Question for well-traveled Italy lovers:
 

I have a few questions:

1) Is Sienna worth staying over night?

2) Is Livorno worth the trip at all?

3) should I go to Venice or Milan?

I like architecture and just walking around, if that is a deciding factor between swaying one way instead of the other.

Thanks!

1) Siena is worth staying for much more than just overnight. My daughter has been there for 6 months and was crying on the phone 'cause she has to leave next week!

2) Never been there, so can't say.

3) Easy--Venice in a heartbeat.

I can help with the first one - YES! I think there is enough to see to take up more than one day. Plus it is fun to sit outside on the il Campo sipping a glass of wine at the end of the day and watching the people go by.

I agree. Siena is worth at least a day or two if you are in a rush.

I have never been to Livorno.

Another vote for Venice, hands down. I would stretch my stay in Venice to several days. Milan is interesting for a day or so, but I wouldn’t do it if I were in a rush.

Yes, stay a night or two in Siena. I've been to Livorno a few times, but mainly to eat. There isn't a lot to see and if time is short, I'd skip it. Venice most definitely.

Hi eileenferrier, if you click on your name you will see your other post and the answer Fabio gave you regarding Livorno.

Hi Eileen

I searched for Fabio's response, out of curiousity, but could not find it.

Siena is fun and interesting. An overnight stay would not leave you feeling you had spent too much time there. Or so I think.

I would not make a special trip to Livorno. Just my opinion.

And I would choose Venice over Milan.

Hi Tuscanlifeedit. eileen has another thread posted entitled "First Timer Here, Where Do I Start". Fabio gave her information regarding Livorno on that thread. If you click on eileenferrier's name you will see the other thread and Fabio's information.

1) Siena would be great to spend the night in, but if for some reason doing it as a day trip made more sense for you, than that would be fine too. I would have liked to spend the night, but didn't feel rushed or like I didn't really see it, and I was there as a day trip from Florence.

2) Don't know

3) Venice, Venice, Venice

Thank you all for your replies. I did get some advice from one person (Fabio, I think his/her name was), but I wanted the persepective of the masses instead of just going off of one person. If I were to go from the advice of the first person whom I told I was traveling to Italy, I would have cancelled my plans because she said the people were rude and that it was overpriced. So much for her advice! :)

I see now that Livorno doesn't have much to offer, but at the time I was researching it all that stuck in my mind was that it was near the water and I thought it would be gorgeous.

Thanks for your time!

We love Siena. We found it not only an interesting city for sightseeing, shopping, and eating, but also a convenient base for daytrips.

And, of course, Venice!

Byrd

"3) should I go to Venice or Milan?"

I doubbt that even 1 person 500 would pick Milan over Venice, which not only the best place in Italy but possibly all of Europe.

You really think Venice is the best place to visit in all of Europe? I think I"m drastically underestimating it b/c we had all but wiped it off our itineraries. Hmm, worth another thought.

I would not go so far as to say that Venice is "the best place in all of Europe," but it is a unique and uniquely beautiful city with a great tradition of art and architecture. I would definitely not strike it from a trip to Italy. Venice is also, it must be said in all honesty, heavily touristed.

"heavily touristed"?! maybe because it could possibly be "the best place in Europe"! If you stay in a hotel away from the main part of the city you can enjoy the pleasures of Venice without the tourist throngs tho you will have to put up with them to visit St. Marks, Doges Palace etc. But to me Venice is so much more than the big sites - for someone who enjoys architecture and just walking around, by all means put several days in Venice on your trip.

I agree, Venice has a lot of tourists, but they tend to congregate in the same places. You don't have to wander far to get away from them.

Absolutely Venice over Milan. Venice is one of those places that you think you know all about from movies, tv, etc, and you think you know how you'll react to it, but when you actually walk out of the train station and see for yourself, all those preconceived notions just fly away. You can't help but be dazzled.

Hi ! I am here !!

LoveItaly: nice to meet you over here after your support to me on the Alaska forum !!

Livorno is nicely located on the coast but has no tourist attractions therefore it is not worth. I thoght you had some friends or relatives to visit, otherwise I would not go there.

Having much more time, Isola d'Elba (Livorno province)is really worth in summer but also expensive !

Hello Fabio!!! I have a good friend named Frabrizio, but we often call him Fabio for short. I think you are a wealth of information for people visiting Italy.

You are from Italy I presume? Do you live in Italy now or do you live in the US?

Fabio, do you know why the English and also until recently the Americans called Livorno "Leghorn"? I have always wondered about that. Best wishes to you.

OK, I'll pick Milano. It's Italy in all its glory. Everyone should see Venice in their lifetime, but you can't know Italy without exploring all the faces of Milano. And Siena? Absolutely!

eileenferrier

I skipped your other 2 points but I totally agree with the others:

1) well worth more than one night

3)Venice, no doubts !! It is unique in the world !! Do the walk from train station Santa Lucia to Piazza San Marco (arrows directions are marked on the walls) and then come back by ferry (vaporetto).
I would do it 10 times a day !! It is fantastic !!

Go to Murano to see how they work the famous glass artworks !!

LoveItaly

Leghorn is the english translated name of Livorno. I do not know the reason why some town names are translated into english and some others not !
For sure there are a lot of americans living in Livorno because of the military base Camp Darby, located inbetween Livorno and Pisa.
The rest are cruisers disembarking and visiting Pisa Lucca Florence etc.. by bus tours before sailing somewhere else.
Others take the ferry from Livorno to Sardinia and Corsica so the town is pretty busy in summer but just as TRANSIT point, not as destination itself.

I can say that because I LIVE THERE/HERE since always !

ciao



I discourage tourists to come to Livorno

I love Milan and have spent a lot of time there but I think for a first time visitor to Italy that chosing between Venice and Milan, Venice would be the city to visit. There is no way one can see all of Italy their first visit. In fact most Italians have not visited every spot in Italy.

eileenferrie, most people that visit Italy return time and time again. On your next visit you could go to Milan. IMO it is a city you should go to at some point in your travels.

Wishing you a beautiful time in Italy!

oops I did not erase the last useless sentence on my last post !!

some words on Milano.
I like it. I will be there next mon/tue and I guess the face of the Duomo is completely covered as under restauration, or at least it was so some weeks ago ! I will see and report next week. The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is often sold out weeks in advance and I would say that these 2 are the highlights of the town, the rest is for shoppers downtown !
As first trip to Italy, with limited time, I would prefer the classic 3: Venezia Firenze Roma and saving Milano with its lakes area for another trip.

Ciao Fabio, so you live in Livorno??
In English "leghorn" always reminds me of the breed of chicken we have called "leghorn". I only have the maps of Italy from Italy so they are only in the Italian names. For a long time when someone mentioned Longhorn I had no idea where that was.

Are you familar with the very small village called Calvari? It is north of Livorno, just east a few miles from Chiavari. It is a little place, so beautiful. I have spent many happy days there. Best wishes to you!

LoveItaly, I have always wondered about Livorno/Leghorn too. So your question inspired me to do a web search. Apparently the discrepancy occurs because the English and the Italians based their names for the area on two different roots. Here is the reference I found.
(Note: I have split the URL below into two lines because I hate the way Fodors makes the display so wide when you have a long URL. If you want to follow the link, you will need to put the whole thing into your browser on one line.)

Much doubt has been thrown on the antiquity of Livorno (Repetti, II. p717); and the highest generally ascribed to it is that of Roman times — either as the Ad Herculem of the Antonine Itinerary, on the Via Aurelia, 12 miles from Pisae; or the Labro of Cicero (ad Quint. Frat. II. 6); or the Liburnum, mentioned by Zosimus (Annal. V. cited by Cluver); whence the modern name, Livorno, is derived. It is said to have been called Ligurnum (Leghorn) in the middle ages.

The Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria
by George Dennis
published by John Murray, Albemarle Street
London, 1848.

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/...Places/Europe/
Italy/_Periods/Roman/Archaic/Etruscan/_Texts/DENETR*/36.html

never been to Calvari but the area is very nice. Food as well !!
I shame myself but lately I travel much more overseas than domestic !! and I cannot be always of help on this forum ! I will do my best !

I just found you on the Russia forum too !! (Violence in Russia)

A lot of travelers like me will get many benefits from very active fodorities like you !! Thank you !!

Any city and small town in the Tuscana region is beautiful and worth the visit. I worked / lived in Italy for one whole year and would definitely stay in Siena. It could be better than Firenze (less crowded with tourists). I have never been in Livorno. I don't think it is worth the visit. If you want to be near the mare go to Cinque Terre, Sorrento or Capri. Milano is good for a day trip but Venezia is unique.

1. Yes
2. Don't know (never been there)
3. Venice

I have been to Italy nine times--to study art history and language, to sightsee, and to visit relatives. I just came back from Italy last September. Probably the most useful tool I had to plan the trip was the Michelin Green Guide Italy.
1) Siena is definitely worth spending the night, or even several nights. I prefer Siena to Florence because it is much less crowded and has the most magnificent cathedral interior, as well as beautiful architecture. You can day trip from Siena to Florence, San Gemignano and even Pisa.

2) Livorno, I believe is near Pisa. I would recommend spending an extra night in Siena rather than going to Pisa.

3) Venice is an architectural marvel and is a must. It is very small and walkable. Try to stay near Piazza San Marco to take in the dueling orchestras in the evening at Cafe Quaddri and Cafe Florian. Make time for the Doge's Palace and the interior of St. Mark's Cathedral. The view from the Tower in St. Mark's Square is magnificent. I have also been to Burano and could recommend it highly.
4) Milan does have stunning architecture, also. The duomo is a neogothic masterpiece. The Galleria is probably the world's most charming shopping mall.