azzure

Please take a look at this draft itinerary and let me know what you think. This will be my second trip to each of these places (my third to Rome), but I'm traveling with my sis who has never been to any of them; so I am the tour guide.

November 9 (Wed) Rome: arrive 1 PM from Seattle. Hotel near Vatican. Wander to Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi, Campo de Fiori.

November 10 (Thurs) Rome. Vatican, St. Peter's, Scavi Tour.

November 11th (Friday) Rome: AM: Colosseum, Forum. PM: if possible, a trip to Ostia Antica.

November 12th (Saturday) depart Rome by train, arrive Florence about 1 PM. Wander, Accademia, and Fiesole.

November 13th (Sunday); day trip to Siena (?) (I've never been there, but it looks like the best day trip to take out of Florence).

November 14th (Monday): explore/shop Florence, depart for Venice by train, arriving around 4 PM. Hotel near St. Mark's Square. Wander and explore evening Venice.

November 15th (Tuesday): Venice: St. Mark's, Secret Itinerary Doges Tour.

November 16th (Wednesday) Venice: Vaporetto down Grand Canal, Burano/Murano tour.

November 17th (Thursday) Venice: Explore churches esp. Frari. Night train to Paris.

November 18th (Friday) Arrive Paris 8 am. Hotel near Arc de Triomphe. Notre Dame, St. Chappelle, Tuileries, Orangerie.

November 19th: (Saturday) Paris: Scheduled L'Open bus tour, stops at major sites. We will take our time and stop wherever we wish.

November 20th: (Sunday) Paris; day trip to Versailles (I've never been there.)

November 21st: (Monday): flight home to Seattle

I should point out that my sister loves history but is not so much an art buff. This is OK with me as I've worked in a few art museums and have already been to the Uffizi, Musee D'Orsay and Borghese, so don't mind missing them on this trip. I'd appreciate any and all (constructive) comments. Also, what sights do I need advance reservations for and how do I make them? Thanks so much for your help.

Jean

Considering how early sunset will be, I'd skip Ostia Antica and use the time to continue wandering Rome, perhaps see the Castello (for the history) or go to the top of Gianicolo for the views.

Likewise, I'd skip Fiesole in order to have more time to see Florence. You've given yourself only a few hours actually in Florence. For views, you could go to the Belvedere or Piazzale Michelangelo.

azzure

Thanks...probably a good idea to do Piazzale Michelangelo instead of Fiesdole since the next day we will be in Siena (or possibly San G).

But lacking the time to get to Pompeii, I would love for my sister to see Ostia Antica. Maybe if we did that early in the morning and came back to do the Forum/Colosseum?

Also, I forgot that in Paris we'll try to do the Louvre highlights on the 18th...it's open late on Fridays.

Jean

You should check the closing time for the Forum and the Colosseum in November. I think it's 4/4:30. Since Ostia Antica is about an hour each way, you'll have to be very disciplined to leave it in time to see both the Forum and the Colosseum. If it's raining, I wouldn't go to Ostia Antica.

qwovadis

www.eurocheapo.com

great city guides

your itinerary looks fine

Happy Journey,

qwovadis

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notbob

You might want to consider flying between Venice and Paris. EasyJet has flight s from Venice Marco Polo to CDg and Orly. Both of you could fly for probaly slightly over 100 euro total with a bag each or 75 euro w/o a checked bag.

Trian fare is going to considerably more than that. the diference could pay for an extra hotel night in either Venice or Paris.

It is mostly hard for me to rest well on overnight trains. Your mileage may vary.

www.easyjet.com

mamcalice

You are very efficiently covering these 4 great cities. But you haven't left yourselves time to get the feel of the cities. I think I would skip day trips out of towwn (Siena and Versaailles). Especially in Paris where the best part about visiting the city is the ambiance you can only get by strolling, stopping in parks, stopping in cafes, etc. A Seine boat cruise, if the weather is nice, is a lovely way to see many of the great sights of Paris.

steviegene

I personally would cut it down to only 3 destinations -- this itinerary seems like way too much traveling in the time you have. Cutting out one destination would give you a much better feeling of each place, and allowing you time to sit back and enjoy spending time in each (sometimes the best experience is sitting at a cafe watching the city go by).

This seems too rushed for my taste -- you will have barely any time in Florence (especially with a sidetrip to Siena) and it really doesn't do it justice. I also think you could easily spend a week in Paris.

I would stick to just doing Rome, Florence & Venice or alternatively Rome, Venice, Paris.

anothertravelinsong

I'm pretty sure Ostia Antica closes early in the afternoon so morning is better.

azzure

Thanks everyone...flights, hotels and trains are already booked. I'm looking at the overnight train as a unique travel experience as neither of us has ever done it before!

I am one of those rare folks who is not enchanted by Florence; we will have two half-days and two full evenings there so I hope to make the most of that experience. I would love for my sister to see some of the Tuscan countryside and I'd hoped the trip to Siena would provide that? Or should we go somewhere else for a more rural Italian feel?

Re: Ostia Antica; it looks like with early closing times that will not be a possibility. I am sad but perhaps another time.

CharlotteJ

I am planning my first trip with a similar itinerary, without Paris. I Think I may steal ideas from yours. It looks good to me. Maybe a little fast paced (having never gone before I don't know from experience), but as you have been before you probably have an idea of what you want to see again, what you missed last time, or what your sister would like.

azzure

Hi Charlotte - I am still doing some fine-tuning, but am glad you like my draft agenda. Still scheming to figure out a way to get to Ostia Antica, though.

Jean

CharlotteJ, you need to tailor a trip to your interests. Azzure's itinerary leaves little/no time for the world-class museums and art treasures in these cities. I would never tour at this pace because I'm an admitted museum/art addict.

But, to each his/her own.

ira

Hi Azz,

Looks good to me.

Have you considered staying in Italy and going to Paris in the future?

jnjfraz

"Siena (or possibly San G)." Please pick Siena, it is so much more than San G.

I agree about flying from venice to Paris. You can take easyjet for about 40 a person.

azzure

Hi Ira - thanks for the vote of confidence. Hotels, flights and intercity transportation (by train)are already booked for this trip. I'm trying to make it a good first-timer sampler for my sister (who, as I mentioned earlier, loves history but not so much art.) Still, I'm including some art museums whenever I can (Louvre, Orangerie, Accademia, Vatican). I think that will be just about as much art as she can handle! ;-)

Jnjfraz - (or anyone) -- Is the bus trip from Florence to Siena very scenic? I would like my sis to experience a little bit of Tuscan countryside.

kiwipete

Trip looks good, Have done overnight train from Paris to Venice and it was very enjoyable and one of our great memories of a 3 week trip- ENJOY

bg17

IMO Versailles is overrated, especially by that time when you'll have seen numerous sites that are better. If you're interested check out Fat Tire Bike tours in Paris. I've done their night tour twice and it's fantastic. It ends up with a cruise down the Seine

ira

Hi Azz,

>Is the bus trip from Florence to Siena very scenic?<

Not particularly, but it is not unpleasant.

Fiesole is a nice Tuscan hill town.
Go up in the late afternoon, see the Tuscan ruins and watch the sun set over the city from the terrace of the Bar Bleu. (You can skip the ruins, if you wish).