7 day itinerary for Italy

Old Dec 28th, 2011, 08:15 AM
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7 day itinerary for Italy

Hi All,

I only have 7 days in Italy and have come up with the following itinerary. This is my first visit to the country and I will be checking out majority of the touristy places. We are 3 adults and am still figuring out the cheapest mode of transportation (car vs train)

Day 1 - Fly out of Barcelona into Rome by 11 AM
Day 2, 3 - Rome
Day 4,5 - Florence (Pisa ??)
Day 6,7 - Venice
Day 7 - Catch a night train to Interlaken, Swiss

I know this is super cramped but we think we can do it. Would love to get some of your thoughts. Any suggestions on car vs train ??
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 08:28 AM
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Definitely not a car. It's too difficult and too expensive to park in cities, especially if you later get a ticket for driving in the restricted locals-only zone (ZTL) in Florence or elsewhere. Whereas the train takes you from city center to city center.

Yes, you can do this. But why would you? Just to say you've been these places?

If you're not a big fan of Renaissance art and architecture, maybe omit Florence or just spend a day there en route from Rome to Venice. Add extra time to Rome. There's lots to see there. If you want to crowd it in, maybe do a day trip to Pompeii from Rome.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 09:29 AM
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Thanks Mimar. Have considered spending extra time in Rome but florence is hard to miss. I know we wont be able to see all given the short time period but I wish to atleast check out the major spots in each of these cities.

My only reason to consider driving was the economics. We are 3 and considering a $150 adult train pass, we would be spending $450 on train tickets. Will renting a car and paying for gas/parking be more expensive than the train tickets?
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 09:36 AM
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A car would be a nonsense for this itinerary.

Also -you have not allowed any time to get from one place to another.

Do yuo go from Rome to Florence on day 3 or 4? From Florene to Venice on day 5 or 6. You really have too little time anywhere (1 day Florence, 1.5 days Venice and 2 in Rome).

If the rest of your trip is scheduled this wayyou have much more travle time and much less sightseeig/relaxing time than you think.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 09:40 AM
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You don't need or want a train pass. Point-to-point 2nd class tickets is all you require. A car will be a liability. You don't seem to have factored in the time required to pack up, get to train stations, travel to the next destination and get settled. Your trip is going to be far more rushed than you probably realize.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 12:24 PM
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rshah,

Many, many people spend two week in Italy -- and spend half their time in cities and the other half doing something else (like aimlessly wandering around lakes or the Amalfi or "Tuscany") -- and nobody criticizes their trips.

I assume you already know you can't unpack your suitcase every stop and repack it. And that you should ask your hotel to call you a taxi to take you to the station.

Many of the people criticizing your trip wouldn't know what to do with themselves for more than 2 days in Florence or Venice. At least you are going with a purpose rather than to just "soak up the atmosphere."

A train will be your most economical and fastest way to travel. It is never cheap to travel as fast as you are traveling, covering as much geography. A car will only slow you down, and between parking costs in Florcence, plus gas near $10 per gallon, you'll do better taking trains.

But I doubt you'll want a train pass. You might put up a separate thread asking about whether a train pass is the best dealbecause the people who know best about train costs for multi-country trips may not see your questions here since you have tagged it solely about Italy.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 12:32 PM
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Folks?

Many people take a day trip to Florence and are just find with it. It only takes 90 minutes to get from Rome to Florence these days -- and despite all the hand-wringing on Fodor's, most people do not need hours to leave a hotel and get to a train station.

These days, it talks 2 hours and 8 minutes to get from the heart of Florence to the heart of Venice by train.

I seen plenty of advice given on Fodor's that people should fly transatlantic into either Rome or Venice and spend 2 or 3 nights there before moving on to "Tuscany" to plotz and do nothing. These people will be arriving in all their destinations without jet lag.

What I also see on Fodor's is that just about every time some new person posts a thread asking about one week in Italy, the answers are always derisive and negative. But a great many travelers coming from overseas spend 9 days in Italy and do exactly what these people are planning to do arriving from a short hop from Spain. They will see their chosen highlights of Italy's "Big Three". Several million energetic people have done it before them and were excited and thrilled.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 12:40 PM
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Because your itinerary is tight, and you plan to travel between major cities in Italy, the train system is quickest and most cost effective mode of transport. I looked on Trenitalia ... (www.trenitalia.com) and it would cost 45 euros in 2nd class on fast train (1hr, 30 min) to get from main station in Rome (Termini) to city center in Florence. Then your Florence-Venice route, again on the Frecci .... (fast trains) costs 43 euros, taking 2 hrs, 8 min.

Note .... second class is fine, especially on these routes. However if you opt for first class, it's about an add'l 18 euros.

Definitely forget about Pisa. Not worth doing in your already too busy travel plan.

LASTLY ..... the issue frequently raised by many train travelers ..... whether to buy tix ahead, or to do so once you get there. And there are several threads on this forum that debate issue ad nausem. Feel free to run search ..... generally, unless you're traveling during peak season or a holiday weekend, don't need to book that far ahead. Of course, there are some cheaper seats to be had on some trains for advance purchases (mini-fares). Again, a topic discussed on other 'train threads'.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 12:46 PM
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Please don't say the Pisa (or any other place for that matter) is not worth doing. If it's of interest to the OP, it's worth doing. The Duomo there is amazing, BTW.

And I agree about taking the train. Much easier and cheaper.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 12:54 PM
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Oh, please .... such hubbub about a caddy-wampus tower. See the damn tower if you must ..... I still stand by my opinion that it's not worth using up a 1/2 day when there's much to see & only 6 days to do it in.

"Ron in Rome" --- check out the site for train stuff as well as the Rome portion of your trip ..... http://www.roninrome.com/transportat...rains-in-italy
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 01:26 PM
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I would do Rome/Venice OR Venice/Florence OR Rome/Florence but not all 3 cities (4 if you count Pisa) in only 7 days time.

You most definitely want to go by train, not a rental car. I don't know how the costs compare but it's a LOT easier and more relaxing to travel around Italy by train instead of driving in a foreign country (of course in my opinion).
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 01:53 PM
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rshah, you asked for our thoughts, and nearly all of us think you're trying to cover too much in too short a timeframe. But, obviously, you can do whatever you want or intend to do anyway. If it were my trip, I'd see Rome or Florence and one other destination (either city or countryside), but that's me. Others might prefer Venice over Florence or somewhere in Tuscany or Umbria over a second city destination. FWIW, I could spend the entire week in one place and still not see/do everything that interests me.

If this trip is in summer when temps, humidity and crowds are at their highest, seeing Rome/Florence/Venice in a week will be a brutal pace.

Unless you decide to drop a city in favor of exploring a little countryside, I see no benefit to renting a car. If you do end up renting a car, every driver will need an International Drivers Permit.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 02:07 PM
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Pick one city and do it up right.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 03:24 PM
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You can do it...but I think you would enjoy it more if you only did two cities. Especially if it is hot (we were in Rome this past September for a week and it was brutal...and the crowds make it "hard work.") I would suggest, however that you do Rome for 4 nights -- it is wonderful -- and then train it to Venice for 3 nights. If you really want to squeeze in Florence, the suggestion of a daytrip from Rome is doable by train. Train travel is pretty inexpensive point-to-point, so I'd investigate to see if it wouldn't be cheaper than the passes.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 04:14 PM
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Thanks so much folks. Insightful thoughts/suggestions. We are travelling in March, so assume heat wont be a problem.

Train seems to be the best option, as all of you said. I am currently checking out various train prices (point to point and passes) to suit my schedule. I will report later once I have a good grasp of the various rail passes available. I still havn't dumped my alternative to rent a car, precisely because we are a group of 3 adults. If I do end up renting a car, it might be for couple of reasons - 1) I will just use it for travelling from Rome to Florence to Venice (will not use it inside the cities) 2) I am considering driving to Swiss once my Italian vacation is over

As couple of people pointed out, we do have a cramped schedule. But we really want to see as much as we can during this time. We don't mind taking night trains or loosing a bit of sleep to accommodate an additional city.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 04:46 PM
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I've actually done your trip in that time frame with teens. It was fine. They saw everything they really wanted to see. As to day trips: unless one of those places is something on your "before I die dream sheet" I would probably skip them. Anyway, you don't have to lock that in before the trip. If you get to Florence and decide you've seen enough the first day, you can always hop a train to Pisa or bus to Siena the next morning, etc. Same for Rome, though I can't imagine that in a couple of days, and there are pleny of things closer than Pompeii.

Even with three people, I think train is best for lots of reasons. You will get a tiny bit of rest. It will be cheaper in the end. Best of all - the train takes you right from city center to city center, saving time.
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 05:51 PM
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Driving out of Rome can be a little challenging but is fairly straightforward compared to driving into Florence. Most of the Florence city center is a traffic-free zone, and you'll get a ticket if you wander into it. Ignorance of the zone and its boundaries is no defense. Even if you avoid the zone, you'll likely pay more than one person's train fare Rome-Florence to park the car for three nights.

You'll pay again to park the car near Venice.

Finally, you need to find out the drop fee for renting a car in Rome and returning it in Switzerland and the cost of the vignette required to drive on most Swiss roads (and certainly the ones you would be using).
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Old Dec 28th, 2011, 07:56 PM
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"I still havn't dumped my alternative to rent a car, precisely because we are a group of 3 adults. If I do end up renting a car, it might be for couple of reasons - 1) I will just use it for travelling from Rome to Florence to Venice (will not use it inside the cities) 2) I am considering driving to Swiss once my Italian vacation is over"

This just isn't (at all) practical. You won't want to drive in to/out of any of them. What would you do w/ the car while in each city? Park it someplace outside of town??

And collecting a car in Italy to drop it in Switzerland - the drop off fees can literally cost more than the rental itself.

"I am currently checking out various train prices (point to point and passes) to suit my schedule. I will report later once I have a good grasp of the various rail passes available."

There really is no railpass that makes sense for these few, inexpensive train trips . . .
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Old Dec 29th, 2011, 05:38 AM
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http://www.initaly.com/travel/info/edwin.htm


Trains in Italy .......
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...y-296465-2.cfm


article on Mini-Fare discounted ticket .....
http://www.roninrome.com/%20transpor...mo-fares-again



http://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm
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Old Dec 29th, 2011, 06:53 AM
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Since you are coming from Barcelona and going on to Switzerland I would assume this is just one part of a larger European tour. I think your plan for Italy is perfect. You will see three great cities, easily connected by train. This may be your first visit, but I bet not your last. Some people like to see absolutely everything in a city, some prefer to hit the high notes. Go with your plan and enjoy.
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