PWMTrav

There are lots of threads covering this. Search the forum a bit and you'll find plenty. The short answer is that in Rome, you're not really going to love where your points locate you, and to stick with local options closer to the historic sites. In Venice, many points options are actually off the island, which you want to avoid as well.

With a trip as short as yours, I'd be looking at hotels near the Pantheon in Rome. Venice will depend on how close to Piazza San Marco that you're wanting to be (the closer you get, the more tourist traffic there is). Around here many of us will tell you to stay farther, but your stay will be short enough that you might consider closer. I don't have a lot of nights I've spent in Venice in/near San Marco, but the last time we did, we enjoyed the Starhotels Spendid Venice (it is not a Starwood hotel, the names are just similar).

Perche

If you are not very familiar with Rome, stay as close as you can to the Pantheon. You can get to anywhere from there. Points are useless in Rome. I tend to stay in a more out of the way neighborhood, but for someone newly visiting, as close to the Pantheon is where you want to be.

For Venice, there is really only one area; Castello. Venice has six neighborhoods. Being near Piazza San Marco or the Rialto Bridge is a disaster. Venice is very small so you can walk there, but don't stay there. Almost everyone who goes to Venice and stays in San Marco returns saying, "I didn't like Venice. I'll never go there again." The same with anyone who stays near the Rialto Bridge.

Castello is still traditional Venetian, not touristic. There are parts of Cannaregio that are still good, but it's difficult to explain. It will be hit or miss for you there. If you choose some hotels there, we can help with yes or no answers, but the neighborhoods there vary. Anyplace in Castello will be fine, it just depends on what amenities you want, but you will be in the best area. Absolutely do not use TripAdvisor to guide your planning. When it comes to Italy, it is an absolute disaster.

I'm partial to Hotel Bisanzio. When you walk out the door if you turn left, you will be heading away from San Marco Square, which is what you want to do. See San Marco square very early in the morning, or late at night. Not when it is packed with tourists, which is almost all times of the year, and it is estimated that if you look around you, about 99 out of every 100 people you see in San Marco will be a tourist. Early or late, San Marco is magical. The same with the Rialto Bridge, another Venetian main attraction. It is magical, but during the day you stand on a line as if you are waiting to get on a ride at Disneyland. Visit it very early in the morning, and it has magic.

I don't know how many years it has done this, but once again Venice was just voted the most beautiful city in the world, and the city with the best music, always beating out Paris which is second place. Just stay in Castello, away from Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge. If you stay near those two places you will hate it. I won't recommend a specific place because I don't know your budget, but you can make some selections and people here can give feedback. https://www.ucityguides.com/cities/t...ul-cities.html

slawecki

". I have him hilton points, ihg points and club carson points." i don't think there are many hotels of that flavor on the islands. do not stay at the airport, or any place not on the islands.

iapetus

I don't really have too much to add to what everyone else wrote. But I do feel compelled to ask: why are y'all arriving in MXP and not VCE? It seems to me that you could eliminate an unnecessary train trip by flying into Venice. Given the duration of your time in Italy, that would seem significant.

As far as places in Rome, I agree that the area around the Pantheon is nice. That's where I stay. However, Monti is also very nice. I would stay there from time to time, but all of my friends in Rome are closer to Piazza Navona. But Monti is also closer to sights such as the Imperial Forum and the Colosseum. So I think y'all would be fine staying in either neighborhood.

Finally, avoid places where it is hilly in Rome. We had strollers (as I presume y'all will) the summer that we stayed at a hotel above the Barberini metro station. Pushing strollers around Rome's uneven streets is difficult enough. And mrs. iapetus really didn't appreciate the added difficulty of pushing strollers up hills!

Perche

I am 100% in agreement with you, that Monti is the best place to stay. I have a feeling that you have been to Rome quite a few times. It's a regular, fairly untouched, non-touristy neighborhood. I almost always stay there. However, I think it is meant for people who have been to Rome a fair number of times. It's not a place where someone without significant Rome travel would have their best experience.

For someone who has, and who can walk into bars and order coffee, hang out with the crowd at Piazza della Madonna dei Monti where there is no english spoken and drink a Negroni, and then head up to Fattamorgana, Monti is perfection. I just think that someone who doesn't have much Rome experience will do better near the Pantheon, where they can walk to Piazza Navona, Fontana di Trevi in ten minutes, Spanish Steps in 15, Forum in 15, Colosseo in 25, is the better choice.

Monti is best, but not for people who are not experienced in Roman ways. In Monti there are not too many tourists, and I often hear them having troubles with hotel desk clerks, with restaurants, barrista's in bars. They walk into places where except in hotels, no one speaks english, and Monti residents want to keep it that way. Monti simply doesn't want any tourists, and they are trying to keep it that way by having regular street demonstrations. They don't want it turned into another Trastevere.

It's a regular neighborhood that offers the more authentic Roman experience, not a touristic one, but I think that unless you have some savvy in the ways of Rome and of Italy, the Pantheon is the better place for the occasional tourist in my opinion.

coolmuke

I could not find any IAD-VCE using AA website. Any recommendations on partner airlines?

JBD

There are tricks to using AA.com. Our AA forum is where you'll get help with this. Good luck!

StartinSanDiego

Are you just trying to see a couple of highlights? I understand that we all have time constraints, and sometimes it's better just to lay your eyes on something that you may never get to see again.
I just got back from a nice holiday that was 7 days in Padova/ 1 night Venice (New Years Eve only)/ 3 nights in Milan. I like SLOWWWW travel, but don't always have the luxury of time. My daughter and her friend did a speedy route: 2 nights Padova, 1 night Venice, 1 night Florence, 2 nights Rome, 3 nights Paris, 3 nights London. It's a whirlwind and they're loving it. Like you, it's very uncertain when they'll ever be back, and they want to at least see these cities. There's nothing wrong with that at all! Think of what the cruise ships do. I think if you have 4 days now, on this trip, and not again in the foreseeable future, by all means, GO! I like your idea of 2 days Venice and 2 days Rome, and dropping Milan and the travel time that you'll spend adding another city into a tight schedule.
I would think Venice would be tough if the baby is in a stroller. because of the bridges. If you took a water taxi from Santa Maria Lucia to St Mark's, that would eliminate some sections of walking. The train station is literally at the foot of the bridge to the island, which makes a good use of time. But, as Perche noted, it's a good bit of walking to the other end. I wouldn't want to do it with a 2 year old and a tight time schedule. FYI- the directional signs are up on the corners of the buildings, with arrows.

In Milan, if you go, which sites did you want to see? It's not the most touristy place. You'll need a reservation for the Last Supper, if that's on your list. For your first time in Italy, with the kids and the tight schedule- I think I'd skip Milan and spend the extra time in Rome.

Rome is amazing. I'd pick a couple of sights to see, one or two at the most per day, depending on the size and your interest level. If it were me, with a couple of little kids, I'd get the most centrally located hotel I could find, so it would be easy to get back to if the kids got tired. Then, I'd mostly just walk... go see the forum ruins, the columns and arches, pop into a few free churches (the most unassuming exteriors can be awe inspiring inside, and otherwise look for domes), see the Trevi fountain, have bunches of pizza and gelato to keep the kids happy. Pick a couple of destinations of your choice that require entries, and get there when they open, first thing in the morning, to help beat the crowds. You'll only have 2 mornings, max.
IMO- Vatican is an all day affair, but the Colosseum I'd allot an hour, no more. Or just see the outside and skip the inside. Like Stonehenge, it's not all that much different up close. The crowds are generally big enough that you will need to plan so that you don't spend your precious time waiting in lines. That could strain the tolerance of the little ones, too, (and thus, your wife...).

GlasgowCyclops

coolmuke

StartinSanDiego

The main fuel surcharges are for the trans Atlantic portion. If you can take an AA flight to LHR, then a BA flight from there, you'll still pay taxes, but not as much. Also it's cheaper flying to LHR than departing from there, and, once again, the TATL portion is significant, the intra-Europe, not so much.

coolmuke

Is it recommended to get a sim card in italy or go with international roaming for data for using google maps?

PWMTrav

This is entirely up to you. If you have international roaming available to you at a price that works, it's one less thing to do in Italy. If you're a one time visitor, or at least know your visits will be infrequent, you may want to weigh your time versus a few extra bucks. I'm in Italy at least once a year, so I have a prepaid SIM that I keep active, as my US carrier (Straight Talk) doesn't really have an international product that works for me.

Perche

It depends on a lot of factors. Where will you be? You're not likely to have GPS in some rural areas because there is no signal like central Sicily. There are some areas with extremely tight streets, like Venice that can make it spotty. Getting a SIM card can be frustrating. You will have a completely new phone number, so no one can get in touch with you, Unless you're really familiar with the system, and know how different customer service is in Italy (it barely exists), you will spend half a morning or evening trying to to this. You will be completely out of touch with your home country if it is not part of the EU. If there is an emergency back home, you will be unreachable. I'm not the best at this, and usually just take the hit. I gave up the SIM card approach. I think it will be obsolete in a year or so, if it isn't already. I just leave my phone on airplane mode. Unlike 10 years ago, there are now bars with hotspots in most cities. I just go there and turn the phon on, and download what I need. Hotels all have wireless so I can Skype or Facetime. On the road GPS, well sometimes you need it. Not for any city. but for driving in rural areas. It might depends on your plan. I have ATT. Your phone works the same as it works at home. However, when you use it once, it costs $10 for that day. So, a ten day trip will cost $100. When I go for three months,I get a SIM. Otherwise, on just a two week trip, I don't mind spending $140 to be able to web browse limitlessly, and use my phone as if at home. It's more convenient than spending your first evening in Italy at Vodafone. This is one where different people will have different needs.

JMN57

You can either cache google maps for offline use or download an offline map program if mapping is all you need. Cache the maps on wifi and turn off data and that's the cheapest way to go.

Relative to local sim vs. roaming - it starts with who is your carrier and what is their roaming cost. If you're on T-mobile and have one of their plans with international roaming, you'll have a slow data cxn that will work and cost nothing. Otherwise, you'll probably pay a lot to roam.

Getting a local SIM to get online will cost you about 25E and will take an hour if you're lucky and know what you are doing. If you haven't done it, you can more or less plan on 2-3 hours. As Perche points out, using it will turn off your existing line so that is a consideration unless you happen to have a dual-sim phone and can use both at the same time (that's what I do).

Finally, check your phone to see what bands it supports. The bands that are used in Italy are below. If your phone doesn't support those bands, a SIM card won't matter. If you are going to be in cities, you'll want to match on B7 for LTE as higher frequencies work well in cities. If you're going to be in the countryside, you'll want to match on B20 for LTE. In a perfect world, you'd match on all the frequencies.

GSM

900 (E-GSM)
GSM
1800 (DCS)
GSM

UMTS

B1 (2100)
UMTS
B8 (900 GSM)
UMTS

LTE

B3 (1800 +)
LTE
B7 (2600)
LTE
B20 (800 DD)
LTE