Lindabar

I've learned so much from all of you! I'm hoping you can help with my 1st timer questions. I'm traveling Italy light and alone by train/bus for 24 days in April. I've confirmed my rooms for arrival in Venice (3 days) and departure from Rome (3 days). For one week in the middle, I have an art program in Florence, room is taken care of. That's it! My feeling is that the weather can be good or bad in April, and I will have the freedom to change plans at the last minute if, say, it's raining at the CT. Am I being unbelievably naive and likely to incur horrendous last minute room prices? I don't know why, but I'm just not worried about finding a place to sleep. I am an older woman who has never been anywhere. Where this confidence comes from, I don't know!

Second question. When I leave Venice by train (April 8),I plan to go to the CT for 2 nights, then stop for one night in Lucca, and end in Florence for my art program on April 13. Leaving Venice,I would like to see something of Padua, Verona, and/or Vicenza along the way. I'm not clear how this would work. I'd like to stop for one night at one of these towns and then continue to the CT. If this is a good idea, how would I continue on -- by way of Florence, or change trains in Milan? Is this an unrealistic plan considering the length of time on the train, or amt of difficulty changing trains in major cities?

Those are my main questions. After Florence, I will have 5 days to get around the countryside before I go to Rome for 3 days, leaving for home on the 28th. But I'm not going to worry about that part too much. There are so many good ideas on this site to use. And if it snows, as someone commented can happen in April, I might just head out to Sorrento or Positano instead!

By the way, regarding recent posts about the euro, I am not unaware of the expense of Italy these days. But living your life without ever going anywhere vs doing it before you are incapacitated by age, or other probs is a simple issue from my perspective. If I waited until I could actually afford this trip, it wouldn't happen! (LOL)

Anyway, I'll be grateful for any ideas or comments you might have about my trip. A little voice is telling me I'd better check these things out with people who know what they are doing!

Grazie!

LoveItaly

Hi Lindabar, to get you started here in the English language version of the Trenitalia website so you can check routes, schedules etc.

http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

Best wishes to you and have fun planning your trip, it sounds wonderful.

Lindabar

Thanks, LoveItaly. I'm sure this will help.

kybourbon

I would drop the night in Lucca since it's a short bus ride(about 1 hour) from Florence. I would add that night to Rome as you really haven't allowed enough time there unless you have been before.

I'm not clear about your Padua/Vernona question. Do you just want to stop a few hours or spend the night? If you are just stopping a few hours, you will need to store your luggage at the train station if storage is available. On Trenitalia, click on "in the region" then select a region, then servizi, then a city/station.

If you have a question about train stops, enter your departure and arrival cities, select a train, click details, then click the train #. You will get a list of all stops that train makes.

Lindabar

Thanks, Kybourbon. I will rethink the Rome part. As to Lucca, I've read about renting a bike and riding around the city walls,it sounded like fun. And I heard it was an interesting place to see.

Also, I did want to spend the night at Varona or Padua but didn't know if I could fit it in with available train connections. Using the train site will help me figure it all out. I think I had a mental block about reading the schedule. It's not so bad, I see; thanks for the good instructions.

LoveItaly

Hello again Lindabar, just a thought. I think you might need to use the Italian names for the Trenitalia website..but not sure with the English language version if that is true or not. But anyway you will need to know the Italian names of the cities when in Italy. For example in Italy Padua is Padova. Venice is Venezia, Florence is Firenze etc. You might want to get an Italian version map before your trip or after you arrive in Venice. That would help you with the trains etc.

LoveItaly

Dear Lindabar, I just reread the last part of your first paragraph in your first post. Good for you!!! Your confidence comes from your heart, soul and mind. I so admire you and hope you will add to this thread you started while making your plans. And a trip report after your trip when you are back home and settled in would be a joy to read.

Lindabar

thanks for your encouragement, LoveItaly! I'm so excited to be going, I don't sleep much anymore. My plans keep shifting as I ponder the guide books and travel sites. So many possibilities! They feel like an elusive dream, but then the reality of it hits me: I'm going! I will certainly plan to report back.

baldrick

The normal train route from Venice to 5T would be Venice-Milan-Genova-5T.
Linda,
You are indeed right, Padua, Verona and Vicenza are very nice towns. As Padua is pretty close to Venice, I wouldn't spend the night there. You could even take an afternoon trip from Venice to visit Padua (30 min by train one way). My choice for the night would be Vicenza, but then, I like palladian architecture.

You might want to make your stay in Rome a bit longer, 3 nights is in my opinion not enough. I would suggest 5 nights.

I don't think you'll have high prices for hotels, but you could also find B&B's in Vicenza or Verona, as well as in other cities.

Lindabar

Thanks for your ideas, Baldrick. I'm still trying to decide between Verona and Vicenza. I've been reading about the palladian architecture and I'm interested to see it, but the Arena in Verona looks pretty inviting as well. In pics I've seen, it looks like the Arena is right on the piazza. Kind of neat to sit there I would imagine.

Glad you straightened me out on the path to the CT going through Milan. Makes sense.

On the other side of my trip, I've decided to extend the Rome stay because of comments made here.

Thanks so much for your help.

litefoot

Lindabar, I would suggest you set up your lodging before you leave. It will give you piece of mind and you will have done the leg work before you go by checking websites and reviews. Go to Venere.com for hotel/B&B suggestions. You can read the reviews on those places. Once you become familiar with the site you can pinpoint where you want to stay (Rome is divided by sections) and you'll be given a variety of options and prices. There is also a hostel website if you want to go that route.

Print the address and bring it with you so when you arrive at your destination you can show it to a shop keeper or policeman to ask directions.

Have you checked out the solo travel message board on this website. You'll find a lot of tips and suggestions. Have a great, safe trip.

litefoot

By the way, I agree with you about the Euro. I'm upset our country has allowed the dollar to fall as much as it has, but when plans are set it is difficult to cancel them.

Be careful on the trains and keep your wits about you on all transportation for pickpocets. Use a money belt tucked under your shirt. I traveled solo to Rome two years ago. On a side street near the Vatican I noticed a nice looking man begin to follow me (no one else was around) and he was getting too close. I stopped and stepped out of his way. I know he was planning to pickpocket as I caught his eye when he walked by.

You might want to check Ryan Air to get around. If you buy your tickets now it is as low as 10 Euro. They have two flights from Venice to Rome.

sgbargyle

Thank you for posting. I totally agree that you have to go NOW or you just won't go. I'm just starting to travel too so your posts are really interesting. Please keep posting and report back.

Lindabar

Thanks to Litefoot and SGBargyle for helpful comments. I've been away from the computer for a few days so almost missed your encouraging comments.

Because of several comments,I've decided to not leave so much to chance and will spend the rest of this week arranging rooms for those days I've not booked already. Unfortunately this means I have to make decisions about things I'm still on the fence about. It means I have to come or go according to my room bookings, and not according to my personal whims! So I'm rationalizing that it's all good, no matter what I see or do, especially as this is a first trip. One thing I've come to grips with is my limitations in the hill towns due to my not having a car. I had five days to play with before I was to be in Rome but now I think I will do Siena, maybe Orvieta and then into Rome where I'm trying to increase my days from 3 to 5 because of recommendations on this site.

So here's where I stand:

Arrive in Venice 4/5/08 for 3 nights.

4/8/08 Train to Verona for overnight. (or possibly Vicenza.)

4/9 train to CT for 3 nights stay.

4/12 Lucca for one overnight.

4/13 Arrive in Florence by 4:00. I have an art program here for 7 nights.

4/20-4/21 Bus to Siena/San G. overnight. (Unless I get a free day from the program in Florence so I could do this as a day trip, in which case I will go straight to Orvieta.)

4/21 either to Orvieta for overnight, or go straight to Rome for the duration.

Bottom line is to get to Rome on afternoon of 4/22 and stay until 4/28.

4/28 early A.M.departure for home.

I had originally hoped to spend more time in smaller towns and countryside, but it doesn't seem to be practical without a car. So I will be in big, scary cities a lot. Although I am from a big east coast city (now I'm in Calif), I am still not sure I am prepared for the onslaught of pickpockets I've been reading about, what with me being a solo woman. In my worst imaginings I spend 5 days in Rome being accosted every time I get on a metro or bus. Still, I am not frail by any means and I've purchased my secret wallets, and clothes with hidden pockets, and I've got my suspicious radar all set for red alert!! Yet how else will I see the ancient relics, the art, eat the food, drink the wine, enjoy the people?? I mention all this only to tell you where I am with all this, which is to say, both confident and worried.

Any comments would be welcome! Thanks to one and all who have helped so far.

baldrick

Lindabar,

It is indeed difficult to get along without a car. To visit 'smaller' cities, it is best to stick on the mayor train tracks, which you are obviously doing.

Now as for Rome, you should calm down a bit. Crime is not lurking at every street corner, it is not Gotham City...

Don't worry, be happy and just be careful.

Lindabar

Of course you are right, Baldrick. I need to stop reading the bad experience stories on this and other sites. Though I AM practicing Italian phrases for "go away" and "leave me alone." And a friend is teaching me some interesting curses learned from her Italian grandmother which are funnier than anything I could ever come up with. I'm laughing about all this, too, so you see I haven't totally gone over the edge.