Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Planning trip to Italy

Narrowed my trip to Europe down and looking at flying into Italy and exploring that area. What countries are in close proximity worth visiting? Im lookong at Switzerland and Croatia. Any must see sites or things to avoid. Be a first trip for me there. Probably do 2 to 3 weeks there. Also considering Ireland and Scotland vs. Italy but, 70 percent set on Italy. Whats your recommendations.

Have you looked at doing a European cruise? The wife and I are going on one this year and it ended up being a lot cheaper than just going to Italy alone.

Pompei

You definitely want to do Rome and see the Coliseum and hang out at the Spanish steps for an afternoon, but:

a. Don't be carrying your passports around town with you
b. keep your money put away.....


Thank me later

There's too much to see in Italy alone. Stay there. That said, Croatia, the Dalmation coast at least and all the islands, is Medieval, quite beautiful. Jadrolinja ferries are cheap and the Adriatic is the cleanest ocean in the world, but fished out. A spectacular cruise. People sleep onboard with no hassles. We were there twice 15 years ago. At that time it was cheap. The wars were over. Food is better in Italy. Beautiful women in both countries. An innocent 1950's feel in Dalamatia. They were kinda lost without communism. The buses throw a drive shaft occasionally and plunge off a cliff. You can hear the U joints clunking before that happens though.

Enjoy your trip.

I have not. Open to suggestions

Pick one region. Take your time. Relax and enjoy.

I'd look at the Amalfi Coast.

Ymmv

Thanks Jcubed.

Good info TimZ, a little hesitant leaving pass port at AirBNB but understand the reason to not carry it.

Really want to see Switzerland also, so looking forward to that.

The Italian Lake District (Lake Como, Lake Garda, Lake Orta) is at the top of my bucket list. Incredible beauty.

West of Italy on the Mediterranean is the French Riviera. Stayed in Villefranche-sur-Mur: charming, relaxed beautiful. Visited the Rothschild property and gardens on the Saint Jean cap Ferrat peninsula just east of Villefranche. Nice has a couple of very good museums - Matisse and Chagall.

Check-out Rome. I'd suggest visiting:
The Colosseum
Vatican
Sistine Chapel
St. Peter's Basilica/St. Peter's Square
Pantheon
Roman Forum
Borghese Gallery/Museum

I'm no world traveler, but I have been to Rome.
One thing we thought was cool about Rome is that some of these sights like the Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel are places I've heard about and seen pictures of since I was a young boy, especially the Colosseum. All the movies over the years in which the Colosseum played a part made it very cool to actually visit that sight and stroll around.

And definitely, absolutely buy tours for these sights. Purchase tickets through Trip Advisor. We did this for the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Vatican which included the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. We toured the Pantheon and the Borghese gallery on our own which worked out fine. The tour guides were very knowledgeable. I wondered if I'd get bored as these tours can be 2-5 hours long. Our Vatican tour was 5 hours, Colosseum/Roman Forum tour was 3 hours. Absolutely no hint of boredom. So much fascinating history that you'll never hear doing it on your own. I may never get back to Rome and feel the guided tours are money well spent. Our guide for the Vatican (Leonardo) spent the whole 5 hours talking about historical facts and stories about the people/painters like Michelangelo and Rafael. Do you know that the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo is a "fresco"? Fresco meaning it was painted by spreading wet concrete/stucco on the ceiling. Waiting long enough for it to set-up enough so he could draw his sketches on it and then paint it while it was still wet enough for the paint to settle into the damp stucco. He was commissioned by the Pope to do his painting. And (this is a BIG and) that was the 1st time he did a "fresco". A bit of a learning curve for him I'd expect. And imagine the pressure to get it right being requested by the Pope and all.

We stayed in Rome for 6 days and walked to all these sites. Really gave us a good insight into what daily life was like in downtown Rome. Rome is divided up into smaller "neighborhoods". Each neighborhood has it's own chapel. Step into some of those too. Just go in and sit for a little while. Beautiful small chapels in their own right.

Also, something else about Rome that we liked is that every year during Easter you will see TV coverage of what's going on at St. Peter's Basilica and Square. Yearly, that coverage reminds us of our fun trip to Rome and the sights we enjoyed there.

Hide it. Or carry it on your person somewhere it can't be accessed.

I never liked those "tourist" money straps everyone recommends. Most hotels will have a safe.

Rome. The Vatican, Colosseum, Spanish Steps, and a TON of other unreal stuff.

Florence (Firenze). The Uffizi, and a TON of other stuff

Venice. What a place.

Lake Como with a day in Lugano for shiggles.

The Amalfi coast. Spectacular.

Taormina. Beautiful. Watch Season 2 of “White Lotus” and you’ll see a ton of Taormina.

Verona. See the opera in the Verona Arena (bring a cushion) Carmen was spectacular.

Be careful around Bologna. Picked up a few traffic tickets there.

I like road trips. See the place. Flew into Palermo, and headed North, hop-scotching from place to place, ended up in Switzerland.

Toured the Beretta factory.

But if you want to fly in to one city ... unquestionably Rome. You can do Pompeii from there as well.

Obviously Rome is a must. Pisa is cool for the leaning tower. Venice for the canals.

Go to Venice so you can say you went there...but it's commercialized and boring to me. We have canals here.

Easily 3-4 day minimum in Rome[one day for Pompei].

Hide yer Wallet... No Mama'... No Papa'... So Hungry...

Keep the suggestions coming guys!

There is another site near there called Herculaneum. I highly recommend it if you visit that area.

What are your interests? Wife or gf, kids?