ladyexplorer

We are two fit middle-age female friends planning our first visit to Italy in first half of May 2007. We have been to many other parts of Europe. Want to get suggestions from others on what places/sites to see in Italy. We can fly into any major city. Caveats: we do not want to change hotels more than twice. No rental car. Train, bus or boat only for with-in country travel. We love good food in simple cafes, long walks, nice scenery, historical sites, SHORT visits to a FEW museums, and 3 to 4-star hotels. Please tell us what you would do if you were in our shoes. Thanks in advance. Ladyexplorer

ira

Hi LE,

Many first-time visitors do the Big 3.

I suggest flying into Venice - 3 nights
Train to Florence - 5 nights, daytrip to Siena and Bologna
Train to Rome - 5 nights, daytrip to Orvieto
Fly home.

Train schedules, prices and tickets are at www.trenitalia.com

Have a nice visit.

Gia

I would spend a couple of days in Positano for nice long walks, beautiful scenery and wonderful leisurely lunches or dinners at Caffe Positano or Mediterraneo restaurant (Mediterraneo has such a sweet family staff). Also terrific ceramics. Our stay in Positano last year was such a welcome respite from all of the museum-going we had done in Rome and Paris. I have such fond memories of it.

Wherever you end up, happy travels.

PalQ

fly into Venice
possible day trips: Verona, Padua

Florence
poss day trips: Siena, Lucca, Pisa, Assisi, Perugia, Cinque Terre
Rome
poss day trips (long one but great - to Pompeii via Naples) or shorter - Tivoli & Hadrian's Villa (near each other) Ostia Antica

or for one more change of hotel i highly recommend going to the Amalfi coast area - base in Sorrento and day trip to Capri, Pompeii, Vesuvius and along the fabled Amalfi Coast by hair-raising bus ride

back to Rome to fly out.

ladyexplorer

To: ira, Gia and PalQ,
Thanks so much for taking the time to send your ideas. We will use parts of all your suggestions. We are now leaning towards stays in Florence, Rome and Naples (with Pompeii and Amalfi coast as side trips). Forgot to say that we fully expect to return to Italy again in near future so our thinking is that we can do the Northern cities --Venice, Milan, etc. during a second trip. Any hotel recs for Florence, Rome and Naples. We prefer 3-4 star places with good comfort levels. Thanks in advance.

ira

Hi L,

>Any hotel recs for Florence, Rome and Naples. We prefer 3-4 star places with good comfort levels.<

Sorry, I'm a 2* person.

I suggest that you look for hotels down by the waterfront along Via Partenope and Via Nazario Sauro - beautiful views over the Bay of Naples.