Restaurants Recc's in Venice, Florence, Rome & Taormina?

We are so excited! We booked our July trip to Italy.

3 nights Venice
3 nights Florence
3 nights Rome
4 nights Taormina, Sicily

I studied in Florence as a college student, so I am fairly familiar with that city.

Although I visited the others I am less familiar and would love to hear any must sees, favorite restaurants or excursions from those who have been.

TIA

Message edited 12/8/2009 1:12:37 PM.

Re: Italy Trip Booked and Question

We did the same trip, but I think we spent a few more days in Rome b/c there's so much to see.
Loved Al 59 in Rome.
I'm sure you may now, but Vivoli in Florence has the BEST gelato

Re: Italy Trip Booked and Question

There is a restaurant called the Black Cat (Il Gatto Negro( sp?) on the island of Murano. Def take a trip there while you are in Venice.

It was awesome and it was feautured on Sandy Brown travel show

Re: Italy Trip Booked and Question

i'll have to look at home for the cards i saved from restaurants we went to. definitely any restaurant in pizza navona in rome, 3 days should be enough time to see all the major sites. we were there only 2 and only missed 1 or 2 major things.

definitely try to take a tour of murano, burano and torcello when you're in venice. we didn't take a gondola ride b/c they were about $150, but if you are up to it, take one. oh and try to see the doge's palace in venice also!

florence was our fav city, we took a tour of tuscany and went to a castle for wine tasting. there is a restaurant we went to a little off the beaten path, la giostra - excellent!!!

Re: Restaurants Recc's in Venice, Florence, Rome & Taormina?

Ah I am trying to plan a trip too! I am curious how you planned it, did you use a travel agent? Was it hard to select hotels? are you taking trains! Can you FM me when you get a chance or check out my post on the travel board! Thx!

Re: Restaurants Recc's in Venice, Florence, Rome & Taormina?

Re: Restaurants Recc's in Venice, Florence, Rome & Taormina?

Rome restaurant: Le Lanterne
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d785637-Reviews-Le_Lanterne-Rome_Lazio.html

we loved it, we sent my parents there and THEY loved it too.

Re: Restaurants Recc's in Venice, Florence, Rome & Taormina?

Oh thanks! I am curious though...where is Taormina? Oh nevermind, I just noticed its in Sicily

Also with the trains, which pass did you get, like Eurorail or something else? One of the other girls was saying that although you have a rail pass you still have to book seats at the station. Is that the pass you have or is it different?

Message edited 12/14/2009 12:03:06 PM.

Re: Restaurants Recc's in Venice, Florence, Rome & Taormina?

Re: Restaurants Recc's in Venice, Florence, Rome & Taormina?

I just noticed this - I am going to contact my cousins on Facebook about recommendations in Toarmina. They live about an hour away and we visit a few times every time I go there! I love it there, so romantic. I love going to the piazza and you see all the brides trying to get pictures with Mount Etna

Re: Restaurants Recc's in Venice, Florence, Rome & Taormina?

please have tea in Florian's, Piazza San marco venezia.

Re: Restaurants Recc's in Venice, Florence, Rome & Taormina?

Tilde- when I studied in Florence I visited Taormina and saw the brides !!! Thanks for emailing your cousins!

Ophelia- I am going to have tea there for sure, thanks for the recommendation

Re: Restaurants Recc's in Venice, Florence, Rome & Taormina?

Wanted to also recommend a tiny place called Aqua al Deux (or something like that) in Florence. Get the pasta sample to start - the best pasta I've had in my life. And a little gelato shop right off the Ponte Vecchio was amazing too. It was like literally right off the bridge to your left if you;re going away from the hotels.

Re: Restaurants Recc's in Venice, Florence, Rome & Taormina?

We went to Venice in October. I highly recommend two of the restaurants that we ate at:

Al Covo (My favorite)

and

Bistrot de Venise
(DH's favorite)