Italy is a very nice country. Italians are impulsive people, first they look at how to fool you, and then they go to meet you, and from the bottom of their hearts))) Despite this, in Italy there is something to see besides the Italians. Their culture, cities - Venice is just worth something with its endless water and glass factory. I was also struck by the Italy in Miniature park - you feel like a child, as if you weren’t given something in childhood. Everything is so tiny, small and cute. Rome fascinates with its grandeur and cathedrals. in San Marino you can buy all sorts of souvenirs for relatives, booze, glasses, cheaper than in other places. Back in Russia, on the Internet, we found two people who make excursions from Rimini by minibuses, Alexander and Victor. A trip to Rome with Victor is 75 euros with an escort around the city, and Alexander has 60 euros, but he only takes you to the Vatican, gives you a map, shows the route and picks you up at the Colosseum at the appointed time. We chose it, because the trip cost us the same as a train ticket (by the way, the station in Rome is far from the historical center) and we calmly, ourselves, without a crowd, looked at all the places that interested us most.
If you want, they will give you a card at the reception, although it did not help us much...
Impressions from the country of course the sea, good and bad . . And the worst of all impressions from our tourists, especially our ladies. Of course, holidays in European resorts are not cheap, and accomplished, wealthy women go there to rest. Well, why should single women hang themselves on the neck of drivers and waiters, or vice versa, poison what is happening. It seems that in Russia we have either anxious whores or angry old maids. And where is the middle?
The rest turned out to be interesting and memorable - everyone came back positively. So everything is in order... We collected excursions around Italy on the Internet, a lot of information came out, including Victor-Rimini. We were interested in the service that he offered, we phoned him in advance and agreed on everything. There were no overlays with visas, tickets and plane departures. As for the hotel. (Villa Adriatika) Not a big cozy hotel, the girl and the young man at the reception are very friendly, they communicate in Italian and English. as well as virtually the entire staff of the hotel. Special thanks to the waiters - very sociable, cheerful and friendly people. The hotel rooms are cleaned every day, our balcony was not big, but we were pleasantly surprised by two stretched ropes, you can hang something to dry if necessary. We turned the air conditioner on and off ourselves, the room was fresh and cool when we needed it. Regarding the beach: the hotel is attached to the beach, one sun lounger per day costs 4 euros, (if you go to the beach not attached to the hotel, the sun lounger will cost 6 euros). The sea is just wonderful, warm, and you have to move a hundred meters from the shore to go into the water up to your neck, so this is a paradise for children, shallow and relatively safe. There is a very wonderful cafe in this city called Amerigo! The dishes are all simply amazingly delicious and they serve very tasty wine. The menu is very convenient with photos of each dish, descriptions of dishes in several languages, including Russian. The waiters and owners of the cafe are just super! We dined at this cafe all the days of our holiday and every day after we asked for the bill, they brought us a small decanter of banana liqueur and lemon vodka and my daughter a delicious milkshake, so if you want to treat yourself to all sorts of goodies, you are in Amerigo! ) About excursions. We mastered only one (since we went with a child, and she is only 7 years old, with small children on excursions it’s difficult, they get tired very quickly, went on an excursion at 6 in the morning and returned back at 7 in the evening) visited Venice - this is an indescribable feeling, this is not the city is a fairy tale and you must see it with your own eyes! The tour and guide in Venice is excellent, only on the way Victor every now and then can sometimes insert a vulgar joke among the jokes, despite the fact that there were also children. By the way, we didn’t feel the notorious smell, although we rode gondolas, then they explained to us that it smells only when it’s very hot. As for shopping, there are different goods and for different incomes, in general, you can’t describe everything.....
The hotel is excellent. In the very center of the city, near the Felini Park and the Grand Hotel.
Sea and beach number 14 in 10 minutes walk. Sunbeds and umbrellas on the beach paid in the season reached 18 euros for a couple. In September, the season was already closing and they didn’t take money from us for sunbeds and umbrellas on the beach. But cunning tourists told us that if the minister comes up, then say that they have already paid in advance for the week.
The hotel has very friendly staff, they speak some Russian and English, you can have a great conversation with them. The double room was on the second floor with a balcony. Rooms are cleaned, linen and towels are changed every day. The bathroom has a toilet, bidet and shower. Shampoo, shower gel, body cream, makeup sponges, shower caps, soap, cotton buds, cotton pads, nail files, hair clips, chewing gum, disposable cups. Mini bar. We kept our fruits in it. Quite a large swimming pool in the yard with a Jacuzzi effect and a small springboard to dive. Sunbeds by the pool. There are no beach towels. But then we saw some vacationers have dark towels with the symbols of the hotel. We asked the maid and she gave us such towels. If they remained in the room at the moment when she was cleaning, then she changed them, too, to clean ones. The room seemed to us a little worn, but very decent. Double bed, TV, wardrobe, telephone, air conditioning. The floor is laminate and there are no rugs, which was not very comfortable.
Nutrition. Buffet breakfast: rolls, bread, croissants, toast toast, juice and different types of coffee from the machine. several types of sausage, meat, ham. Fruits, cereals, muesli, yoghurts, jams, butter, honey. Boiled eggs, several times there were scrambled eggs with fried sausages. Everything is very tasty!
We didn't go to lunch. Dinner. Drinks at your own expense. Snacks - buffet, seafood, carrots, grated beets, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. to mix and prepare your own slaat for every taste. Then on each table there is a menu for today's dinner and there you choose the first and second hot course. For the first, as a rule, soup puree or pasta or ravioli. For the second meat or fish with a side dish. But a cold dish can also fall on the second. So for example, I didn’t know what roast beef was and regarded it as a type of biftex, that is, I was waiting for hot fried meat, but I got boiled and cold. The Russian girl Valentina worked in the restaurant. Very nice, she told us everything. There is a waiter Alfred who speaks and understands a little Russian. Menu in Russian. There are a lot of fruits for dessert, ice cream, granite, cakes, desserts such as panna cotta, jelly, etc. There is an ironing room (free of charge) near the reception. On Thursday, a gala dinner is held by the pool. Candles, waiters in straw hats and colorful aprons, red and white wine, snacks like on a normal day, but meat and fish are grilled right there on the street. Then the same desserts, music plays. Our people did not dance, but we really wanted to, but we were too shy..... Everyone is very nice and friendly. The bus stop is right in front of the hotel exit. There are rain umbrellas and free bikes. There is a safe in the room. Russians were about one third. Germans, French, Italians. We had both young and old and with children. The fact that this center makes the old town, port, dolphinarium, beach, shops, restaurants, discos close. In September, there are not many people and it is not noisy. But in the last two days the weather has deteriorated, so..... there is a risk that you will not be able to sunbathe..... Although they say that last year 2007 they swam right up to mid-October.
We got to Italy on our own, did not trust any tour company, lived in the VILLA ADRIATICA hotel, a very super hotel. The rooms are clean and comfortable, cleaned daily, towels changed every day. The breakfasts are great, even children have plenty to choose from. The beach is 50 meters away, and the hotel itself has a swimming pool with clean water, this is especially important if the weather is not very good. The hotel is a solid 4, no complaints.
In general, the emotions are very positive. We went shopping, had time to relax and even go on excursions. (I want to warn you that private tours are more interesting - cheaper and plus on a comfortable bus) If you are in Rimini, find Victor (somewhere in the reviews there is his phone number), he will organize everything. Us liked. We went shopping with him in San Marino and the surroundings of Rimini, as well as to Venice on an excursion, where we had a guide Alena, many thanks to her. Venice is just great. We have already traveled to see the sights of Rome on our own, on a one-way train ticket costs 35 euros.
I want to give a little advice; if you are going to travel in Italy, take a phrasebook with you. You will need it.
By the way, although we didn’t personally meet with them, fortunately, we heard that such “guys” ride motorcycles who grab bags from gaping tourists. So be careful and have a good trip!