Breakfast in Italy

Breakfast is an important meal but Italians eat a light and sweet breakfast because they eat dinner so late. Hotels and B&Bs serve breakfasts of pastry, yogurt, meats and cheeses, rolls, and of course coffee or tea. If your hotel does not serve a free breakfast … DO NOT BUY ONE! go to the nearest bar and eat like all the other Italians. Order a coffee, espresso or cappuccino and a cornetto. Cornetti look like croissants but are softer. They come filled with cream, chocolate or jelly. Be an Italian while you are in Italy. I look forward to breakfast at a bar.

Some bars are PATISSERIES and have a huge selection of pastries and cakes. These are special experiences but can affect your waistline.

Join us in the YouTube video below as we show you the different breakfasts of Italy:

– Ciao
– George

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Trattoria da Gigi – Venice, Italy

Trattoria da Gigi is an excellent place to eat in Venice. It is located not far from the world-famous Piazza San Marco. You can sit inside or outside on a lovely patio setup like a garden. Our favorite dishes where the Pasta con Vongole and the Risotto. The staff is friendly and the prices are reasonable.

Watch the YouTube video below about this restaurant.

 

– Ciao
– george

Rome 2

Rome or Roma in Italian is a wonderful city to walk around. There is good and safe public transportation but if you enjoy walking, you can walk everywhere in Rome. The food and wine are first class. Of course you can find great pastas and pizzas but Rome has so much more to offer including great fish.

This is my second VLOG on Rome and brings the familiar places and some not so familiar. I hope you enjoy this video and get to experience Roma!

Come walk with us around this amazing capital city. Watch my YouTube video below and discover Rome and these sites:

• Spanish Steps
• Trevi Fountain,
• Temple of Hadrian
• Pantheon,
• Campo dei Fiori,
• Old Rome,
• Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verita),
• Aristo Campo Trattoria in Trastevere,
• Saint Peter’s Basilica,
• Vatican City Museum & Sistine Chapel,
• Colosseum,
• Arch of Constantine,
• Pizzaria San Marco,
• Orvieto,
• Tivoli,
• Villa Borghese and the Museum,
• Trolley ride in Rome.

 

-George

Venice, Italy

Venice is one of the most unusual and beautiful cities in the world. Imagine a city but on Trees. These trees support the city over the lagoon. Venice has many touristy sites in Piazza San Marco that should be seen at least once. After you have done the tourist thing, go to the back paths of Venice. Explore, get lost, find new areas and enjoy the real Venice. There are many bridges and many of them have steps but it is worth the effort. Discover hidden churches, bars, restaurants, islands and markets. This is where the Venetians live.

Many bars serve Cicchetti, which is a form of Spanish Tapas unique to Venice. Some bars will give you free small plates with the purchase of a drink. Others will charge a small fee. This is a way to try several Venetian dishes and discover new favorite ones. This way of eating is cheaper than in the restaurants especially around Piazza San Marco.

Come watch the YouTube video below and walk with Rory and I around the touristy and back areas of Venice. We also go to Murano to see glass blowing and the Lido to walk around and see the beach. We missed the Venice Film Fare by a week, which is held on the Lido Island.

You get to these Islands and the Train Station & Airport vis vaporetto (Water Taxis).

Ciao,
George

Barcelona Spain and Sagrada Famila

Barcelona Spain is on the Mediterranean Sea and has a beach and sea port. This city is famous for its architecture, food and wine. It is well-known for its Gaudi architecture. The most famous one is his Sagrada Famila. It is not yet complete but you can tour it. This is the most beautiful and unique church in the world. It looks like it was made as a sand castle. You can tour the two towers, the outside and the inside of this church. Spend time here and take it all in. It is easy to get to on the Metro.

Come visit Barcelona and Sagrada Famila with us in the YouTube video below:

-George

Aristocampo Restaurant in Trastevere Rome, Italy

wants good Italian food in Italy. Often you get trapped by tourist restaurants that serve American Italian food and not real Italian food. If you are looking for the real thing and want to experience real Roman food then go to Aristocampo restaurant in the Trastevere district of Rome, Italy.

Trastevere is a wonderful area to walk around. Great churches, architecture and restaurants. Aristocampo is in this wonderful old section of Rome. Sit inside or eat out on the street as we did. Watch my video below on this establishment:

-George

Really Cheap Airfares

Is the cost of airfares to Europe, Asia, China, Hawaii, South America getting you down? Would you travel more if you could find cheaper fares? Watch this video on a site that can deliver really cheap airfares:

-George

Seville Spain

Seville Spain is a wonderful old city with great architecture like the Alcazar and Seville Cathedral. Its narrow streets invite exploration. Walk, get lost, discover new things. When you are hungry, stop at a small tapas restaurant or bar. Order some wine or beer and a few tapas. This is a great way to explore Spanish foods.

In the morning get Churros dipped in chocolate. You will never want to leave. Another all day favorite is a Spanish omelet. It is made with potatoes and onions. This is a real treat any time of day.

Come walk with us arround Seville, Spain:

 

– George

How to significantly lower the cost of traveling to Italy

The two highest costs you will encounter are: 1) Airfare and 2) Hotel costs. These two items can be lowered with a little work on your part. Here is how:

Lowering Airfares:

Lowering the cost of hotels:

Let me know in the comments below if you have other tricks…

-George

How to Find Reasonably Priced Hotels in Italy

Next to airfare, hotels will be your biggest cost. If your staying for an extended period of time, they may be the biggest cost of the trip. You first have to decide on:

• Is it a special occasion like a honeymoon where you want an expensive hotel with nice amenities and views.
• Are you independently wealthy and the price is of no concern
• Are you visiting Italy to see the country, the people, etc. In this case you will only be sleeping in your hotel room. The small Italian hotels will work fine and give you more of a sense of being in Italy.

Hotels, like anywhere, change price seasonally and as they become more popular. Shop and see what the prices are. DO NOT PAY EXTRA for breakfast! Breakfast in Italy, as the Italians do it, is the cheapest and easiest meal. Go to the nearest bar (they are everywhere) and order an espresso, cappuccino, latte or coffee Americano and a sweet roll. This will cost you 2 Euros outside the big cities and maybe 5 Euros in the cities. Italians usually choose a cornetto. This is a small roll that can be plain, filled with chocolate, jam or cream.

What ever you choose, enjoy Italy. Do not try to do too much. Be an Italian while you are there. You do not need Hot Dogs, Hamburgers and eggs! Eat like the Italians which is so much more healthy for you.

– George