Italy 2014: overview

by | Apr 24, 2014 | International Travel, Travel

Most people who know us as avid travelers are surprised that we had not been to Italy. This March we rectified that, making our first trip due to good airfare sales to Milan. The trans-ocean flight was a little late but did provide some beautiful morning views of the Alps.

French Alps  approaching Milan

After clearing customs we bought bus tickets to the Central Station and a 24hr metro pass. For a little more we could have taken a train that arrives quicker, and I think we would go with that option next time as it would be a little simpler with bags. Regardless, we made it to our B&B, Rossosegnale, by 10:30 am.

During our three days in northern Italy we had great weather with warm sun, cool air, and lots of sunshine. Friday and Sunday were spent exploring Milan, and Saturday we took the train to explore the smaller Parma. We had a great time in Italy and will assuredly return for future trips.

Rossosegnale B&B review

Surprisingly, our room was ready when we arrived in the morning so we were able to wash up and change before heading out. We were assigned room GialloNovecento on the back of the building with a small terrace looking over the backyard.

our balcony

The room had a fun and eclectic decor, and we found ourselves discovering new details throughout our stay.

IMG_4562  IMG_4561

our bedroom

Importantly, the bed was firm but comfortable.

soaps

There were a few small issues- the closet hangers didn’t fit T-shirts well, and the shower was a bit small and could have used more space around the sink (pedestal) – but overall minor quibbles.

On the top floor of the building was a fantastic terrace, which was a great place to enjoy a glass of wine at sunset.

a liter of wine for $4!

Breakfast at the B&B was good with the typical bread, cheese and meat plus cereal and a few pastry options. Soft-boiled eggs were available every morning. No orange juice, but a pear puree was available each morning, and Leandra enjoyed her made-to-order coffee(s).

Our B&B hosts were great, providing suggestions for exploring the area and helping us with dinner reservations. They were also quite proactive in warning us about the European time change (‘spring forward’) – having done this to ourselves on earlier trips (Berlin, Chile), we couldn’t believe that we hadn’t researched this before booking… but we now have it permanently noted in our Google calendar! Leandra had the luck(?) to experience spring forward on her trip to Portland, so she got to experience it across multiple time zones this year.

Tagged with: Italy | Italy 2014 | Milan | Parma

Our Itinerary

2025 Trips

Buenos Aires, Argentina (Feb)
Bariloche, Argentina (Feb)
Iguazu Falls, Argentina (Feb)
Boston, MA (Apr)
Kathmandu, Nepal (May)
Bhutan (May)

2024 Trips

San Diego, CA (Jan)
Sarasota, FL (Feb)
Madrid, Spain (Mar)
Valencia, Spain (Mar+Apr)
Palma, Mallorca (Apr)
Croatia (May)
Long Island, NY (July)
Faroe Islands (Aug)
London, UK (Sept)
Puglia, Italy (Sept)
Matera, Italy (Oct)
Rome, Italy (Oct)
Mosel Valley, Germany (Oct)
Frankfurt, Germany (Oct)
London, UK (Dec)
Manchester, UK (Dec)

2022 Trips

Florida (Feb)
NC Mountains (Apr)
Washington DC (Apr)
Valencia, Spain (May)
Hilton Head, SC (May)
Pacific NW (Jun)
Long Island (Jul)
Florida (Sept)
Chicago (Sept)
Poland (Sept)
NC Mountains (Nov)
Euro Xmas Markets (Dec)