europa

19 Sept tue flight to Amsterdam
20 Sept wed arrive Amsterdam
21 Sept thur Amsterdam
22 Sept fri Amsterdam
23 Sept sat Amsterdam
24 Sept sun 3pm train to Venice
25 Sept mon Arrive Venice 12 noonish
26 Sept tue…. Venice
27 Sept wed… Venice
28 Sept thur train to Cinque Terre
29 Sept fri … Cinque Terre
30 Sept sat Cinque Terre
1 Sept sun Cinque Terre
2 Oct mon train to Sorrento
3 Oct tue.. Sorrento
4 Oct wed Sorrento
5 Oct thur Sorrento
6 Oct fri train to Rome
7 Oct sat Rome
8 Oct sun Rome
9. Oct mon Rome
10 Oct tue Depart Rome 6:20AM

Does this look doable? We plan to rent a car in Sorrento, the rest of the time we will take the train.

If you where transported to any of these places right now, what would you want to do or what would you like to see first?

FauxSteMarie

It's doable, but my general reaction to this sort of itinerary is that, if it were me, I would cut down the destinations to just one or two because I hate moving around from place to place. I spent 17 days in Rome on a home exchange in Italy recently. Before that I did a 2 week sailboat cruise from Catania to Palermo (visiting the Aeolian Islands) with elderhostel.

I just detest packign and unpacking all the time.

ILUVPARIS

Europa,

I think it looks just fine! I tend not to weigh in on these discussions because 99% of the time everyone will tell the OP they're trying to cram in too much. This looks well thought out except you have 2 1/2 days in Venice and 3 1/2 in Cinque Terre? I'd switch the two but perhaps you have a reason?

Honestly, if it were me---I'd be adding in a destination like Lake Como, Florence / Tuscany. It's certainly not because I relish packing and unpacking..I just prefer to be more on the go and I get bored staying in one place too long. I look forward to moving on to different cities and if we're not thrilled with a destination we've chosen, at least we're not stuck there.

You'll find a wealth of information on these destinations right on this board or on Frommers, Rick Steves, Travel & Leisure, etc. It's hard to make suggestions on what to do when I have no idea what you enjoy when you travel.

One comment I have in regard to Sorrento, you should pickup & drop off your car in Naples at the rail station.

LoveItaly

Hello europa, it is hard to respond to your itinerary knowing nothing about you, what your interest are, whether you have been to Europe and Italy before etc.

Personally I would fly from Amsterdam to Venice, it is a short flight. But perhaps you love to travel by train.

I would spend more time in Venice and less in CinqueTerre, but perhaps you have a good reason for the length of time you are planning on spending at CT.

I would personally spend less time in Sorrento and more time in Rome but again I do not know your reasons for the length of time you wish to spend staying in Sorrento.

I don't know why you want to rent a car when staying in Sorrento, but I am sure you have your reasons.

Anyway I personally find it hard to respond. Doable yes, but it would not be an itinerary that I would plan not that that matters. Very possibly you have very good reasons for the schedule you are thinking of. I wish you a beautiful trip!

Lexma90

I think this plan is doable, and it's probably the number of days I would plan for those destinations. You do, however, have some big travel times in between your destinations. I'm guessing that you've thought through the possibilities, and really want to visit Amsterdam, Venice, Cinque Terre, Sorrento and Rome. Rather than, for example, visiting only Amsterdam and the northern half of Italy (let's say, Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence and/or the Tuscan countryside).

Also, you have two seaside destinations backed up to each other (Venice is on the ocean too, of course, but it's very different from the Cinque Terre and Sorrento!) But if you switched Sorrento and Rome, that wouldn't make sense either, because you want to be in Rome because that's where you're leaving from.

I like your last question - were I transported to each of those destinations right now, what would I want to do or see first.

Haven't been to Amsterdam, so I can't help you there.

In Venice, which I've been to several times and am returning to this fall, just walking around is my favorite activity. There's a beautiful view and a surprise around every corner, especially when you wander further away from Saint Mark's Square.

Cinque Terre - walking on the path between the towns, making sure to notice all the local fruits and vegetables growing wild or by the townspeople. And fresh marinated anchovies to eat.

Sorrento - I didn't really like Sorrento much; I felt like it was a poor town totally living off tourist revenues. But it is beautiful, and the sight of Vesuvius rising over the Bay off Naples doesn't compare to much else I've seen. We visited Pompeii from Sorrento, and Pompeii was on my must-see in my lifetime places for me.

Rome - Villa Borghese is my favorite museum here, though the Sistine Chapel is my favorite one sight to see. And the Forum. Walking around is a biggy here, too.

Have a great trip! (And if you haven't booked hotels yet, you need to get going, especially for the Cinque Terre.)

nessundorma

Have you checked out he cost of flying from Amsterdam to Venice?

tuscanlifeedit

Doable, yes. 'twer me, I would take a day from the CT and add it to Venice. I'd take a day from Sorrento and add it to Rome.

europa

thank you for all your responses.

I thought that at least 3 nights in each location would be good.

No, I havent checked how much a flight from Amsterdam to Venice would be. I just thought that taking an overnight train would be fun. I will look at the flight alternative however.

We want to rent a car and drive the Amalfi coast. I have nerves of steel

We may add a day to Rome and cut back on CT. I want to see Sistine Chapel and the Borghese Gallery.

I value all your expertise. thanks again...

ira

Hi Europa,

I think that you have one too many nights on the CT and one too few in Venice.

Do you really want a car on the AC?There is regular bus and ferry service from Sorrento to Salerno and all of the towns in between.

Will your hotel have free parking?

Is there a particular reason for combining Amsterdam and Italy?

J62

I 2nd the idea to fly AMS to Venice. Be sure to check out train connections on www.bahn.de or www.trenitalia.it.

Train from Amsterdam to Venice requires at least 2 connnections, which means lugging your bags from one platform to another. 18-20hrs in one trek on trains will not be fun.

Mimar

My first reponse to your trip is what very long train trips. You seem to be crisscrossing northern Italy in an illogical order. But maybe you really wanted an overnight train trip. (I suspect one will be enough.)

My second thought is why rent a car in Sorrento -- of all places. If you are using Sorrento as a base, where do you intend to drive? If it's the Amalfi Coast, the driver won't see anything of the view. Have you driven in Italy before? If not, the south -- and especially the Amalfi Coast -- is not the place to start. The usual excursions from Sorrento are Pompeii and Herculaneum, using the Circumvesuviana commuter train; Capri, by boat; and the Amalfi Coast, by bus.

I agree with more time in Venice, less time in Cinque Terre, and the same for Sorrento/Rome, unless you have some special reason for Sorrento.

nessundorma

I love the idea of combining Amsterdam and Venice in the same trip. Those canal cities are totally different in feel, with Amsterdam remaining a modern, thriving metropolis, and Venice now lost to dreamland.

You are going to Italy rather late in the season to be booking so much time in places that are so dependent on good weather for enjoyment. Consider the possibility of staying in someplace like Lucca rather than the CT and doing day trips to the CT if the weather is nice for hiking and views. If it isn't you can more easily get to Firenze or Pisa for indoor activities.

I think Sorrento is a fine base for October, since it will allow for a lot of flexibility if the weather is less than perfect. It is perfectly true that the driver on the Amalfi road doesn't see a thing. If you've got the money to hire a driver for half a day to drive you down the coast (and take a ferry back to Sorrento from Amalfi), you'll see more.

suze

I love overnight trains myself, big fun, but that particular trip of Amsterdam to Venice would be WAY too long for me (I've done Geneva/Venice several times, and Venice/Paris once, which are ~8 hrs not 18-20). I would fly that leg.

As several have mentioned I'd somehow add another day or two to Venice.