Italy- best way to see it all?

Question

I want to go see the sights in Italy....what is the best way to do this? Tour group? If so, which one? Do I need a group? I really want to see Rome and what it has to offer. What is the hotel situation there? How do you book it? Can you walk around to most of the places? Do they have smoke-free areas and hotels? Any helpfull hints appreciated.

Answer 1

Tour group is easy, but you can just do what they planned to do. Travelling alone is better, in my opinion.  In this case, you need a good tour plan. You can start searching information on internet, obviously. And read books. I always suggest "My journey in Italy" by J. W. Goethe. This is a real masterpiece that teaches you how to be an educated traveller. Many modern books about tips on travelling are on Amazon.

Here are some links to start your search:

to look for general or specific info:

- http://www.abcitaly.com/indexeng.html

- http://en.wikipedia.org

- http://www.google.it/

main italian flight companies (timetables & tickets):

- http://www.alitalia.com

- http://www.flyairone.it/

train company (timetables & tickets):

- http://www.treniitalia.it

hotels & hostels (abstracts & reservation):

- http://www.venere.com

abut cities and towns:

- http://www.ancitel.it/link/siti/

(put the town name you are looking for into the first box and click on "invio"; it links to more specific pages)

any city has a website about its public transport system, like this:

- http://www.atac.roma.it/

about museums:

- http://www.museionline.it/

- http://www.museiitaliani.net/

- http://www.museitaliani.org/

- http://www.abcitaly.com/musei.html

- http://www.reiseninitalien.com/english.h...

about the language:

- http://www.italica.rai.it/principali/lin...

- http://www.wordreference.com/

about food and drinks.

- http://www.cucinait.com/

- http://www.cucinaitaliana.it/

- http://www.ilterzogirone.it/

- http://www.mcdonalds.it/

- http://www.artemotore.com/vini1.html

- http://www.winereport.com/

shops & anything you can buy:

- http://www.paginegialle.it/index.html

telephone numbers & emergency:

- http://www.paginebianche.it/index.html

- http://www.paginebianche.it/execute.cgi?...

If you have more specific question, I'll be glad to answer them.

Enjoy your trip in Italy!

Bye, bye!

Answer 2

I try to avoid the long group tours because there's never enough time to see things that attract my interest. The group tours can be good for half day or day trips along the way though.

Venere.com is a good site for booking hotels in Italy. http://en.venere.com/hotels_venice/ You can sort by price, location in the city, guest rating, and other criteria. There are also reviews by past guests that can help you know what to expect.

Any of the central districts in Rome are convenient for sightseeing. The area around the Roma Termini train station is cheaper, but a little further from the sites. It is still walkable though, and there are good public transportation connections.

The Trevi, Colosseo Foro Romano, Pantheon, Navonna, and Piazza di Spagna districts, as shown on the venere map, are all within easy walking distance of all the major sights.

If you're looking for cheap and close to the attractions in Rome, a good option may be the Hotel Romano http://en.venere.com/hotels_rome/kolosse... It's very close to the Forum & Colosseum and within walking distance of two metro stops and the Termini train station.

If you're looking for something a little more upscale, the Hotel Regno and Hotel Cesari, both located between the Pantheon Trevi Fountain, are very good. Hotel Regno is a particularly good bargain. http://en.venere.com/hotels_rome/fontana... http://en.venere.com/hotels_rome/pantheo...

A good option for public transportation in Rome is the Roma Pass http://www.romapass.it/english/lecard.ht... It includes free access to the underground, the bus system, some trains for a three day period and includes maps of the transportation. You also get free admission to a couple of attractions and discounts to others.

It's very easy and relatively inexpensive to get around Italy by train. You can use the Italian train website to check schedules and prices. http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

Answer 3

I have to agree with tele guy there.  The train and sub system are so convenient, especially in Rome.

Answer 4

Personally, I hate the tour groups that travel entire countries - I can do a day tour at most!!!

My big trip around Italy started in Milan and I caught trains to Como, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Roma, Napoli and Positano (well, we drove to Positano!). Rail travel is excellent, but we also hired a car to get to some of he villages in Tuscany/Umbria etc. etc. Didn't have enough time to go all the way to Sicily, but looking at a map, we covered a fair bit! Doing it on your own is easy. Rome is pretty easy to get around while walking (Bus system takes a bit of deciphering, but the Metro is easy enough). There are some smoke-free areas and hotels, but not that many. Best to stay in smaller hotels, rather than the big chains - they have a bit more charm. I recommend taking a day/ half day tour in whatever city you are in, you get some good information and see some interesting things, without spending your whole vacation following someone in a silly hat holding an umbrella in the air!

Enjoy - Italy is stunning