susannag

I have found this sight by chance, but am liking the conversations. I have used the Fodor books for years too. So--I am committed to attend a family reunion in Italy. We will be in Umbria from June 30-July 7th. The five people in my family are trying to make the most of this trip. We have never been to Italy, and don't know when/if we could ever get back. I'm dreaming of doing an Itinerary which includes flying to Venice (2 nights), Florence (3 nights--- taking a day to explore Cirque Terre and hike through villages, and making a trip to Pisa?). Then we have 7 nights in Umbria with our extended family. I will ask about day trips from there once I have flights and hotels. After Umbria, I would love to spend 2 or 3 nights in Rome. Can I squeeze in Amalfi Coast after that and still fly out of Rome? Or from where should I fly out? We do have 3 kids, but they are seasoned travelers... (3 star level mostly, but to super cool places). We always do too much, but usually figure out how to make it work. My youngest climbed the Eiffel tower at age 5 without whining, and he is now 11. Thank you for your help. Italy looks SO AMAZING!

kja

If you have a month, this trip would be great! if you have less time than that, are you sure you can see / experience what you want? Just as an example, 3 nights in Florence really means just 2 days there -- and spending one of them in the Cinque Terre (with Pisa) could be incredibly unsatisfying as daytrippers can mob the area. And 1 day is very, very little time for Florence.

Here's what I recommend: Get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library) and plot your wish list on a calendar. Each time you propose to change locations, pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting lost/oriented, etc. Then see how things fit together.

Good luck!

Dave_Ohio

This could be an amazing trip! Please tell us how many days total that you will have, and a little bit more of what you were thinking about the Amalfi Coast.

Where in Umbria will you be meeting up with the rest of your family?

I would skip Pisa unless it's just a stop on your trip to Cinque Terre. I'll leave it to someone else to tell you that you are trying to do too much.

Chris_Cutler

i don't want to be negative, but I think you are overly ambitious. I take small groups to Italy, and my last one insisted on staying in Florence for three nights and going to the CinqueTerre one day. kja is right.... You would really be in Florence 1 full day. The CT, if you go with a private driver, is going to take at least two hours to go and return IF you don't run into traffic. A bus can take longer. Also, the area is one mass of people at that time of year.

Regarding the Amalfi Coast from Rome.... Again, you are there at the height of tourist season. You can take the train to Naples from Rome, and you can take another train from Naples to Vetri sul Mare, the gateway to the Amalfi. It's only 35 miles or so, and a shuttle is probably a better option. That said, the roads are going to be crowded since it's summer. I'm not sure how enjoyable it would be if you have to fight scores of others on the roads.

If you really want to go down there, plan on more than a day. Return to the States from Naples, if you can.

I hope this helps a bit.

massimop

Unless your kids are clambering to see Florence in the heat of summer, I would knock it off the list -- or possibly make it a day trip from Umbria depending on where in Umbria you will be or make it a pit stop en route from Venice to Pisa (stow your luggage in the Florence train station). Stay in a Pisa b&b overnight (air con needed) so you can see the tower all lit up, then get up the next morning to actually climb it (needs a reservation), then head off to le Cinque Terre. After some nights, rent a car in La Spezia to drive to Umbria. Depending on where you are staying in Umbria, you can break up the drive with someplace interesting. My pick might be Arezzo, but there are lots of charming villages (try Loro Ciuffeno) or farms with a pool and restaurant.

Were it me traveling with kids, after I leave Umbria I might head for Capri, stay there for some nights and then ferry to the town of Amalfi coast and have a driver waiting for us to drive the family to the Sorrento ferry dock so that we could all see the Amalfi coast along the way without taking a nauseating bus ride. Then take a taxi from the Napoli dock to the Napoli train station, stow the luggage in the train station while we go see the Veiled Christ at Cappella Sansevero, then get a pizza and some sfogliatelle (Atanasio's), and go back to get the luggage take the train to Rome.

The trip I just described is fairly expensive, but you might find it affordable and some of the costs could be lowered by smart b&b choices and family discounts for train tickets.

PalenQ

Book your Venice-Florence trains up to 90 days early for deep discounts at www.trenitalia.com - check www.seat61.com for great insights on that- for general info on Italian trains also www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

With kids try to not be too ambitious - do they want to hike between Cinque Terre villages - rather strenuous - I'd cut that and do Pisa as a day trip and 2 days in Florence. Forget Amalfi this time - no time.