Italy

[rjn5656]

Would like to plan a trip to Italy?
Any recommendations on tour groups to consider? Travel agents? etc.
Would like to spend a few days in Rome, then rest of trip if flexible.

[chuckinca]

VBT


Biking and Walking Tours: Travel with Local Guides Worldwide. VBT Vacations. (http://www.vbt.com/)


.

[PennBF]

A couple of ideas. There is a little resturant overlooking the "Spanish Steps" and it is fun to have lunch and watch the people. The On and Off bus in
Rome is perfect to see the city and not spend a fortune on taxi's. If you are going to drive a good trip is to Florence and then to Milan and over to Venice. If you want to land for a few days it would be fun to rent a Vila in Tuscany for a week. You can get some at a very reasonable rate and then tour the area and the hill towns. Another great trip (maybe take a tour) is of the Almalfi coast. It is beautiful and quite a trip. Be sure to buy a map of Rome in Barnes and Nobel and study the city before you go there. We always got a kick out of watching or hearing tourist's stand on a corner, etc and try to decide what to do next. All of that planning (sites to see, best way to travel, tours) should be done before getting on the plane. Just some ideas..
I know you'll have a great time and trip..:coolsmiley:

[buggyone]

My wife and I went on a Tuscany tour in November with Legendary Journeys tour company. DO NOT USE THEM.

Legendary Journeys advertises a cheap rate but then so many add-ons to make your head spin. For example, if you want to be at the same hotel as another couple, $49 per person; if you want to be on the same flight as another couple, $49 per person; hotels are generally 1 or 2 star tourist hotels but they "strongly recommend" upgrading at a cost of $150 and up.

The Legendary Journey hostesses on the tour were not friendly nor helpful but just wanted to sell more optional tours. The optional tours are totally non-refundable, too. In November, Italy had some heavy rain and flooding. Some tours were cancelled due to weather - no refund. At one ship port, the ship cancelled the port due to weather - no refund for those tours.

We did have a very nice hotel in Rome called Guilio Caesar. It was a small hotel located about 15 minute walk from St. Peters.

[aljetmet]

We did an Insight Tour of Italy several years ago.

It was fantastic!

We visited Rome, Assissi, Venice, Florence, Pompey, Capri, Amalfi coast, Pisa,Tuscany and back to Rome. Had great hotel rooms and a few dinners included.

It was also very reasonable.

Our trip was 11 days.

Have fun!!

[l2ridehd]

We did it all on our own. Rented a Villa in Tuscany, spent time in Florence, Venice, Lucca, and Rome and had a great vacation. We will go back and rent another Villa, probably closer to the East coast this time around as we were near San Casiano this trip. One really great event we did was hire a chef to come to the Villa and do dinner for 10 of us as a teaching class.

[jmm2760jmm]

My husband and I went on our own for two weeks and preferred that to a tour. We booked hotels off the internet and they were lovely and reasonable. We stayed in Rome, Capri and Florence. We used the train. It was easy and everyone spoke English. No issues. I would sugges Rick Steves Italy tour book - he has lots of information and current rates etc. All the sights were either free or under ten dollars. Our hotel in Florence set us up with a one day tour of Tuscany. Hope this helps.

[Carla B]

Is train travel a good option to tour the country? In other words, can you hit the highlights just using trains or do you have to rent a car?

[Ohiogirl]

Be sure to look up info on the Borghese (Borghesi)? Museum in Rome. Fabulous sculpture museum, we thought. Limited number of tickets available each day. When we went about 6-7 yrs ago, you had to make reservations prior to your visit via internet a couple of weeks before.

Tickets were free (not sure if they still are), and I think you could then rent an audio guide in English - well worth it. We walked to it from our hotel, thru a large park, and then maybe walked to the Spanish Steps after, but I am not 100% sure I am remembering this correctly. Get a good guide book to Rome well ahead of time to make sure you are seeing the things you don't want to miss.

Personally, I felt like I could have missed the Sistene Chapel (felt herded thru) but could have spent more time in St. Peter's Basilica. We also did a one day tour of the Amalfi coast and loved it. Would not want to be doing the driving there or in any Italian city. Small town to small town driving would probably be ok.

[tomjbud]

Check out the Rick Steve's website. (Rick Steves Europe: Tours, Trip Planning, Travel Guides & Information (http://www.ricksteves.com)) - Lots of information about travel, accomodations, attractions and food. He also has downloadable audio tour guides which you can play on an ipod. We did Italy in 2009 on our own and had a geat time. Don't be afraid to try it - the Italian people are wonderful. (almost as nice as Villagers) However, be sure to protect your valuables - pickpockets are rampant!

[l2ridehd]

Now OHIOGIRL driving in Italy is great. I really liked it and fit right in with all the local crazies. I got a ticket in Florence for driving in an area where I didn't have some special sticker. They kept sending me letters wanting 160 euro's fine for doing it. I kept writing deceased on it and sending it back. Now we want to go back and I want to rent another car. I wonder how long the statue of limitations are on that crime? :a040:

[skyguy79]

Now OHIOGIRL driving in Italy is great. I really liked it and fit right in with all the local crazies. I got a ticket in Florence for driving in an area where I didn't have some special sticker. They kept sending me letters wanting 160 euro's fine for doing it. I kept writing deceased on it and sending it back. Now we want to go back and I want to rent another car. I wonder how long the statue of limitations are on that crime? :a040:I hope you didn't specify "I'm deceased!" :duck:

[chuckinca]

Personally, I felt like I could have missed the Sistene Chapel (felt herded thru) but could have spent more time in St. Peter's Basilica.


I didn't even see the pointy finger on the ceiling!


We followed the advise of our tour host and sat on the chairs on the back right side. The vast majority of tourists are lead out the doors on the back left. The doors on the back right are for special tour groups and get you directly into St. Peter's - if you can manage to sneak in with a group you can miss standing for hours with the riffraff waiting to get in from St. Peter's Square.

Remember to take extra batteries for your camera flash. I wouldn't let my wife spend 5 Euro for two AA batteries as we were going into the Vatican Museum and our batteries died half way thru the Basilica. Now we have to go back with fresh batteries.


.

[skyguy79]

Bob, I know you're not going to see this place since it's pictures of my great grandfather's grave and the home he owned in Morolo IT. (about 25 miles south-east of Rome) My cousin from Texas was there last year and sent me the pictures. I thought you and others might like to take a look see anyway!

[dalecrenshaw]

We did Italy on our own. Rented a car and did Eastern Italy and Tuscany, which was fine in the car. Easier to get to see the area. But I would not suggest driving in Rome...the traffic is crazy there. We loved the sights in Rome, but found it very crowded and noisy. We took a train from Rome to Venice. A very nice peaceful scenic trip, with a great lunch on board the train. The only problem was that when we were trying to load our suitcases on the train, a nice man asked if he could help my husband lift one of the suitcases....than he ran like hell. But my husband is pretty athletic and he wrestled the suitcase away from him. We had bought a long cord with lock with us, so we tied our suitcases together so no one could sleal them from the front of the train. Venice is wonderful. Can't say enough wonderful things about it - it s so different and beautiful. Just hope for good weather, because it can be miserable in the rain, if it floods. Then we went to the Lake Como area. Very nice area. We took a small boat from there to Bellagio - a very quaint, scenic town on a hill. Very charming. On prior trips, we've been to the Isle of Capri - wonderful scenery and ocean views. There is a tour that you can take that takes you to underground caverns by boat - a must do.

[Ohiogirl]

Now OHIOGIRL driving in Italy is great. I really liked it and fit right in with all the local crazies. I got a ticket in Florence for driving in an area where I didn't have some special sticker. They kept sending me letters wanting 160 euro's fine for doing it. I kept writing deceased on it and sending it back. Now we want to go back and I want to rent another car. I wonder how long the statue of limitations are on that crime? :a040:

You must also enjoy driving thru the roundabouts here in TV during the season :).

I guess it's like Bill n Brillo says - Different strokes . . .

Gotta mention that yesterday driving south on the Buena Vista Roundabout in front of SeaBreeze - a woman stopped her car in the right lane of the roundabout, exited her car from the driver's side and walked over to ask directions of someone about to enter the roundabout on her right - she had pretty much blocked the roundabout entrance!

[PennBF]

We have spent a great deal of time in Europe and always rent a car and drive. We spent a week at a Villa in Tuscany and it was terrific. We had a patio which as you sat on it you looked at the Olive trees and in the evening 2 horses would come to the fence for apples. I think it is much easier to drive in Europe as the cars are smaller and the drivers better. We did drive in Rome and it was little different than driving in NY City or Washington, DC, etc.
Have driven in Holland, Paris, Milan, Florence, and most of the major cities in Europe and never had a problem. Did get stopped by the Police once in Italy for going too fast and when I told them I did not speak Italian they just waved me on.
I think it is the best way to see the Countries.
HAVE A LOT OF FUN..:coolsmiley:

[chachacha]

i recommend the doria pamphylli (sp) art gallery on the corso in rome..get the earphones and hear interesting history of the artworks and the building...since i love caravaggio, i love the french church near the piazza navona (i believe it is St Louis de France) which has three gorgeous paintings in the rear chapel, and the church which stands alone at the piazza del popolo which has two, one of st paul being blinded by the light...very moving. and the church of st paul outside the walls is a holy place! also the little museum to the right of the spanish steps where i believe keats died (could have been shelley :) ) if you like goethe, he also lived further down the street toward piazza del popolo on the right and you can see his apt and some interesting drawings by his roommates....there is a treasure around every corner...give yourselves time to enjoy!

[MaSgritta]

Using a combination of Rick Steves guide to Italy and Tripadvisor.com, you can put together a much more memorable trip than any guided tour.

[784caroline]

Sent you a PM with some Grand Circle Travel flyers for Italy....Good company who caters primarily to Americans ..better know for their river tours in Europe.

[jmm2760jmm]

We spent 12 days in Italy and never had a car. You can use taxi or walk around in the cities. For a tour of Tuscany you're best bet is to just hire a tour guide which you can do through your hotel. Trains are easy to use and affordable. We bought our tickets the day prior off the computer at the hotel or you can purchase at the train station. We went in September and had no lines anywhere. Walked right into St. Peters, Sistine Chapel etc. with no wait. I hear May-August there are huge lines everywhere as that is holiday for Europeans.

[VICAR OF DIBLEY]

Rick Steve's book is an excellent suggestion.

If you do it on your own, which you can, you are not able to view the scenery as you drive by - which can be fantastic.

Be careful when you drive - we got a ticket in Florence - going the wrong way on an unmarked one way street. We were also unable to go to a few areas due to lack of parking space and no garages in the area. That was a bummer.

I sent some people on a Globus tour of Italy and all they did was rave about the trip.

Perillo is less expensive, but not equal to a Globus tour.

We have done both, but our friend did the driving. When the driving was easy no problems, and then there were the other times.

We have done train travel in Europe and was impressed by the service.

[chuckinca]

Wikipedia article on Vicar of Dibley states in part:

"the female vicar, self-described as a "babe with a bob cut and a magnificent bosom". She is a bonne vivante and a liberal woman who enjoys nothing more than a good laugh."


Does that pretty much sum up the TOTV Vicar of Dibley?


.

[villager]

Check out Positano - our favorite place in Italy. It is on the Amalfi Coast. Capri is nice. Cinque Terre is beautiful ("5 Lands" which is 5 little towns all connected by the train). And, don't forget about Tuscany! Also, the northern area by Lake Como is something to be considered. (Can you tell I've spent a bit of time in Italy?) Train travel is the best way and quite easy. Small hotels are excellent and you can also book apartments with private owners. Have a pizza for me, ok?

[JDRVKR]

We toured Italy last Sept. through Trafalgar Tours arranged by AAA. It was a very good two week tour, but, caution about costs. The glossy brochures list all of the great places you wish to visit. However, most of these turn out to be optional and not included in the initial cost. Most did not learn of this until arrival and were not very happy about paying an extra $100 - $200 some days to visit the desired area. Be sure to have whoever you choose explain what other expenses you are likely to incur.
John & Valerie jdjkrichardson@msn.com

[Deniselmenna]

Would like to plan a trip to Italy?
Any recommendations on tour groups to consider? Travel agents? etc.
Would like to spend a few days in Rome, then rest of trip if flexible.

We traveled all of Italy with insight tours and will do it again with them. Everything was fabulous!