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Planning Trip to Italy - Need some advice and suggestions!

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OCGuy said:
Dude they have the best breadsticks
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I know all of your posts in here are just trolling, but I found Italian bread to kind of suck. Way too hard/crusty for me. The whole olive oil with bread/rolls that we see at Italian restaurants in America isn't a real Italian thing either, but it's delicious.

The wine, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar are all really good.
 
joshsquall said:
I know all of your posts in here are just trolling, but I found Italian bread to kind of suck. Way too hard/crusty for me. The whole olive oil with bread/rolls that we see at Italian restaurants in America isn't a real Italian thing either, but it's delicious.

The wine, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar are all really good.
Click to expand...

Trolling would be an attempt to stir up reaction by posting something controversial.

What I do is a fine art I have mastered throughout the years, which is post something that I find funny that nobody else does. There is a difference.
 
joshsquall said:
I know all of your posts in here are just trolling, but I found Italian bread to kind of suck. Way too hard/crusty for me. The whole olive oil with bread/rolls that we see at Italian restaurants in America isn't a real Italian thing either, but it's delicious.

The wine, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar are all really good.
Click to expand...

For my taste:
Bread in northern Italy ---> bad
Bread in southern Italy ---> good

In southern Italy is most often (it is a regional thing) going to be even more crusty/hard, so you'd probably like it even less.

If you like it soft, the right place in Italy would be Liguria or the area around Altamura in Puglia, both of which make soft types of focaccias...

P.s. Bruschetta does exist in Italy, just not in every region. The non-existent classical Italian-American dishes are (among others) meatballs spaghetti and Alfedo source pastas...
 
joshsquall said:
I know all of your posts in here are just trolling, but I found Italian bread to kind of suck. Way too hard/crusty for me. The whole olive oil with bread/rolls that we see at Italian restaurants in America isn't a real Italian thing either, but it's delicious.



The wine, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar are all really good.
Click to expand...


I won't lie, 5 months there and I never really liked the bread. Every time they had baguettes at the market (once every 2 weeks) id pick up like 3.
 
Tango said:
P.s. Bruschetta does exist in Italy, just not in every region. The non-existent classical Italian-American dishes are (among others) meatballs spaghetti and Alfedo source pastas...
Click to expand...

well, those do exist. Meatballs are a very classical, and very essential Italian dish.
probably not commonly found with spaghetti, but can be found as complements to many types of dishes, even pasta. Pasta overall is treated differently, though, in Italy when it comes to the meal.

I think Alfredo is limited to one very tiny region in Italy and nowhere else. I forget which, but no one outside of that area eats it. I think it's popularization over here is definitely misguided.

I love Italian Bruschetta and I make it frequently--at least, Toscano, which, in my experience, is simply old, toasted bread, topped with tomatoes, garlic, basil, and drizzled in olive oil. So good. Especially with thick-sliced bread. toasted/fried on both sides and retains a soft center.
 
Definitely carry cash.
A lot of places take credit cards, but a lot don't.
And even for the places that take credit cards, there's a good chance they won't take amex.
Check on any fees charged by your credit card companies. My bank has a flat $5 fee for ATM withdrawals, so when I made withdrawals in increments of 300 Euro, the percentage ends up being lower than my CC foreign transaction fees.
If you have a CC with no transaction fees, that's obviously a better way to go if whatever merchant you are at accepts them.

I've only been to Courmayeur, Torino, Milan, Genoa, and surrounding areas. I can't compare to Florence/Venice/Rome, but I wasn't that impressed by Lake Maggiore. It was pretty, but nothing really remarkable.

If you like coffee, drink lots of it. Or don't, because it will ruin your ability to enjoy espresso in the US. 🙂
A simple espresso (just called cafe in Italy) should be less than 1 Euro. But if you like things like Cappucino, etc., more like 1.30 to 1.50.
 
zinfamous said:
well, those do exist. Meatballs are a very classical, and very essential Italian dish.
probably not commonly found with spaghetti, but can be found as complements to many types of dishes, even pasta. Pasta overall is treated differently, though, in Italy when it comes to the meal.

I think Alfredo is limited to one very tiny region in Italy and nowhere else. I forget which, but no one outside of that area eats it. I think it's popularization over here is definitely misguided.

I love Italian Bruschetta and I make it frequently--at least, Toscano, which, in my experience, is simply old, toasted bread, topped with tomatoes, garlic, basil, and drizzled in olive oil. So good. Especially with thick-sliced bread. toasted/fried on both sides and retains a soft center.
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Meatballs are indeed a popular "second dish". I did not however ever see it served with/on pasta.

Alfredo sauce is also something I have never seen in Italy, called with that name that is. It is somewhat close to what in Rome is called Gricia (which also has guanciale cured meat). Apparently it was popularized in the US when movie crews who had been shooting in Cinecittà, where it was often served at lunch on set, returned home.
 
Forgot to comment on driving in Italy.
It's not bad at all outside the major cities. But it does get a little crazy in the cities. Many of the streets don't have marked lanes. The number of lanes is determined by how wide the street is and how tightly the Italian drivers think they can squeeze in. And the street width is constantly changing. So you may be driving down the street, 3 cars wide, then it will narrow down to 2, then 1, then widen back up to 3. All without any actual marked lanes.
Roundabouts are a great invention for roads that don't have a ton of traffic. They are a terrible idea in a big city with heavy traffic. 3 lanes of cars entering a roundabout with traffic lights, can make for a stressful driving experience, trying to figure out where you are supposed to be to get out.

Also, keep your eye out for signs that say Zona Traffico Limitato. These are areas where you are not allowed to drive unless you have a local permit. There are cameras setup that photograph the license plate numbers of cars entering the zones. If that plate number isn't linked to a permit, boom, you have a hefty ticket. And if you aren't paying attention, you can go in and out of them multiple times in a short time, resulting in a ticket each time. Apparently, this is a huge source of income for a lot of Italian tourist cities.

Also keep your eye out for "Controllo Elettronico della Velocita" signs. These are electronic speed control areas. I got hit with a ticket in one of these for going 78kph in a 70kph area.

In general, Italians drive very aggressively and very fast, so be careful.
 
DT4K said:
The number of lanes is determined by how wide the street is and how tightly the Italian drivers think they can squeeze in. And the street width is constantly changing. So you may be driving down the street, 3 cars wide, then it will narrow down to 2, then 1, then widen back up to 3. All without any actual marked lanes.
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This explains a lot. I thought Italian drivers were just crazy. They seem to drive VERY fast and they straddle lanes (even on marked roads) constantly. This would induce much road rage in America.
 
Since the OP is going to be in Florence and is thinking about Rome, I would suggest going through Umbria, which in my opinion is Italy's best kept secret.

It has some of the best preserved medieval towns anywhere, very few tourists (outside of Assisi) compared to Tuscany, and a countryside different but not inferior to postcard Tuscany.

From Florence one could drive to Val d'Orcia (which is the area everybody thinks of when they say Tuscany), then make it east to Orvieto, Todi, Spoleto, Narni and reach Rome. All avoiding highways.

Also, there is an organization that promotes the best preserved small towns of the country:

http://www.borghitalia.it

...some of them are truly little gems, and I have very rarely been disappointed by them.
 
DT4K said:
Forgot to comment on driving in Italy.
It's not bad at all outside the major cities. But it does get a little crazy in the cities. Many of the streets don't have marked lanes. The number of lanes is determined by how wide the street is and how tightly the Italian drivers think they can squeeze in. And the street width is constantly changing. So you may be driving down the street, 3 cars wide, then it will narrow down to 2, then 1, then widen back up to 3. All without any actual marked lanes.
Roundabouts are a great invention for roads that don't have a ton of traffic. They are a terrible idea in a big city with heavy traffic. 3 lanes of cars entering a roundabout with traffic lights, can make for a stressful driving experience, trying to figure out where you are supposed to be to get out.

Also, keep your eye out for signs that say Zona Traffico Limitato. These are areas where you are not allowed to drive unless you have a local permit. There are cameras setup that photograph the license plate numbers of cars entering the zones. If that plate number isn't linked to a permit, boom, you have a hefty ticket. And if you aren't paying attention, you can go in and out of them multiple times in a short time, resulting in a ticket each time. Apparently, this is a huge source of income for a lot of Italian tourist cities.

Also keep your eye out for "Controllo Elettronico della Velocita" signs. These are electronic speed control areas. I got hit with a ticket in one of these for going 78kph in a 70kph area.

In general, Italians drive very aggressively and very fast, so be careful.
Click to expand...

Some cities are basically impossible for a non local to drive in, even Italians. Among these, most notable examples are Naples, Catania and Palermo.

Outside of these, it's not that bad. Just keep your eyes very open for scooters, which tend to basically do whatever they want, including passing you on the right.

The city plans are often medieval, so the streets can be very narrow, and/or change width for no apparent reason multiple times in just a few hundreds meters.

Most city centers are off limits to anybody who does not reside there, and as you note they are enforced through cameras that make no exception. Same for driving in a bus lane (marked yellow).
 
joshsquall said:
This explains a lot. I thought Italian drivers were just crazy. They seem to drive VERY fast and they straddle lanes (even on marked roads) constantly. This would induce much road rage in America.
Click to expand...

I was the target of a bit of road rage in Italy. I was driving on a one way street, getting ready to turn into a parking place on the left side. the parking spaces were perpendicular to the street, so I moved slightly towards the right side of the street, before turning left into the parking space. The guy behind me saw me moving right and saw it as an opportunity to try to speed past me on the left and almost hit me. He stopped, honked his horn, and started screaming what I assume were profanities.

Yes, I should have used my turn signal, but 90% of Italian drivers don't realize they have turn signals, so I had gotten in the habit of not using them.

Every time I come home from Italy, I find myself frustrated with how slow Americans drive until I adjust. That desire to drive fast also means they will pass you on almost any street, no matter how tight of a squeeze it is.
 
DT4K said:
I was the target of a bit of road rage in Italy. I was driving on a one way street, getting ready to turn into a parking place on the left side. the parking spaces were perpendicular to the street, so I moved slightly towards the right side of the street, before turning left into the parking space. The guy behind me saw me moving right and saw it as an opportunity to try to speed past me on the left and almost hit me. He stopped, honked his horn, and started screaming what I assume were profanities.

Yes, I should have used my turn signal, but 90% of Italian drivers don't realize they have turn signals, so I had gotten in the habit of not using them.

Every time I come home from Italy, I find myself frustrated with how slow Americans drive until I adjust. That desire to drive fast also means they will pass you on almost any street, no matter how tight of a squeeze it is.
Click to expand...

Now you see why they don't have soda/coffee holders in their cars down there... 🙂

As my Italian friends put it, they drive very actively. You need to be aware of what people around you are doing, and possibly thinking about doing, while driving.

Honestly though, you can go your own speed and let them sort it out.
 
Thanks for all the advice so far!

After talking with my wife we're thinking this will be our itinerary:

March 25-March 30: Florence - We'll be flying in ~9 am on the 25th so we'll have most of the first day. The conference is during this time so I think we'll have plenty of time to see just about everything we want to see. (At least I will while she's at the conference 😀 )

March 30-April 1: Undecided - May go to Venice for a couple of days. If not we'll probably go straight to Rome - Does anyone else have any suggestions as to where we can go during these days? We would really like to hit up the Mediterranean, but not set on it. Again, we'll probably be traveling by train so preferably places accessible by rail.

April 1-April 6: Rome - Hoping to explore the city, eat great food and take a day trip to Pompeii. Fly out of here ~7 am on April 6th.

We were considering driving around but figured we can do that on our next trip to Italy. For our first time there we'll explore a couple of the big destinations. We've cut out Pisa entirely as nobody seemed to think it was worth the time. We think we'll stick with traveling by train. Being from Kentucky neither of us has ever really traveled by train (Except the TGV in France when we were teenagers) and would like the experience.

As far as our interests go we are foodies and love the historic architecture found in Europe (Pont du Gard was a favorite site in France. Similarly we loved visiting cathedrals and castles). We're not big on art. We'd love to see some of the more popular things but don't really want to spend a whole day wandering around an art museum. We also love natural attractions (which is why we'll definitely want to come back someday just to drive the countryside and see the natural beauty of Italy).

Again, does anyone have any suggestions for lodging in Rome? What is the best way to get to Pompeii from Rome for a day trip?

Thanks everyone for all your input. Please keep tossing out food suggestions too! Most of our experience with Italian food involved Fazoli's :'(
 
For those 3 days you have for "Venice," I would suggest spending them all in Venice, or maybe taking one of those days and head to Verona or Padua.

If you want to hit the sea, instead, then take the train up to La Spezia, then the local to the northern town Monterossa Al Mare. Stay there, and spend the next day or two hiking through the towns along the coast line--it's very, very simple hiking and the entire trip can be easily done within a day. The last two towns, Riomaggiore being the last in that order, are just concrete walkways where you will see supermodels strolling about in their high heals, so don't let the suggestion of hiking concern you if you aren't into that.

The northern trails are a bit more rustic, though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinque_Terre

This is a very touristy area now, but you should be fine in late March. This is still Tuscany, btw.

Also consider spending those free days after the conference taking buses to the various towns near Florence, in Tuscany. You can get to nearly all of them from the main bus station which, iirc, is at the central train station.

Last time I was there...2001-2002, every 2nd or 3rd Sunday of the month was the national train strike day. Not sure if that is still going on, or as "efficiently" planned as it was, but consider that when depending on trains in Italy and tight schedules, this can seriously wreck a trip.
 
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Another question!
How is wifi availability in Florence, Venice, and Rome? We're thinking we're not going to get an international plan for our cell service and would like to rely on wifi for the few times we'll need to check our e-mail or whatever.
 
Annon2255 said:
Another question!
How is wifi availability in Florence, Venice, and Rome? We're thinking we're not going to get an international plan for our cell service and would like to rely on wifi for the few times we'll need to check our e-mail or whatever.
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Do you have a gsm phone? I'd just buy a phone plan for a month if you do. It's 10 euros for a month of unlimited data from wind.
 
AznAnarchy99 said:
Also tmobile has unlimited international roaming now.
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I used to have tmobile here in the US. I had unlimited roaming here too....I rarely got more than 2 bars in the 175k population city I lived in at the time. 🙁

I couldn't even make a call from inside my house the coverage was so poor.
 
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