Italy tips

mapsd

Mouseketeer
Joined
Feb 27, 2011
I've been PM'd with a bunch of specific questions & thought I'd try to summarize them for all to see:


•If at all possible, arrive early (or stay longer). The group travel is great, but spending a few days on your own really gives you a different feel for Italy (I vote arrive early in Italy or do a layover in another European city after if you can swing it)
•Have a credit card with no foreign transaction fees & make fewer, but larger ATM withdrawals. Don't need to get euros ahead of time, the ATM at the airport has a much better exchange rate. Hoard the 1 & 2 euro coins (there are clean pay toilets but require exact change)
•Pack with the plan to do laundry at the half-way point (the free afternoon in Tuscany is perfect). Lots of the machines there dispense the detergent automatically. Just have a stain stick to pre-treat.
•Have a wish list for your free afternoons/evenings. Some may require advance reservations. We often found what others in the group were planning sounded better, so pick their brains over meals.

Dining
•We’re not big foodies, just wanted the best of each region without spending 100 euros
•Half carafe of wine really is cheaper than soda. The house wine is always good. For water, must specify if you want flat or carbonated. The ancient fountains have water that's safe to drink: refill you bottles.
•Italy loves its multi-course 3 hour meals. We usually stuck with one or two courses
•They see rushing you as rude. You’ll have to ask for your check if you want to keep moving
•Great gelato/coffee everywhere! Remember you pay more if you want to sit. Get it to go.
It will be tempting to join the whole group for some of the meals on your own (often the guide will make group reservations). Remember, large group take forever to order/be served, & big groups don’t get the primo tables. Plus it’s good to have some personal time.
•Try a shot of limoncello at the end of your meal. It’s meant to be sipped!

Rome
•The Coliseum day is a lot of walking & stairs. Lots of sun. Dress accordingly.
•Tired? Catch a cab! Not that expensive.
•Our kids loved Castel St Angelo. Creepy Cappuchin Crypt
•Try to get to the Trevi fountain at night (smaller crowd, looks cool lit up)

Orvieto
•The bus ride is where the kids really bonded (they took over the rear of the bus).
•Great panini shop at the base of the clock tower. Try the wild boar!
•Best gelato of the trip was just out the side door of the church.
•This is your only real exposure to a small Italian village, so take advantage by wandering the side streets.

Florence
•Make your reservation to climb the Duomo before you leave. It gets booked well in advance. We did St Peter's Dome climb as well, but this is a better experience.
•Ladies, have cash available for purses. The stands right outside the factory (Santa Croce) have better selection & are willing to bargain more than the rows of stands in the tourist market.
•Have coins ready for the street performers. They’ll only interact with your kids for a “donation.”

Venice
•Get back to the main island at night. No crowds and fun to wander around. Facing St Mark's, go around the left side of the cathedral: several side streets with great affordable dining options
•You don’t need to go to the Murano glass factory. Plenty of chances right in Venice proper to buy & see it made.
•Mask making was more fun than I expected. Don’t be afraid to start your mask & let the master craftsman finish it off to make it beautiful.
•The private water-taxi to the airport is another ABD perk that you’ll appreciate.
•Be sure to use up your euro coins before leaving Italy (only notes accepted at exchanges)

Overall
•Your ABD guides know the best spots for picture taking & will take as many as you like with your camera, just have it ready.
•Don’t waste a lot of time looking for the perfect restaurant. There are good ones everywhere!
•The hotel concierge is better at directions than your ABD guide (and he’ll give you a map).
•You can’t see everything, so don’t try!
•Keep a daily journal. Keep your ticket stubs. Snap a pic of hotel/restaurant/museum entrances. Makes it easier to organize pics when you get home.
•Don’t sweat the small stuff. ABD will take good care of you.
 
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For pick-pockets, we saw them in the big open piazzas near the photo sights: you're distracted taking photos or a kid will distract you selling trinkets while mom reaches in your bag.
Anywhere you have to stand in line, or wait to take a picture is where they get you. Pockets with zippers and purses that latch shut are best defense.
In the stations, it was guys aggressively trying to help with your bags and demanding a fee after. An aggressive "NO!" works well. Don't give coins to beggars unless you want to be approached by 5 more.

Just be aware of your gear and surroundings & it's fine. We never felt unsafe anywhere.
 
Great post. Thank you for putting this together. I printed this out to memorize. :)
 
Rome
•The Coliseum day is a lot of walking & stairs. Lots of sun. Dress accordingly.
•Tired? Catch a cab! Not that expensive.

Do you mean, leave the ABD group and catch a cab? Or is this for those that are doing the Coliseum on their own?
 


Do you mean, leave the ABD group and catch a cab? Or is this for those that are doing the Coliseum on their own?
2 separate hints.
Rome is pretty walkable, but during your on-your-own time, if you're tired (or lost), catching a cab isn't difficult and not too expensive.

The Coliseum is great, but the stairs are big: 1 step=3 typical steps in height & the stairwells are crowded. Use the rail if you're unsteady.
Some elevators, but they can't access everything.

ABD knows the perfect photo spot for family pics with it in the background. (It will be your Christmas card)
 
Orvieto
•Great panini shop at the base of the clock tower. Try the wild boar!
•Best gelato of the trip was just out the side door of the church.
•This is your only real exposure to a small Italian village, so take advantage by wandering the side streets.

Love Orvieto. We went there on our Viva Italia ABD a few years ago and fell in love. This year we were in Italy for a non-ABD trip and we made a special trip up to Orvieto from Rome.

Agree with the panini shop at the base of the clock tower. Wonderful sandwiches.

The gelato in the side yard of the Duomo is really good. But don't turn your nose up at other gelato places. You guides will probably tell you how to spot good, artisanal, gelato from the mass-produced stuff.

Our favorite shopping is the ceramic store right across from the Duomo, Giacomoni Ceramiche. We've got several pieces from there. They ship for free if you spend more than a certain amount (250 euro IIRC) which is easy to do. They've been doing this a long time and they really know how to pack things.
Our other favorite stop is just up a side-street from there where they have lots of stuff made from olive wood. There is also a fascinating toy shop down this little street.
 
Mapsd, Can you talk about the weather in Italy during the summer? I can't help but think I made a mistake booking a July trip. I live in South Florida so I am used to heat, but it is the lack of air conditioning around Italy that worries me. Was everyone miserable with the weather on your tour?
 


Just a few ideas

Go to Europe as early as possible. I would vote for the Amali coast. And Capri.

Get to Rome a day early and take the hop on hop off bus around to see the city.

Send out laundry through the hotel. Don’t waste time doing it on your own. Or just wash out underwear in the sink

Venice is meant to be savored. Find a bar right on the grand canal. Usually one of the hotels has an outside terrace. Sit for a couple hours with wine and appetizers. Go to st marks square, find a table and just sit for the bands and people watching.

My ATM card from my bank has no charges. Get as much money as you can at a time.

It is hot in the summer. We have been to Italy in July. If you go to the Vatican no shorts or sleeveless so wear capris, light pants and bring a sweater to wear over a tank top.
 
Mapsd, Can you talk about the weather in Italy during the summer? I can't help but think I made a mistake booking a July trip. I live in South Florida so I am used to heat, but it is the lack of air conditioning around Italy that worries me. Was everyone miserable with the weather on your tour?
It will be hot, but not unbearable.
As you move further north, it definitely gets cooler (Venice will be cooler than Rome)
The ABD guides are good about finding shade, but keep water handy.
The Coliseum day is pretty exposed, especially when touring the ruins of Palatine Hill (hop from shade to shade & wear a hat)
The AC is not like in the US. It will get cool, but not down to below 70.

Like Cedric stated, the days that you enter a church, you'll need your knees and shoulders covered. Capris are OK for the ladies and kids get a pass. Many churches have a basket of scarves that can be borrowed.
I'll disagree on the laundry though. It is exorbitantly expensive to do the hotel laundry service. We found a spot where we could do 3 loads at once. Don't stuff the dryers (one cycle won't dry completely)
 
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Question - where did you have to go to do laundry? Was it at the hotel?

(We are planning to do this ABD, and then head to Paris so will be in great need of laundry facilities, likely both on the ABD and at DLP.)
 
Question - where did you have to go to do laundry? Was it at the hotel?
(We are planning to do this ABD, and then head to Paris so will be in great need of laundry facilities, likely both on the ABD and at DLP.)
We went to London prior to returning home & had the same issue.

At that time, our hotel had a self-service laundry (only 2 machines that we had to share).
I did the laundry while we swam with the kids.
Our last time in Italy we found a local laundromat, loaded 3 machines and had a glass of wine (or 2) next door while we waited.

I'd ask if they have a self-service laundry on site. If not, looking at the current Florence stop:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hotel+Borgo+di+Cortefreda/Wash+&+Dry,+Via+dell'Artigianato,+3,+50028+Tavarnelle+Val+di+Pesa+FI,+Italy/@43.5593932,11.1716799,16z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x132a481b51908b67:0xd8b0b898fff29218!2m2!1d11.1732762!2d43.5526593!1m5!1m1!1s0x132a480eae0e8c31:0xa722fc7e6b0d705a!2m2!1d11.1676616!2d43.5625677
Wash & Dry: Via dell'Artigianato, 3, 50028 Tavarnelle Val di Pesa FI, Italy
looks like a short cab/uber ride or a 19 minute walk
Very doable on your free afternoon.
 
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On one of the much older ABD Italy reviews, someone mentioned the day in Orvieto was excessively long with on your own time. I'm curious if that has changed at all. Of course I would love to explore the nooks and crannies, but I believe they said it was about 6 hours of on your own time, which seems rather long.
 
On one of the much older ABD Italy reviews, someone mentioned the day in Orvieto was excessively long with on your own time. I'm curious if that has changed at all. Of course I would love to explore the nooks and crannies, but I believe they said it was about 6 hours of on your own time, which seems rather long.
I don't think the whole 6 hours is on your own time. There is also travel time, which is probably 90 minutes each way, in there IIRC. At any rate, I also don't recall any actual ABD organized activity on that day.
 
Just a few ideas

Go to Europe as early as possible. I would vote for the Amali coast. And Capri.

Get to Rome a day early

We've had the great fortune of getting some terrific advice for our September 2018 trip. We are arriving 3 days early in Rome. We were going to follow what several folks suggested - stay that first night in Rome at the ABD hotel, leave luggage behind and take the train to the Amalfi coast/Pompeii for two nights and return to the ABD hotel Friday morning for the start of the ABD trip. Unfortunately, the hotel changed a short while back with ABD and they will not permit us to leave two bags with them for the in-between. Anyone recently had success with a plan like this? ABD will provide transport from the airport to this hotel only when we come early - would love input on possible other hotels that have allowed a short bag drop, as the current ABD one does not.
 
On one of the much older ABD Italy reviews, someone mentioned the day in Orvieto was excessively long with on your own time. I'm curious if that has changed at all. Of course I would love to explore the nooks and crannies, but I believe they said it was about 6 hours of on your own time, which seems rather long.
We loved Orvieto & could have spent more time.
Look into doing the well climb (Pozzo di S Patrizio) if you want a unique activity (and to cool off if its hot)
 
We've had the great fortune of getting some terrific advice for our September 2018 trip. We are arriving 3 days early in Rome. We were going to follow what several folks suggested - stay that first night in Rome at the ABD hotel, leave luggage behind and take the train to the Amalfi coast/Pompeii for two nights and return to the ABD hotel Friday morning for the start of the ABD trip. Unfortunately, the hotel changed a short while back with ABD and they will not permit us to leave two bags with them for the in-between. Anyone recently had success with a plan like this? ABD will provide transport from the airport to this hotel only when we come early - would love input on possible other hotels that have allowed a short bag drop, as the current ABD one does not.
I'd press the hotel on this (maybe even get ABD involved).
They have a storage space and I can't imagine they want to tick off ABD.
Worst case scenario, you can store bags at Termini Station, but that won't be free
 
I'd press the hotel on this (maybe even get ABD involved).
They have a storage space and I can't imagine they want to tick off ABD.
Worst case scenario, you can store bags at Termini Station, but that won't be free
Thanks - I did try to get ABD involved. They inquired and then advised it was the hotel's call. The hotel indicated that unless we were staying the entire time, the answer was no. They offer no storage unless we are registered checked in guests for the duration, and would not accommodate the request.

We have done luggage drops at many hotels in many places - and for a high end hotel we really did not expect the response, especially as we were starting our stay in Rome and ending our stay in Rome as paying guests.

Anyone know why ABD moved to this hotel (GRAN MELIÁ ROME) from the previous one (Bernini Bristol)? I can tell you that now I am certainly not inclined to stay at the Gran Melia for what they charge and offer...I would greatly appreciate the great expertise and recommendations from the board on accommodations for Rome pre-day.

The timing of this is fortuitous. This will be our 6th ABD and this trip is the first one my DW has been working on and organizing. She has not been happy with arrangements. In the past we bragged about the concierge type help we received from ABD in our planning. Not so much here. She got on a bad foot on the post day transport to the airport only is offered on this trip if you book at $750/night extra night through ABD. The airport transport cost is very expensive, so we did that for the post day as everyone recommends an extra day in Venice. After hearing this outcome with the hotel, she has agreed we will take a rest on the ABD for awhile...so with the new trips announcing next week I can again go back to some of the "other options" we have explored a few years ago.
 
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Thanks - I did try to get ABD involved. They inquired and then advised it was the hotel's call. The hotel indicated that unless we were staying the entire time, the answer was no. They offer no storage unless we are registered checked in guests for the duration, and would not accommodate the request.
Bummer. Hard to believe they wont accommodate this. I'd try emailing the hotel directly, tell them the situation and what a hardship it'd be if they can't, even offer to pay a fee. Maybe you'll get lucky and get someone sympathetic to reply.

Really no reason to stay their on your arrival night if they can't be convinced. Might be better to get a hotel near Termini Station instead? We stayed at the Universo last spring. Good location for trains & affordable, but nice. No idea if they'd store your bags if you're not returning though. Not lugging your bags down to Sorrento is worth paying for.

Will ABD pick you up at the train station instead of the airport on the starting day of your tour?
 
Please Remember that you ABD people might not be the only Tour co. staying at that Hotel

Or any other Hotel that ABD use in Europe
 
Just curious as to a ballpark of cost for the on you own meals for the trip. We are pretty basic eaters but do enjoy a fancy meal occasionally and do drink alcoholic beverages. Thanks
 

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