First (and hopefully not last) Trip to Italy

Posted by frunyan on 08/04/24 12:39 AM

Hello!

My husband and are are traveling to Italy from Feb. 25th-March 7th, 2025. Our flights are booked already. We will be there 9 days, and we know essentially what we want to do and see - and, yes, I am sure they are quite "touristy" attractions. But, it's easy to get overwhelmed when planning a trip like this. I've been to Europe once, and it was about 15 years ago (and, I mean, I was 17, so it was basically planned for me...). Here's my initial questions -- would love any advice you feel compelled to offer!

How long do you recommend we stay in each city?
Is Milan, Florence, and Rome too much for 9 days? We are flying into Milan but my main priority there is the Duomo and the Last Supper...
Is taking a day/half day trip from Milan to Como worth it? Or should we do Parma or Pisa?
How far in advance should we make our hotel reservations?
Anyone used Viator before, and if so, is it a good resource?

We want to experience wine, food, art, history, and honestly, just enjoy the beauty of the country. My husband would love to see the Beretta factory, but we don't know if that's even possible. We do not want to run ourselves ragged, and I can already tell it's difficult to make choices of what you will actually be able to do during your time. We need help :)

Thanks all!
F&H

Posted by ChinaLake67

NorthCarolina

08/04/24 01:21 AM

1077 posts

I'd not spend much time in Milan - it is very underwhelming and the cathedrals in Florence are MUCH better.

My personal favorites are Venice and Florence. Personally, I'd skip Milan, but if you're flights are booked, I get it.
I'm not a fan of Rome, but that said, I think everyone should see the Vatican, Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon. Pisa is not worth the trip - it is a church with the leaning tower in front of it - the only way I'd suggest it is a day trip out of Florence with WalkAboutFlorence - their BEST OF TUSCANY TOUR -it takes you to two other towns in Tuscany (Sienna and San G) and a great lunch at a winery and ends in Pisa. Don't use Viator - it's a third party booking site- always book direct. Are you flying home from Rome? Book hotels ASAP - we book 10-12 mo in advance because we know where we want to be and we know what we like and the smaller, boutique hotels fill FAST

Posted by Horsewoofie

Phoenix🌵

08/04/24 01:41 AM

3097 posts

First question: where are flying home from? That will make a difference for recommendations.

A few quick answers: I made my Venice, Florence and Rome hotel reservations for this September last November, so 11 months in advance, when the hotel and B&B I want opened booking dates. Only book cancellable reservations don’t anything changes you’re not stuck paying for a room.

Viator is a consolidator. I have not used them. I prefer to book directly with the venue. You can book anything through their websites. Book when tickets first post. Some sights sell out quickly.

I travel a little slow (I’m getting old) so I like at least three nights in most larger towns. You can always add a day trips from your towns. Every time you change location, you lose half a day.

Milan was underwhelming. I love Venice; next month’s trip will be my third to such a unique city. Florence is 4 1/2 full days of my trip. Second visit to Rome is 5 days; saw touristy sights last time, will see smaller museums and historic sights this time.

Make a list of your “A”, “B” and “C” sights to be sure you see your must sees. With only 9 days, you will fill your time quickly. Use your phone’s calendar to manage your time. Block out time between sights, caffe time, food time. It’s very easy to over schedule.

Posted by frunyan OP

08/04/24 02:07 AM

2 posts

Thanks everyone!

Yes we are flying into Milan-Malpensa around 10am on the 26th, and flying home out of Rome on the 7th, around 11am. Good to know that we can limit our time in Milan and focus on other things... we just were able to book cheaper tickets flying into Milan, especially in the off-season.