DESTINATION: ITALY
The superlatives heaped on Italy are endless so were not even going to start... lets just agree youre going to be blown away by the food, coffee, art, old towns and Roman ruins. Now weve agreed on that lets think about where you could go in the shoe-shaped country - kind of funny in itself considering the Italians renowned fashion sense. While were on the topic make sure you pack a stylish pair of shoes or get some while youre here. Its important!!
Winter is not the best time to visit unless you like snow and rain so if you can hold off for a month or two theres prime weather just around the corner. Spring is absolutely beautiful with fresh flowers everywhere and the end of the winter chill. Summer is glorious although it can be more expensive and crowded. Autumn is the harvest season in many parts of the country. Heres a few itinerary ideas for a flying visit or longer stay:
1-3 days
If youre only here a few days you should base around the city you land in; ideally this should be Rome. Visit the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, St Peters Basilica and the Vatican museums. Theres also the Spanish Steps, underground catacombs, numerous churches and lots of good eating!
1 week
Spend a few days in Rome visiting the famous sights and consider interesting day trips to the old cities of Ostia Antica and Tivoli. You could also take a fast train up to Florence for a few days to visitthe numerous art galleries and museums. You can see the famed Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, eat a gelati on the Ponte Vecchio, walk up to Piazza Michelangelo for city views and see Botticellis masterpieces in the Uffizi gallery. The quaint medieval Tuscan towns of Siena and San Gimignano are easy day trips from Florence. If youd prefer to head south from Rome you can be in bustling Naples in two hours. The gorgeous Amalfi coast is just a hop away as is Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius.
2 weeks
Use the Rome-Florence itinerary above and add a few days further north in watery Venice. Make sure you visit the San Marco Square, the islands of Murano and Burano, wander the narrow alleyways and sleepy piazzas and take a ride on the grand canal by gondola or ferry. You could also visit the romantic city of Verona and the bustling student-life of Bologna on the way. The fabulous Dolomite mountain range are not far from Venice either.
3 weeks
With a three week itinerary you can comfortably fit in all the above and journey over to Milan visiting the lakes of Como and Lugano. You may also squeeze a journey in to Turin near the French border or to the wonderful Cinque Terre coastal region on the north-west coast. Alternatively take a trip further south of Naples down to the Aeolian Islands or to Sicily.
4 weeks
A month long foray to Italy will allow you to comfortably visit many places. You could easily cover the north using the options above and then consider an additional island stop like Sardegnia off the west coast and other islands like Elba and Capri (off Positano). Or spend more time in Sicily with highlights like the markets of Palermo, the temples of Agrigento and lovely coastal towns like Cefalu, Taormina and Siracusa or the volcanic covered Catania.
To help you plan your journey use our website to book your Italian hostel and get a VIP card for savings on tours and services. Buon viaggio! | VIP NEWS:
WHATS ON IN ITALY
Italys festivals are amongst its best travel experiences. You can eat chocolate, witness medieval horsemanship, see enormous fires and sombre religious processions. Heres a very short calendar:
January: Carnevale (Venice)
February: Eurochocolate (Turin)
March: Bonfire competition (Lezzeno), Easter celebrations (everywhere - very traditional in Sicily)
April: fish festival of Saint Fortunato (Camogli)
May: Food and wine walking festival (Monta)
June: Flower festival (Genzano); Battle of the Bridge (Pisa); Regatta of the Great Maritime Republics (alternates Amalfi/Genova/ Pisa/Venice); historic soccer games (Florence)
July: Palio horse festival (Siena)
August: Palio horse festival (Siena); Palio (Piazza Armerina)
September: Palio of San Rocco (Figline Valdarno); grape harvests (wine regions); Living Chess (Marostica)
October: Eurochocolate (Perugia)
November: International horse show (Verona); Olive harvests (farming regions)
December: Festival of the Saint Ambrogian church (Milan); Christmas pageants (everywhere)
COFFEE ETIQUETTE
Caffè is an integral part of Italian culture and has its own system: breaking of which will expose you as a tourist. Lets have a look:
- Usually you drink the coffee and pay when you leave, in other places you pay the cashier and order with the receipt.
- Locals drink their coffee standing, you can be charged for a seat!
- Cappuccinos are morning drinks only and served lukewarm. Dont ask for them in the evening or after dinner!
- These are the kinds of coffees:
Espresso: strong short serve of coffee drunk at any time but ideal wake-up and after-dinner drink. Ristretto (extra strong) and corretto (with a shot of grappa) are variations.
Caffè macchiato: a cross between an espresso and cappuccino.
Latte macchiato: hot milk with a dash of espresso.
Americano or doppio: an espresso topped up with hot water.
Senza schiuma: without foam
Caffè latte: a milky coffee. If you ask simply for latte you could get a glass of milk.
Caffè freddo: cold black coffee in a glass
GET MARRIED IN ITALY
Hollywood couple Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes certainly thought Italy was romantic enough for their wedding when they wed near Rome in November 2006. Theyre not the only ones... Italy has become a favoured wedding destination for many people. You can get married on a gondola on the Grand Canal of Venice, in Saint Peters Basilica in Rome, in a villa or vineyard. It is often recommended you get a planner to help with translation, documents and any tricky business. Do a google search for ideas or check the comments on Rick Steves. |
