Help Planning Itay Trip in Feb
Jan 8, 2018, 11:43 am
#16
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Milano (Italy)
Programs: Marriott TITANIUM, BWR Dia, IHG, Millemiglia Alitalia
Posts: 486
You can't come to Rome missing the Vatican Basilica and square.
It's not just catholicism, it's history
Hope to be able to offer you a nice drink in the area
It's not just catholicism, it's history
Hope to be able to offer you a nice drink in the area
Jan 8, 2018, 7:07 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,566
I think you got both me and the OP's trip entirely wrong!
The family of four (including one quasi-toddler and an infant) will be arriving at Termini at around noon from Venice. If their arrival is on a Sunday, forget the Angelus. If on Saturday, they'll have to check-in at their hotel and, at best, they can start visiting the city after lunch, say at around 2-3 pm. If they want to see the Vatican, fine, they should do it then and not the next day as you say. But, honestly, suggesting to this family of four to wait till Sunday noonish to visit it, at the moment when the place is absolutely packed with tens of thousands of tourists and locals and you can't circulate, sorry to say, this is an absolutely insane piece of advice. This is not history, it's masochism!
Rather than giving them hints on what they can see, try to convince them that what they have in mind is absolutely, 100% irrational. Their new proposed schedule, which you call "better" includes three train rides, and visiting two cities that under normal circumstances require several days each. That's the only thing that the OP should realize.
The family of four (including one quasi-toddler and an infant) will be arriving at Termini at around noon from Venice. If their arrival is on a Sunday, forget the Angelus. If on Saturday, they'll have to check-in at their hotel and, at best, they can start visiting the city after lunch, say at around 2-3 pm. If they want to see the Vatican, fine, they should do it then and not the next day as you say. But, honestly, suggesting to this family of four to wait till Sunday noonish to visit it, at the moment when the place is absolutely packed with tens of thousands of tourists and locals and you can't circulate, sorry to say, this is an absolutely insane piece of advice. This is not history, it's masochism!
Rather than giving them hints on what they can see, try to convince them that what they have in mind is absolutely, 100% irrational. Their new proposed schedule, which you call "better" includes three train rides, and visiting two cities that under normal circumstances require several days each. That's the only thing that the OP should realize.
Jan 8, 2018, 7:11 pm
#18
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,566
Jan 8, 2018, 10:08 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SFO, VCE
Programs: AA EXP >4 MM, Lifetime Plat
Posts: 2,881
Excuse me, Santa Lucia train station is on the extreme outskirts of the city, in the most undesirable place to stay in Venice.
Jan 9, 2018, 12:22 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Milano (Italy)
Programs: Marriott TITANIUM, BWR Dia, IHG, Millemiglia Alitalia
Posts: 486
Good Morning to all.
I couldn't even image to be named as "insane" or "irrational" inside a leisure forum like that, for giving personal advices about an holiday in my country.... But being a very peaceful person, I don't care at all about free of charge insults
To be honest, during the Angelus it is the most convenient time I usually get into St.Peter's, just because anyone is on the square and not queueing for the church
Regarding Santa Lucia, I textually wrote that "Frecciarossa from Milan will lead you at Santa Lucia r.s.", which means that:
1) Any high Speed train from Milano, apart from those going to Trieste and Udine, terminates at Santa Lucia station;
2) this station, if compared to the other venetian stop called "VENEZIA MESTRE", is in the very city center indeed, and you can get to Rialto walking in about 10 minutes, or taking the boat from here to San Marco.
Obviously, from what I wrote, there wasn't any kind of suggestion about STAYING in S.Lucia area (hotel, b&b etc.), just arriving.
BTW, outskirts of Venice are Porto Marghera and Mestre.
I couldn't even image to be named as "insane" or "irrational" inside a leisure forum like that, for giving personal advices about an holiday in my country.... But being a very peaceful person, I don't care at all about free of charge insults
To be honest, during the Angelus it is the most convenient time I usually get into St.Peter's, just because anyone is on the square and not queueing for the church
Regarding Santa Lucia, I textually wrote that "Frecciarossa from Milan will lead you at Santa Lucia r.s.", which means that:
1) Any high Speed train from Milano, apart from those going to Trieste and Udine, terminates at Santa Lucia station;
2) this station, if compared to the other venetian stop called "VENEZIA MESTRE", is in the very city center indeed, and you can get to Rialto walking in about 10 minutes, or taking the boat from here to San Marco.
Obviously, from what I wrote, there wasn't any kind of suggestion about STAYING in S.Lucia area (hotel, b&b etc.), just arriving.
BTW, outskirts of Venice are Porto Marghera and Mestre.
Jan 9, 2018, 6:39 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAD
Posts: 166
Jan 9, 2018, 6:52 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAD
Posts: 166
If i take out 1 day in travel from milan-venice and venice-rome. I have 4 full days and was hoping to spend 2 days in venice and 2 days in rome. I understand i will not do justice to both cities. I dont travel very often and so i dont know when i will go back to italy. If i go back to Europe, I will probably go to a different country.
So, i am depending on this forum to make the best use of the time that I have and atleast visit the must see sites.
So, i am depending on this forum to make the best use of the time that I have and atleast visit the must see sites.
Jan 9, 2018, 12:56 pm
#23
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SFO, VCE
Programs: AA EXP >4 MM, Lifetime Plat
Posts: 2,881
Good Morning to all.
I couldn't even image to be named as "insane" or "irrational" inside a leisure forum like that, for giving personal advices about an holiday in my country.... But being a very peaceful person, I don't care at all about free of charge insults
To be honest, during the Angelus it is the most convenient time I usually get into St.Peter's, just because anyone is on the square and not queueing for the church.
Regarding Santa Lucia, I textually wrote that "Frecciarossa from Milan will lead you at Santa Lucia r.s.", which means that:
1) Any high Speed train from Milano, apart from those going to Trieste and Udine, terminates at Santa Lucia station;
2) this station, if compared to the other venetian stop called "VENEZIA MESTRE", is in the very city center indeed, and you can get to Rialto walking in about 10 minutes, or taking the boat from here to San Marco.
Obviously, from what I wrote, there wasn't any kind of suggestion about STAYING in S.Lucia area (hotel, b&b etc.), just arriving.
BTW, outskirts of Venice are Porto Marghera and Mestre.
I couldn't even image to be named as "insane" or "irrational" inside a leisure forum like that, for giving personal advices about an holiday in my country.... But being a very peaceful person, I don't care at all about free of charge insults
To be honest, during the Angelus it is the most convenient time I usually get into St.Peter's, just because anyone is on the square and not queueing for the church.
Regarding Santa Lucia, I textually wrote that "Frecciarossa from Milan will lead you at Santa Lucia r.s.", which means that:
1) Any high Speed train from Milano, apart from those going to Trieste and Udine, terminates at Santa Lucia station;
2) this station, if compared to the other venetian stop called "VENEZIA MESTRE", is in the very city center indeed, and you can get to Rialto walking in about 10 minutes, or taking the boat from here to San Marco.
Obviously, from what I wrote, there wasn't any kind of suggestion about STAYING in S.Lucia area (hotel, b&b etc.), just arriving.
BTW, outskirts of Venice are Porto Marghera and Mestre.
In Venice where they also have only 1.5 days Santa Lucia train station is not as you said, “right in the center of the city.” It is at the extreme West end of the city. It is not possible to walk from there to the Rialto Bridge in 10 minutes.
When people refer to Venice they refer to the city of Venice with 118 islands and 400 bridges, not the comune of Venice which which consists of a number of cities on the mainland. Anybody who thinks they are going to Venice who winds up in the polluted cesspool factory town of Marghera will be the most disappointed traveler in the world, even though it’s part of the Comune of Venice.
Last edited by Perche; Jan 9, 2018 at 3:08 pm
Jan 9, 2018, 8:16 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,566
@ Flying Houstonian, GoldenItalianBoy
Absolutely no reason to get offended by the replies given, neither the perceived "anti-religious" answer of the Mod, nor by my characterization of the advice given. Starting with the latter, neither insane (the piece of advice) nor irrational are insults but descriptions of what I think about this! The idea that a family of four, freshly "jet-lagged", first time in Rome for 2.5 days (after correcting the airport of departure, previously 1.5 days) should attend the Angelus, is indeed insane. Obviously, I'm not talking about the Cathedral, nor the Pope's blessing, nor the remaining Vatican (which I have personally visited at least 6 times that I can remember), but just the crowds and the walk to and from there on Sunday. Next time you go to the Cathedral do it at, say, 8 am on a weekday, you'll see the difference to your own average Sunday. As for the attribute irrational (read carefully, not addresed to you!) I still think the plan is exactly that, even if I understand what OP's thoughts were (see as much as possible in as little time as possible), I consider this proposed itinerary to also be, to some extent, dangerous for the health.
As for Perche's comments on the attendance of the Angelus, I don't think he intended this to be an argument against any kind of religious feeling, belief, etc. He simply stresses the fact that OP is travelling with very young children, and that the children (American? Indian? Certainly not Italian) at this age will lack the necessary linguistic skills to understand/enjoy what this event is all about (see how careful I am?).
At any rate, OP has been warned, let's leave this at that and let him and his family enjoy the plans.
Absolutely no reason to get offended by the replies given, neither the perceived "anti-religious" answer of the Mod, nor by my characterization of the advice given. Starting with the latter, neither insane (the piece of advice) nor irrational are insults but descriptions of what I think about this! The idea that a family of four, freshly "jet-lagged", first time in Rome for 2.5 days (after correcting the airport of departure, previously 1.5 days) should attend the Angelus, is indeed insane. Obviously, I'm not talking about the Cathedral, nor the Pope's blessing, nor the remaining Vatican (which I have personally visited at least 6 times that I can remember), but just the crowds and the walk to and from there on Sunday. Next time you go to the Cathedral do it at, say, 8 am on a weekday, you'll see the difference to your own average Sunday. As for the attribute irrational (read carefully, not addresed to you!) I still think the plan is exactly that, even if I understand what OP's thoughts were (see as much as possible in as little time as possible), I consider this proposed itinerary to also be, to some extent, dangerous for the health.
As for Perche's comments on the attendance of the Angelus, I don't think he intended this to be an argument against any kind of religious feeling, belief, etc. He simply stresses the fact that OP is travelling with very young children, and that the children (American? Indian? Certainly not Italian) at this age will lack the necessary linguistic skills to understand/enjoy what this event is all about (see how careful I am?
). At any rate, OP has been warned, let's leave this at that and let him and his family enjoy the plans.
Jan 9, 2018, 9:04 pm
#26
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SFO, VCE
Programs: AA EXP >4 MM, Lifetime Plat
Posts: 2,881
This is the most inane and feckless thing I have read on the forum in some time. It might not work for you and whatever "new age" belief system you enjoy, but millions actually do pack St. Peter's and enjoy it- including with smaller children who also enjoy it and want to be there. In fact, I have been taking young children there for years including just weeks ago and they loved it, as always. The scores of others in my vicinity did as well. Millions travel to Roma each year as both pilgrims and those who want to experience the grandest church in Christendom- not just as a tourist but as a real Christian. Your opinion and beliefs do not make that untrue for others nor your apparent inability to focus children's attention span or your own to said service. Others have a YMMV ability and experience remember that.
Last edited by Perche; Jan 9, 2018 at 10:15 pm
Jan 10, 2018, 12:31 am
#27
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Milano (Italy)
Programs: Marriott TITANIUM, BWR Dia, IHG, Millemiglia Alitalia
Posts: 486
Dear coolmuke,
you know here we are not travel agents or professionals, so please read our advices as personal opinions and not technical "flowcharts" of travel.
Anyway, be free to organize your trip in your own, pleasant and safe way (that's the most rewarding way) and show your children the beautiful sights of our country.
So, Welcome to Italy and enjoy your holiday that- we hope - will be the first of many others !
Regards.
you know here we are not travel agents or professionals, so please read our advices as personal opinions and not technical "flowcharts" of travel.
Anyway, be free to organize your trip in your own, pleasant and safe way (that's the most rewarding way) and show your children the beautiful sights of our country.
So, Welcome to Italy and enjoy your holiday that- we hope - will be the first of many others !
Regards.
Jan 11, 2018, 5:41 am
#30
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Glasgow and Asia
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 510
The hotel depends on budget. I like the ca'sagredo and dinner on their terrace on the grand canal for special occasions. Otherwise the hotels in Venice are good value.
part of the charm of Venice is walking through the the lanes and canals to get to the water bus on the grand canal. It is my favourite city.
part of the charm of Venice is walking through the the lanes and canals to get to the water bus on the grand canal. It is my favourite city.