Any tips on the best way to see Italy?

Question

My husband and I are planning on touring Italy. Does anyone have any experience positive or negative tour groups? We'd like to have a guide.

Answer 1

The problem with going on structured tours is that Italy has far more to see than most tours allow time for.  You can spend two weeks in Rome alone and never see the same thing twice.  12-24 hours just isn't enough time, unless you only want to scratch the surface.  

I recommend narrowing your trip down to 3 cities (in the span of 2 weeks) and visiting them more in depth.  Get a guide book (like Fodor's Gold) and take the tours listed in there and decide what you'd like to see.  

You can then decide to spend a half-day or a day with a tour (AmEx tours are great) of something you might otherwise not understand or have access to (The Forum in Rome is a great tour to take).  If they have self-guided pre-recorded tours with the little 'radio' available anyplace you visit - get it.  It's a great way to discover things you might have otherwise missed.  

Good luck to you and have a safe trip!

Answer 2

I'm going to the train station on Saturday, if you post your email address in your "details" section of your question I'll email you the train schedule.  Other than that, the trains go everywhere, just hop on a train and get off at some little off-the-beaten-path town and explore REAL Italy, not tourist Italy!

Answer 3

we went for a week without a guide and it was awesome.  we stayed in a rented villa that was central to the places we wanted to visit, in Umbria.  from there we drove everywhere we wanted to go.  that way we were not limited by time or someone else's schedule for what we wanted to do.  plus, it gave us the opportunity to get lost and just enjoy the wonderful country that italy is.

Answer 4

probably the best time you can have is actually without a guide because as a country, Italy is spontaneous, and it is fun to explore on a whim and often times, some of the best places to go are off the beaten path.  check out parma for cheese and shopping, Verona has lovely opera in the arena there, bologna for food, modena for the duomo, Sicily for old Italy (it's the closest thing to the godfather that exists in Italy today), Milan for shopping, Turin for the Egypt museum and chocolate, Florence for the uffizi, Tuscany for outlet shopping (check out lucky.com for city guides-they'll help you feel like a local).

hope this helps.

Answer 5

believe me dont go by guided tours. they swindle.

choose the right train 2 travel and its very cheap. you can hire local guides for tourism. i booked a pisa tour for 25 pounds from florence and found out later that the return train ticket is 10 eurosto florence, plus a few bucks more for a local guide. so make ur choice

Answer 6

You don't need a guide.  They are everywhere free!  For example, at the Vatician, you can follow other tours through and listen to the guides...free.  You should go by train or car.  I realize the petro is expensive, but at least you are in control.  There is sooo much to see there.  The main highways will often wind through small interesting towns.  On a tour bus, or train, you won't stop.  Most places close between 1300-1600 so the locals can have dinner with their family.  If you sit at a table, you pay more than standing at the counter to eat.  Please don't think servers are rude when You have to ask for your check.  They think it is rude to give the customer the check before they ask for it.  Sharing a meal in Italia is the ultimate socialization.  Do be careful of pick-pockets on trains or anywhere.  Rent a car, drive, meet the real people...enjoy!  Beware of the crime in Napoli/Naples.  The people are wonderful, but poor and the crimeis higher there. I have friends all over.  If only we could chat, i could give you connections in each city in case of emergency as well as the cheap hotels.  Don't expect glamour in the hotels.  Euro is about simplicity and history. If you have time for only one city, go to Rome.  Stay at Alex's B&B (2 blks from Vatacian) www.abbcare.com.  Simple but clean and cheap!  Hire a driver from www.airportconnections.com to and from airport.  You will get a free tour of Rome on your way to your hotel. Take the hop-on-hop-off bus to see the sites.  You won't waste time lost.  if you have time for 2 cities...forget Florence, go to Venice!!! Look on www.tripadvisor.com for cheap hotels in Venice.  You can trust the comments.  Just don't spend money for luxury.  You'll be fine.  You can buy a week boat pass and travel from island to island yourself.  But most of all...wear comfy shoes. Ciao.