jerseygrl

Everyone who has helped my husband and I plan our first trip to Italy has been so helpful, and well, we could really use your help now as my husband has just thrown a little loop. He will not be able to travel for very long in September now so we will have to plan two trips. A longer one and shorter one and one trip will have to be end of june or july. (only time we can travel without messing with work and yes i know its not the most ideal time to travel there) We could really use some advice. This is what we have come up with so far:

We will be leaving NYC and flying to NICE
Day 1: arrive in Nice
Day 2: NICE
Day 3: Trips to Monaco and ??
Day 4: Train to Santa Margherita
Day 5: SM and Portofino
Day 6: SM or Portofino or Cinque Terre
Day 7: Train to Venice
Day 8: Venice
Day 9: Verona
Day 10: Venice
Day 11: Back to NYC

Should we add on 2 days to see another city or Lake Como? We obviously enjoy the sun, the sea, sightseeing, relaxing, not being stuck in museums all day, but seeing some amazing sights. Being that we have to travel now in the heat of the summer for Italy, we thought being by the coastal areas would be nice.

Our shorter trip which will take place in September is planned like this:
Day 1: arrive in Rome
Day 2: Rome
Day 3: Rome
Day 4: Rome/ Train to Florence
Day 5: Florence in the AM/ Rehearsal & Dinner for brother's wedding
Day 6: Wedding
Day 7: Florence and/or Pisa to see Tower
Day 8: Back to NYC

One question is: Will we totally be missing out on the Amalfi Coast? I have always wanted to go, but can always keep that as a separate trip to make us come back. Ive heard it can be just too crowded in the summer??

Please help with any advice or opinions. Its always greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

janisj

just time for one <i>very</i> quick comment re trip #1: I might consider doing it in reverse order. Stateside flights out of Venice leave VERY early in the AM and getting to the airport is a pain. If possible, I'd fly into Venice and out of France.

jerseygrl

Thanks Janisj.......that sounds like a very good idea then!

qwovadis

I did this route perhaps 2 years ago around the time ofthe
Iceland Volcano got stuck at the SuiteHotel Nice was nice
for a couple of days insuremytrip.com covered it.My wife and I trained over and back with stops at SanRemo Hotel Belle Epoque www.metropole.it CT/PF/SML was great then via lucca.info to Venice. If you want to pick up a lake on
the way train Parma to Verona stop at Desanzano di Garda for Hotel Vittorio right on the lake. booking.com good reviews
on all of the above. In Venice we did the Westin canal view suite by getting 2 of their Amex credit cards and using ponts.
Europa Regina right at San Marco had an awesome stay.
eurocheapo.com best day trips out I like St Paul de Vence
better than Monaco expensive tourist trappy.

Have fun!

qwovadis

www.spg.com for Westin Europa Regina.
seat61.com training we just hop on
like a local do not book in advance.
works great for us lots cheaper.

bilboburgler

You will need to check that Cinque Terre has been sorted out (mud slides in late 2011)

Not sure why you are going to Nice and Monaco. I think I'd dump for Lucca or Tuscany (Sienna esp.) or Milan.

thursdaysd

Nice is a great base for the south of France that deserves much more than two days. And it's likely to be just as crowded as the Almafi Coast. Given that the Cinque Terre may well not be back to "normal" by summer, I'd be inclined to redo trip #1 to concentrate on Rome and the AC, and then do Florence and Venice as trip #2.

StCirq

I would stay in Nice longer, and not bother going to Monaco. Nice has MUCH more to offer.

HappyTrvlr

Skip Monaco as others have suggested. Ther are many interestng day trips out of Nice.
Why are you traveling from Verona from Venice? We love both places but you have so little time in Venice that i would stay there and not do day trips. Could you stop over in Verona enroute to Venice?I would take a day from SML and add it to Venice if the Cinque Terre isn't an option.
I too am interested in others suggestions about the Amalfi Coast.I have always avoided it in five trips of a month or more to Italy as I've dreaded it being over crowded.

JBX

RE: Cinque Terre ...... per another thread which has a couple links on what's going on with towns most adversely impacted, I think you'll be able to keep it on your itinerary. Update shows repairs underway ..... and of course, not all were even damaged by rains/floods >>>>
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ly-updates.cfm

zeppole

Sounds to me like the cultural attractions of Nice and Monaco are not really your thing. You say you like to see "amazing sights" rather than be "stuck in museums all day." (Is someone forcing you to go? ;-) )

The amazing sights of northern Italy are the lakes and the Dolomiti. A perfect time to go there is late june and july. Consider going there in combination with Venice. Fly into Milan.

Your other trip that includes the wedding looks fine.

thursdaysd

Can't imagine why anyone would equate Nice and Monaco just with museums, loads of other non-museum things to do in that area!