CombatCritic's TravelValue™: DayTripQuip

Showing posts with label DayTripQuip. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

DayTripQuip: Lisbon To The Ancient Walled Gem That Is Obidos

DayTripQuip

Take a bus from just outside Lisbon's Campo Grande bus station for an hour ride (€7.50 each way) to the medieval town of Obidos with its massive walls and historic castle.

Famous for their castle, one of the "7 Wonders of Portugal", Obidos is legendary in that it is said the the Kings of Portugal have given the jewel that is Obidos to their queens on their wedding day for hundreds of years.

A must try is Ginja de Óbidos, a shot of Portuguese cherry liquor served in a tiny, edible chocolate cup (€1) that you shove in your mouth for a chocolate-cherry orgasm ... HOOAH!

Beside a stroll through this ancient town, lunch or a stay at Pousada do Castelo (Inn of the Castle), Portugal's 2017 Inn of the Year, will be well worth the investment.

Sunday, December 24, 2017

DayTripQuip - Italy: Naples To Pompeii, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast And Capri

When in Naples, do as the Neapolitans do! A nice day trip from Naples can take you to Pompeii, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, the beautiful island of Capri and points beyond if you so wish. It would be next to impossible to do it all in one day, but you can easily pick one or two destinations and break your day trips up over multiple days.

Pompeii

To visit Pompeii from Naples, take the Circumvesuviana line from the Napoli Centrale (main) train station (click here for schedule), making sure you arrive at least 10-15 minutes early as the Circumvesuviana platforms are a short walk and escalator ride away from the main platforms. You must buy your ticket at the entrance to the Circumvesuviana and, like all trains and buses in Italy, validate your ticket (at the yellow metered boxes) before getting on the train. Even with a valid ticket, if not stamped at one of the meters, you will be fined if a conductor checks your ticket and it does not have a stamp with the proper automated date and time. Once on the Circumvesuviana platform (normally Platform 3), make sure that you get on the "Sorrento" train and get off at the Pompeii Scavi - Villa dei Misteri station, taking about 35 minutes to reach.

Mount Vesuvius Looms In The Background - At Pompeii

When leaving the Pompeii Scavi station, go the the right on the street in front of you and ignore all of the crooks trying to sell you tours. Follow the signs toward the "Archeological Site" and about 100 yards (meters) down the road you will see the entrance on your left where you can buy an entry ticket for €11, adding an audio tour nearby for a few Euros more. There is an information booth next to the ticket window where you can find maps of Pompeii as well as information booklets (A Guide To The Pompeii Excavations) in several languages which provide detailed explanations of the main attractions within the archeological site.

Famous "Dog - Do Not Enter"

You do not really need an Audio Tour because Pompeii is broken-up into nine zones on the map and you will find signs with Zone and Site Number in front of each individual attraction (villas, baths, amphitheatre, stores, etc.) , making it easy to find the corresponding explanation in the guide.

There are toilets and cafeterias inside the site, but you can take food and drinks along with you and have a picnic at the place and time of your choosing. Make sure that you note the closing time when buying your ticket because you would not want to find yourself lost and locked into the site after dark as you do not need to scan your ticket when exiting, making it impossible for them to know if there are lost tourists still within the vast complex of streets and alleys. You must also ensure that you exit the same site from which you entered because there are numerous exits which, if used, would leave you with a difficult journey back to the station and a high risk of getting lost.

Sorrento

Another wonderful DayTrip is to the ancient seaside town of Sorrento, just a little over an hour and a half away on the same train. Instead of getting off at Pompeii, continue to the end of the line and the beautiful clifftop city of Sorrento (schedule below or CLICK HERE).

Il Duomo - Sorrento's Cathedral

The train station is actually at the bottom of the cliff, so follow the signs up the steep hill toward "Centro Storico" (historical center). Once at the top of the hill, the main town will be off to your right where you can head down the main street toward the Duomo or turn right onto one of the many streets or alleys filled with restaurants and shopping galore.

Naples-Sorrento Train Schedule

View from Sorrento to Port and Train Station

Another option is to take the fast ferry from the Port of Naples (Molo Beverello - See Map Below) via Alilauro to Sorrento (or Capri, Ischia, Procida, Positano, and Amalfi among others).

To get to Molo Beverello, take the Metropolitana to Stazione Municipio and head directly east toward the port, about 500 meters (1/2 km) away by foot, an easy walk.

The ferry is a bit more expensive than the train, but is much quicker and hassle-free.

Positano and the Amalfi Coast

From Sorrento, take the blue SITA bus (click here for timetables) from the main piazza to scenic Positano, about 40 minutes away and a white knuckle ride along the scenic Amalfi Coast's main road. You can exit at Positano and explore the hillside town or continue on to Praino, Conca, or Amalfi (50 minutes past Positano). Return to Sorrento the same way you came, ensuring that you have enough time to catch the last train (at the very latest) or else you will find yourself looking for a hotel and spending the night in Sorrento.

You can also take the Alilauro ferry directly from Naples as described above. There are also ferries going to Positano and Amalfi directly from Sorrento if the bus frightens you or have motion sickness and the sea is calm.

Capri

From Sorrento, you can go down to the port and take the hydrofoil for a relatively short ride to beautiful Capri for a day of exploring, shopping, and/or eating on this lovely and somewhat expensive tourist destination (click here for schedule). Again, return to the port early enough to go back to Sorrento by hydrofoil and catch your train. Another option is to buy a one way (solo andata) ticket for the hydrofoil from Sorrento, buying a return (ritorno) ticket for the hydrofoil that takes you back to Naples (click for schedule). Once in Naples, you can find a Metropolitana (Metro) station, either at Piazza Garibaldi (if arriving by train) or near the port, for the return journey to your original point of departure.

You can also take the Alilauro ferry to Capri directly from Naples as described above.

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Title: DayTripQuip - Italy: Naples To Pompeii, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast And Capri

Key Words: Napoli, Alilauro, ferry, ferries, Circumvezuviana, train, Metro, Metropolitana, day, trip, quip, Amalfi, Amalfi Coast, coast, DayTripQuip, Italy, Naples, Pompeii, Positano, Sorrento, Capri
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Friday, September 16, 2016

DayTripQuip: Pensione Bencista - Fiesole From Piazza San Marco By Bus (Florence, Italy)

We have spent quite a bit of time in Florence over the years, most recently staying the month of July in an apartment near Mercato San'Ambrogio (don't miss it) in addition to other trips ranging from a few days to over a month.

The ATAF Bus - Line 7 - travels between Piazza San Marco - Via La Pira and Fiesole - Vinandro Osteria about every 20-30 minutes between 5am and 1am. Bus stop: FM0373 (REDRESS) is on the main road to/from Fiesole and a short 10 minute stroll from Pensione Bencista. You can purchase tickets at any tabaccaio (tobacco shop - look for a dark blue sign with a big "T") and the hotel may have some for sale. The stop going to Florence is across the road close to the top of the big bend and the one going toward Fiesole is up the road (to your right) 100 or so feet.

Piazza San Marco is close to the historical center (centro storico) of Florence, very close to Galleria dell'Accademia where Michelangelo's "David" resides and short walk to the Duomo, central Florence, Palazzo Medici Riccardi and the train station (Santa Maria Novella).

From Santa Maria Novella, you can go pretty much anywhere in Italy or Europe for that matter. Nice, short day trips available via rail are to Prato, Lucca, Pisa, Arezzo, Siena and Bologna, all of which leave you close to the city center.

You can read my numerous reviews of Florence restaurants, hotels, museums, and attractions here on TripAdvisor and on my popular blog where there is much more detailed information, including my patented and popular DayTripQuips.

Enjoy Firenze and buon viaggio!

CombatCritic

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Title: DayTripQuip: Pensione Bencista - Fiesole From Piazza San Marco By Bus (Florence, Italy)

Key Words: Fiesole Pensione Bencista, Florence, Firenze, pensione, Bencista, Piazza San Marco, CombatCritic, TravelValue, DayTripQuip, day, trip, quip, travel, value, review, Yelp

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

DayTripQuip™ - Florence, Italy: A Free Bus Tour Of "The Prato You Do Not Expect"

That's Prato
Phone: +39 328 00 21 009
Web: ThatsPrato.com
Prices: € € € €

Abbey (Badia) of Santa Maria of Montepiano

Across the piazza from Chiesa Santa Maria Novella, a free bus will take from Florence's Santa Maria Novella train station to various itineraries in and around Prato, a town between Florence and Pistoia heading toward Lucca and Pisa. You pay only for the entrance to museums (if applicable) and your lunch.

Monastery of St. Nicholas -Courtyard

The Province of Prato has organized these free weekly tours available on ten consecutive Sundays from May to July, taking four routes/itineraries with both Italian and English Guides:

CONTEMPORARY ART AND INDUSTRIAL ARCHEOLOGY
WHEN THERE WERE THE ETRUSCANS / ETRUSCAN PAST
THE NOBLE TRAIL: VILLAS AND CASTLES
THE PATH OF PILGRIMS

I emailed That's Prato, asking for a reservation for the Path of the Pilgrims tour which was quickly accommodated with a reply the following day for the next Sunday. When we arrived at the train station on Sunday morning, the group was in front of McDonald's next to Track #1 as promised. We gave them our name, waited until everyone arrived, then made our way to the other end of the station where the bus was waiting.

Monastery of St. Nicholas - Fresco

In a modern tour bus with air conditioning and comfortable seats, we were quickly on our way to Prato, a historic city (comune) and one of Italy's newest provinces (Provincia di Prato), established in 1992 from the Province of Florence. There were about 30 tourists on the bus for The Pilgrim's Walk tour, mostly Italians and, oddly enough, from the Florence area no less.

"THE PILGRIM'S WALK:

The Prato area has a long history associated with monasteries and holy places as well as Marian devotion, Which dates to the Early Middle Ages. This tour retraces some of the stops made by pilgrims as they journeyed through the Apennines."

Our first stop was the Dominican Monastery of St. Nicholas (admission € 5) in the city of Prato. Established in the 13th Century, the monastery has beautifully decorated chapels, a pharmacy, dining hall, and many other rooms with fabulous frescoes and antique furniture. One of the resident nuns accompanied us on the tour, providing details of the history and tales of the ancient building.

Small Lake - Montepiano

We then took a route through the city streets and squares of the old town, then up the winding mountain road to the top of the mountain for lunch in Montepiano, a small town in the Bisenzio Valley. After a reasonably priced (€10) two course lunch on the small lake, we hiked up the hill to Abbey (Badia) of Santa Maria of Montepiano, a small church also from the 13th Century with a fresco of Saint Christopher which sits on what used to be the main road from Florence to Bologna for hundreds of years.

Fresco of St. Christopher - Santa Maria of Montepiano

Next, we made our way down the mountain to Vaiano and the Abbey of San Salvatore with its small, but very interesting museum. This quaint complex dates back to the 11th Century and has a serene courtyard with fountain and bell tower, halls with ancient frescoes, and a museum with historic artifacts, the abbey's original kitchen, a small chapel, and trap door that leads to a 1,000 year-old lavatory.

Abbey of San Salvatore - Paiano

Our bus driver then took us on the 40-minute ride back to Florence by the appointed hour of 6pm as promised, leaving us at the Santa Maria Novella train station where we had started our journey.

Kitchen (Fireplace) - Abbey of San Salvatore

That's Prato recently added free tours on eight consecutive Sundays in September and October with the following itineraries:

ART AT THE TABLE IN THE RENAISSANCE / ART AND FOOD IN THE RENAISSANCE
THE PATH OF PILGRIMS / THE PILGRIM'S WALK
THE NOBLE TRAIL: VILLAS AND CASTLES

The only negative I can think of is the fact that for a free tour provided and paid for by the province, very little background of or information on the City or Province of Prato was disseminated during the tour. During the 40-minute bus journey from Florence to Prato (and on the return trip), for example, would have been a perfect time to explain about the city and relatively new province to their captive audience. Instead, passengers were left on our own to chat privately while the guides talked only to each other, a lost opportunity and waste of government funds from my perspective.

A trip by train to Arezzo or Siena, for example, will cost you €16 per person for train tickets alone, so for just €15 including lunch and museum entry (both optional), you will not find a better value when visiting Florence in terms of day trips.

You can email thatsprato@po.camcom.it, visit their website: http://thatsprato.com/, or call them at +39 328 00 21 009 to request your spot on the tour.

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Title: DayTripQuip™: A Free Bus Tour Of "The Prato You Do Not Expect"

Key Words: Prato, day, trip, quip, DayTripQuip, train, Santa Maria Novella, Montepiano, Vaiano, abbey, monastery, fresco, church, antique, travel, value, Firenze, Florence, Italy, free

Monday, July 20, 2015

DayTripQuip™ - Beautiful And Historic Siena From Florence By Train Or Bus

Piazza del Campo

DayTripQuip™: Take the train (Regionale: 1 hour 28 minutes - €8.80/person each way) from Santa Maria Novella Station to Siena. Trains leave throughout the day from S.M. Novella at 10 minutes after the hour. Another option is the bus (Corse Rapido: 1 hour 15 minutes - bus station is just south of the train station - bus schedules below - €7.60/person each way) which is a little faster than the train, cheaper, and leaves you closer to the center of Siena. The Siena train station is a little over a mile and a 25 minute walk to the historical center of Siena where you will want to go. The Siena bus station is very close to the center (centro storico) and its fabulous piazza, ancient churches, beautiful cathedral, and historic buildings. Siena has restaurants, cafes, bars, and shopping galore if you would like a break from the frenzy of Florence for a few hours.

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Bus Schedule

More Photos

Title: DayTripQuip™ - Beautiful And Historic Siena From Florence By Train Or Bus

Key Words: Siena, day, trip, quip, DayTripQuip, train, piazza, Piazza del Campo, campo, duomo, cathedral, fresco, church, antique, antiques, travel, value, Firenze, Florence, bus, schedule, SITA

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

DayTripQuip™: Ancient Arezzo ... An Antique Aficionado's Allure

DayTripQuip™: Take the train (Regionale Veloce: 1 hour 10 minutes - €8.10/person each way) from Santa Maria Novella Station in Florence. The train station is in the center of Arezzo and just three blocks from the historical center (centro storico), a Roman amphitheater, ancient churches with famous frescoes, a beautiful cathedral containing the mummy of a pope, and a fabulous piazza. Restaurants, antique stores, and shops abound, providing a quaint respite from the crowds of Florence for a few hours at least.

Piazza Grande

Roman Amphitheater

Chiesa San Francesco

Chiesa San Domenico

Duomo San Donato

Pope Gregory X

Fresco of Maria Maddalena - Piero della Francesca

Piazza Grande - Benigni's "La Vita e Bella" Was Filmed Here

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Title: DayTripQuip™: Ancient Arezzo ... An Antique Aficionado's Allure

Key Words: Arezzo, day, trip, quip, DayTripQuip, train, Benigni, La Vita e Bella, vita, bella, film, movie, duomo, cathedral, fresco, church, antique, antiques, travel, value,

Monday, June 22, 2015

DayTripQuip™: Napoli to Ascea and Zona Archeologica di Velia (Scavi di Velia)

DayTripQuip: If you plan on visiting Naples, Italy (Napoli) there are an abundance of day trips available including Pompeii, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, the islands of Capri and Ischia, Pozzuoli, Mount Vesuvius, or less than two hours by train south, the seaside town of Marina di Ascea. Spend the day at the pristine beaches with soft sand and award winning "clean" water or hop on a bus and visit Zona Archeologica di Velia (read full review by clicking this link), just ten minutes north of town. Entry to the site is just €3 ($3.40) where you can see well preserved and maintained Greek, Roman, and medieval ruins all in one place!

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Title: DayTripQuip™: Napoli to Ascea and Zona Archeologica di Velia (Scavi di Velia)

Key Words: DayTripQuip, day, trip, quip, Napoli, Ascea, Zona Archeologica, Velia, Scavi di Velia, scavi, ruins, Roman, Greek, medieval, mosaic, fresco, villa, bath, travel, value

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