Dem Guesthouse, Rome

Address: Via Filippo Turati 48 (M. Fanti Room)
Nearest Train Station: Roma Termini

As the name says it all, Dem Guesthouse is not your typical hotel. I felt like I was staying in a hostel. There were no prominent signs and we had some difficulty locating it (we initially went to the no. 38 guesthouse). It was actually inside a residence building. It was also my first time using this kind of semi-manual elevator.

 

On our first day, the reception lady handled 3 keys to us - the building door, the apartment and our room. Check out was simple; we only needed to leave these keys on the table. There were a total of 3 rooms in the apartment. Breakfast was cold croissants which were left on the table for us to share.  There is a coffee machine in the common area (capsule kind). They also provided us with biscuits and fruit juices in the room. If you prefer hot breakfast, there are also restaurants, cafes and McDonalds just round the corner.

 

Although Dem is only 2 blocks from the Train Station (nearest Metro - Termini), we did not feel safe as the streets were dimly lit at night and there were people loitering around. It was also a hassle to carry 3 keys. I will not suggest this place to ladies who are travelling alone. However if you are looking for convenience, then this is it!

 

Plus points - Dem provided maps for its guests. The WiFi speed was fast! It was only few minutes walk to the Train Station (but do take note that Dem has 2 other locations elsewhere. We went to the wrong location initially).

 

 

 

 

13 Sep - The Mall

We only had 2 days in Florence. Since we spent the first day at Pisa, the second day has to be shopping right?

 

The Mall is located in the countryside of Tuscany but it is actually quite easy to get around. To get to The Mall, you have to buy the tickets at the bus terminal ticketing office before joining the queue to board the bus. There is a schedule and the timings are very accurate. The tickets costs EUR10 per person (2 way). The bus ride took about an hour. 

 

 

The biggest stores are Gucci and Prada. The prices are much cheaper than the boutiques but most of the items are not from the latest seasons.

 

There is also a VAT refund office and you can get your VAT refund immediately. However, you will still need to pass through the Customs at the airport, get the stamp and mail back the VAT form. You need to provide your credit card details. There is a penalty if you fail to send back the form. Do note that there is a minimum spending of EUR 155 in Italy in order to qualify for the VAT refund.

Important! Remember to bring your passport with you, have the shop fill out the necessary documents for VAT refund and keep the receipt.

12 Sep - The Leaning Tower of Pisa

We took a train from Venice to Florence. It was a lovely 2 hour ride. Florence was warmer than Amsterdam and Venice and for once, I was grateful to the sun for giving us some warmth.

After settling down at the alternative hotel that we found across the street (the hotel we booked had closed down), we took a train to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa (Station - Stazione Pisa Centrale). Like all other tourists, we had fun taking lots of photos with the Pisa.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: Torre pendent di Pisa) is the freestanding bell tower of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa, known worldwide for its unintended tilt to one side. It is situated behind the Cathedral and is the third oldest structure in Pisa's Cathedral Square after the Cathedral and the Baptistry.

 

The tower's tilt began during construction, caused by an inadequate foundation on ground too soft on one side to properly support the structure's weight. The tilt increased in the decades before the structure was completed, and gradually increased until the structure was stabilized (and the tilt partially corrected) by efforts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

 

Source from Wiki

 

 

 

We reached Florence at 9PM. We had our dinner at one of the restaurants opposite the train station - II Portale. The service was average but the food was good. We both ordered the set dinners which came with red wine - Bruschetta with tomatoes + Florentine Steak with roasted potatoes and spaghetti with spicy tomato sauce + Roast Spicy chicken with roasted potatoes. The servings were huge. There was an Italian man besides our table. He was alone and we chatted with him. He was a bus driver and he remarked at how "Asians can really shop and buy a lot".

Hotel Leonardo Da Vinci, Florence

Read my review on tripadvisor here

Updated - we arrived on 12 Sep, Florence time.

Address: Via Guido Monaco 12, Centro Storico, Florence, Italy
 

 

Venice makes feeding St. Mark’s pigeons illegal

Since a Year 2008 law went into effect, pigeon feeding at St Mark's Square is now banned. Fines will be issued although I did not see the policemen enforce it. They merely gave a verbal warning to the tourists.

 



Venice makes feeding St Mark's pigeons illegal
New rules for St Mark's Square

10 to 11 Sep - Mysterious Venice

We spent our first afternoon getting hopelessly lost. The labyrinth of streets, narrow alleyways and quaint bridges made this city all the more mysterious. On our second day, we decided to do away with the map and just explore this city. We noticed many touts selling non-authentic watches, bags and sunglasses. There were also street performers; they will be expecting a tip if you wish to take pictures of them.

 

On a side note, the Gondola had not been on our "to do" list as I felt the Gondola is way overpriced.

 

Some of my favourite photos from Venice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Novotel Venezia Mestre Castellana Hotel, Venice

Address: Via Ceccherini 21, Mestre, Venice, Italy

 

We arrived in Venice by KLM Royal Dutch Airline. Novotel Venezia Mestre is 10KM from the Venice Marco Polo Airport. The taxi ride from the airport was EUR45.

 

We requested for a twin room but we received a double bed and sofa bed instead. The sofa bed is not even a proper bed. The reception could not speak good English. The breakfast has a good variety. We had our dinner in the hotel on our first night but the service was bad and there were few choices. It was not worth the price we paid.

 

I will not recommend this hotel for travellers with young children. This hotel is not located within the City and we need to take a 20 minutes bus ride. The bus stop is about 10 minutes walk from the hotel and there are no proper pavement at some parts of the road.

 

Buses that are labelled "Venizia" will take you directly to the City. The hotel had kindly gave us a copy of the bus schedule but we noticed that it is not accurate! It was a long wait for the bus and I was badly stung by the mosquitoes.

 

There is a supermarket at the bus stop where you can get some snacks or drinks.