lola34

Is best way to get around in florence, rome, venice, a taxi, bus, subway? What are average costs for these methods?

Eloise

Most of Florence, and in particular the shopping areas, are perfectly walkable.

The shopping areas in Rome are also walkable for the most part, two of the most important being the designer-boutique area arond Piazza di Spagna and the more sensibly priced Via Cola di Rienzo. To get between the two, there are many buses. A single ride costs 1 Euro; a day pass costs 4 Euro; and I think there is a three-day pass whose price I don't remember. The Metro goes to relatively few places in Rome, but Piazza di Spagna is one of them. A taxi ride within downtown Rome would cost about 8-10 Euro.

Venice is also perfectly walkable, but the water buses (vaporetti) are convenient. The best thing is to buy a 24-hour or 72-hour pass, which is much cheaper than buying individual tickets that cost 5 Euro on any route that uses the Grand Canal. There are also public gondolas (traghetti) that cross the Grand Canal for 0.60 Euro per ride. Water taxis are prohibitively expensive and should be avoided.

You are going to three of the richest art cities in the world and all you want to do is shop???

nessundorma

A lot of shops in Italy ship goods, so you might check into that if your purchases are fragile or heavy.

I have never found taxis in Roma or Firenze to be particularly expensive, and in Roma, public transportation is a nuisance. If you are jewelry shopping, I certainly wouldn't take the subway or bus in Roma, and if you are burdened with packages, waiting for a bus and finding it crowded when it arrives can be a drag.

Eloise,

How did you conclude that "all" lola wants to do is shop? It sounded more like she is planning doing some shopping alone after doing sightseeing.

I was watching an American public television program last night about the hills of Tuscany that showed a famous coppersmith in Montepulciano who made absolutely gorgeous kitchenware. How shocking to think somebody might go to Italy and buy their beautiful goods. Better to humiliate them and make them feel guilty. Such a wonderful way to encourage the appreciation and support for the arts!

Eloise

Nessundorma,

I don't recall that the OP mentioned going to Montepulciano for hand-made copper kitchenware. I must have missed it...

nessundorma

She didn't. I was talking about a television show on American public television that I saw which encouraged people to go to the artisan shops of Tuscany as an integral part of their understanding Tuscany.

My point to you was that nowhere did the OP say she was going to these places to shop "all" the time, and I think the title of her post suggests otherwise. I thought your remarks were a gratuitous putdown.

ekscrunchy

Ok ok.....I did see a coppersmith in Montepulciano...more of a workshop than a shop..seems like he does mainly custom orders. I am sorry I missed this PBS show..can you let us know the name of the program so I can try to catch it on repeats? What other crafts did they mention?

bobthenavigator

Lola, The transport is not expensive but the shopping is---the exchange rate makes it so.

roadlesstraveled

I enjoy this board immensely because of the wonderful sharing of travel advice and experience. One of my favorite aspects of travel is experiencing the world from another perspective and opening myself up to other ideas and customs. That is why it is always amazing to me when posters on this board attack other posters in a judgmental manner. Hasn’t travel opened their minds at all?

Lola34 asked a completely legitimate question about getting around for shopping. (I agree - walking in Florence, walking and vaparettos in Venice). There is nothing in her post to suggest that she is only interested in shopping. At what if she was only interested in shopping. Does that make her less of a person than if she spent every waking hour in an art museum?

I have a degree in art history and my travel plans are always based upon my love of art. My husband and sister have no interest in art whatsoever but they are interesting and engaged people.

No wonder new posters to this board are so intimidated.

Excuse me for ranting, but the world is getting more and more intolerant and I normally find this board an escape.

nessundorma

ekscrunchy,

The PBS program is called "Inside the Tuscan Hills" and it is a 6-part video series that you can buy if your local station isn't showing it.

http://www.travelvideostore.com/prod...oducts_id=4288

I only caught this particular episode, which included a mosaic artist in Montepulciano and wine making.

ekscrunchy

Thanks very much, Nessundorma. I will see if I can rent this series....and will look for it on PBS..one of these days they will re-run it. I found this copper workshop when I admired something in the B&B we stayed at (Terrassa di Montepulciano); the owner, Roberto referred me to the workshop of his friend. Later I met an American woman in the town who told me that there is also a fabulous shop teeming with all sorts of copper wares. This woman had actually driven to Montepulciano from Rome to buy copper! I never did find that shop, however. I know no one asked for all this information but here it is for any copper-holics who will be travling to southern Tuscany.

Budman

Oh, the copper shop. The copper shop is on the main drag up the hill near the southern end of town. My nephew, who recently returned from 3 years in Rome, bought hundreds of $$$ worth of his hand made cookware.

His workshop is up the hill from his retail shop. The shop was just down the hill from our apartment. We passed it daily, and my wife eyed a piece. They are all one-of-a-kind pieces, and when she decided to make the purchase, it was gone. Talk about disappointment. You snooze, you lose.

It's worth a visit if you are in Montepulciano. When he passes, that's it. Generations down the drain as his sons have decided not to take up the trade.

ekscrunchy

Budman thank you for the info. Of course now I am kicking myself that I did not seek out the shop itself. The workshop did not seem to have any finished goods on sale.....I imagine the shop is extremely tempting, to say the least! Not surprising that his children choose not to continue the trade.. a sad commentary on the decline of artisan-made products in the developed world.