Italy Travel Guide

[jenger109]

im sooo excited! im booked to rome na on the 15th for 7 days! mas pinili ko rome over paris, andon na kasi yung friends ko sa paris nag tour ngayon..plan ko talaga next year pa for holy week sa rome, pero balik na lang ako ulit next year!

[mrs. sweet]

I've read from The Mall site na meron pala sila shuttle service to and from FLorence. Meron pick up points na malapit sa hotel namin. Would 3 hours of shopping be enough for The Mall?

[vanity fair]

^ Pwede na din ang 3 hours sa The Mall.  You should plan the shops you want to go in.  After shopping kasi you have to get your tax refund pa.  Pero sa 3 hours dapat di pa kasama yung travel time.  I think mas mahal charge nila for the shuttle.  We just took the bus from Florence to The Mall.  It's cheaper & it goes straight to The Mall... If you're in Florence, i suggest you also go to Santa Maria Novella perfume shop.  Ang bango ng mga pabango nila.  & their shop looks like a museum. 

[mrs. sweet]

I think hindi pa kasama sa 3 hours yung shopping time. They told me it's "3 hours shopping time", that means hindi kasama travel time, did I get it right?

The shuttle costs 25eu rt per head, while the bus naman is 5eu lang. My hubs goes for convenience and hassle free trip, but I get to decide naman. Pag aralan ko din yung public bus hehe

[vanity fair]

It takes 40 minutes from Florence city centre to The Mall.  Maliit lang ang The Mall, unlike outlet stores in the US.  Ang malaki lang na stores are Gucci, Tods & Prada.  Medyo naka hiwalay lang yun Prada & Marni from the rest of the stores.  My husband & I were able to do our shopping in under 3 hours kasi naghiwalay kami.  We just met up afterwards.  & we had our "walkie talkies" kaya madaling mag-usap... I would also suggest that you bring baon food.  There's only one restaurant there & medyo pricey.

[mrs. sweet]

^yan din plan ko, hiwalay shop then meet up after na lang. thanks for the pointers sis.

[bagaholic_chewy]

Enough na ang 3hrs sa The Mall. Better punta ng morning, para pag-open pa lang, lesser people. When we went there, we just took the SITA public bus, direct to The Mall naman so convenient, and significantly cheaper than the shuttle. We got there just before shops opened. By noon time, tapos na kami. Gucci, Tod's, Prada ako me mga nabili, then tingin-tingin sa ibang stores. Style namin sa Gucci and Prada, pag patapos na ako mamili, pipila na si husband sa counter to pay. Sa tod's di naman ganun kadami tao when we were there. And pag bayaran na, iniiwan ko na si husband then go na ako to the next store.

When we left The Mall around noon, halos wala pang pila sa tax refund office. Going there early will make you avoid the big crowd. Nung paalis kami, nagsastart na dumagsa ang mga shoppers. And we had our lunch back in Florence na din. Nagbaon lang si husband ng drinks and sandwich for snacks while hinihintay nya ako.

We were in Italy for two weeks last year so husband and I each bought local prepaid sims and subscribed to unli data using our BB. Cheap lang, parang EUR10-15 lang yata yun for one month subscription. It made our trip convenient.

[mrs. sweet]

I've checked the bus (SITA), it's nearer pala sa hotel namin kesa sa pick up point ng shuttle. I'm considering SITA now hehe

No choice kami sa time, we have to go there after lunch na kasi we are joining a tour. That day kasi, morning tour lang ang iti namin so we have spare time sa hapon lang.

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ sis, if I may suggest,  you may opt to buy your RT bus tickets in advance. Para on the day itself, di na kayo pipila para bumili. Dun na kayo agad sa bus bay, kahit dating kayo dun 15mins before the schedule oks lang. No need to rush na.

[mrs. sweet]

^sige, will buy in advance. san banda yung bus bay sis, lapit lang ba sa office nila?

p.s.
dun ba yun sa parking space inside the SITA building? i've searched google earth and may nakita akong mga bus na naka-park sa loob.

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ yup, sa labas lang mismo ng ticket office ang mga bus bays. Terminal compound sya. Me digital board nagso-show kung anong bus bay number yung pa-The Mall.

[mrs. sweet]

^sis, last na, pwede bang online purchase for bus tickets? d ko kasi makita sa site nila if may ganung option

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ ay di ko sure sis.. kami kasi pumunta lang dun sa terminal nung me free time kami, then bought RT bus tickets for Siena and for The Mall trips..

[jenger109]

 from rome to foggia via train then SITA bus to san giovanni.. may direct bus/train ba papunta doon aside from tourist bus?

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ haven't been to Padre Pio's shrine, but I found this on the goitaly site. Baka makatulong.
http://goitaly.about.com/od/rometransportation/[textspeak!]/rome-padrepio.htm

[cinnam]

How is The Mall different from Serravalle outlet mga sis?

[jenger109]

^ haven't been to Padre Pio's shrine, but I found this on the goitaly site. Baka makatulong.
http://goitaly.about.com/od/rometransportation/[textspeak!]/rome-padrepio.htm

thanks sis..

[jenger109]

sisses, need help here ill be staying in rome for 6 days.. fuimicino airport din ang balik ko.. ive backread and so far eto na IT ko, sa rome pa lang, and ang gulo pa.. 

rome days 1-3:

st peter's
vatican museum
sistene chapel
trevi fountain
spanish steps
san giovanni laterano
olympic rome stadium
piazza navona - frigidarium for the gelatto
castel st angelo
campo de fiori

as ive backread, may addnl places pa like:

palatine hall - mama angela's for the food
roman forum
pantheon, torre argentina

mga sis, pano ko sila aayusin? ano bang magkakalapit dito?   

4th day - florence and venice.. kaya ba sya in one day? 

5th day - san giovanni rotondo (padre pio shrine)

6th day - saan maganda mag bf? pang finale before going back to airport at 11am?

i hope someone could help me here.. super thanks..

[pinky_twinkee]

^
St. Peter's Basilica
Sistine Chapel
Vatican Museum
Castel Sant'Angelo
Olympic rome stadium(?)

Campo de' Fiori
Piazza Navona
Pantheon
Trevi Fountain
Spanish Steps

Palatine Hall
Roman Forum
Colosseum
San Giovanni Laterano

Sis parang impossible ang Florence and Venice in 1 day, travel time pa lang hindi na kakayanin.
mag stick ka na lang sa isa sa dalawa, baka hindi ka mag enjoy kung ipagsiksikan mo silang dalawa.
mas malapit ang Rome sa Florence, hindi pa ako nakapunta ng Florence pero sa Venice nakapunta na ako. Maganda sa Venice and nakakainlove

[bagaholic_chewy]

^^ I've been to both Venice and Florence. My suggestion is to choose Florence, since it's nearer to/from Rome - less than an hour lang by fast train. You can even squeeze in a sidetrip to Pisa for the Leaning Tower. You can check website of Trenitalia to help you budget your day - you can leave Rome right after bfast, take train to SMN station in Florence, then train to Pisa, photoop, then balik ng Florence. You can then spend your lunchtime onwards in Florence. Sayang oras sa travel mo ng Rome-Venice-Rome, kahit fast train pa (about 3hrs din one-way).

And I personally believe that a trip to Venice shouldn't be rushed. Para maenjoy mo yung islands.. we were there for 3 nights and we super-loved it.. And it's lovelier at night, when wala na ang daytrip crowd -- chillax lang. And yes, romantic.

Another tip: buy your Vatican Museum tickets (also where Sistine Chapel is) online, para iwas sa mahabang pila pagdating dun. When we were there, paikot na sa may wall yung pila for tickets. But dire-diretso lang kami, kasi me separate line para sa mga me online tickets na, just bring the printout. It'll save you time, for a few euros additional lang na booking fee. You can buy sa website mismo nila.

And if you have time, I suggest going up the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. Maganda ang view, especially of St. Peter's Square.