View Full Version : another OT: Italy
malcolm
02-08-2006, 10:19 PM
Going to Italy in May. It will be an aniversary trip and not cycling although the wife rides and wants to see at least a stage of the Giro. Neither of us have ever been although we have traveled a good bit just never europe. Everyone I talk to has a different opinion on where to go and how to do it. We will only have 10 days max.. I want to go north, Florence, Lake Como etc. although I really don't care. What would be your suggestions and why. Also so we enlist a travel agent or do it ourselves. I've never really used one before because I've always had a pretty good idea of what I wanted and how I wanted to do it. Not so much on this trip. Thanks in advance, Malcolm
Fixed
02-08-2006, 10:23 PM
bro see some art i.m.h.o. cheers
Florence is very nice, worth several days in my opinion. Milan is also nice. Pisa is worth about 1.5 hours, maybe 2. I also stayed in Verona a couple days, a bit out of the way, but a pretty little city. I assume you're not going to try to make it to Rome? It really is a fabulous city worthy of a visit if you get a chance. The Vatican museums are unbelievable.
My preference in travelling has always been to pick a couple places and stay a bit longer - leisurely paced - rather than try to 'see Europe in a week.'
Russell
02-09-2006, 08:02 AM
It's all good. Verona is my favorite. Very nice and not nearly as crowded as Florence or Rome, though both are great places to visit. I also found Padova (between Verona and Venice) to be a youthful, vibrant city. My brother in law lives in Catania, Sicily, which has a very different vibe. Great beaches and seafood. Beautiful landscape and lots of Greek ruins. Is very crowded in August.
johnmdesigner
02-09-2006, 09:27 AM
Italy as a country needs at least 3 trips: top, middle, bottom. I have traveled there for many years and still see things and places that are new to me. Took my wife last year (her first time) in May. We flew to Milan, took the train to Venice for 2 days and then rented a car. It's a great place to drive (avoid the big cities) and you see so much more of the countryside that way.
We did a leisurely tour of the North, stayed at a B&B in Asolo then on to Bellagio on lake Como (you can visit the Madonna di Ghisallo cycling church).
Saw the last day of the Giro in Milan. Try to visit a few places and spend some time in them - then you will leave with a better appreciation of the Italian way of life.
Bon Viaggio :banana:
Climb01742
02-09-2006, 09:40 AM
one word: tuscany.
Tom Byrnes
02-09-2006, 10:22 AM
I agree with Climb: Tuscany.
I spent a week in Tuscany last June and could have easily spent another ten days. You can spend all of your time in that area and find new, exciting places, cities and sights each day. I would stay a few days in Florence and then move my lodging to a place near Siena.
Siena is a wonderful city. From there, you can take day trips in all directions - East to Arrezzo, Cortona (location of "Under the Tuscan Sun") and further into Umbria to Perugia and Assisi; South toward the great red wine areas of Montalcino, Montepulciano and Pienza, and into Umbria to Orvietto; West towards Pisa and the sea (Andy Hampsten's touring company is based in that part of Tuscany) and North to Chianti Country and San Gimigiano (sp.).
Wherever you decide to go, your trip will be great. All of Italy is wonderful. It's easy to spend a week in and around Rome, also. It's such a grand city. As TimB stated, the Vatican museums are unbelievable. But, I would return first to Tuscany.
Enjoy.
Tom
Birddog
02-09-2006, 10:27 AM
Italy as a country needs at least 3 trips: top, middle, bottom.
Very good advice. It is far better to fully absorb a single region that to dash all over on a "sampler" type excursion.
Birddog
Dekonick
02-09-2006, 10:39 AM
Florence is very nice, worth several days in my opinion. Milan is also nice. Pisa is worth about 1.5 hours, maybe 2. I also stayed in Verona a couple days, a bit out of the way, but a pretty little city. I assume you're not going to try to make it to Rome? It really is a fabulous city worthy of a visit if you get a chance. The Vatican museums are unbelievable.
My preference in travelling has always been to pick a couple places and stay a bit longer - leisurely paced - rather than try to 'see Europe in a week.'
what tim said.
hybridbellbaske
02-09-2006, 05:36 PM
Check out the Torelli website for Chairman Bill's lengthy but entertaining descriptions of his many trips to Italy.
MadRocketSci
02-09-2006, 08:46 PM
there's gelato. Italian cities are made for walking...if you're in Rome try Coliseum to Vatican to Trastevere and back. Make sure to be carrying a cono of gelato in each hand. If you have a free hand, stop, look to your right/left, and walk to the side with the gelato shop (or the closer side if there are two facing each other). Try nocciola (hazelnut). This was my diet and i wound up losing about 3lbs/week doing this. Sprinkle liberally with espresso shots (Lavazza over Illy), treat your arteries with carbonara, wonder why we don't make cheese from water buffaloes. If you need a break, check out Ischia (spa island) and Capri (just freakin beautiful)...nobody outside of germany seems to know that Ischia exists.
For the north, verona is nice for artsy stuff...plays, operas, shakespeare goods, and better shopping than milan. speaking of which, if there's a city that has to be left out, i'd skip milan past visiting the duomo. actually, skip the duomo entirely, there's 3 or 4 great gelato cafes on the piazza...
venice...might as well go there too....
oh and the Cinque Terre...
dude- don't go to the jerk's old man's home town sondrio there's nothing there except lots of weird relatives of the jerk. just kidding.
lake como is wonderful. venice is venice; perfect. but there are some neat-o little towns like gubbio that deserve a visit too.
milan sucks unless you need some h.
jerk
e-RICHIE
02-09-2006, 09:00 PM
i love gubbio iirc
that's 'cause you got taste.
or you needed to buy a suit of armor and a crossbow and the commies in charge of san marino wouldn't let you in.
jerk
Going to Italy in May. It will be an aniversary trip and not cycling although the wife rides and wants to see at least a stage of the Giro. Neither of us have ever been although we have traveled a good bit just never europe. Everyone I talk to has a different opinion on where to go and how to do it. We will only have 10 days max.. I want to go north, Florence, Lake Como etc. although I really don't care. What would be your suggestions and why. Also so we enlist a travel agent or do it ourselves. I've never really used one before because I've always had a pretty good idea of what I wanted and how I wanted to do it. Not so much on this trip. Thanks in advance, Malcolm
OK, ten days... deviations not allowed...
Day 1. Fly into Rome. You'll feel like death (unless you sleep really well on planes) and need to stay awake to get onto the time zone so leave your bags at the hotel (stay near the Vatican) and tour St. Peters and the Vatican Museum. Have a gelato. Have dinner.
Day 2 &3. Train (Eurostar, second class) to Florence. Stay near the Duomo (the Hotel Allessandra isn't bad, is very near the Duomo and Uffizi). Book your tickets for the Uffizi and the Academia well in advance at:
http://www.florenceart.it/booking/
You'll also want to tour the Duomo (don't go up into the dome, the line is awful and the view is just as nice from Giotto's tower) and any number of other places in Florence.
Day 4-8. Rent a car. I've had excellent service from Nova car rental. They broker through most of the European rental agencies and I've always gotten exactly the car I requested (believe me, this is unusual). Don't stay in a hotel, rent an agriturismo (see www.agriturismo.com). They're generally much nicer, much less expensive and many include breakfast. I'd recommend Tuscany in general and the area between Siena and Pienza. Specifically, I'd spend significant time in Siena, Monteriggione, Volterra, San Gimignoni, Montepulciano and, if you feel like driving, Orvieto, Savona, Pitigliano.
Day 9. Return to Florence, drop off your car and take the train to Rome. Stay near the Pantheon. Visit the Pantheon & Colliseum and walk around old Rome.
Day 10. Ciao!
Book everything yourself. It's easy and generally cheaper. The internet is your friend. BTW, I'll be there for about a month from mid-May to mid-June. I'll be cycling.
Here's a picture to get you jonesin' for the trip!
e-RICHIE
02-09-2006, 10:25 PM
is that civitta di bagnano?? (sp?)
i was there yo atmo.
heaven on effin' earth.
OK, ten days... deviations not allowed...
Day 1. Fly into Rome. You'll feel like death (unless you sleep really well on planes) and need to stay awake to get onto the time zone so leave your bags at the hotel (stay near the Vatican) and tour St. Peters and the Vatican Museum. Have a gelato. Have dinner.
Day 2 &3. Train (Eurostar, second class) to Florence. Stay near the Duomo (the Hotel Allessandra isn't bad, is very near the Duomo and Uffizi). Book your tickets for the Uffizi and the Academia well in advance at:
http://www.florenceart.it/booking/
You'll also want to tour the Duomo (don't go up into the dome, the line is awful and the view is just as nice from Giotto's tower) and any number of other places in Florence.
Day 4-8. Rent a car. I've had excellent service from Nova car rental. They broker through most of the European rental agencies and I've always gotten exactly the car I requested (believe me, this is unusual). Don't stay in a hotel, rent an agriturismo (see www.agriturismo.com). They're generally much nicer, much less expensive and many include breakfast. I'd recommend Tuscany in general and the area between Siena and Pienza. Specifically, I'd spend signifi
cant time in Siena, Monteriggione, Volterra, San Gimignoni, Montepulciano and, if you feel like driving, Orvieto, Savona, Pitigliano.
Day 9. Return to Florence, drop off your car and take the train to Rome. Stay near the Pantheon. Visit the Pantheon & Colliseum and walk around old Rome.
Day 10. Ciao!
Book everything yourself. It's easy and generally cheaper. The internet is your friend. BTW, I'll be there for about a month from mid-May to mid-June. I'll be cycling.
Here's a picture to get you jonesin' for the trip!
is that civitta di bagnano?? (sp?)
i was there yo atmo.
heaven on effin' earth.
Si, e molto bella!
Greg
e-RICHIE
02-09-2006, 10:30 PM
Si, e molto bella!
Greg
Civita di Bagnoregio
that, and mantera - the town where the passion
of christ was filmed - are my two favorite places
in italy --- so far!
http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=Civita+di+Bagnoregio&btnG=Search
nick0137
02-10-2006, 03:21 AM
If you were going in July/August, I'd say steer clear of Florence and Tuscany - it's full of beautiful families in Chelsea tractors (translation: West London SUVs). Umbria and into the Marches are the places to be in high summer, just pootling about and chilling in small towns that don't do much except have a great gelateria and a few restaurants - like Lucignano: http://www.comune.lucignano.ar.it/2004/en/index.php.
But in May, you can't go wrong. Como is a great city and Lake Como is just a wonderful place to explore - lots of "water buses" and hydrofoils up and down the lake so you don't need to drive all the time. And great places to visit and stay - Bellagio (right at the tip of the land dividing the two legs of the lake) is my favourite and has a real old-fashioned, dress-for-dinner, hotel: http://www.villaserbelloni.com/multilang/dintorni01.cfm?CFID=1435921&CFTOKEN=2693226&CustomerLang=2 An expensive stay but a good one - and just up the hill is the Madonna di Ghisallo for a bit of cycling folklore.
buechse
02-10-2006, 04:00 AM
Go to Rome. you even can stay there for the whole ten days. I've been in Rome for a complete week and never have been bored. So I recommend a few days in Rome and then travel to the north. Doesn't the Giro climb the Mortirolo this year?
justinf
02-10-2006, 09:55 AM
In addition to Tuscany, Umbria is wonderful. Perhaps a bit more subtle in beauty, but less traveled and equally rewarding. Rural Italy is truly God's country.
In addition to Tuscany, Umbria is wonderful. Perhaps a bit more subtle in beauty, but less traveled and equally rewarding. Rural Italy is truly God's country.
I agree on Umbria, esp. during peak season. As I've travelled around Italy, I always wonder what would happen if it were in the U.S i.e., a Wal Mart every 4.5 miles, strip malls lining every road and all of those beautiful hill top villages levelled to make way for a new subdivision.
It sounds dumb, but every time I go through some little Italian village with narrow streets and houses hundreds of years old it always surprises me that people actually *live* there :) The only analog I can think of in the states are places like Williamsburg, VA where actors/docents portray what life was like back in the "old" days.
We do have a way of destroying what's beautiful in this country in the name of "progress".
Greg
Ken Robb
02-10-2006, 01:30 PM
look at the Hampsten site to see what they offer in Italy.
saab2000
02-10-2006, 10:26 PM
One word: Como. It's close to Switzerland.
Oh, and Italia produces BY FAR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL women on earth. Droooooooool. Say 'Ciao' to Stefinia if you get to Como....... :rolleyes:
e-RICHIE
02-10-2006, 10:32 PM
One word: Como. It's close to Switzerland.
Oh, and Italia produces BY FAR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL women on earth. :
mebbe after the israeli army, they do...
Louis
02-10-2006, 10:43 PM
We do have a way of destroying what's beautiful in this country in the name of "progress"
People get what they deserve...
andy mac
02-10-2006, 11:55 PM
you are in for a wonderful time.
i'll throw positano in as a suggestion. stunning scenery. tons of food options etc. touristy but look at it - it should be!
http://www.barrettwells.com/images/Positano%20Italy.jpg
pull on your 'talented mr. ripley' trunks baby!
from there you can hit amalfi, sorrento, a day trip to capri for a swim in the blue grotto.
http://www.capri-island.com/capri/tour/T12.html
and i second tuscany and rome. haven't been to como but it's on the list for next time.
basically, you can't go wrong.
brunello on :beer:
andy.
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