Italy

have you been to Rome before?

Cindi, There are lots of possibilities, but given the short time frame I'd suggest limiting your trip to Rome and one other destination. One possibility you might consider is to spend about three days in Rome and than take the train to the Cinque Terre for a few days. From there the trip to Genova is very easy and short. One potential problem is the fact that you may have trouble getting accommodations especially in the Cinque Terre, given the short time until departure. I suspect you'll have to take what you can find, in whatever price range is available. You may have to stay in La Spezia rather than one of the C.T. villages. Where did you hear that you should "only bring cash"??? What a ridiculous suggestion. Your best bet is to have at least one ATM card and at least one credit card. It's a really good idea to also have a "backup" ATM card, in case of any problems with one. Note that your travel funds must usually be in a chequing account with a four-number PIN. Don't forget to notify your financial institutions that you'll be travelling in Europe so they don't "freeze" your cards. Happy travels!

Hi Cindi. Suggest you get Rick Steves Italy book at library or bookstore. It contains a lot of great info that will make your trip easier.

Yep, definitely buy the RS Italy 2011 book NOW, and get it at a bookstore so you don't have to wait for shipping. It will help demystify the whole process for you and empower you to make the right decisions for what YOU want to do. It will be the smartest money you spend on your entire trip. Happy travels.

I've never met RSteves but his head and heart are definitely in the right places. He gives a lot of his stuff away for free, because, he says, international travel knocks down walls of prejudice. Here are some of his YouTube vids that will give you a general overview of Italy and some of Rome. These vids will demystify Italy and get you revved up to enjoy it with no worries. His books are a definite must "phase 2" of your prep. And, he has uploaded to Hulu and YouTube plenty more vids about places all over Italy. You are going to have a great trip. No need to try to see everything; because this need not be your last trip to Italy, it is just your initial scouting expedition. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vknTH2E7-EI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYT8CTPcw3E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AF4UejSTcs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0g9vEeA0VM&feature=sh_e_se&list=SL

Having cash on you as a back up is a good idea but by no means the only option you have. Most places take cc's.