lynn

Hi - <BR> <BR>I'm making tentative plans for a spring trip to Europe and was thinking Prauge/Vienna to avoid the crowds in Italy. I've done the other two "biggies" (Paris, London), and really look forward to seeing Italy but from what I keep reading everywhere, it's going to be a madhouse! <BR> <BR>Is anyone else out there making plans and staying away from Rome, Venice, etc. for the next many months? <BR> <BR>Just Curious

elvira

ah phooey jubilee shmubilee...we're heading for Rome in February! yeah yeah I know we just got back from two weeks in Europe and already we've got itchy feet....anyway, I've read recent newspaper articles that state that, because of all the warnings, tourists are staying away! So, who knows? I give up trying to predict what tourists will do...

dan woodlief

Hoping to make my first trip to Italy next September or October. Maybe it won't be so bad by then.

Mary Ann

We just got back from Europe including Praha, Venice and Vienna. Venice during the day was crowded but after 4:00 when most of the tourist buses left it was wonderful. During the day, it was really no more crowded than Praha or Vienna. Tourism is really big in those locations as well. It all depends on what you really want to see and do. We truly enjoyed all 3, including the hotels we stayed at and the people. Driving was a little tougher getting into Praha and Vienna due to the number of one way streets and pedestrian areas. I am already having post trip depression. Guess I will have to start planning another for next year!

Paulo

From what I've heard, Venice and Florence are more packed this year than they were last year. I don't think that the situation will be much worse next year and I also estimate that things won't be better in 2001. It's as if people trying to avoid year 2000 are either antecipating or postponing their trips. <BR> <BR>Take Venice for instance. Many people reported that they had to stay in Mestre because they weren't able to find a room. It can't get worse than that, can it? Things in Venice are not bad because of the people that stay there overnight. It supports a crowd corresponding to full bed capacity very well. Venice's problem are the daytrippers. <BR> <BR>Unlike Venice and Florence, I never heard of Rome being completely packed (all beds occupied) at any time outside a Jubillee Year. <BR> <BR>Oversimplifying it, one may consider Rome visitors next year in 2 groups: <BR>a) planning to stay in Italy from a week to a month, and planning visits to other cities/parts of Italy beside Rome (mostly originated overseas); <BR>b) catholic pilgrimnage, with Rome as the main or sole destination; percentage wise, the biggest increase in visitors relative to other years should be of ITALIANS! <BR> <BR>As a result Rome should be packed (full bed capacity) during many days next year. IMO, though unusual, it has the infrastructure to deal with it. <BR> <BR>So, Dan, I certainly wouldn't bet on it at least on what regards Rome, and specially during September which is a prime month. Get your reservations as soon as possible. During the last Jubilee (which didn't have the year 2000 aura) at the beginning of September, I had a flight to the US (was studying there) out of Rome. Without hotel reservations (I wasn't even aware that it was a Jubillee year) I got a train the day before my flight. I searched for a bed (any bed) very hard for about 4 hours ... I ended up sleeping in the train station. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>

Paulo

BTW, though Spain should be our main destination next year in July, we're planning to stay in Northern Italy for a week and with a 2/3 day visit to Venice. <BR>Paulo <BR>

dan woodlief

Paulo, how far ahead would you suggest for getting hotel reservations for Rome? It is hard for us to plan with any certainty this year due to our new addition to the family. If it doesn't work out, we'll just save it for next year I guess and go to the UK, Spain, or France instead. We would probably be going in October or the end of September.

Cheryl Z.

<BR>We're still planning on our trip to Italy end of May, but as I've posted before, we've been warned about Rome and the hotel situation. So we're just going to be very flexible in our plans, but frankly, from what I've heard and read about the Jubilee, 2000 would be a good year to skip Italy.

Beth

Well, I went to Italy in 99, so wasn't planning to go in 2000. But I wouldn't go in 2000. But let me moderate that a little. If one had their heart set on seeing Italy, if thats what you really want to do, I would go, and you'll have a great time. But if I were trying to pick between Italy and France, or something, then I would take my second choice, and wait for the conditions to be a little better. I have two reasons, one is the crowds, the other is the restoration work. Okay, I know we've talked about the scaffolding, road work, and restoration work before. I know these old cities will always be having work done. But the fact is, there was a TON of work being done in Rome in September. It will NOT be finished next year. YES, you can enjoy all the sights in spite of the work, but I think you can enjoy the sights MORE by waiting an extra year. The second reason, is that even if you can get a hotel, I suspect the cities tourism workers will be more hassled and more stressed than usual. There have already been discussions about service in hotels, shops and restaurants (which, by the way, I didn't have any problems with), but do you think it will be better next year? I don't. I spoke with the driver who took us on a two hour Rome-by-night tour, and he complained about the state of the roads, and how they've been making things very difficult for the taxi drivers. He told us how bad it was in the city when the pilgrims came for the Beatification of Dio some months ago. He said we should come back in 2001, or 2002, and we would find Rome a much better place to visit. <BR> <BR>This is, of course, just my opinion. I think Italy is wonderful and I'm sure you'd have a great time no matter when you went. But if you can't decide, then go elsewhere.

bellacite

Sounds funny to put it this way but we have "no choice" but to go to Florence around Labor Day. This is for a major medical conference and we're told they've "blocked" a couple of thousand rooms in Florence for the week. Does anyone have a guess as to how many hotel rooms there are in Florence? I'm trying to figure out if this group of docs will be entirely occupying the town.

Cheryl Z.

<BR>Well, here's some "good" news maybe about traveling to Italy in 2000. According to Rick Steves email newsletter I got this am, he says "Thinking of travel in 2000? Things are looking great. Europe is better organized than ever. The Euro ...has dropped over l0% on the dollar. While the mega-events and projects for 2000 promice to be exciting, the expected Y2K hotel price-gouging isn't materializing. Whether lured by 2000 festivities or not, trqavelers will find the continent generally spiffed up, organized, and energized as never before." ( He also mentions being in Rome currently doing research, so perhaps he'll have more info re the Jubilee in the near future for us.)

Hallie

Just spoke to a colleague. He just got back from Rome and says, "Anyone who tries to go to Rome right now is out of their mind."

Paulo

I have no idea, Dan. I understand that there are many tour operators that are blocking big numbers of rooms in 3- and 4-star hotels. Some of these rooms may be offered stand alone (not tied to airfare or such) if they're not able to sell the number of packages they have planned. Lower class hotels should have a bigger percentage of rooms dealt directly with individual customers. <BR> <BR>I'm used to a similar situation EVERY year regarding flights out of Brazil in high season. If I want to travel end of June or beginning of July I'm not able to book a flight myself after the end of February or mid March. I have to book flights in November and December the year before (yes, since I'm at it, I do it with more than one airline and at different dates). Here in Brazil, one usually doesn't have to actually buy the ticket before some 40-50 days of travel. I'm therefore able to postpone any hard decision to the end of April. Regarding hotels in Rome next year, the same should apply. You normally don't need to make any deposit. As long as you follow their cancellation rules you should be ok. <BR> <BR>You may decide for a period of travel that looks reasonable under your uncertainties and book all your hotels accordingly. If things work out all right, you're set. If they don't, just cancel and go from there. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>