These stories are true and happened to myself and my wife, Jo Anne in Italy. The first three are funny and the last is informative. Travel, especially to Italy, is all about stories and experiences. We have many experiences in Italy. These four stories are a few of them.
Enjoy traveling, Enjoy Italy and have fun. You will never forget your experiences, your trips or your stories. Please watch the video below to hear our stories:
-George Febish
This is a different VLOG for me. In this one I talk about the reasons I love Italy and give tips to both first time travelers to Italy well as experienced Italian travelers.
The video covers several sections:
If Italy is not on your bucket list, it should be. Watch the video below and see why so many people love and go to Italy.
– George
If you know the story of Saint Francis, he was a kind person that rejected his father’s riches and lived a simple life helping people and animals. He was ordained in a very small church outside of Assisi. Today a huge cathedral was built around it. Inside you can still see the original small church.
Most visitors never see this church. They know the two-story cathedral in Assisi with the massive lawn in front.
Assisi is built high on a mountain and this church is at one end overlooking the valley below. Saint Francis’ remains are in this church. Assisi is a typical small Italian town with lots of charm. It has the typical small streets and paths that turn into stairs … lots of stairs.
If you drive, there are several parking lots outside of town. We chose the central parking lot (nearest the main piazza). There are stairs up to the city. These are easy lots to get in and out of. Parking payment is at a machine in the garage. You get a ticket and leave it on your dashboard.
There are other churches and piazzas as well. One even had a merry-go-round.
The streets and friendly people are a welcome to any visitor. Here you will see Franciscan Monks walking as well.
While enjoying an afternoon wine and snack in a piazza, we saw a bride on the way to her wedding with mom & dad close by.
Assisi is a tourist town but you can sit back, enjoy it and watch life go on around you. In Italy never miss these moments to stop being a tourist and observe life and fun around you. It’s there, you just have to look.
Tomorrow we are off to Cortona (Under the Tuscan Sun).
George & Jo Anne
OK you have rented a car and now you enter a city. What are the parking rules? Many cities have free parking. Resorts and big cities require you to pay for parking. There are signs, like here, that give the hours (remember Europe is on military time so 1 means 1 am not pm. 1 pm is 13:00). Usually there are meters near where you park. They are easy to read and operate. They will say, for example, 1 E per ora (1 Euro per hour). Put in an amount and press the button (usually green) that says Biglietti or ticket). A ticket is printed that you put on your dashboard. Most of these cities have police that monitor the cars so don’t be late.
Some cities have parking garages without toll booths. In these cases there is usually a Tabacchi store (tobacco) or Bar near by that sells Parking Tickets (Posteggio Biglietti). You pay the person in the bar or store and get a ticket to display in your window. Some require you to fill-in information like start time and date. Once parked remember where your car is. Most smartphones have apps that remember where your car is but you have to set them at the car before leaving. You can also use your favorite map program to set a favorite location at the car. Then when you are on the other side of the city and lost, you can simply plot a walking course to the car. Remember to use walk mode not drive mode. Many Italian cities have one way streets and restricted driving zones. It may take a lot longer to walk the drive course than the walking one. Once back to your car you can delete the favorite from the map app. When we were in Rome we had this problem. I set the map to the place we wanted to go but forgot to press the walk button. The result was 5 miles. The route went out of old Rome and back in at another location. When I changed it to Walk mode, it was less than a mile.
Driving is a means of getting around. Use it to get to these wonderful small towns and then park the car and walk. Walking allows you to see everything and be part of the experience. Stop at a bar and enjoy something to eat and a coffee or a glass of wine. Enjoy it!
George & Jo Anne
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