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

northGAcock

First, let me say I have no intentions of joining a tour group or planned itinerary. I am more of an explorer type of traveler. We are looking for this travel to occur during the 2018 calendar year. My wife is an artist, and while I know we will be visiting museums…..I had a good dose of them in Paris a couple of year ago. This trip will be more about me than her. While I expect to see the grand history and beauty, I also want to spend some time amongst the Italians and eat, cook and imbibe amongst their culture. Several questions as I look at beginning the macro planning of the trip.

• Where is the best place to Start (fly into/ out of) ?
• Is there a logical order or approach to visiting cities / and best way to travel between cities?
• What is the ideal time allotment needed to fully enjoy?
• Based on your experiences, are there any must see places that may not be a part of the mainstream tourist stops.
• Hearing fall or spring are the best times to travel…. any thoughts around this?

Your experiences and insights are greatly appreciated

JohnInCarolina

I'm not sure I can tell you a whole lot, since every time I've been it has been for work and not vacation.  

I think the spring is a great time to go, weather-wise.  Late April to early May is really nice there.  

I'd suggest getting out to the Amalfi coast if you can.  Capri and Anacapri are worth getting to, even if they are crowded.  

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I'm going on 6/19. I'll take good notes

JohnInCarolina

The other place that's really pretty cool is Murano - the glass blowing island near Venice.  

DoubleEgger

We went to Rome, Venice, and Lake Como (Bellagio). Highly recommend Como. It's an hour from Milan and Milan is non stop from Atlanta. Fly in to Rome and out of Milan or vice verse.  AC is sparse in Europe and especially in Italy. The AC that is there barely spits out any cold air. Shoulder seasons are the way to go in Europe. Never ever go to Europe is August. That's their vacation month. 

We can PM or chat on the phone if you'd like. 

dmchicago

Following as we plan to go this September.

bigbadben

We have flown into Rome, from Boston is it the only nonstop flight.  I have been too wiped to drive from the overnight flight so have have crashed in Rome for a couple days or hopped on a train. I wife has been about 13 times, including living in Italy twice.  She loves it.  

We like to stay in trestevere(sp?) in Rome. 

Once we took the train up to Florence then rented a car and drove back to Rome stopping overnight in cities like San Gamanano and Luca.  

Feel free to PM for advice or questions. 

DoubleEgger

Bellagio 


Varenna across the lake from Bellagio 

YEMTrey

I've got nothing to add other than ENJOY THE TRIP!

Battleborn

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. 

jeroldharter

Have no experience but I will be going for the first time for 4 weeks this fall. Summers are very crowded and hot - not my thing. I suggest shoulder season in spring or fall. 

The best airport to fly into depends on a lot including budget. We wanted to fly business class. The best option for us was to fly domestically to NYC, will spend a couple of days there, and then fly from JFK to Naples on Alitalia. Business class was pretty reasonable. Of course, we were not planning on going to Naples so we won't linger - will take the train to Milan. FYI, our flight goes from JFK directly to Rome but it costs much more to arrive in Rome than it does to move on to Naples. 

We plan to visit Milan, Cinque Terre, Florence, Tuscany countryside, Siena, San Gimignano, Venice, Murano and have some unscheduled time. Lake Como reportedly has issues with Syrian refugees stacking up - not sure how accurate that is but maybe they could stay with George Clooney since he is such a fan. We will be skipping Rome altogether on this trip preferring smaller places.

YukonRon

My top ten, in no particular order:

Trastevere - a village in Rome

San Gimigano - Toscanaa walk to Sovestro sample Tuscan wine.

Orvieto - day trip from Rome, 1 hr by train. Classic old-ancient Italian city

Ravello, Almafi Coast - Paradise, that is all.

Lake Maggiore - Alpine lake surrounded by snowcapped mountains.

Sardinia - great beaches, but head inland. Very cool stuff. Used to have the last herd of wild horses in western Europe. Plenty of other cool stuff.

Todi, Umbria - must see

Alberobello -  cool town with domed limestone dwellings. Rent a trulli and stay to explore in the evening. miss the crowds.

Cinque Terre - take the train in. cars are banned in the villages, beautiful area, great shops.

Strada Napoleanica, Triest - Take the trolley to the top and visit the village of Prosecco and Opincina then either walk back down or trolley back down to the beaches. 

I have a million others, but most of them have to do with climbing in the Alps.
I love Italy, you will too. So diverse.

Proser

First time we went we flew into Zurich and took the train thru the Swiss Alps to Lake Como,was not very expensive and worth the time Lake Como is beautiful and the train system in Italy runs like clockwork. I' enjoy Venice, Florence and the Tuscany area. Most cheap flights are in/out Rome. I'm not a big fan of the city. Most of the ancient ruins are surrounded by McDonalds or tourist shops. If you go to Rome, don't drive
If you make it to Florence don't miss the statue of David 
driving is not bad in Tucsany but the train works great to move around the country 
great food everywhere so that's not a problem

how much time do you have?

SciAggie

I see even more wallet genocide in my future. Geez guys, y'all are killing me. But then again - life is to be lived, no? @YukonRon Your descriptions sound simply fantastic. 

bikesAndBBQ

We just went and loved Rome, Salerno and Revello. Salerno was kind of off the beaten path but really cool. We went to a wedding in Salerno and it was nothing short of amazing.  Pompeii is worth visiting and is a quick train ride from Salerno. Enjoy the trip and eat gelato at least once a day. We went in September and Rome wasn't too crowded. The weather was still pretty hot too. 

Kcheves

We're going in early July.  We usually rent a place through VRBO and stay in one place, but this time we're going to spend 3-6 nights each in Rome, Florence, and Venice, then spend some time in Germany before flying home from Frankfurt.  Will be flying Condor Air, which has non-stops from San Diego to Frankfurt with connecting flights to other European cities.

Rome is a fantastic city, and I could spend the whole time there and be completely happy.  We'll be staying near Piazza Navona, which is walking distance to the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, the Forum, and the Coliseum.  We've stayed in this area before and loved it.

I saw the earlier recommendation for Orvieto, which is a worthwhile day trip from Rome.  I'd also recommend Santa Margherita Ligure, which is up the coast from Rome, past Pisa.  Nice little beach town with a ferry that runs to Portofino.

Have fun - you can hardly go wrong

Kit

San DiEGGo, CA

berndcrisp

Sienna, Asissi, Amalfi and Sorrento via the coast is a scenic drive.

Matera is an old cliff dwelling village, some scenes of 'Passion of the Christ' were shot there really cool. Any Catacomb is interesting.

 Naples is sort of the 'armpit' of Italy but a lot of geological stuff and history. Pizza in Naples at a 'tratteria' is a must!. Fresh 'Mozzerella de Buffalo' is beyond anything we get in the states. 

San Marino is very unique.

Late September-early Oct. Plan at least two weeks. Learn some basic language terms/skills and they will help and embrace you.

Try not to advertise (clothing and such) and that you are from the USA. Be aware of Gypsies at popular places, they won't hurt you but want your valuables.

Dinah_Moe_Humm

• Where is the best place to Start (fly into/ out of) ?
• Is there a logical order or approach to visiting cities / and best way to travel between cities?
• What is the ideal time allotment needed to fully enjoy?
• Based on your experiences, are there any must see places that may not be a part of the mainstream tourist stops. 
• Hearing fall or spring are the best times to travel…. any thoughts around this?

Your experiences and insights are greatly appreciated

My wife and I take a trip to Italy every year.  And this is where we stay: https://patrignone.com.  Podere Patrignone is a "agritusismo", a working olive farm.  Its located approximately 20 miles south of Florence.  They offer apartments.  The kitchens are fully equipped so you buy your own groccries and cook your own meals if you want. 

Where to fly in?  

It depends on where you want to go.  For people who are going to Italy for the first time they usually go to Rome, Florence and Venice.  The first couple of times I traveled to Italy I did that.  If that's what you want to do then I would suggest flying either into Rome or Venice and taking a train between the cities. Then flying home from either Rome or Venice.  Flying out of Venice, you'll probably have to connect in Europe somewhere.  Rome will be a direct flight home.   However, Rome is a pain in the ass to fly out of there.  There is so much to see and experience in Florence.  Although, Florence is a bit touristy, I think it is well worth it.  Rome is great too, lots to see and experence.  I thought Venice was ok, it's romantic, but a little stinky in the high summer.  Books museum or tour events ahead to save time.  

How long to stay?

I would recommend at least 12 days.  Or 3 days in each city with a couple of travel days thrown in.

Must see places?

Again, I think if your going for the first time, I recommend Rome and Florence.  Then when you want to visit the "countryside", I recommend:   Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano, Voltera, Todi, Cinque Terre, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Greve, Panzano and Radda (just to name a few!!)  I've never been there, but my wife loved the Lake Garda.

When to travel.

We always go when school is in session and Europe is not on vacation.  So that means, usually we travel beginning of June and the end of September.  My opinion is to stay away July, August and most of September.  During the summer months the big cities are crowded with tourist.  Outside the main cities its sill crowed ... but not as bad.

What we do.  

We travel from Philadelphia to Heathrow (wife is a Scot).  From Heathrow we connect to Piza.  We rent a car and head to where we stay, picking up our groceries on the way.  The only rental car you can hire is with a manual transmission.  Honestly, you don't want to go up and down the tuscan road with anything but!  This year (September), we'll attend 2 wine festivals, one in Greve and Pazanno. We'll visit Siena, and i think this year well head up to Rufina because there is a winery I have always wanted to visit.  I love Tuscany.

We take a Garmin.  You'll need it.  Also, invest in a Michelin map of Italy.  Reason.  Italy does not have accurate addresses, like here in the states.  Italians use coordinates.  Which I have never mastered.  So the Garmin will get you close to where you want to go, the Michelin map will fine tune your destination.  There are speed cameras everywhere.  DO NOT DRIVE INTO THE CENTER OF ANY CITY.  You will be fined.  They drive on the "right" side of the road.  You are expected to follow the rules of the road.  Which mean to use the left lane for passing only.  There are a lot of bicyclist on the weekend using the roads.  Most time you will need a "european" credit card for fuel and sometimes cash to fill up.  

All Italians are friendly.  I have never had a problem and I do not speak the language.  Respect them, eat what they eat and how they eat it and you'll have a great time.  Example:  Italian meals starts with an Anitpasto (something to nibble on), Primo which is usually a pasta. Secondo is the meat course, usually this course does not come with a vegetable.  To order a vegetable it is called a contorno.  My recommendation is on just load up on antipasto and pasta and call it a dinner.  Italians do not over sauce their pasta.  The pasta is the main thing.  Italians relax at dinner.  Never in a rush to eat ... take your time.  Italians like Americans.  We tip way too much.  I think10% is fine ... my wife a I alway fight on how much to tip!!  Drink lots of wine,

If you have any specific questions feel free to PM me.  
 

Dinah_Moe_Humm

Kcheves said:

Rome is a fantastic city, and I could spend the whole time there and be completely happy.  We'll be staying near Piazza Navona, which is walking distance to the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, the Forum, and the Coliseum.  We've stayed in this area before and loved it.

Kit

San DiEGGo, CA

Kcheves, just interested.  When in Rome, near the Pantheon, did you stay at the Relais Maddalena.  I thought it was just the one of the best places I've every stayed in Rome.  

Eggdicted_Dawgfan

Wow I never knew I wanted to visit Italy until I read this thread. Sounds awesome.

caliking

We went to Rome , Florence , and Venice 10 yrs ago. We were short on both vacation time and funds back then, so didn't get to venture out to other smaller cities or towns.  Flew into Milan, then took the train to Rome and other places. We booked an apartment in Rome, close to the Circus Maximus and a subway station. Rooms were booked in a house in Venice, and an inn sort of place in Florence. We used cross-pollinate.com to book our lodgings. Get the Rick Steves book, and his little Italian phrase/language book. 

Rome was easy to get around on foot, bus, and the subway. Be very careful with any personal belongings and what's in your pockets on the subway. The Galleria Borghese is a must see in Rome. You could never imagine that living beings could be carved out of marble. If you go to the Vatican City, buy some stamps from the Vatican post office. They make for cool gifts or souvenirs.

In Florence, book your tickets to the Uffizi in advance and pick them up at will-call. Takes 10mins, and will save you 2-3 hrs of waiting in line. If you go to Pisa, the choir sings in the cathedral every hour. The tour groups cram their customers in at the appointed times, so make sure you get a spot. Its absolutely beautiful to hear them sing in that space.

Venice is crowded and bothersome during the day, but is simply magical at night. Make sure you hang around the Piazza San Marco at night. Check out the islands of Murano (for glasswork) and Burano for lace. 

And Florence is THE place for gelato. Gelato shops are steps away from each other. Don't fall for the 20 euro tourist monstrosities. Just ask for a single scoop of whatever flavor you want in a cup/cone ("una pallina, il cono, por favore". Or something like that). And remember that good pistachio gelato is not green. Also check out an Il Papiro store if you have time. They make handmade paper of different kinds and its a neat place to browse around and spend some time. 

And as mentioned above, don't go in August because many (most?) businesses shut down. Its humid as all get out at that time too. Which is probably why everyone leaves. 

 We definitely want to go back sometime. I wouldn't mind spending a week in Florence itself. Such a great city. 

caliking

 

Kcheves

Dinah_Moe_Humm said:

Kcheves said:

Rome is a fantastic city, and I could spend the whole time there and be completely happy.  We'll be staying near Piazza Navona, which is walking distance to the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, the Forum, and the Coliseum.  We've stayed in this area before and loved it.

Kit

San DiEGGo, CA

Kcheves, just interested.  When in Rome, near the Pantheon, did you stay at the Relais Maddalena.  I thought it was just the one of the best places I've every stayed in Rome.  

We're staying at Palazzo Olivia, very close to Piazza Navona.  We've stayed there before and like it.  I'll be sure to check out Relais Maddalena when we're there, thanks for the recommendation.

Vegas Eggus

Been twice. Loved Rome. Haven't seen Pompei mentioned and IMO it is a must see. Neat town around it as well. Having said that our local relatives specifically warned us to be careful in and around Naples. The traffic in Naples was even more insane than Rome. Florence was also nice. 
The wife has family in the central part of the country and visiting there and just exploring the countryside was very cool. 
Between Rome and Naples there is a palace nicknamed "Versailles of the South". The Allied troops headquartered there during WWII. It was pretty cool as well. 

GATraveller

I love Florence - so much to see and do.  Lots of art museums and beautiful churches.  Siena is really nice as well.  There are a lot of small hill towns around Tuscan region worth time like San Gimignano, Voltera and Montalcino. Don't waste a second on Pisa.
Food is incredible - lots of cured meat, salads and wonderful breads.  
We traveled around by car but had to travel light because they're all compact.    

northGAcock

I thank you all for your responses....and those yet to come. You have provided me a great deal of information that will be most helpful in my planning. Looks like all who have been over....have had great experiences. I look forward to the the planning and eventual trip over.

NecessaryIndulg

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.

DoubleEgger

If you choose to drive in Rome, you will be a certified daredevil. 

YukonRon

Driving pretty much anywhere in Italy, will hone your skills.

lousubcap

Four keys to driving in an Italian city-horn, power, brakes and never make eye contact.  Enjoy the trip.

Eoin

Italy is great, you could spend months there. Amazing food almost everywhere and a lot of interesting smaller towns and cities that avoid the tourist crush. For a single holiday, I would pick a region and explore it properly, otherwise you might as well be on an organised tour.

I've always eaten best outside the tourist areas of the big cities or in the smaller cities / towns. There are locals living and working even in places like Venice, so you don't have to pay $10 for an espresso / slice of pizza if you leave the hot spots alone.

Some good motoring stuff to visit as well as the classical architecture / art. Modena and Bologna are nice neighbouring cities without too many tourists, a big food culture and Ferrari for the cars / Ducati for the bikes.

You'll enjoy it wherever you go!