My husband and I are in our early 70's and are trying to plan a 3 week trip to Italy for mid April. We are fairly active but stairs and hills present a challenge.We can spend up to $6000 not including air fare. I need to know if that is a good time to go. We would like to avoid the crowds and the heat. We are not fancy people and would be happy in modest accomodations as long as they were clean, compfy and have a private bathroom. We enjoy seeing the "must sees" but we also like to get off the beaten path and dine with the locals. We do not want to rent a car.
We would like to go to Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and possibly Cinque Terre. All comments would be appreciated as I am finding this overwhelming. If I get positive feedback, I will be looking for info. on places to stay.Thanks for reading this long winded message.

>> We do not want to rent a car. <<

We're in our 70s and take regular 3 week trips - always with a car. That way, we're easily able to "get off the beaten path and dine with the locals".

Can you reconsider?

I am your age and my wife is a few years younger, and I sympathize with your problem. I think you're making a mistake in trying to go to so many places. You're going to spend time in internal travel, and it's tiring to lug your suitcases on and off trains and buses. To my mind, your best bet is to limit your trip to three or four cities, with a side trip in a rented car to see the Amalfi coast and Cinque Terre if you're absolutely sure you have time. As regards weather, you'll be OK going there in April if you fly into the most southern city on your itinerary and back from the most northern one. As regards hotels, search this forum for suggestions and also see what the Fodor and Frommer guide books on Italy have to say. And finally, I don't think $6000 will do it for a trip of three weeks and a lot of internal travel in Italy. The expense is another reason to cut back a little on the number of destinations. Good luck.

Hi M,

Venice, Florence, Rome is a good 2 weeks.

I recommend against the AC and the CT. My own preference would be a week split between Naples and the AC.

I suggest that you fly into Venice and out of Naples.

>would be happy in modest accomodations as long as they were clean, compfy and have a private bathroom. <

I can highly recommend www.bedinflorence.it for Florence and www.lesirene.com in Praiano, on the AC.

Are you starting in mid-April?

I also think you have too many destinations for three weeks.

It's possible to get off the beaten path without a car, but it takes much more time to get around. You need to decide whether you want to see more of the major destinations or sacrifice the major for the minor.

With careful lodging and dining choices, your budget is quite reasonable, but your money will go farther outside the big cities.

Ira's point is well taken. Fly into one destination and fly out of another.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Based on your responses, I can see that we are trying to do too much. I will do more research and eliminate a few of my choices and then get back to this board for more help.

You are welcome, M.

If going from city to city then trains will work and taxi to hotels. April shoud be quiet though you will find that AMericans always go to to Florence/Rome/Amalfi Coast so all the hotels recommended in American books will be filled by Americans. This is good in one way as you will be looked after by people who know what you like but you will be charged what an American would expect to pay.

If say going to some of the sites in say Tuscany Florence/Vinci/Sienna/SAn Gim you either needs to take a tour or drive your own car. These sort of places offer you the chance to dine with locals more but even here other tourists will be in the majority though April will be a real help.

So I think our objectives are in conflict. I suggest surf a little looking for where tours go. Decide if you really want to do this then book the must sees that way then chose an area where you can just potter about in a small car or with a local guide. Finally Ira's advice is pretty good

I think you can visit Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Rome, Florence & Venice pretty easily in 3 weeks.

Starting in Naples, you can travel south to the Amalfi Coast either by bus, boat or trains...or a combination of all of those. Alternatively, you can hire a driver to take you down. There are many suggestions for drivers on these boards.

Once you're back in Naples, taking the train to Rome/Florence/Venice is easy and comfortable.

I would skip the CT, as it's harder to get to from the cities you wish to visit.

If you have time, take a day trip from Rome to Orvieto, a day trip from Florence to Siena, and a day trip from Venice to Padua.

That's all pretty easy to do and you'll get a good mix of big cities, Italian villages, and beautiful sights throughout your entire trip.

Have fun.

We, too, are in our 70s. We have been to Italy about 12 times, and after the first couple of trips we mostly rent an apartment (with elevator or on the ground floor. With a shower. Be careful: the first floor in Europe is one story up from the ground) It is important to avoid stairs to the apartment because in many of the tourist sites you will be confronted with staircases and you want to limit stairs as much as possible. Those old Florentines and Romans never installed elevators in their palazzos

Most apartments rent for a week, from Sat. to Sat. However, in Rome you can find some that rent for as few as 3 days. Here's what we are going to do:

Fly to Milan and train to Florence for 2 nights (we've been there so many times) Our B&B will cost 120 Euros but there are cheaper ones.
Pick up a car on the outskirts of Florence and drive to Lucca for a week, taking side trips in Tuscany. Our apt there is 60 euros -- HALF what the Florence one is.
Drive south to Orvieto and rent an apt for a week. 550 Euros for the week. Drive around southern Tuscany and/or northern Latium, the province where Rome is and where there are many Etruscan ruins.
Turn in the car and train to Rome. Stay in apt for 4 nights ($200 Euros! but we are right next to Camp dei Fiori.)
Fly home from Rome.
The nice thing about an apt. is that you can have breakfast without having to be up and out. We sometimes eat a big lunch out and just have a salad in the evening at the apt.
You could easily do a variation on this. Whatever you do, DON'T move too often, and DONT drive in Florence or Rome!! No need, and the traffic is awful. If you do rent a car, don't pick it up at the airport. We save $300 by picking up somewhere else. I'd be glad to add tips if you contact me directly at [email protected].

Charnee