Italy recommendations.

I am going to Italy this summer for a few weeks (as I have mentioned before), but I really need to get my shit together and make a plan. So I come to you, my friends, for specific recommendations. I plan to go to Rome, Siena, maybe Venice (maybe not.. I am told the place is just a dressed-up sewer), and definitely a lot of lazy time spend on the Amalfi coast or Capri or Ischia. I wouldn't mind trekking down to Tunisia, either, if anyone would recommend that.

I am hoping to get specific hotel recommendations, or any other specific info that might help. Since I will be there about 3 weeks, I am looking for a mix of budget or moderate hotels and one or two ridiculously blow-out fabulous places with a sea view. I have been poring over the reviews on TripAdvisor, but there are just so many hotels reviewed there. Hard to tell which Italian hotel is actually going to be a flea bag with fake antiques and lumpy beds.

You can leave suggestions here or email me. If you have flickr or blog photos to share, even better.

Thanks,
The Management


PS - I am also going to Carmel, CA next month with my mom. Let me know where to eat.