Precious8310

Hello,

I need help planning my husband and I's dream vacation to Italy this Winter. We are looking to plan a romantic and relaxing vacation in Italy before we start our family. I would appreciate any and all advice.

I have two rough draft itineraries:

Trip 1:
December 21: Depart LAX at 8:35
December 22: Arrive in Rome at 7:35pm (check into Albergo del Senato)
December 23: Explore Rome (What to do first?)
December 24: Rome – Vatican City (Would LOVE to go to midnight mass. Need advice)
December 25: Rome – (Is everything closed on Christmas day? Need advice on what to do)
December 26: Rome – (day excursion advice needed).
December 27: Depart Rome in the afternoon for Florence/Tuscany. This is where I get a
little lost. Not sure if I should stay a few nights in the country side and a few nights
in central Florence. Can you easily get to downtown Florence from the countryside
of Tuscany? (Side note: My husband would rather not rent a car). Hotels I am
looking at staying at are: Hotel Davanzati (Downtown Florence) and Mueble il
Riccio (Montepulciano). I also looked a few castles: Castell di Gabbiano and
Castello di Bibbiono
December 28: Florence/Tuscany (Day excursions/activities needed)
December 29: Florence/Tuscany (Day excursions/activities needed)
December 30: Florence/Tuscany (Day trip to Pisa?)
December 31: Florence/Tuscany (Recommendations for NYE?)
January 1: Depart Florence/Tuscany….At this point I am COMPLETELY lost. I really
want to make my way South and Explore Naples, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast and Pompeii. I’ve read that Pompeii can be a day trip from Sorrento, correct?
January 2: (Help)
January 3: (Help)
January 4: (Help)
January 5: Depart back to LAX. For some reason flights are INSANE back to LAX from
Naples. Should we take the train back to Rome and flight of Rome?

Trip 2: (much of this is the same as Trip 1, but instead of heading South to Naples, etc., we would take an overnight train to Paris on January 1.
December 21: Depart LAX at 8:35
December 22: Arrive in Rome at 7:35pm (check into Albergo del Senato)
December 23: Explore Rome (What to do first?)
December 24: Vatican City (Would LOVE to go to midnight mass. Need advice)
December 25: (Is everything closed on Christmas day? Need advice on what to do)
December 26: (day excursion advice needed).
December 27: Depart Rome in the afternoon for Florence/Tuscany. This is where I get a
little lost. Not sure if I should stay a few nights in the country side and a few nights
in central Florence. Can you easily get to downtown Florence from the countryside
of Tuscany? (Side note: My husband would rather not rent a car). Hotels I am
looking at staying at are: Hotel Davanzati (Downtown Florence) and Mueble il
Riccio (Montepulciano). I also looked a few castles: Castell di Gabbiano and
Castello di Bibbiono
December 28: Florence/Tuscany (Day excursions/activities needed)
December 29: Florence/Tuscany (Day excursions/activities needed)
December 30: Florence/Tuscany (Day trip to Pisa?)
December 31: Florence/Tuscany (Recommendations for NYE?)
January 1: Take train from Florence to Paris
January 2: Paris
January 3: Paris
January 4: Paris
January 5: Depart Paris at 1:00 in the afternoon for LAX (found a pretty cheap flight @ around $750.00)….

Thanks again for all the help and advice. So stressed out about this!

nytraveler

I would do the second trip - since the Amalfi Coast is not a place you want to be in midwinter. A beach resort in chilly, drizzly weather - with many hotels, restaurants and shops closed and the ferries on limited service when the seas allow them to run at all - really isn't fun. Now, you might get lucky and get sunshiny days and a high of about 50 - or perhaps not (Rome had qute a bit og snow last winter).

I would also stay in Florence and take day trips to the country as you want. It's going to be brown and crunch with not a lot to see/do except in te towns. Better to stay in Florence with many indoor things to see and do if the weather turns awful

As for Paris - it;s magical - even in winter. And has enough indoor sights to last you a month. and if yuo get nice days there are plenty of neighborhoods to explore.

uhoh_busted

Ditto nytraveler!

In Rome- do visit the Capitoline Museum. I liked it much better than the Borghese, which maybe I had anticipated too much. You can do a daytrip to Pompeii from Rome, but I probably would not unless you steal that day from Florence.

mamcalice

I agree that the second option is much better, especially since the winter is not the time to enjoy the Amalfi Coast area. I would stay in Florence and travel to the Tuscan countryside if you have a nice day or two.

Paris is wonderful - there is lots to do any time of the year.

socaltraveler

You have the beginning of a trip, good for you. Now you need to do some research online, and/or buy a good guidebook and read about where you are going, and what you can do there. If you are not going to drive in Tuscany, then consider staying in Florence, maybe do day trips fom there. Remember that in December, daylight hours are short and the weather will likely be cold with possible rain/snow. Right now you have a lot of "activities needed" on many days; do the research and figure it out. Come back with more specific questions, and you will get good advice.