Travel Horizons: Rome

Showing posts with label Rome. Show all posts

6.07.2021

travel advisors save you time and money

The trip was un fait accompli. The client had already booked her family's tickets, round-trip flights to Rome. She emailed a description of the itinerary she wanted to plan, the hotels where they wanted to stay, and the tours they wanted to take. But the email began with a logistical detail she wanted help with.

We arrive FCO 7/7 at 10:35am. We would like to go straight to Venice (train-shortest time and first class)

Before I go any further, have you noticed the big "OOPS" in this request?

Providing a second pair of eyes to look over an itinerary is an invaluable service. The client had messed up big time by booking round trip flights to Rome. She planned to begin her family vacation by taking the train to Venice. Assume the best case scenario... their flight arrives on time and they make it through immigration and customs in an hour. They hop on an 11:40 a.m. train, change to another train in Rome, and arrive in Venice at 4:40 p.m. Best case scenario is 5 hours on a train after 8 hours on a jet, the first day of their vacation essentially wasted.

Now consider the worst case scenario. They've bought the least expensive (non-flexible) train tickets because that's our instinct when we purchase things on the internet. Their flight arrives late, or Italian immigration is not especially efficient, or their bags don't appear on the carousel, or they have trouble finding the train station ... and they miss their train to Venice. If this happens, they're screwed. The hundreds of dollars they've spent on First Class train tickets have gone down the drain.

Any good travel advisor obsesses over logistics. If you want to book your own air, that's absolutely fine with me. But do you know the difference between round-trip and open-jaw itineraries? Do you know how to search for "Multi-City" instead of "Round Trip" flights? If you don't, do yourself a favor and call your travel advisor before you buy your tickets.

And the coup de grâce? A savvy travel advisor could likely have saved hundreds or thousands of dollars on her Delta tickets by booking bulk fares through Delta Vacations.

But everyone loves a happy ending, and this story has one. I advised her to call Delta and change their outbound flight from Rome to Venice. She was able to make the switch, for exactly the same fare ... so instead of searching in the fog of jet lag for the train station in the Rome Airport, someone from A&K will meet them at baggage claim in Venice, porter their luggage, and escort them straight to the private water taxi that will be waiting for them.

6.22.2020

whatever happened to overtourism?

Overtourism was travel's biggest problem in 2019. I took the photograph above when I visited Rome in 2019 while on a walking tour of the city. The first time I came to the Piazza di Trevi in 1978, there might have been a half dozen tourists viewing the fountain. When I returned in 2019, the crowds were so thick that tossing three coins in the fountain would have been nearly impossible.

Scenes like this were rampant throughout the world as recently as last year. Do you remember the crowds at...

Venice's Piazza San Marco — passengers from massive cruise ships occupying every square inch of the square, queued in endless lines just to enter the Basilica and the Doge's Palace.

London's Crown Jewels in the Tower of London — after standing in line for a chance to see these royal treasures, being rewarded with just a very few seconds in front of the jewels as the moving conveyer took you relentlessly by.

Paris's Mona Lisa, star attraction of the Louvre — after enduring snaking admission and security lines and following signs to the "Jaconde," finding yourself in a gallery filled with hundreds of tourists jammed around a rather small painting on the wall.

We've experienced all of this. We've seen the lines to get into St. Catherine's Palace (pictured above) and the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. We've been jammed into crowded galleries at Vatican Museum in Rome and Versailles outside Paris. We've witnessed thousands of tourists in front of the Main Gate to Buckingham Palace to view the Changing of the Guard.

We can help our clients skip lines, enjoy exclusive access to experiences most tourists don't know about, or even score private visits before or after public visiting hours — when travel comes back...

But for now in 2020, the problem is no longer overtourism. The issue is Covid-19 and the need to practice social distancing. What will world travel look like once we have developed an effective vaccine? Do we need to reimagine travel? This article from The Guardian makes one argument. What do you think?

copyright (c) 2020 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

2.04.2020

"doing" travel?

It's almost a cliché...

We want to do Paris. We want to climb the Eiffel Tower, shop the Champs-Elysées, see the Arc du Triomphe, swing by the Mona Lisa, then take the kids to Euro Disney so they don't get bored.

I read comments like this all the time, and they could make me scream. Some tourists seem to approach travel by googling "top ten attractions" in a given city, then checking as many of those "top ten" off their list before they're off to their next destination. People talk about "doing" Paris, London, or Rome.

No client has ever said... The quotation at the top of this article is from Kristi Marcelle, a gifted Virtuoso colleague of mine. Her statement is so on target. I think of travel as the greatest human adventure, an opportunity to expand our horizons by immersing ourselves in different cultures, experiencing countless different ways of being in this world.

The most lasting memories of a trip are invariably those unscripted moments when we depart the beaten path, when we move deliberately away from where the crowds are gathered (e.g., the Eiffel Tower). Simply explore! Dare to wander off in whatever direction your curiosity leads you. Explore neighborhoods where non-tourists live, work, eat, and shop. Sure, you might get lost ... but what you discover while getting lost will provide the lasting memory from your trip. Then, when you've walked as far as you want, just book an Uber to take you back to your hotel.

You might discover a hidden residential street and find charming houses like the one above at 40 Square Montsouris in Paris. Did you even know that streets like this exist in Paris?

5.10.2019

bouillabaisse for lunch in Cassis

One of the coolest things about a cruise is that you can go to sleep in Italy and wake up in France. Our first stop, after leaving Rome aboard the Seabourn Ovation, was in the port of Bastia (on the north coast of Corsica). The next morning, we awoke in Toulon, a small town in Provence on the Cote d'Azur.

Did you know that we can arrange private shore excursions? You're not limited to the group tours that cruise lines offer. Our visit was designed by Virtuoso onsite We Travel France. It included a wine tasting experience at the E. Bodin winery in Cassis, followed by a visit to the Port de Cassis. My highlight of the day was the utterly fabulous lunch I enjoyed at Chez César. Right on the water, their bouillabaisse was utterly authentic (and unlike what passes for bouillabaisse in the US).

Cassis is a cute town with at least a dozen open-air restaurants overlooking its small harbor. I captured the image above in our free time following lunch. I recommend a visit!

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

4.30.2019

the Spanish Steps at dawn

I arrived at the bottom of the Spanish Steps this morning around 5:30 a.m. A half dozen photographers were already there, cameras on tripods set to capture the iconic view — the Trinità dei Monti church centered with the baroque Fontana della Barcaccia in the foreground. Although I grabbed a few images from that vantage, I am more drawn to this view from the side...

On yesterday afternoon's walking tour, we saw the same scene. How much difference a few hours can make. The steps were packed with tourists ... and the nearby Trevi Fountain was a mob scene. One reason to wake up at 5 a.m., to see the famous sights of Rome without the crowds.

4.24.2019

the magic of Tuscany

I leave for Italy in two days. Along with some colleagues from Brownell Travel, our first three nights will be spent exploring in Tuscany. We're spending Saturday night at Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco (see the video above) and Monday and Tuesday nights at Monteverde Tuscany Resort. From Tuscany, we head to Rome where we'll join the rest of our colleagues on the trip.

Hotel Eden will be our home on Wednesday night, and I'm especially looking forward to see this new newly renovated Dorchester Collection hotel. Thursday afternoon will be quite special day with a tour of Rome by Vespa (with an experienced driver/guide actually driving the thing). Not sure how it will work lugging a Canon R camera while hanging on for dear life, but I'm anticipating this brand new way of seeing Rome. Click here if you'd like to experience Rome by Vespa.

I'll tell you about the four days after Rome in a future blog ... but — hint — it will be a moving experience worthy of an ovation.

3.27.2019

five reasons to book this Seabourn cruise

8-day Gems of Italy & Spain

Here are five good reasons to book this cruise, departing 27APR, 2019 from Athens to Barcelona.

(1) There's a two-week sale on this cruise aboard the Seabourn Ovation. Book by April 8th for Veranda suite upgrades and shipboard credits. Cost is from $2,999 per person.

(2) Virtually everything is included — Seabourn luxury on an intimate ship with all ocean-front suites, complimentary premium spirits and fine wines, no tipping, and Thomas Keller-inspired dining.

(3) interesting things to see and do...

27APR — stay in Athens the night before, and explore the Acropolis on the day of your departure.
28APR — Pylos, Greece, on the southwestern coast of the Peloponnese, affords sightseeing opportunities to the castle of Neokastro or the achaeological site of Messini.
29APR — a day at sea, a chance to relax and let Seabourn pamper you.
30APR — dock in Naples and visit Pompeii and Herculaneum or perhaps the Amalfi Coast.
1MAY — 14 hours on the ground in Rome; ask you you can book a guided tour by Vespa.
2MAY — you'll spend the day at Bastia on the French island of Corsica, Napoleon's birthplace.
3MAY — walk narrow streets and small squares of Toulon, a harbor townon the coast of Provence, France.
4MAY — Palamos, Spain: Visit Dali's Castle Museum or wander through the town of Girona.
5MAY — Barcelona. Experience the innovative architecture of Antonio Gaudi.

(4) Receive Virtuoso Voyages amenities, your choice of a complimentary shore excursion in Palamós, Spain, a $175 per person credit towards a Virtuoso product (pre-cruise stay, post-cruise, stay, or shore excursion through a Virtuoso onsite), or a $150 per person shipboard credit.

(5) Meet me onboard! I'll be joining the cruise in Rome, along with my friends and colleagues from Brownell.

2.26.2019

a blast from the past | TWA

East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse is a wonderful junk shop at the corner of 47th & Telegraph Ave. in Oakland, CA. I arrived a bit early for dinner at Pyeong Chang Tofu House, literally next door, so I wandered through the store and looked around. A wonderful collection of lots of useful but discarded electronics, art items, books, jewelry, I came across a page from an old magazine.

TWA caught my eye. In years long past, I remember flights on TWA from Rome to Philadelphia, from San Francisco to Newark, and ultimate from San Francisco to St. Louis. The latter flight was one of TWA's very last flights before it was rebranded as American Airlines. The flight attendants even served a sheet cake to the (very small) collection of passengers onboard.

Forget what flying used to be like? Take a look at this TWA commercial from 1976...

... look at how wide those seats were
... notice the legroom in coach
... complimentary hot meals (with steak on the menu)
... the ad actually mentions "comfort"

Those truly were the good old days. No sleeper seats in international business class, but flying economy could actually be a pleasurable experience.

8.16.2018

explore the Vatican without the crowds

Imagine the Vatican without any crowds... The headline says it all. A vivid memory of my last visit to the Vatican — the ever-present crowds. Though we were part of a tour (one way to avoid the L-O-N-G ticket lines), the crowd of visitors took away so much from the visit. The Sistine Chapel, the highlight of our visit, was packed wall-to-wall with people. The corridors were jammed. The experience was one of claustrophobia, not inspiration.

There's a better way! Be part of an exclusive group that enters the Vatican at daybreak. With no more than 20 guests in your group, you and your guide will follow the clavigero (key keeper) as he opens the doors to the Vatican Museums and its galleries. You'll see the Gallery of Maps and Raphael's Room as the lights are turned on for the day. You'll have the Sistine Chapel to yourself. And your group will enjoy breakfast in the Pinecone Courtyard.

The cost — from $527.97 per person

SPECIAL VALUE — book by Oct. 14, travel between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15, 2018

save 30% - price lowered to $362.45 per person

The experience — priceless.

Use this link to book a Vatican tour you'll always remember ...

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website

8.03.2018

Airbnb | a cautionary tale

the Airbnb apartment described by David Rowell

Airbnb has become quite popular among travelers. Whether seeking economical accommodations for a business trip or family vacation, many travelers have been satisfied with what they've booked. But definitely not all.

Be aware that Airbnb doesn't always work out the way you'd expect. Travel blogger David Rowell recently wrote of a sub-standard experience in his article Should You be Using Airbnb. After renting the (apparently attractive) apartment pictured above, he experienced the following problems.

1. The rate quoted by Airbnb website was $65. By the time "cleaning" and additional fees were added, he ended up paying $85 per night. Plus tax on top of that.

2. 48 hour free cancellation policy? So said the headline on the website, but this language is misleading if you're thinking in terms of hotel cancel policies. Airbnb bookings can only be cancelled for free within 48 hours of making the booking, not up to 48 hours before arrival.

3. Lack of flexibility. Airbnb doesn't offer the flexibility that business travelers require. On a business trip and need to shorten your stay by a day? You'll have to pay for that day. Want to add an extra day at the end of your trip? While usually a non-issue for a hotel, Airbnb isn't set up this way.

4. Reaching "management" can be an issue if a problem arises. The access code to his apartment didn't work. He had to email the owner, then sit on the steps and wait for a reply — no phone number provided, no front desk to help.

Other bad news he didn't learn until his arrival:

5. There was a climb of 25 steps to reach the front door of the apartment, lugging a suitcase.

6. The neighborhood was sketchy, homeless persons sleeping under a nearby bridge.

7. The lack off a desk meant there was no place to accomplish the work he had to do.

8. Inadequate air-conditioning. He even asked. Despite the owner's assurances that the apartment was air-conditioned, it turned out to be a single window unit in the living room. Totally ineffective in mitigating the 90º temperature in the bedroom down the hall, getting a good night's sleep proved impossible.

His verdict:

The apartment has a five-star rating on Airbnb, and something like 300 generally gushingly positive reviews. I found it a hellish experience full of unexpected gotcha moments. And at the end of it all, I was expected to do the dishes, load the washing machine with used sheets and towels, and take the trash out to the rubbish bins around the corner of the building – all the things one doesn’t want to do when on vacation, and doesn’t have time to do when traveling on business.

Is there a better way to rent an apartment or home? I recommend our Virtuoso travel partner One Fine Stay. Yes, you'll pay a bit more, but every property has been vetted. You'll be met upon arrival by a professional team who will let you into your apartment and explain how things work. You'll get a midweek and end-of-week cleaning. You'll be provided with an iPhone, data included, with a one-touch button for assistance 24/7. One Fine Stay even provides concierge services. Read a review here!

Virtuoso amenities are offered in London, Paris, Rome, Milan, New York, LA, San Francisco, Boston, and Miami: your choice of a $100 credit on stocking your refrigerator prior to your arrival ... or a $100 credit toward guest experiences arranged with their concierge. You simply have to book through a Virtuoso travel advisor.

10.01.2017

how to explore the byways of Europe

Excellent advice was offered in today's column by Rick Steves in many Sunday newspapers: avoid destinations congested with tourists and look for what he calls back doors. In Steves' words, "Many travelers go to crowded, touristy places — then complain about the crowds." Here's my takeaway from his article.

Seek out secondary destinations. Rome is a very crowded tourist destination, and the Colosseum has long ticket lines. If getting up-close-and-personal with an ancient Roman colosseum is on your bucket list, consider the smaller (and very walkable) town of Verona in northern Italy. Pictured above is the Arena di Verona, a historical colosseum minus the crowds. You can even attend live opera there in the evening.

Avoid (what have become) tourist traps. While the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay are both world class museums in Paris, you'll have to contend with the crowds. If you want to check the Louvre off your bucket list, enjoy the spectacular but relatively empty Napoleonic bedrooms and avoid the hundreds of tourists pushing up in front of the (tiny) Mona Lisa. If you love the French impressionists, visit the lesser-known Marmottan Museum (that houses the world's biggest collection of Monet's art).

Spend the night in destinations that are crowded during busy daytime hours — but are perfectly delightful in early morning and evening. Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a cute little town near the French Riviera. The pedestrian pathway through the town's center is inundated by day with visitors from bus tours and cruise ships ... but if you spend the night at Virtuoso hotel Le Mas De Pierre, you'll have the town practically to yourself.

Look for ways to skip the lines. Google secret entrances to the Louvre; you don't have to queue up in front of the pyramid. Purchase museum passes — or timed admission tickets — and bypass ticket lines entirely. It's even possible to arrange private tours before and after regular hours for many popular attractions.

Best of all, you don't have to figure this out on your own. Together with our trusted Virtuoso travel partners all over Europe, we get you Insider Access. Do you want to plan a trip that maximizes your precious time? that explores the byways of Europe? that takes advantage of the lesser-known back doors that local experts know best? Just drop us an email, and we'll help you Discover More.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

7.19.2017

three great ways to explore London

How do you explore a new city? One way is to step out the front door of your hotel and start walking. You don't need to have a destination in mind. Just meander in whatever direction suits your fancy. Wander down the little side streets. Window shop (or engage in more intensive retail therapy, if that's your thing). Go into the stores and markets. Reward yourself with that incredible-looking pastry, as you'll be walking off the calories! This is the first of three great ways to get to know a city.

1. Get lost ... and find yourself again. Last spring when I was in London, I came across some picturesque parks (Berkeley Square Gardens and Grosvenor Square) as I wandered through Mayfair. I spotted a duo of old London phone booths by the side of Berkeley Square (pictured above).

2. Join a scheduled walk. Very reasonably priced, London Walks offers a weekly schedule of experiences. No reservations necessary, just show up at the scheduled time and meeting place. 10£ for adults, 8£ for senior and students, and free for kinds under 15 walking with their parents, this small investment will pay instant travel dividends. You'll get a local resident's insight on what you're seeing, the neighborhood you're in, and something of the history and culture of the place.

3. Plan exclusive, skip-the-lines experiences. This can get pricey, but you'll have a lifetime of travel stories to tell. Here are some of my favorite experiences in London:

watching the changing of the guard from inside the Wellington Barracks

visiting the Churchill War Rooms before opening and sitting in Churchill's chair

seeing the Crown Jewels after closing

climbing the spiral staircase at St. Paul's cathedral

We have travel partners in London, Paris, Rome, and many other cities who can make this kind of travel magic happen for you. Discover More!

5.27.2015

four tips for the best gelato

After spending the day exploring Venice, Florence, Rome, or another destination in Italy, it's time for gelato. I just read an informative blog on the subject posted by Concierge in Umbria, one of the destination management companies we work with. Follow this link to see the article itself, or read on to read my four tips for the best gelato.

1. Gelato is softer and creamier than ice cream because it has lower milk fat and is served at a warmer temperature.

2. Stay away from brightly colored, fluffy waves of gelato. Bright eye-catching colors? This is your clue that food coloring has been added. Fluffy waves? Air has been pumped into the product to volumize. What you want is gelato with dull, natural colors that lays hard and flat in the tin.

3. Made in house? Hah! That doesn't necessarily mean what you'd think. Gelaterias can use prepackaged mixes and still legally advertise gelato fatto in casa.

4. Buy what's in season. Strawberries in winter? This gelato has likely come from a mix. Go for what's fresh and natural.

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

4.16.2015

travel in the age of EasyJet | a 4-part strategy

graphic from easyjet.com which should thank me for the free link

A client wanted to plan a trip to Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini. He contacted me this Tuesday for his dates in June ... and I soon discovered that every hotel he was interested in was totally booked. There was no space whatsoever for his dates at the Grand Bretagne or the King George in Athens. Choices in Mykonos and Santorini were extremely limited. Quite a frustrating experience, as he was ready to book a trip ... so he decided to postpone.

Europe is crowded these days ... and a big reason for this is that it's so cheap and easy for Europeans to fly around the continent. Just hop aboard a discount airline, and be in Paris, London, Rome, or a Mediterranean beach destination in little more than an hour. And if you can get there for 26.99£ as EasyJet's website promises (see above), why not!

You need a strategy to plan your trip to Europe.

1. Book early. 60 days is not enough lead-time to plan a trip to the Greek Islands in June, as my frustrating Tuesday impressed on me. Start 330 days ahead. Think hotels as soon as you start booking your award tickets. You'll have more availability, and you'll also put a ceiling on the rate you pay; flexible rates can always be lowered!

2. Explore less well known destinations. Rome, Venice, and Florence are always crowded; ever felt like a sardine packed into the Sistine Chapel? When you go back to Italy, visit lesser known destination such as Verona (where you can see Juliet's balcony), Sicily, and Puglia. Avoid the thundering herds of tourists and encounter a more authentic side of Italy.

3. Employ private guides and drivers. Pricey, yes, but knowledgeable local guides can save you time, your most precious asset. Why stand in queue to buy tickets or get through the front door? Our Virtuoso on-sites can even arrange after-hours tours of many attractions. Imagine having a private candlelit dinner at the Library of Celsus in Ephesus ... after all the crowds have left, a memory that will last a lifetime! Or book a VIP skip-the-line tour of the Eiffel Tower or Paris Catacombs.

4. Take advantage of local experts. Your Virtuoso travel consultant has a network of local experts practically everywhere on earth. These ladies and gentlemen have the experience and connections to craft a memorable European vacation, sparing you much of the stress encountered by those in the back of an EasyJet.

9.11.2014

kids in Rome? | what to do

Taking kids to Rome? It's a fabulous city with millennia of history, but keeping younger visitors occupied can be a challenge. Here are some ideas that my Brownell colleague Ron Phillips has shared, a true Italy expert

An underground tour of the Colosseo
Heading to one of the catacombs (5 to choose from)
Riding bikes, skating, etc in Villa Borghese Gardens
Seeing the Cappuchin Crypt (bone church) near Piazza Barberini
Biking on the Appian Way
Gelato, Gelato, Gelato (I prefer Gelateria dei Gracchi or Milenium - both in the Prati area... but there are SO many options...)
Granite at Tazza D'Oro (might be a better pick-me-up for the grandparents!)
A good guide CAN make the Vatican come alive for teens, but I'd keep it a short tour.
Head to Janiculum Hill for the noon cannon fire...
Ostia Antica is an easy train ride, and beats the all-day ride down and back to Pompeii - Encourage them to take a lunch and eat at the top of the amphitheater overlooking the grounds
Send them to a non-touristy market like Mercato Trionfale near the Vatican. They might be the only Americans at the market. Lots of unique foods. Best days to go are Tues/Friday for fish day - always fun.. and the busiest day is Saturday (open till 2 PM) I also love to visit the market in Testaccio.
Not sure if the grandparents can hang... but climbing the 312 steps to the top of St. Peters. Great views (ride the elevator halfway up, but you still have to climb those 312 stairs!)
Shopping on streets like via Giubbonari, Via Margutta, Cola di Rienzo (rather than Condotti or the Corso)
For the grandson, hit the "official" Ferrari shop near the Spanish Steps on Via Tomacelli. You can buy parts of an actual F1 Ferrari for as little as 10,000 EURO!
If you can get Scavi tickets for the underground tour of St. Peter's (through the Vatican), it's an interesting 90 minute tour.
Hit the Lazio and Roma futbol stores... or if they're brave.. go see a match in the Stadio Olympico (just make sure to sit on the Roma or Lazio Side... and not the visitors section!)
Trastevere is a great part of town for teens. Because there are many college students in the area, it has a younger vibe. Plenty of small shops and restaurants.. and a few markets. Check out Polvere di Tempo - a store that looks like it could be in a Harry Potter movie!

2.26.2014

getting from the Rome airport to the Amalfi Coast

Costiera Amalfitana — Photo by Paolo Costa Baldi. License: GFDL/CC-BY-SA 3.0

You've landed in Rome, and you need to get to the Amalfi Coast. What's the best way to get to Positano, Amalfi, Sorrento, or Ravello? This was the subject of a recent online discussion among Brownell travel advisors. Here is the gist of their wisdom.

1. Book a private transfer. Your driver will pick you up at FCO and drive you directly to your hotel in Positano (where there are two stunning Virtuoso resorts: Il San Pietro di Positano and Le Sirenuse) or elsewhere. Click the links to see the exclusive amenities your Virtuoso travel consultant can provide.

2. Train to Naples, then transfer. First, you'll have to transfer from FCO to the Termini in Rome. The train to Naples is a 70 minute ride. From the Naples train station, you can get a transfer to Positano. But depending on the number of people in your party, this can be more expensive with two transfers and a train ticket for each person in your group.

3. Rent a car and drive yourself. Is this a good idea? While some tourists think of this as a way to save money, it may not be the best way to go. Inexperienced drivers on incredibly tight mountain roads will find the drive extremely challenging. You risk risk hitting the wall … or people. And consider parking: about 30€ per night to park the car in Positano — and hourly charges before and after the overnight hours can run the cost up to 50€ per day for parking.

So those are your options. Even though the cost of a private transfer from FCO might sound like a lot, you're saving yourself a ton of stress and beginning your Amalfi Coast holiday in style.

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

9.14.2012

top 10 family activities in Europe

idea # 7: scavenger hunt through the Louvre

Continuing this series of top 10 recommendations from luxury travel provider Abercrombie and Kent, here are their ideas on the top 10 family activities in Europe.

Rome — Gladiator School

Amsterdam — bicycling

Croatia — sea kayaking

Bruges — chocolate workshop

Moscow — backstage tour and live performance at the Moscow State Circus

Tuscany — horseback riding

Paris — scavenger hunt through the Louvre

Florence — behind the scenes at Florence's best Gelateria

St. Petersburg — Matryoshka doll painting

Scotland — search for Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, on your own chartered boat

A scavenger hunt through the Louvre sounds like fun, and what a creative way to bring a museum to life! When you're ready to plan your next family vacation to Europe, and want to create special memories that your children will carry throughout their lives, contact your Virtuoso luxury travel consultant. We've got the connections that can make these family activities possible.

top 10 family activities in Europe (search here on Google)

9.11.2012

top 10 unique travel experiences in Europe

underground at the Eiffel Tower: the machinery that runs the elevators

You can do that? Abercrombie & Kent recently came out with several top ten lists for visiting Europe. Here is their list of the top ten Behind the Scenes unique travel experiences. Pricey, yes, but you'll always remember these unique experiences... and what stories to share with your friends!

St. Petersburg, Russia — special private access to the Hermitage store rooms

Rome, Italy — private visit to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel

Moscow, Russia — private backstage tour of the Bolshoi Theatre

Venice, Italy — private evening opening at St Mark's Basilica

Florence, Italy — behind the scenes at a jewelry workshop in Florence

Paris, France — visit the Eiffel Tower's machinery room and technical gallery. I've actually done this, and the picture above was taken during my tour.

London, England — private viewing of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic — private tour of Cesky Krumlov Castle and exclusive access to the Castle Theatre

Vienna, Austria — private drinks reception and tour of Belvedere Palace

Spain — see how Castanets are made at the only makers in Spain

Want to plan an unique travel experience of your own? Contact a travel consultant who specializes in luxury foreign travel.

unique travel experiences (search here on Google)

9.08.2012

top 10 iconic images in Europe

The Matterhorn, Zermatt, Switzerland

What are the top ten sights in Europe? Abercrombie & Kent Europe recently published five different Ten Ten Europe lists that I will share with you in the next few issues of Travel Horizons. First, here's A&K's opinion of Europe's Top Ten Iconic Images. I've offered some reflections about each destination ... and suggestions on where upscale visitors will want to stay.

1. Eiffel Tower, Paris. This surely is the iconic image of Paris that I first saw when visiting Europe during the year after my high school graduation. Runners up in Paris: Notre Dame and the Louvre. Where to stay in Paris? Four Seasons George V is one of the best hotels in the world, close to the Eiffel Tower, and Le Meurice has a very Parisian feel with a great location to walk to Paris's other major attractions.

2. Colosseum, Rome. Nothing says Rome like the Colosseum and the nearby Forum, and don't miss the Vatican Museum. Ticket lines can be crowded, but you can purchase tickets in advance. Where to stay in Rome? Rocco Forte Hotel de Russie gets the highest accolades, and the Hassler resides at the top of the Spanish Steps.

3. Tower Bridge, London. Much to the chagrin of the investors who bought London Bridge and moved it to Arizona, Tower Bridge is the real thing, and while you're there, don't miss the Crown Jewels. I was also moved by Westminster Cathedral. London's best show (other than the occasional Royal Wedding) is the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace. The Dorchester is London's classic hotel, and Four Seasons Park Lane has become an instant new classic after its thorough renovation.

4. Acropolis, Athens. I've never been to Athens, or even Greece, but the Parthenon is the ultimate example of ancient Doric architecture. I also want to visit the Greek islands some day. The best hotels in Athens are the Grande Bretagne and the King George Palace.

5. Kremlin, Moscow. Another place I've never been. Also see St. Basil Cathedral and visit the Tretyakov Gallery and Pushkin Museum. Stay at the recently opened Ritz-Carlton Moscow, right on the edge of Red Square - and we're all awaiting news about the opening of the Four Seasons Moscow.

6. Duomo, Florence. You need to read about the Duomo before you visit it, or you'll miss the significance of what you're seeing. It is the largest brick dome ever constructed - and, amazingly, it was built without the use of scaffolding. You can climb to the top of the dome using the same steps that the builders used to carry their materials up and down. Most of my clients stay at the incredible Four Seasons Florence. I'll be visiting Florence in October, staying at Il Salviatino, and will post my site inspections here.

7. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona. Barcelona came at the conclusion of my trip to Spain in 2009, and the contrast of Gaudi's architecture to that of the older, traditional Catholic churches in Spain could not be more dramatic. Read my full thoughts here. Also get a tour of Gaudi's apartments and Park Gaudi - and don't miss the Dali Museum an hour north in Figueres. If you want to stay in the center of things, choose the Mandarin Oriental Barcelona - or the Hotel Arts to vacation by the beach (the Club Floor is definitely the way to go here).

8. Charles Bridge, Prague. Prague is a magical city, especially when it's lit up at night. It escaped bombing during World War II and its old world charm has been preserved. Another iconic sight: the Prague Castle lit up at night. You can get a straight-on view from the Four Seasons Prague, or stay at the Mandarin Oriental Prague, a monastery converted into a five star hotel.

9. Matterhorn, Zermatt. If the picture above seems faded, that's because I took it in 1969, 43 years ago. I didn't stay in a five star hotel in Zermatt. Arriving the night before, I had no idea where I was. I slept in a field that night ... and when the sun woke me the next morning, there was the Matterhorn in a cloudless sky — a sight I will never forget! So if you're 18, that's my suggestion of where to spend the night in Zermatt.

10. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh. Scotland is still on my bucket list. Go to Scotland for the castles, the rugged seascapes, and to celebrate the birthplace of golf at St. Andrews. While in Edinburgh, I recommend you stay at Rocco Forte The Balmoral.

How many of these iconic images have you seen? Where do you want to go next? When you've decided, email your Virtuoso travel consultant or Four Seasons Preferred Partner to receive complimentary amenities at every hotel mentioned in this article, including free daily breakfast for two, room upgrades when available, and extra amenities that add value to your stay.

Top Ten Europe (search here on Google)

1.13.2009

all-inclusive vacation in Europe | $3,598 for two

What if $3,598 got you an all-inclusive vacation in Europe including round-trip airfare, 10 nights accommodations, fine dining, and transportation from city to city?

What if your journeys took you to Barcelona, Marseilles, Monte Carlo, Florence, Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Sicily, Malta, Santorini, and Athens?

What if you were sailing on a premium cruise line, Oceania Cruises? With a maximum 684 guests onboard any cruise, Oceania offers an intimacy and relaxed ambiance not found on 3,000 passenger megaships. Oceania's menus are crafted by chef and author Jacques Pépin, and open-seating is offered in all of their ships' restaurants.

This is just one of over 40 bargain fares for Oceania sailings. Interested in exploring the possibilities? Contact my cruise associate to book this offer - or to learn about the many luxury cruise vacations available to you.

all-inclusive vacation in Europe (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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