C3Baker

Three weeks from today we'll be boarding a plane for Italy! I'm so excited! This is the first trip to Italy for me and the kids (daughter is 19 and son is 17), although my husband has been there before. Husband and I are both engineers, daughter is a math major with strong interest in art history and architecture (planning a semester abroad in Vienna next spring), and son is a computer geek.

We're using FF miles through Northwest and somewhat budget constrained, but I'm trying to splurge where it makes sense (or makes sense to me anyway!).

I'm in the last stages of tweaking the itinerary and would welcome any suggestions. Here's the plan:

July 3 - depart US

July 4 - FF tickets results in an 8 hour layover in Amsterdam. I'm planning to go into the city and do a canal tour, lunch, and visit Anne Frank Haus, time permitting. Arrive in Rome 8:00pm

Staying in an apartment in Piazza del Paradiso, near Campo di Fiori.

July 5 - morning stroll in area near apartment. 1:00 tour of Vatican with Context Rome. I'm really looking forward to this tour to help get the most out of what we're seeing. Evening - planning to do the "Evening Walk" from Rick Steves book.

July 6 - Explore Colisseum and ancient Rome area. See Borghese gallery and gardens (haven't received confirmation on reservation yet, though)

July 7 - Day trip to Pompeii. A "must see" for our son. Planning to hire a tour guide on site. I know it will be a long day, but we have plenty of stamina, especially this early in the trip.

July 8 - Climb Dome in St. Peters, wander/explore other parts of Rome during the rest of the day.

July 9 - 8:30 am Ancient Rome tour with Context Rome. I would have liked to do this earlier in the week, but this was the only time that fit in with their tour schedules. In the afternoon we take the train to Florence.

Staying at Peterson Bed & Bed based on Ira's recommendation! I'm looking forward to it and sounds as if it will fit perfectly with what we want/need.

July 10 - 9:15 am Original Florence walk through artiva.com Picked this based on recommendations from this website. Sounds like a great orientation to the city. Walk should be done by 12:30. Take train to Pisa and spend the afternoon there. Have reservations to climb the tower at 16:20.

July 11 - Morning is open - probably will climb Duomo. Or may check out Science museum. Or may check out Boboli gardens. (Not planning to do all three - we'll settle on one of the choices!) Afternoon is 1:30 Masterpieces of the Uffizi tour, also through artiva.com. This is followed by the Original David tour at 4:30.

July 12 - I Bike Italy day trip. Bike ride in Tuscany - provides stop at a winery and looks to have beautiful scenery. We all enjoy biking and this looks like a lot of fun and a good change of pace from museum-overload.

July 13 - morning train to Venice. Planning to see St. Mark's in the afternoon.

Staying at Locanda Orseolo based on reviews here and trip advisor. This hotel will be our one splurge on accomodations, but I think it will be wonderful.

July 14 - May do a trip to Murano to see the glass. Otherwise wander Venice.

July 15 - Doges, but haven't made reservation for tour yet.

I'm really attempting not to overschedule everything per my usual Type A personality, but at the same time I know that advance planning helps get the most of of the time there. I know Florence is a little rushed, but we were limited based on what days we could reservations at the places I wanted to stay. I've left Venice more unstructured because at the end of the trip we may be a little bit beat and enjoy sitting and doing nothing but soaking up atmosphere.

I'd welcome your suggestions for improvements to my current plans.

Thanks so much for the help. I've lurked for months/years and gotten so much from all the posts and trip reports.
Susannah

C3Baker

I forgot the last line

July 16 - fly home

I guess I must be supressing that thought!

Susannah

nessundorma

There is so much to see in Venice proper, you are unlikely to find a trip to Murano as rewarding as simply getting know Venice better.

I strongly suggest that you visit the library or a bookstore and look at some picture books of Venice to get an idea of which churches and scuolas you might like to see before leaving. There are fabulous treasures tucked away in all corners of Venice. Even just taking in one or two, away from the tourist mobs around San Marco and the Doge's palace, is extremely rewarding.

SusanP

I agree that with so little time in Venice, I wouldn't go to Murano (and I collect art glass). There is so much to see in Venice.

Only other question I have is why you're going to explore Ancient Rome on July 6 when you're doing a tour of the exact same area on the 9th. There are dozens of things to see in Rome, and you could do something else on the 6th rather than duplicate Ancient Rome. Just a thought.

jjber1

If you enjoy wonderful music be sure to attend a concert by the Orchestra Di Venezia when you are in Venice. It was one of the highlights of our visit. They performed beautiful Vivaldi music while dressed in period costume. They also sang and performed some lovely dances and also some humorous skits. If I recall it was held at a music school in Venice. Your hotel should have information about it.

Spygirl

C3- DO book your "secret itineraries" tour for the Palazzo Ducale in Venezia in advance. At the time you're going, and even in low season, it's difficult to get a reservation on the spot-this is one tour where you really do need to book in advance.

And you will marvel at the Palazzo Ducale itself-the Sale del Maggior Consiglio is one of the most astounding places I've seen anywhere in the world- and I've been most places-it's gigantic-and it looks as if the priceless artwork on the ceiling and the mural "Paradiso" by Tintoretto (allegedly the world's largest canvas)on an entire wall were painted only very recently-you cannot know Venice at all without going through the Palazzo Ducale- this IS the history of La Serenissima-everytime I'm in Venice, I pay my 11 Euros (last yrs. price) and go through it once again- I love everything about it.

As far as the Borghese in Rome- I wouldn't worry about reservations there in advance- if folks can get in without reservations on a Sunday in August, (as I observed) you'll have no trouble just calling up when you get there and putting your name down for the 2 hour slot time- I wouldn't fret about this at all, otherwise, you itinerary sounds fine.

And while in Florence, you may want to check out my favorite little local restaurant there-just down the right side of the Duomo and to the right - with a tiny portico with views that look on to the Duomo-il SASSO DI DANTE-it's wonderful-all housemade-with emphasis less on meat dishes than with vegetarian entrees-absolutely wonderful large salads and desserts-very popular with the Florentines-I have many fond memories of this place.

C3Baker

Thanks for the feedback! We probably won't make Murano a priority and just make sure we have enough time to explore more of Venice. I have done research on the city and know that we will want to see Frari Church and the Academia. Thanks for the suggestion to see the orchestra in Venice - I will definitely look into that. Our only other family trip to Europe included London four years ago and we have wonderful memories of evensong in Westminster Abbey and catching a mid-day concert in another cathedral (name escapes me - kids also did brass rubbings there - St. something in the fields, as I recall). Daughter and I both love music, so this sounds great.

Thanks for the restaurant suggestion for Florence! We will probably eat cheap for the most part - pizza and gelato - since we're trying to cut costs where we can. But we will definitely splurge for a few special meals out and this sounds wonderful.

Please let me know if there are any suggestions for additional "must see"s in Rome. We have Ancient Rome on the agenda for July 6 to casually explore even though we have an in-depth tour scheduled for July 9 only because I couldn't imagine waiting until our last day in Rome to see some of the most famous sights! Please let me know if there are things we are missing. I actually modified our itinerary substantially based on initial feedback I got several months ago - I changed our flights to give us an extra three days on the trip and dropped one of the destinations (Cinque Terra) so that we could have more time to leisurely explore the cities.

I will call this morning for our Doges reservation. Thanks again for all the suggestions thus far.
Susannah

nessundorma

I don't believe in "must-sees," but if you enjoyed the mosaics in Venezia, then wander to the Trastevere and see the glorious mosaics inside and outside the church of Santa Maria, and enjoy the ambience of its piazza. You can go by way of the Portico d'Ottavia, near the Jewish Ghetto.

SusanP

<<Please let me know if there are things we are missing>>

There are about a million things! Just a few in addition to Santa Maria, which I agree with:
San Clemente, near the Colisseum, you can go down underneath several layers to see how Rome was often built on top of old buildings.
Santa Maria della Victoria, the church itself is a gem, plus Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Theresa is amazing.
Santa Maria Concezione, thousands of bones of Capuchin Monks arranged in various designs.
Pantheon, although maybe you're doing that and Piazza Navona in your stroll in the apartment area.
There are dozens of churches well worth seeing. Do a search hear on Rome Churches, there are a couple of threads that list many others.
Have a great trip!

annhig

If you are in Trastevere, you might enjoy St. Cecilia's more than St. Maria and the kids would love the crypt where there are some wonderful mosaics. Otherwise IMO your Itiniary is just right - enough planned to give you something to do, not too much that you can't have time to just enjoy being there. Other things we enjoyed[ with kids aged 15 &18] were Ostia Antica [but probalby not if you are definitely going to Pompeii], Tivoli, St. Clemente, the capitoline museum. Plus, of course for your 19 year old daughter, shopping! you'll have a wonderful time.

ira

Hi C,

While in Florence I suggest:

taking the no. 7 bus from the SMN train station to Fiesole (20 min 1E) to watch the sun set over the city from the terrace of the Bar Bleu.

You can have dinner at one of the cafes on the town square.

also
spending part of a morning at the Central Market

A walk along the Arno in the late evening

> brass rubbings there - St. something in the fields....<

St Martin in the Fields

Enjoy your visit.

Dayle

Hi C,

To make the most of your time, I would climb St. Peter's dome after your Vatican tour.

I also agree with SusanP's advice to see other sights rather than duplicate the Ancient Rome tour. There is SO much to see!

Buon viaggio!

amarena

Why don't you try to climb the dome at St. Peter's after your Vatican tour... then you wouldn't need to return. Unless it closes before your tour ends.

I agree that you don't need to see Ancient Rome/Colosseum area twice... wait until your tour.

Florence is a fun shopping city, so maybe you can squeeze in some time for that. Your kids might enjoy the San Lorenzo Market.

I will second the restaurant suggestion for Il Sasso di Dante... and it is very affordable. Yellow Bar is another good, affordable place... great pizza and pasta.

If you don't climb the dome there, it might be fun to stroll over to Oltrano, and hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo. Wonderful views of Florence from there. And there is a wonderful church nearby (somebody help me with the name) with gregorian chants around 4:30 p.m (I believe.)

Spygirl

Hey Amarena- I thought I was the only one to recommend my local restaurant in Florence! I did find a review on this slowtrav link as well:

Il SASSO DI DANTE

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/restau...te&s=duomo

Unlike the poster, I think il Sasso di Dante is best savored at night-very romantic with the cupola of the Duomo as a backdrop-I miss this place very much- it is not a big, expensive, touristy restaurant like some of the others mentioned frequently on this board-but then, Florentines don't tend to go to those restaurants either. The family who owns it is so nice, you'll want to linger. My friends and I always did-would eat and talk for hours there.

And Amarena-EXCELLENT SUGGESTION-climb up to Piazzale Michelangelo to the beautiful Romanesque church "SAN MINIATO AL MONTE" for the afternoon Gregorian chants, to see the beautiful frescoes, and last, but certainly not least, to get those fabulous views of Florence!

As to Roma, I too, second Trastevere, and seeing both churches-Santa Maria and St. Cecelia-as well as hanging out with the family on the Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere-where you'll find at least half of the youth of Rome as well, on any given night.

And finally, C3, do you really want to do an exhausting full day to Pompeii? Have you considered Ostia Antica, which in many people's view is more interesting than Pompeii, and only a half hour away from Rome? Might want to think about it.

amarena

Spygirl -- I stayed in a b&b with my mom & sisters right around the corner from Il Sasso di Dante... it was probably our favorite restaurant in Florence. They were so good to us there! I wish it had been warm enough to eat outside... but I'm going back to Florence in August with my husband & kids, so I'll try an outdoor table this time. Can't wait!! And, thanks for posting the name of the church... I had some sort of brain impediment there!