Hi Lawyer,

congrats [in advance] on your first anniversary. 2-3 weeks in Italy is a nice anniversary present!

my first question is where are you flying out of? this affects the "shape" of your trip, unless you want to be rushing back there at the end of it. also, do you have no interest in Tuscany at all? Florence followed immediately by Rome might be quite a lot for your DH to take in, especially as he hasn't been to Italy before.

Hi annhig!

Thank you so much for your response! I am so overwhelmed with trying to plan an itinerary...

Well, as of right now, I don't have a definite flight plan, as I have been waiting to get a an itinerary in place. Like my first post states, I will be flying into Milan and spending my first four nights in Lake Como.

I absolutely love Florence. I was thinking of making it a base for 4-5 nights and taking day trips to San Gimignano, Siena, Pisa, Fiesole, etc. I was not a huge fan of Rome, but my DH loves history, so I want him to experience Rome. I also don't even know where to begin with deciding what to do with respect to the Amalfi Coast, but I know that we both want to travel there. He has also mentioned wanting to see Venice, so I was hoping we could sneak in a day or two there as well.

Hope this helps...

ok, i think that this is what I would do:

Day 1 - arrive milan. go to Lake como, stay 4 nights.

Day 5 - train to Florence [you don't want a car there] spend 5 nights.

Day 10 - train to Naples, get the circumnavigazione to Sorrento. stay 5 nights

Day 15 - train to Rome, stay 3 nights

Day 18 - train to venice - stay 2-3 nights

day 20/21 - go home.

oops - that's 3 weeks.

it's up to you what you cut out!

annhig-

Thank you! I really appreciate your suggestions! Did you plan the cities in any particular order? My DH and I would prefer to end our vacation at the Amalfi Coast...just because after almost 2 weeks of sight seeing, we were thinking that we could relax. While in Sorrento, do you suggest we rent a car? What about spending a night or two on the island of Capri?

I wouldn't back track to Venice. If you add Venice, add it after Como.

4 days Como
2-3 days Venice

Venice to Naples/coast 4-5 days (7 is a bit much)
End in Rome
Fly home from Rome

ky-

Thank you for your suggestions! Where would I be able to fit in Florence? I can't imagine going back to Italy and not going back to Florence...especially since my husband has never been...

Also, while at the AC, do you suggest we actually stay on Capri? Or just make a day trip out of it and stay in Sorrento? Thanks in advance!

If you have 2 weeks after Lake Como, you could visit Venice for 2 days, Florence for 3 days, Rome for 4 days and the AC for 4 or 5 days. You could fly home from Naples.

I wouldn't do Capri as a day trip. Perhaps you can stay in Sorrento for 3 days and Capri for 2. Capri is so beautiful in the morning and the evening but crowded and hectic at mid day when the cruise ships and day trippers arrive.

Trying to fit all of the above destinations into two weeks will make for a busy trip but you can do it, especially with a restful few days on the AC at the end of your trip.

Sorry. Didn't mean to leave out Florence. I would put it after Venice.

mamcalice-
Thank you for your help with the logistics...I want to fit in as many cities as I can without the trip being too overwhelming. Although I think it may be. Since I have been to all of the cities before, (except for the AC), I will just have to tailor it to what I know my husband will enjoy. I have never been to the AC before, so I have no idea what to expect. Should my DH and I rent a car for when we stay in Sorrento? Can you suggest a hotel? As for Capri, we are going to stay at the JK Palace.

kybourbon-
Thanks again! I kind of had a feeling you forgot to put in Florence...

sorry, lawyer, not to have come back to you but I've not been here on fodors for a week or so as I've been in Rome!

have you decided how long your trip is going to be yet? as you have now booked at least one hotel [on Capri] have you got your itinerary sorted? would you like to post what you've got so far?

annhig-

Thanks so much for your response! Unfortunately, my work has gotten the best of me for the last week or so, and just now I am able to sit and plan. I have a few days off so I can dedicate most of my free time to putting this trip together!

I am just concerned that we will not have time to see Venice, Florence, Rome, and the AC all in two weeks. HOw many days for each do you suggest?

Thanks again!

lawyer - you are going to struggle to get all of that into 2 weeks, and unless you can fly home from Naples, it's going to be hard to put the AC at the end.

Assuming that you are going to be flying home from Rome, the simplest route is this:

Venice - 3 nights

Florence - 3 nights

AC - 4 nights

Rome - 4 nights.

that's 14 nights in all and each time you move you'll lose at least 1/2 day, so your 3 nights in Florence for example are really only 2 1/2. of them all, I think that it would be florence that I would drop for this trip, then you could fly from Venice to Naples. the reason fro this is that Florence will most probably be there still when you return to Italy; the rate Venice is going, it may not be.

that could give you 4 nights in Venice, 6 on the AC and 4 in Rome.

Annhig-

Thank you so much for your help and I finally have found time out of my hectic lifestyle to sit and respond to you...

So, my DH and I have decided to do only Florence and Capri and the AC for this trip. Packing in Rome and/or Venice would be a bit too much.

So, we were thinking of doing Florence from June 3-7, then Capri from June 8-12, then the last 3 nights spend in Amalfi, Positano, or Ravello. Any suggestions out of those three towns to stay in? Is it too much time so spend at the AC now?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

lawyer - you are a woman after my own heart [hardly surprising as I'm a lawyer too!] I'm sure you'll be glad that you've slowed down.

IMO that's not too much time on the AC, but you will get many different views on the best place to stay when you get there - there are as many views as there are fodorites.

my fave is actually Sorrento, mainly but not entirely because you can get to so many places from it, including Capri, where I've never stayed, so i can't help you as to whether that's too long to stay there.

now you've more or less pinned down your itinerary, why not start another thread headed something like "where to stay on the amalfi coast?" and see what advice you get there.

I think Positano is much more beautiful and romantic than Amalfi, and way nicer in every way than Sorrento. But in any of those locations, especially Capri and Positano, there will be summer crowds. Ravello is gorgeous, but too isolated for touring the coast. I would do a day trip there from Positano or Amalfi.

Capri is the shopping and beautiful people mecca of the Amalfi Coast. Think Hamptons with an Italian flair. If you like that kind of thing, go for it, but if not, you might consider cutting a day from your stay there and adding it Positano or Amalfi.

Lastly, how are you getting home? If you're leaving from Rome, you will have to train there from either Naples or Salerno, so that could determine where you will spend your last day or two.

lawyer, I'm sorry you've given up on Venice. I just think that Venice is relaxing, beautiful and romantic and you could go from Como to Venice and spend two nights. Then train to Florence (2 hour ride).

I'm really not sure why you need so many day trips from Florence. This is where you are going to get tired out. And if you love Florence, there is plenty to do in Florence, w/o the day trips.

Also, it is going to be very crowded (it is summer) on the AC and Capri.

Just wish you'd rethink it a bit more. Your husband is not getting Venice or Rome?

I think you have plenty of time in two weeks to do 2 nights Venice, 3 nights Florence (with no day trips) and then on to the AC (Positano/) for 5 nights. Then head back to Rome (flying home from there) for 3-4 nights.

Best wishes on your marriage! Buon viaggio!

In the summer months- high season for travel - you'll find much of Italy very crowded. We visited Venice one summer in mid-June, and were shuffling along St. Marco Square in a heavy crowd. Same was true in Venice and Rome. So if you're really needing to escape the crowds, either plan a different time of year for your visit, or seek out smaller lesser known towns/cities.

Thank you all for your responses...I am still trying to figure out how I can get alerts to my email account that there are new replies to my thread...is there even such a function?

annhig- I am leaning toward staying 3 or 4 nights on Capri and then three more in Positano, Sorrento or Amalfi. The hubby actually needs to really relax...he is a lawyer as well, but has a much more demanding job than I do...
That being said, have you ever stayed in Amalfi? I apologize in advance, as that I am not familiar at all with the AC...

Weadles- Thanks for the description of Capri! It really puts things in perspective, since I am actually from NY and def appreciate the analogy to the Hamptons. We are actually going to leave from Naples, so we thought staying somewhere on the coast is more convenient, rather than Capri, for the last few days. We just need to decide where on the AC...
I am thinking that we should rent a car while on the coast, but is one needed on the island of Capri?

sarge56- You planned a great intinerary for me and my DH! Thank you! I actually ran it by him but this will be the first vaca we have taken this year, so he is looking forward to relaxing. He is a history buff, so for him he will want to do an entire vaca just to Rome in the future. I agree, I do not need that many day trips from Florence, since there is so much to do whithin the city itself! We have definitely given up on Rome this time around, but Venice is still up in the air.

With that being said, so far I have the following itinerary:

Como: May 30-June 3
Florence: June 3-7 (4 nights)
Capri: June 7-11 (4 nights)
Amalfi/Sorrento/Positano: June 11-14 (3 nights)

We had a choice to leave the 14th from Naples or the 16th from Rome, since there are no flights out of Naples on the 14th. Since DH wants to save Rome for another time, we opted to leave on the 14th.

I am just wondering, is 4 nights each in Florence and Capri too much?

Any responses/input would help so much!!! Thanks in advance!

I would take a night from Capri and add it to your stay in Positano. I (another lawyer!) spent a week in Positano last year and loved it so much I am returning for another week this June! We had a wonderful relaxing trip, spending time on the beach, taking a boat ride to a small cove and eating lunch at a beach bar, taking the ferry to Amalfi and visiting Amalfi and Ravello for the day. You could even take the ferry to Salerno and then the train to Paestum to see the amazing Greek ruins there (a little history for DH) as a day-trip from Positano. If you want to see Pompeii, you could stop there on your way from Florence.

Since you will be there in June, the ferries will be frequent and traveling by ferry to the other towns on the AC is a nice and beautiful was to get around. You absolutely do not want a car on the AC - the parking is scarce and expensive and the traffic is terrible and the driver cannot appreciate the views as s/he has to keep their eyes on the road at all times.

Buon Viaggio!

We were in Naples and Positano during your dates last summer. There is tons of traffic. Unless you are extremely comfortable navigating hairpin turns, sometimes with cars/trucks on your bumper honking behind you, and tight parking spots, I'd dump the car idea. You can easily travel the coast by boat ( my preferred option) and bus, although the buses can be very crowded.

It sounds like you're looking for some downtime, so I don't think four nights in Capri will be too much. Just know that there are tons of day trippers to the island, and it can be a bit annoying/overwhelming to deal with the crowds until they leave.

Lastly, keep in mind that Positano is about 1.5 hours driving time to Naples, depending on time of day and traffic in the summer. You might be better off spending your last night in Naples or Sorrento, so that you are closer to the airport.

I wanted to add that I could be wrong, but I don't think it's even possible to rent a car in Capri. The island is TINY. Much of Capri Town is a pedestrian zone.

ekc-
Ha! Another lawyer! Thank you so much for your response! So you suggest Positano over Sorrento or Amalfi? We were looking at http://www.ghconventodiamalfi.com/en/hotel-amalfi-italy-hotel-luxury/ to stay in Amalfi.

Thanks again for the tip about NOT needing a car...so much less stressful!

Weadles-

Thanks again! Which is more centrally located, Positano or Amalfi? I am aware that I will be at the AC during peak season, and I want to make sure where will be staying is convenient enough to get around...

Yes, I would suggest Positano over Amalfi and certainly over Sorrento. It is just such a picturesque, romantic, relaxing place. I liked Amalfi for the day trip, but did not get the same feeling from it as I did Positano. Plus my favorite beach and lunch is only accessible from Positano.

The hotel you listed in Amalfi looks lovely, although it is not in town, so I would be concerned about how you would get into town to eat, catch the ferries, etc.

ekc-

Thanks again for your helpful responses! Can you suggest any places to stay in Positano? I really don't want to have to rely on transportation just to leave the hotel premises...

Places to stay in Positano:

Our personal fave: HOTEL POSEIDON- about midway up from town, small family-run boutique hotel with gorgeous views, exceptional staff and breakfast (!), small gym and pool on site. Lots of good restaurants within a few blocks of the hotel on Via Pasitea, so you don't even have to trek back down to town, though that only takes about 10 min.

No.1 on tripadvisor and right in town: BUCA DI BACCO. Looks out over the water and beach, nice rooms, good restaurant.

Also look at: MIRAMARE.

And, if $$ is no object, LE SIRENUSE, although quite honestly you get way more for your money at some of the cheaper hotels!

No contest for me between Positano and Amalfi. Amalfi is perhaps a more "authentic" Italian city- less pretty, less tourists, more real life going on? But it doesn't have the beauty, views, and charm of Positano, IMHO.

You will not have to rely on transportation to leave the hotel in Positano. It's a very small town, and most of the hotels are within a 10-15 minute walk of the beach/dock.

I second Weadles recommendation for Hotel Poseidon. We didn't stay there but rented an apartment 70 steps away and thought it was a great location. The views are fantastic but you are too too high up - very easy to walk to the pedestrian only part of town and the beach on Via Pasitea. Buca di Bacco is a great location - right on (or just above) the beach - right in the heart of all the action.

I HIGHLY recommend springing for a taxi to take you to Hotel Il San Pietro so you can have a cocktail on its amazing terrace watching the sunset.

But try and book your hotel in Pos ASAP, as it gets booked VERY quickly for the high season.

Buca di Bacco has straight on views of the water, but you miss that 360 view of water/town/beach, that you get farther up the hill at The Poseidon or other hotels.

And you are right in the town/beach crowds sometimes as soon as you step out the door of Buca di Bacco.

That's why we have always stayed a bit farther from town. We like to escape the crowds and enjoy some tranquility- at least through breakfast!

Good point Weadles! The views from the Poseidon area are fantastic! We spent many a morning and evening on our terrace drinking vino and admiring the view!