Recently my parents got back from their first trip to Europe. Growing up in a small town in the midwest the trip was a long awaited dream come true. Their destination of choice was a vacation in Italy for two weeks.
My parents felt that Italy was a perfect travel destination for a first time abroad experience. Having already been to Italy I gave each of my parents some travel tips I picked up along the way.

The number one tip for my mom was to not over pack clothing or shoes. This is because of the amazing shopping in Italy! I found amazing items at the street markets in Rome and Florence. It is easy to become inspired by Italian fashion and there are plenty of opportunities to find gorgeous clothing, shoes and handbags.

For my father I told him to not to get caught up with making and keeping a strict itinerary. Instead, to embrace the Italian culture and leave a few days open to discover what is around the next corner.

After returning home they both agreed that my Italy travel advice was worth taking. Traveling and vacationing in Italy is much different from most American vacation experiences. If you like history and art Italy has more than enough to go around. Even total art buffs can become a little burnt out if touring museums and monuments is the main focus.

I recommend mixing it up a bit from day to day. Enjoying the Italian countryside is a great way to take a break from high tourist volume in Rome, Venice, and Florence. My parents had an amazing time for a part of their trip relaxing at a beautiful Villa in Tuscany.

Which leads to my last bit of advice. If your traveling to Italy for the first time it’s essential to stay longer than one week. It’s important to be able to travel throughout Italy to major destinations feeling fulfilled with the experience. Rushing through Italy’s major cities and the countryside would most likely leave you frustrated and tired.

As a first time traveler to Italy you deserve to savor everything from the food the to the unexpected. Enjoy!