Recs for Italy

SO and I will be traveling to Italy for just over a week, starting this Friday. We're starting off in Rome, but haven't yet decided whether we want to go north and south, or just north. Cities of interest include Florence, Venice, and Naples.

Do yo have any glowing recommendations for places to shop, visit, eat, and sleep? Something in particular that caught your fancy?

10 years ago

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Latest reply was from bj1111

kkards

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I was lucky enough to spend 2 weeks in Italy last fall--we were in Rome, Florence and Venice. Honestly, I enjoyed Venice, and it was a once in a lifetime kind of place....but i'd go back to Florence in a heartbeat.

10 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

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Florence was lovely, and lots to do. Rome has a lot of notable landmarks but it was so busy and crowded that I found it overwhelming. We didn't make it to Venice but my parents have been and said it's cool, worth seeing once.

Oh yeah, Pisa is nifty, but I don't know that is recommend going there if it isn't on your way to somewhere else. Iirc, there's pretty much just the tower and a bunch of tourists.

10 years ago

Elle

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I loved Rome, Florence, and Venice (so unusual). I don't know if you've been before but definitely you can't go wrong eating in Italy. Rome is big (which I liked) and I recommend seeing the Coliseum, Forum, Vatican museum - all with guides, if possible. The Forum in particular is hard to grasp without a guide. I love Michaelangelo so the Pieta (in St. Peters) and the Moses in Chains (St Pietro al vinclo (sp?) and the Sistine Chapel are worth seeing. I also recommend the crypt of the Capuchin church (near Via Veneto) and the Basilica of San Clemente Al Laterno which has three structures on top of each other ( two churches and a roman villa). Florence has the David (need a reservation) which is my all time favorite sculpture and tons of Renaissance art. Venice is probably going to be cold and damp at this time of year but it is so unusual that I think it is worth a visit of a day or two. Wander around and take a tour of the old Jewish ghetto.

You will have fun no matter where you go.

10 years ago

annagybe

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I really liked Siena.
Cinque Terre is amazing, but I was there when it was warm. I don't think the hiking would be enjoyable in the winter.
Maybe go to Sicily and see if Mount Etna erupts.

10 years ago

bj1111

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is this your first time? if so, i would go to rome and one other city (florence, venice). that is plenty for a week allowing for some down time. 3-4 days per city including travel time between cities. the rest is based on how i like to travel. i like to "live" in the city so i do 1-1.5 intensive sightseeing day(s) then pick a different area each day to just explore --find the best gelato, chase down an obscure bookstore or boutique or see a special exhibit or pop-up restaurant, have a shopping/cooking/history lesson, people watch. or i pick an area each day and organize sight seeing / gelato / meals / coffee/shopping in that area, rather than rushing from place to place. eventually, i get churched-out--having a guide is a great idea, as is purchasing tickets ahead of time so you can skip the lines.

that said, i'm not fond of rome after you've seen the highlights. we did do a daytrip to pompeii, herculeneum would have been better but we ran out of time.

enjoyed florence with a day trip to pisa. venice was super--enjoyed the biennale.

i adored sicily--we drove from palermo to taormina immediately after we landed. took day trips from taormina and back in time for a great dinner. hiked etna, went to the beach, checked out syracusa. didn't make it to agrigento--next time. pace was slow, we didnt' rush, slept in when we wanted. very very chill.

10 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

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I forgot about Pompeii and Herculaneum - if you are a history nerd like me it is well worth it. A bit of a drive from the major cities but there are buses you can take and tours. Really interesting and singular, if a bit morbid in a way.

I agree that having a guide or tour for the landmarks in Rome is a good idea, especially if y are tight on time.

10 years ago

crazyone

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I've only been to Venice--I definitely recommend going, because it's like no other city in the world due to the canals, but it's very touristy and doesn't need more than 2 or 3 days unless you are really into Venetian history. There's very little "ordinary Venetian life" that doesn't revolve around the tourism industry, which made it less appealing for me.

I've heard you can spend an infinite amount of time in Rome, though.

10 years ago

gradfashionista

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Thanks, everyone! I decided to focus on Rome and Florence, with a quick stopover in Venice. Too few days, so many options! I love returning to places I've visited, so it's nice knowing there's plenty to do in future trips.

10 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

if you want something quirky to do in rome, we did a cooking/history lesson with an american foodwriter married to an italian. she lives by testaccio market. we shopped and cooked then ate dinner with her and her husband at their flat. a slice of life experience.

also, pisa is a short train ride from florence so a good day trip.

10 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

ps...its funny, i don't like going back to places if i've had a really really good time the first go. just in case i will be disappointed and spoil my memories.

10 years ago

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