We just got back from our trip through Italy. I decided to post because we were dicouraged to take a trip like ours and wanted to give some feed back. We had 2 nights in Venice, 2 in Florence, 1 in Sienna, 2 in Sorrento (Amalfi and Capri), 1 in Pompeii and 4 in Rome. We took a train from Venice to Florence, and then drove until we got to Rome. Although it was a whirlwind tour, we had a great time. We are in our later 50's. Highlights are too numerous to mention, but Pompeii on Saturday night was a great surprise. It looked like the entire city came our for a walk around the square arm in arm. Driving was easy, you just need to be attentive and have good directions.

I can see why you were discouraged by your trip. To much to fast.

It really pays to slow down and not try to cram so much into so short of a time.

We did Pompeii for a whole day on a recent Friday and though there were lots of groups we had a lot of the streets and places to ourselves for short periods of time. We got an audio tour so could stay for the 6 hours and enjoy.

We were NOT discouraged by our trip. I posted to say that while others discouraged us, we had a GREAT time. We did NOT feel rushed. We packed light and moved easily.

Sounds like a wonderful itinerary! You saw a lot and I'm sure it was great. That's the way my husband and I often travel,,,,and you got a good overview of things.
People travel at different speeds, and I'm glad it worked out for you.

Driving the car does "free one up" doesn't it? and allows for flexibility.

Hi A,

Glad you enjoyed your whirlwind tour.

How about a trip report after you recover.

Glad you enjoyed your trip. That's all that matters.

It was a really good trip. We keep talking about our favorite moments, but there were so many. I did keep a diary and I will try to transcribe it and post. The car was great. A favorite stop was The American WWII cemetery on the road parallel to the 222 south of Florence. It was beautifully serene there. We only found it because we took a wrong turn looking for the 222.
We were moving fast, but our eyes were always open!

We once enjoyed a nine-day trip with 6 hotels stays... we were outdoors a lot (down the Rhine, into Lucerne/Zurich), biking, boat on the lake, trains... My husband said it was the most relaxing trip we'd done. Kinda weird but true.

Glad for you that your trip worked out nicely and you did what you wanted to do.