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Next May-June, 5 days in Rome, 3 in Florence, 3 in Venice, 2 in Innsbruck then 5 days in Vienna. Planning a couple of musical bucket list items-Carmen at the Vienna State Opera and Simon Rattle conducting Mahler's Resurrection at the Musikverien. Can't wait! Any advice for a Europe newb is appreciated.
Follow Ups:
It's a nice drive/ride from Rome and Pompeii itself is quite interesting.
While in Florence, seek out Vivoli - a famous gelateria. Go early to the David, as the lines can be long. I believe you can buy advance tickets so you don't have to stand in the ticket line in addition to admission line. You don't have a lot of time in Florence, but a day trip to nearby Pisa (as in Leaning Tower of) is worth it if you can squeeze it in.
In and around Vienna you have a lot of time, so do the Sound of Music thing; the church where they got married is actually outside Vienna (about an hour drive as I recall).
Have fun!
rlindsa
learn to say basic expressions (thank you; sorry;)
...Nothing is cheap.
Sounds like a great itinerary.
Been to eachj of those places. All wonderful. Especially Venice and the adjoining islands. Rome? Eh. I wasn't so inpressed.
The truth hurts, lies kill
"The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses" [Albert Einstein]
...we went 2 years ago this November.
Here are the high points from our trip:
As you probably know, the train runs directly from one to the next of these cities only a few hours away.
Rome: Here and in Florence, I would recommend the bus sightseeing tour to to start off and see the high points around the city - then you can go back to what interests you. You have to see the Vatican, Sistene Chapel and I would recommend an Acoustiguide for most of the museums and historical sights (like the Colosseum) you visit to give you the background and significance. For me St. Peter's Basillica was the highlight - it is one of the wonders of the world.
Florence: my daughter was studying there and it was our second trip. The statue of David and that museum is a must see. The Duomo is incredible, and the Ufizzi Museum has some great artwork. As far as restaurants go, forget ZaZa, a tourist trap, and go a few doors down to Vecchio Mercato where the food is reasonable and amazing.
Venice: St. Mark's Square, the Doge's Palace and the Rialto Bridge are the high points. We took the water taxi to Murano to see the glass being blown. Just walk around - anytime you pass a church in Italy, stop to look inside - the exteriors are very deceiving.
Have a great trip!
This is a glorious little old town originally located there because of salt. We spend a night there and had a great time.
Also, if you like beer, ask for a Czech Republic beer called Budweiser. It is the reason you cannot buy Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser in most of Europe only the name Bud can be used. The Czech Budweiser is an excellent beer. Drink some if you can.
I'll have to remember that for another trip-we're traveling to Innsbruck from Venice (through th Brenner Pass).
I'm a big hophead, will try the Czech Budweiser if I can.
I'd leave computers and smart phones at home.
Lived in Europe in the early to mid 90's and somehow missed Florence and Venice, albeit did land at Venice airport but was shuttled off to Treviso for business.
Florence alone is worth the price of a ticket from what I am told. Music in Vienna is the icing on the cake!
Enjoy!
Going to Vienna, Munich, Strasbourg, and Epernay. You'll love Rome and Florence Both stunning places to visit. When you go to Venice, be sure to visit the west side of the Grand Canal, called the Dosodoro. That's where the natives live and there are some very fine neighborhood places to eat, away from the tourist food. You'll be spoiled on REAL Italian food.
Sounds fantastic-I definitely want to do Munich, Salzburg and the Black Forest/Romantic Road region on another trip.
Next year we'll be concentrating on the UK-my wife wants to explore her Scottish roots (house of Stuart on one side of the family, Montrose on the other).
If you're headed to Old Blighty, London is of course a must see. If you have the time, Bath and Stonehenge are worth the trip.
Oh wait that was when Bush was president.
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the Sistine Chapel.
Go VERY early. If you arrive even an hour after opening, you'll be in line forever. If you have opera glasses or binoculars, take them for the Chapel: the paintings are far up and when you're at one end of the Chapel, it's cool to be able to see the stuff further away--- the crowds obviate easy walking around.
Be prepared to spend some time in the other Vatican rooms: study up. Raphael painted more than a few great works in the rooms, himself, competing w/his old rival Mike Angel.
Most folks kind of rush through the Vatican, don't. It's so huge you have to spend some time.
Venice: if you like Venetian painting, don't omit the art museums. Not as famous as in many other Italian cities, but Venetian painters are as great as any: the museums are far less visited than other major European ones. Again, a MUST for painting lovers.
Unless you're swimming in dough, avoid the gondolas. Take the water taxi, called vaporetti, instead: same views.
Avoid the cafe's on the main square and beware: sitting down for a coffee or anything DOUBLES or TRIPLES the cost of drinking at the counter (in Venice in general; in the square, it's lethal: it's probably $20 bucks for a cappuccino, now....).
Our B&B in Rome is a 5 minute walk from the Vatican, we'll definitely get an early start and allow a full day.
My sister mentioned the same thing about Venice-we'll avoid the squares and waterfronts for dining and seek out the neighborhood places instead.
We deliberately choose small B&b's for lodging with reps for good local advice, plus we enjoy meeting and talking with fellow travelers.
And that goes double for anytime you've had a drink.
Must see films before you go---- and I mean MUST SEE:
"Don't Look Now!"
"The Comfort of Strangers."
Nothing creepier than Venice on a cold, drizzly night and these films convey it, perfectly.
Another hint whilst in Venice: tourists are a lazy lot. If you want to visit and truly appreciate the nicest outdoor spots, including "that" favorite square, get up at six a. m. and start walking. Locals aren't up, either. It's truly special at that time of day, less noise from the boats and the seemingly innumerable hordes of tourists. At night, it's somewhat the same (excepting the summer), but since it's chilly as hell late at night, it's not the best time: the dark only compounds the ease of getting lost, too.
Besides, you may run into Christopher Walken (see "Comfort of Strangers")....
My only suggestion would be to learn as many basic words in each language as possible to communicate necessary things (in lieu of having an interpreter along). Quite a few Europeans speak English, but not all and some words and phrases don't translate clearly. Be sure to pack as lightly as possible. There's no baggage checking on trains, it's all carry-on and space is very limited. Expect lots of walking. If you're not in shape, you will be after the trip; comfortable tennis shoes are a must as most Europeans walk or ride bikes/scooters just about everywhere.
We would've also visited Italy as part of my wife's book tour, but her Italian publisher, or rather an employee of that publisher, dropped the ball by failing to follow-up on our scheduled appearance. One thing I've heard repeatedly about Italy is that scheduling activities can be very complicated for international travelers (lot's of paperwork, red-tape, etc.). This may or may not be your experience, but it'll be interesting hearing your report either from the road or after you're back.
AuPh
We will definitely be learning some basic German and Italian phrases before our trip-we like to seek out restaurants, etc. frequented by locals. We'll definitely be packing light, the less to haul on and off trains, etc. the better.
.
When in Rome you might stop at Volpetti on via Marmorata. It is a deli, and they will vacuum pack prosciuttos and cheeses, etc.
My wife and I traveled to Venice and Vienna last year. I hope you have a great time! Both are great cities for walking, but be sure to take the wife for a romantic gondola excursion. Favorite thing we did in Venice aside from eating and walking throughout the city was ascending the bell tower on San Giorgio Maggiore island for an amazing view of Venice. Of course, I dragged my wife to the original Ghetto where Jews were subject to severe restrictions--they have tours several times daily at the Jewish Museum. I recommend this. You will see a few couple very interesting synagogues that stand in stark contrast to the many amazing churches that you will also see. I can't imagine a better thing to do in Vienna than your Mahler plans. We caught a Mozart concert.
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We must be the change we wish to see in the world. -Gandhi
Edits: 10/21/12
Coincidentally enough, we just watched a Rick Steves program on the Trastevere and the Ghetto last night, the one synagogue they visited looked amazing. We'll definitely make time for that part of Rome
he's spent some time in some of those spots, recently.
I'd STRONGLY recommend you peruse Clarks, "Civilization" before you go to have absolutely the best one volume reference possible.
That said, there is some similarity in cultural behavior from country to country.
My only suggestion would be to learn as many basic words in each language as possible to communicate necessary things (in lieu of having an interpreter along). Quite a few Europeans speak English, but not all and some words and phrases don't translate clearly. Be sure to pack as lightly as possible. There's no baggage checking on trains, it's all carry-on and space is very limited. Expect lots of walking. If you're not in shape, you will be after the trip; comfortable tennis shoes are a must as most Europeans walk or ride bikes/scooters just about everywhere.
He should sample lots of local cuisine, imbibe the great beverages (ales, beers & wines), enjoy the music, arts and museums, and just have a great time. :O)
AuPh
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