Favorite thing in Italy

[Deleted]

I am going to Italy in April 2014. Specifically Rome,Florence & Venice.  

What was your favorite thing to do or see /place to eat/ etc?    I have never been to Europe so I am sooooo EXCITED!!!

[Deleted]

I loved Rome...all the sights, food, and vibe. It is my favorite city in the world.

[dutchgirl678]

I just loved all of the food regardless of where we went . The fresh tomatoes and mozzarella where to die for. We went to Rome and Florence with the family a few years back. Stay away from restaurants on some of the more famous squares. They are mostly tourist traps with mediocre food and higher prices. Try to find some off the beaten path places instead. When we were in Florence we ate at this cute little restaurant on the other side of the Arno river called Quattro Leoni. The food was amazing and the servers so nice! We also had a great meal at Mangiafuoco. And there was this tiny place in one of the side streets behind the big square with the merry-go-round. I know, not very specific, but that's just how you go sometimes, you just wander around and find something cute. I remember there were not many tourists, mostly Italians. There was not a ton of seating area but lunch was amazing. Bruschetta with cappelini beans and truffle oil, yumm!

In Rome we stayed at the Campo de Fiori. We were right next to a great little restaurant and kind of befriended the owner. Their food was pretty good too. The neighborhood called Trastevere was really cool too. I saw lots of cute little restaurants there.

[msturtle143]

Not my favorite city in Europe but loved the food and sights in Rome too.

[chicago]

Il Latini is fun in Florence. Touristy but fun.

Dar Poeta in Rome for pizza - amaaaaazing. And a Nutella calzone for dessert.

Oh! Gelato...eat as much of it as you can!

[travelingjen]

My favorite sites in Rome are the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Navona.

In Florence I loved touring Palazzo Vecchio, exploring the gardens at the Pitti Palace, and the views from the terrace of the Duomo and from Piazza Michelangelo.

In Venice I most enjoyed exploring the backstreets, away from the craziness of St. Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge. I also really enjoyed the day-trips I did to the neighboring islands of Murano and Burano.

Italy has amazing food. Everyday I ate pizza, pasta, and gelato and was quite content. 

I've got multiple entries in my travel blog on Italy including ones on Rome, Florence, and Venice. 

[neonpink]

Gelato, everywhere.

In Rome the Colosseum, Pantheon, Vatican museum, Borghese Gallery, St. Peters and the Trevi fountain.

We rented a vespa and had a blast driving through the city.

[msturtle143]

Aug 2, 2013 13:05:10 GMT -5 neonpink said:

Gelato, everywhere.

In Rome the Colosseum, Pantheon, Vatican museum, Borghese Gallery, St. Peters and the Trevi fountain.

We rented a vespa and had a blast driving through the city.

yes, gelato every.where! I have a lot of vacation pics with me eating some gelato!

[sparty04]

We did an awesome tour while in Florence- I think it was called the Best of Tuscany? We were able to see Siena, Pisa, and another medieval city. If you have an extra day, I'd highly recommend it.

[Deleted]

Eat amatriciana in Rome.
Go on a wine tour in Tuscany.
Eat bisteca in Florence. 
Take a gondola ride in Venice. I don't care if its cheesy, we had fun!

Enjoy gelato everywhere! 

[sunshinedaydreams]

Rome - Coliseum, Trevi Fountain & Spanish Steps area

Florence - Get out to at least one winery in Tuscany, The David, Piazzale Michelangelo, Duomo. Definitely eat bisteca. We went to a place called Perseus near where we stayed. It was SO good.

Venice - Wander around and get lost, gondola ride, St. Mark's Basilica. Make sure you have something to cover your shoulders for the basilica.

I'll second (third, fourth?) the gelato. And tiramisu. I think I about ate my weight in dessert while I was there. :-)

[starlily]

Rome - We saw all the major sights during the day and then lit up at night. It was cool to see the different perspective. I also loved window shopping all the designer stores on Via Condotti (?), and we had a really nice day at Villa Borghese and the surrounding park.

Florence - The statue of David at the Accademia was far more impressive than I expected. Piazza Michelangelo offers great views of the city. We went to the Duomo, but skipped the line for the top and instead climbed the stairs in the belltower directly across from it.

Venice - We got a day pass for the vaporetto and just cruised around, stopping in different neighborhoods to wander around. My favorite thing to do in Venice is get lost. If you like bellinis, go to Harry's bar and pay a non-MM sum for the original.

We didn't have a single bad meal anywhere. Our general rule of thumb was to walk at least two streets over from the major tourist hubs and find a restaurant along there. We would do afternoon drinks at the major plazas though.

Oh, and have gelato every day.

[starlily]

Aug 2, 2013 11:45:30 GMT -5 dutchgirl678 said:

When we were in Florence we ate at this cute little restaurant on the other side of the Arno river called Quattro Leoni. The food was amazing and the servers so nice! We also had a great meal at Mangiafuoco.

We ate at Mangiafuoco too! That street actually had quite a few cute restaurants; we are at another one near it and was pleased.

The freshness of ingredients at most Italian restaurants makes such a difference. The meal that still stands out in my memory was 2 farm fresh eggs perfectly cooked with shaved black truffles over them. So simple. So amazing.

[5kcandlesinthewind]

Aug 2, 2013 12:50:55 GMT -5 travelingjen said:

In Florence I loved touring Palazzo Vecchio, exploring the gardens at the Pitti Palace, and the views from the terrace of the Duomo and from Piazza Michelangelo.

If you go to the Pitti Palace, pay the extra to go to the Bardini gardens. The views are amazing, and we were the only two people back there for some reason.

Also in Florence, sandwiches at i due Fratellini. So delicious.

[sporky]

Yes, get gelato every single day. It's worth it. Aside from the major sites of Rome, my favorite was the Basilica of San Clemente. Also, not far from the Pantheon was our absolute favorite Roman restaurant, it's a little taverna on a back alley-- Taverna de Coppelle. The best pizza and hella good, cheap house wine.

[hymen]

I love Rome. And the food.

Just be careful though. About a week after coming home from Italy I ended up in the ER with an inflamed stomach, probably from all the rich food/espresso/gelato/wine I consumed. Totally worth it though.

[kelley182]

Our favorite activity that we did while staying in Florence was take a tour of wine country.  I still can't believe a place that beautiful really exists.

We signed up for the tour with A Slow Day in Tuscany.  This is their site if you're interested
www.slow-days.com

We also really enjoyed renting bikes next to the train station and checking out the city.