Travel To Italy .....some questions for those who have made the trip....

NecessaryIndulg said:

We have always rented a car and driven place to place.  Trains are a good option, too.  Of course there are some cities where a car isn't needed, like Rome, so you might want to consider starting or ending there.

While in Tuscany, I highly recommend Officina Della Bistecca.  It is a meat-eater's paradise located an hour south of Florence and 3 hours north of Rome.  I've been three times and I'll go again the next time I'm anywhere near there.

I have a bunch of info on my site if you want to take a look.  I can also offer some ideas on lodging/restaurants once you narrow down your route.

uh...yes please.

We went to Venice and Florence. I would say 4 days in each city minimum, but we do not like to be rushed. Food is fantastic everywhere but I heard Bologna was the place to go for food. We did not do tours either with the exception of the Prosecco Way in the Veneto and Tuscany for the Chianti tour. Well worth the time and effort.

One thing I was told, and I found to be true, is do not buy Olive Oil there as you can find almost all of that here. If anything, purchase Balsamic Vinegar. We bought a bottle of fantastic stuff that was expensive but so worth it-I should have bought multiples.

One last thing-packing to come back. Ship everything you can back separately. If you go over by one pound they charge you the 'stupid tax', about $125 American per bag. I will not do that again!

As an Italian citizen (living in the US), let me weight in.  Italy has so much to see that you really have to pick an area and accept the fact that you cannot see everything that the country has to offer.

If art is your focus, I would suggest the standard three city tour of Venice-Florence-Rome.  Venice does not have the rich art of the other two cities, but Venice is such a beautiful and unique city that you have to see it at some point in your life.  You can get to each of the cities very easily by train.  It's just a couple of hours between them if you do them in geographic order.

I would spend a minimum of a week and a half, but preferably two weeks.  If time is truly an issue, Venice can be done in two nights, Florence in two nights, and Rome in three or four.   

Consider spending an extra day or two in Florence and renting a car to see the Tuscan hill towns.  Even though it's on the beaten path, Tuscany is truly gorgeous.  

Do not go in the summer.  I repeat, do not go in the summer.  The heat can be absolutely brutal and the crowds are at their highest.  My favorite months of the year are September (late), October, April, and May.

While I am an independent traveler, you are really doing a disservice to yourself if you do not have a guide for some of the more popular sites.  An audio guide is fine in the Vatican, Uffizi, and other museums.  But an in-person guide should really be considered for the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum.

While Pompeii can be done as a day trip from Rome, it's an insanely long day.  A fantastic alternative is Ostia Antica, which is a very short train ride from downtown Rome.  It is nearly as impressive as Pompeii with a lot fewer tourists.  Be sure to get a tour guide or you will be missing out on a lot at this site.

Other nice day trips from Rome are Hadrian's Villa and Orvieto.  If you can't see a Tuscan hill town, Orvieto is worth checking out.  It's not as compelling as the well known Tuscan hill towns, but it has a charm of its own and it gives you a good idea of what a hill town is like.  

Where to fly into?  With the train, it really doesn't matter that much.  Rome, Florence, Bologna, and Venice are all fine choices that are right on the route that I suggested.  Just pick the cheapest option.  

Book your tickets ahead.  Almost all of the major sites allow this.  If you don't, you will spend HOURS in line just for tickets.  Your vacation time is too precious to be wasted in this manner.

If you want a truly special tour, consider the Scavi tour at the Vatican.  This is a tour that is limited to 200 or so people a day.  You are taken to the ancient crypts that are below the Vatican.  It's a fascinating tour that many people don't ever do.  You have to be sure to order tickets ahead of time from the Vatican's website.  They sell out quickly.

NEKEgger said:

One other thing about Italy.  I always say that Italy is  better to visit than France.  Like France, it has world class art and food.  But it doesn't have the French.

I sure hope you were under the influence when you chose to post your opinion on the French, in their home.
Real class.

We found it less expensive to fly into the cheapest European airport, then take a separate flight into Italy. You'll need more time in each place than you plan. We really enjoyed Sicily. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Awesome blog post Kristi! Thanks. We are doing a full day butcher class with Dario. Pretty fired up about that.

The Cen-Tex Smoker Holy Smokes... how cool is that! I can't wait to hear about it. 

NEKEgger said:

The catch to using a discount European airline is that their baggage policies are VERY strict.  You have to be sure to read the fine print before you book.

Everything is extra with many of these low cost carriers, including hold luggage.  Cabin baggage is strictly controlled and often actually weighed / measured.  If you do it right, the low cost carriers can be really cheap, but you need to be careful.

Also to note, airport check in times are often quoted at 2 hours and for a busy airport, you need this time.  Consider how much wasted time you will spend at the airport as well as the cost of the flights.

I'll be sure to tell my Parisian girlfriend who completely agrees with me that some guy named YukonRon knows better.  She'll get a kick out of that.

Geesh relax. 

Done threadjacking, Yukon?

Maybe you would enjoy some summer reading: https://www.amazon.com/Arrogance-French-Us-Feeling-Mutual/dp/1595230106/

"Spend some time in the country, and maybe you will understand..."

The seven years I spent was not enough?  How does that compare to you?

 I'm just echoing what the French themselves say: https://www.connexionfrance.com/Archive/France-is-arrogant-say-the-French

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/9429548/French-admit-they-are-rude-stroppy-and-slothful.html

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/zut-alors-french-admit-they-are-the-rudest-in-the-world-7169348.html

And whatever you do, don't read Vice News: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/the-vice-guide-to-paris-2014-549

Sorry if it doesn't fit in with your aspirations to be the top SJW, but you'll have to take it up with the French, not me.  I find it somewhat comical that you would hurl ad hominem attacks at me when, of the two of us, I am the only one saying what the actual French say when asked.  I guess it's a good thing that I have a sense of humor.  Attacking my French girlfriend who isn't even involved in this discussion for her opinion (shared by the majority) of her own people is about as uncalled for as you can get. 

I think that I'll conclude this post with a quote: "Spend some time in the country, and maybe you'll understand."

Battleborn said:

On my first deployment, I was lucky enough to go to Rome twice. Each time I got off the train at a different point and just walked around. The best experience of my life. 

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but when did you go to Sam?