Who here has been to Italy?

PJLaur

I just got back from traveling around Italy for a month in May. I'm curious of what you loved/didn't like about Italy.

small town beck

Loved it all!!! Although I think Pisa is skippable... oh and the dodgy calamari we had in Torino :eek:

Seriously I can't wait to go back!! Mind you seeing PJ was also a bonus!

fuck

beautiful country, mad expensive.

PJLaur

small town beck wrote:

Loved it all!!! Although I think Pisa is skippable... oh and the dodgy calamari we had in Torino :eek:

Seriously I can't wait to go back!! Mind you seeing PJ was also a bonus!

I agree with you on Pisa. I skipped it all together. It seemed like nothing was there but the leaning tower, and I wasn't gung ho about seeing that. Seemed like a big tourist trap.

roar

I've been to Rome and I would love to travel through Italy.

Loved the Vatican.
Didn't love the 5 hour wait for the Vatican Museum. In August.

small town beck

PJLaur wrote:

I agree with you on Pisa. I skipped it all together. It seemed like nothing was there but the leaning tower, and I wasn't gung ho about seeing that. Seemed like a big tourist trap.

Yeah it is very touristy... I mean I am glad I saw it and it is a really funny story.. kicked off a train and all that but I would have rathered spent that day on the lovely beach in Monterosso

What parts did you travel to?

keeponrockin

I was there in March with my school for 10 days. By far the best ten days of my life. I enjoyed Rome, but my favourites were Perugia (great small town), Assissi, Florence, and Sienna. I would LOVE to go back to any of the places I was (and we hardly scratched the surface)!

I think I'm going back next summer, going to hit up Perugia, Florence, and Rome this time. MAYBE go to San Giamano, just to give my family a taste of another small town (they've never been to Italy)

Basically, if there are any Italians on this board, you have a beautiful country filled with beautiful people (honestly the kids we met in Perugia (16-18) were some of the nicest kids I've ever met!).

StateOfLoveBoatCptn.

I wish...

PJLaur

small town beck wrote:

Yeah it is very touristy... I mean I am glad I saw it and it is a really funny story.. kicked off a train and all that but I would have rathered spent that day on the lovely beach in Monterosso

What parts did you travel to?

I didn't make it to Monterosso! Isn't that part of Cinque Terre? I made it to the other 4 villages, but had to make a train. I liked Vernazza(sp?).

I went to different parts of Tuscany, Siena, Umbria, Florence, Cinque Terre, Rome, Sperlonga....I think that's it?!

keeponrockin

Wasn't Siena absolutley breathtaking? Did you get the story of all the different parts of town (turtles, etc...) and the big horse race they have every year?

PJLaur

keeponrockin wrote:

I was there in March with my school for 10 days. By far the best ten days of my life. I enjoyed Rome, but my favourites were Perugia (great small town), Assissi, Florence, and Sienna. I would LOVE to go back to any of the places I was (and we hardly scratched the surface)!

I think I'm going back next summer, going to hit up Perugia, Florence, and Rome this time. MAYBE go to San Giamano, just to give my family a taste of another small town (they've never been to Italy)

Basically, if there are any Italians on this board, you have a beautiful country filled with beautiful people (honestly the kids we met in Perugia (16-18) were some of the nicest kids I've ever met!).

I was trying to get to Perugia, but didn't make it! I, also, wanted to see Assisi!

nuffingman

keeponrockin wrote:

I was there in March with my school for 10 days. By far the best ten days of my life. I enjoyed Rome, but my favourites were Perugia (great small town), Assissi, Florence, and Sienna. I would LOVE to go back to any of the places I was (and we hardly scratched the surface)!

I think I'm going back next summer, going to hit up Perugia, Florence, and Rome this time. MAYBE go to San Giamano, just to give my family a taste of another small town (they've never been to Italy)

Basically, if there are any Italians on this board, you have a beautiful country filled with beautiful people (honestly the kids we met in Perugia (16-18) were some of the nicest kids I've ever met!).

I've only been to Rome and Florence but plan a trip again soon. My daughter is about to set off for about a month, I'm green with envy. I agree with your comments about the kids. We experienced the same in Rome, they were great and so stylish.
Awesome place.

Pauk

I loved Verona and Venice. I hated Rome. Rome's become too much of a disneyland now, whoever decided it was a good idea to have men playing dress up outside the collesium should be shot. Venice is obviously almost as touristy as Rome, but I thought it had kept more of its character. Verona is amazing and by far the best place I've visited in Italy. Idyllic and 'quaint', in a good way.

I definitely want to do Sicily to Venice in 1 big trip sometime.

meme

I was born and grew up in Italy.

I actually love Pisa. It's a nice little university town, and I love it when people whip out their guitars and do sing alongs in Piazza dei Miracoli.

My favorite city is Venice. I also have to give some love to Florence since I was born there. And my love for Verona only increased after seeing Pearl Jam there two years ago

Julien

I went for 3 weeks a few years ago (with the Univeristy, for a volcanology training). I went in napoli, Rome, and Eolian Islands (Stromboli, Vulcano, Lipari).
It was really great. Eolian Islands = paradise. I went in May and it was already hot (30° C) but without too much tourists.
Rome was fabulous too.
But it's an expsneive place to be. I live in Belgium, not that far, but the price in Italy are someting like 1,5 x the prices in Belgium

nuffingman

fowls wrote:

I loved Verona and Venice. I hated Rome. Rome's become too much of a disneyland now, whoever decided it was a good idea to have men playing dress up outside the collesium should be shot. Venice is obviously almost as touristy as Rome, but I thought it had kept more of its character. Verona is amazing and by far the best place I've visited in Italy. Idyllic and 'quaint', in a good way.

I definitely want to do Sicily to Venice in 1 big trip sometime.

:eek: I'm stunned! I thought Rome was magnificient. I agree with the stupid guys outside the Coliseum but the Coliseum was amazing. St Peters, Vatican Museum, Pantheon, The Forum, Trevi Fountain and amazing churches everywhere. Got to go back to see more.

decides2dream

LOVED the architecture, the gardens, the art, the FOOD.....not impressed with the transport. also, not the best a/c in hotels for such a climate. otherwise, a completely beautiful country!


i've been to 6 different cities, and still never rome, venice...or my father's birthplace, sicily!

dunkman

I've been to Sicily... Taormina and Syracuse.... saw the largest purpose built mafia prison :eek: also been up Mount Etna and saw the lava flows and stuff.

justam

PJLaur wrote:

I just got back from traveling around Italy for a month in May. I'm curious of what you loved/didn't like about Italy.

I haven't been there yet, but it's someplace I'm dying to go to!! The pictures I've seen make it look like such a beautiful country.

brainofPJ

out of all the places we went to while there back in march, including Rome, Florence, Venice, and many other regions and cities....this was by fay my favorite:

http://www.amalficoast.com/paesi/maiori-6.aspx http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6404451

Maiori baby!!!

followed closely by Venice and San Gimignano (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1728476) which was an awesome little village up in the hills in the Tuscana region i believe.

if we go back we won't even bother with Pisa and some of the stuff in Rome.

the food was generally good. although at the restaurants we were not impressed at all. the best food we had always came from the venders and the
lasagna at the hotel in Venice was amazing!!!

Pacomc79

Just got back. I loved that every city is walkable though Venice was by far my favorite in that stead because it scared me a lot less to walk around with less traffic and there seems to be something cool everywhere. It's so relaxed and laid back. The Plazzo Ducale (Doges Palace) was incredible and it pays to book online. Venice is so well signed and marked it's easy to negociate. Florence and Rome tend to not have enough signage and they have the frustrations of a name change every two blocks like most other modern cities. I think it would be fun to live in Venice most of the time. It's just expensive.

I loved Florence and Tuscany for virtually everything, arcitecture, art, local food. Walking and traffic takes a bit of getting used to as do the multitude of street vendors. (I don't want any roses or magnets or fake prada purses but thanks) I did tip most of the street musicians. Speaking of which the Medici's had a fine collection of musical instruments on display at the Gallery of the Academy (David) that I enjoyed seeing.

If you like artwork at all you'll love Italy. Arcitecture. Likewise. History. Impecable. Italy is a phenominally interesting place for a vast numbers of reasons.

Rome was probably my least favorite but amazing none the less.

One thing I think I most noticed was that you really need to take time to find the right place to eat. The tourist places are not unlike the tourist places here. The little Trattorias and Osterias and family owned restaurants were the best.

In Florence Terra Terra and Antique Barile were my favorite places to eat. Both small if not tiny spots on little alley's with tables out in the street.

In Rome there is a tremendous speghetti restaurant with a menu that reads like a novel and cheap excellent food. It's near the Trevi fountain on a little side street L Archetta I think.

Venecian food is not the best but we found a great lunch spot over in San Polo off of San Silvestre just a little Trattoria and there is a pretty nice seafood spot on the St Marks side of the Rialto Bridge that was quite good.


One of my favorite things by far was the Euro Italia train. Electric, extremely quiet. Very comfortable. Fast. and with big windows to see the countryside. If the US had these trains I'd take them in a second over most hour to two hour air trips. FLorence to Rome on the train was spectacular. Sunflowers, olive trees and grapes as far as the eye can see.

MrBrian

Glad you liked it Pac...But were you able to do anything related to Ferrari/Lamborghini? I always gotta ask that question.

---

Italy really is such an amazing country. I was in love with it so much that I started to learn Italian...from an Italian dictionary at first! Nice language to communicate in. But I'm still not as fluent as I would like to be at this point in time.

Pacomc79

MrBrian wrote:

Glad you liked it Pac...But were you able to do anything related to Ferrari/Lamborghini? I always gotta ask that question.

---

Italy really is such an amazing country. I was in love with it so much that I started to learn Italian...from an Italian dictionary at first! Nice language to communicate in. But I'm still not as fluent as I would like to be at this point in time.

honestly, sitting at the train station in Bologonia thinking... boy this is what 20 minutes from Modena... I need to call my sister and get her friends number.... but it didn't work out. I actually saw more Mazareti's and only one lamborghini Gallardo. I was closer to a ride on a nice Ducati. Oh well.

next time we do the autostrada. I really would like to drive a smart equipped with nitrous though.

I HATED that I only knew english. I picked up quite a bit of italian but it would have been so much better had I known much more. Sure a lot of people speak english, and I would have annoyed my wife by reading everything had I known more Italian... but I feel like I cheated myself a bit by not learning more of the language before I went. Still, even with the language barrier, the people were really nice and incredibly accomodating. It's pretty obvious there is so much more to learn or experiences to be had in places where no one at all speaks much english all over the Italian countryside.

PJLaur

keeponrockin wrote:

Wasn't Siena absolutley breathtaking? Did you get the story of all the different parts of town (turtles, etc...) and the big horse race they have every year?

Siena was rockin! It was much more gothic than Florence, and hands down the interior of the duomo in Siena was the the most magnificent out of all the duomos I saw in my time there. I did not get all of the stories. What's this about turtles? I did hear about the horse race. I would've loved to have seen that.

small town beck

PJLaur wrote:

I didn't make it to Monterosso! Isn't that part of Cinque Terre? I made it to the other 4 villages, but had to make a train. I liked Vernazza(sp?).

I went to different parts of Tuscany, Siena, Umbria, Florence, Cinque Terre, Rome, Sperlonga....I think that's it?!

It is.. they said it was more touristy but we stayed in the older part and it was great. I loved Vernazza as well... had dinner there one night and it really was a highlight!

Loved Florence.. loved IT. Wish I could have spent more time there and Verona as AMAZING!!! Simply amazing.

I have to get back... ahhh Europe will have to wait until 2009 for me sadly!!

MrBrian

Pacomc79 wrote:

honestly, sitting at the train station in Bologonia thinking... boy this is what 20 minutes from Modena... I need to call my sister and get her friends number.... but it didn't work out. I actually saw more Mazareti's and only one lamborghini Gallardo. I was closer to a ride on a nice Ducati. Oh well.

next time we do the autostrada. I really would like to drive a smart equipped with nitrous though.

I HATED that I only knew english. I picked up quite a bit of italian but it would have been so much better had I known much more. Sure a lot of people speak english, and I would have annoyed my wife by reading everything had I known more Italian... but I feel like I cheated myself a bit by not learning more of the language before I went. Still, even with the language barrier, the people were really nice and incredibly accomodating. It's pretty obvious there is so much more to learn or experiences to be had in places where no one at all speaks much english all over the Italian countryside.

Yes! The Italian countryside.
---
btw, you got lots of pics of the trip I hope? You should post a couple if you can.

lmao...a Smart equipped with Nitrous, sounds dangerous...I like it.

Lostdoggie

The thing I liked best about Pisa is that it's close to Sienna. I loved Sienna because it still has a medival feel to it. Florence was amazing too.

PJLaur

Pacomc79 wrote:

Just got back. I loved that every city is walkable though Venice was by far my favorite in that stead because it scared me a lot less to walk around with less traffic and there seems to be something cool everywhere. It's so relaxed and laid back. The Plazzo Ducale (Doges Palace) was incredible and it pays to book online. Venice is so well signed and marked it's easy to negociate. Florence and Rome tend to not have enough signage and they have the frustrations of a name change every two blocks like most other modern cities. I think it would be fun to live in Venice most of the time. It's just expensive.

I loved Florence and Tuscany for virtually everything, arcitecture, art, local food. Walking and traffic takes a bit of getting used to as do the multitude of street vendors. (I don't want any roses or magnets or fake prada purses but thanks) I did tip most of the street musicians. Speaking of which the Medici's had a fine collection of musical instruments on display at the Gallery of the Academy (David) that I enjoyed seeing.

If you like artwork at all you'll love Italy. Arcitecture. Likewise. History. Impecable. Italy is a phenominally interesting place for a vast numbers of reasons.

Rome was probably my least favorite but amazing none the less.

One thing I think I most noticed was that you really need to take time to find the right place to eat. The tourist places are not unlike the tourist places here. The little Trattorias and Osterias and family owned restaurants were the best.

In Florence Terra Terra and Antique Barile were my favorite places to eat. Both small if not tiny spots on little alley's with tables out in the street.

In Rome there is a tremendous speghetti restaurant with a menu that reads like a novel and cheap excellent food. It's near the Trevi fountain on a little side street L Archetta I think.

Venecian food is not the best but we found a great lunch spot over in San Polo off of San Silvestre just a little Trattoria and there is a pretty nice seafood spot on the St Marks side of the Rialto Bridge that was quite good.


One of my favorite things by far was the Euro Italia train. Electric, extremely quiet. Very comfortable. Fast. and with big windows to see the countryside. If the US had these trains I'd take them in a second over most hour to two hour air trips. FLorence to Rome on the train was spectacular. Sunflowers, olive trees and grapes as far as the eye can see.

I traveled by myself to Italy. If there was something I could change about my trip, I would've gone to Venice. Then again, maybe it's best I save that for another time when I'm not by myself since it is the romance capitol and all.

Rome was amazing, but I must say I got overwhelmed by the Disney World-esque Tourist jungle there. I preferred Florence. Though, the colliseum was absolutely incredible.

luxpjamer

It's a beautiful contry, great towns, best food ever, very good wine, ... but it's obvious that the country is on way down and I hate the extremist thinking and the fact that a lot of the italians are still voting for communistic and fascist partiys...can't believe that there is still a member of the mussolini familly who's on electoral lists!!!!
And the italian T.V. is the biggest shit, it's like the italian government wants to make their people turn into idiots with no real culture exept boobs and foods.

But I don't want to miss the beautiful landscapes, citys ( Firenze is absolutely marvellous, Rome is big, Perugia is one of the cutest towns I've ever been.), the food culture,... and the raggazzas

xscorcho

ive been to italy twice... i dont understand the hype behind it... i prefer most other european countries to that one....

best thing: gelato
worst thing: the men are way too pushy

Glorified Irish Guy

i went to italy a few years ago on a school trip, worst experience of my life, i hated the place!!! I really want to go back after hearing how great it is, actually experience it properly on my own, but to me at the moment Italy sucks