<p>14 days in Italy -Dec 26-Jan10. Arrive Rome AM Dec 26. We(4) have rented an apartment near the Colosseum for 7 days. I am overwhelmed with the tour books. Help me plan please.</p>
<p>Hey, fellow Alaskan! Lucky you. Any particular reason you’re leaving Alaska in the winter?!!</p>
<p>I absolutely love Rome. If I were you, I would start at [Reviews</a> of vacations, hotels, resorts, vacation and travel packages - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com%5DReviews”>http://www.tripadvisor.com) in the forum for Rome. There is lots of good advice there on how to structure your time. You can also post questions about what might be closed over the Christmas season.</p>
<p>Good luck planning! I’m jealous.</p>
<p>never been to italy- but Rick Steves has
[Italy</a> 101 with Rick Steves](<a href=“http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0403/rick_steves_italy_101.shtml]Italy”>Italy 101 on a Budget)</p>
<p>recovery from this could last the rest of your trip 
[New</a> Years Eve In Rome](<a href=“http://www.travelblog.org/Forum/Threads/6756-1.html]New”>New Years Eve In Rome)</p>
<p>My son spent last winter break in Rome…had a blast. He was there for three weeks and was able to go to Christmas mass at the Vatican.</p>
<p>No specific help…but he used the DK book on Rome and just picked out what looked good. He did avoid the Colosseum, but that was because he was told it was expensive and not worth it…might be different if you are really interested.</p>
<p>Some places I’ve been besides Rome that I recommend - </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Venice - It’s a unique place with all the canals.</p></li>
<li><p>Cinque Terra - It’s an area along the coast NW of Pisa consisting of 5 tiny cliff-hugging towns next to the Med. that are linked by a walking path with spectacular views. I think it’s a designated national park.</p></li>
<li><p>Florence - famous sights but jammed with people and cars (sort of like Rome)</p></li>
<li><p>Siena - Smaller city but picturesque. About the size I wish Florence was.</p></li>
<li><p>Rome - lots of sights to see including the Colosseum, Vatican, Roman Forum, etc. Make sure you eat Gelato at least once or twice a day.</p></li>
<li><p>Pisa - the leaning tower and a couple of other building right there. It only takes a couple of hours at most and can be a stop on the way to the Cinque Terra if you go there.</p></li>
<li><p>Milan - big famous cathedral in the center of town.</p></li>
<li><p>Tuscany - lots of small hilltop towns to see. I haven’t really spent any time exploring them but I’d like to. </p></li>
<li><p>South - I haven’t been south of Rome, including Naples, Pompeii, and Sicily but I’d like to go sometime.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Many of the above areas are within a couple of hours or so of Rome so make sure you head out and see some. </p>
<p>I think you’re going to have lots of fun.</p>
<p>I dont know about places like Cinque Terre during December. Lots of the coastal towns pretty much shut down for the winter months. Just due north of Lazio(the state Rome is in)–Assisi, Perugia, Todi and the entire Umbrian region make a nice winter stop. I like these towns during the winter for the simple reason that Umbrian restaurants tend to have big open fireplaces blazing in the cold weather months (and they cook on the open flame as well). Plan to be in a larger city for New Years and book your restaurant well ahead of time.
I also love Venice during December and January, its empty and romantic. Just make sure your stay is not during the Aqua Alta (high water/tides)
Whatever towns you do stay in, make a visit to an official tourist booth (marked with a large I) and get the schedules of (usually free) concerts held in churches and basilicas. You can also go to things like Gregorian Chant masses in Assisi.
Buon Natale! e Buon Divertimento a tutti!!!</p>
<p>I would definitely try to get out of Rome for a few days. Try the local library for Karen Brown’s book on small hotels and inns, there are a couple of other good ones as well. You can book rooms over the Internet - almost everyone in this business speaks/writes English. You might have to shop around some - the small inn we stayed at in Tuscany was closed Jan and Feb for the owner’s vacation.
Perhaps staying in the hilltowns rather than the countryside would be better in the winter.
Venice would be quite a trek from Rome, but Tuscany would be easy. The coastal communities I think are mostly closed in the winter - they are beach towns.
The Slow Travel website has lots of good info too.</p>
<p>
It’s only 5 hours or so direct but the best thing to do would be to do a loop trip that includes Florence, Venice, maybe Pisa/Cinque Terre (I haven’t been there in winter), Tuscan hilltowns, and back to Rome.</p>
<p>I’ve been to Italy several times, including at least one winter vacation where we went to Siena (wonderful) and Pisa (skippable). My brother did Florence and Venice for winter break last year and had a great time.</p>
<p>Things I wouldn’t miss:</p>
<p>Rome - Forum, Colloseum, Vatican, Bernini church ([Images</a> of Sant’Andrea al Quirinale, Rome, by Bernini, 1658-70. Digital Imaging Project: Art historical images of European and North American architecture and sculpture from classical Greek to Post-modern. Scanned from slides taken on site by Mary Ann](<a href=“http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/andrea/andrea2.html]Images”>Images of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, Rome, by Bernini, 1658-70. Digital Imaging Project: Art historical images of European and North American architecture and sculpture from classical Greek to Post-modern. Scanned from slides taken on site by Mary Ann Sullivan, Bluffton College.)) and Boromin’s church ([Images</a> of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by Borromini](<a href=“http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/italy/rome/carlofontane/carlino.html]Images”>Images of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by Borromini)), Pantheon, gelato</p>
<p>Florence - I had a great trip many years ago making my parent’s see everything Michaelangelo had done.</p>
<p>Assissi - a beatiful hill town, with a beautiful church and frescos by Giotto</p>
<p>Siena - I love their zebra striped cathedral</p>
<p>Closer to Rome - don’t miss Pompei and Ostia - great Roman ruins. I also really like Hadrian’s Villa.</p>
<p>Toledogirl goes next month with her high school. School goes every other year and follows the exact same itinerary. They spend 2 days each, in Rome, Florence, and Venice. Rome includes tours of the Collosseo, Palatino, Roman Forum, Pantheon of Rome, and Vatican City and Museums. They eat at La Tana Dei Re, a restaurant with opera singers. One night they go up to Gianicolo to see the statue of Garibaldi and great views of Rome.</p>
<p>We need ideas on clothing. Our only school rule is not to wear anything with the U.S. or the flag on it. Are tennis shoes o.k. or will she look like an American? Would Ugg boots be o.k? Jeans, skirts? Dark colors only? Thanks.</p>
<p>Teenagers are teenagers—and a big group of American teenagers cant be mistaken for anything but. Jeans and sneakers are fine. Thats what most Italian kids wear. Last year I noticed a lot of them wearing cowboy boots as well.</p>