Hi first time visitor to Europe and after some suggestions. We only have 2 weeks.
We fly into Rome arriving early in the morning and will get the train directly to Florence - staying for 4 nights. Should we stay the 4 nights in the centre of Florence or just outside so we can visit the vineyards - hire a car or do a tour. We are foodies and love our wine also.
Then we are going to get train to see my brother for 5 nights in Zurich ( so this is already organised )
Train again from Zurich to Rome to stay 3 nights - will plan to stay in centre as we are limited with time. Will be travelling this last part with our teenage son - suggestions on places to visit, hotels to stay at and where to eat would be helpful.
Look forward to hearing your ideas, Karen
florence, rome in September 2012
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For hotel recos you need to provide a budget a specific budget in euos - not a description like moderate - and hope in Switz you are staying with brother - since Switz is VERY expensive.
Places to eat in Italy - wherever the Italians do. Avoid at all costs places with menus in multiple languages, pictures of the food, or somoene at the door trying to haul you in. I If you stick at places filled with locals the food should be very good and prices usually reasonable - but in any case posted. We usually just do lunch at a place we find while touring - and often make reservations for dinner at places we find the same way.
I suppose the flights are booked and tickets purchased.... It would have made more geographic sense to fly into Zurich and out of Rome. Anyhoo...
I would look for a low-cost flight from Rome to Zurich that you can catch on arrival; then train back south to Florence and Rome. Your present plan has you on the same train route twice unless you choose to take a time-eating detour.
Regarding lodging in/near Florence: What's more important to you, seeing the sights of Florence or touring the Tuscan countryside? If it's the sights of Florence, stay IN Florence and hire a guide/driver to take you one day to a vineyard or two in Chianti. You'll need reservations for the vineyard visits. Driving into and out of Florence is tricky.
There have been recent threads on restaurant recommendations in Florence and Rome. Use the search box just above your thread title.