Public Transportation in Italy

It seems everyone has picked up on this in Europe, and, the Italians, for all their brilliance in their public transportation systems, have totally embraced the idea of the INTEGRALE in tourism.

In Rome, the Romapass (15E) offers you a three-day bus/metro pass with a card which gives you two free entrances into most of their major museums (totally rocks to avoid the long Colosseum lines), then discounted prices on any entrances past then. I LOVE the bus system in Rome (Metro will be great for you April/May travelers, but I'll only use it upon absolute necessity in July) - so many routes, all the way to midnight, then there's always a route you'll find midnight to 6 AM for you late-night goers (like me). Remember, as long as you know where you're going, the bus signs all read from top to bottom. If you want to plan out bus routes during your stay, check out Rome's ATAC website online. You can buy a cheap bus map at any of the Tobacchi, too, when you arrive.
If you choose to just get the daily bus passes at the Tobacchi (don't do it!!!), remember that a Giornaliero bus pass ends at midnight, and you have to validate a new ticket to get home after an evening out.
***Want to get a good tour of the whole city, then decide where you want to spend your time? The 110, starting and ending at Termini, is a city-wide route where you can get on and off along the route, then just board the next bus when you're ready to move on. A great way to tour heavily in one day, then enjoy the rest of your days.

In Florence, they have the Amici degli Uffizi card, but with your short stay there (smart idea), you can more easily simply get reservations at each museum, and schedule your day appropriately that way. And, really, for as central as Florence is, you probably don't have to use the bus system - the train and bus stations (SMN) are so central!
***Florence, too, has a city tour bus which will take you around town - a nice way to rest your feet for an hour or two!

In Venice, they have this thing called the "Venice Connected" (check out http://www.veniceconnected.com/ - it's a great idea, but you have to book in advance), but unless you're a crazy pre-planner, you might want to consider just getting a vaporetto ticket. These run from 12-hours all the way to 7-days (I love how the 24-hour tickets REALLY are that - once you've validated it, you have a full 24 hours - no expiring at midnight like the Cinderella-style day-long Roma tickets). And, really, the vaporetto is a great system - frequently comes, and they don't mind if you bring your bags on . . . briefly. Gondolas are cute, but the difference in price is SO worth the better wine at dinner.

For the other areas, there are regional systems, whether by bus (Sena, for instance, out of Siena) or by train (the Circumvesuviana around the Bay of Naples) - just check out what's available in the area through websites and tour books!

And, of course, there's nothing wrong with falling in love with one spot, and sitting still for a good three days in a pleasant piazza somewhere . . .

L :)