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Posted (edited)

I have been to Europe over 10 times now and Italy still remains my favorite. Best food hands down. Would stick to the Florence region, but I’ve never been to Venice. 
 

Edit: I wouldn’t go to Italy without going to Siena. 

Edited by kas23
Posted
On 7/28/2024 at 5:43 PM, Huckleberry said:

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 🙂

I grew up on the East Side of Buffalo in a neighborhood where you always had to keep your head on a swivel walking down the street.

Still am hyper aware of my surroundings to this day from growing up there and these are the times and situations where it comes in pretty handy. 

Posted


Been to Italy 4 times in the last 4 years (1 vacation, 3 for work).

In general: there 4 good apps for Europe

  • For Tours: Viator and GetYourGuide
  • Taxi (their Uber): FreeNow
  • So many places take ApplePay, but good to have cash to tip a tour guide

Italy (and most of Europe) is very easy to move around in trains (you can book first class for not much more $$$)

In general, its safe, just use common sense

  • If you have a small backpack, carry it in front of you (vs. in back)
  • Lock your passport in your hotel safe

Have a picture of passport/driver’s license in your phone just in case.

Our Itinerary:

  1. Rome (2-3 days)
    1. The Coliseum
    2. Trevi Fountain
    3. The Pantheon
    4. Several more
  2. Florence (2-3 days)
    1. Florence Duomo
    2. Florence Accademia Gallery
    3. Gallerie Degli Uffizi
    4. About an hour south is a factory outlet mall (Prada, Gucci, etc)
    5. About an hour west is Lucca (this is a cool town surrounded by a wall)
    6. Earlier, Siena was mentioned – did not visit
  3. Pisa (1/2 to 1 day)
    1. ~1 Hour train from Florence
    2. Leaning Tower of Pisa
  4. Venice (2-3 days)
    1. 1 hour train back to Florence, 3-4 hours to Venice)
    2. Doge's Palace
    3. Gondola ride
    4. Boat tour for Murano (tour a glass factory) and Burano
    5. So many bridges and amazing scenery (sunset pictures)
  5. Milan (1 day)
    1. About 1-2(?) hour train from Venice
    2. Milan Duomo
    3. Naples (2-3 days)
  6. Naples (2-3 days)
    1. 1 hour flight from Milan)
    2. Amalfi Coast
    3. Positano
    4. Sorrento
    5. Pompei (we did not visit, but sounds cool)
    6. Take a ferry to the Isle of Capri
    7. Bus to AnaCapri, “ski-lifts” to top for an amazing view
  7. Train back to Rome (1-2 hours)

Hope this helps!  Go Sabres and Go Bills!
 

Posted
9 minutes ago, Redneck said:


Been to Italy 4 times in the last 4 years (1 vacation, 3 for work).

In general: there 4 good apps for Europe

  • For Tours: Viator and GetYourGuide
  • Taxi (their Uber): FreeNow
  • So many places take ApplePay, but good to have cash to tip a tour guide

Italy (and most of Europe) is very easy to move around in trains (you can book first class for not much more $$$)

In general, its safe, just use common sense

  • If you have a small backpack, carry it in front of you (vs. in back)
  • Lock your passport in your hotel safe

Have a picture of passport/driver’s license in your phone just in case.

Our Itinerary:

  1. Rome (2-3 days)
    1. The Coliseum
    2. Trevi Fountain
    3. The Pantheon
    4. Several more
  2. Florence (2-3 days)
    1. Florence Duomo
    2. Florence Accademia Gallery
    3. Gallerie Degli Uffizi
    4. About an hour south is a factory outlet mall (Prada, Gucci, etc)
    5. About an hour west is Lucca (this is a cool town surrounded by a wall)
    6. Earlier, Siena was mentioned – did not visit
  3. Pisa (1/2 to 1 day)
    1. ~1 Hour train from Florence
    2. Leaning Tower of Pisa
  4. Venice (2-3 days)
    1. 1 hour train back to Florence, 3-4 hours to Venice)
    2. Doge's Palace
    3. Gondola ride
    4. Boat tour for Murano (tour a glass factory) and Burano
    5. So many bridges and amazing scenery (sunset pictures)
  5. Milan (1 day)
    1. About 1-2(?) hour train from Venice
    2. Milan Duomo
    3. Naples (2-3 days)
  6. Naples (2-3 days)
    1. 1 hour flight from Milan)
    2. Amalfi Coast
    3. Positano
    4. Sorrento
    5. Pompei (we did not visit, but sounds cool)
    6. Take a ferry to the Isle of Capri
    7. Bus to AnaCapri, “ski-lifts” to top for an amazing view
  7. Train back to Rome (1-2 hours)

Hope this helps!  Go Sabres and Go Bills!
 

Awesome.  Thanks!! 👍🏻

Posted
23 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

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.

"...barely made it out - long story" makes it seem like you were being chased or hunted down as if you wandered into a bar, drunk, and started swinging at anything with a melodic intonation. Still, what you went though is harrowing enough.

  • Like (+1) 1
Posted
4 hours ago, Redneck said:


Been to Italy 4 times in the last 4 years (1 vacation, 3 for work).

In general: there 4 good apps for Europe

  • For Tours: Viator and GetYourGuide
  • Taxi (their Uber): FreeNow
  • So many places take ApplePay, but good to have cash to tip a tour guide

Italy (and most of Europe) is very easy to move around in trains (you can book first class for not much more $$$)

In general, its safe, just use common sense

  • If you have a small backpack, carry it in front of you (vs. in back)
  • Lock your passport in your hotel safe

Have a picture of passport/driver’s license in your phone just in case.

Our Itinerary:

  1. Rome (2-3 days)
    1. The Coliseum
    2. Trevi Fountain
    3. The Pantheon
    4. Several more
  2. Florence (2-3 days)
    1. Florence Duomo
    2. Florence Accademia Gallery
    3. Gallerie Degli Uffizi
    4. About an hour south is a factory outlet mall (Prada, Gucci, etc)
    5. About an hour west is Lucca (this is a cool town surrounded by a wall)
    6. Earlier, Siena was mentioned – did not visit
  3. Pisa (1/2 to 1 day)
    1. ~1 Hour train from Florence
    2. Leaning Tower of Pisa
  4. Venice (2-3 days)
    1. 1 hour train back to Florence, 3-4 hours to Venice)
    2. Doge's Palace
    3. Gondola ride
    4. Boat tour for Murano (tour a glass factory) and Burano
    5. So many bridges and amazing scenery (sunset pictures)
  5. Milan (1 day)
    1. About 1-2(?) hour train from Venice
    2. Milan Duomo
    3. Naples (2-3 days)
  6. Naples (2-3 days)
    1. 1 hour flight from Milan)
    2. Amalfi Coast
    3. Positano
    4. Sorrento
    5. Pompei (we did not visit, but sounds cool)
    6. Take a ferry to the Isle of Capri
    7. Bus to AnaCapri, “ski-lifts” to top for an amazing view
  7. Train back to Rome (1-2 hours)

Hope this helps!  Go Sabres and Go Bills!
 

we were told to make physical copies of the passport and keep them separate just in case you somehow lost the passports themselves or they got stolen

Posted
On 7/29/2024 at 5:12 PM, Sabres Fan in NS said:

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.

My wife and I slept in the Detroit airport one night after a gang fight broke out in the hallway of the hotel we were staying at... Right outside our door. They were threatening to kill each other, constantly bumping into our door. We were literally hiding behind the bed with the door locked and deadbolted. Luckily the police got there before shots were fired. 

When it sounded like things were cleared, we got to the front desk to check out and demand our money back. Unfortunately, it took quite a bit of convincing as they tried to claim it wasn't their fault. If I recall, I think the police had to help plead our case for us.

  • Like (+1) 1
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