Staying in Italy

Thank you so much for your replies. I was originally planning on traveling through, now that's what I will do. As for what I want to see: pretty muh everything so I will have to narrow it down a bit. I've been researching our trip and all I've done is found more things to see! As for a 12 yr old's eyes, isn't that the truth! Any suggestions on that front would be appreciated also. Thanks again.

Have you done any research as to which cities or parts of the country you would like to visit on your day trips? That might affect your choices. I could name several places but they are all over the country and would need some guidance from you. Bear in mind that if you pick "non touristy" there will be a reason that they are "non touristy" so that the "touristy" places will be some distance. What does your son want to see?

....authentic non touristy yet vibrant town to experience the culture ...... How many times do we see that request? The truth is that they don't really exist. It is not to degrade the question but rather a dose of relative for a first time traveler. All the great authentic places have been discover so it is just a question how over run with tourists they are. Time of the year is important also. Renting an apartment for a week or so and staying put as compared to moving from city to city is not an apple to apple comparison. Each has advantages and disadvantages and neither way is superior nor more economical. For a first time visitor I would move around to see a mix of cities and towns. I would pick three or four cities and spend three or four days in each. Do a lot of research - read guidebooks, check out travel DVds from local library and see what appeals to both you and your son. Remember a 12 year old eyes are very different from yours.

I would suggest that staying in one place for 2 weeks in one place will extremely limit what you will see in Italy. Travel distances between the large cities in Italy are farther apart than you may be envisioning. By coincidence, I have just booked plane tickets for my wife and daughter to spend two weeks in Italy. They are planning: 1. Fly into Venice. Stay 2 nights 2. High-speed train to Florence. Stay 3 nights. 3. Take the train to Siena. Rent a car. Stay in Agriturismo 3 nights. Tour Tuscany and drive to Assisi. Spend 1 night. Visit chocolate factory in Perugia. 4. Drive to Orvieto. Turn in car. Tour Orvieto. Train to Rome.
5. Spend 3 nights in Rome. Depart Rome-FCO. You couldn't do this from one place no matter how centrally located.

I would also suggest that you use your local library, and you both look at guide books (Eyewitness guides are good, because they have lots of pictures), videos (Rick Steves are very good for this), and check out websites to see what kinds of things most appeal to you. Also consider your vacations so far, even though they haven't been to locations abroad. Do you tend to stay in cities, and do urban things, like museums, or spend all your time in rural locations, and go hiking and the like? While you'll want to stretch your horizons, also keep in mind what you and your son enjoy. For our then-10yo daughter's first trip to Italy, for 2 1/2 weeks, we did a combination of rural and city time, and included places that my husband and I had been to, and some that we hadn't. While she enjoyed her time in the country, in Le Marche, what she talks about the most is her time in Venice, Rome and Florence. In terms of tourists, while anywhere that you'll visit will have tourists, you can always get into delightful places that have fewer tourist, and where you will feel like you're experiencing life as the people who live there see it.

Sam, I definitely agree with the suggestions from the others. It would be better to spend your time in several locations, as that will provide a more interesting look at Italy. Three or four days in each spot would be ideal. I'd suggest focusing on northern Italy on this trip. You may find it helpful to sit down with your Son and have a look at some of Rick's DVD's or PBS shows, as that may provide some indication on what type of things he's interested in. A few other thoughts.... Were you planning to use open-jaw flights? That's usually the most efficient travel method, although the initial cost may appear to be slightly higher. If you're travelling alone with your Son, you may have to pack along a notarized letter indicating that you have approval to travel out-of-country with him. Does your Son have any interest in the major historical sites in Italy, such as the Colosseum or Vatican in Rome, Uffizi or Accademia in Florence, Canals of Venice or others? You'll probably have to limit the Museum and Gallery visits, as they may not fit the attention span of a 12 year old. I doubt that you'll find anywhere in Italy that's "non tourisy". I've travelled in north, south and Sicily and have yet to find an area that's not "touristy" to some extent. I was speaking with someone this week that recently returned from a stay in Calabria, so even that area is opening up to tourists these days. June can be fairly busy in Italy, so pre-booking accommodations would be a good idea. Good luck with your planning!

First, you need to get Rick Steves Europe Through The Back Door and Rick Steves Italy, immediately. The first has all the "nuts and bolts" of independent travel, and the second will give you ideas about recommended highlights for first-time visitors. Second, you and your son need to start watching travel videos (Rick's are available on Hulu and YouTube) and reading articles, books, etc about Italy. Your son should have a lot of input on this trip, or else you and he will be miserable. Tailor this trip to your interests. Use "suggested itineraries" as suggestions, not rigid rules. continued..

continued.. Third, "touristy" towns are authentic and vibrant too. Don't believe the canard that the "real Italy" is only found outside big cities, or only off the beaten path. For me, there's nothing more real, or more wonderful, or more Italian than Rome. Rick's sage statement about Venice, which I found to be totally true: "Eighty percent of Venice, is, in fact, not touristy, but eighty percent of tourists to Venice never notice." This is true of other popular places as well. Following tips from him and others, you can always get away from the worst crush and see other places in a city. It's harder in a small town, so there, the trick is to either accept the tourist crowds, or stay the night when they've all left. And remember, commuter suburbs (whether in the US or Italy) are non-touristy, but there's a reason. (And, in the be-careful-of-what-you-wish-for department, Bologna is often cited as a less visited, very "authentic," vibrant and interesting big Italian city. I hated it - the only place in Italy I've been that I truly disliked. I know I'm in the minority, so if it appeals to you, go.) Fourth, as already stated above, you cannot use one base as a way to see lots of Italy. If you did this, you would be restricted to one region; that would be interesting for a repeat visit, but probably not what you want for a first one. A much better plan is to fly into Venice, travel south with various stops (mostly by train, but maybe with some bus or car trips depending on the exact destination) and finish in Rome or Naples before flying back to the US. Again, this is the classic first visit route - and there's a reason it's a classic.

Thanks again for the suggestions. Europe through the back door 2013 and Europe history 101 just came yesterday. My next purchase will be Italy 2013.

Hi Sam, My husband and I, first time visitors to Italy, went on the RS Heart of Italy tour this past October which took us to Florence, the American Cemetary, Cinque Terre, Lucca, Volterra and Rome in 9 days. We flew into Florence and out of Rome. I felt this itinerary was a fantastic introduction to Italy, encompassing both must-see major sights in big cities and smaller towns like Lucca and Volterra. With your amount of time it might be helpful to use that itinerary as a guide and adjusting time spent towards your interests. If you have studied art as we have, spend more time in Florence and Rome, or if you truly need some relaxation and amazing vistas the Cinque Terre is phenomenal and offers lots of hiking if that's your thing and if the trails are open. Having the gift of hindsight I would spend 3 days in Florence and at least 4 in Rome. Two to three days in the Cinque Terre is plenty of time for doing stuff and relaxing. Two nights in Volterra were adequate and Lucca was a quick stop on our way to Volterra. Volterra was the least crowded of all stops but it may have been due to the fact that is was nearing the end of peak season. It offered roman ruins, artisan workshops, and great food options. To me it was all of Italy on a smaller scale. I only know this from reading here, but June seems like the time of year where it will be "touristy" just about anywhere in Italy. That said, since you are visiting for the first time, I predict the sights and sounds will prevail, overriding any worry that you're not having an authentic experience. :) I agree with the other posters, that it makes more sense to stay in the different cities/towns, but staying in a room/apt in those particular areas would probably be a great way to enhance your trip. There are many fantastic options for Florence and Rome on the airbnb app or website. I hope this info has been helpful! Happy Travels!

I would also suggest an itinerary from town to town rather than staying in a apartment for two weeks and day tripping from there. That option would severely limit the size of the area you can visit. However I also don't like having to unpack and repack, check out and check in again too many times, therefore I try to stay at least 2 nights in the same hotel to minimize that time waster. Day tripping is optimal when the places you are day tripping to are within no more than 2 hours from your hotel. So for example, using Florence as your base, you can easily see Pisa, Siena and many more Tuscan towns within one hour or so from Florence. If you have a car rental for your day tripping to small towns it might be even better, since some small towns are not conveniently reachable via public transport due to infrequent or slow bus service. Two weeks are shorter than you think when you travel, therefore be judicious in your choice of itinerary. Rome wasn't built in one day and you can't visit it in one day either.