RomaPolacchi

National Geographic Traveler has the scoop on driving the scenic roads of the Amalfi Coast. You'll find tips on what stops to make, what routes to take and how to avoid crowds (and the dangerous traffic that comes with them). Here's a couple of tips from me: don't drive the roads at night and make sure your car is small -not like the huge station wagon I drove the last time I was there!

The city of Rome is so committed to bringing customers to its city center sales that it has provided an express bus from Termini Station to the shopping district during Saldi season. The 100 will take you straight downtown and operates every 6 minutes, from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm, 7 days a week. Better hurry as Saldi season ends on February 13th!

Trenitalia has launched the new high-speed line from Naples to Milan. Now you can get from Rome to Milan in 3.5 hours, and Rome to Naples in a little over an hour! Perfect for your trip to the Amalfi Coast . The line also offers free newspapers, beverages and snacks. Make reservations at www.italiarail.com . Buon Viaggio!

Trenitalia has launched the new high-speed line from Naples to Milan. Now you can get from Rome to Milan in 3.5 hours, and Rome to Naples in a little over an hour! Perfect for your trip to the Amalfi Coast . The line also offers free newspapers, beverages and snacks. Make reservations at www.italiarail.com . Buon Viaggio!

Budget Travel has some great suggestions for saving money in Rome (and in many other expensive cities). They suggest using public transportation, refilling your water bottles in the fountains (the water in Rome is pristine!) and eating pizza by the slice. 10Best.com has some great suggestions for pizzerias, many of them in Trastevere.

Alitalia, Italy's struggling airline, is all set to be revived-but new problems may be in store for the carrier. Easyjet is now offering 4 flights a day from Rome to Milan, one of Alitialia's most popular routes. And trains may pose even greater competition. On December 15th a section of new track between Bologna and Milan will cut out half an hour of the four hours it takes to get to Milan from Rome. And another company, the privately owned Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori , is opening a new high speed train service between major cities in Italy, including Rome and Milan. Alitalia is certainly facing some daunting competition. Read more about it in the Economist.

Delta Airlines is offering a non-stop flight to Rome from JFK for $647.00 November 19-26. Just in time for your Thanksgiving vacation. Maybe instead of turkey at your in-laws this year you should enjoy a nice saltimbocca alla Romana in the Piazza Navona!

Iberian Airlines is offering a 681.00 airfare to Rome from JFK February 2nd to February 9th. Midwinter is a great time to visit Rome-you can see the city without the crowds. Be sure to bring warm layers as Rome does get chilly. Gloves are a must if you plan on consulting your guidebook at all when you are outside-and all that marble inside isn't very insulating, either!

Alitalia is still in trouble. Rumor has it that they are looking to Lufthansa , the German airline, for a partial buyout (the Italian government owns almost half of the airline and it cannot sell). Air France-KLM was blocked by unions from a buyout earlier this year, so it's hard to predict what will happen. Lufthansa thinks that Alitalia has too much debt. In the meantime, Alitalia is losing money every day, is cutting thousands of jobs , and has trouble buying fuel. It hasn't cancelled any flights yet...but be aware when booking Alitalia that things are precarious. Paolo Scaroni, the chief executive of ENI, an Italian oil company, told La Repubblica that he would not sell oil to Alitalia on credit "not even if Berlusconi or the pope asked me to."

A recent search on Delta Airlines found an $853 airfare from San Francisco to Rome leaving Monday, November 10th and returning Thursday, November 20th. That's pretty much the lowest airfare the Modern Traveler has seen from this side of the U.S. to the Eternal City in six months. Act fast!

If you're anything like the Modern Traveler (and my guess is you are) you are always planning your next trip to Rome. A recent search on United found a $615 airfare from JFK to Rome (through Washington DC) for January 14-21 of 2009. It's definitely not too early to start planning a winter trip to Rome. And remember-the crowds will be gone-you'll have the whole place to yourself!

Budget Travel outlines some of Frommer's writer Reid Bramblett's tips for making travel in Italy affordable. He recommends looking for other lodging besides hotels like campgrounds and monasteries, comparing car rental prices with AutoEurope.com , and trying Italian villages which have been turned into hotels ( alberghidiffusi.it ). You can also see his own website for recommendations at ReidsGuides.com .

The key to saving money on museums, archaeological sites, and transportation in Rome is to purchase "city cards" from the city of Rome. Budget Travel outlines how you can save using three different packages. 1. The Roma Pass (20 Euros) gets you into two museums/sites and discounts at various other sites and events and unlimited entry on buses and metros for three days. 2. The Roma Piu Pass (25 Euros) also offers the above perks but expands into regional trains and buses. 3. The Roma Archaeologia Card (22 Euros) gets you into an extensive list of ancient sites for seven days. Budget Travel reminds you that many sites are closed on Mondays, so plan ahead.

You'll be hard -pressed to find a low airfare to Rome for the next two months. But a recent search on United.com brought up an airfare for $ 1,010.70 from San Francisco to Rome with 1 stop in Washington DC. The flight leaves August 18th and returns September 9th, so if you are not bound by school schedules and can take some serious time off, go for it! The high season will be at an end as well, so you can take advantage of lower hotel rates and fewer crowds while still enjoying the Mediterranean summer. The same itinerary is $991.70 from LAX and $954.30 from JFK.

Alfa Romeo is planning a comeback to the American market with a sexy sports car called the 8C Competizione. The car, manufactured at the Maserati plant in Italy, will be sold through Maserati dealerships for a starting price of $200,000! This car will only be available in a limited run (about 50) but Alfa Romeo is hoping that the model will inspire interest in the brand. They plan to introduce three additional lower-priced cars in 2009, the Alfa Romeo Spider (convertible), a mid-sized sedan and SUV. Alfas, like many European cars, run on diesel engines which tend to earn better gas mileage. Alfa Romeo has not sold cars in the U.S. since 1995, but there are brand enthusiasts nationwide who will certainly welcome its return.

As you may be aware, driving in Italy is not for the faint-hearted. Unless you are going to a villa in Tuscany or to the remote countryside, you should probably avoid cars altogether. You will certainly not want a car in Rome-there is nowhere to park it and you can't even drive in the historic center without a special residential permit. Stick to trains. The Italian government has an extensive website for its train system, Trenitalia . Here you can purchase tickets, find up-to-date schedules (that may or may not correspond to when the trains actually arrive and depart!), and special deals. Currently Trenitalia is focusing on Smart Price , a promotion offering tickets around Europe starting at 15 Euros. Buon Viaggio !

Dozens of articles in the past few weeks have highlighted the trouble that Italy's airline, Alitalia, is facing. Because the EU has ruled that governments can no longer fund private airlines, Italy has been forced to pull its funding from Alitalia. This has left Alitalia with not nearly enough cash to run for more than a few more weeks. The newly reelected Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has vowed that he will make saving Alitalia a priority, but until another company comes along to bail them out, you should definitely avoid making any reservations on Alitalia. See Budget Travel for some tips on making the most of your reservation if you already have booked with Alitalia for this summer.

A recent search on Kayak.com produced a $706 airfare from JFK to Rome on British Airways for May 14-21. The flight stops at Heathrow, but maybe you'll get lucky and they'll put you in their new terminal ! Non-stop flights for the same period start at $990. If you have the time, it may be worth it. $290 dollars saved could buy you another night in Rome!

American Airlines is offering all sorts of deals to Europe for travel between March 25, 2008 and May 18. Great fares include Baltimore to Rome for $773, Chicago to Rome for $967, New York Kennedy and La Guardia for $838, Los Angeles to Rome for $1007 and San Francisco to Rome for $1025. Maybe a Spring Break jaunt to the Eternal City is in your future?

June is the perfect time to go to Rome. The kids are out of school, the crowds haven't arrived yet, and the weather is perfectly warm. But airfare can be expensive. A recent search on Kayak.com turned up a $908 airfare from JFK to Rome on Iberian Airlines (with a stop in Madrid) leaving June 5th and returning June 12th. Not bad for the high season!