Italy Travel Guide

[mrs research]

Napansin ko lang sa news and don sa mga pics ng mga friends of friends sa FB na nag attend ng Canonization last week sa Rome, parang hindi pa ganon kalamig to wear boots. We'll be there 1st-4th of Nov and I was planning on wearing boots kaya lang baka naman ma overdressed ako pero we'll be in Venice the week after na mas malamig naman. Sa mga pics kasi nila wala kong nakita na nakaboots mostly naka flats lang and sa news naman yung iba naka shirt lang. Haays any input sa weather ng Rome pag Nov?

[mama squeak!]

^You know pag weather ang pinag-usapan you can never be 100% sure. Sample na lang our recent trip, I brought a pair of leather boots kasi I was basing the weather from the forecast and the trip we did on the same months before. We noticed though medyo mas marami yung warm days compared to the cold days. Results of global warming? Dunno. Basta unpredictable sya. But the leather boots came in handy in Paris kasi ulan ng ulan but for the rest of our trip I was comfy wearing my flats. Since Rome is on the southern part of Europe the weather won't be as cold compared to the northern parts. Bring your pair na rin plus comfy flats.

Just check the forecast nearing the date of your departure and be flexible with the clothes/shoes you will be wearing.

[mrs research]

^Thanks! Naghahanap talaga ng kakampi kasi si DH nagagalit pag nagooverpack.    I'm planning 2 pairs of boots and flats for airport hirap kasi magtanggal ng boots sa mga security check.

[mama squeak!]

^sis, you can make do with just one pair of boots and another pair of comfy flats. During our three week trip I only brought two pairs of shoes: leather boots and my comfy Repettos.

Pareho tayo si hubby ko galit din pag maraming dala, kasi naman sya yung nagbubuhat ng maleta    Plus reasoning din nya always leave space kasi he knows I always end up shopping for shoes and bags in Europe. 

[Mhoirae]

Comfy boots are a lifesaver, esp. during rainy days.  Your pants, which I'm sure you'll be wearing more than one time, would not get wet and they also keep you warm.
I just got back from Europe yesterday, weather was really unpredictable.
Paris, Venice and Florence were cold enough to wear boots.  Rome was hot, as in short sleeves and sandals na ang mga tao. 
Barcelona, which is in the same latitude as Rome, I expected to be hot, was chilly.
Also bought just 2 pairs of shoes, boots and comfy ballet flats.

[riksy07]

Sisses, for my first day in Rome (I'll be arriving from Paris via EasyJet, hopefully I can score an early morning flight), I'm planning to visit the following:

- Vatican Museum
- Sistine Chapel
- St. Peter's Basilica
- Castel St. Angelo

I read they are all within walking distances from each other.

Is this doable or should I move the Castel St. Angelo to the next day?

[lavieenrose]

^The Sistine Chapel visit is a part of the Vatican Museum Tour / entrance. 
I would say it's doable if you rush and don't plan on taking a leisurely pace; not sure about other people's experiences here, but we lived just outside the Vatican city walls and went there early but it still took the whole morning until noontime to queue and visit the Vatican museums. You can do St. Peter's Basilica in the afternoon. We went to Castel Sant Angelo on a separate day and didn't go inside anymore. Yes Castel Sant Angelo is walkable from the Vatican.

[Mhoirae]

@riksy, that is exactly our itinerary late October this year.
You have to start a bit early, around 9am. 
The line going into St. Peter's is quite long but fast moving.
For the Vatican Museum and Sistine, I suggest that you book an official tour (check out the Vatican museum official site).  This way you can skip the queues.
If you still have energy after all this, then you can walk over to Castel S'Angelo.

[p3ach]

@risky, sis just to add, it will be more helpful and enjoyable if you avail of the audio guided tour in vatican museum, sistine chapel and st. Peter's basilica.  You will better appreciate every part of these places if you do.  The tour on top of the basilica (dome) is one great experience too.  I feel so blessed and high spirited after doing all these in Vatican City. 

Enjoy and Have fun!

[summer_princess]

Guys would you reco these guided tours? Going in time for Christmas Dec22-27. Or carry na ang walk in and just queue in just like other regular tourist?

[riksy07]

@p3ach, @Mhoirae, @lavieenrose

Thanks for the replies sisses. I decided to just move the visit to Castel S'Angelo to the next day so that I wouldn't be in a hurry with my Vatican visit. My challenge now is researching about trains to Osimo from Rome and how to get to the Basilica di San Giuseppe and what else can be seen in the Osimo area. Sayang naman kasi the trip if it's just the Basilica that I'll be visiting.

[icequeen]

Sa mga sisses na planning to go here sa Rome, super lamig na and maulan lately. So bring bubble jackets and stuff to make you warm. And yes, 5pm pa lang madilim na so if you're touring better start early but of course Rome at night is also majestic unless it's raining. hehe.

[d_zialcita]

hi dears

honeymoon is still on april 2013, but am in the process of finalizing things already.

leaving on april 10... so we can call for an appointment on january 10? or can i ask for one scheduled after january 10?

also, how do i get the cheapest train fares from paris to florence? also pisa to rome?
when can i book them?

in the thello website, it says the night train from paris to florence is just 35 euros, but when i try to mock book... it is a lot more than that.
mamasqueak said it is a lot better if we get the 1st class one for our night train from paris to florence. if we do that, it costs 15k pesos each. is that the best price na?

for the pisa to rome, 2nd class is a bit less than 3k pesos each... i guess this is ok na?

hope you can help me. thank you!

diana

[d_zialcita]

posting again cause i need help on my itinerary

april 15: we take the night train from paris to florence
april16: we arrive at florence in the morning, aunt will fetch us and bring us to our hotel
-- maybe after resting, we would have this day for family
april 17: cinque terre, would like to diy this because the day tours are 120 dollars each...
april 18: siena
april 19: luca, pisa then train to rome...check in, coloseum at night
april 20:  campo de fiori , Colosseum, palatine hill, st. peter's square
april 21: vatican city
april 22: trevi fountain, flight for athens at 5:10pm


is this itinerary doable? should i remove/add/switch some?


thank you for your help!

diana

[lavieenrose]

^ Siena is a relatively small university town and perhaps you can add more activities / visit other towns in Tuscany (unless you have made plans already )

For Apr. 20-21: St. Peter's Square is at Vatican City, Vatican City I think can be covered in a day, including the Vatican museum / Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Square, and St. Peter's Basilica

[melodymedley]

posting again cause i need help on my itinerary

april 15: we take the night train from paris to florence
april16: we arrive at florence in the morning, aunt will fetch us and bring us to our hotel
-- maybe after resting, we would have this day for family
april 17: cinque terre, would like to diy this because the day tours are 120 dollars each...
april 18: siena
april 19: luca, pisa then train to rome...check in, coloseum at night
april 20:  campo de fiori , Colosseum, palatine hill, st. peter's square
april 21: vatican city
april 22: trevi fountain, flight for athens at 5:10pm

A DIY to Cinque Terre is doable for a daytrip but I find it more convenient to take a tour. I took Walkabout's Tour at 90 euros each. Check this link: http://www.walkaboutflorence.com/tours/cinque-terre-trek. The trip involves some easy hiking (parang Mt. Pinatubo level). BUT if you want to DIY, just research well and I think you'll figure it out. The tour group consists of train and boat rides and you have to stick to a sked.

Agree with sis lavieenrose, Sienna is a small town. If fact, Walkabout tours (somewhere in the same website mentioned above) combines Sienna, Pisa and San Gimignano in one trip. You can DIY this too. I did a DIY of Sienna and San Gimignano and I decided to skip Pisa.
 
I think I shared my Rome itinerary in this thread or the European Tours thread already. Will try to find it.

[summer_princess]

Sisses I'm now in Rome, still very chilly but bearable compared to Paris weather na maulan.

Happy to share my tita booked us in a bed and Breakfast convent house that only cost EU70/night with buffet Brekky. The nun is a Filipina so in a way makakatulong pa Tayo sa community nila. The convent house is about 5-10mins bus ride away from the Vatican. So really a good choice. Bago pa ang convent and rooms are quite roomy and linens are good!

Rome is a small city Lang pala noh. Aside from Colosseo, Trevi, Plaza Venezia & Vatican what other places to go pa? Sana mabasa ko before we leave hehhee

[d_zialcita]

thank you lavienrose and melodymedley!

i've already booked our hostel.

it is not in the center so i really need to carefully plan our itinerary.

i'll be working on that now, i hope you are still here when i post my updated one.

i'll surely need help!


thanks

[vanity fair]

I'll be traveling to rome on March 20 to 24.... If i have to allot 1 day for the Vatican, saan pwede mag lunch dun.  Meron bang reaurants inside the vatican?

[sweetpea blush]

^ there are a lot of restos inside the Vatican City sis... if you are referring to the Vatican Museum /Sistine Chapel/ St. Peter's naman pag labas mo tabi tabi na ang kainan so you really have lots of choices.