CharlotteJ

Hi Everyone,
I am planning my frist trip to Europe in late spring of 2012 and have decided on two weeks in Italy.
Some of you have been following and helping me on my "to tour or not to tour" topic. Well I am pretty sure we (my husband and I) are not going to tour so I have decided to start a new thread to fine tune my intinerary and help me push forward on the actual planning and booking of my trip.
For those of you who have not been following here is a little back ground. My husband and I are in our mid and late 20s. We are both from small towns (especially him) and I have done much more long distance travel than he has, which still isn't saying much. Most of mine has been in the US with the exception of Mexico (which doesn't really count, you didn't even need a passport back then). So as far as Europe goes we are beginners! I have been cramming when it comes to research, using Fodors like it is my new best friend, my trusty Rick Steves guidebook (an out-dated version, but the 2012 copy is on pre-order for October) and various other websites.
At this point nothing is booked yet, which is where I am at. I am thinking the first thing to book would be airling tickets to nail down dates and rates then go on to hotels and eventually train tickets and activites.
Being a newbie I of course have some worries: like pickpocketing (as I have mentioned), getting lost (especially in the train stations...parlo solo un po' d' Italiano), and money. As far as the money things goes most people have been saying to take debit and credit and take cash out as we go (to take advantage of cash discounts etc) which is fine, but then I hear of machines that suck your cards in and credit exchange fees... please enlighten me on this if you can!


I am looking at May 13th- the 27th. Or April 22- May 6th. I am thinking a Sunday through a Sunday would be best. A lot of places seem to be closed Sundays from what I can see and those travel days are pretty much used up by the time you get there.

This is my current itinerary. A lot have said it seems too fast pace or that I am cheating Rome out of one more day. I would like to go with the idea that I will be back someday but I also don't want to miss a must have while I am there this time.

Day 1: Leave Seattle fly to Venice
Sleep in: Venice
Day 2,3, and 4: Venice...explore on foot and by Vaporetto, St Marks Square, Murano/Burano (possibly)
Sleep in: Venice
***I have three full days in Venice here, I concidered moving one of the days somewhere else but I know that first day we will be the most tired so I don't want to rush.***
Day 5: Travel to Cinque Terre (it is a 6 hour train trip, doesn't look like a night train is an option)
Sleep in: Cinque Terre (not sure which town yet)
Day 6 and 7: Cinque Terre... explore, hike, beach time, possibly kayak
Day 8: Travel to Florence (about 2.5 hours train travel)
Sleep in: Florence
***Could possibly Travel to Pisa from 5 Terre, see what we would like to see there and then travel on to Florence. They have a bag check at the Pisa train station. Are these safe?***
Day 9: Florence...Accadamia, Uffizi Gallery, general exploring and gelato of course
Sleep in: Florence
Day 10: Day trip to Pisa (if we do not go there on our way to Florence) for the Field of Miricles. Possibly explore more of Tuscany this day.
Sleep in: Florence
***I also have an option to stay in Siena with a day trip to Florence instead of staying there. Hotels in Siena seem to be cheaper. Again we could stop in Pisa on the way to Siena. Once again I am wondering about the security of the train station baggage check.***
Day 11: Travel to Rome (2.5 hours)
Sleep in Rome
Day 12 and 13: Rome...explore on foot and by bus, the Colloseum , The Vatican Museum including the Sistine Chapel and more
Day 14: Leave from Rome. Fly to Seattle

That's it. I still have a lot of research and fine tuning to do. You all have been so helpful. Any general frist time Europe tips are welcome! Thanks a bunch.

CharlotteJ

Forgot to ask when I told you my rough dates for the trip... I know they say May is prime time, and that would be my first choice, but I have a lot of close family birthdays (some of them the landmarks of 30th and 1st) and of course they would all fall in that two week trip if we did the mid-May one. (Hopefully they would understand me missing one birthday each for the trip I have been wanting to take most of my life... but you know how that goes) How does late April compare to mid-May?

Also, I apologize for my crazy typing.. That was airline and not airling etc.

zeppole

The later you get to le Cinque Terre the better. Spring in Italy can often be rainy, and spring in Italy begins Mar22 and ends June 22.

Would you mind terribly if I tossed in my two cents that I don't think a 30th birthday is a landmark, nor is 1st birthday (especially for the birthday baby). Call the 30 year old from Rome or Venice or wherever. Promise to bring back something special for them (jar of pesto).

But whenver you travel, personally I would put Florence right after le Cinque Terre, and Rome last. You can see Pisa on your way to le Cinque Terre, or on your way to Rome. Stow your luggage at the train station, see the monuments, have lunch, retrieve luggage, travel onwards.

Or, if you can work out the flights, fly into Rome, next go to Venice, next go to Florence, go to le Cinque Terre, fly out of Pisa.

zeppole

Forget to say: Bag storage rooms at train stations are safe.

macanimals

For planning purposes, try charting your nights in each location rather than days--its easier to track. Generally, two nights will equal one day in a location, three nights-2 days etc.

Re: Money. Use a credit card for large purchases and an ATM card for cash withdrawals (its the least expensive). Notify your banks of your destination and travel dates--don't worry about card "sucking" or fees--just don't confuse a cash advance on your credit card with an ATM withdrawal.

Your itinerary looks fine for a non-car related trip. My only comment is that you are backtracking thru Florence for your trip to the Cinque Terre which gives you an additional 5 hours of train travel. I would definitely prefer May for your itinerary. Have fun.

jnjfraz

but then I hear of machines that suck your cards in and credit exchange fees... please enlighten me on this if you can!

We spend every fall and spring in Italy and use the ATM all the time. We have never had a machine keep our card. We have run into machines that are out of cash, but then you just go to another one. To avoid exchange fee do the following. (you want to get the rate that shows in the paper with no charges per use)

Make sure that your bank does not charge exchange fees or per use fees on your debit card and tell them you are leaving and what you would like for a daily limit.

Find a credit card that does not charge exchange fees and tell them you are out of the country from this date to that date. We have found that capital one no hassle is best.

Photo copy everything: credit card, debit card, drivers license, passport etc. Write down the out of country phone number to call if you encounter a problem. Leave this with a friend/family so that if there were a problem you can have them fax it to you.

I also have a little book that has codes, important numbers etc that I carry with me.

greg

Since you are visiting museums, be sure to nail down close dates. Mon and Tue are the usual suspects.

Notably, if you are starting your trip on Sunday as day 1, the day 9 would be Monday which you are targeting Uffizi and Accademia both of which are closed. Because people could not visit either on Monday, many try to do these on Tuesday. Venice museums will have the same issue.

aimeekm

I think you are not accounting the day you lose for air travel. If you leave Seattle on Sunday, then you will not arrive until Monday.

Day 1: Leave Seattle
Day 2: Arrive Venice
Day 3-4: Explore Venice
Day 5: Train to Cinque Terre
Day 6-7: Cinque Terre
Day 8: Train to Florence, Stop in Pisa
Day 9: Florence
Day 10: Day trip Siena or further explore Florence
Day 11: Train to Rome
Day 12-13: Rome
Day 14: Depart

I think the above would be a good plan if you are insistent on something close to your original itinerary. I think it is a little rushed, and agree you're shortchanging Rome. Also the more moving around you do, the more expensive it gets and stressful the logistics. It increases the not so fun parts of traveling, packing, finding your hotel, checking in/out, finding your train etc. I would suggest ditching either Cinque Terre or Rome. Plan for a future Tuscany/Cinque Terre trip or Rome/Amalfi trip.

Tons of threads on the money issue ... I agree w the consensus, debit & credit is the cheapest and easiest way to go.

I scan copies of everything, passport, lD’s debit, credit cards, emergency family & friend numbers, all confirmations, etc. and email them to myself. If anything were to ever get lost or stolen, I would just need to get to a computer and be able to pull up everything. I also make 4 hard copy sets of all travel documents, hotel confirmations, flight, train tickets etc. and put them in a manila envelope. One set for each carry on and checked luggage, for myself and my traveling companion.

I commented about pickpockets on your other thread. Not a threat if you're cautious and aware.

You will get lost, just don't stress about it if you do. Consider it part of the adventure. Really, what's the worst that can happen if you get lost?

You're going to major tourist destinations, there will be some degree of English spoken everywhere. Just be sure you learn the basics in Italian. Hello, thank you, excuse me, etc.. That will go a long way to smoothing over communications.

You're asking good questions and taking a lot of time for planning .... you're going to have a great trip!

Ackislander

You also have to expect that things will go wrong. Not everything, but for example, the Italian railways will have a 24 hour strike on Sept 17-18 this year. Sometimes museums don't open when they are supposed to. On our first trip to Venice, we were 12 hours late because fog made landing impossible, so we were held in Brussels, then diverted to Treviso, where they had to find a bus, etc. But our first view of St Marks Square was at midnight in the fog and entirely empty. Expect the unexpected and magic things may happen.

aimeekm

Also, if you are not limited to full week M-F vacation by your employer, then keep your start & end days flexible. For example a Wed-Tues trip might have lower plane fares than Sun-Sun. If you do have that kind of flexibility, then use itasoftware.com to price out your flight options.

J62

Overall I think it looks like a great trip to Italy. Well thought out and not too rushed. Plenty of time to see more than just the highlights, with plenty to leave for a return trip.

charnees

I don't have much to add to the advice above. But if you want to have a little Italian, download the podcasts from My Daily Phrase Italian (free) and you will have a great fourist's grasp of the language.

Don't worry about getting lost. In the podcasts you will learn how to say "How does one get to" wherever.

I, too wonder why you don't go to Florence from Venice and then to le Cinque Terre.

We've been to Italy about 15 times, for three weeks each time. And never had a problem with ATM cards. It is true that sometimes your card doesn't work at the first machine, but does work at the second. Or your spouse's works, even though it's from the same account. It's prudent not to try the same card more than twice in the same machine at the same event, so if there is a banking glitch, you don't get it sucked in. That did happen once to DD, but she went into the bank and got it back (it had a corner broken off, which may have been the cause of the whole incident).

jscarbary

Sounds like fun. Venice is going to be our next trip. We did Rome & Florence this April. Easter was late and we were there 4/1-4/9 the weather was BEAUTIFUL. It did rain almost everyday for 3 weeks before we arrived, so we didn't have any rain. The days were mid 70s and the evenings were a little cooler, only needed a sweater. I have to say one day in Rome isn't near long enough and it will be close on time to see the Colosseum and the Vatican Museum. We went kinda fast through the Vatican Museum, we skipped parts and cruised through others and it still took us about 4 hours. Definitely look into the hypogeum/third level tour of the Colosseum if it is still available or the Necropolis tour at the Vatican. We did both and they were both amazing.

You have plenty of time to research for this trip. Have a GREAT time!

CharlotteJ

Thank you Zeppole for your two cents I was hoping for some support on that matter

Macanimals- Thanks for pointing out that I back track trhough florence. I didn't realize the train would probably take me down that way first. hmm, I will look at that.

good point greg. My days in Florence are interchangable, I could flip flop the monday/tuesday game plan.

I have two full days in rome with a partial day at the beginning, so if anything now I am worried about shorting venice, since aimeekim pointed out i lose that day with the time difference! Yikes.

Thanks everyone!

tuscanlifeedit

You're fine with Venice. It is a much smaller city than Rome, and despite the transportation issues, you can cover the main sights in three nights. You have plenty of time to read about what you want to see, and to plan for it.

bobthenavigator

You are on the right track--it will all work out. Here are some tips to help:

TWENTY TERRIFIC TRAVEL TIPS !!


After enjoying 25 trips to Europe, most of them in the past 25 years, here are some tips that we have found helpful. We hope that you agree:

MONEY:
1. Use your CREDIT CARDS for most major expenses[ hotels, car rentals, Ristorantes ] It will provide the best exchange rate and give you a good record after you get home.
2. There is no reason to get local currency until you arrive in Europe. Use the airport ATM for cash. ATMs are everywhere in Europe and work just like your hometown machine—even in English.
3. Bring 2 credit cards and both should have 4 digit PINS. Be sure to tell your CC companies that you are traveling in Europe—check your limits.
4. Forget TRAVELERS CHECKS—they were obsolete years ago.
5. Keep several 1E & 2E coins easily accessible---very convenient.

PACKING:
6. Pack lite and pack smart ! It is too much luggage that signals a typical novice traveler. Your primary rolling bag should not exceed 24”—check it ! Take a smaller carry-on bag that should contain everything you will need to survive if your primary bag does not arrive for 48 HOURS.
7. Pack a canvas tote bag to hold the extra goodies you will buy in Europe. Also consider bringing a wash cloth, liquid soap, raincoat and a hat for bad hair days. Be sure your knife with corkscrew is in your checked luggage.
8. Do not dress to advertise that you are a tourist, although it will likely be evident. Plan your outfits using basic colors and do not be afraid to wear the same outfit 3 days in a row. Try to dress in layers—shirt, sweater, jacket.
9. If you need to save packing space, wear your bulkiest items on the plane [ sport coat, dress shoes, raincoat, sweater etc.]

SAFETY:
I feel safer in Rome or Munich than I do in Miami or Chicago. However, Americans do get targeted by pick pockets and purse snatchers, especially in crowded areas of major cities. Here are some tips that may help:
10. Keep purses/cameras around your neck—do not lay then down.
11. Wear a money belt for those items you cannot afford to have lost. This includes passports, credit cards, travel documents.
12. Stay alert and vigilant— thieves will use DISTRACTION as their tactic.
13. Always lock your rental car and keep nothing in view you want to keep.


WILD CARD TIP:
The best tip I can give to any novice traveler to Europe is to always smile, be respectful, and never forget you are a guest in their country !

TRAVEL TIPS CONTINUED:

CARS AND TRAINS:

Rental cars in Italy can be expensive due to the high mandatory insurance. However, often a car is the best way to see many parts of BELLA ITALIA.
Rail travel is often less costly but can be quite inconvenient in rural areas.

14. Avoid driving in major cities—it is often a real hassle.
15. When driving on the extensive AUTOSTRDA system, be sure to stay in the right lane except when passing. You will need to pay toll as you exit the system—look for the VIA lane to pay by credit card.
16. You will need a driver, a navigator, and a good map. The road signage is good on the major roads, but do not rely on road numbers on secondary roads—that will frustrate you. Do learn to trust the directional signage.
17. Study your daily maps in advance so you can ANTICIPATE decisions.

TRAVEL TID-BITS:

18. Take the time to learn a 50 word vocabulary to include basic courtesies.
19. Learn to use the 24 hour clock and the European way to list a date—both may save you a major blunder [ June 15 is really 15 June or 15/06]. It does make good sense---do we not call it the 15th of June?
20. Here are some TRAVEL TOOLS that you will want to have with you:

• Swiss Army knife with a decent corkscrew.
• Extra batteries for your camera—and/or a dual voltage charger.
• Copies of credit cards and travel documents—including passports.
• Extra reading glasses—I put 3 pairs in different locations.
• Adapter plugs—typically two prongs for round holes
• A flashlight or reading light---rooms are often too dark.

BUON VIAGGIO & BOUNA FORTUNA !!

CharlotteJ

Wow! That is a great list Bob! You are awesome. Thanks for the reassuracne tuscanlifeedit.

I forgot to mention that I do speak a small amount of Italian and I am learning more everyday. Over the last couple years I have been self-teaching using books, cds and livemocha.com (great website if you are learning or want to learn a language.) I am teaching my husband the basic greetings, numbers, plesantries and quesitons.

A couple more questions for you guys:

When it comes time to book our train tickets. Is it better to book online or wait until we get there?

Also, someone mentioned trip insurance. What are your thoughts on that?

Thank you so much! You are awesome!

ellenem

"When it comes time to book our train tickets. Is it better to book online or wait until we get there?"

"Better" depends on you.

Benefits of booking ahead online: You plans are set, so it's one less thing to think about. You might get discounted ticket, which are available on a limited basis and disappear as the travel date approaches.

Benefits of waiting until you are there: You can change your plans and you won't have to change your tickets

Mimar

We've never bought travel insurance. It seems expensive for young healthy people.

Regarding credit cards and ATM cards, different US banks will charge both a transaction fee for an ATM withdrawal and a conversion rate. The latter applies to credit card charges also. We have credit cards and debit cards from 2 credit unions (BECU and WSECU!). They charge no transaction fee and only 1% over the interbank conversion rate. And we've used them many times in Italy as well as elsewhere in Europe.

As for buying train tickets, I understand that www.trenitalia.it has, of late, become more accepting of foreign credit card charges. You might have to warn your credit card company to accept these charges from abroad before your trip as well as while you're gone. Don't use RailEurope; it doesn't show all the trains and is expensive.

One caveat: things don't always go like clockwork in Italy. There are sudden strikes and breakdowns. Expect this and roll with the punches.

Peter_S_Aus

I think that travel insurance is a good idea. While you are young and fit, that does not preclude the catastrophic - like medical evacuation after a serious accident.

Sure, you can self-insure for smaller things like lost luggage, but you need insurance for the catastrophic. Cancellation insurance is a good idea too. I seem to recollect a certain amount of travel grief when the volcano in Iceland blew its stack.