cheryl_b

Hello Fellow Travelers,
We have five days before a wedding in Sorrento this October (and then a week in the south). It looks like we're flying into either Bologna or Venice. I've been to Venice, he has not. Can we explore the surrounding areas in Emilia Romagna AND do Venice in 5 days?? We would fly to Naples. It's cheap and fast.
(I'm lucky enough that I've seen Florence and the Tuscan region, Rome, Umbria, Sorrento/Positano/Pompeii, and Cinque Terre. Yeah, I love Italy.)

We land very late in either city. So, wake up Day ! - check out Bologna, stay Bologna. / Same for Venice
Day 2 - Bologna, rent car; go to Parma and/or Modena, stay idk./ Venice: stay put. stay in Venice
Day 3 - Bologna return car, go to Venice, or...stay another day in region? / Venice/ Murano, etc?
OR - swap cities on Day 3....and spend Days 4 and 5 in the other place, then get to Naples.

**Which brings me to a central question - More time in Venice or Bologna? And, which should be first?**
Thanks everyone. Life is good !

Peter_S_Aus

Fly into Venice, stay a few days.
Train to Bologna, stay a couple of days.
Train to Naples, an easy 3 3/4 hours city centre to city centre. Flying will take longer.

Jean

I agree with Peter.

I wouldn't rent a car. All of the towns you mention have ZTLs, renting and returning a car is not always quick, and you don't really have time for leisurely rambles on back roads in the area.

Venice to Bologna by train takes about 90 minutes. Day trip: Bologna to Parma (50-60 mins.) or Modena (20-30 mins.).

IMO Venice and Bologna have more to see/do than you can accomplish in the little time you're giving to both. I'd forget Parma on this trip but perhaps go to dinner one night in Modena.

cheryl_b

So far great comments. No car needed. Got it. We have committed to the flight to Bologna (instead of to Venice) because it arrives early evening instead of near midnight. Because the spouse has never been to Venice, I feel he should see it even if we're not going long enough.
Revised Itinerary:

Day 1 ; arrive in Bologna 6:30 pm, have dinner, passeggiata, sleep.
Day 2 : Bologna, 1/2 day, then after lunch head to Modena for dinner and 1/2 day. (maybe. Or, lunch in Modena, back to Bologna for dinner and stay)
Day 3 : Bologna 1/2 day, train to Venice. Eat and stay
Day 4 : Venice
Day 5 : Venice and fly evening to Naples (maybe Rome, just gotta get to Sorrento villa)
There's a tiny chance that we can stretch one more day. I think for Venice.

Husband still wants to do both. I personally could settle for one or the other...ah, compromise.

Comments? Thanks again everyone!

bhuty

If you want a car then do a car - if that's the way you like to travel then the only thing you need to be aware of is what you already know and that's there are no driving in venice.
Seems to me that you can start in venice then travel in any mode that you prefer until the wedding but to me that sounds like a car gives you the best freedom to do what you want.

people will give you advice based on how THEY like to travel. 2 nights in Venice, 2 nights in Bologna and 1 night somewhere else of interest on the way to Naples to break up the driving would be a wonderful experience with your partner if you've done those places but he hasn't.

But sounds like you may have already booked in arrival to Bologna. If so then plan to arrive in Venice late in the afternoon but otherwise your itinerary sounds great (if you can't start with Venice instead)

janisj

If it was me -- 2 nights Bologna, 3 nights Venice and either fly from Venice to Naples or train. Flight is about 1.5 hours and train is just over 5 hours. But with the hassle of getting to VCE etc -- the train would only take about 1 to 1.5 hours longer.

cheryl_b

Updated plans (based on available flights and the wedding couple)...
We now have 10 days to play with! Looking at adding Lake Garda which seems like an easy triangle. Now I'm curious...we fly into Rome.
Opinions:
Bologna - Lake Garda - Venice?
Venice - Lake Garda - Bologna?
If we do Lake Garda, do we now need a car?
We're still going to the Amalfi coast for the wedding...we can either fly or train it. Our instinct is to take the inexpensive flight.
Thanks, Fodorites, trip is shaping up!

cheryl_b

Thanks Fodorites for the help when I thought we had 5 days: now we have 10 extra days in October before a wedding!

Flying into Rome, 2 nights. Although the wedding is on the Amalfi coast, he's always wanted to see Venice (I've been!), and we're both looking forward to eating in Bologna/Modena/Parma!
With 10 free days after Rome, we're looking at adding Lake Garda which seems like an easy triangle. Now I'm curious...
Opinions:
Bologna - Lake Garda - Venice?
Venice - Lake Garda - Bologna?
If we do Lake Garda, do we now need a car? I understand Bologna and Venice have limited/no tourist parking (good idea!)
We're still going to the Amalfi coast for the wedding...we can either fly or train it. Our instinct is to take the inexpensive flight.
Thanks, Fodorites, trip is shaping up!

cheryl_b

Thanks Fodorites for the help when I thought we had 5 days: now we have 10 extra days in October before a wedding!

Flying into Rome, 2 nights. Although the wedding is on the Amalfi coast, he's always wanted to see Venice (I've been!), and we're both looking forward to eating in Bologna/Modena/Parma!
With 10 free days, we're looking at adding Lake Garda which seems like an easy triangle. Now I'm curious...
Opinions:
Bologna - Lake Garda - Venice?
Venice - Lake Garda - Bologna?
If we do Lake Garda, do we now need a car? I understand Bologna and Venice have limited/no tourist parking (good idea!)
We're still going to the Amalfi coast for the wedding...we can either fly or train it. Our instinct is to take the inexpensive flight.
Thanks, Fodorites, trip is shaping up!
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Moderator1

Your three threads have been merged

Traveler_Nick

Not sure I understand. Inexpensive flight where? Within Italy the only time flights make sense is to one of the islands. Otherwise take the train.

The only time a car makes sense is some small remote village.

You have ten days including Rome? Just adding Venice and wandering the neighbourhood around Bologna can eat that up

Early or late October? The later you go the worse the weather risk. That applies to anything outdoorsy. The lakes or the coast.

Jean

I don't think adding Lake Garda makes an "easy" triangle.

You say you have 10 days, but does that include the time in Rome at the beginning? If so, this is how it looks to me:

Day 1. Arrive Rome.
Day 2. Explore Rome.
Day 3. Train to Bologna (2.5 hours).
Day 4. Explore Bologna.
Day 5. Bologna or day trip/dinner in Modena. Train takes less than 30 mins.
Day 6. Bologna or day trip/dinner in Parma. Train takes an hour.
Day 7. Train to Venice (fastest train 90 minutes).
Day 8. Explore Venice.
Day 9. Explore Venice.
Day 10. Transfer to Amalfi Coast (where exactly?). This could easily take 7-8 hours.

Flying to Naples might save some time but would involve more "steps" to the journey, more schlepping of luggage, and might not end up being less expensive than the train when you factor in transport to/from the two airports. And if the flight is cancelled?

You could potentially combine Modena and Parma into one long day trip, but that only frees up one day and short-changes Bologna. FWIW, I prefer the north end of Lake Garda which you couldn't manage in this scenario.

Whatever you decide, you'd better immediately check lodging availability in your budget range. October is still very much high season

bilboburgler

If I had to head down to Amalfi I'd move my ten days to the south. Try Potenza, Lecce (or Taranto), Matera, all by train.

bvlenci

I think Jean's itinerary makes sense, and I agree that adding Lake Garda would make everything too rushed. Anyway, the weather in October might not be ideal for the lakes.

I would prefer to go directly to Venice after Rome. Your trip to the Amalfi coast is a very long trip; it would be shorter and simpler from Bologna than from Venice, especially if you take the train.
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As for flight/train, there are a few things you may not have considered.

The train gets you to the central Naples rail station, where you can get a train to Sorrento, and from there a bus or ferry to the final destination. If you fly, you'll have to take a bus or taxi to the train station, which will add to the time and cost of flying. On departure, you would also have to consider the time and expense to get to the airport. The train stations are all in the city centre.

At the moment you can get train tickets to Naples for less than €50 leaving from Venice, or for around €35 leaving from Bologna. These are "saver" tickets, which can't be cancelled or modified, but that's also the case with plane tickets, so it shouldn't matter. You can see all your options on both of Italy's rail services at www.thetrainline.com

Jean

Just FYI as you plan... If you take bvlenci's suggestion of heading to Venice after Rome, the train ride is +/- 5 hours. Venice to Bologna is +/- 2 hours, and Bologna to Naples is about 4.5 hours. I would book a car/driver to take you from the Naples train station directly to your AC hotel, but you could do this last bit by public transportation... which could easily take another 2.5 hours. If you're staying in Amalfi or Ravello (or Minori, Maiori), it might make more sense to train to Salerno. Longer train ride but somewhat shorter drive and less impacted by traffic delays.

MFNYC

I love Bologna, so can easily spend a few days there. An easy day trip from there by train is Ravenna to see the mosaics. I agree, no need for car in those areas.

raincitygirl

https://www.curreriviaggi.it/en/naples-airport-shuttle
If you fly into Naples you can take this bus directly from the Naples airport to Sorrento. No need to go into Naples itself to get to the train station etc.
It would be a no brainer for me, land in Naples, go outside the terminal get the bus (you can book tickets in advance, I think it still costs ten euro), sit back and relax until Sorrento. You could arrange a car and driver in advance to take you from Sorrento to your hotel.

Jean

I think it depends on where you're staying on the AC. If Positano, a car service from the airport to the hotel would take about the same amount of time as the bus from the airport to Sorrento, which only gets you part way to your destination. If cost matters, you'd have to get an estimate for the car service from the airport v. from Sorrento.

cheryl_b

You are all incredibly helpful!!
Based on your comments and smart suggestions, I have basically changed everything, lol.
Now flying directly to Bologna (a miracle unicorn flight popped up and I grabbed it!!)...
That gives us 10-11 full days before we need to be on the Amalfi coast (Minori specifically).
New itinerary idea:
Arrive Bologna in time for dinner:
4 more night/days to explore Bologna: 2 days in B, and 2 day trips to both Modena and Parma by train or bus, stay in B.
Train to Lake Garda: 2 nights.
Train to Venice: 3 nights (reverse this? go to Venice and then Lake, back to B for travel south?)
Travel (train? plane combo? go to Bologna to get direct train? working on this based on comments above)
Salerno 1 or 2 nights (see Serie B game...all A matches are suspended the week we're there for International Team play)
Amalfi wedding week.

Make sense? Can I do better?
Truly love your time and assistance!

cheryl_b

Great suggestions, fodorites! I apologize for sounding so scattered. the trip keeps changing!
Yes, originally, we had 5 days. now we have 12.
Based on your ideas, we are going to do the following:

Total 3 nights in Bologna (2 on arrival, one night before we leave to Amalfi on train)
Total 4 nights in Venice (including the usual plus the Art Biennale and the islands)
Total 5 nights left to explore:
Rent a car for Venice-Verona-Lake Garda-Parma/Modena (Thanks to Jean for suggesting that instead of train to Verona, rent car from Venice)

We have 5 nights to split up. 3 nights in Lake Garda area/2 night in Parma/Modena, or the reverse depending on how we feel, how long it takes us to wander around the Lake. It seems like there are plenty of places to stay, even last minute. Drive to Verona for a few hours and a meal, then short drive to Sirmione to sleep. We'll then drive up the west coast, maybe stay in Riva, drive down east side, maybe wine day in bardolina/valpolicella before heading down toward Parma and Modena.

Opinion: 3 days Lake Garda/2 days Parma and Modena OR 2 days Lake Garda/3 Parma and Modena?
Any other obvious mistakes?
(We are looping back to Bologna because of commitment dates and better reservations in Venice, if you're wondering.)
Thanks so much.