almalfi coast or dolomites
 

My husband and I are spending three weeks in Italy. Our itinerary goes from Rome 2 days. To Florence a week. To Lake Como 4 days to Venice 3 days. Now we wondering whether to do Sorrento and the Amalfi coast and pompeii or the dolomites and can't decide.

You could have not picked two more diverse areas than the Dolmites and the Amalfi coast.

People who like mountains will tell you to go to the Dolmites and coast people will tell you the Amalfi Coast. Both areas are beautiful.

There is probably more things to do on the Amalfi coast. There are resorts, boat trips you can take, lots of shopping, relaxing in the sun, concerts night life, etc.

In the Dolmites I used up about 3 rolls of film.

Since you will be in Lake Como in the mountains, and your present itinerary accounts for 16 days, I would suggest that the Amalfi Coast adds a different "flavor" to what you are already planning to do in Italy. You'll not have any trouble finding things to do for the remaining 4-5 days. Four- five days in the Dolmites might be a little long.

You are planning a week in Florence. I hope that includes lots of time driving in the beautiful Tuscany countryside and visiting some of the small villages. If not - bag the Dolmites & Amalfi coast & explore Tuscany.

Stu Dudley
San Mateo (San Francisco), Ca

What time of year? And, why a week in Florence and only 2 days in Rome? Will you have a car anytime? Hard to answer without many facts. Do you have your air connections yet?

I found the Dolomites outstanding! I was there in the month of June and it was wonderfully cool and almost completely devoid of tourists. For me, these are huge positive factors.

When are you planning to go? have you been to Rome before, or are you trying to avoid cities? Rome certainly deserves more than 2 days and there is plenty to explore in the immediate vacinity also.

regards Ger

Thank you Stu for your reply. It certainly has given us more to think about. We are in our sixties so am a little concerned about driving on what is to us the wrong side of the road. So we will take tour buses out of Florence some days. My husband would probably prefer to stay longer in Tuscany but I wanted to see Pompeii. Also you have a point about being in Lake Como and Sorrento would be a change of scene.
Sue

Hi Bob, Thank you also for your reply. We are going to Italy May 1st. We are not too keen on cities so that is the reason for only two days in Rome. We would like to stay in Florence for the week to enable us to not only see Florence itself but go on coaches for day trips to other parts of Tuscany. For reasons of age we are reluctant to hire a car we feel more comfortable to go on coach tours or have a driver and car. Our city of arrival and departure would be Rome. We are thinking of flying from Venice to Naples though as that trip seems a long one by train. Otherwise we will be travel on trains to get to our different locations.
Sue.

Hi Ger, Thank you for your reply.We haven't been to Italy for a holiday before. Only a short trip over the border of Switzerland from Lake Lugano one day and I swore I would go back one day and see more. So here we are. We are not keen on large cities so Rome I didn't think would be for us. But needless to say I want to see the most important places whilst there. The dolomites I thought would be lovely to see whilst we are over in Venice it wouldn't be too far to travel. But there again we wanted to see Pompeii so that is when the dilemma came into it.
Sue

I would start south and end north, assuming you can fly home from Venice. With that scenario, I would skip Rome and start on the Amalfi coast. Hard to see the Dolomites without a car.

Thanks Bob for your reply. Strangely enough I hadn't thought of the south north route. Going that way we could then go Venice, Lake Como then Tuscany and end up flying out of Florence.
Do you know anything about caravan parks in Italy where you can rent maxi-vans? with all mod cons.
Sue

Sue - If you're now thinking open-jaw, why not fly into Naples - and start on the Amalfi Coast?

Also ... wouldn't it make more sense to fly home from Venice, rather return to Florence for the flight home?

Alternatively, if you end up on Lake Como, you could fly home from Milan or Bergamo.

Steve

Hi Shaggycalf: Are you flying from the UK? If so, British Midland has flights to and from Naples and Venice, out of LHR).

I am flying to Naples on Thurs for the weekend, staying in Naples and visiting Pompei, Hereculaneum, Pastum. From reading the posts here about the area, I think that it is quite easy to do the entire coast by public transportation.

After Pompei etc., you could take the train from Naples to Rome: even if you don't like large cities, Rome IS worth a few days. From Rome take the train to Florence and visit Sienna, St. G etc. by bus.

I can't imagine doing the Dolomites without a car and from what I have read I think it is not easy.

regards Ger

Hi Steve,
As long as we can fly into Naples from LHR we will do that I think.
We've had a total rethink and will start in the south.
We'll go up then to Rome by train spend our couple of days there and carry on as previous itinerary. Flying out of Venice if we can back to LHR for a few weeks to visit relatives before the long trip back to OZ.
Sue

Hi Ger,
We are flying from Australia B.A. to LHR then onto Rome. Our flight doesn't go via Italy so have to change at Heathrow. It's going to be a very long flight. That is why originaly we thought we'd stay in Rome for two days before moving on.
Now after reading replies. We are opting to fly into Naples if we can then onto Sorrento first up. Think we'll need a driver to take us to accommodation we won't be up to much by then for coping with trying to find our own way.
After one week then in Sorrento we'll head back up to Rome and go on as our previous itinerary.
Have a lovely weekend, lucky you to be able to just jump across the channel so to speak.
Sue

Sue - If you're flying into Naples there's actually an inexpensive shuttle bus service several times daily between Naples airport and Sorrento, run by Curreri:

http://www.curreriviaggi.it/

Hope this helps ...

Steve

P.S. The budget airline Easyjet fly Venice-London (Gatwick). Fares for May currently start at less than £20 if you're interested (- though that fare won't last long).

Thanks Steve,
The advice about the shuttle bus is great to know. It is info like that that really helps.
About the flights out of Venice we should be covered in our international ticket, but thank you anyway.
Sue