Rome, Florence, Venice
Feb 10th, 2015, 01:42 PM
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Rome, Florence, Venice
2 nights in Rome, 2 nights in Florence, and 3 nights in Venice. My mom has never been to Italy. I went over 20 years ago. What would be on your must to do list. Do you recommend tours or going solo.
Feb 10th, 2015, 01:49 PM
#2
You really won't have time for many musts, especially in Rome. I would cut one city -- really.
Two nights in Rome will only net you 1 full day. I assume you want to see more in Venice since you allotted 3 nights there so I'd do Venice + Rome, or Venice + Florence (w/ maybe a day trip to Pisa)
Two nights in Rome will only net you 1 full day. I assume you want to see more in Venice since you allotted 3 nights there so I'd do Venice + Rome, or Venice + Florence (w/ maybe a day trip to Pisa)
Feb 10th, 2015, 02:08 PM
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What would be on my "must do" list is the things I wanted to see in a day or two, and I would not be moved by other people's "musts". Personally, I would skip the Vatican museums, which for many people would be a "must". But I would want to see the Colosseum, and some of the fountains of Rome.
You can see some highlights of Florence on the way between Rome and Venice. You can put your luggage in the train station in Florence, and go see some of the sights, have lunch, and then get back on the train to Venice. I certainly wouldn't add Pisa.
But you see, everybody has a different idea, so it is best to get a guidebook and decide with your mom what is and isn't a "must" for you and for her. You know you can't see everything. So plan a trip that is fun and doable for you two and forget other people's ideas of what's important. Italy is beautiful and amazing, and if you only see one thing here or there, if it is what you wanted to see, bravo!
To answer your question about whether you should go solo or take a tour, might be helpful to post what time of year you are going -- what are the dates? -- and whether you can both carry your own luggage up and down stairs, and whether you or your mom have any serious stamina or mobility issues.
You can see some highlights of Florence on the way between Rome and Venice. You can put your luggage in the train station in Florence, and go see some of the sights, have lunch, and then get back on the train to Venice. I certainly wouldn't add Pisa.
But you see, everybody has a different idea, so it is best to get a guidebook and decide with your mom what is and isn't a "must" for you and for her. You know you can't see everything. So plan a trip that is fun and doable for you two and forget other people's ideas of what's important. Italy is beautiful and amazing, and if you only see one thing here or there, if it is what you wanted to see, bravo!
To answer your question about whether you should go solo or take a tour, might be helpful to post what time of year you are going -- what are the dates? -- and whether you can both carry your own luggage up and down stairs, and whether you or your mom have any serious stamina or mobility issues.
Feb 10th, 2015, 04:49 PM
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The time you have is not even enough to see the most major sights - so I would build from the groud up.
Identify what YOU want to see in each city then check the Michelin green guide, which will tell you how long it will take. In your very limited time in Rome you will need to ignore either the whole Vatican complex or the major roman sights. In one day you can do 2 major sights - decide which they will be and - then build in some relaxation time.
Identify what YOU want to see in each city then check the Michelin green guide, which will tell you how long it will take. In your very limited time in Rome you will need to ignore either the whole Vatican complex or the major roman sights. In one day you can do 2 major sights - decide which they will be and - then build in some relaxation time.
Feb 11th, 2015, 05:23 AM
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Agree with most people here, it's true that if you're on such a tight schedule, you'll have to leave many things out.
What interests you generally? And are you an experienced traveler? Knowing that would also help to decide whether to go on a tour or do it all by yourselves..
What interests you generally? And are you an experienced traveler? Knowing that would also help to decide whether to go on a tour or do it all by yourselves..
Feb 11th, 2015, 05:59 AM
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Some advice here can stimulate a certain kind of movement, but I would never be moved to follow the advice of anyone advising against experiencing the Vatican Museums in Rome. If you don't appreciate art, then what the hell are doing in Italy?
Feb 11th, 2015, 06:10 AM
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You really can't cover Rome, Florence and Venice in a week and expect to see many of the major sights. You will spend a large portion of your time on trains and in train stations. As others have advised, to cover this itinerary, you will have to either cut one city or add a few days to the trip.
It would be helpful to know yours and your mother's interests. If you love art, by all means go to Florence. If not, choose Rome and Venice. Fly into your first city and out of your last. Choose 3 or 4 sites for each city and decide which city can be left out. Get a good guide and you and your mother make choices.
Italy is fabulous but lends itself more to appreciating the ambiance and culture than to racing about and experiencing very little in the process.
It would be helpful to know yours and your mother's interests. If you love art, by all means go to Florence. If not, choose Rome and Venice. Fly into your first city and out of your last. Choose 3 or 4 sites for each city and decide which city can be left out. Get a good guide and you and your mother make choices.
Italy is fabulous but lends itself more to appreciating the ambiance and culture than to racing about and experiencing very little in the process.
Feb 11th, 2015, 06:17 AM
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If you really appreciate art, then you might find that your limited time in Italy is better spent in some places than others. I don't think the recommendation to skip the Vatican Museums is necessarily a bad one.
If you like Baroque sculpture, particularly Bernini, the Borghese Gallery would be a more pleasurable experience. If you like works from ancient Rome, the Capitoline Museum is great.
The Vatican Museums can feel like a long slog through a hot and crowded space to many people, even those who love art and are knowledgeable about it.
The Vatican Museums are certainly not the be all and end all of art in Italy.
If you like Baroque sculpture, particularly Bernini, the Borghese Gallery would be a more pleasurable experience. If you like works from ancient Rome, the Capitoline Museum is great.
The Vatican Museums can feel like a long slog through a hot and crowded space to many people, even those who love art and are knowledgeable about it.
The Vatican Museums are certainly not the be all and end all of art in Italy.
Feb 11th, 2015, 07:11 AM
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The Vatican Museums isn't the only place to see art in Rome. I also wouldn't advise going there to someone who had only one full day in the city. It's a tiring and stressful visit because of the crowds. I've been there four times, and it always finishes me off for the rest of the day. There are at least a dozen world-class art museums in Rome that are more manageable on a short visit, and there are half a dozen churches that have great art masterpieces on disply.
In fact, with only one full day, I'd advise not going inside the Colosseum, either. You could take a walk around the ancient Roman area, admiring the Colosseum from the outside. Then you could walk around the center of the city, making sure to go into the Pantheon, and finally go to St. Peter's Square and visit the Basilica.
On your way around the city, you could fit in a visit to the Capitoline Museums (near the Colosseum), the Barberini Gallery (near Trevi Fountain), the Doria Pamphilj Gallery (near the Pantheon) or the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, with three Caravaggio Paintings (near Piazza Navona).
The idea of visiting Florence on the way to Venice is a good one if you're not planning to visit any museums there. This is another city where much of the art is in churches, or churches that have been turned into museums. In fact, the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, right by the train station, is practically an art museum in its own right. If you make this a stopover visit, you could add two nights to Rome, and then it might make sense to visit the Vatican Museums.
Try to get a multi-city ticket, flying into Rome and home from Venice. Or, you could reverse the itinerary and start in Venice and fly home from Rome.
In fact, with only one full day, I'd advise not going inside the Colosseum, either. You could take a walk around the ancient Roman area, admiring the Colosseum from the outside. Then you could walk around the center of the city, making sure to go into the Pantheon, and finally go to St. Peter's Square and visit the Basilica.
On your way around the city, you could fit in a visit to the Capitoline Museums (near the Colosseum), the Barberini Gallery (near Trevi Fountain), the Doria Pamphilj Gallery (near the Pantheon) or the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, with three Caravaggio Paintings (near Piazza Navona).
The idea of visiting Florence on the way to Venice is a good one if you're not planning to visit any museums there. This is another city where much of the art is in churches, or churches that have been turned into museums. In fact, the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, right by the train station, is practically an art museum in its own right. If you make this a stopover visit, you could add two nights to Rome, and then it might make sense to visit the Vatican Museums.
Try to get a multi-city ticket, flying into Rome and home from Venice. Or, you could reverse the itinerary and start in Venice and fly home from Rome.
Feb 11th, 2015, 07:21 AM
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Aren't some things just obvious? Are all tourists as dumb and incompetent as certain posters make them out to be?
If you only have two days in Rome, what are the chances that someone will want to spend one day inside a museum? (Of course, art majors might view that as a dream come true.)
The "2 nights in Rome, 2 nights in Florence, and 3 nights in Venice" is its own issue. It's certainly not a trip I would ever plan. But, without knowing the OP, any suggestion to skip the Vatican Museums seems nothing more than controlling.
If you only have two days in Rome, what are the chances that someone will want to spend one day inside a museum? (Of course, art majors might view that as a dream come true.)
The "2 nights in Rome, 2 nights in Florence, and 3 nights in Venice" is its own issue. It's certainly not a trip I would ever plan. But, without knowing the OP, any suggestion to skip the Vatican Museums seems nothing more than controlling.
Feb 11th, 2015, 07:26 AM
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I second bvlenci's suggestion of getting multi-city (also known as open jaw) plane tickets. They should cost about the same as round-trip and save you the time and expense of backtracking.
And her suggestion of starting in Venice is a good one, especially if you're arriving after a long overnight flight. In that case you'll be sleepy and jet-lagged. (Jet lag bothers me more as I get older, so it might affect your mother more than you.) Wandering around in a jet-lagged daze is appropriate sight-seeing in Venice. And you'll have that extra day to recover.
Rome is more intense and you need to be alert when moving around.
And her suggestion of starting in Venice is a good one, especially if you're arriving after a long overnight flight. In that case you'll be sleepy and jet-lagged. (Jet lag bothers me more as I get older, so it might affect your mother more than you.) Wandering around in a jet-lagged daze is appropriate sight-seeing in Venice. And you'll have that extra day to recover.
Rome is more intense and you need to be alert when moving around.
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