Italy Travel Guide

[JINJIN:*]

^^ honga yun ang nabasa ko sa mga blogs, this is the local resaturant..not touristy so expect nga cheaper and better and food dito.

sis papemelroti are you from Rome? san kaya ako pwedeng makabili ng nice and affordable boots jan? budget is only 100 to 150 euros. Yung boots ko kase mga pang porma lang eh, I need a sturdy one for rain and snow. Saan kaya ako makabili sa rome. Please help sis!

[papemelroti]

jinjin- no im not from rome. but for shopping i find that the side of rome close to the vatican(around via di rienzo i think) has better selections and not as pricey as the ones in di spagna and del corso.

if you want to play it safe. they have a department store: COIN. =)

happy shopping

[mitch2526]

Hello sisses galing lang akong italy!!!

If u have questions related sa milan, rome, venice, turin, florence, greve in chianti, emirates, dubai, trains, restau, shopping, just ask me! Wala pa akong time gumawa ng blog entry, baka sa pasko na! Haha.

Anyway....budget chic ang style ko. Stayed in hostel, bnb, hotel, palace.

Milan: monastery hostel, maganda dorm rooms, very clean, spacious, decent people.
Florence: stayed in hotel 7 santi. Nice hostel! Double room was comfy, good wifi, reasonable food prices.
Venice: stayed at luxurious panace Ca Zanardi! Central!
Rome: hotel des artistes. Excellent location near termini!

Tip: did greve in Chianti by bus! Take sita bus, located near the main train station of sta maria novella, just ask around. Perfect for tuscan countryside road!

Tip: keychain pasalubong should be around 4-5 for 10 eu kasi 2 eu each lang yun. I heart rome/venice/ italy etc dapat 5 eu lang kahit sa mga bangladeshi people. Caps 5 eu din.

Tip: may leather school beside sta croce church in florence, they sell really good quality leather. Ikutin niyo lang church makikita niyo, hidden nasa mismong building kasi ng church, ikutin niyo, or google scuola del cuoio, baka wrong spelling ako.

Tip: book regional trains online via trenitalia. Much cheaper. And be early for the train! Non refundable ang mga discounted tix.

Tips on food: kahit saan masarap, di mo talaga maplano! But tripadvisor is a good place to check restos. Food in not so tipid not so splurge mode probably 35-40 euros. Minsan mas mura wine sa tubig. Hindi kasi libre tubig. Ang pagkain na under 15 euros mura na talaga. Eat heavy lunch and less dinner if you wanna dine but still save. Minsan kasi mas mahal ang dinner. Pizzas are everywhere pag gutumin ka. They weigh it! Panini naman, tasteless pag bangladeshi ang nagbenta. Yung mga nasa pushcart. Okay lang bumili sa mga may pwesto talaga. Food in venice is very expensive.

Tips sa venice: get the vaporetto pass! Lalawak options niyo kasi masarap maexplore venic along the grand canal. Punta kayo murano masaya siya. May free viewing pa ng blowing of glass. Beware of made in PRC naglipana. Nanood ako ng opera sa fenice. Maganda! Bring binoculars!

Tips sa florence: if going to uffizi/accademia mauubos talaga oras! Allot a day. Visit piazza michelangelo, sa other side yun ng river. Best view of florence. Maraming leather shops. Wag kayo maloko sa mga tabitabi. Make sure lam mo basics on leather quality and pricing. And dooooo try to go to the tuscan countryside. Masaya ang vineyards, wine tasting. Chianti come on!

Tips sa milan: duomo lang naenjoy ko hehe. Tsaka teatro alla scalla, i was underdressed, naka long dresses and suits sila.

Rome.... Hay 3 days not enough! Vatican one day. Tip. No need to purchase skip the line tix. Dumating ka 2 pm wala na pila. 2 min lang pila. Purchas the roma pass 30 eu. Ride all you can tapos includes skip the line entrance to Colosseo+palatino+roman forum. Borghese gallery requires reservation pala.

More tips later!

[JINJIN:*]

^^ nice one sis. Bakit kaya mahal ng food sa venice?

Sabi dami daw mandurukot sa Rome..any stories you know?

[Cheesecak3]

^^nice tips sis. I learn a lot from your post. How much did you spend for food every meal sis?

[Mhoirae]

@mitch2526, what was the weather like when you were there?  what were the people wearing?  i will be in italy next week 
and also, any safety tips, i heard italy is a haven for pickpockets and scam artists.

[juana_antonia]

If you're going to Milan you really have to dress, it won't be called fashion capital for nothing.  Kahit mga lola ng uugod ugod naka heels.  Since it is cold already and madalas during this time maulan, it would be nice to wear coats.

[riksy07]

@mitch2526

Wow sis! Super thanks for the tips. As in I took note of them in my travel notebook. I'd just like to ask, did you pre-book/buy your tickets to the Uffizi and Accademia? I read kasi na mahaba lagi ang pila sa kanila. I also read of another ticket booth by a church where you can score tickets to the Uffizi and Accademia.

How was your stay pala at the Hotel des Artistes? I booked a room for 6 nights in that hotel through booking.com. I just relied on the online reviews.

[mitch2526]

Hello sisses! Ok sige sagutin ko mga tanong niyo!

Florence:
Uffizi and accademia, yes pleeeeease reserve in advance. Ito tip ko sa inyo, para hindi kayo maglabas ng pera before hand, tawagan niyo yung phone nila. May phone reservation sila. Para hindi ka tali sa oras. They will just give you a booking ref number, tapos babayaran at icclaim mo yung tix niyo sa specified area, for uffizi, gate 3. Skip the line talaga kayo. Paki google na lang yung phone number ng uffizi and accademia! May mga promo naman ata for intl calling ngayon diba? Ako kasi online voip like skype ang ginamit kong pantawag. Whether online o phone, may additional talaga yung ticket. Kasi naman, laki ng na save mo haba kasin ng pila! Buuuut, if okay lang naman sa inyo, try niyong pumunta sa mga patay na oras, round 3, kung ayaw niyo naman magspend ng buong araw, yung dadaan lang. Mahilig kasi naman ako sa art, tsaka magandaaaaa talaga yung paintings. Bernini art was huge. Nagdala ako ng binoculars para makita details. Tapos nakikiextra sa mga tour group para makarinig ng explanation.

Rome:
Hotel des artistes: madali siyang lakarin galing termini, labas ka lang sa via marsala, may huge sign sa loob naman. Kung ano direction sa webpage nila, ganun kadali. May restau dun malapit mamma angela pangalan, masarap. May pinoy na waiter, try niyo special mamma angela pasta in white sauce, the best i had! Tama sa panlasa ko hindi matabang sa hotel naman, safe part of termini siya 6 am kami pumunta dun. Pero nagkamali kami ng pasok, pumasok kami sa office sa tabi niya. Closed kasi gate, di ko nabasa yung sign sa pader na push the button to enter. Pero p ag reg hours naman kayo bukas yun tapos anong room binook niyo? Yung amin double pero no bath. Pero ha maganda and very clean ang malalaking bathroom nila. 5fl ako malinis, 2 pinoys sa hotel. Tipid mode! Alam ko yung hotel kasi may 2 bdg pero iisa lang reception. Sana sa main hotel kayo. Kakaiba elev nila, open air.

Transpo tip: cheapest bus from fiumicino is called the terravision bus, 6eu lang! Di ko sure yung papunta rome pero yun ginamit namin pabalik. Nabibili siya sa mga kiosk sa labas, or kung ayaw niyo sa kiosk sa terracafe sa platform 1 ng termini. On every our at kailangan maaga kayo kasi "reserved seating" yung dating niya. But if you miss it no fears, maraming ibang bus company 7eu lang naman like yung trenitalia bus less peeps pa. Mahal kasi yung express train to fiumicino 15 ata?

Food: pastas average 10-15 sa mga trattoria? Pero i enjoyed meat and seafood dishes talaga. Salads nila talagang olive oil and balsamic lang saraaaap. basta usual bill ko 35-40 eu! Meron kasing mga menu dor tourists, no additional charge nasa 15 kumpleto na. Pero bihira akong sinwerte sa masarap na cheap sit down meal. Yung mga napupuno ng locals ang masarap. Usually sa mga tourist spot, kahit saan lakas ka 3 blocks away, mas hindi mahal at malamang mas masarap pa pagkain. Usually 3-6 closed mga typical restaus. Btw kung makahanap sko ng Eataly sa lugar niyo, heaven siya for foodies!! One of my best meals in Italy!

Hmmm siguro sa venice around 5 eu higher than normal? Sabi yun ng Italian friend ko, kasi halos lahat ng tao dun turista. Kastress ang venice pag umuulan! Buti 2 days kami dun.

Pickpockets: feeling ko naman bilang mga pinoy natutunan na natin magkaawareness against sa kanila. Yung usual street smart, wag kalimutan. Pag may lalapit sa inyo na kung sino, bibigyan kayo ng free bracelet o flowers, tanggihan kasi may mga modus na ganun. Nalapitan nako madaming beses. Pero di naman ako na stress sabi ko lang no thank you, di ko nainentertain. Swerte ko lang wala naman nawala sakin. May mga maiingat pero minalas talaga. Naka crumpler ako na bag, valuables nasa safe sa hotel.

Weather mid sept: malamig sa gabi! As in. Mahangin pa. Excuse magshopping?

[mrs research]

^ thanks sa mga helpful tips!

Do you have any tips for GST refund at FCO airport?

[mitch2526]

Oh yeah, nakakuha kami, pero yung mga purchases from Germany ng kasama ko.
Kukunin mo kasi when u leave schengen, hindi pag lipat sa ibang country.
Ask the shop first for tax refund. May minimum purchase din kasi. Like sa mango, minimum 150 eu.
Meron sa meron so ask the shop persistently
Sa FCO kami kumuha ng refund. Took time, pero buti na lang nakuha namin.

[foxymom]

hi mitch2526! buti open na yung global blue/tax-free counter sa rome airport? when we were there last january, ang pwede lang was to have customs stamp our forms. we had to submit our forms at the amsterdam airport. ang hassle nga eh, muntik kami maiwan ng plane

[mrs research]

. Kastress ang venice pag umuulan! Buti 2 days kami dun.

Bakit nakakastress? Pag umulan ba ng konti aqua alta na kagad or dire-diretso talaga yung ulan? We'll be in Venice next month. Sa Cannaregio district kame magstay  hotel is 5mins walk from Rialto bridge. Kaya bang lakarin lang from Sta Lucia Train station to Rialto and madami bang signages along the street?

[juana_antonia]

If I may, yun mga rainshowers hindi naman kagaya sa atin na whole day, pahinto hinto naman siya. From Sta. Lucia to Rialto kaya naman lakarin medyo hassle lang siyempre kung madami kang dala, but kayang kaya siya lakarin. Yes madaming signages, madami namang free maps na pinamimigay at the train station, get one of those na lang.

[mrs research]

^Glad to hear that. Thanks!

[mitch2526]

Minalas kasi kami dun, malakas talaga yung ulan, so basang basa kami kahit may payong, tapos malamig nung gabi    maganda pa pag ambon, cute yung effect sa canals )Pag ulan hindi. Dont get me wrong I like Venice pero iba talaga ang ganda niya pag nakisama yung panahon. Kaya importante din na may dala kayong foldable umbrella sa check in. 

[juana_antonia]

@mrs research, magpuffer coat ka if you want para kahit umulan okay lang.

[JINJIN:*]

oh my..umuulan pala sa venice..sana wag naman. I will be there next next week.

[kyuza]

Hi there! I'm not sure if I should be asking on this thread, but what are some of the must-buys in Italy? For pasalubong sana coz one of my friends is going there and she's asking me what I want her to get me but I have no idea! Perhaps perfume or makeup? Thank you in advance!

[mitch2526]

There are stuff that will truly have the mark of Italy! Like ako, pag madaling mabili sa duty free, di ko na hinanap habang namamasyal. So nung pumunta kami ng Chianti region, nako ilang bottles din ng wine ang nabili namin! Tapos yung leather school sa florence, napanood pa namin pano nila ginagawa yung mga bags! Masaya siya... Maybe hindi ko afford yung mga bags dun pero yung maliliit na wallet okay lang naman. Maganda yung craftsmanship kasi. So for things with value, binili ko yung mga specialty products.

Pero in general pag European brand mas mura talaga sa Europe. Kahit simple clothes sa Benetton, or Sisley. Staple na yung pabango syempre, madali nang bilhin sa airport yun di ka pa hassle!

Enjoy!