suggestions for Italy?

Question

My husband and I are going to be in Italy for 10 days the last week in March. So far the only part of our trip that is set in stone is that we are flying into and out of Rome. We have considered staying in Rome for a few nights and then spending some time on the Almafi coast, but I'm not sure that we are making the right choice doing that. We are not really sun and surf types (which in March I guess it wouldn't matter if we were), but we really would love to see Pompeii. I guess we want to make the most of our trip seeing some Roman ruins, drinking coffee in cafes and people watching, taking in nightlife, and generally soaking in the culture. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is the Almafi coast a good place for us to go or is there a region we would enjoy more? Also, does anybody know if we need to make on-line hotel reservations, or can we expect to get a hotel when we get there?

Answer 1

Okay, lets start with your last question first. You should make online reservations, you will almost always save money that way. With that caviot, don't be surprised when you pay a lot for something small or very simple. Hotels in Europe are expensive, especially in Rome.

Now I have been to Italy many times and I am going to tell you about something that is a MUST if you are interested in history in the least. The Vatican offers a special tour of an excavation under St. Peters. The dig was to find the bones of St. Peter but what it did was uncover a bunch of old Roman Crypts that are in perfect condition. St. Peters was built on back fill over an older Roman cemetary. Only a limited number of people can go on this tour and you have to book months in advance. You can go through the Vaticans website to find more information. Boy will you ever feel special when you get to leave St. Peters Square and enter the Vatican passing the Swiss Guards. This is simply the coolest place I have ever been in Europe. It is highlighted fictionally in the Dan Brown Book Angels and Demons. Here is the link for the crypt:

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/institutions_connected/uffscavi/documents/rc_ic_uffscavi_doc_gen-information_20040112_en.html

Now the Almafi coast. Stunningly beautiful but heavily tourist so it is a trade off. If this is your first time in Italy I would say go for it. My best advice is try to focus on a particular region and really enjoy your time there. You can always go back and if you try to hit too many places you won't give any place the time it diserves.

Answer 2

The Amalfi Coast is beautiful, but very expensive! And it really is better to tour in the Summer months. It's a beautiful drive along the Amalfi Coast anytime of the year, but the touring is so much better in the Summer when it's warm.
I live in Naples, about a 20 minute drive from Pompeii, and if you really want to see some amazing stuff, do visit Pompeii! My husband is Military and we have been stationed over here for two years, and I have already visited Pompeii several times! It's just unbelievable!
Venice, Pisa Florence and Sicily are all wonderful. Any place you visit in this beautiful country is going to leave you with wonderful memories and an experience you won't soon forget.
Finding a hotel won't be a problem the time of year you're visiting, but you will probably get a cheaper price if you book on-line in advance. Another suggestion is a Bed and Breakfast. I have found many of them are no more expensive then some hotels, but they are more romantic and offer meals with your stay.
Whatever you decide, have a great visit! You're going to love it!

Answer 3

Yes, the coast is nice. There won't be any swimming or surfing in that water plus it will be cold. Pompeii is great, plan on spending a whole day there. You will have plenty to do where ever you go. As for the reservations from now until March you should be communicating with a local hotel to get the best price. The prices are usually negotiable and they will always quote you a high price first, so shop around. Also, go to Sorrento it is beautiful and go see how they make the Sorrento wood in tables and clocks. We will be going back in a few years. The people are really nice and friendly. If you can speak the language or some of it, they will treat you a lot nicer.

Answer 4

I'd forget the coast in March as it cans till be quite cold. You can travel very easily by train from Rome to Pompeii and any other city in Italy. I'd recommend Florence for a few days as there's much to see.

Here's some additional information on Italy.

Milan - The Refrectory of Santa Maria del Grazie to see The Last Supper (Tickets in advance)

Venice - Saint Mark's Square, The Doge's Palace, Rialto bridge, Bridge of Sighs, Arsenal, The Accademia, Giacomo Cassanova's house, The Grand Canal and Murano.

Rome - Vatican Museums which include the Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basillica, Castel Saint Angelo, Forum, Colosseum, Palatine, Circus Maximus, Via Appia, Gallery Borghese, Capitoline Museums, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon and many many churches.

Florence - Uffizi Gallery (tickets in advance), Accademia (Michelangelo's David is there, Bargello, Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio and the Loggia with its sculpture, various churches and family chapels, Palazzo Pitti, Fort Belvedere.

Vinci in tuscanny to see the birthplace of Leonardo da VInci.

Naples- Pompeii, Herculanium.(1.5hrs from Rome)

Padua, Verona, the lakes, the Dolomites etc etc.

I can only list a few things here or I'd be going on for days

If you're pushed for time then train travel in Italy is very cheep and efficient.

Great guide books are the Eyewitness Travel Guides. They have photos, every attraction you can think of, opening times and great maps.

Take a look at these web sites and enjoy your trip.

http://mv.vatican.va/3_en/pages/mv_home....


http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/englis...


http://www.whatsonwhen.com/scripts/query...

www.venere.com

buon fortuna

Answer 5

when we went back in the beginning of march we actually stayed in a villa central to all that we wanted to see. this required that we drove around, but we got to see so many more things we wouldnt have normally. we visited rome for part of our trip, florence, and pompeii. we spent other days of our trip exploring the countryside and seeing more local attractions. umbria is simply beautiful and definately worth looking into, along with tuscany. http://www.villavacations.com this is the site we used to book our villa. we really enjoyed driving everywhere and stopping to look at things along the way.

as for lodging, make reservations in advance. a foreign country is not the place to go to without knowing where you will stay. you will have too many other things to take care of without that worry.

if you are looking to see different sides of italy, perhaps look into the train system. a friend of mine took that route and loved it! they stayed in the towns they stopped at and would travel overnight or late in the day to the next place.

Answer 6

The Amalfi coast is beautiful and worth a trip, but I think you might enjoy somewhere like Sienna or Florence more. I live in Naples and have a love/hate relationship with it. Great food, nice people, with no manners...horrid driving. I recommend making reservations online, far easier. be careful driving to amalfi too, if you are, very windy and narrow roads along the sea cliffs...That time of year is very nice. I recommend Positano!

Answer 7

Baroc Church Tower Varese.

Varese. Tourist attractions in the Italian lakes

The main historical part of the city of Varese is the Antico Borgo. It is here that many of these grand and inspirational monuments stand such as the Basilica di San Vittore with its neoclassical architecture and wonderful paintings of P. Francesco Mazzucchelli hanging inside. This, together with the Baroc Church Tower, and the annexed Battistero di San Giovanni are highly recommended attractions to visit. Other outstanding places to visit are the palaces and villas of Varese, which make up a great part of the areas tourist attractions. These include the, Palazzo Del Pretorio, Palazzo Biumi, Villa Panza, Villa Ponti and most of all, the grand Palazzo Estense.

Answer 8

counting on no matter if you needed to be in touristy aspects or in case you want extra neat and delightful places nicely i loved Burano (yet another island round venice yet you really want some hours there) Venice replaced into cool for an afternoon or so. I loved loved loved Sorrento with all my coronary heart! Sienna replaced into so neat!!!! Alberrobella is a lovable little city for an afternoon. The classics Venice Rome Florence. Cinque terra replaced into large neat! i imagine that some places you really want an afternoon at. Rome you may heavily walk and use buses to get to each and everything in an afternoon. I observed each and everything 5 cases in 2 days and that i replaced into rome'd out so straight away. I loved going off the overwhelmed course in each and every position which made my vacation ultimate!

Answer 9

you must visit region Tuscany (Florence, Pisa, Sienna) also Rome is very very Beautiful.if you go to visit Pompeii you will visit also Naples(Napoli) It's also very beautiful city but also different from Rome(more garbage..)Venice is the place you must visit if you go to Italy. on the train station(Roma Termini) in Rome you can find accommodation. when you get on the airport you 'll get a train to Rome. Bon viaggo

Answer 10

Whatever you do, consider Milan, Venice and especially Florence. I still can kick myself for bypassing Florence.