Diane60030

One option that I haven't seen mentioned is staying in one of the local convents. You can find a listing at St. Suzanna. Especially in Rome they rent out a variety of rooms at different price points. What I like is they are all located near the Vatican and its metro stop - if you don't want to walk all they way to ancient Rome. It isn't far.

Another item to consider if you don't want to drive is to look for day tours. While you aren't exactly on your own schedule I've found them a great way to get to places I wouldn't have otherwise gotten to.

bvlenci

Diane is talking,I think, about the convent list of the Church of Santa Susanna in Rome.
http://www.santasusanna.org/comingToRome/convents.html

The list has convents from all over Rome, not just those near the Vatican. It also lists convents in other parts of Italy.

annhig

my experience of apartments in Rome, Florence and Venice has been universally good but we have only used them when travelling with our kids - if it's just us we generally stay in hotels, in europe at least.

I think that if you're only going to be there for a few days, a hotel is an obvious choice, ditto if travelling with the "older generation" who will most probably feel more secure there.

or2nh4me2

Just popping in to say that I stayed at Palazzo Schiavoni in Venice with my mother and sister last year and can definitely recommend it. Large apartment considering it was Venice, with a small kitchen. The location was great-about 5-10 minutes from San Marco.

sandralist

whfan_whfan,

The views from Fiesole are not like those in the videos taken in Orvieto. The reasons the views from Fiesole are famous is because they are views of the Renaissance city of Florence, not of beautiful scenery.

If you like the views from Orvieto you have seen in videos then it is hard to come up with another town with similar views that it is easy to reach by public transportation. Maybe someone else can think of one. I can't. The only substitute I could suggest is taking the train from Rome to Chiusi and then paying a taxi driver to take you to Montepulciano. The drive itself is famously scenic, and then you also have beautiful views from the town. But the taxi rides to and from the train station will cost you between 35-50 euros each way.

sandralist

By the way, regarding apartments, I reiterate my advice that if you are still planning to stay an entire week in Rome that an apartment is a much better accommodation.

Since I use the Rome Loft agency, I don't spend a lot of time looking for a rental. In fact, last year, when I was helping some people who were planning a wedding in Italy, I gave two of the guests suggestions for apartments rented by Rome Loft, and they booked them immediately, and that was it. No problems.

You've said you will continue to consider it, and I am not going to argue with other people, or push you to rent. Hotels are fine if you can afford enough room for all of you or if you have special needs. But I don't have the negative experiences other people anticipate.

annhig

I should add that one of the advantages of having an apartment when you are travelling with a group [besides the obvious one of being able to cater for yourselves to some extent, even if it's just bringing croissants for breakfast] is that you have somewhere to sit with each other in the evenings.

Unless you are staying in a hotel with a lounge, when you've got more than one room it can be very difficult to find a way to be together that doesn't involve spending money for example in a bar.

tdk320n

I can make a very strong recommendation for Hotel Casci in Florence. I know that they have a family size room that can sleep either 3 or 4 , I do not remember exactly.
I have stayed at this hotel for the last 5 years and absolutely love it.
The location is wonderful, easy walking to all the major attractions. It is a small family run hotel owned by wonderful people.
They serve a very good breakfast with many choices .
It is moderately priced well within your budget and if you pay cash they offer a 10% discount.
I learned about this hotel from this website and just want to "pay it forward "
Website is www.hotelcasci.com

email [email protected]

I would plan 3 days in Venice 4 to 5 days in Florence and the balance in Rome
There are wonderful day trips by bus or train to the countryside and other cities in Tuscany and that is why I suggest a few extra days in Florence.

Have a wonderful trip and fun in the planning .

sandralist

>>It is moderately priced well within your budget and if you pay cash they offer a 10% discount.<<

The reason this "discount" is offered by hotels is because it facilitates tax evasion. Italy is waging an ongoing war against cash transactions and tax evasion, and we would appreciate everybody's help! Please do not accept offers for "discounts" if you use cash instead of a credit car, and please ask for a receipt whenever you do make small purchases in cash. It's the law, and if Italy does not solve its tax collection problem, it ends up like Greece, with international creditors taking over and demanding changes to Italian culture and products and civil society.

Please.

tdk320n

Sandralist I appreciate your comments and understand that is done by some to avoid taxes.
Of course some restaurants and hotels offer the discount to avoid credit card charges and to receive instant payment.
I always get a receipt even when I pay cash for meals, hotels etc.

whfan_whfan

Thanks again guys for all the advice and also the hotel suggestions. I'll probably stick with hotels and b&bs since my parents will be on the trip. I just don't want surprises, and basically I want increase my chances of having a very easy trip with no complications. Also, I have never planned such a big trip before, so it will be easier on me to have the service of a hotel/b&b. If I find hotels/b&b in the 150-200 ranges (which seems to be very doable), I might even give a room to my parents by themselves, and then I take a room for myself or with whoever else is coming. it doesn't have to be all in one room.

As for the way to split the vacation, so far from everything that I've seen in terms of plane tickets for 2 weeks, it seems to be 13 actual nights total once you take out the travelling time. So I;m tending to agree with Sandralist in thinking 6 in Rome (cause it's huge), 4 in Florence (many Tuscany day trip options) and 3 in Venice.

In Rome, I'm pretty much convinced that if we do a day trip, it would be Orvieto. The views from the walled city upon the Umbria countryside is exactly what I'm looking for. So if we need a break from Rome, this could be the #1 contender for a day trip. The one complication about Orvieto that I keep reading is that a lot of stores/restaurants close from like 12pm to 4pm. I would have guessed that it's probably the time we would be there. lol I hope the streets don't become empty during the afternoon. If anyone can comment on how to make the best out of the day trip it would be appreciated.

In Florence, I think if we do day trips it will be something like half a day in Pisa (public transportation) because it's iconic and my parents have heard about the leaning tower (as everyone else in the world)... Another half a day would be an organised wine tour in one of those castles in Tuscany since it would be an "activity" and also give us a glimpse of Tuscany. I know that Pisa is not that popular on the forums because many consider it overrated and too touristy, and that day trips to Siena, Lucca, etc. are more recommended, however if we do Orvieto in our stay in Rome, then I feel that this could kind of replace Siena, Lucca, etc. But if we don't do Orvieto, then maybe I'll do Siena or Lucca or another town instead of Pisa.

As for Venice, I think I'll keep it simple as we would have the shortest amount of time there (because it's small)... Maybe the boat to Borano and the other small islands would be an option too.

EYWandBTV

Re "taking a break" from the big three cities: yes, by all means. It's easy to get an attack of the "Stendhal syndrome"--total overload because of the vast amount of beauty that these cities contain. A day trip or a single overnight to a nearby town (such as Orvieto, which is on the train line between Rome and Florence) would be one approach.

Another approach would be to avoid loading up your daily schedule in Venice, Rome, and Florence with back-to-back five star sites and instead insert a "one star" simple, quiet, restful site in between. So for example don't cram St. Peter's next to the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum and the Forum. Instead, find one of the parks, squares, small churches or whatever in order to pace yourself and have time to digest the blockbuster sites, let your brain settle down. And of course find a cafe for espresso and gelato regularly. Italia--there's nothing like it!

sandralist

Orvieto is not that far from Rome, so the day you want to go, leave Rome after lunch. By the time you reach Orvieto, it will be full of local life. If you are worried that will not give you enough time to enjoy the town before returning to Rome, then another option is leave Rome around 11am, and plan for a grand lunch in Orvieto, starting aroung 1.30 pm. By the time you are finished at 3pm, you will have a chance to walk off the lunch to some overlooks with views, and then return to visit the town and the cathedral.

Still another plan would be to spend part of the morning in Rome at a food deli, collecting good things to eat, and get on a train leaving Rome about 1 or 2 pm, have a picnic on the train, and while not everything will be re-opened when you arrive, it will be within an hour so.

By the way, the Italian "pausa" closes many places in all the big cities too, so be aware of that if you are headed to smaller churches or museums, tourist offices, shops and markets, some might be closing up for lunch. Be aware too that if you want a real lunch, restaurant kitchens are only in operation between 12.30 and 3, and don't re-open until 7.30 in the evening. In the most touristed areas you will find fast food places open continously, and Rome has a street food tradtion that spans all hours (Florence less so). But you need to plan your day in rhythm with the Italian style, and the devil is in the details about what is open when.

Finally, Lucca sits in flat valley and has no countryside/vinyard views (there are some views of the Apuan Alps from the walls of Lucca). I cannot remember what the views are like from Siena, but be sure you get what you want before heading out. You might check out going to Certaldo Alto by public transportation from Florence if your main interest is a medieval village with views. But absolutely everything there will close during lunch except restaurants.

whfan_whfan

Thanks again Sandra for the advice about Orvieto and for the summary about the rhythm of how the Italians live... Also thanks for mentioning Certaldo Alto cause that's the first time I hear about this town and from the pictures it looks very nice... It might be an interesting easy day trip from Florence.

EYWandBTV, thanks a lot for the advice, you have given me a new perspective... I will definitely try to pace things and just make it a relaxing trip for my parents... As you say, taking a break from these cities and their historic attractions in order to change scenery/pace doesn't necessarily mean doing day trips... but it could simply also be not overdoing things every day with the attractions, and making time to relax inside these big cities.

efarr99

I'm planning a similar trip next May and have found some nice hotels that I'm considering . In particular I wanted to mention the Pendini Hotel in Florence. They have big family rooms at a reasonable price for a great location right in the center of Florence. Looks like easy walking distance to all of the popular sights.

ambo

"The reason this "discount" is offered by hotels is because it facilitates tax evasion. Italy is waging an ongoing war against cash transactions and tax evasion, and we would appreciate everybody's help! Please do not accept offers for "discounts" if you use cash instead of a credit car, and please ask for a receipt whenever you do make small purchases in cash. It's the law, and if Italy does not solve its tax collection problem, it ends up like Greece, with international creditors taking over and demanding changes to Italian culture and products and civil society."

I always pay cash, if possible. That way I don't get robbed by the bank's exchange rate and fees, which are edging up to 4% and I get a discount to boot because the merchant doesn't have pay the credit card company. I also don't leave a permanent record of my location or purchases that can be tracked.

Italy's tax problems are not my concern. Unlike you, I'm not the morality police who wants to tell everybody what to do. If Italy want to avoid ending up like Greece, then they should avoid doing what Greece did - Getting Goldman-Sachs to cook their books and living way beyond their means on other people's money.

HappyTrvlr

Since you are a new traveler to Europe, the front desk at hotels will be very helpful and important to you. They can give you advice, answer your quesrions and book reservations for you. In an aparment, you'll be on your own.
Read Ircing Stone's "The Agony and the Ecstacy" to understand Florence and it's rich history.

sandralist

ambo -- what a jerk you are.

Tabernash2

I think you're smart to limit your vacation primarily to the three cities. You can take a day-trip from each, if you tire of the city.

In Rome, I can recommend the Domus Julia, sister property to next door Hotel Julia. DD and I shared a nice twin room in Domus Julia. Our room was connected to a full kitchen and eating area, which we could use. There was another bedroom in the 'apartment' too, but it wasn't occupied. You could rent two rooms, each with its own bathroom, and have the kitchen to yourselves.

They include a full breakfast in the Hotel's pretty dining room. And you have the benefit of a front desk, where you check in and out, and can ask questions.

It's very near the Spanish Steps and the Borghese gardens, on a relatively quiet street. Walkable to Trevi, the Pantheon, shops on Via Condotti (so?), and many other sites.

We were there the first week of May and it was not crowded or hot. Flowers on the Steps were blooming.

Be sure to ask if the lodging has an elevator. Many do not.

I liked Florence more than I expected to. Probably because I was traveling with DD, and she had just finished a semester studying at Villa Spelman. She had lived with a family, who invited us for dinner. It was charming to meet them. DD knew all the little streets to wander and where to eat.

Tabernash2

Via Condotti (sp?)