Help with itinerary Please
Sep 1st, 2011, 04:45 PM
#1
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Help with itinerary Please
Hello to all!
Planning a 2-week trip in October and have never taken a tour, always travel independently, rent a car etc. but my dh and I are trying to plan an itinerary. Short notice I know but we are tempted to take a tour this time. Would it be more expensive to take a tour than traveling on our own? Have you done a tour just on the land portion and how was it? We are scrambling.
Help!!!!!
Planning a 2-week trip in October and have never taken a tour, always travel independently, rent a car etc. but my dh and I are trying to plan an itinerary. Short notice I know but we are tempted to take a tour this time. Would it be more expensive to take a tour than traveling on our own? Have you done a tour just on the land portion and how was it? We are scrambling.
Help!!!!!
Sep 1st, 2011, 05:39 PM
#2
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Any specific area of Italy or just all Italy?
Any specific interests: food, churches, art, scenery, food, museums, food? Could you provide a bit more detail?
do you speak Italian? Have you been to Italy before?
Any specific interests: food, churches, art, scenery, food, museums, food? Could you provide a bit more detail?
do you speak Italian? Have you been to Italy before?
Sep 1st, 2011, 05:48 PM
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<< Would it be more expensive to take a tour than traveling on our own? >>
Tours are usually more expensive than DIY.
<< Have you done a tour just on the land portion and how was it? >>
This is such a general question that any answer will probably not help you.
If you want to be on tours you can book when you get to Italy. Most hotels have sightseeing brochures and can book something for you or tell you how to book tours.
Not much more I can help with since I have no idea where you are planning to go in Italy and do not know your interests or budget.
Tours are usually more expensive than DIY.
<< Have you done a tour just on the land portion and how was it? >>
This is such a general question that any answer will probably not help you.
If you want to be on tours you can book when you get to Italy. Most hotels have sightseeing brochures and can book something for you or tell you how to book tours.
Not much more I can help with since I have no idea where you are planning to go in Italy and do not know your interests or budget.
Sep 1st, 2011, 05:53 PM
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NEVER take the tour, you have a much better experience on your own. Travel by car (my preference) or train but you control your schedule better.
With two weeks you can experience a lot.
I would recommend Rome and the Amalfi Coast or Rome Florence, Venice. Both give you a GREAT two week visit.
With two weeks you can experience a lot.
I would recommend Rome and the Amalfi Coast or Rome Florence, Venice. Both give you a GREAT two week visit.
Sep 2nd, 2011, 08:22 AM
#6
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Tour temptation because it is getting late. We fly into Milan on Oct. 11th and out of Rome on the 25th. We would like to go to Venice, Florence, Siena,Tuscan wine country,Rome Sorrento, Amalfi coast Pompeii. We are interested in Art, History, museums,Churches( Esp.Vatican), good food and wine,scenic drives.Don't really want to take tours except maybe a specific spot or city.Dont speak italian,but I did take Latin! (Ha!) Have driven through most of Italy but years ago, when 3 girls in a car was a rarity there. My hubby has not been there. We are retired and would like to stay at 2 or 3 star hotels that are small, not chains, pleasant, private bath, Not concerned about moving around a lot as we want to see as much as we can. Is this helpful?
Sep 2nd, 2011, 08:48 AM
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We prefer to travel on our own. You can always find tours in the major cities, if you want them, by visiting a tourist office in the town. They are usually able to identify English language tours for you, and sometimes it even works out that you end with with a much smaller group (from just you two to maybe 10 others) in the group, than if you took a ground tour that puts you on a bus and takes you everywhere together with 26 others.
That said, my cousin often takes tours (airfare included) and enjoys traveling with her sister or a pal when her DH can't make it. She doesn't like to do detailed planning, and likes meeting other tourists who are a lot like her.
When you meet up with someone while you are doing it independently, you often share tips and finds that would never be covered in a smorgasboard commercial tour.
The only Italian you really need are the polite phrases that are good to have anywhere: Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Please, Thank you, Yes, No, and "The machine ate my credit card." Italians are very communicative people and will figure out a way to engage you in conversation, even if mutually you have few "words" of each other's language.
That said, my cousin often takes tours (airfare included) and enjoys traveling with her sister or a pal when her DH can't make it. She doesn't like to do detailed planning, and likes meeting other tourists who are a lot like her.
When you meet up with someone while you are doing it independently, you often share tips and finds that would never be covered in a smorgasboard commercial tour.
The only Italian you really need are the polite phrases that are good to have anywhere: Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Please, Thank you, Yes, No, and "The machine ate my credit card." Italians are very communicative people and will figure out a way to engage you in conversation, even if mutually you have few "words" of each other's language.
Sep 2nd, 2011, 08:54 AM
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Good for you---you can do this on your own, you just need some help. I think all of those destinations are a bit much---I would plan on 4 primary destinations:
Arrive MXP---to Venice by train[ kills day one]
Venice---total of 3 nites
Train to Florence---3 nites
Get car---to Tuscany base location--4 nites
Drop car at Orvieto---train into Rome
Rome---last 4 nites---fly home
That is a good start. I would save the AC for when you have a week to invest. Holler if you need more details.
Arrive MXP---to Venice by train[ kills day one]
Venice---total of 3 nites
Train to Florence---3 nites
Get car---to Tuscany base location--4 nites
Drop car at Orvieto---train into Rome
Rome---last 4 nites---fly home
That is a good start. I would save the AC for when you have a week to invest. Holler if you need more details.
Sep 2nd, 2011, 09:02 AM
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Hi, ediemay!
Latin's good! Lots of inscriptions are in Latin.
Tours may or may not be more expensive. That's because you can get better rates with a group purchase, so the hotels, airfares, bus transportation, etc. would be cheaper than if purchased individually. Tours also take the hassle out of having to make your own arrangements, you pretty much have everything taken care of for you.
OTOH, tours lack flexibility.
In your situation, I'd say: take the plunge and take a tour. It's too late to be planning an extensive trip where you have to take care of all the details yourselves. If I were you, I'd make a list of the cities that i want to visit, then find a tour that more or less matches your needs.
There's a very refreshing trip report being posted right now by a young lady and her grandmother who took a Globus tour:
"5 Weeks with my Grandmother, the Report"
Maybe this might help you decide whether to take a tour or not.
Latin's good! Lots of inscriptions are in Latin.
Tours may or may not be more expensive. That's because you can get better rates with a group purchase, so the hotels, airfares, bus transportation, etc. would be cheaper than if purchased individually. Tours also take the hassle out of having to make your own arrangements, you pretty much have everything taken care of for you.
OTOH, tours lack flexibility.
In your situation, I'd say: take the plunge and take a tour. It's too late to be planning an extensive trip where you have to take care of all the details yourselves. If I were you, I'd make a list of the cities that i want to visit, then find a tour that more or less matches your needs.
There's a very refreshing trip report being posted right now by a young lady and her grandmother who took a Globus tour:
"5 Weeks with my Grandmother, the Report"
Maybe this might help you decide whether to take a tour or not.
Sep 2nd, 2011, 10:10 AM
#10
Hi ediemay -
first of all, lucky you! please don't panic about doing this at late notice - you have a month at least and with all the booking sites like veneer and booking.com. you should have no problem getting rooms at good prices - if you want to book ahead that is.
because of course with just two of you, travelling in October, you have the choice just to wing it, outside the major centres.
this is what I think I would do:
Fly into Venice, book a hotel for 3 nights [possibly 4]. book a flight out of Rome and 4 night there as well
arrange car hire from venice for the mooring you are leaving.
set off with a good map towards Padua, then choose between heading to any of many lovely towns - Verona, Mantua, Bologna, even Ravello if the weather were very nice and you want to see the coast. just keep going, and see what you find.
aim to arrive in orvieto one day before you are due in Rome, return the car, spend the day and night there, then catch the train to Rome.
have a great trip!
first of all, lucky you! please don't panic about doing this at late notice - you have a month at least and with all the booking sites like veneer and booking.com. you should have no problem getting rooms at good prices - if you want to book ahead that is.
because of course with just two of you, travelling in October, you have the choice just to wing it, outside the major centres.
this is what I think I would do:
Fly into Venice, book a hotel for 3 nights [possibly 4]. book a flight out of Rome and 4 night there as well
arrange car hire from venice for the mooring you are leaving.
set off with a good map towards Padua, then choose between heading to any of many lovely towns - Verona, Mantua, Bologna, even Ravello if the weather were very nice and you want to see the coast. just keep going, and see what you find.
aim to arrive in orvieto one day before you are due in Rome, return the car, spend the day and night there, then catch the train to Rome.
have a great trip!
Sep 2nd, 2011, 10:30 AM
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If you really want to go to Eight locations in 14 days, thenr eally, the only way to do that IS with a tour company so that you don't have to drive or worry about catching buses or trains, because you would be spending an awful lot of time traveling.
I would take Bob or annhigs advice if you want to travel independently.
Sometimes you have to choose between quantity and quality. I know it's hard, I will have 17 days on the ground in Italy coming up in a month, and I have narrowed down to locations, and I'm still going a little crazy deciding what I want to do in those locations, because I want to do and see it all and know that I can't and shouldn't try to.
Good luck, whatever you decide I think you will have a great time.
CindyP.
I would take Bob or annhigs advice if you want to travel independently.
Sometimes you have to choose between quantity and quality. I know it's hard, I will have 17 days on the ground in Italy coming up in a month, and I have narrowed down to locations, and I'm still going a little crazy deciding what I want to do in those locations, because I want to do and see it all and know that I can't and shouldn't try to.
Good luck, whatever you decide I think you will have a great time.
CindyP.
Sep 2nd, 2011, 02:14 PM
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My thanks to all of you. You always come through with such sensible ideas. We are going to follow your advice and stay in just 4 locations; Venice, Florence, Tuscany and Rome. That way we will not be running around so much. We could even go to Pompeii from Rome if my dh still wants to go there. Bob we will take the train directly to Venice. How about Suggestions for hotels there, and any other hints as I have only stayed there one night when we were taking the Orient Express to Athens. (But that is truly another story, I mean the OLD ORIENT EXPRESS in 1969 through a very rural Yugoslavia when we bought sleeping car tickets that did not go on till we got into Greece, therefore, we never got the accommodation. like I said, that's another story.)
Sep 2nd, 2011, 02:27 PM
#13
If you want useful hotel recommendations, you need to tell us your budget. And, IMO, while you're waiting for recommendations, you should go to a booking website like venere.com or booking.com, plug in your dates and cities and see what comes up. Many of the favorite hotels that will likely be recommended here may not be available.
If you decide to visit Pompeii while staying in Rome, watch the weather reports. You don't want to go if it's going to be a rainy day.
If you decide to visit Pompeii while staying in Rome, watch the weather reports. You don't want to go if it's going to be a rainy day.
Sep 3rd, 2011, 03:18 AM
#14
Hi again, edie,
well done for cutting down the parameters of your trip. It's not easy to sacrifice places that you long to see, but it's definitely the sensible thing to do, if you want to be able to see anything properly rather than being worn to a frazzle.
Have you already booked your flights? into and out of where?
and you say that you want Tuscany and Florence - ideally for Tuscany you want a car, but you do not, repeat DO NOT want a car in Florence. one way round it is to do Florence as a day trip - not ideal I know, but as you will have a lot of art and culture to see in Venice and Rome, a day trip may be all you need of Florence on this trip.
there are lots of threads about nice places to stay in Tuscany on this forum - from large towns like siena [where you can catch a direct bus to Florence which takes about an hour each way] to smaller towns like Montepulciano, to agriturismi, which are very small indeed.
what did you have in mind?
well done for cutting down the parameters of your trip. It's not easy to sacrifice places that you long to see, but it's definitely the sensible thing to do, if you want to be able to see anything properly rather than being worn to a frazzle.
Have you already booked your flights? into and out of where?
and you say that you want Tuscany and Florence - ideally for Tuscany you want a car, but you do not, repeat DO NOT want a car in Florence. one way round it is to do Florence as a day trip - not ideal I know, but as you will have a lot of art and culture to see in Venice and Rome, a day trip may be all you need of Florence on this trip.
there are lots of threads about nice places to stay in Tuscany on this forum - from large towns like siena [where you can catch a direct bus to Florence which takes about an hour each way] to smaller towns like Montepulciano, to agriturismi, which are very small indeed.
what did you have in mind?
Sep 3rd, 2011, 04:09 AM
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Do you have a good guide book? It is the best resource for deciding how to budget your time in each place. If you were tempted to take a tour, it sounds to me like you really do want to see a lot of important sights, not just wander and soak up the atmosphere. If you don't have a good guide book, you can get one delivered within 2 days from Amazon.
Then, like Jean said, if you go to Venere.com or Booking.com, you can plug in your budget, plug in your travel dates, and see what is available in every place you want to go. On those websites, you can read recent user reviews from a dozens and dozens of travelers. A lot people posting on websites recommend hotels on the basis of what they like, not what you like, and most people didn't recently travel to the places you are going.
Also, since you describe your top 4 interests as Art, History, Museums and Churches, you will probably want more than a day trip to Florence. By taking a close look at a guidebook as soon as possible you will avoid the problem of returning home and only then discovering you were actually in a town where you would have thrilled to see some incredible history or art sight, but you didn't know it was there (or booked too little time there to fit it in.)
Since you said you didn't mind moving around and don't mind day trips, if you include Siena as a day trip from Florence, you might not want to spend four nights in rural Tuscany.
You said the Vatican is of special interest to you, and that you might want to take a day trip to Pompei from Rome. Anything less than 5 nights in Rome means you will be foreclosing your options to visit Rome's most important Art, History, Museums and Churches as anything more than a fly-by. The Vatican is a small city in itself.
Then, like Jean said, if you go to Venere.com or Booking.com, you can plug in your budget, plug in your travel dates, and see what is available in every place you want to go. On those websites, you can read recent user reviews from a dozens and dozens of travelers. A lot people posting on websites recommend hotels on the basis of what they like, not what you like, and most people didn't recently travel to the places you are going.
Also, since you describe your top 4 interests as Art, History, Museums and Churches, you will probably want more than a day trip to Florence. By taking a close look at a guidebook as soon as possible you will avoid the problem of returning home and only then discovering you were actually in a town where you would have thrilled to see some incredible history or art sight, but you didn't know it was there (or booked too little time there to fit it in.)
Since you said you didn't mind moving around and don't mind day trips, if you include Siena as a day trip from Florence, you might not want to spend four nights in rural Tuscany.
You said the Vatican is of special interest to you, and that you might want to take a day trip to Pompei from Rome. Anything less than 5 nights in Rome means you will be foreclosing your options to visit Rome's most important Art, History, Museums and Churches as anything more than a fly-by. The Vatican is a small city in itself.
Sep 3rd, 2011, 04:30 AM
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You don't need a car for any of this trip except the Tuscan countryside. Based on years of following his advice, I would go with Bob the Navigator's itinerary. He has steered us to wonderful places over the years. Pick up a car as you leave Florence and drop it in Orvieto on your way to Rome. And as Zeppole recommends, based on your favorite things, spend at least 3 nights in Florence. Visit Ostia Antica from Rome and save Pompeii for a trip when you visit the Amalfi Coast.
For hotels, check this forum and because you are reserving so late, use a booking site like venere.com to reserve.
For hotels, check this forum and because you are reserving so late, use a booking site like venere.com to reserve.
Sep 4th, 2011, 09:08 AM
#18
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Jean, our hotel budget is hopefully to stay under 200 eu per night, preferably under $200 if possible.Thanks for the weather consideration. Still not sure of that side trip to Pompeii.
We are flying into Milan 10/11 and out of Rome 10/25, so really have only12 days in Italy.Annhig we are thinking of Montepulcino agriturismi and staying outside the walls of Sienna. I have Rick Steeves' Italy 2011 and have been reading and searching forums( or is that fori) for info all summer before we bought our tickets. Did not have actual hotel dates till last week.
Bob, you have such a wealth of info, and I have another question. What is our procedure for getting from MXP to the train to Venice. Should we buy tickets now or wait till there. Our son told us to spring for the 1st class tickets,as it is worth the price differential. Do you agree? (We are old folks).
We are flying into Milan 10/11 and out of Rome 10/25, so really have only12 days in Italy.Annhig we are thinking of Montepulcino agriturismi and staying outside the walls of Sienna. I have Rick Steeves' Italy 2011 and have been reading and searching forums( or is that fori) for info all summer before we bought our tickets. Did not have actual hotel dates till last week.
Bob, you have such a wealth of info, and I have another question. What is our procedure for getting from MXP to the train to Venice. Should we buy tickets now or wait till there. Our son told us to spring for the 1st class tickets,as it is worth the price differential. Do you agree? (We are old folks).
Sep 4th, 2011, 09:54 AM
#19
The Hotel Star in Milan is offering standard double rooms for 189 euros and superior double rooms for 193,5 euros for your arrival date. The Star is close to the Duomo and La Scala. We've stayed there twice in recent years.
https://www.hotelstar.it/
https://www.hotelstar.it/
