Vacation planning early this year

[Gixster]

Tickets for the MotoGP at Mugello, Italy went on sale today, so..........  

Now that tickets are taken care of, I want any and all suggestions for what to see, etc. that I might have overlooked.

Outside of the Sat/Sun for the races, we will be in Europe for an additional 9 or 10 days.

I've already printed out the map and schedules for the Eurail, and here's what I tentatively have in mind so far.

After the races are over, the priority stops are Rome and Paris.  If time allows, I'd also like to get to Venice and London.

The places I for sure want to see are:

Eiffel Tower, Arc du Triomphe, The Louvre, the Coliseum, Ducati factory, Aprilia factory, Ferrari factory.  That's all that comes to mind off the top of my head.  What else is there to see that might not show up on an immediate search of the tour guides?  

[Sport-Touring]

[VIVID1]

Are you renting a bike?

[atypical1]

So, from personal experience of both living and traveling in Europe - Rent a bike! Especially in Italy. Nobody expects a tourist to ride a bike over there and you get treated really well (at least that was my experience in travelling from Rome to Naples to Tropea). You can ride anywhere (including sidewalks), park anywhere (including sidewalks), and just get around better than if you drive. It is nice to have transportation while you are over there too.

Rome and Paris are in opposite directions. Truthfully you could easily spend 9 - 10 days riding around Italy and have a WONDERFUL time. It is hard trying to fit too much into one vacation. Is this your first time to Europe or Italy?

[GilaMonster]

The places I for sure want to see are:
 
Eiffel Tower, Arc du Triomphe, The Louvre, the Coliseum, Ducati factory, Aprilia factory, Ferrari factory. That's all that comes to mind off the top of my head. What else is there to see that might not show up on an immediate search of the tour guides?

I did a tour of Italy last year, and the Ducati factory is a must.  They do a great job, and you get to see one each of all of their racing machine for the last 40-50 years.  I wasn't able to connect for Aprilia, so I can't be any help there.  From my experience, I wouldn't suggest that you go to Ferrari.  There is no factory tour unless you own one or have one on order.  The museum across the street is expensive and not that interesting.  
 
Suggestion, while you are near Ducati (Bologna), spend a little time in Florence...Coffee, wine, and a bit to eat is a great experience.

[Gixster]

To spare you the disappointment you can send me your tickets for the Moto GP and the flight over.  I live a boring an uninteresting life, so having to suffer through Italy and France will be no big strain.

Um.  No.    Good try though!  

Are you renting a bike?

I was thinking about it, but I haven't made up my mind yet.  I haven't found a place near Florence yet that rents bikes.  Over and above that, I'm not sure I want to carry my gear overseas and mess with trying to read road signs in Italian that I don't know anyway.  It's bad enough getting lost.  It's even worse when I can't read the language.    I'm going to learn some Italian and French before leaving though, but I think it might just be an easier trip if I just let the Eurail take me where it will.  I'm always open for suggestions though.  Cute tour guides are requested as well.  Do you know Italian Anna?  

It is hard trying to fit too much into one vacation. Is this your first time to Europe or Italy?

I've become the king of fitting too much into a vacation.  My last 2 tours covered half the country on each side and 500 mile days for over 20 days.  I'm no stranger to squeezing a bunch in, but I'm wanting to make this trip a more relaxed pace.  That's why I'm asking!  

I've never been to Europe or Italy.  The extent of use my passport has seen is two times to Canada in the last couple of years.  That be it.

[Gixster]

Suggestion, while you are near Ducati (Bologna), spend a little time in Florence...Coffee, wine, and a bit to eat is a great experience.

Mugello is 20 miles, er..I mean 16 kilometers , from Florence.  That's where we are going to make hotel reservations until the races are over.

[atypical1]

My wife and I rented a BMW in Italy last year. I don't speak a lick of Italian (but have been there before). Riding over there was relatively easy once you get the hang of it and was one of the high points of my riding life (started riding when I was 16 and am 38 now...do the math:D).
Getting lost is part of the fun although Missy and I managed to not get that lost at all. The signage is pretty good overall. You just need to know generally where you are heading.
If you can I would stick around in Italy and enjoy the riding there.
Taking gear is relatively easy to do. We packed up a couple duffel bags and checked them (carried our helmets). When we got there we put them in a locker at the rental place and picked them up on our return.

[VIVID1]

Cute tour guides are requested as well. Do you know Italian Anna?
 
 
 

Spanish and Portuguese, close enough
There is a bike rental in Munich, if you'd like to start the trip in Germany

[canban]

Mugello is 20 miles, er..I mean 16 kilometers , from Florence.  That's where we are going to make hotel reservations until the races are over.

20 miles = 32 kilometres

[Gixster]

20 miles = 32 kilometres

 You're right!  Is that why I seemed to be riding faster than everyone by alot when I rode through Canada this year?  

Note to self:  Save distance conversions for the GPS.

[Against The Wind]

20 miles = 32 kilometres

Math Nazi.  

[bluedogok]

A coworker did a year long aTm architecture study program in Italy two years ago, she grew up with a dad who rebuilds cars and likes them and she thought the Ferrari Museum was great. If you are a car person (and you know you are Tracy) you should enjoy it.

[Orson]

...Ducati factory, Aprilia factory, Ferrari factory.

you complete and utter IMBECILE
 
what you meant to say is "The Moto Guzzi factory is at the top of my list!"
 

 
The experimental engine section alone is worth the price of admission.
 
In my opinion, Rome and Paris are too far apart for a 9 day trip...unless you're flying. On Euro Rail you might lose a day and a half.
 
You might wanna do Rome & Florence instead. Florence is lovely.

[Gixster]

you complete and utter IMBECILE
 
what you meant to say is "The Moto Guzzi factory is at the top of my list!"
 

 
The experimental engine section alone is worth the price of admission.
 
In my opinion, Rome and Paris are too far apart for a 9 day trip...unless you're flying. On Euro Rail you might lose a day and a half.
 
You might wanna do Rome & Florence instead. Florence is lovely.

 How could I forget the Guzzi factory!  Silly me!  I'll add that to the list!  The experimental engine section sounds very interesting to me!

How far apart are Rome and Paris?  I've got the Eurail schedule and map, but I haven't really started looking at it too closely yet.  Worst case, I thought I could swing an overnight train to get to Paris.

We are staying in Florence during the races.  As I research, there's more in Florence than I anticipated.  Still working out a schedule.  Once I figure out what I want to see, I'll know better where I'll have time to go.

[Orson]

How far apart are Rome and Paris?

by motorcycle, it would be two looong days or three long days
 
by train, I'm guessing around 18 hours, though that's me just guessing...could be as low as 12 hours could be as high as 24 hours if ya gotta make a connection somewhere.
 
but that's lost time and on a 9 day trip, time is precious. Flights in Europe are really cheap in comparison to the states. Ryan Air flies from the UK to Spain for like $50 or something ridiculous like that.
 
my gut feeling is that you're trying to do too much in 9 days....unless yer like 18 years old, stay up til 4 drinking tequila, get up and do it again

[Gixster]

but that's lost time and on a 9 day trip, time is precious. Flights in Europe are really cheap in comparison to the states. Ryan Air flies from the UK to Spain for like $50 or something ridiculous like that.

I just looked into Ryan Air.  They have flights from Rome to Paris for 20 Euro!    That doesn't seem right, but I checked it a couple of times, and sure enough.  I guess it is.  I think that's going to be the plan.  Thanks for the tip!

[atypical1]

Ryan Air is great. They took the Southwest model and took it steps further.

The only thing is that you are not going to be flying into DeGaulle. You fly into Beauvais and have to take transport into Paris from there but it is not a big deal.

[Shizoku]

Spanish and Portuguese, close enough
There is a bike rental in Munich, if you'd like to start the trip in Germany

Vivid,
You got link for this place?
Thanks,
Shiz

[Mr Sunshine]

Vivid,
You got link for this place?
Thanks,
Shiz

 
google is your friend.
 
hope you can read german.
 
http://www.fahrschule-rausch.de/

[stewm_21]

The wife and I were in Paris a few years ago, did the Louvre, Eiffel Tower etc.  Off the beaten track but still in Paris is a great local restaurant "Chez Papa".  If you want a taste of something Canadian there is The Moosehead restaurant (they show Monday Night football, the Simpsons and NHL hockey)...great for a laugh and the food isn't bad if you need a break.  
An interesting though not for everyone attraction is the catacombs, 10,000+ skeletons about 1/2 mile under the city, cool at first but there is a definite creep factor as you walk along.
I don't know from experience but what about renting from Edelweiss http://www.edelweissbike.com/tours/E