Wednesday 22nd

Europe » Italy » Lombardy » Milan
April 22nd 2015

Published: April 22nd 2015

First thing, we got ourselves together – baggage and all – so that we could move out to an airport hotel for the night. After breakfast and checking out we took a nice walk around the central area -- looking at all the shops (we got a map that showed EVERY high end shop), ending up at the Rinascente department store’s rooftop restaurant. It overlooks the Duomo and you could see the people climbing up onto the Duomo’s roof. The food was good and we casually enjoyed ourselves while watching the ever changing scenery of people and the Duomo. Then we picked up a ride out to the airport hotel late in the afternoon where we settled in for a relaxing evening. Last night in Italy.

We have enjoyed our trip tremendously and here are our recommendations for hotels, tour guides, shops and restaurants by location:

Rome:

· Grand Hotel de La Minerve, 69 Piazza della Minerva - 00186 Roma Tel: 011-39-06-69-52-01 Web: www.grandhoteldelaminerve.com. Fabulous central location with a roof bar and restaurant. Next to the Pantheon.

· Arianna Nastasi, Rome modern and archaeological tours, nastasi.arianna@gmail.com Tel 39 347 012-6354. Arianna is extremely well prepared for an in-depth look at ancient of modern Rome. Currently completing an extensive book on the early church and it’s properties.

· Osteria al Vecchio Pegno, Vicolo di Montevecchio, 8, 00186 Rome, Italy +39 06 688.07.025. Fabulous food, wonderful little restaurant and great service. Nothing to alter a great and friendly meal. Near Piazza Navonna.

· Vladimiro Ristorante, Via Aurora, 37, Roma Tel 06 481-9467. Great food and wonderful environment (inside and out). Responsive wait staff. Near Via Veneto and the gardens.

· Osteria Costanza, Piazza Paradiso, 63/65 Tel 05 686-1717. Built into one of the old walls of the city, this little restaurant has great food and an unusual atmosphere. We have been a few times and always get great food and service.

· Nino Ristorante, Via Borgognona, 11 Tel 06 679-5676. Great food and great location, a very traditional Roman restaurant just off the Piazza de Spagna.

Florence:

· Hotel Hermitage, Vicolo Marzio 1, 50122 Florence Tel 39-055-287216 www.hermitagehotel.com. A little three star with a terrific location next to the Ponte Vecchio and a garden on the top floor overlooking the Arno.

· Scuola del Cuoio, Via San Giuseppe, 5r, 50122 Firenze Tel:055 244533. One of the most fashion forward leather stores. Most other stores copy whatever they develop. And their prices are terrific.

· Barbara Bandinnelli, Florence Tour Guide, Tel +39 338710-2006 bababandi@hotmail.com. Excellent and educated, very enthusiastic about art and about Florence.

· Cantinetta Antinori, Palazzo Antinori, Piazza Antinori 3, Firenze Tel 29.22.34. Great place to taste all the different wines the Antinori conglomerate / family produces all over the world … and the food is fabulous.

· Caffe Cibreo, Via del Verrocchio, 5r, Firenze Tel 055 234 5853. Fabulous food and good wine, each meal carefully selected for that particular day. Ristorante Cibreo across the street at 8r is an evening experience (the original) and the Trattoria around the corner at Via de Macci, 122r, is a daytime locale.

· Osteria del Chinghiale Bianco, Borgo San Jacopo, 43r, Firenze Tel 055 21-5706. Great food, well prepared with a focus on wild boar. A cozy atmosphere and not terribly expensive. The staff is very responsive.

Venice:

· Londra Palace Hotel, Riva degli Shiavoni, Castello 4171 Tel 041 520-0533 www.londrapalace.com. Great location, very nice rooms, and very attentive service.

· Sara Grinzato, Venice Tour Guide, Via Rovine, 51/B, 30010 Campolongo Marriore Tel 345 850-1309. Excellent and highly educated guide for the Palazzo Ducale. Well informed and easy to be with.

· Antico Martini, San Marco 1983, Venezia Tel 522-4121 next to La Fenice Teatro. Good food and wine and expensive. But you feel wonderful and the service is superb.

· Locanda Cipriani, Piazza Santa Fosca 29 (00 39 041 730 150; www.locandacipriani.com). Well worth the boat ride out to the island if you want great food and are willing to pay.

· Trattoria da Ignazio, Calle Saoneri 2749 San Polo Venezia 30125 Tel 523-4852 on Calle not far from Campo San Polo near Rialto. Great pasta dishes and wonderful for a luncheon in their garden. Terrific place and worth the exploration to find it.

· Ristorante Al Covo, Campiello delle Pescaria, Castello 3968 Tel 041 522-3812. Great fish restaurant and well known now but still wonderful quality.

· Bistrot de Venise, Calle dei Fabbri, San Marco, 4685 Tel 041 523-6651 www.bistrotdevenise.com. Very upscale but terrific food and fine wine list. The service is perfect and the knowledge of local wines is very helpful.

Milan:

· Ova Pasticceria-Confetteria, Via Montenapoleone, 8 Milano. In the middle of the Golden Triangle of famous Milanese shops. Great for coffee, tea or a quick lunch.

· Nerino Dieci Trattoria, Via Nerino, 10 Milano 20123. Tel 02 3983-1019. Great ambiance and local gem. Each of the dishes was excellent and the wine list is great and very well priced.

· Rinascente Rooftop Restaurant, Via Santa Radegonda, 3, Piazza Duomo, 20121 Milan Tel 02 88521. Fabulous location overlooking the Duomo and the food was very good.

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