I'm flying into Milan next month and will be in Italy for 10 days. I've never been before. I can easily find a lot of cities I'd like to visit - but I'm hoping to get some good advice from locals, or those who know the country well. What are some of the don't-miss cities and things I should do. And lastly - what is the beer scene like in Italy? Is there much of one? Many thanks to anyone who cares to enlighten me. BA folks seldom let me down with advice. Cheers, Wes
How much do you want to travel? We didn't get to spend a LOT of time in Milan. We took some sort of walking tour that was worthwhile. The Duomo is impressive. From there we stayed a couple nights at Lake Como (Varenna) and visited Bellagio. The Dolomite region is beautiful if you like mountains. Venice & Rome are worth a visit. We didn't care too much for Florence. I enjoyed Piza for the walk up the leaning tower (and found the best Pizza we had in Italy!). But our favorite was the Tuscany area, although the Dolomites aren't too far behind. Beer scene is expanding, so seek bottle shops and craft beer bars to get your fill. Don't be afraid to ask the staff for other recommendations. I recommend getting the Rick Steves book on the area.
You have to visit Roma. It's really the MAIN Italian city, and loaded with good beer. As far as tourism goes then, second on the list has to be Venice. I doubt I'll go back but I'm glad I saw it once for a few days, and there is good beer there, you won't go thirsty, but it is a little harder to find. Where else? Florence. The Amalfi Coast. Naples. Verona is quite often overlooked. Plenty of options.
Thank you for your help. I pretty much figured we'd end up bouncing around some major cities, and see some of the more famous sites, but that's not typically where we want to be. Cheers!
I spent 12 days in Italy a couple of years ago. Visited Rome, Florence, Venice, Sorrento, Naples, Capri, Milan, Modena, Bologna, Pisa, and the Vatican. If you can tell from all the cities I visited in those 12 days, my advice would be to literally see and do everything you can (vacations aren't for sitting around). In all seriousness, if you ask me, I've likely done it when it comes to those cities and the highlights of Italy. If you have any specific questions as to what to see in those cities, I'd be more than happy to answer for you. In terms of beer...there's a growing beer scene like others have said, however, I know this is taboo on beer advocate, but I'd recommend just drinking the wine if you are into wine - I had some of the best wine I've ever had while in Italy.
Oh, trust me... we'll be drinking the wine as well. We're flying in and out of Milan and I'm trying to work out a loose plan of attack. We typically enjoy playing vacations by ear - but we typically don't fly to Italy and I'm unsure how often we'll be back. So I agree with you, I want to see as much as I can. So far I'm thinking about heading straight to Venice from Milan, then down the coast (hopefully there are trains for this) towards Rome. I'm looking at spots between too. Then back north towards Florence. Naples would have to be wonderful, as would Sicily (I recall Bourdain being there with one of his shows - and it was beautiful). So, as you can see, I'm just now starting to plan the trip. Again, I'm hoping to travel by rail or perhaps boat, to see the country. I'm unsure I'll even get a car, unless I have to. I have my map out now, and my Rick Steves book, and I'm getting ready to dig in. Thanks all for the assistance. It's very much appreciated.
Feel free to ask questions as you go thru your book. Perhaps one of us has personal experience. We flew in and out of Rome, and I would not recommend driving in that city. Wear good walking shoes and GO!! We drove thru the Dolomites, then Milan, and Lake Como. Not bad, but we were fairly accustomed to driving in Europe. We also made a week long trek with the kids driving from Florence, down to Siena via San Gimignano. From there we visted Montalcino and onto our B&B (Agriturismo) in Tuscany for a few days using it as a basecamp to see places like Montepulciano & Assisi, among other local sites. We swooped down to Pisa, before checking into our next destination at Cinque Terre. From there back to Florence for some sites and then flying home. While the roads are narrow, it isn't bad to drive outside the cities. My point is, if you find a place in the more rural areas you want to visit, don't fret hiring a car and a GPS. Also, in the big cities, watch your valuables, and don't take flowers or gifts from strangers on the street.
There are trains for that, very simple, and fairly comfortable. Not so reliable time-wise It looks like you have a good plan so far but I think the best advice I can give you is don't over-do it - Italy is worth at least two or three visits. I didn't expect that the first time I went but I was just a fool back then!
Trenitalia is great for getting from city to city - they are pretty always exactly on time too which helps if you have a schedule to keep. It will get you 90% of the places you want to go. While your'e in Milan, the Milan Cathedral (if you go, the rooftop is good to check out) and Santa Maria delle Grazie (where the Last Supper is located) are two good things to check out. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is nice to walk through/shop in. There's a lot of nice restaurants in Milan as well. Venice is really unique, but you probably don't need to spend more than a couple of days there to see everything there - check out Lido and Murano while you're there. Naples is great and gives off the classic Italian city vibes, but if you go the wrong way you'll find yourself in some pretty shady areas so watch out if you go there. Sorbillo for pizza in Naples is pretty amazing. We went to quite a few restaurants Bourdain suggests - Roma Sparita is a solid choice in Rome. I could type for days!
Actually, the last time I was in Europe, I was pickpocketed. In London I was approached by a woman holding a flat piece of cardboard with some coins on it. She pressed one edge of the cardboard to my chest and asked me for money. While she did, her/some kids stole my wallet. I foolishly had it in my back pocket. I'm well prepared this time, but still wary.
Any advice on trains or boats? Considering a ferry from Naples to Sicily. Also looking for advice on lodging. Cheers!
As I mentioned, we stayed in an Agriturismo in Tuscany, which ended up being our favorite place to stay of the entire trip. Basically a working ranch that can offer B&B, and in the case of ours, also dinner if requested. If you are interested, I can see how we went about booking that. homeaway.com and airbnb.com are the best sources I found for lodging. Prices were usually inline with hotels, if not cheaper. Plus you have a small apartment instead of a small hotel room. I have no transportation advice other than if you plan to visit Rome, there is the Trappist Tre Fontane there. Which for us, required a cab ride.
https://agriturismo-bellavista.it/en They have done some significant updating to their site! Great hosts and fantastic meals. In the middle of no-where, but that is part of the charm!
Anyone have a pizza (can be sit down) recommendation for Venice? Also, any easier to come by beer I should have to supplement my wine drinking? Haha
