I am currently in Ischia with 5 days to go. But I just wanted to share my thoughts. (In connection to a thread a few weeks back)
1. Week was spent in Naples and Amalfi (Scala). Naples was a chance we took after all the bad reviews on crime etc. We had two nights in Naples and we were very pleasantly surprised. The food in Naples is awesome and we felt just as safe in the old town area as everywhere else (been to many places, lived in Thailand as well as Denmark). The old town area is beautiful. Then we travelled to Scala on the Amalfi coast for 5 nights. Good food but after around 5-6 days I was actually tired of Italian food (yeah I'm a freak). The Amalfi coast is beautiful and rugged but WAAAAAY too touristy for my liking. Both Amalfi and Positano are like Times Square on a bad day. 2 days would have been enough. After having lived in Thailand for a year the beaches on the Amalfi were meeeh. I actual& #230;y find the beaches in Denmark better.
2. Week two. We drove to Puglia near Brindisi. We wanted to try Southern Italy and having nice beaches and less tourists. (How wrong we were). We had a day in Pompeii on our way there. Very beautiful and interesting. Definitely a must do. When we arrived in Brindisi - or 20 km outside of it. We stayed at a Wine farm / resort (not agricultura more upscale) a p& #230;ace called Tenute Al Bano - a very nice resort in the middle of the olive/ wine fields. Great rooms, pool area and food. We loved the ciry of Lecce. Great food and the old town area is really special. Very very cool. The beaches in Puglia are supposed to be some of the best in Italy - we loved the water in a beach called Torre Lopillo BUT... Italians love the beach. And that may sound ridiculous but unlike Thailand, Malaysia, Spain and Greece (among others) you cannot find a quiet beach in the high season in Puglia - the Italians go to the beach unlike any people I've ever been to which creates chaos-like situations on every beach I've seen. (It feels like a Rehab pool party in Vegas crowdwise).
3. Week three began two days ago. We travelled to Ischia - an island off the coast of Naples close to Capri but not as upscale. We went here as we wanted less crowds than Capri. Oh well - beaches are crowded as f... but the Island is beautiful and seems like it hasn't been taken over by resorts and chains yet. One thing that dissapointed here was the water quality/clarity of the beaches - but I guess I am a beach snob after living in Thailand. Southern Spain and Greece blows Italy away when comparing beaches. (Haven't been to Sardinia yet though).
A few random observations: -Southern Italians really do not want to speak English (can't)
- the areas we have been in really need money to fix roads and infrastructure - damn...
- I was hustled at a gas station by the clerk. I gave him 50 euro and after I found the correct amount he gave me back a fake 50. Which I then uknowingly tried to by a ferry ticket with - good scam mafioso - so be careful. And the worst part is that I don't know what would be the best to do about it as nobody speaks fluent English (this was at an Esso gas station near Naples airport).
- I remember a thread a couple of years ago on here about food - which country's food you would choose if you could only have that. Italy won - I would choose Mexican, Thai and Danish food (habit) over Italian any day of the week. And I have tried a lot of different food down here and on previous Italy trips. I get tired of the food here within a week (I'm the freak I know).
The gf and I have had a very nice trip but we agree that Spain and Greece are both preferred in the future over Italy. (I love Rome though). Sorry if I offended somebody's motherland or anything. My advice to other people going here would be: trust it when people advice against thw touristy places - it gets way worse here than anything I have seen.
Go Giants
Lol
Haha yeah badly explained. The price was 33 euro. I gave him a 50. Then he asked if I had 3 euro. I checked and saw that I had 33. Then he gave me the 50 back - but from his other hand. I thought about it for a second (call it a hunch) but the thought dissapeared and I put the money in my wallet and drove off.
Lol
:-) haha loved it (and your comment)
That's too bad.
Any plans on going to Rome? If you are over there - you should hit Rome if you have never been before.
Have a safe trip K .... hope it is a great time!
Correction--14th century
Any plans on going to Rome? If you are over there - you should hit Rome if you have never been before.
Have a safe trip K .... hope it is a great time!
Thanks we were actually trying to stay in lesser known places. Like Ischia over Capri for example. I have been to Rome and loved it.
Any plans on going to Rome? If you are over there - you should hit Rome if you have never been before.
Have a safe trip K .... hope it is a great time!
Sorry - I just saw where you said that you "loved Rome". I have to start reading before I post.
haha thanks for the info. I'm keeping the fake note as well. I wasn't even mad. More dissapointed in myself.
The last time we went, I got scammed by a shop-worker. She quoted one price but ran my card for another and used the language barrier as an excuse. It became a big shit show. She eventually got the “owner” who refunded me some of the money but not to the original quoted price. I considered leaving without the item and disputing the charge with my CC company but it was something my wife really wanted and you know how that goes. I’ll always have the “fun” story to tell.
Love to see a follow up after your final leg.
Yeah, they had pictures on the wall of what was offered.
And Siena, an ancient walled city. The horse race there, the Palio di Siena, which is run twice a year, is one of the great spectacles I’ve seen in my lifetime.
And Siena, an ancient walled city. The horse race there, the Palio di Siena, which is run twice a year, is one of the great spectacles I’ve seen in my lifetime.
hey, don't mess with my Brindisi, twice took my motorcycle on the ferry from Brindisi to Corfu, second time at night, and in true clumsy, inept fashion sunk the front wheel between the two planks, good thing my crash bars held up the machine...Puglia is ancient, dry, and lovely, but wasn't there for the beaches
my wife was at her niece's wedding on Amalfi Coast (and owner of local trattoria in Cross River comes from there, returns twice a year), but I've never been (had to coach and ref that week)...Sicily is a trip, won't bore because there was a thread a few weeks ago
can't fault Crispino for his likes, second all of that, and add Milano, one of the great cities of the world, so many diverse neighborhoods, palaces, museums, opera
And Siena, an ancient walled city. The horse race there, the Palio di Siena, which is run twice a year, is one of the great spectacles I’ve seen in my lifetime.
This.
Totally agree about the Amalfi coast. Your description fits my experience perfectly. I'm glad I went but will probably never go back--at least in high season.Though I have to say once I figured out that taking the boats is way better than driving or the bus, it made it a lot better.
If you speak some Italian and you look Italian, you don't get ripped off as much. But unfortunately, your experience is all too common.
Question: What was it like living in Thailand? Im thinking of taking a year off before I turn 40 and want to go some place that is cheap to live but also has beaches and city vibe (Bangkok). So how much did it cost and how did you find the overall experience?
PS: Thanks for the review!!!
He's in Europe and for him going to Italy is like going to Philly for us, I am sure he's not really putting down Italy. I mean, who from the States would complain about a month in Italy? History is really incomparable, and so is the food. I will say this though, Spain is definitely cheaper.
Apparently you do, dipshit. You clicked on the thread, right?
Agreed!
Also, I thought Amalfi and Capri were VERY overrated. I'd go to Cinque Terre instead.
HTH
Sienna was great, too
We have done on this trip.
Totally agree about the Amalfi coast. Your description fits my experience perfectly. I'm glad I went but will probably never go back--at least in high season.Though I have to say once I figured out that taking the boats is way better than driving or the bus, it made it a lot better.
If you speak some Italian and you look Italian, you don't get ripped off as much. But unfortunately, your experience is all too common.
Question: What was it like living in Thailand? Im thinking of taking a year off before I turn 40 and want to go some place that is cheap to live but also has beaches and city vibe (Bangkok). So how much did it cost and how did you find the overall experience?
PS: Thanks for the review!!!
Hey Vanzetti
Regarding Thailand. My gf and I are both teachers and worked as English teachers in Phuket. Doing it that way you can come home with more than you left with. Thailand is really cheap still. A meal is around 3-5 dollars in a good place. (Not talking Michelin). Ask away or shoot me an email / fb message. I will gladly help.