uPay2much.com – Great advice, tips, deals

My sister-in-law just returned from an Italian tour. She had repeated visits to Rome and Florence and followed our recommendations to visit Assisi, Milan, Pompeii, Varese, Venice and Capri. I asked her if she repeated the sights in Rome and she replied that she had to. “You’re there in Rome, how can you not see the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum?” she replied. You now have to pay to walk through the Roman ruins. 

The one thing she missed out on was the chance to see the “Last Supper” in Milan. Now, that’s another masterpiece that you cannot take photos of. If you read my earlier blog, you would have found out that you cannot take photos inside the Sistine Chapel neither. Another is Michelangelo’s “David” at the Accademia in Florence – no photos whatsoever. So what is the traveller to do? Come home and visit your local bookstore and pick up a large format book from the clearance pile. I did and it saved me from incurring extra charges on overweight baggage.

It’s easy loading up on books when you travel, especially through Italy. So many good books can be found at the museums such as the Uffizi, Pitti Palace, Vatican and the Galleria dell’Accademia but hold yourself back. Take down the ISBN and buy the book when you return. You will thank me for the tip when you see the same book at Indigo or Barnes & Noble in the clearance rack. I paid $15 for a large format book on the Uffizi and $10 for a book on the Last Supper. That’s a saving of at least 30 to 40 euros per book.