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re: 12 Days in Italy
Posted on 1/9/18 at 10:33 am to Fun Bunch
Posted on 1/9/18 at 10:33 am to Fun Bunch
quote:
Rome 2-3 days tops.
Wow--why so little time in Rome? Maybe if you had zero interest in art or history....but if you have zero interest in art or history, skip Rome completely in favor of somewhere else.
1
Posted on 1/9/18 at 10:45 am to hungryone
quote:
Maybe if you had zero interest in art or history
You can hit the major Rome Art/history stuff in 2-3 days.
Rome is too hectic and I would prefer to be elsewhere in Italy.
Posted on 1/9/18 at 11:04 am to Fun Bunch
Agreed. I prefer the sedate countryside of Italy.
We're doing 15 days in September. 2 in Lake Como, 4 in Piedmonte, 5 in Gaiole in Chianti and 4 in Positano.
We're doing 15 days in September. 2 in Lake Como, 4 in Piedmonte, 5 in Gaiole in Chianti and 4 in Positano.
Posted on 1/9/18 at 11:06 am to Fun Bunch
quote:
You can hit the major Rome Art/history stuff in 2-3 days.
I've visited Rome regularly for the better part of a decade, and I'm still finding treasures to see in obscure side chapels of churches around town. I guess every person "looks" at a different pace. Agree that central Rome can be busy, but it is as layered as an onion....the ancient past is close at hand and more easily appreciated there than just about anywhere else in the world.
Posted on 1/9/18 at 11:28 am to HollierThanThou
I have a decent itinerary on the sticky page. Pics got killed, tho...
Posted on 1/9/18 at 3:04 pm to HollierThanThou
Wife and I loved Venice, especially if you stay on the island. We stayed VRBO in the Jewish Ghetto. Most of the tourist clear out before dark. You can bar hop and eat hors doeurves. It gets a little crowded during the day, but secret is to visit the non-touristy areas during the peak hours of the day. Take boats to other islands like Murano, Burano, etc.
Posted on 1/9/18 at 4:02 pm to HollierThanThou
12 days with 3 in Rome leaves 9 days. I will tell you what I would do. We have done it before and are scheduled to do it again this Easter. Start with a week in Tuscany. We stay at a villa about 20 miles south of Florence. Rent a car and explore Florence, Siena and a number of the Tuscan hill towns. If you are not in to wine now you will be after this. For the other 2 days I would talk you in to Venice. It is one of the most beautiful and unique places on earth. And there is a lot more to it than the San Marco tourist crowds. My second choice would be to stay in Rome an extra day or two then spend a week on the Amalfi Coast.
Posted on 1/9/18 at 4:05 pm to geauxpurple
Truth. I wasn't a wine drinker before I went to Italy. Now I have a couple hundred bottles and growing (and drinking). 
Posted on 1/9/18 at 4:40 pm to HollierThanThou
(no message)
This post was edited on 11/8/20 at 9:04 am
Posted on 1/9/18 at 5:35 pm to Mahootney
Amalfi Coast for sure believe me you won't regret.
This post was edited on 1/9/18 at 5:35 pm
Posted on 1/9/18 at 8:23 pm to hungryone
I agree, Rome is a 3 day minimum stop if you haven’t been. If you’re going there and casting it off as a quick stop I really think you’re doing your trip a disservice
Tuscany is great, too. My piece of advice is to do heavy research and book your own vineyards, day trips, restaurant. Don’t trust someone’s opinion that is being influenced monetarily such as a travel agent. Talk with locals when you get there. Nothing worse than a bus fully of sweaty tourists going to a vineyard whose MO is to sell as many bottles of wine to tourist as possible. You want boutique, personal type of spots.
Tuscany is great, too. My piece of advice is to do heavy research and book your own vineyards, day trips, restaurant. Don’t trust someone’s opinion that is being influenced monetarily such as a travel agent. Talk with locals when you get there. Nothing worse than a bus fully of sweaty tourists going to a vineyard whose MO is to sell as many bottles of wine to tourist as possible. You want boutique, personal type of spots.
Posted on 1/9/18 at 9:24 pm to GynoSandberg
Good God. I would never visit vineyards in that fashion.
Restaurants in Tuscany. Just find a small town. It’s likely to have one, maybe two restaurants and it won’t survive if it isn’t good because the locals won’t eat there.
Restaurants in Tuscany. Just find a small town. It’s likely to have one, maybe two restaurants and it won’t survive if it isn’t good because the locals won’t eat there.
Posted on 1/10/18 at 3:27 pm to GynoSandberg
quote:
My piece of advice is to do heavy research and book your own vineyards, day trips, restaurant. Don’t trust someone’s opinion that is being influenced monetarily such as a travel agent. Talk with locals when you get there.
This^^^
We stayed VRBO in Rome and Venice for 10 days. The owners of the places we stayed gave really good advice on some good restaurants near by and some do's and don'ts in the area. We booked some walking tours, like a catacombs tour and the Vatican(a must), but not through an agent. We also booked a cooking class. This was one of the highlights of the trip. Basically it was a little old Italian woman that had an interpreter, us, and about 4 other couples. We drank wine and learned how to make veal, romanesca, gnocchi, and tiramisu, and everything we made by hand ourselves. It was awesome.
We did a day trip to Florence by train, which was only about an hour away if I remember. I had bought a Rick Steve's Italy book and it really helped a lot. There were many helpful tips on ways to skip the lines, avoid crowds, and find awesome little hole in the wall places, like a wine shop in the Rome business district that only serves lunch. One of the best meals we had, and you can't go wrong with the "house" wine anywhere. He also tipped us off on a free boat ride over to one of the islands in Venice, where we drank cocktails from a rooftop pool at the Hilton resort overlooking the city.
This post was edited on 1/10/18 at 3:32 pm
Posted on 1/10/18 at 3:40 pm to VABuckeye
Yup. Hang out in Tuscany. Rent a car and drive from town to town. Rome sucks. Dirty as frick. Having said that...i'm jealous.
Posted on 1/11/18 at 10:30 am to HollierThanThou
Lake Como, then head to the Piedmonte region for wine & white truffles.
I spent two weeks in Northern Italy, and no longer have any interest in traveling south.
I spent two weeks in Northern Italy, and no longer have any interest in traveling south.
Posted on 1/11/18 at 11:38 am to hungryone
I'm in the same boat. Rome is my favorite city in the entire world. There are treasures of art and history in both the popular and quiet places throughout. My advice on Rome relative to the rest of Italy is always make the city the first place you visit while your energy and excitement is at its peak. Then, go to Tuscany, Amalfi, etc.
Posted on 1/11/18 at 1:53 pm to HollierThanThou
Posted on 1/11/18 at 2:14 pm to Ham And Glass
Florence is better than Rome IMO. Easily.
But I like the art and authenticity more than the big city life, Vatican, and romans.
Rome is like New York, Miami, or LA.
Florence is like Nashville, New Orleans, or Charleston.
Maybe not the best analogies. But just trying to draw a decent contrast example of big city versus authentic and vivid and immersive.
Wine country and amalfi coast trumps both.
But I like the art and authenticity more than the big city life, Vatican, and romans.
Rome is like New York, Miami, or LA.
Florence is like Nashville, New Orleans, or Charleston.
Maybe not the best analogies. But just trying to draw a decent contrast example of big city versus authentic and vivid and immersive.
Wine country and amalfi coast trumps both.
This post was edited on 1/11/18 at 2:15 pm
Posted on 1/11/18 at 6:42 pm to veronicavaughn
Also eat at Trattoria Sostanza in Florence. Their butter chicken dish is said to be the best chicken dish in the world.
Posted on 1/11/18 at 7:31 pm to HollierThanThou
How far in advance are you planning this?
Because if we’re talking 6 months to a year from now, go to Modena and dine at Osteria Francescana.
Because if we’re talking 6 months to a year from now, go to Modena and dine at Osteria Francescana.
This post was edited on 1/11/18 at 7:33 pm
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