Dnf

Hello,
This is my first post and I hope I am doing it right . I need some help with a 16 night itinerary for Italy. My husband and I are mid-forties and travel quite a lot. For this trip we will travel at the end of May through Mid June 2018. We will do open jaw tickets but I have not definitively figured out where to start and where to end yet. As a bit of background; I have been to Italy a few times but he has not. Some of the places on the itinerary will be new to me. We are coming from the US so I believe it is better to start with one of the longer stretches to acclimate. We love walks, history, beautiful vistas, architecture and food. We are not into the night life and minimally interested in museums. So please help me with this:

Arrive Rome- overnight x 4
travel to Positano- overnight x 4 (I have never been to the Amalfi Coast)
travel to Florence - overnight x 2
travel to Cinque Terre- stay in Riomaggiore or Vernazza -overnight x 2 (I have never been to the CT)
travel to Lake Como via Milan- stay in Bellagio -overnight x 2 (I have never been to Lake Como)
travel to Venice -overnight x 2 and leave from Venice.

I am unsure about 2 or 3 nights in CT (I could lose one night in Florence for CT if that's best).
I figure it is best to start with the longest stay and then put the shorter stays on the back end. However, I am concerned that the CT might pale in comparison to the Amalfi if we see the Amalfi first.
Do you think the trip should be done this way? More or less time in an area? Do you think it is better to start in Venice and end in Rome? We would travel by high speed train as much as possible and can rent a car/hire a driver if necessary as well. I am open to all suggestions.

Last year we took a trip through SE Asia where we started in Chiang Mai with 2 nights then 4 nights Bangkok, 2 nights Siem Reap, 2 nights Hanoi, 1 night (overnight cruise) Halong Bay and then 3 nights Ho Chi Minh city. With the exception of Halong Bay we flew between cities then and the pace of travel was just fine for us after the initial day of jet lag in Chiang Mai. I say all that to let you know we aren't strangers to moving around and trying to get the most out of the destination but again, I am open to all suggestions regarding itinerary and direction of travel. Thanks!!

sundriedtopepo

Welcome Dnf, I think you've done quite well in including all the right information in your post.

I've faced this kind of itinerary before myself, and have decided that, although the cut hurts, I limit ourselves to either/either scenarios. for example, either Cinque Terre or Amalfi Coast/ Lake Como.

All your moves will take the good part of a day travelling time. That means where you have 2 nights, you will only have one full day to explore.

It may be enough for you, but I would feel shortchanged, especially since you haven't seen these places before. You have been to Venice before, but not as a couple apparently, so think about the fact that destinations can be a different experience as a couple, so you might want a bit more time there.

AJPeabody

Check for airline departure and arrival times. If an early AM departure is required at one end, you may want to reverse the order of your trip.

Dnf

Thanks Sundriedtopepo!
I am thinking I might have to lose the Cinque Terre indeed because my heart is set on the Amalfi Coast. And you are right, we haven't been to those places as a couple and the experience can be different.

Dnf

AJPeabody thanks for the tip.

Leely2

I would fly into Venice and out of Naples, ending your trip on the AC. If flights out of Naples are difficult for you, you could end in Rome.

And I would choose either Cinque Terre or Amalfi Coast. I haven't been to lake Como either, so no comment on that.

But I notice that you have pointed the places on your itinerary that you have never been. Are you not that interested in revisiting Florence, Rome and Venice? You could simplify your itinerary by deciding to cut one of those too.

PalenQ

OK - trains - book high-speed trains as early as possible- max about 90 days in advance or so - to get nifty discounted fares - great sources of info on that: www.trenitalia.com (where you can book your own tickets); www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Dnf

Leely2 I am interested in revisiting Rome so we planned 4 nights there. It would be unfair not to have DH see Rome when he's into history and architecture. I have been to Venice and Florence a couple of times and think 2 nights in Venice is enough and 2-3 nights in Florence will do considering we wouldn't be spending much time at the Uffizi or Accademia. I felt bad about cutting out one of the staples as it will be DH's first trip to Italy. I am pretty sure he would enjoy Florence the least so I was kinda shortchanging it . To and from the US, flights are a little cheaper and more accessible with Rome than Naples IMHO but I will look into it again and see if ending in the Amalfi Coast and flying out of Naples is better as you suggest it may be.

One other factor I was considering was that it would be better to start in the south and move north as the summer progressed since the temps would be rising (generally) as we traveled.

Thanks for your advice and your vote on cutting either of the CT or AC. It seems that is the most practical thing to do.

Dnf

Thanks PalenQ, I will look at the links. What do you think about the itinerary and direction of travel?

Leely2

You are probably right about the temperatures, but many (not all) flights out of Venice leave at ungodly early hours.

I love Rome and try to squeeze it into every Italian itinerary. So I personally would never shortchange it! But of course we all have different interests, that's why I asked whether focusing on new places might be more fun for you. However, it sounds like you know what you're looking for and what would work best for you and your husband.

Have a fun trip! I'm sure it will be wonderful.

PalenQ

Thanks PalenQ, I will look at the links. What do you think about the itinerary and direction of travel?>

sounds perfect to me!

HappyTrvlr

Two nights in tne Cinque Terre is fine. Add the other night to Venice.

catcrazyaf

Every time I've flown home from Venice it has been early in the morning plus the included time getting to the airport makes it an unpleasant experience. Last year the airport was a confusing mess and even tho we arrived extra early we almost missed our departure. Maybe fly IN to Venice. Have a fun journey.

Dnf

HappyTrvlr have you been to both CT and AC? do you think CT will be just as appealing after the AC?

Dnf

Hmmm catcrazyaf. I never thought of that and I have never flown out of Venice; just into. Will definitely bear this in mind.

massimop

Traveling at the end of May there is no reason to avoid the north first. In fact you will get more flowers on the lake & fewer tourists in Venice. If keeping le Cinque Terre in the trip, start in Venice. If dropping it, start in Lago di Como (Venice next).

Some major differences between le Cinque Terre & the Amalfi coast are pesto/foccacia vs tomato sauce/pizza, rustic b&bs vs. fancy hotels/pools, train vs. bus, pastel townscape vs white, olives vs lemons, wine tourism vs shopping tourism.

Both get tremendous daytime crowds & are quiet at night. Amalfi has a bit more swimming.

massimop

Another routing

Fly to Pisa, immediately go to le Cinque Terre
Lago di Como
Venice
See Florence en route to Rome
Positano
Fly out of naples

massimop

To be clear, I am suggesting a pit stop in Florence: Put your luggage in the train station & do a sightseers walkabout & eat lunch, but don't spend any nights there.

One thing to notice about the routing I suggested is that it bunches all the cultural/historic days together in the middle, with all the scenery & outdoorsy stuff at both ends, going in & out. You could also do that routing in reverse.

PalenQ

To be clear, I am suggesting a pit stop in Florence: Put your luggage in the train station & do a sightseers walkabout & eat lunch, but don't spend any nights there.>

Why? A couple of days in Florence is great -especially for partner who has never been there.

A walkaround for a few hours? Seriously?

massimop

OP has stated about her husband.

"I am pretty sure he would enjoy Florence the least "

The original plan from the OP has 2 nights in Florence -- effectively 1 day of sightseeing. Many people do daytrips to Florence. Up to them.