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Must do and Must know in Venice, Florence, Rome and sorrento

Must do and Must know in Venice, Florence, Rome and sorrento

Old Apr 30th, 2013, 12:34 PM
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Must do and Must know in Venice, Florence, Rome and sorrento

What are the 3 top things you absolutely MUST do in Venice, Florence, Sorrento and Rome? (Besides eat lots of gelato).
What are 3 MUST know travel tips for anyone going to Italy?

Thanks!
Ps I know people's tastes differ
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 01:04 PM
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Buy some good guide books, and :

TWENTY TERRIFIC TRAVEL TIPS !!


After enjoying 26 trips to Europe, most of them in the past 25 years, here are some tips that we have found helpful. We hope that you agree:

MONEY:
1. Use your CREDIT CARDS for most major expenses[ hotels, car rentals, Ristorantes ] It will provide the best exchange rate and give you a good record after you get home.
2. There is no reason to get local currency until you arrive in Europe. Use the airport ATM for cash. ATMs are everywhere in Europe and work just like your hometown machine—even in English.
3. Bring 2 credit cards and both should have 4 digit PINS. Be sure to tell your CC companies that you are traveling in Europe—check your limits.
4. Forget TRAVELERS CHECKS—they were obsolete years ago.
5. Keep several 1E & 2E coins easily accessible---very convenient.

PACKING:
6. Pack lite and pack smart ! It is too much luggage that signals a typical novice traveler. Your primary rolling bag should not exceed 24”—check it ! Take a smaller carry-on bag that should contain everything you will need to survive if your primary bag does not arrive for 48 HOURS.
7. Pack a canvas tote bag to hold the extra goodies you will buy in Europe. Also consider bringing a wash cloth, liquid soap, raincoat and a hat for bad hair days. Be sure your knife with corkscrew is in your checked luggage.
8. Do not dress to advertise that you are a tourist, although it will likely be evident. Plan your outfits using basic colors and do not be afraid to wear the same outfit 3 days in a row. Try to dress in layers—shirt, sweater, jacket.
9. If you need to save packing space, wear your bulkiest items on the plane [ sport coat, dress shoes, raincoat, sweater etc.]

SAFETY:
I feel safer in Rome or Munich than I do in Miami or Chicago. However, Americans do get targeted by pick pockets and purse snatchers, especially in crowded areas of major cities. Here are some tips that may help:
10. Keep purses/cameras around your neck—do not lay then down.
11. Wear a money belt for those items you cannot afford to have lost. This includes passports, credit cards, travel documents.
12. Stay alert and vigilant— thieves will use DISTRACTION as their tactic.
13. Always lock your rental car and keep nothing in view you want to keep.


WILD CARD TIP:
The best tip I can give to any novice traveler to Europe is to always smile, be respectful, and never forget you are a guest in their country !

TRAVEL TIPS CONTINUED:

CARS AND TRAINS:

Rental cars in Italy can be expensive due to the high mandatory insurance. However, often a car is the best way to see many parts of BELLA ITALIA.
Rail travel is often less costly but can be quite inconvenient in rural areas.

14. Avoid driving in major cities—it is often a real hassle.
15. When driving on the extensive AUTOSTRDA system, be sure to stay in the right lane except when passing. You will need to pay toll as you exit the system—look for the VIA lane to pay by credit card.
16. You will need a driver, a navigator, and a good map. The road signage is good on the major roads, but do not rely on road numbers on secondary roads—that will frustrate you. Do learn to trust the directional signage.
17. Study your daily maps in advance so you can ANTICIPATE decisions.

TRAVEL TID-BITS:

18. Take the time to learn a 50 word vocabulary to include basic courtesies.
19. Learn to use the 24 hour clock and the European way to list a date—both may save you a major blunder [ June 15 is really 15 June or 15/06]. It does make good sense---do we not call it the 15th of June?
20. Here are some TRAVEL TOOLS that you will want to have with you:

• Swiss Army knife with a decent corkscrew.
• Extra batteries for your camera—and/or a dual voltage charger.
• Copies of credit cards and travel documents—including passports.
• Extra reading glasses—I put 3 pairs in different locations.
• Adapter plugs—typically two prongs for round holes
• A flashlight or reading light---rooms are often too dark.
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 01:14 PM
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There are many more than 3 things to do in Venice and the same is true of Florence, Rome and Sorrento.

It's not possible to bring things down to 3 per place, because it depends on what you like. Do we take it that you only want 3 things because you have limited time?
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 01:45 PM
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Rubi- nope... Feel free to share away
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 01:49 PM
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Rome: visit the Ara Pacis; get pizza at Pizzarium; have dinner at Roscioli

Florence: see David; buy perfume at Santa Maria Novella; have the chicken dish and the artichoke dish for lunch at Sostanza

Venice: have cicchetti for lunch; have an Aperol Spritz at sunset outside somewhere; but Murano jewelry

Sorrento: never been - I prefer to stay in Positano.
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 02:08 PM
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Sorrento is a great town. A great base and very underrated on its own.

Most people don't know that most of the music boxes you see at home (wherever that is) are made in Sorrento. Walk into a store selling them and turn them over.

When you go from Sorrento to Rome they double in price and then at least double again at home. Or more.

Depending upon when you go to Sorrento eat outdoors on the patio at the Foreigners Club.
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 02:50 PM
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Rome: eat a porchetta sándwich at Campo del Fiori, if posible, also buy some fragole di Bosco at the market.
Visit Piazza Navona early in the morning.
La Pieta.

Sorrento: visit Positano, Amalfi(don't miss pasticieria Savoia), and Ravello.

Enjoy planning and your trip
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 04:31 PM
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No, No, _Venice_ itself is the must see. There is no way you will go to Venice and leave saying, "If we had only seen . . . " because the city itself is the star. That being said, One thing we did which I thought was on my "highly recommended list" was doing a meal, especially lunch, at one of the outside restaurants along the Fondamenta Zattere, overlooking the Guiddeca Canal.
http://www.lacalcina.com/restaurant.htm is one example, but there are many comparable fine restaurants along this stretch. Less tourist bustle, but enough traffic to capture your interest, and lots of maritime boat and ship traffic coming and going to the Port of Venice and Mestre - oh, yes, exceptionally fresh fish dishes unbelievably well prepared. Really, a ridiculously wonderful way to start an afternoon.
Also, If you are an artsy person, an opera at Teatro Fenice would be close to a must.
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 05:20 PM
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In Florence, standing in the Piazzale Michelangelo just before sunset. Watching as the sun produces multi-faceted colors across Florence and the surrounding area; how it makes the Arno look golden as you look down it and take in all the various old bridges. Stunning. Priceless.
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 05:25 PM
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PS 1) take a piece of sidewalk chalk when leaving your accomodation and mark any street corner you need to turn at to get back home. (Sure it is possible to look inconspicuous... pretend you dropped something or are tying your shoe. hahah)
2) If staying in hotels, take a few cards from front desk. If you get lost or need to taxi home, this will come in handy.
3) Remember that it usually costs more to sit down and eat than to stand at the counter while eating your cornetto and cappucino.
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 05:29 PM
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Who how many are you?

What are your interests?

How much time do you have?

What is your budget?

What made you pick these places to visit?

Sorry - I'm not a mindreader - and what I love you might hate.

Give us a clue.
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 07:01 PM
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Nytraveler- 5 (mom, dad, 3 teens), we love everything in moderation (art, museums, history, architecture, nature), we dont drink alcohol, 18 nights (1 quick stop milan, 3 Venice, 5 Florence, 4 sorrento, 5 Rome), our budget is moderate (we usually buy food at grocery stores and eat out sparingly), picked these cities bc first visit to Italy and they seemed to cover the top highlights. Hubby and kids don't like to move too much (hence I may plan day trips). Hubby loves the opera.
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 07:02 PM
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Great tips! Keep them coming
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Old Apr 30th, 2013, 08:18 PM
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I disagree with bobthenavigator on ATM cards. My wife has had her ATM card eaten in Europe over the weekend. Impossible to get back. My wife has been the victim of ATM fraud. And contrary to popular belief, not every machine works for every card. Tremendous amounts of time must be used getting these ultra-risky, dangerous cards to work.

You can find banks to exchange money before your trip at very, very attractive rates; better than you will get at a European bank. Go ahead and get a couple of thousand euros. They use your CREDIT card when you can, and when you can't pay cash. Nobody hesitates to have a few hundred bucks on them in the U.S., so why do they think they have to travel abroad carrying 50 cents.

Also, the European economy is in a shambles. In Cyprus it was impossible to use ATM machines for several weeks. The same is likely to happen to Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Slovenia at some point. Do you really want to take this risk because you were too stubborn to safely carry cash, split up amongst your party, with money pouches, etc.?
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Old May 1st, 2013, 05:18 AM
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Good advice above if you are wealthy and do not care about giving the bank 8% of your money.
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Old May 1st, 2013, 05:46 AM
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Pretty poor advice really. You cannot get euros in the US at "very attractive rates". It's a poor rate and you get ripped off with charges.

It's unfortunate that your wife's ATM card was compromised, but that could have happened at home just as easily. ATM's are the best way, cost wise, to get money in Europe. Cyprus's ATM's didn't work for a few days, not weeks and the same is not "likely" to happen in Italy and Spain.
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Old May 1st, 2013, 10:10 AM
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Last year I paid Wells Fargo a four percent premium to purchase euros. This year the rate they are posting online is five percent. They charge an additional five dollars to non-customers, which really doesn't matter for a large transaction.

Most people have fees associated with their ATM card use abroad. It's not quite a "free" as everyone makes out. Most debit cards used abroad will have a three percent foreign transaction fee, plus a withdrawal fee to both the issuing bank and the dispensing bank. On a $400 withdrawal this can easily run the exchange rate beyond five percent.

Everyone is going to have a different opinion on this. I personally find it easier and more convenient to have a wad of Euros in my pocket, purchased at rates that are every bit as good as I would get with my wife's debit card (I don't have a debit card, and won't). I am not suggesting that anyone pay an eight percent premium for Euros. They are available for advance purchase for a five percent premium over the actual spot price, and perhaps even less.
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Old May 1st, 2013, 10:26 AM
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There is realy no way to get foreign currency for free. but getting it at a cost of 2% or 3% is alot better than 10%.

If you check there are many banks that will charge only a 2% premium (your own bank for converting) and no fee unless you pull money every day or two. Banks in europe do NOT charge for use of ATMs (although commercial ATMs - in stores etc will).

If your bank has high fees and poor rtes - suggest you pick a different bank.

But even so - 4% is still a lot less than 10%. And a lot safer than carrying around "wads of cash".
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Old May 1st, 2013, 10:56 AM
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NY traveler, I just checked with Wells Fargo. They are charging a five percent premium to exchange money in advance, plus five dollars. That's it. And you never have to search for an ATM machine that will take your particular card. And you never have to worry about your card being eaten, as happened to us in Italy.

Most people do business with one of their hometown banks. The president of my bank was my college roommate. The tellers all greet me by name and some will mention seeing a photo of one of the children on Facebook or whatever. The various employees inquire about sick family members. It would seem silly and counterproductive to pick a different bank simply to get a low foreign transaction fee on an ATM card that I don't want to use because of the risk involved. Most people bank with their friends at their local bank and don't want to open myriad accounts. Just something to think about.
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Old May 1st, 2013, 12:25 PM
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For Venice, you absolutely must stop at an outside cafe for an Aperol spritz!

Or 4.

I am usually drunk by 11 AM.

You must also take a walk through the Jewish Ghetto in Cannereggio to Madonna del'Orto, stopping at Campo di Mori to view the statues and Tintoretto's house.


Did you know that Fodor's uses my quote for Farmacia Santa Maria Novella in the Italy Guide?

Definitely buy yourself some pot pourri at the shop.


Thin
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