Hi again, helpful experts:
We six are off April 30! and very much looking forward to getting the most out of our holiday in Italy [including minimizing holding-patterns and line-ups!!]. I'd appreciate your advice about what we ought to book from home before we go. We're going to be in the following areas and have already pre-booked a few things, as noted:

Rome: Scavi tour
Colosseum-Forum tour with Angel Tours

Venice

Ravenna

Florence: Uffizi entrance
Accademia entrance
Fresco-making workshop w/ Context Tours

Siena

Orvieto/Todi area

Most of us have never been to Italy before (and it's been way too long for my husband and I to feel knowledgeable about what we saw 20+ years ago), so we hope to take in all the usual, fabulous things, as well as anything else not-to-be-missed, so we're very open to suggestions. (Of course, we will do our best to leave lots of wandering-time free too!)

so. . . what do you think?

Lauram
I suggest to avoid "the queue" to museums and so on to check this site:

Weekend a Firenze

Weekend a Roma

Weekend a Venezia

They provide an excellent service, english spoken, you buy a reservation and you get a code to enter Uffizi without waiting in line.
Of course you pay the reservation plus the ticket but you fix exactly date and time for your visit.
Have a nice vacation and enjoy Italy!

Alessandro

quote:

Originally posted by lauram:
already pre-booked a few things, as noted:
Rome: Scavi tour
Colosseum-Forum tour with Angel Tours

I don't know how long you are in Rome, but a wonderful museum, the Borghese, requires advance reservations.

It's easy to do on line at, you will get a time and reservation number and pay at the Borghese: http://www.ticketeria.it/ticketeria/borghese-eng.asp

Oh, thanks for reminding me, Debra! Actually, I was wondering whether the Romapass that starts April 21 might be used there and elsewhere; that's why I didn't mention the Villa Borghese here--because I can't seem to find out very much yet about that pass. (I don't suppose you know anything about it, do you?)

Thanks Alessandro, too. I appreciate your advice, and I am sure that I will enjoy checking out these sites.

I agree with Debra about the Borghese. Also, one to add to the list:

Secrets of the Doge's Palace for Venice.

Buon viaggio!

Thanks, Megan. That looks interesting! And it reminds me: haven't I read somewhere about a tour in Florence that includes a secret passage-way that allowed (I think) the nobility to move around without descending to the streets? Not sure now who gives that tour or where it goes. (anyone know?)

Lauram: You're probably thinking of the "Percorso del Principe" in Florence; it takes you from the Palazzo della Signoria through the Uffizi and the Vasari Corridor and a church in the Oltrarno to the Pitti Palace.

Some on-line places say that they can book it, but I don't think they can guarantee it.

Also, a few people from here in the forum called the Vasari Corridor number and were told in no uncertain terms that it is closed, "chiuso!"

thanks for the details, Eloise. Now that I know the name, I have found this site http://travelguides.lastminute.ie/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=79232
which says it's open just June-Sept., in case anyone else is interested.

quote:

Originally posted by lauram:
I was wondering whether the Romapass that starts April 21 might be used there and elsewhere; that's why I didn't mention the Villa Borghese here

Even if this pass (which I DON'T know any details about) gave you access to the Borghese, I would think you would still need a reservation time and number.

aha, so I will see what I can find out April 21 on the internet about what the pass covers; and apparently by the end of this week, the booking site for the VB will allow May reservations, so I'll also see what they say about the pass. I'll post what I discover about the pass as I go. Thanks Debra.