Italy trip--what to see/do?
Jul 22nd, 2012, 07:14 PM
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Italy trip--what to see/do?
I'm visiting Italy with a few friends next spring (though it might be next fall). They have talked about a 7 day trip but I'm trying to convince them to add on days. I think we should see Florence/Venice/Rome/Capri. Are there any other must-sees? What's a realistic time frame and what sites should we plan to see?
Is it better to take the trains or a car? Is it better to rent hotels or apartments (they're are 4 of us, 2 singles and 1 couple). Is it better to stay in one place or travel every few days and stay in a different city--we'd planned on trying to rent something in Florence and taking trains to the other cities as day trips. Is it better to buy train tickets/attraction tickets in the US or in Italy?
I'd appreciate any suggestions.
Is it better to take the trains or a car? Is it better to rent hotels or apartments (they're are 4 of us, 2 singles and 1 couple). Is it better to stay in one place or travel every few days and stay in a different city--we'd planned on trying to rent something in Florence and taking trains to the other cities as day trips. Is it better to buy train tickets/attraction tickets in the US or in Italy?
I'd appreciate any suggestions.
Jul 22nd, 2012, 07:22 PM
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You can't do Florence, Venice, Rome, and Capri in 7 days, so forget that. What you should do or see should be decided after consulting many guidebooks and websites - we don't know you and have no idea.
Renting a place in Florence might be a good idea if you had a week or two just there, but - do you have a MAP? You can't get to Rome and Venice and Capri from Florence on DAYTRIPS without serious logistical issues.
Get a map and some guidebooks and inform yourselves about your plan. As for the must-sees, you don't even have the skeleton of a realistic plan yet, so wait for the must-sees.
Renting a place in Florence might be a good idea if you had a week or two just there, but - do you have a MAP? You can't get to Rome and Venice and Capri from Florence on DAYTRIPS without serious logistical issues.
Get a map and some guidebooks and inform yourselves about your plan. As for the must-sees, you don't even have the skeleton of a realistic plan yet, so wait for the must-sees.
Jul 22nd, 2012, 07:40 PM
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My friends have agreed to go, it's more about when. I guess if we needed to cut out Capri I could do that. The other places would fit into a 7-12 day trip I'm pretty sure.
Is it worth maybe considering a bus tour with a tour company? I'm always against that because you tend to get 15 minutes in a place you could spend a week. If a bus tour might work--any suggestions a good company that doesn't skimp on the time in each place?
Is it worth maybe considering a bus tour with a tour company? I'm always against that because you tend to get 15 minutes in a place you could spend a week. If a bus tour might work--any suggestions a good company that doesn't skimp on the time in each place?
Jul 22nd, 2012, 07:41 PM
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"Must sees" - hundreds of them in Italy and it all depends on your personal interests. Capri is way, way down on my list. For others it is number one. Borghese Gallery in Rome is very high on my list. For others it might be a big yawn.
Seven days for Italy is not much time.
To get you started thinking about logistics: You could logically visit only a couple of places, say Rome and Venice, or Rome and Florence, perhaps with a couple of day trips. You might do those three in a real whirlwind tour, if you fly into Venice and out of Rome, but certainly you could not do Capri also.
If Capri is number one for you, you might see Rome and the AC in your seven days. If you have seven full days on the ground, you could spend 2&1/2 on the AC (Capri) and four in Rome with one fast day trip to Florence. That would be it, and it would be rushed.
These places are too far apart to visit from one base.
Traveling about, changing hotels, etc. eats up more time than you might think.
Seven days for Italy is not much time.
To get you started thinking about logistics: You could logically visit only a couple of places, say Rome and Venice, or Rome and Florence, perhaps with a couple of day trips. You might do those three in a real whirlwind tour, if you fly into Venice and out of Rome, but certainly you could not do Capri also.
If Capri is number one for you, you might see Rome and the AC in your seven days. If you have seven full days on the ground, you could spend 2&1/2 on the AC (Capri) and four in Rome with one fast day trip to Florence. That would be it, and it would be rushed.
These places are too far apart to visit from one base.
Traveling about, changing hotels, etc. eats up more time than you might think.
Jul 22nd, 2012, 07:45 PM
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For what you want to do, no tour, take trains. Easy and you can have some freedom to spend time as you please, even away from the group if one wants to see a museum or do a day trip and the others don't.
Jul 22nd, 2012, 08:48 PM
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If it were me, I'd go to Rome and Tuscany, visiting Florence from a lovely town in Tuscany. 6 days in Rome and 6 days in Tuscany would be a very nice trip. I think once the others start visualizing how fun it will be they'll agree to 12 days!
You'd need to rent a car for Tuscany but that's easy to do. You can take a train from Rome to somewhere in Tuscany, pick up a car and head to your villa or hotel.
What are the things your group likes to do and see?
You'd need to rent a car for Tuscany but that's easy to do. You can take a train from Rome to somewhere in Tuscany, pick up a car and head to your villa or hotel.
What are the things your group likes to do and see?
Jul 22nd, 2012, 08:56 PM
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if you are determined to see that many places in that amount of time, i think that you should think about taking a sleeper train from venice to rome. that will save you a long bit of travel-- you'll get on at night and be in rome when you wake up. you could all stay in one sleeper car.
chart it out on a calendar. leave room for error. go to the trenitalia web site and play around with their schedules from place to place. getting from rome to capri takes a while-- but i could be done if your heart is set on it.
our rule is generally 3 nights per place. if not, you won't remember much about the places you visited.
chart it out on a calendar. leave room for error. go to the trenitalia web site and play around with their schedules from place to place. getting from rome to capri takes a while-- but i could be done if your heart is set on it.
our rule is generally 3 nights per place. if not, you won't remember much about the places you visited.
Jul 23rd, 2012, 12:41 AM
#10
Capri is certainly too far from the rest of the places that you'd like to see, so cross it off. It's only worthwhile if you had more time to visit Naples and the Amalfi Coast. However, that trip needs a week on its own.
If you can convince them to add on a few days then you can do a whirlwind tour starting by flying into Venice and out of Rome (or vice versa) and pick up Florence in the middle. Train is definitely the best and easiest for these three cities. If you only have a week, miss out Florence. I know that it's a "must see", but you won't have time. You'll barely have enough time to see Venice.
If you can convince them to add on a few days then you can do a whirlwind tour starting by flying into Venice and out of Rome (or vice versa) and pick up Florence in the middle. Train is definitely the best and easiest for these three cities. If you only have a week, miss out Florence. I know that it's a "must see", but you won't have time. You'll barely have enough time to see Venice.
Jul 23rd, 2012, 04:05 PM
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You can get a (long) day trip with a tour company in Rome to Capri but it's a long bus ride. Except for David I would never again go to Florence (personal opinion of the place.) There are tour companies that do Rome, Florence, Venice but again it's a lot of bus rides. Seven days is good for two locations max. Determine on everyone's interests before you plan. Venice is fascinating but after three days you might be done with it. Rome - ah, well, if you're into history, Rome is the place to spend your time. Wherever you go buy tickets in advance when possible.
Jul 23rd, 2012, 05:49 PM
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I agree, with seven days just two places and I too would pick Rome and Venice. With 12 days you could add Florence. Personally, I would do 5 Rome, 3 Florence and 4 Venice. We have always found plenty to do in Rome, but if Capri is a must could do a daytrip there as Shanna suggests.
Jul 23rd, 2012, 06:30 PM
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7 days is 2 places max and 12 days is 3 places - and that is rushing from one place to another, not seeing many major sights and certainly not enjoying la dolce vita, Train makes sense - with one day trip into Tuscany from Florence - either by train or bus,
Car wold be a nonsense (and this is from someone who has done MANY road trips in europe - but with more time and not spending almost all the time in major cities. (A car can't be parked in Rome, the center of Florence is pedestrian only and Venice has NO streets so a car is useless.)
Car wold be a nonsense (and this is from someone who has done MANY road trips in europe - but with more time and not spending almost all the time in major cities. (A car can't be parked in Rome, the center of Florence is pedestrian only and Venice has NO streets so a car is useless.)
Jul 23rd, 2012, 07:11 PM
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In line with the above advie, let me expand a bit. But first, DO buy a guide book. Rick Steves is a good one for beginners.
Fly into Venice and out of Rome. (When booking air tix online, look in the search box for multi-city and check it. Then you can put in home to Venice and Rome to home.). Spend at least three nights in
Venice. Your first day, when you land, will be a blur because of getting used to Italy, and being jet-lagged. So you will then have two more days there.
Then take the train to Florence. It's about 2 hours, but it will take half a day in transit. Spend three nights in Florence. That gives you two full days there. Then take the train to Rome. Spend a minimum of four nights there. That's only three full days, and there is so much to see that you will barely scratch the surface.
You don't really have enough time to do day trips.
For a three or four night stay you cen rent an apartment. Some people recommend that new trourists stay in a hotel, because then you can ask the staff for information on places to go qand see. However,, if you feel confident after reading one or more guidebooks, stay in an apartment. You will have more space and will have a kitchenette, which is very useful. By the way, hotel rooms in Europe are usually small compared to the US, so the extra room in an apartment is a bonus.
Which ever you choose, do stay in the historic center, not out on the edges. For help with accommodations ask here, and look at TripAdvisor.com or Slowtrav.com. Some good web sites for apartments are sleepinitaly.com, VRBO.com, RentalinRome.com, and others. (VRBO means vacation rentals by owner). Do not believe a travel agent who tells you you can't get a decent place to stay for less than $300-$400 per hotel room. Better yet, do the booking yourself online.
You can buy train tickets at the stations in Venice and Florence.
Do not exchange your dollars for euros in the US. The exchange charges will be too great. Get all the cash you need from ATMs in Italy, including in the airport when you arrive.
Well, that's a start.
Fly into Venice and out of Rome. (When booking air tix online, look in the search box for multi-city and check it. Then you can put in home to Venice and Rome to home.). Spend at least three nights in
Venice. Your first day, when you land, will be a blur because of getting used to Italy, and being jet-lagged. So you will then have two more days there.
Then take the train to Florence. It's about 2 hours, but it will take half a day in transit. Spend three nights in Florence. That gives you two full days there. Then take the train to Rome. Spend a minimum of four nights there. That's only three full days, and there is so much to see that you will barely scratch the surface.
You don't really have enough time to do day trips.
For a three or four night stay you cen rent an apartment. Some people recommend that new trourists stay in a hotel, because then you can ask the staff for information on places to go qand see. However,, if you feel confident after reading one or more guidebooks, stay in an apartment. You will have more space and will have a kitchenette, which is very useful. By the way, hotel rooms in Europe are usually small compared to the US, so the extra room in an apartment is a bonus.
Which ever you choose, do stay in the historic center, not out on the edges. For help with accommodations ask here, and look at TripAdvisor.com or Slowtrav.com. Some good web sites for apartments are sleepinitaly.com, VRBO.com, RentalinRome.com, and others. (VRBO means vacation rentals by owner). Do not believe a travel agent who tells you you can't get a decent place to stay for less than $300-$400 per hotel room. Better yet, do the booking yourself online.
You can buy train tickets at the stations in Venice and Florence.
Do not exchange your dollars for euros in the US. The exchange charges will be too great. Get all the cash you need from ATMs in Italy, including in the airport when you arrive.
Well, that's a start.
