Main B&B in Italy

We did the tour by boat of the Borromean Islands. Isola Madre was excellent for the gardens which we were interested to discover had been advised by the RHS in Britain. The second island had a good choice of fish based restaurants and the third was Isola Bella with the wonderful palace. One evening we had a violent storm with thunder and lightning which we watched from the balcony of Villa la Camana. Truly natures son et Lumiere. The backcloth of the mountains and lake were briefly illuminated by the storm as it swept around the lake and between the mountains. A truly wondrous experience. We also drove up the coast towards Locarno and explored Cannobio with its network of old streets, Sunday market and the quay. Also we drove a circular tour to Lake Orta most of which - apart fron the bit through Omegna - was beautiful and t...

We stayed in a B&B easy walking distance of 'the top tourist sights' (assuming you are fit and able) Felt like the 'real' Rome Lots of very affordable bars and restaurants. Coliseum and Roman Forum really created a step back in time feeling.The guided tour around the Roman Forum was very informative and very well led. St Peters Basillica Castel Sant Angelo isn't often on the main to do list but it's worth it for the views back across the city . Would recommed two nice restaurants both located in Trastevere and recommended by our host - Taverna de Mercanti - great open grill chicken or lamb / wood burning pizza oven. Very rustic old taverna building. Just off Via di San Michele. Also Ristorante le Mani in Pasta - Via dei Genovesi, 37. Just fanta...

We decided to try our luck with a Bed and Breakfast in Rome city centre. I found a nice place a stones throw from the Vatican. It was a nice 2 bedroom apartment (great for two couples) with a kitchen and bath. We visited the Vatican, the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. Of course we visited during the typical tourist season so all of these places were fairly crowded, but I didn't find it any different than a theme park. The Pantheon seemed oddly placed right in the middle of a residential area, but I guess that's to be expected when things grow up around you. Trevi Fountain was amazing. so many features, you can spend an hour just looking at it from different angles.
At the Pizzale di Ponte Milvio we ate at a restaurant called Antica Trattoria Pallotta. The Gnocchi Imperial was fantastic! The...

All the major roman spots very interesting, but the following stand out - The Vatican Museums, The Pantheon, The Piazza Navone, Museum Capitolini.The sites were all tremendously impressive, and well maintained. We spent some time in the Sistine Chapel admiring the wealth of decoration and the skills of the artists, not least Michael Angelo .
Local Restaurants in Trastevere within walking distance of our accommodation. L'Antica Roma-Via Alberto Mario, Mfkmo Osteria Mangiafuoco-Via Alessandro Poerio We had good local food, freshly prepared, flavorsome, and good value for money. Menus were comprehensive and the wine not overpriced. Good friendly service.
We tried to speak in Italian, but with limited language, we had to ask for information in English, but we found the local peop...