Going to Italy for the First Time-Help!
 

My husband and I and our two friends (all ages 27-29) are going to Italy for the first time and I need help! I am just beginning my research and wanted to get your opinions as to what kind of itenirary we should choose. We don't want to be traveling every day, we really want to explore the cities and the people. At the same time, we do want to see as much as possible without being too exhausted. Yes, we will do some sight seeing, but we also want to go to smaller villages and drive through wine vineyards, etc. Should we just focus on one part of Italy for now? North vs. South? Any suggestions on an itenerary? And you can throw in any hotels, restaurants and bars as well. Know this is a general question, so I appreciate your time! Thank you!

BROOKE, It would take hours---you need to narrow down a bit to get good help. <BR>This may help to get your juices going. <BR> <BR>SO, YOU WANT TO SEE ITALY ! <BR>FIRST, GET A GOOD MAP ! Having planned more than fifty personalized itineraries to southern Europe and Italy, I have learned that the best trip plans start with a good map. It takes about six weeks to see most of Italy, and that does not include Sicily. <BR>So, any typical two week sojourn requires a geographic orientation and thoughtful planning to optimize the total experience. The temptation is to try to see too much, and that is a big mistake. My advice is to limit yourself to FIVE DESTINATIONS OR LESS for any two week itinerary. Perceive Italy as geographic regions and plan accordingly. Here is a menu to help you to plan well. Let your total time <BR>in Italy, and a good map, determine your feasible choices ! <BR> <BR>THE BEST DESTINATIONS IN ITALY---BY CATEGORY---NORTH TO SOUTH <BR> <BR>REGIONS OF NATURAL SPLENDOR: <BR>1. The Lakes of Lombardy/Piedmonte [ Maggiore, Como, Lugano, Orta] <BR>2. The Dolomites/Lake Garda [ Cortina, Ortisei, Merano, Riva del Garda] <BR>3. The Ligurian Coast [ Portofino, Cinque Terre, Portovenere] <BR>4. Tuscany/ Umbria [ quaint and historic hill towns] <BR>5. The Amalfi Coast [ Sorrento, Positano, Ravello, Capri] <BR>THE HISTORICAL ART CITIES: <BR>1. Venice & Veneto [ allow 3 days---more if you include Vicenza, Verona et al] <BR>2. Florence [ it all happened here--plan for 3 days just in Florence] <BR>3. Siena [ deserves a full day, perhaps as a day trip from Florence] <BR>4. Rome [ the Eternal City demands 5 days---some would say two weeks] <BR>UP-SCALE RESORT DESTINATIONS: <BR>1. Bellagio [ the best of Lago Como] <BR>2. Cortina [ the Vail of Italy--ski resort in heart of the Dolomites] <BR>3. Portofino/ Santa Margherita [ splendid sea-side venue] <BR> 4. Positano [ the best location to explore the Amalfi coast] <BR> 5. Taormina [ fabulous sea-side location in Sicily] <BR> ROMANTIC HIDE-AWAY DESTINATIONS: <BR> 1. Asolo [ charming village in the hills of Veneto] <BR> 2. Orta San Giulio [ on mystical Lago Orta] <BR> 3. Ravello [ la dolce vita above the Amalfi coast] <BR> <BR>BOB THE NAVIGATOR [email protected] <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

How much time do you have? If it's your first time in Italy, you probably shouldn't miss the big cities, Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan. If you really want to explore, those four alone should keep you busy for 2 weeks, including a couple of day trips - from Florence, Siena and Pisa, and from Venice, Verona. <BR> <BR>My favorite city in Italy was Naples. It's also convenient to daytrip to Pompei and Capri from there. <BR> <BR>Your best bet is probably to spend a day at a bookstore browsing throught their guidebooks on Italy and see what really pops up at you.

Thank you so much for your replies. And Bob! What great advice and references to begin with! It's much appreciated. Like I said, I'm just beginning to research, so during the next few months, I'll be able to come back to the site with more intelligent, specific questions. Definitely understand and know not to try to see too much at once, like I mentioned earlier, we want to experience, but not make it unenjoyable! One more general question if you don't mind anyone, what are the key differences between Northern and Southern Italy and which did you enjoy the most and why? Thanks again.

Hi Brooke: <BR> <BR>It's really impossible to generalize about Italy, but ... the north tends to be a bit more of a blend of cultures - Swiss, Austrian and French as well as Italian. The South is probably more what you would typically think of as Italian. <BR> <BR>My wife and I did the north last summer - Milano, the Lake Country (Como, Maggiore and Orta), as well as Venice and Trieste. All were very, very cool, but for a first time visit, I'd probably only include Venice (which was actually far more amazing than I expected) and maybe one of the lake towns. The big issue is really how much time you have. My first visit, we flew into Rome (which is a must), spent four days there, caught a train to Siena in Tuscany (pretty magical place, and amazing food), rented a car and drove through the wine region (if you're up for a bit of a splurge, La Suvera in Pievescola is awesome - otherwise, San Gimigiano is a great little hill town), headed for two days at the Coast (Cinque Terre, five beautiful little cliff towns), then spent two days in Florence and flew home from there. Surprisingly, Florence was my least favorite place, despite the amazing art, etc. That schedule was pretty manageable over 11 days. If I was doing it again and had a couple more days, I'd add in Venice. But even if you just pick one little area and get to know it, you'll be blown away. Italy is just great. Enjoy!

Just about any where you go in Italy will be great. My favorites were Venice and the Amalfi Coast. <BR> <BR>Visit my website to see some pix of Italy...maybe that will help you decide. <BR> <BR>www.jimtardio.com/italy.html

Thank you for your replies. Ken, your itenerary sounds very much like I want to do. Hit Rome first, and after being somewhat exhausted drive through the hill country and Tuscany. I very much want to drive through the wine country. Can you tell me more about that? Any recommended hotels/B&B's? Do they let you do any kind of tours or tastings? Any particular wineries that are a " must go?" And of course, anyone that has any advice/info on this, please feel free! Thank you!

Jim, just looked at your website and had to tell you how BEAUTIFUL your pictures are. I really enjoyed them. Thanks so much.

re wine country <BR>I haven't done this yet, but I'm saving up the information for the future. <BR>For the Chianti region, there's a great, detailed map available free on the web. <BR>www.monterinaldi.it/en/. Click on "The Map of Chianti Classico area", fill in your name & address on the next screen, and you'll get a map in the mail in a few weeks. It's 1:80,000 in scale, <BR>so it's quite detailed. As a bonus, it shows exactly where all of the Chianti wine estates are located. <BR> <BR>Chianti Driving Tour <BR>The following is abridged from Bon Appetit Magazine, October 2000 <BR>Highway S222 links Florence and Siena and is known as Via Chiantigiana. In Florence see the 6-hundred-year-old Palazzo Antinori, headquarters of the wine dynasty. The Cantinetta Antinori serves Tuscan fare and wines. <BR> <BR>Out of Florence, travel south on S222 and you'll see the beautiful Tuscan landscape of olive trees, vines, and cypress trees. You will come to Castello Vicchiomaggio, which produces Chianti Classico wines and some proprietary reds. The cellars date to the 9th century. <BR>Many of the wineries are in the hills just off the Via Chiantigiana. Nearby is Castello di Gabbiano, erected in the 12th century and still producing Chianti Classicos. <BR>Near Greve, Villa Zano produces Chianti Aziano and is one of several estates owned by Ruffino. <BR>Isole e Olena is a large property to the west of the highway, and is an 18th century estate next to a 14th century village. <BR>Back on the S222 you'll come to Fontodi in a valley south of the village of Panzano. It has a proprietary Super Tuscan called Flaccianello della Pieve, pure Sangiovese grapes. <BR>Farther south is the charming village of Fonterutoli, whose chief business is wine-making. Castello di Fonterutoli is a favorite winery. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Having put together over 50 tours to Italy and traveling to Italy once a month in the last 12 years, I am still overwhelmed at what I haven't seen and how to do it better the next time! <BR>Italy is so rich in landscape, history and culture- all the regions mentioned above in previous messages are totally different. I know from experience that hitting the big cities Venice-Florence-Rome is no way to sample Italy. I was so disappointed that the next trip I ended up doing all of the Chianti and Montelpulciano vineyards and Umbrian countryside and saw no cities. It was then that I realized it is best to get a taste of both. <BR>The route mentioned above for the ss222 is the best driving route for vineyards. <BR> <BR>Good luck choosing- I am a big food and wine lover, so my choices were fairly easy - if you are an art lover, your choices are harder to narrow. <BR> <BR>Best of luck to you!

Someone said that the norht is a blend of cultures and the south is what one thinks of as "Italian." Actually, the south is VERY MUCH a blend of cultures, especially Greek, French, Spanish, and in Sicily, also Arab, Phoenician. Most Italian immigrant to the USA were obviously from the south, which was very poor and oppressed by a quasi-feudal system of land ownership. In the south and Sicily, if you travel of the beaten track you can still find some towns where the way of life is fairly tradition and where there are relatively few foreign visitors.

My husband and I spent 18 wonderful days in Italy. Our itenirary was a little different than most as we flew into Zurich, Switzerland (flight was cheaper) We hopped on a train right at the airport and in about an hour were in Lucerne where we spent the night. Next day we booked the William Tell Express (boat across lake with lunch to the train that took us over the mountains to Lugano (still Swiss) Spent the night and rented our car there.(Half the price of renting a car in Italy) We then drove around the lake areas and spent the night in Stresa. Wonderful town. Next day on to Florence (stopped in Parma for lunch and cheese)Spent 2 days in Florence and then drove to Verona for the opera (unbelievable)Then drove into the mountains (Dolomites) to Cortina d Ampesso and spent a week exploring the mountain towns. It was Spring so everything was green and beautiful. We then went to Venice for 2 days and then headed back to the lake area to Bellagio. Two nights there and we drove back to Switzerland stayed near the airport and dropped our car off the day of our flight. Whew!!! A little unconventional but we had a ball. I can't wait to plan our next trip to Italy It most likely will be unusual. We are going to Spain this year and I'm working on that now. You will love Italy!!!

Brooke, if you want to stay in paradise, try Hotel Residence San Sano, just about 20 minutes drive north of Siena on the Chianti hwy. My friend and I both agreed it was the most perfect of all the wonderful, wonderful places we stayed on our last trip to Italy - and chosing a favorite wasn't easy! It's in Karen Brown's book....

Hello to everyone, my wife and I are going to Italy in June for a month, and rented a nice studio appt. We plan on spending a week or more sightseeing in Rome and taking day trips around the area. I am renting a car the week of June 15th and would like to drive south to the province of Avelino where my grandparents were from,they were from the town of Nusco. I have no relatives or family there but would love to walk the streets where he did. Any advise on where to stay and is the drive from Rome to Avelino which is southeast of Naples difficult. Thank you <BR> Vinny/Millie Mottola