1st Trip To Italy

[jkmunchkin]

I am thinking of planning a trip to Italy next year, ideally for 10 - 14 days. I would probably be going around August, as that is the best time for both me and my husband to take of work for that lengthy a period... but would really love to go in Sept. or October.

Ofcourse we want to see the culture and history of the different regions of Italy, and shopping is a must for me

It doesn't have to necessarily be the couture shopping of Milan, since I live in NY and can go Gucci down the street anytime if that's what I want. My body type is actually very similar to that of the woman in Europe, and Italy specifically (very long legs and arms, thin, not much in the way of hips).

I think we would want to see some of the busier cities, but also the more tranquil parts of Italy.

I've done some research but I'd love suggestions from people where we should go to experience Italy on a 1st trip that we could fit into our time frame.

Thanks!

(Oh, and I plan on buy lots of Bi-Aglut pasta to take home). LOL!!

[2Boys4Me]

I got to go to Torino Feb. 2-15, 2006 (and watched Canada's women's hockey team slaughter the Russians 12-0. Woo! But I digress ).

I saw the Shroud of Turin and the accompanying museum. Very interesting. I took a day trip to Milano to see "The Last Supper". It was amazing to see in real life. If you go, be sure to make an appointment. You can only make appointments by phone. About a 10 minute walk from the Refectory is the cathedral Il Duomo. Also amazing. The front was covered with tarps and scaffolding at the time, but the cathedral is unbelievable.

If you're up north, I'd try to see those things. I should have taken more day trips, but my husband was working for NBC the whole month, so I was by myself 90% of the time, and not really brave enough to get lost by myself with the language barrier and everything. If we'd been together, I'd have had no problem being more adventurous. It's much nicer to be lost with a friend.

[Renth]

If you are interested in art you need to go to Florence! Have fun!

[DingoGirl]

Florence. Florence. FLORENCE!!!!! and look around, I think I left part of my heart there....

Spent half a summer in Italy in my twenties.....for an art history class. We had two weeks in Rome (you'll have to go there too, but it's very bustling and busy - still, I loved it) and then travelled all over the north the rest of the time. The Tuscan hill towns were incredibly beautiful also (San Gimignano, etc.) but I've heard they've become quite a bit more tourist-y now.....

Lucky you!

[mattagli]

Hi My name is Matteo, I am Italian from Milan.... Milan is not just shopping like everybody think .. it s also art and fun (clubs, bars..happy hours) .. you should go to see Sforzeco Castello, Pinacoteca di brera, Sant Ambrogio Church... the last supper of leonardo da vinci, la Scala di Milano, Navigli and so on!

another nice city is SIENA(it s my favourite City)...it s in toscany and then u can go to visit florence Pisa and then go to Assisi and Umbria...

Good choise for Bi -Aglut... is my favourite pasta too... !! but u can try Veneziane (its corn pasta) they are good!

ciao MATTEO

I am thinking of planning a trip to Italy next year, ideally for 10 - 14 days. I would probably be going around August, as that is the best time for both me and my husband to take of work for that lengthy a period... but would really love to go in Sept. or October.

Ofcourse we want to see the culture and history of the different regions of Italy, and shopping is a must for me

It doesn't have to necessarily be the couture shopping of Milan, since I live in NY and can go Gucci down the street anytime if that's what I want. My body type is actually very similar to that of the woman in Europe, and Italy specifically (very long legs and arms, thin, not much in the way of hips).

I think we would want to see some of the busier cities, but also the more tranquil parts of Italy.

I've done some research but I'd love suggestions from people where we should go to experience Italy on a 1st trip that we could fit into our time frame.

Thanks!

(Oh, and I plan on buy lots of Bi-Aglut pasta to take home). LOL!!

[DingoGirl]

Ciao Matteo!

Anche me piace molto Sienna, Umbria, e Assisi!

I miss it very much. Sometimes, I still dream in Italian......

I"ll be back!

[jkmunchkin]

Thanks everyone!

I was taking to my mom over the weekend about it (her and my dad went to Italy several years ago), and as of I think I'm going to do Florence, Venice, Rome and the Amalfi Coast (along with as much of the surrounding towns of those cities as possible). I hope I'm not trying to squeeze to much in

I'll have lots more questions when I actually start to plan this faboulous trip!!

[mattagli]

Have you ever consider the " le cinque terre".... it so beautiful place! it s between Liguria and Toscana... take information on that place or let me know! ok?

Ciao MATTEO

[mattagli]

wow .. where did you learn italian? next time i will write you in Italian.... (my English is not so good ehheeh)

Italy is nice place...I love my country and I would love that everybody, once in their life, could go there and spend time with Italian people and culture. It's the place of love, of Romanticism, of history but also of the friendship and hospitality.

Come back soon in ITALY....and still dream in Italian

Ciao MATTEO

Ciao Matteo!

Anche me piace molto Sienna, Umbria, e Assisi!

I miss it very much. Sometimes, I still dream in Italian......

I"ll be back!

[DingoGirl]

Have you ever consider the " le cinque terre".... it so beautiful place! it s between Liguria and Toscana... take information on that place or let me know! ok?

Ciao MATTEO

dio mio!! my friend lived in Cinque Terre doppo (per?) un anno. She is there now for three weeks, and it is a very, very beautiful town.

Matteo - ho studiato l'italiano per solamente un anno qui in California. Ma era di piu de 20 anni fa! ho domenticato quasi tutti........

e sono andata in Italia in 1983.

Tu sei in Texas??? that is pazzo!!!!!! (crazy?) (my Italian is now very simple and crude, forgive me!)

ciao

[mattagli]

Le Cinque Terre there are so beautiful....especially in summer or spring!! Your Italian is good...just you need to practice it a little bit...like I have to do with my English... I was a TA at University of Utah for 3 month so ..we can refresh your Italian!!

Well, I arrive in Arlington one month ago because I am a marketing manager for a Italian company that produce Tanning beds in Italy and we import and distribute them all over the US, Canada and Mexico... this is what I am doing here. I don't know what to think about Texas because I don

[dancer4jc]

Hi...My mom (who has a gluten intolerance) and I took a trip to Italy in May. We went all over (Venice, Florence, Assisi, Sorento, Pompeii, and Rome) I LOVED Florence, and highly recommend it. WAtch the gelato at smaller gelatarias, many of them add wheat as a thickener. Anyway, My mom was very concerned about what to eat while she was there. So, we printed business-sized cards explaining what she could eat in Italian. MOst restaurants were very easy to work with. ALso, check the pharmacies for gluten-free items. There is one about a block away from the Vatican that is very well supplied, and the pharmacist was very helpful in making sure we got everything we needed. however, be prepared with some extra money, b/c gluten-free foods are even MORE expensive there (bring along some gluten-free snacks from home just in case).

Also, if you do go to Florence, there if the BEST gelato place. It is really good, and everything is gluten-free (except for the obvious, ie. cookie dough). its called Vivoli and is located a block away from the PLazza de S. Croce when you're heading towards Palazza de SIgnoria.

Enjoy your trip!

[lapetit8]

I was in Milan recently and am currently in Venice, and both cities have been amazing in accommodating my gluten free diet. While I was in Milan, many restaurants provided me with gluten free pasta and several places served gluten free crackers in place of bread. In Venice, the places I have been so far have all been great too.

But, my hotel is a Celiac's dream! It's the Hotel Cipriani on the Giudecca. They have made their own gluten free rolls, which are absolutely delicious and taste real! Also, I've had gluten free pasta, bruschetta, and I hear they have pizza too! They also can make all of their menu items gluten free. I've heard that one of the chefs has gluten intolerance, which is why they know so much!

[amber]

wow .. where did you learn italian? next time i will write you in Italian.... (my English is not so good ehheeh)

Italy is nice place...I love my country and I would love that everybody, once in their life, could go there and spend time with Italian people and culture. It's the place of love, of Romanticism, of history but also of the friendship and hospitality.

Come back soon in ITALY....and still dream in Italian

Ciao MATTEO

Ciao Matteo,

I have been to Italy three times and I would love to visit again with my family. I have 2 kids aged 10 and 6 and my 10 year old is a celiac. My mother and father are Italian (from Gorizia and Lipari) but I was born in Australia. My Italian is not that good but I can understand it quite well.

Your English is good and you write well.

Do you think Italy is a good place to go for people that cannot eat gluten?

Grazie

Grace

[DingoGirl]

Do you like to ski or trekking? Well Dolomiti is the place for you! Have you ever been there?

Don

[mattagli]

Ciao Matteo,

I have been to Italy three times and I would love to visit again with my family. I have 2 kids aged 10 and 6 and my 10 year old is a celiac. My mother and father are Italian (from Gorizia and Lipari) but I was born in Australia. My Italian is not that good but I can understand it quite well.

Your English is good and you write well.

Do you think Italy is a good place to go for people that cannot eat gluten?

Grazie

Grace

Hi Grace,

sorry If I write you only know but I was really busy at work this month that I did not have time to visit the Forum so much.

You are a Mix between North and South of Italy.... Which part do you feel more?? norht or South? LOL.

I want to answer to your question.... for my experience I can say that Italy is one of the place where you can find a lot of people that know about gluten. In Italy every months a lot of people find that they have celiac disease. We have an association that can give you a lot of information about products and restaurant were you can go to eat. At the farmacy you can find a lot of different brand with gluten free products. In my country Italian people with this kind of disease have 130 euro every month from pubblic health(dalla sanita' pubblica) to buy all kind of food gluten free. That is really good because it' s really expencive.

Look if you go in Italy for turism you can find a lot of place that cook gluten free products . If you go to live in Italy you can find a lot of gluten free food in the farmacy. If you go in a restaurant or in same place where the dont know about celiac disease well don' t worry there are so many dishes on the menus that you have just to choose!The most important thing to do, if they don't know about Gluten, is to ask if there is any "farina" or " Pane". For me in Italy you can feel save to eat gluten free...

Voglio continuare questo commento in Italiano... visto che capisci bene l'italiano non avrai problemi a leggere questa pagina web che e' dell'associazione italiana celiaci. Puoi trovare tutte le informazioni che avrai bisogno sui ristoranti e altri posti dove andare a mangiare.

Anche il prontuario degli alimenti senza glutine in commercio e delle ricette italiane con prodotti senza glutine....

questo e' il sito: Open Original Shared Link

Se hai qualsiasi domanda fammi sapere!

Ciao MATTEO

[amber]

Hi Grace,

sorry If I write you only know but I was really busy at work this month that I did not have time to visit the Forum so much.

You are a Mix between North and South of Italy.... Which part do you feel more?? norht or South? LOL.

I want to answer to your question.... for my experience I can say that Italy is one of the place where you can find a lot of people that know about gluten. In Italy every months a lot of people find that they have celiac disease. We have an association that can give you a lot of information about products and restaurant were you can go to eat. At the farmacy you can find a lot of different brand with gluten free products. In my country Italian people with this kind of disease have 130 euro every month from pubblic health(dalla sanita' pubblica) to buy all kind of food gluten free. That is really good because it' s really expencive.

Look if you go in Italy for turism you can find a lot of place that cook gluten free products . If you go to live in Italy you can find a lot of gluten free food in the farmacy. If you go in a restaurant or in same place where the dont know about celiac disease well don' t worry there are so many dishes on the menus that you have just to choose!The most important thing to do, if they don't know about Gluten, is to ask if there is any "farina" or " Pane". For me in Italy you can feel save to eat gluten free...

Voglio continuare questo commento in Italiano... visto che capisci bene l'italiano non avrai problemi a leggere questa pagina web che e' dell'associazione italiana celiaci. Puoi trovare tutte le informazioni che avrai bisogno sui ristoranti e altri posti dove andare a mangiare.

Anche il prontuario degli alimenti senza glutine in commercio e delle ricette italiane con prodotti senza glutine....

questo e' il sito: Open Original Shared Link

Se hai qualsiasi domanda fammi sapere!

Ciao MATTEO

Ciao Matteo and thank you all your useful information.

I first have to say that your English is much, much better than my Italian. I can understand what you have written in Italian but not completely. I will get my Mum to translate for me to make sure I understand. I will go and look at the Italian Coeliac Society website. I have one of their magazines at home because I volunteer at the Coeliac Society here in Melbourne and they get copies of the magazine there. It certainly seems like there are alot of products available and I even saw one of the Australian companies 'Ogran' advertised in there. You are lucky that the government gives you money to buy gluten free food. We do not get any money from the government to do so here. Also we don't seel gluten free food at the pharmacy but at the supermarket or health food stores. I feel very comfortable here in Australia that there is good awareness in cafes and restaurants and that we can get food easily. I feel more comfortable now about travelling to Italy and being able to find gluten free food easily. I think most gelati in Italy would be gluten free except for maybe flavours like tiramasu or ferro rocher which would not. I think my daughter would certainly love to eat lots of gelati there. We do have some excellent gelati here too but not as many as in Italy.

Grazie Matteo

Ciao

Grace (Grazia)

[Rugrat73]

I have just come back from my 9th trip to Italy and I'd have to say that the Cinque Terre is one of the best places I've been to. We stayed in a little town just outside the Cinque Terre, which is called Levanto. From there, you have easy access to the train station to get to the Cinque Terre. Make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes and take water with you, asif you are going in August, that's the hottest month. If you are up to walking through some of the towns a couple of them have rugged terrain and it gets tiring. Another option you have if you don't feel up to walking through all the towns, you can catch the train from one to the next.

Other places that are worth visiting, as other people have mentioned, Florence is a must, Assisi is a beautiful town, Pompeii is very interesting, Amalfi Coast, Venice and Sicily is a wonderful place. I spent a week in Sicily on my last trip, Mt Etna is amazing, Acitrezzi, Catania and Sicarusa are a few places that I was able to visit.

Hope this helps you out a bit.

If you'd like to see any of my photos, just let me know.

Also, the Le Veneziane pasta is the best, it's a pity I can't find it here in Australia.

I also had Schar products over there, but have found them here which is great.

It's a shame I can't find Bi Aglut flour here, because I brought a book back from Italy and the recipes use the Bi Aglut products.

[Rugrat73]

Forgot to add I found gelato in the supermarket over there as well, it's called ValSoia and it's sooooo yummy. The one I bought was chocolate and vanilla.

Your daughter won't have a problem finding gluten free products over there, as they have a huge range, more than us here in Australia I'd say.

I think a lot of the gluten free products here are imported from Italy.

Also, if you go into a chemist over there and don't see any gluten free products, make sure you ask, because usually they will take you into another room out the back which is chocablock full of gluten free products.

Enjoy your holiday and the food.

[kellylynn]

I just got back from Rome and the Amalfi coast. It was incredible!! We stayed in Sorrento and did day trips to Pompeii, Capri, and Amalfi...absolutely unbelievable. You have to check out Casa Astarita in Sorrento....it's an amazing bed and breakfast. The owner was so kind and was willing to go out of her way to acommodate my gluten free diet. There werea also severeal gluten free diining options in Sorrento...I had pizza, gnocchi, and a gelato with a cone!

Rome is just amazing as well!

I'm happy to give you more specifics if you'd like!

Enjoy!! You'll have an incredible time!

[Lisa16]

Italy is my favorite country in the whole world.

I hope you can spend a little time in Rome. The tricky thing is finding a good hotel (look on Venere.com), but once you do you could spend the whole time in Rome alone. Some of the coolest museums are there-- I am especially fond of the Villa Giulia where they have the Etruscan artifacts. I love walking down the streets and seeing bits of temples incorporated in modern (by Italian standards) buildings, looking at the gardens or even finding a pot hole that reaches down to China.

And Florence is another place where you could spend the entire trip. If you go to see the museums during high turist season, please be sure to make reservations at the Ufizzi, or you will end up spending all day in line and that is just too sad. You can usually do that from the hotel (again, I would use Venere.com to find a good one).

I would go to Venice just to see it-- it is sinking at a rate of an inch a year. But if I could go anywhere and do anything, I would go to see Pompei-- but that is just me. It is not everybody's cup of tea.

I went to Italy before I was diagnosed, so I'm afraid I don't have gluten-free advice, but I am excited for you! You will love it.

[Michelle1234]

I'm also planning a trip to Italy this fall. I haven't stayed there yet but found this on the web site of the Crown Plaza hotel in Rome.

"Specially organized gluten free menu and gluten free products included on our breakfast buffet

2008 IHG EMEA Award for Hotel Renovations

Gluten free menus available"

Open Original Shared Link

As a result they are a likely candidate should I need a hotel in Rome. If anyone else has other suggestions I would love to hear about them as I have not yet booked anything.

Have fun!

Michelle

[Jestgar]

I would start my planning Open Original Shared Link