Italy Trip.

[chobochobo]

Cheers, I like Italy and would plan to go back again and again. I guess, part of the reasoning for so many stops is to 'check out' places worth a longer stay the next time. However I guess there's pretty much a limit to how practical/ tiring it gets. So, if it was a choice between staying a couple of days at Positano or Cinqueterre, what would you guys go for please?

Plus, any more suggestions for places to see/ eat at please?

 

[RSS]

Originally Posted by whnay.

We want to do Florence - is 2 days enough? Thinking the usual art places plus some shopping (non-bespoke).
Whnay! You should know better ... you DO cocaine ... you do not DO Florence ... well ... unless Florence is a woman.

 

[mksims]

Originally Posted by chobochobo

So this is the sort-of final itinerary, any suggestions for must see places, must eat places please?

1st day Rome
2nd - Vatican
3rd Tivoli day trip
4th Rome
5th Rome to Positano via Naples and 'best pizza in the world'
6th Pompeii day trip
7th Positano to Florence via Siena
8th Florence Academia
9th Lucca/Pisa day trip
10th Florence to Cinqueterre
11th Cinqueterre to Venice
12th Venice
13 Venice to Milan
14th Milan and leave

Cheers

Hope it's not too late to throw in a suggestion

Why don't you do a stopover in Bologna between Cinqueterre and Venice? You'll probably travel through anyway if you're travelling by train, and it's an absolutely sweet city - plus I remember the food being extraordinary (try some 'tortellini alla panna').

 

[AdamR]

Originally Posted by chobochobo

2nd - Vatican
9th Lucca/Pisa day trip

Depending on time spent, I did the Vatican in about 5 hours I believe.. got there early at 6:30 to avoid all the lines (which is definitely worth it, unless you like 6 hour lines) and finished up just before noon.

Pisa was just another couple hours for me as well, depending on what you're doing but more time spent in Florence is worth it lol, train was just over an hour away I believe and we only spent about four hours there and came back.

Awesome trip though, you'll love it.

 

[chobochobo]

Originally Posted by AdamR

Depending on time spent, I did the Vatican in about 5 hours I believe.. got there early at 6:30 to avoid all the lines (which is definitely worth it, unless you like 6 hour lines) and finished up just before noon.

Pisa was just another couple hours for me as well, depending on what you're doing but more time spent in Florence is worth it lol, train was just over an hour away I believe and we only spent about four hours there and came back.

Awesome trip though, you'll love it.

Cheers,

Did the museum tour and up the dome, at the Vatican last time, and will be doing the crypt tour this time. Then having a gelato before heading back to Rome city bits, so won't be spending too much time at the Vatican.

 

[culverwood]

Originally Posted by chobochobo

Did the museum tour and up the dome, at the Vatican last time, and will be doing the crypt tour this time.

Take a little time to pray in the Clementine Chapel which you should pass through on the tour.
http://saintpetersbasilica.org/Grott...e%20Chapel.htm

 

[chobochobo]

Just back from Italy. Had a great time. Just a few highlights, mostly culinary - didn't do that much shopping though - Gallo (8 ties! and a belt) and Etro (a casual mac type coat with a twist), oh and some vinyl, of all things.

Rome - stayed in Trastevere
Vatican ruins tour - very interesting, also was in the St Clementine Chapel someone mentioned,
Food at Roma Sparita - great fiore di zucca and pasta cacio e pepe
Food at Il Timoniere - great meal
Great pizza at Ivo's
Great mozzarella, proscuitto and bread from deli downstairs to our apartment
Gelato at San Crispino is greatly overrated - I much preferred Vivoli - their Pistachio and Rice are the amongst the best gelatos I've had, Giolittis also good

Florence - stayed in Oltrano
Food at Sostanza (mmm butter chicken), Il Guscio and Teatro del Sale (great fun)
Great lunch at Nerbone
Day trips to Lucca, Pisa and Siena
Gelato at Grom excellent

Positano - beautiful town, Hotel Marincanto
Day trip with hired driver to Pompeii, Paestum and Ravello.
Food at Il Tagliata - bit of a tourist trap catering to Americans with the free flowing wine, probably to mask the overcooked meat at the end of the meal
Food at Da Vincenzo - very good

Venice - stayed in Dorsoduro
Food at Osteria Santa Marina - food good, waiter p*sspoor
Food at Il Ridotto excellent
Gelato - Grom excellent

Milan - stayed near Duomo
Food at Abele excellent (best meal of the trip, almost tempted not to let you guys know so that it doesn't become a tourist trap)
Food at della Pesa very good but a bit overpriced

 

[Luc-Emmanuel]

So, how did the Italy trip go?
!luc

 

[ALFAMALE]

Naples,Florence,Venice, Bellagio (lake Como).

 

[soul71]

My initial thought was the following:Rome - 5Florence - 2Siena - 1Naples - 2

Hi, I'm italian.
Your thought is perfect.

 

[chobochobo]

I can't believe I was asking about my (second) trip to Italy back in 2010 in this thread! We're planning to go back to Italy this May (first year Anniversary). We're flying into Rome and leaving from Milan where the Gelato Festival and the Expo will be in full flow.

We've done Rome x3, Florence x3, Pisa, Venice, Lucca, Siena, Positano, Cinqueterre, Como and Milan x 3. This time we're thinking of concentrating a bit more on the North Eastern bit - Bologna, Parma, Modena - but are fairly open. Any suggestions please?

 

[Britalian]

All above are very nice, if less touristy than the other places you've visited. Nice lack of tourists... Also-
Mantova (Mantua) is beautiful. See Palazzo Te and Teatro Bibiena.
Vicenza - very nice, get a tour of the incredible Teatro Olimpico (seen at end of Ripley's Game)
Verona is nice but a tourist hell most of the time

PM me if you get to Modena and want eating recs .

 

[pabloj]

I'd suggest a day trip to Turin (a litttle less that 1h from Milan with Frecciarossa)

 

[Britalian]



I'd suggest a day trip to Turin (a litttle less that 1h from Milan with Frecciarossa)

good call, if a bit far west of the others.. very elegant city.

 

[culverwood]

Smaller cities along the road from Parma are Fidenza, Pavia and Piacenza. You could also go North to the lakes and mountains.