Italian vacation

[+heroj_ulice]

Hello! First, i apologize for writing in English, but my Italian is not good enough

My girlfriend (maki433) and me are going to spend our vacation in Italy starting on Saturday 3.8. and ending on Saturday 17.8. We plan to travel by car, reach Rome and than return home. Rough plan can be seen at: http://www.travellerspoint.com/member_map.cfm?tripid=484489. We still have two days unplanned so if you have suggestions what to visit - would be much appreciated (exluding Florence, Venice and Padova - we visited those ). Can we fit San Gimignano and Siena in one day or should we make it in two days? Should we drive around in car when in Rome or should we take public transport (suggestions)?

We would very much appreciate help on caching matters (i.e. nice caches not to be missed, especially of less common types).

We plan to get accommodation via couchsurfing, but it's likely we'll have to stay at hostel, camps, b&b's or something as well - suggestions are most welcomed. As well as recommendations considering things like where to eat, what to visit, where to go, where to shop.

Of course, once there we would be delighted to meet local cachers and have a cold beer

 

cheers, robert & maja

[innakis]

Hi! I'm glad you choose to (re)visit Italy!

I want to speak only of place I know well, so I may left some good spot behind...

If you plan to travel across Tuscany, you should stop at Monteriggioni. It's a little village still stuck in the Middle Ages, between San Gimignano and Siena. Leaving from Siena you should also stop at Orvieto, along your route, and at Civita di Bagnoregio, a bit away. Both are build on top of tufa rock and have rich historical attractions (the first) and natural beauty. The second has the best location cache I ever seen, from my point of view...

Around the Bolsena Lake there are a lot of other beautiful place, of them I don't spoke because my visit dates before mine "Geocaching era" But I suggest you to linger there and, if you have enough time, also around the Trasimeno lake. There I stayed at I Capricci di Merion. Cortona is another little jewel to visit and to eat at.

I hope to have given you some good point. Have a nice vacation!

P.S.: I live in Prato, near Florence.

[+heroj_ulice]

tnx for your help, we'll spend few days in tuscany and check it out unfortunatelly, as it seems, prato is bit out of the way for the beer

[+Meekat]

Hello!

 

My name is Meeka. My partner and I will be visiting Italy in September. We'll be spending time in Florence, Rome and Milan. Any suggestions as to how to avoid tourist traps? We're looking to visit these cities the "local way".

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks for your time!

[+heroj_ulice]

we returned from our journey, it was great to drive around and enjoy the atmosphere due to that we haven't had that many caches, just 66, but enjoyed quite a few... tnx again for the help

[+JoesBar]

Hello!

 

My name is Meeka. My partner and I will be visiting Italy in September. We'll be spending time in Florence, Rome and Milan. Any suggestions as to how to avoid tourist traps? We're looking to visit these cities the "local way".

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks for your time!

 

My family and I, six in total, visited those cities in May.

First, let me tell you that if you take a water bottle, and I suggest you do, you will find public fountains that have drinking water in many piazzas. They are small, like our drinking fountains. Not the big fountains. Except in Roma, but more on that. It will be marked, "non potable" if it is not drinkable.

I will start in Milano. If you are there on a Saturday, I strongly suggest a neighborhood street market. It is located just north of Porta Garibaldi train station. Find Piazza Tito Minitti on Google maps. Via Pietro Borsieri. It just happens that the picture was taken when the market was set up. I suggest you visit the Duomo. Then wander the streets. If you leave the Duomo, and head NW up Via Dante, you will get to Piazza Castello. It is an medieval castle. Very cool.

Firenza was very nice! So many things to see. But, I suggest avoiding the very touristy market here. It is strictly for tourists. Visit the Porta Vecchio. Yeah, it for tourists, but you must see it. Visit both the Uffizi and the Accademia. go to the ticket office and buy your tickets ahead of time and avoid the line to get in. There is also a reproduction of The David in the Piazza Del Signoria. Well worth the visit. There are other statues there and another museum we did not visit, but I understand is well worth it. I also suggest the Garden di Boboli. If you cross the Ponte Vecchio, it is just up the road. Also visit the Duomo here. Pay the 8 euro and climb to the top of the dome. Be prepared for narrow stairs, but it is worth it.

Now off to Roma. Hit all the tourist spots. The Vatican, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, The Coliseum, and the Forum. Near the Spanish Steps is a famous fountain that has spouts of drinking water. the water is carried from outside the city by aqueducts and is very good. I suggest buying the combined ticket for the Coliseum and the Forums. You will save money and again, avoid the line. We were only in Roma for 36 hrs. so we tried to make the most of it.

Here are a few thinks I learned about travel in Italia. Tipping at restaurants is not expected. Servers are paid a living wage. You have the table for as long as you wish. Cash is the way to go for purchases. and there is no tax on your purchases. Credit cards for hotels or big purchases. Be mindful of pickpockets. Get accustom to saying, "no, no, no" to the many panhandlers. There are also many persons trying to sell you things on the street, again, "no, no, no." My suggestion is that if you feel the need to help the poor, there are boxes in many duomos for donations to the poor. If it rains, EVERYONE, will try to sell you an umbrella. I don't know why, but Italians don't wear raincoats, they ALL use umbrellas. Without one, you are marked as a tourist. Be prepared to walk. all of the cities you are visiting are walkable. Especially, Firenza.

also, be on the watch for "stoppageo"?. (I'm not sure of spelling here.) there are day strikes of trains, or subways.

Finally, enjoy an "apertivo". This is a pre dinner "happy hour" at many restaurants. They provide free snacks while you have a nice drink. the popular ones are Spritz, and Negroni. Apertivo usually begins about 7 pm, 1900 hrs. In Europe they use a 24 hr. clock.

[+Meekat]

Hello!

 

My name is Meeka. My partner and I will be visiting Italy in September. We'll be spending time in Florence, Rome and Milan. Any suggestions as to how to avoid tourist traps? We're looking to visit these cities the "local way".

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks for your time!

 

My family and I, six in total, visited those cities in May.

First, let me tell you that if you take a water bottle, and I suggest you do, you will find public fountains that have drinking water in many piazzas. They are small, like our drinking fountains. Not the big fountains. Except in Roma, but more on that. It will be marked, "non potable" if it is not drinkable.

I will start in Milano. If you are there on a Saturday, I strongly suggest a neighborhood street market. It is located just north of Porta Garibaldi train station. Find Piazza Tito Minitti on Google maps. Via Pietro Borsieri. It just happens that the picture was taken when the market was set up. I suggest you visit the Duomo. Then wander the streets. If you leave the Duomo, and head NW up Via Dante, you will get to Piazza Castello. It is an medieval castle. Very cool.

Firenza was very nice! So many things to see. But, I suggest avoiding the very touristy market here. It is strictly for tourists. Visit the Porta Vecchio. Yeah, it for tourists, but you must see it. Visit both the Uffizi and the Accademia. go to the ticket office and buy your tickets ahead of time and avoid the line to get in. There is also a reproduction of The David in the Piazza Del Signoria. Well worth the visit. There are other statues there and another museum we did not visit, but I understand is well worth it. I also suggest the Garden di Boboli. If you cross the Ponte Vecchio, it is just up the road. Also visit the Duomo here. Pay the 8 euro and climb to the top of the dome. Be prepared for narrow stairs, but it is worth it.

Now off to Roma. Hit all the tourist spots. The Vatican, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, The Coliseum, and the Forum. Near the Spanish Steps is a famous fountain that has spouts of drinking water. the water is carried from outside the city by aqueducts and is very good. I suggest buying the combined ticket for the Coliseum and the Forums. You will save money and again, avoid the line. We were only in Roma for 36 hrs. so we tried to make the most of it.

Here are a few thinks I learned about travel in Italia. Tipping at restaurants is not expected. Servers are paid a living wage. You have the table for as long as you wish. Cash is the way to go for purchases. and there is no tax on your purchases. Credit cards for hotels or big purchases. Be mindful of pickpockets. Get accustom to saying, "no, no, no" to the many panhandlers. There are also many persons trying to sell you things on the street, again, "no, no, no." My suggestion is that if you feel the need to help the poor, there are boxes in many duomos for donations to the poor. If it rains, EVERYONE, will try to sell you an umbrella. I don't know why, but Italians don't wear raincoats, they ALL use umbrellas. Without one, you are marked as a tourist. Be prepared to walk. all of the cities you are visiting are walkable. Especially, Firenza.

also, be on the watch for "stoppageo"?. (I'm not sure of spelling here.) there are day strikes of trains, or subways.

Finally, enjoy an "apertivo". This is a pre dinner "happy hour" at many restaurants. They provide free snacks while you have a nice drink. the popular ones are Spritz, and Negroni. Apertivo usually begins about 7 pm, 1900 hrs. In Europe they use a 24 hr. clock.

 

Thanks so much for the tips!! I've updated our itinerary

[adfraher]

Hello! First, i apologize for writing in English, but my Italian is not good enough

My girlfriend (maki433) and me are going to spend our vacation in Italy starting on Saturday 3.8. and ending on Saturday 17.8. We plan to travel by car, reach Rome and than return home. Rough plan can be seen at: http://www.travellerspoint.com/member_map.cfm?tripid=484489. We still have two days unplanned so if you have suggestions what to visit - would be much appreciated (exluding Florence, Venice and Padova - we visited those ). Can we fit San Gimignano and Siena in one day or should we make it in two days? Should we drive around in car when in Rome or should we take public transport (suggestions)?

We would very much appreciate help on caching matters (i.e. nice caches not to be missed, especially of less common types).

We plan to get accommodation via couchsurfing, but it's likely we'll have to stay at hostel, camps, b&b's or something as well - suggestions are most welcomed. As well as recommendations considering things like where to eat, what to visit, where to go, where to shop.

Of course, once there we would be delighted to meet local cachers and have a cold beer

 

cheers, robert & maja

Hi there,

 

I found a great book that is a geocaching/fine art photography book for Venice. http://www.portedacqua.com It's away from all of the tour crowds. 2 physical caches and 40 pictorial caches. You will definitely know Veince after this.

 

Have fun.

tmfraher