Star and Phil, you've both helped a great deal. Now I'll keep my fingers crossed that we can make the switch.
Donna

We are taking the last Easy Pace Italy Tour of the Winter Schedule (Apr 21 - May 04). Thanks to all who have contributed to this Message Board so far. It is very informative!

If you have taken the EPI tour, we would appreciate information (included in "BAsic EPI", or available as an "Optional" @ ? Euros, or "Only available at own cost separate from EPI") re: actual TOURS of the following sites:

1) Milan:
a) Duomo Cathedral Rooftop & Museum; and,
b) Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper"

2) Venice:
a) Doge's Palace;
b) Correr Museum;
c) the Campanile Bell Tower;
d) Accademia Museum; and,
e) Peggy Guggenheim Museum
f) In case of "Acqua Alta", does Insight or the Continental Hotel provide gumboots?

3) Florence:
a) Uffizi Gallery;
b) Bargello Museum; and,
c) Duomo Museum

4) Rome:
a) Colosseum;
b) Roman Forum;
c) Pantheon; (I THINK these three sites are free, but does the EPI tour include an actual
TOUR of them? If not, how difficult is it to get to these sites on our own from the
Borromini Hotel?); and
d) the National Museum of Rome

We are so looking forward to this trip! Thanks in advance for any information you can provide re: the above sites.

Pat & Mary

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pat & Mary,

Pat & Mary
We have toured Italy, but not with Insight. Nevertheless, I suggest that anyone touring Italy should move hell and high water to see Leonardo's Last Supper, the Doge's Palace, the Uffizi Gallery (those Botticelli paints - brilliant, and the Forum, Pantheon & Colosseum in Rome. You only live once!

Pat and Mary, I just returned from EPI last Thursday. I'll do my best to answer your questions and report on the tour.
We had fantastic weather. Every day was clear but cold.
Our TD was Marc De Cote. He is very knowledgeable. His sense of humour had a sharp quality to it, at times. Marc was flexible. When it was requested to add an element to the tour or it's optionals, he did. He also seemed to be able to negotiate downward the price of some optionals. (Perhaps due to the mid winter timeframe and weather.)
You'll spend very little time on the coach. The hotels were not centrally located. The Starhotel Ritz in Milan is a 30-40 minute walk from the Duomo. Use Milan's subway, there is a stop 2 blocks from the hotel. In Venice, The Continental is near the train station and a long and interesting walk from Piazza San Marco. Vaporetto service is just a few steps away. We were "upgraded" to the Hotel Ambasciatori in Florence. The hotel is directly across from the train station and Santa Maria Novella but a good 20 minute walk to the Duomo. The Borromini in Rome is "way out of the way". Learn to use Rome's bus system. A 24 hour pass is 4 euro. Hope the Borromini has the hot water fixed by the time you get there!
In Milan, the Duomo rooftop and museum were not included. I went to the top of the La Rinacente dept. store for a view of the outside top of the Duomo. The Last Supper was an optional. The tickets are hard to get, so if you are going on your own make reservations. I'd also recommend a trip to the Brera in Milan.
In Venice, Marc added on an optional for the Doges's Palace. Our tour guide Ana, was excellent. Your Doges' ticket will get you into the Correr. The elevator ride for the Campanile was 3 euro. The Accademia and Guggenheim were quick runthroughs for us. 5 to 8 euros each. Don't miss Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari! Many art jewels here. The walks in between these places were filled with picturesque canals, streets and shops. There is a shop behind the Frari called Scriba. He sells original art prints and watercolors for Venice locals. Prices were very good.
In case of Acqua Alta, there will be vendors selling ugly yellow plastic boots for 15 to 20 euros. I bought us some ugly yellow "hazmat" boots for $4 online. Didn't need them. Check your calendar for full and new moons during your Venice days. That's when you are most likely to have high water.
In Florence, the Uffizi optional was cancelled. We stood in line for an hour and did it on our own. It was worth it. Bargello and Duomo museum you will need to do on your own. Go across the street from your hotel and see Santa Maria Novello. Important works by Masaccio and Ghirlandaio are there.
When we finally got to Rome, we were "churched" out. Every where you turn are important works of art and history. We trudged onward. EPI includes your inside trip to the Colosseum and an overview of the forum. The Pantheon we did on our own, while trudging from the Trevi fountain (beautiful) to Piazza Navona. Using the Rome bus system wasn't too difficult, but I would have preferred a more centrally located hotel...with hot water.
A word of warning...your included meals are not great. Maybe Insight will have improved them by April. There is a very nice restaurant near the Borromini in Rome, called Taverna Rossini. Good food and prices.
This may give you more info than you wanted. If you have more questions, let me know.
Enjoy
Donna

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ohdonna,

donna, did you take an excursion up to the lakes while in Milan?

Cheers

General Max

Yes, Max. There was an optional to Como. It included an hour long boat ride aound the lake, a funicular tram ride up to Brunate and a stop at the silk outlet. The views of the alps were outstanding.
Donna

We are going to miss that on our "Best of Italy" tour in October.

Cheers

General Max

Donna, we sure appreciated your remarks. We were on the 2nd Easy Pace that departed Dec. 16. You had great comments on the hotels. We especially enjoyed Mark de Cote as our TD. Got to see the Last Supper, attended Europa at LaScala, Christmas Midnight Mass at Santa Maria de Novella, Christmas tour and dinner at an old monastery. Went to Ufizzi on our own. No line. It was a great trip. First time with Insight. We liked the mix of the group. Only 8 from the US.

Hi Royal. So yours is the infamous group with the "great gobbets of hail" per Marc. We considered ourselves very lucky with the weather. Understood you also suffered with the lack of hot water in Rome. Hope that situation is repaired.
We had a great mix of people, too. Lots of fun loving Ozzies. 35 total, 11 US. Despite some annoyances, we had a wonderful trip. I would certainly recommend Italy in the winter.
Enjoy
Donna

Hey Ohdonna, We really enjoyed Mark. He was so witty and clever and willing to assist in everyway. What are :Gobbets of Hail"? Had hot water in Rome hotel, but such a long bus ride everytime. We had 8 Aussies, and 6 from South Africa, 4 from Singapore etc. It was a good mix for us.