22 and Female and Italy
 

I have read all the helpful comments from everyone here, and I'm hoping y'all can help me out as well.

I'm planning a trip to Italy during July of '08. I know, terrible time, but I am planning on being at my friend's wedding the weekend of July 26th in Bologna. Aside from that definite plan I have no idea where to start. I bought Rick Steve's Italy 2008 guide, but it doesn't really address how to travel solo on a budget when you're a girl!

I'm thinking I'd like to travel 3 weeks or so before her wedding. I have already been to Venice, Rome, and Florence when I was in high school (though not great trips and would like to return). I'm more interested in culture and food and local exploration than I am in the big museums.

I'm not sure what the rules are for renting a car in Italy (age, insurance, etc), but I would be willing to do that if people thought there were places I *had to see* and could only do by car. Otherwise, I'd be traveling by public transportation.

I know, so many questions...

I think budget wise I'll have to stay in hostels (I've found some websites with recommended ones), but I'd love suggestions for hostels or worth-it hotels.

I guess I just don't know the lay of the land well enough to plan out a trip that makes sense (where to start and where to end)...though I've been studying a map and believe I'm getting a better handle on it.

One last thing for now: I need to make my airline reservations. I heard that "open jaw" reservations can save money, but I don't know how to search for that and I don't know what locations would make sense to fly into and out of (i.e., where should I start and end my trip? I will be in Bologna, but it seems there aren't a ton of flights from there).

I hope you can help me. I don't want to do the traditional tour, but i don't really know how to approach this. Any help would be OH SO APPRECIATED!

Thanks,
Courtney

What a fun adventure you are planning!

I can help with the open jaw question. It is sometimes less expensive and sometimes about the same as a RT - but you have to figure in the cost to backtrack to get to the departure airport. When you go to the airline website, there should be an option for "multiple cities". Then plug in your home airport, arrival aiport codes. The next leg is your departure airport to home.

So, with your trip, you might want to start in Rome and leave from the north. The train system is really good, so you could train it from Rome to Florence to Venice. From Florence you could take train or bus to some of the smaller hill towns. There are some great places to explore, I love Siena, just a wonderful place to wander and explore. I've never been to Ravenna but I think it has big university so you might find a hostel there. I

For the car, not sure but you could check the age restrictions at www.autoeurope.com

But I think you could get by fine with trains and busses.

Have a fun time!

I think at age 22 you would be fine for a car rental - as noted, you could confirm that with AutoEurope 800-223-5555. AutoEurope is a rental brokerage org. which has a good reputation. That said, I would urge you to take public transport which is excellent and it reaches the vast majority of the places you are likely to visit. It is safer, easier, and for a person traveling alone, likely less expensive.

As soon as you know your dates, begin checking airfares. In addition to the airline websights check expedia, travelocity, etc. This search will take some time. Try to be flexible about when you fly. From the USA it is usually less expensive to travel mid-week (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.) Get a feel for the price ranges and when you find a good buy be ready to commit.
Once you've made a tentative itinerary, check to confirm the hours of the places you plan to visit. Remember many close Monday, and so on.
I know that your budget is important but, in the cities, considering that it will be July, you may want to be sure you will have air conditioning.

Half the fun of travel in Europe, especially solo, is taking public transport. There is a well-worn backpackers route that will be full of others like you. Make sure you check out the Lonely Planet website as well, as they cater most to the independent budget traveller.

Most of all, don't be afraid or listen to those that think it can't or shouldn't be done. Go for it!

Hello courtroomp, if you fly into Rome you could fly home from Venice as it sounds that you will be spending the last part of your trip in Bologna due to your friends wedding. Venice has lots of flights..just be aware most leave quite early in the morning. It is very easy to train from Bologna to Venice..maybe you might want to do that the day before your flight home and you could get a hotel in Mestre (the Mestre train station is the second to last train station from the Santa Lucia Station which is right in Venice proper). You could take the train from Mestre to Venice after you arrive and check into your hotel in Mestre and come back to the hotel later for a good nights sleep. That way you could get to the Venice (Marco Polo) Airport with ease the morning of your fight.

Here is the English language version for the Marco Polo Airport for your review. You will find a wealth of information on their website.

Lucky you! You will have a beautiful July. And weddings in Italy are so much fun and such festive events. I hope you will be able to give us a trip report after you return home.

The closest you will be to the wedding's date, the hottest the weather will be, especially in Bologna.
This region is very interesting and it is nice to spend here the whole period, maybe with several days in Marche also.
I'd like to suggest you to visit Imola (and have dinner at ristorante CALLEGHERIE), Faenza, Cesenatico, where you can have nice dinners focused on seafood; then you cannot miss Urbino, Ferrara, Modena and Ravenna and Rimini also. Then few days before the wedding a relax in a nice spa: Salsomaggiore Terme.
Public transportation is ok, car is better.
Feel free to e-mail me for further informations, I live close to Bologna.

Ciao.

Vincenzo

Thank you all soooo much! I have tentatively narrowed my date to leave between July 3rd and 6th. After doing some reading on car rentals I realize I probably just don't have the money if I do it alone (60-80 dollar a day is a bit much).

I appreciate all the suggestions. Since I have decided on public transportation, I'm open to ideas of places to go. I think flying into Rome, traveling through Florence to Venice then to Bologna for the wedding (flying out of Venice as someone suggested, or wherever I can get a good flight). Cls2Paris said Siena is a must see...would I go there after Florence en route to Venice? And what about all the places vincenzod said? Ahh geography!

One last note, my friend said she will join me to travel to switzerland and slovenia after the wedding (leaving the second week of august). Any additional suggestion about these places is great, too.

Any help? :-)

My understanding is that many companies won't rent to people under 25 and that between 21 and 25 you may have some extra charges. Some cities you might enjoy that can be reached easily by public transit are VErona and Padova near Venice, Orvieto between Rome and Florence, Ravenna near Bologna

Well, since you been to the big 3 already, maybe look into other parts of Italy. Rural Tuscany is hard without a car. However, Siena you can get to by train or bus. Ditto Lucca and Pisa. The countryside of Umbria needs a car also, but there's Perugia and Assisi.

How about the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, and Capri? The Italian lakes nestled at the foot of the Alps? The Cinque Terre, that's a younger crowd. Rick Steves will have a lot about the CT.

Hi courtoomp,

i always like the idea of cutting down travel as much as possible. so as you are tied into bologna, and have already done the "big three", why not fly into rome, then head for the east coast via assissi and Perugia to ancona, then up the coast to Ravenna and ferrara.

that should keep you busy enough.

regards, ann