Chemical X
Footballguy
il tuo ragazzo e pagando
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Italy Vacation (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Don Quixote
- Start date
TenTimes
Backhoe Operator
Easily do this. Maybe it's just me but I think a whirlwind fly by is the wrong move. Spend most of your time in Florence/Rome and try to get to know those places, leave a day to spend in a small hilltown where nobody speaks English. Just my opinion, lived in Italy 4 months, thats what I'd recommend. Either way, definitely read up on the places you plan to travel to and build up a sense of the history involved in whatever you see. Try and contact MacArtist somehow, she might know the most about Italy travel of all FBGs.
Judge Smails
Footballguy
Best of Tuscany
We went this summer, did 5 days in Paris, then went to Florence for a base of a week, then went to Rome for 5 days. In Florence we took a day and a half trip to Venice, easy train ride, stayed overnight at the Hilton Molino Stuckey. I wouldn't do a tour. You can get tours of certain attractions if you want. We did do a one day "Best of Tuscany" Tour out of Florence that was awesome. Went to Siena the day after the Palio horse race, then San Gimingnano, then to a Tuscan winery/farm for an unbelievable lunch in the countryside, then on to Pisa. 12 hours, can rest on the bus, great way to see several sites without taking full days.
But mostly I just put together an itinerary of a few key things we wanted to do each day and then allowed time to roam each city. Hit a lot of great restaurants, especially in Florence. PM me if you want recommendations. Florence was by far my favorite on the trip. Venice was cool, change of scenery on the water. Rome was a must do for us for the historical sites but overall our least favorite. Don't know if I'd go back.
Agree with others. Don't try to do too much. I didn't get to see the Amalfi Coast on this trip, saving it for our next visit. The trains are easy, and very cheap if you book in advance.
We went this summer, did 5 days in Paris, then went to Florence for a base of a week, then went to Rome for 5 days. In Florence we took a day and a half trip to Venice, easy train ride, stayed overnight at the Hilton Molino Stuckey. I wouldn't do a tour. You can get tours of certain attractions if you want. We did do a one day "Best of Tuscany" Tour out of Florence that was awesome. Went to Siena the day after the Palio horse race, then San Gimingnano, then to a Tuscan winery/farm for an unbelievable lunch in the countryside, then on to Pisa. 12 hours, can rest on the bus, great way to see several sites without taking full days.
But mostly I just put together an itinerary of a few key things we wanted to do each day and then allowed time to roam each city. Hit a lot of great restaurants, especially in Florence. PM me if you want recommendations. Florence was by far my favorite on the trip. Venice was cool, change of scenery on the water. Rome was a must do for us for the historical sites but overall our least favorite. Don't know if I'd go back.
Agree with others. Don't try to do too much. I didn't get to see the Amalfi Coast on this trip, saving it for our next visit. The trains are easy, and very cheap if you book in advance.
Don Quixote
Footballguy
Thanks for all of the replies in here. Tried talking my wife out of Pisa, but her response was, "I know it's a tourist trap, but I want to see it anyway." So, it looks like we are going to Pisa...Also tried talking her out of a group tour, based on the tips here, but I'm about to concede defeat in that battle too....So, our plan is to do the "see everything" tour this time around, and then head back in a few years for a more leisurely trip exploring Tuscany, etc.
bierfiend
Footballguy
near pisa is a cute town called lucca. also nearby is livorno. no need to spend a lot of time in pisa...shoot over to one of those.
Jules Winnfield
Footballguy
I love it there! I would move tomorrow if I had the money.Eating fresh seafood and drinking wine from small unknown varietals. I miss those nights
Ilov80s
Footballguy
I wouldn't pay it. With books, apps on phones, etc. You can easily map out and research all the cool stuff you need. Plus, locals in Italy are really nice and can answer any question you have. (Knowing a little Italian will help, if you ever took Spanish, it isn't hard to learn some Italian). Also, you could just go to Tuscany. Rent a car and buy a GPS. Ask locals and tool around. You will have a great experience.
In 2011 spent 5 days in Rome and 2 in Florence in October great weather and covered a great deal. Summer of 2011 took 2 other trips to Italy spent 4 days in Positano just amazing drove the Amsfi Coast recommend all to do that also spent 2 days in a small farming village visiting my zio and zia. Also showed my son where his grandparents were born and grew up. Then spent 4 days in Venice. Going back this Summer for 17 days to take my in-laws since they never been.
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Insoxicated
Popped collar dip#### who has spent one week in Italy trying to drop knowledge on guy who lived in Italy for an extended period of time is good comedy.Klimtology
Footballguy
The best advice I can give anyone traveling to Europe is to get the museum passes. In Italy/Rome I think it's called a Rome Pass. Not only because you save a few dollars, but more importantly, because you can skip the lines. When I went to the Colosseum in Rome, for example, there was at least a 2 hr wait (and this was in the slow season- october). We literally walked right in with no waiting! The same is true for just about every other attraction. I would also highly recommend the Rick Steves tour guide books. He'll recommend which travel and museum passes to get in each city.Of Rome, Florence, Venice, Pisa, Pompeii, and Capri I've been to all except Pisa.I think I liked Florence the best - being the birthplace of the renaissance. Beautiful city and amazing art. Rome is obviously a must see. Venice is a bit of a tourist trap. I don't think anyone needs to spend more than 2 days there at most. Lots of small tourist shops all selling the same thing. It's a must see though- especially St Marks and the city architecture/ambience in general.Pompeii is cool, but unfortunately most of the artifacts found at Pompeii are not in Pompeii - they're in Naples (which I did not see)When I went to Capri it was VERY windy and they just about closed the whole island down. I also visited Cinque Terre and the Amalfi coast. Of those three I much prefer Cinque Terre.
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Don Quixote
Footballguy
Update:
Just got back from about two weeks in Italy. We ended up going with the Globus tour that I mentioned in my original post (overnight stops in Rome, outside Florence, Venice, Assisi, and Capri). I don't really have any regrets about doing the group tour. There are places we would have liked to have stayed longer and done more leisurely, but we definitely saw a lot more by doing the group tour than we otherwise would have done by ourselves. Now that we have seen most of the major sites, we can partake in the leisurely activities and get more local flavors on our next trip to Italy.
I think our next trip on our own would include more time in Florence (we were a bit rushed as we saw the David, did a walking tour of Florence and its squares, visited the Basilica of Santa Croce, and toured the Uffizi Gallery in a total of about 6 hours in Florence, which did not leave much of a chance to explore on our own and see some of the other sites), and eating our way through Tuscany, as well as seeing the lakes region that was not part of the tour.
Pisa was a bit of a waste, but my wife was happy to have checked that box, so hopefully we never have to go back there.
As many suggested might be the case, we were the youngest couple by about 20 years, but still had a good time with others in the group.
My most pleasant surprise of the trip was probably Assisi. When I saw it on the itinerary, I was not expecting much, except as a halfway stopping point between Venice and Capri, but I loved that town. Very idyllic, and something special about the place. Even as a non-Catholic, it is a bit hard not to feel overwhelmed seeing the crypt of St. Francis.
Just got back from about two weeks in Italy. We ended up going with the Globus tour that I mentioned in my original post (overnight stops in Rome, outside Florence, Venice, Assisi, and Capri). I don't really have any regrets about doing the group tour. There are places we would have liked to have stayed longer and done more leisurely, but we definitely saw a lot more by doing the group tour than we otherwise would have done by ourselves. Now that we have seen most of the major sites, we can partake in the leisurely activities and get more local flavors on our next trip to Italy.
I think our next trip on our own would include more time in Florence (we were a bit rushed as we saw the David, did a walking tour of Florence and its squares, visited the Basilica of Santa Croce, and toured the Uffizi Gallery in a total of about 6 hours in Florence, which did not leave much of a chance to explore on our own and see some of the other sites), and eating our way through Tuscany, as well as seeing the lakes region that was not part of the tour.
Pisa was a bit of a waste, but my wife was happy to have checked that box, so hopefully we never have to go back there.
As many suggested might be the case, we were the youngest couple by about 20 years, but still had a good time with others in the group.
My most pleasant surprise of the trip was probably Assisi. When I saw it on the itinerary, I was not expecting much, except as a halfway stopping point between Venice and Capri, but I loved that town. Very idyllic, and something special about the place. Even as a non-Catholic, it is a bit hard not to feel overwhelmed seeing the crypt of St. Francis.
