| ITALY Nov 2006 MILAN
I enjoyed my stay at the Madison Milan I had a single room .Which was small but alright for a few nights.Very Clean and the staff were helpful.Breakfast was good . Buffet style . The hotel is very near the Central Station and the Metro.Airport bus leaves from there to all three airports.. Took tube to Lotto to see San Siro. The Stadio Meazza, more famously known as the San Siro Stadium, Milan, is one of the world's greatest football stadia. The San Siro is also home to two of Europe's greatest football clubs, Internazionale and AC Milan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Below is the only photo I have from first visit to wonderful Venice Day trip to Venice
From Lidodi Jesolo Been twice to Venice. Love the place. Sadly I have not visited for 23 years. Hope to return soon How to get from Lido di Jesolo The best combination of affordable and interesting is by using a public transport combination of bus and boat, however. From Jesolo you take ATVO bus number 5 to Punta Sabbioni, its final destination. The bus runs from the autostazione in Jesolo, stopping a few times along the main street. A one-way fare is €2.70 (2007 price). The journey takes 35 minutes and is timed to coincide with an ACTV ferry which leaves Punta Sabbioni for Venice. Both buses and boats run every half-hour. The ferry jetty is close to the bus stop: there may be queues for tickets. You can buy an all-in return ticket in Jesolo, but if you want to use boats within Venice, consider whether to get a Venice travelcard, which will include the ACTV ferry. The LN ferry runs between Punta Sabbioni and San Zaccaria in Venice, which is very close to St. Mark's Square. In between it calls at Venice Lido. It's a double-decker boat with great views over the lagoon. Note that there are various variations of the LN's route: read the signs or ask a crew member if you have any doubts. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  FLORENCE 1980 DAY TRIP/2008 WEEKEND Florence (Firenze) is the regional capital of Tuscany, in the centre of Italy. A town with a turbulent and action-packed history, Florence is now packed with tourists being shepherded around the city's museums. The town is situated on the river Arno, which is spanned by the famous Ponte Vecchio, the only of Florence's bridges not to be blown up in the Second World War. Florence's most striking landmark is Brunelleschi's dome on the Duomo, and its most reproduced sight is Michelangelo's statue of David.
Andy MOUNT ETNA 2000 DAY TRIP FROM MALTA TO SICILY Sicily (Sicilia) is rather more than an Italian region: it's famous for its unique character - and for being a law unto itself. The football that is being kicked by Italy's boot, Sicily lies to the south of the country and just a short distance from the African coast. A long history of invasion and conquest has resulted in a lavish mixed heritage: Greek, Arab, Roman, Norman. This wide range of influences can be detected in the island's architecture, landscape and culture, and has blended to make Sicily a thoroughly unique destination.
Equally important has been the land's predisposition to natural disasters. Mount Etna, in the eastern part of the island, is Europe's highest and most active volcano (its last serious eruption was in 2002). Sicily is also subject to earthquakes and extreme weather conditions. A devastating earthquake in 1693 destroyed the south-eastern towns, which were rebuilt in a Baroque style. Nature, disaster and mystery go hand-in-hand in Sicily - at the time of writing (February 2004), a minor news story recounts how both geologists and exorcists are to be brought in to investigate mysterious fires affecting electrical wires and appliances in a settlement near Messina.
Sicily's pastries and desserts (dolci) are famous for their richness, and stuffed with ingredients like marzipan and ricotta. Among the treats are cannoli (thin tubes stuffed with ricotta, chocolate or candied fruit). In the Sicilian heat welcome specialities are the area's fine ice cream and the refreshing drink granita di limone (ice and lemon slush). Marsala is Sicily's most well-known wine.
TAORMINA TAORMINA As an attractive and permanently-fashionable destination, Taormina is known as a delightful but expensive place to stay. Many of the town's hotels and restaurants are in the upper price-bracket. However, one of the town's principal attractions - the view - is free to enjoy, and visiting for a day trip or careful planning can make Taormina accessible to all. Accommodation is cheaper out of season, and the little town is less packed, too. March, April and May are good months to enjoy the sunshine (usually), the flowers and relatively-uncrowded streets and restaurants. TRAVELLED BY BUS TO TURIN FOR JUVENTUS V RANGERS  Interesting Facts About Italy
* Rome is the capital of Italy and it was founded in 753 BC.
* Rome is also called as the “Eternal city” and also “Caput Mundi”, which means the capital of the world
* Milan is home to Italian fashion and the world’s fashion capital.
* Before Rome became a republic and an empire, it had seven kings. The first king of Rome was its renowned founder, Romulus.
* The first Roman Emperor was Augustus Octavian, who became powerful in 27 BC.
* The Italian flag is green (hope), white (faith), and red (charity).
* At 300,000 sq km, Italy is marginally bigger than New Zealand.
* Italy borders Austria, France, Vatican City, San Marino, Slovenia, and Switzerland and the longest border is with Switzerland.
* There are many vernaculars of the Italian language spoken throughout Italy. However, the official Italian language spoken today originates from the Tuscan dialect (of Latin).
* Did you know Italian is a Romance language? It is related to the other Latin languages- Spanish, French, Portuguese and Romanian.
* Almost 20% of Italy’s population is over 65 years old.
 Florence * Italy is famous for its sports cars - Ferrari and Lamborghini and for the Vespa motor scooter.
* Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Othello, Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, Cymbeline and more were set in Italy (Verona).
* Most of the famous personalities are born in Italy- Niccolo Machiavelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, Antonio Stradivari, Donatello, Fra Angelico, Tintoretto, Caravaggio, Bernini, Archimedes are a few to name.
* Opera is an Italian creation.
* Italians invented the Viol, violin, cello, piano, mechanical clock, barometer, thermometer, optical glasses and telephone .
* The average consumption of pasta in Italy is 25 kg per person per year.
* Italy has the lowest birthrate in all of Europe.
* Italy is surrounded by 5 seas - Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, Mediterranean, Ionian and Adriatic.
* Italy is surrounded by 6 countries - France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Vatican City and San Marino.
* Italian farms produce grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives, beef, and dairy.
* The city of Naples gave birth to the pizza.
* The longest river in Italy is the Po.
* Cologne and ice cream cone were invented in Italy.
* Before adopting the euro, Italy’s currency was known as the lira.
* The espresso machine hails from Italy.
* The Roman Catholic Church is located in Italy and 98% of Italians are Roman Catholics.
* The national game of Italy is Soccer (Football).
* The national cuisine of Italy is Pasta.
* The national bird of Italy is Bluebird.
* The national animal of Italy is Italian Wolf.
* The national flower of Italy is Lily.
* Italy has three active volcanoes - Vesuvius, Etna, and Stromboli.
Lake Como Rome has become even more expensive to visit.Tourist tax. the amount you pay depends on your digs. 2 or 3 euro`s a night | |