Italy the first time.......
Jan 15th, 2008 | 04:25 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2008
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Italy the first time.......
hey folks....I have been considering a bus tour for the first time because I only speak french and english.....but I think if I am interested in the sculpture and architecture and not the countryside quite as much.......is it easy to arrange a self guided tour like....from Montreal to Rome...transfers....3 full days in Rome and then by train to Florence for 3 more days.......and then by train to Venice for 4 days and then home. can all this be done through a travel agent...is it better? and what would you suggest i see in that time frame.......my wife gets burned out after a half a day of walking.....so it would be half days for her and more for me I think..... Hope this is not a tall order !
dave
dave
Jan 15th, 2008 | 04:38 PM
#2
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,266
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What you describe is similar to the typical bus tour available through any number of companies. Many here are about to encourage you to plan this trip on your own. Traveling on your own you will also have more control ofyour relaxation time. You will find many English speakers in Italy, especially in the cities in your itinerary.
Jan 15th, 2008 | 04:45 PM
#3
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,022
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Do it yourself. Just plan carefully. There are so many resources on this forum and beyond.
Your three-city itinerary is one of the most basic to arrange. An open-jaw flight, two train reservations on www.trenitalia.com and three hotels on www.itwg.it or venere.com.
There are many great walking tour companies in all three cities.
Not to intimidate you but here is a start:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34568596
Best,
-e
Your three-city itinerary is one of the most basic to arrange. An open-jaw flight, two train reservations on www.trenitalia.com and three hotels on www.itwg.it or venere.com.
There are many great walking tour companies in all three cities.
Not to intimidate you but here is a start:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34568596
Best,
-e
Jan 15th, 2008 | 04:50 PM
#5
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 768
Likes: 0
Yes you can plan your own trip.
You have to invest some time, so it may not be 'easy'.
The majority of people that go to Italy do not speak italian. Don't worry too much about that.
If sculpture and architecture are your primary interests then you should be able find good guide books. Maybe Cadogan and Blueguides. There is a series of books entitled 'top ten' published by DK/Eyewitness.
What is your price expectation or range for hotel rooms?
You have to invest some time, so it may not be 'easy'.
The majority of people that go to Italy do not speak italian. Don't worry too much about that.
If sculpture and architecture are your primary interests then you should be able find good guide books. Maybe Cadogan and Blueguides. There is a series of books entitled 'top ten' published by DK/Eyewitness.
What is your price expectation or range for hotel rooms?
Jan 16th, 2008 | 01:38 AM
#6
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Hi B,
Planning the Big 3 tour is a iece of cake.
DIY and save money, as well as seeing what you want to see.
I suggest flying into Venice - 3 nights, train to Florence - 3 nights, train to Rome - 4 nights, fly home.
Most flights out of Venice to NA are very early in the morning.
You can get from VCE to Venice by bus, Alilaguna water ferry or water taxi (about 90E for the boat)
Train schedules, prices and tickets are at www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
Airfares are at www.1800flyeurope.com and www.kayak.com.
Look up your cities under "Destinations"
Also see
Helpful Information: Italy 2
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34568596
Enjoy your visit.
Planning the Big 3 tour is a iece of cake.
DIY and save money, as well as seeing what you want to see.
I suggest flying into Venice - 3 nights, train to Florence - 3 nights, train to Rome - 4 nights, fly home.
Most flights out of Venice to NA are very early in the morning.
You can get from VCE to Venice by bus, Alilaguna water ferry or water taxi (about 90E for the boat)
Train schedules, prices and tickets are at www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
Airfares are at www.1800flyeurope.com and www.kayak.com.
Look up your cities under "Destinations"
Also see
Helpful Information: Italy 2
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34568596
Enjoy your visit.
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Jan 17th, 2008 | 01:09 PM
#9
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,830
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Look up www.slowtrav.com and go to their Italy pages for hotel and apartment reviews, message boards, and miscellaneous informational postings. Including something called "Italy: Instructions for use."
As for not speaking Italian, don't worry. You can also listen to some Italian lessons on CD or online and you will find a smattering of the language easy to pick up. For one thing, all the letters are pronounced, unlike French. And the pronunciation of the letters is very consistent. Italians seem to love it when you try to speak to them in their language, unlike many French I encountered who looked at me as though I was a worm (and I got A's in university level French!).
As for what to see, do not miss the Bargello in Florence. The sculptures there are wonderful! Especially the Donatellos. His David is so different from THE David at the Accademmia. And there is also his sculpture of Mary Magdalene after her desert sojourn. Heartbreaking.
Also don't forget to look at the Slaves emerging from the stone near Michelangelo's David. He said he sculpted by cutting away the parts of the stone that did not belong to the statue he was creating, allowing it to emerge. You really can see what he meant!!
As for not speaking Italian, don't worry. You can also listen to some Italian lessons on CD or online and you will find a smattering of the language easy to pick up. For one thing, all the letters are pronounced, unlike French. And the pronunciation of the letters is very consistent. Italians seem to love it when you try to speak to them in their language, unlike many French I encountered who looked at me as though I was a worm (and I got A's in university level French!).
As for what to see, do not miss the Bargello in Florence. The sculptures there are wonderful! Especially the Donatellos. His David is so different from THE David at the Accademmia. And there is also his sculpture of Mary Magdalene after her desert sojourn. Heartbreaking.
Also don't forget to look at the Slaves emerging from the stone near Michelangelo's David. He said he sculpted by cutting away the parts of the stone that did not belong to the statue he was creating, allowing it to emerge. You really can see what he meant!!
Jan 19th, 2008 | 12:26 PM
#10
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,830
Likes: 0
Another thought -- if your wife does not like a lot of walking, Florence is great, because the central historic area (Centro Storico) is quite small there. You can walk across it in 20 - 30 minutes. It will be easy for her to go back to your hotel or to a favorite cafe, or whatever, while you keep on looking at stuff.
She also might like a trip to Fiesole (fee ay so lay) up iin the hills by bus. It's a lovely spot and has beautiful views. there's also the ruins of a small Roman ampitheater there. (It was the first real Roman ruins I saw when we went to Europe for the first time, and I was so excited to be there!! My daughter, who had been living in Florence for 6 months thought it was quite ordinary, but it was pretty.)
She also might like a trip to Fiesole (fee ay so lay) up iin the hills by bus. It's a lovely spot and has beautiful views. there's also the ruins of a small Roman ampitheater there. (It was the first real Roman ruins I saw when we went to Europe for the first time, and I was so excited to be there!! My daughter, who had been living in Florence for 6 months thought it was quite ordinary, but it was pretty.)
