hikrchick

I'm starting to make a very preliminary and rough outline of a journey to the Dolomites. The Italy part is fine, but the problem I'm having is in which direction to leave the Dolomites and where to fly home to JFK. Someone in a previous post suggested training to Innsbruck, but then I'd have to leave from Zurich? I see that Mr. & Mrs. Go in the famous 2009 trip report drove from Munich. How long did that take? I'm guessing we could take a train from Bolzano to Munich?

We want to fly in or out of Rome to see some cousins who will be living there as ex-pats for several years. The trip would be for 2 weeks in September 2011. So right now, I'm looking at 15 nights on the ground:

If the trip is to fly into Rome and leave from the Dolomites, my idea, or thereabouts, is:
2 nights Rome
2 nights Sienna (or somewhere Tuscan-like)
4 nights Florence
2 nights Venice
4 or 5 nights Dolomites (for 4 full hiking days)
and then .... where? Do we train to Munich and stay overnight there and get a plane to NYC? Do we train to Innsbruck and get to Zurich and stay overnight there? Or do we take a train and go back to Rome?

OR -- can we get an internal airline, or EasyJet and go ... somewhere? I would guess that's much less time-intensive, but maybe it's more expensive to as to not be practical?

And, if we decide to start in the Dolomites, it would be reversed but with the same question: where to fly into?

thoughts would be much appreciated. And yes, the number of nights in each place is not set in stone, not set in anything except my idea. It will certainly change. (Except the Florence part, that will not change. )

bobthenavigator

See the Dolomites before Venice and fly home from there.
Verona and Treviso also have minor airports, but Venice has far more flights--most via another European gateway city.

bobthenavigator

Oh yes, the Go family may not answer since they are in Denmark as we speak.

hikrchick

OK, Bob, THAT is why you are the expert and I am the novice. That makes perfect sense. It certainly means we don't have to deal with hours-long train rides. We're trying to get the flights with our frequent flier miles on American Airlines, so now I can use this to figure out if it'll work out.

Denmark! I was there for an overnight twice, on my way home from Russia, in the early 1990s. My mom's childhood pen-pal drove me to Hamlet's castle and past Karen Blixen's house and the Little Mermaid and then the second visit took me to Tivoli at night. A longer trip is definitely on my list.

Thanks for the advice!

Jean

I agree with Bob re Venice and seeing the Dolomites before Venice if you keep the itinerary in its present order.

If you reversed the itinerary, I'd still use Venice rather than Zurich or Munich. Spend the time in Venice first, then rent the car and head to the Dolomites. Keep the car through your time in the Tuscan countryside and turn it in at Florence. Train from Florence to Rome and fly home from Rome.

If it's more economical/desirable to fly in and out of Rome, then head to Florence immediately after arriving at Fiumicino. Spend your time in Florence, then rent a car to use in the Tuscan countryside through the Dolomites. Turn in the car at Venice, spend your time there, train to Rome and fly home from Fiumicino.

The last option is to fly into Pisa, see Florence, rent the car for the time in the Tuscan countryside and Dolomites, turn in the car at Venice, see Venice, and then train to Rome for your time there and departure from Fiumicino.

Jean

Well, using American miles puts a whole new spin on it.

Jean

On American, as far as I can tell you're "forced" to use Rome and/or Zurich, and I only see one direct flight a day from JFK to either. You'll want to call exactly 330 days prior to your desired departure date, hold those reservations in suspension, and then call exactly 330 days prior to your desired return date. Don't wait until 330 days prior to your return date or you may find no available FF seats on the outbound date. I wouldn't do this online; I'd speak to a human and pay whatever fees are involved.

I haven't used AA miles in a few years, so I'm not sure how easy it is to use your AA miles on British Airways but that used to be a good option.

Good luck!

hikrchick

Thanks Jean! I'm not sure if the miles thing is going to work either, but we can try. We will definitely talk with a human being. Thanks for the Rome-to-Rome itinerary, that is most helpful!