I'm studying abroad for a short program. I'll be in Milan, Verona, Venice & Ferrara-can I get to Rome easily?

Question

We have one free day in each city and I was hoping to get to Rome for a day to see the Vatican. Also...has anyone been to any of these cities? I'd love to hear what you thought of your visit.

Answer 1

Hello,

You will be in Northern Italy and Rome is in central Italy.  It is a 4 hour train ride from Venice and about the same from Milan.    If you are thinking about seeing the vatican museums, you will find long lines in the morning and early closing times in the afternoon.  I would suggest seeing a city that is closer to where you will be staying, maybe Bologna or Verona.

I have been to Venice and enjoyed it.  It is nice not to have to deal with auto traffice but there are a ton of bridges that you will have to cross with lots of steps to go up and down.  Watch out for the pidgeons in St. Marks square and avoid Harry's Bar, they will overcharge you.

Donna

Answer 2

It is so easy to get around in Italy, actually, anywhere in Europe. While I was backpacking all over Europe with my girlfriend, we met a lot of people who were studying abroad and heading to different places during the weekend. I've been to Milan, and Rome during our trip and it was very easy to get to Rome.

While in the train stations if you don't have a Eurorail pass, you can often go to the information desk and tell them you want to get to Rome, and within minutes you have your ticket in hand with what track to get on, and exactly what time you will arrive in rome. If you are going to be in Rome for 3 days, just right outside the right side of the termini there is a vendor that sells three day passes with unlimited bus, rail travel within the city for those days, and two passes to anything like the colloseum, museums, and so on. The nice thing about the pass is that when I went to the colloseum there was a gigantic line. Since I had the pass my girlfriend and I walked directly to the front, swiped our card and we got in within 30 seconds. I believe you can also just get a unlimited day pass at that stand.

I suggest to get a tour guide for the Vatican, especially on Wednesdays since the pope speaks in the square. I arrived there that day and got on a tour with a woman named Kathy. If you see someone holding a flower stuffed toy, she is amazing and the nice thing about a tour there is that you get to the front of the line and you'll find out things that you never would imagined, like in the Sisteen Chapel and hidden messages Michaelangelo did.

I didn't hear the greatest things about Venice, just that it was very over crowded, and expensive, but it might just depend on what time of year you get there at.

One stop that might be worth the Euros is the beatiful Cinque Terre and the city of Vernazza there right on the coast of the Mediterranean. It takes about 3 hours from Milan and the ride isn't the greatest but if you get there for a couple days it was one of the best places on our trip we went to.

You might want to look into Rick Steves books about Italy where you'll find a lot of helpful information. You can also check out a lot of his books at the library and it is definitely worth doing.

Have a good study abroad.

Answer 3

Having been in Milan 3 times I can verify shopping is great by the Piaza d'duamo, the cathedral, all the good shops are there including gucci. Also the Scala Opera house is in the same area and there are many great places to eat also.  In venice use the tragetti instead of the water taxis they are cheeper and go in the same areas.

Answer 4

hi,

i live in  milan and i bet you will enjoy it because of shopping and night life first (www.milano.tonight.eu)... then you will enjoy visiting all its historical places (the gothic cathedral, the castle, the Cenacolo by Leonardo etc etc etc...).

verona and venice are in the same region and not very far from eachother... they are great too...

ferrara is a little souther and i've never been there, but i guess you wuld find it super for having lunch or dining at some typical little places inside the country!

ferrara is also the nearest city (of the ones you have mentioned above) to rome. i think you could get there by train in 4 hours (5-6- hours from milan to rome).

enjoy your trip!