Please help me plan vacation
Aug 6th, 2006, 01:54 PM
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Please help me plan vacation
Okay so I am 19 years old and i decided that as a birthday gift to myself I would travel to the country that I have wanted to visit the most...ITALY. Okay now for the basics. I will be leaving out of the new york area i.e. newark, jfk, or laguardia on dec 8 which is a friday. now depending on the first stop, i will either be in italy the same day or the 9th which is a saturday. Now where I work at there is a girl who travels to italy frequently and she said that I should just go and stay in florence. Now I am having second thoughts as I would like to visit different parts of italy. I want to leave italy to return to the states on christmas eve... Now I am 19 years old and I will be going at it alone although I plan to drop in on a friend I have that is studying in milan but only VERY BRIEFLY. So fodorites I would be honored if you could give me suggestions as to how to plan the trip and what would be suitable for someone my age. My budget is pretty much what you would expect for a 19 year old I am willing to pay 2500 to 3000 for the hotel costs as I will have money to play with while I am in italy. Suggestions for nightclubs and places of that nature are well appreciated lol. Thanks in advance for all of your help...
Aug 6th, 2006, 02:12 PM
#2
Visiting people who are living there, is the best way to go! That's always my favorite. Even if it is not your dream destination, people who are in place in Europe can show you the insiders spots (restaurants, street life, local festivals). So in your situation I'd think about Milan & to Venice by train (and maybe include Florence?). I'm not sure from your post how much time you have total?
Aug 6th, 2006, 02:24 PM
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Hi J,
You have from the 8th to the 24th.
That is plenty of time to visit the big 3, Rome, Florence and Venice.
In Florence, I can highly recommend the B&B Peterson for someone on a budget.
See www.bedinflorence.it
Also see Helpful Information: Italy 2
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34568596
Also look at the Thorn Tree Forum at www.lonelyplanet.com
>I am willing to pay 2500 to 3000 for the hotel costs as I will have money to play with while I am in italy.<
Will you take me with you?
I have yet to stay in that expensive a hotel.
I'll be your tour guide for free.
You have from the 8th to the 24th.
That is plenty of time to visit the big 3, Rome, Florence and Venice.
In Florence, I can highly recommend the B&B Peterson for someone on a budget.
See www.bedinflorence.it
Also see Helpful Information: Italy 2
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34568596
Also look at the Thorn Tree Forum at www.lonelyplanet.com
>I am willing to pay 2500 to 3000 for the hotel costs as I will have money to play with while I am in italy.<
Will you take me with you?
I have yet to stay in that expensive a hotel.
I'll be your tour guide for free.
Aug 6th, 2006, 02:38 PM
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You have a nice long time to spend in Italy, so you can comfortably see more than once city. Since you are going in winter, it makes sense to pick cities that have a lot of indoor attractions, rather than locations where most of the fun is hanging out outdoors.
Milano has excellent train transportation to other Italian cities, so you really can go just about anywhere your heart desires.
I think Firenze is a good choice, because it is rich in museums and has a strong student life. From there you can make day trips to Siena and Pisa.
I also recommend Venice -- but Bologna is in between and it is the university capital of the country, so I think you really might enjoy a stopover there. I also recommend taking a day trip from Bologna to Ravenna to see its mosiacs.
Lastly I recommend Venice.
On your return to Milan, you might consider stopping in Verona, leaving your luggage at the station, and visiting the arena and the art museum, then returning to Milan for your laat night.
So how about something like this:
Milano 9-10
Firenze 11-15
Bologna 16-18
Venezia 19-22
Verona/Milan 23
Can you possibly fly out of Venice?
Another possibility is for you to head south to visit Rome. I would in that case spend pretty much divide your time between Firenze and Rome, and do day trips from each place. From Firenze you can do day trips to Siena, Pisa and smaller Tuscan towns. From Rome, choose Orivieto and Ostia Antica (if the weather is warm enough).
If possible, fly out of Rome to the states.
Have a great birthday!
Milano has excellent train transportation to other Italian cities, so you really can go just about anywhere your heart desires.
I think Firenze is a good choice, because it is rich in museums and has a strong student life. From there you can make day trips to Siena and Pisa.
I also recommend Venice -- but Bologna is in between and it is the university capital of the country, so I think you really might enjoy a stopover there. I also recommend taking a day trip from Bologna to Ravenna to see its mosiacs.
Lastly I recommend Venice.
On your return to Milan, you might consider stopping in Verona, leaving your luggage at the station, and visiting the arena and the art museum, then returning to Milan for your laat night.
So how about something like this:
Milano 9-10
Firenze 11-15
Bologna 16-18
Venezia 19-22
Verona/Milan 23
Can you possibly fly out of Venice?
Another possibility is for you to head south to visit Rome. I would in that case spend pretty much divide your time between Firenze and Rome, and do day trips from each place. From Firenze you can do day trips to Siena, Pisa and smaller Tuscan towns. From Rome, choose Orivieto and Ostia Antica (if the weather is warm enough).
If possible, fly out of Rome to the states.
Have a great birthday!
Aug 6th, 2006, 03:49 PM
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Do you mean $2500 to $3000 just for hotels, If so, you will do just fine, maybe much better than fine.
You've been given some excellent suggestions here. Maybe fly into Rome, stay a few day, take the train to Florence, check out Ira's B&B recommendation - he knows of what he speaks, and he speaks of what he knows, then take the train to Venice, and then make your last stop Milan and return home from there.
Do some research, buy a few good tour books, and once you arrive at your destinations, you can decide if you want to take any day trips. You might just decide that there is enough to do there to keep you occupied during your stay.
Don't rule out day tours, especially if you are traveling alone. You'll see more than you would be able to cover on your own, and you will be in the company of like minded (hopefully) people.
On your next trip, you will know which other towns etc... that you will want to stay in.
There are several active threads that advise you to put more information in your title, ie: B & B's in Florence - Where to stay in Venice, etc... You'll get more direct answers. You can post additional questions as your agenda forms.
Enjoy your trip, you'll love Italy.
Nina
You've been given some excellent suggestions here. Maybe fly into Rome, stay a few day, take the train to Florence, check out Ira's B&B recommendation - he knows of what he speaks, and he speaks of what he knows, then take the train to Venice, and then make your last stop Milan and return home from there.
Do some research, buy a few good tour books, and once you arrive at your destinations, you can decide if you want to take any day trips. You might just decide that there is enough to do there to keep you occupied during your stay.
Don't rule out day tours, especially if you are traveling alone. You'll see more than you would be able to cover on your own, and you will be in the company of like minded (hopefully) people.
On your next trip, you will know which other towns etc... that you will want to stay in.
There are several active threads that advise you to put more information in your title, ie: B & B's in Florence - Where to stay in Venice, etc... You'll get more direct answers. You can post additional questions as your agenda forms.
Enjoy your trip, you'll love Italy.
Nina
Aug 6th, 2006, 05:10 PM
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I would take some of your hotel budget and give it paying for an open jaw ticket -- meaning, flying into one city and out of the other.
I would take a little bit more of you hotel budget and buy 4 pairs of long silk underwear from Winter Silks. (You can find them on the web.) With several pairs of long underwear, you can pack very lightly. It really cuts down on how much you have to pack for winter. Silk dries quickly, and you will be staying long enough in several locations to do a little handwashing.
As a single traveler, you will be able to find safe and charming accommodations everywhere but Milano for well under your budget. In Italy, B&Bs are excellent accomodations, especially for single travelers, and private baths are the norm, although some are still shared.
I would take a little bit more of you hotel budget and buy 4 pairs of long silk underwear from Winter Silks. (You can find them on the web.) With several pairs of long underwear, you can pack very lightly. It really cuts down on how much you have to pack for winter. Silk dries quickly, and you will be staying long enough in several locations to do a little handwashing.
As a single traveler, you will be able to find safe and charming accommodations everywhere but Milano for well under your budget. In Italy, B&Bs are excellent accomodations, especially for single travelers, and private baths are the norm, although some are still shared.
Aug 9th, 2006, 01:27 PM
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Another website to explore is on Lonely Planet -- http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com
Helpful for travellers on a tight budget.
Per recent article on CNN, this new series of books are “geared to the adult budget traveler -- but not the backpacker," . . . . . -- Pauline Frommer's Travel Guides."
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/08/09....ap/index.html
Helpful for travellers on a tight budget.
Per recent article on CNN, this new series of books are “geared to the adult budget traveler -- but not the backpacker," . . . . . -- Pauline Frommer's Travel Guides."
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/08/09....ap/index.html
