Italy questions-- Rome & ??

[cgeidl]

Don't sit down

It could have been worse: 12 Euro's for 2 coffees is also common in tourist places in Venice or in Paris.

Coffee is about half the price if you stand at the bar with locals.The way Europe is going the dollar may get back to really good exchange rates.Prices have ranged from $1 to $1 .60 just since the year 2000 and I remember once .83 cents.

 

[Ken555]

I was in Italy for about three weeks last summer. It wasn't my first trip to Italy, but it was my first time visiting Lake Como and Rome. We also spent time in Venice, Florence, and the surrounding areas.

Unlike others, I do not recommend Rome. I'm sure others will disagree, but I think a few day visit to see key locations in Rome will be sufficient. We enjoyed every other city much more than Rome.

During a past visit to Florence, we hired a car and driver (and translator) and had our own tour of Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano, including the wine country. It was a great day and with your family I'd recommend the same rather than a tour bus. It won't cost much more, if at all, with a private car and you can structure the day any way you like, stay longer in places etc.

Last year we stayed in Bellagio at a wonderful hotel (if you head there let me know and I'll search my records for their website) and had a great time in the Lake Como area. Wonderful small towns, crossed the lake many times going to different towns, and explored the area. We started off in this area and flew into Milan, which has a large airport. The train to Venice or Florence from Milan is just a few hours.

 

[Stupjones]

HGVC Borgo alle Vigne

Does anyone have any details on the new development from Hilton Grand Vacations at Borgo alle Vigne please?

 

[Margariet]

Does anyone have any details on the new development from Hilton Grand Vacations at Borgo alle Vigne please?

All I know is that it will open in 2013. It will be an expansion of the HGVC in Europe.a

 

[Stupjones]

Borgo alle Vigne

Thank you Margariet. I have had a look on the HGVC website but details seem very thin on the ground

 

[MichaelColey]

We LOVED Rome, Venice AND Florence. If we were only going to two, Rome would definitely be one (and the longer portion of the trip -- there's so much to see and do) but I would be hard pressed to choose between Venice and Florence. Venice would probably win out (on a very thin margin) as our second favorite.

Have you considered doing all three, and just taking trains between the cities? Fly into Venice, spend a couple days, take a train to Florence, spend a couple days, then take a train to Rome, spend four days and fly home.

 

[PStreet1]

I don't think you can go wrong whatever you decide. On a previous trip, we spent a week just outside Rome in a timeshare (which we determined never to do again--either stay in Rome itself or go somewhere else), spent a week in a timeshare in Assissi (and took the train from there to Florence), spent 3 nights in Sorento (took the train there), and spent 4 nights in Venice. We loved it all.

Last year we rented an apartment in Rome for 9 nights and had no problem filling our days with both tourist and non-tourist activities even though when we stayed just outside Rome we had done lots of things in Rome. We loved being able to walk lots of places, take local bus and subway trips, visit neighborhood restaurants--even wade through a political rally to depose Berlosconi.

I suspect that whatever you decide to do, you'll think it is just perfect when you come home and you'll be planning your return visit.

 

[MichaelColey]

I suspect that whatever you decide to do, you'll think it is just perfect when you come home and you'll be planning your return visit.

So true! We can never get enough of Italy.

FWIW, if you go to Florence, I highly recommend the Taste Florence tour. It was the highlight of a trip full of wonderful experiences. The owner / tour guide is an ex-pat who went to Italy for a semester of school and fell in love with the country. (She couldn't get enough of Italy, either!)

 

[Ken555]

My family agreed that the pizza was much better in Rome than in Venice or Florence...

Other than that, Rome is just a big city with lots of history and when I think of Italy, I think of the rolling hills and the north. I think everyone should visit Rome once, but I really can't see ever returning. Been there, done that.

 

[pwrshift]

My first trip to Italy was a week in Rome (5 days would have been ok), 3 nights in Sorrento on the Amalfi coast (one of our trip's highlights), 3 nights in Florence (like another poster we hired a limo to take us all around the area and museums), and then took the train to Venice for 3 nights...which was outstanding. We stayed on Marriott points in Rome, Hilton in Sorrento, Starwood points in Venice and Florence. The hotels were like castles.

Italy is a very long country and prides itself on a wide cooking variety from north to south...all excellent - didn't have a bad meal anywhere. Wines are outstanding. The country feels like a 2nd home...we've been back 3 times and still have more to see (like Lake Como). Enjoy.

 

[gresmi]

if you're flying into Florence, you've got a lot of choices for day trips. Florence itself is wonderful. Your whole family will love Ponte Vecchio, and your kids can learn the story about the walk of the privileged above it and the Bridge of Sighs, for example.
Day tripping:
Have to agree with a prior helper on Sienna, Lucca, San Gimignano. Wonderful towns, easily accesible by car, and easy return to Florence (as long as traffic and road work aren't bad).
I also have to say this. You are a not too long train ride from Venice. The combination of history, culture, art, food, architecture, and geography make this place like nowhere else on earth.

I will leave Rome to you. There is so much to see and no bad choices.

PS- as always, recommend eating "local".