On the subject of carrying passports and such, I use a Bagallini bag (it might be this model).
I use it often for travel — even domestically. It holds my passport, iPhone, a few credit cards and some cash. Typically I wear it under a jacket. There’s RFID protection and it can be worn quite close to the body.
Reviving this thread with a general question…? We are def going to Italy at the end of April (yay!! 
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My general question is - have folks found that it works okay to do the planning (lodging/itenary/tours) on your own, w/out a travel agent?
I started planning flights w/AAA travel (and another travel company) - 'cause, limited international travel experience, thought I needed help. 
Then, after some prelim v. high flight quotes was able to find flights on my own for $500 - $1,000 cheaper (simply using Google flights).
So I’m thinking perhaps I’d be OK planning our tours and lodging that way…? Just wondered if others had positive experiences w/DYI for 10 days in Europe? Maybe I’m missing something!
PS Would love to hear about the OP’s trip if she wanted to share!
We went to Italy last summer (our 5th time) and the tickets were about $800 per person. We flew to Milan as opposed to Rome - it was about $100-200 pp cheaper. I couldn’t find a Rome flight cheaper than $1000 (this was late June into early august). Flights to Europe have gotten pretty pricey - especially if you are traveling in the summer.
I’ve travelled to Europe many, many times and have never used a travel agent. Most transportation and lodging is easy to arrange with the number of on-line resources. Have never had an issue (so far).
We’ve done all DIY trips so far. It is a bit tricky sometimes but we’ve had fun even with a few missed trains and connections. We have an upcoming Europe trip in April and while it’s a lot of work to plan by ourselves, we like the flexibility of dropping something and adding something else if we feel like it.
I use Google, Expedia and Rome2Rio to find the deals and then book directly with the airline, railway and hotel websites.
I’ve never used a travel agent. When booking tours /entrance tickets, say for the Vatican or coliseum, make sure you are on the official site for the attraction. Otherwise you end up paying a premium through a tour company for tickets you could have easily booked on your own. Usually the British flag icon will get you to the site in English. Definitely book ahead when you can - we waltzed right into the vatican museum when the line was blocks long. No special ticket - I had just done it in advance.
The only time I ever used a travel agent was for our trip to Italy. Her advice was great and everything she planned for us (including every night’s dinner, tours, transportation between cities, and hotels) was excellent.
I’ve never used a travel agent either. We definitely like to make our own itinerary and mostly stay at airbnbs which they probably wouldn’t help with. I do use the TripAdvisor forums a bit though. Many locals are on it and are a wealth of information.
International airfare tends to have lowest fares at around 6 months out. The prices you mentioned are good. I just purchased tix to Spain for end of April for $800.
Have done several DIY to Europe (not just Italy). I love researching but I understand it’s a lot of work for some. I usually start researching 6 months ahead, start with reading books/articles and then watch on YouTube.
My rule of thumb is I will have 1 or 2 major attractions to see every day and the rest I can just wing it or sightseeing. I don’t want to run around from one place to another place just for the sake of being there. First day usually spent on getting our bearings around.
If you plan in advance, you’ll get cheaper train tickets if you book in advance. Some of the Regionale (regional train) tickets can be bought anytime (no incentive of buying them in advance) in the kiosks.
Building off other suggestions, we always make sure we have reservations for either lunch or dinner (1 meal/day) when we travel. Taking the time to find great restaurants that fit your budget before you get there saves time, energy, money and your tummy when you get to your vacation.
In Italy, we found we often had to call to make reservations (not always able to book online), but don’t worry if you don’t speak Italian - we never had a problem getting reservations understood over the phone. Also, dinner service seldom starts before 7pm, and that seating will definitely be almost all tourists. If you want to be eating when the locals are - look at 9pm as the sweet zone. And usually the restaurant will assume you’ll be there for 90-120 minutes; there won’t be a rush to get you out. So savor and enjoy!
It’s definitely doable by yourself. It just takes time. Airfare is probably the easiest part. @epcy has good advice and I do it similarly.
Trip advisor forum is a great resource, and Rick Steve’s can be as well, especially for rail travel. That’s the part I usually find confusing. Also getting to and from the airport to the hotel/Airbnb. Taxi/Uber/public transport? I tend to prefer public transportation when we travel, but when first arrive in Europe after ~24 hours of travel (we have a 5 hour drive to the airport and I get there many hours early in case something goes wrong), it’s nice to just plop in a vehicle and not worry about that leg. And if you have 4+ people you might need multiple taxis over there. In Innsbruck, we had 6 people with 1 suitcase. We were going to need 3 taxis! We opted for the bus.
We also never plan anything big the first 1-2 days, with the first day being arrival day. But day 2 can get messed up if there’s an issue with the flight, so don’t book anything you really want to do that day!
Also have never used a travel agent. We try to book hotels where we have loyalty so we can get our money back if there is a delay.
I use TripAdvisor to book a lot of my tours. I generally like small group tours. I was in Lisbon and Barcelona by myself last October and booked all of my tours via TripAdvisor and Expedia. My hotel made all dinner reservations for me. I just emailed them before I arrived.
When I am in Italy I make few must go to restaurants and wing it for all other meals.
It’s time consuming but a lot of fun to DIY. For 10 days, remember that it might be nicer to do a open jaw flights (arrive and depart from different cities). I use Rick Steve’s and TripAdvisors.
Decide your dates, each city, then book your hotels NOW. Make sure you do cancellable. Sometimes I’ll book a few in each city and then decide after more thorough research, then cancel the others.
Book your airfare.
Decide on what you want to do each city. Buy a travel book. I always buy a Rick Steve’s. Come here for recommendation! The book your tours.
Decide if you are going to travel to multiple cities, then book your fast train tickets.
This is all awesome advice - thank you very much!! Somehow I guess it just helps to have the validation that others have DYI’d their European trips and they have gone well!
We are three months out but hopefully I’ll have time to research and plan. A colleague’s wife planned every detail of their trip to Italy a few years back - multiple events in each day, printed itineraries, etc. I don’t want that much structure - but as was mentioned here - some planning/pre-booking, lodging and a few restaurants will create a nice outline.
My daughter is studying abroad and we will be visiting her - so we’ll be based in the city where she lives (Florence) - flying in an out. She is looking forward to showing us a lot of things, so I have to leave (a lot) of space for that - but will bring some research - partcularly hotels/AirBnBs since she won’t have experience with those…
There are a few places I def want to see - Cinque Terre is a big one, since we won’t have time (I think) to do Amalfi Coast and I’m dying to see the beautiful cliffside towns!
Off to research! Thanks again! 
Yes it definitely helps to plan the main things to want to see. It helps to see the logistics of what it possible to get to each day, how long each attraction might take, but more importantly research what is open each day. Sometimes museums and sites are closed on weekdays.
I usually schedule one must see thing each day and then sample other things that we might want to do and will work logistics wise. But, those we can change around or skip or replace with something else as needed.
The travel forums are also good to learn about various passes that bundle attractions or multi day public transportation cards. Sometimes those things are a great value, sometimes not.
Make sure you research what attractions you want to see and if necessary, make reservations in advance (e.g Last Supper in Milan is quickly sold out) and/or make your plan around it (General Audience with Pope in Vatican is on Wednesdays)
SIAP: beware of the pickpockets. My Dad almost got pickpocketed (thankfully he had money belt on) and couple of people we met mentioned that they were pickpocketed or someone in their group was. They were really savvy (they could even dress as Priests or Nuns LOL).
And I second Rick Steves books and his youtube videos. I always read his books before traveling to Europe.
Go to Alimentari Uffizi, a deli on a quaint street in Florence. Let them make you a platter of meats cheeses and breads to snack on. You won’t be sorry. We stayed at an apartment above it and went three times. So good.
Cinque Terre—beautiful! I’d go back in a heartbeat. We thought Vernazza was the nicest town and most central for visiting the others. If you’ve got good stamina, hike to the other towns via the national park. The views are breathtaking. Stay in an apartment on the Main Street in the lower town. You’ll feel like a resident once the crowds leave.
Thanks for these additional tips! I’ve listened to Rick Steves on NPR over the years - will check out his Italy guide.
I will say all the tours (Tuscany, Cinque Terre, etc. ) are a bit overwhelming, online. Trying to figure out the most legitimate/fairly priced ones. Hopefully Rick might help!
We will be traveling with our suitcases on train from Rome to Florence. Are the bags stored overhead or are they secured in some way? I think is says we are responsible for our bags but just wondering how to secure our belongings on the train trips.