u/FraggerIndo

I'm just back from a month long trip to Italy and ive definitely been bitten by the travel bug. I want to bring my family of 3 (me, wife and 14yo son) to Germany for a week or so in the first part of December.

Of course we want to see a couple awesome castles and hit a few villages especially some that really embrace Christmas. I'm thinking for this visit just a week, staying at no more than 2 places.

Frankfurt or Munich better to fly in/out? Southwest or Southeast Germany? What do i have to make sure to see?

I can rent a car if i need to, but i was hoping to just use the trains.

Im American, i think our cultures largely overlap (im not a maga person or a leftist), so I don't think I'm in jeopardy of committing any faux pas type blunders. But just in case if there's anything you can think of, pleae share it with me.

Not that it matters much, but Im white and from Alabama/Tennessee.

My last post alot of folks got hung up on how much money I spent or me not liking the same places they ljke. All-in ive spent a smidge more than 40k for 4weeks, but that includes airfares for me and my family (wife+son). Like $15k was spent on airfare business clas both way(thats actually cheap for BC, feel free to price tickets yourself), including airfare from Nashville to NY and back, and Paris -> Naples Milan-> Paris.

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15kish now on Hotels, B&Bs, ABBs. And no that's not even close to the 5 stars cost. Some Hotels AmEx's fine hotels and in LHOTW are insanely expensive. There was one in Amalfi for almost $24k per night. Ive been spending anywhere from €250-€700 per night.

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For food/tickets to museums etc/ taxis im spending on average €350 per day. But it was cheaper down south. Yes there are a LOT of places i could have saved money and if you want to know, just ask.

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Lazio and Tuscano:

I'm not an art dude, or an architectural aficionado. Most of the museums in Rome were lame. It honestly all starts to look the same. The Vatican museums were awesome though. Cappucin crypts were also awesome. Everything you see in pictures has like 10,000 people standing around it. The Pantheon was cool and didnt take forever . Skip the coliseum and the forum. Just look at them from a nearby elevated restaurant or other vantage point. It's a massive city, just get comfortable with public transit and stay further away the center. Its a bit dirtier on the outskirts but everything is WAY cheaper there.

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I'd go to Florence to see the Duomo, the Duomo museum and the David. And that's it. If you're going to climb the Duomo get the tickets for first thing in the morning. And honestly the closeup view of the inside of the dome was cooler for me than the outside view. I swear every other store is a leather shop run by Indians. The products aren't terrible, but they are all the same. Instead of staying in Florence. Pay the extra money to stay in a medieval hilltop town like San Gimingano. In the early morning and late evening you'll have the town all to yourself. The food in Tuscany is amazing, but its not cheap. Rent a car and go explore. In northern the area INBETWEEN Rome and Florence is the real treasure here, so spend as little time as you can in either.

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Just my 2 cents, mileage may very per person. Forgive my typos, im typing this on my phone while on a train.

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My experience as an unrepentant barbarian in Italy thusfar

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I'm 4 weeks and almost $40k in, I'll share my opinions on the areas ive traveled. I've spared few expenses, and done my best to navigate immersion and not missing the must-see tourist traps. I love history, food, and architecture. Though im not an expert on any of them. I realize there are lots of things i missed, and a lot i could have done cheaper/better.

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I started my journey in Naples aka Napoli and then spent a couple days in Sorrento and Ravello/Minori.

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Naples is dirty, very dirty. Garbage everywhere, the streets smell like garbage juice and urine. Its absolutely chaos. I dont think any traffic laws are followed whatsoever and I'm not exaggerating. Its feel less safe than it actually is though. The people as a whole are the friendliest I've met since I've been in Italy. Amazing history just kind of scattered about the city unpretentiously. I mean walk down a random alley and it opens into a courtyard with a magnificent 14th century fountain covered in birdshit with no markings. Naples museum is incredible. I think it's the best food in Italy, especially for the value. Must have Pizza in all the ways.

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Amalfi coast/ Sorrento was beautiful, but the actual beaches are shit. They're made of granular pumice which is rough and gets hot as fuck. There are spots to find incredible views, though the famous "Coastal Drive" was a load of horse shit. Its basically winding bumper-to-bumper traffic with an oblique view of the landscape every 10mins or so. Stay in Sorrento and just take the ferry to one of the towns for lunch and to walk around. Its much cheaper and the views from the water are so much better. Sorrento is the cleanest and most organized city in Southern Italy imo. Cant miss Limoncello and the pasta in Minori.

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Naples a family of 3 can eat a full meal at a nice restaurant with wine included for like 40-50€. Amalfi is easily twice that with Sorrento in-between. Dont pass up on the street food. And enjoy the absence of aggressive Indian resellers acosting you every other step. Low-key the best place to shop for clothes and shoes imo. They're well-made and fashionable. Don't writ-off the local shops because the prices seem too low.

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Ill follow-up with my next stop later. Ask me anything and I'll give as candid an answer as possible! I'll explain where i could have cut costs or money i think I wasted, however i can help!

My experience as an unrepentant barbarian in Italy thusfar

​

I'm 4 weeks and almost $40k in, I'll share my opinions on the areas ive traveled. I've spared few expenses, and done my best to navigate immersion and not missing the must-see tourist traps. I love history, food, and architecture. Though im not an expert on any of them. I realize there are lots of things i missed, and a lot i could have done cheaper/better.

​

I started my journey in Naples aka Napoli and then spent a couple days in Sorrento and Ravello/Minori.

​

Naples is dirty, very dirty. Garbage everywhere, the streets smell like garbage juice and urine. Its absolutely chaos. I dont think any traffic laws are followed whatsoever and I'm not exaggerating. Its feel less safe than it actually is though. The people as a whole are the friendliest I've met since I've been in Italy. Amazing history just kind of scattered about the city unpretentiously. I mean walk down a random alley and it opens into a courtyard with a magnificent 14th century fountain covered in birdshit with no markings. Naples museum is incredible. I think it's the best food in Italy, especially for the value. Must have Pizza in all the ways.

​

Amalfi coast/ Sorrento was beautiful, but the actual beaches are shit. They're made of granular pumice which is rough and gets hot as fuck. There are spots to find incredible views, though the famous "Coastal Drive" was a load of horse shit. Its basically winding bumper-to-bumper traffic with an oblique view of the landscape every 10mins or so. Stay in Sorrento and just take the ferry to one of the towns for lunch and to walk around. Its much cheaper and the views from the water are so much better. Sorrento is the cleanest and most organized city in Southern Italy imo. Cant miss Limoncello and the pasta in Minori.

​

Naples a family of 3 can eat a full meal at a nice restaurant with wine included for like 40-50€. Amalfi is easily twice that with Sorrento in-between. Dont pass up on the street food. And enjoy the absence of aggressive Indian resellers acosting you every other step. Low-key the best place to shop for clothes and shoes imo. They're well-made and fashionable. Don't writ-off the local shops because the prices seem too low.

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Ill follow-up with my next stop later.

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https://preview.redd.it/mc2f4zjn4h7h1.jpg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1a031296f7c6c2858a20bb6c71e63c2d58edc0cd

My experience as an unrepentant barbarian in Italy thusfar

​

I'm 4 weeks and almost $40k in, I'll share my opinions on the areas ive traveled. I've spared few expenses, and done my best to navigate immersion and not missing the must-see tourist traps. I love history, food, and architecture. Though im not an expert on any of them. I realize there are lots of things i missed, and a lot i could have done cheaper/better.

​

I started my journey in Naples aka Napoli and then spent a couple days in Sorrento and Ravello/Minori.

​

Naples is dirty, very dirty. Garbage everywhere, the streets smell like garbage juice and urine. Its absolutely chaos. I dont think any traffic laws are followed whatsoever and I'm not exaggerating. Its feel less safe than it actually is though. The people as a whole are the friendliest I've met since I've been in Italy. Amazing history just kind of scattered about the city unpretentiously. I mean walk down a random alley and it opens into a courtyard with a magnificent 14th century fountain covered in birdshit with no markings. Naples museum is incredible. I think it's the best food in Italy, especially for the value. Must have Pizza in all the ways.

​

Amalfi coast/ Sorrento was beautiful, but the actual beaches are shit. They're made of granular pumice which is rough and gets hot as fuck. There are spots to find incredible views, though the famous "Coastal Drive" was a load of horse shit. Its basically winding bumper-to-bumper traffic with an oblique view of the landscape every 10mins or so. Stay in Sorrento and just take the ferry to one of the towns for lunch and to walk around. Its much cheaper and the views from the water are so much better. Sorrento is the cleanest and most organized city in Southern Italy imo. Cant miss Limoncello and the pasta in Minori.

​

Naples a family of 3 can eat a full meal at a nice restaurant with wine included for like 40-50€. Amalfi is easily twice that with Sorrento in-between. Dont pass up on the street food. And enjoy the absence of aggressive Indian resellers acosting you every other step. Low-key the best place to shop for clothes and shoes imo. They're well-made and fashionable. Don't writ-off the local shops because the prices seem too low.

​

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Ill follow-up with my next stop later. Ask me anything and I'll give as candid an answer as possible!

​

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