Need travel advice-solo traveler.
May 3rd, 2005, 07:10 AM
#1
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Need travel advice-solo traveler.
Hello any advice is welcome. I am traveling to italy for three weeks alone from July 23-August 10. From 7/25-8/5 I will be taking a full-time painting work-shop in florence. The week-ends are free to site see. I am interested in traveling on day trips to Rome, Umbria, and perhaps Venice. I am wondering if it is feasible to site see by myself, instead of hiring tour guides for each city, which can become costly. Plus by attending the sites alone, I have the flexibility of being sponatneous. Please let me know your thoughts and any advice as to how to plan some museum trips etc for myself. And I really would like to check out a bit of umbria, Rome and Venice, but perhaps it's too ambitious.
Thanks in advance.
Natasha
Thanks in advance.
Natasha
May 3rd, 2005, 07:27 AM
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I see that you are new here - - how did I know that? click on your own name (this is one of the numerous useful tips that Fodors fails to tell you when they send you that first e-mail confirming your registration) - - we'll assume that you have also not taken the time to read the "HELP" (little tiny red letters in the upper lefthand corner) - - another oversight that Fodors fails to recommend to you to do.
Anyhow, you owe it to yourself to take a look there: http://www.fodors.com/forums/faqs.cfm - - especially http://www.fodors.com/forums/faqs.cfm#Q6 - - which I have listed below, in excerpt form, for you (my own emphasis added):
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Finally, create a title - make sure it is concise and clearly describes your message (and destination, if applicable -- and write your message in the space provided
==========================
Thus, when you re-post - - and you really should do that - - be sure and mention <B<Italy in your message header.
Best wishes,
Rex
Anyhow, you owe it to yourself to take a look there: http://www.fodors.com/forums/faqs.cfm - - especially http://www.fodors.com/forums/faqs.cfm#Q6 - - which I have listed below, in excerpt form, for you (my own emphasis added):
=========================
Finally, create a title - make sure it is concise and clearly describes your message (and destination, if applicable -- and write your message in the space provided
==========================
Thus, when you re-post - - and you really should do that - - be sure and mention <B<Italy in your message header.
Best wishes,
Rex
May 3rd, 2005, 07:32 AM
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Natasha, I haven't done what you're doing but will share some websites and thoughts.
Venice is an easy train ride from Florence and a very compact city. I don't think you need a guide there but might like to join a tour just for some company? I'd cosider American Express perhaps for that. One of the threads I'll give you has names if you do want one.
There's a pretty good search engine here. Here are some threads you might read
Day trips from Florence (which includes info on tour guides)
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34534585
Walking tours of Rome & Venice
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34533047
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=34520083
Walking tours of Rome & Florence
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...=2&tid=1385204
Private tour guide in Rome & Venice
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=34490961
Venice in a weekend
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34481076
Finally, here's a very long thread titled "Helful info on Italy"
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34443340
Venice is an easy train ride from Florence and a very compact city. I don't think you need a guide there but might like to join a tour just for some company? I'd cosider American Express perhaps for that. One of the threads I'll give you has names if you do want one.
There's a pretty good search engine here. Here are some threads you might read
Day trips from Florence (which includes info on tour guides)
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34534585
Walking tours of Rome & Venice
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34533047
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=34520083
Walking tours of Rome & Florence
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...=2&tid=1385204
Private tour guide in Rome & Venice
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=34490961
Venice in a weekend
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34481076
Finally, here's a very long thread titled "Helful info on Italy"
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34443340
May 3rd, 2005, 11:33 AM
#4
I have been to Venice twice, the first time solo and the second traveling with a friend. I found it is an extremely easy city to do on my own.
All you'd need to do is figure out the train from/back to Florence (I believe it's a 3-4 hour ride?). From the San Lucia train station in Venice you can take a vaporetto to get into the heart of town (or to your hotel). And I'd recommend staying at least 2 days if you can manage (it's too far a distance for a day trip IMO).
I didn't book any formal tours. Simply get a good map or guidebook and walk around to see what interests you. The city is fairly compact and since there are no vehicles walking is the best way to see things, with a vaporetto ride every now and then. Wandering Venice *is* the very best plan.
I would reserve a hotel/convent/B&B room ahead of time since you'll be there in a busy tourist season mid-summer.
All you'd need to do is figure out the train from/back to Florence (I believe it's a 3-4 hour ride?). From the San Lucia train station in Venice you can take a vaporetto to get into the heart of town (or to your hotel). And I'd recommend staying at least 2 days if you can manage (it's too far a distance for a day trip IMO).
I didn't book any formal tours. Simply get a good map or guidebook and walk around to see what interests you. The city is fairly compact and since there are no vehicles walking is the best way to see things, with a vaporetto ride every now and then. Wandering Venice *is* the very best plan.
I would reserve a hotel/convent/B&B room ahead of time since you'll be there in a busy tourist season mid-summer.
May 3rd, 2005, 12:03 PM
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Hi natasha,
You won't need a guide for any of these cities.
Look them up under "Destinations" for recommended walking tours.
It would be a shame if you only went to Venice for a day. It is at its best in the late evening and early morning when the daytrippers aren't there.
You might like make daytrips to Bologna and Orvieto.
You won't need a guide for any of these cities.
Look them up under "Destinations" for recommended walking tours.
It would be a shame if you only went to Venice for a day. It is at its best in the late evening and early morning when the daytrippers aren't there.
You might like make daytrips to Bologna and Orvieto.
May 3rd, 2005, 12:18 PM
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Hi Natasha,
I have been traveling solo for years now and am going to Itay myself this summer (do envy you your painting work-shop in Florence though)
Check out the train timetables before you set off so that you know the times of all available trains.
Get yourself a good guide book (it's better in some ways than a guide, especially when you are on your own, as you can choose what you want to see and what you don't and you wont have to accommodate others)
Rome and Venice should be no problem at all but when looking for rooms try and get a single as it will be less expensive.
Book hotels in advance
Don't know much about Umbria but I would imagine the public transport might not be so good to small villages but you could hire a car for a few days.
Have a wonderful trip, it sounds great and please post when you return to let us know about your painting in Florence
Helen
PS for some sole tips look at the Solo Forum
I have been traveling solo for years now and am going to Itay myself this summer (do envy you your painting work-shop in Florence though)
Check out the train timetables before you set off so that you know the times of all available trains.
Get yourself a good guide book (it's better in some ways than a guide, especially when you are on your own, as you can choose what you want to see and what you don't and you wont have to accommodate others)
Rome and Venice should be no problem at all but when looking for rooms try and get a single as it will be less expensive.
Book hotels in advance
Don't know much about Umbria but I would imagine the public transport might not be so good to small villages but you could hire a car for a few days.
Have a wonderful trip, it sounds great and please post when you return to let us know about your painting in Florence
Helen
PS for some sole tips look at the Solo Forum
May 3rd, 2005, 01:53 PM
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Hi Natasha. I was in Italy (Florence, Venice and the lakes region) alone last year and it was great. You should have no problem sight seeing on your own, but it is helpful to do some research. There is a ton of info on the web - all the major guide books (Frommers.com) have sites with destination sections. Plus you should get a good Italy book. If you are planning to do a city (e.g. Rome or Venice) in only one day you really need to be prepared to get to all the places you want to see. But it is easily done as long as you know where you are going. You are right that the spontanity and flexibility of not having a tour or guide booked is valuable.
Venice is over two hours by train (Rome a bit less I think) but there are early/late trains so it is doable as a day trip. However, Venice especially is wonderful at night. Could you go on one of your weekends and spend one or two nights? Where in Umbria did you want to go. Based in Florence you will already be in Tuscany, and most of the smaller towns are similiar to those in Umbria. I would definitly suggest a day trip to Siena which is very easy by bus. Lucca is another wonderful town that is an easy day trip from Florence. What are your plans for the last five days?
Venice is over two hours by train (Rome a bit less I think) but there are early/late trains so it is doable as a day trip. However, Venice especially is wonderful at night. Could you go on one of your weekends and spend one or two nights? Where in Umbria did you want to go. Based in Florence you will already be in Tuscany, and most of the smaller towns are similiar to those in Umbria. I would definitly suggest a day trip to Siena which is very easy by bus. Lucca is another wonderful town that is an easy day trip from Florence. What are your plans for the last five days?
May 3rd, 2005, 02:53 PM
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You don;t need a guide for either Venice or Rome. Both are easily doable yourself if you get a decent guidebook - esp if you do some reading in advance,
However - I don;t think either is easily doable in a day - the train trip is just too long.
I would do a weekend in each - leave after class Friday -- and then you have Sat and most of Sun in each city so you get a chance to actually see something.
However - I don;t think either is easily doable in a day - the train trip is just too long.
I would do a weekend in each - leave after class Friday -- and then you have Sat and most of Sun in each city so you get a chance to actually see something.
