Try again: Anyone have a great art tour of Italy to recommend?

[CTyankee]

I tried on DU Lounge and got nothing. My interest is in something probably sponsored by a college or university.

[DURHAM D]

1. Get a friend - fly to Rome. Spend 5 days there and take the

train to Florence, skip Venice. Travel with a couple of good guides (you can review them at any book store before you buy one or two). Cut out the pages for Florence and Rome only and leave the rest of the book at home. You don't need to go with a tour. The guide books will help you find good lodging and food as well.

[Hamlette]

2. a tour will cost a fortune, you can do it much cheaper on your own

I disagree with the post about skiping Venice. I hated it the first time we went but loved it the second time. When I was older. Maybe my age helped me appreciate it.

Go the the library, check out a few travel books in italy, pick your favorites and buy them, take notes from the ones you don't buy.

Figure out where you want to go. Check the web or books on where to stay. You will have no trouble if English is your only language.

If you really want to take a tour, check the web. I'm sure you'll find all kinds there.

(Take Rick Steves Mona Winks for museums.)

We travel lots and the only time we use tours is to areas that are not not easy to travel in alone, like China and Thailand. I wouldn't dare drive in either country not so much because of traffic but traffic signs!

[wiggs]

3. Diversity is good. And don't miss the forest for the trees.

Agree: don't skip Venice unless necessary and don't do a tour.

Consider that art in Italy is much more than museums and paintings. Even for art professionals (my wife), a trip dedicated to just museums and paintings may get old. Consider architecture, music, garden history, etc as art too and mix up the trip emphasis. Take a painting class in the country...

While going to the museum mainstays is important, be sure to check out the smaller churches and museums for their treasures too. Take in a sagra or two in the country...go to a farmer's market...hang around smaller hilltowns to more so understand living conditions that contributed to renaissance and awe of church

Venice has the guggenheim, Murano for art glass, Basilica mosaics, ...and Piazza San Marcos is a work of art too, not to mention the role it played in history and the renaissance.

Choreography might be something like: Rome first (mindblowing), slower pace and rusticity of Tuscany or Umbria, Florence (renaissance city...lots of art and science history), then Venice (unbelievable and unlike any other city). Don't be afraid to drive if you are a good driver here... just know your place and be careful.

[Bigmack]

4. What you said. .....plus

Somebody above suggested Rick Steves... absolutely the best tour guides. Read the stuff about his psychology of travel, too.

Rick is definitely a progressive and has spoken out against the war and imperialism.

Don't forget that some of the hill towns in Umbria and Tuscany have little art/history treasures.

Shit... you've got me dreaming about Italy again. Have a good trip!

[DemBones DemBones]

5. Hey, several of us gave you advice in the Lounge-- you call that NOTHING?

One even gave you a link to a COLLEGE-SPONSORED TOUR!

What exactly do you want, someone to arrange a tour especially for you?

:shrug: