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news:1177520227.498265.320390@s33g2000prh.googlegroups.com...
> Hi! My husband and I (we live in the US) are going to travel to Italy
> for about two weeks in Aug - Sept. Neither of us speaks Italian or has
> prior travel experience traveling to Italy, so we need your advice
> regarding the following:
>
> 1. Time to travel: we plan our trip for late Aug - early Sept. I
> wonder if we chose a good time of the year. We're relatively flexible
> as to when to travel and would prefer still warm, but not too hot
> weather. Did we choose the right time?
>
> 2. Car rental: we were planning to fly to Milan and then rent a car
> and drive to Rome and fly back to the States from there. What is the
> best place to rent a car in terms of a). rates; b). reliability; c).
> pick up/drop off in different cities. We need the most simple car
> there is. The major international car rentals like Hertz are pretty
> pricy - are there any Italian rentals that are cheaper and just as
> good?
>
> 3. Places to visit: we would like to visit the major cities and sights
> (Milan, Sienna, Florence, Venice, etc.), however we both have really
> limited knowledge of Italy (hopefully more by the time we go on
> vacation, thanks to your replies :-). We would also like to visit
> smaller towns, that are maybe not on a "must see" list of a regular
> tourist guide, but are worth visiting. What are such places?
>
> 4. Hotels: I was going to reserve a hotel for our stay in Milan and
> Rome, but look for accomodations in other towns as we get there. Is
> this a good idea or will it be much harder/more expensive to book a
> hotel the same day or a day in advance rather than weeks ahead?
> What is the best way to look for a hotel - expedia, travelocity, etc.
> or are there some Italian websites? We'd like to stay in 2-3 star
> hotels, nothing fancy, not necessarily in the center, but within a
> reasonable driving distance. Also - please tell if it is a crazy
> idea:) - would it be convenient to stay at campings? Are there are
> campings (those that have all major amenities) close to big cities? Is
> it much cheaper than hotels? How can I find those campings online?
>
> 5. Meeting the locals: I would like to meet Iocals, who would like to
> spend a couple of hours showing us around the city, chat about life,
> share a lunch, etc. Since we don't speak Italian, we need somebody who
> speaks English. What is the best way to look for locals who would like
> to show us around? Are their some Italian websites where you can look
> for activity partners?
>
> 6. Books/guides: there's still some time until we go, so I'd like to
> read a good guide on Italy - one that is not too boring, yet gives all
> the major information that you should know as a tourist and one that
> you can use to plan sight-seeing. Any tips on a good book/travel
> guide?
>
> Thanks for any response and have a great day!
>
Weather should be good. Why rent a car? If you need a car for a day or
two, rent it then. Otherwise use the trains and bus system. Is great. I
have driven into Rome, and is not something you really want to do. Returned
the Avis car to Termini station, but was bringing some stuff to Rome for a
friend, so did not take the train. Trains, cheaper and easier. Most places
there will be an English speaker and before you go learn your manners from a
phase book. The "Please", "Thank you", "Excuse Me", "I do not speak
Italian", "Welcome", etc. Meeting locals is probably more when you are
eating at a restaurant, and on the trains. There is a tourist office in
every decent sized town that will help you with reservations, etc. If all
else fails and you need a room, ask the taxi driver if he knows of one.
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