First draft of itinerary - Italy in April

Venice looks the most short-changed here, so add a day there.

With your time frame, I would do either Venice or Cinque Terre, not both.

Many people would suggest less time in Florence because of crowds and more time in Venice even though it's every bit as crowded.

I would move Sorrento to days 12, 13, 14.

Day 11 - Orvieto (since you don't have any small hill towns) and it's on the train line (not the fast trains) between Florence and Rome.

I agree that you might want to consider adding at least 1 day to Venice. People really seem to differ in how much time they allot for Florence. I'm a lover of art and architecture, so I found 5 days there (without day trips) barely enough, but enough to see the things that were my highest priorities.

> Is there anything about this plan . . . that makes you want to scream, "Why, why, why would you do this?" Yes! "20. Go home, collapse into unconscious ball for a week." I recommend complete unconsciousness for only a day or so, and then a longer period of semi-stupor in which to savor the fresh memories of your trip.

Enjoy!

I agree with jetsetj. You're spending a lot of time on trains going long distances just to spend a day (8-9 hours to Venice, then 6 hours to CT).

I assume on day #14 you'll see some of the Amalfi Coast. On day #15, you could go train to Naples, deposit your luggage and spend a couple of hours at the archeology museum before heading to Rome. Alternatively, you could go to Pompeii and the museum in the same long day. IMO, exploring Pompeii is only part of the story, and the rest is at the museum. The museum is open Wed-Mon, 9 am to 8 pm. In April, Pompeii is open daily from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm.

I agree with Jetset and Jean. Either spend 2 full days in Venice or skip it--too far to go after the the Bernina. You need to drop one place--Venice or the CT.

When we were in Tuscany for 2 1/2 weeks in late March/early April of '04, it snowed one day. It was pretty overcast & chilly on other days too. I would not want to be on the Cinque Terre unless the weather was fantastic and I could walk from town-to-town (which you really need a couple of days to do). Note that the CT is farther north than Milwaukee, WI (if you are from the US). Therefore, I would agree with most others & skip the CT in favor of Venice. You'll see something similar to the CT a week later when you visit the Amalfi Coast - which is much farther south (actually, Sorrento is not on the Amalfi coast).

Florence was very manageable when we were there in early April - fewer tourists than on other trips in June & Sept.

Siena only has 1 "n".

Stu Dudley

I agree,

Skip the Cinque Terre. You don't need to do both the Ligurian and Amalfi Coasts in the same trip. Add the time to Venice.

I have no idea why you are spending 3 whole days traveling to Venice. I guess the Bernina Express is the attraction?

"Skip the Cinque Terre. You don't need to do both the Ligurian and Amalfi Coasts in the same trip. Add the time to Venice."

Totally agree with this. I loved Venice.

Thanks folks for the advice. When I read the first few responses, I actually thought about cutting Venice and keeping the Cinque Terre (I am an avid hiker, and those towns look really cool). However, it is true that the weather there in early April isn't exactly guaranteed to be sunny and warm, and it seems wrong to plan a first trip to Italy and not go to Venice. I will have to ponder it some more.

Jean: Thanks for the tip on Naples. I had wanted to see the museum in Naples, it kind of completes the trip to Pompeii, but hadn't really wanted to stay overnight there. (too many different hotels already, and what little commentary I have read on Naples suggests, perhaps unfairly, that it is not the greatest place to stay).

Dayle - yes, the whole reason for not starting the trip in Italy is so that I can spend a little time in the alps, including what is rumored to be an exceptionally scenic train ride.

kya: excellent point. Only one day in unconscious ball now!

Well, I have some more ideas to work with now, so off I go to do some more research before I come with a second draft.

Thanks again.

Hey G,

You could save yourself a lot of headache if you limited your visit to Switzerland, Venice, Florence and Rome.

Why are you giving such short shrift to CH?

Visiting both Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast on the same visit is redundant.

One day in Venice?????????????????????

Have you checked train schedules?

Hope this helps.

You can make Orvieto a day trip from Rome BTW. Look at LowCountryIslander's TR for timing-it was a full day.

I vote for more Venice but that's so personal. Do you have places to stay lined up yet?

We were in 5 Terre in March and the trail was closed for repair-is April an ok month for that?? I don't know. Other Fodorites, please help.

I think it sound fine. Pompeii was awesome to me and DH and I did go Naples to the Museum and liked it. Wished we'd had enough time to get to Naple's waterside though.

glenmd,

A couple important tips for the Naples Acheological Museum and Pompeii. I've visited Pompeii twice for a total of 7 hours and could still go back. Pompeii is fascinating and huge. Take water, sunscreen, hat, good walking shoes. Also, if you want to see the Suburban Baths, one of the "newer" excavation sites, and really neat, ask for a free ticket when you buy your admission at the ticket office. It will be the first area you see after the ticket office at the Porto Marina entrance.

For the Arch Museum in Naples - be SURE to have small bills to rent an audio headset. Even though this is a world famous museum, they are not prepared to give change to all the tourists with their 50E notes fresh out of the ATM machines. Plus, they only take cash. If you don't have the right cash amount for your admission, then a headset, guess what. No go!

Venice is wonderful! You won't be sorry to spend at least 3 days there, the minimum. You can hike around the Amalfi Coast too. Some here have highly recommended the Sunflower Guide for hikes there. Or, you might try the search function for "hiking Amalfi Coast." There have been old threads in depth on this.

If you do go to Orvieto, do stay overnight! It's a special town and lovely in the evenings. Well worth a full day and night.

Buon viaggio!

Yes, stay overnight in Orvieto if you decide to stop on the way to Amalfi. I think the day trip referenced above from Rome was someone that had been to Orvieto before and only spent about 5-6 hours there this time. Be sure to take the underground tour if you go.
http://www.orvietounderground.it/

Agree with most everyone else. You don't need both the CT and the AC on the same trip. Skip the CT and give Venice an extra day. Venice really deserves it and you won't be sorry. You will also be saving a lot of travel time as well, time that can be better spent walking in Orvieto. Add the other extra day to the AC. You can do some hiking or walking on the AC. You could even go to Positano on that extra day. Look at pictures of Positano. You will be convinced.

For the record, finalized itinerary (at least in terms of where I will sleep each night) is:

Day
0/1 travel, sleep in Pontresina, Switzerland
2. Pontresina
3. Travel on Bernina Express, head for Venice
4. Venice
5. Venice
6. Travel to Florence
7. Florence
8. Florence
9. Florence
10. Travel to Sorrento
11 Sorrento (AC somewhere)
12 Sorrento (daytrip to Pompeii)
13 Sorrento (daytrip to Capri)
14 Travel to Rome
15. Rome
16. Rome
17 Rome
18 Rome
19 Rome
20. Go home, collapse into unconscious ball for a day.

One of the days if Florence will be a daytrip to Siena, and one of the days in Rome will be a daytrip, possibly to Orvieto.

Thanks to all for the advice. Next up, daily itineraries!

I like it ! Be sure to get details of rail travel from Tirano to Venice--that will be a real long day.

Agree to bag CT and add to your time in Venice, which you are really short-changing. It could still be very chilly in CT - and not sure why you want 2 different beach resorts in off season. And there's plenty of hiking on the Amalfi Coast if that's what you want.

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We had four days in Pontresina and loved it. The tourist office suggested a wonderful hike along an historical train route. We walked between Preda and Bergun, I think it was about 8km. We walked under some of the pigtail switchbacks, through fields of wildflowers, streams and cows - it was one of those perfect days. We then caught a train to Filisur and walked downhill to the Landwasser viaduct. We waited until the Bernina Express came along and got some fantastic photo's of the train crossing the viaduct and disappearing into the mountain.

Another day we also caught the train and bus to Guarda and walked the trail to Ardez, I had a Heidi moment among the wildflowers (yeah I know, wrong country but it seemed right to sing "the hills are alive" when you are the only ones in the middle of all that beauty and so far from home).

Hope you have a wonderful time. The train journey down to Tirano is truly beautiful.