Going Paris this saturday! Advice needed on Europe travel...
- Thread starter boroangel
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Hi boroangel,
I hope you have a good time travelling.
Europe offer lots to see, Italy especially.
One day in Florence may not be enough....
I noticed that you shall be travelling alone. Hmmm, not impossible as I've done some parts of Europe solo. However, I've always appreciated a travel companion. It's good to have somebody watch your stuff when you're busy with something else (eg: going to the toilet, taking a picture...). It helps to have a companion if you intend to sleep on the train. I would advise against that if you are travelling alone. Thieves work on the trains too...
Italy, unfortunately, is riddled with petty criminals. Seems like the Police there have resigned themselves to the fact that they can't do anything about it. I've seen these gypsy kids at work on tourists, and the cops just walk by :nono: At most they just issue a warning to them and then carry on with their patrol.
The best thing you can do is keep a close eye on your stuff, and don't let anybody near you (if it's possible). Be aware of your surroundings at all times, even in places with many people. Of course, don't get so paranoid it stops you from enjoying yourself. Just be street-smart.
Lots of photo opportunities in Italy. Do show us the pictures when you get back!
Have fun!!
Bernard
P.S. : Yeah, I have similiar views with the others on Napoli. Didn't like the place. It's dodgy, not just the train station either.
I hope you have a good time travelling.
Europe offer lots to see, Italy especially.
One day in Florence may not be enough....
I noticed that you shall be travelling alone. Hmmm, not impossible as I've done some parts of Europe solo. However, I've always appreciated a travel companion. It's good to have somebody watch your stuff when you're busy with something else (eg: going to the toilet, taking a picture...). It helps to have a companion if you intend to sleep on the train. I would advise against that if you are travelling alone. Thieves work on the trains too...
Italy, unfortunately, is riddled with petty criminals. Seems like the Police there have resigned themselves to the fact that they can't do anything about it. I've seen these gypsy kids at work on tourists, and the cops just walk by :nono: At most they just issue a warning to them and then carry on with their patrol.
The best thing you can do is keep a close eye on your stuff, and don't let anybody near you (if it's possible). Be aware of your surroundings at all times, even in places with many people. Of course, don't get so paranoid it stops you from enjoying yourself. Just be street-smart.
Lots of photo opportunities in Italy. Do show us the pictures when you get back!
Have fun!!
Bernard
P.S. : Yeah, I have similiar views with the others on Napoli. Didn't like the place. It's dodgy, not just the train station either.
I just came back from a 3 month trip and I spent about 2 over weeks in Italy and here is my take.
You need to spend more time in Cinque Terre. It is a beautiful place (kinda laidback) and plenty of photo opportunities. I spent 3 nights 4 days there. I didn't stay in one of the 5 villages in Cinque Terre but in Levanto which is one town outside of Cinque Terre (just as La Spezia is one town away from Cinque Terre). You will enjoy this place if you like hiking... lots of walking.
You'll need more than 1 day in Florence. There are quite a few things to see there and you can't exactly cover everything in 1 day. I stayed in a hostel called Albergo Paola. Its a very nice place & they have cooked breakfast served in your room at 9am each day. Worth every cent of your money. They have lockers in every room so that you can lock everything up. I booked this place through Hostelbookers.com
In Rome I stayed at this place called Ciao Bella. Though it had good reviews on the web it was a crap place so don't stay there. You'll need about 2-3 days in Rome.
I did a short stopover on my way to Cinque Terre from Florence to Pisa. You just need about 2 -3 hours in Pisa. It is not worth staying there. From the train station, you will need to walk about half and hour to get to the leaning tower so the walk to and fro takes about an hour and you get 2 hours to look around.
The best way to get around from City to city in Italy is via the train. Is possible, buy your eurorail pass here in Singapore. There are many options you can choose from. There are cheap fares that you can find on the web too. You will need to check out the rail company site to find such deals.
If you do need more info, let me know and I can start digging through my stuff to fish out more for you.
Enjoy your trip.
You need to spend more time in Cinque Terre. It is a beautiful place (kinda laidback) and plenty of photo opportunities. I spent 3 nights 4 days there. I didn't stay in one of the 5 villages in Cinque Terre but in Levanto which is one town outside of Cinque Terre (just as La Spezia is one town away from Cinque Terre). You will enjoy this place if you like hiking... lots of walking.
You'll need more than 1 day in Florence. There are quite a few things to see there and you can't exactly cover everything in 1 day. I stayed in a hostel called Albergo Paola. Its a very nice place & they have cooked breakfast served in your room at 9am each day. Worth every cent of your money. They have lockers in every room so that you can lock everything up. I booked this place through Hostelbookers.com
In Rome I stayed at this place called Ciao Bella. Though it had good reviews on the web it was a crap place so don't stay there. You'll need about 2-3 days in Rome.
I did a short stopover on my way to Cinque Terre from Florence to Pisa. You just need about 2 -3 hours in Pisa. It is not worth staying there. From the train station, you will need to walk about half and hour to get to the leaning tower so the walk to and fro takes about an hour and you get 2 hours to look around.
The best way to get around from City to city in Italy is via the train. Is possible, buy your eurorail pass here in Singapore. There are many options you can choose from. There are cheap fares that you can find on the web too. You will need to check out the rail company site to find such deals.
If you do need more info, let me know and I can start digging through my stuff to fish out more for you.
Enjoy your trip.
I concur about the difficulty of finding public toilets in most part of Europe. Even big shopping centre has only one toilet.
Also bring a grocery/plastic bag as some supermarket don't give out plastic bags or you've to pay 0.30 for it.
Also bring a grocery/plastic bag as some supermarket don't give out plastic bags or you've to pay 0.30 for it.
Hi...thanks for making the effort to type such a long suggestion. I considered that before but I m more inclined to conquering country by country. Like this time I leave out most of North Italy and next time I will go there coupled with mayeb Switzerland.
hmm...I'm writing in reply to your first thread directly...u are saying u have only 2 weeks rite? If u absolutely love Italy, then by all means go around Italy...if u are adventurous enough, I suggest u should go AROUND europe as the eurorail will get u to different cities in different country faster than u travel from Milan to other Italian cities
...
Unless u have lots of time, don't want to plan too far or maybe your company will be posting u to Europe again, then next time u can go to another countries for another 2 weeks and then repeat. Then that will be great! Else if your motive is to see scenery, then you can consider what I did last time.
Just for a thought!
Ok I had some suggestions from Lonely Planet Thorntree forum and this iti was suggested...which included what you guys suggested about spending more time in Florence and CT.
31/03 - Flying to Naples and move to Sorrento
01/04 - Positano, Furore
02/04 - Amalfi, Ravello
03/04 - Capri
04/04 - Train early in the morning to Rome
05/04 - Rome
06/04 - Rome. Frd goes back to Paris
07/04 - Train to Florence
08/04 - Florence
09/04 - Day trip to Siena and San Gimignano
10/04 - Train to Cinque terre stopping few hours in Pisa
11/04 - Cinque terre
12/04 - Cinque terre
13/04 - Cinque terre to Genoa and fly back to Paris
1. I would need an early flight from Paris to Naples. Which is a cheap and reliable airline to take? From Naples airport...how I get to Sorrento...really very apprenhensive about using the train station.
2. Is Florence worth spending 1 and half days? Beside the Duomo what else should I visit there?
3. Are u guys able to recommend me some clean and safe accomodation in Rome, Florence and with seaviews in Sorrento and Cinque Terre? Am so inclined to stay at Hotel Bristrol in Sorrento but its too expensive.
4. Another side question. Does atms and hotels in France and Italy accept debit cards with Cirreus, Maestro and Mastercard?
5. I am flying direct from Indonesia to Paris so I cant get the Eurorail pass. Is it better to book the train tickets online and is this train service good?
http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
31/03 - Flying to Naples and move to Sorrento
01/04 - Positano, Furore
02/04 - Amalfi, Ravello
03/04 - Capri
04/04 - Train early in the morning to Rome
05/04 - Rome
06/04 - Rome. Frd goes back to Paris
07/04 - Train to Florence
08/04 - Florence
09/04 - Day trip to Siena and San Gimignano
10/04 - Train to Cinque terre stopping few hours in Pisa
11/04 - Cinque terre
12/04 - Cinque terre
13/04 - Cinque terre to Genoa and fly back to Paris
1. I would need an early flight from Paris to Naples. Which is a cheap and reliable airline to take? From Naples airport...how I get to Sorrento...really very apprenhensive about using the train station.
2. Is Florence worth spending 1 and half days? Beside the Duomo what else should I visit there?
3. Are u guys able to recommend me some clean and safe accomodation in Rome, Florence and with seaviews in Sorrento and Cinque Terre? Am so inclined to stay at Hotel Bristrol in Sorrento but its too expensive.
4. Another side question. Does atms and hotels in France and Italy accept debit cards with Cirreus, Maestro and Mastercard?
5. I am flying direct from Indonesia to Paris so I cant get the Eurorail pass. Is it better to book the train tickets online and is this train service good?
http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
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