Things to do in Italy

Nitefly

Nitefly

Nitefly

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Joined
24 Sep 2005
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Hello all,

I'm busting out to Italy on friday for 5 weeks (!!!) for a long awaited travelling session.

The current plan is 3 nights in Venice, 3 nights in Verona, 3 nights in Milan, 1 night in Bolognia, 3 nights in Florence, then ~2 weeks touring the south then finally hitting Rome for 4 days. Needless to say, I'm very excited!

Is there anything I should definately do or not do whilst I'm away. I have some plans but it'll be great to hear from others as I've never been to Italy before. I've been told multiple times to avoid Naples like the plague :p

Many thanks in advance :)
 
If you're in venice, try to avoid eating/drinking out unless you have oodles of spare cash. My parents just came back from there and said a beer+coffee in a busy area was about 20Euros. They had to budget about £100 a day on food as they were in a hotel. Oh, and avoid the bars/cafes/restaurants where a band is playing. They charge you for LISTENING to the band.
 
The Amalfi cost is beautiful, Vesuvius is worth a trip (it's not a hard climb but can be a underwhelming if its a cloudy day) and Pompei is very interesting. Rome has a great many historical sites but, to be frank, I loathed it. The people were incredibly rude, its filthy, I experienced an amazing amount of petty crime (lots of bag thefts during a school trip), the food is nothing special (at least where we ate) and, similar to Venice as mentioned above, DO NOT eat/drink anywhere near the Vatican. The prices around that area are ridiculous. £10 for a coke! And that was 5 years ago.

Other than that, I hope you enjoy and have a really good time.
 
Go to Pompeii but don't miss Herculaneum - smaller maybe, but very impressive.
And I've always fancied a trip to Sicily.
 
Nitefly said:
I've been told multiple times to avoid Naples like the plague :p

Many thanks in advance :)
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Naples is a fascinating place but not for first timer.

Eat in the Vatican canteen when you list. Though a bit deserted at night the Vatican area has some good restaurants.

Visit Pompeii early in the morning the same goes for the Uffizi.

Drive the Amalfi drive. If on coach sit on the right going there and the left coming back. Go to Ravello for lunch.

Near Rome visit Hadrian's Villa and the villa D'este with the Tivoli fountains.

If you visit Capri go to And Capri.

Do your sightseeing before lunch.

Don't carry valuables as there are pickpockets.

I'll stop now. :D

The Italians are lovely people and Italy is a wonderful place, so have a great time. :)
 
Two more:

If you have take a look at Sienna and of you're driving from Rome to Naples (for Amalfi coast) drive up to Monte Cassino then to the Polish war cemetery (there is also a British one by Casino town).
 
Venice is over priced, dirty, cramped, smelly and not enjoyable. Yes, it's a must see but you don't need to spend 3 days there.
Rome is very hot, dirty and smelly but there are lots of stunning squares dotted around with some cracking wine bars in. Perfect for sitting back and checking out the talent. Also, all the fountains in Rome have to be OK to drink from (from the running water) which can be handy.
Go to Monaco, it's breathtaking.
 
- eat lots if pasta

- get fat

- grow a mustache

- run round going "it's meeeee maaaario" at everybody

- kidnap any blondes you meet claiming you are saving the princess

- befriend a dwarf and call him toad

- steal a crocodile and call him Yoshi

- go on a killing spree claiming everyone is goombas and must be destroyed

- spend the rest of your life I'm a mental asylum

but please don't thank me for this plan and don't tell the police it was me who suggested it either!
 
My new camera just arrived in the post for the trip, a Panasonic Lumix FS10 - no idea about cameras but it's supposed to be pretty good so yay, I've never had a camera before :D

This is all interesting ready, again, many thanks :)
 
Try and cut Milan down to 1 or 2 nights. There honestly isn't very much to see or do there, it's a fairly uninspiring city apart from the Duomo (I also enjoyed my visit to the San Siro football stadium and Monza race circuit is nearby)

3 nights in Venice is plenty, it can be quite a claustrophobic city.
 
Pisa's only worth 1 day, outside the tourist bit (Tower etc) in the centre it's mainly industrial and pretty scabby.

If you do go to Pisa, don't be tempted to buy anything from the Africans selling Rolex Watches and other bits. If you are observed buying from them by the police both you and the vender will be fined 500 Euro.
 
I got back from a holiday in Italy on Friday last week, spent 5days in Rome and absolutely loved it, stayed in Trastevere and it was eye-opening to say the least, the amount of graffiti, vandalism, street beggers and vendors and 'Ladies of ill repute' was very surprising. Visited Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, and spent a whole day in the Vatican, the museums in the Vatican were stunning, the Cistine Chapel has to be seen to be believed. Eating was expensive, wife and me were paying €40-50 per night for a meal out for 2 including drinks. You won't find much cheaper than that. Accomodation was €100 per night B&B.
We then got a train to Venice and stayed 6 nights on the Venice Lido, it was great but 3 -4 days would have been better, food on the Lido was cheaper than Venice itself, but still budget €3-4.50 per large beer and soft drinks can be €2-3. Venice is nice but full of Americans, and very large Americans at that.
 
Windle said:
Pisa's only worth 1 day, outside the tourist bit (Tower etc) in the centre it's mainly industrial and pretty scabby.

If you do go to Pisa, don't be tempted to buy anything from the Africans selling Rolex Watches and other bits. If you are observed buying from them by the police both you and the vender will be fined 500 Euro.
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In Rome and Venice they were selling leather bags, nice copies of LV, Prada and Gucci designer bags. Nobody was stopping them selling and they were quite blatant about it. Carabineri weren't interested in them at all.
 
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