That is a lot of stops. Do you want to run from place to place with a suitcase or do you want to park it and enjoy a place? Depends on how long you will be there.
Good advice. Also check out the Pantheon.
Good spot. Also get a little out of the city center, check out the markets and see how they really live. Less tourists too.
Thank you! It is my daughters trip so we are doing what she wants. Yes other places are cheaper and I tried to get her to go to other countries but this is what she wants. IF I go back, it will be on a budget and likely include other countries as well.Unfortunately I can’t help much with European tours as I’ve only spent time in all of the British Isles (I’ve got all of the major and several of the minor islands covered), Paris and Rome. Most of my travel is in the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and a bit of China (two bits actually, Hong Kong and Beijing but even that’s 15 years out of date). Ask me about Hawaii, Bermuda, Kaikoura, Bondi Beach, the Louvre, Jasper NP etc and I’ve got you.
Italy….that’s for a later trip unfortunately. I’ll be asking YOU for advice.
I can look through some things I’ve saved from my own research and see if there’s anything that catches your eye. I’m not looking to do an “Italian” adventure as neither myself nor my wife have any Italian blood that we know of and there‘s some “better” (I say that knowing there’s lots of great stuff to do in Italy, but there’s also lots of great stuff to do in Spain, Morocco, Greece, Crete, Croatia and Turkey) and cheaper options in the Mediterranean. So I’m looking to fly in and probably out of Rome, go to the Coliseum and Vatican Museum with my wife as she hasn’t been and then probably do a cruise covering the eastern Mediterranean with definitely stops in Greece and Croatia plus maybe some additional stops in Italy, Crete, Malta and the safer parts of touristy Turkey. And I want to do a separate Cruise around Spain and Portugal, plus maybe Gibraltar, Morocco, Monaco and/or Mediterranean France. I’m probably doing one of those cruises next year and then do the other the following year or maybe with a return trip to Scotland plus Iceland or back to Japan before we do the second Mediterranean cruise.
But yeah, you MIGHT want to look into some stops in Croatia. Now that it’s not war torn it’s like a friendlier and FAR cheaper Italy. Dubrovnik and Split are amazing cities and probably a fifth to a tenth the price of places like Naples and Venice. The Amalfi Coast looks fantastic and I would definitely stop there if I can find a good cruise itinerary that has it plus some of the other places I mentioned. But for me it’s taking a back seat because of price versus beauty.
Amalfi Coast
Makaraska Bay Croatia
Omis Croatia
Dubrovnik Croatia
I have been reading Rick Steves and watching his videos. Yes it is a lot packed into the 16 days. We have a few days to rest and relax. Milan is only for a few hours, a stop on the train on our way to Venice. I want to go to the Dolomites for a day and possibly Crotia as well from Venice. I thought of a day in Switzerland from Milan, but then we can't do the Dolomites. But, it really isn't my trip, just my money. LOL
Break out the Benjamins. Go for it. Sounds like an amazing trip.
Thank you! A patient of mine got me in touch with her cousin, who is a tour guide in Sorrento. She has planned 2.5 days of our trip. Pompeii, the other city close to there that is supposed to be better (begins with a M), Capri one day and Amalfi coast. I am looking forward to the trip more than she is but I can't believe I am old enough to have a college graduate! Not sure how that happened. LOL
My daughter did a trip thru school last summer - Italy and Greece. She had a ball. They were eager to leave Rome.
Rome is great but you have to get away from the tourists. Much like other European cites the really good places are only a few blocks from McDonalds and Starbucks.
Over the holidays its still high but for next year prices dropped.
The problem is all of the stuff you want to see is absolutely infested with tourists so there really isn't any escape... That place has to be the biggest tourist trap in the world to be honest.
If you think about it why waste time seeing the coliseum or Spanish Steps when you can see it in every travel show ever made? There are hundreds of places in Rome to see that are just as nice and interesting and there are no tourists. Tourists don't like to stray far from what they are used to. Last time I went we took a walk down the Appian Way and went to the Quartiere Coppede, both nice, historic and lacking tourists. At night the Piazza della Madonna is nice and void of tourists.
I was fortunate to go there on a 3 day weekend back in '76 while we were TDY in Aviano. Not as touristy as now I'm sure.
I did 4 years at Aviano late 90's right after they turned it operational. It was less crowded back then all over.
My brother was at Torrejon (613TFS) when I was at Soesterberg. Was that the wing that moved to Aviano?
No. TJ closed and the squadrons were inactivated. The F-16 wing at Ramstein was the one that moved to Aviano. I was at TJ (614th) from 86-88.
Actually, now that I've looked at the squadron patches, I think my brother was in the 614th. Small world!
Yeah, the Parthenon was a lot less crowded in '71 when we were stationed in Athens, but I don't think time travel is an option.
Yeah, the Parthenon was a lot less crowded in '71 when we were stationed in Athens, but I don't think time travel is an option.
Soon after this thread, my son lost his phone to a pick pocket in Florence. Then friends told me Italy is renowned for pick pockets like Paris used to be.
Unfortunately, anywhere there are tourists there are pick pockets. Some cites have warning signs about them. Barcelona is really bad as well.
