Crazy itinerary! Why would want to spend more time in trains than enjoying Italy? Imo, at the very least, either Pompeii has to go, or Florence/Venice!

I think it's too much. I would either stick to 1) Rome with a sidetrip to Pompeii, or 2) Venice and Florence.

However, if you could add 1 night and fly into one city and out of another (rather than into and out of Rome), you could always do Venice 2 nights, Florence 2 nights, and Rome 3 nights.

Rome-Pompeii-Sorrento-Napoli OR Rome-Florence-Venice. And even those options are really pushing it. Only one day in Rome is just too little for such a fabulous place. With all there is to see, I'm sure your son will have his fill of historic sites! And do remember that Pompeii in July will be hellishly hot!

This is nuts! Not only will you see nothing, you will come away not liking Italy because all you will do is pack/unpack, check into and out of hotels, travel to train stations, wait in train stations and ride trains.

To see even a little of Italy, choose Rome and Pompeii, Rome and Florence or Rome and Venice. Fly into Rome and out of Naples, Florence or Venice. It will still be a rushed trip but you will allow yourself time to appreciate your destinations.

Opps, I meant to add that 2-2-3 is still very rushed, and I would only do it if you could fly open jaw.

If you're locked into flying into and out of Rome, you could add 1 day and maybe include Florence. Hop on a train as soon as you land at the airport and do Florence 2-3 nights, then back to Rome for 5-4 nights.

Rome has a lot to see however, I really don't think you'd get bored spending an entire week there.

I want to see the whole of Rome ,>>

you'd need more than 5 days to do this, even if you spent the whole time in Rome. Truly, this is madness - and in July when it will be HOT.

firstly, can you change the flights so as to do open jaw? ie into Venice, out of Rome or vice versa?

if not, consider going straight to venice once you arrive in Italy - the express train from Fiumicino will take you into termini station, where you can get on a train to venice without having to go into Rome at all. this means that you will save precious time at the end of the trip, and start to recover from any jetlag while you are doing the longest train journey.

stay 2 nights in Venice.

then get the early train to florence, [forget Pisa, you don't have time] stay 1 night.

finally evening train to Rome, stay 2 nights. forget about Pompeii and the amalfi - you don't want to spend more time travelling than you really have to when your trip is so short.

alternatively, toss a coin and see who wins - stay there.

Way too much!

You have a lovely tour of the train stations of Italy and next to no time to see anythng. And you are counting some days twice -- so you don;t really know how little time you have. You said you want to see the "whole of rome". Well, IMHO to see the most basic sights in rome will take 3 full days (as in spending FOUR nights there) - not one days plus a few hours extra. and that's not the "whole" of rome - but only the most major sights.

In the very little time you have I would stay in Rome and just do one day trip.

Separately, you haven;t said how old the kids are - which makes a big difference. ( if they're small - 5 or less - what you have planned is simply impossible. If they are elementary age I think you will have a whole lot of overtire and cranky kids. With teens - they can probably kep up - but will they want to?)

Nor do you seem to be taking into account how hot it will be in italy then - likely 90s - perhaps higher and humid- so you won;t be able to rush madly from one thing to another without any down time except by risking heat stroke.

Please, rethink this.

Putting together the best suggestions, you might try this to fit in most on your list. it is still incredibly hurried, but at least you are safely in Rome a few days before your flight rather than making this extra connection on the day of the flight. In this scenario, if you have the energy, you might make the long day trip to Pompeii on the 12th or 13th. Or better yet, visit Ostia Antica, an ancient city similar to Pompeii but much closer to Rome.

Jul 9 - arrive Rome; train immediately to Venice; sleep Venice
Jul 10 - Venice
Jul 11- early train to Florence; check luggage at train station and see a bit of Florence for a few hours; late afternoon/early evening train to Rome; sleep Rome
Jul 12- Rome
Jul 13- Rome
Jul 14- fly home

Rome wasn't built in a day.

Be sure to account for the most important part of any visit to Italy... eating!! The food is one of the true joys of any visit to Italy, and an important part of the cultural experience. Remember that Italian food is intended to be savored and enjoyed with the family. Most restaurant meals will take a couple of hours... and that is the whole point of visting Italy! Allow your self time to linger over a meal, or a glass of wine, or just sit in a piazza and people-watch. More than any individual site you will see, this is what you will truly remember about a visit to Italy.

Whistlestop tour alright! But really, even just Rome with a side trip to Pompeii & Sorrento is going to be tight. Not to mention the heat, we did this circuit end May/early June last year and boy, was it hot! Strongly suggest you pace yourselves out and keep Florence/Venice for another trip

Termini Station is IN Rome, so, yes, you do have to go into Rome if you are using this train station.

Thin

I've seen crazy itineraries here, but this may take the prize. I guess you're doing a thesis on Italian train stations; otherwise, it's not a "vacation" or even a "trip." It's utter madness.

A few otehr things to remember... assuming you are coming from the US, you will be quite jet-lagged on your first day, and will still be tired on your second and third days. And also assuming you are from the US, a helpful way to consider this same question is what advice would you give a European visitor who suggested they'd planned to see Washington DC (with a side trip to Baltimore), Philadelphia and NYC all in five days?

Not to be.

Oh, and another thing to consider is that Florence and Venice will be PACKED with tourists the second week in July.

If you are around St. Mark's Square in Venice or near the Duomo in Florence, you will experience a TSUNAMI of tourists.

This will slow you down--long lines to get into churches, museums, and other attractions.

If you are planning on visiting Uffizi, Doge's Palace, etc. you better make reservations.

Rome isn't so bad during the high tourist season because it is such a big city.

Thin

Ladies and Gentlemen , I've never been called crazy 16 times in a day and this was only 5 hours !! An achievement of sorts...

I was being too ambitious but as you all have said , Italy is all about the beauty , food & drink and enjoyment rather than a whistlestop tour of train stations. The heat will certainly be a deciding factor and so will be the Tsunami of tourists.

Rome and Pompeii it is ! 4 days in Rome and a day and a half in Pompeii.

We are flying in from East Midlands (UK) and this is a part of our 3 week sojourn home from Muscat ,Oman.

Suggestions for a 4 day stay in Rome are welcome please..

Thanks again.

Here is a recent thread on staying with a family in Rome regarding the accomodations:
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/need-help-in-choosing-a-hotel-in-rome-for-family-of-4.cfm

I'm sure this Will be rented, but just in case.... One of the best rental apartments we've rented... http://www.flipkey.com/rome-condo-rentals/p144965/

Hooray! Your new plan sounds fantastic! You will love Rome.

well done, DB! it takes a strong person to accept advice which is sometimes not as tactfully given as it might be - and I'm as guilty of that as any!

4 days in rome plus 1 &1/2 in Pompeii is a much better plan I think.

have a great trip!

For the 1 & 1/2 days trip for Pompeii...stay in Sorrento,by the beach ( 25 minutes train ride from Pompeii ).....

So glad you've decided to change you mind, I was tense just thinking about your itinerary! Also I wouldn't fancy Venice in July. Tell you wife it will be much nicer when you get there another time off season.

Yikes to your first plan and Hurray for your second plan!

Do look for an apartment in Rome. If you get a 2 bedroom place, you can have more room to stretch out, and a little kitchenette where you can keep food, and even make a simple meal or two. We sometimes have a big lunch in a restaurant and then just a salad or small meal at dinner in the apartment.

In addition to FlipKey.com, look at VRBO.com, and Sleepinitaly.com. But you had better book SOON if this trip will take place in July of this year!!!

Hi I'm from Western Australia and I'm going to Italy in September. Venice down the east coast, Sicily, Amalfi Coast then Rome.
Cant decide whether to go by train or hire a car.
Any thoughts?