jujubean

This is my second post regarding our future trip - thank you to those who previously commented regarding Rome or Siena for Christmas!

This is a very bare-bones schedule. I am looking for comments regarding the days allocated to the various places. We parents are returning to Rome for our third time, but have never been to Naples - our children have never been to Naples, Rome or Tuscany. We are a family of 4 - 2 adults, 2 teen children. I am planning very early so we can get accommodations asap as we will be going over the Christmas holidays.

Once I have the schedule set - I will fill it in with an actual itinerary activities for later comments too.

In the meantime, here's the plan:

December 20, 2014 Arrive Rome (stay Rome 12/20 - 12/27)

December 27 - leave Rome Arrive Naples (stay Naples 12/27 - 12/30)
while in Naples we plan to day trip to Paestum and see Pompeii and the museum.

December 30 - leave Naples car travel to Siena (stay Siena 12/30 - 1/3)
While in Siena we plan to day trip to Florence and Assisi and perhaps visit Etruscan sites.

January 4 - Leave for home from Rome

does this make sense? Is there any reason to change out any of the days for somewhere else? Should we stay in Florence rather than Siena? I chose Siena for the ease of seeing other towns - and because I really like Siena. We have rented cars twice in Italy and had no trouble driving around.

thanks in advance for any input

greg

Was it during warm weather months that you drove around in Italy before? While it is said to be rare, it does snow in Italy in December: http://www.tuscanypictures.com/chian...now_01.jpg.php.

Does your plan allow for a last minutes fall back plan change to not use a car?
Did you choose Rome and Siena to hit the Christmas day and the New Year?

bvlenci

It's very unlikely to snow on any part of the this trip until you get to Siena. There, snow is indeed possible, although not very frequent. The moist winds from the west usually bring warm air, while the cold winds from the east are usually very dry. Consequently, rain is much more likely than snow.

All cars in Tuscany are required to have snow tires or carry chains from mid-November to mid-April. Make sure your rental car provides one or the other.

Snow is even more likely in Assisi than in Siena. I was caught in a snowstorm there once, on a day when it was well over freezing at my home further east. However, since this is a day trip, it can be planned for a day when precipitation isn't predicted, or you could just go somewhere else.

Italy doesn't cope with snow very well. Even half an inch can cause chaos in many places.

Many of the Etruscan sites are easier to visit from Rome than from Siena. Two of the best, Cerveteri and Tarquinia, are much closer to Rome than to Siena. You might want to get an early start from Rome and stop at those sites en route. Tarquinia has an excellent museum of the Etruscan civilization, as well as the necropolis. I really liked Cerveteri better than Tarquinia, where the tombs are mostly reached by steps leading down to them, whereas in Cerveteri, you walk along lanes surrounded by tombs, some of which you can even enter (the ones with no works of art, obviously). There is also a museum at Cerveteri, but we didn't have time to visit it. It's not as famous as the one at Tarquinia, if that means anything.

If you're interested in ancient civilizations, as it seems you are, you should visit the National Etruscan Museum at Villa Giulia in Rome. Also, the Vatican Museums have a superb Etruscan collection, and an even more splendid Egyptian collection.

Paestum is not very close to Naples. The direct trains take about an hour and a half. Driving would take about the same amount of time. The station isn't far from the site, or so I'm told. We drove, and didn't notice a train station.

Judy

Can you fly into Naples and out of Rome so you don't need to go back to Rome to fly home? Put all of your Rome stay at the end of your trip.

jujubean

Greg - thank you for the reminder that things do not always go as planned! Funny, in considering snow,I am currently looking out at copious amounts of snow and it is still going strong. BUT your point is taken that snow in Tuscany is different than snow here in the way it is handled. My fall back would be to stick tight to Siena and just relax and enjoy. Cutting out the day trips if weather does not permit. I do wonder if that is a good reason to stay in Florence - but I'm not sure that the flexibility of car travel and the price difference in accommodation is worth the trade off to stay in Florence.

Judy and BV - thanks for the suggestions. I like the idea of flying into Naples and out of Rome, which is certainly doable (depending on price difference - 4 tickets can get pricey) But if we go to Tuscany, there will be backtracking to Rome - unless we fly out of Florence - again $$ is an issue.

I also like the idea of stopping at the Etruscan sites on our way from Rome. Yes, you're observant BV - my daughter loves greek and Roman history. She is the motivation behind this trip.

We do want to be in Rome for Christmas day - so maybe the schedule should look like this:

fly into Naples - stay 12/20-12/23 train to Rome

Rome from 12/23 to 12/30 then on to Siena for 12/30- 1/3/15

and check into flying home from Florence. $$$ permitting.

Better?

Judy

I wasn't actually thinking of the Christmas holiday when I posted. My advice was Naples, Tuscany and ending in Rome, not where you wanted to be for Christmas.

Look at jamikins Tuscany Christmas post.....sounds like Tuscany might be wonderful for Christmas. Then Rome for New Years.

bvlenci

It's possible that flights between the US and Naples (or Florence) will involve a transit through Rome anyway, and I really don't care for transits. I would almost rather take the train; it's not that much slower, especially when you consider getting into the city from the airport. In checking prices, though, remember that you'd be saving train fare (less transport from the airport).

jujubean

I just did a quick check of the flights available given my schedule. It would work to fly into Naples and out of Florence. Yes, I would have a layover in Paris one way and Amsterdam the other. But even if I go into and out of Rome I have a layover in Frankfurt.

Judy, I do see my error in reading your post. I'll have to give that suggestion more thought. Maybe look at closings of museums to gauge what is best. I must say, I had a sentimental reason for being in Rome for Christmas. When we were with the kids in Venice, on Christmas morning there was a riot of church bells announcing the day. It was completely enchanting to hear the bells roll through the city from church to church. We had hoped to recreate that experience in Rome.

But, with that said, perhaps we need to let that memory be and let practicality take over this time! If we can make the most of our time in Italy by changing our itinerary - then so be it! I'm sure this trip will have its own magical moments.

jujubean

Sorry - I also meant to say that Jamikins has strongly influenced my perspective. Don't they do great trip reports?

Judy

I always like my last destination to be the city I leave from....just saves backtracking and one night stays.

jujubean

My husband likes the idea - I think I'll finalize the new and improved schedule after I take a look at holiday closings. My guess is that I will find less conflict with closings in Rome after Christmas.

And yes, it does make sense to think of Rome as the destination - ie. final stop!

bvlenci

Most museums, and not only in Rome, will be closed for Christmas but reopen on the 26th. To be sure, check the places you want to visit. However, the 26th is both a national and religious holiday, so visits to churches will have to work around masses, and many shops will be closed.

One very Italian activity is to go from church to church to see the presepi (Christmas crèches). They're often elaborate, with lighting and activity that follows the course of the sun. Smaller churches may have the presepe in an adjacent building, with a sign pointing to it.

jamikins

Here is our trip report from this past New Years

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-new-years.cfm

We absolutely loved it!!

jujubean

Thanks jamikins - I had already read your trip report. I think more than once...you do a fantastic job!

So here's the new thought that I have after getting feedback:

Arrive Rome 12/20 - leave for Naples immediately (train? I'd rather not drive Naples)
Naples 12/20-12/23 - rent car to travel to Siena
Siena 12/23-12/27
Rome 12/27 - 1/3

Sound good? This schedule allows for us to rent the car as we leave Naples and then return it to Rome.

The other - perhaps better option - cost permitting - would be to fly into Naples and leave from Rome. To go directly to Naples would make our first day immensely easier.

thoughts?

Judy

We are doing a similar trip in May of this year and will fly into Naples and out of Rome. It was not much more than round trip Rome and, since we plan to start our trip in Capri, it definitely cut down on train transfers, etc. The fewer methods of transportation on which I have to schlep my bag, the better.

cmeyer54

We just spent 12 days in Rome for Christmas 2013. Trip report is here: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-rome-2013.cfm

I was concerned about restaurants being open Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve and Day - we had no problems at all; even shops were open on Christmas Day