Planning 10 days in Italy: Solo or Organized Tour?
10-21-23, 12:22 PM
#26
Banned
Many places provide bicycles to rent or that are included with the room at the smaller hotels and inns. That way you are doing day rides in the local area and no need to pack special bike clothing for the trip. Otherwise it would be better to join a group that provides a guide/driver/mechanic/translator along with the sag wagon.
10-21-23, 02:48 PM
#27
Senior Member
10-22-23, 08:15 AM
#29
Member
You're judging the OP with no basis. My reading of what the OP wrote is that he very much is attempting to find a solution which works not just for him, but for his wife and friend as well.
10-22-23, 08:38 AM
#30
Member
Does anybody in your group speak Italian? That will help some.
It has been a few decades since I was in Italy. However, my experience was that English was fine in the big tourist cities (Rome, Pisa, Venice, Florence, Milan, Bologna, etc). However, if you get out into the smaller cities, you will have to improvise a bit.
Now, some of that could have changed recently.
<snip>
It has been a few decades since I was in Italy. However, my experience was that English was fine in the big tourist cities (Rome, Pisa, Venice, Florence, Milan, Bologna, etc). However, if you get out into the smaller cities, you will have to improvise a bit.
Now, some of that could have changed recently.
<snip>
Italians are usually extremely forgiving of visitors who cannot speak Italian. Twice I had good conversations with people who knew I didn't speak Italian, but they spoke to me slowly, and I understood virtually everything, probably thanks to my Spanish & French. I sometimes would reply in Spanish and was understood because the languages are similar. There was exactly one time where we relied on a translating app, and that was for just one key sentence. I know words for numbers in Italian, and also question words in Italian. I also generally know Italian pronunciation rules, which is helpful.
Another thing which has changed is that decades ago, you would see signs at tourist sites or restaurant menus in 4 or 5 languages. Not so much anymore. At tourist sites or historic markers in towns, signs were usually bilingual, Italian & English, but no other language. Menus were either bilingual or only in Italian. Occasionally there were exceptions. But it is now generally assumed in much of Europe that foreign tourists who cannot speak the local language are able to speak some English.
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10-26-23, 10:07 AM
#33
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Ride to your destinations while the other folks take trains or a rental car. Italy has a vast rail system, not to mention Flix bus. You get your riding in and they have the dolce vita.
There may even be an outfitter who will organize your trip and transport the non riders. It won't be cheap.
Tuscany is saturated with bike tour organizers, so choose wisely. A very popular route is called the 'eroica'
As a solo traveller, you may need to do self guided or join a group
There may even be an outfitter who will organize your trip and transport the non riders. It won't be cheap.
Tuscany is saturated with bike tour organizers, so choose wisely. A very popular route is called the 'eroica'
As a solo traveller, you may need to do self guided or join a group
10-26-23, 02:45 PM
#34
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Even my relatively crude Spanish was very useful in Italy, at least when trying to understand writing.
One spoken Italian announcement that is ingrained in my head from my backpacking around Europe days is “The train will be leaving 20 minutes late late.”
One spoken Italian announcement that is ingrained in my head from my backpacking around Europe days is “The train will be leaving 20 minutes late late.”
10-26-23, 03:12 PM
#35
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One of the most useful Italian words is "Basta". Conjugated from Bastare. It means "Enough". Excellent to know if you're in a small shop ordering food, and you wish to tell the vendor to stop filling your bag.
I got a crash course in big numbers when i was there. Almost everything cost at least a thousand Lira. My bicycle was 300,000 Lira. And, while I don't think I ever saw a million Lira, the price of a car would easily run into the millions.
Of course now the Euro is much closer to the Dollar.
10-26-23, 04:34 PM
#36
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Thread Starter
I would skip Perugia, it is very congested with narrow streets. Gubbio and Assisi are beautiful cities. Skip Norcia, they are still rebuilding from the earthquake. Siena is also quite nice, I would avoid festival time (horse races) it can be more crowded than a NYC subway.
Tuscany and Umbria are both beautiful regions it's hard to go wrong
Tuscany and Umbria are both beautiful regions it's hard to go wrong
10-26-23, 04:41 PM
#37
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Thread Starter
You're judging the OP with no basis. My reading of what the OP wrote is that he very much is attempting to find a solution which works not just for him, but for his wife and friend as well.
10-26-23, 04:43 PM
#38
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Does anybody in your group speak Italian? That will help some.
It has been a few decades since I was in Italy. However, my experience was that English was fine in the big tourist cities (Rome, Pisa, Venice, Florence, Milan, Bologna, etc). However, if you get out into the smaller cities, you will have to improvise a bit.
Now, some of that could have changed recently.
Now, there are very good trains and buses in Italy. So, you could plan a trip so that your companions would take a public train or bus to the destination, say within 50 miles, and you would ride your bike there.
I'm not quite sure why you picked Umbria. There is Perugia, and the University for Strangers... (Oh, Stranieri, or Foreigners).
A little side trip to Assisi would be fun. Learn about San Francesco.
I accidentally bumped into some odd Roman ruins on a hillside just north of Terni (by bicycle). There was an old Roman road with the deepest ruts I've ever seen worn into solid granite.
Lago Trasimeno was interesting. I'm sure I swam in it but I'm trying to remember whether the water looked clean.
In Tuscany, one can certainly spend a couple of days in Florence.
I don't really remember spending much in the areas surrounding Florence.
I spent a lot of time in and around Parma. The PO valley is very flat, so you can really make tracks by bicycle. However, at the time there weren't many people that I encountered that spoke English there. I think I went to every castle within about 50 miles of Parma, of which there were quite a few, each one unique.
Perhaps the most famous was Canossa, but also one of the least preserved ones.
None of my traveling was with a tour group. Some places would have organized tours. Others would essentially give a private tour.
If you are interesting in Italian or Renaissance art, then it would be worthwhile to do a little research before you go.
It has been a few decades since I was in Italy. However, my experience was that English was fine in the big tourist cities (Rome, Pisa, Venice, Florence, Milan, Bologna, etc). However, if you get out into the smaller cities, you will have to improvise a bit.
Now, some of that could have changed recently.
Now, there are very good trains and buses in Italy. So, you could plan a trip so that your companions would take a public train or bus to the destination, say within 50 miles, and you would ride your bike there.
I'm not quite sure why you picked Umbria. There is Perugia, and the University for Strangers... (Oh, Stranieri, or Foreigners).
A little side trip to Assisi would be fun. Learn about San Francesco.
I accidentally bumped into some odd Roman ruins on a hillside just north of Terni (by bicycle). There was an old Roman road with the deepest ruts I've ever seen worn into solid granite.
Lago Trasimeno was interesting. I'm sure I swam in it but I'm trying to remember whether the water looked clean.
In Tuscany, one can certainly spend a couple of days in Florence.
I don't really remember spending much in the areas surrounding Florence.
I spent a lot of time in and around Parma. The PO valley is very flat, so you can really make tracks by bicycle. However, at the time there weren't many people that I encountered that spoke English there. I think I went to every castle within about 50 miles of Parma, of which there were quite a few, each one unique.
Perhaps the most famous was Canossa, but also one of the least preserved ones.
None of my traveling was with a tour group. Some places would have organized tours. Others would essentially give a private tour.
If you are interesting in Italian or Renaissance art, then it would be worthwhile to do a little research before you go.
10-26-23, 05:30 PM
#39
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I visited Italy in the early 80's with my parents where I bought my Colnago road bike. And, did quite a few day trips around the city. Cannosa was one of the further and hillier trips.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canossa_Castle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk_to_Canossa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_..._Roman_Emperor
It wasn't until about 5 years later the topic came up in a history course about Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII when I realized that I had been there.
Yet, that might also be a minor side trip in a country that was in the middle of European history of the time.
10-27-23, 02:45 PM
#40
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I would skip Perugia, it is very congested with narrow streets. Gubbio and Assisi are beautiful cities. Skip Norcia, they are still rebuilding from the earthquake. Siena is also quite nice, I would avoid festival time (horse races) it can be more crowded than a NYC subway.
Tuscany and Umbria are both beautiful regions it's hard to go wrong
Tuscany and Umbria are both beautiful regions it's hard to go wrong
That said, the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi is fantastic.
I have not been to San Gimignano in 30 years but back then it was still untouched by tourism.
10-29-23, 03:59 AM
#41
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Sorry, any nice city in Italy is full of tourists. If you want that, Italy is great and beautiful.
Last edited by str; 10-29-23 at 05:14 AM.
10-29-23, 08:50 PM
#42
Junior Member
Thread Starter
There are a number of castles, walled cities, etc, around Parma, and much of Italy.
I visited Italy in the early 80's with my parents where I bought my Colnago road bike. And, did quite a few day trips around the city. Cannosa was one of the further and hillier trips.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canossa_Castle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk_to_Canossa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_..._Roman_Emperor
It wasn't until about 5 years later the topic came up in a history course about Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII when I realized that I had been there.
Yet, that might also be a minor side trip in a country that was in the middle of European history of the time.
I visited Italy in the early 80's with my parents where I bought my Colnago road bike. And, did quite a few day trips around the city. Cannosa was one of the further and hillier trips.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canossa_Castle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk_to_Canossa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_..._Roman_Emperor
It wasn't until about 5 years later the topic came up in a history course about Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII when I realized that I had been there.
Yet, that might also be a minor side trip in a country that was in the middle of European history of the time.
Thnx for this!
