April Trip to Italy - Suggestions?

Chip,

my wife and I have been to Italy 3x and have stayed all times in the area where you will be.
As the Ferrari tour goes all you need to do is call FoW and give them your vin# and a copy of your insurance card. This will get you a tour.....

The hills around Lucca are fantastic! Also I would recommend Lucca itself (walled city), San Gimigiano and if time permits you must take the boat to cinque terra....its incredible.

Heres a few pics to wet your whistle.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

that is so beautiful

 

Highly recommend Villa San Michelle above Florence.

http://www.villasanmichele.com/

Breathtaking views, food, service, accommodations and....price. I would also recommend taking their cooking school if you are into that sort of adventure.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

IMO, Florence is the best city that I've visited in Italy.

Accommodations:
The first time two times I stayed at a hostel, but then found a nice bed and breakfast on the third visit. It was right across from the Duomo, which is a nice view. The only bad thing was there was a bar 2 floors below, but the noise wasn't enough to ruin our night. Check out the link below. The best area to stay in for convenience to shops and main attractions is near the Duomo, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, and Piazza della Signoria. I haven't stayed on the other side of the Arno where the Medicci Palace is located (a must see) because it doesn't seem very safe at night.

bed-and-breakfast-in-italy dot com

Food:
For a cheap and excellent meal, visit Ristoranti Osteria Zio Gigi - Specialita' Toscane (Via Folco Portinari, 7-red, 50122 Firenze Florenz, Italy). It's right behind the Duomo and you can get a 3 course lunch/dinner for about $20 per person with red wine! For a nice lunch/dinner, visit goldenviewopenbar dot com. They have great wild boar! Also its on the Arno River looking at the Ponte Vecchih, when you see the Ponte Vecchio, you'll see that it is rather tall. The reason for that is that its a secret passage. The Medici family created a passage from the Medici Palace to the Piazza della Signoria. Other than that, we just ate pizza and whatever we could find (college student budget).

Are you going to any major art galleries such as the Uffizi? If so, buy tickets now. There will be many spring breakers from European countries with tons of high school teens. you may be waiting up to 3-4 hours just to get into the Uffizi. Go to the Uffiz's website, uffizi dot com and make a reservation.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Abe

 

Italy is awesome

1 of my best friends is living in Rome now

Sounds like a gret excuse to go visit the Eternal City

 

Agreed with everything posted so far, especially the Cinque Terre. But take the road there, it's a true Italian experience. I'd take the train from Venice to Florence because that would be a really long car ride. If you have time, take the Chiantigiana south out of Florence to Siena and visit some vineyards. Castellina in Chianti is a phenomenal village, you'll drive right thru it on that road. Siena is a must see and I had some of the best food of my life in Assisi.

 

heres a few more
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I did exactly that this past summer. (Except it was August, so no tour).

I stayed in Florence; and then on my way up to Venice, I stayed in Bologna for a night. From Bologna it is a very short drive (50 minutes) to Maranello. I went right to the factory and hung out at the Museum and the Ferrari shop. It's very easy and any map or navigation system will take you right there. Even if you cannot arrange for a tour, stopping at the Ferrari factory is a must. You will be very glad you did. For example -- this summer, I saw a prototype 458 Italia. If you hang out in front of the Ferrari gate, you will see a Ferrari go in and out of there every 2 minutes. The passion and legend of Ferrari will run through your veins!

I don't know what someone meant when he stated that it is a "very long car ride" up to Venice from Florence. It's a little more than 3 hours at conservative driving speeds.

Had I had more time, I would have checked out the Lamborghini factory (between Bologna and Modena) as well as the Maserati factory in Modena.

While Venice is an amazing place and romantic (especially for a woman), as a man you will likely get tired of the shops, the prices, and the crowds after one day. In a short while you will have experienced Venice -- it doesn't take days or weeks. So I'd say 2 nights (or 3 maximum) for Venice. Florence is a bit more like the real world, so you could spend 2-3 nights there and not want to kill yourself.

Bologna will offer you "real Italy." It is far from fancy, but it is a cute little city that might offer a convenient stopover if you'd like to spend a day (or two) seeing all these car factories in the area. Florence and Venice are like fairy tale destinations -- not really Italy. Venice is like Las Vegas or Disney World; Florence is like -- well, I cannot think of a good analogy. If possible, I would include Rome in your trip.

I also have read that Padova (near Florence) is an amazing Italian city and a wonderful destination.

I figured I would give the full writeup for the benefit of others reading. I am aware from your post that you have been to Italy many times, and so I imagine you may know already the things I am communicating. I am also aware that you might disagree with them

 

Very cool post, I'll be there in May. Going on a mediterranean cruise with my family, Barcelona to Monaco to Florence to Rome to Naples to Palma. Only 1 day in each port but it will give us a good idea of all the places so we can plan something a little longer next year.

 

I reccomend that you go a bit south into Tuscany and go to Badia Coltibouno... great wine, but the olive oil is really something else! Its a Medici owned wine and oil farm, based in a 14th century monastary / fortress.

 

My girlfriend has been to Italy,Ill ask her