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Midas Mulligan

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I know there are enough of you there to help out.

Italy. 10 days. 5 in Rome. Other 5 up for debate, likely 3 in Naples and Amalfi coast with 2 in Florence and Chianti.

But it’s all negotiable.

So go.

I’ll volunteer my help for places I know when appropriate in return.
 
I know there are enough of you there to help out.

Italy. 10 days. 5 in Rome. Other 5 up for debate, likely 3 in Naples and Amalfi coast with 2 in Florence and Chianti.

But it’s all negotiable.

So go.

I’ll volunteer my help for places I know when appropriate in return.

1st time in Italy?

5 days in Rome absolutely set in stone? If not, I would do 3 and book tours of the Vatican and colisseum in advance. They are worth the money just to skip the line. You can make good use of the extra two days in Florence or the Amalfi Coast.

Rome regional food specialties- spaghetti (or other long pasta) carbonara. Also anything with truffles.

Your challenge will be heading north to Florence/Chianti only to head south again. Manageable but it’s a hectic itinerary. Travel the Chianti road from Florence heading south. Barone Ricasoli vineyard has a great tour. It’s also one of the oldest in Italy and the world.

Florence/Tuscany food specialties- steak or “bistecca fiorentina”. Also Ribollita soup.

Florence- Book a tour of the Academica in advance to skip the line to see michelanglo’s “David.”

On the way from Rome to Naples/Amalfi- stop at Pompeii. The ruins are more impressive than in Rome (with the exception of the Colsseum and Pantheon). A few hours will be enough and it actually is on the way.

Naples- one afternoon, at most. Go to Spaccanapoli (historic Naples), eat a pizza, have an espresso and leave. There is a great museum there with artifacts of Caesar/family and from Pompeii but I wouldn’t spend the additional time in Naples unless you had a lot of time to kill, which you don’t. Skip it entirely if you can. You’ll wish you had the time to spend in other cities after the fact.

Amalfi coast- indescribably breathtaking. Stop in Ravello for an afternoon. Walk the infinity terrace, eat at Cumpa Cosimo. Shop for ceramics. Enjoy the best hilltop views on the Coast. Small, idyllic and not as overrun by tourists walking around with self sticks.

Positano- otherworldly but entirely over run by tourists. There’s not a single Italian left in the town. Stop there for an afternoon and maybe one night, then head to Sorrento.

Ravello, Positano and the town of Amalfi are all small and can be covered completely in an afternoon. So two days and one night will do.

Sorrento/Capri- see the blue grotto if you have time. Otherwise, getting lost in Sorrento’s neighborhoods is a great use of time, honestly.

Sorrento is a full day. Capri is a full day (especially if you want to see the grotto).

Amalfi food specialties- anything with lemons, including limoncello. Nearly any pasta with seafood will be a regional dish.

The best food advice I can give- don’t eat anywhere near the tourist areas. You will pay a lot and be disappointed. Sort of obvious but I can’t emphasize it enough. Also avoid any place with a menu “turistica” or written in English.
 
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But don't forget to bring back a couple of bottles of crema di meloncello for the next tailgate
 
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too much time in rome, do that shit in a day, if you're old and slow a day and a half. vatican is just a church. wear pants if you decide you wanna do that or they won't let you in.

fuck all that touristy shit go to sicily.
 
too much time in rome, do that shit in a day, if you're old and slow a day and a half. vatican is just a church. wear pants if you decide you wanna do that or they won't let you in.

fuck all that touristy shit go to sicily.

For you and me, absolutely. For most non-Italians that likely have never been there, they need to do the touristy thing once. Some of that stuff is legit bucket list worthy. They can skip it all the next time around.

Your and my idea of an Italian vacation is probably different than Midas’s or his wife’s.

If I went to Greece and didn’t see the Parthenon, I’d feel like I missed out. But do I need to do it again?? Nope.
 
5 days in Rome absolutely set in stone? If not, I would do 3 and book tours of the Vatican and colisseum in advance. They are worth the money just to skip the line. You can make good use of the extra two days in Florence or the Amalfi Coast.
So let's say that 5 nights is set in stone, so it's really only 4 days. The final day will pretty much be wake up and go to the airport.

Thanks to you and everyone else who provided useful information. I haven't got to read it all yet, but I will soon.
 
So let's say that 5 nights is set in stone, so it's really only 4 days. The final day will pretty much be wake up and go to the airport.

Thanks to you and everyone else who provided useful information. I haven't got to read it all yet, but I will soon.
I can’t remember the name of the crypt in Rome, maybe some of the forum Italians can, but there was a ridiculously neat monks crypt where the bones of dead brothers were used in the construction/ornamentation of the chapels/praying areas. Yeah, a bit macabre, but we’re talking about a serious historical society/sect.

I want to say it’s near the embassy row area, but it was so long ago I can’t be certain.
 
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I can’t remember the name of the crypt in Rome, maybe some of the forum Italians can, but there was a ridiculously neat monks crypt where the bones of dead brothers were used in the construction/ornamentation of the chapels/praying areas. Yeah, a bit macabre, but we’re talking about a serious historical society/sect.

I want to say it’s near the embassy row area, but it was so long ago I can’t be certain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capuchin_Crypt
 
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Dqw6sK6c.jpg

oooooo i thought you meant crypto cappuccino
 
I think 4 days in Rome is enough. The best way is just to walk the city as you will see it at its best and you dont have to rush.

St Peters/Vatican museum is a good day. The Forum/Colisuem is about a day as well. Gives time just to explore the piazzas and other sites, pantheon, spanish steps, trevi fountain etc.

From there I would head north and visit Florence for 2 days. I would then go to lucca and pisa for the day and then spend the rest around the Cinque Terre area (Portofino etc)

As SanBartG has covered very well, if you want to head south Amalfi coast is breathtaking. Forget Naples, but check out Pompeii.
 
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dont go to milan unless absolutely necessary. its not that great.
If you do go to Milan, The Last Supper is one of the iconic works of art that makes you glad you saw it in person (as opposed to the Mona Lisa, for example, about which, eh).

ETA: but I wouldn't necessarily go to Milan mostly just because of the Last Supper
 
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Surprised no-one has said Venice yet. Sure it's overpriced, overcrowded and somewhat out of the way compared to the other places you want to go, but I feel like it's one of those places people consider that you need to see once, if only because of how totally different an experience it is from virtually anywhere else you'll have ever been.
 
Surprised no-one has said Venice yet. Sure it's overpriced, overcrowded and somewhat out of the way compared to the other places you want to go, but I feel like it's one of those places people consider that you need to see once, if only because of how totally different an experience it is from virtually anywhere else you'll have ever been.
its all pakistani/indian/chinese now. less than a handful of authentic places left IMO