1st trip to Italy?

Question

My husband and I are going Oct 17-29, 2007 to Italy for the 1st time. We are thinking about flying into Venice and out of Rome (or vice versa). We also would love to go to Tuscany and possibly the Cinque Terre. We would love to hear any ideas about places to go/stay and how long people would recommend staying in different cities and how to get around! We've thought about taking the train most places, but have heard we might need a car if we do go to Tuscany and all.

Thank you!

Answer 1

My first trip to Italy was pretty much exactly that.  We started in Venice, then to Florence, and on to Rome.  We had day trips to Verona, Pisa, Siena.  It was great!  We just used the train, and it was fine - easy to do and a wonderful first trip to Italy.  You can always pick up a rental car in Florence for touring hilltowns,  I'm sure you'll have a wnderful time!

Answer 2

Hi,,, well your going to a great country ... I have been many times and will make this suggestion..

I recommend that you fly into Rome, go see the sights there, the Vatican, colosum, forum, ect ect.. Beware of the pick pockets,, they are all over and very good!!!  Food is great, but if you want to meet up with some fellow Americans, check the Hard Rock Cafe.. there should be some there....

Next, jump on the train to Florence-Pisa,, one leaves just about every hour from Rome .. takes about 1 to 1.5 hour ride,, and see the sights and museums of the Tuscany region.. you can walk everywhere... and the leather shops are there,,

Then, if you want jump the train to Venice,, and see the sights there,,, You will have a great time and love every minute.....

Good luck

Answer 3

if youi are a firt timer go to a travel agency take your passports and

let the travel agent put a package together for you

the travel agent will take your passports,get an entry visa and set up

the place of stay etc.

when you get to Italy at the port of entryafter they check your

passport go to a window where they have currency exchange and

get some EUROS

1.00 USD

United States Dollars = 0.768670 EUR

Euro

1 USD = 0.768670 EUR 1 EUR = 1.30095 USD

have a good trip!

Answer 4

I was there this past June with my boyfriend.  We flew into Rome and spent 3 1/2 days there in the Trastevere neighborhood, which was about a 20 minute train ride from the Colosseum, Pantheon, etc.  It was about a 15 minute bus ride from Vatican City.  We stayed at a B&B which, unfortunately is no longer in operation as the owners moved to Panama City.  Rome is great!!  I'd go back to spend more time there b/c there is so much to see.  Take the time to get off the beaten path and eat at places where you walk in and nobody speaks English but the food is home-cooked and the people are welcoming.

We spent time in the Tuscany/Umbria region.  Our home base there was Orvieto, a wallled town on the border of the two regions.  We stayed at a B&B called Valentina's run by none other than the lovely Valentina.  Great food and local entertainment there.  We also rented bicycles and made the ride to Civita, a town occupied by only a dozen or so people in their eighties and nineties.  Worth the trip as the ride took us past many vineyards and olive groves.  At times in this region however, a car would have been nice b/c there are so many little towns that are great distances apart and the buses don't go to each every day.

We only spent a few days in Florence which was beautiful and I would return in the future to do some shopping.  There is a great central market there with such a wide variety of local foods and decadent treats!  Osteria la Congrega was a fantastic place for dinner-- one of the best meals of our trip.

Venice was hot, humid and crowded but we were there at the height of the tourist season.  I'd love to go back during the fall like you are!  It is truly beautiful.

We spent three days in Cinque Terre which I loved but my boyfriend felt that it was a little long.  We stayed in the far village of Riomaggiore in an apt. with a rooftop deck which we loved (Edi's Rooms).  There is a trail that connects all five villages so we started the hike in Riomaggiore but only made it to the fourth village as the hike severely intensifies and the beach is very alluring.  If you do the hikem you might start at Monterosso and go the other way; that way you'll do the hard part first when you are still fresh.  The food in Cinque Terre is fresh but basic-- lots of plain fish, and plain fish, and plain fish.  But it's fresh and local!

We then headed to Milan, saw the sights for a day, and flew out of Milan.

We took the train everywhere throughout the trip.

Our bible was Rick Steve's Italy 2006 guide.  It was extremely helpful but keep in mind that if Rick Steves doesn't think much of a place then it doesn't make it into the book and I imagine there are many other places we would have loved that weren't in his book.

You will discover that this will not be the only trip to Italy for you.  You willl fall in love with it.  Viva Italia!