First timers to Italy - a few questions

We just came back from our first trip to Italy. We did three weeks, hitting the common towns, except Venice. We loved Siena, just be aware that it is a bit hilly. You might ask for comments/thoughts on the viability of Venice for this spring. Perhaps you could also think of staying in a town close to Venice to "hedge your bets". Rome was EXTREMELY busy and we were there in November! Get some help/suggestions and make sure to get to Rome with tickets in hand or a strategy. The Vatican Museum was especially crowded.

Departing flights from Venice to US generally require a connection somewhere in Europe. That often means a very early departure, and it can be a pain to get to the Venice airport very early. You can get direct flights back to US from Rome, departure times are usually mid-to-late morning and transport to the airport is easy, which is why many people recommend flying into Venice and out of Rome. Also, I think Venice is a more relaxing place than Rome to adjust after a long flight from US.

Using a smaller city like Siena or Lucca as your base for Tuscany and visiting Florence as a day trip works fine. Bologna would only be a good base if your plan is to instead visit cities like Ravenna and Modena as well as Florence.

You shoud be able to primarily use trains for your trip, although there may be a few instances where a bus is better (e.g. Siena-Florence).

Search multi-city tickets on www.skyscanner.com; always check the reverse.

My dad will fly from Philly or Newark which both offer direct flights at reasonable prices. My son and I found a direct from Denver to Rome for $800. It is too cheap to pass up. We will take the train to Venice. Now whether that is at the beginning or end of the trip is negotiable.

The advice to go in to Venice and out from Rome has to do with flight schedules and getting to the Venice airport at o'dark ugly in the morning. Venice does have late morning departures, but when I have looked they have usually been significantly more expensive than the early flights.
EDIT - if you are set on the in/out of Rome flights, then suggest you go directly to Venice and work your way back to Rome and do all you time in one lump at the end.

Weather wise it will not be significantly better/different for the time frame you have. The temp differences would be minimal

Finding lodging with 3 separate beds for 90-135 euro per night may be a challenge. Start your research ASAP so you can see what is available and if needed adjust your budget.

If museums have only minimal interest to you, then Lucca would be a viable alternative to Florence.

Our first trip to Italy 30 years ago with my father-in-law( who was in his mid 70's and in early stages of heart failure) we did not do any museums! I know that sounds crazy but there were so many other things to do we were perfectly content. Yes, we did the Vatican but we sat in lots of piazzia's and just soaked in the real experience of Italy. We were gone for 3 weeks that trip but for your time frame I would recommend Rome, Venice and a small town. If your dad doesn't move fast the trains can be tricky---just our experience. We had rented a car to get from place to place and to accommodate pit stops etc. which worked great for us. I'm not saying you can't manage the train system but with elderly be aware.

My suggestion: if you fly into Rome, take the train immediately to Venice. The trip is about four hours, and the train station in Venice (Venezia Santa Lucia or Venezia SL) is right on the Grand Canal. You walk out of the station and likely there will be a gondola right in front of you. It’s a total knockout.
Give yourself say six or seven nights in Venice, and find an apartment. That way you can cook a bit, buy produce from the Rialto markets.
The lagoon islands are worth visiting, Murano (glass), Burano (lace and delightful painted houses) and Torcello, the first settled island in the lagoon. Also Padua, Vicenza, Treviso and maybe Verona are easy day trips from Venice, all by train.
In Venice, buy vaporetto passes for at least some of your time there. Even a short vap trip can save a heap of walking.
A friend, Philip Jones, lives in Venice and has published three novels set in Venice.He said once, “you don’t have to actually do anything in Venice, you just have to be there”.
He’s absolutely correct.

After Venice, train to Rome, Vatican, Colosseum and all that Roman history.

Your first and last locations should be determined by the available flights more than anything else.
I returned a few weeks ago from my first trip to Italy (4 weeks), and everyone's take on the different locations will be kind of personal. For instance, I really didn't like Siena much (and it is quite hilly), but I loved Florence and enjoyed taking a seat in a piazza and just watching the people go by. Florence was my second favourite of the cities I visited (Padua was my favourite)......That being said, the cathedral in Siena was wonderful, but I'm glad I just made Siena a day trip rather than staying there.

Given your group (14-71), I'd strongly recommend you get a tour for the Colosseum/Palatine Hill and for the Vatican, which can both be kind of overwhelming. I'd splurge on a small tour group of 6 or 8 people, small enough that it can adjust to your father's speed and your son's attention span.

12 days is about right for 4 cities max. Here is what we did:

4 days Florence, included a day trip to Tuscany

2 days Lucca
2 days Venice
4 days Rome

Sounds like you are going to Rome first. So you could just do this trip backwards. If your dad is having heart issues he is going to want to slow down,I would imagine

If you want a 2 bedroom apartment, it will probably be more than $150 per night. I highly recommend the apartment route to allow space for relaxing and just personal space for all of you.

You could consider Bologna as a side trip or stop along the way.

You certainly do not have to go to Florence unless it really calls to you. We went to Italy twice as travelers and lived in Rome for two years before we made it Florence! I like the idea of Lucca or Siena with a possible day trip to Florence.

With 12 full days, presumably 13 nights in country, I would do 4 nights each in Venice and Lucca or Siena, then 5 in Rome. Ideally, since you are landing in Rome, travel to Venice the same day and get that transfer out of the way, then to Tuscany, and wrap up with your final nights in Rome. This will be a nice pace allowing for some down time and just wandering.

I know you have received a lot of valuable advice here but nothing substitutes for a good guide book both for planning and for reference during your trip. Please invest in one if you have not already done so.

Lodging and close in for your budget is close to impossible for 3 people. I suggest u up your lodging budget for your Dads convenience and comfort. There are convent/ monastery stays u could look at. They are spartan and some have en-suite bathrooms. They are in demand during peak season so decide very soon for those. There is a pricey booking service u could check for locations and descriptions. The locations u wish to visit involve a lot of walking, cobbles, uneven and damaged pavement, stairs etc. It is not for the unsteady for sure. Plan very carefully. Use rome to rio for distances.

Our Italy trip in 2012 involved British Airways from DIA, thru London, then on to Rome. Coming home from Rome was so early that we booked a room at the Hilton at the airport, and we walked out of the room at 5 in the morning, so early flights exist from places besides Venice!

That was before Icelandic and Norwegian started serving Denver, with bargain fares as incentives. I’m guessing that maybe your deal is with one of them, and if not, then either BA, Lufthansa, or United. What are the return schedule times? That could help you anticipate whether timing would make coming home from Venice or Rome preferable.

An agritourismo is great for getting a “deeper” experience in Italy.

My Florence visits have never involved Rome or Venice, so personally, that’s always been a whole ‘nuther thrip. And a trip last fall to Bologna/Parma was truly fantastic. I’d wanted to include Modena, too but couldn’t fit it in - did bring home some special balsamic vinegar, though.

We got to the Vatican Museums before they opened that morning (this was on that December 2012 trip), and the roped maze for an entry line was completely empty! It was a big enough, long enough maze that there must be times it’s full. We spent the better part of the day there, and it was noticeably more crowded as the morning went on. When we finished there, and headed to St. Peter’s, there was a long line, including security screening, to get to the basilica and piazza. If you skip the massive Vatican art and artifact museums, and are just going to other parts of the Vatican, early is still probably better than later.

Hi Kelly, back in 2012 we honeymooned in Italy and followed the logistics you’re describing - starting in Rome and ending in Venice. It was our first trip to Europe together. And yes, as others have said, we had to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to catch our flight. It worked out just fine but we’ve since learned we prefer to start in smaller places and end in the big cities. It can be less overwhelming when you’re over-stimulated and tired after a long flight, but neither of us really sleep on flights.

If you’re not feeling Florence, by all means, skip it! Go to wherever appeals the most to you. We haven’t been to Lucca yet. Siena is great. I have fond memories sitting on the square eating delicious gelato at night and watching the world go by. Another great place I have to recommend is Orvieto. It’s wonderful - sleepier than Siena but magical at night with all the daytrippers gone.

In Rome, I recommend Domus Aurea in addition to the classic Roman history tour stops. It was such a cool experience and helped me visualize what the ruins in the Forum would have looked like in their heyday.

We’ve used both train and bus in Italy. It doesn’t hurt to look at the holiday schedule for the timeframe of your visit because sometimes they will reduce the number of trains/buses for a holiday. We got stuck in Florence on a spring holiday waiting an extra long time for the next train. Lesson learned.

You guys will have a wonderful trip I’m sure! :)

Thank you all for your ideas and feedback. I am leaning towards flying into Rome and heading to Venice for 4 nights. From there we can do some day trip to Bologna for the food tour. Then we can head to Lucca since it is less hilly then Sienna. We will have a couple day trips to wineries and Florence. Finally, we will end in Rome. My sister in law recommended the breakfast at the Vatican tour so we will be doing that on our Vatican day.

Also, thanks for the feedback on the rooms. There are a few options on Air BnB and VRBO in our price range, but it might be worth upping the limit for a comfortable bed. I figured my son can sleep on the couch or share with me, so we only need 2 beds. I agree an apartment will be better than squishing into a hotel. Regardless, I will have to start booking soon!

I have the Lonely Planet tour book and have been trying to get through it. I find it rather dense!

Grazie!

Your plan sounds good. Just a few basics, you probably already know but just in case...

You mention heat being an issue for your dad. If this trip is in a time with hot weather be sure to confirm that the apartments/hotels have air conditioning. Many do, it’s not hard to find, but it’s not a given. Especially at lower price points.

Also be aware that if you book hotels you HAVE to specify a room for 3. In Italy 3 people can’t just squeeze into a double room. You’d need a triple or a double room with a cot brought in (often at a small extra charge). This isn’t an issue in apartments, 3 people should be fine there.

Also people always talk about how flying out of Venice is hard. Hasn’t been my experience - twice I’ve had reasonably priced early afternoon or late morning departures direct to North America. One to Toronto, one to Philadelphia, and each time there were multiple other flights to the US leaving soon. So I think this just really depends on your airport/dates. It’s still worth looking into.

Flying multi-city or open jaws will eliminate the time-consuming necessity of returning to where you began. This will maximize your time in Italy giving you more time to be there. A cogent strategy would be to fly into Venice and depart from Roma.

We spent five nights in Siena a few years ago and really liked the city. We did take a day trip to Florence and we used the train. However, remember Siena is on top of a hill and the train station is at the bottom of the hill, so you would need a taxi or some type of shuttle.

Oh yea...wear a money belt, especially in Roma. The pickpockets in Italy are maestros.

Buon viaggio,

Kelly, I was going to mention the same limitations Mira did regarding the # of people allowed to a room. Whatever sort of accommodation you choose, make sure it's listed as OK for three people. Also, while apartments would certainly give you more room to spread out, having the 24/7 desk services many hotels offer can offer can be comforting for first-timers to the country. This can be especially important if traveling, as you are, with someone with health issues. Should Dad have an episode requiring medical assistance, helpful desk staff could be worth every $ you paid for your room.

Additionally, you'll want to make sure your Dad (+ you and your son) are covered for any medical treatment you might need while abroad. Don't just assume your current policies will cover you, and make sure that coverage includes medivac services back the States if necessary. Given your father's pre-existing condition - which will affect what sort of medical coverage he'll need abroad - you'll also want trip cancellation coverage should he be unable to take this trip after plane tickets are purchased and hotels/apartments reserved (check their individual cancellation policies as well). We never leave the U.S. without at least supplemental travel medical coverage.

Just want to share a link to a B&B we stayed at in Venice on 4 of our 5 trips...

http://alcampaniel.tripod.com/holidayflat/

We haven't stayed in the apartment, but in the guest house. It's nothing fancy, but it's in a good location and the price is in our range. Cost is 65-105 euro depending on season, and an extra cost for a 3rd person. I think it books up quickly, so if interested, when you pin down your dates, drop him an email.

Remember that Medicare does not provide coverage outside the US. In 2008, we stayed at the convent near the Colosseum mentioned in Rick's book. It was inexpensive enough that we got our 12 yr old daughter her own room connected to ours.

No problem ending the trip in Venice. I've done it and loved it. Book a private water taxi from your hotel to the airport for your departure. It's a nice splurge that adds a little something special to trip, at least for me.

I believe Cala meant to say Medicare DOES NOT provide coverage outside of the US. A supplemental plan might do so but important to verify and probably buy a travel coverage plan.

Wow! Such valuable information. I didn't know that Medicare doesn't provide coverage. I will definitely look into trip insurance. I was already planning cancellation insurance. Also, a good point on having a front desk to provide information. Thank you so much!

Any recommendations on medical coverage while abroad? I will check the RS site as I am guessing he will provide that information too.

Kelly, we use Travel Guard. You'll probably want some specific guidance for pre-existing medical conditions, and it would be best if someone with more experience in that area than I have does the honors there. :O)

https://www.travelguard.com

Editing to add: if 24/7 desk support is important to you, just double-check that it's an amenity when you browse hotels? Some of the smaller ones don't provide overnight services, although I think most would provide emergency phone #'s.

RE: medical coverage for your Dad. Check his coverage as his supplemental coverage to Medicare might cover international medical costs. Mine does, but I must pay the bill first. My husband's does not. He is 78 and he just purchased GeoBlue (thru BCBS), which includes medical evacuation as well. I have medjetassist for medical evacuation. We don't insure for trip cancellation etc. as we self insure for that...would be disappointing but would not cause financial issues compared to a medical disaster. So all those aspects need to be considered by your Dad. As you are not going on a tour, your pre-trip out of pocket losses would not be huge, IMO. Consider what you/he can afford to self-insure and then go from there. You can also search Insuremytrip.com or travelguard.com for policies...just make sure the policy is with a large, legitimate insurer.

I would recommend you make your bookings this way:
Rome (5-6 days)
Siena: 2 days
Florence (4 days - FLORENCE)
Venice (2-3 days)

I would also ask your physician to contact centres in Rome, Florence and Venice where your dad could have kidney treatments if need be.
Should you need more info , I could ask
for Florence.

You’ve already received good advice above regarding logistics, so I will make only one suggestion regarding guide books. You mentioned having difficulty working your way through the Lonely Planet guidebook. I‘ll state the obvious and suggest you buy a Rick Steves Italy book. I, too, have found Lonely Planet less than user friendly and have always appreciated Rick‘s advice. Also, if you haven’t yet downloaded the Rick Steves AudioEurope app, please do so soon. It’s free and contains a great deal of valuable info. Besides very good self-guided audio tours of famous sites, there are interviews from his radio show on many aspects of Italy that you will find interesting and helpful.

Kelly,

You've received lots of great suggestions so far, and I have a few thoughts to add. I've only glanced over some of the previous replies, so hopefully I haven't duplicated too much....

• I would also very much recommend getting a copy of the Rick Steves Italy guidebook (the newest version will be released this December). You'll find that a lot easier to navigate (I know that as I've read many different guidebooks), and it will be an excellent resource for planning and during your trip.
• your profile indicates that you're from Colorado. If you're close to Denver, you may enjoy attending one of the RS travel group meetings. I'm sure the helpful group there will be able to answer a lot of your questions - https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/travel-meetings/denver-travel-group-meeting-nov-16-2019 .
• I'm assuming the budget amounts you listed for accommodations referred to US dollars? You may have to increase that amount somewhat, especially for three people.
• especially as this is your first trip to Italy, you might consider staying in hotels at least part of the time, as the front desk staff can be enormously helpful during your stay in each city. Many hotels provide a full breakfast with the cost of the room, so that avoids the cost of one meal per day.

After reading your proposed Itinerary, I had a few questions and suggestions.....

• Have you already bought your air tickets? Despite the cheap flights to Rome, keep in mind that if you plan on going directly to Venice, the tickets for the high speed trains from FCO/Rome to Venice are currently €106 PP for Base Fare (about US$118 PP). Your son may be able to get a discounted fare, I haven't checked. While it is possible to buy discounted advance purchase tickets, most of us on the forum don't recommend doing that when connecting from an international flight.
• With such a very short time frame, I wouldn't recommend spending four nights in Venice (about a third of your trip). There are other locations that provide a nicer experience (IMO). While you may not be interested in the art history of Florence, it makes a great home base for exploring other areas of Tuscany, such as Siena, Lucca or Pisa. Also, Venice has become dreadfully crowded in recent years with cruise ship groups, and it's likely not going to be the idyllic setting you might have imagined (especially in May / June).
• Given the age of your Dad, it might be an idea to stay in fewer locations and take day trips, as that means less moving around, checking in & out of hotels, train trips, etc.
• Plan to take breaks often during your daily touring, to allow your Dad to sit down and rest for a few minutes.
• Note that if you plan to take a break by having a coffee or whatever at an outdoor restaurant patio, you'll pay extra for that experience.
• The others have covered on the aspect of getting travel medical insurance. That's extremely important, especially for your Dad.
• Given the age of your son, I imagine he may have a cell phone and may spend a lot of time on it? If that's the case, you'll have to consider roaming plans or using only hotel Wi-Fi, Plug Adaptors for charging, etc. I believe there's a section in the guidebook on travel with technology.
• You will need to be aware of pickpockets, so wearing a moneybelt is prudent. If you store your Passport there, place it in a zip-lok bag to avoid damage from perspiration.
• There are some potentially expensive caveats to be aware of when using trains and other public transit in Italy. Be sure you do your homework on that point to avoid unnecessary expenses.
• You and your group may want to have a look at THIS book to learn a few of the common phrases and greetings before your trip.

I may have a few other thoughts later.

I really want to emphasize Ken's thoughts on the RS guide. I do like some of the other guides for various reasons (Eyewitness has beautiful illustrations) but the RS guides are incredibly comprehensive in regards to the attractions. Further, in each city/regions' section, it provides options for getting to that location as well as options for getting to other locations. We traveled exclusively by train and bus between Zurich, Tirano, Lake Como, Milan, Cinque Terre, Florence, Siena, Rome and Sorrento/Amalfi and all I needed was the RS guide (and the Trenitalia website for any prepurchase of train tickets where applicable).

Thanks Laurel. That was a big mistake! My regular health insurance is the Blue Cross Medicare Advantage that doesn't cost extra. For travel, I bought GeoBlue and we also have MedJetAssist.

Note that if you plan to take a break by having a coffee or whatever at an outdoor restaurant patio, you'll pay extra for that experience.

Yes, you pay more for that coffee if you sit on a patio rather than stand at the inside counter, but I don't think of it as "extra", I think of it as the cost stopping for coffee (or whatever)......just like going to a restaurant will cost you more than picking up the food to go (15%-20% more, in the form of a tip). No surprise there, and I think people make too big a deal of this - it's not something only American tourists do......lots of Italians do it too.

You will need to be aware of pickpockets, so wearing a moneybelt is prudent.

After spending 4 weeks there as a tourist, I really don't think the risk of pickpockets is greater than in many North American cities where tourists flock. Yes, you need to be aware of the risk of pickpockets, but I think the risk is far overstated......at least, I think the need for something like a moneybelt is far overstated, particularly since they're pretty uncomfortable and awkward.

OP- have you purchased flight tickets?
If so time is critical. Most international medical insurance companies require you buy med insurance within 14 days of your first travel item (flight, hotel) in order to get a pre-existing medical condition waiver which your father clearly needs. Everyone will have their own favorites, mine is Travel Guard. Contact them, or another carrier, immediately. It is beyond imperative that your father obtain medical coverage with a pre-existing medical coverage waiver.

Travel Guard dies have a policy you can buy with a pre-existing waiver after the usual 14 day cut-off but the price climbs.

Just skimmed prior posts, please excuse if this is repeated information.

Have you already bought your air tickets? Despite the cheap flights to Rome, keep in mind that if you plan on going directly to Venice, the tickets for the high speed trains from FCO/Rome to Venice are currently €106 PP for Base Fare (about US$118 PP). Your son may be able to get a discounted fare, I haven't checked. While it is possible to buy discounted advance purchase tickets, most of us on the forum don't recommend doing that when connecting from an international flight.

I haven't bought the tickets. I was just about to but my gut said wait a day. My mom would be more comfortable if I was on the same flight as my Dad. The Norwegian air flights are $900 direct from Denver. To get on his flight will be $1500 but probably worth her sanity. I will make sure to get travel insurance as soon as I book.

There are some potentially expensive caveats to be aware of when using trains and other public transit in Italy. Be sure you do your homework on that point to avoid unnecessary expenses.

Thanks, will do. It feels confusing already so I will definitely do more research!

With such a very short time frame, I wouldn't recommend spending four nights in Venice (about a third of your trip). There are other locations that provide a nicer experience (IMO). While you may not be interested in the art history of Florence, it makes a great home base for exploring other areas of Tuscany, such as Siena, Lucca or Pisa. Also, Venice has become dreadfully crowded in recent years with cruise ship groups, and it's likely not going to be the idyllic setting you might have imagined (especially in May / June).

I am still reviewing places to go. At this point it feels like we are all over the country and it might be better to limit the area we travel. My Uncle just recommended Assisi and Orvieto which I will research tonight.

Travel Guard dies have a policy you can buy with a pre-existing waiver after the usual 14 day cut-off but the price climbs.

Thanks I will check out.

hey hey kelly
have great to travel with family. you've received great info about insurance, read and research all that it offers per plan. look at multi-city flights, usa - venice - rome - usa. you do not want to back track. check arrival and departure times of all flights. like joe32F, departing from venice has a lot of o'dark ugly ones. getting to airport that early takes lots of effort.
my opinion is stay in venice in an hotel/apt check la levantina, a ground floor 2 bedroom apt near venice casino (san marcuola stop), one small bridge to cross. outdoor terrace, canal passes right by backdoor, close to shopping, shops, restaurants/cafes. we loved the place.
hotel caprera: you can pick 3 twins, check cancellation issues, breakfast (cost or free)
hotel rossi: twin and queen, near train station, baggage storage.
look for elevator/lift, what floor on and how stairs/steps to climb with luggage, shared bathroom.
check booking.com or monasterystays.com.
look at streaty.com, schezzini.it cichetti bar crawl (appetizers, drinks, history of venice), camacana.com making venetian masks, walking and roaming around venice. check your maps, lots of bridges, steps/stairs getting around. europeforvisitors.com has lots of info. look at motoscafivenezia.it taking a water taxi to island. save money and best way to get to venice and hotel.
if lucca on your mind, look at appartmentslucca.com within the walls. some rent bicycles to ride around, shops, cafes, shopping available. come&seeitaly.com or luccawalks.com has some tours may be interterested in. collodi is a town near lucca, know as pinocchio's town. an amusement park, garzoni gardens and butterfly house. frattoriaaldotto.it is a winery in lucca. take a bus or a cab. extravirginlucca.com has cooking class or cucina-italiana.com has half day cooking classes and accomodations. near pisa and if want to go make reservation for climbing tower (opapisa.it) train to pisa early morning the to beach town of riomaggiore (incinqueterre.com)
depending on what suits your fancy in rome. check out olivetreehill.com read about this bed/breakfast. this couple does tours to places you never thought of, cottage stay for family, cooking lessons. if you are there first weekend of june, there is a strawberry festival in nemi, near the pope's summer home. oldfrascati.com has wine and other tours, read about them. italymagazine.com/ lakenemi and it's wild berry, if staying in rome, read about marketsofrome.com and what they offer, eatingeurope.com has food tours, mybesttour.com is a golf cart tour with different tours of rome. thinking of you dad. save money from now till you go. dad can ride and enjoy the sights.
getyourguide.com, withlocals.com you can check things out, eatwith.com eat in locals home and learn about their culture and town, "beautiful countryside day trip: castelli romani" withlocals.com takes you to country side, town of nemi with it's lake and history, frascati known for it's with wine, ceralli.it family owned bakery/pizza oven. nonna is 93 years old, still baking, check out goodies in bakery, "best" porchetta (read about it lacucinaitaliana.com ( search "nonnas rosanna's pupazza frascatana" sept 16 2019), the pope's summer villa and gardens are here, away from the cowds and busy ness of rome.
ask more questions, this forum will give you good bad and ugly. enjoy
aloha

Whether museums, art, sculpture, whatever float your boat or not, I think it helps to make a more satisfying trip if there is some sort of thread or an agenda running through it. So often one sees posts saying “we only want to spend two nights in [city] because we only want to see the main sights”.

There is really no set of main sights anywhere. If you go to Paris and work as a structural engineer, the Eiffel tower and various bridges and aquaducts might work; if you go as a specialist in fashion retail, Gallerie Lafayette or Printemps would be on the agenda.

I made a trip to Venice pretty much focussed on the architecture of Carlo Scarpa, so I visited all his work in Venice, some nine or ten places, and they did include a museum, the Accademia where he did some interventions in the ‘50s. It also included a mausoleum for the Brion family in Altivole and the Canova museum in Possagno, also the Castelvecchio in Verona where Scarpa designed the interior.

So my rambles took me to several museums, but these were really a collateral bonus while I was walking around Scarpa, coming to know his architectural handwriting. I know his work well enough that I can now recognise the work of his students.

You could design a similar trip if your interest say was photography. Buy a book of the photographs of a celebrated photographer and visit the places where the images were taken, try to get inside the head of the person behind the lens. Or maybe in Venice, visit places mentioned in novels, why did that bit of action take place on Torcello rather than the Lido. Books by Donna Leon, Philip Jones and Greg Dowling lend themselves to this kind of exploration.

Just don’t expect them to lead you to the Main Sights.

Anyway lines are still pretty bad first thing in the morning and get much better at around 11:30.

I suggest a tour that leaves around then. Have a look at https://www.sightseeingtoursitaly.com/

Highly recommended, they won't get you past the line but will make sure you are entertained while waiting :)

Good luck!

Anyway lines are still pretty bad first thing in the morning and get
much better at around 11:30....they won't get you past the line but
will make sure you are entertained while waiting.

I'll gently disagree with that depending on the city and attraction. In late May/June, I personally wouldn't want to wait until the hottest part of the day to do some outdoor sites such as the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine in Rome, especially with a somewhat fragile senior along. The longest queues are also easily gotten around by ordering timed-entry tickets in advance. Crowds in high season have reached the point that this has become a must-do to avoid long waits in the sun/rain and a lot of time wasted at places like the Colosseum, Uffizi, Vatican Museums, etc.

With pre-ordered tickets to those most-visited attractions, the only queues you'll deal with are for mandatory security checks. NO one skips those, and they normally move along fairly quickly There are also wonderful attractions which don't have much if any queues at all!

As previously mentioned, you'll want to approach guided tours with caution depending on your Dad's stamina? Some of them trot along pretty briskly and involve some hours on one's feet, and heat will be a factor in the late spring/early summer. Anyway, attractions and how to best handle them can also be another conversation for another day, once you've decided on an itinerary. If you start a new thread about those, just be sure to include the important info about your Dad, OK? :O)

Hi to all,

Check Airbnb for your stays we are heading to Europe in May, Paris to Genova, Venice & Rome after a cruise and found some beautiful units great locations at great prices, Good Luck!

For pre-existing conditions, you need to book a policy within 14 days of first reservation( such as a tour deposit or flight if you want it covered) to be covered. So I may begin the insurance with a small cost to secure the pre-existing coverage. Choose a policy with medical evacuation too. A friend was charged $70,000 for it as he didn’t have insurance for a medical jet flight home.
When you book the policy, just add future items to the insurance as you book them. Most hotels can be cancelled. On a dirst trip to another country, it is very helpful to have a front desk staff to help you with reservations and to answer all sorts of questions.
We have excellent experiences with Travel Guard; they have paid several very large claims of ours 100%.
We only book change fees if the flight is on an American carrier, but total cost if on a foreign carrier which we might not be able to use again within a year.
Flying out of Venice is a pain. You leave very early. We needed a water taxi to pick us up from our small canal and it was low tide so they couldn’t get in to get us. Things you’d never think of.. Fly into Venice, out of Rome. The cost and hassle of returning to the original city makes open jaw flights preferable.

When we were in Rome last month, my planter fasciitis flared up, and after two days of walking, we opted for taxis on day three to Borghese Gallery and the Pantheon.
An app called “free now” worked great to get taxis. Between my husband and our friends, we collectively did 6 taxi rides in 24 hours. You just need a cellular connection. Works like Uber in the US.

Just want to cast my NO votes for Siena and Asissi if walking hills will be a problem for Dad. Both of those cities are very hilly. Lucca is not. To check it out, use Google Earth and take it down to the street view. You can see the grade on the streets.

If an elevator is important, look for that as not all lodging includes elevators.

And you can make your lives easier by packing light.

Flying together: good idea. If there is a snafu, you are all together.

Planning the first trip can be overwhelming.

Enjoy all of it!