Going beyond cathedrals and musiums
 

I am a "newbie" to this forum and am going to Italy for the first time in May/June. We have 2 weeks. I guess I'm not very sophisticated because I only want to spend a small amount of time in cathedrals and museums. I want to experience small towns and local flavor. Any suggestions from seasoned travelers? Thank you. P.S. Shopping would be nice, beautiful glassware, lace, clothes!

Texy is very embarrassed! I just noticed I misspelled museum. Oh well, I said I wasn't very sophisticated!

I agree with your opinion. For me, about 20 or 30 minutes in any museum is enough. However, by wife knows a good bit about art, and could spend a lot more time. For that reason, we take with us a set of those cheap walkie talkies. I can walk around the street or square, people watch and have a coffee, while she spends a bit more time inside. Then it is easy to find each other once she comes out, as long as I am not far away.

Anyway, I LOVE the small towns. Email me if you want any ideas. Tell me where your planning to go.

One bit of art that I would NOT miss is to see Michelangelo's DAVID in Florence. It will take your breath away.
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Hi texy

Welcome to the board,

It's not what I would usually recommend for a first-time visitor, but if you do 3 days on the Cinque Terre, 5 days touring the hill towns of Tuscany and 5 days on the Amalfi Coast,you will be able to skip all of the great works of art in Italy.

On the other hand, 2 weeks is perfect for Rome, Florence and Venice, with day trips to the smaller towns. You might want to consider it.

Not trying to change your mind, but I don't think visiting museums and churches has anything to do with sophistication, it is a thirst for learning about history and the immense privilege of seeing the beauty artists created hundreds of years ago.

Obviously I don't know what museums and/or churches you have visited before that made you feel this way, but maybe you should at least give it a shot and see if maybe you might feel differently going to some of the finest in the world in Italy.

Just a suggestion.

As far as shopping is concerned, there are wonderful things to buy in Italy, all of the items you mentioned. Easy to find shops in Rome, Florence, Venice, etc. There are also designer outlets near Florence. A search should give you several threads regarding this.

Ya'll are being so kind to help me. My main concern is spending most of my time standing in line to see exhibit after exhibit. I guess I like history better than art. I'm interested in the ruins of Rome and Pompeii. Otherwise, I am looking for out-of-the-way places where your "typical" tourist may not go.

I think that museums in Rome are very different from many others. Nothing compares to the Sistine Chapel [prints and posters] at the Vatican or seeing the inside of the St. Peter's [and I am not even Catholic]. Basic ruins such as the coloseum [lovely watercolors from streeet vendors] and the ruins of early Rome do not take that long. The bueatiful fountains and piazzas are interspersed with the shopping in the center of Rome with the Pantheon along the edge. You will regret it if you do not see the historical "basics" in each place you visit. Make sure to include small towns such as Siena and Orvieto. It gives you a better feel for the area. Look for items that are Italian and you like them. Breakable items such as the pottery can often be mailed home.

Hi texy,

You can make reservations at the major museums, which limits the timespent standing in line.

There is a reason why the typical tourist goes to Rome, Florence and Venice - It's where the very best stuff is - and not just art.

Take a look at the mini gides to these cities at www.fodors.com. You might get some ideas.

You can do day trips to

Orvieto, Pompeii and Ostia Antica from Rome

Fiesole, Lucca and Sienna from Florence

From Venice you can do Padua, Verona and the islands of Murano and Burano

There is also good shopping in all of these places.

Texy - if history is your thing go for it. The roman ruins can take as long as you are willing to give them - if you're really interested you can spend a whole day just in the forum.

But keep in mind that the history you are so interested in is exemplified by churches and the art/objects in museums. For example, in Rome the Basilica of San Clemente is now a church but if you peel off the layers (and climb down into the church's basement and sub-levels) you can see a whole history of previous churches, Roman houses and even an early roman temple to Mithras (soldier's god). Also there is a "museum" of Etruscan (civilization before the Romans) life - I believe in the Villa Giulia - that is incredibly interesting and touching in conveying the details of people's lives at that time (fish hooks, household goods and utensils, perfume bottles and cosmetic cases, bushes etc.). These museums are way more than just staues or art on the wall. why not try one and see.

Well I'll state my own tastes. I just plain don't like museums and have successfully weaseled out of going to any 4 trips to Europe to date (and believe me that wasn't easy~haha).

Now give me a town festival of any sort (school pageants, wine tastings, town BBQ's) and I'm in! I also love going to the weekly open air farmers markets, sitting in outdoor cafes, doing everyday things in a new place (grocery store, post office, gym). And OK a couple castles or cathedrals per trip are fun.

Some might judge sophistication based on activities you choose, but I don't care... staring at art on a wall doesn't float my boat, never has, I don't care how famous it is.

My advise to Texy (by the way - welcome to the Board) is do what you want. Get to those smaller towns that interest you, then ask the locals about events or special activities.

My sense is that you like people and want to understand them and theur lives better. You are one of the lucky ones! It doesn't make any difference where you go. the fewer the touists the better. I've built a career on this philosophy and, for me, it works! Don't weat it! Just go!

What region(s) of Italy do you plan to visit? I wouldn't want to recommend small towns in Umbria if you're going strictly to Campania, or small towns in Basilicata if you will stay the whole time in Tuscany, etc.

"Not trying to change your mind."

Yes you are.

"but I don't think visiting museums and churches has anything to do with sophistication, it is a thirst for learning about history.

It has more to do with being a sheep and following the herd. Most people who go to Europe and spend hours in museums wouldn't cross the street if the Louvre were on the other side when they are home.

"For that reason, we take with us a set of those cheap walkie talkies."

You're lucky that you weren't arrested. US walkie talkies are illegal in Italy and most other European countries.

Texy - it sounds like you might enjoy doing alot of "walks". I don't mean just aimlessly wandering, though there is nothing wrong with that. But there are lots of guide books that give suggested routes to walk around various cities to see some of the lesser known sites - neighborhoods, piazzas, fountains, picturesques streets, small less famous churches, areas with great views, etc. By following these - or better yet - researching and then putting together your own "walking tour" you can "spend your time in the presence of great cityscapes" rather than just standing in front of great paintings and sculptures. But in fact most churches in Italy have some great frescos, paintings and sculptures in them - and I don't mean just the real famous ones. One of my favourite photos is of an unrestored fresco in a little out of the way church in Orvieto - wasn't the Sistene Chapel but it was beautiful, and I was the only person in the church at the time I was there and I didn't have to wait in line or pay an admission fee to see it.

To find these suggested walks you'll need to check numerous guidebooks as many of them just have listings of the big sites. For some cities there are even entire books of suggested walking tours - can't recall the exact names but something like "Favorite Walks of Rome". Spend an afternoon in a Barnes and Noble.

Churches sometimes will give you a special treat. We love looking around them, but we have also seen weddings, heard a organist practising, looked at a view from the tower both inside and on the outside of the tower, and found a quiet cool spot to just sit down.

Hi
I AM a church and museum aficionado myself, and I am not a sheep. These places interest me both at home and abroad.

That said, it's fine if it doesn't interest you.
Have you bought any guidebooks yet.
Go have a browse in a bookstore, and pick the one that has content that most interests you. There's also a lot of good basic info here at Fodors.com (click above on Destinations) as well as at other websites like frommers, ricksteves, and many others.

Venice is famous for glassware and for lace, not that you can't find it elsewhere in Italy. If you care about "authentic" make sure you are buying locally-made products. Much souvenir lace and glassware at the budget end of the price range is actually made any place but in Italy.

If I were you, I'd skip Florence.
It is Renaissance art and architecture heaven, but if those topics are not your cup of tea, there is not much reason to go there imo. For Tuscan flavor, stay elsewhere in Tuscany in any of the charming smaller cities or towns. You could always daytrip into Florence if you want a shopping day.

I have files on the Big Three cities. Lots of museum info, but also suggestions on other activities and web resources. If you'd like to see them, email me at
[email protected]

texy, My personal suggestion is to try and book a semi private tour of at least one museum or cathedral.

I did that this past spring and it was unbelievably interesting to hear the funny/scandalous stories, history,etc.

Had I not had that I would have simply stared at these works of art and not known the in-depth interesting facts. It really makes a difference to have a guide.

If you are in Rome I would highly reccommend using scala reale tours....only 6 people to a group with an art historian.

When we were in Rome we also caught a tour of the Colleseum at the last minute which was also very interesting.

Platzer: Thank you so much for explaining my intent to me. All these years I just thought I loved visiting churches and art. Silly me. It took you to enlighten me to the fact that I'm a sheep!

There is no Louvre in SF, but have been members of our local art museum society for years and often visit our local museums. Does that make me an American ovine as well? I await your profound enlightenment.

I agree with Elaine and Jennifer. Their suggestions to you are RIGHT ON THE MARK.