11 days in Italy- Where do we go?
Jan 8th, 2014, 07:25 AM
#1
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11 days in Italy- Where do we go?
My boyfriend and I are going to Italy for 11 days. We are planning on doing 2 days in Rome and 1 day in Venice but are not sure about which other places to choose. We do not like resorts, museums, tours, and city life (Rome is the only exception). We love the water (Coastal areas), wine, food and beautiful views. Below are a few options that I've been reading up on. Which is the most beautiful and the the one we would enjoy the most? Do we have time to do 2?
Amalfi Coast- Sorrento, Capri
Cinque Terre
Ligurian coast
Lake Region
Tremitri Islands
Tuscany/Umbria
Please help!
Amalfi Coast- Sorrento, Capri
Cinque Terre
Ligurian coast
Lake Region
Tremitri Islands
Tuscany/Umbria
Please help!
Jan 8th, 2014, 07:32 AM
#2
If you only have 11 days, does this include arrival and departure days? If so, your time on the ground is quite short so you need to limit your travelling between places to a minimum so that you don't waste it.
Two days in Rome isn't enough and one in Venice is a waste of the travelling time. You need IMHO at least 3 nights in each place to do them justice. This doesn't give you time to see much else, so I'd recommend flying into Rome, 3 nights in the Lakes and then Venice, from where you'd fly home.
Two days in Rome isn't enough and one in Venice is a waste of the travelling time. You need IMHO at least 3 nights in each place to do them justice. This doesn't give you time to see much else, so I'd recommend flying into Rome, 3 nights in the Lakes and then Venice, from where you'd fly home.
Jan 8th, 2014, 07:33 AM
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When are you going? Time of year makes a big difference.
Off hand I'd say the Amalfi may be one of the best options given your preferences - so so much to see and do there - not only the Amalfi but Pompeii, Capri, Ischia, Paestum, ascending Mt Vesuvius to the crater
You certainly have time for one other place and each of your options could be great for your tastes - the Cinque Terre is neat but sadly overrun with tourists in summer, negating the normal romantic atmosphere but if going outside of the summer rush it can be so neat.
All of your options are neat places that will fulfill your wish list. Can't go wrong.
Are you going by train oar?
Off hand I'd say the Amalfi may be one of the best options given your preferences - so so much to see and do there - not only the Amalfi but Pompeii, Capri, Ischia, Paestum, ascending Mt Vesuvius to the crater
You certainly have time for one other place and each of your options could be great for your tastes - the Cinque Terre is neat but sadly overrun with tourists in summer, negating the normal romantic atmosphere but if going outside of the summer rush it can be so neat.
All of your options are neat places that will fulfill your wish list. Can't go wrong.
Are you going by train oar?
Jan 8th, 2014, 08:38 AM
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The places that you mentioned would leave you no time at all for Greece.
You can save Greece for another visit.
Personally i find Monaco less appealing, compared to all the other places that you have listed.
You can save Greece for another visit.
Personally i find Monaco less appealing, compared to all the other places that you have listed.
Jan 14th, 2014, 05:22 PM
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Of course you can, but you will spend an entire day between going and coming, and time is what you do not have.
Read about the AC--it is really 5 destinations and takes time.
The CT is much closer and can be enjoyed in 2 days.
Read about the AC--it is really 5 destinations and takes time.
The CT is much closer and can be enjoyed in 2 days.
Jan 14th, 2014, 05:26 PM
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Agree with Bob. As it is you will spend a lot of precious time in transit just to get to cinque Terre. I would pick two locations nod drop that myself and enjoy the time in rome and Venice rather than in more transit given your short time frame.
Jan 28th, 2014, 06:42 AM
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Not sure how you're going to fit all those places into 11 days. More is not better, especially in Italy. Are you modeling your itinerary on a bus tour? Traveling independently is not the same, takes more time.
Are you flying into and out of Italy? If you don't already have your tickets, do an open jaws (multi-city) flight, say into Naples or Rome, out of Venice. Starting in the south where it's warmer. Such a ticket should cost about the same as a round-trip ticket and save you the time and expense of backtracking.
As a rule, in Italy you need to be in your departure city the night before you leave.
Are you flying into and out of Italy? If you don't already have your tickets, do an open jaws (multi-city) flight, say into Naples or Rome, out of Venice. Starting in the south where it's warmer. Such a ticket should cost about the same as a round-trip ticket and save you the time and expense of backtracking.
As a rule, in Italy you need to be in your departure city the night before you leave.
Jan 28th, 2014, 06:54 AM
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SInce your 11 days includes travel to and from Italy, you really only have 9 days on the ground. You can't enjoy and experience 4+ locations in 9 days. Choose 3. Perhaps Rome, Tuscany and Cinque Terre. Fly into Rome and out of Pisa or vice versa. Or Rome, Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast, flying into Rome and out of Naples. This will be pretty rushed but 4 destinations will be chaotic.
Jan 28th, 2014, 07:34 AM
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I have been to Italy many times and I feels strongly that your plans are overly-ambitious. Limit yourself to three cities: fly into Rome -- 3 nights there, then to Florence (Tuscany) for 3 mights and then to Venice for 3 nights and home from there. Until you have done a trip like this, you may not realize the time that it takes to get from one city to another via train. Basically, you get up, eat breakfast, taxi/walk to the train station, buy your tickets, figure out how to use the schedule board, find the right track, get on the train and get to your destination city. Then you have to find your hotel and voila, it is mid-afternoon and most of that day has been spent traveling.
I know this because it has happened to me. So limit your destinations, and enjoy Italy. Besides, rarely does one take a single trip to Italy. It is a magical place!
I know this because it has happened to me. So limit your destinations, and enjoy Italy. Besides, rarely does one take a single trip to Italy. It is a magical place!
Jan 28th, 2014, 08:25 AM
#17
mstantia - we did whirlwind trip like this round northern Italy when we were young, but with one difference - we were driving and apart from our first stop in Venice we booked hotels as we went along and moved on when we'd had enough.
High spots? Lake garda, where we spent a night, Florence - ditto, and Venice where we spent 3 nights at the beginning. Regrets? not spending long enough on Lake Garda, or in tuscany, where we moved on too quickly.
we have rarely regretted spending longer in a place but we have regretted leaving too soon.
it can help to set out your days in tabular form:
Day 1 - arrive in ? Venice. sleep Venice.
Day 2 - Train to Tuscany [where?] arrive at about lunchtime. Check in. [by now it's mid afternoon] spend rest of afternoon exploring ?
Day 3 - Tuscany
Day 4 - travel to Sorrento/Positano [do Capri as a day trip]
Day 5 - 8 - Sorrento
Day 9 - train to Rome. arrive about lunchtime.
Day 10 - Rome
Day 11 - go home.
for my tastes you have far too much time travelling/orienting yourselves, and not enough time seeing and doing things. you could borrow a day from Sorrento and give it to Rome, but then you've only got 2 days for Sorrento, Capri and Positano.
3 places would be just about doable, but beyond that, IMO it's just too much.
High spots? Lake garda, where we spent a night, Florence - ditto, and Venice where we spent 3 nights at the beginning. Regrets? not spending long enough on Lake Garda, or in tuscany, where we moved on too quickly.
we have rarely regretted spending longer in a place but we have regretted leaving too soon.
it can help to set out your days in tabular form:
Day 1 - arrive in ? Venice. sleep Venice.
Day 2 - Train to Tuscany [where?] arrive at about lunchtime. Check in. [by now it's mid afternoon] spend rest of afternoon exploring ?
Day 3 - Tuscany
Day 4 - travel to Sorrento/Positano [do Capri as a day trip]
Day 5 - 8 - Sorrento
Day 9 - train to Rome. arrive about lunchtime.
Day 10 - Rome
Day 11 - go home.
for my tastes you have far too much time travelling/orienting yourselves, and not enough time seeing and doing things. you could borrow a day from Sorrento and give it to Rome, but then you've only got 2 days for Sorrento, Capri and Positano.
3 places would be just about doable, but beyond that, IMO it's just too much.
Jan 30th, 2014, 07:09 AM
#18
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I think you are all right. I think I will add some days because I cant pick which cities to drop off my list! Hopefully my boss and kids won't mind. Thanks for your advice. If you have any recommended places sites/restaurants within these cities let me know.
