Friday, January 22, 2010

France Friday!

Last time we visited France Friday, we were talking about the leg of the trip that included the south of France (Nice). Well plans have slightly changed since then. Instead of going to Nice, I fell in love with a part of Italy that I have to see while I'm so close......VENICE!




The city looks so romantic and the ambiance seems so magical as most of the city lies under water. Moonlit gondola rides, fantastic food, and historic scenery were just a few of the things that really ignited my interest in visiting this beautiful place.


There are several reasons that made me change my mind about going to Nice. The main reason was the train ride. It is 7 hours to Nice from Paris. Then a couple days later we would have to get on another 8 hr train ride to Rome. Well after doing some research, I discovered there is a fast train that goes from Paris to Venice in 6 hrs with a stop in Milan. The train from Venice to Rome is only 3 hours {Rome is the final leg of our trip to be discussed later!}

I'm really looking forward to visiting this majestic city. I've started to research hotels and they are pretty pricey to say the least but I'm sure it will all be worth it.

Have a great weekend!


7 comments:

  1. I am having so much fun hearing about your trip! Especially because you haven't been yet so the anticipation is fun. I went to Italy and toured from Rome to Lake Como when I was in high school with the orchestra. It was amazing. I would love to go back. Venice is awesome. I wish we would have had more time to just hang out and soak it all in. We saw everything in one week. Very romantic! So excited for you!

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  2. Hi Jia!

    Of all the places I visited while in Italy, ROME was my favorite!! You will LOVE it!! Not sure how long you're able to stay in the city -it's an absolute gem. I was there for 8 nights/7 days and could have spent the entire MONTH {or longer!} relishing in the beauty of it!!

    I wanted to pass on some places for you to consider staying at...

    Rome Hotels:

    I stayed at the Hotel Della Torre Argentina - although expensive, it's nothing fancy...but the location is PRIME! PRIME! PRIME!
    http://www.dellatorreargentina.com/it/homepage/

    Here are some other hotels to consider:

    http://www.hoteladriano.com/

    http://www.hotelcampodefiori.com

    http://whotelteatropace.com/index.html

    http://www.hotelnavona.com/

    http://www.hotelgenioroma.it/

    http://www.hotelgenioroma.it/

    http://www.hotelduetorriroma.com

    http://www.hotelpontesisto.it/

    http://www.albergodelsenato.it


    APARTMENTS {we went this route when we honeymooned in Prague and LOVED the value and spaciousness that you can get compared to a hotel}:

    http://www.friendlyrentals.com/en/apartments/roma/accommodation-220_151.htm

    http://www.friendlyrentals.com/en/apartments/rome/apartment-3094-220.htm

    Have fun planning out this awesome trip!!

    Love,
    Jessica

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  3. PS - I think I told you this before...dont forget to negotiate price!! You will never have to pay full price for a hotel, B&B, or apartment!! : )

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  4. Thanks Jessica! I have a question though, it is better to book and negotiate directly through the hotels website?

    Thanks girl! Ilah is so precious!

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  5. Hey Jia!

    Always find the direct email address to the hotel manager. Its usually on the hotels website. If you see just a general email address that starts with "contact@....or info@"...usually the manager responds directly since your email will be about a rate reduction. Sometimes you will hear back from a reservation clerk on behalf of the hotels manager. When it comes to booking most hotels require online payment and at least one nights stay in advance. Its standard. Sometimes you can get even more of a deal if you pay more upfront or offer to pay in cash upon check-in/check-out. Email me if you have any more questions! : )

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  6. Jia - have you looked into opem jaw flights? Flying into one city and out of another to prevent you from the expense of back tracking?

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  7. Thanks girl! We are flying into Paris and back from Rome. I have a couple of more questions about exchanging our money. I will email you. Thanks again!

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