We have booked a trip to Italy.
Looking for recommendations for places to stay, see, eat. Ways to get around? Train, car or bus? Which is better and why?
What are some pros and cons of the areas that you have seen.
This is our first time and we have 2 weeks.
Thank you for your input.

When in Italy be prepared to walk a lot.. get comfortable shoes....We landed in Rome and walked everywhere in 2 days...Vatican, Saint Peter's , Sistine Chapel, Roman Ruins, Trevi Fountain..We then took train to Arezzo approx 3 hours! Then we had a van! For travel to Florence, Venice, Pisa etc! Get GPS!!

One of the most glorious things about Italy's how easy it is to get around by train.

we stayed by the Spanish stairs. The tube was right next door and took us to all the attractions. Super easy to get around. Restaurants close by ..... and super walkable

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Stayed in Rome in the Trastevere district. Was amazing, everything accessible by foot. The trams were really convenient. Took a train north along the coast into France. It was phenomenal. Used Airbnb along the way as well.

Took train to Assisi spent two nights staying there to explore old town site

My mom rented a car in Paris and we drove a lot but we took a lot of walking tours

We used Walks of Italy for several walking tours. We skipped the line ups, had small groups, and very knowledgeable guides.

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Don’t try to do too much.
Rome needs at least 2-3 days, St Pete’s, Vatican museum, Sistine Chapel (go early, maybe with a guide), Colosseum, Catacombs, so much to see....
Don’t drive in the cities (Rome, Florence which you should go to both), but a car is the best way to see the small villages in the Tuscan countryside (San Gimignano, Montepulciano, etc).
Cinque Terra is amazing, no car required or allowed once you are there....just take the train or hike between the 5 towns....
Don’t try to do too much.

Paul We are doing Rome, Tuscany Cinque Terre and Venice. I believe we have 3 days in Rome. 6ish days in Tuscany a couple days in Cinque Terre and a couple in Venice.

Here are my tips for Rome (if that’s one of your stops)
We found the bullet trains perfect and inexpensive for long distances and local cabs or the underground while in Rome. Pros to cabs: they’re quick, and you see the sites while zipping around town; Cons: they’ll likely take you for the long route because you’re a tourist. Pros to the underground: it’s cheap and not too complicated to navigate. Cons: it’s stifling hot in the summer, and takes a while to get you from A to B.
I wouldn’t suggest a rental car until you get a knack for how Italians drive lol.
Best bet for places to eat: stay away from menus written in English or promoting “American menu” as these are the priciest. Your best bet is to find an alley restaurant packed with locals. Those were our favorites. Also, take your espresso or cappuccino standing at the counter of the cafes, NEVER sit down at the bistro tables. Cafes charge about €1 for coffee served “al banco “ (at the counter) but up to €4 if you sit down because only tourists take their coffee sitting down. Also, when it comes to tipping, save your money! Even if your server asks for a good tip because they can hear your western accent, the local tipping structure is simply leaving the change from your bill (say if the bill is 28.70, round up to 30)
Site seeing: try to see the Trevi Fountain as early as you can in the morning (honestly right as the sun rises) as it gets PACKED with both tourists and street peddlers. It was my least favorite site to visit for the crowds alone
The coliseum should also be planned for early in the day as it gets crowded (but lines move quickly) and VERY hot in the summer, also there is a LOT of ground to cover at the coliseum and the Roman Forum.
The Pantheon was stunning and while it gets crowded early on, lines move very quickly so I wouldn’t worry about getting there too early.
The Spanish Steps are a great place to grab a gelato (a la Audrey Hepburn) and people watch mid afternoon.
I would ABSOLUTELY recommend a personal tour guide who can guarantee front-of-line access for the Vatican. We had one and she saved us HOURS of standing in line. Our guide knew all the security guards and we breezed right past the lines. She was also so so knowledgeable and we learned so much. Tour guides for the coliseum and a few other sites are optional if you want a better grasp of the history, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a personal guide for the Vatican!!!
If and when you’re ready for an aperol spritz, check out the Trestevere and Monti neighborhoods for “aperitivo” or happy hour. Also, don’t be afraid to tuck into the MANY cathedrals around the city, as the art and architecture are breathtaking, and many historical pieces are found in churches spread out across Italy. just be respectful of the people worshipping there, and dress appropriately.
That’s all I can think of at the moment.
OH! P.S. fill your water bottle with one of the many ancient drinking fountains leftover from the original aqueducts around the city. It’s the best water I’ve ever had, and it’s ice cold!

Jan Thank you for your insight. You mention personal guided tour for the Vatican. Where do you look for those? When you get there or is there something that you can book from here?

We are visiting Rome, Tuscany, Cinque Terre and Venice.

I wish I could remember the name of our guide’s company. I’ll look thru old pics and if I find the business card, I’ll message you. We were referred to her by a local friend. In the meantime I would check TripAdvisor and crosscheck reviews. Booking a guide in the city last minute is possible but risky as there are SO many tour scams

Jan Good to know. Thank you very much Would you know much about cooking classes in the Tuscany region?

I GOT IT! It’s called Eyes Of Rome

Jan Awesome Thank you!

I’m not familiar with Tuscany unfortunately , hopefully someone else on here has more insight into that region

Also looking to do a cooking class in the Tuscany region. Any recommendations?