Who has travelled to Italy solo?
 

Hello,
I don't know if you remember me but I posted earlier this spring about taking my first solo trip to Spain.

It was a wonderful trip and now I'm hooked on solo travel! Not to say that I don't enjoy going with others, but I had such a great time on my own in Spain, I am ready to start planning another solo trip!

It's far away - next spring - but I would like to go to Italy. I would probably spend around 7-9 nights and go to Rome, Florence and Venice.

If anyone has travelled solo to Italy, I'd love to hear advice on what you enjoyed, how much time you spent in each city, hotels, etc. Especially hotels - I want somewhere safe and nice - maybe around 100-125 euros for a single? Is this possible in Italy?

Thanks for any tips. I received wonderful advice before I went to Spain, and hoping to get some more for Italy!

Yes, lots of solo travelers to Italy around. I've been solo to Lake Maggiore (just beautiful), Rome (way too hot when I was there, but great if you're into Roman remains), Ferrara (unexpectedly interesting), Ravenna (don't miss the mosaics there!) and Castlerotto (good mountains, good value hotels). I'm planning on six nights in Venice in November.

Post on the Europe board for help with hotels. Take a look at slowtrav.com for lots of Italy info and fans. Head to the library or the local bookstore and check out some guidebooks.

Other places for hotel help - tripadvisor.com, www.sawdays.co.uk, venere.com. I stayed at the Aberdeen in Rome, which is within your price range, but you should have plenty of choice if you're willing to pay that much - I usually try to go quite a bit cheaper. In Venice I'll be staying at La Calcina.

Thanks for the reply, thursdaysd. I may check out La Calcina for Venice - I know I have seen lots of positive posts about it on the Europe board.

I'm anxious to hear from other solo Italy travellers. I think I felt like I should wait to go to Italy when someone else would be able to come with me, but now I feel like what am I waiting for?! Italy can be enjoyed solo!

No reason to wait. But, I think you will find the pickpocket situation worse in Rome than in Madrid. Do wear a money belt!

I've only been to Venice in Italy, but there two times.

Both I went there from Switzerland as part of a longer trip. First time solo, second was with a friend. I stayed at La Calcina both times (it came recommended by my European friends long before I'd heard about it here). www.lacalcina.com

Venice is perfect solo. What I did was just get out and wander around the city each day. I didn't have any plans (I didn't know I was going until a couple days earlier, when my dear friend I was staying with in Vevey told me "are you just going to sit on my terrace drinking wine, or get out and see something?" -lol!). So she helped me figure out a 5 day trip to Venice and back. Ooops sorry, off topic & point being, I had no plans, not even a map or a guidebook, since we couldn't find one in English in Vevey.

That's my story & I'm sticking to it... It was a fantastic solo trip!

Lolly100~ Glad Spain was good for you. Thanks for posting.

Thanks for responding, suze. I remember you from my earlier posts about my first solo trip. You were so encouraging! I am so glad I tried out solo travel - I love it!

It's great to hear you enjoyed Venice alone. It sounds wonderful just wandering the city and taking it all in. And I'm glad La Calcina gets a good review from you. I will definitely try to book my stay there.

Lolly,

I have gone solo twice to Italy and totally enjoyed it. In fact I leave in 6 weeks for my third visit in the last 2 years(8 nights in Rome, then 7 nights in Paris) My choice would be to split your time between Florence and Rome.

If you only have 7-9 nights, for your first visit, I would choose 2 of the big 3 for your first visit. This way you can spend more time in both places and get a better feel for each. Although, you will only scratch the surface and will want to return!!

In Rome, I would stay near Piazza Novana. Go to venere.com to search for hotels. Centrally located and within walking distance of all the major attractions.

Florence, my favorite city in the world, is smaller and more compact and easily covered by foot. Try venere again for a place to stay.

Tom

www.pbase.com/trsw

I'm not against the idea of going to 2 cities in your 7-9 day trip, but I would keep Venice and add either Florence or Rome myself!

I'd try to make it 9 days, then when you subtract your landing and leaving travel days, at least you still have one full week on the ground.

I will definitely try to go for 9 days because I do want to see all 3 cities. I do travel at a fairly quick pace by myself, so I think this will work for me. Right now I'm thinking maybe Rome 4 nights, Florence 3 nights and Venice 2 nights. Although after your comments on Venice, suze, I'm tempted to give it more time! But I just don't have anywhere to take it from....

suze, for La Calcina, how early do you book ahead of time?

Hi again Lolly!

I think with 7-9 days I would just pick two cities and see them more thoroughly. In three trips, I've spent about 12 days total in Florence, I spent 4 days in Venice last year and have only spent one day in Rome (about to change that with 8 days there in Nov.) But believe me, in planning Rome I am becoming more and more convinced that there's never enough time to see her properly! ;-) I'd try and split it so you have at least 4 and 4 in each of two cities and limit your transfer time, but you know from your Spain question I'm a stickler for minimal moving around!

Re: hotels...I think all three of these would be close to your budget: the only hotel I would return to in Florence of the three I stayed in is the Hotel Alessandra, located on a sidestreet between the Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria. My hotel in Venice was wonderful, the Hotel Anastasia, located in a very quiet location within 2 min of San Marco. I am staying at the Hotel Parlamento in Rome in a couple months, but have heard nothing but raves on it from people I trust so far.

I agree Venice is really great to wander and there's so much to see and so many chances to get lost and discover more!

All I can tell you on which two to pick is to definitely include Florence, it is my favorite city in the world! I think it's pretty user-friendly, beautiful and has a lot to offer. I'm actually trying to work a day-trip from Rome in when I go in Nov just to see it again!

As early as possible, it is deservedly a VERY popular hotel. Especially because you'll likely want (for economy) to have one of their small single rooms.

Thanks, amyb! You were so helpful before I went to Spain - everything you said was spot on! So I definitely value your opinion about Italy.

You are definitely giving me something to think about - trying to narrow it down to 2 cities. I would really like to go to all 3, but at the same time, I don't want to be so tired that I can't enjoy them.

I've been reading up on Italy in the Europe forum and there are so many differing opinions that it makes it hard to come to a decision. Some people love Florence, some hate it. Same goes with Venice. I think that's why I want to try all 3. Then hopefully go back some day to spend more time in each.

Thank you so much for the hotel recs. Did you stay in single rooms in these? I'll definitely be interested to hear about your trip to Rome this fall. I agree, it sounds like there is SO much to see in Rome.

What were your favorite parts about Florence? Did you do any day trips from there? Actually, I should probably click on your name to see if you have a trip report for Italy....

I should probably quit researching. April is far away - but it's so much fun to plan!

Lolly, I stayed in single room in Venice and will be in Rome. I went with someone to Florence the time I stayed at the Alessandra.

I split a week between Paris and Venice last year, and it was the better part of a day moving from one to another. With only 10 days I considered it a waste of time and wouldn't do that again if I can help it. It would be most easy for you to do Rome and Florence, since they are approx 2 hours apart by train. Venice is then 2+ hours past Florence.

I was totally overwhelmed by Rome the first time I was there, but it was a day trip from the Amalfi Coast and I just wanted to see as much as I could in the time we were there. This time I am purposefully planning to go slow and savor and am really trying to stay just there, as tempting as Orvieto and Florence both are.

First, I spent over a week once in Florence, then went back for another week, and then stayed there for 2 days on either side of a bike tour. I just love how compact it is, the architecture (nothing in the world like the marble on the duomo), the museums, the food, the people. It just struck me like no other city has. Venice definitely has something special, but it didn't hit me like Florence did, and I have no burning desire to go back, although it's not because I disliked it. I saw it and enjoyed it. There's just no draw to go back.

I did a day trip to Siena from Florence the first time and Pisa the last time. Other than that, we stayed in the city itself.

I have trip reports on all my Italy trips except the Amalfi Coast which was pre-Fodors for me. Paris/Venice from 5/06, Florence 3/02 and 3/04 and Tuscany bike tour 5/05. They're long (warning!) but you might be able to take away some good ideas.

Good luck planning, I'll let you know how Rome goes! ;-) April's not too far away, especially for hotels in bigger cities!

Hi Lolly, I'm glad your first solo trip went well. It's definitely a freeing feeling when you've made it happily through that first trip.

As for Italy, I haven't been yet, but am planning to go in the next few years. With what I know right now, my thought is to stick with Florence and Venice for an 8-10 day trip, giving 3-4 days in each city and a day each to visit my great grandparents home villages.

I feel that Rome deserves a full 7 days, so if I can't do an 18 day trip, I'll save her for another time.

Also remember that even though you're thinking 9 days for a trip, you have to add in not only the travel days at the beginning and end, but add in the day you switch cities which won't be a full day for sightseeing, etc. Think of it like this:

day 1 - travel day there
day 2-4 - Venice
day 5 - travel between Venice and Florence (realistically, you're only going to have 1/2 a day at most to do things on this day between travel and hotel check-out and check-in)
day 6-8 - Florence
day 9 - travel day home

With this schedule, you'll have 3 full days in each city with 4 nights in Venice and 3 in Florence. Adding Rome into that and you're cutting things real tight.

Hi Lolly, If you do decide to squeeze in all 3 cities, definitely get your plane ticket into Venice and out of Rome (or the other way around) to avoid having to waste time and money backtracking.

Lolly - I have been to Italy 6x, 3x solo. This is just my opinion, but I think Rome is very easy to do solo. It's chaotic, a little crazy, but magical and I love it. You can do it at whatever pace you are comfortable with. I now rent an apt. through www.realcome.com. I have been to Florence 2x, but it just does not draw me like Rome does, or many other cities in Italy. It is very compact, but because of that when I've been there, it's been so crowded that it just was not worth it. I have been to Venice once and I really enjoyed it. I definitely want to go back and spend a few days when I can. My 2 cents worth - I would spend 2 days in Venice and the rest of the time in Rome, flying into one and out of the other. If you really wanted to see Florence you could do it as a day trip from Rome. Whatever you decide, you will have a wonderful trip!! Remember, you can always go back for more.

Love reading these posts. Got me thinking about going to Italy again. Barb the link to the apartment rental isn't working. Is it right?

travisblue - I think the link should be www.realrome.com

Tom

duh, sorry.

I traveled to Italy for 2 weeks on my own may 2006 and loved every minute! I started in Florence and ended up in Venice, my favorite city. I stayed at La Calcina, which I plan to stay in the next time I'm in Venice.

This past May I spent 9 nights in Paris.

Off to Rome in 13 days for a cruise - solo, but I do have friends on board to hang out with on some of the ports, but planning to enjoy time to myself.

http://www.luvtotravel.homstead.com/home.html You can read my Italy journal, which may give you some ideas for your trip.

Monica ((F))

If you click on my name, you can read my report about going to rome alone last November.

I'm going solo to Italy, my first trip there, in early October. 15 nights. Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre (probably Levanto actually), and Rome (possibly Sorrento - as a base for Pompeii). Looks like I'm going to throw in one more night in Bologna between Venice and Florence. I'm using the train and not driving. I'm staying in apartments or hotels and not hostels, on a budget. I booked them mostly via Cross-Pollinate.com (which charges, interestingly, per person).

I'm not a museum person. I'm a photographer. Mostly I'm planning to wander around the cities (hike the Cinque Terre towns), eat, and take lots of pictures. I'm using Rick Steves as my primary guidebook, plus digesting a lot of posts from the Fodors Europe board.

i did about 9 yrs ago. i flew to rome and stayed there for 5 days. definitely go and see the sun rise over the ruins and see the vatican. the only part that got me down was the night time. i felt a bit uncomfortable going out on my own. why? not sure considering it was only there and not in other cities.

i then took the train to florence (which is one of my favorite cities in the world). i stayed there for 4 days and loved it. the people were so friendly. go see il duomo and david. hang on the ponte vecchio (very expensive jewelry, but you can bargain). also, there is supposedly a factory for prada/gucci? not sure. ask around.

then i took a train to venice. i should have done a day trip to pisa, but alas i was young and stupid. anyway, i was supposed to stay in venice for 3 days, but had enough with 2. a gondola ride and murano are cliche, but fun. lots of the same glass stuff, so don't be quick to buy until you have shopped around. st. mark's square is another place to see at sunrise. beautiful! and soon, it will be under water, so get it while u can.

then i trained it to milano, which i did not like. very industrial and unfriendly. was glad to leave and sorry i didn't go to napoli or the southern areas/islands.

have a great time! if you try to speak italian, they will love you more!!!

I'm going the opposite direction that you went, Doctoressa. Well, starting in Rome, then quick train to Venice, then back through Florence, detour up to Cinque Terre, then back Rome (Pompeii for a day too). I'm hoping to do a day trip to Siena from Florence. And Pisa is a train stop on the way from Florence to CT so I'm hoping to get off for two hours, see the field of miracles (Leaning Tower) and head on. As a photographer I'm tempted to try to photograph the tower at dusk or night, but we'll have to see how that idea pans out...

I spent a week in Rome a couple of years ago and got a nice room, en suite, in a pensione just off Campo de Fiori for 6oo Euros. I think I found it through venere.com, or an article in the NY Times. Check out the NY Times travel section. They usually have good recs on local hotels in their articles.

Great walking city and in a week did all the major sites - the Forum, the Vatican, the piazzas, the Pantheon, major museums, Travestere, a gazillion cathedrals/basilicas/churches, via Veneto, Ostia Antica, via Appia, Opera, concerts, etc...

Hi Lolly100,

I was in the north/northwestern parts of Italy in April/May and it's perfectly OK traveling solo there. I spent 5 days in Como/Bellagio, 5 days in Aosta/Cogne/Lillaz, 3 days in Turin and another 3 in Milan. Hotel room averaged 60 euros in all the places except for Milan (where I redeemed Starwood points and wallowed in luxury at Le Meridien). Love Aosta/Cogne/Lillaz as these towns are off the beaten track and the scenery that close to the Swiss/French borders is simply breathtaking.

Prior to the vacation part, I was on business in Rome, Verona, Vincenza and Milan; those hotels I stayed averaged 170 euros (but then again, I wasn't the one paying).

I use venere.com for all my Europe trips and it is a great site to look for nice accommodations at affordable prices. Don't forget to check it out!

Happy travels!

Hi i have made many trips to Europe alone. Each trip has been great. I just returned from a 3 week trip to Italy. I spent 1 week with family and then the rest of the time alone. i was in Rome and Florence alone. No problem being a single female traveler. Make sure to go out at night for dinner , that of course is one of the best things about traveling. I never had a problem making reservations for dinner. It was fun to people watch and sometimes I sat near people that I started to talk to. I live in New York City and have learned to be street smart. I would never go to areas taht i felt unsafe in , but I discovered that there were few areas that I would not go to. I walked all day and stopped for museums, churches, coffee and meals. i have made trips to Venice, Paris and London alone and had the same very memorable experiences.i strongly recommend that you go it alone and have a great time. By the way I am a woman in her 70's whose husband passsed away a few years ago and i did not want to stop travelling.
tdK