Italy for the first time in 13 weeks and counting--what should I be doing now to prepare?
Jul 23rd, 2005, 12:01 PM
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Italy for the first time in 13 weeks and counting--what should I be doing now to prepare?
DH and I are taking our first trip to Italy in approximately 13 weeks. We're flying American on miles so we'll arrive / depart Rome. Via train, we plan to visit Rome (7 nights, including our last night before returning home), Venice (3 nights) and Florence (3 nights). So far, I've booked air and lodging only. In reading the posts on this board I've noted other posters who will be in Italy around the same time have already booked museum tickets, tours, etc. Am I behind the curve on this or is there still plenty of time to book museum tickets, tours, etc.? We've been to Europe before but never pre-booked anything but I get the sense Italy may be different? Not sure what to do--wait or reserve now. If I understand correctly, train tickets booked using the Trenitalia website can only be done so 6 weeks prior to travel? Through our local adult education department I've taken a basic Italian class follwed by Pimsleur cd's and reading material and hope this will be enough to get us by. Me thinks the jitters are setting in. Any thoughts and assistance are greatly appreciated--thank you in advance.
Jul 23rd, 2005, 12:15 PM
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Hi dc,
It will do you no harm to book
Secret Itineraries tour of Doge’s palace in Venice
Phone number is 011 39 041 520 9070.
and in Florence
Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations
The easiest and cheapest way is to call Florence 011 (U.S. international access code) 39 (Italy's country code) then 055-294-883 8:30-18:30 M-F and 8:30-12:00 Sat. Florence time. You will get an English speaking operator and in 2-3 minutes YOU CAN RESERVE FOR BOTH. This is through the reservation service at the Uffizi and costs beyond the normal entry fee only about 3 euro for the service. This is MUCH cheaper than the commercial booking services.
You will not be charged for the reservations unless you use them.
It is unlikely that you will need to book trains in advance, since you can get all of your tickets the day you arrive at the train station at FCO or at Rome TE.
Have a nice trip.
It will do you no harm to book
Secret Itineraries tour of Doge’s palace in Venice
Phone number is 011 39 041 520 9070.
and in Florence
Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations
The easiest and cheapest way is to call Florence 011 (U.S. international access code) 39 (Italy's country code) then 055-294-883 8:30-18:30 M-F and 8:30-12:00 Sat. Florence time. You will get an English speaking operator and in 2-3 minutes YOU CAN RESERVE FOR BOTH. This is through the reservation service at the Uffizi and costs beyond the normal entry fee only about 3 euro for the service. This is MUCH cheaper than the commercial booking services.
You will not be charged for the reservations unless you use them.
It is unlikely that you will need to book trains in advance, since you can get all of your tickets the day you arrive at the train station at FCO or at Rome TE.
Have a nice trip.
Jul 23rd, 2005, 12:30 PM
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We only book hotels and air in advance. The trains are easier to take care of there, but for reserved seating you need to book (I think) a day before. Just stop by the train station in Rome and you can get your tickets for the rest of your trip. You might want to preorder tickets to see the David and the Uffizi to by pass the lines. For tickets I found this site a few years ago, but never used it. http://selectitaly.com/museums.php?c...7&parent_nav=2
This is also a good site for Rome websitehttp://www.whatsoninrome.com/
Really all you need to do now is get excited!!!!!
This is also a good site for Rome websitehttp://www.whatsoninrome.com/
Really all you need to do now is get excited!!!!!
Jul 23rd, 2005, 12:40 PM
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Ira, you're right--it won't hurt to book now. Thank you for the phone numbers!
panucci, oh, the excitement is here and building! My concern is I may have overlooked something. Thank you for the links!
Will my basic Italian skills be enough to get us by?
panucci, oh, the excitement is here and building! My concern is I may have overlooked something. Thank you for the links!
Will my basic Italian skills be enough to get us by?
Jul 23rd, 2005, 12:58 PM
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Hello dcespedes, you are getting excited about your trip to Italy and I sure understand. I always do too!!!
As usual, Ira has passed on some good information.
About your Italian language skills. It sounds to me like you will know more Italian then the average traveller to Italy. You are going to be staying in Rome, Florence and Venice. Dcespedes, you will be talking to Italians that are use to having Americans visit their cities. And all the younger Italians (under age 40 or so) learned some English in school. Please believe me, you will not have a problem. In the tourist/hospitality employment section of Italy English is required. This is true even in a lot of corporate jobs. This is not true in small towns etc. but it does not sound as though you will be staying in these areas.
It sounds like you will be in Italy in October. That is great as a lot of tourist will be gone by then.
Regarding train tickets, you can get them at the train station or certain travel agencies.
May I suggest that you take a few days "vacation" from planning your trip of Italy, I know how trying to make everything perfect can get, so tiring and overwhelming. It sounds to me like you are very organized regarding your trip.
And closer to the trip do remember to call your credit card companies and your bank where you have your ATM card to let them know the dates you will be in Italy. But no need to do that now.
Perhaps you should think about starting a list of things you will need to do before your trip. Everytime something pops in your head jot it down on the list such as who will pick up the mail, photocopies of passports, itinerary, credit card info (I suggest you leave one copy with a trusted person at home and take another copy with you) including the telephone numbers for calling from Italy (just in case a credit card is lost or stolen while in Italy although that will probably not happen).
Best wishes to you, and I hope you enjoy planning your trip to Italy.
As usual, Ira has passed on some good information.
About your Italian language skills. It sounds to me like you will know more Italian then the average traveller to Italy. You are going to be staying in Rome, Florence and Venice. Dcespedes, you will be talking to Italians that are use to having Americans visit their cities. And all the younger Italians (under age 40 or so) learned some English in school. Please believe me, you will not have a problem. In the tourist/hospitality employment section of Italy English is required. This is true even in a lot of corporate jobs. This is not true in small towns etc. but it does not sound as though you will be staying in these areas.
It sounds like you will be in Italy in October. That is great as a lot of tourist will be gone by then.
Regarding train tickets, you can get them at the train station or certain travel agencies.
May I suggest that you take a few days "vacation" from planning your trip of Italy, I know how trying to make everything perfect can get, so tiring and overwhelming. It sounds to me like you are very organized regarding your trip.
And closer to the trip do remember to call your credit card companies and your bank where you have your ATM card to let them know the dates you will be in Italy. But no need to do that now.
Perhaps you should think about starting a list of things you will need to do before your trip. Everytime something pops in your head jot it down on the list such as who will pick up the mail, photocopies of passports, itinerary, credit card info (I suggest you leave one copy with a trusted person at home and take another copy with you) including the telephone numbers for calling from Italy (just in case a credit card is lost or stolen while in Italy although that will probably not happen).
Best wishes to you, and I hope you enjoy planning your trip to Italy.
Jul 23rd, 2005, 01:41 PM
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LoveItaly, what a thoughtful reply--thank you so much for the suggestions which I will put to use as well as the much need reassurance! I was particularly nervous about being overwhelmed in the train stations and reverting to French while attempting Italian but it sounds as though we should be fine. Merci! ;-)
Jul 23rd, 2005, 02:37 PM
#7
If you want to do the Scavi tour you must try to book immediately. You can email to get a time at [email protected]
Jul 24th, 2005, 09:14 AM
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The other place in Rome that requires reservations is the Borghese Gallery, if you are interested in that.
011-39-06-32810 Tues-Sun 9am-7pm or
galleriaborghese.it/borghese/en/ edefault.htm, although the website probably won't take reservations for Oct yet. (I put a space after "en/" in the website address so it wouldn't stretch the column out, but obviously there is no space there.)
011-39-06-32810 Tues-Sun 9am-7pm or
galleriaborghese.it/borghese/en/ edefault.htm, although the website probably won't take reservations for Oct yet. (I put a space after "en/" in the website address so it wouldn't stretch the column out, but obviously there is no space there.)
Jul 24th, 2005, 12:14 PM
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Don't worry that your Italian is a little short of the conversational level. Tourism is important to economy of the cities that you will be visiting, so they are ready for you.
I usually start with "Excuse, no litialano" as a gesture of minimum politeness and proceed from there. During your travel, you will probably notice that Italians (and Europeans in general) seem to love casual wear with American cities and American corp logos on their front. (I never saw an open intolerance of Americans in ten days of travel.)
Everyone gets nervous as they get near to d-day (departure day). You've got air, and lodging. Add money and you will have a great trip.
I usually start with "Excuse, no litialano" as a gesture of minimum politeness and proceed from there. During your travel, you will probably notice that Italians (and Europeans in general) seem to love casual wear with American cities and American corp logos on their front. (I never saw an open intolerance of Americans in ten days of travel.)
Everyone gets nervous as they get near to d-day (departure day). You've got air, and lodging. Add money and you will have a great trip.
Jul 24th, 2005, 01:02 PM
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I too am down to 13 weeks for my Italy trip, leaving 10-18-05. Will be flying into Rome, and departing from Venice, with time in Siena, CT and Florence. Air reservations made. Hotel reservations for all but CT made and confirmed.
My travel in Italy will be by train; after reading numerous posts here and elsewhere, I'm not worried about train reservations, however, I think a valuable tip is to book all trains at the Rome AMEX office while there, having the benefit of a for certain English speaker.
I haven't done anything about the Uffizi or Accademia yet; I will reserve sometime, somewhere.
Small details like electrical adapters, map acquisition have been tended to.
Still doing my homework on history, art appreciation, and travel narratives.
Almost hourly lurking on the travel forums.
My Italian is limited to "You talkin' to me?" and "Bada boom, bada bing." Come on, lighten up.
Having started planning this trip about the first of the year, it is really starting to snowball. It's coming up real fast, almost too fast.
Think of it like Christmas, you gotta make a list, and check it twice.
My travel in Italy will be by train; after reading numerous posts here and elsewhere, I'm not worried about train reservations, however, I think a valuable tip is to book all trains at the Rome AMEX office while there, having the benefit of a for certain English speaker.
I haven't done anything about the Uffizi or Accademia yet; I will reserve sometime, somewhere.
Small details like electrical adapters, map acquisition have been tended to.
Still doing my homework on history, art appreciation, and travel narratives.
Almost hourly lurking on the travel forums.
My Italian is limited to "You talkin' to me?" and "Bada boom, bada bing." Come on, lighten up.
Having started planning this trip about the first of the year, it is really starting to snowball. It's coming up real fast, almost too fast.
Think of it like Christmas, you gotta make a list, and check it twice.
Jul 25th, 2005, 12:21 PM
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You sound as if you're doing very well with organizing your trip. I'd second the advice about booking the Uffizi and Accademia...and maybe the Vatican... but otherwise, you'll be fine.
We spoke no Italian and managed well. It seems there's always someone around to translate if you come upon a waiter or shopkeeper whose English is equivalent to your Italian. Everyone is very patient and helpful!
Try to read a fair bit and be familiar with the cities you're visiting so that you can make the most of your time. I really liked Frommers Rome Past &Present to use when viewing Ancient Rome. It can be had at bookstores or amazon.com and with overlays of the original structures, is really invaluable.
You still have lots of time but a well organized itinerary is always a good idea as long as you leave lots of time for just sipping wine on a piazza!
We spoke no Italian and managed well. It seems there's always someone around to translate if you come upon a waiter or shopkeeper whose English is equivalent to your Italian. Everyone is very patient and helpful!
Try to read a fair bit and be familiar with the cities you're visiting so that you can make the most of your time. I really liked Frommers Rome Past &Present to use when viewing Ancient Rome. It can be had at bookstores or amazon.com and with overlays of the original structures, is really invaluable.
You still have lots of time but a well organized itinerary is always a good idea as long as you leave lots of time for just sipping wine on a piazza!
