Novice to Italy - advice please!

[May Kasahara]

Hello well-travelled Urbs,

Me and the boyfriend are thinking of going to Italy on our hols this spring. We've never been before and are planning to go by train. It will probably be in April sometime. I know there's quite a few fans of the place here, so I thought I'd pick your brains. I know it's a very varied country, so I'm a bit flummoxed by all the choice.

Things we like:

food
art
architecture
wandering about looking at things
places to explore
an easy life
sunshine
relaxedness
countryside

Because last year was so knackering, we're ideally looking for a really easy holiday. Neither of us speak any Italian, and as awful as it sounds, beyond a few basic helpful phrases, neither of us are likely to learn any beforehand. He has some basic French and I have some basic Spanish, so with a bit of luck and a phrasebook we'll get by, but I suppose what I'm saying is we're probably not going to do too well going somewhere where nobody speaks any English at all, at least not this holiday.

Whereabouts in Italy should we go?

 

[quimcunx]

Anywhere and everywhere.

Amalfi coast is lovely, Positano = yum, boat trip to Capri, tour round Pompeii and Ercolano,

as is the Ligurian coast around the Cinque Terres (up at the armpit of italy going towards france) Portifino and Sant Margerita de Liguria also = yum. Genoa nice if you're in the right bits with an amazing funicolore railway. *I'm guessing at a lot of Italian spellings here*

Firenze I'm sure is also delightful barring all the buggering tourists, I'd imagine, but haven't been.

 

[El Jefe]

Base yourself in Napoli, it's an amazing city in a beautiful area and there's so much to see round there without rushing around. If you wanted, a couple of days on Sicily - fairly near - would be perfect, and you can either get a short boat trip or take the gorgeous trainline down to Reggio Calabria and cross there.

Obviously northern Italy sucks

 

[cesare]

I suggest Florence. From there you can easily get to Pisa and Sienna, also Rome's just 1½ hours away by train.

 

[sleaterkinney]

Florence is supposed to be nice, I wouldn't worry too much about the langauge, they get loads of tourists there, I didn't find it to be a problem.

 

[quimcunx]

Obviously northern Italy sucks

now that's not entirely true, but I did notice that they don't automatically give you bread and olive oil when you sit down in restaurants. When I asked for some they looked at me askance but did bring some.

South is better.

 

[cesare]

... or Lake Maggiore. Easy to take a daytrip to Switzerland, or alternatively a very easy train journey to Milan.

 

[cesare]

For southern Italy - what Papingo said.

 

[zoltan]

Naples can be...erm...."challenging"... for a novice.

Its not like teh North.

 

[El Jefe]

Naples can be...erm...."challenging"... for a novice.

Ah, it's not that bad. It's a lot better now than when I first went.

Its not like teh North.

Yes. Which is the best thing about it

 

[cesare]

Where does 'the north' start for you, El?

 

[perplexis]

I think Rome is a wicked city- I was really surprised by how much I liked it when I went last year, lots of food and art and architecture... but it's more active than not, so probably not the best place to go chill out and it doesn't exactly have much countryside, although the Villa Borghese is a wonderful large park complete with zoo and boating lake...

 

[Pieface]

I know you haven't actually asked this but I think the trains in Italy are marvellous. And cheap if you can work out the different classes

I went from Bologna to Florence to the island of Elba for a few days then back and out via Pisa and Rome.

Florence is incredible, even if it's one of the most touristy places I've ever been but Elba was very relaxing indeed - and not massively touristy. Didn't meet a single other Brit while there.

 

[cesare]

Yes, the trains are fantastic. You have to remember to validate your ticket before getting on a train though, else you get fined.

 

[El Jefe]

Rome is good, but somehow it felt a bit too much like a big tourist city, it's not as distinctive as Napoli or Calabria or Sicilia.

For me i guess the South starts at Rome, really, the old accusation being that Rome looks north and ignores everything below it.

 

[May Kasahara]

Thanks for all the tips, folks, much appreciated - keep 'em coming!

 

[souljacker]

I went to Sicily in April last year. We stayed just outside of Taormina.

It had everything, history, culture, amazing (and cheap) food and wine, wonderful weather, fantastic scenery and a small eruption in Mount Etna.

I actually think it was the best holiday of my life.

 

[Lea]

Venice is very romantic but with so many tourists there it can become like a giant theme park for grown ups. Rome is an interesting and friendly city but as you say you like country side I would suggest the Amalfi Coast. Base yourself in Naples and travel out.

 

[quimcunx]

Yes, the trains are fantastic. You have to remember to validate your ticket before getting on a train though, else you get fined.

fined on the cinque terre train route! fuckers.

Plus I had to overhear some american woman twitter on about Arabs having to get some anger management. (this was a few days after 9/11)

 

[cesare]

fined on the cinque terre train route! fuckers.

Plus I had to overhear some american woman twitter on about Arabs having to get some anger management. (this was a few days after 9/11)

I always forget It's the Pisa-Firenze airport train that gets me every time

 

[Dirty Martini]

It kind of depends on how long you're going for. If you've got a bit of time how about this:

Fly to N Italy, perhaps Verona. Have a poke around for a couple of days, maybe a side trip by train out to Mantova (which is great). Avoid Venice. Or you could fly to Trieste with Ryanair, have a day or so there. Fascinating city. The contrast between there and somewhere like Naples is huge.

Then a train down to Bologna, which has to be seen, eaten and drunk in, then down to Florence, with a side trip to Siena (which is beautiful and very relaxing), with the aim of ending up in Naples, which is brilliant. Lots of places to go to from Naples, including Pompeii. The Amalfi Coast is worth a look, but is best explored by car. You could, of course, stop in Rome.

If you're doing it all by train, you're restricted to the cities and small towns really. I'm not sure how relaxing you'll find them though, if you're looking for relaxing.

Are you planning to go all the way there by train as well? If not, flying to one city in the north and flying back from, say, Naples, might be a good idea. You'll get a better idea of the contrasts of the country if you take in the north as well.

 

[Chairman Meow]

Italy is lovely. I've only been to Rome (twice) and Venice, but I'd love to go back soon. You lucky thing!

 

[quimcunx]

Fly to N Italy, perhaps Verona. Have a poke around for a couple of days, maybe a side trip by train out to Mantova (which is great). Avoid Venice. Or you could fly to Trieste with Ryanair, have a day or so there. Fascinating city. The contrast between there and somewhere like Naples is huge..

I disagree, if you were going to be as close as Verona it would seem silly not to pop in for a looksee, if only for the day. Even if you then decide the bad points outweigh the good. It's Venice innit?

I wouldn't mind a mosy round Trieste though.

 

[Dirty Martini]

I disagree, if you were going to be as close as Verona it would seem silly not to pop in for a looksee, if only for the day. Even if you then decide the bad points outweigh the good. It's Venice innit?

I wouldn't mind a mosy round Trieste though.

You're right, in a way. I like Venice, but I just think it needs a dedicated trip of a few days. Plus, of course, it's possible to blow your entire budget in the first couple of days there

Trieste is well worth a look, it's really improved in the last few years as a place to eat, drink and go out in. Great Austro-Hungarian feel, a kind of agreeable melancholy, with nice sausages.

 

[May Kasahara]

We're planning to go by train all the way (no excuse now that the new high speed line has opened and the Eurostar goes straight from St Pancras). Not sure how long for yet, a week or maybe two, depending on money. The boyfriend can drive but I can't, so there is a possibility of hiring a car.

I think one of the things I'm wary of is trying to do too much in the time we have - it's all so varied and interesting, I'd like to strike the right balance between exploring and chilling out

 

[quimcunx]

Well the Ligurian coast - Genoa Rapello Santa Margarita de Liguria, and portofino, mean a shorter journey to get there and start your holiday proper.... If you base yourself in SML you can visit the cinque terres one day, Portofino another, then do Geno(v)a on the way back for a day, but I don't know exactly what else there is. No car needed.


Verona, the lakes, Venice areas would also mean a shorter journey but others will have to advise you on what to do/ look at. may need car, dunno.


Other than that, basing yourself in Sorrento or Positano you can have a day trip to Capri, a day trip to Pompeii, visit Herculaneum, visit Mt. Vesuvius. Just don't try and do Herculaneum and Pompeii in the same day like we did.. no car needed.


Let us know when you decide.

 

[quimcunx]

You're right, in a way. I like Venice, but I just think it needs a dedicated trip of a few days. Plus, of course, it's possible to blow your entire budget in the first couple of days there.

I haven't been, I'd like to before it sinks.. My friends said it is mucho multo expensivo. Some of the things they said made me think I might be happy enough to run in and run out, just to get the gist of it. Either that or go when I'm feeling particularly flush.

 

[rennie]

I would spend a few days in Sienna. It's magical but nowehere near a beach. Otherwise Naples is a good place to start if you wanna hit the south.

 

[rennie]

Hopefully all the rubbish would've cleared by then.

 

[Dirty Martini]

Well the Ligurian coast - Genoa Rapello Santa Margarita de Liguria, and portofino, mean a shorter journey to get there and start your holiday proper.... If you base yourself in SML you can visit the cinque terres one day, Portofino another, then do Geno(v)a on the way back for a day, but I don't know exactly what else there is. No car needed.

Genova's a good call. Fewer tourists, proper working port, and then you have the coast nearby as you say. You might be twiddling your thumbs a bit by the end of a week though ...

I dunno, if it's only for a week, I think it would be best to be based somewhere like Naples and do the sidetrips from there. Italian cities are never 'relaxing' and too many at once and you'd come back more knackered than when you went