One of the problems all travelers face is organizing transportation for their holiday in Italy: car rental fees have come down quite a bit but fuel is very costly. If the cost of car rental and fuel isn’t enough to keep you off the roads the reckless driving and bad mannered typical Italian could make you re-consider venturing off on the roads.

Traffic can get really bad in southern Italy, this (true) story gives you an idea of how crazy things can get. I had just arrived that morning and my uncle thought it would be nice to get out and show me around by car it was my first time in a small Italian car. I wasn’t comfortable at all. The other cars on the road didn’t seem to grab my uncle’s attention as we cruised through Naples – he was too busy showing me around town and smoking. We approached an intersection and the light was red – we were speeding with no sign of slowing down and went straight through the light – I asked “why didn’t you stop zio??!!” and he answered: “you stop only when you see cars coming in the opposite direction here: if you stop when the intersection is free you’ll get hit from behind”.

Don’t Drive, Use Public Transport in Italy

Traveling north or south has become significantly faster thanks to frequent intercity train connections – Rome to florence is now only 1 hour and 35 minutes.

Rome and Siena are not very well connected via the railway but there is a bus service.

There is a bus with 10 departures on a daily basis operated by SENA part of the BALTOUR EUROLINES.IT group. Buses are stationed at Tiburtina, a major transportation hub of Rome.

The Rome-Siena-Rome bus link costs 22 Euro one way and tickets must be purchased prior to departure at the station or online.

There really is no difference between he bus and car, the itinerary is identical the bus takes just over 3 hours, sometimes 3 and a half hours if there is traffic.

The ride is pleasant on these buses all new and equipped with air conditioning and wide seats offering plenty of leg room (which allows to work on a laptop): there is also a toilet.ilp800p

There are just a few stops along the way but numerous drop offs once in Siena. Travel to Tuscany with SENA offering many regional destinations, for instance in the chianti countryside.

The first bus leaves Rome at 6:30 AM and the last departure on week days is at 8:15 PM, a total of 10 connections per day Monday through Friday.

For an unforgettable holiday, Tenuta di Ricavo is a Luxury Hotel in Tuscany near Siena, 4 star country hotel located at Castellina in Chianti, A medieval hamlet in the natural setting of 445 acres of a protected Nature Park. Book Tenuta di Ricavo Now!

Ofcourse the local climate in San Francisco is generally very agreeable. You are able to visit any time of year. Nevertheless, the evenings can sometimes be quite brisk, so men should include a jacket, that they can give to their favorite lady when the temperature drops. A good way to visit, would be to fly out and lease a sports car for the weekend.

After you depart the airport, it is easy to go to your hotel. There are several very lovely inns in the downtown vicinity. There also are a number of wonderful hotels in Nob Hill and Pacific Heights. These are excellent places for couples that want time alone.

Golden Gate Bridge

This is a breathtaking sight to observe. However, it just isn’t good enough to simply drive across it. It is best appreciated from a slight distance. Go about forty five minutes to at least one hour prior to sunset and you can see plenty from atop the Battery Spenser parking area. Go over the suspension bridge while on US Highway 101. Get off at the Alexander Road exit. Take a left at the stop sign and you will be on Sausalito Lateral Road. This street ultimately becomes Conzelman Road and from there you will see the parking area.

From there you are able to see a great deal of the San Francisco skyline and also the bridge. At sundown is a special scene. If it is misty, it exudes a strange glow. It is a great place to just enjoy the surroundings with someone that you love.

Golden Gate Park

From California 1N take Fulton Street to get to the park. This recreational area is so huge and therefore offers so many picturesque sights, that it could take a pretty long time to see them all. There are a number of excellent walking outings that are always romantic as well as relaxing. Close up your cell phones or else leave them at the hotel. Spend the time enjoying the sights and talking with each other.

Walking From Windmill to Windmill

This walking trip meets at the Dutch Windmill on JFK Drive. From the Dutch Windmill, you’ll walk alongside a vintage historic railroad trail. Hand in hand, you will pass the Beach Chalet which faces the sea and will end up at the Old Murphy Windmill. It requires about an hour and the time will certainly pass much too quickly.

Conservatory of Flowers

A collection of extremely exotic and unusual plants lives here. This historic landmark has been around since 1878 and is a big green house which includes a dome that extends 60 ft in the air. The whole building is 240 feet long. In the event you and the one you love enjoy beautiful things like rare orchids, this is a must see.

Summary

If you might be looking for romantic travel you might consider a weekend in San Francisco. There are so many different things to do and see that it would take many weekends to see it all. In the vicinity it can be easy to discover wonderful accommodations for beach vacations like romantic bed and breakfasts. The Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park might be a good way to spend a weekend with that special someone. You are able to spend time walking and enjoying many beautiful places while at this huge park. Shut down your cell phones and take one of the numerous walking outings along loads of trails. It might be a great way to get reacquainted.

Wesley Mathews is part of the travel team at FindVacationRentals.com and FindBedandBreakfast.com. These directories provide detailed information on bed breakfasts and things to do.

You have oceans on one side and mountains on the other sided. The sky is ever changing, with clouds seeming to work magic over the land. All this combined makes for a perfect afternoon on the beach.So pack a lunch and head out for an afternoon of sun and surf.

The Glen Boutique Hotel is gay owned and operated, and perfect little romantic hide-away. The rooms are gorgeous with marble appointed bathrooms. Marco’s African Place is a great spot for dinner or give Off Moroka Cafe Africaine a visit for more traditional African food. There are many places to stay and eat that are gay-friendly.

After a day or two on the beach, you may want to venture into the wine country or visit some of the great Cape Town museums, The Bo-Kapp Museum, District Six Museum and National Gallery should not be missed. At night, Cape Town offers a wide array of options from small quiet little bars to wild discos!

There is even some gay history to be had on the slopes of Devil’s Peak in the form of the Rhodes Memorial: so built to honor Cecil Rhodes who was a gay entrepreneur from Great Britain and founder of the Rhodes Scholarship, Rhodesia and DeBeers (diamond) mining company. Of course, there are the magnificent beaches, who can forget the gorgeous South African beaches?

Just make sure to bring a wet suit if you plan on swimming, because the Atlantic Ocean is cold here. All in all, random wildlife including ostriches, penguins, baboon and monkeys (well, you wanted exotic) notwithstanding, gay travel tours to Cape Town are definitely well worth it.

Thoughts about Cape Town written by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys list of gay guides is amazing. Their gay travel in 2010 is well rounded.