No it’s not ridiculous! There is so much to see and do in Italy that you need to prioritize what’s most important for you on that trip ; ). If you go down to the Amalfi coast, you can start in Naples which is a great foodie city so you’d have your second major city ; )
As for pickpocketing, I don’t think Italy is any worse than any other country. We typically leave valuables/passports in our hotel safe and take very little money (if any) with us. Makes sure a loved one at home has copies of your passport just in case you have access to the passport number if it’s stolen.
I typically travel with a small crossbody bag and keep my hand on the strap at all times. When we were in St. Petersburg years and years ago, a tour group had their bags stolen by a thief who cut the straps from behind while they were on a church tour.
+1 for Orvieto. The town is charming, the pigeons are delicious (eat where the locals do), and it’s an easy stop off the autostrada 1 on the way from Rome into Tuscany. If staying in Tuscany, Montalcino and Siena areas were beautiful. Further north, if you’re on your way to Florence, there are some wonderful places in Chianti also.
As for pickpocketing–Naples is one of the pickpocket capitals of the world. There are major crime syndicates that specialize in it. Another is Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Train stations, metros, buses. Watch Bob Arno National Geographic doc on pickpockets (youtube). You’ll see how FAST it is and the teamwork involved. Just knowing a few simple rules to protect yourself and your valuables goes a long way.
As one of the pickpockets on the show said, “It’s not how good we are, it’s how dumb they are.”
The anti-theft crossbodyTravelon purse I have has slash proof straps and pockets (metal enmeshed) and a locking zipper. If you wanted to hang it on your chair you can lock it to the chair. Love that thing–lots of organization too!
We drove all across Italy and it was fine. But we got the car in Rome and had to do surveillance just to cross the street to get going in the right direction. Nightmare.
I like to stay in the city in Italy because I don’t want to drive in Italy. One country I avoid driving.
You also have to be alerted when traveling in Barcelona and Italy, and possible France. So far no one in my family have ever lost anything. I know I was worried when my kid did a summer study in Paris, she reported some girls in her class lost money but she didn’t.
We don’t have special bags or money belts for traveling. Never been pick pocketed in Italy or anyplace else. We have been robbed at gunpoint in Sacsayhuaman near Machu Picchu, but that was in the era of the Shining Path – I had my passport and money in a pouch hanging from my neck and under my shirt and they cut that with a knife but I persuaded them to give us back our passports and my wife’s glasses. We also were victims of a pickpocketing attempt in Newark Airport many years ago but saw it coming and backed away.
I typically take one or two credit cards only in a small wallet with some cash and put it in my front pants leg pocket or in a zipper pocket if wearing travel pants. My phone is in my other front leg pocket.
These days, in some places, we have needed to take our vax records.
Ha! That reminds me when we went to Barcelona-Nice-Rome a few years back, my Dad was insistent that we all carry LARGE amounts of cash (like 10K in Euros) with us. He didn’t want to leave it all in the room. I wore it in my running fuel belt under my clothes. You have to pull it on over your feet - no clasps/buckles. It’s super tight. But it was also hot and sweaty and I felt like a stuffed pig wearing that thing. I called it my fat suit. I was constantly offering to pay for everything (it was my parents’ $$$ lol) so I could decrease the size of that wad. I definitely don’t recommend this method, but that’s what they wanted us to do, and they were paying, so…
But re: pickpockets. On one of our walking tours, the guide told us about how they will come into the group and try to blend in. We had that happen on our group. It was very easy to notice, because the whole group (10 of us) was my family! We chased them away. I also caught them targeting my older S on an escalator somewhere. I made it known what they were up to and they left.
I was hit at the Minneapolis/St Paul airport, somewhere between an ATM and my seat on the plane. I’m betting they were watching the ATMs and with 3 small children, I was an easy target.
I bought a large stainless steel water bottle with screw off bottom a few years ago. I put a spare credit card and cash in it when I travel. Will give one to my kid going off to college in case SHTf and kid needs to come home quick. When we took a college trip last year, I had it and put 1k in the bottom. We put a carabinieri clip on it. Figured, someone might steal the purse but no one is going to steal our water bottle.
I’m laughing about the 10K in Euros. Wow, that’s a lot of cash to stuff.
Thank you for putting the Ligurian coast on my radar. Cinque Terre seems to have the things that were drawing us to Amalfi, and looks a little less posh (we are NOT high end travelers, lol). Closer to Florence makes it even more appealing.
One aside @DeeCee36. Croatia for time spent on the ocean (it is just the other side of the Adriatic Sea across from Italy’s east coast) is absolutely beautiful and was, when we were there, less expensive. The food is nowhere near as good (except the octopus). But, since Croatian is not a popular language, folks tend to speak English there (much less true in Greece and parts of Italy).
We took our kids there and had a lovely time. Beautiful warm clear water. Some of their friends met us. Dubrovnik was beautiful as were several other places. The only place that was a little odd was an island called Hvar (it was beautiful too). However, it seemed like the meeting place of the idle Euro rich males, who came in on yachts, and younger, very attractive females who came via the ferry. ShawWife said they should have a sign on the entrance to the ferry that if you don’t look stunning in a bikini, you should not enter the ferry. So, it was an odd meat market scene at night, although the scenery was excellent.
Talking about good looking, I will never forget people-watching in Milan. In my opinion the most good looking and stylish humans in Italy (if not in Europe). This was a while ago and I wonder if it is still the same. I would not visit Milan just to people-watch but if you find yourself there (I also loved the Duomo and just walking around looking for good food, wine and coffee), enjoy the Milanese. Italy is one of my favorite vacation spots. Have a plate of squid ink pasta for me when you’re there. I tried to recreate a squid ink pasta dish I had in Venice and can’t say I was successful.
While the Amalfi coast is beautiful, driving there is a nightmare. The narrowest roads anywhere and takes hours to travel 10-15 miles along the coast (from Positano to Amalfi). Also, steep cliffs don’t make nice beaches and access to the sea is difficult. Stunning vistas, though
No, actually that specialty belongs to Santorini. If the Amalfi is a 50 for narrow winding roads and sometimes outer lane and Vespa’s, and Sicily is 75 for cars, horses and animals on the same rotary, then Santorini is 100. Hazard lights at night. Blockages coming from the port, thinnest roads and fastest drivers. And pot holes.
My husband has driven us in some crazy places. Even the kids (who love adventure) thought Santorini driving was insane. They think Amalfi is fun.
Ah, you are probably right. We did not have a car when visiting Santorini 20 yrs ago. Came with the ferry and rented a small motorcycle while there. I remember being quite scared when crossing the island sitting behind my husband. Would not do it today