Traveling to Italy - suggestions?

keep your wallet in your front pocket

 

Naples is dirty, Florence has amazing food, Rome is full of sights and history.

 

Florence is awesome. Pompeii is nice but if you're not into that kinda thing, then don't bother.

Whatever you do, don't go to Pisa- big waste of time IMO. Aside from the leaning tower, there's not much else there.

 

Get some of that authentic pizza.

 

I've been to Italy twice. Both times with a prearranged agenda (once, on tour with a suspect band I was in, another by invite from Natuzzi furniture). I was really awed by Italy and the people. The things I remember the most were just what you would see or enjoy by just traveling around and trying to blend in. I know that is not much help, but once you get there you might see.

While I'm not big on tourist attractions I would definitely recommend at least one day in Rome. You can see some of the most important and spectacular sights in the history of the world in a couple of short trips. First being to the Pantheon and just a short walk a way to the Piazza Navona. Take your time; eat like the Italians. Then go to the Colosseum and even more impressive to me Forum Ramanum which is just next door... Have fun

 

It depends on your particular interest. I love Florence. The art, food, and history there is amazing. I love the history of Rome, but didn't really love the city. Part of it was that I was there in the summer, and the room I had was crappy, it was super hot, and it was hard to get around. When I go back, I'm giving Rome another shot.

 

Cinque Terre

 

Eat food

 

Florence is cool...and very big. Definitely keep your wallet in your front pocket.

Siena is a totally awesome place to check out. The old fortified city is super cool. It's unique in that the main square has a horse track (ancient) in it. They still run races twice a year (Palio di Siena).


Any of the smaller villages in the Barolo area of Piedmont are also cool. The wine is fantastic.

 

Totally jealous of you, man. I had a big Italy/Greece/Switzerland trip all planned out for the summer, but then my best friend's wife had a baby, and all that went to crap. Enjoy it man, and takes lots of pictures!

 

Genoa is an underrated port city and it's only about an hour train ride from Milan. Some beautiful waterfront scenery and interesting history (birthplace of Christopher Columbus, among other things). There's not a TON to do, but if you're going through Italy, I think it's worth a day - especially if you're starting from Milan.

In terms of bigger cities, I've only done Milan and Venice but thoroughly enjoyed both. And yes, as everyone else has said, the food is amazing.

 

If it's a matter of must-see-it, don't-know-if-I'll-be-back, go to Rome.

If you want to relax while enjoying the beauty of the country, and not get stressed out, why not take a train due east through Bergamo, Brescia, Verona (Romeo and Juliet), on to Venice? Taking boats round the Venetian Islands (including Murano and Burano) is k-o-o-l cool. And more relaxing than trying to rush down the peninsula and back.

If you take any overnight trains, take a bicycle chain or something to help lock the doors at night. No joke. Thieves get into the sleeping cars very easily.

You'll gain five or ten pounds in the week. Very worth it.

 

I just saw this! (I know subtomic, but what the hell, I'll make a suggestion here).

Florence is awesome, and just about anything you look at there will be interesting, but there are train and bus routes that stop at smaller Tuscan towns, and I always liked those best.

Find some small town (they all have some history-related attraction since everything is old), take the train/bus, see what you want to see, and then sit outside and have a nice meal and some drinks. If any Italians wander by who feel like they speak English, they'll probably try talking to you, and will often buy you a drink (they're not used to tourists in the smaller towns). The main touristy attractions are fun but, if you really want to see what Italy's about, go to a small town, enjoy the food and some drinks, and socialize a bit.

I can't name one in particular because I lived in Vicenza (on the eastern side of the country), but read up a bit and you should be able to find an appropriate place and a good way to get there and back.

Obviously you'll have to eat while you're there, but EAT. The little trattoria in Smalltown, Tuscany will probably be run by people who are all related to one another, who make EVERYTHING by hand, and who have a deep personal interest in making it delicious. You'll eat a lot (they may be particularly interested in stuffing a foreigner), you'll eat well, and Italians often spend all day sitting in little restaurants - just talking, eating, drinking, and sitting around.

Touristy stuff is everywhere. Go to a little village and enjoy a day-in-the-life of Italy.

EDIT: I just remembered that you're going to Milan! Tuscany will be a bit far off, but you can see the little mountain towns in Lombardy! Those are awesome, and they're all over the place. So, do as above, but find a little mountain town to do it in. It's beautiful up there. I spent a day in Cremona once, but that's more of a city/town than the little villages I'm suggesting.

 

orvieto is pretty cool for a day. drink wine and eat pizza and gelato.