Confused with Italy Trip
Jul 14th, 2010, 08:26 AM
#21
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It really is a very good suggestion to pick up a few guidebooks first. Rather than spending a lot of money on them at the beginning of the planning stage, I usually borrow them from the library until I know exactly where I'm going. From there, I make lists about what interests me most, then do more research using online maps and travel sites like Fodor's. This process will narrow down your focus and help you start to visualize how you can accomplish what you want to do within your time frame. Think of it in terms of sculpting something out of a chunk of rock - paring down from the general to the specific. Once you get more into the specifics, your posted Fodor's questions will be easier to answer, too.
(One problem you will face, though, is that operating within a very small window of time like you have means that you will only be able to take a small bite to chew, so it will take more research to decide what is most important to you personally.)
Have fun! The planning can be every bit as enjoyable as the trip.
(One problem you will face, though, is that operating within a very small window of time like you have means that you will only be able to take a small bite to chew, so it will take more research to decide what is most important to you personally.)
Have fun! The planning can be every bit as enjoyable as the trip.
Jul 14th, 2010, 12:27 PM
#22
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Here are some things to take into consideration:
Every time you move from one place to another you lose AT LEAST half a day in checking out, getting to the train/car, traveling to the next place, finding your new hotel, checking in, and getting your bearings, before you can do any sight-seeing.
So with so few days to visit Italy, you don't want to spend half of them traveling around. At the most, you should only stay in 2 places. I'd say fly into Naples, where you'd stay next-door in Sorrento and spend 3 days including seeing Amalfi and Capri. The take the train to Rome and spend the last three days there. You will barely scratch the surface of Rome, but at least you will see some of it.
Take public transportation. You can't possibly find your way around in Rome, and the Amalfi Coast traffic is horrendous. If you have not traveled to Europe before, driving would be a big challenge. In Rome, the first day, go to the nearest museum and buy Roma passes for everyone. They get you past the ticket lines, and also give you three days' free bus riding. The pass comes with a really good map of the bus routes, too.
If you can't give up Venice then plan a trip starting there and ending in Florence, and fly out of Florence. Same goes for public transportation. Venice has no streets, only canals, and Florence (the historic part) is so small you can walk everywhere. Don't go out into Tuscany except for places you can train to like Lucca, Seina, and Pisa.
And DO, DO, DO, buy a guidebook!! Look in the library first to see which ones you like. If you are only going to a few places, tear out those parts of the book and take them with you. DO get a good map of each area, too. (You can buy local maps of cities at tabac stores and other places that sell tourist stuff)
Every time you move from one place to another you lose AT LEAST half a day in checking out, getting to the train/car, traveling to the next place, finding your new hotel, checking in, and getting your bearings, before you can do any sight-seeing.
So with so few days to visit Italy, you don't want to spend half of them traveling around. At the most, you should only stay in 2 places. I'd say fly into Naples, where you'd stay next-door in Sorrento and spend 3 days including seeing Amalfi and Capri. The take the train to Rome and spend the last three days there. You will barely scratch the surface of Rome, but at least you will see some of it.
Take public transportation. You can't possibly find your way around in Rome, and the Amalfi Coast traffic is horrendous. If you have not traveled to Europe before, driving would be a big challenge. In Rome, the first day, go to the nearest museum and buy Roma passes for everyone. They get you past the ticket lines, and also give you three days' free bus riding. The pass comes with a really good map of the bus routes, too.
If you can't give up Venice then plan a trip starting there and ending in Florence, and fly out of Florence. Same goes for public transportation. Venice has no streets, only canals, and Florence (the historic part) is so small you can walk everywhere. Don't go out into Tuscany except for places you can train to like Lucca, Seina, and Pisa.
And DO, DO, DO, buy a guidebook!! Look in the library first to see which ones you like. If you are only going to a few places, tear out those parts of the book and take them with you. DO get a good map of each area, too. (You can buy local maps of cities at tabac stores and other places that sell tourist stuff)
Jul 14th, 2010, 04:31 PM
#24
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Some thoughts on planning a trip.
Try and come up with a “hook” to hang your trip on. That means picking what interests you. I remember planning a trip to the USA, and I was interested in music. So I “hung” my trip on Chicago (blues), Nashville (rock) and New Orleans (trad jazz). I’ve not taken that trip yet.
If you were interested in those English costume dramas, Pride and Prejudice, then stately homes and the Yorkshire moors might do it. If you are interested in wine, then Chianti or Tuscany in Italy would do it. Antiquities? – Rome. Art? – Florence. Mountain scenery? – Como. Great food? – Bologna. Streets full of water? – Venice. Watching people and drinking coffee? – anywhere in Italy would do it.
You get the picture.
A week is not long, but if you can focus on what interests you, then you can come up with a great plan. However if you don’t focus, then the week will seem like a movie being shown at about a thousand frames a second, it will be a blur of trains, finding hotels, and kicking yourself because you were just a few minutes away from seeing something really special, but you did not know it was there.
If you ask the question “what’s to see in New York?” you’ll get some not very helpful responses. But if you ask the question “I’d like to see some of those classic brownstone houses in New York – what’s the best place” then people can advise. Or “where’s the best high end fashion shopping in Milan” – you’ll get good advice. “Is Venice worth visiting?” will bring all sorts of replies. Venice is not the favourite town of some posters, so they will say that there are other places that you might enjoy more, given your limited time. I’m a Venice nut-case, so I’ll say that you ought not miss it. There is, there’s no right or wrong answer.
So try and think what interests you most. Italy is so varied, from the bustle of Rome to the absolute stillness of the lakes at dawn. It’s hard to make decisions of where to go, and perhaps that’s the fun of travel planning.
Try and come up with a “hook” to hang your trip on. That means picking what interests you. I remember planning a trip to the USA, and I was interested in music. So I “hung” my trip on Chicago (blues), Nashville (rock) and New Orleans (trad jazz). I’ve not taken that trip yet.
If you were interested in those English costume dramas, Pride and Prejudice, then stately homes and the Yorkshire moors might do it. If you are interested in wine, then Chianti or Tuscany in Italy would do it. Antiquities? – Rome. Art? – Florence. Mountain scenery? – Como. Great food? – Bologna. Streets full of water? – Venice. Watching people and drinking coffee? – anywhere in Italy would do it.
You get the picture.
A week is not long, but if you can focus on what interests you, then you can come up with a great plan. However if you don’t focus, then the week will seem like a movie being shown at about a thousand frames a second, it will be a blur of trains, finding hotels, and kicking yourself because you were just a few minutes away from seeing something really special, but you did not know it was there.
If you ask the question “what’s to see in New York?” you’ll get some not very helpful responses. But if you ask the question “I’d like to see some of those classic brownstone houses in New York – what’s the best place” then people can advise. Or “where’s the best high end fashion shopping in Milan” – you’ll get good advice. “Is Venice worth visiting?” will bring all sorts of replies. Venice is not the favourite town of some posters, so they will say that there are other places that you might enjoy more, given your limited time. I’m a Venice nut-case, so I’ll say that you ought not miss it. There is, there’s no right or wrong answer.
So try and think what interests you most. Italy is so varied, from the bustle of Rome to the absolute stillness of the lakes at dawn. It’s hard to make decisions of where to go, and perhaps that’s the fun of travel planning.
Jul 14th, 2010, 06:38 PM
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While some might think StCirq's reply is overly direct, it is in fact, good advice. Also, there is so much information on Fodor's about planning trips to Italy, that one could easily pull up enough to at least create a proposal for a trip.
One answer to the question about whether Sorrento (or any other place) is worth seeing.
I haven't actually ever been anyplace that didn't have some merit for visiting. Many times I have been to places that, on the surface, did not appear to be very interesting. In spite of that, I have always found something or someone interesting, often giving me better memories than some of the more spectacular places I have been.
It really all comes down to what appeals to you, KaKa_Seahorse, and how you wish to spend your trip time. That really does require you to do some research so you can begin to figure out what is most important to you.
I am going to give you an example of opinions about Sorrento, Capri and Venice.
Capri:
If you wish to walk and have great views of the sea and cliffs, you will find Capri beautiful. Others like it for the shopping, which I hate. I have been twice and would go again only if staying overnight.
Sorrento:
I have been there several times, including one ten day vacation. It has great views of Vesuvius and the sea. It has interesting restaurants. In the early morning, down by the docks, the sight of fisherman bringing in the catches of the day is picturesque. The lemon groves are beautiful. It is also touristy and filled with noisy vespas, and too much shopping. You can see either part you choose: the touristy mess or the beauty.
Venice:
I have been to Venice six times. To me, it is one of the most beautiful, magical, mysterious places in the world. The sight of San Marco's domes glittering in the sunlight is one of the most breath taking sights I have ever seen.
Some famous people:
Horace Walpole: "pestilential air. . stinking ditches'.
James Adam's: ". . . vile prison."
Edward Gibbon: "ill-built houses, ruined pictures, stinking ditches. . . the worst architecture I ever saw".
A couple of years ago, an acquaintance of mine went with three friends. They planned to stay a week. They left after one night. They thought it was dirty, expensive, a tourist trip, etc. with nothing to see.
I much prefer Venice in a rather ruined state over the natural beauty of Capri. I like the little canals, don't care if they are greenish; like the cracked and crumbly buildings that appear to be almost holding each other up; love seeing paintings hung in old churches in the very spot for which they were designed, and don't care if the food isn't great or is over-priced, or if there are lines of tourists everywhere.
That is why you must read some good guide books which tell you what is there, not romantic visions by people like me or less romantic visions by others. Do you like old, crumbly buildings or nature? Do you want to see great paintings and sculpture? Are you interested in historic places, churches, cathedrals or excavations? Do you want to see a few of the major sights? Is great food and wine more your thing? Is there one thing you know about that draws you to Italy? That is where you start.
One answer to the question about whether Sorrento (or any other place) is worth seeing.
I haven't actually ever been anyplace that didn't have some merit for visiting. Many times I have been to places that, on the surface, did not appear to be very interesting. In spite of that, I have always found something or someone interesting, often giving me better memories than some of the more spectacular places I have been.
It really all comes down to what appeals to you, KaKa_Seahorse, and how you wish to spend your trip time. That really does require you to do some research so you can begin to figure out what is most important to you.
I am going to give you an example of opinions about Sorrento, Capri and Venice.
Capri:
If you wish to walk and have great views of the sea and cliffs, you will find Capri beautiful. Others like it for the shopping, which I hate. I have been twice and would go again only if staying overnight.
Sorrento:
I have been there several times, including one ten day vacation. It has great views of Vesuvius and the sea. It has interesting restaurants. In the early morning, down by the docks, the sight of fisherman bringing in the catches of the day is picturesque. The lemon groves are beautiful. It is also touristy and filled with noisy vespas, and too much shopping. You can see either part you choose: the touristy mess or the beauty.
Venice:
I have been to Venice six times. To me, it is one of the most beautiful, magical, mysterious places in the world. The sight of San Marco's domes glittering in the sunlight is one of the most breath taking sights I have ever seen.
Some famous people:
Horace Walpole: "pestilential air. . stinking ditches'.
James Adam's: ". . . vile prison."
Edward Gibbon: "ill-built houses, ruined pictures, stinking ditches. . . the worst architecture I ever saw".
A couple of years ago, an acquaintance of mine went with three friends. They planned to stay a week. They left after one night. They thought it was dirty, expensive, a tourist trip, etc. with nothing to see.
I much prefer Venice in a rather ruined state over the natural beauty of Capri. I like the little canals, don't care if they are greenish; like the cracked and crumbly buildings that appear to be almost holding each other up; love seeing paintings hung in old churches in the very spot for which they were designed, and don't care if the food isn't great or is over-priced, or if there are lines of tourists everywhere.
That is why you must read some good guide books which tell you what is there, not romantic visions by people like me or less romantic visions by others. Do you like old, crumbly buildings or nature? Do you want to see great paintings and sculpture? Are you interested in historic places, churches, cathedrals or excavations? Do you want to see a few of the major sights? Is great food and wine more your thing? Is there one thing you know about that draws you to Italy? That is where you start.
