Traveling to Italy ? {Part I}

DISCLAIMER : This is not a bragging post about the best planning I ever did in my life :)

Well, ever since we came back from the Italy trip (which was OUT of the WORLD but more of it later !) , I have been bombarded with :

- OH i / my sister / my father / my neighbor's dog are planning this trip.. Please HELP !
- how was it ??? isnt it so pretty !?
- kitna time laga ??
- 'research' kahaan se kiya ?

so in order to save my time,  here I go ...  a three series blog to help with all your Italian travel needs !

< Yes, you can get me some nice magnets when you come ! :) > 

 Step I : Welcome

Congratulations ! You have chosen Italy for your next trip. I promise you, thou shan't be disappointed !
So first things first - Open up your passport , check if you would need a VISA and how to go about it. Start getting your paperwork ready.

**tips** 

1. Apply from the city you are staying at.
2. Try applying on your own if you have the time. Its a great thrill (just ensure you have all the papers ready before you reach)
3. Take health insurance only from the companies mentioned on the site.
4. Apply for a VISA at-least 15 days before the travel and not more than 90 days in advance.

Step II : With 3 Months to Go !!

• Plan your Itinerary and you Budgets !

Figure out what cities you would want to visit and number of days you plan to stay. My recommendation of MUST visit cities and minimum duration :


Rome (3 nights, including Vatican)
Florence (2 nights)
Venice (1 night)
Naples (1 night)
Now depending on your plan, you may extend it up north to cover Milan or down south to cover Sicily.

• Book your airtickets

We did this 3 months in advance after deciding the month of travel. Then chose the cheapest flights in that month and planned chhutis accordingly ! You may choose whichever way, but buy tickets in advance to say the precious monies :)

**tips**

1. The gulf flights are better suited for us as they leave India in the night.
2. With a Schengen visa under your belt, fly using Swiss Air and spend a night in Switzerland ;)
3. You can always enter from one city (say Milan) and exit from another (say Rome). 

•  Book the Lodging

Tripadvisor and AirBnB are good starting points. Depending on the budget you have in mind, you can check out hotels or B&B. There are good booking sites like booking.com, agoda and many more ! My maximum planning time was spent looking for and booking the perfect abode for the trip.. and trust me it was all worth it :)

  **tips**

1. B&Bs are not just value for money , they also give you a glimpse to the local flavor of the city. I would highly recommend them over hotels !
2. Choose a place close to the city center or a popular mode of transport. We chose one close to the metro in Rome and in the city center close to a bus stop in Florence. The last thing you want to do is spend all money in Taxis or luge around your tired bodies/heavy luggage over Italy !
3. Do a ref check at tripadvisor before you make the precious booking. Reviews always help !

Step III : One month to go

• Internal Travels

Ticket - done

Cities - done

Dates - done

Now its time to book internal travels. The best way to explore Italy is by road, but for that you would need an international license. Don't have one , fret not :) You have italia rail for rescue ! Something similar to our desi irctc , this site helps you plan your travel at ease !

**tips**

1. Advance Planning = Best prices. Period.
2. If you are sure of the dates for , say , going from Rome to Florence, book a non-refundable fare. Its cheap !
3. 2nd class is something similar to our shatabdis :) so go ahead and book it.
4. If you are smart about timing, the 1st class tickets can be bought cheap too !
5. Pisa has half hourly trains from Florence, you can buy that later if you wish.

• VISA !

 If not done already , its time now to apply for your VISA. Also, complete your bookings (tickets and lodging) and take those proofs as part of the application. 

• Scan local sites

There could be some interesting festivals around the time you are visiting. Check the local sites for some info !

Step IV : One Week to Go !!

• Pack or at-least Plan to Pack

Yayy ! Its time to get super excited ! Check the weather (it is still cold when you go in April. May is warmer though it can cold in the night) and pack accordingly. Carry comfortable shoes and remember to cover shoulders and legs when visiting Vatican. Women can go crazy with colors for all the lovely photographs to adorn your DPs when back !

**tips**

1. Rome and any other city is best covered by foot. Carry one piece of extremely comfortable foot-wear.
2. Raincoat/Umbrella for some untimely rains.
3. Rucksacks can be extremely helpful - especially when your B&B is on 2nd floor with no lifts!
4. Do keep some snacks like matthi, achar or some Maggie. There will be times you would be tired (of the walk or the pastas) and this would be very handy ! trust me !

•  Prescription Medicines and First Aid

Ensure you purchase if not all, at-least then prescription medicines. Though there are a lot of pharmacies, better not keep yourself hanging in there !

• Buy Foreign Exchange

Italy is notorious for pick-pockets. Hence be careful at all times with your money and phones. One suggestion - if you plan to use your card only for debiting (or withdrawing cash and not online transactions abroad), try out travel cards. We purchased Centrum which was widely accepted at B&Bs and restaurants alike.

• Documents and PrintOuts !

Keep photocopies of all important documents and printout for all your bookings.

**tips**

1. Though wifi is easily available, data on phone is pretty expensive. If you know the places to visit, googlemap your travel plans and keep printouts of the routes/metro route/buses. Come in very handy while stuck !

• Recheck Bookings

Though the people are very prompt, send all your booking desks confirmation emails , specifying your time of arrival.

Step V : D Day !

Pick up the camera , take your bags, reach the airport.. 

Get on the plane with a smile on your face..

Turn your clock 4.5 hours behind...

And be ready for a trip of a lifetime :)