When planning a trip, one must take many things into account: destination, budget, accommodation, places to visit, food, health insurance... The list seems long but when you already have a couple of trips under your belt, it all comes down to a few minutes, a blank page and a pen.
Today we are going to talk about how plan a trip to Italy.
Planning a trip to Italy
The first thing to consider is when to visit italy, when it suits us according to our free time and according to our budget, interests and places that we want to know.
El summer in Italy it is fantastic but hot. Hard from June to August, high season, hot weather and sky-high prices. The Italians themselves are on vacation so the coast is exploding, especially in mid-August.
El autumn va from september to november and they are months in which it is still hot and there are people in the tourist centers. By October the weather begins to cool down, although it depends on the year. It is also true that the ferries on the coast and on the lakes are beginning to stop working. November is usually super quiet, with occasional showers.
El winter, from december to february, it's cold so you'll see fewer people at tourist attractions. Christmas is a beautiful time to enjoy the magic of lights and decorations. But beware, the restaurants in the spas are usually closed. And if, February is the month of carnival and Venice couldn't be colder... and charming.
La spring, March to MayIt's the time for wild flowers and colorful countryside. Easter is still great, because of the processions and religious festivals that take place in Florence, Venice or Rome. Knowing then what the year is like in Italy, you can always lean towards the months in between: April, May, September and October. Temperate climate, with sun, less people.
The second theme is audiovisual. How much money do you have? You don't need a lot of money to travel to Italy. It is not a very expensive country, especially if you do not stay in the big cities. going in those months "in the middle" you can live with a budget per day of 100 euros, with food, transportation and activities.
Investigating a little, according to your interests, you can already plan a trip to Italy. The most popular cities are a classic: Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan. Also the regions: Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, the lakes, the Cinque Terre… And once you have your list then, when planning a trip to Italy, since you have to think about draw an itinerary.
Roughly, if you have between a week and 10 days you can plan from one to three places, in the north or in the south. In a two-week trip you can already visit between three and four sites, on both sides as well. And of course, everything will also depend on whether or not it is your first trip to Italy. The idea is not to adjust too much, there is nothing worse than jumping from one place to another without having time to enjoy anything.
Here is an example of a 10-day itinerary in Italy: from day 1 to 3, Rome; from the 4th to the 5th, Florence; from the 6th to the 7th, Cinque Terre or Tuscany; day 8, Milan and from day 9 to 10, Venice. If you have a few more days then we can make some changes. For example, from Florence you can go by train to La Spezia, making a brief stop at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Or you can spend a day in the south of Tuscany, Umbria, Le Marche…
Following other itineraries you can tour southern italy, arriving in Naples and spending time on the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento and Capri. You can go and see Pompeii and not miss Rome. This route involves passing from day 1 to 4 in Capri or on the Amalfi Coast; from the 5th to the 7th, Sorrento; from the 8th to the 10th you walk around Rome and with more days you can extend to the south of Tuscany.
If you like the north of Italy you are going to visit Venice, Lake Garda and the Dolomites mountains: from day 1 to 3, Venice; from day 4 to 7, Dolomites, Bolzano; from the 8th to the 10th, Lake Garda. With more days you can explore more of the north, you can spend three days in Lake Como, sleep in Varenna, go to Milan, cross into Switzerland, even.
Since we are talking about another European country, you should know that Italy is well connected with the rest of Europe and you can make use of high speed trains. Milan, Rome, Florence and Venice have these trains. You can also use the buses that connect Italy with dozens of other countries. Transport should always be taken into account, especially if you decide to go in high season. A fast train from Rome to Florence takes an hour and a half, to Naples an hour and a quarter, to Milan 3 hours, to Venice 4 hours…
Now we have to talk about accommodation. A room in a cheap hostel or hotel can be around 30 to 40 euros per night. A B&B is already around between 70 and 130 euros, up to 150 too; a boutique hotel already costs between 120 and 260 euros and a luxury hotel more than 200 euros per night.
Finally, we must consider other details that are no less important: the visa, For example. Obviously, depending on your nationality, you will need a visa or not, although the vast majority do not need one and you have the 90 day tourist visa They put it in your passport as soon as you arrive. Obviously, belonging to the Schengen Zone is not necessary. And let's not forget health insurance if you're not from Europe. Credit cards offer theirs, but according to our age it is convenient to do some other upgrade.
I have visited Italy and my favorite month is October. It's hot, days of 30ºC quietly, lots of sun, pleasant nights, normal number of tourists. I walked everywhere. It was hot in Florence, too, and it rained a little every night, but never during the day and never for long. A beauty. From there I jumped to France, where the temperature dropped 20 degrees and it never stopped raining. That's why Italy is great.