Any advice for planning a trip to Italy?

[edk35]

Don't go with a tour group. LOL My dd and I went in summer of 2007 with a group from her high school. We were merged with two smaller tour groups of adults. We did the grand tour of Italy. OMG It was a FAST PACED WEAR YOU OUT 12 day trip. We started out in Milan, then went to Venice, Pisa, Florence, Assissi, Sorento/Capri, Pompeii and Rome. If we had to do it all over again... we would pick out two or three places. We would have liked to have spent more time in Florence. I would never go again and hit that many places in 10 day. The other two days were traveling days.

We were up so late and up so early. The best thing was the power naps on the really nice bus. That was the best sleep I have ever experienced in my life. You would be talking to the person next to you on the bus and then without any warning you would fall asleep. Those bus rides were like the scene in the Wizard of Oz movie where they were in the poppy fields. You would be perfectly awake and then BAM out of nowhere... you were crashed hard

 

[bumbershoot]

Another vote for starting with Rick Steves guidebooks (he also has an art book that's good). Be sure to get the most recent guidebook, no matter what you get. An old guidebook, IMO, is worthless; if they state old hours of a museum that you really want to go to, for instance, and you trust the book, you're toast.

Ricksteves.com is also a good place to go. It's almost like I think he knows a lot LOL...I live in WA and he's got his travel store an hour or so away from where I live; we visit there often. Buy luggage, browse, go to his talks, that sort of thing. (And I'm biased against Fodors b/c they steered me wrong in Ireland, but I might have had an older book...)

 

[living20057]

Thanks on the information. I never even thought about looking on Netflix for videos.

If you plan the trip yourself you get to choose what YOU want to see and set your own pace. If you want to spend more time on something, you can. If you see something interesting that you didn't know about ahead of time, you can stop and look at it. Sometimes some of the best moments on a trip are unplanned!

I would start by getting the Rick Steves book and also his Italy's Cities DVD if possible. The book is often available at the library and some libraries have the DVD too. It's also on Netflix. Rick is very helpful for first-timers to Europe!

Then I would check out the forums on tripadvisor.com and Fodors.com. Tons of information there and you can ask questions. The tripadvisor hotel ratings are great too.

Don't worry too much about the language thing! As long as you know basic courtesy phrases, you'll be fine. My sister and her husband were there last year and got along fine without knowing any more than that.

With only 10 days I wouldn't try to branch out from Italy. That's not really a lot of time.

 

[dvcgirl]

Do not go with a tour group! My DH and I don't speak one word of Italian and we had a wonderful 14 day trip that we planned completely on our own. The language barrier was never ever a problem. Most Italians speak some English....and in the major cities, many are fluent.

Years ago we went with a tour group to another part of Europe....our first trip to anywhere outside England/Scotland where we don't speak the language. We regretted it from day one. It was sooooo incredibly different being with a group. For one thing, the hotel choices weren't great...and they were all American hotels. We now choose only Boutique hotels in great areas run by locals when we travel to Europe. And being with a bunch of Americans, you just lose the feel of wherever you're going. We ditched our group after the first day...skipping every meal with them except for the breakfast. We basically just rode the bus with them from city to city. Never-ever again.

Use Trip Advisor to choose your hotels. They have great rated hotels in every price range. And then we used Rick Steves books to plan our touring. We also used private tour companies in each city (that we found in Rick Steves books) in order to see the site we wanted to explore in detail. These companies were *wonderful*!!

Use the trains to travel between cities. I can't tell you how easy it was! And fun! We met people from all over the world on those train rides....it was really cool. I used a website to purchase all of our tickets ahead of time. There was obviously a service charge to do this, but it was great having all of our tickets in hand before we left the states.

And so the one thing I can't stress enough....go on your own! DH and I are going back to Italy this year and can't wait!

 

[Katy Belle]

Have a great trip and PACK LIGHT! I mean it

We went to italy in march of 2007, with our kids, ages 7, 9, 11 at the time. We were living overseas at the time, and had visited a handful of countries by this time. We did the trip on our own, bit did arrange tours at most places. We knew zero italian and did ok.

We just did Rome, Pisa, and venice, taking the train between.

Guide books are awesome! Frommers, fodors, ric steves, etc. They all have web sites, look at all of the suggested itineraries.

Culture shock is real. It does get frustrating, but do-able for sure. There are lots
of things to "figure out" on a trip like this. Takes a lot of thinking, planning, and keeping track of things. Write down clues to yourself, like how to find your hotel back!

In rome we nwver took a taxi. Trains and walking all the time.

Go to venice. I loved it!!

I think you will have such a great time!

Oh, have you traveled with these friends before? Make sure everyone has similar expectations. If one wants to see everything and the other wants to
sleep late and sit in cafes all day, its going to be frustrating.

Have fun with the planning!

 

[roadtripper]

We went on our own as poor 20 somethings in the pre-Internet days and did fine without a tour and limited Italian from a tape series. My mom and dad went a few years ago and loved the advice from Karen Brown--loved every B and B they stayed in. We spent 10 days and did Florence, Rome, Siena, Assisi, and Venice. I would recommend Sept or Oct--gorgeous weather and cheaper airfare. Have fun planning, and make sure you get gelato. Every day.

 

[dvcgirl]

One other thought. You can hire guides in each city. I took a guided tour through the Colosseum and Roman Forum. The guide was an Art History graduate student and knew many facts. I got the company's name through Rick Steve's and then just met at the appointed time. It was an inexpensive and flexible way to get a guided tour but still do the trip on my own terms. I also booked a tour of the Vatican Museums directly through the Vatican website. In Venice, I was able to book a tour of the Doge's Palace ahead of time as well.

HTH

Jill in CO

This is exactly what we did....used private tour guides found through Rick Steves books, and it was great! We had great guides in Rome and Florence, but were a bit disappointed in Venice. There, the tour we took was with a larger group and it felt more like a "cattle car" experience....we all had head sets on, that kind of thing. Next time we get to Venice, we'll hire a private guide just for us.

Other than that though....it was a great experience! Again, on those smaller guided tours we met people from all over the world. After one tour in Rome, we were sitting outside at a small bistro sipping some wine and two guys that we met from Canada (they were brothers...one a Doc, the other an attorney)..walked by. They stopped, said hi, and ended up having dinner with us.

In Florence, we took our guides recommendation for a restaurant and while waiting for our table, one of the single travelers in that group came in....an attorney from London. And so she joined us for dinner.

And so, just like with train travel, we found that those small guided tours were great not only for what we experienced, but also for the wonderful people we met!

In

 

[jedijill]

This is exactly what we did....used private tour guides found through Rick Steves books, and it was great! We had great guides in Rome and Florence, but were a bit disappointed in Venice. There, the tour we took was with a larger group and it felt more like a "cattle car" experience....we all had head sets on, that kind of thing. Next time we get to Venice, we'll hire a private guide just for us.

Other than that though....it was a great experience! Again, on those smaller guided tours we met people from all over the world. After one tour in Rome, we were sitting outside at a small bistro sipping some wine and two guys that we met from Canada (they were brothers...one a Doc, the other an attorney)..walked by. They stopped, said hi, and ended up having dinner with us.

In Florence, we took our guides recommendation for a restaurant and while waiting for our table, one of the single travelers in that group came in....an attorney from London. And so she joined us for dinner.

And so, just like with train travel, we found that those small guided tours were great not only for what we experienced, but also for the wonderful people we met!

In

I so totally agree! Met a wonderful couple from upstate New York at a restaurant in Florence. We ended up sharing dinner and a great bottle of Chianti. Also met a very nice girl from Australia while riding the HOHO bus in Rome. We bonded and explored the catacombs and the Appian Way together. Wouldn't have had that experience otherwise.

Jill in CO

 

[beansmom]

i agree, tripadvisor can be your best friend...and you have plenty of time to plan and learn.

I'll let you know about the rest in 2 wks after we return from MY first trip to Italy...sans tour group, sans speaking Italian. We're going to Rome, Florence, Siena, Venice and Milan.

IF it stops snowing in Boston til our flight takes off!

 

[dvcgirl]

i agree, tripadvisor can be your best friend...and you have plenty of time to plan and learn.

I'll let you know about the rest in 2 wks after we return from MY first trip to Italy...sans tour group, sans speaking Italian. We're going to Rome, Florence, Siena, Venice and Milan.

IF it stops snowing in Boston til our flight takes off!

We didn't go to Milan on our first, but otherwise, we took the exact same trip....Rome, Siena, Florence and Venice. We had an amazing time and I'm sure you will too!

We've been to several countries in Europe at this point, but Italy is our favorite! We're planning a trip this year sometime in October or November....

Have a great time!

 

[Purseval]

If you are ever in Milan consider taking a train to Lugano, Switzerland for a day or 2. It's a short ride and the town is incredibly beautiful. The locals call it the Italian Riviera because it is in a part of Switzerland where Italian is commonly spoken.

We made the mistake once of going from Lugano to Venice and I ended up with a lifelong hatred of Venice as a ripoff tourist trap with expensive Gondola rides on open sewers.

 

[VWLMember]

Thanks, Jill! That sounds like a good compromise between the two! I love that idea.

The tour guides in rome usually charge 500-1000 per day. For a good one. You can do it on your own. Start at the roman forum and you can follow to each major site by foot ending at the Spanish Steps. I have done this several times and it always works great. The key is to get your tickets for the Colosseum on the far side of the palatine hill. there is a small entrance that only experienced travelers and guides know about. This avoids the huge line at the Colosseum. Of course you will get dirty looks from those waiting in line but who cares!

The tour I was speaking of above does not address the Vatican. That should be a day in itself. Starting with the Vatican Museum which is spectacular, then through the Sistine Chapel and finally into St Peters. Do not miss the grotto that is below St Peters. It has the tombs of all the popes and is amazing.

I can provide more info if you like. My family lives in Sicily and I have taken friends to most of the major cities and have learned huge amounts of info on how to do it yourself at reduced cost. Spend the money on the incredible food and not guides if you can.

 

[jedijill]

The tours I was referring to are in the $50/pp range not 1000 euro/day range. It is very easy to do on your own but having someone put some of the history in context (Vatican and Forum) was very helpful and nice. These were small groups (10-12 people max).

Rick Steves offers audio tours that you can download to your Ipod for free on Itunes and his website. I found his walking tours to be wonderful as well.

HTH

Jill in CO

 

[Marionnette]

One thing that my husband and I did while on our own in Rome was to follow the people with the flags. Those are tour groups and you know that they are heading to a tourist spot. It didnt matter if they were a german, japanese or english speaking tour. We just followed them to get where we wanted to go.

I also used rick steves book but I got the ebook version and put it on my ipod touch. That way I had all the info and maps right at my fingertips without having to tote the book along.

For the Vatican, we booked with a Vatican tour guide. You can do it online ahead of time and print your tickets at home. The line for those who have booked a tour is so much shorter than the other line. We breezed in with less than a 20 minute wait. Plus the guide brought us from the Sistine Chapel right into St Peter's without having to go thru the security line for a second time. If you have the time, go to the top of the dome for a spectacular view. It costs 4 euros to take the elevator (which I recommend over taking the steps).

If you visit the Vatican on a Sunday, you might get a chance to see the pope. If he is in residence, he usually blesses the crowd in St Peter's Square after the last mass is celebrated in the cathedral. You can tell that he is "home" if there is a red flag hanging from the window of the papal apartments (to the right of the cathedral). Being in the crowd while he addressed people from around the world was an amazing experience. He spoke in several languages and there were cheers from those whose native tongue was being spoken every time he changed languages.

I also agree with the others who recommended a visit to Cinque Terre. It is a truly unique setting although a bit touristy. Make sure that you read up about the Via Del Amore before you go. It has a very interesting story.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

If you are ever in Milan consider taking a train to Lugano, Switzerland for a day or 2. It's a short ride and the town is incredibly beautiful. The locals call it the Italian Riviera because it is in a part of Switzerland where Italian is commonly spoken.

We made the mistake once of going from Lugano to Venice and I ended up with a lifelong hatred of Venice as a ripoff tourist trap with expensive Gondola rides on open sewers.

I've never heard of Lugano so thanks. I think we will have only 10 days so will have to limit our number of cities, but I'll check it out.Yuck on the open sewers!

 

[mermaidwannabe]

The tour guides in rome usually charge 500-1000 per day. For a good one. You can do it on your own. Start at the roman forum and you can follow to each major site by foot ending at the Spanish Steps. I have done this several times and it always works great. The key is to get your tickets for the Colosseum on the far side of the palatine hill. there is a small entrance that only experienced travelers and guides know about. This avoids the huge line at the Colosseum. Of course you will get dirty looks from those waiting in line but who cares!

The tour I was speaking of above does not address the Vatican. That should be a day in itself. Starting with the Vatican Museum which is spectacular, then through the Sistine Chapel and finally into St Peters. Do not miss the grotto that is below St Peters. It has the tombs of all the popes and is amazing.

I can provide more info if you like. My family lives in Sicily and I have taken friends to most of the major cities and have learned huge amounts of info on how to do it yourself at reduced cost. Spend the money on the incredible food and not guides if you can.

Thanks for the tip about the Colosseum and for letting me know the Vatican takes all day. One of my friends is Catholic and will definitely want to go there, but who wouldn't want to see the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters. LOVE your advice on spending money on the food. Any encouragement to do things on our own I will readily take!! You all have given me confidence to do this without a tour. I love love love to plan and research so this will be fun, even though there will always be that level of "unknown" when we get there. I will definitely get the Rick Steves and will scour Tripadvisor, but any info you would want to give like your tips and/or restaurant and hotel recommendations would be great! Thanks!!

 

[mermaidwannabe]

The tours I was referring to are in the $50/pp range not 1000 euro/day range. It is very easy to do on your own but having someone put some of the history in context (Vatican and Forum) was very helpful and nice. These were small groups (10-12 people max).

Rick Steves offers audio tours that you can download to your Ipod for free on Itunes and his website. I found his walking tours to be wonderful as well.

HTH

Jill in CO

I'll have to see what my friends think about having it on our Ipods but that would be nice to have that done. For $50 though, that might be nice. I wish we didn't have to have anything in our ears though while we go through but don't want to pay too much for tours.

 

[jedijill]

I'll have to see what my friends think about having it on our Ipods but that would be nice to have that done. For $50 though, that might be nice. I wish we didn't have to have anything in our ears though while we go through but don't want to pay too much for tours.

He has the same tours printed in his books so you don't have to do the audio ones.

Jill in CO

 

[mermaidwannabe]

One thing that my husband and I did while on our own in Rome was to follow the people with the flags. Those are tour groups and you know that they are heading to a tourist spot. It didnt matter if they were a german, japanese or english speaking tour. We just followed them to get where we wanted to go.

I also used rick steves book but I got the ebook version and put it on my ipod touch. That way I had all the info and maps right at my fingertips without having to tote the book along.

For the Vatican, we booked with a Vatican tour guide. You can do it online ahead of time and print your tickets at home. The line for those who have booked a tour is so much shorter than the other line. We breezed in with less than a 20 minute wait. Plus the guide brought us from the Sistine Chapel right into St Peter's without having to go thru the security line for a second time. If you have the time, go to the top of the dome for a spectacular view. It costs 4 euros to take the elevator (which I recommend over taking the steps).

If you visit the Vatican on a Sunday, you might get a chance to see the pope. If he is in residence, he usually blesses the crowd in St Peter's Square after the last mass is celebrated in the cathedral. You can tell that he is "home" if there is a red flag hanging from the window of the papal apartments (to the right of the cathedral). Being in the crowd while he addressed people from around the world was an amazing experience. He spoke in several languages and there were cheers from those whose native tongue was being spoken every time he changed languages.

I also agree with the others who recommended a visit to Cinque Terre. It is a truly unique setting although a bit touristy. Make sure that you read up about the Via Del Amore before you go. It has a very interesting story.

Oh my gosh, we will plan that tour for a Sunday for sure now. Thank you for the tip about the red flag. That would be SO amazing, and I'm not even Catholic. And thanks for the info about printing our tickets at home. If we can avoid lines and save precious time, then I will!! Haven't checked out Cinque Terre yet but will right now. Thank you!!!

 

[ashleyasiegel]

Have you thought about doing a cruise? My husband and I took at 12 day Mediterrean Cruise in 2007 on Carnival which was wonderful. It sailed out of Rome basically I can't spell the port name but Rome is where you go once you are in that port. We visited Naples, Dubrovnik-Croatia, Venice, Messina-Sicily, Barcelona, Cannes and the port of Livorno which gave you access to Pisa or Tuscany/Florence and then back to Rome which we stayed an extra 3 days to visit. The cruise allowed to see many cities as this is probably the only time we would get to Europe without worrying about the transporation between each city. Otherwise we would have probably only done 2 cities total. When in port sometimes we took a guided tour and other times we went off on our own. Never had a problem with language barriers espcially the three days in Rome by ourselves.

If I had to do this trip over again I wouldn't change a thing as the cruise ship offered a home away from home with only having to unpack once and sail to some awesome cities. Just a thought Happy Planning! Italy is a beautiful country. Just don't buy any fake purses etc off a street seller blanket as Italy fines the buyer if caught not the seller.