Italy - Need help with itinerary

[wine_o_girlie]

I am trying to plan a trip next Spring for my husband and I to Italy. We will have 14 nights/15 days and we would like to make it a very memorable trip. At first glance, I would like to go to Venice, Cinque Terra, Florence, Tuscany (possibly Siena, Montalcino, and Montepulciano), and Rome. I know that sounds like a lot but I wanted to know if it's doable.

Here's what I am kicking around for ideas:

Fly into Venice - spend 2 nights in Venice
Train from Venice to Cinque Terra - spend 2 nights in CT
Train from Cinque Terra to Florence - spend 3 nights in CT
Rent car in Florence and drive to Siena - spend 1 night in Siena
Drive to Montalcino and spend 1 night
Drive to Montepulciano and spend 1 night (stopping at wineries along the way)
Drive to Rome and drop off car
Spend 4 nights in Rome
Fly home from Rome

I would love thoughts on this itinerary and suggestions. Also, if you know the travel times or suggest a different mode of travel that would be great. Thanks.

[tlew12778]

I think the itinerary is good, but I don't know how easy it will be to find places to sleep in Montalcino and Montelpulciano. You could easily do both villages as day trips from Siena. You could also see both in one day and throw in San Gimignano if you want.

You can get driving times from Mapblast (http://www.mapblast.com), just change the country to Italy.

You can get train times from Trenitalia (http://www.trenitalia.com). To go from Venice to the CT you will have to changes trains in Milan... it's about 2-2.5 hrs from Venice to Milan then another 2 hours to CT (train stop is either La Spezia (south of the CT) or Levanto (north of the CT)).

3 nights in CT is actually quite a bit. I think 2 nights would suffice. This would give you one day to see the CT, then another day to take the boat to Porta Venere.

HTH!

[laura]

Sounds good to me, but I second the idea of day trips to other places from Siena. Then again, I hate to constantly pack and re-pack. If you shave a day anywhere, I would add it to Rome, but I *love* Rome.

[AVP941]

Sounds very possible to see all that in 14 nights! We did Italy for our 11-night honeymoon in this order: three nights Rome, three nights Florence, three nights Cinque Terre, one night Siena, last night back in Rome. We flew into and out of Rome, but I would have preferred to do it your way (Venice to Rome). Smart choice!

The trains are really easy in Italy. We also did a bike tour in Tuscany (www dot ibiketuscany dot com). Also, we stayed in Monterosso al Mare in the Cinque Terre and loved it. I will have to get you the name of our hotel. It was great! You are going to have a fantastic time!

[justHB]

I have nothing to add regarding your itinerary, I just wanted to say I'm jealous.

You'll be posting lots of pictures in the vacation photos thread when you return, right?

:)

[Sposa06]

Spend one night in Cinque Terre. Yes, they are gorgeous and I love them; no, you don't need to be there that long. Take the two extra nights and stay in Florence. There is something for everyone in that city (if you'd like to know more or want some recommendations, feel free to PM me; otherwise, I could go on all night). Stay in Siena and make days trips to the surrounding towns. It'll be much MUCH easier that way. I'm jealous, too! I haven't been to Italy for 8 months (it seems like forever to me)!

[tlew12778]

Personally I think 5 nights in Florence is way too much. You might want to edit your original post bc instead of it saying 3 nights in Florence it says CT. Yes there is a lot to do if you are planning on hitting all the museums but if you just want to see the major stuff from the outside plus the Uffizi and the Accademia (where Davide is), 3 is fine. I've been to Florence at least 3 times and I never go for more than 2-3 nights at a time. It's a very small city (you could walk it all if you had the time and inclination).

The reason I suggested Portovenere (I mispelled it in my original post) is bc it's something of a hidden treasure of the 5 Terre. You cannot get there by train which is why most tourists miss it. In fact, we want to go back just bc we missed portovenere last time we were in 5 Terre (that, plus the fact that I had the best mussels in the world in Vernazza!). Here (http://www.portovenere.it/portovenere_site/inglese/index.php) is a website about it. The boat actually takes a couple hours which is why you need a whole day for it.

If you add days anywhere, I would see more of the Tuscan countryside. Cities like Orvieto (http://www.argoweb.it/orvieto/orvieto.uk.html) (actually Umbria but you will pass it on the A1 as you drive from Florence to Rome) and Lucca (http://www.knowital.com/html/homepage_for_knowital._lucca.php) are often skipped by many tourists but are considered jewels in and of themselves. (Lucca is actually btwn the 5 Terre and Florence so you'd have to either get off the train or drive that part.)

[J&T2005]

I second the adding days to Rome - much more to see there than in Florence. Have fun!

[AVP941]

Everyone here has great ideas, and no matter what -- an extra day in Rome, a day less in Florence, an extra day in the 5 Terre -- you are in Italy after all. Don't worry about doing anything wrong. It's all a matter of personal preference.

We really loved Rome and Florence so much. However, we were on our HM, so once we got to 5 Terre we fell in love. There was no hustle-bustle of the cities, it was just pure relaxation, beach, eating, drinking. It was the most "traditional honeymoon" aspect of our entire honeymoon, if that makes sense. But if you're looking for all museums and history, more culture, and constant activity, spend more time in Rome. Good luck deciding. I am so jealous! :D

Finally, I say stick with your original plan. Sounds perfect, and once you're there, you can decide which cities you like best and want to return to the next time!

[Bloomwood]

Your trip sounds amazing. I don't have a ton to add, but thought I'd share my itinerary with you from last year:

Flew into Milan and rented car
Drove to Erbusco - 3 nights at a resort in the Franciacorta region (we were totally pampered and it was just what we needed as we had just left the craziness of our wedding)
Drove to Venice - 3 nights in Venice (I think 2 would've been enough as it was so crowded)
Drove to Siena - 1 night in Siena (largely b/c we couldn't find rooms for more than 1 night)
Drove to Tuscany - 2 nights in Sinalunga, 2 nights in Greve in Chianti
Drove to Florence - 2 nights in Florence
Drove to 5 Terre - originally 3 nights, but left a day early b/c the weather was bad. (we spent an unplanned night in Milan then flew home through Barcelona)

So...a few thoughts. Cinque Terre is amazing, but it is small. I think your planned 2 nights there is perfect. Definitely do the trail and take the train or boat back to your town.

Tuscany is spread out, but you might want to consider staying in one place rather than two places and just doing day trips. We also hired a driver for a guided tour one day. It was definitely a highlight of the trip. He gave us so much perspective that we would never have gotten from a guidebook. He also took us to an amazing off-the-beaten-path restaurant for lunch. There was no menu and the owner didn't have a whole lot of patience for non-Italian speakers. It was one of my favorite meals (I had a lot of favorite meals in Italy, though!).

We also did a cooking lesson in Venice. A Venetian took us to her family home and guided us through cooking a traditional meal. Another of my favorite meals. :rolleyes: I really didn't love Venice, but this made it worth it to me as I am an avid cook.

In Siena, I highly recommend Osteria Castelvecchia for dinner. mmmm. In Florence, there is Trattoria Garga. To die for.

Finally, you can get tons of great recommendations from Fodors.com. People always post their itineraries and request feedback. Not that we're not a bunch of experts, of course.

Anyway, have an amazing time. I am now craving italian food of all sorts!!

ETA: I guess I DID have alot to add!

[Jad]

Just wanted to add that we spent a night in Montepulciano and loved it. More than Sienna, actually. (Although DH might disagree with me on that, and, to be fair, we didn't have a ton of time in Sienna.) If you're interested, I'd be happy to try to track down the info.

[Sposa06]

Wow, I totally misread your original post. I apologize! Anyway, I maintain that you really only need to spend one night in the Cinque Terre.

Actually, here - this is the itinerary I'd do:

Fly into Venice - spend 2 nights in Venice (you can save a TON of money if you stay in Mestre and ride a bus into Venice. They're cheap, they come often and they only take about 10 minutes! I have slept in Venice only two nights in my life; the rest of the times I've been to Venice, I've stayed in Mestre. Also, if you're at all interested in medieval art, take a day trip to Ravenna)
Train from Venice to Cinque Terre - spend 1 night in Cinque Terre (again, I'm sure you could save lots of money by staying in La Spezia and taking a super-short train ride in)
Train from Cinque Terre to Florence - spend 3 nights in Florence
Rent car in Florence and drive to San Gimignano - spend 1 night in San Gimignano
Drive to Siena - spend 3 nights in Siena, with days trips to Arezzo, Montepulciano and Montalcino
Drive to Rome and drop off car
Spend 4 nights in Rome
Fly home from Rome

That, in my opinion, is a near perfect Italian vacation! On your next trip, you can hit up a few different regions :) Also, if you need/want recommendations for any of these cities (restaurants, museums, hotels, shopping, nightlife, etc.), feel free to ask me!

[wine_o_girlie]

Thank you all so much for your input. I am so excited! I am trying to take in all of your advice and decide what to do. I haven't booked the trip yet but hope to within the week. I will be back with an update. I would love to hear more opinions and your favorite Italy recommendations (particularly the restaurant/food/wine scene). I love the idea of a cooking class - Bloomwood, do you have a link or anything?

[tlew12778]

Train from Venice to Cinque Terre - spend 1 night in Cinque Terre (again, I'm sure you could save lots of money by staying in La Spezia and taking a super-short train ride in) We thought the same too which is why we stayed in Levanto but when we were at the place in Vernazza with the best mussels in the world, we found out the owner has a B&B and he rents rooms for 85 euro a night! If you want I can give you his email addy (I lost the phone number). I haven't seen the place, but he said it was just renovated. The place with the best mussels in the world is in the left corner of the piazza of Vernazza (with the waterline to your back). I think it just says "Bar" out front but it's not just a bar (cafe).

I like Sposa's new itinerary :cool:.

When in Montalcino, stock up on Brunello. If you can find '97s buy them. They are a little hard to come by bc there was a frost that year and half the crop was destroyed. But the '97s are supposedly the best crop since Brunello received its D.O.C. rating. I have a bunch at home but I haven't actually opened any yet. They generally run about 40-50 euro a bottle, but back in the states you find them for well over 100. If you go to the enoteca/wine shop in the castle/fortress (it's called Enoteca La Fortezza), the guy will let you taste Brunellos from each of the 4 regions of Montalcino so that you can get a feel for what region you prefer.

[BeachBum]

I just wanted to chime in regarding the Tuscany portion of your trip. We spent 4 nights in Montalcino and did day trips from there (San Gimi, Siena, Montalpulciano, Pienza) . It was fabulous! We stayed at Vecchia Olivera (http://www.vecchiaoliviera.com/) and had a great experience. I really enjoyed having a more rural experience in between the fast paced city parts. It was good to relax a bit instead of feeling so rushed.

My other suggestions are to check out the message boards at Fodors. Just use the search function and read a lot before you post there. So many questions have been answered and they get annoyed about lots of repeat questions.
The other place you should check out is www.slowtrav.com There is great info there. One of the most helpful things I found there was regarding driving in Italy and returning the car at the Rome airport.
Have a fabulous trip!

[Bloomwood]

I just tried to find the website for the cooking class, but I cannot. I'm sorry. However, if you do a search on "venice" and "cooking class" there are a ton of results. I also know that the restaurant I recommended in Florence, Garga, offers cooking classes.

You'll have to let us know your final plan!

[Susan]

I am bumping this thread up because DH and I have decided to try to take a trip to Italy. I had just posted a thread yesterday about going to Barbados...but, we have totally scrapped that and have decided to go for it and take my dream trip, LOL!! It's going to be sort of a "babymoon" for us, as we want to start TTC sometime this spring/summer.

Sooo...I would love any help in planning an itinerary! The places that we are interested in so far are Venice (thinking of flying into there), Florence, Rome, and Positano (on the Amalfi Coast). We will probably have about 14 nights total in Italy, and we are planning on trying to go this April (I know, only a few months away!!). I just don't know where to spend more/less of our time. My husband is insistent on doing Positano last, so that we can have a few good days of relaxation, which would be nice. Any suggestions on how long to stay where/what to do/etc would be MUCH appreciated! And, if I've left places out that would be easy day trips from these spots (Tuscany, maybe? Siena?), please let me know!

Thank you!! :)

ETA: Correction - due to travel time, we will be in Italy for 13 nights, not 14. So, this cuts one night out of our itinerary. Suggestions on how many nights to spend where? This is kind of what I was thinking...

Venice - 2 nights
Florence - 2 nights
Tuscany - 2 nights
Rome - 4 nights
Positano - 3 nights

I was kind of hoping to spend more like 4 nights in Positano (so we can relax at the end of the trip), but I don't want to spend too few nights in any other place. Thoughts?

[tlew12778]

2 nights in Tuscany is too little. Figure one day to see the major monuments of Florence, then a few more days driving around the Tuscan countryside. You could cut one night out of Rome and add one to Tuscany, giving you 2 days to explore the countryside (2 towns each day for a total of 4).

[laura]

Cut days from Rome, blasphemy! ;) I like the original intinerary, personally, but I skipped Florence and Tuscany entirely on my trip so I'm not sure exactly what that entails and how much time would be good there.

[vancouvergirl]

On my first trip to Italy, I did Rome, Florence and Capri. This September we're going to be taking the train into Florence to spend a few nights and then on to Sienna to stay at this villa: http://www.sanfabiano.com/lingua_en/san_fabiano.php I am so excited; it looks relaxing and fun with really nice hosts.

For first timers I would say "Rome, Rome, Rome!" And second, you've just got to stand in front of the David in Florence. Magnificent!

[tlew12778]

Some of the town in Florence can be more than a hours drive apart which is why you really only want to do 2 a day. If the town is *really* small, you could fit in 3 a day but you also spend a lot of time in the car.

[Susan]

Thanks so much everyone! I think I need a little geography lesson on Italy, LOL...is Tuscany PART of Florence? Because we have already planned 2 days/nights in Florence and 2 days/nights in Tuscany...so wouldn't that allow us to see most everything (from what you all are saying)? Here is a more detailed itinerary:

Day 1 – Leave Washington, DC for Venice @ 5:49 PM

Day 2 – Arrive at Venice at 10:30 AM and spend rest of day sightseeing, spend the night

Day 3 – Spend most of day sightseeing, leave for Florence in the afternoon/evening (est 2 hr train ride), spend night in Florence

Day 4 – Spend all day sightseeing in Florence, spend the night

Day 5 – Spend half day sightseeing in Florence, then leave for Siena (est 2 hr train ride??), spend the night

Day 6 – Spend all day sightseeing in Tuscany/countryside, spend night in Siena

Day 7- Spend most of day sightseeing in Tuscany/countryside, leave for Rome in afternoon/evening, spend the night

Day 8 – Spend all day sightseeing in Rome, spend the night

Day 9 - Spend all day sightseeing in Rome, spend the night

Day 10 - Spend all day sightseeing in Rome, spend the night

Day 11 – Spend half day sightseeing in Rome, leave for Positano (est 3 hr train ride), spend night in Positano

Day 12 – Spend all day in Positano, spend the night

Day 13 - Spend all day in Positano, spend the night

Day 14 - Spend all day in Positano, spend the night (may do side trips from Positano while there)

Day 15 – Spend half day in Positano, leave for Naples and then fly to Venice, spend evening in Venice

Day 16 – Morning in Venice, fly out of Venice around 12:55 PM for DC

So, any further suggestions on the more detailed itinerary? The only reason we wanted to spend so much time in Positano is for relaxation. BUT, if we go in late April/early May, is it even going to be very warm there? I know the ocean will be cold, but could we even lay out? We have toyed with pushing the trip to June for this very reason...but everything we read says that April and May are the best times to go in the spring, at least for most of Italy.

What do you all think?

ETA - We have worked it so we will now have 14 nights in Italy, instead of 13.

[tlew12778]

Florence is in Tuscany. Here's a map:
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/misc/it(.gif

And here is a map of Tuscany:
http://goeurope.about.com/library/graphics/tuscany.jpg

Firenze is the Italian name of Florence. Sienna, Montalcino and San Gimignano are all part of the Province of Sienna. Pisa and Lucca are in the other direction, so you will want to plan out your drives well. There is no way Sienna is 2 hours from Florence. Milan is about 2 hours from Florence. Sienna is maybe 45 min. But Sienna to Montalcino is like an hour bc it's a one lane, windy road. Assisi and Orvieto are not actually in Tuscany but are in the Umbria region which boarders Tuscany. You will need a car if you want to see any of the smaller towns.

Also, not to be anal but it's not the ocean in Italy. It's the sea. I come from NY so I can tell you it's very different. It's a lot warmer than the ocean. It's possible you could swim at that time of year. This winter has been extremely mild and people have been taking dips in December and January!

I am not sure that the train ride is really 3 hours from Rome to Sorrento (you cannot get the train from Rome to Positano) bc Naples is only 1.5 hrs from Rome... but with all the connections it's possible. You can check the schedule and travel times on the Trenitalia website. The address is on the first page of this thread.

[Susan]

Hi tlew12778! It's so nice to get information from someone who lives in Italy, as I am obviously a little clueless, LOL. Thank you for the maps and explanation of Tuscany and Florence, that really helps. You know, as I was typing "ocean", I had a feeling that was the incorrect word to use. Good to know that the sea might actually be warm when we are there! I also appreciate the information about distance between each place - DH and I are truly just learning about Italy, and any help is definitely appreciated! :)

[Maxicat]

You can't cut days from Rome. For Heavens sake.

We have been to Italy several times and my favorites are Rome, Santa Margharita and Positano.

Where are you flying into and out from? This makes a huge difference about where to go.

I recommend flying out of Naples if you can manage that because if you don't you will lose several hours leaving Positano and taking a train or private car to Rome.

What type of budget are you looking for? Remember the euro to dollar.

I must recommend the Covo De Saraceni in Positano. It is beautiful and right on the water. I think Positano is the only town actually built on a vertical axis. Everything is either up or down and the streets are one way. They also are not very nice about having you use a taxi because they have their own private car service.

In Rome there are several good hotels but it depends on your budget.

Siena is a beautiful city also.
Florence I did not like so much.
Verona is interesting.
Venice is something to see but not to spend a whole lot of time. Everywhere you turn there are large groups of people coming at you all wearing the same t-shirt. Very Strange.
Portofino stole my heart. I love it there and usually spend the bulk of my time in the area. From Santa Margharita you can go to Cingue Terre, San Remo (Talented Mr. Ripley), Portofino and San Fruttuoso.

Keep in mind though this will most likely not be your only trip to Italy so you don't have to see everything. I would recommend 3 stops at the most.

My suggested itinerary
Fly into Florence
spend 5 days touring the countryside see Siena and San Gimignano and the Chianti region
Train to Rome stay 4 nights near Spanish Steps or Trevi Fountain (it is very easy to get around in this city)
Take train to Sorrento and have a car pick you up to stay 4 nights in Positano. This is a very exciting little city at night. From here you can go to Ravello, Capri and Amalfi or you just may want to hang around and climb the hills and hang out with the goats and olive trees (this is actually a lot of fun)
Fly out of Naples

What ever you do have fun. It is hard to go wrong in Italy.

[vancouvergirl]

This is an excellent, excellent book: Rick Steves' Italy 2007. http://www.amazon.com/Rick-Steves-Italy-2007/dp/1566918162/sr=1-1/qid=1169753506/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-1253963-3588720?ie=UTF8&s=books

[Susan]

Thank you Maxicat and vancouvergirl! To answer some of your questions, Maxicat...we had planned on flying in and out of Venice. Yes, that means taking a plane from Naples, I believe, back to Venice at the end of our trip...but we found that was the cheapest way online (as opposed to flying in and out of different places). As far as budget, I would say we would like to stay in places that are nice and safe, and fairly close to surrounding sights in the area. I think we would be up for splurging a little more in Positano, but nothing ridiculously expensive. We are thinking of budgeting around 6K for flights, transportation, and hotels for the 2 weeks? My DH is working on the budget, and I remember that figure...I have no idea if that included meals, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't include sightseeing costs or extra spending money. I do worry that we are packing too much in, but honestly I don't know when or if we will ever be back to Italy. We are thinking of starting a family soon, so it could be quite a while until we'd be back, at least. I just hope if we go with my original itinerary it won't be way too overwhelming. I just can't think what I would want to cut out though!

And vancouvergirl, I've heard a lot about Rick Steves' books - I think I will get that one on Italy! Thanks!!

[Maxicat]

We just started our family so I understand what you mean. It will be another 1.5 years before we make it back.

In Rome there is a great hotel near Termini Station and the embassy's it is called Hotel D' Artist (I think). The rooms were huge and really in-expensive and the bathrooms were gigantic.

Positano will be more expensive I think the Covo runs about 350 euro per night in the summer. There are other places to stay there that are much cheaper. But don't stay to far away because it is not all that easy getting back and forth.

There is also a pretty nice hotel in Venice that we stayed at I will try to find the name for you. It is on the Grand Canal.

If you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain you will go back to Rome (at least that is the legend).

[Daisy]

Susan - I think your itinerary is great! It's funny, I just posted some stuff about Positano in the other Italy thread, you should check it out.

ETA - we were in Positano in late May and the weather was humid and in the low 80's - perfect for laying out. I think the Covo ran us around $400 USD / night.

[tlew12778]

6000 USD is like 4500 EUR right now. No telling what will happen to the FX rate over the next 3 months. Budget 50-80 euro for dinner for 2 people... that's without wine. Remember it's not necessary to tip here. The restaurants will charge you a cover charge (2-4 euro per person).

Taxis are incredibly expensive in Italy. I don't know where you are coming from, but I was floored bc I come from the NYC area where taxis are relatively cheap. Figure on 1 euro per minute in the taxi.

You might consider flying from Naples back to Venice. I think Venice only has one airport so you'd be all set on that front. Alpi Eagles should cover that route for about 70 euro per person.

[Susan]

Thanks for the Rome hotel suggestion, Maxicat! Ooh, I'll definitely be throwing a coin in the Trevi Fountain if that means I will get to go back! :)

Hi Daisy! I did see your post on the other thread - you make Positano sound so wonderful! And now that's 2 votes for the Covo, so we're definitely going to have to consider it. Ever since I saw pictures of Positano, I have wanted to go!

Thanks again to everyone, and keep the suggestions coming! I am so excited for this trip!

ETA: We cross-posted, tlew12778 - thank you for the information. Yes, we plan on flying from Naples to Venice at the end of our trip, and then flying out of Venice to go back home. It is just a lot cheaper than flying, say, out of Rome to go back home.

[Annette]

I am not sure that the train ride is really 3 hours from Rome to Sorrento (you cannot get the train from Rome to Positano) bc Naples is only 1.5 hrs from Rome... but with all the connections it's possible. You can check the schedule and travel times on the Trenitalia website. The address is on the first page of this thread.

To get to Sorrento from Rome, we took Trenitalia from Rome to Naples (about 2 hours) and then we took the Circumvesuviano from Naples to Sorrento (an hour). I don't know if this train goes to Positano though. The Circumvesuviano was similar to an old NY subway train with lots of stops.

[Annette]

In Florence we stayed at the Hotel Maxim Firenze. It's not bad if your looking for someplace inexpensive. The location was perfect, only 2 blocks from the Duomo.

[tlew12778]

There's no train station in Positano as far as I know. I've never been but I looked it up and I kept getting Sorrento as the closest option.

[Maxicat]

There is not a train to Positano.
Warning take the train to Sorrento NOT Salerno. What a mistake that was. It added another 2.5 hours to the trip because of all the stops and it is the same distance to Positano as Sorrento. My dh got into the biggest fight because we were so worn out.

I also wanted to add that your hotel can arrange for you to have a car and driver pick you up at the train station. I don't think it is any more expensive then a taxi but you might want to check.

The hotel we stayed at in Venice is the Hotel Campiello www.hcampiello.it (I think this is the website).

[Susan]

Hi everyone! Sorry it has been so long since I've been back to this thread, it's been a busy week! Thanks again for all of the advice and help. DH and I are meeting with a travel agent on Monday, and we plan to at least book the flights. Upon reading our Rick Steve's book (thanks to all who suggested it!), and thinking a little more, here is our revised itinerary:

Friday - Fly out of Washington, DC
Saturday - Arrive in Venice in AM, sightsee for most of day
Sunday - Sightsee in Venice all day
Monday - Travel to Florence, sightsee for most of day
Tuesday - Sightsee in Florence all day
Wednesday - Travel to Siena in AM, sightsee for most of day
Thursday - Sightsee all day in Siena and surrounding towns/areas
Friday - Sightsee all day in Siena and surrounding towns/areas
Saturday - Travel to Rome in the AM, sightsee most of day
Sunday - Sightsee in Rome all day
Monday - Sightsee in Rome all day
Tuesday - Sightsee in Rome all day
Wednesday - Travel to Positano in AM, sightsee/relax
Thursday - Sightsee and relax in Positano all day
Friday - Sightsee and relax in Positano all day
Saturday - Travel to Rome, fly out of Rome for home

How do you think this sounds? I know we will have to plan things out well in order to see what we want to, since I know Sundays and Mondays can be tricky in some areas (sights are closed, etc). Of course, we are in Rome on a Sunday AND a Monday, but it still seems like there will be enough to do on those days. We decided to spend an extra day/night in Siena (and take one away from Positano), just so we can relax a little in the middle of the trip and not have to be going full speed to see everything. Plus, Siena just sounds like a really cool area to us.

Hope we will have some things in place by Monday when we meet with our travel agent!

[tlew12778]

Sienna, in and of itself, only take half a day to see. But if you rent a car, you will be able to go see some great little towns in Tuscany and Umbria.

I wouldn't worry about Sunday and Monday in Rome. It is such a touristy town that things will be open. Also, I would imagine you will want to go to the Vatican Sunday morning just to see the Pope (even if you are not Catholic... it's a big tourist attraction). He says mass at like 10-10:30 in the piazza.

[meatpie]

After 2 weeks you might be tired and having another day in Positano to relax would apperal to me. I would lose a day from Sienna personally. So jealous - went to Italy on our honeymoon and have not been back!!

[basianov]

We'll be staying just outside of Cortona in a villa for five days in May, and are trying to plan out some of the Tuscan towns we should go see. Are there any that, really, shouldn't be missed? Any hidden gems that might be a bit off the beaten path?

[laura]

Just out of curiosity, since you are not flying RT from the same city anyway, why travel back to Rome to fly out? You could just fly out of Naples. Obviously if it is extremely cost prohibitive it makes sense to fly out of Rome, but you may want to price both w/ a travel agent. Other than that, sounds like a great trip w/ a mix of many different things.

[Susan]

Thanks everyone! Tlew12778, that's good to know that I don't need to worry too much about Sundays and Mondays in Rome. I definitely think that going to the Vatican on Sunday to see the Pope is a great idea - DH is Catholic, so I know he'll like that idea, too.

Meatpie - I know what you mean about relaxing in Positano, that has been my big debate. We were originally going to be there for 4 nights, and I go back and forth on this. By adding more time to Siena, we would build in time for relaxation, too, not just sightseeing. And my only other thought about spending a lot of time in Positano is that we are going most likely around mid April...since I know Positano is more of a beach resort, I don't know how warm it will be in April, and if we'll be able to go to the beach, etc. I'm still trying to decide on that.

Basianov - I don't know a huge amount about Tuscany (I'm still learning), but I'm sure these ladies could help you out. The one place that I was told that I had to go was Siena, so that is why we are staying there for a few nights.

Laura - Yeah, I think the flying out of Rome is to cut costs, but I will discuss this with our travel agent when we meet on Monday. I would much rather fly out of Naples since it is closer to Positano, but not if it is going to seriously jack up the price.

[alibaba]

Hi there!

DH and I did about the exact same trip you are doing this past September with exception to Positano. We did Venice to Florence to Rome to Siena and ended in Portofino. Just so you are aware the first day in Venice you probably won't see much. We were so jet lagged the first day we didn't do much but go to dinner. I have to disagree with some about Siena. I almost wish we had more time there. Although there isn't much in sightseeing it was just gorgeous and sooo relaxing. And we LOVED our hotel. It was my favorite place we visited.
Also I'm sure you know that you are jamming in a lot of places in a short span. Although I am very happy we went to the places we did it just felt like every time we just got comfortable with where we were and our surroundings it was time to pack up and go again. But I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. ;)

[designer]

Hey-I'm looking for some suggestions from people who have been to Italy - or live in Italy.

We are flying in and out of Rome -(that part can't be changed) -
We will arrive on a Sunday afternoon and leave on a Monday morning -so basically, only a week. What would be your ideal itinerary?

I think we want to spend a couple days in Rome and then go see Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast and maybe squeeze in a day or two at a hill town or Florence.

Suggestions???

Also - we're trying to decide if we should rent a car or take public transportation...any advice would be great! TIA!

[laura]

What time of year are you going?

For me personally, I would not try to fit in the Amalfi Coast and Florence and Rome into 1 week. With a week, I would probably do 3-4 days in Rome and then go maybe 1 other place. However, Rome is my favorite city, so others may have different suggestions. Also, you can do a day trip tour of Pompeii from Rome, I hear - something to consider.

[Susan]

Thanks alibaba, I'm glad to hear that you took pretty much the same trip...I know it will be hectic, but I am hoping our time in Siena in the middle and then Positano at the end will help with having a little down time. Yeah, we aren't planning too much in Venice on the first day...maybe just walking around on our own and maybe doing a "pub crawl" in the early evening. Guess we'll see how we feel. The second day in Venice will be our big sightseeing day. I'm glad to hear that you really liked Siena, I think we will enjoy being there for an extra night. Which hotel did you stay in?

So, the big news is that we booked our flights today!! I think laura is the one who suggested that we fly home from Naples, and our travel agent was able to get us flights that didn't cost too much more than flying home from Rome. And if you factor in the train cost that we would have had to Rome on the last day, it isn't that much more at all. Now all we have to do is travel from Positano to Naples to leave. I'm happy with that!

I'm so excited!!

[tlew12778]

OK in Venice do not eat anywhere on the Piazza San Marco. It's INSANELY expensive. I'm talking like $15 for a hot chocolate expensive.

Designer - In Rome use public transport and walk. The metro is very limited there but the buses are great. Be careful of pickpocketers. I would do something like this:

Sunday - Arrive, Rome, maybe Jewish Ghetto... there is a great little restaurant called Giggetto (http://www.giggettoalportico.com/english/home.htm). After dinner get a taxi to take you to see the Boca della Verita and the secret keyhole (http://www.theculturedtraveler.com/Archives/Mar2003/Rome_Openings.htm).
Monday - Rome, major monuments
Tuesday - Rome, museums
Wednesday - Amalfi
Thursday - Amalfi
Friday - Pompeii
Saturday - Ravello, Ischia, Sorrento, etc (basically other Campania)
Sunday - Rome, Vatican
Monday - leave

The main problem with Tuscany is that it's in the opposite direction. I would stick around the Campania area as it can be just as beautiful and it's not as touristy honestly (outside of the Amalfi Coast area that is).

[designer]

Thanks for all the suggestions!! Keep them coming!! :)


The main problem with Tuscany is that it's in the opposite direction. I would stick around the Campania area as it can be just as beautiful and it's not as touristy honestly (outside of the Amalfi Coast area that is).

This is what I was kind-of worried about - it's like you can either go north of Rome or south of Rome and everyone that I've talked to that has gone to the Amalfi Coast has RAVED about how amazing it is...so I think we'll go south :)

[alibaba]

Which hotel did you stay in?


We stayed at Palazzo Ravizza. Here's their website.... http://www.palazzoravizza.it/aboutas.htm
It doesn't really show great pics though. I believe we found it in the Fodor's book so it had a good write up.

You're definitely gonna have an amazing time! You'll probably need a vacation just to recuperate from your vacation like we did! Ha! ;)

Congrats on booking your flights!

[Susan]

Thanks for the hotel in Siena, alibaba! I will definitely be checking it out. I know, I'm worried that we will need a vacation after this trip, LOL. Oh well, it will be so worth it, it's going to be amazing!!

[MES in Chicago]

Quick question for you ladies...we are planning on going to Italy in mid October. Right now our itinterary has us in Rome on November 1, All Saints Day, which is listed as a holiday. What will be affected by this holiday?

Here is our preliminary plan:
Day 1 leave Chicago
Days 2-4 Venice (3 days)
Days 5-8 Florence (4 days)
Days 9-13 Rome (5 days)
Day 14 leave Rome

Any thoughts?

[tlew12778]

Probably everything honestly. All Saint's Day is a major holiday here. Businesses are closed. You will be able to see all the major monuments (they might be open but you mainly will want to see the outsides anyway) and maybe some museums but I would check the museum schedules to see if they will be open. You will probably want to reserve tickets ahead of time anyway for things like the Vatican museums (which I am 99% sure will be closed that day).

Personally I would spend one day less in Venice (unless you are serious gallery/museum buffs) and add a day to Tuscany. You really only need a couple days in Florence proper but you will want the extra time exploring the countryside.

[MES in Chicago]

Tiffany, thanks for the info. I am going to see if we can move our dates around a bit and leave on Oct 31 or Nov 1. We hadn't even thought of doing the countryside so I have no idea where to start. I need to look through this thread a little more. I am totally up for tips!

[tlew12778]

Hm. I see you are going to start TTC this month. That would put a serious damper on the Tuscan countryside if you are very PG. Meaning, you would not really want to be traipsing up and down hills and drinking lots of wine (well, maybe you'd want to but you wouldn't be able to ;)).

Anyway, the main towns people like to visit are Florence, Pisa, Voltera, San Gimignano, Lucca, Arezzo, Sienna, and Montalcino (this last one for brunello wines). You could cross over into Umbria as well:

http://z.about.com/d/goeurope/1/0/Y/7/umbria_map.gif

When people talk about Tuscany they are really talking about the little villages they visit. IMO, you miss out on a lot if you only stick to the major cities in Tuscany. Incidentally, if you like Perugina chocolate, they come from Perugia in Umbria. You can go visit the factory and see the chocolate silos :p.

[MES in Chicago]

Tiffany - I had to laugh at your TTC comment. Given my PCOS I don't think I wil be getting pregnant quickly, but if we do we will postpone the trip. However if I am not pregnant by July, we will put it on hold...go on our trip and start trying again in Italy. I love chocolate and wine so I think your right we are going to have to spend some time in the countryside. Thanks for the map and such! You are such an awesome resource to all of us planning. Thanks again!

[MES in Chicago]

I think our new plan still has us in Florence for 4 nights, but we will take two side trips with tour operators to Tuscany. I would be a full day of wine tasting and such, the other is a 1/2 day cooking class. I think these will work best for us as I am not confident in our navigational skills outside the US. Plus Paul would have to do all the driving as I don't know how to drive a stick :o

[tlew12778]

Oh then you can get totally plastered too ;). No need to worry about driving back on those windy Tuscan one-lane roads :p.

The cooking class is a cool idea.

Also, you could just hop on the train to Siena for a day if it is not included on your tours. Pisa too actually (although I personally found Pisa boring as sin).

[SusieQ]

I think our new plan still has us in Florence for 4 nights, but we will take two side trips with tour operators to Tuscany. I would be a full day of wine tasting and such, the other is a 1/2 day cooking class. I think these will work best for us as I am not confident in our navigational skills outside the US. Plus Paul would have to do all the driving as I don't know how to drive a stick :o
My husband and I went to Italy for our honeymoon in may 2006, we loved Florence. Not sure if you were looking for cooking class recommendations but we did a cooking class through a company called Accidental Tourist. They picked us up at a designated spot along the river and we drove out into the hills. The first 2 hrs we did a tour of a family owned winery, then got to drink some wine & eat some bread with the olive oil made at the same place. Then we headed to this private 1000yr old farmhouse in the hills and had the cooking class. The cooking was actually just making pasta from scratch, as well as ravioli with filling and then the food was cooked by the women who lives in the house and we all the went and ate other dishes she had prepared for us. Food was delicious. It was actually one of our favorite things we did while there (apart from our 1/2 day biking excursion outside of florence through a different company whose flier we found in our hotel lobby). The cooking class was pretty inexpensive b/c unlike a lot of the classes where you are cooking 3 and 4 course meals this one is really only the pasta that you make yourself. Either way it was still really fun and very personalized and I would def recommend it. Just an idea in case you were still looking for options.

[MES in Chicago]

SusieQ - That is actually the one we planned on using! I am glad to have real "live" recomendations!!! The wine tour will hopefully be one of the people highly touted on tripadvisor.com. She picks you up in Florence and takes you through the countryside to different wineries, stop for lunch somewhere (either a winery or farmhouse) and stop at a castle or something like that. Both sound great!!!

[basianov]

I did a similar excursion while in Florence, with a company called Tuscan Trails:

http://www.tuscantrails.com

They picked us up at the Ponte della Grazie (not far from the Ponte Vecchio) in Florence and took us to two wineries and a family owned osteria for lunch. We had a GREAT time, and the osteria they took us to for lunch was the best food I had in Italy. Hands down!

[MES in Chicago]

Thanks for the info basia!

[justHB]

Hey-I'm looking for some suggestions from people who have been to Italy - or live in Italy.

We are flying in and out of Rome -(that part can't be changed) -
We will arrive on a Sunday afternoon and leave on a Monday morning -so basically, only a week. What would be your ideal itinerary?

I think we want to spend a couple days in Rome and then go see Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast and maybe squeeze in a day or two at a hill town or Florence.

Suggestions???

Also - we're trying to decide if we should rent a car or take public transportation...any advice would be great! TIA!We had pretty much the same itinerary you did - 7 nights. We spent 5 in Rome and 2 in Florence. We did not have a car. I would have liked another night in each city; I think anything less than 5 days in Rome leaves you feeling like you didn't see all that there is available to you. I would have added a day in Florence so that we could have done a side trip to Siena and the Tuscan countryside.

[justHB]

Hey-I'm looking for some suggestions from people who have been to Italy - or live in Italy.

We are flying in and out of Rome -(that part can't be changed) -
We will arrive on a Sunday afternoon and leave on a Monday morning -so basically, only a week. What would be your ideal itinerary?

I think we want to spend a couple days in Rome and then go see Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast and maybe squeeze in a day or two at a hill town or Florence.

Suggestions???

Also - we're trying to decide if we should rent a car or take public transportation...any advice would be great! TIA!We had pretty much the same itinerary you did - 7 nights. We spent 5 in Rome and 2 in Florence. We did not have a car and I would have hated having one. We walked most places and when we couldn't walk, we took the train, taxi, metro, and bus with relatively few problems (one taxi driver was definitely trying to take us the scenic route). I would have liked another night in each city; I think anything less than 5 days in Rome leaves you feeling like you didn't see all that there is available to you. I would have added a day in Florence so that we could have done a side trip to Siena and the Tuscan countryside.

[designer]

Thanks for the advice! :)
I'm meeting with a travel agent this week, so I hope to figure out some more details! :)

Anyone have some good hotel recommendations for Rome?

We're looking for something close enough to walk to most of the "sights" and hopefully under $250/night, under $200 would be even better! :) (anyone know what I should use as location to search for hotels...i keep coming up with ones that are 1/2 hour out of Rome)
We aren't looking for 5 star accomadations, but something clean, simple and a good location. I've heard that hotels by the Termini Station should be avoided since it's a rough area, is that true??

(I've already checked out the ones listed in the other threads but they're either booked or more expensive then what I'm looking for.)

TIA!

[Rosebud]

I've heard that hotels by the Termini Station should be avoided since it's a rough area, is that true??

I disagree. There are a bunch of wonderful and cost effective hotels around Via Cavour, walking distance to the train station. I stayed at the Mecenate Palace Hotel right off of Via Cavour and found the area to be just wonderful. I walked all around my myself, even at night, and didn't find it to be sketchy at all. You probably wouldn't want to hang out in the actual train station at night... but even two or three blocks away it's just fine. I also found this area incredibly convenient-- walking distance to the sights, close to the subway and the train station (for day trips, etc). I think this area may have been tougher in years past, but it doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

I recommend using Italyby.com and Venere.com to search for hotels around Rome by price range. And be sure to check reviews on tripadvisor.com before you book. The Fodors.com message boards were also incredibly helpful to me when planning my trip.

Here's my trip report from Rome if anyone is interested:

Erin's Rome Trip 2003 (http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=34452182&numresponses=13&start=0&screen_name=Erin74)

[designer]

Thanks Rosebud!
I've been checking tripadvisor.com -and would always check there before booking a place. I've just found venere.com today, but hadn't heard of Italyby.com It seems like near the train station would be convenient and those hotels seem to be better priced - so I'm glad to hear that it's not a bad area!