As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I’m making my first-ever trip to Europe next month–two weeks of solo backpacking/hosteling in Italy. I have a few questions to submit to your humble opinions:
–Should I get travel insurance? For $64, I can get a standard travel insurance package (including that creepy provision about “Emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains”, aka “Haul your carcass back to the States”) along with trip cancellation, basic accident/sickness, and $1000 worth of coverage for lost or stolen baggage. Sounds like a good deal, but I’m always wary.
–Should I go to Sicily? My itinerary is fairly open as of now–flying in and out of Rome, going to see Bjork (hopefully) in Parma on 11/8, otherwise up in the air. I am planning to head up from Rome to Cinque Terre, Florence, Siena, and Venice, as well as some of the smaller towns in among them. This easily makes two weeks. Should I try to make it all the way down to Sicily if time permits?
I’m sure I’ll have more questions as I pack and make final plans, so I’ll ask them when they arise.
[li] Bring lots of money. Things are pretty expensive there the last time I checked.[/li]
[li] Bring a camera, you’ll want pictures. Leave all of your film in the sealed box for transit through baggage checks.[/li]
[li] If you don’t speak Italian, get a phrase book and bone up a little. Nothing warms up the people of a country more than if you make an effort to learn the language.[/li]
[li] Pack lightly with lots of mix and match clothing. Make sure to have one decent outfit in case you’re invited somewhere nice.[/li]
[li] If you have some specific hosts, bring nice American gifts. Mag Lites are always swell. Be sure to carry one yourself as they are very handy.[/li]PS: Please email me with your travel insurance link. I’m looking into it myself for an upcoming trip.
Mmm… I personally think travel insurance is a waste of time. However, that’s cause I don’t worry about what might happen, even when I should. I’ve found Europe to be quite safe, and I wouldn’t bother with insurance. But it’s only $64, so if that will make you worry less, go for it.
As for Sicily, I’d save it for later. Assuming you’re not flying, the trip by train and ferry takes most of a day, even if you start from Naples (the southernmost major city). It’d take significantly longer from Rome or points north. Then, you’d have to spend at least two or three days in Sicily to justify the time spent getting there. I wouldn’t go unless I could devote four or five days to it.
And for my own suggestions, do the following:
[ul]
[li]Go to a vineyard in Tuscany for a winetasting (Montepulciano is a good one, as are about a hundred others, I’m sure).[/li][li]If the special Caravagio exibit is still up in Rome (it was earlier this summer, right around the Plaza Victoria, big posters up all over, can’t miss it) go see it.[/li][li]Don’t miss the Borghese Gallery while in Rome, it’s a little outside of the city but very much worth the trip for the incredible Bernini sculptures.[/li][li]Rent a scooter and zip around the country-side for a day. Don’t do this in a city like Rome or Florence. An island like Elba is great for this.[/li][li]Go see a soccer game (not sure if this is in-season).[/li][li]Don’t eat meals within 100 yards of famous landmarks. Prices, atmosphere and food generally get much better just a bit away from the main crowd.[/li][li]Enter St. Peter’s Basilica at 5-5:30 pm just as the sunbeams are pouring through the three huge windows over the main nave and mass is being sung. It’s enough to make an atheist convert.[/li][li]Get some gelato![/li][/ul]
If you have any other questions, let me know, I love excuses to talk about my travels and seem worldly.
Are you a student or under 25? if so contact your nearest Council Travel office and get yourself a ISIC or IYIC (International Student Identity card or IYouthIC). First, off, the card can be used to receive the many student and youth discounts available in Europe, second, it is a second form of photo ID in case you need it, and lastly, it provides a basic level of travel insurance, including the ever popular “medevac” and “repatriation of remains” clauses.
I only spent three days in Italy this summer, but I learned a few things:
definitely buy an Italian phrase book and memorize the most important words. Italians are often not willing to speak English with tourists, even if they know it.
for the conversion rate from lire to dollars, drop three zeroes and divide by two.
a lot of churches will kick you out if you’re showing your shoulders and/or knees (although you probably won’t have to worry about this in November)
don’t count on hostels for your accomodations. Owing to the “good health and fresh air” attitude in which hostels originated, many times they’re far away from the city center, and by the time you reach your destination you’ll be too tired to walk there. Don’t make reservations (especially online) because you will undoubtedly cancel them and lose money. Be adventurous and stay at a crappy hotel where the proprietor doesn’t speak English (buy a bottle of gin to help you though - what a damn good memory for me!).
Things specific to Rome (the only place I went):
you MUST see the Forum, and you MUST read up on it before you go or tag along with a tour group, or else you’ll have no idea what everything is.
I second the “get some gelato!” Ten times better than ordinary European ice cream.
people drive like maniacs, so be careful crossing the streets.
places not to go: the Palatine Hill (entrance inside the Forum - just a bunch of brick ruins and a crappy museum) and the Terme Caracalla (a bunch of - yet again - old brick ruins).
if you want to see the Sistine Chapel, you’ll have to go through a maze of old papal apartments. Take time to look at the paintings, because they’re damn cool (Raphael’s “School of Athens” is on one wall. I didn’t know this, and at one point I looked up and, damn, “School of Athens”!). You’re not allowed to talk in the Sistine Chapel itself. If anyone shushes you, smack him, because he’s probably the dude who shushed me. Bastard.
Just relax and enjoy the city. One of my favorite memories is sitting in a park near San Giovanni Laterano and watching little kids throw water from a fountain at each other.
Oh yeah, the fountains. Rome has public fountains every few squares or so. Bring a sturdy water bottle - the water is safe to drink and it’s better than paying for it around the tourist attractions.
This atheist didn’t convert when she walked into St. Peter’s. But maybe it’s because I visited around 1 in the afternoon.
Errrr…if you’re staring out in Rome and looking to head for Venice and Florence, you’ll find that Sicily’s in the OTHER direction. WAY the hell in the other direction.
Sicily’s great (particularly Enna and Cefalu…and the seafood…and the pizza), and going that way from Rome and/or Naples can take you along the breathtaking Amalfi Coast, but trying to squeeze both Venice and Sicily into one trip would be a mistake.
Go north this time…and DO drink lots of wine in Tuscany…and save the south for another expedition.
I actually already have an ISIC, since I got my plane ticket from Council Travel. I had forgotten that it includes basic health/carcass-hauling benefits. The main reason I would get it is so I would worry less about being robbed, given Italy’s reputation for petty crime. Then again, the only thing of much value that I’m taking with me is my camera.
I have been working on my Italian, and I have the Lonely Planet phrasebook. I also have a great book called “Wicked Italian”, which includes sections on meaningful things to say about olive oil (“One taste tells you the olives grew in full view of the cathedral.”), lying to the police (“I thought the light was green.”), and phrases to help you sit by yourself on the train (“Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal saviour?” “Let’s talk about your insurance needs.”)
I probably won’t make it to Sicily. If I just get a hankering for some warmer weather and less touristy surroundings, I may head south, but probably not. (I love no-itinerary travel!)
Zenster, the travel insurance was through Council Travel. That price was for an 8-15 day trip. And believe me, I wouldn’t even consider walking out my front door without a Mag-Lite on my person.
I made reservations for my first couple of nights in Rome at a hostel called The Beehive–anyone heard of it?
Does anyone have any experience with the Kilometric ticket? I think it will be a far better deal for me than the Rail Card, or buying tickets separately.
Pushing this back to the top because I’m leaving Thursday!
The rough itinerary includes Rome, Cinque Terre, Parma (to see Bjork in concert!), Venice, Florence, Siena, and back to Rome. All with plenty of time to explore the countryside, particularly in Tuscany.
Did you finally take the insurance? If not, check what kind of credit card you have, they offer insurance for free, most likely a travel insurance is in there. I had a visa and they did it, and I know American Express does it too.
YOu should call your card company and ask them.
What town of the Cinque Terre are you staying in? I think that Vernaza is the best. Quite beautiful, very quaint, no cars, great restaurants and bars. If you stay in Vernaza, eat at the restaurant in the castle overlooking the ocean on the South side of town. Great food and great views.
Plus, the hike between the cities is awesome. They don’t have the same ideas of safety, with the trail being all of 1 foot wide and on a cliff side in places. But, it’s fun and exhilirating.
If you get time, head from Venice to Castlefranco, from there, catch a cab to Asolo. I spent three months studying there in '97. It’s, without a doubt, the most beautiful city I’ve ever been in.
Watch out for con artists by the train station. Don’t let anyone help you with your bags. Watch out for the children with newspapers and cardboard who run up to you and surround you; they’re trying to pick your pockets.
I can’t give you advice about breaking into the colosseum at night to take pictures. It would be bad for you if you were caught.
There is a cemetary east of Rome that I spent a day exploring. I wish I could remember the name.
Have a great time, and have a scoop of gelato for me.
Once my boss (an industrial refrigeration engineer) did a favor for a guy who ran a specialty import shop. The guy sent us a box of stuff from Italy as a thank-you gift. A bottle of wine, a sausage, and a big wheel of pure ambrosia in the form of genuine aged Parmesan cheese. This stuff resembled the Parmesan available at Safeway, etc. in the same way that the Cistine Chapel resembles a 4-year-old’s sidewalk chalk drawing. It was so damn delicious, it would have been a waste to put it on anything. I ate it straight, like candy. I do not even have words to describe it’s wonderfulness.
Wish I could remember the brand name.
Hmm…when you’re in the Florence area, see if you can hop over to San Gimignano. It’s a beautiful small little town. It can get fairly touristy, but I think that in November it won’t be as bad. It’s unfortunate you can’t tour Southern Italy. Sorrento and Capri are very nice places. I highly recommened getting lost in the many twisty, maze-like backstreets of Capri.
Oh, and another vote for eating lots and lots of gelato.
In Florence, make a special trip to the Museum of History of Science (Museo di Storia della Scienza). It has some interesting, and very old, medical exhibits, and a collection of the Medicis’ astronomy, weather, and other instruments. Pretty cool stuff, even if the english version of the read-it-yourself-guide is a little lacking.
Also, there’s Galileo’s middle finger, preserved for posterity. How can you pass that up?
Most of the museums in Rome are closed on Monday. Knowing a little Italian is great. The locals love it when you at least try to speak a little Italian. I agree that going to Sicily would be a bit much. Go to Capri instead. I liked the Palatine hill. They do charge 12,000 lira but its really quiet. I pretty much had the whole place to myself the day I went. And, everyone is right about the gelato. Eat as much as you can.
