OMCAMC

My husband and two daughters (ages 9 and 12) will be traveling to Italy leaving the U.S. on June 15th and flying home on July 4th. Here is our tentative agenda - would love your thoughts and feedback. We would prefer not to rent a car. We are able to stay with a family friend in Bologna our first 4 nights and at a friends apartment in Rome the last week (may include 1-2 day trips from Rome). Have put two days in venice below; an alternative to that would be a day trip to Venice from Bologna and then 2 days in the Cinque Terre. Enjoy sightseeing (though not many museums with our kids) and definitely want some time by the water. Thanks so much for your help!
Day 1 (sunday) arrive Bologna mid afternoon. Will be staying at the home of a family friend. Bologna that evening
Day 2 - (Monday) recover from jet lag; day trip to Ferraro (Castella Estense and Duomo)
Day 3- (Tuesday) Day trip to Ravenna in morning; afternoon at beach in Rimini
Day 4- (Wednesday) Day trip to Parma and Modena; recommended tour for balsamic and Palma and Parmesan? Do u need to do through a company?
Day 5- (Thursday) train to Venice; still needs to find accommodations
Day 6- (Friday) Venice
Day 7- (sat) train to Naples and then sorrento (still need to find accommodations in Sorrento which will be base for day trips)
Day 8- ( Sun) Day trip to positano
Day 9- (mon) Day trip to Capri
Day 10-(Tuesday) Day trip to Pompeii
Day 11- (Wednesday) day trip to Ischia
Day 12- (Thursday) sorrento; train to Rome
Day 13- (Friday) Rome
Day 14- (sat) Rome
Day 15-sun) Day trip to Orvieto
Day 16 (mon) rome
Day 17-(Tuesday) day trip from Rome?
Day 18-(Wednesday) Rome
Day 19- (Thursday)- fly home

bilboburgler

Monday most things are closed in Italy. So I'm sure you can get into Ferrara's Duomo but I know you cannot get into the castle.

PalenQ

check www.trenitalia.com for Italian train schedules and fares - some discounted fares if you want to book far in advance and not in effect be able to change nor refund them. You are traveling enough on train to be the relatively few folks who may actually find a Italy Railpass cheaper than full fare tickets if you desire any flexibility in choosing trains once there and maybe even versus the online discounts - and IME of traveling years of European trains definitely consider for a party of 4 with two kids first-class has significant benefits -= especially if wanting to find 4 seats together and especially if wishing for first class travel (seats bigger; fewer in each train car - free snacks and beverages only in first class and in general a more relaxed feeling - this doesn't mean 2nd class is a cattle car but is usually much more crowded with subsequently more problems storing bags, etc.

Anyway for lots of great info on Italian trains I always spotlight these IMO superb sites - www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com. If going the discounted in concrete online discount ticket route book as early as possible as those fares do sell out, at times as soon as they come on the system - like the much ballyhooed 9 euro fares which are possible but which are also few and far in number and may sell out shortly after coming on the system.

OMCAMC

Many thanks. How far in advance you make a train reservation?

Thanks for the info on our plans for Monday in Ferraro. Maybe we'll an on going to Rimini that day instead?

bilboburgler

Monday is a problem throughout Italy. So always worth checking local tourist info for opening times

PalenQ

Many thanks. How far in advance you make a train reservation?>

well if wanting the discounted tickets ASAP - as they do sell out - but for full fare tickets you can always IME get them right up until the train usually and there are so so many trains so that is rarely a problem.

Again check out the Italy Railpass as you are traveling a lot on trains and the more days you buy on a pass the cheaper per day it becomes and then you can easily chose which trains to take once there - full flexibility and with your number of train trips it could be the most cost effective way. And no having to book hard-change train-specific trains weeks in advance.

kybourbon

On Trenitalia, you can book the faster trains 120 days in advance although summer schedules might not be fully loaded until the schedule changeover time (about June 10). You have to keep checking Trenitalia until you see the schedules loaded (they aren't yet). You will be able to find Bologna/Venice on the fast trains as cheap as 9€ (discount fares seem to be readily available on this route - if sold out at 9€ the next fare is usually 19€).

Some of your routes (Bologna/Ravenna for example) might be served by more regional trains (R trains). You do not want to buy R tickets in advance online as there are more restrictions. Since these tickets have no discounts and no reserved seating, there is no point in buying in advance online. Many of your day trips from Bologna will be around 7-10€ one way. Sometimes local buses are a better option.

>>>Day 11- (Wednesday) day trip to Ischia<<<

I don't think it's easy to day trip to Ischia from Sorrento as there is not a lot of service between the two.

>>>Day 17-(Tuesday) day trip from Rome?<<<

Florence is 90 minutes by fast train if you haven't been. Discounts are hard to find on the Rome/Florence route.

There is also a new train company in Italy, Italo. They offer discounts also (typically 20€ fares), but only serve major cities, not smaller cities. They only book 90 days in advance and are booking through 6/8 currently. In Rome, they use Tiburtina station instead of Termini. Tiburtina is on the metro and is also a major bus hub (for the city and for other regions).

http://www.italotreno.it/EN/timetabl.../overview.aspx

Mimar

Well, I wish you had more time in Venice but at least you're staying overnight. (Don't daytrip!) Venice is crowded with daytrippers in the middle of the day, but is lovely and quiet at night and in the morning. And do stay in Venice proper. It costs a bit more but adds so much to your experience. Your kids will really enjoy Venice.

PalenQ

I don't think it's easy to day trip to Ischia from Sorrento as there is not a lot of service between the two.>

I did it from Sorrento and had a direct boat - maybe stopped at another island but was very easy to do and I like Ischia better even than Capri. I do not remember it taking that long - I had all day there before going back. Go for it!

jgg

We did a fabulous food tour from Bologna with Alessandro of Italian Days Food Experiences (http://www.italiandays.it/). We visited a parmigiano reggiano factory, a parma ham factory, aceto balsamico and had a fabulous lunch at a vineyard. Our kids were a bit older than yours but I think yours would still enjoy it. I've heard that you can contact places directly to visit them, but I think it would be difficult to coordinate them all in one day, and impossible to do without a car. Alessandro will pick you up in a van.

Here is a link to my blog that gives the details of our day on the tour along with pictures:
http://www.fromhometoroam.com/2012/08/bologna-2010/
Scroll down to Day 3 for the tour.

dwdvagamundo

Re Blue Mondays:

Go to Ravenna on Monday: the churches are what to see there, and I believe they are open on Mondays. As should the beach at Rimini.

Capri should be O.K. as most of what's to see is just wandering around.

In Rome Vatican Museums are open.