First time visiting Italy - suggestions?

Travel, Wine Tourism, and Restaurants Forum
41

The train between Florence and Venice is good, I’m sure it’s quicker than flying. I think it was 2 hours or so. City center to city center. The airports in each city are pretty close though. The train between Rome and Florence should also be quick and easy. That said I like trains, although the expectations of scenery are seldom met.

The trip back to Rome from Venice may be easier/quicker to fly though. You might want to look at flights outbound into Rome and inbound from Venice or vice versa.

The bus to Sienna from Florence was pretty quick and cheap.

Edit didn’t see the above posts.

42

Are the drivers any crazier than NY or LA?

43

Jay:
Buy Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry’s book about moving to Italy before you go. Cut your itinerary in half and enjoy the Italian lifestyle.

44

^This^

45

LA is nothing on the crazy meter (high on the dumb meter though).

Rome is on par with NYC cab drivers

Sicily is worse (passing you on the right to make a left turn in front of you).

46

This.

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My wife and I are flying into Milan, but want to travel from there. We thought about touring the south of France, but decided against it. I suggested the Cinque Terre, but my wife says it reminds her of the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia, from where we just returned. We have plans to do Milan and the Lake District on another trip in 2015.

I’m open to suggestions that are withing a 3 hour train/car ride of Milan. Length of trip is 5 days / 4 nights.

We’ve been to Venice, Florence, and Tuscany.

Thanks.

48

Portofino, Camogli, Santa Margherita (for relaxation on the water) or Parma, Modena, Bologna (for food and wine)

49

Bolzano, heart of the Dolomites. One end of Brenner Pass. Great Alto Adige wines, the Iceman museum, open air markets. Stunning valley location. Would go back there in a heartbeat.

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One caveat re Bolzano: Take LOTS of money! Most expensive place I’ve been in Italy outside of Venice.

51

Fly into Milan, chill/recover a couple of days in Bellagio or Varenna(2), then train to Venice, (2) then Florence (3), then Rome (3). Go to St. Peter’s, but save the Vatican museum & Sistine chapel for your next trip. I would add a couple of days and relax.

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No suggestions to Como! Easy train ride.

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I just like the more chill vibe in Varenna. It’s a pleasant ferry ride and then return to Milan via train for the transfer to Venice

54

He said he’ll do the Lakes next trip

55

Someone once told me that you have to say something 3x’s for it to be understood. It’s been my experience that’s a correct assertion.

I’m quoting my original comment. [wink.gif] I do find the other imput useful. I’ll make a presentation to my wife over the weekend, after I hear what others have to say.

56

For a week and a half, with Florence on your mind as a first choice, then definitely stick to Tuscany. Even a half day between starting to pack in one location, to finishing unpacking in another would make a dent in your limited holiday.

A car can be very useful in Tuscany, but for a first visit to Italy, make life simpler

Likewise I invariably recommend apartments for the extra space and convenience, but you are right to think that it becomes perhaps more of a chore or source of stress for a 1st holiday with no language.

However this doesn’t necessarily mean hotels, as say 4-5 days in Florence in a hotel, could be combined with the remainder in a convenient more rural location at an agriturismo. Italuans do these farmstays very well, indeed a number of wineries do this. The food is often excellent and either truly zero km, or at least pretty close to it - maybe a neighbour grows great fruit, so they have that to supplement the animals and veg they farm. Try www.agriturismo.it and look for somewhere strollable to a town or in a small town or large village. Buses are good in Tuscany and this can mean a bus service can connect you easily.

An easier option for something different to Florence would be Lucca or Montepulciano, both mostly pedestrianised, making them pretty good starting points, as fetting out in daylight to stroll around is one of the best ways to shake off jet lag, or similar draining journey. Although I suggested avoiding apartments, the Politian apartments in Montepulciano are excellent and the owner very helpful.

Another suggestion is Pisa. Many people dismiss Pisa as tourist tatty, overpriced and of no interest beyong the leaning tower in yhe field of miracles. They (imo) have got this almost 100% wrong. The area between either station and the field of miracles is absolutely as they suggest, and the field of miracles is certainly remarkable. What they criticise is not actually Pisa, byt the result of too many years of tourists seeing Pisa as a half day essential excursion on a whirlwind tour. They see the tat that tourism brings, and it is very much done to excess here. However if you stroll the 5 mins to the city itself, and it is bizarrely untainted by tourism. Restaurants offer very good food at very fair prices, the local churches are worth exploring, and the main shopping street is pretty decent. Pisa is also a decent international airport, very close to the city, meaning you start your holiday faster than if you have a long journey at the end of the flight.

Plenty more options, all within Tuscany, and a historic influx of Brits for holidays in ‘Chiantishire’ means English is understood pretty widely.

Finally, resist the temptation to base yourself in too many locations. 2 bases for 10 days should be more than enough, and helps maximise holiday time, and reduce wasted time packing and unpacking, checking in and out, waiting for buses, trains or other transport, and feeling slightly list and confused.

Have fun whatever you choose.

57

Jay: The little notes above are among the most important tidbits in the entire thread. The key to really enjoying Italy is not to do too much, relax, act like an Italian and take in the whole experience. You really do not want to get into the “if its’ Tuesday, this must be Belgium” mindset. There is a ton of excellent advice in this thread and I believe, knowing you, that even with your slight aversion to travel, Italy will grow on you and you will return.
Have a great vacation!

Cheers!
Marshall [drinkers.gif]

58

I definitely support those saying to chill the pace in Italy.

I rarely have anything resembling an itinerary, excepting changes of base accomodation and winery visits.

What I do take is prep on stuff of interest where we are staying, plus day trip options with more sparse info on stuff to see there. See how you feel the day before or even on the morning, and pick what takes your fancy. i have seen too many attempts by first timers on travel fora, where their initial itinerary looks like it is copying those whirlwind tours you see in the glossy magazines, with a different hotel every day or two, and half the holiday wasted in travel, with the other half spent trudging the same route as thousands of other tourists. Disnitalia if you like.

I did an april fools day spoof a few years ago. i’ll see if I can dig out a link.

59

Here it is, sorry can’t seem to copy the text itself with the tablet, so a link will have to do. i have since learnt how to spell itinerary!
http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/862600685/m/27210249?r=27210249#27210249

60

Dan,

My wife and I just returned from Italy. We flew into Milan and immediately drove to Piedmont region and stayed at a fantastic hotel just outside Serralunga d’Alba called Il Boscareto - beautiful new(ish) hotel on a hill amidst the vineyards (ate dinner at their great * restaurant and could see the vineyard where my dinner wine came from and I think every room has large picture windows with stunning views of the vineyards)…beautiful setting, check out the pics on their website - http://www.ilboscaretoresort.it/welcome_eng.lasso

We stayed there for 4 nights, enjoyed relaxing at the hotel as well as driving around to a few wineries and eating and drinking very well. Really beautiful countryside. We then went on to 5 nights in Florence but it was a great place for 4 nights within a couple hour ride of Milan. Very highly recommended!!

Dan