I want to go to Italy...help?

Question

I want to apologize first...I did post this a little bit ago stupidly it was not in the ideal location.

I want to go to italy for either vacation or for my honeymoon. I want to know things like:

1. What is the best way to plan a trip there? (ie, travel agency, or just buy the air tickets and book hotel on my own.)

2. Where do you think is the best place to stay there? (city, hotel...)

3. I have never been to Europe before-are all the hotels there like flop houses where you share a bathroom with 50 other people?

4. Will nice hotels be as costly as American Hotels?

sorry my questions are pretty dumb...I've only planned a trip to mexico once and I stayed at a resort-I don't really know how that could compare to a European trip. also if you can give any other details or information I would love it! The more the better!

Thanks!

Answer 1

Rome and Venice are beautiful places that you will remember forever.

I recently booked a trip through orbitz and the hotel was really nice and inexpensive.

I wouldn't bother with a travel agent, you can get good deals on your own.

If you book through an american site, most hotels will be up to our standards. My hotel was only 3 stars, but had marble everywhere and the latest in design. Only thing about hotels - rooms are very small compared to what you get here.

Enjoy and just go for it! Don't plan to much crazy stuff, just go and experience the world!

Answer 2

Italy is very expensive but also very nice!!!

I think you can't miss Rome,Tuscany,Florence and cinque terre!!!I went there last summer,i'm italian but believe me cinque terre is a great place,you can't find nothing similar in every part of the world!!!!

hotels are usually very clean but also very expensive,don't worry you don't have to share bathroom with other people..lol......around 100 new zealand dollar for night!!!

Have fun in italy,i have been to new zealand,It is great!!!!

Answer 3

if you are a blonde and blue-eyed Texan,

then I'll glad to help you... i'll be glad to invite you in my house... you won't have to share a bathroom with 50 people, and I will plan a nice trip between florence, venice and rome.. we might visit verona too...

Answer 4

since it is Europe, you dont need absolutely a travel agency..There are offers  of Alitalia, or Air one with cheap tickets..

Choose always a central hotel, and avoid to eat in the centre of touristic places.

I would suggest you Rome, Venice, Florence,the hotels are not so much expensive, but the quality is not always good.They are provided with bathrooms all, but i cant assure you how big or small they will be..Usually smoking in most of them is not allowed,.

For Italy, choose a good travel agency, and book through internet too.I recomend you also Naples, because it is cheaper, but you have to be careful there..Shopping also there is cheap..

First selection Rome..A very nice hotel, in the centre, opposite to a ministry in a good zone, is the hotel Ranieri..

www.hotelranieri.com

Answer 5

Planning your trip online is the best way to do it these days. Most online travel services will let you know about the amenities available.

I would highly recommend you take a quick language class before you go. Italian is not hard to learn and it will allow you to venture beyond the "tourist" shell. Most Italians do not speak much English, so if you can't speak Italian you're limited to the bilingual places, and you'll miss a lot of what makes Italy wonderful. When I lived there, we used to say don't go to the restaurants with English in their menu, because the Italians save the best food for themselves. Learn a little Italian and bring a phrase book. The Italians will appreciate your effort.

Rome is great to visit and Venice is incomparable, but don't forget Florence and the Italian Riviera (the shoreline from Pisa to Genova).

The cost will depend on the current exchange rate. Right now the dollar is not so good, but the exchange rate with Italy can change quickly.

Answer 6

Dear one - I have been to Italy several times.   I much prefer Northern Italy, to the South, and Venice is my favorite city.  I book my own travel.  Buy your own air tickets (I use freq. flyer miles, but if you don't have any of those, then check rates on the internet with Expedia, sidestep, etc.)  This last time I booked all my hotels based on reviews from Trip Advisor - http://www.tripadvisor.com/  - people write honest reviews there (myself included) and you can check prices and book with multiple search engines from there.  "Nice hotels" is a relative term - they will be DIFFERENT - it's Europe - do you want to stay in a Holiday Inn?  I suggest staying in quaint Inns near city centers and within walking distance of the major sights.  They will NOT be "chain hotels", but will have wonderful views, en-suite bathrooms, and breakfast included.  When I was there last May I stuck to a budget of $120-150 EU double per day for lodging for most places and the hotels were all very nice.  3 stars is what you want to look for.  Many had internet also.  You also want to be close to transportation - in Italy this means the TRAIN.  I suggest you spend some time with the Rick Steves books and website as well - this is a great site for your first time going to Europe.

Answer 7

i think u should plan it urself going through an agency is a waste of time.

i suggest staying in florece its really nice and wouldn't cost as much as rome.

you get your own bathroom and room usually very small.

nice hotels are very expensive because we stayed at a "2 star' and didn't compare to american 2 star

but we got a hotel by the dwomo (not spelled right) and it was

really cool

also if u want to  go somewhere else u can get a train pretty cheaply and just go over

Answer 8

One thing to know for now is that Europe is REALLY expensive because the dollar's value is so bad right now.  So hotels, food, etc. is likely to be even more expensive than a similar-quality American hotel.  But they do have really nice hotels and really nice lower-end hotels where you don't share a bathroom with anyone else.  The cheapest places will be the hostels and flop-houses you describe, but there are lots of different types of places to stay (including bed&breakfast type places where you may share a bathroom but it would only be with a couple of other people because the place is so small).  

You can plan an Italy trip by yourself, but you need to spend some time researching everything and may even need to make a phone call or two, or send faxes, to get reservations confirmed (especially for the smaller hotels).  TripAdvisor is a fantastic site for researchign places to stay in particular cities.  We planned a great trip relying very heavily on TripAdvisor.  But you should also get a book or two, because they contain invaluable hints and help with respect to restaurants, thigns to do, etc.  

Using a travel agent might be pretty helpful since you're really unfamiliar with Italy and how to plan a trip there.  It shouldn't cost you all that much extra, I don't think.  IN either case, you'll need to decide what it is you'd most want to do -- see Roman ruins? wander through fancy shopping districts? see the most famous tourist sites (museums, etc.), go to a scenic, quiet spot where you can hike and maybe swim?  All are available.  

Florence is a fun and pretty city with a lot of international visitors and resident students around.  There's expensive shopping and famous sites there, including the Michaelangelo statue of David and the Uffizi Gallery,w hich has a lot of famous artworks.  Here's a huge time-saving hint on the latter two:  you can make reservations in advance and avoid waiting in what can be 2-hour lines, if you reserve at least 2 days in advance.  The hills around Florence are pretty, too.

Rome is quite worldly, with famous museums, roman ruins, fountains,etc. interspersed among a fairly sizeable modern city.  The Vatican is right there, too, which is definitely worth visiting regardless of your religion.  

Venice is great when it's not the height of summer -- the romantic canals, windy streets, etc are lovely and fun but smelly when it's hot -- and Venice is extremely crowded with tourists so it's worth finding a place to stay that's off the beaten path.  Also, Venice is pretty far away from Florence so it's hard to do them both on one visit.  

There's a lot more-- there's an area called Cinque Terre that is gorgeous, right on the water and kind of remote.  Italians vacation there to go hiking and bathing and just to relax.  It's not all that expensive and is a quiet, more intimate spot-- or you could go to the more pricey and cosmopolitan but also gorgeous area of Portofino taht would be easier to get to.  There's a lovely wine country there, which is also olive oil and otehr food-stuff country, where you'll amazing food-- but Italy features amazing food almost everywhere-- not just the pasta, but the sandwiches, cheeses, salads, meats, etc...-- they love to cook and eat and drink there.

I only went once and have limited experience there, but I want to go back when it gets a little more affordable.  But for a honeymoon, that might be worth the splurge if you can afford it!  IT's a lovely place.