We all want a trip that can be remembered for years to come. We have created a short list of things to keep in mind to make your trip truly memorable:
- Watch out for PUBLIC HOLIDAYS and Pope addressing sessions when you plan your itinerary. We cannot emphasize it enough. The reason is simple. Most of the museums, popular churches and other areas of interest remain closed during these days.
- Book the TICKETS to attractions of your choice in advance. This will help to have more flexibility around your schedule since you will not be limited by the number of choices of time slots.
- Book your slots for the FREE WALKING TOURS in advance. Some tour hosts are quite particular about registration and you may not be allowed to walk-in. Not many people know about it but this is really the most fantastic part of the trip. These walking tours take you through the city and make you experience the city in a truly local way. You will get to know about the history, the local’s favorite eating joints and a lot more. We also suggest that you do these walking tours on the day of arrival in the city. This will truly enhance your experience as these tours make a great introduction to the cities. Links to the free walking tours: Rome, Florence, Venice.
- Apply for ROMA Pass. It allows you to travel like a local and to enjoy discount in restaurants etc. We took the metros and the buses (all free under the Roma pass) and went around exploring the local lifestyle.
- Don’t bring BACKPACKS to the attractions. Small ones are okay. If you bring one, then you will need to deposit the bags in many places. Also, it might get tiring since you will need to walk quite a bit.
- Do GUIDED TOURS in museums, Colosseum and Roman Forums. The guided tours help you understand the history while appreciating the art and suddenly everything makes a lot more sense.
- Carry SHOES that are super comfortable. You will have to walk a lot!
Now you are all set for your super fun, action packed Italy Trip! Happy Vacationing! 🙂
Informative piece
Italy is one of my favorite countries to visit because it is easy to move around quickly and the people are very helpful. I am glad that I have been to many cities in Italy and hope to visit again..
AS an Italian I also would add not to choose too warm periods of the year and to avoid august. Rome is sooooo difficult to truly appreciate in full summer!
I’m from Italy and I agree with every tip! You need to walk a lot, no matter what city you’re visiting, and booking tickets and keep your eyes opened for public holidays is important too!
I would also recommend to always carry with you a bottle of water, it’s very hot here during Summer and if you have to walk a lot, hydrate!
I really love this tips and I love to go in another country this year and I think I should book early.
I love Italy, it is such a wonderful place! Really want to go again soon, this list will be handy if I do 🙂
Thanks so much for the links for the walking tours, I’m going to both Rome and Venice in November and that’s a massive help x
Thanks for the tips. I’ll see to it that I will have an advance booking.
This is a great summary to have in the lead up to our planned trip to Europe. So practical and useful – especially the public holidays one as you travel too far and are on a limited time-frame to miss out on major attractions. Getting online to get tickets is also great advice to save time in queues.
I love this post! I’m trying to take notes for a big trip next year, so this is really helpful!
I have been in Italy several times and totally agree with you and all the tips you have given! X, Amalia
If I go to Italy, I would most definitely book a tour and thank you for reminding me to book it in advance. There is no way that I would want to miss out x
Great tips. I think booking in advance is a great idea as it helps to prevent disappointment if things are booked up as they are bound to be popular.
I agree with the holidays point, if you have the flexibility (i.e. you’re not a teacher or don’t have kids) like me, we would always avoid the holidays and of course each country school holidays vary so research is key!