hudsonguz

Hi everyone,

My husband and I have been to Italy before.

This time we would like to go to the Amalfi Coast - staying in Positano and on Capri, Lake Como and small towns in Tuscany.

Would it be possible to do all of this on one trip via driving and/or train or would this be out of the question for one trip?

We have 2 weeks to spend on this trip.

Thank you in advance.

bilboburgler

Lake Como and the trip to Tuscany and then to Naples can be done by train, ferry, public transport.

But in Tuscany small towns you may prefer a car and in the AC. Easy to do just two hires.

nytraveler

What time of year are you going?

If in summer there is no way I would rent a car on the AC - much better to travel by ferry - or taxi for a trip or two if you need it.

We have done the AC by car in May - but based in Sorrento, our hotel had free parking (practically no hotels here do), and the worst of the crowds had not yet arrived.

sandralist

Part of it depends on how you arrange your flights.

If you can fly into Naples and visit the Amalfi first, and then proceed north to fly out of Milan, or fly into Milan and proceed south to fly out of Naples, it is optimal.

Another part of it depends on what you want your experience of Tuscan small towns to be, and which towns you want to visit.

From both Positano and Lago di Como, it is a time-consuming journey to rural Tuscany. So you have to allow for pretty much a full 2 days within your trip just to get into and out of rural Tuscany. So if your first day is jet lagged, and your final day is all about making your flight home, you've got 10 days to divide between the 3 destinations.

EYWandBTV

You are considering visiting two areas (Lake Como, Amalfi coast/Capri) both of which have beautiful villages nestled on steep hillsides bordering the shores. Somewhat similar in the feel of the places. And you will burn up travel time and energy to go from the Amalfi coast to Lake Como. Why not think about eliminating one of those lakeside/seaside areas and spending more quality time in the other two of your three target zones? E.g., combine Tuscan countryside and Amalfi coast, or combine Lake Como and Tuscany? You could easily expand these two zones to use up your days: add a little Umbria to Tuscany, or add Naples, Pompeii, and Herculaneum to the Amalfi coast.

hudsonguz

Okay, I will change my itinerary to include either Amalfi Coast, Capri and Tuscany or Lake Como and Tuscany. Have any of you been to the Amalfi Coast and/or Lake Como and which do you prefer? I have been to Tuscany and Umbria but my husband has not - that is why I would like to include Tuscany in my trip. I have been to Florence and Sienna and Cortona in Umbria but I would love to go back again but not necessarily back to Florence. Are there other towns that you would recommend? We love wine and good food, maybe a cooking class. Any unique ideas that you can think of in that area?

Thank you so much!

nytraveler

I don't wee where you have said what time of year you are traveling, which could make a significant difference. I have been to all of these places and would probably not go to the ac at the same time as Lake Como.

hudsonguz

Oh sorry, I am planning on going in either mid to late May or early June, 2017. Thank you.

hudsonguz

It's me again. After talking to my husband we would like to go to the Amalfi Coast, Capri and Tuscany in mid to late May or early June, 2017.

Could you tell me which would be the best airports to fly in and out of and could you recommend some great towns to stay in Tuscany? I have previously been to Florence so not interested in going again. Have been to Sienna but would love to go back again.

Love wine so some interesting wine towns and would love to take a cooking class.

We have up to 14 days to spend on this trip.

Thank you very much!

dunnelli

Some good towns in Tuscany to stay In for good food and wine that I have experienced are.....
Montalcino ( Brunellos)

Greve in Chianti

Castellina in Chianti

Radda in Chianti

Montepulciano

Lucca

I have flown into Pisa and rented a car there, which was quite easy. Also, you can reach this area by either flying into Florence or Rome then renting a car, or take the train into Florence and rent a vehicle there. If I remember correctly, there are rental car lots right next to the station.

joannyc

Try multi city flights into Pisa or Florence and out of Naples. Or vice versa.

sandralist

You can also consider using the airport in Bologna for fairly easy access to or from Tuscany, especially the Chianti area.

Personally, I would fly into Naples and get a driver to take me to the Amalfi coast. I would probably leave by having a driver drop me off at the Naples train station and then, depending on whether I was mainly staying in the val d'Orcia area of Tuscany or the Chianti area, I would either pick up a car in Chiusi or pick one up in Florence.

EYWandBTV

We have visited the following places, loved them all:

Tuscany: Lucca - easy short train ride from the main Venice-Bologna-Florence-Rome train line

Umbria: Orvieto, only one hour north of Rome on the main train line to Venice

Amalfi coast region: you will have an abundance of good things to choose from in this area:
--for ancient history and sites: the Naples Archeology Museum (many treasures brought here from Pompeii), Roman streets and ruins excavated underneath the center of Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, the Emperor Tiberius' palace in Capri, Paestum
--intense Italian life in the historical centro of Naples, not mention pizza!
--a number of wonderful coastal towns and villages on the Amalfi coast
--ferry rides all over the place, giving you beautiful views of the coasts and Vesuvius; different ferries connect Naples, Capri, Salerno, and several coastal towns

We stayed in Ravello, a couple of thousand feet above Amalfi. Here's my trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm