First trip to Italy - help!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/planning-your-first-trip-to-italy

There are teams of people who work for years traveling around Italy and then writing a book telling people how to plan a trip to Italy. Go get the Lonely Planet Italy (or other similar guidebook). They have sections about when to travel, how to get around, how to pick an itinerary, etc. It will be much better advice than you'll get from random people here. Come back when you have specific questions.

Lonely Planet has traditionally been for downmarket tourists.

Ah, such the holiday spirit. You sure do enjoy trolling and poking. Since you have so much time on your hands, isn’t there something better you could be doing than hanging out on DCUM and engaging in classism?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/planning-your-first-trip-to-italy

There are teams of people who work for years traveling around Italy and then writing a book telling people how to plan a trip to Italy. Go get the Lonely Planet Italy (or other similar guidebook). They have sections about when to travel, how to get around, how to pick an itinerary, etc. It will be much better advice than you'll get from random people here. Come back when you have specific questions.

Lonely Planet has traditionally been for downmarket tourists.

Ah, such the holiday spirit. You sure do enjoy trolling and poking. Since you have so much time on your hands, isn’t there something better you could be doing than hanging out on DCUM and engaging in classism?

That’s rich considering the original LP poster came on here to say not to listen to any of the posters, that their advice to get the guidebook was somehow superior to others’ first hand knowledge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/planning-your-first-trip-to-italy

There are teams of people who work for years traveling around Italy and then writing a book telling people how to plan a trip to Italy. Go get the Lonely Planet Italy (or other similar guidebook). They have sections about when to travel, how to get around, how to pick an itinerary, etc. It will be much better advice than you'll get from random people here. Come back when you have specific questions.

Lonely Planet has traditionally been for downmarket tourists.

I think you mean it's for tourists who don't need coddling and are actually interested in local culture, not just being whisked from place to place in an air-conditioned car by a tour guide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/planning-your-first-trip-to-italy

There are teams of people who work for years traveling around Italy and then writing a book telling people how to plan a trip to Italy. Go get the Lonely Planet Italy (or other similar guidebook). They have sections about when to travel, how to get around, how to pick an itinerary, etc. It will be much better advice than you'll get from random people here. Come back when you have specific questions.

Lonely Planet has traditionally been for downmarket tourists.

I think you mean it's for tourists who don't need coddling and are actually interested in local culture, not just being whisked from place to place in an air-conditioned car by a tour guide.

I’ve used Lonely Planet for backpacking trips. The guides were adequate, but I don’t think they equipped me any better for being a good visitor -my personality/curiosity/cultural engagement were all either there or lacking before I ever booked a trip. I’ve run into plenty of LP tourists who are not super enlightened. I’ve also run into people who emerge from a private guide’s car and have been perfectly lovely, engaged, intelligent visitors. If people are basing their judgements off the simplest things like transport or guide books, I think that says more about your limitations than it does about your fellow travelers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/planning-your-first-trip-to-italy

There are teams of people who work for years traveling around Italy and then writing a book telling people how to plan a trip to Italy. Go get the Lonely Planet Italy (or other similar guidebook). They have sections about when to travel, how to get around, how to pick an itinerary, etc. It will be much better advice than you'll get from random people here. Come back when you have specific questions.

Lonely Planet has traditionally been for downmarket tourists.

Ah, such the holiday spirit. You sure do enjoy trolling and poking. Since you have so much time on your hands, isn’t there something better you could be doing than hanging out on DCUM and engaging in classism?

That’s rich considering the original LP poster came on here to say not to listen to any of the posters, that their advice to get the guidebook was somehow superior to others’ first hand knowledge.

That was my suggestion. There's nothing wrong with people's firsthand knowledge. I've been to Italy several times and could give a few suggestions. But the reason I always start with a guidebook is that it's written by people who have spent months traveling around the country (I've only been to Italy for a total of about a month over the last 20 years) and write out various detailed sample itineraries, several pages comparing modes of travel, listing different types of sites and activities, and answer a lot of questions you might not even think to ask. Here, you get a few sentences from various people, who may or may not be experts. They will also have guides to various neighborhoods in a city; as a causal visitor, I might have been to a couple of the neighborhoods; the guidebook writers have been to all.

Might they be biased? Have different preferences than you? Sure, but the same is true of all the people writing here. That's why I suggested starting with a comprehensive guidebook and then asking questions to get different perspectives.

It's the same reason I'd tell my kids to start research by reading an encyclopedia article rather than asking their friends. After they have an overview from the encyclopedia, they can discuss the subject with others to learn more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/planning-your-first-trip-to-italy

There are teams of people who work for years traveling around Italy and then writing a book telling people how to plan a trip to Italy. Go get the Lonely Planet Italy (or other similar guidebook). They have sections about when to travel, how to get around, how to pick an itinerary, etc. It will be much better advice than you'll get from random people here. Come back when you have specific questions.

Lonely Planet has traditionally been for downmarket tourists.

Ah, such the holiday spirit. You sure do enjoy trolling and poking. Since you have so much time on your hands, isn’t there something better you could be doing than hanging out on DCUM and engaging in classism?

That’s rich considering the original LP poster came on here to say not to listen to any of the posters, that their advice to get the guidebook was somehow superior to others’ first hand knowledge.

That was my suggestion. There's nothing wrong with people's firsthand knowledge. I've been to Italy several times and could give a few suggestions. But the reason I always start with a guidebook is that it's written by people who have spent months traveling around the country (I've only been to Italy for a total of about a month over the last 20 years) and write out various detailed sample itineraries, several pages comparing modes of travel, listing different types of sites and activities, and answer a lot of questions you might not even think to ask. Here, you get a few sentences from various people, who may or may not be experts. They will also have guides to various neighborhoods in a city; as a causal visitor, I might have been to a couple of the neighborhoods; the guidebook writers have been to all.

Might they be biased? Have different preferences than you? Sure, but the same is true of all the people writing here. That's why I suggested starting with a comprehensive guidebook and then asking questions to get different perspectives.

It's the same reason I'd tell my kids to start research by reading an encyclopedia article rather than asking their friends. After they have an overview from the encyclopedia, they can discuss the subject with others to learn more.

I’m pretty sure OP has thought to crack open a guide book. Stop treating people like idiots.

[Anonymous]

Don't rent a car, take the train. It's so convenient and easy! They have a terrific train system in Italy, and the first class tickets aren't that expensive. We went last summer and saw Milan, Florence, Rome, and Naples/Pompeii. Naples was a bit rough and wild, but the people were real and down to earth and made it the most memorable part of the trip. Northern Italy is the banking sector (so monied) and Southern Italy is more real and working class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I meant spouse has only been to portugal within europe.

We want to go to greece, italy and many other places

Thanks!

-OP

Yeah, OK. That explains it. So yes, you need to go to many places before Italy. Trust me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I meant spouse has only been to portugal within europe.

We want to go to greece, italy and many other places

Thanks!

-OP

Yeah, OK. That explains it. So yes, you need to go to many places before Italy. Trust me.

What an obnoxious response— makes me have zero interest in your opinions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I meant spouse has only been to portugal within europe.

We want to go to greece, italy and many other places

Thanks!

-OP

Yeah, OK. That explains it. So yes, you need to go to many places before Italy. Trust me.

What an obnoxious response— makes me have zero interest in your opinions.

+1. I hate when people do this. The world is big. OP feels drawn to Italy. There is enough variety there, and if she and DH haven’t traveled much, it’s a great place to start.

OP, the crowds in Italy can be frustrating at times, but there are enough great experiences to be had. If there weren’t, there wouldn’t be so many tourists to begin with. 10 days is a great period of time to start exploring.

[Anonymous]

The idea that any European country is just one experience is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't rent a car, take the train. It's so convenient and easy! They have a terrific train system in Italy, and the first class tickets aren't that expensive. We went last summer and saw Milan, Florence, Rome, and Naples/Pompeii. Naples was a bit rough and wild, but the people were real and down to earth and made it the most memorable part of the trip. Northern Italy is the banking sector (so monied) and Southern Italy is more real and working class.

A train won’t access the small towns in Tuscany but is great for moving in between the main cities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I meant spouse has only been to portugal within europe.

We want to go to greece, italy and many other places

Thanks!

-OP

Yeah, OK. That explains it. So yes, you need to go to many places before Italy. Trust me.

-1. I’ve been throughout Europe and Italy is by far my favorite country to visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I meant spouse has only been to portugal within europe.

We want to go to greece, italy and many other places

Thanks!

-OP

Yeah, OK. That explains it. So yes, you need to go to many places before Italy. Trust me.

“Trust me.” …sinister music plays in the background.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Why not drive? We rented a car in Portugal this summer and it was great. We would only rent a car for time outside Rome

If you were not stressed by driving in Portugal, you should be fine driving in Tuscany, apart from Florence.

Italy is delightful. You will have a marvelous time. If you are into art history, it will be the trip of a lifetime. You will find that you can barely scratch the surface in 8-10 days, even if you never venture far from Florence. If you fly into Rome, it's easy enough to spend a few days there and take a train to Florence. There's so much to see in Rome that it's almost ridiculous, but even a day or two is better than nothing. Of course, if you're planning to return to Italy you could save Rome for another trip. Everyone in my family prefers Rome to Florence, but both are amazing.