My husband and I will be in Rome, Florence, Venice and France over the next two weeks. Any tips?

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YoMaMa

Get your tickets for major tourist attractions before you go, better yet book your excursions.You will still have some wait time, but guided tours get in quicker and are more efficient. You don't want to waste your precious time trying to get in places. Also, be sure to check each attractions hours, some places are closed on certain days of the week.
We booked our tour through a travel agency, but it was not completely guided. It was kind of ala carte, we picked a hotel package, then added whatever tours we wanted,but we also had time on our own. That worked out great for us. All of our hotels included a breakfast buffet, so that saved time and money.As far as other meals, try some places "off the beaten path", we found a great little pizza place in Venice that was in a back alley/street. It was awesome! I suggest you get the "Frommer's Guide To Italy". It has tons of useful information in it. Have a great time! I want to go back!!! I forgot to add, always carry some change with you(euros), you have to pay to use public toilets!

Fatty Dave

Italy:

If you are traveling by train in Italy (Trenitalia), make sure to get to the station AT LEAST 2 hours early if you need to make reservations and buy tickets. Lines are huge at the stations and you'll definitely need to wait a long time.

Visit Ostia Antica in Rome. It's an uncrowded and relatively unknown tourist gem in Rome. I went last month and saw about 100 tourists there within a period of 5 hours. Plus, you get to climb on the ruins and crumbled walls...its great. (To get there, just take the Ferrovia from Piramide station to Ostia Antica)

Check the closing times of the Rome Metro very VERY closely. Once they close, taxis start charging a lot more for rides, or you will have to navigate the confusing Night Bus network.

There's a fantastic gelato place in Rome, near Piazza Campo Marzio. If you walk west from Palazzo Chigi you will find it...it's the best place for gelato in Rome.

If you absolutely need to take the vaporetti (water bus) in Venice, buy a 24h pass instead, go explore Murano island with its glass museums and workshops, and take the 42 water bus down the Grand Canal and observe the magnificence.

In Venice, NO MATTER what time you get to St. Marks, the line will be the same length (so it doesn't matter if you get up uber-early or really late). Remember to check your bag in the storage room BEFORE you line up or else they will send you away and you will have to line up again. Also, remember there are dress codes for St. Marks and the Vatican City.

The Ducal Palace in Venice is best explored around 2 hours before it closes. There's virtually no line, it's cooler inside, and there's less people = better photo opportunities.

France:

There's a great local restaurant in Paris, called "Le Comptoir du Relais" with the address 9 carrefour de l'Odeon. If you can't find it, it's beside the intersection of Rue de St. Germain and Rue de l'Odeon. Good prices and so delicious! Remember to ask about the special (some knowledge of French may be needed, since the waiter didn't speak much English and I had to speak French to him)

When going to museums, bags = hassle. They search it, confiscate your swiss knives, you have to check it in the storage.... Leave everything that is not absolutely needed at hotel / hostel and bring only what is needed.

In Paris, there are 3 museums that are great: Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, and Centre Pompidou.

Avenue Champs-Elysee is a shopping haven. Do gauge your money supply though, it tends to run out fast if you shop there.

Have a great trip!

Becky R

Travel by train to get from city to city, take the bus or walk in town. Only take the regional trains for short trips. If it's over and hour away, take the Eurostar. You do not have to stand in line to get a train ticket. You can use the fast ticket automated machine to purchase tickets. All of the machines in the bigger cities have an english option. Carry plenty of small change. I live near Venice, it is one of the most expensive cities in Italy. You have to use a water taxi to get around, either public or private. The private taxi's can be pricey. The gondolas are very expensive as well. If you do take one make sure to agree on a price before you set out. Try to stay in a hotel that provides breakfast for you. The coffee is very different here, very strong, small shots of espresso is what the Italians drink. If you ask for a coffee that is what you will get. Try not to use the free public bathrooms, they can be frightening. Pay the .80 for the water closet. Don't try to eat the American fast food, it's different here than at home. They cook their meat very rare. You see a lot of croissants for breakfast here, they either have chocolate or apricot filling. Some places provide salami and cheese for breakfast. You will not find bacon and eggs here. Try to go with the fixed menu whenever you can as the first plate, second plate can get very expensive, very quick. The Rialto Bridge and The Basilica are the normal tourist stops in Venice. Also, don't miss the Casino di Venezia, it's the oldest one in the world (so they say, est. 1638), and Casanova's house. You can only look at the outside because it's inhabited, but it's worth a look. They also run a history of Venezia show called Carnival the Show, it runs all year. The buffet and show is 65 euro, 39 euro for the show only. Stay away from the eateries near the tourist spots, you'll pay a lot more than if you walk a little ways and find an out of the way place. If you are looking for shrimp do not order the prawns or scampi. They keep bringing me crawfish. Most of the shops in Venice sell the same things. Lots of masks, lots of Murano glass. Take the time to go to the Isle of Murano before you buy glass in the city. You get to see them make it and most shops ship worldwide so you don't have to worry about packing it for the trip home.

allamericanmale1975

There are so many places to see in Italy that you will run out of time before you run out of things to see ans experience. When asked, I usually tell friends:

Rome
Colosseum
Vatican Museum

Milan
Duomo

Florence
Uffizi Gallery

Venice
Grand Canal

Naples
Pompeii -

Livorno - Pisa
Tower of Pisa

gruccias

don't miss tivoli gardens and villa adriana
close to rome 30 minutes by trainor bus

tinker46139

When you are in Venice, make sure that you see. "The Bridge of Sighs."

alwaysshoppingxo

This is just a general travel tip for Italy, but do not bring a straightener. My cousin blew out 4 or 5 straighteners while over there (no exaggeration!), even when using a converter. They are not compatible! Do not even dare to bring an expensive one. If you need to to bring anything (blow dryer, straightener, curling iron)buy a cheap one for 10 or 15 dollars at walmart instead of ruining your expensive ones. In France, see the Bayeux Tapestry and Mona Lisa in The Louvre. Go shopping in Florence! You can bargain with the vender's in the little markets and get really great deals! Just remember, you are a tourist in France. That means 19.6% sales tax on every souvenir you buy (I don't think it applies to food or things like that, but I'm not sure.) If you spend over a certain amount of money there, I think you can get your sales tax money back though. There are certain limits and everything. You have to ask about it at the airport.
http://www.francetourism.com/practicalinfo/beforeyougo.htm
scroll down to US customs on this page

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