After Rome, What?
Jan 26th, 2011, 10:41 PM
#1
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After Rome, What?
We are (we’re pretty sure) going to spend five days in Rome this summer, following my wife’s June retirement (I’ve already retired). W don’t drive in Europe, and want to continue to travel by rail, but not over 8 hours a day. We’d like to limit our stays to two more cities plus Rome. Our first trip in 2000 involved an overnight (after the flight) in Milano, so we didn’t see much more than the Duomo, then to Florence for three days, Verona for two, and Venice for three, thence on to Vienna and points west. We certainly learned our lesson about too many moves to too many places.
We briefly looked at the Rick Steves rail maps and, except for adding an extended stay in Milano, we don’t have any good ideas about a second and third city. We’ve generally been able to afford, financially and for time, three-week trips as optimum (seeming neither too short or too long to have seen a fair amount great urban sights—since we’re not driving, that pretty much leaves out restful rural and small town touring). Since we are now in out early 70s and late 60s, we want to keep the town-to-town moving to a minimum.
We’re now starting to look for suggestions for new places to visit within these constraints (max 8-hou train days, etc). Greece seems too far and southern Italy, other than Pompeii, seems not all that interesting. So, assuming that we’d travel “open jaws”, Seattle to Rome and come home from somewhere other than Rome, do we now spend some additional days in Milano, travel on to Switzerland (I’m not sure of the attractions there), or where? Suggestions are most welcome.
This will be our sixth trip, and we'll comfortably book our lodgings, rail travel and flights on the web, of course, and only buy Railpasses if they make sense.
We briefly looked at the Rick Steves rail maps and, except for adding an extended stay in Milano, we don’t have any good ideas about a second and third city. We’ve generally been able to afford, financially and for time, three-week trips as optimum (seeming neither too short or too long to have seen a fair amount great urban sights—since we’re not driving, that pretty much leaves out restful rural and small town touring). Since we are now in out early 70s and late 60s, we want to keep the town-to-town moving to a minimum.
We’re now starting to look for suggestions for new places to visit within these constraints (max 8-hou train days, etc). Greece seems too far and southern Italy, other than Pompeii, seems not all that interesting. So, assuming that we’d travel “open jaws”, Seattle to Rome and come home from somewhere other than Rome, do we now spend some additional days in Milano, travel on to Switzerland (I’m not sure of the attractions there), or where? Suggestions are most welcome.
This will be our sixth trip, and we'll comfortably book our lodgings, rail travel and flights on the web, of course, and only buy Railpasses if they make sense.
Jan 27th, 2011, 03:00 AM
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Well one obvious place would be the Amalfi Coast. You say southern Italy doesn't interest you but did you consider the Amalfi area. It's not like the rest of southern Italy. Easy to get to by train from Rome, and easy to get around by public transportation. Here's my trip report from last summer that included Rome and the Amalfi Coast - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rful-weeks.cfm
That trip also included Croatia, but we flew there. And that's another option - to fly somewhere from Rome. Easyjet flies to many destinations from Rome and even with the get to the airport, go thru security, etc the total travel time to most places will be less than 8 hours. That pretty much opens up everywhere. I take three week trips every summer and almost always include two fairly distant destinations and fly between them.
But if you want to stick to trains you could stop (briefly) in Milan and then go to Lake Como and from there up to Switzerland. Or from Rome go to the Cinque Terre and then train to southern France for a third destination.
That trip also included Croatia, but we flew there. And that's another option - to fly somewhere from Rome. Easyjet flies to many destinations from Rome and even with the get to the airport, go thru security, etc the total travel time to most places will be less than 8 hours. That pretty much opens up everywhere. I take three week trips every summer and almost always include two fairly distant destinations and fly between them.
But if you want to stick to trains you could stop (briefly) in Milan and then go to Lake Como and from there up to Switzerland. Or from Rome go to the Cinque Terre and then train to southern France for a third destination.
Jan 27th, 2011, 04:37 AM
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www.amalficoastweb.com
2 hours or so express train south of Rome
beautiful...
www.lucca.info bueautiful
www.metropole.it Portofino area wonderful
Mila ok for a nite or 2 sort of euro industrial
www.stresa.org www.bellagioinfo.com near by nice...
might look into some of those...
Happy Hunting,
2 hours or so express train south of Rome
beautiful...
www.lucca.info bueautiful
www.metropole.it Portofino area wonderful
Mila ok for a nite or 2 sort of euro industrial
www.stresa.org www.bellagioinfo.com near by nice...
might look into some of those...
Happy Hunting,
Jan 27th, 2011, 05:08 AM
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Not sure where you have and have not been in your previous 5 trips. Can you fill us in so we don't suggest places you have visited before?
There are so many possibilities, especially with a max. train time of 8 hours.
Just one:
Rome to Turin (5 hour train)
Turin to Paris (5 hour train)
Fly home from Paris
There are so many possibilities, especially with a max. train time of 8 hours.
Just one:
Rome to Turin (5 hour train)
Turin to Paris (5 hour train)
Fly home from Paris
Jan 27th, 2011, 06:43 AM
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I too would suggest you fly between points. The cheap airfares in europe make it not only less expensive but quicker than train travel. Pick two other cities on your wish list, stay a week in each, and make that your trip.
Jan 27th, 2011, 07:48 AM
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Spend your time in Florence - Tuscany - Bologna - Umbria. The cities of Siena - San Gimignano - Chianti (and others) can all be easy day trips from a Florence base. From Perugia, one could do Spoletto, Assisi, Orvieto, Arezzo and numerous other small hill towns. There are more to see than one has time for.
Also agree on the Amalfi Coast - Naples if you wish to go south from Rome. Even look at Mantera which is an enchanting place about 3 hours out of Naples.
I am not a big fan of Milan so if you have options to fly into / outof somewhere else, might make your travels easier.
Also agree on the Amalfi Coast - Naples if you wish to go south from Rome. Even look at Mantera which is an enchanting place about 3 hours out of Naples.
I am not a big fan of Milan so if you have options to fly into / outof somewhere else, might make your travels easier.
Jan 27th, 2011, 08:22 AM
#10
how long is the trip?
I personally like the idea of mixing up the types of things you do in a trip, so the amalfi would appeal, as would Switzerland, though it's in the wrong direction if you were flying into Rome and then going south to the amalfi. [though perhaps you can fly from Naples to geneva?]
which in fact you can - easyjet are showing flights from Naples to Genva in june and July for about €43.
there are several threads about staying on the amalfi coast [boat trips and sightseeing] and stays in Switzerland [think mountains, trains, walking].
Have a great trip!
I personally like the idea of mixing up the types of things you do in a trip, so the amalfi would appeal, as would Switzerland, though it's in the wrong direction if you were flying into Rome and then going south to the amalfi. [though perhaps you can fly from Naples to geneva?]
which in fact you can - easyjet are showing flights from Naples to Genva in june and July for about €43.
there are several threads about staying on the amalfi coast [boat trips and sightseeing] and stays in Switzerland [think mountains, trains, walking].
Have a great trip!
Jan 27th, 2011, 08:34 AM
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You say cities, so I'd go for Naples and Palermo, flying home from Palermo. Both are really interesting vibrant cities with lots to see in the historical line - much more interesting than Milan or Verona. Just have a look at some decent guidebooks and you'll see how much they have to offer.
Jan 27th, 2011, 10:34 AM
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Bardo1:
Trip 1 (2000) 3 weeks--arrived in Milano, Florence, Verona, Venice, Vienna, Assmannshausen on the Rhne, Trier and Bad Kreuznach in Germany (I was stationed for two yaers in Bad Kreuznach 50 years ago), departed to Seattle from Frankfurt
Trip 2 (2001) 2 weeks--arrived in Paris, spent a week there then by Channel Tunnel rail to London for the second week and departed from London for Seattle
Trip 3 (2004) 3 weeks--the UK trip (Glasgow, Aberlour (on the Spey, visiting distilleries), Edinburgh, York, Bath, Cardiff, and a final week in London and environs< thence to Seattle
Trip 4 (2006) 3 weeks--Seattle to Budapest (4 days there), 5 days in Prague and 5 days in Vienna, then back to Seattle from Vienna
Trip 5 (2009) 3 weeks--Seattle to Madrid, then Barcelona, one too short day in Nimes, 3 days in Beaune, a one-day, two fast train trip to Paris and on the London throught the Tunnel for 6 days, then to Seattle
You can see where we've been (our favorities were London and Vienna, but my wife wouldn't put up with another London trip and really wants to see Rome.
Trip 1 (2000) 3 weeks--arrived in Milano, Florence, Verona, Venice, Vienna, Assmannshausen on the Rhne, Trier and Bad Kreuznach in Germany (I was stationed for two yaers in Bad Kreuznach 50 years ago), departed to Seattle from Frankfurt
Trip 2 (2001) 2 weeks--arrived in Paris, spent a week there then by Channel Tunnel rail to London for the second week and departed from London for Seattle
Trip 3 (2004) 3 weeks--the UK trip (Glasgow, Aberlour (on the Spey, visiting distilleries), Edinburgh, York, Bath, Cardiff, and a final week in London and environs< thence to Seattle
Trip 4 (2006) 3 weeks--Seattle to Budapest (4 days there), 5 days in Prague and 5 days in Vienna, then back to Seattle from Vienna
Trip 5 (2009) 3 weeks--Seattle to Madrid, then Barcelona, one too short day in Nimes, 3 days in Beaune, a one-day, two fast train trip to Paris and on the London throught the Tunnel for 6 days, then to Seattle
You can see where we've been (our favorities were London and Vienna, but my wife wouldn't put up with another London trip and really wants to see Rome.
Jan 27th, 2011, 10:45 AM
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A follow-up to my post, above. My wife are strongly oriented toward museums and historic sites, so we probably would not be as interested in quaint rural areas, unless there was some straightforward way to base in, say, nothern Italy, and do fairly organized day trips to vineyards with associated dining opportunities (we are quite fond of Italian wines of the Piedmont and Tuscany, etc).
We'll look over Turin now; perhaps a second week in Paris would bring us to some great new experiences (we'd not seen Versailles, for example), {and I won't tell my wife that London is only a 2 hour 15-minute ride from Paris}.
We'll look over Turin now; perhaps a second week in Paris would bring us to some great new experiences (we'd not seen Versailles, for example), {and I won't tell my wife that London is only a 2 hour 15-minute ride from Paris}.
Jan 27th, 2011, 12:10 PM
#15
You have many good options. As you're from Seattle, how well do you tolerate heat? I'm asking because I live in San Francisco and just melt in an Italian summer.
I love Rome, though. It's my favorite European city. You can easily visit Assisi by train (art and history galore) for a couple of nights. And/or perhaps Perugia as a base would work. nyvgic has some great ideas. The midsize cities in Tuscany and Umbria would keep you interested, I think.
On the other hand, a week + in Rome followed by a week + in Paris is my idea of heaven. With three weeks you could do day trips from both.
I love Rome, though. It's my favorite European city. You can easily visit Assisi by train (art and history galore) for a couple of nights. And/or perhaps Perugia as a base would work. nyvgic has some great ideas. The midsize cities in Tuscany and Umbria would keep you interested, I think.
On the other hand, a week + in Rome followed by a week + in Paris is my idea of heaven. With three weeks you could do day trips from both.
Jan 27th, 2011, 01:16 PM
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Happy to see the Rome/Turin/Paris idea might be a possibility (I am firmly in "never enough Paris" camp).
Another idea is Rome/Naples/***
All of Naples is a historical site ans it has one of the best (and overlooked) art museums http://en.museo-capodimonte.it/il_museo
There is also the multitude of historic churches with great art too.
I think Naples may also have a good archeological museum ;-)
*** maybe Palermo or even Venice (5-7 days? trip 1 seemed rather whirlwind)
Another idea is Rome/Naples/***
All of Naples is a historical site ans it has one of the best (and overlooked) art museums http://en.museo-capodimonte.it/il_museo
There is also the multitude of historic churches with great art too.
I think Naples may also have a good archeological museum ;-)
*** maybe Palermo or even Venice (5-7 days? trip 1 seemed rather whirlwind)
Jan 27th, 2011, 02:26 PM
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A quick look at the Wikipedia Torino entry seems encouraging. Although Hollywood makes Tuscany look a more pastoral wine setting (Chianti, Assisi, etc), we'd be pretty happy if we got a few tastes of Barolo and Barbaresco, along with appropriate food, in the Piedmont and I would hope that there are day trips from Torino.
My wife's work at a university has opened a limited travel window of mid-June through the end of July for our holiday trips, so, wherever we've traveled (except for Scotland--there's no winter like a July in Scotland, as they say), we've had hot weather, including Florence, Verona, Venice, Vienna, Central Europe and most of our days in London. We've gone through a substantial amount of San Benedetto frizzante in Italy, and always look forward to our end of the day outside dining experience starting off with a tall beer.
I'm sure that there are many sights left in Paris for us (although I understand the fabulous Samaritaine department store is now closed and may in fact have been demolished) and it would be fun to choose different lodgings in Paris this time (as we always have in London--3 different flats [2 in Knightsbridge, 1 in Mayfair]). Much as we enjoyed the Marais, we'd look for a new place this time.
We'll ask later on this forum about lodgings choices for Rome, Torino and Paris (or any alternate choice we make), as we have before with great success.
My wife's work at a university has opened a limited travel window of mid-June through the end of July for our holiday trips, so, wherever we've traveled (except for Scotland--there's no winter like a July in Scotland, as they say), we've had hot weather, including Florence, Verona, Venice, Vienna, Central Europe and most of our days in London. We've gone through a substantial amount of San Benedetto frizzante in Italy, and always look forward to our end of the day outside dining experience starting off with a tall beer.
I'm sure that there are many sights left in Paris for us (although I understand the fabulous Samaritaine department store is now closed and may in fact have been demolished) and it would be fun to choose different lodgings in Paris this time (as we always have in London--3 different flats [2 in Knightsbridge, 1 in Mayfair]). Much as we enjoyed the Marais, we'd look for a new place this time.
We'll ask later on this forum about lodgings choices for Rome, Torino and Paris (or any alternate choice we make), as we have before with great success.
Jan 28th, 2011, 06:07 AM
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I would definitely not call Turin a large industrial city! We loved it when we were there last year. Its a lovely small city centre to walk around, very green and has lovely porticos. There are lots of interesting museums, great wine, and is within striking distance of the alps, wineries and some great food.
You can see our pics on our trip report: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...dmont-2010.cfm
You can see our pics on our trip report: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...dmont-2010.cfm
