Help with Italy Trip

Old Apr 8th, 2012, 05:39 PM
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Help with Italy Trip

Hello. I'm trying to plan my June honeymoon to Italy and need some help and advice. I've traveled plenty in the U.S. and Canada but this will be our first trip to Europe. It is getting to be a little overwhelming to plan from all of the info online and in Rick Steeve's guidebook.

We plan to be in Italy for 8 nights. Our plan was to go to Florence and maybe take a day trip or two but to stay in the same hotel the entire trip. Now, I'm wondering if we should stay in Florence for half of the trip and then somewhere else the remainder. I don't have a food idea of how much there is in Florence to see and do. Is it an area that we will see in 3-4 days? We would like to see some country and/or the coast also. We hadn't thought about getting a car but maybe it makes sense to do that.

I know I'm being vague but I'm not sure what to ask. Any help at all is apreciated.

Thanks,
Keith
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Old Apr 8th, 2012, 06:12 PM
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How on earth did you decide to take a honeymoon in Italy without knowing what you wanted to see and do? And how can you not know what there is to see and do in Florence if that's where you picked to honeymoon? I can understand that it's a place you haven't been to before and that for whatever reasons (what were they?) appealed to you, but I just can't fathom the notion of choosing to honeymoon a continent away without any sense of what awaits you.

Plus, you haven't even mentioned what drew you to Florence in the first place. Obviously, you must be Renaissance art lovers...or, if not, why Florence?

Yes, you are vague. And we have no idea of what you expect out of this trip, or why you even conceived of it. So enlighten us.
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Old Apr 8th, 2012, 06:28 PM
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Let's try less of an attack, ok? Florence is a lovely place for part of a honeymoon in Italy. There is lots of art and you could spend days in museums alone, but that may not be what you are looking for. I don't know if your are city folks or country folks, but the best comparison would be, Rome is to New York City as Florence is to Boston. And Venice is not like anywhere! Got to a bookstore or library, find a good guidebook on Italy and spend an hour in a comfy chair reading about Tuscany, the region that Florence is in. That will give you a better idea of what to ask. But do it soon, June is booking up quickly.
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Old Apr 8th, 2012, 06:39 PM
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I think you will have a lovely honeymoon in Florence and the surrounding area. Florence itself has plenty to see and do, assuming that you are interested in art and architecture, and there are towns close by that you can also visit. I believe that both Lucca and Sienna are a fairly easy day's trip, as is Pisa, although many people on Fodors are not big Pisa fans. Congratulations on the wedding and have fun in Florence.
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Old Apr 8th, 2012, 07:09 PM
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In short, we originally thought Tuscany and then narrowed it to Florence. The art, food, countryside are all things that appealed to us. But mostly, we just wanted to see some of Italy. The reason for that is based on what we've seen in movies and in books.

Typically, I've picked a location based on one or two reasons and then did a little reading on the surrounding area. I'd plan the basics and then wing it when I got there. Italy is proving to be a little more difficult though.

I thought I might get some opinions here of people who have been. Thanks for the last two replies.

Keith
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Old Apr 8th, 2012, 08:45 PM
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Are you flying into Florence? I think I would stay a few days there and a perhaps pick up a car and stay a few days in either the Chianti area or further south in the Val d'Orcia area.

If you don't want to rent a car, you can do some day trips by train (Lucca,Pisa,etc.) or bus (Siena, San Gimignano)from Florence. You could also book some day tours to vineyards and hill towns.
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Old Apr 9th, 2012, 02:34 AM
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Keith,

Don't feel singled out personally. St Cirq has a real problem with young people, and her posts slap at most new posters who give some indication they are young.

It would be very easy and enjoyable to divide 8 days between Florence and another location outside the city.

How late in June is your honeymoon? Florence and its surroundings get hotter and hotter as the days pass, so if you would prefer to be by the coast, it is doable, but you would need to choose between the coast and vineyard countryisde. It wouldn't make sense to do both. If you end up thinking you want the coast, to take a train up to the le Cinque Terre area, and either stay in le Cinque Terre itself or (if you'd rather dodge a lot of tourists) consider Portovenere.

If you decide to tour Tuscany wine country instead, you can get places with swimming pools, and I think it is nice to have an air-conditioned car for scenic driving and exploring castle hilltowns.

Inside Florence, you definitely want air conditioning in your hotel.
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Old Apr 9th, 2012, 02:40 AM
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For first trips to a region I like to find a base and do daytrips. It saves on checking in/out multiple hotels and you don't have to drag your luggage every time you go somewhere. Florence is a great base for day trips to Siena (by bus) and Lucca/Pisa (by train, easy to combine in one day). You can also do some of the other smaller towns by bus as a day trip. Florence itself is much more than art. Much of the art in in the small churches, and there are plenty of back streets for wandering - in addition to the biggies - the Duomo, Pont Vecchio, major museums.

So you would most likely not be bored with the whole time there. Having said that though, with eight days you could have a nice 5 days in Florence with a couple of day trips and then do Venice for 3 days. Venice is magical, it's a reasonable train trip from Venice (some people even do it as a day trip but that's pushing it). Most people try to cram in too much to a first trip so either of these options would be a great first trip.

I decide where to go by looking at photos (and then read up on the places that grab me). I have several Italy galleries on this site: http://www.pbase.com/annforcier
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Old Apr 9th, 2012, 02:51 AM
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I think what hit St C is what hit me: you mention all the information in Rick Steves and other guidebooks but want to know if there is enough to do in Florence. It's hard to imagine that you would not be able to answer that question if you had read the guidebooks. So you didn't seem to have done your homework, and that is expected by many people before you post here.

On your other question, no, I would not spend the eight days in Florence unless I was mad crazy for art, then I would want to spend more!

I would personally spend the time in the Val d'Orcia with daytrips by car to the historic towns: Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Pienza. With eight days, you could stay in a rented villa or you might stay at an agriturismo, a B&B on a working farm.

You cannot or should not drive into any of the cities but park in public lots on the outskirts. Driving in Tuscany, at least these parts, is much easier than driving near Rome and in Northern Italy. If you fly into Rome, look into taking the train to Orvieto and renting the car there. If you have to pick up the car in Florence or Pisa or Bologna, look for a rental at the airport and stay out of the city.
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Old Apr 9th, 2012, 03:12 AM
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Florence is a lovely historical city, but very very busy and crowded with tourists at that time of year. Would you prefer more countryside or cities? There are plenty of beautiful smaller towns in both Umbria and Tuscany (Florence is a city in Tuscany, whilst Tuscany is a whole region in Italy, as is Umrbria). Don't worry aout you not being familiar to Europe or Italy, nobody is an expert of all countries.

I would much personally prefer to rent a car in Italy, even pick-up at the airport, it would make your holiday so much easier. However, be careful that you do not drive in centre of cities, as you can easily get a parking ticket in Italy.

San Gimignano is a lovely town in Tuscany not far from many lovely medieval towns and cities. We stayed last year in a lovely agriturismo on the outskirts, about 1km away from San Gimignano - easily walkable. It is called Palagetto di Sotto. Maybe you might check it out. Farom San Gimignano you can easily reach Pisa, Florence, Siena, etc. Umbria is lovely as well and very similar to Tuscany, with lovely ancient cities like Assisi.

I would, yes, divide my trip into two places to stay. If you are really into staying near the beach, you might be interested in staying near Rimini, further north to the east of Tuscany. Since you seem to be still very young, there is plently of nightlife there, funparks, an Aquarium and beaches. Another option would be to stay on the coast in Le Marche, very close to Tuscany yet quieter beaches than Rimini area.

If you need any help, I would be more than willing to give you suggestions. Try and look at a map of the regions of Italy so that you would have an idea of where they are on the map. I am assuming you do not want to drive to regions that are too distant, so do a little finde-out on a region close to Tuscany, as I said, Le Marche, Umbria or a little further away, Emilia Romagna.

Congrats on your wedding. Again, I would be more than willing to help you out, as Italy is one of my very favourite destinations!!
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Old Apr 9th, 2012, 06:26 AM
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Forgot to add - you might even consider Marina di Massa or Marina di Carrara, both on the western coast of Tuscany. This area is nearer to central Tuscany, and there are nice beaches. They are also very close to Pisa and to the Cinque Terre in Liguria. So really you are in the vicinity of everything.

So if it were me, I would choose four days central Tuscany, like near Florence,(you can find an agriturismo that is not in central Florence and do day trips from there - or San Gimignano or Siena, and the other four days on the western coast of Tuscany near towns I mentioned above so that you would not have too long distances to travel. That way you would enjoy both the beach and the lovely medieval towns of Tuscany. Again I would suggest you hire a car.
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Old Apr 9th, 2012, 06:53 AM
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Hi Keith,
I have never been to Italy, but I have done lots of research this past year as my husband and I are planning our first trip to Italy this July. My opinion...I think you should break up the trip and see more of Italy.

Florence day 1 - arrive, leisurley tour around city
Florence day 2 - spend day in Florence
Florence day 3 - day trip to wineries
Florence day 4 - spend day in Florence, or use 1/2 day in Pisa or Lucca via train
Florence day 5 - depart Florence, take train/bus to Positano
Positano day 6 - spend day relaxing, beach, etc
Positano day 7 - spend day in Positano, or day trip to Pompeii or Isle of Capri
day 8 - depart

(Florence - 4 nights, Positano - 3 nights)

This is just my opinion and what I would do. Good luck! and congrats on the wedding!
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Old Apr 9th, 2012, 11:18 AM
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Thank you all so much for the information and suggestions. I will research these other locations. I had already begin to look at Cinque Terre. It looks quite scenic there and we are both active and I love to take photographs. This is the same reason the countryside appeals to me.

I understand June is a busy time. We'll be there in the middle of June so the crowds will likely just be part of the experience.

The plan was to fly into Florence and stay. I'm wondering if I should fly out from a different location. I'll be looking at that option also. The castle towns also sound interesting to me. So, more research it is.

If I were to get a car, I know that driving in the cities is not best. Someone mentioned public lots. Is it easy enough to find parking outside of the busy areas and then walk or take a bus into the area?

Thanks again. It is greatly appreciated.
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Old Apr 10th, 2012, 01:28 AM
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Yes, there are very large parking areas just outside the centre of most cities and towns, most of them within walking distance to city centre, just be careful not to enter in no parking zones. Mid June is a better time to travel than July and August in Italy, so do not lose heart.

If you plan to go for a few days in Liguria (where there is the Cinque Terre), especially in the La Spezia area, you would not have too long distance driving.

I love Positano and all of the Amalfi Coast, but it is a much much longer drive to get there from central Tuscany. We did it about a year ago, we drove from Pisa to Positano. We left at 11am, made a short stop to Siena on our way, and arrived in Positano after 9pm. And my husband is an experienced driver in Italy. Liguria is much much nearer to central Tuscany.

Airports that you might consider, if you leave Cinaque Terre last destination would be Pisa Airport, which would be closer for sure to Cinque Terre than Florence or maybe, further away, Turin or Milan Malpensa or Milan Linate airports.. The latter ones might be viable if you choose accomodation more to the norh-west of Liguria like in Ligure Finale. I always like to check distances with google maps.

Last December we were in Italy, and we picked up car from Venice, and left it in pisa, no problem whatsoever, there is only a very small extra fee charge, which you save anyway from fuel, besides saving time. Pisa airport is also very easily accessible and very easy to reach parking area where hired cars are located. We used many different car hire companies, but my preferred one is Avis. We always like to add the daily excess fee which you buy at the rental office location so that we would be fully covered, and so that car hire company does not block excess money from your credit card) Be careful if you are on a budget or you have a credit limit on your card, as most car hire companies still block money even though you pay the full excess insurance, Avis is one of the very few ones that never did that to us, that is why it is our favourite car hire company.

If you need any further information, I would be very glad to help you.
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Old Apr 10th, 2012, 06:49 AM
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I always have to laugh when some people respond so rudely to people just wanting to ask for help. Gotta ignore people that don't have anything nice to say.
Hopefully you find a lot of good info on here, I am sure you will. We are going to italy in July and didn't really know where to go either other than from what we have heard or seen in movies. I think its a good start I have also picked up a couple books and just search around in this forum and on trip advisers forum.
We are spending 5 days in florence and for those days are basically doing exactly what Ally mentioned above. From there we will move on and drive through tuscany.
Happy honeymooning
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Old Apr 10th, 2012, 08:43 AM
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It seems you haven't booked flights yet. From the US, you will find flights into either Milan or Rome. For smaller cities such as Florence, you will have to change flights somewhere in Europe which makes you arrive later in the day. There are some seasonal flights NYC/Pisa that don't require a change in Europe.

I agree with Anna about not combining Positano with Florence as it's too far, wasn't on your original wish list and makes for a difficult departure. Positano is not convenient to Naples airport and most flights to the US require a connection in Europe. This usually means a very early departure flight to make the connection and arranging a driver to pick you up at 4 am to take you to the airport. It can be done, but it's not pleasant.

I think you need to decide if it's the Tuscan countryside that most appeals to you or the Cinque Terre and pick one of those to combine with Florence. If CT, I would plan two nights there and the rest in Florence with a few day trips. You really don't need a car for that itinerary. If Tuscany, 4-5 nights in Tuscany (with car rental) and 3 in Florence.

If you do decide to stay the entire time in Florence, you can add Rome as a day trip as it's only 90 minutes by fast train.
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Old Apr 10th, 2012, 09:05 AM
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KE, I'll bet it is a little overwhelming to plan a wedding and a honeymoon in Tuscany all at the same time. Congratulations and there is not a prettier country in the world to visit than Italy.

I agree with those that feel that you shouldn't move too much... maybe once at the most.

If you decide to rent a car then do not stay in the center of Florence but find somewhere more in the country. Yes you can drive into a hill town and there will always be a parking lot, space or something and then you walk.

Cique terre is different as you really do not want to use a car.
So if you decide to stay in Florence for a few days and then go to CT then I would just use trains and save the trouble of a car.

Florence is a beautiful city but if you do not want to spend you days in museums then you might save that for another time.

Talk to you future husband about how you want to spend your days.

Museums and a lot of amazing art.
Walking around little hill towns
On the coast
Do you like to wander around and then have a long lunch
Do you like to hike

It will be a little warm to either find a place with a pool or have some time on the coast.
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Old Apr 11th, 2012, 12:04 PM
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Thanks for the added info. Flying out of Pisa sounds like it might be a good idea. This would make it more convenient to stay in the Cinque Terra area for a couple of nights.

I figure we could stay in Florence for a few nights and possibly take a day trip to Siena from there. I also guess that might be easiest by train but a car would allow us to enjoy our own pace. I'm not sure how much of the scenery we would see from a train. And I'm sure a train would make it all but impossible to take pictures.

We do like to hike and I'm sure the trail in Cinque Terra would be very nice for a leisurely pace. It sounds like there is at least one section that is likely to be closed. I read that there is a more strenuous hike up and around the closed part.

If anyone has stayed in the CT area, can you tall me what the accommodations there might be like? Are there hotels or is it mostly B&B or the like? We would be fine without A/C for a couple of nights but would like a room with a bathroom, if possible.

Thanks!
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