Trip to Italy thoughts(planning)…

[LabattBlue]

Anyone been on a trip(preferably guided tour) to Italy? Looking to go in fall of 2025.  Something focused around Rome-Florence-Venice. 
 

Never been to Europe.  Since we are both in are mid 60’s, not looking for an itinerary that would wear us out after a couple of days.  Would love to hear any and all thoughts regarding Italy, airfare, sightseeing, etc….

It is probably going to be one and done for Italy, as there are too many other great places, we would like to visit, before we get much older. 

Edited July 27 by LabattBlue

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, LabattBlue said:

Anyone been on a trip(preferably guided tour) to Italy? Looking to go in fall of 2025.  Something focused around Rome-Florence-Venice. 
 

Never been to Europe.  Since we are both in are mid 60’s, not looking for an itinerary that would wear us out after a couple of days.  Would love to hear any and all thoughts regarding Italy, airfare, sightseeing, etc….

It is probably going to be one and done for Italy, as there are too many other great places, we would like to visit, before we get much older. 

I am going there for 16 days in September.   I will be in all the cities you mentioned plus a few more. 

My experience when discussing foreign travel is that everyone is different, what they like, what they want to do or see, the pace they can go, the amount of money they can spend.  It all impacts the experience.  

I can send you my thoughts when I get back, end of September. 

[French Collection]

I’ve been to Europe 3 times but never Italy.

I can’t comment on guided tours because I like to do my own research and pick what I want to see. 
The only thing close to a guided tour I have done is the hop on hop off buses that go around some major cities. Those are handy and hit all of the touristy spots.

My cousin and his wife did Italy last year for two weeks and it was a guided tour. They loved it because there was no planning involved or stress on how to get to places.

The fall would be a great time imo, not as busy and cooler.

[PortuCool]

Be forewarned about Venice. It’s a much more romantic city than I expected. I was in a long distance relationship with a lovely woman from Ireland. That means we weren’t certain of our future. 
 

We arrived in Venice separately and I remember being very excited to see her at the airport. Hmmm, perhaps there’s more to her than I realized. It was late into the evening when we arrived at our B&B near the Rialto Bridge. Being hungry we went out and the first place we found open was a Chinese restaurant. 

We laughed and had a riotously good time. Spontaneously I blurted out “we oughta get married!”. After she replied “you could ask me properly” that it dawned on me what I had done. 
 

Its 19 years later and I am thankful for the romantic inspiration of Venice for the best decision I’ve ever made. 
 

After a few days in Florance we landed in Cortona and stayed there for the rest of our stay. I’d recommend that you don’t overplan your vacation. Take the time to take in all that it has to offer. There’s always future visits to see the rest of Italy. The country is like a great big open museum; it’s a stunningly beautiful place. Enjoy!

Edited July 27 by PortuCool

[SabreFinn]

My parents went on a trip to lake Garda a couple of years ago and liked it there. They also went on a daytrip to Venice, and even if it was not tourist season, it was still crowded, but very beautiful city they told.

I would like to go hiking to the Italian side of the Alps, at the Bolzano area. Have only been to Switzerland, and that I can recommend.

[Wyldnwoody44]

Hmmmm, well. 

 

San Marino is amazing if you can make it to the center of Italy (it's a separate country) Rome is chaos but worth seeing. Don't sleep on Turin up north in the Italian alps. 

Granted, I drive when I travel so my tips may not be as helpful unless you plan on renting a car. 

[Turbo44]

Must is Tuscany especially if you like wine: Brunello and Classico Chianti regions are the best

doesn’t sound like you’re heading that far south but Positano is ridiculous,pricey but ridiculous 

[LabattBlue]

5 hours ago, Pimlach said:

I am going there for 16 days in September.   I will be in all the cities you mentioned plus a few more. 

My experience when discussing foreign travel is that everyone is different, what they like, what they want to do or see, the pace they can go, the amount of money they can spend.  It all impacts the experience.  

I can send you my thoughts when I get back, end of September. 

That would be awesome!!! Thanks. 
 

…and I do agree, when it comes to travel everyones likes and dislikes differ. 
 

PS Hope you and Mrs. Punch have a great vacation!

Edited July 27 by LabattBlue

[JoeSchmoe]

I think you're safe going in the fall, but everyone who I know that's gone recently has complained about the summer crowds.

My goal is to go in March sometime, mainly for snowboarding the Dolomites, but I'd probably tack on 5 or 6 days in some lesser travelled areas close by... Like Verona, Bologna, and Modena.

[Scottysabres]

Don't drink the water from the ancient bathing houses. I saw acts of pure sexual aggression there when I visited in 92, it was akin to a backyard hot tube in Tennessee at a post mudd bogging binge drinking event.

Otherwise, enjoy.

[Huckleberry]

Don't do any bustours , rent a car and enjoy find out yourself.  Also avoid rome, most monuments smell like catpiss there. 🙂

When crossing a road, learn to sprint, Italian drivers will honk at you and speed up so you cross faster 😛

4 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

Don't drink the water from the ancient bathing houses. I saw acts of pure sexual aggression there when I visited in 92, it was akin to a backyard hot tube in Tennessee at a post mudd bogging binge drinking event.

Otherwise, enjoy.

Also the led poison , its not a good idea overall 🙂

[RangerDave]

I have been to Italy, and am planning a return trip in May 2025.  I also have a little experience as a travel advisor.

Do you have any prefered tour companies?  When we went to Italy in 2005, we used a tour company (and went to Rome, Florence, and Venice), but in 2025 we are planning on renting a car and going on our own along the coast from Pompei to Milan.  It really depends on your comfort level with foreign countries, your tolerance for others in your tour group, and your budget.

I can send you some information on Italy, if you would like.  I also have information on tour companies available.  I'm happy to help - for free! 🙂

[LabattBlue]

15 minutes ago, RangerDave said:

I have been to Italy, and am planning a return trip in May 2025.  I also have a little experience as a travel advisor.

Do you have any prefered tour companies?  When we went to Italy in 2005, we used a tour company (and went to Rome, Florence, and Venice), but in 2025 we are planning on renting a car and going on our own along the coast from Pompei to Milan.  It really depends on your comfort level with foreign countries, your tolerance for others in your tour group, and your budget.

I can send you some information on Italy, if you would like.  I also have information on tour companies available.  I'm happy to help - for free! 🙂

We were looking at a Trafalgar tour with hi-speed rail transportation between Rome & Florence and Florence & Venice.   Feel free to either post info here, or message me and we can exchange info from there or via email. 

Edited July 28 by LabattBlue

[Huckleberry]

23 minutes ago, RangerDave said:

I have been to Italy, and am planning a return trip in May 2025.  I also have a little experience as a travel advisor.

Do you have any prefered tour companies?  When we went to Italy in 2005, we used a tour company (and went to Rome, Florence, and Venice), but in 2025 we are planning on renting a car and going on our own along the coast from Pompei to Milan.  It really depends on your comfort level with foreign countries, your tolerance for others in your tour group, and your budget.

I can send you some information on Italy, if you would like.  I also have information on tour companies available.  I'm happy to help - for free! 🙂

My advice, take pics of all sides of the car, Italy and especially Spain are known for bad drivers, they like to park hitting the car before and after them if needed 🙂

[LabattBlue]

1 hour ago, Huckleberry said:

Don't do any bustours , rent a car and enjoy find out yourself.  Also avoid rome, most monuments smell like catpiss there. 🙂

I should expect advice…good & bad. 😂

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Venice is absolutely overrun - just ask the Venitians - they want all the tourists to leave and not to come back.  Same with Dubrovnik in Croatia.

Venice is amazing to see, but try to spend only 1 day there.

Tuscany (Florence area) is great.  Pisa is in the area too.

Rome is fantastic and great in the fall - not too hot or crowded.

Any further south is tricky for heat even in September.  Pompei is very interesting, but kind of near Napoli which is a bit rough in places - we were lost there and barely made it out - long story.

If you have some time the north is fantastic with the Alps.

 

[Big Guava]

From what I have heard from others who have traveled to Europe(I am getting ready to go myself in 2 weeks but to France, Belgium, Germany, etc), is that you have to be VERY careful with people trying to pickpocket you. It's a huge thing there apparently.

Don't let anyone touch you, come up and start talking to try and distract you while their partner goes to work, hug you, etc...

In the US it's not that common but over there it is exceptionally common.

Also was told to make a copy of your important documents like passport, etc in case something happens so you can go to the US Embassy there and get help with getting replacement documents.

[Huckleberry]

1 hour ago, Big Guava said:

From what I have heard from others who have traveled to Europe(I am getting ready to go myself in 2 weeks but to France, Belgium, Germany, etc), is that you have to be VERY careful with people trying to pickpocket you. It's a huge thing there apparently.

Don't let anyone touch you, come up and start talking to try and distract you while their partner goes to work, hug you, etc...

In the US it's not that common but over there it is exceptionally common.

Also was told to make a copy of your important documents like passport, etc in case something happens so you can go to the US Embassy there and get help with getting replacement documents.

Yeah tourist traps you can find anywhere, if you come to Belgium avoid "rue de boucher" in brussels , the restaurants there you don't want to eat 🙂

Edited July 28 by Huckleberry

[nfreeman]

I was in Italy last October.  We visited Rome and the Amalfi coast.  Both were beautiful but I was pretty surprised at how crowded it was -- not just Rome, but all of the small towns on the Amalfi coast.  I've since spoken with others who have had similar experiences in Europe -- it sounds like early fall is now almost as busy as peak summer season.  So, I'd recommend going in late October (I was there in the 2nd week of October) or early November.

Otherwise, each of Rome, Venice and Florence is great.  I'll disagree with @Sabres Fan in NS -- I wouldn't give short shrift to Venice, which is unique and beautiful, and slower and quieter than Rome and Florence.

Overall, my advice for any of the cities (and really anywhere in Europe) is that while you'll of course want to see a number of the main tourist attractions, you should also make sure, on most of the days you are there, to give yourself plenty of time to have a leisurely lunch or coffee in an outdoor cafe on a piazza (which is a big pedestrian square in an old neighborhood) that doesn't seem too tourist-trappy and soak up the atmosphere.

Also:

- You should adjust your expectations for the hotels -- European hotel rooms are small and crappy.

- You can use uber and lyft there the same way as here.

- The subway is easy to use in Rome and there is a pretty cheap express train from the airport to the city center, from which you can take the subway or an uber to your hotel.

- You'll need comfortable walking shoes during the day and a pair of decent-looking shoes and some respectable shirts to go out for dinner at night.

- Visa is the most popular credit card there -- you should make sure though that your visa card doesn't charge you an extra fee for overseas transactions.

Enjoy.

[...]

18 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Any further south is tricky for heat even in September.  Pompei is very interesting, but kind of near Napoli which is a bit rough in places - we were lost there and barely made it out - long story.

You can't drop this in here and just leave. What happened?

[bunomatic]

Been all thru Spain. Its Europe so likely the same in Italy. Pickpockets. They work in teams and are very good at targeting people and creating diversions. Me and my kin were targets multiple times but luckily they were never successful. Also the young girls with infants. They will approach saying’ the baby, the baby, the poor starving baby.’ Go around the corner and there’s another one. Drove me nuts. Also near churches or cathedrals old women will try to place a flower in your hand and if you take it they will cause a big scene that you owe her money. Anyways enjoy.

[Huckleberry]

1 hour ago, bunomatic said:

Been all thru Spain. Its Europe so likely the same in Italy. Pickpockets. They work in teams and are very good at targeting people and creating diversions. Me and my kin were targets multiple times but luckily they were never successful. Also the young girls with infants. They will approach saying’ the baby, the baby, the poor starving baby.’ Go around the corner and there’s another one. Drove me nuts. Also near churches or cathedrals old women will try to place a flower in your hand and if you take it they will cause a big scene that you owe her money. Anyways enjoy.

Roma gypsies -  Once saw an old woman feed the baby from what she got out of garbage bin for shock value, its really disgusting how they try to play tourists.

If 20 people give them 5 or 10 euro they had a good day.   And get picked up by the last model mercedes or bmw around the corner.

[msw2112]

I've only been to Rome and Florence and it was quite a while ago.  That said, I (and my traveling companion) hated Rome, but loved Florence.  It seemed like we were constantly hassled in Rome by people trying to take advantage of tourists.  We were treated rudely at restaurants and got into a shouting match with a cab driver who tried to overcharge us.  We also had people following us/hounding us at the Coliseum and other tourist areas.  Beware!  Another negative or Rome is that the subway line is sort of a giant X, so if you're not going somewhere along the lines, it can be quite a walk from the subway.  After our bad taxi experience, we simply decided to walk rather than use that as an option.  We got a ton of exercise, but also lost a lot of time.  Uber and Lyft were not available in those days, so perhaps that's the answer today (as someone mentions above).  I would recommend no more than 2 days Rome - see the major attractions, as these are all-time must see places, then get out of dodge.

In contrast, we had no such problems in Florence.  We were treated well everywhere we went and did not encounter much in the way of people targeting us as tourists and hassling us.  We had a great time there and would highly recommend.

As someone else stated above, everyone forms their own impressions and has their own experiences when traveling.  My wife was on a business trip in Europe last year, which routed through Rome, so she went a day early to see the city.  She loved it and can't wait to go back.  Perhaps she was well-equipped based on my advice before she went.  I have seen the major tourist attractions there, can check it off my list, and have no desire to go back.

[Ruff Around The Edges]

Went to Venice, Florence and Rome in 2018 and really enjoyed it. I agree with the pickpockets, just be mindful and careful and you should be fine.

Was there in May and Rome was way too crowded, especially a tour of The Vatican, could not truly enjoy it.

Florence was beautiful but had some bad experiences there. One thing to remember: If taking a bus in Florence, be sure to get your ticket BEFORE you get on the bus. We waited, thinking we can pay while on the bus, an two 'police officers' approached us and said you needed to buy before, tried to fine us 250 euros and make us seize our US passports. Thankfully, an elderly woman who spoke Italian stepped in and scolded them and we didn't have any issues.

 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

7 hours ago, ... said:

You can't drop this in here and just leave. What happened?

We were in the area for a day - rented a car and went to Pompeii.  Got lost on the return and missed returning the car before place shut and missed our train to the next town - slept in not great place in rental car - returned car the next morning and got the next train to - I forget where, but I think Turin.  Nothing too exciting, but we were not in our 20s anymore when these things didn't faze us atoll.