Help! Italy in 15 days!!!
Oct 25th, 2005, 07:32 AM
#21
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Many many many thanks to you guys!!! After reading all your posts, i'm definitely just gonna attempt the Big 4 - Rome, Florence, Milan and Venice. Can't wait for December!!!
By the way, the vineyards are still open in the winter? Wouldn't mind downing some wine during the trip...
Anyway, back to my european studies and political science readings...... Can't wait for school to be over.
By the way, the vineyards are still open in the winter? Wouldn't mind downing some wine during the trip...
Anyway, back to my european studies and political science readings...... Can't wait for school to be over.
Oct 25th, 2005, 08:04 AM
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Lucien
Many wineries are closed or have limited winter hours. However, there will be numerous wine shops and places to drink and try out wines. Everywhere, really.
If you would like to see quaint towns, do it on day trips. The easiest is to see Fiesole from Florence... just a few minutes by bus. We took a taxi last year and it was 12 Euros, but we bussed back into Florence.
Several places have been suggested to you for day trips. I hate to add anymore. But I could ;-)
Many wineries are closed or have limited winter hours. However, there will be numerous wine shops and places to drink and try out wines. Everywhere, really.
If you would like to see quaint towns, do it on day trips. The easiest is to see Fiesole from Florence... just a few minutes by bus. We took a taxi last year and it was 12 Euros, but we bussed back into Florence.
Several places have been suggested to you for day trips. I hate to add anymore. But I could ;-)
Oct 25th, 2005, 08:56 AM
#23
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Let me put my 2 cent in.
Just got back from Italy where we did (in order) Venice, Florence, & Rome.
Let me suggest this.
Travel Day from the Staes this day is wasted
Venice 3 days. Venice is a small island ALL of it can be seen from the air from the window of your plane. It is an expensive place since it takes a boat to deliver stuff. My advice is to take a water taxi (60 Euros) to your hotel. The water busses or vaparetos (spelling?) are about 10 Euros but it takes 2 hours to reach you destination if you are unlucky enough to be on one of the last stops. No cars, remember only canals there.
Total 4 Days
Train to Florence 3.5 hours by EuroStar
Florence 6 days depending on the side trips
3 Day trips to Lucca, San Gimmy & Siena ect. With only 2 side trips cut it down to 5 days. You are a student and Florence is a shopping city. Plus they know how to extract the maximum amount of money. For example, to visit a museum cost about 10 Euros BUT the map or guide is not free and it cast 2 Euro extra.
Rome in this way is less expensive since attractions like the Vatican, Castle Saint Angelo, and the Pantheon are churches and free for the entry. There are a lot of churches and fountains (like the Trevi & the P. Navona) that are free to take in. My advice is to cut Florence down to 4 or 5 days
Total is now 8 or 9 days.
Train to Rome about 2 hours
Spend the remaining 5 or 6 days in the relative cheaper Rome. Think of all the sites in Rome you can remember, like:
1 the Vatican - free but must pay for the Sistine chapel & the Museum
2 Trevi Fountain - free
3 the Forum
4 the Coloseum
5 the Catacombs
6 P. Navona - free
7 Castle Saint Angelo - free
8 the Pantheon - free
Now double or triple your recollection and then you have just barely scratched the surface of Rome sites. The Vatican deserves 2-3 days by its self.
My advice would be to skip Milan. After all that was listed above do you really need to unpack & pack one more time? Assume that you will return to get what you missed in your first trip.
Now let me say that the Italian train & bus system is unorganized, confusing, and frustrating so if you eliminate on trip (for only a day lay over!!) then your trip will be so much the better…………
Travel day Home 15 days!
Good Luck
Greg
Just got back from Italy where we did (in order) Venice, Florence, & Rome.
Let me suggest this.
Travel Day from the Staes this day is wasted
Venice 3 days. Venice is a small island ALL of it can be seen from the air from the window of your plane. It is an expensive place since it takes a boat to deliver stuff. My advice is to take a water taxi (60 Euros) to your hotel. The water busses or vaparetos (spelling?) are about 10 Euros but it takes 2 hours to reach you destination if you are unlucky enough to be on one of the last stops. No cars, remember only canals there.
Total 4 Days
Train to Florence 3.5 hours by EuroStar
Florence 6 days depending on the side trips
3 Day trips to Lucca, San Gimmy & Siena ect. With only 2 side trips cut it down to 5 days. You are a student and Florence is a shopping city. Plus they know how to extract the maximum amount of money. For example, to visit a museum cost about 10 Euros BUT the map or guide is not free and it cast 2 Euro extra.
Rome in this way is less expensive since attractions like the Vatican, Castle Saint Angelo, and the Pantheon are churches and free for the entry. There are a lot of churches and fountains (like the Trevi & the P. Navona) that are free to take in. My advice is to cut Florence down to 4 or 5 days
Total is now 8 or 9 days.
Train to Rome about 2 hours
Spend the remaining 5 or 6 days in the relative cheaper Rome. Think of all the sites in Rome you can remember, like:
1 the Vatican - free but must pay for the Sistine chapel & the Museum
2 Trevi Fountain - free
3 the Forum
4 the Coloseum
5 the Catacombs
6 P. Navona - free
7 Castle Saint Angelo - free
8 the Pantheon - free
Now double or triple your recollection and then you have just barely scratched the surface of Rome sites. The Vatican deserves 2-3 days by its self.
My advice would be to skip Milan. After all that was listed above do you really need to unpack & pack one more time? Assume that you will return to get what you missed in your first trip.
Now let me say that the Italian train & bus system is unorganized, confusing, and frustrating so if you eliminate on trip (for only a day lay over!!) then your trip will be so much the better…………
Travel day Home 15 days!
Good Luck
Greg
Oct 25th, 2005, 11:26 AM
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I would definitely agree that Pisa is a trip to do from Florence. There are many connections by bus and train each day, and assuming you don't actually want to climb the tower, you can wander around in a few hours.
Also, you can get a wonderful hilltown feeling from Fiesole, just a 20-minute bus ride from Florence. It's a wonderful place to explore and have a sunset dinner, and would also be nice for an overnight. The convent there is at the very top of the hill, and has absolutely beautiful views (and a lovely little church and courtyard).
Enjoy!
Also, you can get a wonderful hilltown feeling from Fiesole, just a 20-minute bus ride from Florence. It's a wonderful place to explore and have a sunset dinner, and would also be nice for an overnight. The convent there is at the very top of the hill, and has absolutely beautiful views (and a lovely little church and courtyard).
Enjoy!
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