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Vatican Tour Question specifically and random Italy info generally

First time poster, and first timer to Italy. I'm sure this topic has been tackled, but didn't see it on the first few pages. We'll have 4 nights in Rome--staying in Trastevere (thanks Airbnb)! I considered a place in Monti. Did I make the right choice? I like funky and affordable, but safe.

Vatican Question: I've read numerous articles about taking an early tour of the Vatican to avoid the crowds. My question: best company to book through? I've seen positive reviews of Viatour, Through Eternity, and Joy of Rome. Anyone have a preference? What's the best/fastest way to get from Trastevere to the Vatican so early in the morning, and how much time should we allow?

Random Italy info: I'm traveling with my 18 year old son. Our itinerary is (coming in from Paris): Venice (1)-Florence (2) Rome (4)- CT (3)- Milan (1). Whirlwind, I know. Any hot non-guidebook tips for things an 18 year old would love?

One more query? Taking the train from Rome to CT. I'm considering a quick stop in Pisa. I think a train arrives in Pisa around 1:30 pm, with an outbound to La Spezia around 4:30. Opinions? See the tower, have lunch, etc. or should we just power through to CT?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Posted by
232 posts

I would highly recommend doing the Eating Italy Tour. It is in Trastevere really fun way to get to know the neighborhood and I think an 18 year old would enjoy it. The tour lasts about 2 1/2 hours you have a chance to eat all kinds of food, learn about Italian dining customs and most important how to spot good gelato!

Posted by
244 posts

I agree with Eating Italy food tour. Do it one of the first nights you are there so you'll know where to eat during your stay! Excellent food tour!

Posted by
4152 posts

The early tours of the Vatican museums will take you to the chapel first and you'll avoid some of the crowds that way but the rest of the museums will be crowded for your tour.

Viator is a tour consolidator and doesn't conduct any tours. They use different companies and the quality of the tour is dependent upon which company they book you with.

I would take a taxi if you need to be there early. Give yourself at least half an hour.

1 night in Venice won't give you time to visit anything. I would either add time or skip this part of the trip.

2 nights in Florence means 1 full day there. I would add the day from Venice here in order to visit the sites of the city.

You have 11 nights and are trying to visit 5 cities. I would suggest slowing down and giving yourself time to enjoy some of these cities. 3 cities at the most would be what I would suggest in order to and a little time to experience them.

Donna

Posted by
993 posts

I agree - one night in Venice is so short... I love Venice a really really lot, but you might add a 3rd night to Florence instead and do a day trip to Pisa, so you have time to climb the Tower. I thought that was super cool.

I assume Milan is because you fly out from there?

We did the Pristine Sistine with Walks of Italy and it was awesome. I highly recommend (but bring your own headphones). :)

Kim

Posted by
5 posts

Yes, Milan for the flight home. Venice and the rest of the itinerary is already booked, so there's really no wiggle room there. A great excuse to go back :)

Posted by
4152 posts

When you say everything is booked do you mean the hotels? If so, you can see what the cancellation policy is and try to re-work the schedule. If you mean the flight from Paris you could try to cancel the Venice hotel and take the train directly from Venice to Florence, giving you more time there.

Donna

Posted by
250 posts

LOVED Walks of Italy, did Pristine Sistine and a multi level Colosseum tour, best tours in our month in Europe, and went on a lot of them!

Posted by
11613 posts

The early morning tours of the Vatican Museums will have. Meeting point for the group, take a taxi. Tour company will send you meeting-point info via email.

If you go to Pisa, do not eat at the places surrounding the Campo dei Miracoli. The Cemetary, Duomo and Baptistry are worth a look as well.

Give your son a copy of the Lonely Planet guidebook or get him to the website, lots of advice for young travelers.

Posted by
110 posts

We LOVED Trastevere. I'm not familiar with Monti but I'm sure you won't regret your decision.
Consider taking one of the tours that the Vatican itself offers. We were very happy with the two hour tour we had of the museums and the Sistine Chapel. After the tour we walked over to see St. Peter's Basilica and the Pieta.
http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceLivelloVisita=4&step=1
I heard a lot of negative stuff about Pisa: very touristy and over priced and nothing to see other than the tower which is not that special…its just tilting.

Posted by
11247 posts

Another recommend for Walks of Italy's Pristine Sistine tour.

As Donna said, your Venice stop is a waste of a night. Even if you cannot get a refund on the hotel, go straight to Firenze and stay there three nights.

There is a direct high-speed train Roma to La Spezia. I'd skip Pisa and take that train to the CT. Departures at 11:57 and 13:57.

In Rome, look at a tour of Palazzo Valentini. Book well in advance during high season.

Posted by
7 posts

In Florence, your son might like the School of Leather (Scuola del Cuoio), via San Giuseppe 5R, Montestery of St Croce. My husband is a big over grown kid. He LOVED the leather products. One can watch the artisans make some of the items. The gift shop has souvenirs with all price ranges I bought several little zippered "credit card" size cases for my friends. The artisans would emboss or imprint initials for you. My husband bought a leather suit jacket which he wears EVERY WHERE. It wasn't cheap but it will last him the rest of his life. I bought a leather purse. Do not go into the monastery. WAlk around the block to the backside. You will see an elementary school and a sidewalk leading into the back courtyard. We were there years ago so I would have to assume the signage has improved. Seems like we paid cash but that could have changed also.

Posted by
15679 posts

I'll agree with the rest with dumping Venice and going directly to Florence if there's any way to do so: one night will not give you enough time to do much of anything.

As far as your son, why not give him the book and ask him to find some things which especially interest him? Unless you're using a "Top 10" version, the vast majority of first-time tourists never explore 90% of what's in a good guidebook. It's also a great, teachable opportunity in the fine art of researching a trip.

But aside from that? I'd turned 18 the night before departure for my first trip to Europe many years ago, and was completely smitten with all those things that first-timers usually go to see so I wouldn't worry much about keeping him interested.

Posted by
15560 posts

Which parts of your itinerary are set in stone (prepaid flights, trains, lodgings)? As others have said, you are not going to see much with your current plan. We'd like to help you make it better, but we need to know. Also, what time do you arrive in Venice and depart from Milan? By plane or train? For instance, if you're flying into Venice early in the morning, then you'll have more than 1/2 day. It can easily take an hour to get from a hotel in Venice to the train station and then you've got a 2 hour train ride. By the time you get to your hotel and check in, almost half will be gone. So are you going to spend the early part of the day in Venice or are you going straight to Florence and have half a day there?

Posted by
5 posts

Thanks for all of the input--I really appreciate it!
Yes, all hotels, trains, etc., are already booked. We are taking the overnight train from Paris to Venice, so we get in around 9:30. The one night in Venice was on the recommendation from a close pal who lives in Italy. "Too expensive, and too crowded. Only spend one night there" was the exact recommendation, so it wasn't necessarily a rookie mistake on my part :).

Posted by
339 posts

Walking is an options from Trastevere to the Vatican. We did it in 40 minutes on 3 different days, once very early to get in line for the Wednesday audience at 6 AM. Very pleasant along the river.

Posted by
4152 posts

While it's true that it wasn't a rookie mistake on your part the mistake was asking someone who lives there how long you should visit. They're used to seeing those sites and they don't see them from a tourists point of view. Well, at least you'll know for your next trip if you might like Venice or not. I guess a little look at it is better than none. Have a great trip.

Donna

Posted by
191 posts

If it were me, I'd save the CT for another trip, and add the time to Venice, Florence and Milan! I love the CT, but I'd choose any of the others, especially Venice, before that. Just another opinion. have a great trip!

Jan

Posted by
15560 posts

Jan said what I hesitated to say.

Not sure what a young man is interested in, but the CT would not be high on my list of recommendations for him.