I am traveling to Italy at the end of June, and I am looking for site seeing suggestions (especially things out of the ordinary) in both Rome and Florence. I will be spending approximately 3-4 days in both places, so any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!

Hi
First, I have long files on those cities, if you'd like to see them, email me at
[email protected]

Second, you will need a good guidebook and a map for each place as the treasures to see are almost limitless.
Streetwise Florence and Streetwise Rome will cover most of what you need.

You can start here at fodors.com by going to the Destinations area, and click on each of those cities. You will find basic sightseeing information, and usually suggested itineraries for short stays.

Once you narrow down the sights that interest you most (and don't forget the churches, many have masterpieces of art), try and group them by location within the city, so you can try to fit them into your own itinerary. Then try and prioritize because you simply won't be able to see everything on your list.

You also might want to consider walking tours, especially in Rome. Some organizations are Enjoy Rome, and my favorite, Scala Reale.

Hi Elisa. While Italy has no shortage of wonderful museums, the Borghese Gallery in Rome remains one of my favorites. It is small and manageable, with beautiful painting, statuary, and architecture. Also, save time to relax and linger in some of the piazzas in both cities. IMHO, this is much of the charm of Italian travel. Have a great trip!

One place I hope to visit in Rome is Santa Maria della Concezione. A short write up on it can be found at:

http://www.davidmcgonigal.com.au/rome.htm

Someone I work with suggested it to me. Just a thought and definitally fits in "out of the ordinary"

Out of the ordinary would definitely include the Capuchin Monastery in Rome!

Kathryn,

I wonder if you are referring to the same thing I am? The link I supplied deals with the Capuchin Monks and well.. those that USED to be Capuchin Monks

Elisa, if you tell us a bit about yourself and sightseeing preferences we can pinpoint the unique sights to recommend for you. For example, if you are like my wife, you will love the Salvatore Ferragamo shoe museum above his store in Florence, as well as the fashion museum in the Pitti Palace.

first off, thanks everyone for your thoughtful suggestions!

dflawyer,
I am very much interested in the two places you suggested. Is the fashion museum located in Florence? Thanx!

Greetings - we just returned from our honeymoon in Italy - we started in Rome. The Colosseum and Forum I thought were magnificent. There is so much to do...I agree that a good map and guide book are very helpful. We of course used the 2003 Fodor's book for Italy - it has pointers for both Rome and Italy. Would suggest buying tickets for the museums ahead of time - makes life easier! Have a wonderful time!