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Hi Jessica,
We had a fantastic trip. The pick-up transfer from the airport to the apartment was good. The driver was a real character....very funny.
5 days in Rome was very hectic, not enough to see everything, but enough to hit all the classic sights. The Rome Spanish Steps was very nice, clean, well located so we could walk everywhere, and nicely furnished. The apartment manager, Daniela, was especially nice and helpful. Our best dining experience was at La Buca di Ripetta (Via di Ripetta, 36 ), which is just around the corner from the apartment ...a bit expensive, but it was worth every penny.
The full-day Vatican tour (museum, Sistine Chapel, St Peters, plus the Coliseum and the Priscilla Catacombs ) was a great day....the driver arrived to pick us up on time, the guide was changed at the last minute and the replacement was late meeting us....but she was very knowledgeable and she made the day a success. The Vatican was very crowded, and so she rushed us thru there so that we would be able to get to the Sistine Chapel and have enough time. We all wanted to spend more time there.
The transfer from the apartment to Civitavecchia cruise terminal went smoothly and on time.
The last portion of our trip in Venice was most enjoyable. The more relaxed pace of Venice, compared to Rome, was a great way finish it off. We found the Santa Croce apartment simple yet functional. The property manager, Matilda, was very nice, thorough, and helpful. We did have an outbreak of ants in the apartment, and liberal use of talcum powder kept them at bay. They appeared on day 2 in both bedrooms, both bathrooms, the kitchen, and in the cupboards. We notified the property manager and they offered to spray bug killer but that would have been impossible to live in for a couple days, so we persevered with the talc...they don't like to cross it.
We found 2 very nice restaurants in Venice we'd recommend - Osteria La Zucca was awesome food and very attentive service ( at Venice Santa Croce 1762) ....and Osteria Al Portego (at Castello San Lio, 6014) had great seafood and service. Both are very popular...as we had numerous recommendations from locals for both....so reservations are required. Al Portego was a bit hard to find, but exploring was part of the adventure. Ask three Italians for directions and you will get three different answers!!
There is a wine store called L'INOTECA at Campiello del Spezier, 2033, Venice .... the owner bottles his own and offers samples from his taps. We were strolling one afternoon and just discovered it by accident. A 2L plastic bottle of his homebrew Cabernet for 6 EU is one of the best we've tasted....highly recommended!!!
We were all trying to figure out how to bring a case of it home....it will have to be a memory for now.
We purchased 5 days of unlimited Vaporetto pass, for the water bus, and we took it everywhere...definitely a convenient way to get around the city of Venice. Between Google Maps on my Blackberry and our handheld Garmin nuvi, we managed to locate everything we needed.
Overall a great trip!
Steve R.
Dear Jessica,
We just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed our stay at the apartment in Santa Croce in Venice. Your site was easy to work with, the information was concise, helpful and the apartment was outstanding. The agent who met us was efficient, friendly and informative about not only the apartment but the area as well. Great restaurant recommendation!
Thank you so much for helping to make our holiday special. We are looking forward to many more such vacations.
Steve and Darya M.
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