Need opinion on my first trip to italy
Feb 21st, 2001, 01:16 AM
#1
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Need opinion on my first trip to italy
My boyfriend and I will be travelling to italy as our first time. Never been to europe b4!
We are leaving in 2 wks, he's excited..but I'm a lil stressed from planning out for the trip.
I just need some opinion of what everyone thinks about my itinerary...it will be greatful to hear some feedbacks.
Arriving Rome on 3/5 approx. 11:30am
Will be taking the train from airport to
HOTEL PICASSO
On 3/9...Leaving Rome to Venice by train early in the morning, staying at HOTEL AIRONE in Venice.
On 3/11...Leaving Venice to Florence by train early in the morning, staying at HOTEL ALINARI in Florence. Thinking of taking a side trip to Pisa to see the leaning tower if I have time.
On 3/13...Leaving Florence to Rome by train to catch my 11:30am Flight back home!! (Is this possible??)
How does my itinerary sound? Will it be too stressful to travel to all these places?
Have anyone stayed at ANY of the hotels I have mentioned? How's the location of the hotel?
AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS: Will I be able to catch a train back to Rome from Florence to catch my 11:30am flight?
Also, should I order train tickets in advance or should I wait till I get there?
SORRY FOR THIS LONG POST AND MILLIONS OF QUESTIONS!! I'm just a lil worried about this trip since both of us never been to italy b4 and neither of us speaks italian.
THANKS!!!!!
We are leaving in 2 wks, he's excited..but I'm a lil stressed from planning out for the trip.
I just need some opinion of what everyone thinks about my itinerary...it will be greatful to hear some feedbacks.
Arriving Rome on 3/5 approx. 11:30am
Will be taking the train from airport to
HOTEL PICASSO
On 3/9...Leaving Rome to Venice by train early in the morning, staying at HOTEL AIRONE in Venice.
On 3/11...Leaving Venice to Florence by train early in the morning, staying at HOTEL ALINARI in Florence. Thinking of taking a side trip to Pisa to see the leaning tower if I have time.
On 3/13...Leaving Florence to Rome by train to catch my 11:30am Flight back home!! (Is this possible??)
How does my itinerary sound? Will it be too stressful to travel to all these places?
Have anyone stayed at ANY of the hotels I have mentioned? How's the location of the hotel?
AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS: Will I be able to catch a train back to Rome from Florence to catch my 11:30am flight?
Also, should I order train tickets in advance or should I wait till I get there?
SORRY FOR THIS LONG POST AND MILLIONS OF QUESTIONS!! I'm just a lil worried about this trip since both of us never been to italy b4 and neither of us speaks italian.
THANKS!!!!!
Feb 21st, 2001, 01:31 AM
#2
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Sammi,
I think you are putting alot into the time you have, but, go for it! Perhaps you would be more comfortable leaving Rome one day earlier, thereby moving the itinerary up for Florence and Venice, and then returning to Rome for the last night.
We always make a return last night in the city we started in and loved the nice relaxed feeling of having been there already, so we know where our hotel is, etc., and the delight in having one more opportunity to catch of final glimpse of the Trevi Fountain, and so on.
You will need to be at the airport two hours prior to your plane's departure, and the train trip in will take a little over an hour and a half (at least). Who needs the stress of worrying whether you'll make that connection?
You will probably have to miss Pisa (not a big deal, IMHO). Savor Florence and Venice. These are two of the most special cities in the world!
Have a wonderful trip, Sammi!
I think you are putting alot into the time you have, but, go for it! Perhaps you would be more comfortable leaving Rome one day earlier, thereby moving the itinerary up for Florence and Venice, and then returning to Rome for the last night.
We always make a return last night in the city we started in and loved the nice relaxed feeling of having been there already, so we know where our hotel is, etc., and the delight in having one more opportunity to catch of final glimpse of the Trevi Fountain, and so on.
You will need to be at the airport two hours prior to your plane's departure, and the train trip in will take a little over an hour and a half (at least). Who needs the stress of worrying whether you'll make that connection?
You will probably have to miss Pisa (not a big deal, IMHO). Savor Florence and Venice. These are two of the most special cities in the world!
Have a wonderful trip, Sammi!
Feb 21st, 2001, 05:21 AM
#3
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I agree with the previous poster that you may want to head for Venice a day earlier and then go to Rome the night before. I understand that means e-mailing all your hotels and adjusting your reservation date but this time of year it should be okay. There is so much to see in Florence that I would hate to see you shortchange it by leaving after just one day there or going to Pisa. If you are going to go to the Uffizi museum you may want to make reservations ahead of time on their website. I would do a search on this board to see if it is busy this time of year. In the summertime it is a 4 hour wait to get in.
Last bit of feedback-pack light. There are alot of stairs around train stations and it is a pain you end up with four bags. Also go to the library and check out an italian language tape to at least pick up numbers and basic phrases, it will make it more fun and is considerate to the locals.
Last bit of feedback-pack light. There are alot of stairs around train stations and it is a pain you end up with four bags. Also go to the library and check out an italian language tape to at least pick up numbers and basic phrases, it will make it more fun and is considerate to the locals.
Feb 21st, 2001, 07:49 AM
#4
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Sammi, you muat allow time for the train trip from Florence to the Rome Termini, which is 1 and 1/2 hours on a high speed train for travel only. Not counting leaving your Florence hotel and getting to the Florence train station. Also, I would give myself an hour for the trip from the Rome Termini to the Rome airport. This would be connection time and travel time. Also, take into consideration the time you wish to allow to be there before your flight for check in, baggage, etc. If it were me, I would allow at LEAST four hours to do this trip between my hotel in Florence and boarding the plane in Rome. Buy your tickets when you get there. They are much cheaper in Italy and the ticket agent in the Rome airport before you get the train there is very helpful and will sell you the tickets for the train to the Termini and to Florence at the same time.
Feb 21st, 2001, 07:54 AM
#5
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Sammi relax!! Italy is a beautiful, civilised, cultured, friendly country and you'll love it. And don't fret about language difficulties, most Italians you will come across in these cities will be used to dealing with foreign tourists and will happily speak english to you. And even if some don't, view it as a fun challenge to muddle through with phrase books. It's not an exam!
I agree with the previous posters about Pisa. You could happily spend your entire trip in Florence, and Pisa is really not worth it. It's a fairly ugly industrial city, and the only thing to see is the tower. Even this is spoilt by the metal fencing, tacky stalls selling junk to tourists, oh and billions of tourists. You can't even go up it anymore (not to be recommended anyway - it gave me serious vertigo which I've never got over!)
I also agree with the comment about staying your last night in Rome. You'll be in a big panic to make the plane otherwise, so just shift everything a day earlier to accomodate a last night in Rome.
I agree with the previous posters about Pisa. You could happily spend your entire trip in Florence, and Pisa is really not worth it. It's a fairly ugly industrial city, and the only thing to see is the tower. Even this is spoilt by the metal fencing, tacky stalls selling junk to tourists, oh and billions of tourists. You can't even go up it anymore (not to be recommended anyway - it gave me serious vertigo which I've never got over!)
I also agree with the comment about staying your last night in Rome. You'll be in a big panic to make the plane otherwise, so just shift everything a day earlier to accomodate a last night in Rome.
Feb 21st, 2001, 08:24 AM
#6
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Sammi, you and your boyfriend travel a great deal like my husband and I, you itinerary though packed, sounds fine. A couple of things, since you have such a short amount of time in each city, read up on each place then make a short list of "must sees" probibly only 1-3 things in each place. Sometimes it's overwhelming since there is soooo much worth seeing in each Italian city and you may find that some sights in Italy are only open on such and such a day, or may have shortened hours on say, Wednesdays for example. Do yourself a favor and familiarize yourself with what hours the one or two sights you want to see will be open.
Lastly, I would stress to you that you need to be in Rome the night before your plane leaves. There are too many variables involved in train travel. They may behaving a strike... or there could be an accident... or, as happened with us one time, there was a mechanical difficulty and we got delayed at one of the stops along our route for nearly 3 hours! You will be a wreck if you try to head back to Rome the same Morning you are leaving and believe me, missing one's flight is a nightmare.
Don't worry, this will be the first of many trips once the travel bug takes hold and I would hate to see you stuck!
One more thing, relax you will have a spectacular time!!!!! Italy is great.
Lastly, I would stress to you that you need to be in Rome the night before your plane leaves. There are too many variables involved in train travel. They may behaving a strike... or there could be an accident... or, as happened with us one time, there was a mechanical difficulty and we got delayed at one of the stops along our route for nearly 3 hours! You will be a wreck if you try to head back to Rome the same Morning you are leaving and believe me, missing one's flight is a nightmare.
Don't worry, this will be the first of many trips once the travel bug takes hold and I would hate to see you stuck!
One more thing, relax you will have a spectacular time!!!!! Italy is great.
