Trip to Italy, Part 1--Bologna, Venice, Parma

My housemate is from that general area. I know she's familiar with Bologna. She won't be back until the 19th, but maybe she'll be up for answering an email.

Alright. Thanks, littlek. I'd appreciate it.

Email has been sent.

Just as an idea:

I would try to book the hotels via an European website - like e.g. Opodo, Expedia, HRS.

They are generally cheaper than those from the USA.

Good!

The way whould be Parma-Bologna-Venice, or Venice-Bologna-Parma.
Both Parma and Bologna are worthwhile, but not the best thing between Venice and Milan.
In Bologna I would reccomend a visit around Porta San Vitale, the University zone.

In the Romagna region, I'd visit Ferrara and the tiny Republic of San Marino. In the Veneto, I'd visit Verona and Mantua (actually Mantua is in Lombardy), but very near Verona.

I can't tell about accomodation in any of those cities (Well, if you're rich, don't miss in Venice Hotel Danieli, near Piazza San Marco: the feel of the early XX Century; at least have a drink at the bar).

I know about Modena (20 miles west of Bologna; 40 miles east of Ferrara).
If you like cars, a visit to Maranello, and the Ferrari Museum is a must. Maranello is on the province of Modena (20 minutes ride from Modena city).
After the visit, you can dine at Modena at the reknown Ristorante Fini (I'd reccomend Tortellini in brodo, zampone and Lambrusco wine) and/or have a foccaccia (much, much more than a gelato sandwich) in one of the caffés in Via Emilia.

So, here are 2 alternative routes:

Venice-Ferrara-San Marino-Bologna-(a stop at Modena)-Parma.
Venice-Verona-Mantua-Modena and either Bologna (going east) or Parma (going west).

Except for Venice, which requires at least 2-3 days, you don't need even a whole day to make a good visit of any of those cities.

Italy is a first world country. You'll have modern conveniences everywhere.

Thanks guys. Hey, Walter, I did a quick search on that Opodo site just for flights,and I can already see that it is a lot cheaper than what I've seen so far. Good idea.

Oops, I just realized the price I got was in British Pounds. Not cheaper at all!

Oh well, I'll keep looking.

There had been a report about that ...

... Looking for cheap airfares ...

Okay, thanks Walter. Good to know.

So, it looks like nobody has any specific hotels to recommend. Maybe I should ask this in a different way...

What is the best way to attack the hotel search?

My plan is to just print out a list of every hotel I can find on the web, then just pick four or five of the ones that look the best, and from that list, try to get as much info on them and look for reviews on tourist/italian/travel websites. Sound like a good plan?

Why do you need to book in advance?

I've never made hotel reservations in Italy up front.
Wherever we liked to stay we looked for a hotel,
and even in the middle of summer vacation it never
was a problem to find a nice, reasonably priced hotel.

Why don't you just fly into Milano, rent a car and
start driving to the places you have in mind. Chances
are, you'll stop anyway somewhere inbetween, where
it is worthwhile stopping and take a hotel there.

This will give you more flexibility.

Wait, wait, I'm here!!!!!

Ok, ok, here we go, and I'm mad with envy.

Parma - I stayed at the Hotel Button, liked it. Inexpensive, relatively quiet, near Garibaldi square, take the bus from the stazione.
Possible place to eat lunch (I liked it, a name like The Two Sisters, just a nearby cafe. Then there are the Bars on Garibaldi square, the Orientale and the one next door...
oh, oh, Parma!

Bologna, my hub and I stayed at the Hotel Orologio, which is quite near the Duomo square. Cheap, ok, handy to stuff.
Unfortunate a young boys' soccer team was staying there too.. but I'd still say it's ok.

Venice, I haven't been there for a long time, but our hotel is an old favorite, and it tends to get booked early, Pensione Accademia (with an added name like merivigliosa).
PM LoisLane17, I KNOW she has good recommendations for Venice, and understands charm/not wanting to spend a lot.

By the way, the average hotelroom in Italy is very small.
I don't think it would sleep 3 people.

Parma, well that whole region, is primo for food, so put some research into restaurants. Bologna is of course, Bologna the Fat.

Venice - I have probably saved info on restaurants. It is famous for mediocre tourist places. A friend/photographer who is showing with us next month (not back until just before Feb from Mexico) went to Venice for a couple of weeks last year and said they found the best restaurant on the second to the last day - I'll get the name for you when I see him.
Not best re expense, just the delicious food.

Yes it does.
A double has usually two double beds.

I have made several sorts of combinations.

Me and a girlfriend and a male friend.
Two couples.
Three male friends.
Me plus wife plus 2 small children.

[And I agree with Calimity Jane about in advance hotel accomodation... Venice in summer being the possible exception)

I've worked it both ways. Our first trip, we just reserved for the first night (good thing, we were awake 36 hours when we finally got to Rome), and then winged it, with the help of Fodor's and Am Express guides for Tuscany and Venice and Rome.
Second trip, I reserved for Rome and Siena and we winged the rest, going directly to tourist info when we got off trains.
Problem with that is sometimes it's closed, depending on the city.

Third time, by myself on a photoshoot type trip, 13 cities, 29 days, I didn't want to futz with not knowing, and besides, I enjoy the search, actually I love it, it's part of my trip.
So I researched and faxed places in eleven cities (not having found info on hotels in Faenza or a particular town north of Torino, can't remember name of town right now, but it has a piazza where an orange hurling melee happens..)

At this point, online info is so vast, I couldn't help myself from looking stuff up before going.

Yay! Osso's here! Thanks for the recommendations! I'm especially excited about Parma. I want fresh Parmesan cheese from the original source!

And CJ and Fbaezer, really? I figured it would be tough to find a room once I get there. Plus, I just don't want to spend a lot of time once I'm there searching for hotels. I'd rather spend my time relaxing and enjoying myself, instead of worrying about where I'm going to stay. Doesn't that make sense?

Hehe! First with the girlfriend and then with the family

We went to Bellagio last June and the rooms where small - despite
double beds. Hm, then again, in Sienna we had a bigger room
and the ultimate luxury: aircondition!

Well, I got the last hotel room in Faenza (per the tourist info person), that was about ten in the morning, in April...
and when I stayed in Lucca at the Hotel Piccolo Puccini (which I recommend), I talked in my fashion with the hotel clerk several times, and our conversations were always interrupted by phone calls with him saying there were no hotel rooms left in the old town (he seemed to be part of communicating system re rooms), and recommending places outside the walls.