lenkir

My husband and I have both been to Italy many years ago before meeting one another and would now like to go together, along with our 18 month old. Based on the novelty of seeing a place for the first time, we would like to try to see the Cinque Terre, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast... and finally Rome which we've seen but could definitely enjoy again.

Here is our proposed plan:

1. Fly into Rome, rent a car at airport, drive to Florence. Spend either 4 nights in Florence (and take a day trip to Cinque Terre) or spend two nights in Florence and two nights in Cinque Terre. We would like to find reasonable accommodations in those areas that have room for parking a car.

2. After Cinque Terre, we'll drive back to Rome where we've booked accommodations very close to the main train station. My husband would drop me, our child and luggage off at the hotel and bring the car back to the airport car rental place, then get back to the hotel via train/bus. We would spend 3 to 4 nights in Rome.

3. Then we want to get to the Amalfi Coast. We love driving and my husband is comfortable driving but we don't want to get stressed with the locals beeping behind us if we are not going fast enough on the switchbacks in the steep areas of Amalfi. So we are thinking of taking the train from the nearby train station in Rome to Salerno.... then take a bus or other train to Positano. We would like to perhaps spend two nights in Positano and two nights in Sorrento (take a day trip boat ride to Capri). We would ideally like to stay in accommodations close to the train stations or bus stations in each of these places.

4. Then finally take the train back to Rome where we will stay for one night and get ready for our flight back home the next day.

We would like feedback/opinions on the amount of time planned in each place, the method of transportation we are choosing in each of the areas, and anything else we are not thinking about. We realize it will be an extra challenge to travel with an 18 month old so any extra tips would be helpful.

Thank you in advance!

Paul1950

If all you are doing is going from Rome to Florence to the Cinque Terra, a car isn't very useful in any of those destinations. But if you intend to make a lot of sidetrips or stops between each spot, then the car might be a good option.

bobthenavigator

You do not want to drive in either Rome nor Florence. Start over and forget the car for now.

StCirq

The car idea is messing up the logistics of your trip.A car is useless in Florence and the Cinque Terre. Also, even if you have a car, your husband doesn't need to drop you off at a hotel in Rome and take it back to the airport. He could drop it at any Rome location. I agree about starting over. It sounds like you have 10 nights total. If that's the case, I'd focus on 3 destinations, not 4. Moving around a lot with a baby is a PITA.

zeppole

If the idea of having a car so much of the time is because your 18 month baby needs carrying plus you'll be toting added baby stuff, then le Cinque Terre and the Amalfi are going to pose a lot of problems for you. They are entirely staircases. Steep ones.

Sue878

Why not fly into Florence (and take taxi to hotel) and fly out of Rome. You can take the train to Cinque Terre from Florence and then to Rome and then you could always rent a car in Rome to drive to Sorrento if you wanted to.

suze

I also would vote for backing up with your plans, and choosing places that are easier to get to and more baby friendly. I don't think you can push a stroller around at least most places in CT & Amalfi coast? I'd pick a couple places that you can easily get to by train, and once you're settled that are easily walkable for sight-seeing.

Meegan84

I've done a similar trip, and believe me, you dont need a car. Especially in Cinque Terre! The train will get you everywhere you need to go and you'll be a lot safer than trying to drive on tiny roads. Florence is easily navigable on foot and Cinque Terre is so small, you wont need a car. You just need a good pair of legs to cope with the steep hills and stairs in Cinque Terre!

ellenem

Sorrento is relatively flat, so it may be the better place to stay with a small child than Positano. I agree that having you own car may be unnecessary. Use the money you save by not renting a car to hire a driver for a day to drive up and down the Amalfi Coast. With a child in tow, I would also avoid one hotel change by moving all your time in Rome to the end of your trip.

So instead of
Florence (and Cinque Terre)
to Rome
to Positano
to Sorrento (Capri day trip)
to Rome

I'd suggest
Florence (and Cinque Terre?)
to Sorrento (Positano and Capri daytrips)
to Rome

zeppole

Lenkir,

I came back to say that I think you could have a really lovely time in Italy with your toddler and see new things if you basically spent your time in Tuscany, on a farm with an apartment and a car.

Make your first stop Florence or Lucca (fly into Pisa), but stay put for a few days just to acclimatize. Then rent a car got yourself into a nice farmhouse apartment with a pool and farm animals, and tour the countryside for 7 days. With an apartment, some days you can stay home and cook. Here are some farmhouses near Pienza that might work for you:

http://www.venere.com/farmhouses/pie...l-colombaiolo/

http://www.intuscany.net/apartments/...o_bagnacci.htm

http://www.lecasinedicastello.com/howtolive.en.php

but you can find lots more in Tuscany.

If you really need to be by water, Levanto and other flat towns are better bets with a small child, but all of the most beautiful Italian coast is remote from other sights of interest. If you base yourself in Tuscany, you can drive to your heart's content (toddler can sleep), you can see fantastic art one day, and just chill by the pool the next. Having an apartment means you can eat nice breakfasts at home, and have some alternatives to restaurant eating. Dinner time in Italy doesn't start until 8pm, and while eating a big lunch at a Italian restaurant can be fun with a small child, being out until 9:30 pm every night isn't always easy.

Good luck!

charnees

If you are arriving in Italy from the US or other very distant place, don't try to drive that first day!! Jet lag (and probably lack of sleep from caring for a little one on the plane) can make driving very hazardous. My S-i-L scoffed at me for saying that several years ago and as a result he nearly killed us, falling asleep at the wheel three times on a 4-hour drive!! Even after 4 espressos.

PeaceOut

The Cinque Terre is not really a day-trip from Florence, especially with a toddler in tow.

Search for a thread we created awhile ago, giving details on the five Cinque Terre trails. (Called "Cinque Terre: A Compilation". I just topped it for you) The only section you should consider to take a toddler on is the bottom segment, which is smoother surfaced and shorter. The hike we took would not be good for a toddler. It's the one from Vernazza to Corniglia, all stair steps upward, with loose rocks, sheer drops.

(I also agree you should ditch the idea of renting a car. Completely unnecessary. Especially with a toddler, you might enjoy being able to walk in the train, use the bathrooms, get a snack, etc.)

zeppole

I disagree you should "ditch the idea of renting a car" -- especially with a toddler. Don't rent a car if you are going to places that are very "car-unfriendly." But a lot of those places are very "toddler unfriendly" too. A car is a great asset if you are traveling with a small child, so pick places that are car friendly.

Italy is chock full of fascinating destinations that don't pose real obstacles to families with small children or people traveling by car. Don't be afraid to think outside the box. You could have a fantastic vacation in Piemonte, around Lago di Garda, in Mantova, Verona and Firenze, in Umbria, in Tuscany -- just loads and loads of places.

Loading yourselves, your toddler and your luggage onto train platforms and the train is not all that fun. Italian bathrooms on trains are most often not as clean as what you find when you pull of the road and use a cafe, and get a snack there.

lenkir

We are so pleased with all the helpful advice that has been written and we thank you all for your great tips.

We are definitely now thinking of staying in Rome for the first three nights to adjust and take it easy. We are thinking of then going to Florence to stay for a few nights and we will skip Cinque Terre and leave it for a future trip as it doesn't sound like an easy place to get around with a toddler. We may do a day trip from Florence if we are up to it, perhaps to Lucca or elsewhere.

We'll then go to Sorrento and stay there for a few nights, possibly take day trips to Positano and to Capri, which both seem so beautiful. Hopefully, doing this with a toddler won't be pushing it.

Then we'll go back to Rome and get ready for our flight home.

We notice most people are recommending the train which we are fine with, but we also love driving (even though the car is not really needed) so we'll think about it - we'll likely take the train for all of the trip or for 75 percent of the trip.

We have 12 nights in total and we have reduced the destinations for overnight stays to 3 which will give us the flexibility to take it easy on some days and take a day trip on other days if we have the energy and interest to do so.

We would appreciate any suggestions on accommodations in Florence, Sorrento and Rome. Also, any suggestions on attractions to visit in those areas or even on good places to eat in all the places we mentioned that we would like to go to, would be appreciated.

All the places that were mentioned that we may not get to, are definitely put on a list for a future trip!

zeppole

As much as you enjoy driving, be aware that Italian cities (and even small historic towns) have very strict laws that forbid non-resident cars from being in certain areas of town -- and they have video cameras to record licenses and issue steep fines to violators (your rental company will charge your credit card).

The itinerary you've outlined includes a number of places where you could encounter that problem -- in particular Rome and Florence.

In your research for accommodations, I suggest you look for apartments or hotels with kitchenettes. Many b&bs are flexible about use of the kitchen, especially if you tell them you have a small child.

lenkir

Thank you zeppole. Very good points! It will be a disaster trying to find parking and we'll spend a fortune. The train is looking better and better for the whole trip. Yes, apartments with kitchenettes sounds like a great idea.. must start looking. Thanks so much for your help.

PeaceOut

Your plan sounds like it is really shaping up. Three-night stays is a good idea, I think, too.

In Rome, we liked the Domus Julia. It is the apartment-style annex to the Hotel Julia, so you have a front desk and a beautiful breakfast room (breakfast included). For your toddler, it might be perfect because your room will open to a dining/kitchen area which gives you those facilities plus more room for the little one to roam. It is below the Spanish Steps.

In Florence, we loved the Relais Cavalcanti Centrally located, family-owned, small hotel. Very charming.

Have fun!

PeaceOut

The Relais Cavalcanti also gives you 24/7 access to their kitchen/dining room for guests.

suze

Skipping the car rental and going by train just makes everything so much easier (both the planning and the doing!). On the train everyone can relax, no driving, no navigating, no worries about getting to where you want to go. I think cities might be good I am picturing you with a stroller in plazas of Florence or Rome, just seems much easier than hiking the CT (for this trip anyways).

charnees

I would second the idea of going to Lucca for a day. Your toddler can play in the little tot lots on the walls, and it's just fun to walk along them and see the town and the grassy moat on opposite sides. It's a nice, low-key town and the central plaza is safe for a little one. It was built in an oval around an old Roman amphitheater that no longer exists.