Trip to Italy, Part 1--Bologna, Venice, Parma

Well, actually I always would try to buy the train tickets in advance on the internet and thus get discounts.

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I'll study a semester in Bergamo so it'll be about 5 months from september to january/february, there are some things that need to be taken care of first like the classes end on februrary on Italy while they start in January here but everything's going nice so I think it's almost sure I'll go there.

That's why I think I need around 2 weeks of clothing. Although I'll remember Osso's theory when I pack. And since I don't plan on traveling that much that often I'll probably won't buy the EuroPass, the only advantage I have is that I still get youth discount. Is there a downside of buying EuroPass on Italy?

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Now I'm starting to worry about your "2 weeks of clothing".
Believe me, Joe, Bergamo is COLD in December and January.
Put a heavy sweater a heavy coat and a heavy jacket on that backpack!
You can buy stuffed boots over there.

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Well, my last trip was in 1999 and I went to thirteen cities over, yipes, 29 days, in order to photograph piazzas I'd missed photographing before, or had read about since I had been in Italy. So - I spent a lot of that trip catching trains and checking into hotels. Since it was so tightly scheduled, I made reservations at 11 hotels; I couldn't do it at the remaining two because... well, because I wasn't online then. I was using guidebooks, and I couldn't find hotels in either Faenza or Ivrea. I also pretty much mapped out which trains I'd take beforehand, and I'm glad I did, again, because the schedule was so tight.

The point is, all those trains, including two rides on the Eurostar, didn't add up to the price of a pass. (I don't think the name of it is Eurailpass for just italy, but something like italrailpass. Check trenitalia.com.)

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Hmmm, I am tempted to put my diary from that trip on the original writing forum, if only to have it recorded in one more place besides my computer. I didn't finish typing it up, as my notes on the last half of the trip are pretty short and acerbic.

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Those $20 flights from London to Rome may well be on Ryanair or Easyjet.

2 pointers.

Ryanair has fierce luggage restrictions - you can end up paying a squillion if you pack much more than a handkerchief! (or 15 kilograms, anyway!) Easyjet - not quite so bad.

They also may fly into airports somewhere out of town - rather than the main airports - so you need to factor in more expensive and less convenient transfers. Ryanair uses Ciampino - which, it says, is a 40 minute bus trip from Rome.

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Good to know about the luggage restrictions. They make sense for those flights...

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margo wrote:

Those $20 flights from London to Rome may well be on Ryanair or Easyjet.

2 pointers.

Ryanair has fierce luggage restrictions - you can end up paying a squillion if you pack much more than a handkerchief! (or 15 kilograms, anyway!) Easyjet - not quite so bad.

They also may fly into airports somewhere out of town - rather than the main airports - so you need to factor in more expensive and less convenient transfers. Ryanair uses Ciampino - which, it says, is a 40 minute bus trip from Rome.

I can do nothing about the baggage restriction, but if Joe will really land at Ciampino it would be easy for me to meet him at the airport and drive him wherever he wants... With no other charge than my Italian humour to endure all trip long Smile

Ciampino is actually closer to the center of Rome than Fiumicino, but it has no railway system.

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Raphillon, if you're still in a generous mood, I might try to contact you when I'm ready to head to Rome in October! We're coming from stateside, so I'll probably be coming into Fiumincino, and we never pack much of anything except one 22" rolling bag and a backpack.

Of course, I'm only there for 3 weeks.

Of course, inside that rolling suitcase is another suitcase for all the tons of ridiculous things I can't live without!! Laughing

Weather-wise, I was telling someone recently that I have been always always always told--in 9 trips to Italy-- that the weather was: warmer, colder, rainier, foggier, colder, drier than it ever had been before! Shocked

Pack for layers (as someone who lives in SF and has to go from 50-80 degrees (f) everyday, and think zip out lining coat, one serious sweater and silk long underwear (it breeeaaathes!). You can find it fairly inexpensively online at the Sierra outlet! And don't forget that umbrella!

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Living in rainland as I do, I've sort of given up on umbrellas.
People are fairly nonchalant about them here, if it is only drizzling.. as in put up your hood or wear a rainhat.

Shortly after it gets serious enough to really pull out an umbrella, it gets too serious, with buffeting winds that seek to pull the umbrella inside out. I know there are special umbrellas built to thwart that wind effect, but they're pretty expensive.

I hate to carry an umbrella with my luggage. The small collapsible ones are usually surprisingly heavy. The big ones are big. And... italy has plenty of umbrellas. Lastly, umbrellas cannot be possessed. They are transitory, coming into and out of one's life with their own aplomb, insisting on being left in the subway or at a cafe..

(One woman's point of view at this point in time.)

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Yeah, I know it's pretty cold that's why I'm preparing for that with my trusty ol' heavy jacket, caps, gloves and scarves. Planning on buying a leather jacket, heavy workmen boots and a pair of 'termales' to help me withstand the cold winter.

I'm not an umbrella person so I'll don't pack it and will buy only if necessary.

The luggage restrictions make a lot of sense and pushes me to look for flights to Milan although that free ride Raphilion promises would be nice.

All these things you are telling me just make me realize I haven't thought about the trip with the seriousness it requires.

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Warning!

Beware of extremisms.
Not thinking seriously about the trip is one thing. Planungsicherheit is another.

I guess Walter can explain planungsicherheit. He's German, after all.

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loislane17 wrote:

Raphillon, if you're still in a generous mood, I might try to contact you when I'm ready to head to Rome in October! We're coming from stateside, so I'll probably be coming into Fiumincino, and we never pack much of anything except one 22" rolling bag and a backpack.

Of course, I'm only there for 3 weeks.

Of course, inside that rolling suitcase is another suitcase for all the tons of ridiculous things I can't live without!!

Weather-wise, I was telling someone recently that I have been always always always told--in 9 trips to Italy-- that the weather was: warmer, colder, rainier, foggier, colder, drier than it ever had been before!

Pack for layers (as someone who lives in SF and has to go from 50-80 degrees (f) everyday, and think zip out lining coat, one serious sweater and silk long underwear (it breeeaaathes!). You can find it fairly inexpensively online at the Sierra outlet! And don't forget that umbrella!

You will be welcome. October is usually a very good time to come in Rome, "le ottobrate" are quite famous Smile

I really like to bring people around Rome because I really love my birth city and enjoy anytime I have the occasion to go around the city Very Happy

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Planungsicherheit - I do this sometimes, and the opposite sometimes. Planing-devoidness - wonder what that is in German?

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ossobuco wrote:

Planing-devoidness - wonder what that is in German?

The concept is alien to Germans Very Happy

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Raphillon--thanks! I'll contact you before I go; it will be something like my 8th trip to Rome, but I'd love the insider view!

Hey, fbaezer...was that Juventus I see in your quote? Awwwright!
uh, oh-Raph may be a Roma fan.

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loislane17 wrote:

Hey, fbaezer...was that Juventus I see in your quote? Awwwright!
uh, oh-Raph may be a Roma fan.

Yes, it is the Old Lady of Calcio on my quote.
But beware of the meaning: Root for Juve? NEVER!
I do hope Raphillon is a Roma fan (I also happen to be antilaziale) :wink: .

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I'm afraid I'm not Smile

When I was younger I lived 13 years in Napoli, so I'm for Napoli :wink: The problem is Napoli is not Maradona's one anymore Crying or Very sad

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Good, Raph!
When Napoli won the scudetto, I bought the postal stamp (and I don't collect them!).

The real Italian Class Struggle Calcio Classic is Juve-Napoli, specially at Delle Alpi Stadium.
The team of the Big Boss against the team of the migrant workers!

BTW, is Napoli back in Serie A?

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fbaezer wrote:

Good, Raph!
When Napoli won the scudetto, I bought the postal stamp (and I don't collect them!).

The real Italian Class Struggle Calcio Classic is Juve-Napoli, specially at Delle Alpi Stadium.
The team of the Big Boss against the team of the migrant workers!

BTW, is Napoli back in Serie A?

Not yet.

Napoli failed to be promoted in "serie b" Crying or Very sad

But could receive a wild card because a few team have financial difficulties. I must say even if I do support Napoli I wouldn't be happy: I hate wild cards, I prefer field promotions.

Serie A is still very far, anyway Rolling Eyes

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Trip to Italy, Part 1--Bologna, Venice, Parma

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