1st time to Italy: Is this a good itinerary?
 

Hello:
My husband and I are taking our first trip to Italy (we've already purchased our plane tickets). We're 28 years old and will be backpacking, staying in hostels (where available), and traveling via train and bus. Could any of you give us some feedback on our itinerary? Are we missing any "must-sees" or spending too little or too much time in particular places?
Thanks for your feedback!
Sara

Arrive in Milan on Sunday, Nov 19 @ 7:55 am (1 night)

Verona (1 night)

Venice (3 nights)

Bologna (2 nights)

Cinque Terre (2 nights, not sure which towns)

Florence (2 nights)

Rome (3 nights, Vatican City day trip)

Salerno, Naples, or Sorrento (3 nights, Day trip to visit Pompeii)

Rome (2 nights)

Depart Rome for home on Friday, Dec 8 @ 9:55 am

Well, its a little too much hopping from place to place for my taste, but it is do-able. An alternative ordering with less total distance travelled might be:

Milan
Cinque Terra
Florence
Verona
Venice
Bologna
Rome ...etc.

If you want a slower pace, snip Verona and either CT or Bologna from your list and spend more time in the other places.

You have 9 hotel changes here and you only need 6. Frankly, I would skip the CT that time of year, but even with 6 it looks like this--in this order:
Arrive Milan--to Verona--2
To Venice--3
To Florence--3 [ day trip to Siena]
To Monterosso--2
To Sorrento via Naples--3
To Rome--5

Hope this helps. It will be chilly that time of year. Have fun !

Hello,
I agree that this is doable, however it is a lot of travel. I would limit it to three or four main cities and do daytrips from there. I would do :

arrive Milan (1 night)
Venice (4 nights)
florence (4 nights)
Naples (4 nights)
Rome (6 nights)

From Florence and Rome it is very easy to do day trips to lots of cities. This way you are not changing hotels as often.

Hope this helps, donna

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Thanks to all for your help. Our new itinerary looks like this:

Milan (1 night. We're flying from Oregon in Western USA, so we'll be too tired to take a train to Verona).

Verona (2 nights)

Venice (3 nights)

Florence (2 nights. We opted to split our Florence stay in half since trains run through this hub either way.)

Monterosso, Cinque Terre (2 nights)

Florence (2 nights. Day trip to Siena.)

Sorrento (3 nights. Day trip to Pompeii)

Rome (4 nights, 5 days)

Now we're looking into places to stay in, eat at, and visit.

Thanks again for your help!
Sara & Dan

Hi Mac,

You might want to consider making Verona a daytrip from Venice - it's only 2 hr.

This will save changing hotels and give you more time in Venice.

((I))

Especially if you're only 28 years old, I'm not sure that you'll be too tired to hop a train from Milan to Verona, unless you want to see Milan anyway. If it were me (and I'm 43, and fly to Europe from not much further east in the U.S. than you two), I'd take the train directly to Verona. We just visited Verona for the first time - it's an adorable little city. That being said, I don't know that you really need to spend two nights there (which would be 3 if you go there directly from Milan).

Yes, you're right, all your trains will go through Florence. But splitting up your time in Florence means you change hotels twice. That gets to be old and tiring real fast.

Consider whether you can manage a day rental of a car from Florence. It would make your day trip to Siena much more enjoyable - you could drive around on the lovely Tuscan countryside roads and stop wherever you like.

Still 8 hotels--try for 6.

I second the suggestion to make Verona a daytrip from Venice... it's so easy to do; it's close by and there are lots of trains. I think you'll want to spend more time in Venice--much more to see and experience there than in Verona. And that would cut one hotel out of the mix.

Hi Sara,

I've visited Italy 3 times and I'm a lot older than you. I really doubt that you will be too tired to take a train to Verona upon arrival. Should only take you a couple hours.

50 minutes express train from Malpensa to Cadorna Nord station in Milan, or take the express bus that goes directly to Milano Centrale. Then it's another 1 1/2 to Verona.

Your trips sounds good. Fast, but good.

Buon viaggio!