10 days in Italy?
 

Excluding fly in to Rome and fly out Venice days from Boston is the following 10 day itinerary too hectic for a first trip to Italy in Early Nov 2012? If so, Can someone offer a better schedule beyond the typical Rome,Florence and Venice trio and comment on the weather during the date listed? Thank you for input.
2 days Rome ( include 1/2 day Vatican)
1 day Naples
1day Pompeii
1day Amalfi
1day Sienna
2 days Florence
2 days Venice

for weather you are looking at cold and rainy...i tried to think of a nicer way to say it but...:) however, having grown up in london i am used to it and truth be told, europe in general can be just as enjoyable in the rain, if not more so. maybe i'm just a romantic, but ducking into a warm cafe in the middle of the afternoon and watching the world go by can be glorious. as far as your itinerary, you are borderline rushing it and the one suggestion i have is if you don't mind spending some money is to use private transportation and guides as they take the stress out of traveling from place to place and make you feel way less rushed when you are trying to pack some many destinations into a trip. my mom used a company a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it, it was her and a few of her really good friends. their website is www.a-la-carte-europe-tours.com......hope this helps and have a great trip!

You have very little time in Naples, as I figure that that day includes the travel time from Rome to Naples (leaving the Rome hotel at 9 or 10 am, going to the train station, taking the train, going to your Naples hotel, etc.). That will eat up a good part of your day. You should include the archeological museum in your Naples stay. I am not sure that Pompeii would be enjoyable if it is raining. So if the weather looks bad for that week, skip Naples and the rest of the south and spend more time in Rome and destinations north.

Excluding fly in to Rome and fly out Venice days from Boston is the following 10 day itinerary too hectic for a first trip to Italy in Early Nov 2012?>>

short answer - yes.

Long answer - query if it's worth going to the Amalfi in November anyway, but you aren't staying long enough to enjoy it; dtto Naples. sadly the time you've got is not consistent with anything BUT the Rome - Florence - Venice trio, if those are places you want to see. if you don't want to see them but are just flying in and out of Rome and Venice for convenience, then the world, or rather Italy is your oyster.

Unless you go for the Rome-Florence-Venice combo, and assuming you are really interested in Naples, i would suggest getting the strain straight there from Rome, stay 3 nights [gives you time for Pompeii and the museums] then rent a car, head north, 2 nights in southern tuscany, 2 nights somewhere like Bologna, 3 nights in Venice. if you don't want to see Venice, then you have longer to spend on the way there - you might like to think about staying in Viterbo, Assisi, Orvieto in Umbria or Parma, Ravenna or Verona further north.

if there are just two of you, then it is probably unnecessary to book in advance apart from in Naples and Venice.

There are many days in November that are dry and sunny, especially in Rome and Naples. Problem is, you can't know which those will be. You certainly don't want to see the Amalfi drive in the rain, nor be walking around Pompei all day.

In November, you also risk the possibility of minor flooding in Venice. You can minimize the impact that will have on your trip if you don't book a hotel around the San Marco area.

I'm assuming your air tix are already bought. Were it me and I was absolutely determined to see all these sights, I would fly Rome but head directly to Naples. If the weather is nice the 2d day of your trip, see the Amalfi. If it is nice the 3rd day of your trip, see Pompei. If it is not nice either of those days, go to Rome (from Naples) and see the Vatican. You don't need nice weather to sightsee in Naples.

Leaving Naples, I would park my luggage at the train station and see the Colosseum and the Forum. Get back on the train late in the day and and head to Florence to spend the night.

Spend the next day and night in Florence. Go to Venice.

Using Naples as a base to visit Rome is a pretty unconventional way of going about things, but if you are worried that weather may make it impossible for you to see Pompei and the Amalfi drive, positioning yourself in Naples to take advantage of a sunny day ups your chances of getting to appreciate the Amalfi drive in November.

annhg and I were apparently writing at the same time. I have no idea why anyone would suggest you alter your plans to drive to Viterbo or head so far out of your way to see Parma. I'm really amazed by such a suggestion. Of course there is a nice church in both these places. But they have nothing to do with your trip, and the weather in November around these places is not only rainy, but foggy, adding to the driving difficulties. Bologna is much colder than Rome.

Sorry, I hope that didn't sound too harsh (I re-read my post). I'm sure all idea are appreciated. But I don't know many people who would think Viterbo is much of a destination in November or who enjoy trying to drive a car into Bologna.

agaumineral - my shoulders are broad - i can take it.

personally I don't see Parma as being that far out of the way and of course, NEITHER of us knows what the weather will be like in November. it might be glorious. The impression [perhaps wrong] is that the OP is looking for a trip that isn't just Rome/Florence/Venice and might appreciate some less obvious suggestions. after then, it's up to him/her to do some research and decide what to do and how to approach it.

Thanks all! No tickets purchased yet. Perhaps the two of us should rethink our destination. We have several bucket list must see's in next five year timespan. Approx 12-14 days each. This year it has to be between 11/1-12/31. Use it or lose it thing. Sounds like Italy may be next year. Last Jan was Hawaii 12 days of Sun Sun Fun. Ideas?...

Brookie -

it looks to me like the main, or a main interest for you is Naples and the Amalfi. not a good choice for November - though the days might be warm, they also might not be, and despite what I said above, the fact is that further north it IS likely to be cold/er and wet.

if you have a choice, I'd leave Italy to some time when you can visit in the spring-summer - May/june for preference, though September is also lovely.

You don;t have nearly enough time to see all of those palces. And in Nov there is o way I would do Amalfi - a beach resort off season with half the hotels and restaurants closed and ferry schedule sparse - if running at all - it not way to go.

Also - you have not allowed any time to get from one place to another (unless you are personal friends of Jim Kirk and can be instantly transported from one place to another. You actually have only part days in several places - and not enough time to see much anywhere.

(You really can't do the Vatican in half a day - unless you cut out several major sights - it just takes more hours than that.)

Strongly suggest you look at the Michelin green guides - from the library if necessary. It lists all major sights and tells you how long it will take to see them.

I hope everyone has broad shoulders. I haven't seen a reasonable suggestion yet - so many have added places to your original list. All of your destinations are great but you won't enjoy any of them at the pace you are traveling. If your bucket list includes places that don't risk being chilly and possibly rainy, think of those this year.

I think Italy is a fine choice but I would concentrate on Rome, Florence and Venice where you can enjoy lots of indoor attractions if the weather is not nice.

Your time frame will allow you a decent amount of time if you limit your stops to those 3 destinations. Consider 4 days in Rome, 3 in Florence and 3 in Venice. This gives you time to do something other than rush from place to place and have no time for anything but train stations and trains.

Great feedback all! Thanks. so we will get more traditional this first time and do the all important trio.We were basing our first itinerary on a friends must do. They were on some one else's dime:) Is the weather for Oct 5-16 much better for Italy? The warm spots on the bucket list include So America, Including Brazil if it's safe. Ya I know it's getting there for the Olympics and Spain, Bali, French Polynesian?

Is the weather for Oct 5-16 much better for Italy?>>

we spent the last week in October in Florence a few years ago and it was lovely - warm, not to say hot during the day, and warm enough to eat out in the evenings, so the middle of the month should be fine.

It is true that there is a little more rain in November - although it's not the monsoon or the rainforest! Good suggestion about that tour comapny A La Carte Europe Tours - I had used them twice, and they were absolutely impeccable... if you can afford.