We haven’t been back to our house in Minturno for more than 2 years. Italy is the light at the end of a long dark bizarre tunnel. I need the Italian sanity that feeds my brain and soul. And tummy. Bless you for your humor, sense and hard work Rafael. Bless 🇮🇹
I hope everyone who needs and wants to visit the best and friendliest and most beautiful country in the world (Italy) gets their wish. You all deserve it. Amore a tutti. Love to all 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
The train station in Venice has a GREAT luggage storage called “left luggage”. I fly into Venice, boat to train station, leave my bag there and just carry a backpack into Venice.
When I went to Naples, I got off the main grid and walked thru some neighbourhoods and had the most amazing pizza made right in front of me. It was awsome
I’m so jealous! I could definitely go do a good old fashioned Neapolitan pizza right now! What a great memory to hold onto ^_^ I hope we all get the chance to do it again soon
While in Rome, we missed our train stop and decided to just keep riding. We ended up getting off in Bracciano! We had a wonder visit to the Castle and walked around town on a quiet Sunday afternoon. We found a restaurant where no one spoke English. On the trip back to rome, we enjoyed seeing italian teens going home after their soccer game. What a memorable day!!
If/when restrictions lighten up in the summertime again it is the perfect time to do all the touristy stuff. Last summer we did Pisa, Rome, and Pompeii. Everything was empty. We got pictures in front of the Trevi fountain with nobody else in them. We did a few tours and our family was the only ones on some of them. It was an awesome to experience all these popular locations in a way that will never happen again.
I hope it never happens again, but honestly I can't say I'm too confident that it won't. Even though I'm someone who hates taking trips in the heat of the summer, that must have been trualy an amazing experience to have last year! what places are next on your list?
We drove down the coast to Split, Croatia from here in Northern Italy last summer... There was ZERO traffic, everyone was shocked to see actual Americans... It was one of the best road trips we have ever taken. The drive down the coast of Croatia is one of the most beautiful drives we have ever done and HIGHLY recommend it!!
My recommendation is to spend your entire trip in one region. Connect with the culture, sample the typical cuisine, find out what makes that region unique. There's more than enough to do in any region to have a very enjoyable trip of a week or more.
I completely that it’s a wonderful way to see the country but I can help hit to wonder if that’s a better first trip or second trip. I’d be stuck between the idea that maybe it’s good to get an overview the first time and then on a later trip focus in a little bit more. What’s your opinion?
@@RafaelDiFuria I think an overview would be fine too, but for someone with Italian heritage diving into the region their ancestors came from could be an incredible first trip. After all, they probably never left the region where they were born until they emigrated!
@@BuffaloPhil529 I agree. The first trip we made was with my mother-and sister-in-law. After Germany and Switzerland, we arrived in the small town where my husband's family is from. It was Easter and all the kids were out of school as well as our two young teen-agers. Our daughters were gone from breakfast to dinner hanging out with all the kids from the town. We visited relatives (all speaking the local dialect) so my Italian was useless. From that week in the 80s, we've been back nearly every year, travelling here and there, but always going back to visit relatives and friends. Visiting the sites is all well and good and we've done that, too, but getting to know people through long pranzi or an apertivo is to be really treasured.
Hey Rafael! Since you asked, my travel tips are always these few things. 1.Try not to be married to a particular set of dates if possible, the more flexible you are, the better deals on airline tickets you’re going to get. 2. Watch the ticket prices consistently yourself, starting months ahead, and looking at flexible dates for different time periods. By the time you get the fare sale alert through an email, it’s usually already over. By being tenacious, I got for example great flights from San Francisco to Athens on Air France for under $400 one year, in June! 3. Pack light. Europe has everything, you don’t need to bring all of your stuff. Leave room for purchases, it’s fun when people ask, “Cute shirt, where’d you get it?” And you’re like, “Oh I picked this up in Rome.” 4. Plan at least two nights per town/area. Three is better- three hotel nights really equates to two full days. Every time you move from place to place, you are wasting time packing and transiting. If I only had a week for example, I would only pick two areas, totally agree with your assessment there. And 5. I am a total history/art history nerd, so I *do* like the museums a lot, but, download a Blue Guide and find the smaller museums- you would be amazed what you can see with hardly any crowds, even in high season. A few examples- Ostia Antica, or the Villa Farnesina in Rome, the Parco di Mostri in Bomarzo, the Stibbert Museum in Florence and many more. So that’s my main bit of advice to people! Thank you so much for sharing all of your tips, love your videos!
@@RafaelDiFuria sleeper cars all the way! We crossed Canada (wife and I) on ViaRail this way. It would be a dream to do that there once I obtain my JS and get her permesso.
I am always flying to Pisa and there start my vac. My final target is Cinque Terre region, where my family lives. That is one of the greatest places to stay plus there is a lot of small towns and villages around to visit, like Lucca, Carrara or Volterra. They are just couple of hours away, we either rent a car or go by train, cause this regional trains are amazing :) We were fortunate to spend 3 weeks in July 2020 there, but had to spend 14 days in Poland first before that. That was that short window with a low numbers... a week after we left the numbers were twice as high... I hope this year everything will be normal again. Thanks for all your videos and news that keep us updated :)
Venice as an Italian experience has been totally ruined by mass tourism, pre the Pandemic. How the situation will turn out in the coming year is uncertain but it might be the best time to go before the overwhelming crowds descend again and as Rafael said you might as well be in Vegas etc. It's a great tragedy really as the city is so beautiful but fortunately there are many far less touristy places in Italy that are well worth visiting.
completely agree! that's one of the reasons why I mentioned about going to some of the off the beaten path places, I meant to to add specifically also because you'll also interact with the locals, thank for bringing that up!
Our first time to Italy, we spent a week between Rome, Florence and Venice and traveled by train to see all the major sites. The 2nd time we went and stayed in Rome for St. Valentine's week and just wandered all around the city by foot with no itinerary. It was a great experience and we were even able to see St. Valentine's skull in the Santa Maria Basilica. We've enjoyed our European trips this way by first seeing the tourist sights on one trip and then on the next trip, renting a car with no hotels booked or set itinerary and just travel the country and stop whenever we find an interesting town or village. It's such a stress-free way of traveling and we love being immersed in the local culture and rarely see another tourist from N. America. I think most people are afraid of traveling like this because they don't want to learn the language, but about a month out, I try to learn basic phrases that helps us communicate when booking hotels, ordering food or getting directions.
I have been planning for almost a year now. Was hoping to come the end of May last year but that didn't happen. Have been to Italy once before and loved it. Let's hope this year things improve and maybe I can get there either late this year or early next year.
@@RafaelDiFuria I plan on doing 2 weeks including Venice, Rome, Florence as base cities and doing a few day trips out to smaller towns on the train. I also plan on going to San Marino for a day, and have to do the Vatican. I realy want to try and see places that tourests don't crowd like crazzy.
@@landmass17 If you need some suggestions for Northern Italy, please feel free to ask. I would be more than happy to point you to some amazing places that have ZERO tourists. All within a couple hour drive from Venice.
Hi Rafi, I appreciate your videos so much... I love Italy and have been learning the language for several years, before the "2020 bug" I was visiting the country 5 or 6 times a year.
I so love your passion and enthusiasm for Italy as well as the great advice. You are a joy to listen to. I am currently learning Italian in the hope of renting a property for a few weeks and travelling more off the beaten track as well as seeing some of the more touristy bits. Hope to start in the Lake Maggiore area. Is this an area you know and, if so, any advice?
Ciao 😎 Was supposed to go to Palermo last May, had to rebook everything for this May. Dosen't look like that is going to happen either 😢 Mi manchi Sicilia 😢🇮🇹🙏🏻
Yes! I have a travel agency and specialize in Italy culinary travel. I’m so anxious to go back. I’m usually there 2-3 months per year. Rafael, I enjoy your site so much. I SO know where you are coming from on so much in each video. You make my day! I’ll leave one of my own tips as you suggest, separately! Thanks for all you do for travelers! I share your vids often‼️ 🇺🇸❤️🇮🇹 Elaina Salerno
Si si si felice anno nuovo bravo raffi..a most interesting and informative vlog .I always look forward to your vlogs. they keep me going in the uk lockdown grazie grazie Mille ciao ciao
Just don't over think it. I've been lost in Italy more times than I can tell you. I don't even speak the language. It's the most fun I I've ever had & I did it alone. Thats why I'm going back to see Sicily. I consider it my home, being Sicilian. Ciao Raff Francesca Marino
Hi Raf, couldn't agree more. To sum it up - When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Planning a trip to Northern Italy this summer - fingers crossed. Thanks for the great video!
Yes on vacation with a tour group to Rome, pompeii, capri than to Major place in the northern parts of Italy. 2nd Trip to Sorrento excursion to Greece then back to Rome. I was blessed to have gone.❤️ If I get to go again I would like to visit Sicily where my grandparents are from.
In Bologna train station there are guys who want to “help” you with your bag. I know they are just trying to earn a little money and I felt for them, but saying no once should be enough. It wasn’t! One guy was aggressive with me and no matter how fast I walked, could not get rid of him. I said NO at least fifty times. a bit scary. He even went up in the elevator with me and kept telling me to give him my bag. A bit scary. I am late 60s woman with two rolling bags which I can easily handle by myself. That only happened in Bologna train station. Also NOTE.... there IS an elevator in Bologna train station!!! You do NOT have to drag your bag up the stairs!! Favorite experience? Taking a mosaic course in RAVENNA for a week, staying in a B+B on the other side of town from the school, and riding a bicycle through the old town everyday. Ravenna is fabulous.
By the way, in Bologna the bus from the airport has been replaced by a People Mover (something between a light railway, a train and a tram) the Central Railway station.
@@RafaelDiFuria apparently in the past few months. It was not operative in October yet, I think it started in November (I live in London and before the 2020 bug I used to visit elderly relatives in Bologna and Venezia once a month, now I go when it is possible. I hope next trip will be in April)
Thanks for the information. I have taken a taxi and the bus from Bologna airport to the central railway station. The train station was confusing thanks to my limited Italian and a friendly woman who spoke some English I got to the correct platform.
Hi Rafi, I appreciate your videos so much... I love Italy and have been learning the language for several years.Before the arrival of the "2020 bug" I was visiting the country 5 or 6 times a year. I'm British, live in England and never likely to live in Italy, but I enjoy your videos for their insight into life in the country. It's difficult to give advice relevant to all your subscribers, access from the UK is so much easier than from North America and elsewhere in the world. Brexit is a politically sensiitive subject... I certainly agree that the smaller cities are well worth visiting, I can't speak for the whole of the country but the railway links across Northern Italy are fantastic and inexpensive compared to rail travel in the UK. It's easy to move between Milan, Verona, Venice and Bologna as well as fascinating smaller cities like Padova, Vicenza, Ravenna and Modena. Like you, I enjoy walking around and getting slightly lost, but I do plan ahead and visit well known places of interest. Usually, I book ahead to avoid queues outside museums and other monuments. If a city or area holds particular appeal for me, I will return to explore further on a later trip. It's well worth investigating local bus services as well as trains, these can be an even cheaper and more convenient way to transit from the airport, particularly with a modest amount of luggage. Travel as light as possible! Flying from London to Rome, I prefer to use the Ryanair route to Ciampino because it's closer to the city so the taxi fare is only 30 euro. Fiumicino is a much more modern airport with better facilities than Ciampino, but it's further from the centre and I haven't found a reasonable, simple way to reach the city from there. The buses and trains seem to go to Termini main station, which would not be my ideal location for accommodation in Rome. My favourite area in Rome to stay is Trastevere, with excellent eating and artisan shops. Look on Airbnb or similar websites for apartments etc . If you plan to visit Tuscany, I thoroughly recommend staying in Lucca. It's a beautiful city in itself and surrounded by walls with a broad tree-lined avenue around the top, which is great for walking, running or cycling. It's also great for visiting Pisa and Florence easily by train or bus, but a more tranquil place to stay than either of those. It would perhaps be too far to visit Siena from Lucca within a day. Regarding Bologna, the train station is massive and in fact it's at least 2 stations in one, there are local, regional and inter-regional trains leaving from different levels and locations. Despite asking the train manager for directions to the correct platform, we waited in the wrong place and missed our connection to Modena. Confusing... However, the negative experience at Bologna Centrale wouldn't deter me from returning to la bella Italia as soon as it's safe enough to do so.
I want to go back sometime, not with a school group. My two previous trips, while very enjoyable, were completely planned out. I would love the chance to explore more.
I agree with you on much of what you said. I would really like emphasize that you shouldn’t rent a car unless you’re going out to the countryside or a smaller city/town or somewhere not served by regular trains. Public transport is generally reliable enough to get around if you’re sticking to the main cities or medium-large cities. If you are going to out in to the countryside or small towns, then I definitely recommend renting a car and planning to spend a few days in each area or region, and finding a centrally located town or agriturismo to stay while you are exploring an area. As for how much time you should spend in each city/town/area. From my experience traveling, you should give yourself plenty of time to see a given area. At least 2/3 days for cities, and 1/2 days for smaller cities. I’m not a fan of large crowds anyway, so I prefer to get off the beaten path. E whether it be visiting a smaller/lesser known city, going to the countryside/mountains, or visiting a region not as well touristed. Finally, most of my favorite places in Italy off the beaten path or aren’t as well known with American travelers are in Umbria and Marche. But also I loved Elba Pitigliano, Bolzano, and Castel Gandolfo
Great video. I totally agree with your approach to visiting larger cities. I was in Paris awaiting a flight and had a day to spare. It was my sister's first time in Europe. I showed her all the sites in Paris in a few hours. Truthfully, I do not want to spend a day waiting in line for a museum. Unless I can find a more expedient way to visit that museum, I will opt for lesser travelled destinations or meandering. Always go for the tiny places for the food. Also, about seeing the historic districts and monuments, when these cities were originally hubs, there were no motor vehicles, so it is possible to tour the main features in a day, The city centers were not that large. Architecture and food are my destinations.
Best way: get a great pair of walking shoes and a hat and thus opt for walking instead of cabbing all the time. Walking leisurely and stopping for refreshments during the entire day is definitely the best way to experience a city in Italy!
That said, in my opinion, one can't experience any city properly in less than a week, even minus museums. I have been to Venice 9 times for no less than 2 weeks each visit and still scratching the surfaces of the little neighbourhoods, nooks and crannies...not to mention Murano, the Lido....etc.
I just bring a carry on enough for 3 days because when I come back after shopping there it's now the carry on and a checked piece , I'd rather shop for clothes there fo the rest of my stay 👌🇮🇹
Hi Rafael! Thanks for the video. I'm hoping to move to Bologna sometime in the fall of this year. I'm wondering about your experience there as you mentioned it wasn't your favorite city. One of the draws for me is that it seems like a good city for expats to feel not too isolated (somewhat international due to the University?), and yet it doesn't seem extremely touristy. Anyway, any of your thoughts on Bologna would be very much appreciated!
the first rule is when you see tourists dont go there , specially in restaurants, I visited rome many times I know it quite well , and I agree if you are young and speak the language more or less well , you can visit most of the places in one day , bu if you really want to take your time or if you go with mom and dad or your grand ma , better 3 or 4 days
I would definitely agree if you’re there as a group, it can make it harder to cover more ground fast. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, taking the time to slow down and have a coffee and people watch can be much needed in this modern era where everything is so fast paced
Does Sicily have driver services that will pick you up at the airport or a rideshare service? I would like to visit an ancestral town that is not on train or bus line.
Great video, but "THIS" will never, ever be over! You are not going to Disneyland, but Italy. Time to face reality. As a world, we are headed downhill!
Haha actually now that I think about it, he may have had one like it, but this one I bought about 10 years ago in Milan, it was made by an American company better known for their cowboy hats 😆
Eh, I’m not looking to get canceled any time in the near future. There’s one or two that may even carry a fine of you say them publicly 🤣 But maybe one day I’ll be able to make this happen😜
Sorry can’t say I know about the Spanish rules living in Italy. The rules keep changing and Americans are supposed to be barred from the whole EU, but I know late last year, some were able to get into Croatia and quarantine there for 2 weeks and then go to another EU nation
Thanks for the constructive feedback, much appreciated, I’ve been wanting to play around with the format of my videos so your feedback definitely helps
We haven’t been back to our house in Minturno for more than 2 years. Italy is the light at the end of a long dark bizarre tunnel. I need the Italian sanity that feeds my brain and soul. And tummy. Bless you for your humor, sense and hard work Rafael. Bless 🇮🇹
Thank you as always Jeanne for you kind words and sending blessings to you as well ^_^
I hope everyone who needs and wants to visit the best and friendliest and most beautiful country in the world (Italy) gets their wish. You all deserve it. Amore a tutti. Love to all 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
The train station in Venice has a GREAT luggage storage called “left luggage”. I fly into Venice, boat to train station, leave my bag there and just carry a backpack into Venice.
When I went to Naples, I got off the main grid and walked thru some neighbourhoods and had the most amazing pizza made right in front of me. It was awsome
I’m so jealous! I could definitely go do a good old fashioned Neapolitan pizza right now! What a great memory to hold onto ^_^
I hope we all get the chance to do it again soon
@@RafaelDiFuria praying for that you friend. We will soon
Yes, one of my dreams is to see an Italian opera at La Scala.
While in Rome, we missed our train stop and decided to just keep riding. We ended up getting off in Bracciano! We had a wonder visit to the Castle and walked around town on a quiet Sunday afternoon. We found a restaurant where no one spoke English. On the trip back to rome, we enjoyed seeing italian teens going home after their soccer game. What a memorable day!!
If/when restrictions lighten up in the summertime again it is the perfect time to do all the touristy stuff. Last summer we did Pisa, Rome, and Pompeii. Everything was empty. We got pictures in front of the Trevi fountain with nobody else in them. We did a few tours and our family was the only ones on some of them. It was an awesome to experience all these popular locations in a way that will never happen again.
I hope it never happens again, but honestly I can't say I'm too confident that it won't.
Even though I'm someone who hates taking trips in the heat of the summer, that must have been trualy an amazing experience to have last year!
what places are next on your list?
We drove down the coast to Split, Croatia from here in Northern Italy last summer... There was ZERO traffic, everyone was shocked to see actual Americans... It was one of the best road trips we have ever taken. The drive down the coast of Croatia is one of the most beautiful drives we have ever done and HIGHLY recommend it!!
My recommendation is to spend your entire trip in one region. Connect with the culture, sample the typical cuisine, find out what makes that region unique. There's more than enough to do in any region to have a very enjoyable trip of a week or more.
I completely that it’s a wonderful way to see the country but I can help hit to wonder if that’s a better first trip or second trip. I’d be stuck between the idea that maybe it’s good to get an overview the first time and then on a later trip focus in a little bit more. What’s your opinion?
@@RafaelDiFuria I think an overview would be fine too, but for someone with Italian heritage diving into the region their ancestors came from could be an incredible first trip. After all, they probably never left the region where they were born until they emigrated!
@@BuffaloPhil529 I agree. The first trip we made was with my mother-and sister-in-law. After Germany and Switzerland, we arrived in the small town where my husband's family is from. It was Easter and all the kids were out of school as well as our two young teen-agers. Our daughters were gone from breakfast to dinner hanging out with all the kids from the town. We visited relatives (all speaking the local dialect) so my Italian was useless. From that week in the 80s, we've been back nearly every year, travelling here and there, but always going back to visit relatives and friends.
Visiting the sites is all well and good and we've done that, too, but getting to know people through long pranzi or an apertivo is to be really treasured.
Hey Rafael! Since you asked, my travel tips are always these few things. 1.Try not to be married to a particular set of dates if possible, the more flexible you are, the better deals on airline tickets you’re going to get. 2. Watch the ticket prices consistently yourself, starting months ahead, and looking at flexible dates for different time periods. By the time you get the fare sale alert through an email, it’s usually already over. By being tenacious, I got for example great flights from San Francisco to Athens on Air France for under $400 one year, in June! 3. Pack light. Europe has everything, you don’t need to bring all of your stuff. Leave room for purchases, it’s fun when people ask, “Cute shirt, where’d you get it?” And you’re like, “Oh I picked this up in Rome.” 4. Plan at least two nights per town/area. Three is better- three hotel nights really equates to two full days. Every time you move from place to place, you are wasting time packing and transiting. If I only had a week for example, I would only pick two areas, totally agree with your assessment there. And 5. I am a total history/art history nerd, so I *do* like the museums a lot, but, download a Blue Guide and find the smaller museums- you would be amazed what you can see with hardly any crowds, even in high season. A few examples- Ostia Antica, or the Villa Farnesina in Rome, the Parco di Mostri in Bomarzo, the Stibbert Museum in Florence and many more. So that’s my main bit of advice to people! Thank you so much for sharing all of your tips, love your videos!
I definitely needed this for my future plans! Thanks! Still watching
Enjoy the rest of the video! 😁
@@RafaelDiFuria sleeper cars all the way! We crossed Canada (wife and I) on ViaRail this way. It would be a dream to do that there once I obtain my JS and get her permesso.
I loved Balogna. Francesca
I had to cancel two trips. Hoping to get there this year!
It’s so unfortunate that it was necessary to cancel those trips. Where were you planning to go?
Same!! Can't wait for things to open up again
Me too. We were there in 2019. We cancelled 2 trips since then.
I am always flying to Pisa and there start my vac. My final target is Cinque Terre region, where my family lives. That is one of the greatest places to stay plus there is a lot of small towns and villages around to visit, like Lucca, Carrara or Volterra. They are just couple of hours away, we either rent a car or go by train, cause this regional trains are amazing :) We were fortunate to spend 3 weeks in July 2020 there, but had to spend 14 days in Poland first before that. That was that short window with a low numbers... a week after we left the numbers were twice as high... I hope this year everything will be normal again. Thanks for all your videos and news that keep us updated :)
Venice as an Italian experience has been totally ruined by mass tourism, pre the Pandemic. How the situation will turn out in the coming year is uncertain but it might be the best time to go before the overwhelming crowds descend again and as Rafael said you might as well be in Vegas etc. It's a great tragedy really as the city is so beautiful but fortunately there are many far less touristy places in Italy that are well worth visiting.
Don’t stay only in the crowded cities. Go to the smaller cities and meet the average person and speak Italian
completely agree! that's one of the reasons why I mentioned about going to some of the off the beaten path places, I meant to to add specifically also because you'll also interact with the locals, thank for bringing that up!
ABSOLUTELY!!! We LOVE living in a small town here in Northern Italy... the food and people are second to NONE!
Our first time to Italy, we spent a week between Rome, Florence and Venice and traveled by train to see all the major sites. The 2nd time we went and stayed in Rome for St. Valentine's week and just wandered all around the city by foot with no itinerary. It was a great experience and we were even able to see St. Valentine's skull in the Santa Maria Basilica.
We've enjoyed our European trips this way by first seeing the tourist sights on one trip and then on the next trip, renting a car with no hotels booked or set itinerary and just travel the country and stop whenever we find an interesting town or village. It's such a stress-free way of traveling and we love being immersed in the local culture and rarely see another tourist from N. America. I think most people are afraid of traveling like this because they don't want to learn the language, but about a month out, I try to learn basic phrases that helps us communicate when booking hotels, ordering food or getting directions.
I have been planning for almost a year now. Was hoping to come the end of May last year but that didn't happen. Have been to Italy once before and loved it. Let's hope this year things improve and maybe I can get there either late this year or early next year.
Mama Italia will still be waiting for you!
Where in Italy are you planning to visit?
@@RafaelDiFuria I plan on doing 2 weeks including Venice, Rome, Florence as base cities and doing a few day trips out to smaller towns on the train. I also plan on going to San Marino for a day, and have to do the Vatican. I realy want to try and see places that tourests don't crowd like crazzy.
@@landmass17 If you need some suggestions for Northern Italy, please feel free to ask. I would be more than happy to point you to some amazing places that have ZERO tourists. All within a couple hour drive from Venice.
Hi Rafi, I appreciate your videos so much... I love Italy and have been learning the language for several years, before the "2020 bug" I was visiting the country 5 or 6 times a year.
I so love your passion and enthusiasm for Italy as well as the great advice. You are a joy to listen to. I am currently learning Italian in the hope of renting a property for a few weeks and travelling more off the beaten track as well as seeing some of the more touristy bits. Hope to start in the Lake Maggiore area. Is this an area you know and, if so, any advice?
Ciao 😎
Was supposed to go to Palermo last May, had to rebook everything for this May. Dosen't look like that is going to happen either 😢
Mi manchi Sicilia 😢🇮🇹🙏🏻
Yes! I have a travel agency and specialize in Italy culinary travel. I’m so anxious to go back. I’m usually there 2-3 months per year. Rafael, I enjoy your site so much. I SO know where you are coming from on so much in each video. You make my day! I’ll leave one of my own tips as you suggest, separately! Thanks for all you do for travelers! I share your vids often‼️
🇺🇸❤️🇮🇹
Elaina Salerno
Great video Rafael! I’m sharing with my friends who are coming to visit us in Italy! 🤓🙏🏼✈️🇮🇹
Thank you Nathan, that is very much appreciated! Glad you enjoyed it and I hope your friends do too!
We have a plan for San Marino, venice, Dolomites and of course Rome
Si si si felice anno nuovo bravo raffi..a most interesting and informative vlog .I always look forward to your vlogs. they keep me going in the uk lockdown grazie grazie Mille ciao ciao
Just don't over think it. I've been lost in Italy more times than I can tell you. I don't even speak the language. It's the most fun I I've ever had & I did it alone. Thats why I'm going back to see Sicily. I consider it my home, being Sicilian.
Ciao Raff
Francesca Marino
Hi Raf, couldn't agree more. To sum it up - When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Planning a trip to Northern Italy this summer - fingers crossed. Thanks for the great video!
I had to cancel 4 trips, but I rebooked flights for this year. I love visiting Puglia ❤️
TY I like what you have to say and do agree. My hope is to return to Ital someday😌😁
Mama Italia will be waiting ^_^
Where in Italy do you plan to visit? Have you ever been before?
Yes on vacation with a tour group to Rome, pompeii, capri than to Major place in the northern parts of Italy. 2nd Trip to Sorrento excursion to Greece then back to Rome. I was blessed to have gone.❤️ If I get to go again I would like to visit Sicily where my grandparents are from.
In Bologna train station there are guys who want to “help” you with your bag. I know they are just trying to earn a little money and I felt for them, but saying no once should be enough. It wasn’t! One guy was aggressive with me and no matter how fast I walked, could not get rid of him. I said NO at least fifty times. a bit scary. He even went up in the elevator with me and kept telling me to give him my bag. A bit scary. I am late 60s woman with two rolling bags which I can easily handle by myself. That only happened in Bologna train station. Also NOTE.... there IS an elevator in Bologna train station!!! You do NOT have to drag your bag up the stairs!!
Favorite experience? Taking a mosaic course in RAVENNA for a week, staying in a B+B on the other side of town from the school, and riding a bicycle through the old town everyday. Ravenna is fabulous.
We are visiting Vico del Gorgano, Puglia and Sulmona, Abruzzo in October. We are planning to move to Abruzzo area in 5 to 6 years.
Keep it up! Great video
By the way, in Bologna the bus from the airport has been replaced by a People Mover (something between a light railway, a train and a tram) the Central Railway station.
Really? when did that happen? Last I heard, that project was delayed. Glad to hear they finally finished it
@@RafaelDiFuria apparently in the past few months. It was not operative in October yet, I think it started in November (I live in London and before the 2020 bug I used to visit elderly relatives in Bologna and Venezia once a month, now I go when it is possible. I hope next trip will be in April)
Thanks for the information. I have taken a taxi and the bus from Bologna airport to the central railway station. The train station was confusing thanks to my limited Italian and a friendly woman who spoke some English I got to the correct platform.
Hi Rafi, I appreciate your videos so much... I love Italy and have been learning the language for several years.Before the arrival of the "2020 bug" I was visiting the country 5 or 6 times a year. I'm British, live in England and never likely to live in Italy, but I enjoy your videos for their insight into life in the country. It's difficult to give advice relevant to all your subscribers, access from the UK is so much easier than from North America and elsewhere in the world. Brexit is a politically sensiitive subject... I certainly agree that the smaller cities are well worth visiting, I can't speak for the whole of the country but the railway links across Northern Italy are fantastic and inexpensive compared to rail travel in the UK. It's easy to move between Milan, Verona, Venice and Bologna as well as fascinating smaller cities like Padova, Vicenza, Ravenna and Modena. Like you, I enjoy walking around and getting slightly lost, but I do plan ahead and visit well known places of interest. Usually, I book ahead to avoid queues outside museums and other monuments. If a city or area holds particular appeal for me, I will return to explore further on a later trip. It's well worth investigating local bus services as well as trains, these can be an even cheaper and more convenient way to transit from the airport, particularly with a modest amount of luggage. Travel as light as possible! Flying from London to Rome, I prefer to use the Ryanair route to Ciampino because it's closer to the city so the taxi fare is only 30 euro. Fiumicino is a much more modern airport with better facilities than Ciampino, but it's further from the centre and I haven't found a reasonable, simple way to reach the city from there. The buses and trains seem to go to Termini main station, which would not be my ideal location for accommodation in Rome. My favourite area in Rome to stay is Trastevere, with excellent eating and artisan shops. Look on Airbnb or similar websites for apartments etc . If you plan to visit Tuscany, I thoroughly recommend staying in Lucca. It's a beautiful city in itself and surrounded by walls with a broad tree-lined avenue around the top, which is great for walking, running or cycling. It's also great for visiting Pisa and Florence easily by train or bus, but a more tranquil place to stay than either of those. It would perhaps be too far to visit Siena from Lucca within a day. Regarding Bologna, the train station is massive and in fact it's at least 2 stations in one, there are local, regional and inter-regional trains leaving from different levels and locations. Despite asking the train manager for directions to the correct platform, we waited in the wrong place and missed our connection to Modena. Confusing... However, the negative experience at Bologna Centrale wouldn't deter me from returning to la bella Italia as soon as it's safe enough to do so.
I want to go back sometime, not with a school group. My two previous trips, while very enjoyable, were completely planned out. I would love the chance to explore more.
Do you know anything about Sardinia?!
Only very minimal info about life there and that things can get very quiet in the winter, but it's supposed to be very beautiful
I agree with you on much of what you said. I would really like emphasize that you shouldn’t rent a car unless you’re going out to the countryside or a smaller city/town or somewhere not served by regular trains. Public transport is generally reliable enough to get around if you’re sticking to the main cities or medium-large cities. If you are going to out in to the countryside or small towns, then I definitely recommend renting a car and planning to spend a few days in each area or region, and finding a centrally located town or agriturismo to stay while you are exploring an area.
As for how much time you should spend in each city/town/area. From my experience traveling, you should give yourself plenty of time to see a given area. At least 2/3 days for cities, and 1/2 days for smaller cities.
I’m not a fan of large crowds anyway, so I prefer to get off the beaten path. E whether it be visiting a smaller/lesser known city, going to the countryside/mountains, or visiting a region not as well touristed.
Finally, most of my favorite places in Italy off the beaten path or aren’t as well known with American travelers are in Umbria and Marche. But also I loved Elba Pitigliano, Bolzano, and Castel Gandolfo
Hi. Love your program. Any tips about traveling in Italy in an RV. And how to go about buying a smallish but comfortable RV for 2 persons in Italy.
Okay number 1.. Venice 2. Venice 3. Venice etc.
Great video. I totally agree with your approach to visiting larger cities. I was in Paris awaiting a flight and had a day to spare. It was my sister's first time in Europe. I showed her all the sites in Paris in a few hours. Truthfully, I do not want to spend a day waiting in line for a museum. Unless I can find a more expedient way to visit that museum, I will opt for lesser travelled destinations or meandering. Always go for the tiny places for the food. Also, about seeing the historic districts and monuments, when these cities were originally hubs, there were no motor vehicles, so it is possible to tour the main features in a day, The city centers were not that large. Architecture and food are my destinations.
Bologna has recently opened a monorail line between the train station and the airport. So that's another option to the bus and taxi.
Thanks for sharing, I wish I’d had that option when I flew through there’s so came back last January
I really enjoyed your video. Great channel. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Greetings from Albania. 👋🏼 🇦🇱
Best way: get a great pair of walking shoes and a hat and thus opt for walking instead of cabbing all the time. Walking leisurely and stopping for refreshments during the entire day is definitely the best way to experience a city in Italy!
That said, in my opinion, one can't experience any city properly in less than a week, even minus museums. I have been to Venice 9 times for no less than 2 weeks each visit and still scratching the surfaces of the little neighbourhoods, nooks and crannies...not to mention Murano, the Lido....etc.
Great advice on the cuisine, agree totally!👍🏼😁
Driving in Italy is NUTS except in Tuscany.
I just bring a carry on enough for 3 days because when I come back after shopping there it's now the carry on and a checked piece , I'd rather shop for clothes there fo the rest of my stay 👌🇮🇹
Hi Rafael! Thanks for the video. I'm hoping to move to Bologna sometime in the fall of this year. I'm wondering about your experience there as you mentioned it wasn't your favorite city. One of the draws for me is that it seems like a good city for expats to feel not too isolated (somewhat international due to the University?), and yet it doesn't seem extremely touristy. Anyway, any of your thoughts on Bologna would be very much appreciated!
Move to Bologna is a good idea, there are a lot of nice stuff.
Are scooters limited by ZTL laws? Or can one go into the ZTL zones without any problems compared to if you are driving a car?
the first rule is when you see tourists dont go there , specially in restaurants, I visited rome many times I know it quite well , and I agree if you are young and speak the language more or less well , you can visit most of the places in one day , bu if you really want to take your time or if you go with mom and dad or your grand ma , better 3 or 4 days
I would definitely agree if you’re there as a group, it can make it harder to cover more ground fast. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, taking the time to slow down and have a coffee and people watch can be much needed in this modern era where everything is so fast paced
Does Sicily have driver services that will pick you up at the airport or a rideshare service? I would like to visit an ancestral town that is not on train or bus line.
I would be shocked if it weren't possible. I remember seeing taxis there, so there must be options.
Great video, but "THIS" will never, ever be over! You are not going to Disneyland, but Italy. Time to face reality. As a world, we are headed downhill!
Did your grandfather wear the same cap that you have in the video? I'm curious by the way, this is not a roast lol
Haha actually now that I think about it, he may have had one like it, but this one I bought about 10 years ago in Milan, it was made by an American company better known for their cowboy hats 😆
I heard that Bologna is expensive though.
I don't think 2021 officially begins until February.
Eh with how it’s gone so far I’d actually be okay skipping over it 😆
Is uber a good idea? Reliable?
i prefer Bolonga!
What is it that you like about Bologna?
How about an an episode on authentic Italian derogatory language .. they just don't teach it on the books ... specificamente colloquiali
Eh, I’m not looking to get canceled any time in the near future. There’s one or two that may even carry a fine of you say them publicly 🤣
But maybe one day I’ll be able to make this happen😜
Is Spain allowing Americans in the country?
Sorry can’t say I know about the Spanish rules living in Italy. The rules keep changing and Americans are supposed to be barred from the whole EU, but I know late last year, some were able to get into Croatia and quarantine there for 2 weeks and then go to another EU nation
You need a local guide.
I enjoy your videos but this one dragged on
Thanks for the constructive feedback, much appreciated, I’ve been wanting to play around with the format of my videos so your feedback definitely helps
Try blending in and at least make an effort to speak the language.