Hi! I only just started researching our trip to Italy and I feel inundated with information. Nothing is booked so we have some flexibility--assuming we can find a place to stay. We are going to celebrate our first wedding anniversary.

Initial thoughts: Go to Italy for 10 days in the first part of October. Add a couple days for air travel time from/to the Western US.

Arrive in Florence or Pisa. Depart Rome.

We really want to go to these places: Florence; Rome (3 nights); Amalfi Coast

We would like to go to Cinque Terre if we're starting in Florence. I've heard that Oct might not be a good time for CT and adding a day trip to CT would be pushing it since we have 3 other destinations. I'm thinking about cutting CT. Any thoughts on the Almafi Coast in October?

Given the above, what's a recommended itinerary? Are there suggested side trips/stops in between? I know I still have more research to do but this is my start.

Please help!

Well I would choose - either the CT or Amalfi - if you are defiately going to Amalfi, probably makes sense to skip CT and I think to do it as a day trip from Florence would be a bit much. I would think Oct would be nice hiking weather in either place but maybe not swimming.

I think we're going to skip CT. Would love to go but I don't want to squeeze in too many places. My husband is a mountain climber so the hiking is not that big of a deal to him. He'd rather go to the Amalfi Coast.

Arrive in Florence on 10/1 and depart Rome on 10/11. I might be able to add another day but I have to wait and see. We will book our tickets soon.

I'm still trying to figure out how many nights to spend in Florence and the Amalfi Coast (not sure where to stay yet). I think 3 nights in Rome should be enough.

I would recommend going to the Amalfi Coast after Florence, then ending your trip in Rome since you are flying out of there. I'd spend 2 nights in Florence, take the fast train (3:15) to Naples and stay for 5 nights (Sorrento, Positano or Amalfi), then train to Rome for your last 3 nights.

You could take a night or two from the AC and stay on Capri before heading to Rome. Of course depending on your interests, you may wish to add another night to Florence instead of the AC.

Good luck with your planning!

thanks for the recommendations. i'm going to see if i can expend another day of vacation for italy. i have to go to asia at the end of the year so i'll be maxing out the vacation.

i think we've narrowed our scope pretty well so i'll look into the accommodations and transportation next.

Hi N,

If you are planning on the AC, why not fly into FLR, PSA or FCO, visit Florence then Rome then the AC and fly home from Naples.

I looked into flying out of Naples. We want to stick with Skyteam because of my husband's FF status. The flights seem to be more expensive out of Naples and we have to connect in Rome. We are flying to Seattle and would rather take a direct flight from Amsterdam or Paris rather than connect through JFK or ATL.

I'll look at some of the other postings later but if anyone has any recommended places to stay in Florence, Rome, Sorrento, or Capri, I would appreciate it. We're not rich but would like to stay in nice, clean place that's not too expensive. We might want to splurge a little if we were to get a room with water view.

How would we get from Sorrento to Rome?

Any thoughts on these hotels in Florence?

Florence Hotel Giglio
Hotel Kursaal & Ausonia
San Gallo Palace Hotel
Silla Hotel