cfoos

We fly into Rome on the last Sunday in March around 10:30 am and leave the following Sunday on an 8:00 a.m. flight. We're just beginning to plan our itinerary; any suggestions on lodging for around (or under) $100 a night in these areas? or on what the weather will be like at this time?
Is this itinerary do-able?
Sunday/Monday: Rome (and adjust to time change)
Tuesday (leave early morning): train to Orvieto and spend day there. Either stay overnight there or in Civita di Bagnoregio. Spend Wed. morning/afternoon sight-seeing in Civita.
Bus back to Rome? or bus to Orvieto and train back to Rome?
We're thinking about heading south to the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Naples area for Wed. night through Friday night.
Saturday night we're thinking of staying near the Airport Fiumicino - Leonardo Da Vinci because of the early morning flight. Any and all suggestions for the trip are welcome.

Laura

Have you been to Rome before? Or is this your first trip to Italy?

cfoos

Between my husband and I, we have been to Venice, Florence, Cinque Terra, and Pisa. We've both wanted to see Rome, but we tend to like areas outside the big cities better than spending a lot of time in the city. We're also hoping for warm weather (we're from around Chicago).

Robert

Solution rent a apartment outside the city with bus or metro transport into the city
don't go to those other places unless you have more time.Less is more.

mmcdaniel

Sounds like you are on our return trip back to Chicago on April 6th. We've made plans to stay at the Hilton airport hotel on Saturday night. Rate is around $225.

bill

If you really want to visit the Naples/Amalfi areas, I'd skip Orvieto since you only have 6-1/2 days. If you could stand it after your flight, I'd go directly to Naples or Sorrento. Spend Mon, Tues, Wed in the south, and then head back to Rome for Thurs Fri Sat. Orvieto is a nice place to visit, but it isn't nicer than dozens of other Italian hill towns.

Another option would be Florence with Orvieto or other town, plus Rome. But with just 6-1/2 days, going north of Rome then travelling down to Amalfi, then back north--that's a large amount of your vacation in trains and buses.

pat

Civita is worth about maybe 2 hours tops. Its a very tiny village. At that time of the year there won't be anyone around. Unless you want complete isolation I would spend the night in Orvieto or elsewhere.

JBX

If you've already seen Rome and your intent is to explore areas outside the big cities, then continue with your travels on Sunday. HEAD SOUTH ASAP! Once you land in Rome, take the ES train down to Naples and then Circumvesuviana train or arrange for other transport to Sorrento. Sunday will be a jet-lagged day and so you might as well use it to get where you want to me. I'd spend Sunday thru Tuesday nights in Sorrento; then for Wednesday/Thursday, stay in Amalfi or Positano, possibly Capri. On Friday, head back up to Rome --- perhaps an afternoon visit to Ostia Antica? Then on Saturday, do a daytrip to Orvieto. With an 8:00 am flight out from Fumicino, there's no need to stay by the airport. Spend your last night in Rome. It's easy for your hotel to arrange a taxi pick-up to get you to airport early in morning.

Ira

Hi,
For your last night, you might wish to look into
Holiday Inn Rome-Eur Parco dei Medici
They have a free shuttle from the hotel to the airport.
They also have a free shuttle from the downtown Holiday Inn (near the train station) to the one near the airport.
Rate is about 110 E for a dbl w/bkfst.

cfoos

Thanks! We may split the time between Rome and the southern/coastal areas or Rome and the Siena, Assisi, Orvieto areas. Which would you suggest? We don't mind renting a car if that makes one or the other option more do-able.