Italy trip in April -2 weeks please help!
 

Hi, I am new to this forum world and would really love to get some help from the community. I am going to Italy beginning of April to mid April, roughly 15 days. I will be flying into Venice and staying with a friend there. I believe Venice is pretty easy to explore when you have someone who lives there. I will be visiting murano, burano, doing the gondola canal, seeing the churches and basilicas. I am a huge foodie, museum lover, hiker, sightseer, hungry for culture and new experiences. My BF is just like me so this will help both of us. It would be great if someone can help me with :
* of places for great delicious foods and wines in venice and rome
* Do they mainly take cash or CC in venice
* What train can i take to get to Rome
* Is it possible to do rome, florence and pisa in 3 days?
* How can i fit in Cinque Terre? and what specific town should i go to experience the best of cinque terre
* what is the best website for affordable train travel to these places? Can i get the tkts when i am in italy or should i buy in advance?
* What is the best way to get EUROs? online ordering/pick up (NY has that option), Does passport cards work in Italy? Use my debit card(doe not have a microchip) at a atm over there?

Sorry if this is very detailed, my friend and i have been working so much we haven't had the time to research so much of these things in detail and i am having anxiety about going there and not having everything in order and missing days because we didnt plan better. Any suggestions or advice is appreciated .

Big Thanks!!!
CRIS

A few questions first:) How long will you be staying in Venice?
I think you could fit Florence/ Pisa, and Rome into a 15 day trip if you don't spend a good deal of your time in Venice. My suggestion, spend 2-3 days in Venice, skip Murano and Burano, while nice, they are nothing compared Florence or Rome. Take a train to Florence from Venice or even rent a car and drive, that way you can see the beautiful surrounding areas in Tuscany. Spend some time in Florence and the surrounding areas, then take the train from Florence to Rome. Note, you will need at least three days to see Rome and probably the same for the Florence area, which could include Pisa, that is a 30 min train ride outside of Florence. You should leave the Cinque Terre out of this trip.

You can use your debit/credit cards at any bancomat (ATM) and it will do the exchange for you.
If you exchange at the airport the rate of exchange is not great.

Cris, Rome, Dlorence and Pisa in 3 days? Not really. How many of yourr 15 days arenyou spending in Venice?
Cinque Terre, depends on number of days available. We stayed in Monterosso and enjoyed having a beach. Hike to all the other villages, or take train, water taxis.
Get your Euros at ATM s once you arrive in Italy.Let your issuing banks know that you'll be using your ATM card and credit cards in Italy.
I do not understand what you mean by passport card?

You do have an actual passport, not just a passport card, correct?

You do have an actual passport, not just a passport card, correct?

You're planning a 15 day trip and you haven't had time to even research the basics - and you're going next month?? It's not that hard to sit down after work with a guide book and read a few pages is it not?

Can you 'do' Rome, Florence and Pisa in three days? Depends what you mean by 'do'. Short answer is no.

You'll need a credit/debit card with a chip and PIN. This is the way things work in Italy. No signatures.

Pay cash in restaurants, in grocery stores, for vaporetto tickets etc. Credit cards for large purchases. 'Tap and go' card use is unseen by me on my last four trips. Use credit cards for large purchases like hotel bills.

Buy your train travel before you leave home although you've left it too late for discounts www.trenitalia.com - click on british flag top right side to translate to english. Train from Venice SL to Roma Termini takes 3.5 hours thereabouts.

Cris, you need to focus on what you would like to achieve - museums, food, walking around etc and then concentrate on those activities in one or two cities. Depending on how long you are staying Venice it might be best to choose either Rome or Florence. If you are a foodie there are food tours of Trastevere or Testaccio in Rome which are worthwhile and also have the advantage of giving you an idea of the areas. Just look them up on the web. Trains are relatively inexpensive and easy to catch between the major cities. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the station.
Try to enjoy Italy and soak up the art and culture and not run around too much.