Snapshot

  • Trips: 2
  • Total time spent: ~23 days
  • Longest stay: ~6 days
  • Cities visited:
  • Primary transport used: Walking, Metro, Bus, Rental Car

Overall Experience

Traveling through Italy highlights regional differences not only in cuisine and influencing cultures, but also in general ambience. The pace and structure of each city change your output of energy and how and where you focus that energy. Rome feels structured and traditional. Religious and historic landmarks are in concentrated, walkable zones. Venice feels fluid and free. There is room for wandering and discovery in quietude. While Naples is dense and energetic. Meandering through the streets is like market energy but with permanence and diversity. The energy required shifts from city to city.

Navigation & Logistics

Infrastructure varies city to city. Venice is walkable, but also has a water bus and ferry to reach the outer islands. Rome has many historical sites that are densely distributed across the city, where using the metro or the bus would make sightseeing more efficient. We stayed in the outskirts of Treviso in the countryside, and having a car was helpful to drive to the city center; public transportation was readily available, as well. The majority of signs throughout Italy were either interpretable or had English accessibility. Basic Italian was appreciated in more rural areas of Italy, but the locals are generally helpful and friendly.

Anxiety Profile

Overall, Italy has a low baseline for anxiety. Rome was at a slightly higher level of anxiety, due to having more monuments, physical size, and cultural expectations. Venice and Treviso were the most regulated, calm and peaceful. Naples was stimulating but manageable, not overwhelming but interesting. Language wasn’t a stressor as English was mostly available.

Best Fit For

Strong fit:

  • First-time international travelers
  • Travelers who prefer walkable cities
  • Neurodivergent introverts

May be less ideal for:

  • Travelers who prefer uniform city experiences
  • Travelers who dislike dense street environments

What Worked for Us

We found that splitting time between cities was beneficial. Getting to know different cities gave us an idea of the diversity of Italy. We also made sure to stay within walking radius of essentials and transportation. This could look like being in the city center or near a monument where you know you can gain access to necessities if need be. Learning basic phrases was also helpful, as we were able to better communicate with the locals and open doors to better service. The best thing we did for our second trip was build in rest days. Not whole days were rest days, but we built in blocks of time to regulate and enjoy our time instead of forcing ourselves to see everything.

What We’d Do Differently

The first trip we visited 4 cities; the second trip we stayed in Venice for around 6 days, and stayed just 2 days in Treviso. The longer stay in Venice allowed us to find our rhythm, and we would like to stay in other cities again for longer stints. Another thing we would do differently would be to make a general itinerary to group monuments and sights to create a more efficient commute.

Would We Return?

Yes, we can’t wait to return to Italy and discover the multitude of regions.