amberdenzel

Hello Everyone,
I am in a wedding in Switzerland in August. I am taking my 13 year old daughter with me and we are leaving a week early to travel to Rome, Positano, Almalfi coast) and possibly a few other places along the way. I have no idea where to start once we fly into Rome. What is the best way to get around to different areas? We will be able to spend about 6 days in this area. I would love feedback on the "must see places", as well as restaurant ideas, lodging, and transportation. We are taking the overnight train from Rome to either Aarau or Zurich before the wedding. I still have not quite figured out how to book these tickets....Also, is it fairly safe to travel alone (2 females) in these areas?
Thank you in advance for your help!!
Amber and Madison

Hez

Budget? Interests?

And yes - safe.

Jean

"We are taking the overnight train from Rome to either Aarau or Zurich..." Is this possible without having to make at least one connection (change trains) in the middle of the night? I'm not seeing an overnight option that doesn't involve at least one change at, say, 3:15a and a longish wait (45 minutes) between trains.

You're late for finding lodging in the Positano/Amalfi Coast area in August. I would look into that before getting too committed to the idea of spending time there on this trip.

Consider spending a couple of days in Rome and then taking a train to somewhere on the way to Aarau... Say, another city in Italy (Florence, Bologna, Stresa on Lake Maggiore, etc.) or in Switzerland (Lugano?).

Jean

Or find a cheap flight Rome-Zurich and train to Lucerne for a couple of day before heading to Aarau.

kybourbon

>>>>We are taking the overnight train from Rome to either Aarau or Zurich before the wedding<<<

Overnight trains on this route haven't existed for years. There is an overnight train from Rome to Paris, but it doesn't make stops in Switzerland.

WWK

There is a fast train that gets you from Rome to Naples in just over an hour. From there, you can either hire a private driver to transfer you from Naples or take the local train to Sorrento, then a bus or boat to the Amalfi Coast.

BUT... before you arrange transportation, determine your budget and find accommodations - if you can! August is often booked months- even a year ahead- on the Amalfi Coast.

Hez

On several threads I've seen people say it will be difficult to get accommodation on the Amalfi Coast (and Rome) in August - but if I do a search on Kayak there's tons of availability. Maybe the economic situation in Europe is causing a slow down in the traditional August holidays?

waggis

Have you considered taking a flight instead the train? We flew with easyjet from Venice to Basel and saved a great deal of money.

http://easyjet.com/en/cheap-flights/...house-Freiburg

It's only a short train ride from Basel to Aarau.

amberdenzel

Jean,
You were right, there is not an overnight train. I booked a train leaving Rome at 3pm, arriving Olten at 10pm.

I am going to be traveling from Rome to Positano. This is my new situation to work out.
We are going to be in in Rome for 3 days, Positano for 3 days. then up to Switzerland for 5 days. We are staying in the Graanechan area in Switzerland. We do have a few days to venture around Switzerland.