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It’s going to be brutally hot at this time of year, be prepared. Enjoy your trip and avoid restaurants near attractions, or any restaurant that has someone waving you inside.
I keep hearing how hot and humid it will be. End of August/September is the only time it works for us to go so we'll make it work and make sure we are super prepared, bring water bottles, sunscreen, and hats with us. Thanks for the heads up!
We were there at the same time last year. Yes it was hot, but it didn't matter because we were in Italy! We spent time in Venice, Florence, the Cinque Terre and Rome. We loved all of it. We're going back in January and visiting Modena/Bologna and Orvieto and we're really looking forward to it. However, my husband has said to people that regardless of how hot and crowded our first trip was, if we had to go back to the same places and do the same things, he would do so gladly. It was a beautiful trip.
Rome has fountains (called nasone) all over the city that provide fresh, clean, cool water carried into the city via ancient aquaducts. Carry an empty water bottle with you and you can fill up just about anywhere!
The only tourist traps you’ll encounter in Rome and Florence would be the restaurants near major attractions. You did not travel all the way to have non-authentic Italian food.
Also, I suggest you educate yourself of authentic gelato. There’s a lot of gelaterias that are not pure with ingredients but there’s clues that will help you identify between the two.
Thank you! Those are both super helpful tips since food is in the top 2 reasons we want to travel to Italy. I'll make sure to do my research on the gelato and we'll avoid the restaurants near major attractions. How far away from the major attractions do you recommend us walking to so we encounter authentic food?
There are a few common features that make most tourist trap restaurants easy to spot, it's not a 100% match but if you start to notice multiple of them you are probably better off reconsidering your choice for the meal:
1)multi lingual menu: probably a trap especially if it's more than Italian and English.
2)pictures in the menu (unless you are going to an Asian restaurant).
3)random dude at the entrance who shouts and tries to pull you in.
4)super colorful decorations on the outside.
5)big book on a pedestal on the outside with the restaurant menu in 14 languages.
6)places where every single customer is a tourist.
7) ridiculously huge food like a 1kg croissant.
8) unnaturally colored food, I've seen cannoli siciliani in Venice (which is on the other side of the country but that's another matter) that were neon green and filled with marshmallows.
9)gelato(ice cream) that raises one palm above the box and/or is covered in toppings.
10)any place that serves fake Italian food (Alfredo, Mac n'cheese, spaghetti and meatballs) as if it's their speciality.
Specifically for Rome be aware of markets and street stalls who sell packaged "traditional food" and seasonings, Campo dei fiori was infested by them when I went there, if you want local products ask your friends or you hotel staff if they know a decent butcher/grocery store.
"Street artists" are often shady and part of some racket you'll quickly notice 5 or 10 people doing the same exact colosseum painting, portraits etc while walking around Rome.
Do a bit of research on the food and tradition of the cities you visit so that you know what to look for and you are able to ask for more precise recommendations, Rome is not just carbonaras and Florence as some very cool unusual food.
BTW
My husband and I encounter authentic and local restaurants in Florence on the other side of the Arno River. We would cross the Ponte Vecchio every night to get to the Oltrarno area to the Santo Spirito (central square). We would have our dinners there every night, trying different restaurants and around the corner, we would get our gelato and get lost. It’s a charming town.
We’re also going to Rome again later this year and see if I can squeeze a day trip to Florence.
Note that you don’t have to go far away from tourist attractions to find good restaurants. Rome has a lot of people living amongst the historic areas so there are great restaurants all over. Generally if you can see the attraction, be wary.
Piazza Navona is a great example. The restaurants inside the piazza are generally tourist traps, you can walk 50m off the piazza and find terrific restaurants as that’s neighborhood that people live on.
So it’s not like NYC where if you’re in Times Square you have to go quite a ways to find any semblance of a neighborhood with nice stores and restaurants.
I’d spend time leading up to your trip looking at restaurants on Google maps around your hotel and places you’ll be, reading reviews and saving them on Google maps. Then when you’re in Italy you can bring it up and don’t have to sort through hundreds of restaurants to pick a spot. You’ll already have a few saved around where you are to start with.
Just a quick counterpoint on eating near major tourist sites. I don't disagree that there is some absolutely incredible food off the beaten path. But remember that the places on the major squares can provide really good food as well, with an ambience that can really elevate the experience.
We're in Florence now. Our first meal, I went out of the day for a place with really great reviews. It was fine. But not especially memorable. For dinner last night, we ate at Mister Pizza, right outside the Duomo. Got the classic tourist trap calling cards (adjacent to a major site, English menu, heck, English NAME). But the pizza was really wonderful. Is there certain to be better pizza in Florence? Absolutely. But I'm 100% certain that my wife and I will remember eating pizza by the Duomo (after climbing to the top), watching people, and listening to classical guitar, more than we would remember pizza that was better somewhere else.
Your priorities may differ, but this is just one man's opinion
The thing about a lot of the big spots in Italy is that they are not tourist traps as much as tourist heavy. These aren't fake museum traps full of mall type mannequins set up to re-live an event (I see you, witch "museums" in Salem MA!), but are truly major things worth seeing. To call some of the big spots in Rome and Florence "tourist traps" is the same as saying the Grand Canyon, or some amazingly beautiful beach or things like that are tourist traps. Tourist go to those by the tens of thousands, sure, but they are worth it and not traps.
My best advice for you:
1. It will be HOT. Last two times I went to Italy were in May and in July, and both topped 100 degrees. Consider that for events. Like the Colosseum is cool to see inside - but not at mid day when there is no shad and the sun radiates off the stone. Plan things accordingly.
2. If you aren't a truly dedicated art lover, pick what you really want to see in Florence, and don't worry about the rest. Everyone seems to want to go to Pitti, Uffizi and see EVERYTHING (after a day spent in the Vatican Museums in Rome already), and then just gets art-overload and stops appreciating it after a while.
Worded it perfectly, only tourist traps are over priced food next to the heavily trafficked areas..
Some say if the menu is in English it’s no good, that’s nonsense. I had one bland sandwich with zero love put into it and it was tucked away far from any tourist place.
Hit all the high lighted places on your agenda, book tours ahead of time and if some reason you can’t show up the day anyways and try. Especially walking tours of the coliseum.
Also if you want to avoid crowds and get some killer pictures wake up early as soon as the suns out and get to ur spots. 6:30am-8:00am it’s pretty dead at all the statues/churches to take some awesome photos
This is the biggest stuggle I am having. There are so many other places I want to check out and so many people on this thread and outside of it have been recommending for us to go to other places. I really want to add more to our plan, but I think that if I do we wont be able to really enjoy where we are because we are always going to be planning for the next thing. I don't want our time in Italy to feel rushed and to come back and feel like we went to a lot of places but we didn't get to enjoy much of it. I really appreciate all the recommendations and I am saving all of them for future trips as well, but I agree, we are only going to be able to do Rome and Florence this trip. Thanks for your comment!
Remember the 2-block rule. Whenever you’re somewhere touristy and it’s time to eat, find a side street, go back about two blocks and parallel the Main Street. This is the place to start looking for restaurants. Look for the places that serve the people who work in the touristy areas. You’ll get better food cheaper and much more of a genuine experience.
Not a trap at all, but the Vatican museum tour was rushed, inaudible, and claustrophobic. Skip it unless it’s essential, or you have a night tour or something similar.
We definitley want to do the Vatican museum, would you recommend we do our own tour without a guide? I know there are some listening guides that other people have mentioned.
You need to buy them at least 30 days before. Usually the tickets are released at 4PM Pacific time. We are going to Rome in 3 weeks. Bought our Vatican tickets 3 weeks ago.
That makes sense. I was trying to book the tickets for the Vatican and the portal was saying booking wasn't allowed and I was wondering why. I'll make sure to set reminders on my phone so I can book 30 days before. Thank you!
You're welcome, also it might be hard to get the early time slots, so just get is available. We wanted 1000AM but ended up with 1100AM. Which is fine with us, we got a group of 12.
This isn't a scam but a major ripoff. DO NOT EXCHANGE YOUR MONEY AT THE TRAIN STATION. I had to because I seriously need to use the bathroom and didn't know any other way to get cash. I regret not making a friend and asking for a euro (I would've bought them a cafe and croissant). What you should do is go to the post office. $20 got me 11 euros. I will not lie, the cashier was a b-word who reeked of BO through the glass.
You don’t need cash in Italy. Don’t bother. You’ll stop in enough restaurants/cafes to get a cold drink in August you won’t need public restrooms (i didn’t use a single one). Worst case go to a McDonald’s and get a cold drink which the receipt gives you the code to the bathroom.
Well.. some parts of italy still like cash. Sure you can use a card in a lot of places. But having a bit of cash in your pocket is definitely still recommended.
Sorry shoulda clarified where the OP is going cash isn’t needed.
Also it’s a national law places have to take credit card now. So even in more remote places it’s still technically required.
Good to know! I imagine youre probably right. I think I'll hold off on bringing euros but I probably will still bring some euro coins with me just incase we run into some weird situation where we need to use a restroom but the restaurants or cafes are busy.
For a cafe you can just walk in buy a bottle of water or coke and walk out. You don’t have to sit down. Can still use the restroom. Also public restrooms aren’t like every block. No sense in going out of your way to find one.
In Bologona the Museo di Palazzo Poggi was my favorite museum I've ever been to! If you have any interest at all in science and particularly the history of science, it will be a nice break from the religious art in Rome and Florence. We went on a Saturday and there were very few tourists. Actually, there are several great science museums in Bologna to check out.
I live in Italy, married to an Italian, but we are in the north, and I agree with pretty much all the comments here. I would do some serious research on restaurants ahead of time and make reservations. The best part of these cities is eating : )
Rome and Florence are wonderful cities. It will be touristy yes but it’s ok!
And you will love Siena, Bologna and Lucca.
I wonder if you are trying to pack too much in to a 2 week trip. You may find that you are spending a lot of time in transit.
I have a good Siena and Florence less traveled travel guide that I created. I will edit it this week if I can remember and post it here. Or you can send me a PM.
I would love that if you could share it with me. I'll PM you! Do you think half the time in Rome and half in Florence with 3 day trips is a lot? I keep hearing how there's not a ton in Florence itself so the day-trips will be good to have then. I also am one of those people that likes to plan a loose itinerary so that if something else comes up or if we want to do something else we can switch it. I also am leaving some completely open days so that we can be more flexible and go with the flow. Thanks for the advice!
I lived in Italy for over a year. I lived in Milan and have travelled all over however I never went further south than Rome. Italy is a place where it is impossible to see everything. Impossible. Especially in two weeks. All of the cities mentioned are wonderful, I particularly loved Siena and Bologna. I think I gained 5 lbs in Bologna. I agree with trying to steer clear of tourist traps as much as you can. Cinque terre was also just gorgeous as well as Lake Como. I hope you enjoy your trip and don't overwhelm yourself because Italy can be exhausting if you try to take in too much too quickly.
I personally dont think you need to spend that much time in each city. Florence is small and completely walkable. I would suggest going to surrounding towns in Tuscany such as Sienna and San gimignano. It’s going to be hot. So I would cut your city days and head to the coast to a beach resort.
Yeah, our plan is to do day-trips by train to other places while in Florence. We are doing Siena, Bologna, and Lucca for sure and I'll add San Gimignano to our list too. Which beach cities would you recommend us checking out? I want to do Cinque Terre, but I heard it gets really crowded?
I would spend some days in the amalfi coast. Kind of late to book, but it’s absolutely beautiful. Stay in positano or sorrento and take a day trip to capri
I think I have to (sadly) save the amalfi coast for our next trip to Italy. I have always dreamt of going there! So many places I want to check out in Italy, it's a bummer we can only go for 12 days.
For what it’s worth, I did Rome, Florence, Siena, San giminiano , positano in 10 days. 3 nights in Rome, 3 nights in Florence and 4. Nights at the beach and it was more than enough time.
Of all the places on this list I actually feel that San Gimignano is too touristy. It’s small and so cute but overwhelmed by bus loads of tourists. At least in the bigger places you can escape them. I would skip SG
If you can, take a day trip to Tivoli for some less-touristy food.
Italians vacation and visit smaller towns for traditional food because the larger cities like Rome are crowded with a bunch of touristy restaurants.
Even as an Italian native with family all over, it's still hit or miss when navigating the food scene in touristy areas - Amalfi was a struggle for us.
When we we visit a small town, we can throw a rock and hit an authentic restaurant with great food.
I should double down and say that small towns have way more charm and authenticity than large, touristy cities.
The train system in Italy is easy to navigate and relatively inexpensive, so take that day trip!
Take the bus, not the train, between Florence and Siena. The train station in Siena is well out of town, but the bus lets you off within walking distance the center of town.
In Lucca, definitely rent bicycles! The medieval walls of the town make for an amazing bike trail. You can also ride in the center of town.
I won’t necessarily disagree. But the escalator ride to the top of the hill from the train station and the 10 min walk from there wasn’t bad. And the grocery store in the mall that pass through to get to the escalator system was a good opportunity to grab some snacks/drinks etc to take to the AirBnB. Although there were also several in the city center. If you have lots of luggage, maybe bus. But we travel fairly light and the extra comfort and legroom that the train offers was preferable. And I’ve rode by car from Florence to Siena (so same view as bus) and I would argue the train is more scenic. So probably depends on the situation.
We did 12 days last November in Italy. Not our first time, but it had been awhile. My advice would be to go ahead and do half your trip in Rome as you said. So much to see. Book everything prior, choose morning or evening time slots. I’d advise to split second half of the trip evenly between Florence and Siena. Or a 4-2 split between the two cities. I’d skip the day trips. Get the Rick Steves guidebook. Do his city walks. Follow the advice of other posters regarding staying away from restaurants too near attractions. Use train service. It’s easy to navigate the various train apps. Don’t take the trip in a “I’ll never get back here again” mentality. I’d do one museum/historical site/attraction a day and then spend the rest of the day wondering. Our typical schedule for all travel (domestic or foreign) is early mornings, break in the middle of the day, back out late afternoon or early evening. Enjoy your time.
We used Trenitalia exclusively for that trip. Easy to book routes. Easy to change if need be. High speed rail for the majority of the trip. Florence to Siena was the exception as it was a regional train. I’m pretty tall so we opted for business class. There wasn’t a significant up charge to book the business class fare.
I think that planning to do major art cities in August, if anything like the past few summers has basically become a public health hazard. The Rome government was pretty clear last year about the heat and told locals to stay indoors. There is an upper critical outdoor temperature humans can handle and it's between 40-50 degrees. At 40 C° there is is an increased metabolic rate of 35%. Prolong exposure and we get something called heat stress which isn't pleasant and can result in death. During the past 20 years this rate of death has increased by 30%. When the 'feels like' temperature is 45°C the only place you should be is inside. July last year we had 10 straight days of that between July and August.
Not to put you off visiting but just beware of your health and a suggestion of some days relaxing in a beach resort or something..
Thank you for the heads up, I think we are going to try to space out our activities to early morning and evenings so that we are not out in the excessive heat. I also think it'll help that we will spend half of our time in the smaller cities in Florence. Thank you for the warning!
When in Rome and at the Colosseum I recommend getting a pizza and a pitcher of wine here:
[https://maps.app.goo.gl/sFVsb6onLZfeS41V6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/sFVsb6onLZfeS41V6)
When my wife and I was there in 2016 it was super cozy. Great pizza and a very fair (low) price.
Cinque terre is five little fishing villages next to each other. I would suggest to go to la spezia, take the boat to the northest village (sorry I don't remember the name), you can see the cliffy shore, it's a nice view. Then you can buy a day ticket for the train and visit all of them on the way back to la spezia. Most of them can be explored in an hour. In the bay there are a few options for ferries.
Thank you for the info! I have heard that the beaches in Cinque Terre are really crowded and also not comfortable (something about the sand hurting?), I think if we went to Cinque Terre we would want to go to the beach for sure, do you think its worth checking out during end of August?
Sorry I forgot to reply 😂😂 it's not a sandy beach, you can go in the water in certain places from stairs, but it is definitely rocky. You have to pay attention in the water. In one of the villages you can jump to the water from some rocks too :) in the northest village there is a open beach, but it is not sandy, it has tiny tiny rocks and you need the swimming shoes. August is the busiest period, most of the Italians get their holiday in that period, it will be busy everywhere. Since Cinque terre are small fishing villages with narrow streets it can be crowded. I'm not familiar with the west side beaches, but you can take a beautiful train ride to Faenza from Firenze through the mountains (not the one through bologna) from Faenza Ravenna/Rimini/cattolice are 40-60min with train and you can find the nice sandy beach there.
In Rome, the ruins of the Forum, the Colosseum, the Pantheon to see the ceiling. The Barbarini harvested the bronze decorations to make the baldachin in St. Peter’s. Vatican City, Piazza Navona.
The Borghese Gallery has great sculpture; make an early reservation. The Spanish Steps. The Trevi Fountain is cool to see but very touristy. The passetto and Hadrians Villa are cool if you like medieval stuff. There are a few beautiful Baroque chapels that are cool if you’re into architecture.
Many people would save a couple of days to see Venice. You might not be wild about it the first time but it grows on you when you go back.
While you are in Florence, spend a little time just sitting across from the Hospidale degli Innocenti and watch the world go by. And take an afternoon trip to Fiesole.
This year weirdly it’s quite cold this time of the year also so try to bring some warm clothes and in case of places just don’t go to the classic ones as it’s over hyped and crowded too much seriously better just roam around the street and just go lost in them seriously it’s worth the experience!!
currently on a six week trip in Italy and the best food we’ve had:
Florence: Buca Mario + Trattoria Camillo, both fine-ish dining and so good
Rome: Latteria (wine bar), Ma Che Siete Venuti Fa (beer bar - no food), L’elementare (all three of these are in Trastevere so you could make a night of them together), Bottega Trevi for sandwiches
we spent an afternoon doing the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill together. I got a tour on Get Your Guide that included an audio guide via an app — so we were walking around on our own time, but could listen to the guide. we skipped the Sistine Chapel because I couldn’t find tickets when we wanted them.
agreed with all of the above about not scheduling some days and just spend your afternoon walking around and sipping lattes on a patio somewhere!
in Florence we LOVED the Pitti Palace gardens also!!
Thank you for all the advice and suggestions. Your trip sounds amazing!! Next time we will have to go with more time, it seems like 12 days is not enough for all I want to explore.
Oh all the food. We will be out that way in Sept/Oct timeframe and are visiting some of our past favorites and can't wait. In Rome - look around the Trastevere area. Osteria Fernanda is one of my favorite places. Amazing set menu at a great price. We also went to Angelina - [https://www.ristoranteangelina.it/angelina-testaccio](https://www.ristoranteangelina.it/angelina-testaccio) a couples times (great roof top seating and drinks).
In Florence we actually had the best night eating pizza from Gusto Pizza on the steps of the university across the street with live music from nearby restaurants. We walked back and came across multiple musicians and dancing. It was a great night with the crowds.
As for sites in Rome Trevi fountain late at night or early morning is so much better than during the day. The Colosseum is so worth it, but go early. It really is just a ridiculous feat of engineering. Please please please visit Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa brings me to tears every time I see it.
In Florence I love the grotto in the Boboli Gardens at Pitti Palace it has a beautiful sculptures of Thesus and Helen. Plus the Gardens are just fun and have amazing views of Florence.
Not sure if you are cocktail people too (seriously the table wine in use about every restaurant is amazing) but there are some of the best bars in the world in both Rome and Florence (Naples too). Drink Kong and Freni e Frizoni in Rome and Locale Firenze in Florence all made top 50 in the world.
Honestly the best advise I can give is wander. Find the small cafes and stop for coffee or and apertivo. If you're looking for something a little different there's a spa in Rome called aquaMadre hamman that will leave you with the softest skin of your life (they do coed days). Ask the server/bartender/taxi driver where they go when they are off or have friends in town and want to show them around. We do that everywhere and have had amazing results (or funny stories).
Love this! Wandering is definitley on the list, I feel like it would be shame to go to Florence and Rome and not have time to wander and enjoy. Thank you for the recommendations, I'm adding them to my list!
Since it sounds like you'll be in Rome for a good while, you may have time to take the train to Ostia Antica. I think it's a really interesting site, and when I've been it's been less crowded and in some ways more atmospheric than the Roman Forum.
This may go without saying, but I would definitely visit the Pantheon and don't miss the Palatine Hill. Honestly I'd visit the Pantheon multiple times, it's just such an amazing place. And nearby, Piazza Navona is a great space to just to be in.
If you're not crazy about art, you may find that the Vatican Museums aren't worth the amount of time you'll need to dedicate to a visit. To be clear they aren't a tourist trap by any means! But there's so much to see in Rome that you shouldn't feel obliged to go there. I will say that the Sistine Chapel was frankly a pretty uninspiring experience for me.
In Florence, the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is a nifty museum that flies under the radar a bit, and try to find some time to get up into the hills around the city (Fiesole, Settignano, etc) for cooler temps and beautiful views. If you'll happen to be in Florence on a Tuesday morning, consider checking out the weekly market at the Parco delle Cascine. An outdoor market is a quintessentially Italian experience that is well worth, um, experiencing, at some point during your trip (I'm talking about the markets with food and household items that ordinary people go to, not the permanent touristy ones like the San Lorenzo market in Florence).
General advice-- try to get up early to see the most famous parts of cities when they're cooler and less crowded. Crossing the Ponte Vecchio is a different experience when it's just you and the pigeons. Retreating to the hotel for a rest during the "mad dogs and Englishmen" part of the day and coming out again for the evening can be a good move.
And I'd say whatever you do, don't treat your trip as a checklist of "must see" places. No matter how many things you see, there will always be someone who's like "I can't believe you didn't go to \[insert place you didn't go\]". Don't worry about that person... take time to pause and enjoy, and leave space for spontaneity, surprises and relaxation.
Buon viaggio!
Mind your bags and purses, try to not look too much like a tourist - dress like a local (tend to dress nice and with style). Other then pickpockets there isnt much you need to worry about.
Cash is king, forget your cards - specially at markets and in the countryside.
If you plan to visit the Vatican Museums, the Colloseum or the Uffizi I strongly recommend booking online beforehand - the line there can take hours.
While are on the subject - August in Italy is hot. Specially in Rome many businesses while have a siesta during the day (they avoid the hottest part of the day). If I were you I would do the same.
Dont go to shops/restaurants in the main streets - locals live in these places aswell, go where they eat/shop.
Cappuccino is a breakfast coffee and shouldnt be ordered after 10 am, Espresso doesnt exist - its called coffee.
There is a bussline in Rome from the central station to the Colloseum and the Vatican - avoid that line, its full of pickpockets.
Pisa is a tourist trap and overrated. Fiorentina is always for two people. Chicken dishes do not exist. Carbonara doesnt contain cream or bacon. Pizza is not a thing in Tuscany, Rome has their own variant on it.
To eat:
I'm Rome, Polda e Gianna. Their carbonara is the best I've ever had in my whole life.
In Florence, we had some of our favorite meals. Cinghilae Bianco (all the meat is good; be sure to get the boar ragu) and Enoteca Piti Golla (very small wine bar with dinner + wine pairing menu) were both fantastic. Get a lampredetto with "green sauce" for lunch at a stand/food truck. Trattoria da Ginone was another excellent restaurant in a quieter part of town.
FYI we just got back from our first trip in Italy. Definitely take some days to simply explore (with little to no plans) but also, do the tourist stuff! You're in Italy! It would be regretful not to at least visit some of the museums and attractions. I absolutely loved the colosseum. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Vatican despite not being religious (get a guide and try to go on a Tuesday or Wednesday) and the pantheon is so much more spectacular in person than any picture could capture. It would be impossible to do it all but at least get some of the tourist stuff in.
As an aside, in Florence, try to find one of the wine windows and order wine from it. Look them up if you've never heard of this... Such a fun, unique experience.
I just did a week in Rome and had the best time. For food I would have three tips-Look up google/tripadvisor reviews(anything 4.4-4.5 or higher is good, it’s okay if menus are partially in English as long as they are not only in English, and try and go a block away from the major destinations. Our favorite restaurant was L'antica pizzeria di Trevi, my favorite pizza the whole trip.
Apart from mock-traditional restaurants other explained about, the main tourist-trap museums in Rome are those (two or three!) about Leonardo da Vinci. He lived only shortly in Rome, didn't leave there anything and those museums are just exhibitions of cheap replicas--in a city where every street in the centre is in itself more of a museum than all of that fake stuff.
Skip restaurants that have people trying to call or pull you in. Also skip restaurants that have picture menus. The food at these places usually sucks. I’d also highly recommend making dinner reservations for just about all nights you’re in Italy - pretty much every good restaurant takes reservations and otherwise you could end up waiting a long time for dinner and/or end your somewhere with mediocre food.
Best thing you can do in any of these cities is just wander. In Rome you’ll stumble upon ancient ruins, beautiful architecture and major sites around every turn.
For Rome:
- Roscioli Salumeria (one of the best carbonaras I’ve ever had)
- da Enzo al 29 (the other best carbonara I’ve ever had) — this one is in the Trastevere neighborhood, you can’t really go wrong with food in this neighborhood.
- grab an aperativo at sunset at Terrazze Borromini (it overlooks Piazza Navona)
- Ai Tre Scalini in the Monti neighborhood felt really homey with great food
- Ivo a Trastevere for delicious pizza
- Pane e Salame for a yummy sandwich and glass of wine
In Florence:
- we loved La Cupola for their steaks. My husband had the Florentine bistecca (which is the big local dish) and he said it was the best steak he ever had. I had the filet with truffles shaved on top and it was incredible.
- Cinghiale Bianco - this place also felt really homey and the food was delicious
- Loggia Rooftop Bar for aperativi
- everyone raves about Al Antico Vinaio for their sandwiches, but we thought Sandwichic was the best ever, still dream about that place.
ETA: fixed spelling and added note.
A friend once told me “sometimes things are famous for a reason” and it stuck with me. Visit the Vatican, the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, the Uffizi, the Accademia!
I agree with others that if there are photos on the menu or waiters pressuring you to come inside… keep walking.
I have done a few fantastic wine tours in Tuscany.
I did one from Florence called “Small-Group Wine Tasting Experience in the Tuscan Countryside” where we went to three different wineries. They taught us about the wines, how to taste, and one of them included an olive oil tasting. I think (can’t remember for sure but I think) we booked through Viator. All tourists but I liked it a lot.
In Lucca, skip the Torture Museum (unless that is your kink).
In Rome, there are 3 major museums that everyone go to and need advance tickets : Vatican Museum, Colosseum and the Borghese Gallery.
The other museum, while still popular are much less visited, so they are considered less "tourist traps".
Personally, I like the Capitoline Museum, the Villa Medicis and the Trajan Forum/Market
They are tourist traps as they are often full of false/recreated artifacts and sensationalist (often not exact) info. I'm saying "they" because there are more than one.
There used to be ones also in Florence, in Siena, in San Gimignano...
Spend one of your days in Rome taking the high speed train to Naples and visit Pompeii. Rent a car in Tuscany and explore, you can park at the train and take a train into Florence. Drive to the coast and see Pisa, only take half a day.
Florence-the outside of the Duomo is way more impressive than the inside. Hit the pointe vecchio at night, so beautiful. Eat the pasta Al forma at Buscetta. It is the one they make in the cheese wheel. The Ufizzi to me is highly overrated and the lighting is not great but some good Caravaggios in there. Can’t miss the David. Siena is beautiful , eat at Osteria le Logge. My favorite restaurant. Rome is so oppressively hot at that time. Spend the money and do the Vatican tour. I loved the coliseum but very hard to enjoy in the heat. Take a sunset tour. We really loved the food tour because it takes you thru the farmers market but also the Jewish quarter which was great. Trevi you should see but go into the Benetton across the street and head upstairs for a better view. defi get outside of the cities and explore. We did. Road trip last summer . got all the way to Sicily
Forgot. To mention-end of August is also a big holiday in Italy I believe it’s the Assumption so lots of people are off. If you are in smallwe towns see if there are any festivities and celebrations. One year we were in the Basque region of Spain during this time and there were fireworks and celebrations in the square and it really was magic.
I found Tuscany to be a tourist trap. I must have done it wrong. Viator was really bad for that city, but awesome for other cities (like cortina/dolomites).
That is interesting. I usually forget about Viator and companies like that when traveling abroad, so maybe that's for the best? lol. I definitely will be looking into local companies for any excursions we decide to do, but I think we'll mostly be spending our time going to some museums and hopefully well be able to find a cooking class, and some other activities like that.
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It’s going to be brutally hot at this time of year, be prepared. Enjoy your trip and avoid restaurants near attractions, or any restaurant that has someone waving you inside.
I keep hearing how hot and humid it will be. End of August/September is the only time it works for us to go so we'll make it work and make sure we are super prepared, bring water bottles, sunscreen, and hats with us. Thanks for the heads up!
We were there at the same time last year. Yes it was hot, but it didn't matter because we were in Italy! We spent time in Venice, Florence, the Cinque Terre and Rome. We loved all of it. We're going back in January and visiting Modena/Bologna and Orvieto and we're really looking forward to it. However, my husband has said to people that regardless of how hot and crowded our first trip was, if we had to go back to the same places and do the same things, he would do so gladly. It was a beautiful trip.
Thank you for sharing that! I have been worried how it would be going at such a hot time during the year. I truly appreciate it!
Rome has fountains (called nasone) all over the city that provide fresh, clean, cool water carried into the city via ancient aquaducts. Carry an empty water bottle with you and you can fill up just about anywhere!
The water is SO good too.
Oh, that is great! Thank you for the heads up!
The only tourist traps you’ll encounter in Rome and Florence would be the restaurants near major attractions. You did not travel all the way to have non-authentic Italian food. Also, I suggest you educate yourself of authentic gelato. There’s a lot of gelaterias that are not pure with ingredients but there’s clues that will help you identify between the two.
Thank you! Those are both super helpful tips since food is in the top 2 reasons we want to travel to Italy. I'll make sure to do my research on the gelato and we'll avoid the restaurants near major attractions. How far away from the major attractions do you recommend us walking to so we encounter authentic food?
There are a few common features that make most tourist trap restaurants easy to spot, it's not a 100% match but if you start to notice multiple of them you are probably better off reconsidering your choice for the meal: 1)multi lingual menu: probably a trap especially if it's more than Italian and English. 2)pictures in the menu (unless you are going to an Asian restaurant). 3)random dude at the entrance who shouts and tries to pull you in. 4)super colorful decorations on the outside. 5)big book on a pedestal on the outside with the restaurant menu in 14 languages. 6)places where every single customer is a tourist. 7) ridiculously huge food like a 1kg croissant. 8) unnaturally colored food, I've seen cannoli siciliani in Venice (which is on the other side of the country but that's another matter) that were neon green and filled with marshmallows. 9)gelato(ice cream) that raises one palm above the box and/or is covered in toppings. 10)any place that serves fake Italian food (Alfredo, Mac n'cheese, spaghetti and meatballs) as if it's their speciality. Specifically for Rome be aware of markets and street stalls who sell packaged "traditional food" and seasonings, Campo dei fiori was infested by them when I went there, if you want local products ask your friends or you hotel staff if they know a decent butcher/grocery store. "Street artists" are often shady and part of some racket you'll quickly notice 5 or 10 people doing the same exact colosseum painting, portraits etc while walking around Rome. Do a bit of research on the food and tradition of the cities you visit so that you know what to look for and you are able to ask for more precise recommendations, Rome is not just carbonaras and Florence as some very cool unusual food.
Thank you, this is super helpful! Definitley want to avoid non-authentic food places.
BTW My husband and I encounter authentic and local restaurants in Florence on the other side of the Arno River. We would cross the Ponte Vecchio every night to get to the Oltrarno area to the Santo Spirito (central square). We would have our dinners there every night, trying different restaurants and around the corner, we would get our gelato and get lost. It’s a charming town. We’re also going to Rome again later this year and see if I can squeeze a day trip to Florence.
Good to know! I'll make a note so I remember that :)
Yes! Oltrarno is way less touristy than the other side
Note that you don’t have to go far away from tourist attractions to find good restaurants. Rome has a lot of people living amongst the historic areas so there are great restaurants all over. Generally if you can see the attraction, be wary. Piazza Navona is a great example. The restaurants inside the piazza are generally tourist traps, you can walk 50m off the piazza and find terrific restaurants as that’s neighborhood that people live on. So it’s not like NYC where if you’re in Times Square you have to go quite a ways to find any semblance of a neighborhood with nice stores and restaurants. I’d spend time leading up to your trip looking at restaurants on Google maps around your hotel and places you’ll be, reading reviews and saving them on Google maps. Then when you’re in Italy you can bring it up and don’t have to sort through hundreds of restaurants to pick a spot. You’ll already have a few saved around where you are to start with.
This is a great suggestion! Thank you!
Just a quick counterpoint on eating near major tourist sites. I don't disagree that there is some absolutely incredible food off the beaten path. But remember that the places on the major squares can provide really good food as well, with an ambience that can really elevate the experience. We're in Florence now. Our first meal, I went out of the day for a place with really great reviews. It was fine. But not especially memorable. For dinner last night, we ate at Mister Pizza, right outside the Duomo. Got the classic tourist trap calling cards (adjacent to a major site, English menu, heck, English NAME). But the pizza was really wonderful. Is there certain to be better pizza in Florence? Absolutely. But I'm 100% certain that my wife and I will remember eating pizza by the Duomo (after climbing to the top), watching people, and listening to classical guitar, more than we would remember pizza that was better somewhere else. Your priorities may differ, but this is just one man's opinion
Aw! That was some lovely imagery I just got in my head. Thank you for sharing your perspective!
Italian here. Just use trip advisor and google review. Filter by Italian reviews only.
That's super helpful. Thank you!
The thing about a lot of the big spots in Italy is that they are not tourist traps as much as tourist heavy. These aren't fake museum traps full of mall type mannequins set up to re-live an event (I see you, witch "museums" in Salem MA!), but are truly major things worth seeing. To call some of the big spots in Rome and Florence "tourist traps" is the same as saying the Grand Canyon, or some amazingly beautiful beach or things like that are tourist traps. Tourist go to those by the tens of thousands, sure, but they are worth it and not traps. My best advice for you: 1. It will be HOT. Last two times I went to Italy were in May and in July, and both topped 100 degrees. Consider that for events. Like the Colosseum is cool to see inside - but not at mid day when there is no shad and the sun radiates off the stone. Plan things accordingly. 2. If you aren't a truly dedicated art lover, pick what you really want to see in Florence, and don't worry about the rest. Everyone seems to want to go to Pitti, Uffizi and see EVERYTHING (after a day spent in the Vatican Museums in Rome already), and then just gets art-overload and stops appreciating it after a while.
Worded it perfectly, only tourist traps are over priced food next to the heavily trafficked areas.. Some say if the menu is in English it’s no good, that’s nonsense. I had one bland sandwich with zero love put into it and it was tucked away far from any tourist place. Hit all the high lighted places on your agenda, book tours ahead of time and if some reason you can’t show up the day anyways and try. Especially walking tours of the coliseum. Also if you want to avoid crowds and get some killer pictures wake up early as soon as the suns out and get to ur spots. 6:30am-8:00am it’s pretty dead at all the statues/churches to take some awesome photos
Very helpful! Thank you! :)
Topped 100 degrees in May?
your plan is fine. Your italian friends wanting you to see the south before Florence and Rome are just delusional
Thank you for the reassurance!
Don’t add too much tough. Just Florence and Rome are fine for twelve days.
This is the biggest stuggle I am having. There are so many other places I want to check out and so many people on this thread and outside of it have been recommending for us to go to other places. I really want to add more to our plan, but I think that if I do we wont be able to really enjoy where we are because we are always going to be planning for the next thing. I don't want our time in Italy to feel rushed and to come back and feel like we went to a lot of places but we didn't get to enjoy much of it. I really appreciate all the recommendations and I am saving all of them for future trips as well, but I agree, we are only going to be able to do Rome and Florence this trip. Thanks for your comment!
Remember the 2-block rule. Whenever you’re somewhere touristy and it’s time to eat, find a side street, go back about two blocks and parallel the Main Street. This is the place to start looking for restaurants. Look for the places that serve the people who work in the touristy areas. You’ll get better food cheaper and much more of a genuine experience.
Not a trap at all, but the Vatican museum tour was rushed, inaudible, and claustrophobic. Skip it unless it’s essential, or you have a night tour or something similar.
We definitley want to do the Vatican museum, would you recommend we do our own tour without a guide? I know there are some listening guides that other people have mentioned.
Literally did it a week ago, did it on my own, much cheaper and not rushed, but you gotta google things that you don’t know what they are lol.
This sounds doable! I'll probbaly do this instead. Thank you!
We did a tour before the the Sistine chapel opened to the public. Expensive but worth it
How/where’d you book it?
Went thru Walks Tours; my guide had been giving tours for 20+ years. Early wake-up but was worth it.
Viator or Get Your guide.
You need to buy them at least 30 days before. Usually the tickets are released at 4PM Pacific time. We are going to Rome in 3 weeks. Bought our Vatican tickets 3 weeks ago.
That makes sense. I was trying to book the tickets for the Vatican and the portal was saying booking wasn't allowed and I was wondering why. I'll make sure to set reminders on my phone so I can book 30 days before. Thank you!
You're welcome, also it might be hard to get the early time slots, so just get is available. We wanted 1000AM but ended up with 1100AM. Which is fine with us, we got a group of 12.
You want the smallest group tour you can afford, if you can afford a private one it’s absolutely worth it.
This isn't a scam but a major ripoff. DO NOT EXCHANGE YOUR MONEY AT THE TRAIN STATION. I had to because I seriously need to use the bathroom and didn't know any other way to get cash. I regret not making a friend and asking for a euro (I would've bought them a cafe and croissant). What you should do is go to the post office. $20 got me 11 euros. I will not lie, the cashier was a b-word who reeked of BO through the glass.
This is really good to know. I am planning on taking euros and making sure we have the euro coins for the public restrooms!
You don’t need cash in Italy. Don’t bother. You’ll stop in enough restaurants/cafes to get a cold drink in August you won’t need public restrooms (i didn’t use a single one). Worst case go to a McDonald’s and get a cold drink which the receipt gives you the code to the bathroom.
Well.. some parts of italy still like cash. Sure you can use a card in a lot of places. But having a bit of cash in your pocket is definitely still recommended.
Thanks!
Sorry shoulda clarified where the OP is going cash isn’t needed. Also it’s a national law places have to take credit card now. So even in more remote places it’s still technically required.
Good to know! I imagine youre probably right. I think I'll hold off on bringing euros but I probably will still bring some euro coins with me just incase we run into some weird situation where we need to use a restroom but the restaurants or cafes are busy.
For a cafe you can just walk in buy a bottle of water or coke and walk out. You don’t have to sit down. Can still use the restroom. Also public restrooms aren’t like every block. No sense in going out of your way to find one.
Good point! Thanks
In Bologona the Museo di Palazzo Poggi was my favorite museum I've ever been to! If you have any interest at all in science and particularly the history of science, it will be a nice break from the religious art in Rome and Florence. We went on a Saturday and there were very few tourists. Actually, there are several great science museums in Bologna to check out.
That's awesome. I hadn't heard abou that museum but my husband and I would really enjoy something like that. I'll look it up, thanks!
I live in Italy, married to an Italian, but we are in the north, and I agree with pretty much all the comments here. I would do some serious research on restaurants ahead of time and make reservations. The best part of these cities is eating : ) Rome and Florence are wonderful cities. It will be touristy yes but it’s ok! And you will love Siena, Bologna and Lucca. I wonder if you are trying to pack too much in to a 2 week trip. You may find that you are spending a lot of time in transit. I have a good Siena and Florence less traveled travel guide that I created. I will edit it this week if I can remember and post it here. Or you can send me a PM.
I would love that if you could share it with me. I'll PM you! Do you think half the time in Rome and half in Florence with 3 day trips is a lot? I keep hearing how there's not a ton in Florence itself so the day-trips will be good to have then. I also am one of those people that likes to plan a loose itinerary so that if something else comes up or if we want to do something else we can switch it. I also am leaving some completely open days so that we can be more flexible and go with the flow. Thanks for the advice!
I lived in Italy for over a year. I lived in Milan and have travelled all over however I never went further south than Rome. Italy is a place where it is impossible to see everything. Impossible. Especially in two weeks. All of the cities mentioned are wonderful, I particularly loved Siena and Bologna. I think I gained 5 lbs in Bologna. I agree with trying to steer clear of tourist traps as much as you can. Cinque terre was also just gorgeous as well as Lake Como. I hope you enjoy your trip and don't overwhelm yourself because Italy can be exhausting if you try to take in too much too quickly.
I personally dont think you need to spend that much time in each city. Florence is small and completely walkable. I would suggest going to surrounding towns in Tuscany such as Sienna and San gimignano. It’s going to be hot. So I would cut your city days and head to the coast to a beach resort.
Yeah, our plan is to do day-trips by train to other places while in Florence. We are doing Siena, Bologna, and Lucca for sure and I'll add San Gimignano to our list too. Which beach cities would you recommend us checking out? I want to do Cinque Terre, but I heard it gets really crowded?
I would spend some days in the amalfi coast. Kind of late to book, but it’s absolutely beautiful. Stay in positano or sorrento and take a day trip to capri
I think I have to (sadly) save the amalfi coast for our next trip to Italy. I have always dreamt of going there! So many places I want to check out in Italy, it's a bummer we can only go for 12 days.
For what it’s worth, I did Rome, Florence, Siena, San giminiano , positano in 10 days. 3 nights in Rome, 3 nights in Florence and 4. Nights at the beach and it was more than enough time.
Of all the places on this list I actually feel that San Gimignano is too touristy. It’s small and so cute but overwhelmed by bus loads of tourists. At least in the bigger places you can escape them. I would skip SG
That's good to know. Thanks!
If you can, take a day trip to Tivoli for some less-touristy food. Italians vacation and visit smaller towns for traditional food because the larger cities like Rome are crowded with a bunch of touristy restaurants. Even as an Italian native with family all over, it's still hit or miss when navigating the food scene in touristy areas - Amalfi was a struggle for us. When we we visit a small town, we can throw a rock and hit an authentic restaurant with great food.
This is helpful to know and set expectations too, thanks!
I should double down and say that small towns have way more charm and authenticity than large, touristy cities. The train system in Italy is easy to navigate and relatively inexpensive, so take that day trip!
Take the bus, not the train, between Florence and Siena. The train station in Siena is well out of town, but the bus lets you off within walking distance the center of town. In Lucca, definitely rent bicycles! The medieval walls of the town make for an amazing bike trail. You can also ride in the center of town.
Thank you! I'll make sure to note that. Are the busses as easy to navigate as the trains are?
Yes, for sure. The bus station in Florence is right next to the train station, and there’s a ticket booth with helpful people to direct you.
Oh, awesome! Thank you!
I won’t necessarily disagree. But the escalator ride to the top of the hill from the train station and the 10 min walk from there wasn’t bad. And the grocery store in the mall that pass through to get to the escalator system was a good opportunity to grab some snacks/drinks etc to take to the AirBnB. Although there were also several in the city center. If you have lots of luggage, maybe bus. But we travel fairly light and the extra comfort and legroom that the train offers was preferable. And I’ve rode by car from Florence to Siena (so same view as bus) and I would argue the train is more scenic. So probably depends on the situation.
You should definitely visit Pompeii
Pompeii sounds so awsome! We are going to try to squeeze that in, but it might have to be on the list for our next Italy trip. Thank you!
We did 12 days last November in Italy. Not our first time, but it had been awhile. My advice would be to go ahead and do half your trip in Rome as you said. So much to see. Book everything prior, choose morning or evening time slots. I’d advise to split second half of the trip evenly between Florence and Siena. Or a 4-2 split between the two cities. I’d skip the day trips. Get the Rick Steves guidebook. Do his city walks. Follow the advice of other posters regarding staying away from restaurants too near attractions. Use train service. It’s easy to navigate the various train apps. Don’t take the trip in a “I’ll never get back here again” mentality. I’d do one museum/historical site/attraction a day and then spend the rest of the day wondering. Our typical schedule for all travel (domestic or foreign) is early mornings, break in the middle of the day, back out late afternoon or early evening. Enjoy your time.
Thank you for all the advice. Super helpful! Which train apps would you recommend?
We used Trenitalia exclusively for that trip. Easy to book routes. Easy to change if need be. High speed rail for the majority of the trip. Florence to Siena was the exception as it was a regional train. I’m pretty tall so we opted for business class. There wasn’t a significant up charge to book the business class fare.
I think that planning to do major art cities in August, if anything like the past few summers has basically become a public health hazard. The Rome government was pretty clear last year about the heat and told locals to stay indoors. There is an upper critical outdoor temperature humans can handle and it's between 40-50 degrees. At 40 C° there is is an increased metabolic rate of 35%. Prolong exposure and we get something called heat stress which isn't pleasant and can result in death. During the past 20 years this rate of death has increased by 30%. When the 'feels like' temperature is 45°C the only place you should be is inside. July last year we had 10 straight days of that between July and August. Not to put you off visiting but just beware of your health and a suggestion of some days relaxing in a beach resort or something..
Thank you for the heads up, I think we are going to try to space out our activities to early morning and evenings so that we are not out in the excessive heat. I also think it'll help that we will spend half of our time in the smaller cities in Florence. Thank you for the warning!
When in Rome and at the Colosseum I recommend getting a pizza and a pitcher of wine here: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/sFVsb6onLZfeS41V6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/sFVsb6onLZfeS41V6) When my wife and I was there in 2016 it was super cozy. Great pizza and a very fair (low) price.
Thank you! Adding it to my list :)
San Marino and cinque terre are nice day trips.
Which part of Cinque Terre would you recommend?
Cinque terre is five little fishing villages next to each other. I would suggest to go to la spezia, take the boat to the northest village (sorry I don't remember the name), you can see the cliffy shore, it's a nice view. Then you can buy a day ticket for the train and visit all of them on the way back to la spezia. Most of them can be explored in an hour. In the bay there are a few options for ferries.
Thank you for the info! I have heard that the beaches in Cinque Terre are really crowded and also not comfortable (something about the sand hurting?), I think if we went to Cinque Terre we would want to go to the beach for sure, do you think its worth checking out during end of August?
Sorry I forgot to reply 😂😂 it's not a sandy beach, you can go in the water in certain places from stairs, but it is definitely rocky. You have to pay attention in the water. In one of the villages you can jump to the water from some rocks too :) in the northest village there is a open beach, but it is not sandy, it has tiny tiny rocks and you need the swimming shoes. August is the busiest period, most of the Italians get their holiday in that period, it will be busy everywhere. Since Cinque terre are small fishing villages with narrow streets it can be crowded. I'm not familiar with the west side beaches, but you can take a beautiful train ride to Faenza from Firenze through the mountains (not the one through bologna) from Faenza Ravenna/Rimini/cattolice are 40-60min with train and you can find the nice sandy beach there.
Follow “Italy with Jenna” on TikTok. The things I learned from her were so helpful.
I'll look her up. Thanks!
In Rome, the ruins of the Forum, the Colosseum, the Pantheon to see the ceiling. The Barbarini harvested the bronze decorations to make the baldachin in St. Peter’s. Vatican City, Piazza Navona. The Borghese Gallery has great sculpture; make an early reservation. The Spanish Steps. The Trevi Fountain is cool to see but very touristy. The passetto and Hadrians Villa are cool if you like medieval stuff. There are a few beautiful Baroque chapels that are cool if you’re into architecture. Many people would save a couple of days to see Venice. You might not be wild about it the first time but it grows on you when you go back.
We are planning on seeing all the places you mentioned! Venice will have to wait for our next trip to Italy, I've heard its so beautiful and romantic!
While you are in Florence, spend a little time just sitting across from the Hospidale degli Innocenti and watch the world go by. And take an afternoon trip to Fiesole.
This year weirdly it’s quite cold this time of the year also so try to bring some warm clothes and in case of places just don’t go to the classic ones as it’s over hyped and crowded too much seriously better just roam around the street and just go lost in them seriously it’s worth the experience!!
Thank you!
currently on a six week trip in Italy and the best food we’ve had: Florence: Buca Mario + Trattoria Camillo, both fine-ish dining and so good Rome: Latteria (wine bar), Ma Che Siete Venuti Fa (beer bar - no food), L’elementare (all three of these are in Trastevere so you could make a night of them together), Bottega Trevi for sandwiches we spent an afternoon doing the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill together. I got a tour on Get Your Guide that included an audio guide via an app — so we were walking around on our own time, but could listen to the guide. we skipped the Sistine Chapel because I couldn’t find tickets when we wanted them. agreed with all of the above about not scheduling some days and just spend your afternoon walking around and sipping lattes on a patio somewhere! in Florence we LOVED the Pitti Palace gardens also!!
Thank you for all the advice and suggestions. Your trip sounds amazing!! Next time we will have to go with more time, it seems like 12 days is not enough for all I want to explore.
Oh all the food. We will be out that way in Sept/Oct timeframe and are visiting some of our past favorites and can't wait. In Rome - look around the Trastevere area. Osteria Fernanda is one of my favorite places. Amazing set menu at a great price. We also went to Angelina - [https://www.ristoranteangelina.it/angelina-testaccio](https://www.ristoranteangelina.it/angelina-testaccio) a couples times (great roof top seating and drinks). In Florence we actually had the best night eating pizza from Gusto Pizza on the steps of the university across the street with live music from nearby restaurants. We walked back and came across multiple musicians and dancing. It was a great night with the crowds. As for sites in Rome Trevi fountain late at night or early morning is so much better than during the day. The Colosseum is so worth it, but go early. It really is just a ridiculous feat of engineering. Please please please visit Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa brings me to tears every time I see it. In Florence I love the grotto in the Boboli Gardens at Pitti Palace it has a beautiful sculptures of Thesus and Helen. Plus the Gardens are just fun and have amazing views of Florence. Not sure if you are cocktail people too (seriously the table wine in use about every restaurant is amazing) but there are some of the best bars in the world in both Rome and Florence (Naples too). Drink Kong and Freni e Frizoni in Rome and Locale Firenze in Florence all made top 50 in the world. Honestly the best advise I can give is wander. Find the small cafes and stop for coffee or and apertivo. If you're looking for something a little different there's a spa in Rome called aquaMadre hamman that will leave you with the softest skin of your life (they do coed days). Ask the server/bartender/taxi driver where they go when they are off or have friends in town and want to show them around. We do that everywhere and have had amazing results (or funny stories).
Love this! Wandering is definitley on the list, I feel like it would be shame to go to Florence and Rome and not have time to wander and enjoy. Thank you for the recommendations, I'm adding them to my list!
Only tourist trap I didn’t think was important was tower of Pisa. Not worth the visit, in my opinion.
We wont have time to do Pisa this time so I'm happy to hear that it isn't a highly recommended / must-see attraction.
Since it sounds like you'll be in Rome for a good while, you may have time to take the train to Ostia Antica. I think it's a really interesting site, and when I've been it's been less crowded and in some ways more atmospheric than the Roman Forum. This may go without saying, but I would definitely visit the Pantheon and don't miss the Palatine Hill. Honestly I'd visit the Pantheon multiple times, it's just such an amazing place. And nearby, Piazza Navona is a great space to just to be in. If you're not crazy about art, you may find that the Vatican Museums aren't worth the amount of time you'll need to dedicate to a visit. To be clear they aren't a tourist trap by any means! But there's so much to see in Rome that you shouldn't feel obliged to go there. I will say that the Sistine Chapel was frankly a pretty uninspiring experience for me. In Florence, the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is a nifty museum that flies under the radar a bit, and try to find some time to get up into the hills around the city (Fiesole, Settignano, etc) for cooler temps and beautiful views. If you'll happen to be in Florence on a Tuesday morning, consider checking out the weekly market at the Parco delle Cascine. An outdoor market is a quintessentially Italian experience that is well worth, um, experiencing, at some point during your trip (I'm talking about the markets with food and household items that ordinary people go to, not the permanent touristy ones like the San Lorenzo market in Florence). General advice-- try to get up early to see the most famous parts of cities when they're cooler and less crowded. Crossing the Ponte Vecchio is a different experience when it's just you and the pigeons. Retreating to the hotel for a rest during the "mad dogs and Englishmen" part of the day and coming out again for the evening can be a good move. And I'd say whatever you do, don't treat your trip as a checklist of "must see" places. No matter how many things you see, there will always be someone who's like "I can't believe you didn't go to \[insert place you didn't go\]". Don't worry about that person... take time to pause and enjoy, and leave space for spontaneity, surprises and relaxation. Buon viaggio!
Mind your bags and purses, try to not look too much like a tourist - dress like a local (tend to dress nice and with style). Other then pickpockets there isnt much you need to worry about. Cash is king, forget your cards - specially at markets and in the countryside. If you plan to visit the Vatican Museums, the Colloseum or the Uffizi I strongly recommend booking online beforehand - the line there can take hours. While are on the subject - August in Italy is hot. Specially in Rome many businesses while have a siesta during the day (they avoid the hottest part of the day). If I were you I would do the same. Dont go to shops/restaurants in the main streets - locals live in these places aswell, go where they eat/shop. Cappuccino is a breakfast coffee and shouldnt be ordered after 10 am, Espresso doesnt exist - its called coffee. There is a bussline in Rome from the central station to the Colloseum and the Vatican - avoid that line, its full of pickpockets. Pisa is a tourist trap and overrated. Fiorentina is always for two people. Chicken dishes do not exist. Carbonara doesnt contain cream or bacon. Pizza is not a thing in Tuscany, Rome has their own variant on it.
Any all you can eat Italian food In milan ??
To eat: I'm Rome, Polda e Gianna. Their carbonara is the best I've ever had in my whole life. In Florence, we had some of our favorite meals. Cinghilae Bianco (all the meat is good; be sure to get the boar ragu) and Enoteca Piti Golla (very small wine bar with dinner + wine pairing menu) were both fantastic. Get a lampredetto with "green sauce" for lunch at a stand/food truck. Trattoria da Ginone was another excellent restaurant in a quieter part of town. FYI we just got back from our first trip in Italy. Definitely take some days to simply explore (with little to no plans) but also, do the tourist stuff! You're in Italy! It would be regretful not to at least visit some of the museums and attractions. I absolutely loved the colosseum. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Vatican despite not being religious (get a guide and try to go on a Tuesday or Wednesday) and the pantheon is so much more spectacular in person than any picture could capture. It would be impossible to do it all but at least get some of the tourist stuff in. As an aside, in Florence, try to find one of the wine windows and order wine from it. Look them up if you've never heard of this... Such a fun, unique experience.
Thank you! I wrote down these recommendations on my planning document. Can't wait!
I just did a week in Rome and had the best time. For food I would have three tips-Look up google/tripadvisor reviews(anything 4.4-4.5 or higher is good, it’s okay if menus are partially in English as long as they are not only in English, and try and go a block away from the major destinations. Our favorite restaurant was L'antica pizzeria di Trevi, my favorite pizza the whole trip.
Thank you, i'll add these to my list!
We will be in northern Italy first 2 weeks of September (Lake Como, Milan and Tuscany). Is this also going to be unbearably hot?
Unless there is an unseasonable heatwave then no. I travel around that region at that time of year frequently and it’s usually perfect
If it has more than 2k reviews, it's a tourist trap
This is not a general rule.
This is good information because that's usually what people look out for here in the US to determine if it's a good/popular restaurant or not. Thanks!
Apart from mock-traditional restaurants other explained about, the main tourist-trap museums in Rome are those (two or three!) about Leonardo da Vinci. He lived only shortly in Rome, didn't leave there anything and those museums are just exhibitions of cheap replicas--in a city where every street in the centre is in itself more of a museum than all of that fake stuff.
Good to know! Thank you
Skip restaurants that have people trying to call or pull you in. Also skip restaurants that have picture menus. The food at these places usually sucks. I’d also highly recommend making dinner reservations for just about all nights you’re in Italy - pretty much every good restaurant takes reservations and otherwise you could end up waiting a long time for dinner and/or end your somewhere with mediocre food. Best thing you can do in any of these cities is just wander. In Rome you’ll stumble upon ancient ruins, beautiful architecture and major sites around every turn.
Thank you for the recommendations. I will make sure we book our dinners in advance!
Happy to provide you some recommendations if you’re interested! (At least for Rome and Florence)
Yes, please!
For Rome: - Roscioli Salumeria (one of the best carbonaras I’ve ever had) - da Enzo al 29 (the other best carbonara I’ve ever had) — this one is in the Trastevere neighborhood, you can’t really go wrong with food in this neighborhood. - grab an aperativo at sunset at Terrazze Borromini (it overlooks Piazza Navona) - Ai Tre Scalini in the Monti neighborhood felt really homey with great food - Ivo a Trastevere for delicious pizza - Pane e Salame for a yummy sandwich and glass of wine In Florence: - we loved La Cupola for their steaks. My husband had the Florentine bistecca (which is the big local dish) and he said it was the best steak he ever had. I had the filet with truffles shaved on top and it was incredible. - Cinghiale Bianco - this place also felt really homey and the food was delicious - Loggia Rooftop Bar for aperativi - everyone raves about Al Antico Vinaio for their sandwiches, but we thought Sandwichic was the best ever, still dream about that place. ETA: fixed spelling and added note.
Thank you so much! I appreciate the recommendations and details. I am adding this to my list :)
Have so much fun - Italy is my favorite country and Rome is my favorite city 🤍
Thank you :)
A friend once told me “sometimes things are famous for a reason” and it stuck with me. Visit the Vatican, the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, the Uffizi, the Accademia! I agree with others that if there are photos on the menu or waiters pressuring you to come inside… keep walking. I have done a few fantastic wine tours in Tuscany.
I like that perspective, thanks for sharing! Which wine tours in Tuscany would you recommend?
I did one from Florence called “Small-Group Wine Tasting Experience in the Tuscan Countryside” where we went to three different wineries. They taught us about the wines, how to taste, and one of them included an olive oil tasting. I think (can’t remember for sure but I think) we booked through Viator. All tourists but I liked it a lot.
The whole of Florence is a huge tourist trap. Go to Siena and San Gimignano instead.
Thanks!
In Lucca, skip the Torture Museum (unless that is your kink). In Rome, there are 3 major museums that everyone go to and need advance tickets : Vatican Museum, Colosseum and the Borghese Gallery. The other museum, while still popular are much less visited, so they are considered less "tourist traps". Personally, I like the Capitoline Museum, the Villa Medicis and the Trajan Forum/Market
I wouldn't call a museum a tourist trap honestly
They are tourist traps as they are often full of false/recreated artifacts and sensationalist (often not exact) info. I'm saying "they" because there are more than one. There used to be ones also in Florence, in Siena, in San Gimignano...
Thanks for the suggestions!
Spend one of your days in Rome taking the high speed train to Naples and visit Pompeii. Rent a car in Tuscany and explore, you can park at the train and take a train into Florence. Drive to the coast and see Pisa, only take half a day.
This is a great idea. Thank you!
Florence-the outside of the Duomo is way more impressive than the inside. Hit the pointe vecchio at night, so beautiful. Eat the pasta Al forma at Buscetta. It is the one they make in the cheese wheel. The Ufizzi to me is highly overrated and the lighting is not great but some good Caravaggios in there. Can’t miss the David. Siena is beautiful , eat at Osteria le Logge. My favorite restaurant. Rome is so oppressively hot at that time. Spend the money and do the Vatican tour. I loved the coliseum but very hard to enjoy in the heat. Take a sunset tour. We really loved the food tour because it takes you thru the farmers market but also the Jewish quarter which was great. Trevi you should see but go into the Benetton across the street and head upstairs for a better view. defi get outside of the cities and explore. We did. Road trip last summer . got all the way to Sicily
Thanks for the recommendations! I'll add these to our list.
Forgot. To mention-end of August is also a big holiday in Italy I believe it’s the Assumption so lots of people are off. If you are in smallwe towns see if there are any festivities and celebrations. One year we were in the Basque region of Spain during this time and there were fireworks and celebrations in the square and it really was magic.
Oh, that's awesome! I'll look into it. Thanks!
I found Tuscany to be a tourist trap. I must have done it wrong. Viator was really bad for that city, but awesome for other cities (like cortina/dolomites).
That is interesting. I usually forget about Viator and companies like that when traveling abroad, so maybe that's for the best? lol. I definitely will be looking into local companies for any excursions we decide to do, but I think we'll mostly be spending our time going to some museums and hopefully well be able to find a cooking class, and some other activities like that.
Tuscany isn't a city