Planning a trip to Italy, what part do you suggest to visit?

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Erik D

My wife and I did a bus trip through the majority of Italy last September for our honeymoon. There was not a single place in Italy that I would say you should avoid except maybe Naples with their whole garbage crisis - it's pretty gross. Instead I'll break it down into some different activities that you may be into.

Rome - awesome for the history, sites, shops, but crowded and can be hard to find your way around also very touristy. Regardless if you are going to Italy for the first time you have to see the Colosseum, Vatican City, the Forum, the Spanish Steps and the other famous sites. The really good thing is you can walk pretty much everywhere as long as you stay someplace close by.

Florence and Pisa - one of our favorite cities was Florence. See Pisa if you are the type who wants to say to people that you saw it. Definitely see the David. Florence is beautiful to walk around and enjoy the history and the architecture. Check out the leather and gold shops that they are known for.

Lake districts (Northern Italy) - Beautiful. If you want to spend some time relaxing then go here. Staying anywhere around one of the magnificent alpine lakes in the region will completely rejuvenate and relax you if you've been touring for several days and are tired. Stop by George Clooney's house if you can get in ;).

Venice - this was our other favorite city. It is expensive and very touristy and crowded like Rome but who can resist the appeal of a gondola ride through the canals.

Amalfi Coast/Sorrento/Capri - if you want sun and beaches and towns built between cliffs and the sea then check out Sorrento. Take a local bus down the coast to Positano for a day. Then take a ferry the next day to Capri. If you go to Capri definately go on the chair lift ride to the top of the island the view is worth it!

If you are interested in very old Church buildings then you have dozens to choose from that will take your breath away. Also check out some of the art galleries to see some famous works by all the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And EAT, EAT, EAT!!!! All the walking will burn it off!

Hope you have a great trip!

Kiki

hi i'm italian....
you can visit rome....napoli...perugia...firenze...mil...

mayra s

Rome - beautiful and fun city with great nightlife and a lot of culture

.Laura

Why are you planning a visit in Italy if you already think is full of crap and slum everywhere? Is not a good start darling....think about what you just said...how the hell a whole nation with 60 millions of people and big like the Uk can be ALL full of garbage and dirty? Does not sound silly....i think you get it....well Italy is VERY clean...the roads are clean, houses are clean (more than elsewhere actually but this is another chapter...)...and the people who told you is full of garbage is just stupid and limitated....we had a problem in ONE area of Italy (Naples and surronding) who was full of garbage some criminals scums had the interest was in that way...it has been a huge problem for the nation as lots of honest people was suffering that shame and ignorants like your friends would give the bad name on the whole nation (predictable...) well...i dont live there but i can assure you Italy is totally clean place...and seems that the problem there is near to be solved.....so now think how much ridiculos was your statements...i think you got it now that i make you think...it would be like i say that England is all like....Manchester?got it? Plus i would suggest you to go to the south...yes i bet they was talking crap about that place either...well...go there and you will find out IS NOT...probably too beautiful for you actually....if you are full of prejudice about places is not a good start...go there and you will find out with your eyes and not with some other's trivia!
No darling you dont hurt my nerves at all....I am just saing that your statement is a nonsense....but you are free to believe what you want...even that donkeys flys....Italy IS NOT a small block or a single city...Have you got an idea how much is big? Where are you from? do you think that all the cities in your nation is like yours (in good and bad side) ...no i believe they are not....did you get the nonsense now? How a whole nation can be full of garbage in your mind? And i had answered to you as well....is not...read with attention what i was writing above about the "garbage matter"....you answered i replyed....simple...and last but not least..think how much can be offensive your "doubt"...is not very kind to a whole nation you are going to visit isn't it? Are you from the Us?....what about if i go on yahoo and ask if there they are all mass schoolboys murders with guns shooting in every single corner of the cities (is the same you just did with the "garbage doubt" you realize it?...I think it would going a bit on your nerve) ...are you from Uk?....what about if I start to ask "Are there all drunky chavs along the streets stabbing each other all the time? ".....that definatly would pissed you off!

I know people who have visited almost every place in Italy and they keep saying that Lago di Como is the most wonderful place in Italy and I have to agree. It's not that touristic, you are surrounded with Italians it's so great! We keep going to the same place but every year another small village around the Lake but we're eating always at the same place (although I have eaten on other places too) but in Argegno (a village at the Lake) you have a pizzeria called 'La piazzetta' in the evening the view is amazing, really! The only thing I can say is Lago di Como is the place to be..

Sandra P

You cannot miss Tuscany!
Florence. Sienna, Pisa, san Gimignano, the Chianti region.

If you need some hints about cheap accommodations and itineraires, I'm an Italian tourist operator and I can help you. Please feel free to contact me.

bye

andreaSV

well the best town is Florence! but you can look Venice, Rome, Turin, Milan, Naples etc...
If U love the sea like me.. comes to me... Liguria (my district)..in the north part of the country!

Andrea

Passer@ Scopaiol@ +23

i'm from naples:

*g and the guy over, are 2 d**kheads!!!!

we haven't garbage anymore, and there was only in the neighbour of the city, not in the center!!!
now it's clean, so don't be stupid to write things that you only have heard in tv, without having seen personally.
TV is a big lier!

for you i recommend:

milan
rome
venice
florence
naples
(as cities)

lake district
near Naples area (capri, ischia, pompei, sorrento, positano, amalfi, ravello)
beaches of north sardinia (costa smeralda)
sicily islands (eolie lampedusa pantelleria)
(as areas)

check the location i've suggest you in the internet, and choose what is good for you.

Stan

Italy is clean. Naples had a problem with their garbage collectors but Burlesconi fixed that.

Where ever you go (large city or region), I'd plan stay at least 3 or 4 days and keep in mind that one day you will return to see more. Here is a list of places to visit and things to see:

Milan
. Cathedral
. Duomo
. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Venice
. St. Marks Basilica / Square
. Doge's Palace
. Rialto Bridge
. Murano glass manufacturing
. Burano
. Lido
Florence
. Uffizi
. Ponte Vechio
. Galleria Della Academia (David)
. Santa Croce
. Piazzale Michelangelo
Lucca
Pisa
. Leaning Tower
Cinco Terra (region)
San Gimignano
Sienna
Assisi
Orvieto
Rome
. Vatican
. Coliseum
. The Forum
. Spanish Steps
. Pantheon
. The Borghese Museum
. Gianicolo
. Piazza Navona
. Trevi Fountain
Ostia Antica
Vesuvius
Pompeii
Capri
Sorrento
Amalfi Coast (region)
Paestum

mareeclara

I travelled around for 2 weeks and went to the following places....all of which I can recommend:
Verona - is a lovely town in a nice setting. There is a colloseum there where you can go to the opera in the summer time and there are other roman archetecture....there is the romeo and juliet thing as well.
Venice - is a lot smaller than what I thought, but its so different to the other places you have ot go....I went in april so can't comment on the smells that people in the summer time who go complain of. some of the back streets are a bit seedy and dank, but the san marco square is nice and riatalto bridge and the market next to is are pretty good. I hear that the glass facotry ( murano) is pretty good. I had 2 nights and felt I had done my dash there.
Sienna is pretty and medieval...i didn't have long here but would have loved to have spent more time there. I ended up staying in a hilltop village called Montepulciano which was lovely ( a mission to get there....my own fault in parts) but its in a wine region and definately worth a look.
Rome was good for the roman stuff. I wish I had done more research on it to appreciate it better. From here I did a day tour to Pompeii which was great and I am glad i personally didn't go to Naples as that looked a bit grim (I hear that some places in the south are like that) You can add Sorrento/capri onto the day trips which would be worth it
Florence had quite a bit to offer, but is busy with tourists and the people get a bit overwhelming at times....the main duomo is great...
Pisa is about an hour away from Florence by train and apart from the tower there is not much more to see.
I was reccommended to go to another town nearby called Lucca which is like a mini florence and soooooo nice to get away from the hoards of people.
Bologna is back to being medieval and has a good cathedral/duomo.
Stay in the north to see lots of variety of things.....I went by myself and felt fine in the places I travelled to. Trains are good.
Have a wonderful time.

Milsbryrox

Italian restaurant. I don't know if it is dirty there though.

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