Nine weeks and counting, things I need for Italy?

I have never needed a Roma Pass. Buy your Vatican Museum passes on line now and get there as early as possible to see Sistine Chapel first and then VM before crowds arrive. Buy tix for Colosseum and Forum online now. Get there early. Go to St. Peters very early in the day (which is free). Do not see VM and St. Peters on the same day (just too much to see). Buy guided tour tix for Borghese Gallery on line now. The Capitoline Museum, next door to Forum, is loaded with good art/sculptures.

This was one of the coolest things we did in Rome. Took a Cooking with Nonna private cooking class. This was awesome and one of the best meals that we ate, was hand prepared by us, this little old Italian lady, and a translator. Check it out.

Eating Italy Food Tours

Have good shoes, be careful on the public transportation for pick pockets, Hit up the most touristy spots early in the morning (Vatican, Coloseum, Forum). Spanish Steps area is good late in the day/evening, the streets are closed to vehicle traffic so a lot of leisurely walking while people watching and window shopping.

Make sure to take the vaporetti to Burano/Murano in Venice. There's also a free shuttle to the Venice Hilton on a separate island. We went there and drank at the rooftop bar and walked around the island to avoid the midday crowds. I'd get a Rick Steve's Italy book, he has a ton of tips, maps, great places to eat and see, and ways to avoid crowds or waiting in lines.

I’ll be in Italy the same time as you.

Are you doing an Airbnb in Rome?

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What are some must haves for Florence and Venice as well?

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On the way to Florence from Rome you should stop and visit a vinyard in Montalcino.

If you are sedentary or a fatty, walk every single morning and night between now and then. In the trips I've taken to Italy, I end up walking more than anywhere else I go, averaging up to 10 miles a day.

I agree on the walking. We used the subway and buses some in Rome, but not really anywhere else. It was really to get where we wanted to start, and back home in the evening. You'll notice that by the time you wait on a bus/vaporetti/etc. that has any room for you to get on, you could have walked to where you were going anyway. Checking my phone stats, we averaged 8-10 miles a day. So like I said, make sure you have good shoes. Walking that far on cobblestone streets is not meant for flip flops.

Plan your routes so you can hit up different spots along the way. Here's an example, start at the open market at Campo di Fiori in the morning, walk to Piazza Navona, then the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, end at Piazza del Popola before catching a ride back to where you're staying. There are lots of guided, or self guided walking tours that can do similar type tours. Another cool tour we went on was a catacombs and crypts tour. Kinda crazy seeing artwork made of human skeletons by the Capuchin monks. Also, pretty much anywhere you go, the house wine is phenomenal.

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I’ll be in Italy the same time as you.

Are you doing an Airbnb in Rome?

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Yes Airbrb in all 3 places.

Time for a TD get together, Italian Style.

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