Where to go in Italy?

[Saxza]

People who have explored Italy before what cities do you prefer? I can't decide between Rome and Milan. A few friends and colleagues have visited Bologna and Tuscany.

Trieste! Easy to get to, plenty of accommodation options. Very underrated city and you can travel very easily to nearby Grado, one of the cutest Italian harbour towns, Sistiana, Monfalcone, or hire a car and drive to a few towns in Slovenia/Croatia.

We used Bergamo as a base, with day trips to Milan, Veronica and the lakes. Bergamo itself was lovely too

*Verona

Thank you.

Rome is very very busy this year as it is aJubilee year with lots of Pilgrims. There are an especially large number of Catholic visitors as the new Pope is so popular🥰. Probably better to leave it until next year.

Florence is very walkable if you stay in the city, lots of museums, lots of places to eat and very good ice-cream. It’s a good place to start on Italy, it’s less quirky than Venice or Bologna( though I love them both).

My Italian is non existent

Go to Cinqe Terre. It’s utterly beautiful 😍

Rome is the best city in the world. There is far more to see/do than Milan. I've been 9 or 10 times, and can't wait to go back.

Rome. I’ve been 3 times. I’m waiting a few years before I go again 😁

For PP who asked- October half term was a good time to go to Rome. Averagely busy (for Rome), the odd shower, jumpers needed in the evening.

Florence is next on my list.

PPs have tipped my mind towards Rome!

Trastevere OP, stay there, rent an apartment and go Italian for a week

Thanks all for the recommendations

As for when we can go.... It'll have to be August or before school starts in September. (Just our own family circumstances)

OP i would go Florence over Rome in your shoes. Both absolutely great choices though. But Florence will be less hot and hectic in August/early Sept (although still pretty warm!) and is easier to get around but still very full of beautiful things to see and do.

Have you heard of Florence syndrome (aka Stendhal syndrome), allegedly causes dizziness and fainting because everything around you is tooooo beautiful! Imo more likely too much walking and looking upwards and not enough water but either way, good excuse for a gelato to get the blood sugar up.

Gelato wise, the most delicious are not the ones you see from the street, piled high and multiple colours with stuff in. You want the real deal which are in sunken silver bowls with lids (photo example below). My top three gelato spots in Florence (not that you asked): La Sorbettiera (hole in the wall type situ), GROM (it's a small chain but so good) and Rivareno gelato.

Don't worry about not speaking Italian. Learn hello, please and thank you just to be polite, but you'll get by fine.

Lmk if you want more/different recommendations. Lived in Italy for a couple of years and have travelled around a lot. Pine for the gelato especially on days like this!

Florence is actually slightly hotter than Rome. It's in a bowl in the hills and doesn't get much wind- and further from the sea.

Because I've been to Paris (the French capital) I have it in my head that I need to visit the Italian equivalent (which is Rome)

That is true temp wise but I find it difficult to cool off in Rome, perhaps cos busier, more public transport to get, etc. And in Florence you can duck into a garden.

I find the problem with any of these places in hot weather is the lack of toilets. I found Rome terrible for this.

The best gelato I had was in Sirmione, a charming peninsula village on Lake Garda. The towns around the lake are lovely, quite sedate though.

I live in Italy. You have a lot of options but Milan would not be my first choice even though it has some great art galleries. It lacks the charm of most other Italian cities.
I would do some city hopping and I'd do either
Option 1: Florence (beautiful and the Uffizi gallery is outstanding, also plenty of amazing architecture all around, statue of Davide etc), plus Lucca (utterly charming) and Pisa (small and can be done in half a day).
Option 2: "the strip" of Verona, Padua, Venice (easily done by train). All amazing architecture.
Option 3: Bologna, Ferrara and Ravenna. Bologna for the food, Ferrara has mainly Italian tourism and it is seriously overlooked as it's beautiful. Ravenna for it's mosaics and it's unique place in history.
I wouldn't attempt Rome in July. Today I didn't leave my house due to the heat and I leave in the cooler mountains.
I'd go with option 1, that's my favourite. EasyJet flies to Pisa too.

Just a tip when you are in Italy. All the locals do when they need the toilet is go into any bar, buy an espresso coffee or bottle of water, and use the loo. The owners will probably know you are buying it just to use their facilities but they won't care. The toilets are well hidden at the back usually.

Rome Is the Capital, but Florence is universally recognised as the cradle of the Renaissance, the city that gave birth to geniuses such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli, and is truly the capital of art in Italy. If you like art, you will find much more in Florence. Rome is better for its archaeology.

I wouldn't go anywhere in Italy in August, but Rome seems to be your best bet. Or Naples - I love Naples, with a visit to Herculaneum and one of the islands - Procida/Ischia to escape the manicness.

Milan is a 3 day trip, the city centre has everything you need to see. If you want to stay in the north I would then do Venice, Turin (it is used to be the capital of the monarchy and has impressive buildings), Mantova (you walk it in a day but has impressive palaces from the ruling family), Verona (one day trip with Arena, Romeo and Juliet balcony and impressive piazzas). Rome can’t be visited in one week, so there is plenty to do. Naples is also great, plus Pompei and Amalfi coast. Tuscany is beatiful, Florence is a 3 day trip depending on how much you want to spends in the museums, then Pisa is one day and Bologna is relatively close by train and it is also a 1-2 day visit.
you can find amazing gelato everywhere!

Yes, this. Not a city though.

For cities my vote goes to Verona.