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Message
re: Help Planning a Trip to Italy
Posted on 1/17/23 at 12:33 pm to BootheelSoldier
Posted on 1/17/23 at 12:33 pm to BootheelSoldier
quote:
I have used Tripmasters multiple times and have been very pleased with the experience. Can modify it to nicer hotels, change flights etc.
Same. I love Tripmasters. My wife and I have used them for about 4 or 5 international trips by now, and they have been great every time. Highly recommended option for booking flights and hotels, but they can do excursions and stuff too.
I mostly love that we can bundle everything and pay for our trip's largest expenses up front. Makes budgeting super-easy.
As for Italy, if this is your first visit to Italy, my recommendation would be to fly into Rome and spend a few days there. Then head into the Umbria/Tuscany region for a week or so. Choose a "home base" in one of the larger regional towns like Siena or Perugia and take day trips out to vineyards and other smaller towns. Then head to Florence to spend another two days before flying home.
Of course, opinions may differ. Italy is such a diverse country that it's impossible to "do it all" in one trip.
The only catch with my suggested itinerary is that it won't include any beach time, if that's something ya'll are interested in.
Talk to your wife and nail down some more details about the kind of trip you're hoping for. That will help us tailor our suggestions.
0
Posted on 1/17/23 at 5:26 pm to wryder1
If you want, I can post my full itinerary from the 10 days we did in Italy last year. It covered Rome (including the Vatican) and Florence and was plenty for us.
Posted on 1/18/23 at 10:31 am to Ingeniero
quote:
If you want, I can post my full itinerary from the 10 days we did in Italy last year. It covered Rome (including the Vatican) and Florence and was plenty for us.
I'd appreciate seeing the itinerary.
Posted on 1/18/23 at 1:30 pm to broadhead
Day 0: Flew out from MSY to ATL to Rome
Day 1: Arrival
Landed in FCO, took the Leonardo Express from the airport to Roma Termini. Make sure you validate your ticket by putting it in one of the little machines that are ON the train platform, not just scanning it to get through the gates. They'll fine you if you don't validate.
We stayed at Hotel Artemide and they really seem to cater to Americans. Everyone spoke very clear English and they insisted on calling cabs for you so you don't get scammed for not speaking Italian to the drivers. It's about a 10 minute walk from Termini but not in the bad area that you get around the train station. We just walked around and got our bearings this day.
Day 2: first full day in Rome
Got an espresso and a croissant then walked to the Trevi fountain. Did the whole coin toss, took some pictures, then walked to the Spanish steps/Piazza di Spagna. We walked away from the plaza before getting lunch because you'll overpay too close to major spots like that. After the steps, we walked up and down Via del Corso for shopping. That night we went to the rooftop restaurant at Artemide for drinks (as we did every night
)
Day 3: second full day in Rome
We walked past the Vittoriano to get to the Pantheon. Before stopping at the Pantheon, we slipped into a church called Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio di Loyola at the recommendation of a friend. They have a mirror tilted up for you to get a picture of the fresco on their ceiling.
At the Pantheon the line was long but it moves quick. From there we walked to Piazza Navona, got lunch and headed back to the hotel to rest because that night we had reservations at...
The Court Rooftop Bar at Palazzo Manfredi: book months ahead of time if you can, because it fills up. We watched multiple couples get turned away and told they could come back in 3 months. The bar was actually our second option because the Michelin starred restaurant on the top floor was booked even further out. The bar was plenty worth it, and was one of the most memorable parts of the trip. Try to book around dusk if you can.
Day 4: third full day in Rome, Vatican Day
We booked the earliest guided tour available through the Vatican museums official website. You can book through any of the unofficial groups, but our girl was very knowledgeable and sweet. The early tours give you the benefit of being in the halls and chapel when it's nearly empty. Do NOT hold your phone or camera when walking into the Sistine Chapel because they'll get on you just for having it, filming or not (i was filming so I deserved the yelling lol). After the tour we walked around outside the basilica, went to all the shops nearby to get some Catholic goods for the family, then walked the ~1 mile to Trastevere for lunch. I called a taxi to get back to the hotel.
At night, we had reservations for a trendy place called Drink Kong. It's like an 80s Tokyo arcade and the drinks don't have ingredients listed (unless you flip to the back of the menu but that kills the fun); instead, the drinks have a name and 3 words describing the "vibe" of the drink. This place was ranked as one of the best bars in the world for multiple years. Probably more of a young people thing but if that sounds interesting to you, I 100% recommend it. Again, book early because it fills up.
To be continued in another post, I'll keep detailing as we went to Florence (and then back to Rome to fly out)
Day 1: Arrival
Landed in FCO, took the Leonardo Express from the airport to Roma Termini. Make sure you validate your ticket by putting it in one of the little machines that are ON the train platform, not just scanning it to get through the gates. They'll fine you if you don't validate.
We stayed at Hotel Artemide and they really seem to cater to Americans. Everyone spoke very clear English and they insisted on calling cabs for you so you don't get scammed for not speaking Italian to the drivers. It's about a 10 minute walk from Termini but not in the bad area that you get around the train station. We just walked around and got our bearings this day.
Day 2: first full day in Rome
Got an espresso and a croissant then walked to the Trevi fountain. Did the whole coin toss, took some pictures, then walked to the Spanish steps/Piazza di Spagna. We walked away from the plaza before getting lunch because you'll overpay too close to major spots like that. After the steps, we walked up and down Via del Corso for shopping. That night we went to the rooftop restaurant at Artemide for drinks (as we did every night
) Day 3: second full day in Rome
We walked past the Vittoriano to get to the Pantheon. Before stopping at the Pantheon, we slipped into a church called Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio di Loyola at the recommendation of a friend. They have a mirror tilted up for you to get a picture of the fresco on their ceiling.
At the Pantheon the line was long but it moves quick. From there we walked to Piazza Navona, got lunch and headed back to the hotel to rest because that night we had reservations at...
The Court Rooftop Bar at Palazzo Manfredi: book months ahead of time if you can, because it fills up. We watched multiple couples get turned away and told they could come back in 3 months. The bar was actually our second option because the Michelin starred restaurant on the top floor was booked even further out. The bar was plenty worth it, and was one of the most memorable parts of the trip. Try to book around dusk if you can.
Day 4: third full day in Rome, Vatican Day
We booked the earliest guided tour available through the Vatican museums official website. You can book through any of the unofficial groups, but our girl was very knowledgeable and sweet. The early tours give you the benefit of being in the halls and chapel when it's nearly empty. Do NOT hold your phone or camera when walking into the Sistine Chapel because they'll get on you just for having it, filming or not (i was filming so I deserved the yelling lol). After the tour we walked around outside the basilica, went to all the shops nearby to get some Catholic goods for the family, then walked the ~1 mile to Trastevere for lunch. I called a taxi to get back to the hotel.
At night, we had reservations for a trendy place called Drink Kong. It's like an 80s Tokyo arcade and the drinks don't have ingredients listed (unless you flip to the back of the menu but that kills the fun); instead, the drinks have a name and 3 words describing the "vibe" of the drink. This place was ranked as one of the best bars in the world for multiple years. Probably more of a young people thing but if that sounds interesting to you, I 100% recommend it. Again, book early because it fills up.
To be continued in another post, I'll keep detailing as we went to Florence (and then back to Rome to fly out)
Posted on 1/18/23 at 2:26 pm to Ingeniero
Day 5: travel day to Florence
We took the Frecciarossa from Termini to Santa Maria Novella in Florence. Tickets are cheap, there are minimal stops, and you get a great view of the vineyards on your way into Tuscany. I don't remember if you have to validate your ticket on this trip like you do for the Leonardo Express, but it's worth asking. There are assigned seats so pay attention to your ticket.
Once we got to Florence, we went to our Airbnb and checked in. We had a view of the Duomo from our balcony. Florence is very compact compared to Rome, so you're close to everything.
After getting there, dropping our bags off, and walking around a little bit, it was close to dinner time so we went to a place called Enoteca Alessi where they have a massive wine cellar that you can choose a bottle from and they'll uncork it for you there to drink. I don't think they had full meals here but between the bruschetta, sandwiches, and a bottle of wine, we got full. The workers seemed a little rude, but we were in there kind of close to closing and they had been dealing with annoying groups from what we noticed. They started turning people away who had reservations and said they ran out of supplies, and to come back tomorrow. Not a deal breaker though, because it seemed to have been a one-off thing based on their reviews.
Bonus, they're right across the street from GROM, which we found to have the best gelato of the trip. We went back every night we were in Florence.
Day 6: first full day in Florence, cooking class
We booked a cooking class through a company called Walkabout Tours on tripadvisor. The tour guide met us outside the train station and took us through the Mercato Centrale to buy all the ingredients we'd be using and explain the history of the food, the vendors who were in the market, everything. Our guide's name was Luca and he was... flamboyant but a fantastic guide! From there, you get on a bus and they bring you about 15 minutes outside the city to an estate where you'll cook. Our class taught us to make bruschetta, beef ragù, roast pork with potatoes, and tiramisu. This was the absolute best part of the trip according to my wife, and I agree. We still make this meal from scratch when we can. Highly highly recommend if you can get in on this one. Their setup is top notch.
The bus then brings you back to Florence, where we went shopping and got some leather goods from a leatherworking school that Luca recommended (since he said the leather they sell in the street markets are fake junk).
We walked around the Duomo at night and never felt unsafe. You'll get approached by Indian or African sellers with the little helicopter toys but that's the worst of it.
Day 7: second full day in Florence
No real plans this day. We walked across Ponte Vecchio and saw the shops there. Once across the river, we walked up to the Piazzale Michelangelo that gives you an overlook of the city. We walked through the gardens here. There are some STEEP walks here, so bring your walking shoes. We spent most of the day just wandering around. Again, Florence is small, so you can just wander and see a lot of it.
This night we walked around the Duomo to find dinner. You can't go wrong at any of the well-rated restaurants. I didn't get the Florentine steak but everyone I've talked to recommends it. I've heard you need to go to a restaurant that specializes in it, but I don't have any firsthand experience. I ate well anyway.
Day 8: travel day back to Rome
Our return flight was out of FCO so this may not apply to you, giving you an extra day in Florence. But we took the Frecciarossa back to Rome, and again stayed in Hotel Artemide because it was close to the train station. We went to a few more enoteca here and bought wine to bring home (making sure it wasn't something that we could easily buy in the US) so we spent some of the night wrapping them in the bubble wrap wine bags we got on Amazon before the trip. The rest of the night we were, of course upstairs at the hotel bar or walking down the street for gelato.
Day 9: last full day in Rome
Once again, no real set plans. We walked to Villa Borghese, the big park in Rome, and spent a few hours just walking around there, grabbing espresso and sandwiches, etc. From there we walked to Piazza del Popolo and back up Via del Corso. We stopped in some of the watch boutiques at my request. We went back to the hotel, packed up what we didn't need for the return flight, and went to dinner at a place called Gioia mia Pisciapiano. They don't speak English well here, so avoid if you don't speak Italian. I spoke enough to explain that we were American, it was our last night here, and they loaded us down with food for no extra charge.
Day 10: flight back home
The hotel will call you a cab to Termini if you don't want to walk. Our flight was early, so we didn't want to walk in the dark around the train station with our bags. Again, take the Leonardo Express straight back to FCO (validate your ticket!) and it's an easy trip.
Debrief: the big things we missed that you may want to check out were the Roman Forum, a Colosseum tour, climbing the Duomo, the statue of David. With our schedule and all the walking, we felt tired but not exhausted at the end of each day. Your schedule will almost surely be different than ours, so you can adjust around what you like.
If you can learn any Italian before your trip, do it. Most people in major cities will speak English but they really appreciate if you give a little effort into speaking Italian. I insisted that it got us better deals everywhere we went too.
Bring good shoes because you're likely going to be walking everywhere. We averaged 6 miles a day according to my watch, but I'm telling you we were go go go.
We took the Frecciarossa from Termini to Santa Maria Novella in Florence. Tickets are cheap, there are minimal stops, and you get a great view of the vineyards on your way into Tuscany. I don't remember if you have to validate your ticket on this trip like you do for the Leonardo Express, but it's worth asking. There are assigned seats so pay attention to your ticket.
Once we got to Florence, we went to our Airbnb and checked in. We had a view of the Duomo from our balcony. Florence is very compact compared to Rome, so you're close to everything.
After getting there, dropping our bags off, and walking around a little bit, it was close to dinner time so we went to a place called Enoteca Alessi where they have a massive wine cellar that you can choose a bottle from and they'll uncork it for you there to drink. I don't think they had full meals here but between the bruschetta, sandwiches, and a bottle of wine, we got full. The workers seemed a little rude, but we were in there kind of close to closing and they had been dealing with annoying groups from what we noticed. They started turning people away who had reservations and said they ran out of supplies, and to come back tomorrow. Not a deal breaker though, because it seemed to have been a one-off thing based on their reviews.
Bonus, they're right across the street from GROM, which we found to have the best gelato of the trip. We went back every night we were in Florence.
Day 6: first full day in Florence, cooking class
We booked a cooking class through a company called Walkabout Tours on tripadvisor. The tour guide met us outside the train station and took us through the Mercato Centrale to buy all the ingredients we'd be using and explain the history of the food, the vendors who were in the market, everything. Our guide's name was Luca and he was... flamboyant
but a fantastic guide! From there, you get on a bus and they bring you about 15 minutes outside the city to an estate where you'll cook. Our class taught us to make bruschetta, beef ragù, roast pork with potatoes, and tiramisu. This was the absolute best part of the trip according to my wife, and I agree. We still make this meal from scratch when we can. Highly highly recommend if you can get in on this one. Their setup is top notch. The bus then brings you back to Florence, where we went shopping and got some leather goods from a leatherworking school that Luca recommended (since he said the leather they sell in the street markets are fake junk).
We walked around the Duomo at night and never felt unsafe. You'll get approached by Indian or African sellers with the little helicopter toys but that's the worst of it.
Day 7: second full day in Florence
No real plans this day. We walked across Ponte Vecchio and saw the shops there. Once across the river, we walked up to the Piazzale Michelangelo that gives you an overlook of the city. We walked through the gardens here. There are some STEEP walks here, so bring your walking shoes. We spent most of the day just wandering around. Again, Florence is small, so you can just wander and see a lot of it.
This night we walked around the Duomo to find dinner. You can't go wrong at any of the well-rated restaurants. I didn't get the Florentine steak but everyone I've talked to recommends it. I've heard you need to go to a restaurant that specializes in it, but I don't have any firsthand experience. I ate well anyway.
Day 8: travel day back to Rome
Our return flight was out of FCO so this may not apply to you, giving you an extra day in Florence. But we took the Frecciarossa back to Rome, and again stayed in Hotel Artemide because it was close to the train station. We went to a few more enoteca here and bought wine to bring home (making sure it wasn't something that we could easily buy in the US) so we spent some of the night wrapping them in the bubble wrap wine bags we got on Amazon before the trip. The rest of the night we were, of course upstairs at the hotel bar or walking down the street for gelato.
Day 9: last full day in Rome
Once again, no real set plans. We walked to Villa Borghese, the big park in Rome, and spent a few hours just walking around there, grabbing espresso and sandwiches, etc. From there we walked to Piazza del Popolo and back up Via del Corso. We stopped in some of the watch boutiques at my request. We went back to the hotel, packed up what we didn't need for the return flight, and went to dinner at a place called Gioia mia Pisciapiano. They don't speak English well here, so avoid if you don't speak Italian. I spoke enough to explain that we were American, it was our last night here, and they loaded us down with food for no extra charge.
Day 10: flight back home
The hotel will call you a cab to Termini if you don't want to walk. Our flight was early, so we didn't want to walk in the dark around the train station with our bags. Again, take the Leonardo Express straight back to FCO (validate your ticket!) and it's an easy trip.
Debrief: the big things we missed that you may want to check out were the Roman Forum, a Colosseum tour, climbing the Duomo, the statue of David. With our schedule and all the walking, we felt tired but not exhausted at the end of each day. Your schedule will almost surely be different than ours, so you can adjust around what you like.
If you can learn any Italian before your trip, do it. Most people in major cities will speak English but they really appreciate if you give a little effort into speaking Italian. I insisted that it got us better deals everywhere we went too.
Bring good shoes because you're likely going to be walking everywhere. We averaged 6 miles a day according to my watch, but I'm telling you we were go go go.
This post was edited on 1/18/23 at 2:27 pm
Posted on 1/19/23 at 7:03 am to Ingeniero
quote:
If you can learn any Italian before your trip, do it. Most people in major cities will speak English but they really appreciate if you give a little effort into speaking Italian.
This is true. Because Italy is such a huge tourism country, they have to put up all year long with clowns whose grasp of Italian is worse than Lt. Aldo Raine. They don't like their country being treated like Disney World where Americans just assume that they will be catered to and pampered.
Learn the very basics and how to properly pronounce them ("hello", "I would like...", "We have a reservation", etc.). Just doing that will set you apart and signal to the native that you are at least making an effort to acknowledge their culture and language. 98% of the time, they will immediately switch to English to help you out (or just to move things along), but the effort will be appreciated.
This post was edited on 1/19/23 at 7:06 am
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