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Hello,
My husband and I are planning on going to Italy next year for our 1 year annivesary.

I have never been to Europe and have always wanted to go to Italy. So I am THRILLED...

We hope to spend 2 and 1/2 weeks traveling across Italy in May 2006.

Any ideas on hotels, activities, dos/donts, would appreciated. I would love to hit Rome, Venice, Florence and Milan...

Thank you so much for your time!!!!!!!

LoveItaly

Hi there. You will love Italy I am sure!

May I suggest that you get some good "coffeetable" books with beautiful photographs of Italy. Your local library should have some. This will help you decide which sites you would like to see.

After you determin that and look at a couple of guide books you will have a better idea as to how your want this trip to be.

Then post back here outlining your plans along with information regarding what interest you have such as historical sites, museums, cafe sitting, hiking, shopping etc. Also about what you wish to spend per night for hotel rooms. Whether you will be travelling throughout Italy by train or car etc.

Also keep an eye out for all the Italy post here on the Europe Board. That will give you a lot of good day to day information.

Have fun planning and dreaming about your trip. And when you have your trip a little more thought out you will receive a lot of good advice here to finetune it. I always think the first time to Italy is the most special visit of all. Best wishes!

buongiorno

You could spend all your time in those cities or not. Are you planning on driving, taking the train. What are your interests? Do you want to see small hill towns. Are you museum people. Are you foodies? What's your budget? How long do you want to spend in one place?

suze

Book "open jaw" airfare (fly into Rome out of Venice for instance to avoid unnecessary back-tracking on the ground).

Travel by train between the cities.

Jean

LoveItaly has great advice. Do a little research and then decide on your itinerary. Once the destinations are fixed, then you can decide how you want to get around (train v. car, etc.).

bobthenavigator

After 13 diverse trips to Italy, my best advice is to spend no more than half your time in the major cities. If you have 18 nites actually in Italy then you could plan as many as 6 destinations, but 5 is better. You will return---we did not see Rome until our 8th trip. Here are some itineraires to consider:
BOB the NAVIGATORS’ FIVE FAVORITE ITINERARIES
__________________________________________________ ______________

MAGICAL FAIRYLANDS:
* Arrive and depart Munich--14 nites--May thru Sep.--car travel
* ITINERARY: Salzburg, Dolomites, Venice, Lake Garda, Bavaria
============================================
BELLA ITALIA:
* Arr Milan, dep Venice--15 nites--car & train travel--April thru Oct.
* ITINERARY: Lakes, Ligurian coast, Tuscany, Florence, Venice
============================================
CLASSIC ITALIA:
* Arrive & depart Rome--12 to 14 nites--car & train travel, all year
* ITINERARY: Florence, Tuscan & Umbrian hilltowns, Rome
============================================
LA DOLCE VITA:
* Arr & dep Rome--12 nites--car & train travel--March thru Oct.
* ITINERARY: Amalfi coast, Tuscan hilltowns, Rome
============================================
OF ALPS & LAKES:
* Arrive and depart Zurich--12 nites--train travel--June thru Sep.
* ITINERARY: Berner Oberland, Lugano, Lake Como, Luzern

THE VILLAGE SAMPLER: My personal favorites—north to south.
• Arr Milan & dep Rome---car travel---plan 3 nites per location
• Lake Orta, Castelrotto, Portovenere, Montalcino, Ravello
=====================================

Eloise

If you would like to see Rome, I would suggest that you include it in your trip.

Given what you have said, do consider booking open jaw: into Venice or Milan and out of Rome, or vice-versa. If you want to be thrown immediately into high-intensity Italy, fly into Rome; if you prefer to take it more slowly, fly into Venice.

I know I said you should follow your own desires, but most people, and I am one of them, would not suggest Milan for a first trip to Italy.

You have the time to take a few days for relaxation away from the cities. You can easily do that at a B&B or an agriturismo (a working farm that takes paying guests and often has a restaurant as well) in Tuscany.

Like some of the earlier posters, I would suggest that you do some research into what you really want to do and then come back with specific questions.