Italy We've only been to Italy once. In August 1995 we visited Rome, Florence, Milan and the Lake Como area. It was too hot in Rome, but nice in Como -- so next time we'll go earlier in the year. This is a very personal view, full of our opinions -- you may not agree with all of them. We'll list only the places we've really liked. Dave & Rita Curbow This will always be a work in progress. We hope you find it helpful. Last update November 23, 2000. Table Of Contents Rome Florence Lake Como Milan     Rome Hotels We stayed at the Hotel Tre Api Hotel. It was a nice place, but we got ripped off so badly that I've made an exception to my "only mention good places" -- we won't go back. Until I write more about Rome, check out a few pictures below! It seems that everyone visits Trevi Fountain at least once! Also a popular location for wedding photos! View of the city from the top of St. Peter's Cathedral The previous picture was taken from the balcony just below the golden ball! It was a LONG climb to get there. This arch, and the Colliseum (right) are from ancient Rome -- more details later. Florence Mid summer when we visited Florence it was packed, but we had a good time anyway! Florence has great museums with too many tourists waiting in line, great food and locals on noisy Vespa scooters. After spending one night in a hotel near the Ponte Veccio, we moved someplace quieter. I 'll write more soon... Lake Como We saw a program by Rick Steves on this area and decided it looked like a wonderful place to visit in the middle of our vacation (after Rome & Florence, and before Milan). It turned out to be the highlight of our trip. Below are a few photos -- I'll write more soon. First, we stayed at Bellagio, a small town on the tip of the strip of land that divides the lake. Thus, great views! The Hotel Belvedere was probably the nicest we stayed in during this trip. We recommend it highly! Dave enjoying a day at the lake -- see how relaxed! In contrast, the town has narrow, steep stairways between the buildings -- afterall it is on a hill! The back alleys of Bellagio. A beautiful estate on the tip of Bellagio. Not open to the public, but once or twice a day a tour of 12 people are allowed to walk around part of the estate. Ferries carry people across the lake A view across the lake The city of Como has some steep hills -- we hiked up one. That's the city and lake behind Rita.   Milan A nice, modern city -- actually sort of boring after all the older Italian cities, at least for a tourist. Milan Cathedral -- notice that this church has 2 pairs of aisles, in contrast to most cathedrals that have only 1. It's very elaborate outside, but (as I recall) fairly dark inside. Back to Dave & Rita Curbow's Travel Page Copyright (c) 2000 by David and Rita Curbow. All Rights Reserved.