ssachida

found it!!
here's the other thread, its by Jane Post
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34605575

LoveItaly

Hi TRSW, I have stated this before and some people have not agreed - but for what it is worth here goes. My SIL, born and raised in Rome does not like the southern end of the Train Station in Rome. Many travellers say they do but I think someone who lived a good portion of his life in Rome no doubt knows more about the problems then the average traveller, including me.

There is lodging near the Florence train station that has been suggested by Ira (I think it is Ira) many times on Fodors. Hopefully he will see this post and advise you.

Maybe you should start your own thread, and address this question in the title. Imagine you will get lots of responses. BTW, your trip sounds fantastic!

rex

<<Hi Matt, you will need to check with auto rental companies regarding their minimum age limit. If you do find a company that will rent to you I am sure the rental price will be very high due to your age.>>

Not my experience. Found available car rentals from www.its-cars-hotels.com with minimum age 19... added surcharge is only $13 (USD) per day (was less a few years back, when I was traveling with a 21 year old who rented a car).

Rstrictions on models that can be rented... yes. But excessive surcharge? I don't think so, personally.

Best wishes,

Rex

anitabelle

How do we know which train to take? We want to take it from Venice to Florence, stay 3 days then Florence to Rome? Someone please answer????

ssachida

anitabelle,
http://www.trenitalia.it/en/index.html

suze

You can ask in person at the train station in Italy what are the times and trains available for the route you want. Or you can consult a train schedule online. Or you can find a travel office in Italy to assist you.

Matt1458

Wonderful, I can't believe the wealth of information and experience on this site! Ok, so I think we are going to try and fly into Milan...train to Tuscany 4 nights...to Rome 6 nights...to Naples/Positano 4nights and fly home from Naples. Let me know what you think...and certainly feel free to suggest any lodging at a reasonable rate. We'd like to be in villas, apartments, or hotels ideally. Not real big into the idea of convent/hostile. Thank you all so much again!

ira

Hi matt,

Looks good.

>... fly into Milan...train to Tuscany 4 nights..<

Where in Tuscany?

SusanP

Matt, Just a suggestion, if you tell us what you consider reasonable for a hotel rate, you will get a lot more help.

Rookie

If you haven't already found them, a couple of websites you can use to search for accommodations are venere.com and eurocheapo.com (somehow connected to venere). Tripadvisor.com is also good for reviews of hotels and some b&bs. Many people will suggest that you contact properties direct, but venere and eurocheapo (along with the search function here) may help you narrow your search.

Eurocheapo has a link for Youth Hostels - don't be turned off by this title. Listed there are many inexpensive non-hostel options.

Your trip looks like it will be a great adventure ~ enjoy.

janemc

Hi Mattl458:
In 2002 I stayed at L'Agnolo in the heart of Montelpulciano, a 5 room frescoed ceiling B&B. I had the place to myself in late Sept. It was lovely and near many highlights of southern Tuscany. It's listed on www.karenbrown.com under B&B's for $83E double. The owner, Cinzia Caroti speaks very little English, so I had karenbrown.com make the reservation for me.

LoveItaly

Hi Matt, you probably already know this but just in case - I assume you will be flying into the Milpensa airport (Milan). And you stated you will be taking the train to Tuscany.

The Milpensa airport has a shuttle bus that will take you to the Centrale train station in Milan where you can then get the train to go to where you want. Think it runs about every 20 to 30 minutes.

Have fun!!!!

Sally30

My first trip to Italy was when I was a junior in college, so same age as you. I studied in Rome for a semester. I had a fantastic time and have been back to Italy three times since (I'm 30 now). So don't worry that this is your one and only chance to go!

It sounds as if you have already decided to go on your own v. the tour. Unless going on your own will be very stressful for you and ruin your fun, I would absolutely go on your own. I think you can find inexpensive enough hotels through www.venere.it or other sites that you probably don't need to stay in a hostel.

As for nightlife in Rome, there are a lot of clubs in the Testaccio area. In August and the first week or two in September, they all close as Romans leave the city and the nightlife heads to the beach towns outside Rome. The area near the university has a lot of pizzerias and other inexpensive restaurants where you'll find students. Campo di Fiori, a square in the old - well I guess it's all pretty damn old - area near the Pantheon, is hopping at night with lots of young people in the bars and restaurants nearby. There is a fun wine bar on the corner near the great Forno bakery.

All around the Pantheon area are wine bars, pubs and other places to hang out. These are a little more upscale but don't have to be expensive as you can just order a drink and hang out. One place that looked fun is called (strangely enough) Friends. I think Testaccio has more dance clubs and the Pantheon area more cafes and bars.

If you want to feel like you fit in a bit more and want to meet Italians, I agree with NY traveler that you might want to try to learn a little Italian before you go. it fun to speak and pretty easy to pick up. if you buy a cd (living languages or berlitz are pretty good) and listen to it in the car or while you are walking around you'll be surprised at how much you can learn.
Italians are so friendly and if they see you trying to speak Italian they will appreciate it and probably start a conversation with you (in english). Your (female) friend won't have any problem getting a conversation started! Young Italian guys tend to be very friendly! I'd also leave my college sweatshirts, shorts and Sox hats at home if you want to blend in. Although having said that when I was in Rome a few months ago, a few people congratulated me on the Red Sox when I told them I was from Boston.

If you are there for a couple of weeks, I'd skip the car and use Rome as a base for a week (I am biased because I love ROme) and take the train to Florence, Siena, Todi, or to other towns in Tuscany and Umbria. You could then go south and take the train to Naples and the Amalfi Coast. The other suggestions of staying in Venice or Florence or Bologna are good too. The trains are good in Italy and can get you probably every where that you would want to go on your first visit to Italy.

Have a great time.

Traveler863

Matt,
If you take a tour you'd shoot yourself probably shortly after arrival. For a 20yr old, you're more exlorative, inquisitive, etc and to be confined by a tour group would drive you nuts within 24 hours or less. I strongly suggest you do some good research on where you want to go and what you want to see and fill in the blanks....you'll have one rippin time. Hey by the way when are you going? I'm taking about 10 20 yr olds over there in early/mid June....seriously if you wanted to join they'd enjoy that. We're doing Switzerland and Italy. Happy travels.

Matt1458

You are all so great, I can't believe how much I've learned with such little effort! As I said we're pretty sure we'll be doing Florence (and day trips into the country, Arezzo, Cortona etc.), Rome (for 6 nights) and ideally Positano for the last stretch, We plan to go on July 9 and come back the 23rd (and for me, I have a gut feeling that I may not come back...If I fall in love with the place like everyone has said I will I'll be posting messages here to help me find work!! ). The girl that I am going with is understandably a bit apprehensive about going without a group. She really likes the idea of the Security and guidance of a tour, I keep telling her to have faith in me and let me do the leg work.

I agree with you Sally, I think I will fall for Rome, we aren't Bible pushers, by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a dream for both of us to attend a Sunday Mass in the heart of the Catholic Faith. At the same time the draw to Night Life is HUGE, our ideal would be to have SOMEONE we knew, or atleast could go to for advice and feel like we weren't totally on our own. But I have faith that we will meet SOMEONE that 'knows the ropes' there.

GOD this is exciting, I am so ready to just head to the airport and GO!!

Thank you all so much YET AGAIN!

march123

Matt-

It seems like just yesterday that I embarked on my first trip to Europe. I went at age 17, 19, and 24. I did it without the help of a tour and more importantly, without the help of the internet. You are starting to see what a great help it can be.

Now my 20-year old daughter is planning her first trip to Europe. I have absolutely no qualms about "letting" her go. She and her friend are going for 5 weeks and want to go everywhere.

Aahhh, to be young again. You will love it!

happymz

Hi Matt1458:
I see I am a little late joining the fray here and you may have already decided against the tour, but I will throw in my two cents based upon my experiences as a 20-something in Europe thus far.

My first trip to Europe was the summer after college graduation, and as I was going solo, and spoke no Italian, I did the Contiki tour "simply italy" and I LOVED IT. I met so many people on the tour - always someone to go out with at night! - and it was such a great introduction to the country! Based upon that experience, I highly recommend that tour company to any younger traveler on their first trip to Europe....and the friends of mine who have taken the recommendation have similarly had unforgettable experiences. Yes, they are cliche tours where you see way too much in way too little time, but quite simply a blast, and a great intro.

That said, since that trip, I have been back to Europe (including Italy once more) 3 times on my own (not with a tour) for personal travel, and am planning the next trip this summer to Greece.

Based upon your specific situation - the fact that you are travelling with a friend, and that you are going in peak tourist season - I think you will be fine to go on your own, if that's what you've decided.

A few other points I will add based upon where you're planning to go:
- Nightlife - going in July, as you are, will lend itself to finding good nightlife. My last trip was to the Amalfi Coast - including Sorrento & Capri - we went out nearly every night and had a great time, even though it was 'shoulder season' and the clubs weren't crowded.
- the Catholic experience - like you, I couldn't wait to see St. Peters for the first time, and it was amazing...but Assisi was actually more memorable for me from a Catholic perspective. Perhaps because the Vatican is stop on every tourists' list, vs. a pilgrimage site for Catholics, I don't know...whatever the reason, I felt equally if not more moved visiting Assisi. So if you can include Assisi on your trip, it may be worth it for the experience.

So, my two cents....hopefully haven't made your decision more complicated, but do hope the info helps!

Matt1458

Thank you all so much for your very helpful advice, you've definitly shed an awful lot of light on our plans. Another thing I was hoping that someone might have some experience with is...does anyone know of a site that in essence connects you with people over there, a shot at making a connection with someone there, to chat with until we go and maybe to meet once we're there. I'm sure there are groups out of the US that plan to meet up over there, but if we could "hook up" with a local over there it would be amazing. The one thing we were hoping to learn, was where (on a map maybe) we should steer clear of, I know that if someone was coming to Boston or New York for the First time, I would steer them away from several select areas, for their own sake, you all know what I mean...the places that you prey that your car doesn't break down in. Being so inexperienced in this area it just seems like a good idea to have some perspective when we arrive?
I don't know, maybe I'm over thinking this. Feel free to tell me to "lighten up"!
Thanks Again!

tedgale

Yes: it is called travellerspoint.com.

It lists, by country, people who are willing to offer advice to people like you.

Some are living in the country, some are merely seasoned travellers offering their experience.

It is youth-oriented.

It offers some other services and info/ links as well.

Matt1458

Ok, having some more trouble here... We are trying to come up with airfares, all of the "big name" sites (travelocity, expedia, bestfares, cheaptickets) are bringing us in at nearly 1200usd. Is this to be expected? I had read so many posts about Open Jaw Tickets and it seemed the concensis was that I could get in around 700-900. This is where we would like to be if possible. We would Ideally like to start in the north and head south throughout the week. We were thinking flying into Milan or Florence on 7/9/05 (leaving Boston on the 8th) and coming home Naples (or Rome if it's MUCH cheaper, but will mean some back tracking) on the 23rd. I am thinking I should call a travel agent unless anyone here has a suggestion. Any thoughts?? Thanks Again!