First Trip to Italy - Could use some help!
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First Trip to Italy - Could use some help!
My husband and I are taking a trip to Italy at the end of June. We are flying in an out of Rome and will have 10 days, not including flying time. I have read enough of the forums to know not to do too much but I am having trouble thinking through all the details. I think we would like to do Florence(3 days) Tuscany (1 day) Rome( 6 days with side trips). Does that sound reasonable? What is the best way to see some of Tuscany if we do not want to rent a car? It sounds like it is very easy to get a train to Florence. Any suggestions would be appreciated in coming up with an itinerary!
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I think 5 days in each of Rome and Florence would be good. There are many day trips possible from both cities. I would go to Florence first and end in Rome so you can get to the airport for your return journey without stress. Especially if you are not familiar with the country, spending longer in each place allows you to get to know the place better and makes for a more relaxing stay. You can become familiar with where places are, how to use the local transport, choose a favourite bar, etc. For day trips you can leave at dawn and return home late if you want, without having to worry about luggage, checking in/out, etc.
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Thank you so much! Sorry for the lack of clarity kybourbon. My thought was to spend some time in the Tuscan countryside rather than in Florence proper. Dreamon I like the idea of sticking with two hotels. I want to nail down our hotels within the next couple of days and move on to the details of what we will do in each place. One additional question. My interests in Florence and Rome are more in renaissance art but my husband is interested in earlier Roman history. Beyond the obvious in Rome (Coliseum,Pantheon etc.) are there any "must see" day trips out of Rome you would recommend! Again, thank you for helping a newbie!
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Fly into Rome and rent a car. Drive to Orvieto for lunch (assuming early flight), stay in Montalcino (Val D'Orcia) area. Take scenic drive through Chianti. One night there. Leave car at Florence airport (get on autostrada for easiest way to airport). Stay 3 nights Florence, train to Rome.
I separated your Tuscany stays into two locations because this allows you to see a lot of countryside.
I separated your Tuscany stays into two locations because this allows you to see a lot of countryside.
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I think we would like to do Florence(3 days) Tuscany (1 day) Rome( 6 days with side trips)>
6 days in Rome may be a bit much for some but there are some great day trips:
1- Tivoli and the Villa d'Este (sp?) and Hadrian's Villa - by bus from Rome - about an hour each way
2- Orvieto the classic Italian hill town - about an hour awauy
3- Ostia Antica - ancient Rome's port - some of the most evocative extensive archaeological sites anywhere - to me rivaling Pompeii really - short metro ride from Rome.
Your hubby will love Hadrian's Villa and Ostia Antica and also do a trip out to the Via Appia and the catacombs area just south of Rome.
Trains are great now in Italy - check www.trenitalia.com for schedules and these sites for general info - www.seat61.com - great info on discounted tickets; www.ricksteves.comand www.budgeteuropetravel.com. And Fodor's is graced with two real experts on Italian trains that graciously always answer rail questions - kyborubon who posts above and bvlienci, who lives in Italy - they'll answer any rail questions you have expertly.
6 days in Rome may be a bit much for some but there are some great day trips:
1- Tivoli and the Villa d'Este (sp?) and Hadrian's Villa - by bus from Rome - about an hour each way
2- Orvieto the classic Italian hill town - about an hour awauy
3- Ostia Antica - ancient Rome's port - some of the most evocative extensive archaeological sites anywhere - to me rivaling Pompeii really - short metro ride from Rome.
Your hubby will love Hadrian's Villa and Ostia Antica and also do a trip out to the Via Appia and the catacombs area just south of Rome.
Trains are great now in Italy - check www.trenitalia.com for schedules and these sites for general info - www.seat61.com - great info on discounted tickets; www.ricksteves.comand www.budgeteuropetravel.com. And Fodor's is graced with two real experts on Italian trains that graciously always answer rail questions - kyborubon who posts above and bvlienci, who lives in Italy - they'll answer any rail questions you have expertly.
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You might want to do Venice if you will never get back to Italy - to me the most surrealistically gorgeous city in the world - one that has to be seen - perhaps do the classic 3 cities - Rome, Florence and Venice - 4 - 4 and - 2 - giving you time to do day trips from the first two if you want.
Would be nice to spend longer in Venice but a few days for the average traveler will suffice and will be the highlight of your trip IMO.
Would be nice to spend longer in Venice but a few days for the average traveler will suffice and will be the highlight of your trip IMO.
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You wrote:
>>>>"My interests in Florence and Rome are more in renaissance art but my husband is interested in earlier Roman history. Beyond the obvious in Rome (Coliseum,Pantheon etc.) are there any "must see" day trips out of Rome you would recommend?"
>>>>"My interests in Florence and Rome are more in renaissance art but my husband is interested in earlier Roman history. Beyond the obvious in Rome (Coliseum,Pantheon etc.) are there any "must see" day trips out of Rome you would recommend?"
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OK, maybe it's just me, but I could never think of hoping on a train or renting a car right after arriving in Rome. Caveat: my flights have been from San Francisco with a change of plane at Heathrow so I am quite exhausted by the time I arrive.
The first time I was in Rome, there was a train strike. The second time I went, there was a taxi strike. The last time I flew to Rome my luggage didn't make it onto the second flight so I had to wait 4 hours at the Rome airport for luggage that eventually came on a later flight. For all of my visits I was very glad I had planned to stay in Rome initially before venturing onwards as my jet lagged coping skills aren't the best. Fortunately, you aren't traveling with me!
Do you have a relatively short direct flight to Rome or will you be arriving fatigued? I know splitting your time in Rome is not ideal, but is something to consider.
The first time I was in Rome, there was a train strike. The second time I went, there was a taxi strike. The last time I flew to Rome my luggage didn't make it onto the second flight so I had to wait 4 hours at the Rome airport for luggage that eventually came on a later flight. For all of my visits I was very glad I had planned to stay in Rome initially before venturing onwards as my jet lagged coping skills aren't the best. Fortunately, you aren't traveling with me!
Do you have a relatively short direct flight to Rome or will you be arriving fatigued? I know splitting your time in Rome is not ideal, but is something to consider.
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Train and national strikes are a plague in Italy and promise to get worse as the government tries to be more fiscally conservative with public empoyee unions - the days of largess seem to be over - expect strikes to happen just when you need to depend on trains, buses or even IME once ATMs not being filled!
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We spent a month in Rome and I blogged about quite a lot of the places we saw and enjoyed. here's the link just in case you find any of it useful. The first post is on resources for Rome
If your husband is interested in earlier Roman stuff I would suggest the Etruscan Museum in Rome and Ostia Antica, both of which are covered in the blog.
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/search/label/Rome
If your husband is interested in earlier Roman stuff I would suggest the Etruscan Museum in Rome and Ostia Antica, both of which are covered in the blog.
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/search/label/Rome
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