8 days in Italy, only.
Jul 25th, 2013, 02:42 PM
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8 days in Italy, only.
Hello!
i am scattered and cannot decide what to do. may be you know something that you can suggest.
we have 1 week in Italy, well, 8 days maybe. i am traveling with my aunt, she is 75. i am slightly younger. we arrive to Milan, but will not stay there.
i want to see Florence and Venice, so we can spend 2 days in each. i do not want to to go to Rome as it too big and we have no time for that. i better will go there separately.
so remaining 3 days (maybe 4) we can spend traveling in a country side (that is what i wanted) and see endless small towns and villages. i thought to rent the car for that, but many people telling me that Italians driving fast, tailgate and honk all the time. i do not like it. i do not mind to drive a distance, but do not want to speed up because of some hot head wants me to. my aunt is no use. she cannot navigate and read the map either.
our general plan (somewhat flexible) is
Sept 3 arrive to Milan,
Sept 3-6 somewhere (see below)
Sept 6-8 Florence
Sept 8-10 Venice
going by train and spend a night in new place every day is not appealing as it time consuming and demanding. it feels like we will have to see every railroad station, but nothing much else.
i guess i am trying to fit my American traveling experience into Italy. here i usually drive from place to place and have a place to stay arranged as we go. i have usually general idea where we start and finish and what exactly we want to see. i never was in italy before and i know that everything is interesting to me.
perhaps we have to go to Rome after all... but what about Genoa, Bologna and San Marino?! not to mention the rest of it.
it is hard to make choices. i am thinking of two general places:
1. Genoa and the Cinque Terre for 2-3 days, rent the car locally there and take small roads. have the option to stay on the beach. than return the car, go by train to Florence and later to Venice.
2. Stay in somewhere in Parma, rent the car locally, drive around,fro 2-3 days, return the car and then go to Florence and Venice.
does anybody can suggest the 'best way' to spend 1 week in Italy?
baskalla
i am scattered and cannot decide what to do. may be you know something that you can suggest.
we have 1 week in Italy, well, 8 days maybe. i am traveling with my aunt, she is 75. i am slightly younger. we arrive to Milan, but will not stay there.
i want to see Florence and Venice, so we can spend 2 days in each. i do not want to to go to Rome as it too big and we have no time for that. i better will go there separately.
so remaining 3 days (maybe 4) we can spend traveling in a country side (that is what i wanted) and see endless small towns and villages. i thought to rent the car for that, but many people telling me that Italians driving fast, tailgate and honk all the time. i do not like it. i do not mind to drive a distance, but do not want to speed up because of some hot head wants me to. my aunt is no use. she cannot navigate and read the map either.
our general plan (somewhat flexible) is
Sept 3 arrive to Milan,
Sept 3-6 somewhere (see below)
Sept 6-8 Florence
Sept 8-10 Venice
going by train and spend a night in new place every day is not appealing as it time consuming and demanding. it feels like we will have to see every railroad station, but nothing much else.
i guess i am trying to fit my American traveling experience into Italy. here i usually drive from place to place and have a place to stay arranged as we go. i have usually general idea where we start and finish and what exactly we want to see. i never was in italy before and i know that everything is interesting to me.
perhaps we have to go to Rome after all... but what about Genoa, Bologna and San Marino?! not to mention the rest of it.
it is hard to make choices. i am thinking of two general places:1. Genoa and the Cinque Terre for 2-3 days, rent the car locally there and take small roads. have the option to stay on the beach. than return the car, go by train to Florence and later to Venice.
2. Stay in somewhere in Parma, rent the car locally, drive around,fro 2-3 days, return the car and then go to Florence and Venice.
does anybody can suggest the 'best way' to spend 1 week in Italy?
baskalla
Jul 25th, 2013, 05:02 PM
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Rome is a workout. And I would skip it if you don't have the time to devote to it. Are your dates firm, for Venice and Florence? Just initially, I would hate packing up every day. Too exhausting. I'd pick two places to base yourself and do day trips out from there a bit. Get to know something a bit. Rather than hassling so much. And trains are good options.
Jul 25th, 2013, 06:29 PM
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i would say the dates are flexible except for 3d of september. we are not flying from Italy, we are going to Munich and depart from there on 12th. the whole trip starts in Munich as well, we will stay there a couple days than we have to go to Romania for the wedding and Dracula castle, then arrive to Milan the tickets are already been bought and changing them will be complicated.
i was hoping to squeeze a day to go through Switzerland on a way back to Munich. So lake Como could be very well on the way. i have reservations at the hotel in Florence on the 5th to 8th, but i can cancel it. In fact i would prefer to stay at some country B&B and drive or take trains to various places. or not and just relax and do nothing, just look around. this is vacations after all.
also if we will move from point to point we will have to do something with our luggage. that is why car seems useful too.
so i guess i am asking should i get the hotels in Florence and Venice? or staying in some lovely B&B near Parma or Bologna will allow us to go to both places for a day, see all we have to see and return back without complications? is it really a major headache to drive in Italy and especially park?
i was hoping to squeeze a day to go through Switzerland on a way back to Munich. So lake Como could be very well on the way. i have reservations at the hotel in Florence on the 5th to 8th, but i can cancel it. In fact i would prefer to stay at some country B&B and drive or take trains to various places. or not and just relax and do nothing, just look around. this is vacations after all.
also if we will move from point to point we will have to do something with our luggage. that is why car seems useful too.
so i guess i am asking should i get the hotels in Florence and Venice? or staying in some lovely B&B near Parma or Bologna will allow us to go to both places for a day, see all we have to see and return back without complications? is it really a major headache to drive in Italy and especially park?
Jul 25th, 2013, 06:31 PM
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Why not just do 4 days each in Florence and Venice. Plenty to see in each city, but if you wanted, you could also take a nice day trip or two from each. Use the train (or possibly bus) so no rental car needed.
Jul 25th, 2013, 07:32 PM
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Wanting to take small roads in Italy?
Is this your idea of a small road? http://www.worldofstock.com/stock-ph...est-in/DEC1598
This is more like it in big cities in Italy http://www.panoramio.com/photo/62100134 and like this video in "endless small towns and villages" http://bdegiulio.hubpages.com/video/...u-Need-to-Know.
Is this your idea of a small road? http://www.worldofstock.com/stock-ph...est-in/DEC1598
This is more like it in big cities in Italy http://www.panoramio.com/photo/62100134 and like this video in "endless small towns and villages" http://bdegiulio.hubpages.com/video/...u-Need-to-Know.
Jul 25th, 2013, 07:37 PM
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I concur with the 4 days each idea, I think you'll find your experience more rewarding the less time you spend finding and check into/out of hotels.
I think your impression of Italian drivers is off a bit. I found them to be quite skilled and mostly patient. they will expect you to pull off to let them pass when the road conditions allow, if you like going slower. I would suggest, as the above posters have suggested, planning a day trip with a rental car to the Tuscan country, perhaps the Chianti region, from Florence. it is amazingly beautiful. the rental companies will rent you a GPS which will help you get home.
I think your impression of Italian drivers is off a bit. I found them to be quite skilled and mostly patient. they will expect you to pull off to let them pass when the road conditions allow, if you like going slower. I would suggest, as the above posters have suggested, planning a day trip with a rental car to the Tuscan country, perhaps the Chianti region, from Florence. it is amazingly beautiful. the rental companies will rent you a GPS which will help you get home.
Jul 25th, 2013, 10:57 PM
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Is your aunt capable of pulling her own luggage through train stations or will you have to handle luggage for both of you?
It sounds like you are taking a fairly long trip. Are you planning on packing light and doing laundry along the way?
If you don't mind my saying so, I think you have the wrong picture of Italy. The famous parts of it that are of touristic interest are either smallish, extremely dense towns and cities that have a medieval streetscape where cars are generally not allowed, or if they are, it is very difficult to drive -- or the alternative is usually very steep scenic areas, with narrow winding roads. It is simplest to drive in Tuscany, but you should steer clear of the cities. Without the help of a navigator, you might not end up enjoying having a car in Italy.
If you are going to a wedding and carrying heavy luggage, something you could is arrive in Milan and take the train or bus to Milano Centrale train station. You could store the bulk of your luggage in the train station until it is time to come back to Milan and get on the train for Switzerland or Munich. Carry around a much lighter amount of luggage In Italy for 1 week means you could enjoy taking trains, which go right to the heart of the places of interest, little hassle.
With only 8 days, if you would like a relaxing vacation, I suggest you spend some time in an "easy" flat city, like Verona or Florence, and spend some time on one of the lakes. If you want to spend some time in Switzerland, I wouldn't make it a squeezed in rushed stop, especially since you are at the end of your trip and are facing a very long flight home. So perhaps 3 nights in Verona or Florence, 2 nights on a lake, 2 nights in Switzerland and 1 in Munich.
It sounds like you are taking a fairly long trip. Are you planning on packing light and doing laundry along the way?
If you don't mind my saying so, I think you have the wrong picture of Italy. The famous parts of it that are of touristic interest are either smallish, extremely dense towns and cities that have a medieval streetscape where cars are generally not allowed, or if they are, it is very difficult to drive -- or the alternative is usually very steep scenic areas, with narrow winding roads. It is simplest to drive in Tuscany, but you should steer clear of the cities. Without the help of a navigator, you might not end up enjoying having a car in Italy.
If you are going to a wedding and carrying heavy luggage, something you could is arrive in Milan and take the train or bus to Milano Centrale train station. You could store the bulk of your luggage in the train station until it is time to come back to Milan and get on the train for Switzerland or Munich. Carry around a much lighter amount of luggage In Italy for 1 week means you could enjoy taking trains, which go right to the heart of the places of interest, little hassle.
With only 8 days, if you would like a relaxing vacation, I suggest you spend some time in an "easy" flat city, like Verona or Florence, and spend some time on one of the lakes. If you want to spend some time in Switzerland, I wouldn't make it a squeezed in rushed stop, especially since you are at the end of your trip and are facing a very long flight home. So perhaps 3 nights in Verona or Florence, 2 nights on a lake, 2 nights in Switzerland and 1 in Munich.
Jul 26th, 2013, 02:54 AM
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baskalla,
Are you arriving at Malpensa airport or Linate Airport?
If it is Linate, try renting a car and driving to Mantova. That is a small town where it is not too bad to have a car. It is flat, it has many interesting things to see, and it has nice restaurants. Try to find an apartment or someplace with a kitchen so you don't have to eat big restaurant meals all the time late at night. From Mantova, you can drive to small castle towns nearby or take a train ride to Modena or Verona. You can drive the car back to Linate airport and take the bus to Milano Centrale station for the rest of your trip in Switzerland and Munich.
If you are flying into Malpensa airport, rent a car and drive to Stresa on Lake Maggiore. You can use the car to also visit Lake Orta, and other small towns further north, and you can also take boat trips on the lake. Try to rent an apartment or someplace with a kitchen. You can drive the car back to Malpensa airport and take the bus to Milano Centrale for the rest of your trip to Switzerland and Munich.
Are you arriving at Malpensa airport or Linate Airport?
If it is Linate, try renting a car and driving to Mantova. That is a small town where it is not too bad to have a car. It is flat, it has many interesting things to see, and it has nice restaurants. Try to find an apartment or someplace with a kitchen so you don't have to eat big restaurant meals all the time late at night. From Mantova, you can drive to small castle towns nearby or take a train ride to Modena or Verona. You can drive the car back to Linate airport and take the bus to Milano Centrale station for the rest of your trip in Switzerland and Munich.
If you are flying into Malpensa airport, rent a car and drive to Stresa on Lake Maggiore. You can use the car to also visit Lake Orta, and other small towns further north, and you can also take boat trips on the lake. Try to rent an apartment or someplace with a kitchen. You can drive the car back to Malpensa airport and take the bus to Milano Centrale for the rest of your trip to Switzerland and Munich.
Jul 26th, 2013, 11:23 AM
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everyone in this forum is very nice and helpful. somehow i did not manage to be in Italy before. i just drove very nicely in greece this spring, on the country roads and main highways too. i assumed that perhaps this voyage would be similar. in Greece we discovered many fantastic places that main stream tourists will never see (and maybe it is good for these places). i survived the small towns easily by going there on foot. did not risk to drive on the small streets there.
thank you very much for the practical suggestions, such as storing luggage. this was one of mine concerns and reasons why i considered the car. i just want have a small pleasant introductory trip so could return again and have more precise and efficient visit next time.
thank you very much for the practical suggestions, such as storing luggage. this was one of mine concerns and reasons why i considered the car. i just want have a small pleasant introductory trip so could return again and have more precise and efficient visit next time.
