Help. Italy Choices
 

My son learned recently that his high <BR>school choral group will be performing <BR>in three Italian cities next Easter vacation: <BR>Rome, Florence, and Venice. <BR> <BR>I would like to meet the group in two of <BR>the cities. Which two would you suggest? <BR>(Distance would be a factor.) <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>Many thanks, <BR> <BR>Gerry K

Hello Gerry, <BR> <BR>Well, - you really can't go wrong with a choice like that, can you?! <BR> <BR>My choices would be Venice and Rome! <BR> <BR>

Some of us will snicker at Steve's suggestion - - since you said that "distance would be a factor" in your mind. <BR> <BR>But I almost understand his saying that. <BR> <BR>Rome belongs to EVERY century; Florence is the Renaissance capital, and Venice - - well, Venice is its own world. <BR> <BR>So I would recommend Venice and one other place. I would propose that the duration available to you might influence your choice. 5-6 days? Venice and florence. Longer? Venice and Rome. Longer still? All three. <BR> <BR>I would add the caveat that Rome is "intense" and VERY "urban". It is unmatched in all the world, but it is not for everyone. <BR> <BR>The connection from Rome-Florence is the shortest and fastest at just under two hours, I think. Florence-Venice is only slightly longer. A number of people have recently offered fresh info on the Venice-Rome Eurostar, focusing in particular on the classy 16:30-21:00 with its white-tablecloth dining car. I can report back to you on my experience taking that after May 12. <BR> <BR>Congratulations to your son (and to you) - - and get psyched for a wonderful trip! <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

Venice is a must on any trip to Italy, there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world! Gondola rides, great shopping, good food.. you really can't go wrong. As for the other city I would suggest Rome, its really an enchanting city with a lot to offer. I have been to all three cities along with many others on my trip to Italy, Greece, and Turkey two years ago; and out of all the places I visited, Rome and Venice are at the top of my list. I hope you enjoy your trip (you should ask to chaperon),and I am sure your son will have a great time!

Venice and Rome are tops in my book -- although Florence is great too.

Florence is in the middle, if you are really concerned with distances. The choice of the other city is dependent on your interests. Venice is very romantic, expensive and has an identity apart from the rest of Italy (as well as a distinct dialect and history), Rome is as someone said above, historic but urban intense. You can't make a bad choice. Let us know what you decide.Congrats to your son.

my choice would be rome and florence. the distances are better and easier to travel. venice is out of the way from those 2 places. im not sure what rex means by intense but we find it a very pleasant and remarkable city. in fact it is our favorite large city in the world-i may be a little lopsided here as we have relatives in the outskirts of rome so we get to places that most miss.

And my vote would go to Venice and Florence, so I expect the lack of unanimity of responses will not help you. Rome, while an undeniably majestic city, simply isn't all that "user-friendly" IMO (and I took 12 years of Italian, so language isn't the problem). Florence is sweet and manageable and has enough cultural treasures to keep you busy for forever. Venice is simply one of the must-see places in the world, incomparable and divine. I suppose your decision will be made in part on the basis of how much time you'll be spending on your son's activities and how much on your own, but if you'll be spending more time on your own, I think you'll find Florence and Venice easier to deal with than Rome.