mary

planning a 1st time 2 week trip To Italy for August:<BR><BR>what do you think about:<BR><BR>Fly into Venice (2 nights)<BR>Cinque Terre (1 night)<BR>train to Florence (4 nights)<BR>go to Tuscany (1 night)<BR>trainto Rome (4 nights)<BR><BR>PS- after rome, before coming home i wanted to go to Positano/amalfi coast but it seems like a bit of a hike (via naples/take boat etc...) Is it? Also, If so, are there any places I could go for the last 2 nights of my trip (afer Rome) that would be relaxing, and beautiful (kind of if you were to end your trip at a beautiful resort of some sort here in the US.....any ideas? Maybe something in the countryside outside of Rome? will then probably fly back out of Rome....Or is it worth the hike to check out Positano/Capri etc.....then go home via Naples.....need advice!!!!

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Jack

I would spend more time in Cinque Terre, if you have 2 extra nights....We had planned on staying 1 and ended up staying 4 - loved it!

dean

I think you are packing way too much in too short a time. I would really recomend just 2 or 3 places. Plus August is holiday time in Itlay. CT will be packed. <BR><BR>For a first time trip in August, here is what I would do. Fly into Venice for 3 or 4 nights. Get a car and drive to Toscana and rent an agrotourismo or country apartment for a week. Stay in Castellina in Chianti, or in the countryside around San Gimignano. You can day trip into Florence once or twice. You will have a huge number of festivals and music programs to chose from in the small towns of Toscana. Last, drive to Rome, drop your car at the airport and train back into Rome. Enjoy 3 or 4 nights in Rome. I would stay in Trastevere, not the centro storico in Rome.<BR><BR><BR>If you do a search on "Dean" and Italy, you will find my postings on Rome, Venice, Florence and Toscana Suggestions.<BR><BR><BR>

Tom

Mary, <BR>We recently did an itinerary similar to yours in less than two weeks. It was fast-paced, but we were glad we did it this way for our first trip to Italy. Now we know where we want to go when we return! <BR><BR>Rome was great and very approachable for a big city - easy to get around, friendly, and so much to see. Likewise, CT was fantastic - definitely worth more than one night. Venice was wonderful as well, and Florence was interesting, but our least favorite. Didn't spend any time in the country - another trip! <BR><BR><BR><BR>