Basilica San Clemente: when I was in the lowest part of the church, the lights went out for a moment. Talk about spooky! I'm claustrophobic and that was the end of the visit for me, even though I hadn't seen much down there :)

Thank you for posting a wonderful trip report. We are taking VI in Oct of 2025 and are really looking forward to it. and Even more so now that I read your report!

Horsewoofie, I loved your report. I have been on the VIllage Italy tour-my 1st of 9 and still my favorite. I've also been to many of the 'off tour' places, too. I'm bookmarking your trip report for future travels. I visited the Medici Chapel years ago. What amazed me was how much better his statues of men are than his women.....shows he didn't have much experience with women's breasts I guess....they just look so hard and awkward. Thanks for the report and I'm so sorry you got that awful cold. I got covid in the south of France tour, but decided if you have to get it, that's the place to be. I could still enjoy sitting outside having a drink or ice cream/gelato!

I feel like I've just been reading an excellent travel article, thanks so much for the details too, yep no such thing as too much information. We too loved Voltera, I think we spent 2 nights there, I'm delighted to hear it's still charming. Monasteries are sort of on our list, wondering how basic they are but have stayed in university dorm rooms in Oxford, that was charming.

At times I wish I was a little braver. Falling and then being sick took a bit of fun out of the trip. But these things happen. Nothing was life threatening, so no reason to moan and groan, just push on. I can't wait until June and my next trip and tour!

Wonderful attitude, yep no fun to be sick on a trip, but wow you sound pretty brave to me, making the best of it, thanks again!

Kathy, thanks SO much for the long trip report. I’m going on the VI tour the first tour they have in April and believe me, I have bookmarked it and read every word you wrote twice! I’m going into Bologna to start instead of Venice. I do love Venice but wanted to see something new so I’m set for 6 pre tour days. I’m trying to figure out if I’ll do 4 in bologna and 2 in Padua or 3 in each. I’m also doing a week in Milan after the tour. There is so much to see in Milan! I was surprised when I started to dive in with planning.

But you stayed even longer than what I’m doing. It sounds like you did amazing things until the end! Congrats on that. Did you find yourself running out of steam physically and mentally towards the end? I have found after 3 weeks I start getting sensory overload. Do you have any tips on dealing with that? I think for solo travelers it can be a little more of an issue maybe.

Of course I’m hoping a bad cold or heaven forbid, Covid doesn’t intrude either. I did take a bad fall on my last few solo days in Aix in October but the travel gods were looking out for me because other than a serious wallop on my right cheek bone I was unhurt.

How did it go with the Covid affected folks on tour? Were they ok and back to full steam after a couple of days? We had to leave a tour, Greece, in 2023 when my husband got Covid but I’ve done 4 trips solo since then and no one has gotten it as far as I know.

Again thanks for the trip report and the packing report you did as well. It’s all very helpful for us fellow solo traveling ladies.

Lyndash, I do run out of steam towards the end of the trip. Last year, I just wanted to go home. This year, ending in Rome helped. There are so many small museums to see without adding the stress of large crowded one. Deciding not to go to Ostia Antica helped. Just wandering around for a day with no particle place to go or see was a better decision -- sleeping in, being lazy. What also helped was riding on the last day; horses take all the stress out of my life.

Next year I'm adding a couple more days onto the trip. It's just working out that way. So I'm planning a lazy day (1 sight, maybe 2) then a busy day (day tour or large museum), repeat, repeat.

I think the key is not to try to see everything. It's impossible. And have the attitude that it's OK to throw away venue tickets if you change your mind.

You will love the VI tour. It's the right mix of tour and free time with nothing heavy like concentration camps.