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Can you pick out the tourists?
Inside Cathedral
iron-glass dome
Palazzo Reale
We will be travelling from milan to venice, venice to lucca, and lucca to rome as part of our trip in early september. I would like to know if I need to pre-book train tickets, or is simpler to just purchase them from the train station the day before?
Thank you
I am sure that there is a lot of useful info within VT pages.
Also I always find that The Man in Seat 61 has many useful answers and pointers in the right direction. http://www.seat61.com/Italy.htm
Italian train system is all flexible and cheap.
The official link is www.trenitalia.com, select english from the top and then insert your data. You will be provided with some options, click on the "all solutions" button to get more options.
There are there kinds of trains, so to say.
Fast Trains: Most expensive but offer handsome discounts on advance booking.
Intercity Trains: moderate speed and moderate price. you can avail 20% Amica discount if on booking 42 hours in advance.
Regional Trains: slow but the cheapest. You dont need to pre-book. But you can get your ticket beforehand to avoid any queues, which are rare. No discount on faster trains can beat Regional Trains.
Hope this helps
You can book train tickets for a train right up to the moment the doors close and the departure signal has been given. Ofcourse, to avoid stress being at the station a bit earlier is to be advised. I myself have found out the the ticket vending machines are the best option.
Trenitalia has now 15 - 60 % discounts on some routes - check if these are available for the dates/connections you need!
Of course it is best to book early as there are some discounts available, but you might have trouble using an international credit card (ie one that is not Italian)to book online with trenitalia. I have had this trouble in the past and even recently, though I am not sure if it has been recitified of late.
If you need to buy tickets at the station, skip the machines which are often broken and go to the small ticket agency (biglietteria Doria, I think) that is seldom crowded and much more convenient than lining up with the hoardes to buy directly from trenitalia. As far as I know it costs the same. You'll find it as you enter the station from the far right hand side (facing the station) where the taxi rank is.
Go to the top of the duomo!! The view is gorgeous and you can get a great view of the city as well as the thousands of beautiful statues perched atop the spires. It is really cheap to go up (I think it was around 3 Euros). You buy your ticket down to the left side of the facade and climb your way up a few flights worth of stairs and you're there, on a beautiful walkway. Not to be missed!!
As with any traveling, light is good. I arrived in Milan with way too much stuff. I was going to be staying for a few months but you can find anything you could possibly need in Milan so don't bring it all with you. You also may want to bring an additional, collapsable bag to bring all the goodies home with you. HOT in the summer but do not wear shorts, Italians don't like them and you will look like a dork wearing shorts, wear thin, linen pants.
COLD in winter, layer you cloths becuse a lot of time it's too hot in stores or restaurants and you will sweat if you cannot remove a coat or sweater.
Key is not to look like an American tourist so don't bring any of your Disneyland or football sweatshirts. The Italians all dress well so do your best to try to fit in. Conservative is good. You can find all at Upim. It's a department store with a beauty/cosmetic section that's huge!!!! and great prices. There's also plenty of farmacia's open all hours. When craving pistachio gelato go to one of the vendors in the Duomo, it's cheaper and usually a lot better than gelato shops.
If you just want a cold beer you can get one for about $1.50 at most of the same vendors that sell gelato.
If you come in MIlan, deserve a spare day to go to Serravalle outlet. It's a village of shop, a sort of big mall and.. the price are amazing! It is on the road to Genova (40 ms by car), taking the highway A4. I tell you it is really worth! Fashion, Fashion, Fashion... (Armani, Valentino, Dolce&Gabbana,Gilli, Versace....) It really depends on your wallet..
This cocktail bar and restaurant is ideal for "aperitivo".
This former industrial warehouse has bags of attitude, and features vintage chairs, kitschy 70?s chandeliers and Colonial-style palm trees and objects, like a Brazilian beach bar. Head here for aperitifs from 6.30-9pm, when you?ll find yourself mixing with an unpretentious crowd.
The bar is very big and beautiful, the only thing that bothered me were the Indian waiters that were very rude to the clients! Everything goes..
Train stations are clean and precise, with very efficient indications, you simply cannot get lost! There are big panels with arrivals and departures, number of trains, rail, destination, really, everything you need! You should be really clumsy in order not to get around successfully. :))))
This photo originates from Porta Venezia underground train station, a bit before 23h. There was absolutely NOBODY!!! It seems like after 9pm nothing happens on the streets of Milano (except some dangerous areas, and the places to go out of course!)
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