Tips & Tricks: Italy
October 11, 2018 7:24 AM Subscribe
I'm leaving this weekend for 10 days in Italy with my mom. We're going to Rome, Florence, and Venice. I usually do exhaustive research before I go on vacation but I haven't had time. Please assume we're already doing the heavy hitters as far as museums & sights to see - but what else would you recommend?
Restaurants, off the beaten path stuff, etc. Recs for good day trips from any of these cities would be great too. My mom is 67 so no hiking up mountains or anything. We are getting around using trains, no car.
I know similar questions have been asked before but not for a few years. Thanks!
Restaurants, off the beaten path stuff, etc. Recs for good day trips from any of these cities would be great too. My mom is 67 so no hiking up mountains or anything. We are getting around using trains, no car.
I know similar questions have been asked before but not for a few years. Thanks!
Katie Parla is an amazing resource for food in rome and beyond - we bought her (cheap) app and it was great.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 8:21 AM on October 11, 2018
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 8:21 AM on October 11, 2018
For Venice, get a vaporetto travelcard that covers your entire stay. Those bridges can be murder on knees and there's a bridge every 20 metres. The vaporettos are amazingly frequent, though they can get very crowded. Be sure you're holding on to something if you don't have a seat.
A ride on the #1 vaporetto on the Canale Grande is a good introduction to Venice, but if you're getting on at Ferrovia or later, the tourists can clog the boats towards San Marco to the point no-one can get on - the trick we found is to take the #1 the other way, to Piazzale Roma (first stop of the #1) and easily claim a bow seat on the empty boat, with the best views for photos.
If you're changing vaporettos at Fondamente Nuove, nip over to that giant Jesuit church that's like 20 metres inland from the vaporetto stop. It's less popular than the main ones, but an absolutely stunning baroque giant.
And I recommend a few hours over in Giudecca, across from San Marco. At least this spring it was 95% tourist-free, actual residential Venice and much more magical than the main island.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 8:59 AM on October 11, 2018
A ride on the #1 vaporetto on the Canale Grande is a good introduction to Venice, but if you're getting on at Ferrovia or later, the tourists can clog the boats towards San Marco to the point no-one can get on - the trick we found is to take the #1 the other way, to Piazzale Roma (first stop of the #1) and easily claim a bow seat on the empty boat, with the best views for photos.
If you're changing vaporettos at Fondamente Nuove, nip over to that giant Jesuit church that's like 20 metres inland from the vaporetto stop. It's less popular than the main ones, but an absolutely stunning baroque giant.
And I recommend a few hours over in Giudecca, across from San Marco. At least this spring it was 95% tourist-free, actual residential Venice and much more magical than the main island.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 8:59 AM on October 11, 2018
Best answer: +1 on Katie Parla for Rome--used her book, app, and Eater guides. Make a reservation now for her oft-recommended Da Cesare and Roscioli if they seem interesting to you--I tried to send a friend and they were all booked up, a week out.
I also bought the Rick Steves app and used it as an audiotour for the major sites in both Rome and Florence--well worth the money.
Good day trips from Rome: Sperlonga, Ostia Antica, Orvieto.
posted by trixie119 at 9:06 AM on October 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
I also bought the Rick Steves app and used it as an audiotour for the major sites in both Rome and Florence--well worth the money.
Good day trips from Rome: Sperlonga, Ostia Antica, Orvieto.
posted by trixie119 at 9:06 AM on October 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you are able to do the evening/night tour of the Vatican museums, it is (slightly) less crowded than the daytime tours.
Pisa and Siena are both easy train journeys from Florence. About 1-1.5 hours each. We did both in a day (Siena in the morning, Pisa in the late afternoon to avoid tour bus crowds). The pavimento of the duomo in Siena is incredible, and you will probably get to see it before it gets covered up again at the end of October.
My favorite museum in Rome was the Borghese gallery. The park around it is also lovely for strolling and gelato-eating.
If you see a church/chapel, even a little no-name one, go inside and marvel at the art. Seriously, everywhere we went had amazing sculptures and paintings.
On that note, be prepared for Stendhal syndrome. It sounds a bit kooky, but the art is so beautiful and incredible and overwhelming, so take breaks and stay hydrated. I thought myself not at all susceptible and am a pretty committed atheist, but when I saw the Pieta I almost wept.
posted by basalganglia at 9:11 AM on October 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
Pisa and Siena are both easy train journeys from Florence. About 1-1.5 hours each. We did both in a day (Siena in the morning, Pisa in the late afternoon to avoid tour bus crowds). The pavimento of the duomo in Siena is incredible, and you will probably get to see it before it gets covered up again at the end of October.
My favorite museum in Rome was the Borghese gallery. The park around it is also lovely for strolling and gelato-eating.
If you see a church/chapel, even a little no-name one, go inside and marvel at the art. Seriously, everywhere we went had amazing sculptures and paintings.
On that note, be prepared for Stendhal syndrome. It sounds a bit kooky, but the art is so beautiful and incredible and overwhelming, so take breaks and stay hydrated. I thought myself not at all susceptible and am a pretty committed atheist, but when I saw the Pieta I almost wept.
posted by basalganglia at 9:11 AM on October 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
Two good restaurants in Venice are Trattoria Da Bepi and Vini Da Gigio (which is a bit more expensive). And I really liked gelato from Grom.
posted by neushoorn at 9:12 AM on October 11, 2018
posted by neushoorn at 9:12 AM on October 11, 2018
Maybe slightly more than a day trip, but Luca is lovely and about 1.5 hrs drive west from Florence. Slightly further out but also picaresque is the Cinque Terra coast.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 9:20 AM on October 11, 2018
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 9:20 AM on October 11, 2018
I spent two weeks in Rome a few years ago and got some great off the beaten path tips from MeFi!
I included my favorite sites and tips at the very bottom of the post.
My favorite chill neighborhood in Rome, and where I would definitely consider staying next time I go, was Testaccio. Artsy, quiet, lots of great affordable food, lots of very cool things to see without the tourist crush. I think the best meal we had the whole trip was at the big indoor market there.
posted by forkisbetter at 10:09 AM on October 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
I included my favorite sites and tips at the very bottom of the post.
My favorite chill neighborhood in Rome, and where I would definitely consider staying next time I go, was Testaccio. Artsy, quiet, lots of great affordable food, lots of very cool things to see without the tourist crush. I think the best meal we had the whole trip was at the big indoor market there.
posted by forkisbetter at 10:09 AM on October 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
In Venice, the bell tower of San Giorgio Maggiore has an elevator! It's a lovely church situated at the eastern tip of the Giudecca island, on its own island. You can get there by vaporetto--check the routes. It's got lovely views over Venice on one side and the lagoon on the other. It was a foggy, grey day when we were there, but a priest who was up there who said he loves to come up as much as he can, told us on clear days you can see the mountains, and showed us pictures on his phone as proof.
posted by telophase at 10:58 AM on October 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by telophase at 10:58 AM on October 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: You will have only a few days in each city, so unless there's a major sidetrip you have been yearning to take, I think you will find the major attractions will fill your time and you will wish you had more time. I'm very sorry I did not spend more time shopping in Florence in the outdoor market, specifically, there was a very soft red leather jacket. Also, beautiful glass. Get the hotel to book museum tickets for you so you don't have to wait too long. I kind of wish we'd gotten a guided tour for the Vatican museums, so much amazing stuff. In Rome especially, the restaurants on the plazas, esp. St. Marks, I think, were great for sitting and drinking wine after a meal, and enjoying the scene. Make time for meals to be leisurely, the Italians are excellent at that.
posted by theora55 at 11:22 AM on October 11, 2018
posted by theora55 at 11:22 AM on October 11, 2018
I posted this back in June. There are cafes in Rome, Florence, and Venice, that might be a nice change of pace. Enjoy.
posted by MovableBookLady at 1:37 PM on October 11, 2018
posted by MovableBookLady at 1:37 PM on October 11, 2018
For a fun souvenir, you could buy real papal socks from Gammarelli!
posted by eyeball at 1:50 PM on October 11, 2018
posted by eyeball at 1:50 PM on October 11, 2018
Day trips from Florence: Pisa, Lucca, Siena.
Day trips from Venice: Padua, Treviso, Vicenza. Verona also, maybe, but that's pushing it a bit for distance. You can also take the vaporetto (dear god do not buy a tour) to Murano.
posted by sailoreagle at 3:44 PM on October 11, 2018
Day trips from Venice: Padua, Treviso, Vicenza. Verona also, maybe, but that's pushing it a bit for distance. You can also take the vaporetto (dear god do not buy a tour) to Murano.
posted by sailoreagle at 3:44 PM on October 11, 2018
It’s probably months too late to get tickets to the Vatican necropolis, but in Rome I would recommend either the Capuchin Crypt on Via Veneto, or visiting one of the catacombs off Via Appia. You could fill weeks with amazing stuff in Rome alone, so I wouldn’t recommend doing both. If you like ruins, I would also recommend the Case Romane (I think on Clivo di Scauro) and the San Clemente Laterano church that has multiple levels excavated below down to a 2nd century Mithraeum. For a day trip, Ostia Antica is like a little taste of Pompeii. Hadrian’s Villa is also great, but probably not worth losing a whole day for if you’re short on time.
posted by stopgap at 3:53 PM on October 11, 2018
posted by stopgap at 3:53 PM on October 11, 2018
Best answer: I was in Italy about this time a few years ago. Here are a few things that I'm sure are still relevant.
- Rick Steves is a very useful resource, especially for getting into museums etc the easiest way (not so good for food). A lot of places in Italy let you prebuy tickets, which make the amount of time you spend standing in line much shorter. It's worth researching your main priorities and working out how not to spend hours in line, and double checking their opening hours. The evening Vatican option is a great example of this. I ended up doing a guided tour of the Uffizi, as when I went, even prebuying a ticket didn't shorten the line much. His audioguides are worth downloading (from itunes in the podcast section).
- Get up early. I got the crazy awesome jetlag that had me up at 6am everyday, and Italian cities are lovely just after dawn. Churches are generally open very early, and you can wander the streets and watch the locals start their day. Most of the tour buses (and dear lord, are there a lot of tour buses) get to attractions about 9.30-10am. If you can get in earlier, it's much less busy. There's also a noticeable lull at lunchtime, as the tour buses go and eat lunch.
- Never eat anywhere with a view, the food will almost always be terrible and expensive, just have a drink there. I found the tripadvisor app option "what's good near me now" to be fairly good for food suggestions. Most evenings I would find somewhere with a great view, have a drink (and a snack, drinks come with snacks in Italy!), people watch, and do a quick google for somewhere nearby to eat. Move onto there for dinner, then wander around a bit more and have gelato for dessert.
posted by kjs4 at 5:36 PM on October 11, 2018
- Rick Steves is a very useful resource, especially for getting into museums etc the easiest way (not so good for food). A lot of places in Italy let you prebuy tickets, which make the amount of time you spend standing in line much shorter. It's worth researching your main priorities and working out how not to spend hours in line, and double checking their opening hours. The evening Vatican option is a great example of this. I ended up doing a guided tour of the Uffizi, as when I went, even prebuying a ticket didn't shorten the line much. His audioguides are worth downloading (from itunes in the podcast section).
- Get up early. I got the crazy awesome jetlag that had me up at 6am everyday, and Italian cities are lovely just after dawn. Churches are generally open very early, and you can wander the streets and watch the locals start their day. Most of the tour buses (and dear lord, are there a lot of tour buses) get to attractions about 9.30-10am. If you can get in earlier, it's much less busy. There's also a noticeable lull at lunchtime, as the tour buses go and eat lunch.
- Never eat anywhere with a view, the food will almost always be terrible and expensive, just have a drink there. I found the tripadvisor app option "what's good near me now" to be fairly good for food suggestions. Most evenings I would find somewhere with a great view, have a drink (and a snack, drinks come with snacks in Italy!), people watch, and do a quick google for somewhere nearby to eat. Move onto there for dinner, then wander around a bit more and have gelato for dessert.
posted by kjs4 at 5:36 PM on October 11, 2018
You may not be in Rome long enough to want to go low, dining-wise, but the best overall food experience I had was at Dar Filettaro. It's nothing if not authentic, and if it sounds like the kind of place you'd like, I bet you will. (P.S. get the puntarelle)
posted by mumkin at 6:58 PM on October 11, 2018
posted by mumkin at 6:58 PM on October 11, 2018
I was in Italy in November of last year visiting these same cities. A few of my favorite activities/restaurants were:
Venice:
For a very basic, "lay of the land" introduction to the city, I enjoyed this Venice walking tour. Simona was my guide and she was great and extremely willing to chat after to give directions, restaurant recommendations and other tips.
Also, if you have the time and get the vaporetto pass mentioned above, try to head over to Murano, Burano and/or Torcello . The longer vaporetto rides were fun. Burano is picture postcard beautiful, Murano has a lovely church and the glass museum. The cathedral at Torcello was especially cool and the view from the bell tower there stunning.
Florence:
I took a cooking class with Chef Vary. Their place was an easy walk from central Florence, the class was super fun and the food outstanding.
My cousin recommended 'ino Firenze as the maker of the greatest sandwich she had in her life. Mine was perhaps not *quite* at that level, but it was pretty great. Very close to the Uffizi as I recall.
The central market in Florence here was a great place to walk around and a relatively cheap lunch.
Rome:
This food tour was fantastic and a good chance to get a little bit away from more touristy Rome.
Trattoria Moderna was the site of the best carbonara I had in Rome. Near Campo de' Fiori
posted by thatquietgirl at 5:06 AM on October 12, 2018
Venice:
For a very basic, "lay of the land" introduction to the city, I enjoyed this Venice walking tour. Simona was my guide and she was great and extremely willing to chat after to give directions, restaurant recommendations and other tips.
Also, if you have the time and get the vaporetto pass mentioned above, try to head over to Murano, Burano and/or Torcello . The longer vaporetto rides were fun. Burano is picture postcard beautiful, Murano has a lovely church and the glass museum. The cathedral at Torcello was especially cool and the view from the bell tower there stunning.
Florence:
I took a cooking class with Chef Vary. Their place was an easy walk from central Florence, the class was super fun and the food outstanding.
My cousin recommended 'ino Firenze as the maker of the greatest sandwich she had in her life. Mine was perhaps not *quite* at that level, but it was pretty great. Very close to the Uffizi as I recall.
The central market in Florence here was a great place to walk around and a relatively cheap lunch.
Rome:
This food tour was fantastic and a good chance to get a little bit away from more touristy Rome.
Trattoria Moderna was the site of the best carbonara I had in Rome. Near Campo de' Fiori
posted by thatquietgirl at 5:06 AM on October 12, 2018
I did a semester abroad in Siena in college (10 years ago now), and went back to visit in 2016. I'm admittedly VERY biased, but I'm always sad to see it brushed off as a place to maybe spend a few hours (or worse, not worth leaving Florence for at all). As others have said, their duomo is gorgeous inside and out, but it's also just a really interesting place that's not quite like anywhere else. Nearly all of the medieval city wall is still intact, and cars are banned inside, so it's a lovely place to walk around. The history of the contrade and the Palio is super wacky and awesome, and the Campo (main square) is beautiful. If you want a slightly quieter day and/or a break from the Florence museum circuit, it's 1000% worth the trip. It's a quick bus ride, but make sure you get the rapide (express) bus or you're basically on a commuter bus through the Tuscan hills (beautiful, but slow and kinda barf-y).
Also, seconding buying tickets to stuff in advance. Italy is... not known for its efficiency.
I'm so jealous! I hope you and your mom have the best time!
posted by catoclock at 6:40 AM on October 12, 2018
Also, seconding buying tickets to stuff in advance. Italy is... not known for its efficiency.
I'm so jealous! I hope you and your mom have the best time!
posted by catoclock at 6:40 AM on October 12, 2018
Best answer: I just got back from Italy two weeks ago, and having never done anything at all like that, I'm sure my little delights may not be a surprise to anyone else. But:
Rome: After a surprising number of unimpressive meals in Rome, a friend's friend recommended Osteria del Sostegno. Call to make a reservation (or have your concierge do it) and see if you can get Umberto as your waiter. It is a tiny restaurant tucked away near the Pantheon at 5 Via delle Colonnelle, up a small alley, and wandering from the restaurant afterward finds you in a cheerful neighborhood of small piazzas. I had the best meal I ate in Rome.
Also, while gelato is everywhere in Rome, if you can find your way to the Empire Palace Hotel, walk around the block in a circle. You'll fine the only excellent gelato I had in Rome at Come Il Latte. It's officially on Via Silvio Spaventa but seriously, just go to the front door of the Empire Palace and then walk around the building and you'll find it. BTW, turn right out of Come Il Latte and right again on Via Quintino Sella and you'll see an unassuming little place called Ristorante La Lampada. On a day our tour bus was leaving early and nobody would feed us lunch before noon, they opened up for us and gave us a series of delights -- salmon drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice, marinated veggies, gorgeous burrata, and they offered us free Proseco (I don't drink, so they gave me a soda pop) because they asked us to wait while they set up...and it was 11:15 a.m. It doesn't look like much of anything, but the calm and quiet and delicious food are exactly what you'll want after a rushed morning or afternoon.
Smack between Rome and Florence is Orvieto, my favorite of all the places I stayed in Italy. It's a small hilltop city dating from about 1300. (There's a furnicular or an elevator -- don't think you have to walk up into the city.) I have never felt so safe and charmed. If you can get in to eat at Zeppelin, I'd go there. Chef Lorenzo is apparently a famous chef (I don't know about these things) but he taught us a pasta-making class while we ate, and no airs were put on.
If you haven't already purchased your tickets for the Ufizzi, go online and do it today. You'll stand in a short line to go in and get your reserved tickets; they'll only let one of you to go in and get them, so let your mom rest in the shade. (It may be cooler, but two weeks ago, Italy was super-hot.) Get the map, at least; plan for 2 hours if you're not art people, 3 if you are, and you'll probably want to stop and rest/eat at the crowded cafe.
Had you not mentioned the climbing/walking thing, I'd have recommend the lovely San Gimignano (an hour or so via two buses or a bus and train from Florence, but for future readers, it's charming). It was my favorite excursion, and I am still (daily) kicking myself for not buying something at one of the shops as I was rushing to meet the tour group. (Seriously, if you do go, or if ANYONE goes in the future, please MeMail me; there's something I'd love to go back to get.) Anyway, if you do sneak off to San Gimignano, ask for directions to the shop/gallery with the scale model of the town. It's stunning, and I took a bunch of photos at table-level, through the windows of the model, making it all look like Mr. Roger's Neighborhood of Make-Believe.
Have a wonderful trip!
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 12:57 PM on October 12, 2018 [3 favorites]
Rome: After a surprising number of unimpressive meals in Rome, a friend's friend recommended Osteria del Sostegno. Call to make a reservation (or have your concierge do it) and see if you can get Umberto as your waiter. It is a tiny restaurant tucked away near the Pantheon at 5 Via delle Colonnelle, up a small alley, and wandering from the restaurant afterward finds you in a cheerful neighborhood of small piazzas. I had the best meal I ate in Rome.
Also, while gelato is everywhere in Rome, if you can find your way to the Empire Palace Hotel, walk around the block in a circle. You'll fine the only excellent gelato I had in Rome at Come Il Latte. It's officially on Via Silvio Spaventa but seriously, just go to the front door of the Empire Palace and then walk around the building and you'll find it. BTW, turn right out of Come Il Latte and right again on Via Quintino Sella and you'll see an unassuming little place called Ristorante La Lampada. On a day our tour bus was leaving early and nobody would feed us lunch before noon, they opened up for us and gave us a series of delights -- salmon drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice, marinated veggies, gorgeous burrata, and they offered us free Proseco (I don't drink, so they gave me a soda pop) because they asked us to wait while they set up...and it was 11:15 a.m. It doesn't look like much of anything, but the calm and quiet and delicious food are exactly what you'll want after a rushed morning or afternoon.
Smack between Rome and Florence is Orvieto, my favorite of all the places I stayed in Italy. It's a small hilltop city dating from about 1300. (There's a furnicular or an elevator -- don't think you have to walk up into the city.) I have never felt so safe and charmed. If you can get in to eat at Zeppelin, I'd go there. Chef Lorenzo is apparently a famous chef (I don't know about these things) but he taught us a pasta-making class while we ate, and no airs were put on.
If you haven't already purchased your tickets for the Ufizzi, go online and do it today. You'll stand in a short line to go in and get your reserved tickets; they'll only let one of you to go in and get them, so let your mom rest in the shade. (It may be cooler, but two weeks ago, Italy was super-hot.) Get the map, at least; plan for 2 hours if you're not art people, 3 if you are, and you'll probably want to stop and rest/eat at the crowded cafe.
Had you not mentioned the climbing/walking thing, I'd have recommend the lovely San Gimignano (an hour or so via two buses or a bus and train from Florence, but for future readers, it's charming). It was my favorite excursion, and I am still (daily) kicking myself for not buying something at one of the shops as I was rushing to meet the tour group. (Seriously, if you do go, or if ANYONE goes in the future, please MeMail me; there's something I'd love to go back to get.) Anyway, if you do sneak off to San Gimignano, ask for directions to the shop/gallery with the scale model of the town. It's stunning, and I took a bunch of photos at table-level, through the windows of the model, making it all look like Mr. Roger's Neighborhood of Make-Believe.
Have a wonderful trip!
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 12:57 PM on October 12, 2018 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Seconding Osteria del Sostegno. I didn't remember the name, but the location and photos are a match for where I had an amazing meal 15 years ago.
posted by stopgap at 2:08 PM on October 12, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by stopgap at 2:08 PM on October 12, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks so much - we are back and we managed to get into Osteria del Sostegno, which was wonderful!
posted by something something at 7:41 AM on October 25, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by something something at 7:41 AM on October 25, 2018 [3 favorites]
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I'd advise a hotel like this away from Termini. This hotel in particular was right near the Vatican. The panini and the pizza down on Borgio Pio, a block away, were wonderful. We sampled a different location every night, they were varied in their charm but all delicious.
posted by sydnius at 7:44 AM on October 11, 2018