Budget Honeymoon to Italy

DAY 1 – EN ROUTE TO ROME – ARRIVE NEXT DAY

DAY 2 - ARRIVE IN ROME - ORIENTATION

Arrive in Rome Fiumicino Airport and take one of the yellow cabs or we can arrange for you to be met at the airport and taken to your hotel in Rome for an added charge. The ride takes about 40 minutes and a cab costs around €65.

Check in and relax and freshen up, then head for an orientation walk of Rome; your location will be central to all sights. If you are hungry get a bite at one of the restaurant locations below.

Walk around the Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo and Fountain of Trevi and the many streets around this bustling historic area. This is the very heart of historic Rome and wherever you walk, you are sure to find a famous monument, palace or museum. Everything is within a 1-mile walking radius making sightseeing easy.

The world-famous Piazza di Spagna owes its name to the presence of the Spanish Embassy in previous centuries. The stairway of the Church of Trinita dei Monti was built in 1720 and until the end of the 1800's was “the sitting room” of the city. There is a museum dedicated to Keats and Shelley in the piazza. In its entire splendor in the middle of the square is the Fontana della Barcaccia (Fountain of the Old Boat), designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini's father, Pietro.

From Piazza di Spagna it is possible to reach the terrace of Pincio, from where you can enjoy one of the most romantic views of the city.

CAFÉ'S - BREAK

Around the Spanish Steps on the number one shopping street in Rome - Via Condotti is the Antico Caffe' Greco - over 200 years old. This is where Lord Byron, Goethe and Liszt would stop to have a pastry and coffee or drinks. It is expensive. Otherwise head for the next parallel street - Via Frattina and take a seat at one of the 2 main café's - this is where Rome comes strolling by.

Walk along the elegant Via del Corso in direction Piazza Venezia and then turn left at Via Muratte…you will arrive directly at the most famous and spectacular of the Roman fountains, THE TREVI FOUNTAIN, due to the incredible effect of its white marble and to the legends and the images connected to it.

Tradition says that if you throw a coin into the fountain over your left shoulder you will return to Rome again soon.

Palazzo Colonna - this palace is open to the public once a week only on Saturday mornings. The Palace of the Quirinal is a steep walk upwards from the Fountain of Trevi (walk up with your back facing the fountain). The Quirinal is the highest of Rome's seven hills - it is the official residence of the nation's president.

WHERE TO EAT IN ROME….

Le Grotte and Da Mario right off the Spanish Steps on Via della Vite - have your concierge reserve for Da Mario, Via della Vite 55. @ Tel. 06 678 3818.

Le Grotte is one of the most famous and traditional Roman restaurants. Excellent pizza and top antipasto choice. Via della Vite 37. Reserve @ Tel. 06 679 5336.

Da Giggetto in the historic heart of Rome, Via del Portico d'Ottavia, 21a/22 or Il Pompiere Via S. M. Dei Calderari 38. Tel. 686 83 77. Cl. Sun.

Fortunato al Pantheon right near the Pantheon. A survivor in the culinary Roman empire: politicians and yuppies are frequent visitors: Superb antipasto table and genuine food at good prices. A meal here should be about $40 if you want soup to nuts and drink the house wine. You can eat for less. Via del Pantheon 55, Tel.06 67 92 788.

Al Moro Fellini's favorite, wine repertory and chic atmosphere. Vicolo delle Bollette 13. Tel. 06 67 83 495

Osteria dell’Antiquario P.tta S.Simeone, 27 00186 ROMA Tel.: 06-6879694. Another top suggestions is Cul de Sac one of the historical restaurants in Rome. Great wine list with over 1400 labels. Traditional roman cuisine. P.za Pasqualino 73, Te. 06 68801094.

BEST COFFEE IN ALL OF ROME - just steps from the Pantheon - Tazza D'Oro.

Da Lucia (near the Tiber as you cross over towards the Tiberina Island - cheap, Vicolo del Mattonato. Tel. 06 580 36 01. Very traditional simple fare, no frills.

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS…good for the taste and for the wallet!!!

For the BEST PIZZA IN ROME - Da Ivo, Via di San Francesco a Ripa ask concierge - there is usually a line outside….try also the Pizzeria near Piazza di Spagna, La Capricciosa Largo dei Lombardi 8.

DAY 3 - VATICAN - ST. PETER - THE SISTINE CHAPEL - ROMAN FORUM

Morning tour of the VATICAN, ST. PETERS, and SISTINE CHAPEL together with your private guide, who will pick you up directly at your hotel. You can of course also settle another itinerary with him/her based on your interests. Take the metro direct to the Vatican or a taxi.

The S. Peter’s Dome is the largest, most famous and magnificent basilica in the world. Within it lie works of art (including Michelangelo’s “Pieta”) covering almost 2000 years of history. The Basilica was originally built where the Apostle Saint Peter was believed to have been buried. The current basilica was inaugurated in 1626 and only later the square in front was planned and completed with its colonnade by Bernini.

Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Climb into the dome, entrance from the portico: open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Explore the Vatican Museums’ collection of Egyptian, Etruscan, Roman, Renaissance and Baroque art, works by Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio and Canova as well as the awe-inspiring Sistine Chapel.

LUNCH - I suggest you take a cab with guide to CAMPO DEI FIORI MARKET and eat at LA CARBONARA right on the square. This is Rome's most colorful and lively outdoor market. Around you are picturesque streets, squares and ancient buildings.

Continue with private guide or on your own to the ROMAN and IMPERIAL FORUM, COLISEUM, and CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS.

The rise of IMPERIAL FORUM marked the passage from Republic to Empire, thanks to Giulius Cesar that built the first forum of the complex in 46 b.C.; all Roman Imperators wanted to live a distinguishing mark taking its name from them. The archaeological area is one of the richest all over the world, and for who loves art and Roman civilization the Imperial forum is one of the most interesting examples Rome can offer. The most important forum of the complex is the Traianus one;

The Roman Forum on the other side of the has been for Roman civilization an important point of reference: the old market, the Tribunal, the most important holy buildings are all inside it.

At the end of the Via dei Fori Imperiali you will find the COLOSSEUM, the most famous monument of Ancient Rome. Its original name is Flavian Amphitheatre. Later it has been renamed with its popular name, the Colosseum, because it was built near where the Emperor Nero had erected a huge statue, or colossus of himself. It showed him as the god of the sun. It was 100 feet high, and it was the largest gilded bronze statue in antiquity. It was later moved away. It took 24 elephants to move it!

Nearby is the Roman Ghetto a very old part of Rome where the Jews still live. If time allows your guide can take you there also. There are excellent restaurants serving authentic Roman cuisine among the old ruins of Rome.

The CAPITOLINE MUSEUM houses some very important Roman and Greek sculptures and the Capitoline Hill (one of the historical seven hills of Rome) itself was designed largely by Michelangelo (few know he was an excellent architect). There is plenty of walking here. The view over the Roman Forum is wonderful at sunset.

OTHER POSSIBLE OPTIONS: BORGHESE GALLERY - DORIA PAMPHILI PALACE

VILLA BORGHESE is the most beautiful public garden in Rome, created by Cardinal Borghese at the beginning of the 17th century. Two of the nicer areas of the park are the Giardino del Lago, where you can rent boats, and Piazza Siena, where international equestrian events take place each spring.

BORGHESE GALLERY. This is Rome's finest collection and a small, intimate museum. The very best art can offer housed in what was one of the city's most elegant palaces, owned by the Borghese family surrounded by the vast park and gardens. It is near the Via Veneto.

We will reserve tickets for you and inform you at which time you should pick up your tickets. You then just need to give your reservation number, pay for the tickets (about $ 5 USD) and enjoy the visit. Museum opens at 9:00 a.m.

After, stroll through the gardens towards the center of town and down Piazza del Popolo with its huge Obelisks and Fountains. If you didn't already, take a taxi-ride to CAMPO DEI FIORI - Rome's most colorful market shouldn't be missed. It is the very essence of Rome. Many wonderful trattorias and restaurants around there I can recommend.

Other option is to walk down the Corso from Piazza del Popolo where there are several important churches and the main shopping hub.

HALF DAY TOUR IN ROME

Further suggestions…

DORIA PAMPHILI PALACE - Another sumptuous palace still owned by the Pamphili family. Make sure you take the tour of the private apartments, which usually is every hour. This is located on the CORSO the long shopping street that starts at Piazza del Popolo and ends at the Monument to VICTOR EMMANUEL and PIAZZA VENEZIA - where Mussolini used to give his speeches. Address is Piazza del Collegio Romano 1/a open Mon; Tues; and Fri-Sunday (just off the Corso).

DORIA PAMPHILI GALLERY displays a rich collection of major works by Italian artists from the 1500s and 1600s: Titian, Raphael, Filippino Lippi, Correggio, Caravaggio, Guercino, Guido Reni, Lorenzo Bernini, Velazquez.

Piazza del Collegio Romano, 1A. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed Thurs.

ICE CREAM STOP

Walk over to the PANTHEON, the area has some of the best Gelato/ice-cream in the country. GIOLITTI however has been the undisputed champion since my grandmother's time. From the Pantheon (closes @ 6:30 p.m.) walk over to the sprawling PIAZZA NAVONA and the surrounding side streets. The café Tre Scalini has the most intense chocolate truffle ice cream in Rome. Justifiably famous.

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS

CASTEL SANT'ANGELO - ROMAN WALKS

CASTEL SANT'ANGELO was the Pope's wartime fortress. An underground passageway connected the Vatican with the Castle. It is built on the ruins of Emperor Hadrian's tomb and very unusual in shape and content, used for over 1,000 years by Popes. A climb to the very top offers an unforgettable view of the city including St. Peter's dome, the Tiber River and the terracotta roof tiles of Rome.

UKNOWN ROME: TRASTEVERE - TIBER ISLAND this area is known to be where "true Romans" are born and bred. Trastevere is the Italian form of the Latin expression trans Tiberim, i.e. "beyond the Tiber" and probably Rome's most typical quarter, where old houses and narrow streets remind us what the whole city must have looked like centuries ago.

The heart of this quarter is a charming square, piazza S.Maria in Trastevere, featuring an ancient church, whence the name of the place, and a fountain. Legend has it that a miraculous well of oil sprang from this spot when Christ was born, and flowed to the Tiber all day.

Although Trastevere has undergone a re-birth after having been forgotten it still (at least for now) retains an authentic charm and this is where to have a pizza and where to look for tiny boutiques along the way.

 SPECIAL EVENING DINNER IN TRASTEVERE: Another option for one of your dinners is to head for Trastevere in the heart of Rome, where the "real" Romans live. Take a cab over there, see the Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere and the Piazza late afternoon, before dinner and reserve a table outside at ROMOLO nel GIARDINO della Fornarina. Tel. 581 8284. Closed Monday.

GREAT CHURCHES - THE BATH OF CARACALLA

Rome is the only city in the world with the most churches. It would take months to visit all of them and at the end you would probably think they all look the same way! However every single church, chapel, basilica has a singular history…here are just some of the most important and beautiful…

The beautiful Church of Santa Maria Maggiore is the largest Roman church dedicated to the Virgin and dates from the time of Sixtus III (432-40). Major restorations and changes are from the middle of the 16th century, although from the 13th to the 14th centuries the portico was added and the campanile (the highest of all Roman campaniles) was built. The façade is from the 18th century.

The Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano is the cathedral of Rome and the mother church of the Catholic world. It was built during the time of Constantine and has often been restored and transformed and was completely rebuilt by Borromini in 1650 for the Jubilee year. The famous Galileo Galilei created the façade on Piazzale di Porta S. Giovanni (the main entrance of the basilica) and Fontana the one on Piazza di San Giovanni.

According to a legend, the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, which overlooks the magnificent Imperial Forum, was built on the site where a sibyl predicted to Augustus the birth of Christ.

Santa Maria in Cosmedin

Erected in the 6th century on the site of the food distribution center of ancient Rome, which existed among a group of temples dedicated to Hercules. The portico, which is of the 12th century, holds the famous BOCCA DELLA VERITA’ (the Mouth of Truth), originally a drain covering in the shape of a great face with an open mouth - the mask of a river god. The Mouth of Truth, it was said, would close on the hand of a liar, cutting off the fingers. There is an interesting 8th-century crypt (inquire in the Sacristy).

DAY 4 – FLORENCE

A High-speed train will whisk you to Florence to arrive before lunchtime. Take taxi to hotel - which is minutes from the station and settle in. Just outside is the heart of the city. Florence is a city to discover on foot and all the main sites are within easy walking distance.

RESTAURANTS

A hole in the wall near the Mercato di San Lorenzo called Gozzi - but don't get there too late, the food is cooked in the morning, it is a local's hang out and when its finished, its finished. It isn't open on week-ends, it doesn't have a sign, and it isn't in any guidebook so walk behind the leather displays until you see a small door with people eating inside or ask a shop owner. Al Cinghiale Bianco (the White Boar), your hotel can reserve and you must reserve. Tell your concierge you want the table "in the tower" if available.

Hosteria da Ganino - between the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio on a little side street, Piazza dei Cimatori. Must reserve: Tel. 214125. Closed Sunday. Ask for a table outside.

La Vecchia Taverna di Bacco - near Piazza del Campo. Via Beccheria 9. Tel. 0577/49331. All credit cards.

Al Marsili (if you stay in Siena) - between the Piazza del Campo and Cathedral. It is a 900 year old wine cellar. Via del Castoro 3. Tel. 0577/47154. Closed Monday.

Angiolino - on the Oltrearno district Via Santo Spirito - tel. 239-8976, closed Monday and Sunday dinner. Order Ribollita - the soup of Tuscany.

Walk around and do the Duomo, Palazzo della Signoria, Piazza della Signoria and main sites with private guide. Do either the Palazzo Vecchio or the Bargello or the Santa Maria Novella Church.

PALAZZO VECCHIO is one of the symbols of Florence, which has made it through centuries of battles and rebirths, brought it through the hands of gentlemen and merchants. Its impressive figure gives the piazza a strange but beautiful perspective. In the fifteenth-century it was the seat of the Signori, the highest power figure in the Renaissance, until the Medici family moved to Palazzo Pitti: then, to distinguish it from the Grand Duke's residence, it was named Palazzo Vecchio.

Continue along the Via dei Calzaiuoli, one of the main shopping streets in Florence and arrive at Piazza San Giovanni where you will find the DUOMO portrayed in every postcard, book, painting that advertises Florence, the BATTISTERO and the CAMPANILE DI GIOTTO.

The BAPTISTERY is one of the oldest buildings in Florence, which was initially the city's cathedral before the Reparata. The three sets of gilded bronze doors have made the building very significant hence they are worth talking about.

So far it has been impossible to date beginnings of the Baptistery, one of the oldest architectural monuments of the city.

Opening Hours:

Dome: 10:00 - 17:00 , Mon-Sat, 13:00-15:00 Sundays and Religious Holidays

Church: Times vary according to type of services held.

Baptistery - 13:30 - 18:30 Mon-Sat; 8:30-13:30 Sun. Closed on Easter Sunday.

On the Piazza della Signoria later on sip an aperitif at Rivoire where you can sit on the world's greatest piazza, sip a Campari or have the richest hot chocolate in Italy. “People watching” is the main sport of the day here and you really do see just about everything. The best time is to come before dinner, around 6:30 p.m.

EXTRA SPECIAL SPECIAL MEAL

MUST RESERVE IN ADVANCE!!

ENOTECA PINCHIORRI: one of the few Michelin Star places in Italy. Beautiful dining room that is only a taste of what is to come. Tuscan cuisine with a twist; fantastic wine list and sommelier to help you choose the right bottle. The cuisine is truly superlative and we advise to come VERY hungry in order to do justice to the incredible menu. Via Ghibellina, 87 Tel. 055/242777. Closed Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays (for lunch). Jacket and Tie

DAY 5 - UFFIZI GALLERY – PRIVATE TOUR OF THE HANDCRAFT LABORATORIES

We will reserve tickets to the Uffizi Gallery for you - one of the finest collections of Renaissance art in the world.

There is no way that one can see everything showed in this art galleries in one visit, since it contains many masterpieces that have been collected all over Italy; however a visit to this incredible collection is a must in Florence. Take it slowly and try to concentrate on a couple of themes you are more interested in.

The gallery building contains rooms and rooms of art collections. Some of these rooms may be closed for a variety of reasons but surely one cannot visit all of them in detailed despite the eagerness. Each has its theme and features a specific artist or a type of art.

To mention just few highlights: Room 1 houses an assembly of antique sculptures, many of which were used as a sort of source by Renaissance artists. Room 10 to 14 are dedicated to the great painter, Botticelli , the autor of the famous Primavera with Venus coming out of a shell.

Leonardo da Vinci takes room 15's visitors by storm in his work appearing in the Baptism. As if there can be no other competition, Michelangelo presents his Doni Tondo in room 25, which is the only easel painting, he came close to completing but it still looks magnificent.

Entry to this most historic gallery is not that easy considering that this gallery is in every tourists' 'must see' list.

The Vasari's Corridor can be found on the right end, far north of the museum. This corridor leads to the Palazzo Vecchio going over the Ponte Vecchio bridge.

Intended by Cosimo I around the middle of the 16th century, the UFFIZI PALACE was designed by Giorgio Vasari. In order to realize the project, Vasari had many houses that surrounded the area demolished. Its construction also included the church of San Pier Scheraggio, which was reserved to worshipping until 1743. The purpose of the extraordinary building was to host the thirteen Magistratures or Uffizi, where the Palace later received its name from, at the time located in different seats. When Vasari died, the building of the Uffizi Palace was entrusted to Buontalenti and Alfonso Parigi.

The building has an unusual horseshoe shape formed by two parallel buildings united by a passageway. The two floors of the building stand over a portico sustained by two pillars and decorated by niches, where the statues of Florentines who distinguished themselves from the Middle Ages until the 19th century are placed.

TOUR OF THE HISTORICAL HANDCRAFT SHOPS

You will be picked up directly at your hotel at about 3 pm and return at about 6:30 pm.

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR SIGHTSEEING

SAN LORENZO CHURCH - MEDICI CHAPELS – ACCADEMIA – OSPEDALE DEGLI INNOCENTI

Consecrated by St. Ambrose in 393, the SAN LORENZO CHURCH is the oldest church in the city. It was then rebuilt along Romanesque lines in 1060. The present building dates to 1423 and was designed and built by Brunelleschi.

The simple bare facade lacks the marble revetment; Michelangelo's design was never carried out. The internal façade, which Michelangelo also designed is comprised of three doors between two pilasters with garlands of oak and laurel and a balcony on two Corinthian columns.

The interior has a nave separated from the side aisles by Corinthian columns. The ceiling has magnificent gilded rosettes in white-ground coffering.

MEDICI CHAPEL

The Medici Chapels form part of the monumental complex of San Lorenzo, whose building history lasts from the first years of the fifteenth century until the early seventeenth. The church of San Lorenzo was the official church of the Medici from their period as private residents in their palace in Via Larga (now via Cavour), becoming their mausoleum up to the time of the extinction of the line. Giovanni de' Bicci de' Medici (died 1429) was the first who wished to be buried there with his wife Piccarda in the small Sacristy of Brunelleschi. Later, his son Cosimo the Elder, was buried in the crossing of the church. The project for a family tomb was conceived in 1520 when Michelangelo began work on the New Sacristy, corresponding to the Old Sacristy by Brunelleschi on the other side of the church.

ACCADEMIA

The ACCADEMIA MUSEUM was for a long time considered the deposit of the other Florentine galleries, notably the Uffizi and the collection has changed through the years also owing to the accession of works from the suppressed monastic houses. For many years Botticelli's Primavera was shown here.

Nowadays the gallery can take its place among the finest museums of Florence thanks to the high quality of some of its exhibits, among them Giovanni da Milano's Pieta (fourteenth century), the Annunciation by Lorenzo Monaco (fifteenth century), the beautiful front called Adimari Cassone showing a sumptuous marriage procession (c. 1450) and the Madonna of the Sea attributed to Botticelli (1445-1510).

A recent rearrangement and restoration of some of the rooms have given more space for the display of paintings from the fourteenth to the seventeenth centuries and public admittance to a spectacular room where are arranged plaster models of Lorenzo Bartolini and Luigi Pampaloni, Famous Italian sculptors of the nineteenth century.

The gallery became the focus of more attention in 1873 when Michelangelo's David was exhibited there for the first time in a specially constructed tribune. Brought there for reasons of conservation from Piazza Signoria where for almost four centuries it had represented the power and dignity of the Florentine Republic, it was joined at the beginning of this century by other Michelangelo sculptures

INFO

ACCADEMIA, via Ricasoli 68

Phone: 055-216261

OSPEDALE DEGLI INNOCENTI

Located right near the Accademia Museum, the Ospedale degli Innocenti (Foundling Hospital) and its portico (gallery) is one of the best-known and most important architectural complexes of the early fifteenth century in Florence. This was commissioned and financed by the Arte della Lana to the designs of Filippo Brunelleschi. The "hospital" aimed to raise abandoned children and teach them some useful trade enabling them to take their place in society. In the buildings of the refectory, cloisters, dormitories, infirmary, nurses’ rooms and porticoes, Brunelleschi created a perfect example of rational and harmonious hospital architecture subsequently enlarged and decorated with frescoes documenting the continuing activities of the institution and the favours of the reigning Medici family.

PITTI PALACE - BOBOLI GARDENS - PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO – SAN MINIATO AL MONTE

Situated in the first great square in the area that the Florentines call "Diladdarno" - beyond the Arno - PALAZZO PITTI dominates uncontested at the feet of the small hill Boboli.

Its construction was commissioned in the second half of the 15th century by the banker Luca Bonaccorso Pitti to the famous architect Filippo Brunelleschi. The palace has had a long history of works of construction and of extensions, which have lasted about four centuries.

The first version of Palazzo Pitti had smaller body dimensions compared to the present one. The architectural Renaissance style, austere and balanced, was enriched by classical elements from the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders. The following extensions gave the Palace its present appearance. Around 1550 the Grand-Duke Cosimo I de' Medici purchased it to become the residence of the family and in 1558 he commissioned the works of refinement to Bartolomeo Ammannati who included large windows in the façade, called inginocchiate, and created the portico and thed courtyard. The construction and the creation of the great garden, named Boboli from the homonymous hill, were commissioned to Niccolò Tribolo.

Palazzo Pitti, which through time assumed different functions, is today the seat of important museums (Silvers, Chinawares, Costumes, Carriages, Gallery of Modern Art and the Garden of Boboli) through which it is possible to visit its halls, the displays of the court and the splendour of a faraway epoch which managed to pass down faithful and unchanged through history.

Info:

Palazzo Pitti: Piazza Pitti

Closed on Mondays

Admission:

£ 8000 the Modern Art Gallery (Galleria d'Arte Moderna) and the Costume Gallery (Galleria del Costume)

£ 4000 the Museum of Silver (Museo degli Argenti);

£ 4000 the Museum of Chinaware (Museo delle Porcellane) and the Boboli Garden (Giardino di Boboli).

Phone: 055/2388710

The Boboli Gardens extend between Palazzo Pitti, Forte Belvedere and the Porta Romania. It's the typical Italian garden that mixes architecturalized nature and natural architecture, hosting sculptures and plastics from antiquity to the 19th century.

Info:

Piazza Pitti

Hour: from May to October 9:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.

Ticket L. 4.000

WALKING ITINERARY….

Complete your tour with the magnificent panorama view of Florence you will able to enjoy from PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO, looking down onto the Arno and its bridges; on the left the view includes the large 19th century Cascine Parks, lower down the districts of Santo Spirito and San Frediano, to the right the white BASILICA OF SAN MINIATO AL MONTE.

DAY 6 - FLORENCE - VENICE

Leave Florence and arrive in Venice Train Station (3 hour high speed train ride) and take either the waterbus or water taxi to hotel. A water taxi costs around $70 and can take you right to your hotel, which in Venice is most advantageous.

Rest and unpack and then head for the main square - San Marco and take an orientation walk. Sip a cappuccino at one of the outdoor café's, walk along the seashore and admire the view across the lagoon of St. George's Church. In the evening there is a Hungarian orchestra playing outside on San Marco at the famous Café' Florian.

GREAT PLACES TO DINE IN VENICE…

Alla Madonna Don't judge the place from the outside - the rooms are actually well kept and, by Venetian standards, rather elegant, with some decent artwork: Boiled granseola and seafood salads can be followed by a hearty fish soup with croutons, or deep-fried eel for the more adventurous. Ask hotel to reserve. Calle della Madonna, 594 San Polo, Phone: 041/522-384 AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Wed. and part of Aug.

Osteria al Bacco It's worth making the effort to track down this ancient osteria where you can mingle with the locals and find refuge from the crowds. For alfresco dining, the small but charming garden has a few tables. Fondamenta Capuzine, 3054 Cannaregio, Phone: 041/717-493. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Mon., Jan., and Aug.

Trattoria C'a d'Oro Just a small place serving authentic Venetian Food with a rough Venetian floor, old marble counter, wooden paneling, and long tables invite conviviality. Calle del Pistor, 3912 Cannaregio, Phone: 041/528-5324. No credit cards. Closed Thurs., Sun. morning, Aug., and 1st wk in Sept.

Al Graspo de Ua Opened in the 19th century as a small osteria, the "Bunch of Grapes" became the meeting point of artists and movie stars back in the dolce vita days. The wide menu offers fresh pasta tossed with fish, seasonal risotto, and meat and seafood. Calle dei Bombaseri, 5094 San Marco, Phone: 041/522-3647. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Mon. and several wks between July and Aug.

DAY 7 - DOGE'S PALACE - SAN MARCO BASILICA - RIALTO BRIDGE

Head back to SAN MARCO SQUARE to the PALAZZO DUCALE - (open every day).

The Palace is one of the most magnificent in Italy and well deserving of at least an hour and a half. This Gothic-Renaissance fantasy of pink-and-white marble is the majestic expression of the prosperity and power attained by Venice during its most glorious period - it was the Venetian Republic's White House, Senate, Supreme Court, and prison rolled into one.

Since it is quite extensive, you might want to purchase a good guidebook to get the most out of it. Inside are sumptuous rooms, private apartments, dungeons and great paintings/works of art to admire; it has always been a focal point in the rich history of the city.

Next-door is the Basilica of San Marco, one of the richest and greatest Byzantine churches in the world. San Marco is famous for its 43,055 sq ft of stunning mosaics, for the Cappella della Madonna di Nicopeia (Chapel of the Madonna of Nicopeia), and for the extraordinary Pala d'Oro (Golden Altarpiece), a dazzling gilded silver screen encrusted with gems.

Across from the Basilica is the CORRER MUSEUM - also worth a stop. Your entry to the Doge Palace includes the entry to the Correr Museum, so if you have time during the day, stop over. Canova's neo-classical sculptures are on display, as well as many eclectic collections, furniture, elegant rooms, artifacts etc…

Begin to discover the various quarters of the city. San Polo, Dorsoduro, La Guidecca, Rialto, San Marco. The best thing is to just get lost actually. You can walk everywhere in Venice, and where you cannot walk you go by water. While the city has hundreds of bridges, the Grand Canal can only be crossed on foot at three points: Ponte degli Scalzi, near the train station (Ferrovia); Ponte di Rialto, at the Rialto; and at Ponte dell'Accademia. As an alternative, take the traghetti, essentially gondolas that ferry across the canal. The vaporetti (water buses) that circulate through the city on set routes are best used to cover long distances.

Away from the crowds, strolling along narrow alleys you discover the real Venice, no tourists. Magically bright squares and gardens appear.

It is a relief to get away from the people and find out how intimate this city can be. Your camera will be busy clicking away as you cross little bridges; they look like picture postcard settings.

SAN POLO - Campo S. Rocco and Campo D. Frari - Campo San Polo. The Scuola di San Rocco houses some great works by Tintoretto - one of my favorite artists. (1500's)

MORE RESTAURANTS SUGGESTIONS:

Al Conte Pescaor Delicious risotto and hot second courses. You can eat at the bar. 597 B, Piscina San Zulian, off Marzaria San Zulian, Tel. 041.522.1483 Closed Sun. and Mon. aftnoon.

Taverna San Tomaso on Dorsoduro. Good prices (near the Accademia). Fondamenta Priuli, Dorsoduro 1016. Tel. 5203703 Cl. Mondays

Antica Besseta Even if this old trattoria is a bit off the beaten track, don't go without booking first, because there are only a few tables and the place is well known. Try the Risi e bisi (savory rice and peas) or fettuccine verdi agli spinaci con peperoni e basilico and then, of course, fish.1395, Salizada Zusto, between San Simeon Grando and San Giacomo dall'Orio, Tel. 041.721.687 closed Tue. and Wedn.

Harry's Bar More than just a tiny restaurant, this place is a landmark. Founder Giuseppe Cipriani, who ran it in the days when Hemingway nominated it as his favorite restaurants, has become more famous than any Venetian since the thirties. 1323, Calle Vallaresso, Tel. 041.528.5331 Closed Mon.

Linea d’Ombra Reserve a table outside overlooking the Guidecca. Zattere ai Saloni, Dorsoduro 19. Tel. 520 47 20. Medium prices.

RIALTO MARKET - ACCADEMIA - or - Ca' d'Oro PALACE or Ca' REZZONICO PALACE – PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION

A stop at the Rialto market is a must. The freshest fish, vegetables and fruits are on view and worth a detour.

Then head for the Accademia and stop at the GALLERIE DELL'ACCADEMIA - Accademia Galleries - the finest painting collection in Venice. Hanging in this museum is unquestionably the most extraordinary masterpieces of Venetian art in the world, ranging from Gothic to 1800's. There is usually a line since they only allow a certain number of persons in at a time, so take some patience with you.

Once you cross the bridge (what a view!) just keep heading towards the right and wind around. Or alternatively head towards the CA’ D’ORO, known as the finest example of Gothic architecture. This exquisite palace was once literally a "Golden House," its marble traceries and ornaments embellished with pure gold. Each section has a charm all its own.

Ca' Rezzonico a truly unique Baroque mansion has some elegant rooms overlooking the Grand Canal and furniture collections. With its stucco work, colored marble fixtures, brocade tapestry, fine furniture, Murano glass chandeliers, and valuable frescoes, this Grand Canal palace shows how elegant the Venetian lifestyle was in spite of the declining times.

Many of these palaces still host some of Carnival's most elegant balls every February.

MUSIC CONCERT - there usually are concerts every evening featuring VIVALDI'S music or other similar in one of the many churches or palaces (La Pieta', the Scuola Grande di San Rocco and many more) Inquire for further information.

After stopping at one of the Palaces along the Grand Canal you may want to head for: The "Lesser Known" Venice: CASTELLO. Behind the Doge's Palace, walking along the water lies a residential quarter that has not lost any authenticity after all these years. Families live here, there is a large green Park overlooking the lagoon and further inland are some truly charming sections with bridges lovely to walk in.

COLLEZIONE PEGGY GUGGENHEIM. Directly on the Grand Canal, the museum, displayed in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, her residence for 30 years, are works representing the most important artistic movements from the early 20th century through the post-war period.

Extremely rich, provocative, and extravagant, Peggy Guggenheim (1898-1979) - wife of Max Ernst and niece of Solomon Guggenheim - was among the 20th century's greatest collectors of modern art. Calle San Cristoforo, 701 Dorsoduro.

For a special "splurge" dinner head for: HOTEL CIPRIANI - a private launch will take you across the lagoon to this island of peace and quiet and superb food and service. This is the top hotel in Venice and the garden restaurant quite memorable.

In white-peach season (July to early September), you must try the famous blossom-scented Bellini aperitif. The cuisine is rooted in Venetian tradition, prepared and presented with a star chef's hand and matched with a superb wine list. An old standard is the green tagliolini (thin fettuccine) gratin with ham and a light white sauce.

Reservations essential. Fondamenta San Giovanni 10, Giudecca, Phone: 041/520-7744 AE, DC, MC, V.

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS: full day boat tour on Muran and Burano in the lagoon…

Take the traghetto or a boat tour to the charming island of MURANO, which as Venice is made up of a number of smaller islands linked by bridges. It is known for its glassworks, which moved here from Venice in the 13th century because they were a fire hazard. Many of these line the Fondamenta dei Vetrai, the canal-side walkway leading away from the Colonna landing stage, and can be visited. The Museo Vetrario (Glass Museum) details the history of Murano's glassworks; its displays range from priceless antiques to only slightly less-expensive modern pieces.

BURANO. Dotting this fishing village on an island in the lagoon are houses painted in cheerful colors and a raked bell tower in the main square, Piazza Galuppi, about 100 yards from the landing stage. Lace is to Burano what glass is to Murano, but be prepared to pay a lot - $1,000 to $2,000 for a 10" doily - for the real thing. Stalls line the way from the landing stage to Piazza Galuppi. The Museo del Merletto (Lace Museum) is the best place to learn the intricacies of Burano's lace-making traditions and the nature of the skills needed to make the more expensive lace.

DAY 8 – RETURN TO THE US