Tips For Planning Your Trip To Italy
One of the most popular tourist destinations, Italy makes for a memorable holiday. Italy is known for the stunning sites and amazing food and is one of the top tourist destinations of the year. Here are a few travel tips to help you plan your trip.
What to see and where to go
There is so much to see and do in Italy and it has stunning cities to visit on your travels. It is advisable to consider some of the most popular locations first. The top destinations include Florence, Rome and Venice and you will find a number of great attractions in each city you visit. Whether it is the ancient ruins of Rome or the romantic waterways of Venice, these are some natural additions to your itinerary. Make it a point to buy advanced tickets of the popular sites as it will save you time and will eliminate the need to spend long hours in the queue. Other than the best known destinations, Italy has some stunning side trips you can make the most of. It has fantastic islands like Capri and Sicily which are fun to visit. These islands offer a breathtaking view of the lakes and it is a nice place to relax as well. Also, if you want to get away from Rome, head to Tuscany which is filled with beaches, great food and excellent wine.
Where to stay
Based on your journey, you will have to choose places to stay the night. Although there is no shortage of hotels in any of the major tourist destinations of Italy, you might want to explore other alternative options. You will be able to find a nice mix of hotels which range from luxury 5-star to budget hotels in the countryside. You can also look for holiday rentals in Italy, there are many properties which maintain the traditional Italian charm where you can never really go wrong.
Ideas for the trip
There is so much to see in Italy that you would need months to cover everything. But since you have to start somewhere, you can start with the most important cities of Italy. If this is your first trip and you have only two weeks, you can start to see the best of Italy from Rome and then head to Tuscany for a week. You then finish off your trip with a short stay in Venice. If you would like to spend your time in Milan and Venice, you have a lot to do. This region of Italy has a lot to offer and even if you spend a month here, you will be able to catch the best of the sites. If you only have a week on hand, you should hit Rome and spend your time at the ancient sites as well as touring the neighborhoods.
When to go
The biggest decision is to decide when to plan the holiday. You want to make sure you hit all the sites but there are many advantages of choosing the off season. Whenever you go, it is not hard to find special events and festivals across different cities. Summer is indeed the busiest time of the year for Italy. You may have to deal with crowds but there are benefits of bright sunshine, summer festivals and warm beaches. Spring is another alternative because you get sunny days and cool weather. The prices will be lower as compared to that in the Summer. Autumn is again an off season that many tourists enjoy. There is less heat and more wandering on the city streets. The fall colors are beautiful and you will save money during this time. Winter is an ideal time for those who love winter sports. Skiing is a favorite activity for many travelers and you will also be able to make the most of off season discounts.
Getting around Italy
Getting out and about in Italy is pretty easy. Most major cities have an airport you can fly to and there are buses and trains to get you almost anywhere. The trains in Italy are affordable as compared to any other European country, hence it is a reliable and cheap way to get around different regions. You can also choose to rent a car for your stay in Italy.
If you have not ticked off Italy from your bucket list, now is the time to do so. Plan a family holiday to Italy and soak in the stunning beauty of the destination.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
