which would be a better place to visit from rome and using what transport?

My friend and i are thinking of going to italy from march 18th through march 27th. We're both students and would like to visit rome, venice and or florance.

Also could someone recommend the best place to get plane tickets, which hostel to pick and how much food and attractions cost.

Ive found airfare for 315 round trip on a site, is that too much or should i book?We;re traveling from nyc to rome.
Please help.

So, where are you flying from for 315 (dollars, I assume)? If it is from the states, I'd say yes, grab it. You MAY get lucky with something cheaper, but rock bottom would likely be $200 (and I've only seen that to London -- definitely not Rome).

As for Venice of Florence, well, it's gotta be a matter of personal taste. I imagine you can find train tickets to both that aren't too expensive. Buses may be even cheaper (not sure), but train travel will be much, much more comfortable...and scenic for that matter.

I like Venice...it has my vote for the most beautiful city in the world. Others, I'm sure, swear by Florence (especially, art history lovers)...

worldwidemike

how long are you planning on staying in rome? venice can be done in a day (I did it last month. couldn't stand the diesel fumes for any longer anyway) so you could probably go to both venice and florence.

When searching for plane tickets use:
http://www.mobissimo.com/travel/search_airfare.php

It searches all the big websites. However, I suggest using the train when in Italy, it's cheaper. Don't get a Eurorail pass either, just buy individual tickets, it's cheaper.

Definetly take that $300 one, that's an amazing price. The lowest one I could find was $448 from NYC-Rome.

I haven't been to any of those cities, only to VERY northwestern Italy. So I can't really tell you anything about those places.

Good luck with your trip!

I agree with d-fresh... figure you'll probably be able to visit all three. I'd say just go with the flow once you get there. I spent three nights in rome and that was enough for me... florence was my favorite.

Buses will be the cheapest and even though it may be a little more uncomfortable... for any long journey I think the savings in money makes up for it. Maybe I'm just thinking like a student... but I'd rather have more money to spend once I get to my destination. :wine: :thumbup: Plus you'll have your friend to keep you company on the journey.

You'll be suprised at how easy it is to find your way around once you get over there. :torch:

When is carnival in venice? I think it mardi gras time... I suppose I could go look it up... Anyway, that would be worth looking in on, I was thinking of doing that myself... perhaps...

Shit. If its that cheap, snap the tickets up. I did that a few months ago, got a smokin' deal. :wacko:

Diesel fumes in Venice? That's a new one on me. Now, maybe in any big Italian city EXCEPT Venice. No trucks in Venice, no cars...its all boats. No traffic noise (just lots of tourists...which is why I say you have to bite the bullet, pay the bucks, and stay IN Venice overnight to get a feel for the place after the day trippers have gone).

Of course, with the floods going on right now, bring your swim trunks!

Honestly, I know Venice isn't for everyone...but I can honestly say, in the 50+ countries I've been to, that it is the most beautiful city I've seen. I understood after a few days how the Venetian love of their city in history drove them to recreate its look elsewhere in their empire...

worldwidemike
http://home.earthlink.net/~mikedemana/images/venice.jpg

I only have a couplr of things to say:

1) From Rome you can do Venice and Florence in a week. You won't get the whole experience of both, but you can get the gist. Venice is worth 2 days. Florence is worth at least 2 days assuming you don't go to Pisa or Siena, or anywhere else.

2) While I agree with Mike in principal, you should stay in Venice if at all fiscally possible, you don't need to. I stayed in the Elba d'Oro camp site for reeeeeally cheap. It's 40 min by bus to the city center which sucks unless you realize that you can't afford to party in the city center anyway. I paid 18Euro per night for half of a 2 bed 2bath "bungalow."
You can see the main points of Venice in a few hours, the great joy is wandering 5 minutes in any other direction and getting lost. Venice comes alive with reality only 20 meters off the main drag. Try it, it's worth it, I promise

the motorized boats run on diesel. I found venice to be beautiful yes, but full of pushy tourists, insanely expensive and the canals were filthy as well.
it was much more comfortable to walk around there at night without the crowds. the opera singers and street musicians were not to be missed. they're only rivaled by the ones we saw in krakow.
I understand they're going to be switching the vaporetti to a electric/diesel hybrid which would cut down on the fumes somewhat.
that said though, I would recommend going to venice just to see it for yourself. personally I preferred rome.

Definitely agree -- Venice's crowd during the day is at times oppressive...but at night...ahh. It's atmosphere comes through all the more.

worldwidemike