Planning a summer vacay to Italy

[MakingTheGrade]

For about 7 days. Planning to hit Rome, Florence, and .....maybe one more spot. Any suggests about another place to visit that''s close enough to get to by train? Or advice in general about vacationing in Italy?

Thanks!

 

[kama_s]

I am too! I was planning on starting a similar thread, so hope you wouldn''t mind if I steal some ideas people share. What I''ve heard so far is to avoid the summer months - it''s too hot and very crowded with tourists.

We''re probably going to do a 11-13 day trip beginning of September, I''d like to hit rome, Florence, Venice and the Amalfi Coast. Too much to do in so little time.

 

[Burberrygirl]

Siena (ETA: I keep looking at this thinking it's wrong, some spell it Siena and others spell it Sienna, I wonder which is right lol) or Pisa? Those immediately came to mind, I've never been to Italy--I was supposed to go this past summer but there were two deaths in the family. Hopefully I'll get there in the next year or two.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I''m going in June since it''s the only time I have off, so I''ll just have to live through the weather, hehe.

We''re trying to decide whether to do hotels or maybe rent something in Rome and just do mostly day trips out of there. Things are very much in the brainstorm stage right now, haha. Right now I''m thinking of maybe Tuscany as destination number 3.

I''m planning to leave my nice jewelery at home, I hear theft there can be common so I''d rather be safe than sorry.

I''m mostly just looking forward to the FOOOOOD.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Another vote for the Amalfi Coast. The train only goes as far as Naples IIRC, but we rented a car for the whole 2 weeks we were outside of Rome, and we found it not incredibly difficult to get around.

Here's a link to my thread; https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/back-from-italy-with-loads-of-pics.82143/
We went to Rome, Positano, Tuscany (Arezzo and Montegufoni) Florence, and back to Rome. We drove all over Tuscany, and I found driving through the countryside to be one of the greatest ways to see the country. Driving the Amalfi Coast was indeed stressful, but if you've ever driven the west side of Maui or the road to Hana, it's pretty similar in terms of fear-factor.

Here are some links I've collected over the years on PS;

www.car-rental-italy.com - I used them, we paid $500 for a VW Golf level for 12 days.
www.rentvillas.com - weekly rentals. I've had great luck and have decided to use them again for my trip to Cote d'Azur in April
www.vrbo.com - I think they offer non-weekly rentals. Haven't used them yet, but many people swear by them.
I've had this link saved since W and I got back from Italy and Positano - http://www.rentvillas.com/PropertyListing.aspx?Location=5184
www.lesirenuse.it.com - stunning, stunning hotel in Positano
http://www.hotelpasitea.it/
http://www.ilsanpietro.it/
http://www.ondaverde.it/
Ravello - http://www.hotelcaruso.com/web/orav/hotel_caruso_ravello.jsp


If you want to go to Venice, this hotel is lovely;
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=73

St. Regis in Rome;
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=71
Marriott;
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/romdt-rome-marriott-grand-hotel-flora/

Check this place out for hotels;
http://biddingfortravel.yuku.com/forums/110/t/Italy.html

Also, other dream locations in Italy include Portofino and Cinque Terre, Lagio Maggiore, Como, etc.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 1/24/2010 6:13:19 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
I''m going in June since it''s the only time I have off, so I''ll just have to live through the weather, hehe.

We''re trying to decide whether to do hotels or maybe rent something in Rome and just do mostly day trips out of there. Things are very much in the brainstorm stage right now, haha. Right now I''m thinking of maybe Tuscany as destination number 3.

I''m planning to leave my nice jewelery at home, I hear theft there can be common so I''d rather be safe than sorry.

I''m mostly just looking forward to the FOOOOOD.

You''re right to leave your jewelry at home. I just wore my plain wedding band, and my studs and pendant. I never had any trouble, but we did everything we could to be aware of our surroundings and keep valuables to a minimum.

The food is just amazing. The best food we had was at Castello di Gargonza (http://www.gargonza.it/) where we stayed for a couple of nights in Tuscany. It''s kind of out in the middle of nowhere, but the food was totally worth the drive.

 

[Matata]

Cinque Terre. Great place to relax after the hustle & bustle of Florence. A few hours away by train.

 

[megumic]

I visited Rome years and years and years ago, but we stayed at Hotel Eden which was too fabulous to even describe. Not sure what it went for then, nor do I know what it goes for now, but it''s a lovely place to stay!

 

[kama_s]

How much time would you folks recommend spending at each of the places suggested?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Yeah, I don't know how much sense it would make to rent for 2 nights at a time though... Don't know if it would be significantly cheaper than a hotel. But yeah, checking the rates, it seems the nicer hotels are like 500$/night, so I'm trying to sleuth around for something a bit cheaper but doesn't require me to bring my own soap, lol.

I think I'm planning 2 days in rome, 2 in florence, 2 days in Tuscany, and then flying back out of rome.

 

[icekid]

Date: 1/24/2010 8:14:12 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade

I think I''m planning 2 days in rome, 2 in florence, 2 days in Tuscany, and then flying back out of rome.

Personally, I think this is too much unless you''re a "surface" traveler. I cannot even imagine only 2 days in Rome... it would make me cry! If only a week for travel, I''d limit to one or two places. You don''t want to spend the entire trip getting from point A to point B.

 

[Matata]

MakingTheGrade...You can spend a short time in each spot hitting the highlights or a longer stay to savor not only the major sites but to also soak up the atmosphere of each place. If you''ve never visited Rome & Florence before, I strongly recommend staying longer in each & skipping Tuscany. I''m assuming you want to see the major sites so if that''s not true, press ignore, LOL. Rome especially is worth at least 3 days, one of which can be spent entirely at the vatican. Most folks don''t spend much time in the Trastevere area of Rome and it''s studded with beautiful lesser known museums & churches and has a ton of awesome restaurants.

Florence is doable in two days but you''ll miss some savory sites by not having time to stroll and explore. I spent 2 hours staring at the David''s butt. That butt is one of the most magnificent things I''ve ever seen.

I''ve often recommended Rick Steves guides which are full of eating/sleeping info for all budgets. He also includes how/where to get train tickets, days & hours of museum operations and such gems as a secret way to exit the Sistine Chapel so you don''t have to walk 2 miles back thru the vatican museum.

 

[AprilBaby]

I would do 3-4 days just in Rome, take a side trip to Pompeii, 3 days in Florence. You are going to fast through each city.

 

[Upgradable]

Date: 1/24/2010 8:50:49 PM
Author: Matata
MakingTheGrade...You can spend a short time in each spot hitting the highlights or a longer stay to savor not only the major sites but to also soak up the atmosphere of each place. If you''ve never visited Rome & Florence before, I strongly recommend staying longer in each & skipping Tuscany. I''m assuming you want to see the major sites so if that''s not true, press ignore, LOL. Rome especially is worth at least 3 days, one of which can be spent entirely at the vatican. Most folks don''t spend much time in the Trastevere area of Rome and it''s studded with beautiful lesser known museums & churches and has a ton of awesome restaurants.

Florence is doable in two days but you''ll miss some savory sites by not having time to stroll and explore. I spent 2 hours staring at the David''s butt. That butt is one of the most magnificent things I''ve ever seen.

I''ve often recommended Rick Steves guides which are full of eating/sleeping info for all budgets. He also includes how/where to get train tickets, days & hours of museum operations and such gems as a secret way to exit the Sistine Chapel so you don''t have to walk 2 miles back thru the vatican museum.

Oh, HELL to the YEAH!!!

Hubby and I did 12 days for our twentieth anniversary, and we could have stayed another week!! I agree with Icekid saying that I''d rather spend the time getting to see two amazing places than regretting not being able to enjoy three or more!

We started in Venice, took the train to Florence, drove into Tuscany, and then took the train into Rome. AMAZING!!!

 

[icekid]

Italy is absolutely incredible, a place that is meant to be savored. My hubby and I would have no problem spending a week in Rome by itself. We love it so!

 

[wsu12]

Just had to chime in on hotels(was in Italy less than a year ago). We loved the following:

Rome: Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria
http://www.romecavalieri.com/

Florence: JK Place
http://www.jkplace.com/

Venice: Starwood Splendid
http://www.starhotels.com/hotel/splendid_venice_venezia/starhotels_splendid_venice.php?idalb=18&lin=2

I wish that we had time to do the Amalfi Coast...Sorrento, Positano and Capri are stunning.

Enjoy!!!!

 

[MAC-W]

Date: 1/24/2010 5:47:50 PM
Author:MakingTheGrade
For about 7 days. Planning to hit Rome, Florence, and .....maybe one more spot. Any suggests about another place to visit that's close enough to get to by train? Or advice in general about vacationing in Italy?

Thanks!

If you can manage it I would recommend Trieste - Its in the far north east of Italy, very close to Croatian border and has one of the best fish restaurants I've ever been to.


Also (and probably a bit more practical) MILAN! I spent 18 months there and it is fabulous. Amazing shopping, Il Duomo is stunning and you have lake como and lake garda almost on your doorstep. Plus some of the local villages around the lakes are fabulous - Check out Limone.

Also not too far for a weekend trip to Austria (Innsbruk)

Turin is also very nice.

oh and if you're going in summer forget venice - it stinks (literally)


WRT the theft issue, I never had a problem at all when I lived there or any of the times I went on business trips or holidays. having said that I was never in Rome, but hubby had his bucks weekend in Rome and wore his rolex the whole time with no issues. You just need to take the same precautions as you would in any large (unknown) city in the US.

Having said all of the above, if you are only there for 7 days, according to hubby there's more than enough to keep you fully occupied in Rome and still leave thinking "I wish I'd had time to ...."


maybe you can use my suggestions for your next trip!

wherevere you go and for however long - ENJOY! Italy is fabulous. If I wasnt a homesick Australian I would probably still be there (or maybe Istanbul or Prague).

 

[lucyandroger]

Date: 1/24/2010 8:56:28 PM
Author: AprilBaby
I would do 3-4 days just in Rome, take a side trip to Pompeii, 3 days in Florence. You are going to fast through each city.

Absolutely. This is what I recommend as well! Pompeii is amazing.

Date: 1/24/2010 9:09:25 PM
Author: icekid
Italy is absolutely incredible, a place that is meant to be savored. My hubby and I would have no problem spending a week in Rome by itself. We love it so!

Yes! 2 days in Rome is NOT enough. My SO and I did a one week trip to Italy in ''06 and spent three days in Rome and it was not enough. We ended up going back and spending a full week in Rome in ''08 and we still didn''t want to leave.

 

[winternight]

Ditto on what the others said, we spent a week in Rome and it was barely enough. Also like the Rick Steve''s guide - has a bunch of great gellato recommendations & my favorite restaurant in Rome Gabriello''s --- really, really good Italian, otherwise I have to say I wasn''t thrilled with the food I had in Rome. If you like Museums I highly recommend the Galleria Borghese for which you have to buy tickets in advance since they only sell timed tickets. Not crowded and just a fantastic collection. For the Vatican/ Sistine Chapel I recommend paying to be part of a tour and skipping most of the insane lines.

Rome''s airport has great duty free - not sure if its your thing, but Lora Piana, Gucci, Hermes... All those shops are also around the Spanish Steps area where we stayed, but for the most part prices in the US are lower due to sales. Another thing in the Spanish Steps area the rooms Keats was staying in while he died. Pretty amazing to be there. Another highlight for me was visiting the Carpathian? sp? monks - the ones who make tombs out of their skeletons, creepy and really interesting. You probably need at least 2 days only for the Vatican and the Forum -- btw they sell these great books by there which look like kids book with pictures of what it looks like "now" overlayed with pics of what it looked like "then" --- really helps you visualize.

Florence is gorgeous - I went years ago stayed with a friend who was living there so I don''t have much specific advice. She did buy an amazing piece of art from a local artist and have it framed which I thought was neat. I bought a few pieces of gold jewerly set with glass - and bargained for them! Um, btw I hope you are prepared for the glorious jewelry shopping that is in Florence, the enamel work is so gorgeous!!

 

[Snicklefritz]

Assisi is beautiful! It''s been awhile since I was there. I can''t remeber how long it took to get there from Rome but it couldn''t have been more than a few hours.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/24/2010 8:14:12 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
Yeah, I don''t know how much sense it would make to rent for 2 nights at a time though... Don''t know if it would be significantly cheaper than a hotel. But yeah, checking the rates, it seems the nicer hotels are like 500$/night, so I''m trying to sleuth around for something a bit cheaper but doesn''t require me to bring my own soap, lol.

I think I''m planning 2 days in rome, 2 in florence, 2 days in Tuscany, and then flying back out of rome.

Uh, no.

Are you taking the train? Because if so, travel time will cut into each of those two days you are spending in those cities. And flying back out of rome (which I assume you are getting back there by train)? Mistake.

If you are dead set on seeing Florence and Rome, see those two places. Siena can be done as a day trip from Florence (although IMHO, the magic of Siena is at night when the place is quieter, but I was there in the winter). Forget the Amalfi Coast...seriously, forget it. Train goes to Naples and then you have to take another commuter train to Sorrento. And let''s face it, the magic of the Amalfi Coast is NOT in Sorrento. You have to take a bus to positano (which I guarantee you will be a NIGHTMARE in the summer if things are still the same way they were when I went a few years ago). It''s not far mileage wise, but you are talking single lane windy roads that are clogged by busses. We did the Amalfi Coast by scooter, and that was crazy (and I mean, CRAZY, fun.) I love the Amalfi Coast, but it''s a seriously bad idea with the timing you have.

Pisa can be done as a easy day trip from Siena, if my memory serves me correctly, so if you stay there you can do it in one morning. Let me know if this is an option because there are two train stops in Pisa. One is easy to get to the leaning tower, and the other one, not so much so. The problem is that tourists often come off the other station and I hear it''s really ugly. Pisa is a tourist trap, but it''s cool to see nonetheless IMHO.

And another vote for David''s butt. By some amazing miracle, I was the ONLY person in the room with him the morning I went. When another tourist came in, I had her take a photo of me and David...alone.

 

[Arkteia]

You may wish to find out which of the days the museums are closed. I do not remember which one it is (either Monday or Wednesday) but if you are planning a short trip it might come out handy! I''d also go to Milano or Piza.

Also, if it has not been covered before - most of Europeans drive makeshtift cars. If you are not familiar with them it is going to be a disaster in the city. Check with the rental agency - many of them have automatic transmission but you have to ckeck in advance.

(Sorry, I don''t know where you live. For some reason I think it is US).

 

[TravelingGal]

ETA, correction, I did the daytrip to Pisa from Lucca, I think. Apologies!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Seconding Sienna and the Cinque Terre.

In Sienna there is a great convent where you can rent a room. It''s inexpensive and very quaint. We did that and sat on our balcony eating cherries and watching everyonet ake their evening stroll in the plaza as the sun set--AMAZING!@ There is also an amazing villa turned hostel in Florence with private rooms, adn I think private bathrooms.

The cinque terre is the most amazing place I have ever been. We rented rooms there and stayed for 2-3 nights.

Florence is great and definitely requires more than one-two days if you really want to see it.

I spent 3 weeks in Italy one summer staying at a villa in a little town called Imola and doing several day trips to each of the following: Milan, Venice, Florence, random hill towns in Tuscany and EMilia Romagna. The second and third days we went somwhere were always the best b/c we were more acclaimated.

The the next year I spent a month backpacking in Europe and spent 7-10 days in Italy--mostly Florence, Siena, Genoa, and the Cinque Terre.

DH and I didn''t really take a honeymoon, so as soon as time and budget allow (probably around our fifth anniversary) we want to go to Greece and southern Italy (including Rome).

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 1/24/2010 8:14:12 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
Yeah, I don''t know how much sense it would make to rent for 2 nights at a time though... Don''t know if it would be significantly cheaper than a hotel. But yeah, checking the rates, it seems the nicer hotels are like 500$/night, so I''m trying to sleuth around for something a bit cheaper but doesn''t require me to bring my own soap, lol.

I think I''m planning 2 days in rome, 2 in florence, 2 days in Tuscany, and then flying back out of rome.

Just happened across another vacation rental site - http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rentals/italy/rome-lazio/r368

There are some rentals that charge nightly, some by the week. I can''t vouch for them personally, but a colleague of mine swears by the site.