Help with Italy Itinerary 2017

I can't recall what your original itineraries looked like but, time-allocation wise for cities, this looks fine. You do have a lot of activities jam-packed in there on some days. As I haven't done many of them, I can't comment on how much time these things will take up. My eyes lingered on this:
Morning: Check out and Travel to Orvieto
Afternoon: Check into Airbnb 1pm, Tour Duomo di Orvieto, Museo Etrusco Claudio Faina, Orvietto Underground Tour, Dinner, Anello della Rupe/Medieval end scenic walk

Mostly I think you've got a nice trip planned out and you'll see tons. I don't usually pack my days as tight as yours though - the rule of thumb I like is 2 or maybe 3 planned activities per day, leaving time for wandering, eating, getting tired and sitting down for coffee, getting lost and then finding the site I'm looking for etc.

When you are in Rome, I strongly recommend going to the top of the Victor Emmanuel monument. From the top, you have the best view of Rome. When you are in Florence and by the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, I recommend The Golden View restaurant for lunch or dinner. It has probably the best view of the bridge. If you are going for dinner you will need dinner reservations weeks in advance unless you plan on eating around 6:00 pm. The prices are very reasonable and the food is very good. They have a website that you can check out. Rick Steves recommends it in his book.

Sounds fabulous! Your afternoon in Orvieto is very busy so count on not doing it all. We enjoyed the Underground but it did take some time. Relax and enjoy the paseo that evening. Orvieto is a nice place to wind down, a vacation from your vacation as RS puts it!

Hi Valerie,
Thank you for the reply. This is actually a pared down itinerary. LOL Some places are merely walk-byes but I put them in so I wouldn't forget. We are staying overnight in Orvieto and so I think I should move some activities to my second day in Orvieto. Itinerary planning is so much easier on paper and once there I'll probably tweek it a bit and go with the flow.

Hi yosemite,
Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, we are visiting the Terrace of Chariots which I believe I read is on top of the Victor Emmanuel Monument. BTW, that's the area I read to stay away from on June 2 as there is a large procession that day.

Hi Alan,
Thank you for replying to my post. Yes, Orvieto looks tight on the arrival day so I may juggle some activities to the second day and discard a few also. Any suggestions for dinner reservations?

It's been a while but I had it in the scrapbook: Trattoria la Mezza Luna. I think it's been there since forever. It's very casual but it's known, fills up, so reserve a table. Specialty is spaghetti carbonara.

Wow Alan,
Trattoria la Mezza Luna is very near to where our Airbnb is in the Medieval End and hopefully nearby the passeo. I will definitely bookmark and make reservations for dinner our first night.

I think the itinerary looks great. Orvieto's sights are compact, so you may be able to do everything you have planned. Orvieto has a city card that I'm sure would pay off for you even if you don't get to quite all the places you've planned. You can buy it at the main tourist office in the historic district, but it's better to get it at the small office outside the train station (though I think it may take a lunch break), because the card includes a round-trip on the funicolare, which you'll need to use on arrival to get to your lodgings.

I spent two weeks in Orvieto last year, taking Italian lessons, and can recommend these restaurants:

Cibus, Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 12. Sicilian food, which is quite different and hard to find outside Sicily. The menu is seafood-heavy, so if you're not fond of sea creatures, check out the menu carefully before committing. I typically go to a different restaurant every day, but I liked Cibus so much that I ate there 5 or 6 times. I don't know whether a reservation is essential, but it wouldn't be a bad idea, especially for dinner, because the place is quite small. My (two-course) meals were ‎€25-‎€30, and I drink only water.

L'Antica Rupe, Vicolo San Antonio, 2. This place is upstairs, and I don't remember seeing an elevator, so if you have any mobility issues, check before hand. Away from the core tourist area, closer to the funicolare end of town than most of the other restaurant options. Probably about the same price range as Cibus. I almost didn't get a table on my second visit; reservation recommended.

The folks at the Italian school tipped me off to the two places I've listed. They also recommended Trattoria La Palomba at Via Cipriano Menente, 16, but I never ate there. I remember that there was one restaurant in Orvieto that was noticeably more expensive than every other place whose menus I checked (and I looked at a lot of menus!), and this may have been the place.

Orvieto seems to have a lot of good restaurants, but it does get heavy day-trip traffic, so I assume a bad meal can be had if you're unlucky. I'd ask for advice from your airbnb hosts as well as consulting online reviews so you don't waste an opportunity to get a good meal.

Thank you acraven, I looked up the carta unica card and it has everything we will need while visiting Orvieto overnight. What a great tip!

Yes, we are visiting the Terrace of Chariots which I believe I read is
on top of the Victor Emmanuel Monument.

Just confirming that yes, Terrace of Chariots (Terrazza delle Quadrighe) is at the top of the monument. Personal preference but I'd skip Ponte Vecchio shopping (overpriced, overcrowded, and the bridge is much more attractive when you're not ON it) and go up to Piazzale Michelangelo instead for a killer view of Florence. Stop into San Miniato al Monte - very old and lovely, especially if you can be there to hear a Gregorian chant mass (no, I'm not a Catholic; go for the experience).

http://www.san-miniato-al-monte.com

T-M4701;

Overall, the itinerary looks pretty good.

On arrival in Rome, do you plan on taking the Leonardo Express to Termini and then taxi to Campo dei Fiori? If yes, watch out for the unlicensed cabs at the taxi stand. First big clue - they will try to negotiate a price up front. If the taxi doesn't have a meter, decline it.

Personally, I like spending as much time walking in the open air as possible after a long (overnight) flight. I think you can get in a lot more than just the Pantheon your first afternoon. Campo dei Fiori to the Pantheon is a pretty short walk and you could also hit Trevi and the Spanish Steps in short order.

If you're still up to it after dinner, Piazza San Pietro is just stunning in the late evening and is also a short-ish walk from Campo dei Fiori. The crowds are (usually) gone and the entire piazza is glowing in a wonderful light.

Piazza Navona is just across the street from Campo dei Fiori so I would plan on hitting it several times at different times of the day. Its character really changes depending on the time of day...

For your Vatican tour, I would take a taxi. There is a taxi stand on the main street between Campo dei Fiori and Piazza Navona (in front of the Palazzo Massimo). Just tell the driver Vaticano Museo. It should only be €10-12 but its well worth it.

Hi Kathy,
Thank you for the advice and suggestions. Looked up Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato al Monte and agree with you they are must sees and hears. Will skip shopping Ponte Vecchio, will look for marbled paper and perfume shops instead.

Dear Work2travel,
Thank you for all the great tips. I originally thought about doing more walkable sites our first afternoon/evening and now you've confirmed it's all within easy walk of each other. I agree that after a long overnight flight a good stretch of the legs and lungs is needed. I will post an amended itinerary. Thanks to all of you.

Twin Mom, I just wanted to add that San Miniato also has an interesting cemetery that begs for a look-about; lots of interesting sculptures. The church is also above the Piazzale so involves climbing a long-ish flight of steps but it's absolutely worth it.

There are also a few places around/near the Piazzale to grab a seat and a beverage and/or meal. We spent a very happy hour up there late one glorious afternoon just kicking back with a couple of drinks. :O)