My Top Tips & Tidbits: Italy

Rome & Capri

Expect to spend lots of dough. Europe can be very expensive and Italy is no exception. Capri, in fact, exemplifies this rule. Without disclosing actual figures, we could have had a brand new, stripped-down Kia in place of our nine-day Roman holiday (celebrating an anniversary served as our justification to over-indulge). To avoid blowing loads of cash, plan ahead and have a budget. However, don't find yourself skimping so much that it hinders the experience. Keep in mind to allow more than you think you'll need because inevitably there will be costs you hadn't anticipated. **Note, our figure included flights which were $1,200 apiece. I will soon be adding a post reviewing our hotels. Going during the off-season, you can save LOTS of money (usually Nov-March).

Remember to take a conservative ensemble to visit the Vatican. They do turn people away if your attire does not meet the requirements. Shoulders, knees, and cleavage must all be covered to get into St. Peter's Basilica, and the Vatican museum (which houses The Sistine Chapel).

May, June, & September are the best times to visit Capri according to locals. It's probably fair to say the same for Rome, as July and August are the hottest months, and the busiest on Capri. We visited in June, and what I'll say is this: Girls, pack the clips and plan to wear your hair up. I initially resisted this as I had just invested a small fortune getting my hair cut and highlighted for the trip. I persevered in my struggle until lunchtime the first day, at which point I wished I would have had her cut off six inches more.

Hire a guide or book a tour, especially in Rome.

Many times you can do this through your concierge. In some

cases you can book on-site, such as the coloseum. I highly recommend some sort of tour as your experience will be greatly enriched having the knowledge and insight a guide will provide about these significant points of interest. Simply seeing the forum is remarkable, but not nearly as impressive without knowing the importance behind each monument. We hired a private boat tour around the isle of Capri, including a visit to the Blue Grotto, on our last morning before leaving for Rome. I highly recommend doing this. It was a wonderful way to say "arrivederci" to the remarkably beautiful island.

If you're on a tight budget, the coloseum also offers audio tours for a reasonable rate (only 4 Euros in 2006). Or, if you're really on a budget, although not a reliable plan, and I categorically do not endorse this, you can try to slip into an English-speaking tour already in progress.

Half and full-day excursions from Rome are also offered. If you have 3 days or less, stay within proximity of Rome's epicenter, utilizing that time exploring all this amazing city has to offer. If you have several days, you may enjoy an excursion to marvel in some fascinating ruins or Italian countryside. Pompeii is definitely worth a visit! Also interesting (and not very far) is Tivoli which boasts at least two UNESCO World Heritage sites and a castle. I personally would not recommend a day trip to Capri from Rome. The voyage is too far and arduous to briefly set foot on the isle. Capri makes a better day trip if you're nearer the Almafi Coast. However, know that droves of cruise ships dock nearby enabling literally thousands of day-trippers to infiltrate the island every day. If interested in visiting Capri and Rome, I would suggest staying at least two nights on the isle to truly experience it's unique ambiance and to make the journey worth the effort.

Eat plenty of gelato. This would be my single most important piece of advice. There are tons of flavors, it's super good, and it's everywhere. Best of all, their portions are small so you can try a new variety whenever the craving hits you and not stretch out the clothes you've packed. Many days we had some twice and I actually lost weight on the trip! So, I say, "viva la vita dolce!"