Italy - Rome, Venice & Florence
- Thread starter curly
- Start date
Hi
I'm going this Jul to Rome, Venice & Florence too ... Train ticket is purchased by agency but hotel is on my own.
I will take a side trip by train to Pisa... most likely will book for the train ticket when I'm there.... I did the same thing when I was @ Denmark & Sweden... so should be okie... when you reach one place... you juz go over to the terminal before your trip to the next city and purchase for the train ticket you want lor... Not too sure if you can book online... you can find out more from travel guidebook if you want..
Hope that this is helpful.
By the way, I have booked for the following hotel, anyone stayed there before?
Rome : Hotel Dino
Florence : Hotel Ginori
Venice : Hotel Locanda Salieri
I'm going this Jul to Rome, Venice & Florence too ... Train ticket is purchased by agency but hotel is on my own.
I will take a side trip by train to Pisa... most likely will book for the train ticket when I'm there.... I did the same thing when I was @ Denmark & Sweden... so should be okie... when you reach one place... you juz go over to the terminal before your trip to the next city and purchase for the train ticket you want lor... Not too sure if you can book online... you can find out more from travel guidebook if you want..
Hope that this is helpful.
By the way, I have booked for the following hotel, anyone stayed there before?
Rome : Hotel Dino
Florence : Hotel Ginori
Venice : Hotel Locanda Salieri
bellebelle
New Member
b2,
I did mine F&E. I bought in Singapore from Travelex the Train tickets from city to city (e.g. Milan to Venice) but the local bus/train rides you can purchase the tickets there.
I did mine F&E. I bought in Singapore from Travelex the Train tickets from city to city (e.g. Milan to Venice) but the local bus/train rides you can purchase the tickets there.
Hi Yuki and Blushblush,
Thanks for the advice
I was looking at SA tours (and some other agencies) which sells airticket+ 4 nights accomodation + 4 days Trenitalia train pass, then I thought of finding the rest of the accomodation myself. I was just worried how to get from one place to another since the Trenitalia schedule is in Italian on the website, and I don't know how to get to the hostel from the train station (the instructions usually are for people who drive) 
I'll check out Travelex to see how I can plan my trip. Once again, thanks!
Thanks for the advice
I'll check out Travelex to see how I can plan my trip. Once again, thanks!
hi b2b5, the trenitalia site in english: http://www.trenitalia.it/en/index.html.
Hi Och, Thanks for the information
Does anyone know if it's cheaper to DIY or join Contiki? I worked out the prices for accomodation, airfare & 4 train tickets and it's already similar to what Contiki offers for a 12 day stay in Italy (Simply Italy Package)+ airfares + discounts. So I'm wondering if it's really better to DIY 'cos I will miss out on all the guided tours, meals and still have to worry about how to find each hotel and make it there in time for check-in. Any advice? Thanks
Does anyone know if it's cheaper to DIY or join Contiki? I worked out the prices for accomodation, airfare & 4 train tickets and it's already similar to what Contiki offers for a 12 day stay in Italy (Simply Italy Package)+ airfares + discounts. So I'm wondering if it's really better to DIY 'cos I will miss out on all the guided tours, meals and still have to worry about how to find each hotel and make it there in time for check-in. Any advice? Thanks
bellebelle
New Member
b2,
eeh... it all depends on what is your comfort zone. You'll definitely miss out on the guided tours etc but on F&E, you'll also get to interact with the locals more and get to see the unbeaten paths etc....
There are tourits information counters at all their major trains stations. What we did was at each stop, we'll always visit the counters and ask them for the local maps and how to get to our accomodations.
eeh... it all depends on what is your comfort zone. You'll definitely miss out on the guided tours etc but on F&E, you'll also get to interact with the locals more and get to see the unbeaten paths etc....
There are tourits information counters at all their major trains stations. What we did was at each stop, we'll always visit the counters and ask them for the local maps and how to get to our accomodations.
hi b2b5
i joined a cosmos tour in italy and i find it not bad as we have a lot of time on our own to go wandering about. Had the chance to take their public transport etc. We almost kenna pick-pocketed on the bus in rome...heehee. quite an experience.
for us, to join a land tour is not to worry abt transport within the cities and accomodation.
so it depends on what you want.
i joined a cosmos tour in italy and i find it not bad as we have a lot of time on our own to go wandering about. Had the chance to take their public transport etc. We almost kenna pick-pocketed on the bus in rome...heehee. quite an experience.
for us, to join a land tour is not to worry abt transport within the cities and accomodation.
so it depends on what you want.
Hi Touraco,
Thanks for sharing
After looking at all our options, we were also thinking of Cosmos 'cos we want to save the hassle of finding our own transport and accomodation. The only disadvantage is we can't stay longer at certain places.
Did you find the one day in Venice too short to see everything? I heard about Burano and Murano, but looking at the itenary, it seems like we may only have time for Venice alone.
Did you go for the 13day package that brings you all around Italy and have a 1 day excursion to Lugano in Switzerland? I'm looking at that package, but again, am not sure how much time we actually have at Lake Marggoire and in Lugano.
Thanks very much for sharing
Thanks for sharing
Did you find the one day in Venice too short to see everything? I heard about Burano and Murano, but looking at the itenary, it seems like we may only have time for Venice alone.
Did you go for the 13day package that brings you all around Italy and have a 1 day excursion to Lugano in Switzerland? I'm looking at that package, but again, am not sure how much time we actually have at Lake Marggoire and in Lugano.
Thanks very much for sharing
Hi Goldilocks and Touraco,
Thanks for sharing
I think I have 2 nights in Venice, but the first night is just "arrive there in time to sleep" kind of thing, so effectively I only have one day to see the whole place (I think they will bring us to see St Mark's Square and glass blowing demo). Hope the rest of the time enough to explore the whole of Venice as well as Burano and Murano.
I heard there's a museum there too where all the best art works are kept, then it sounds like we may not have time to see everything...
Any advice on how to squeeze in everything? Or what can we give a miss? Thanks a lot!
Thanks for sharing
I heard there's a museum there too where all the best art works are kept, then it sounds like we may not have time to see everything...
Any advice on how to squeeze in everything? Or what can we give a miss? Thanks a lot!
Actually, we bought the museum cum palace pass... if you are not into art pieces it is okie to skip cos we got museum fatigue after awhile. I remebered we went to Doggs Palace and Guggeiheim Collection (if you are a picasso lover)... but if you have just effectively one day there, maybe you should just concentrate on st marks square, rialto bridge and have a really nice dinner at night... the best way to experience will be to sit in a cafe or restaurant and absorb their culture n see the people walk by instead of trying to squeeze in evey thing n end up tired and not concentrating cos at the back of your mind, you keep wanting to chop chop finish n rush off to another place.
I remebered we just went in to a pub at night and my husband being a soccer fanatic was watching the soccer match n making a lot of noise together with the locals. Although i am not a soccer fan, it is still fun for me as the atmosphere is there(if you know what i mean)
I remebered we just went in to a pub at night and my husband being a soccer fanatic was watching the soccer match n making a lot of noise together with the locals. Although i am not a soccer fan, it is still fun for me as the atmosphere is there(if you know what i mean)
b2b5
yah...if you are not really into museums and arts,u can skip. we see until eyes blur blur and cannot remember where we see certain art pieces.
in venice, the most expensive pub is harry's bar which is near the place where u board the gondolas.
strictly speaking,we spend one day in venice as well. we are too lazy to go venture on the first night we are there.
in venice, we started off with a local guide explaining the square,the bascilica and then we went to the glass blowing factory (the famous murano glass).the glass is very expensive...think buy crystal better...hahahaha..we only bought a small glass horse.i bought some murano glass pendants to give to family and friends as well.
next we went for the gondola ride and thereafter some of my tour mates went to burano while the rest who did not go spend the time walking around in venice.
yah...if you are not really into museums and arts,u can skip. we see until eyes blur blur and cannot remember where we see certain art pieces.
in venice, the most expensive pub is harry's bar which is near the place where u board the gondolas.
strictly speaking,we spend one day in venice as well. we are too lazy to go venture on the first night we are there.
in venice, we started off with a local guide explaining the square,the bascilica and then we went to the glass blowing factory (the famous murano glass).the glass is very expensive...think buy crystal better...hahahaha..we only bought a small glass horse.i bought some murano glass pendants to give to family and friends as well.
next we went for the gondola ride and thereafter some of my tour mates went to burano while the rest who did not go spend the time walking around in venice.
Hi Goldilocks and Touraco,
Thanks for sharing
I will take note of the places that both of you mentioned so that I won't have to rush to see everything. I agree that it's better to at least enjoy the place and experience rather than to rush until can't enjoy or see much...I guess after a while, all the art pieces will start to look similar too & we can't remember where we saw what liao...
Thanks for sharing
Hi Icebaby
It really depend on what you wanna eat... the price range is really big...
Drinks are expensive over there... what we did was we bought a 1.5l coke or lemon tea... @ supermarket and bring it with us wherever we go.. each day, we buy 1 bottle and finish it lor... that would be cheaper... coz 1.5l is about e$1.5 but can of coke is also about that amt or more @ restaurant...
As for food... we spend abt e$10 each at most... for lunch... coz our lunch normally more causual... juz pizza... for dinner... can be more... we go for restaurants that service western food or finer fast food... which cost us about e$20 each... but of course, if u r interested in going fine dining for italian food, it will be even more expensive...
It really depend on what you wanna eat... the price range is really big...
Drinks are expensive over there... what we did was we bought a 1.5l coke or lemon tea... @ supermarket and bring it with us wherever we go.. each day, we buy 1 bottle and finish it lor... that would be cheaper... coz 1.5l is about e$1.5 but can of coke is also about that amt or more @ restaurant...
As for food... we spend abt e$10 each at most... for lunch... coz our lunch normally more causual... juz pizza... for dinner... can be more... we go for restaurants that service western food or finer fast food... which cost us about e$20 each... but of course, if u r interested in going fine dining for italian food, it will be even more expensive...
Hey girls,
I plan to go to Italy (Venice, Florence and Rome) then go to Greece after that. Do you think 2-3 weeks is enough for that? I know a bit rush but FH would really like to go to greece too.
Do you think 10k for 2 persons is enough for everything? F&E cheaper or go for contiki/trafulgar/insight tours?
I plan to go to Italy (Venice, Florence and Rome) then go to Greece after that. Do you think 2-3 weeks is enough for that? I know a bit rush but FH would really like to go to greece too.
Do you think 10k for 2 persons is enough for everything? F&E cheaper or go for contiki/trafulgar/insight tours?
hi icebaby,
do you mean bed & breakfast accommodations? I was looking through the internet and it ranges from USD$30-100+ so i guess they're a form of budget accommodation?
How about transportation? I plan to fly from singapore to venice then move down the country. How do you get from venice - forence - rome - athens - greek islands? sorry I a bit suaku... not too sure how the rail system works. And what type of railway pass do i need to get? They have so many types. so confusing...
Any help would be much appreciated
do you mean bed & breakfast accommodations? I was looking through the internet and it ranges from USD$30-100+ so i guess they're a form of budget accommodation?
How about transportation? I plan to fly from singapore to venice then move down the country. How do you get from venice - forence - rome - athens - greek islands? sorry I a bit suaku... not too sure how the rail system works. And what type of railway pass do i need to get? They have so many types. so confusing...
Any help would be much appreciated
bride (novia),
No. The ones that I have sourced are Hostels...not B&B. B&B are slightly more expensive, I rather save that money and eat abit better.
I am not sure about travelling from Rome to Greece leh. I know travelling in Italy can be easily done via train. Maybe u can try checking the rail pass. Or wait..give mi time to check and get back to u. But below is my plans so far.
For me, my trip is planned this way:
Day 1 - Sin to Paris
Day 2 - Reach Paris, stay in Paris
Day 3 - Paris
Day 4 - From Paris to Rome (Budget airline). Roam around Rome, stay in Rome
Day 5 - Travel to Naples (To visit Capri and Sorentto) via train. Stay in Naples for the night
Day 6 - Morning travel back to Rome
Day 7 - Rome
Day 8 - Take train to Pisa, then to Lucca, then to Florence. Stay in Florence.
Day 9 - Florence
day 10 - Take Train to Venice
Day 11 - Venice
Day 12 - Take train from Venice to Paris. Stay in Paris
Day 13 - Take plane back to Sin
Day 14 - Arrive back to Sin
Plans might change to exclude Paris...but so far, I find this is quite comprehensive for myself and hubby.
No. The ones that I have sourced are Hostels...not B&B. B&B are slightly more expensive, I rather save that money and eat abit better.
I am not sure about travelling from Rome to Greece leh. I know travelling in Italy can be easily done via train. Maybe u can try checking the rail pass. Or wait..give mi time to check and get back to u. But below is my plans so far.
For me, my trip is planned this way:
Day 1 - Sin to Paris
Day 2 - Reach Paris, stay in Paris
Day 3 - Paris
Day 4 - From Paris to Rome (Budget airline). Roam around Rome, stay in Rome
Day 5 - Travel to Naples (To visit Capri and Sorentto) via train. Stay in Naples for the night
Day 6 - Morning travel back to Rome
Day 7 - Rome
Day 8 - Take train to Pisa, then to Lucca, then to Florence. Stay in Florence.
Day 9 - Florence
day 10 - Take Train to Venice
Day 11 - Venice
Day 12 - Take train from Venice to Paris. Stay in Paris
Day 13 - Take plane back to Sin
Day 14 - Arrive back to Sin
Plans might change to exclude Paris...but so far, I find this is quite comprehensive for myself and hubby.
Checked.
You can
1) fly from Rome to Athens (http://www.europebyair.com/eba/English_us/default.jsp)
2) Eurorail pass (that allows u to travel to different countries)
I need more time to do the research.
Do you wish to email me instead? [email protected]
I will try to share with u as much as I know.
3)
You can
1) fly from Rome to Athens (http://www.europebyair.com/eba/English_us/default.jsp)
2) Eurorail pass (that allows u to travel to different countries)
I need more time to do the research.
Do you wish to email me instead? [email protected]
I will try to share with u as much as I know.
3)
hi bride,
which greek islands are you interested in? if you are going in summer and have time, you can also take the ferry from venice to corfu, one of the islands on the western coast of Greece. from corfu, you can move on to other islands in the ionian seas, and to either igoumenitsa (on the western mainland) or patras (peloponnese). the ferry ride will be long (> 1 day i think) but you can also take faster ferries from ports in southern italy (e.g. bari, ancona). the ferries have cabins where you can rest, so it will be a slightly different experience i think.
most tourists aim for islands in the cyclades (e.g. santorini or mykonos). from corfu, you will have probably hv to travel by land from igoumenitsa or patras to athens, then take ferries from the pireus port.
try http://www.ferries.gr/. the map of greece is here, in case i'm sound like i'm speaking greek.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapshells/europe/greece/greece.htm
which greek islands are you interested in? if you are going in summer and have time, you can also take the ferry from venice to corfu, one of the islands on the western coast of Greece. from corfu, you can move on to other islands in the ionian seas, and to either igoumenitsa (on the western mainland) or patras (peloponnese). the ferry ride will be long (> 1 day i think) but you can also take faster ferries from ports in southern italy (e.g. bari, ancona). the ferries have cabins where you can rest, so it will be a slightly different experience i think.
most tourists aim for islands in the cyclades (e.g. santorini or mykonos). from corfu, you will have probably hv to travel by land from igoumenitsa or patras to athens, then take ferries from the pireus port.
try http://www.ferries.gr/. the map of greece is here, in case i'm sound like i'm speaking greek.
Hey icebaby and och!
Thank you sooo much for your help! Really helped heaps! Icebaby, didn't know US$99 can fly from one country to another in europe! What a good deal! I send you an email last night.
Och, wah... thank you for your advice. Went to ferries.gr but got confused as i didn't know if there's boat between athens, mykonos, santorini and irakillion...
Thank you sooo much for your help! Really helped heaps! Icebaby, didn't know US$99 can fly from one country to another in europe! What a good deal! I send you an email last night.
Och, wah... thank you for your advice. Went to ferries.gr but got confused as i didn't know if there's boat between athens, mykonos, santorini and irakillion...
Went italy on a 2 weeks trip in Jul, DIY, didn't join any land tours.
However, I think if u want to cut down on cost, might be better to go with tours. Of cos, there's not much room to shift your itinerary or plan your time.
If you are planning to DIY, I would recommend you check out www.virtualtourist.com, www.tripadvisor.com on things to watch out and ideas, tips to help you plan. For accomodation, check out www.venere.com, it's a safe site to book accomodation and there are reviews to help you choose.
For food, if u wanna save money, eat sandwiches/pizza slices for meals. We ate at normal restaurants/cafes for all our meals and ended up spending quite a lot on food. Didn't get to eat much nice food, just like 1 or 2 of the restaurants even though most of the ones I went to were highly recommended by the guide books.
It's good to spend at least 2-3 days in each place, else there is probably going to be too much travelling which is very tiring.
Went to Milan(just half day), Venice, Dolomites(Italian Alps), Florence, Capri, Rome in 2 weeks and thought it was rather packed.
In fact my hubby was complaining it was too tiring. Using trains to get between the cities would be most convenient.
Capri is nice - but it's better to stay the night there than make a day trip... Accomodation on the island is quite expensive though. Stayed at La Floridiana(http://www.lafloridiana-capri.com) - quite nicely decorated with sea view. Heard La Minerva is quite good too.
Stayed in a nice and conveniently located B&B in Venice - Locanda Correr. Very nicely decorated, friendly proprietor & within walking distance to san marco sq but located in a back alley.(seems safe though). Good restaurants to try: Tratoria Do Forni(http://www.doforni.it) - food is good but moderately expensive. Pastas & risottos are nice. Osteria Rivetta (Campo San Filippo, Castello 4625) - reasonably priced and food is quite good.
For the museums in Florence and Rome, I would recommend you make advance reservations, else be prepared to queue for a few hrs, esp for popular museums like Ufizzi & Academia at Florence. Pre-book a vatican tour as well, it's more enjoyable with a tour guide. Good to have tourist maps or guidebooks. I think choosing the right location for accomodation is important, cos there will be lots n lots of walking, so good to stay near tourist sites or safer zones.
Hope the above info will be helpful for those who are going italy
However, I think if u want to cut down on cost, might be better to go with tours. Of cos, there's not much room to shift your itinerary or plan your time.
If you are planning to DIY, I would recommend you check out www.virtualtourist.com, www.tripadvisor.com on things to watch out and ideas, tips to help you plan. For accomodation, check out www.venere.com, it's a safe site to book accomodation and there are reviews to help you choose.
For food, if u wanna save money, eat sandwiches/pizza slices for meals. We ate at normal restaurants/cafes for all our meals and ended up spending quite a lot on food. Didn't get to eat much nice food, just like 1 or 2 of the restaurants even though most of the ones I went to were highly recommended by the guide books.
It's good to spend at least 2-3 days in each place, else there is probably going to be too much travelling which is very tiring.
Went to Milan(just half day), Venice, Dolomites(Italian Alps), Florence, Capri, Rome in 2 weeks and thought it was rather packed.
In fact my hubby was complaining it was too tiring. Using trains to get between the cities would be most convenient.
Capri is nice - but it's better to stay the night there than make a day trip... Accomodation on the island is quite expensive though. Stayed at La Floridiana(http://www.lafloridiana-capri.com) - quite nicely decorated with sea view. Heard La Minerva is quite good too.
Stayed in a nice and conveniently located B&B in Venice - Locanda Correr. Very nicely decorated, friendly proprietor & within walking distance to san marco sq but located in a back alley.(seems safe though). Good restaurants to try: Tratoria Do Forni(http://www.doforni.it) - food is good but moderately expensive. Pastas & risottos are nice. Osteria Rivetta (Campo San Filippo, Castello 4625) - reasonably priced and food is quite good.
For the museums in Florence and Rome, I would recommend you make advance reservations, else be prepared to queue for a few hrs, esp for popular museums like Ufizzi & Academia at Florence. Pre-book a vatican tour as well, it's more enjoyable with a tour guide. Good to have tourist maps or guidebooks. I think choosing the right location for accomodation is important, cos there will be lots n lots of walking, so good to stay near tourist sites or safer zones.
Hope the above info will be helpful for those who are going italy
Hi girls,
can i ask if you know if it's cheaper to go with tour groups like contiki and trafalgar and pay for air tickets OR go completely DIY.
Going by tour would save us the trouble of arranging hotels and easier to cope with the language barrier. But will be more ex than DIY. Since we're on a honeymoon, don't want to rush through also and heard contiki this kind of tour group quite relaxing one. Unlike the local tours
can i ask if you know if it's cheaper to go with tour groups like contiki and trafalgar and pay for air tickets OR go completely DIY.
Going by tour would save us the trouble of arranging hotels and easier to cope with the language barrier. But will be more ex than DIY. Since we're on a honeymoon, don't want to rush through also and heard contiki this kind of tour group quite relaxing one. Unlike the local tours
hi bride,
haha, it's difficult to make out greek city names since the translation n spelling can differ by quite a bit.
the port nearest athens is pireaus. it's abt 30min by subway from athens. there r (mulitple) daily ferries between pireaus n mykonos and pireaus n thira (santorini). there r services between mykonos n santorini in summer, but not in winter.
there r also direct ferries from santorini to heraklion. in winter, this service runs twice a week; in summer, it should be a lot more frequent.
hope this helps. if u want more info, there's another thread in singaporebrides on greece. i put some of my pictures there n i also described my trip to greece earlier this yr.
santorini is a beautiful place for honeymoon. crete has a very different feel from the rest of greece, n if u like the outdoors, visit the samaria gorge in summer. i went in winter, so the gorge was sadly closed.
there r pros n cons to joining tours (of any form). it's really a matter of preference n ur mentality when travelling. i'm a diy'er but if u r a more kan cheong person, diy travels during peak season in a country whose language u don't speak can be too stressful. u can relieve stress by booking all hotels n ferry rides beforehand. but honestly lah, usually the trouble is not with the touristy stuff, like hotels n ferry rides, but with negotiating local transport, where the chances of getting lost n panicking are higher.
diy may or may not be cheaper. it depends on how much of the travel is by land (where the tours can exploit economies of scale to hire buses), n how fussy u r abt food n accomodations.
haha, it's difficult to make out greek city names since the translation n spelling can differ by quite a bit.
the port nearest athens is pireaus. it's abt 30min by subway from athens. there r (mulitple) daily ferries between pireaus n mykonos and pireaus n thira (santorini). there r services between mykonos n santorini in summer, but not in winter.
there r also direct ferries from santorini to heraklion. in winter, this service runs twice a week; in summer, it should be a lot more frequent.
hope this helps. if u want more info, there's another thread in singaporebrides on greece. i put some of my pictures there n i also described my trip to greece earlier this yr.
santorini is a beautiful place for honeymoon. crete has a very different feel from the rest of greece, n if u like the outdoors, visit the samaria gorge in summer. i went in winter, so the gorge was sadly closed.
there r pros n cons to joining tours (of any form). it's really a matter of preference n ur mentality when travelling. i'm a diy'er but if u r a more kan cheong person, diy travels during peak season in a country whose language u don't speak can be too stressful. u can relieve stress by booking all hotels n ferry rides beforehand. but honestly lah, usually the trouble is not with the touristy stuff, like hotels n ferry rides, but with negotiating local transport, where the chances of getting lost n panicking are higher.
diy may or may not be cheaper. it depends on how much of the travel is by land (where the tours can exploit economies of scale to hire buses), n how fussy u r abt food n accomodations.
Hi och,
wow! Thank you for the good advice! Now i'm getting a clearer picture of greece's ferry system already
I will be going in dec/jan time so will be winter... off peak season i think. shucks... then must from athens go mykonos then back to athens then to santorini. quite mah fan but thankfully from santorini got ferry direct to crete.
Ok will check out your greece trip on the greece thread. Hmm.. initially i wanted to DIY but then my FH says won't be as stressful if we follow groups like contiki or trafalgar. Just need to figure out how to get there and meet them. The rest they will settle like accomodation, some meals and the tourist spots.
Och, could you maybe send me your itinerary? my email is [email protected]
Much appreciated cos i am still keen on DIY-ing but apprehensive cos scared we get lost etc.
wow! Thank you for the good advice! Now i'm getting a clearer picture of greece's ferry system already
Ok will check out your greece trip on the greece thread. Hmm.. initially i wanted to DIY but then my FH says won't be as stressful if we follow groups like contiki or trafalgar. Just need to figure out how to get there and meet them. The rest they will settle like accomodation, some meals and the tourist spots.
Och, could you maybe send me your itinerary? my email is [email protected]
Much appreciated cos i am still keen on DIY-ing but apprehensive cos scared we get lost etc.
bride,
there are actually afew budget airlines.
For me, I am probably will take ryan air from Paris to Rome, and Venice to Paris. Hopefully can get good airfares during that time.
I haven't have much time to do anymore research. As for travelling, it all depends on people. If you intend to packed everything in one day might be very tired.
For us, we probably will do alot of walking and taking their metro around to view places. For food, we will be bring some instant noodles or porriage or rice to cook so we don't get bored with italian food. Will cook in hostels and rest alot at night at the hostel.
Only issue with hostel is privacy unless u are willing to pay abit better to get a double.
For us, i rather forgo the good sleeping double and afford a better meal.
So far my estimate is that I will spend about $5k (for 2 person) and $1k for allowance in case for food, accomodation, or misc screw ups (and incase airline prices shoot up)!
Sorry to add on. A fren of mine said that Capri is really nice. But staying on the island is really expensive and suggest that we take a day trip. Hence the reason I decided to stay at Naples instead. Naples is far cheaper in terms of accomodation. And the accomodation can range from e50 onwards for double bedder (I think that's the price of the hostel that I found, for twin sharing with bath).
there are actually afew budget airlines.
For me, I am probably will take ryan air from Paris to Rome, and Venice to Paris. Hopefully can get good airfares during that time.
I haven't have much time to do anymore research. As for travelling, it all depends on people. If you intend to packed everything in one day might be very tired.
For us, we probably will do alot of walking and taking their metro around to view places. For food, we will be bring some instant noodles or porriage or rice to cook so we don't get bored with italian food. Will cook in hostels and rest alot at night at the hostel.
Only issue with hostel is privacy unless u are willing to pay abit better to get a double.
For us, i rather forgo the good sleeping double and afford a better meal.
So far my estimate is that I will spend about $5k (for 2 person) and $1k for allowance in case for food, accomodation, or misc screw ups (and incase airline prices shoot up)!
Sorry to add on. A fren of mine said that Capri is really nice. But staying on the island is really expensive and suggest that we take a day trip. Hence the reason I decided to stay at Naples instead. Naples is far cheaper in terms of accomodation. And the accomodation can range from e50 onwards for double bedder (I think that's the price of the hostel that I found, for twin sharing with bath).
hi bride, sent liao.
i skipped visiting mykonos precisely bcos it's difficult to fit mykonos in. mykonos is the only island we could find ferry links to delos, supposedly the birthplace of apollo, the capital of the delian league n the reason that the cyclades were so named (they circle delos). but had to skip lah, cos it will take way too much time to ferry back to pireaus, then wait overnight for another ferry out to santorini n crete.
hi icebaby,
wow, $5k for 2 pple?! i really take my hat off to u.
last yr, i tried planning for a trip to rome, venice n florence last dec around xmas time, but changed my plans cos it was so ex n rooms were not available. i estimated S$3k+ for 9 days (same duration as u), inclusive of airfares, food, accomodations etc. i was planning on staying in private rooms in hostels lah, but we had 4 pple, so the difference per pax compared ur case isn't that great.
i skipped visiting mykonos precisely bcos it's difficult to fit mykonos in. mykonos is the only island we could find ferry links to delos, supposedly the birthplace of apollo, the capital of the delian league n the reason that the cyclades were so named (they circle delos). but had to skip lah, cos it will take way too much time to ferry back to pireaus, then wait overnight for another ferry out to santorini n crete.
hi icebaby,
wow, $5k for 2 pple?! i really take my hat off to u.
last yr, i tried planning for a trip to rome, venice n florence last dec around xmas time, but changed my plans cos it was so ex n rooms were not available. i estimated S$3k+ for 9 days (same duration as u), inclusive of airfares, food, accomodations etc. i was planning on staying in private rooms in hostels lah, but we had 4 pple, so the difference per pax compared ur case isn't that great.
bride,
if cannot book by there. Try ryan air...or try asking on virtualtourist for advice.
People will normally respond there.
och,
heeheee....i plan cheap mah. I rather leave more allowance for screw ups, entrance fees, etc. At least, don't have to worry about having to take cash out when there. My fren WARNED mi not to take cash from ATM...u lose out alot in exchange rates.
So Och...still planning to go?
I hoping AirFrance and Qatar wil have those fares at the end of the year. I checked with Airfrance...they allow different places for boarding. I.e. if I want to travel to Paris, then leave from Venice, it is possible.
If this way, I can save at least another S$100+.
if cannot book by there. Try ryan air...or try asking on virtualtourist for advice.
People will normally respond there.
och,
heeheee....i plan cheap mah. I rather leave more allowance for screw ups, entrance fees, etc. At least, don't have to worry about having to take cash out when there. My fren WARNED mi not to take cash from ATM...u lose out alot in exchange rates.
So Och...still planning to go?
I hoping AirFrance and Qatar wil have those fares at the end of the year. I checked with Airfrance...they allow different places for boarding. I.e. if I want to travel to Paris, then leave from Venice, it is possible.
hi icebaby,
not this yr i think. i already took 2 long holidays this yr
, don't hv the money or leave to go for more liao. but maybe 2nd half next yr, since i haven't decided where to go next yr.
can share share your budget n itin? my email is [email protected].
not this yr i think. i already took 2 long holidays this yr
hi everyone! This thread has not been moving for the past month... hey och, FH and I decided no to go to Greece liao. We decided to leave that for first year anniversary. We'll concentrate on italy for now. Rome, venice and florence. Thinking whether or not to go with Cosmos (budget) or trafalgar/insight (premium) cos there are pros and cons for each. Then extend a couple more days to visit pompeii and other cities. Anyone with an opinion on this? Please help! Thanks
verylastminute
New Member
Hi bride, I was tempted to go with insight when I was stressed with my wedding preps and all the promo fares seemed to be full for the dates we wanted. Thought then maybe it'd just be easier to go on tour. But I'm glad we decided to DIY it instead. Have just returned last week from my honeymoon to those cities. Had a great time. Took our time going through the museums and just exploring the streets. For the more adventurous, I would highly recommend it. When are you going?
hi verylastminute, I'll be going in dec 06, hope to spend christmas in rome. Can you share your itinerary with me? We're worried about DIY-ing cos we've never been to italy before and we're afraid of losing our way. Isn't it more mah fan to lug the lugguage everywhere too? Not sure how DIY works. Can you advise?
How about hotels to stay and what to do? How much did you spend in total and how long did you go for?
So sorry for bombarding you with questions
How about hotels to stay and what to do? How much did you spend in total and how long did you go for?
So sorry for bombarding you with questions
verylastminute
New Member
Hi bride, note that I said "for the more adventurous". It is quite troublesome lugging the luggage up and down the trains, and dragging them to the hotels (which we have to wander around to find). But it's quite fun. Note that a good guide book is absolutely essential as language is a bit of a problem.
I spent 10 days there, flew into Rome, spent 2 nights, then 2 nights in Venice, 2 nights in Florence and 2 nights in Siena. Then back to Rome for a final night. Think we spent less than 10k in total (could have been cheaper, but we didn't go too budget on hotels and food as we were on our HM).
You have to be alert in Italy too 'cos pickpockets are a big problem.
I spent 10 days there, flew into Rome, spent 2 nights, then 2 nights in Venice, 2 nights in Florence and 2 nights in Siena. Then back to Rome for a final night. Think we spent less than 10k in total (could have been cheaper, but we didn't go too budget on hotels and food as we were on our HM).
You have to be alert in Italy too 'cos pickpockets are a big problem.
hi all,
I went to Italy also and visited only Rome and pompeii for 4 days. I think it is very tiring. i completely DIY and managed to catch all the major attractions. But A LOT of WALKING!! I agree with verylastminute, that if you are adventours, go for DIY, if not, i think it will be better to join tours.
Also packing light really helps. Take a trolley luggage as it is much easier to lug around.
Yeah pickpockets are plentiful especially in roman forum. and Italians are a rude bunch. Just do not be intimidated by them.
I went to Italy also and visited only Rome and pompeii for 4 days. I think it is very tiring. i completely DIY and managed to catch all the major attractions. But A LOT of WALKING!! I agree with verylastminute, that if you are adventours, go for DIY, if not, i think it will be better to join tours.
Also packing light really helps. Take a trolley luggage as it is much easier to lug around.
Yeah pickpockets are plentiful especially in roman forum. and Italians are a rude bunch. Just do not be intimidated by them.
verylastminute
New Member
Yes, a trolley luggage (the 4-wheel ones that turn are best) is quite vital.
hi verylastminute and pepe, thanks for the advise! Hmm... we like to be adventurous and go DIY but we were thinking that since it's our honeymoon, we would like to relax and not worry about where to go, train to catch, language etc... Will prob look at the cosmos, trafalgar etc tours cos I think they're still better than the local operators, not so rush. What do you think?
So if we set aside 10k, should be enough? Where did you girls get your air tickets (SIN-ROME) from? Zuji.com seems to be the cheapest and most reliable?
So if we set aside 10k, should be enough? Where did you girls get your air tickets (SIN-ROME) from? Zuji.com seems to be the cheapest and most reliable?
verylastminute
New Member
Hi bride, I actually found the thought of a tour more stressful 'cos the times are fixed and everything. Thought it would be nicer to cover fewer places, and leave ourselves some flexibility too.
How long is your trip?
How long is your trip?
verylastminute
New Member
Hmmm... I dunno how to estimate. I guess $10k should be enough, depending on the type of hotels you stay in, and not including shopping?
I only went for about 10 days. But we did a bit of shopping as well.
I only went for about 10 days. But we did a bit of shopping as well.
hi bride,
i bought my europe ticket when malayisa airline was having promo (somewhere in mar every yr). I just bought tickets to australia from zuji and i think their service is good and reliable.
i think 10k is more than sufficient if one is not extravagant on accommodation and food. i did shopping also! very satisfied. i agree with verylastminute that i do not like to join tours bcos i have to get up very early and have to stick to the timing. i took my time to shop and enjoy the surroundings. but i definitely will come back to italy when i have time bcos i have not finish exploring yet!!
i bought my europe ticket when malayisa airline was having promo (somewhere in mar every yr). I just bought tickets to australia from zuji and i think their service is good and reliable.
i think 10k is more than sufficient if one is not extravagant on accommodation and food. i did shopping also! very satisfied. i agree with verylastminute that i do not like to join tours bcos i have to get up very early and have to stick to the timing. i took my time to shop and enjoy the surroundings. but i definitely will come back to italy when i have time bcos i have not finish exploring yet!!
hi verylastminute,
oh no... looks like i either have to cut down on my number of days or increase my budget... FH just decided he wants to go for trafalgar
He prefers their itinerary and hotels as well.
hi pepe,
do you think 10k would be enough for a trafalgar tour including expenditure? Maybe you can tell me how much money you spent on food and shopping?
oh no... looks like i either have to cut down on my number of days or increase my budget... FH just decided he wants to go for trafalgar
hi pepe,
do you think 10k would be enough for a trafalgar tour including expenditure? Maybe you can tell me how much money you spent on food and shopping?