My husband is obsessed with ties! I think he's looking forward to shopping more than I am and was wondering where the best deals are to be had.

Also, we need some advice on Hotels for Venice, Florence and Rome - the budget is around $200 US max a night.

We are also debating whether to go on a tour of Italy or plan it by ourselves - does anyone have any great tour companies they'd recommend?

thanx!

Well, I think you can certainly find ties of every "stripe" (including even stripes) in Venice -- from the tacky to Armani.

$200 is on the low side for Venice and Rome. What month? It might be worth your while to read what 155 (euro) wil buy you, browsing on eurocheapo.com - - and then decide if you want to work your way up from there.

It might even be a good idea to look over the choices there for Florence also - - by selecting a palce in Florence closer to 100 euro - - you can "average up" for Rome or Venice.

General tips: in Rome, the Centro Storico is superior to other locations, in my opinion. And avoid the temptation to save some money by staying on the Lido for your Venice stay. The geographical separation defeats the purpose of the average first time-visit to Venice.

Best wishes,

Rex

Forgot to finish, with respect to your final question... there is a strong bias here on thos forum towards "do it yourself" - - many of "us" who are "regulars" believe that is a leading reason that "we" are here - - to help you plan it yourself.

But Perillo might be a tour company worthy of your consideration... if you want to compare. There is a frequent consensus that with a tour company you can "see more attractions" (even if some are seen, "driving by&quot - - at the expense of being led around by the hand. Some of "us" prefer "discovering" but it contrasts with knowing EXACTLY where to park that big tour bus, getting you in, and getting you out.

Around some of the major tourist areas you might see vendors hawking ties along with the usual slides. My husband picked up half a dozen nice silk ties in that manner for a pretty good price.

Your husband will have ample opportunities to add to his tie collection--from Armanis and Versaces at prices much lower than the US to less expensive no-name-brand silk ties.
If you are anywhere near the Milan/Lake Como area, you'll find a huge choice of silk ties at great prices. A little unknown bit of trivia: That area is one of the lead silk producing centers in the world!

Thanx for the tips. We are going to be Italy in the beginning of July. This board has been so helpful and has insipred me to plan it with all of your help!