we are now looking at recommendations for things to do, see, etc. or
any general travel tips that will make our planning easier.
sac310, I'm never sure what to do with questions this broad as there are hundreds of things a tourist could do in any of these locations, and just as many travel tips which could be shared. The best thing to do is get yourself some guidebooks, do some reading, and start making a list of the things which interest you. It's easier to answer questions about specific attractions, and if we start listing our individual favorites, you'll end up having to sort and discard anyway: you'd never fit them all into the time you have! :O)
Off the top of my head, here are a couple of general tips:
As you're traveling with another couple, it's wise to come to some sort of understanding in advance about individual travel styles. Very different interests and habits can cause friction a hurry if one couple feels as if they're always having to accommodate the another. Early birds can be frustrated with mid-morning risers, and museum fans with die-hard shoppers. Be willing to split up occasionally to accommodate interests you don't share, and lifestyles you don't have in common. Make sense?
Order tickets in advance for any of the attractions on your list which will have long, long ticket lines. These would include the Eiffel in Paris, Uffizi and Accademia in Florence, and the Vatican Museums, Colosseum/Palatine/Forum (one ticket covers all three) in Rome. Galleria Borghese is on my personal must-see list for Rome, and reservations are mandatory for that one. The Louvre can have very long lines as well but can be gotten around if you don't use the main Pyramid entrance.
We can provide websites for all of the above if any of these attractions end up on your list.
The Paris Museum Pass is excellent IF you want to see enough of what it covers to make it pay off (or even close), and provides ticket- line skipping privileges. Do not buy the more expensive Paris Pass which includes public transportation. Carnets (books of 10 individual transport tickets) can be shared, and are almost always a more economical way to go.
Italian trains are great: love 'em. You may want to order tickets in advance to nail any reduced rates which might become available. That's a subject that's a bit too long to get into at this point, and is best covered in a separate post.
Travel as light as possible: you're going to be muscling bags up and down stairs, in and out of trains and across all sorts of rough surfaces. Don't take anything you'll only wear once or any fussy fabrics. All tops should go with all bottoms, and colors which don't show dirt are best. Shirts which can be washed in the sink and will drip-dried overnight helps keep the luggage weight down.
Comfortable shoes are a MUST. Tell the ladies to leave flimsy little sandals and heels at home and get some sturdy footwear with cushy bottoms and a good grip. Break them in WELL before you go, and pack bandaids and moleskin for blisters.
Cash should be gotten from ATMs just as you would at home. Do not bring travelers cheques, and don't expect every business to take credit cards. Let your bank and credit card companies know where and when you'll be traveling so they don't freeze your accounts if they see 'unusual' activity.
Security: keep cards and cash well buried underneath your clothing, and never in a purse or exterior pocket. Same for your passports. Take copies of all of them so that you have phone numbers and other ID info for replacement should they be lost or stolen.
Just a start…!!!!!
