Backpacking Through Europe | Backpacking in Italy
Backpacking in Italy is one of the most popular European destinations when backpacking through Europe. Italy is not as big geographically as France, Spain or Germany but it has so much to offer that backpackers simply cannot afford to miss it. The history, the architecture and of course the great Italian cuisine! Italy is right up there with backpacking in Peru in my opinion.
So where do you start backpacking in Italy? How about Sorrento the pearl of the Mediterranean? The great thing about Sorrento is the hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour of the city. You can hop-on and off as many times as you like aboard this open-top double-decker bus. There are 7 stops and the entire route takes approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. The scenery is absolutely astounding and it’s a great way to see the city. The bus departs every 60 minutes from each stop so there’s plenty of opportunity to hop off and enjoy a closer look at any of sights and then jump back on when you’re ready to move on. The stops included are:
* Piazza Lauro
* Rione Cappuccini
* Cocumella
* Piazza Tasso
* Largo Vescavado
* Piazzetta Santa Croce
* Sant’Agata sui due Golfi
Sorrento is such a gorgeous city with rich culture and history. You are free to wander down narrow streets to panoramic terraces overlooking the magnificent Gulf of Naples with views to the Isle of Capri and mount Vesuvius.
Backpacking in Italy wouldn’t be complete without a stop in Rome! Rome is of course the capital of Italy, it’s largest city the seat of the Italian government and home to the Pope and the Vatican. Renaissance riches are can be found everywhere but mainly within the centro storico (historic centre), where the stadium-sized Piazza Navona, sweepingly romantic Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain all lie within walking distance of each other. Backpackers paradise! Make sure you get accommodation as close to the center it is of course one of my backpacking money saving tips. Across the river, to the west, lies the Vatican State – home to the Pope, the spiritual center of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Sistine Chapel. Visiting the Vatican Museums is a must when in Rome. The entrance to the Vatican Museums (Musei Vaticani) is a 15-minute walk from Piazza San Pietro. The museums are enormous, honestly, they have to be seen to be believed and you’ll never manage to see everything in one go – you’d need several hours just for the highlights. Each starts at the domed Quattro Cancelli area, near the entrance, and finishes at the Sistine Chapel, so if you want you can walk straight there. It’s worth really taking your time time though and don’t skip any of the sites. It’s unbelievable. You might never get another chance to go backpacking in Italy! Remains from the imperial glory days include the monumental Colosseum which is absolutely jaw dropping, the Foro Romano (Roman Forum), and the amazing Pantheon – which is a complete Roman temple, preserved as a church.
Anyone who has ever studied art history Florence is the black for you. Florence is an absolute must if backpacking in Italy. This Tuscan city is home to many of the great Renaissance masterpieces including Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s Primavera. Florence is the major center for Italian renaissance art, major sights include the Duomo, the Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery. Make sure you try the wonderful Florentine wine and food it is absolutely out of this world. It pays to keep in mind what you really want to see in Florence, don’t just turn up – organize and plan your trip in advance and that way you will get the most out of your trip. Try to arrive at the museums and art galleries that you really don’t want to miss early in the day, prioritise what you want to see first, as later you may be wasting the better part of the day waiting in lines. And if walking around in the Florence heat sounds like too much for you, imagine smoothly gliding through the timeless streets of Florence on a Segway with a personal guide with Segway Tours in Florence. It’s not only saves time but its great fun too! Florence is also handy for traveling to Pisa to see the famous leaning tower. It’s easily accessible by train and well worth the trip if only for the silly photos you can take pretending you’re propping the tower up with your hands.
As part of your backpacking through Europe trip around Italy you have to visit the beautiful city of Venice. Unfortunately Venice is quite an expensive place to visit but it is well worth it if your budget can stretch that far. It’s worth it even for one view on a clear day from the top of the Campanile in Piazza San Marco. Unless your heart is absolutely set on having a Gondola ride don’t bother. They are extremely expensive! Public ferries called traghetti – they look like a regular gondola only larger – cross the Grand Canal at points where there are no nearby bridges. This costs only a fraction of what a Gondola ride does and you will get the same views of the city.For a longer ride down the canal, hope on one of the many vaporetti that operate as Venice’s public transportation on water. I know it’s not quite as romantic as the Gondola ride but as I said you still get the wonderful views of this amazing city.
Well that about covers backpacking through Italy. I’m sure I’ve missed some other amazing places so feel free to leave me some comments about other must see places. Enjoy your travels and as always make sure you get your backpacker travel insurance before you go!
