pamelalewis94

Hi Folks-
I am planning a trip to Italy for my family of five (3 kids ages 20,18 and almost 16))- June 22-July 4/5, 2016. My oldest will be in Florence through 6-25-16 on a school abroad program. She will travel to Rome as a school group while she is studying there. SO.... I am thinking that we will start in Rome before we meet her, and head north to join her Florence for a couple of days, so that she can show us around. We are an active group and have traveled within the US and to Mexico quite a bit, but never to Europe. My husband is well traveled (been to Italy as well) and I have been a few places in Europe (not Italy). I am thinking that we will spend most of out time seeing the countryside and tasting the culture, hitting the major sites. I don't think that my group will want to do many museums, although we want to see and participate in the most major sites in each location. I am looking for help in deciding if my days in each location and travel schedule is doable, so that we are not running ragged, but so that we can see as much as possible. You will see that I don't understand the train system very well..

Here is my potential itinerary:

Fly from SFO to Rome on 6/22, arrive 23rd
6/23-24- Rome
6/25- Train to in am to Florence to meet my oldest daughter
6/25-6/27 Florence (day to trip to Sienna or Pisa?)
6/28 - train in am from Florence to Venice
6/28- Venice
6/29- train in afternoon fro Venice to area around Cinque Terre (I assume the train runs here from Venice?)
( we can skip this leg if too ambitious!!)
6/29-6/30- Cinque Terre
7/1- train to Positano
7/1-7/3: Positano
7/2 day trip to Capri by Ferry
7/3 train to Naples to stay one evening
7/4 fly out of Naples back to SFO
7/4 Fly out of Naples on 7/4

I can flip the order of any of this - but I need to do Rome before going to Florence and I have to meet my daughter on 6/25! Suggestions?

bvlenci

This has been posted twice. The other post has responses:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...y-itnerary.cfm

southeuropetravel1

To get to all the towns that make up Cinque Terre from the North of Italy:

Take the train to Levanto (you may have to change trains in Genoa for a train to Levanto). Change trains in Levanto to a regional ("Regionale") train that makes all the local stops in the Cinque Terre. All the Cinque Terre towns have their own train station.

If you have to do Rome before Florence and have to be in Florence by a certain date, I don't really see how you can change your itinerary much in terms of order, though I have to admit you're loosing quite a bit of "vacation" time due to train travel.

Obviously you have A LOT to do in little time in these places, but if your aim is to see as much of Italy as possible, then it's a good plan and you're hitting great places.

Best of luck.

Laura

pamelalewis94

Thanks Laura, would you suggest any other mode of transportation for a family of five? I was told that a car would be more stressful given that some areas are not accessible by car (Cinque Terre, towns down south,and Venice).

Also, do you think we should leave out the Cinque Terre part so that we can relax more and spend more time in Venice and Positano area?

Thanks for the help

nytraveler

Be aware that it has just been announced that visitors to the CT will be strictly limited this year. Last year there were about 2.5 million visitors. This year the entire park will be limited to 1.5 million visitors, and entry will only be by ticket.

They have not yet announced how to obtain the tickets but they will be for sale in advance and once the limit is reached no further entry by tourists will be allowed.

So - if you really want to go there watch for how to get those tickets. Sounds like a lot of people will be disappointed.