Just back from Italy and wanted to share my experience with you all. My friend and I flew out on 9/23/05 to Rome and flew back on 10/2/05 from Venice. This was my 3rd trip to Italy and I had a great time!

Day 1,2,3: Rome
Rome was pretty easy to get around. Don't buy a map. We used a map that out hotel (Apollo) gave us. Once we got used to taking the buses, it made it a lot easier to get around than walking everywhere! No one seems to check tickets on buses so we got a couple of free rides when we had trouble buying tickets from the shops. Tip: for the Vatican, getting there later in the day ensures shorter lines. All the tour buses pull up in the am so the lines are about an hour and half long. same goes for the vatican museum.

Day 4: Siena
First time in Siena and it was great! Getting to the Bus terminal was a little tricky. In the guide books, they said that the Termini is the hub of all travel including the bus so I had assumed that is where we would be taking the bus to Siena but I was wrong. The Termini is the hub for city buses. From the Termini, we had to take the subway a couple of stops to the real bus stop (Tiburtina) and find the bus that takes you to Siena. We found one that leaves every 2 hours. It was a comfortable ride in a nice bus. We got dropped off inside Siena, not at the train station and from there we walked about 2 minutes to the taxi stop and took a taxi to our hotel (Palazzo Ravizzo). We loved the hotel. We had booked the loft on the top floor where we had the best view of Tuscany. Everything in Siena is really adorable with the shop interiors so attractively set up.

Day 5: Florence
After lunch in Siena, we took a bus to Florence. The buses leave from the bus stop where we had gotten off the day before every hour to Florence. The ride was only an hour. In Florence, we took a sightseeing tour bus since we had tired of walking so much. It was 20 Euros and there are two routes. I wish I had ridden on a sightseeing bus in Rome. We took the ride all the way through without getting off since we planned on going to some places the next day. The best meal on the trip was had here at Buca dell'Orafo right by the Ponte Vecchio. The tomatoes and mozz. cheese with olive oil and the Florentine steak was amazing. Simply delicious. We also did a little shopping at the markets where I got a leather jacket for 100 euros that I bargained down from 160E. Now I'm thinking I could have talked it down further.

Day 6: Venice
After an early lunch in Florence, we went to the train station and hopped on the train to Venice. The ride was 27 Euros each and the ride lasted about 3 hours. Once in Venice, we paid for a one way ticket (5E) and a luggage (3.5E) ticket and got on the water bus. In hindsight, we should have gotten the flat fee tourist card instead. We didn't need to get the luggage ticket either. The tourist Vaporetto card also gets you on the traghettos which are the gandolas that just get you across the grand canals. Took the number 1 Vaporetto from one end to the other. It's a slow, long ride but lets you soak in the city. Tip: to get the best seat which is right up front, take the vaporetto to the last stop where everyone gets off then just move to the seat you want instead of getting off.

Day 7: Verona
We took a day trip from Venice to Verona and were happy we did. Verona was small enough to get around in one day and the train ride was only 6.10E each way with trains running every hour. The ride is about an hour long. There were two verona stops, get off the last one where everyone else gets off. We did a walking tour from the Rick Steves book and got a one day museum pass that got us into the churches and museums that were along the walking tour.

Day 8: Venice
The last full day in Venice consisted of walking and getting lost while stopping off to get gelatos. Basically a perfect day in Venice.

Day 9: Venice
We did the Doge Palace Secret Itinerary's tour since it was the only day to fit it in. One thing that sucked was the additional price they tack on (2.50E) from the reservations made over the phone for the tour. They didn't list that anywhere on the ticket information sheet nor did they mention it when I had placed the reservation. Since reservations have to be made either 2pm for the next day back at the palace or to call, I found it to be a little shady.
After the tour which was great and fascinating, we rushed to the hotel to pick up our luggage and then to the bus stop to get to the Marco Polo airport. At the bus station, we went to section D2 to get our direct bus to the airport (3E).

The best surprise of the trip was Siena. I can't wait to go back to the hotel and to the city. It is so charming.

Thanks everyone for helping me plan my trip! I would have been so lost without all of your help!

Thanks for the report. I have a question about the Verona card. Did you buy the card at the train station? I assume you're talking about the Verona Card which includes city transportation (like the buses).

Hi

Thanks - some good tips included.

I found the same thing with the Vatican Museum . We went about 1 or 2 pm and walked straight through. It still left 3 hours to tour. Out of curiosity what time did you go?

Thanks for your report. Jeez, you got your jacket for 100 euros? I’ve got to sharpen my bargaining skills.

I'm staying at the same hotel in Siena and am so glad that you liked it! We are going to Rome, Siena and Florence, so we really appreciated this post. Any further insight to these three cities?

Thank you for your trip report. Do you remember any restaurants in Siena? Siena is also a favorite of mine!

It seems you had nice trip in Italy. Also, it was interesting to read. I was in Venice also last summer and the place amazed me totally. I think that this is the most romantic place in earth.
May be those pictures bring you some memories ...
www.pbase.com/kersti/venice

Thanks for an interesting report, jc.

yk: About the Verona card, we got it at the first church we went to, not at the train station. I think you can get it at any of the destinations listed on the card. And yes, you can use the Verona card to ride the buses.

worldinabag: we went to the Vatican around 10:30 am and waited an hour and a half and the Vatican museum around 11:00 and waited an hour to get in (11:00 was still too early to go but we couldn't go any later since we had a bus to catch to Siena in the afternoon.) The Vatican museum line moves quicker even though the line appears longer though.

eileenferrier: here is another I did. I did all my shopping in Florence. I got a couple of items in each each (Rome & Siena) but left all the big purchases for near the end of the trip. Also, the shopping (stores and markets) are better in Florence. For example, I got a Gucci bag in Florence (their flagship store) and didn't have to lug it all throughout the trip.

Take the bus to all three cities. It's safe, quiet and a smooth ride. For the ride from Rome to Siena there were only 6 people on the bus. I ended up going to the back of the bus and laying down completely across the seats in the back.

In Florence, you must have a florentine steak. It's absolutely delicious! They cook it kinda rare so make sure you let them know how you like your steak if you don't want it that way.

The best maps we used were from the free ones we got from the hotels except for Venice where my friend had a really detailed one (which was super handy.)

artlover: the restaurant we went to in Siena was just ok. we had gotten the name from the Frommer guide I brought with me. Can't remember the name of the place.

Thanks JC. Don't you love Siena-it was my favorite place on our last trip and we leave a week from tomorrow for Venice!

Thanks for the trip report, sounds like it was a great time!
We leave in exactly seven days and I can't freaking WAIT!!

Anyway, a question of my own: "Once we got used to taking the buses..."

Could you elucidate or offer tips on this? Any tips or tricks for the soon to be Italy bound so we can hit the ground running?

great info. We are off to Rome, Florance and Venice in 4 days. We are flying into Rome and then using the train to move from one destination to another. Any more tips on where to eat would be appreciated.

Thanks for sharing, but I'd be careful about trying to get free trips on Rome buses. We thought the same last year the first couple days, but started stamping our ticket figuring that it was only fair.
No more than 10 minutes after stamping it, an official of some sort got on board and the first ticket she checked was ours. The fine, I understand, can be pretty stiff.

Desert Dave: as for the buses, we just took notice of the bus numbers that stopped by our hotel. Then from wherever we were, we would see if the same buses were in the area. Once you take it a couple of times, it's easy to recognise the stops that it makes so that you can take it from any of its other stops. I remember we took bus number 40 quite a bit which went all the way to the vatican to our hotel. One thing, I would not recommend taking the buses during rush hour. We had to wait at our stop, letting about 4 buses to pass, before we were able to get on one that was not crammed.

sue_sorkin: for food, i would just recommend the place in florence. Every other place was pretty much on the same level.

jabez: thanks for the ticket info. Whew, glad we didn't get fined!