Yeah! We're going to Italy for the first time!
 

I forgot to post this on Italy the first time.
We have decided to go to Italy in late June/early July 2006 for around two weeks. I've bought several books, a couple of maps and am developing a large file of fodors trip reports/threads. I know very little about traveling in Italy and want to learn as much as I can before I make any decisions on itinerary. It is great fun. I have also discovered slowtrav.com and I have been browsing several travel/lodging sites. It is a bit overwhelming, but I love researching trips, so it is more fun than it is a chore. My thinking at this time is that I'd rather not do a "Grand Tour" type of thing and even though I might be missing some great places, focus on an area and spend some substantial time exploring that area. How does that sound? Renting a car would fine with us. I'd also like to do some exploring on foot and/or bike. I ordered a Sunflower book that is supposed to have info and walking trails, etc. The only Italian I can speak are dirty words (thanks to my Italian-American grandmother).We are avid cooks and food lovers. We'd like to see some major art muesums, churchs, and notable buildings. I like visiting beautiful gardens. Establishing a base and exploring from there sounds better than spending a night and moving on everyday. Any thoughts on that?
So far the areas that look interesting are Tuscany inlcuding Florence, and Umbria. Touring through parts of Tuscany and Umbria sounds very appealing. The other area that sounds great is the Amalfi Coast.
I'm interested in knowing whether there is a preferred approach for a first visit to Italy? Should Rome not be missed? It would be great to hear your thoughts. I'm new to the Europe board and am looking forward to planning this trip with your input and ideas. Thanks.
-Bill

Bill you are making me dizzy. There is no way to specify which country that is for research later, all the posts get on this one thread and you can click on your name and the post will come up.

Yeah, I make myself dizzy sometimes too. Sorry.
-Bill

Dear Bill,

Please review your posts.

Without paragraphs, I get dizzy trying to read what you have written and cannot help you.

Dear Ira,
I was hoping to get your feedback, so here is the message again with paragraph breaks.

We have decided to go to Italy in late June/early July 2006 for around two weeks. I've bought several books, a couple of maps and am developing a large file of fodors trip reports/threads.

I know very little about traveling in Italy and want to learn as much as I can before I make any decisions on itinerary. It is great fun. I have also discovered slowtrav.com and I have been browsing several travel/lodging sites. It is a bit overwhelming, but I love researching trips, so it is more fun than it is a chore.

My thinking at this time is that I'd rather not do a "Grand Tour" type of thing and even though I might be missing some great places, focus on an area and spend some substantial time exploring that area. How does that sound?

Renting a car would fine with us. I'd also like to do some exploring on foot and/or bike. I ordered a Sunflower book that is supposed to have info and walking trails, etc.

The only Italian I can speak are dirty words (thanks to my Italian-American grandmother).We are avid cooks and food lovers. We'd like to see some major art muesums, churchs, and notable buildings. I like visiting beautiful gardens.

Establishing a base and exploring from there sounds better than spending a night and moving on everyday. Any thoughts on that?

So far the areas that look interesting are Tuscany inlcuding Florence, and Umbria. Touring through parts of Tuscany and Umbria sounds very appealing. The other area that sounds great is the Amalfi Coast.

I'm interested in knowing whether there is a preferred approach for a first visit to Italy? Should Rome not be missed? It would be great to hear your thoughts. I'm new to the Europe board and am looking forward to planning this trip with your input and ideas.
-Bill

There's no preferred approach to a first trip. I guess most do the "big three", Rome, Florence and Venice. We did that the first time and enjoyed it. Others hate that. It's what most interests YOU. For me, I had read The Agony & the Ecstacy when I was 15, and since then I HAD to visit Florence. I also like small towns and villages, but my husband gets bored easily and likes big cities, so we kind of combine what we both like. He was not displeased at all on our last trip this summer, which was Rome, Positano, Capri, Sorrento, and Venice.

I think your basic plan is good, and I can see you're planning well in advance. Read up and see what interests you and whomever you are going with, and try to create something that meets both objectives. You have plenty of time to fine tune it.

As far as I know there is a Sunflower book for Tuscany but not for Umbria.

If your interests lie more towards churches, museums and notable buildings, Tuscany suggests itself more than the Amalfi Coast, which is noted chiefly for its natural beauty.

Florence will give you as much art, architecture and history as you could want. If you're into hiking (which I am not), I would think that Tuscany offers wonderful possibilities.

The "focus on one area" approach is as valid, I think, as the "Grand Tour" approach.

You should bear in mind, though, that in late June/early July it will probably be hot. So I would probably suggest a combination of rental car and bike.

I am normally a fervent proponent of the argument that you cannot know Italy without knowing Rome. I find it difficult to understand that there are many people who know several regions of Italy but have never been to Rome. But as I've said, the "one area" approach is very valid, and if you choose to make it Tuscany, I do not think you will be disappointed.

The first time I went to Italy, fifteen years ago, we were doing a countryside kind of vacation, mostly in Tuscany, and stayed away from cities entirely, except for a day trip to Florence. The second time I was in Italy, two years ago, I went only to Rome. Both were great trips. Should Rome not be missed? Well, Rome is full of wonderful attractions, but you have to decide if you want to spend time in a big city on your vacation.

For myself, I prefer visiting cities during cooler times of the year and the countryside during warmer times of the year. But you could certainly combine the two in two weeks for a taste of both.

Spend 2 hours at slowtrav.com and then come back with specific questions. In 2 weeks you should plan no more than 4 destinations. It takes at least 6 weeks to see Italy. You will need to prioritize well.

June and July are the most crowded for European travel. Perhaps that is your only choice,,,but if not then April, May or Oct , are great times...less people, better accommodations for less, prices better all around etc.
And the weather is more "crisp" and comfortable. The person who said they drove around the Tuscany Countryside (and day trip to Florence) first.....and then a trip later to Rome sounds wise. I guess Rome is nice, but the crime there is a lot higher if one is not vigilent and aware. Depends on what kind of things you like.......Tuscany and Umbria, OR Sorrento/Amalfi area, OR Lake District in the north, OR Cinque Terre etc.. SO many possibilities, but it's always fun to MIX small villages with one or two CITIES!
You will have fun doing research and planning and then deciding your best itinery....and you have plenty of time.(however, we all know how quickly time "rolls around"!!

If you are gong for only 2 weeks, don't spread youself thin. Enjoy the country. I like to consentrate on one area and know that I will come back again and do another area. This is a vacation - enjoy it,and enjoy this beautiful country. Don't try and do it all the first time. On our last trip we consentrated on hill towns in Umbria and Tuscany. We rented a wonderful reburbished farm house (www.calboccia.com) in the hills of umbria and made that our home base and did day trips everywhere, shopped at the local markets, hiked, drank and ate with the people and yet we saw plenty. I guess it is what you like to do onyour vacation. Since our plane landed in Rome, we spent a few days there so we could see a few things we didn't catch on our first trip and then it was up to the hills.

mari5,
I would love to go in May, but I teach and have the summers off so that is really the best time with my schedule.
Thanks for the information so far!

I"m beginning to think of doing 3 days in Florence, then a week to ten days in southern Tuscany (Pienza or Montepulciano). Could I do day trips to Assisi, Spello and Montefalco from here? Or would it be better to split it into 5 days in southern Tuscany and 5 days in Umbria around Spello or Assisi?

Thanks.
-Bill

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the paragraphs.

> ...3 days in Florence, then a week to ten days in southern Tuscany (Pienza or Montepulciano). ...Or would it be better to split it into 5 days in southern Tuscany and 5 days in Umbria around Spello or Assisi?<

A lot depends on what you are looking for. Do you want a relaxing vacation in the countryside or do you want to see the famous (and deservedly so) art and architecture of Italy.

If the former, I suggest the 5 and 5 in Tuscany and Umbria or 5 in Tuscany and 5 on the Amalfi Coast.

If the latter, many people do the Big 3: fly into Venice (3), train to Florence (4 w/a visit to Siena), Rome (3), fly home from Rome.

My own preference would be 5 Venice (with one daytrip) and 5 Florence (with 1 or 2 daytrips).

Enjoy your visit.

Just thought I'd add that the so call "crime" of Rome is greatly exaggerated.
I'd recommend going through different travel reports of thase that had about the same travel time.
Choose the one's that "jump out " at you as something you would like and then start planning a similar trip.

Do the Big 3: fly into Venice (4 nts), train to Florence (5 w/a daytrips to Siena & San G), train to Rome (5), fly home from Rome.

Happy planning Bill! Don't you want to go to Venice?

Here's what we did for our first trip:

October 21 - 22
Verona
Stay (1) night

October 23-24
Train to Venice
Stay (2) nights

October 25-26
Train to Florence
Stay (2) nights
Car Rental: Avis (via Auto Europe) 128R

October 27
Drive through Tuscany
Stay (1) night in San Gimignano

October 28-29
Drive through Tuscany
Stay (2) nights in Assisi

October 30-31
Drive to Sorrento
Visit Pompeii
Stay (2) nights in Sorrento Ph# 39 081 Drop off car

November 1-3
Train to Rome
Stay (3) nights in Rome

November 4
Fly home

My wife and I spent three weeks in Umbria this past June/July in a house outside of Perugia. SlowTravel was tremendously helpful for information on all sorts of topics.

I would suggest that you limit your travles to one central location and use it for day trips. We went to Firenze by train from Magione in a little over two hours and drove to Siena in about the same amount of time. Places like Montefalco, Assisi, Spello, Trevi and Deruta were less than an hour away by car. Gubbio and Spoleto were longer drives but well worth it. In my opinion,both Umbria and Tuscany are best seen by auto.

I would try to spend several nights in Rome at the end of your two weeks before coming home.

Neil

suze,
Thanks! Venice is a possibility for sure, but I have heard stories about how Venice can be very uncomfortably hot and the canals quite smelly in the summer. Is this true? Even if there is some truth to these things, are they reasons not to go to Venice?

sandi travelnut,
Thanks for your intineray. How did this work out for you? Are there things you would have done differently?
Thanks.
-Bill

Florence is hotter than Venice in the summer, and Florence also gets quite humid compared to the rest of Tuscany.

We've never experienced bad smells from the canals in Venice--only sea smells. I guess if you are from Kansas and never traveled before it might be something you aren't used to.

Even if the canals did smell, that would be no reason to miss the most unique city in Europe.

Venice is a one-of-a-kind treasure, I would want to include it in a first trip. I've been to Venice twice, both times in August. Certainly it is hot, and I guess crowded tourist-wise, I have nothing to compare it to, but it was a great visit! The only time I smelled anything amiss was once, when I walked over a bridge & canal that had been drained and was under repair.

Suze and RTF,
Thanks for the Venice feedback.
-Bill

I agree with Suze and RTF.

The itenerary I posted worked well for us because we wanted to see as much of the country as possible within the 2 weeks. It may not be everyone's way to travel but we liked it. We would have liked more time in Verona and Venice.

We really enjoyed having the car for a few days to see Tuscany. I would highly recommend that.

Hello! Based on the advice of people on this board and a lot of reading, we are spending 13 days in Italy for our honeymoon- 6 days in Florence and one week in Montepulciano.

You mentioned that you wanted to do some walking and hiking in addition to renting a car. It sounds like Montepulciano might be a great spot for you! We bought the book "Walking and Eating in Tuscany and Umbria," and it has been invaluable (as we are not renting a car). There are some walks, such as Montepulciano-Pienza, that you could easily do in half a day. Montepulciano seems to also be well-located for touring with your car.

Best of luck, and have a wonderful trip!

TarheelsInNj,

Thanks for your information. Montepulciano sounds like a great spot to base oneself. I saw that book you mentioned at the bookstore. I will get it.

What are you planning to do once you are in Montepulciano? Where are you staying?

I'd love to hear about your trip when you get back. Be sure to post. When are you going?
Thanks.
-Bill

try these web sites for hotel deals and lot of pictures on each hotel
www.venere.it
www.florenceby.com
www.tuscany.net
www.veniceby.com
www.romeby.com
Have fun!

Dear Bill

I think the most important thing to remember is that you will have a great time, no matter where you go. I have been to Italy several times, and always enjoy myself.

I do a lot of work in Florence, so of course I am most familiar with it, but I've loved it from the first time I saw it.

Rome is my husband's favorite place in Italy. I sometimes get overwhelmed in Rome, but I love it too. l

I just visited the Amalfi coast for the first time, and although I enjoyed myself for several reasons, it isn't at the top of my list of favorite places in Italy.

Those favorites include Tuscany, Umbria and Liguria for small towns. The lakes for great beauty. Florence and Rome for art, architecture and sophistication. Venice is unique and I also think it is quite romantic.

Anyway, no matter where you go, you will be happy and anxious to go back to Italy. I just wanted to add my two cents as an Italy lover.

Hello! We are not going until early June, and we're still in the early planning stages. It's our first trip to Tuscany!

We will be on our honeymoon, and part of the reason we chose not to rent a car (aside from cost) was to allow us to just relax and take in the quaint town. I think I will be perfectly happy just spending the days going on picnics, drinking cappuccino and eating gelato in the Piazza with my new husband :)

We are planning to explore just the Val D'Orcia during the week. Patrick actually stayed in Montepulciano and explored with a combination of local buses and walking, so we will take some of his suggestions.

We are staying at the Politian apartments- www.politian.com
Both Budman and monicapileggi have trip reviews that include this apartment.

Good luck! :)

Dear TarheelsInNj,
The views from The Politian look amazing! That is exactly what I am looking for! I'll be back with more questions...
-Bill

shameless!
-Bill

Here is our Italy itinery from 2001 --
fly into Rome pick up car drive to
Chiusi - 2 nights
Verona - 2 nights
Venice - 3 nights
Florence - 2 nights
Tuscany near Monteriggioni - 2 nights
Orvieto - 1 night
(picked up sister in Rome)
Frascati - 1 night
Amalfi Coast - 3 nights
dropped off car @airport
Rome - 3 nights

It was May, weather was exceptional. Wouldn't have done it any differently. But now we know where we want to go back and stay longer :) and of couse, visit places we missed. We'll probably do one 2-week trip focusing more on Northern Italy, and another on Southern Italy. In between I expect we'd grab a week in Rome if we saw a good deal, ditto for a week in Tuscany or Umbria.

iamg, no wonder nocinonut can't understand you! He must not be a public school graduate! Anyway, go buy a DK Eyewitness travel book. They are the greatest nest to Fordor's! 4 of us are going to Italy 08/26/05 to 09/06/05. 1 week in a villa in Florence/Tuscany, 4 nights in Venice and 3 nights in Rome. We have also scheduled a 1 day cooking class with Cucina Divina in Florence.

mauimaui,

Thanks for the tip on the Eyewitness books. I bought one about a month ago and have been looking thorugh it. It has been very useful.

When did you make your reservations for your villa and hotels?

Thanks and enjoy your trip.

-Bill

My husband and I just got back from our first trip to Italy. It was one of the top 3 trips we have ever done. We were there a week and we stayed in Venice at an awesome inn Locanda Orseolo
San Marco, Corte Zorzi 1083
30124 VENEZIA (ITALY)
Tel. +39/041/5204827 - Fax +39/041/5235586
Email to: [email protected] - Web: www.locandaorseolo.com
. We spent 3 nights in Venice and took the train to Florence where we stayed in an apartment for 5 nights. We rented a car in florence for 2 days and took a day trip to Chianti country and Sienna one day and the 2nd car day we went to Lucca. Sienna and Lucca are walled cities. Sienna gets the most buzz but we found Lucca more charming. we did not go to Rome and was glad we chose not to so we could really get the flavor of Florence as a city( we sight saw for 3 city days) and the surrounding wine country areas (2 days)
I think adding Rome is a bit much unless you are there a good 11-14 days. If you are interested in specifics let me know.

mbohn99,

Thanks for info on Locanda Orseolo. It will probably be on the short list of hotels for Venice.

Any good restaurant suggestions for Venice and Florence?

What places did you go in Chianti?

How long were you in Sienna for? Could you have spent more time there?

-Bill

Hello,
We just got back from a 3 week trip to Italy yesterday. I'm still dreaming of the wonderful time we had and can't come down! 2 weeks is short if you are trying to do too many cities. You should probably concentrate on one area. I would probably fly into Venice (stay at Locanda Orseolo - it was incredible!) stay at least 3 nights. Then, take the train to Florence and stay 3 nights (Tourist House Ghiberti is fabulous and well located). Then rent a car and drive to Lucca and stay a night or two (Hotel La Luna (ask for a room in the older section with frescoes on the ceiling). Drive through the countryside to San Giminagno (sp) and either stay there for a night or go on to Siena. We stayed in Siena and used it as a basecamp for exploring Tuscany and it worked out great. We loved the Piazza Ravizza a small pensione inside the walls. They give you a 10% discount for 4 nights or more. We rented our car through Bob Bestor who is an agent for several companies. I got a great rate that covered all insurance,etc. ($239 for the week). You could then return the rental car to Florence and fly home from there. Or fly into Florence and home from Venice. It is kind of special to save Venice to the last which we did. It was like a vacation within a vacation because it is so unique and magical. Always crowded thought if you get off the major tourist areas, it's a dream. The cruise ships leave thousands of people off for the day and by night they are gone.

We flew into Rome and spent 6 nights in Rome first and 3 on the Amalfi coast which is beautiful, but I don't think you will have time to do this part in 2 weeks. We took the Eurostar from Rome to Naples and hired a driver to pick us up in Naples and take us to Pompeii the first day and the second day down the Amalfi Coast. He was wonderful. The Amalfi Coast is incredibly beautiful. Save it for another trip. We spent a day in Capri and were disappointed because it was so crowded. We were in Italy 21 nights, and could have stayed for at least 3 more weeks!

E-mail me if you want any more suggestions. I spent 9 months planning our trip and it was well worth it. Everything went like clockwork and we had lots of time to explore and wander. Whatever you do - just carry on one bag and don take a lot of luggage. It is a burden. We had one carryon for the entire 3 weeks and did laundry once in Sorrento.