We have covered thousands of km in France and Italy relying on iGN (Institut Geographique National) maps, bicycle scale (1cm=km). We consistently found iGN superior to Michelin. We have never relied on GPS and (therefore) have never been lost. Although one short cut I recommended did take us through a wheat field with crops within 3 feet of either side of the car.
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Thanks for this (and the other suggestions). More comments later.
Re: our daughters and bigger cities: No one has much interest in Venice for this trip. They’ve been to Florence when they were young (though likely don’t remember much but the gelato), and my wife and I have been a few times. Rome we will likely be in for a day, and one of our daughters will actually be going there at the end of the trip for a couple days longer with her boyfriend.
And the main logic is they will come back to Italy sometime without us in the future and can more easily see Rome and Florence on their own, while being less likely to see the rest.
Rome is still tops just stay away from the social media/ tourist top 10 hot spots they are just unbearably crowded Lots of great things to see in more peaceful areas - like the Appian Way, for example or the Caelian and Aventine hills with their beautiful ancient churches. The Roman cuisine is memorable and there are a lot of places to sample it, again outside tourist central. I posted a report on our last visit (2 years ago now) of some possibilities. Plenty of slowfood places in Lazio and its surrounding region as well. Here is a list of all the Slowfood top spots for 2025. There are many more restos in their app which is now in English. btw Katie Parla has a lot of useful and solid recommendations on her website.
Finally, I think @erica1 has made some dining recommendations in Fiumicino, in the event you decide to fly in (or out) of Rome and dont want to stay in the center of the City.
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Can you (re)post a link to that list of top spots?
Thanks for the Katie Parla suggestion - I did indeed use her site when planning our Rome trip two years ago.
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