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Originally Posted by NemesisX
Also, always practice stealth wealth when you're in Italy (again, especially southern italy including rome).
If people get the slightest hint that you're an affluent foreigner, they will rip you off and take total advantage of you. You'll be driven around in circles by taxi so as to increase the fare. You'll be overcharged in coffee or ice cream shops under the aegis of miscommunication (due to any language barriers if you don't speak italian).
The northern (and generally more affluent) parts of Italy are more well-behaved. Hell, I've found north Italians openly make fun of their southern counterparts for having a reputation for swindling, stealing, or lying for financial gain.
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I heard that pick pocketing is common in Italy and France. Is that true? I'm thinking about buying a money belt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by solstice
I've been to all of your planned destinations and I love them all.
All of the main sights are more than worth visiting.
In Rome I would add these two less obvious visits:
1. The catacombs outside the city. We walked but we are both avid hikers and endurance athletes, a bus might be preferable for many. Early Christians were not allowed to bury their family in the city so they did it in secrecy outside the city walls. Strong historic vibe here.
2. Galleria Borghese. I was not interested in sculptures until I visited this place. Some absolutely amazing pieces by Bernini and you get up close enough to touch ( not allowed ) and even at an arms length the rock hard marble beds for example looks like soft mattresses. And then you realize that Rome is full of Bernini sculptures. One of these would take a normal human a life time without even getting close.
In Venice you should aim to get onto the water. A tour on Grand Canal or just the water taxi will do. I second Danieli if you can swing it. We stayed there for part of our honeymoon.
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We won't have a car so we probably won't be able to see those two places you mentioned. I'm watching Rick Steves' video on Venice right now and it seems boring. Perhaps it's nice for couples but since there will be other people going with me, I don't think Venice is worth the visit.