La dolce vita: those three words sum up so well the picture that most people have of this wonderful country called Italy. It’s all about enjoying the good life – full of pleasure and indulgences. Italy offers something for everyone.

It was a daunting task to plan a first trip to Italy for a week-long stay. I started my trip with Rome as it’s a must see for any first time visitor. Using the rail system the next natural stop is Florence, and my final stop was in Venice the floating city. I decided on two nights in Rome, three nights in Florence and two nights in Venice.

I found Rome to be the world’s greatest outdoor museum. The culture is amazing and having a glass of wine on a patio with monuments as a backdrop is an experience unlike no other. When creating your budget you must stay in the central part of the city to enjoy the culture. After checking into my hotel I went for a walk, and in a few minutes I was at the steps of the Colosseum. I stood there in amazement.

Besides going to the Colosseum I also recommend visiting a number of other historical landmarks. Trevi Fountain is the world’s most famous Baroque fountain. And make sure you bring a coin to throw in – make your wish to return to Rome.

The Vatican and the Vatican Museums have tours that all end in the Sistine Chapel. The Roman Forum is a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and includes the Arches of Septimius Severus and Titus, the Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina and the Temple of Saturn. The Spanish steps, a truly monumental stairway of 135 steps, gives way to the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish square) and the Fontana della Barcaccia.

The next stop was Florence. The main reason for this stop was most famous tower in the world – Leaning Tower of Pisa is close. I travelled by train which was a very enjoyable short trip. I found Florence to be relaxing and interesting.

Other places to see in Florence include the river, which has a bridge that is beautiful day or night and a great backdrop for pictures. There is great art, history, and architecture – Ufizi Gallery and the central squares. The shopping was the best I saw in Italy from high end designers to affordable boutiques and the many street vendors with their leather products. The food was great and affordable and the Tuscany countryside is breathtaking.

Venice was my last stop and you will not see another city like it. How they built a city where you shouldn’t build a city is sheer madness. There is nothing more romantic then riding in a gondola or water taxi, looking at the beauty of the city with that special someone. It’s truly the most romantic city there is. With the beautiful music playing, Piazza San Marco Square sits at the heart of the city and is the perfect place to start or end your day. Close by is St Marks Basilica with three museums inside. My favorite thing was getting lost in Venice and the best way is crossing Rialto Bridge or if you’re tired from walking you can ride the water bus and enjoy the sites.

Travel Tips:

Travelling by train is very economical, comfortable and speedy but prepare for busy train stations and it’s difficult to find help locating your train. When arriving in Venice by train you exit over a bridge that has close to 150 steps so most likely you will want to use the porter service to haul your suitcases over the bridge to get to the taxis… Rome has close to 10 million tourists visit annually so prepare for large crowds in places like Trevi Fountain, Vatican, and in general walking between attractions… Wear proper footwear as you will be walking a lot in all of the cities. I saw some women take pictures in high heels and then take them off for walking… I found Venice to be the most expensive city of the three, with Florence being the least expensive of the group… In Rome, on a short visit, I rented a limousine with a driver, so I could take in as many sites as possible and the driver acted as my guide. You will want to read up on tax free shopping at www.globalblue.com. Google maps or any good electronic maps are a must for directions.

-Daniel Stephen