I'd appreciate some feedback on my Italian itinerary.
Nov 8th, 2005, 05:00 PM
#1
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I'd appreciate some feedback on my Italian itinerary.
Day 1: Arrive in Rome. Check into hotel and check out the city.
Day 2: major sights and lots of gelato.
Day 3: Papal audience then leave for Siena by train. Pick up car in Siena (where to park?) Tour Siena a bit and take in the local flavor.
Day 4: Drive to Chianti (how far?) and see a bit of Tuscany. Hit some wineries and vineyards (don't know of any yet, but that's our plan). Drive back to Siena for the night.
Day 5: Return car in Siena. Spend most of morning in Siena, then bus or train to Florence. Spend afternoon just walking around and shopping.
Day 6: Florence and major sights.
Day 7: Leave Florence by train back to Rome. Check into hotel near the airport and gear up for early flight out tomorrow.
I feel like my trip is too slow. Should I include more cities in my itinerary? I don't know if I really have enough time for more. Also, should I just get a hotel in Chianti instead of driving back to Siena when we're done?
Thank you in advance for your honest critique and opinions.
Day 2: major sights and lots of gelato.
Day 3: Papal audience then leave for Siena by train. Pick up car in Siena (where to park?) Tour Siena a bit and take in the local flavor.
Day 4: Drive to Chianti (how far?) and see a bit of Tuscany. Hit some wineries and vineyards (don't know of any yet, but that's our plan). Drive back to Siena for the night.
Day 5: Return car in Siena. Spend most of morning in Siena, then bus or train to Florence. Spend afternoon just walking around and shopping.
Day 6: Florence and major sights.
Day 7: Leave Florence by train back to Rome. Check into hotel near the airport and gear up for early flight out tomorrow.
I feel like my trip is too slow. Should I include more cities in my itinerary? I don't know if I really have enough time for more. Also, should I just get a hotel in Chianti instead of driving back to Siena when we're done?
Thank you in advance for your honest critique and opinions.
Nov 8th, 2005, 05:06 PM
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Your trip is too fast by the standards of most. The preferred way to get from Rome to Siena is by highway (bus), but in your case, if you insist on leaving on day "3" (scarcely 48 hours after arriving in Rome - - and you're setting yourself up to NOT like Rome)... then you might as well rent the car in Rome and drive to Siena.
Best wishes,
Rex
Best wishes,
Rex
Nov 8th, 2005, 06:09 PM
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Oh Drifus, believe me, your trip is not to slow!!
I think itineraries like yours and another thread that just posted is why some people dislike Rome. Rome cannot be seen by "checking it out" after arriving from a long flight (I assume from the US) getting through Immigrations, Customs, to Rome, to your hotel, checking in etc. And there is no way you can on Day 2 see the major sights unless your definition of the major sights is different than mine. Certainly you will not enjoy Rome IMO.
Anyway, I would suggest you rethink this schedule. Do you have a good map of Italy? Have you considered the time it takes to check in, check out of hotels, travel time, jetlag etc. etc. To say nothing of all the sites and sights in each city and place.
Anyway, best wishes to you with your trip to Italy.
I think itineraries like yours and another thread that just posted is why some people dislike Rome. Rome cannot be seen by "checking it out" after arriving from a long flight (I assume from the US) getting through Immigrations, Customs, to Rome, to your hotel, checking in etc. And there is no way you can on Day 2 see the major sights unless your definition of the major sights is different than mine. Certainly you will not enjoy Rome IMO.
Anyway, I would suggest you rethink this schedule. Do you have a good map of Italy? Have you considered the time it takes to check in, check out of hotels, travel time, jetlag etc. etc. To say nothing of all the sites and sights in each city and place.
Anyway, best wishes to you with your trip to Italy.
Nov 8th, 2005, 07:24 PM
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Your itinerary IMO is far too much and too fast. You have 1 wk. Unless you have been to Rome before, limit yourself to Rome, Florence and Sienna and forget the car...or maybe just Rome with a day trip. If you want to see the countryside split between Rome and the countryside with a car only for the 3 days in the country.
Nov 9th, 2005, 05:09 AM
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Hi D,
When are you going?
With only a week I suggest that you limit your visit to just Rome with a daytrip to Orvieto
or
skip Rome and do a motor trip through Tuscany
or do a week split between Venice and Florence.
As Rex notes, it is easier to bus to Siena. See http://www.senabus.it/
No need to stay at a hotel near the airport. You can have a cab take you to FCO for about 45E.
If you do want to stay near the airport, the Holiday Inn EUR Parc Medici is a nice, reasonable hotel with shuttle service into town and to the airport.
When are you going?
With only a week I suggest that you limit your visit to just Rome with a daytrip to Orvieto
or
skip Rome and do a motor trip through Tuscany
or do a week split between Venice and Florence.
As Rex notes, it is easier to bus to Siena. See http://www.senabus.it/
No need to stay at a hotel near the airport. You can have a cab take you to FCO for about 45E.
If you do want to stay near the airport, the Holiday Inn EUR Parc Medici is a nice, reasonable hotel with shuttle service into town and to the airport.
Nov 9th, 2005, 05:16 AM
#6
I would split the week between Rome and Tuscany, staying in the countryside in Tuscany and taking daytrips to Siena and Florence. This would cover the ground you propose in your original itinerary but would give you more time in Rome and have you changing hotels only once. You could rent a car for the Tuscany part of the week and cover plenty of ground.
Rome deserves no fewer than three nights, preferably four.
Rome deserves no fewer than three nights, preferably four.
Nov 9th, 2005, 05:34 AM
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Since everyone has covered the fact that this is a lot to do in that short a time, I'll only comment on the papal audience.
We went to see the Wednesday morning audience on our trip to Rome and it was one of the highlights of the trip.
If you want a tip, don't sit where everybody is sitting. Just get in the secured area and find a spot to lean on the fence at the back of the crowd (get there early to be the first). You'll see, it's behind the obelisk at the center of St-Peter's square and it looks like a path between two fences. This is where the pope drives to get to the front "stage" on the stairs and you will see the pope from about 5 ft! Best seat in the house.
Bender
We went to see the Wednesday morning audience on our trip to Rome and it was one of the highlights of the trip.
If you want a tip, don't sit where everybody is sitting. Just get in the secured area and find a spot to lean on the fence at the back of the crowd (get there early to be the first). You'll see, it's behind the obelisk at the center of St-Peter's square and it looks like a path between two fences. This is where the pope drives to get to the front "stage" on the stairs and you will see the pope from about 5 ft! Best seat in the house.
Bender
