Temperance

I'm planning on traveling to Italy with my mother and father in late September (I'm 22, they are 57 and 49, and we are all pretty active), and I need some ideas!! We are not very into shopping and fashion but love museums, wine, and architecture. My dad doesn't like wine but loves beer, so any ideas on that one? Two must go destinations are Rome (with Vatican City) and Venice, but we would like to also go to other parts of Italy. What are some of the must sees (in Rome, Venice, and other places in Italy) and how long do we need to spend in each place to not be completely rushed? We were also considering doing a day trip to Switzerland.. is that feasible? Also, about how much (excluding plane fare) does it cost on average per person? Any other advice would be much appreciated as well!!

StCirq

You don't say how long you have for this trip, so it's impossible to tell you how many places you can visit or how long you should spend in any one place.

There is also no "average cost per person." You could scrimp and get by on 50-75€ per day, or easily spend 500€ each. It depends on what and where you eat, how much and what kind of travel you plan for, the kind of accommodations you choose, and what attractions you pay for.

Now would be the time to invest in a few guidebooks, study maps, and invest some time in perusing the official websites of any place in Italy you think might interest you.

When you actually have a plan, as opposed to unanswerable questions, many people on this board will be happy to help you refine it.

StCirq

Oops, I see you have two weeks. That would argue for 3, tops 4, destinations.

bvlenci

I suggest that you start your trip in Venice and end it in Rome. Get a multicity flight so that you don't have to backtrack to get your homebound flight.

Doing a day trip from Italy to Switzerland is not terribly easy if you want to go somewhere in the Alps. However, you can fairly easily get from Milan to some parts of Switzerland. One idea would be to spend a few days on Lake Lugano, in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. From there you could take day trips to Bellinzona, a bit further into the country, at the foot of the Alps. It's a town with three castles. Of you could go even further, maybe to Brig, which I think is right in the Alps. It would even be possible, but a very long trip, to take the train to Lucerne. This trip is very scenic on a clear day.

Another possibility would be to take a fast train (2 1/2 hours, I think) from Milan to Bern. That train trip would also be very scenic. Unless you want to stay right in Milan, you'd have to add the time it would take to get to Milan's central station.

If you'd just like to see some Alpine scenery on the Italian side of the border, you could visit Cortina d'Ampezzo from Venice. You'd really have to spend a few nights, because it take a while to get there, by train and bus. You don't say what time of year you're going. Cortina is a ski resort.

There are other destinations in the Italian Alps, but I'm not an expert in this.

Really, it might be best to plan a separate future trip to Switzerland.

bvlenci

I just saw that there are two nearly identical threads about this planned trip. I suggest that people respond on the other thread, which has more responses.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...y-631075-2.cfm

dfourh

If your dad loves craft beer then go to Ratebeer.com and check out the 'places' section for Rome. They list places by highest-rated first, and you can also open up a map to spot well-rated bars and bottle shops near where you'll be. 'Artisanal' beers are just starting to find shelf space in supermarkets, and selection is generally very limited, unless you go to a specialty beer bar or bottle shop. If, on the other hand, you dad is a Bud/Miller drinker, then you will be fine most anywhere, as the local standard brews are basically comparable. In that case, look for restaurants/bars with 'birra alla spina' which means fresh tap beer.

bvlenci

Italy has been having a boom in local microbreweries, so you should have no trouble finding places to try local beers. That site mentioned by dfourh shows only two places in Rome. There are surely hundreds of places offering local beers in Rome.

This Italian web site lists what they consider the 20 best "gastropubs" in Rome, which means you can get something to eat there as well.

http://www.puntarellarossa.it/2014/0...et-da-provare/

PalenQ

We were also considering doing a day trip to Switzerland.. is that feasible?>

Not really unless staying on Lake Como or Lake Maggiore or Milan.

For lots on Italian trains check www.trenitalia.com -book your own discounted tickets as early as possible - usually 90 days before trains I believe. For lots on good info on Italian trains check www.seat61.com - great advice on discounted train tickets; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Beer in Italy - sacrilege!