SShprints

Hello, we are a couple of 30 year olds planning a next summer trip to Italy. Would like to stick to 1-2 regions. Please help us choose. Potential itineraries are either Campania/Calabria or Tuscany/Liguaria. Dates are Aug 26-Sept 7

1) Florence, Siena, Lucca, Elba, Cinque Terre, Portofino
2) Naples, Amalfi, Capri, Calabria Coast, Taormina/Catania

We love great food, beautiful towns, beaches, museums and we also hate overcrowding..which may be a problem in Florence.

Any thoughts?

bobthenavigator

I would prefer #1 above, but I would stick with 3 destinations in that short time.

SShprints

for #1, I was thinking of basing ourselves for 4-5 days in Forence for museums, etc.. after that 2 days in Elba, 3 days in Cinque Terre and then 1 day in Portofino on the way to Milan for flight back to NY. Flight back hasn't been booked yet so it may/may not be Milan.

SShprints

and when I say base in Flornece..I meant taking day trips from there to Siena, Chinati, Lucca

TDudette

I vote for number 1 also--especially if you are first-timers to Italy.

Can you combine Portofino with your Cinque Terre visit?

Also, be sure to include travel times as you allot your days. You will lose the first day and probably most of the last to travel. How will you get from Florence to Elba? Will that take another chunk of time?

Good luck!

bobthenavigator

Why Elba?

Jean

Do some logistical research on visiting Elba. The ferry between Piombino and Cavo is quick, but travel between Piombino and Florence and the Cinque Terre can take half a day. Depending on where you're staying on Elba, you may need to add easily another hour of ground travel on arrival and departure. If the different timetables (ferry and train and perhaps bus) don't match up well, it can take the better part of a day overall, and you're not planning to spend much time there in the first place. If you could fly NYC-Pisa, you might find a reasonable connecting flight to Elba. Otherwise, I'd spend more time there or drop it.

Jean

There is shuttle bus service from the Pisa Airport to Portoferraio. You wouldn't necessarily have to fly into Pisa, just go there to catch the shuttle. It isn't cheap, but it may be faster than patching together different modes of transport. Leaving Elba, I'd ferry and train to the Cinque Terre.

http://www.elba-shuttle.com/

SShprints

actually, we are not first time travelers to Italy..but the last time was about 10 years ago..and I want to focus on 1-2 regions. Elba looks lovely. Is it not worth it?

we arrive in Florence on 8/27 I was planning on driving a car through the whole trip. We are regular travelers so driving is not an issue.

bvlenci

Isola del Giglio is also lovely, and smaller, so easier to get around. It became famous (or notorious) for the sinking of the Costa Concordia just offshore, but that's been hauled away now.

WWK

August is prime vacation time for Europeans. Not only will it be broiling hot in the cities and hill towns, but you may find crazy traffic and very limited parking. I would try to take public transportation whenever possible, and seriously think about limiting your time in cities. We visited Florence once in August. It was so hot it really impacted our sightseeing. Never again!

Also, I agree with the others that three places max would be best. You don't want to spend the whole time rushing one destination to the next.

SShprints

ok so if we do north, I definitely want to do Cinque Terre. How is something like this?

Day 1 Arrive at noon in Florence
Day 2 Florence
Day 3 Siena/Chianti Wine Country (south Tuscany)
Day 4 Lucca/Pisa (north Tuscany), in Cinque Terre by evening
Day 5 Cinque Terre
Day 6 Cinque Terre
Day 7 Cinque Terre
Day 8 Portofino
Day 9 AM drive to Lake Como
Day 10 Lake Como
Day 11 Lake Como
Day 12 AM depart to NY via Dusseldorf

bobthenavigator

Day 3 should be 3 days. Two days is adequate for the CT.

Where do you depart Italy---MXP?

Day 8 is a 2 hour lunch at Portofino but sleep on Lago Como.

This trip has potential---you just need to fine tune.

Jean

If you're avoiding Florence because of "overcrowding," then how/why did you pick your other destinations? All of these places will be packed with crowds.

SShprints

I am less concerned about crowding at beach/relaxing places. We spent a week in San Sebastian this past august and it was fine but afterwards a few days in Barcelona were a nightmare.

We are switching the trip upside down. This is the new itinerary:

Day 1 arrive in Milan at 10am, 90min drive to Lake Como
Day 2 Lake Como
Day 3 Lake Como
Day 4 Portofino
Day 5 Cinque Terre
Day 6 Cinque Terre
Day 7 Cinque Terre
Day 8 Lucca/Pisa (North Tuscany), evening in Florence
Day 9 Florence
Day 10 Siena side trip, evening in Florence or Siena
Day 11 Chianti Wine Country, evening in Florence or Siena
Day 12 AM depart to NY

bobthenavigator is this better? Should I kill one day at CT for something else?

Jean

Are you planning to get a rental car on arrival? Where/when will you turn it in? Were you planning to see Siena and Chianti using public trans or hired driver?

Where do you want to stay at Lake Como? FYI, the drive from Malpensa to the mid-lake area will take more like 2 hours or even longer if you arrive on a Friday. Weekends are busier than weekdays.

bobthenavigator

Better, but Portofino is not a destination but merely a stop for lunch---you can drive it in 4 hours from Como.

So, day 4 becomes your first nite on the CT. That buys you another nite. I would leave Florence for the end since I assume you will need to fly home for there and an early departure is likely.I would see either Lucca or Pisa as you drive to a rural destintnation in Tuscany--Siena or south.

Then, drop the car in Florence on day 10 and spend 2 nites in Florence. Holler if you want my list of Tusacny places to stay. Also, your Lago Como location will be crucial with a car. I suggest on the west shore with your itinerary---perhaps Lenno or Menaggio.

sandralist

SSHprints,

Have you changed your mind about wanting to avoid jam-packed overrun foreign tourist destinations in Italy or have you decided to bite the bullet and go for Rick Steves' "Italy" and a big dose of glitz in order to see the picture postcard sights you've heard about for years?

In August, every single place on your itinerary is going to be overflowing to flood stage with coach tours, traveling families and guidebook-check off tourists. Even if you have decided that's okay with you, I am here to warn that the idea that you will be able to even get into Portofino for lunch in August -- especially if you are thinking of driving there -- is mission impossible. There are electronic billboards along the one narrow road that goes into Portofino that in August (and other peak tourist times) flash bulletins to motorists about how many HOURS they will be sitting in traffic before they reach town and find a parking spot (there is only one parking structure in the town and it costs a fortune).

You can try coming in by boat from Camogli or one of the many towns south of Portofino -- but again, almost zero chance of finding a parking space so plan to come in by train. If you a determined to see that part of the Riviera with a car, then think about staying in Lerici and visit le Cinque Terre by boat (and only contemplate visiting Portofino at the crack of dawn or quite late in the day).

I think you have a mistaken idea of the "beaches" of that part of Italy if you aren't concerned about overcrowding in August. These are not long stretches of open seafront. They are mainly coves and villages and it doesn't take more than a few hundred people to overren them totally. Where there is seafront, the beaches are privately owned and you rent a beach chair to get access to them -- except in the last week of August, all the beach chairs are on subscription from Italians who return every year, so your chance of snagging one are zero. There are tiny patches of public beach, but again, be prepared to snuggle right up to strangers on all sides of you. Again, Lerici might be you only and best option for comfortable beach access at that time of year.

Florence? Siena? Lucca? The Italians will have departed for the seaside or Elba, but the non-Italian group tours and families with kids will be marching through in droves. The insides of museums and all the sights and famous piazza will be packed to the gills. You might be able to find some roads, towns and wineries in the Chianti without coach tour, but not if you only have a day and are following the recommendations of internet tour leaders about where to go.

Can you still have a great time? Literally millions of tourists come to Italy every year in August and do exactly the itinerary you described, and they loved every minute. That's why you got a big thumbs up for choosing it -- although I suspect some of the biggest cheerleaders for it have never attempted it in August (you might ask them).

If you don't mind crowds, lines, traffic jams and the sound of anything but Italian all around you when you travel -- and many, many people do not and feel it would be wrong to expect to see the pretty picture sights and have it otherwise -- then go for it. But if you actually drew up that itinerary not realizing you will be hemmed in by crowds at least 80 percent of the time, if not more, then you have plenty of time between now and next summer to read up on Elba, Calabria and many other destinations (including the along the Riviera) where you won't have that experience if you plan not to have it.

SShprints

Sandralist…your overview sounds dire. spending HOURS trying to drive into Portofino sounds horrible! Urgh..I do want to (more or less) stick to the same regions but what do you suggest? I like the idea of Camogli and boat to Portofino. I think spending not spending the night in Portofino is fine..we can just move that to CT. I have always dreamed about CT..HAVE to go here!

bobthenavigator, yes Menaggio is where I was planning to stay in Como area. We land at Malpensa at 10am on a Thursday..so I would be driving in early afternoon. more than 2hrs you think?

Jean

Yes, two hours minimum. May I ask why you're renting a car for Lake Como? Unless you're planning excursions away from the lake, the car will probably sit idle during your stay, collecting rental and parking charges. As an aside, Menaggio may be convenient when you have a car, but it's my least favorite mid-lake town. Also, in your itinerary and with a car, Lake Maggiore would probably make more sense.

As mentioned, you'll be faced with awful traffic and parking issues when you head to the CT. You can't drive into the historical centers of the CT towns, Pisa, Lucca, Siena or Florence, so I don't see the cost/benefit of having a car except for the Chianti day. And for the cost of a one-day rental, I'd rather hire a driver/guide to explore Chianti, make winery appointments, etc. (I'm not sure, but you may need to change the Chianti day to a day other than Sunday if you want to visit wineries.)

If you're determined to keep the car, then follow bobthenavigator's suggestion of putting Florence at the end. Make sure you've researched the parking options for all of your destinations and learn all about ZTLs.

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/drivin...s_speeding.htm

http://www.athomeintuscany.org/2011/...isa-and-siena/