brosis

With thanks to all who have responded to a previous posting about visiting Umbria/Tuscany, here is our revised itinerary for our entire trip to Italy in February. We're starting to plan the details, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated - haven't mapped out all the sites yet for each stop, just have notes of what we'd like to see.

Naples 3 nights – Wed. Feb 13- Friday, Feb.15
• Begin with Herculaneum Feb 13. We arrive by noon and want to be outside to adjust to time zone - neither of us jetlag too badly
• Feb 14 Pompeii/Vesuvius plus city at night
• Feb 15 Amalfi Coast plus Archeological Museum
• will purchase 3 day articard pass
• National Archeological museum W-M 9AM-7:30PM. see other city cites including Camponile at night
• Feb 16 - National museum and gallery of Capodimonte– 8:30Am-7:30 PM Th-Tues then train to Rome

Rome 3 nights – Saturday, Feb 16- Monday- Feb 18 (take night train to Orvieto on Feb 19)
• Take a 4 hr overview of highlights of Rome Tour either purchase on-site at American Express – or prebook Monumental Rome on Saturday
• 17th open to explore - going back to sites we want to spend more time on, etc - open to suggstions
• Jewish ghetto tour with Michaella 3 hr – Feb 18 at 10am
• Jewish Vatican detailed guide Vatican Tourist Office 3 hrs – Feb 19 10 am
• Appian Way catacombs of St Callixtus ?
• Will get tourist pass
• Take evening train on Feb 19 to Orvieto

Orvieto – Tues, Feb 19 and Wed., Feb 20 - 2 nights
• Arrive at night of Tuesday, Feb 19 and spend the night
• Feb. 20 Rent car in morning and drive to Pitigliano to take guided tour
• Return to Orvieto in late afternoon and visit underground historic sites and city
• Overnight Wed., 20 and leave early in morning of 21st to go to Siena

Siena – Thurs., Feb. 21 – 1 night
• Siena - Jewish quarter, synagogue w/ guide then tour rest of town; leave in morning

Florence – Friday, Feb 22 – Sun. 24 – 3 nights
• Leave Siena early to see small towns of Tuscany San Gimignano and Monteriggioni and Chianti winery on way to Florence. Drop off car and check into hotel
• Piazza Della Signoria early morning then visit Palazzo Vecchio
• Sat: Uffizi Room 2 Purchase tickets ahead – 8:15 – 6:50 Tues - Sat
• Church of San Miniato al Monte at sundown
• San Frediano after dark
• Il Duomo Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and the bell tower that is in the Piazza del Duomo
• Ponte Vecchio bridge and Bobolink Garden and Pitti Palace
• Sun morning: Synagogue and Jewish museum : Jewish Florence Walking Tours
• Sun afternoon: Galleria dell' Academia – Tues – Sun 8:15- 6:50
Leave Monday morning? later in day?

Take side tour to Pisa? don't see when it could fit in

Visit Verona on the way to Venice? Or day trip to Padua and Verona from Venice

Venice Mon., Feb 25 through – Wed, Feb 27
• Jewish ghetto
• View from Camponile San Marco and Piazzo
• Royal Palace - Segreti Palazzo Ducale tour
• Grand canal cruise
• Punta Della Dogana customs house
• Rialto Bridge
• Murano glass
• Day trip to Padua Verona?

Fly home on Thurs Feb 28.

Any thoughts welcome!! This forum is the best.

mamcalice

I'm not sure how much time I would want to spend on the Amalfi coast in February but I am sure you know it could be chilly and wet. Your Feb 16 is pretty much impossible.

Your trip is hurried and you are missing some of the great sights of Italy (e.g. St. Peters and the Vatican in Rome). It looks like a trip tailored to your interests so I don't really have much to add.

Have a lovely trip. Italy is fabulous.

kybourbon

I think parts are too rushed and won't happen as planned. I don't think the underground tour would be available after you return from spending the day in Pitigliano.

brosis

mamcalice: Thanks for your response. Will definitely plan to see St Peters on the 17th. We're seeing the Vatican on the 19th - just will include the Ebraica collection as part of tour. Hmmm on Feb 16th... why do you think it's impossible to visit National museum and gallery of Capodimonte and then take train to Rome?

Aramis

A museum in Naples, traveling to Rome, and then a 4 hour Rome tour on the 16th is what Mamcalice is talking about. I don't know how late that last 4 hour tour leaves but that is probably the one you have to hope you make after checking in.

It's not a big deal breaker - you might miss the tour or have to give up the National Museum to make the day work.

Your Siena to Florence day will be long - you have about 3 hours of driving and 3 places to stop at. Monteriggioni is so tiny and just off the highway so you can see it in an hour, though.



I love Verona, but again, fitting it in on the way to Venice or as a day trip when you only have 2.5 days there anyway does not seem to make sense here. I would also agree that Pisa does not look to fit.

It is a packed itinerary and a couple of things might have to drop - they usually do in anyone's itinerary. The key is you have obviously done a lot of planning so you will be able to make those decisions in your best interest, on the fly if you have to.

rosetravels

Hi brosis,
Overall it looks like a great trip.

I really liked the Capidomonte museum in Naples so if you like art, you should definitely keep that in. You can see it and take the train to Rome. I think if you're planning an overview tour in Rome that same day it could be challenging.

Are you planning to visit the Borghese galleries in Rome? Gorgeous museum, nice park and it doesn't take long. I usually skip most of the second floor since the paintings are not exceptional and then spend more time with the sculptures.

All the Jewish ghettos will be so interesting!

brosis

Thanks for the tips on the museums and travel to Rome! So, we will not prebook the tour and do it on the fly either that evening or next day, depending on timing. Yes, we know we were ambitious in planning, and all is up for readjustment as we go... which is why we want to do it on our own not on an organized tour.