I just came back from a 10 days/9 nights vacation to Venice, Florence and Rome. The trip overall was pretty accomplishing consider I planned the entire itinerary on my own. I'm gonna skip the daily itinerary and go to some interesting things I came across while in Italy.
I absolutely loved Venice! It was extremely gorgeous and I can imagine if I went in teh summer time, it would be equally relaxing. I stayed at Hotel Ca Formenta and totally loved it. If anyone goes to Venice, I highly recommend that hotel for its value, service and convenience.
I loved Florence for its shopping. Although I can imagine Milan would be an even better place for shopping. I joined the caftours and went on an outlet tour to Prada and The Mall, I absolutely loved it. I also visited the Accademia Gallerie and saw the David. It was magnificent. I was just staring at that piece for a good 30 minutes. The replicas cant be compared to the original.
I have to say I planned 4 days in Rome and was most disappointed. Maybe b/c i really can't appreciate the ancient ruins - the Roman Forum? Coliseum? Palatine Hills? What is there to see but a bunch of ruins? thinking back is giving me a headache. I enjoyed the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish steps, I can appreciate beauty more than ruins.
A few interesting things, the streets of Italy are full of dog crap. Why is that? I can not walk on the streets without worrying about stepping on any crap. It is extremely gross. Has the govt thought of enforcing picking up after your dog's crap?
One more thing, I realized I paid for a couple of public transportation and nobody checked my tickets? such as the waterbus in Venice, the bus in Rome, does anyone pay for these public transportation other than tourists because we dont know any better? I could have also gotten away with paying for the trip to Pisa. What are the consequences (are there even any) of not paying for the train or bus?
I loved the trip for the shopping! I probably will not go to Rome again although i dont regret going b/c its a must see, but only for one time, not more than once. It was a great trip. thanks for all that contributed to my research. I really enjoyed it.

Welcome back.

I was also just in Venice, Florence, and Rome too. I'm glad you had a great time in Venice and Florence. I did too. I wish your time in Rome had been just as good, but maybe next time. I do think it's worthy of another chance.

I can't really choose a favorite of the three, but there are many reasons why I'd go back to Rome. I did focus more on the Renaissance and Baroque eras, though, so that might be something to consider. If you didn't get any guided walks, I'd advise them to help make sense of the ruins.

It's true I did get dog poop on my shoe in Rome, when I had avoided it everywhere else I've been in Europe.

There is sporadic enforcement of ticket-checking, and lots of people in Rome and probably elsewhere have transit passes. I got a one-week pass in Rome. Anyway I think the public transit is a great deal for tourists or anyone (16 Euros for a week is hard to beat), and why worry about an internal Italian matter if your conscience is clear?

welcome back kalunchi...
I'm interested with your shopping galore. Was The Mall outlet in Florence worth it? Gucci, Prada, Armani... were there a lot of selections? Can you tell me more? We are going March/April. How was the weather btw?

For what it is worth my friend in Florence told me on a phone conversation right before Christmas that the outlets outside of Florence are a ripoff. Too expensive! And then taking into consideration the US dollar versus the Euro not a bargain at all.
Have not been there, but just wanted to post this information for what it is worth.

oh all right... I already scratched it from my IT when Cicerone said it wasn't worth it... for the sake of my peace, I hope kalunchi will tell me why she loved it, please?
Anyway, where is the "Champs Elysees" of Rome? Is it where the Spanish Steps are? Via Veneto? I really like to experience shopping in Italy. And where do the locals go for shopping?
I hope kalunchi will recuperate soon from her jet lag.
Sorry for my being obstinate, I guess I'll never learn until I see it for myself.
If I miss anything, we have The Forum here at Caesar's Palace that just opened with all those goodies

Thanks for sharing, K.

>What are the consequences (are there even any) of not paying for the train or bus?<

Transit Inspectors can ask for your validated ticket. If you don't have one, you are taken off at the next stop and transported to a police station, where you are hasseled for most of the day.

If they are in a bad mood, you will be fined a 100E or so.

It's not worth it.

The outlet shops outside Florence are not a rip off. You just need to look carefully although if you are visiting from the US the exchange rate doesn't help. The best prices were on previous seasons range and non-regular sizes. Examples from when we went there 2 years ago: a wool Gucci overcoat for Euros 180; Armani men's jacket Euros 150. I call that good value!

Would you consider small built, non-regular size? (my husband is of Asian built only 5'4" with 33" waistline). We have Armani outlets here but the selection may be different. We don't have Gucci, Ferragamo and Prada though (NY may have Gucci outlet). I'm still tempted to go even though I've been discouraged by some... Oh well, maybe I will give it up if someone will tell me what else is better to do after we go to Pisa and just have our photo taken. We need to go to Rome that evening.

JC4UNL, Hi, I did not say the outlet stores near Florence was not worth it - meaning going there. I said that my Italian friends said that.

They had taken a day to go there, when we talked on the phone I asked them what they thought. They said they, in their opinion, thought for what merchandise was offerred was overpriced and last year styles.

They also said with the weak US dollar compared to the Euro that they sure didn't feel it was a bargain for Americans.

By the way, "cicerone" in Italian means "guide". For sure I am not a guide, of Italy or anywhere. I was just passing on the information that my Italian friends relayed to me, in case anyone was interested. Often travelers only have so much time to visit different places, so I merely try to relate what I know from my experiences or have been told by my Italian friends.

Each traveler comes onto Fodors for others thoughts and experiences I assume.

And they can then wade through what they read and make their own decisions.
I sure do, and assume most of us do.

Whatever you decide to do in Italy I wish you a beautiful trip.

hi JC4UNl, sorry for the late reply. when i read some ppl saying the outlet is NOT worth it, I wish i had replied sooner. True that it varies between ppl whether they think the outlet is worth the trip. For me, I loved it even though I didn't buy a lot of things there. If you love to shop, u'll love the outlet. The Prada outlet is SO MUCH cheaper, but of course you're not dealing with in season items, this is all last season. I can never afford Prada at retail price, u usually find it on sale at teh end of the season, let's just say the outlet is a reduction of what's usually their on sale price. I bought a Prada sport sweater for only 90 euro, i saw knee-length boots for $110 euro, this is ALL LEATHER by Prada Sport, that was a great deal but they didn't have the color and size i wanted so I had to pass on it.
The Mall has Gucci, Marni, Tod's/Hogan, Bottega Veneta, Ferragamo, Sergio Rossi, Emporio Armani and Balenciaga is soon to open. I was upset to see that it wasn't open when i was there. I would have loved a new Balenciaga bag. My sister bought a pair of Sergio Rossi boots for 106 Euro, she said she saw teh same pair for over 400 USD. She was so happy to see they had it in her size too. Gucci didn't have alot of selection on handbags, but whatever they have is truly cheaper than the stores outside. Tod's was not that cheap especially with the high euro. Bottega was very disappointing b/c their bags were actually more expensive than the outlet at Woodbury Commons, NY. but despite that, take the trip to the outlet to see for yourself.
what i recommend for transportation is join a tour, one by caftours, go to their website caftours.com for their schedule. it's 20euro per person to go to prada and the mall, 7 euro more to go to Fendi and D&G. It's definitely worth it since it's pretty hard to get there by train, u'll need to cab after u get off the train, which may come up to just around 20 euro pp. let me know if u need any other info.
if u're thinking of doing pisa and the outlet in one day, it may be possible, u just have to start your day really early. remember to check caftours schedule ahead of time.
the weather was great when i went. mostly in the 50s.

Thanks K. We will be in Europe March-April. Coming from Zurich, we'll be in Florence at 7:12am do Pisa then if we have time go to the outlet at 12:00noon. If we can't make it, oh well, not meant to be. Since you said Gucci did not have much handbags and that's what I'm really after, it's not that bad.
Loveitaly, I don't know if you are also "cicerone" because I had another post where he/she? mentioned it's not worth the trip. I wasn't referring to just your comment but some others who were also helping me, and the screen name is "cicerone". (Thanks for the interpretation). And I really appreciate and welcome all comments. From there I can decide whether they make sense or not for us. Please see my thread on "Train Info" - I find that your advice made sense so we are staying at Hilton Olympia in Central London. Grazie!

JC4Unl, Hi, thanks for explaining, LOL. I thought you meant me because I had said what my Italian friends had told me. Thought Cicerone was being a "put down". Too funny! Sorry I misinterrupted. Yes Cicerone does mean guide so a great nick for Fodors.

I had been really excited about going to the outlets when I go back to Italy.
My good friend talked her sisters who live in Florence to go there to see if she could find anything and also to check it out for me. Do not know if they drove, took train and taxi or what.

But I was disappointed that they weren't overenthused. Choices, prices etc. And of course she said for Americans it would be worse with our weak dollar.

But then again, maybe one can find a bargin. If you go please let us know how you did there. And happy shopping!

ooops, I made a booboo too. I have mistaken you for love_2_travel (I think) for advicing me to stay central in London...

LOL,JC4Unl, I wondered about that and thought - hmmm, thinks she means someone else. Can see how you could mix up the names. We are all in great shape this week, aren't we?

I have been thinking of you and I do truly hope you get to the shopping outlets, I would be very interested in your viewpoint. Sometimes Italian have to have the very latest style and nothing else with do. My friends are very conservative with money, and do not buy a lot, but when they do it is right up to the moment. And then they keep things for years and years.

So I got thinking. In that case, who would not know that it was not bought the moment "it was in style" and just being used more seasons. Do you follow me? Anyway, I think you and I have all the confusion cleared up. Best wishes!

You went to Florence and skipped the Uffizi? The Pitti Palace? The public bus to Fiésole? You went to Rome and a. did not appreciate the ruins of one of the world's great civilzations, b. did not see the Galleria Borghese, in the lovely Villa Borghese c. did not visit the many other wonderful museums there, d. did not just enjoy walking one of the most walkable cities of the world?! You can shop anywhere in the world. Whyever would you pass up seeing the things yo can't see anywhere else to go shopping???!!! That's sad!

who said i skipped the uffizi and the pitti palace? who said i skipped teh villa borghese? who said i didnt walk the cities of rome, florence and venice? hey! i did all that and did my shopping. i definitely did more sight seeing than shopping. i saw the david at teh gallerie academia. that was the best in florence (aside from the shopping). the roman forum, coliseum and the hills really gave me a headache, it was too much. but i did it anyway and dont regret it b/c that's what ppl do when they visit rome. anyway, i was there for 10 days, i went to all the places that a tour guide would have brought me.

my husband coined a new phrase in Rome in 2000 "molto poop-o"

Glad that you had a nice trip and were able to visit those places. Between the 3 cities mentioned, Rome is my favorite. Sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy it as much - I am one that loves the ancient ruins and beauty they evoke! Venice, on the other hand, is murderous in the summer. You DON'T want to be there in the summer, with the heat coming off the canals, humidity, etc. it is near unbearable (and the reason that nearly all Italians escape to the seaside for the fresher breezes). Shopping, of course, anywhere in Italy can't be beat!

Re: validating tickets on public transportation, it really is hit or miss. I would say it is near-nil in Rome. The busses are always full and no one is on to check that, so it really is on good behavior. However, on smaller bus lines in smaller locales (Ravello, for example, on the Amalfi Coast), the penalty for not having pre-purchased a bus ticket (duh, me, thought I could buy it on- board and the conductor never told me otherwise prior!) was hefty - 36 euros. That was the most expensive ride up the hill from Amalfi to Ravello that I will ever take! Anyway, that is my general rule of thumb, I am mindful of validation in more controlled areas, but have gotten away with not doing it regularly on the #s 40 and 64 busses in Rome because usually trying to manuever my stroller and child on board (I always have a ticket though so not riding for free!)

Good advice from Ira. I met two women on the #7 Bus in Florence. They had an incident with the transit police because they did not purchase a bus ticket. They said after living in Florence for a few weeks, they "took a chance not buying tickets."

Well, they got caught, and yes, they were taken to the police station, hassled, and fined.

Not worth it.

Also, I saw the police in Venice approach a man who didn't have a ticket, and he was summarily escorted off the vaporetto. Embarrasing.

<i>What are the consequences (are there even any) of not paying for the train or bus?</i>

How about because it's the right thing to do? And you're a visitor to their country so you want to do the right thing.