WOOHOO!!!! Confirmed into Marriott Marbella Beach

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Laurie....Thanks for the info. I went to map quest, and Cadiz is only 2 1/2 hrs away from Marbella. So, there is a chance that we will get there, after all. I will add it to my list.

Any other info you might have on the area would be greatly appreciated. Restaurants, towns, tours, any must sees etc.

It looks like we are going to Italy after Spain. I was able to get a nice hotel in Rome, using my points. We would also go to Florence for a few days.

I'm actually on hold, as I am writing this post. I am waiting to see if we can use our points to get flights. The girl actually told me to go and get a cup of coffee. Ugh....she just came back on the line to tell me that she was having trouble getting me over the Atlantic.....not good!

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

After 2 1/2 hours on the phone, I did it....Booked flights from JFK to Malage, and then back home from Rome to JFK....... I just need to book a flight from Malaga to Rome. Shouldn't be too difficult.

We will be gone for 18 days.....If anyone has any advice on what to do, tours, restaurants, etc., in Rome, Florence, or Marbella, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

After 2 1/2 hours on the phone, I did it....Booked flights from JFK to Malage, and then back home from Rome to JFK....... I just need to book a flight from Malaga to Rome. Shouldn't be too difficult.

We will be gone for 18 days.....If anyone has any advice on what to do, tours, restaurants, etc., in Rome, Florence, or Marbella, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

Your trip sounds absolutely heavenly. Booking flights can be so frustrating, but it sounds like your hard work paid off. Wow, so exciting, your fun is just beginning!!! Hopefully others will help you with restaurants/things to do.. though when I was last in Italy (a lifetime ago) we couldn't find a bad meal...

Enjoy!!!!

[Jaybee Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jaybee]

That sounds like such a splendid trip! Good for you! We loved Spain. We visited Portugal & Spain on a Grand Circle Tour, and it was wonderful. We took an extra 5 days to visit
Seville & Madrid. We loved Barcelona & Seville best, I think, but it's hard to choose. Have a wonderful time planning it, too. Jean

[Laurie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Laurie]

Any other info you might have on the area would be greatly appreciated. Restaurants, towns, tours, any must sees etc.
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Here's where we ate lunch on the way to Cadiz, it was very good (I can't believe I remember this, it's been over 8 years):
www.hotelhurricane.com/en/food.html at the
www.hotelhurricane.com/en/hotel.html

The Roman ruins on the way - we self-toured with a printed guide we found there, it was pretty amazing:
http://tarifa.costasur.com/en/roman-...,-bolonia.html

Also Tarifa town looked worth more time than we spent there, it's where our boat to Morocco sailed from. We were really glad we went on this tour to Morocco.

Favorite white town was Casares just a short hop from Estepona, liked it more than Mijas if you have to choose.

Many others on this site and TUG have lots of other good advice for Italy and Costa del Sol, but I wanted to chime in to agree with Emmy about Cadiz. Sounds like you have a great trip planned, you will have a blast!

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Jaybee.....It seems that everyone seems to love Seville. We will definetly be spending some time there. Unfortunatley, I think that Barcelona is too far to get to on this trip. We will just have to go back, and spend some time in the bigger cities.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Laurie,

Thanks so much for all the suggestions, and the links. The restaurant looks great. I'm glad that you were able to remember the name......


Also, we were wondering about the tour to Morocco, so I'm glad that you felt it was worth taking. It's on our list. I can't wait to see the white villages. They sound so quaint, and beautiful....we will definitely go to Casares. It sounds like there is so much to accomplish in 7 days. I need to put together an itinerary, so that we don't waste precious time.

Thanks again for your great suggestions.......

Here's where we ate lunch on the way to Cadiz, it was very good (I can't believe I remember this, it's been over 8 years):
www.hotelhurricane.com/en/food.html at the
www.hotelhurricane.com/en/hotel.html

The Roman ruins on the way - we self-toured with a printed guide we found there, it was pretty amazing:
http://tarifa.costasur.com/en/roman-...,-bolonia.html

Also Tarifa town looked worth more time than we spent there, it's where our boat to Morocco sailed from. We were really glad we went on this tour to Morocco.

Favorite white town was Casares just a short hop from Estepona, liked it more than Mijas if you have to choose.

Many others on this site and TUG have lots of other good advice for Italy and Costa del Sol, but I wanted to chime in to agree with Emmy about Cadiz. Sounds like you have a great trip planned, you will have a blast!

[m61376 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close m61376]

When you go to Rome, take the half day city tour your first day. It is a bus tour (which I generally do not like) that covers the major sights. What is really good about this is not only your visit to the Forum and Colliseum, but that you get a "feel" for the city. There are lots of things you will see that you will want to go back to while you are there; other things the city tour will suffice for. But- you get a feeling for the lay of the land and we found it to be a great way to start seeing the city.

We have always done shorter trips to Rome and always wished we had more time.

If you plan on using the train for excursions outside of the city, keep in mind that Italian time is very different from the scheduled time- can be a half hour earlier, can be an hour later....other than that, they are very easy to use.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Thanks for the tip on taking the bus tour. We will definitely being doing that. It sounds like a good way to familiarize ourselves with the city. There is never enough time, so this will help us in maximizing our itinerary.

Hmmmm, I'm not sure what you mean by 'Italy time' is different than 'scheduled time.' We are planning on taking a few excursions, and I was thinking that the train would probably be the best way of doing so.......For instance, if the train schedule reads, 'depart Rome at 8:AM,' are saying that that time might be incorrect? And, if so, then how would I get the correct time?

Thanks again, for all your help......

When you go to Rome, take the half day city tour your first day. It is a bus tour (which I generally do not like) that covers the major sights. What is really good about this is not only your visit to the Forum and Colliseum, but that you get a "feel" for the city. There are lots of things you will see that you will want to go back to while you are there; other things the city tour will suffice for. But- you get a feeling for the lay of the land and we found it to be a great way to start seeing the city.

We have always done shorter trips to Rome and always wished we had more time.

If you plan on using the train for excursions outside of the city, keep in mind that Italian time is very different from the scheduled time- can be a half hour earlier, can be an hour later....other than that, they are very easy to use.

[mshatty Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close mshatty]

My recollection of train schedules in Italy is that if it says 8:00 a.m. departure, you better be on the train because at 8:00:000 am it leaves.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

My recollection of train schedules in Italy is that if it says 8:00 a.m. departure, you better be on the train because at 8:00:000 am it leaves.

OK, that's not a problem. I don't mind the trains being prompt, but leaving at a different time then the schedule lists, could get tricky........

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Does anyone have any thoughts on driving in Rome? The hotel that we are staying at has free parking. Should we be renting a car? Thanks for any input.

[mshatty Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close mshatty]

Angela,

If you rent a car and drive in Rome, report back here if you see one traffic light.