My intrepid friend Allie McGovern has submitted the following report on what it's like to travel from the West Coast of the U.S. to Iceland for just $79 with Wow Air, the ultra low-cost carrier. (http://www.wowair.com.)
"Wow Air, the Icelandic low-budget carrier, is more than an airline, it's an adventure. It's the choice of flyers who want bragging rights that they touched down in five countries in 24 hours, or spent the night in Reykjavik airport, or want a competitive story for future bar arguments over the Worst travel experience.
"San Francisco to Reykjavik in late February was only $79 one way, and as my prescient (or is that present?) husband quipped, round trip would be $2,000. He was close. WOW Air's slogan is, "We promise you that WOW feeling." And boy, do you ever get it. WOW--they charge for everything, food, water, all baggage, pillows, you name it, they charge for it. Want water? They only have hot water. Or you can buy bottled water for a king's ransom. (Or, you can accept the hot water from one steward and ask for a cup of ice from another. Takes more effort but you begin to look for small victories against extortion during your v-e-r-y long flight.)
"Other than some of the flight deck and cabin crew, there's nothing classy about WOW, including their (gulp) purple uniforms. First-time flyers get to spend the hours poring over their budgets and wondering if it's worth another drink while watching second-time flyers (yes, there are some) pull out roast chickens, foot-long subs and cold pizza from greasy bags, followed with bottled drinks, chips, and candy bars. Aw gee--it's not unlike that bus trip you once took in Pakistan, remember?
"On the bright side, if you fly during low season it IS cheap. And they DO go to a lot of off-the-beaten path places. But see if you can time your arrival in Iceland for daytime--seven hours in the middle of the night in the Iceland airport is not as interesting as seven years in Tibet but seems as long. And unless you are on an expense account, do what your neighbours are doing: bring your own chickens, one for the plane and one for the floor in the Keflavik airport."
Gosh, it sounds as if, unlike on many trains and buses abroad, your fellow travellers are not likely to share their chickens with you. Anyway, it's interesting to read the report of a very well-travelled American on one of the cheapest airlines around. Thanks, Allie. Don't think I'll be booking a ticket soon, but it's good to know that if I do I should pack plenty of munchies.
Thursday, 27 April 2017
Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Tribute to a Mentor
I was sorry to learn of the recent death of one of my travel writing mentors, Hazel Lowe. Hazel was travel editor of The Montreal Star, among other influential positions, and a cheerful travel companion. She was a successful travel writer at a time when most women reporters and editors were relegated to the fashion and society beats.
Shortly before it ceased publication, the Montreal Star held a travel writing contest which Hazel judged. I was the first winner, with a piece about getting lost in the French Alps while driving on the Route Napoleon. (You can read the piece under my name at http://www.wattpad.com.)
Bon voyage, Hazel. Watch this space tomorrow for a guest review by my friend Allie McGovern of Wow Airlines, the low-cost Icelandic carrier.
Shortly before it ceased publication, the Montreal Star held a travel writing contest which Hazel judged. I was the first winner, with a piece about getting lost in the French Alps while driving on the Route Napoleon. (You can read the piece under my name at http://www.wattpad.com.)
Bon voyage, Hazel. Watch this space tomorrow for a guest review by my friend Allie McGovern of Wow Airlines, the low-cost Icelandic carrier.
Monday, 24 April 2017
Roman Sights
The great thing about Rome is that many of its sights are free. You can enjoy the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, St. Peter's Basilica, the Castel San Angelo, the Victor Emmanuel monument, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and many other famous places just by walking around.
In addition, you can visit the interior of most churches for free if you say you are going in to pray. Of course, this means you are not supposed to walk around with your guidebook, just sit quietly in a pew.
However, there are some sights worth paying for. In my view, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel top the list. They include an enormous amount of treasures dating back to Roman times and including all the great Italian Renaissance Masters. Admission costs 16 euros, about $18. It is best to book a ticket in advance, especially in high season, in order to avoid long lines. Admission is free on the last Sunday of every month, but arrive by 12:30 P.M. Visitors to the Vatican or to St. Peter's Basilica are required to dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered.
It is even possible to attend a Papal Mass for free. Be prepared to arrive early and stand up for a long time if it is an outdoor Mass.
Particularly for classics enthusiasts, the Roman Forum, Colosseum and Palatine Hill are a must. You can see quite a lot without buying a ticket, but I found it thrilling to wander through the Forum and view the ruins of the Senate where Cicero gave his famous speeches. Took me right back to third year Latin class--"Quo in orbis terrarium sumus?" and "Cartago delendum est." A two-day ticket that includes all three attractions costs just 16 euros or $18, quite a modest price. Buy an audio guide or take along a guidebook to get the most from these sites, since labelling is poor. In warm weather, take a picnic to enjoy in the Forum or on the Palatine Hill.
Other attractions you might wish to visit include the catacombs, the Borghese Gardens, the Pantheon. You will probably need to take a tour to the catacombs and pay admission to the Borghese Gardens, which are a pleasant green respite in the heat of summer. The Pantheon is an marvel of Roman engineering with an open dome. Formerly a temple to Roman deities, it is now a church and therefore free.
It is best not to try to cram too much into a Roman holiday. Save some time to savour a coffee near the Spanish steps or one of the famous fountains, to stroll down the Via Veneto of dolce vita fame or Via Condotti, known for its fashion houses. Gaze up at the Castel San Angelo and imagine Verdi's heroine Tosca plunging to her death from there. Observe the inscription "SPQR" on many municipal buildings and sidewalks, and ponder that it means "Senatus Popolusque Romanus" or the Senate and the people of Rome, a slogan dating from the days of the Roman Republic. It gives you an idea of the reason Rome is known as the Eternal City.
In addition, you can visit the interior of most churches for free if you say you are going in to pray. Of course, this means you are not supposed to walk around with your guidebook, just sit quietly in a pew.
However, there are some sights worth paying for. In my view, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel top the list. They include an enormous amount of treasures dating back to Roman times and including all the great Italian Renaissance Masters. Admission costs 16 euros, about $18. It is best to book a ticket in advance, especially in high season, in order to avoid long lines. Admission is free on the last Sunday of every month, but arrive by 12:30 P.M. Visitors to the Vatican or to St. Peter's Basilica are required to dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered.
It is even possible to attend a Papal Mass for free. Be prepared to arrive early and stand up for a long time if it is an outdoor Mass.
Particularly for classics enthusiasts, the Roman Forum, Colosseum and Palatine Hill are a must. You can see quite a lot without buying a ticket, but I found it thrilling to wander through the Forum and view the ruins of the Senate where Cicero gave his famous speeches. Took me right back to third year Latin class--"Quo in orbis terrarium sumus?" and "Cartago delendum est." A two-day ticket that includes all three attractions costs just 16 euros or $18, quite a modest price. Buy an audio guide or take along a guidebook to get the most from these sites, since labelling is poor. In warm weather, take a picnic to enjoy in the Forum or on the Palatine Hill.
Other attractions you might wish to visit include the catacombs, the Borghese Gardens, the Pantheon. You will probably need to take a tour to the catacombs and pay admission to the Borghese Gardens, which are a pleasant green respite in the heat of summer. The Pantheon is an marvel of Roman engineering with an open dome. Formerly a temple to Roman deities, it is now a church and therefore free.
It is best not to try to cram too much into a Roman holiday. Save some time to savour a coffee near the Spanish steps or one of the famous fountains, to stroll down the Via Veneto of dolce vita fame or Via Condotti, known for its fashion houses. Gaze up at the Castel San Angelo and imagine Verdi's heroine Tosca plunging to her death from there. Observe the inscription "SPQR" on many municipal buildings and sidewalks, and ponder that it means "Senatus Popolusque Romanus" or the Senate and the people of Rome, a slogan dating from the days of the Roman Republic. It gives you an idea of the reason Rome is known as the Eternal City.
Thursday, 20 April 2017
Guest Post on Angloville
Readers of my former blog, http://www.yourtravelwriter.blogspot.com, may recall a post about a group known as http://www.angloville.com. It is a company that offers a week or shorter periods of free room and board to native English speakers in Eastern Europe. In return, the Anglos must converse with locals who are trying to improve their English.
My friend Allie McGovern recently sampled this program in Poland and the Czech Republic and sends the following report.
"I spent back-to-back week-long seminars outside Krakow and a few hours from Prague. This program sounded too good to be true when I read about in Margaret's blog, but in fact it was as good as the Website promises. At one hotel we had a view of the snow-capped Tatra Mountains, at the other we stayed in a renovated castle in Bohemia. The food quality trailed off mid-week in both places, but no one left to eat out.
"The seminars were well-run by two coordinators in each locale. Every day we broke into groups of two, one Anglo and one local, and later into larger teams to role play, solve problems or just talk. The secret to the success of these seminars is that they bring out the English the locals already know and force them to actually use it.
"Most of the locals were mid-level professionals or owned their own businesses. The native English-speakers were mostly post-college travellers who were staying abroad as long as possible. They came from nearly every English-speaking country on the map. There was an age gap, a social gap and a status gap between the two groups, but by the end of the week this didn't seem to matter.
"For me, it was all about the locals. Especially in one of the seminars, the locals were particularly dynamic and driven to get the most out of their experience. Initially the locals hesitated to say more than the minimum and stuck to subjects they knew well, but by the time each of them gave presentations on a subject of their choice to the entire group, there was a sea change. Speaking about things of personal interest, they stretched their English and in some cases presented multi-media reports and involved the audience. What I'll remember most about Angloville is the laughter; in one of the seminars, most of us bonded at the first dinner and there was easy laughter around the restaurant thereafter.
"I chose the week-long adult programs; there are shorter programs and ones for adolescents. One guy had volunteered at Angloville 19 times, proof that you can come more than once. They also offer a TEFL program for new teachers.
"If Eastern Europe doesn't interest you, there are similar programs in Spain and Germany, through http://www.vaughantown.com and http://www.diverbo.com."
This sounds like a good way to visit some interesting countries at minimal cost and make some new friends. And I should point out that my friend, like me, is long past the usual post-college age.
My friend Allie McGovern recently sampled this program in Poland and the Czech Republic and sends the following report.
"I spent back-to-back week-long seminars outside Krakow and a few hours from Prague. This program sounded too good to be true when I read about in Margaret's blog, but in fact it was as good as the Website promises. At one hotel we had a view of the snow-capped Tatra Mountains, at the other we stayed in a renovated castle in Bohemia. The food quality trailed off mid-week in both places, but no one left to eat out.
"The seminars were well-run by two coordinators in each locale. Every day we broke into groups of two, one Anglo and one local, and later into larger teams to role play, solve problems or just talk. The secret to the success of these seminars is that they bring out the English the locals already know and force them to actually use it.
"Most of the locals were mid-level professionals or owned their own businesses. The native English-speakers were mostly post-college travellers who were staying abroad as long as possible. They came from nearly every English-speaking country on the map. There was an age gap, a social gap and a status gap between the two groups, but by the end of the week this didn't seem to matter.
"For me, it was all about the locals. Especially in one of the seminars, the locals were particularly dynamic and driven to get the most out of their experience. Initially the locals hesitated to say more than the minimum and stuck to subjects they knew well, but by the time each of them gave presentations on a subject of their choice to the entire group, there was a sea change. Speaking about things of personal interest, they stretched their English and in some cases presented multi-media reports and involved the audience. What I'll remember most about Angloville is the laughter; in one of the seminars, most of us bonded at the first dinner and there was easy laughter around the restaurant thereafter.
"I chose the week-long adult programs; there are shorter programs and ones for adolescents. One guy had volunteered at Angloville 19 times, proof that you can come more than once. They also offer a TEFL program for new teachers.
"If Eastern Europe doesn't interest you, there are similar programs in Spain and Germany, through http://www.vaughantown.com and http://www.diverbo.com."
This sounds like a good way to visit some interesting countries at minimal cost and make some new friends. And I should point out that my friend, like me, is long past the usual post-college age.
Tuesday, 18 April 2017
Rome Transit
Rome is a large city with a lot to see. While it is quite walkable, in order to see the high points you will probably want to rely on the efficient, moderately priced public transit system. The Metro is generally the fastest way to get around, but you don't see much except tunnels. Buses are better for sight-seeing, but also more confusing.
Rome has one of the hop on, hop off tourist buses that are popular with visitors, but it is quite expensive at 20 euros for a day, 28 euros for two days. It could be worth the cost if you have just a day or two in the city.
A single ticket that allows you to transfer between bus and Metro within a 75-minute period costs just 1.50 euros. A one-day ticket costs 6 euros, and a three-day ticket goes for 16.50 euros. The latter would allow you to get a quick overview of the city's main attractions, though there are enough churches, museums and ancient ruins to keep you busy for a lifetime.
Buy tickets at a Metro station, or at a newsstand or tabacchi. A lot of people in Rome speak some English,and try to be helpful, or you can try your Italian.
To reach the airport you can take an express bus that leaves from the main railway station at Termini and costs just 4 euros, with kids under five travelling for free. The Website is www.terravision.eu. Or you can take an express train from the same station that costs 14 euros and runs frequently. The train is not going to get stuck in traffic, and you can keep an eye on your luggage. I have known people who had luggage stolen from under the bus.
If you find yourself too tired after sightseeing to brave public transit, taxis are plentiful. Driving yourself is not advisable, especially in the crowded city centre.
Rome has one of the hop on, hop off tourist buses that are popular with visitors, but it is quite expensive at 20 euros for a day, 28 euros for two days. It could be worth the cost if you have just a day or two in the city.
A single ticket that allows you to transfer between bus and Metro within a 75-minute period costs just 1.50 euros. A one-day ticket costs 6 euros, and a three-day ticket goes for 16.50 euros. The latter would allow you to get a quick overview of the city's main attractions, though there are enough churches, museums and ancient ruins to keep you busy for a lifetime.
Buy tickets at a Metro station, or at a newsstand or tabacchi. A lot of people in Rome speak some English,and try to be helpful, or you can try your Italian.
To reach the airport you can take an express bus that leaves from the main railway station at Termini and costs just 4 euros, with kids under five travelling for free. The Website is www.terravision.eu. Or you can take an express train from the same station that costs 14 euros and runs frequently. The train is not going to get stuck in traffic, and you can keep an eye on your luggage. I have known people who had luggage stolen from under the bus.
If you find yourself too tired after sightseeing to brave public transit, taxis are plentiful. Driving yourself is not advisable, especially in the crowded city centre.
Thursday, 13 April 2017
Airline Discourtesy
Like me, you have probably seen and been horrified by the video of a passenger being dragged off a plane in Chicago recently. We all know air travel can be difficult, but this does seem to be a new low for the friendly skies.
I'm no longer a particularly frequent flyer, but I have seen a passenger being removed in handcuffs from an airplane after he uttered a mild expletive to a flight attendant. It happened in Tampa, Florida after a very rough flight, and the passenger had risen to try to retrieve his phone before we had reached the gate. I thought calling the cops was excessive force, but nothing like the Chicago incident.
I myself was yelled at by a flight attendant at JFK following a long journey from Buenos Aires. It was very early morning and the airport was not yet open, so we were parked on the tarmac. I had a very tight connection and rose to try to reach my carry-on, which horrified the attendant. She said if anyone had seen me the airline could have been in serious trouble. This was shortly after 9/11, so I understood her jitters and learned my lesson.
Now I am very circumspect on planes, as well as in airports and at border crossings, especially in the U.S. Once you enter an airport you are in a zone where ordinary rules do not apply, and officials seem to have carte blanche to deal with travellers as they wish. I understand that most airline personnel are highly professional and often underpaid, but that is not an excuse. It doesn't take much to turn a passenger's ordinary trip into a nightmare.
Caveat traveller.
I'm no longer a particularly frequent flyer, but I have seen a passenger being removed in handcuffs from an airplane after he uttered a mild expletive to a flight attendant. It happened in Tampa, Florida after a very rough flight, and the passenger had risen to try to retrieve his phone before we had reached the gate. I thought calling the cops was excessive force, but nothing like the Chicago incident.
I myself was yelled at by a flight attendant at JFK following a long journey from Buenos Aires. It was very early morning and the airport was not yet open, so we were parked on the tarmac. I had a very tight connection and rose to try to reach my carry-on, which horrified the attendant. She said if anyone had seen me the airline could have been in serious trouble. This was shortly after 9/11, so I understood her jitters and learned my lesson.
Now I am very circumspect on planes, as well as in airports and at border crossings, especially in the U.S. Once you enter an airport you are in a zone where ordinary rules do not apply, and officials seem to have carte blanche to deal with travellers as they wish. I understand that most airline personnel are highly professional and often underpaid, but that is not an excuse. It doesn't take much to turn a passenger's ordinary trip into a nightmare.
Caveat traveller.
Monday, 10 April 2017
Budget Venice
This should be a very short article, since La Serenissima is notorious for being expensive. However, there are always to keep costs down even in costly cities. One way is to stay, as I did recently, in Mestre on the mainland.
Mestre lacks the glamour of Venice--it's a working town noted as a transportation hub. However, trains to Venice take just a few minutes, run frequently and cost only 1.25 euros. In Mestre hotels you get more for the money than in Venice, at the cost of a little convenience. My tour stayed at the Plaza Hotel right across from the train station. It is modern and attractive, with English-speaking staff and a good restaurant called Soul Kitchen downstairs. Our room was small but quiet, and boasted a beautifully tiled bathroom with a big bathtub, very welcome after a long plane ride. The buffet breakfast was copious and good.
We dined the first night at Soul Kitchen, and it was one of our more costly meals. An order of cannelloni with cheese, another of roasted vegetables, two mineral waters and the pane e coperto charge for bread came to about $30 U.S., not at all bad for two people.
In Venice the next day we ate at Brek, an attractive cafeteria on Lista di Spagna near the railway station. A meal of meat lasagna, a flask of wine and a roll cost about $11, just a couple of dollars more than the vaportto fare from Lista di Spagna along the famed Grand Canal to St. Mark's Square, the heart of the city. It is possible to walk all that way, but very easy to get lost in Venice's narrow, winding streets and we were in no shape to try following a walking tour in the morning. Besides, the vaporetto ride is a great way to enjoy Venice's beauty.
Our walking tour guide warned us against eating or even having coffee on or near St. Mark's Square, where a drink can cost 30 euros. One thing that is free on the square is entrance to the famous church itself.
If you want to stay in Venice itself, check out the lower-cost hotels listed on http://www.eurocheapo.com. and time your visit for low season if you don't want to deal with hordes of fellow travellers.
Mestre lacks the glamour of Venice--it's a working town noted as a transportation hub. However, trains to Venice take just a few minutes, run frequently and cost only 1.25 euros. In Mestre hotels you get more for the money than in Venice, at the cost of a little convenience. My tour stayed at the Plaza Hotel right across from the train station. It is modern and attractive, with English-speaking staff and a good restaurant called Soul Kitchen downstairs. Our room was small but quiet, and boasted a beautifully tiled bathroom with a big bathtub, very welcome after a long plane ride. The buffet breakfast was copious and good.
We dined the first night at Soul Kitchen, and it was one of our more costly meals. An order of cannelloni with cheese, another of roasted vegetables, two mineral waters and the pane e coperto charge for bread came to about $30 U.S., not at all bad for two people.
In Venice the next day we ate at Brek, an attractive cafeteria on Lista di Spagna near the railway station. A meal of meat lasagna, a flask of wine and a roll cost about $11, just a couple of dollars more than the vaportto fare from Lista di Spagna along the famed Grand Canal to St. Mark's Square, the heart of the city. It is possible to walk all that way, but very easy to get lost in Venice's narrow, winding streets and we were in no shape to try following a walking tour in the morning. Besides, the vaporetto ride is a great way to enjoy Venice's beauty.
Our walking tour guide warned us against eating or even having coffee on or near St. Mark's Square, where a drink can cost 30 euros. One thing that is free on the square is entrance to the famous church itself.
If you want to stay in Venice itself, check out the lower-cost hotels listed on http://www.eurocheapo.com. and time your visit for low season if you don't want to deal with hordes of fellow travellers.
Friday, 7 April 2017
Rome Bargains
Had to tell you about a new deal from Gate1 Travel--four nights in Rome plus return air fare from New York or Boston from just $499 per person on some dates between November 2017 and February 2018. The price includes room with breakfast, based on double occupancy, but you must book it by April 9. I have no connection to Gate 1, but this is an extraordinary price since usually air fare alone is close to $1,000 per person, and Rome hotels are not cheap.
Our Gate1 hotel in Rome was the Villafranca, a small but pleasant four-star place within walking distance of the train station but closer to Castro Pretorio Metro station. Our room overlooked an air shaft and was cozy and well-furnished. The breakfast buffet was sumptuous, including several kinds of cheese and meat, cereal, breads, juices and a selection of yummy Italian coffees--I chose cappuccino most mornings.
We had an unfortunate incident where my friend lost her credit cards and some money to a pickpocket at the railway station. That evening we repaired to the hotel bar to commiserate, ordering glasses of wine for 4 euros each (about $4.20.) The manager arranged for us to have some chips and nuts gratis, as well as some wonderful (and expensive) fresh Parmesan cheese. Petty theft is an unfortunate fact of life in big cities, but it helped to be staying at a hotel with understanding staff. (My friend was able to cancel her credit cards, but had to get along for the last couple days of the trip with limited cash.)
We ate twice at outlets of Express Chef in the station, mainly because they were open when we were hungry. The food was good and reasonably priced--for example, a large sandwich of buffalo mozzarella, tomato and greens with a quarter litre of decent wine for 8 euros, about $9. I was amazed by the relatively low prices at restaurants in Italy, at least compared to those in Montreal or New York. The difficulty was coordinating restaurant opening times to our schedules--we went hungry quite a lot. In fact, over the ten day trip I lost about five pounds. Who would think? A trip to Italy as a diet plan. Just another reason to visit this amazing country.
I'll be posting more on this trip soon.
Our Gate1 hotel in Rome was the Villafranca, a small but pleasant four-star place within walking distance of the train station but closer to Castro Pretorio Metro station. Our room overlooked an air shaft and was cozy and well-furnished. The breakfast buffet was sumptuous, including several kinds of cheese and meat, cereal, breads, juices and a selection of yummy Italian coffees--I chose cappuccino most mornings.
We had an unfortunate incident where my friend lost her credit cards and some money to a pickpocket at the railway station. That evening we repaired to the hotel bar to commiserate, ordering glasses of wine for 4 euros each (about $4.20.) The manager arranged for us to have some chips and nuts gratis, as well as some wonderful (and expensive) fresh Parmesan cheese. Petty theft is an unfortunate fact of life in big cities, but it helped to be staying at a hotel with understanding staff. (My friend was able to cancel her credit cards, but had to get along for the last couple days of the trip with limited cash.)
We ate twice at outlets of Express Chef in the station, mainly because they were open when we were hungry. The food was good and reasonably priced--for example, a large sandwich of buffalo mozzarella, tomato and greens with a quarter litre of decent wine for 8 euros, about $9. I was amazed by the relatively low prices at restaurants in Italy, at least compared to those in Montreal or New York. The difficulty was coordinating restaurant opening times to our schedules--we went hungry quite a lot. In fact, over the ten day trip I lost about five pounds. Who would think? A trip to Italy as a diet plan. Just another reason to visit this amazing country.
I'll be posting more on this trip soon.
Thursday, 6 April 2017
Hallelujah, Back Blogging
Many apologies to faithful followers for missing a couple of months because of computer problems. If you followed me before, you will notice a small change in the blog title because I was not able to sign onto the former blog, yourtravelwriter.blogspot.com. Don't worry, though, it really is still me and I have lots to tell you about my own and my friends' recent travels.
In January and early February I visited Italy with my friend Gina on a short tour organized by Gate1 Travel http://www.gate1travel.com. It was generally a very pleasant experience, and definitely great value for money. The entire trip which lasted nine days cost less than $1400 U.S., which included air fare from New York, stays with copious breakfasts in four-star hotels in Venice Mestre, Florence and Rome, high-speed trains between the cities, and some tours and transfers, meals and incidentals. We added on at least another $500 to cover flights to and from New York and two nights at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel at JFK. Travelling in winter we were concerned about the possibility of being delayed by bad weather and missing our overseas flight.
I will soon fill you in on the details of this trip, my first back to Italy in quite some time. I spent an academic year there as a grad student, so always consider it a second home. Keep watching this space for more info and tips on ways to save money on your travels.
In January and early February I visited Italy with my friend Gina on a short tour organized by Gate1 Travel http://www.gate1travel.com. It was generally a very pleasant experience, and definitely great value for money. The entire trip which lasted nine days cost less than $1400 U.S., which included air fare from New York, stays with copious breakfasts in four-star hotels in Venice Mestre, Florence and Rome, high-speed trains between the cities, and some tours and transfers, meals and incidentals. We added on at least another $500 to cover flights to and from New York and two nights at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel at JFK. Travelling in winter we were concerned about the possibility of being delayed by bad weather and missing our overseas flight.
I will soon fill you in on the details of this trip, my first back to Italy in quite some time. I spent an academic year there as a grad student, so always consider it a second home. Keep watching this space for more info and tips on ways to save money on your travels.
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