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the best way to travel to italy

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  1. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    I have not read all but TRAIN is VERY EASY (albeit they are often late,,,not india late - ie 5 hours - but at least a few minutes - 20 minutes is not uncommon)

    3 days for Venice are enough by experience and then you do 3 days Florence. EASY trip I tell you

    And please DO NOT pay 30k per head for such trip...pay 15K for 2 ppl for the plane and then you can enjoy!!!

    You can already book your train tickets online at Ferrovie dello Stato - Homepage

    You pick them up at the train station with your credit card. EASY I tell you

    Enjoy!
    Our train was 4-5 hours late.

  2. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by landreclaim:
    We only have just a week so I am hoping to spend as little time on traveling as possible.

    Movto, I did check with a travel agent? We prefer to arrange our own itinerary.
    Try for an openjaw into Florence and out of Venice. If you do it via KLM, you could also spend a few hours at Amsterdam. AMS - It's really easy to get out of the airport, spend 2-3 hours in town, get back to the airport on the train. Just as easy as HKG - Central, but without the convenience of in town check-in

  3. #23

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    Thank you all for the info. We have decided to see Rome and Venice. Just one more question about tipping at restaurants, is it customary? If so how much?


  4. #24

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    It's not customary like it is in the USA but I think most people might leave a few coins - perhaps up to 10% if the service was great. That was my impression but I was not doing a deep study.....


  5. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by landreclaim:
    Thank you all for the info. We have decided to see Rome and Venice. Just one more question about tipping at restaurants, is it customary? If so how much?
    well in Venice they will charge you 1 to 2 euros (in most places) for "cover charge" per person in addtion to the 10% tax ...so better not to tip...

  6. #26

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    They charge you cover charges everywhere in Italy, not only Venice, and none of that money goes into the pocket of the waiters. There are waiters in Italy who work for food and tips. That's right, no salary. Tipping is definitely a good idea if you can afford it.


  7. #27

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. No:
    There are waiters in Italy who work for food and tips. That's right, no salary.
    I suppose that would be illegal though

  8. #28

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    did the touristy thang with the folks a few years back...similar to looking@hk's experience, we did venice, florence and rome from the uk.

    from stansted to treviso one-way via ryanair was like 1 sterling (no joke...book in advance), then bus into venice...train to florence, train to rome, out via ciampino back to stansted (i think it was 50 pounds).

    the trains and subways arent bad at all....dont expect mtr efficiency nor cleaniness.

    ps - venice is really nice but dont spend more than 3 days there....or else you will be wandering murano just to kill time. it felt like a pure tourist town with no locals.

    Last edited by DJ008; 18-03-2010 at 10:43 AM.

  9. #29

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    It's annoying that Lonely Planet always suggests (well, the last time I used them was a while back) that we tip but I have noticed most places don't. In Australia, for example, I tipped everywhere until I realized no one else was doing it. However when waitstaff hear American accents they seem to automatically expect or even demand tips. I once had a waitress tell me, stiffly, in Paris that service charge was not included. Naturally I left without leaving her anything.


  10. #30

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    I always tip regardless of the place I travel to if the service is adequate. These people don't make a lot of money so they deserve a little extra if they are making an effort.

    Last edited by gilleshk; 18-03-2010 at 06:54 PM.

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