calling for itinerary suggestions/critique...
 

Hello all you seasoned Italy travelers/dwellers out there. Please offer your suggestions/advice/critique of the following 10 day itinerary...
Depart US Oct 29 arriving Venezia Oct 30 and lodging at either Cadogaressa...Locanda Orseolo...or Hotel Riva...for 3 nights.
Depart Friday Nov 2 via Eurostar to Firenze for 3 nights at either Hotel Casci, Tourist House Ghiberti, or Hotel Davanzati..
continue on to The Cinque Terre via train for 4 nights lodging in Levanto at either Sella Maris, or Hotel Nazionale....
train to Pisa for the return flight to the USA
First, overall impressions of the general itinerary would be appreciated.
Also, between the selections for lodging given what are your thoughts/experiences with the said properties?
Have been to Firenze and lodged at the Casci and loved it...so its on the list as a
"safe" choice..but willing to try other experiences...
Main concerns are the Venezia leg...and the Cinque Terre leg....such as mentioned lodging, must see/and do's, the weather for both these legs...
This 10 days is Oct 29-Nov 8...but am also considering Nov 5-15. What are your suggestions pro/con for either of these date scenarios.
Grazie for your help:)

Just an FYI, when I tried to make reservations MONTHS ago at Locanda Orseolo for mid-October, they were fully booked.

I'm not sure what the weather in the Cinque Terre is usually like at the end of October or mid-November. You might try looking up historic weather patterns for the area. Also, if it's the off season, places might be closed up - you should check on that as well.

We've stayed at the Hotel Casci; the location is great!

Thanx for the response ...
ok...so someone in our group suggested doing Venezia as above, then Firenze as above, and then take a Eurostar to Naples we can leave Firenze SMN in the morn at 9 and be in Napoli in time for lunch. ....the balance of the day in Naples...overnight in Naples for a day two excursion to Pompeii..then onto Sorrento and the Amalfi for 2 days and a return to Napoli for flight to US.
I am only pondering a change from the Cinque Terre to the Amalfi because of weather concerns for that time at the last week of Oct/first week of Nov.
So, I suppose I need some insight. I have seen that the temps for that time in Oct/Nov are lows of 49ish to highs of mid 60ish F. Thanks for your advice and experience on this in advance...

Hi Russ - I'd go with the earlier dates - November can be a wet month.

Plan B looks better to me at that time of year.

Steve

thanx Steve for helping me clarify..yep I had been noting the typical forecasts that have in the past saw alot of rain....Thus, was thinking a move south was in order and perhaps a bit warmer and more inviting eh?

Just to satisfy my curiosity... why do all of your plans seem to exclude ROME?
Especially when you're considering Naples. Unless you've already enjoyed the Rome experience, I think you could be making a big mistake.
Anyway, I agree with the correspondent who wonders about Cinque Terre wather in late Oct./Nov. It's a beautiful place, but four nights there could begin to feel like a prison sentence. There really isn't much to do after a day or two of seeing the coastal sights.
For my money, Rome is the heart and soul of Italy, and the best it has to offer of just about everything. And it's farther SOUTH... could be important in November. Wherever you go, open your heart and mind to the wonders of Italy. I lived there for two years and would go back in a heartbeat.

well Paul you have hit it...have already been to Rome and wanted to experience a bit more of Italy this trip...although a return to Rome at this stage of the game is not out of the question.:) Our plans are very fluid at this point and of course I am trying to gauge the overall consensus of the desires of our groups members.
Yes indeed Rome has been wonderful to us in the past.

Hi R,

I think that 4 nights on the CT, especially in Nov, is 2 nights too many.

I like the Venice, Florence, Naples plan.

The AC in Nov can be cold, rainy, windy, foggy or gloriously beautiful.

However, if the weather is not very good there are many other things to do in Naples than on either the CT or the AC.

((I))

hey ira that is a great point about having more options in Napoli....I mean you have Pompei..and we could decide to buzz up to Rome after all since it is fairly close.I mean after all you can't really see Rome all in one trip eh?.....and you are also right about 4 days in CT as too much during that time of year...
you Rock IRA:)

Hi Russ,

I would vote for the Venice, Florence, Naples plan also for the same reasons. I only had 1 night in Naples during a week on the Amalfi Coast, but I would have loved to spend a couple more!

Buon viaggio!

Take 2 nights from Levanto/5 Terre and at least one to Venice. We had 5 full days in Venice on our first trip there, and didn't even have time for any of the other lagoon islands or the Accademia Museum.

I can't tell you how refreshing it is to hear about the flexibility you've built into your planning phase. I'm also glad to see the concensus building on the Cinque Terre... four nights really is TOO MUCH. Here's another suggestion for you from someone who's no big fan of Naples (I notice others refer to the Amalfi coast... but THAT ain't Naples). You get the same geographic benefits (Pompei, Capri, Amalfi) if you stay in Sorrento. And I can promise you a more enjoyable visit.
Save up some extra cash and buy a piece of the magnifiicent wood inlay work that the area is famous for. I've had the same plaque hanging on a wall in more than a dozen homes over the last 20 years.
If your plans change and you consider renting a car, you should consider San Gimignano (check it out online... careful with the spelling). It's the ultimate hill town of Tuscany... a memory (and photographs) for a lifetime.

wow thanx Paul....yes...I had the tuscan hills towns in the back of my mind. Montepulciano is a favorite of mine...LUV that town... but have been intrigued by San Gimignano.
Was contemplating a Siena ..San Gimignano thing.....since I haven't been two those two. After all the Tuscan area is my favorite. I biked the Tuscan countryside last September...amazing.
Funny you should mention Sorrento..have been intrigued by that town as well:)
That wood inlay sounds fascinating...does it have a particular name? Who did you get yours from and do you recommend a particular shop/craftsman? thanx

UPDATE....so after consulting with our travel party...it looks like we will fly into Venezia for 3 days...train to Rome for 3 days... and train to Firenze for 4 days....
First off...do you think 3 days is good for Venezia? ..and let me say I am aware that there is much to see in Rome and 3 days cant really cover it all.
Secondly, we were thinking of Rome really as a base for seeing the highlights of Rome but then possibly taking a day trip from Rome.
Also, the 4 days in Firenze is to allow a possible day trip from there as well.
So with that in mind let me ask you all for your experience and wise sage advice.... Do you think a day trip from Rome to see Pompei is doable?
Also, would be interested in a day trip to Siena or San Gimignano from the Firenze stay.
Thanx for your thoughts you guys....

Hi Russ - Lots of people day-trip to Pompeii from Rome - either by public transport or organised excursion. It's a long day - but perfectly viable :)

But you will be rushed to see the highlights of Rome in 2 days. Personally I would take one day from Florence and add it to Rome ...

Siena and/or San Gimignano are easy enough by bus from Florence. You could do both if you wish. For bus timetables see:

http://www.sitabus.it/sita-toscana/Firenze-Siena06.pdf

Alternatively you could do an organised tour with CAF or SITA:

http://www.caftours.com/en/regtoursac.htm

http://www.sita-on-line.it/CentralSI...IT.htm#offerte

Hope this helps ...

Steve

P.S. For ROME to POMPEII:

There are several tour companies which run bus tours from Rome to Pompeii - Vastours, Appianline, Carrani, Greenline ...

VASTOURS (Tour 13)
http://www.vastours.it/eng/vastours/...ular_roma.html

CARRANI (Tour 13)
http://www.carrani.com/gb/viaggi/tour13.htm

APPIAN (Tour 14)
http://www.appianline.it/italy2004/fuldayro.htm

GREENLINE (Tour15)
http://www.romeguide.it/greenline/greenline_eng.htm


A common problem with these tours is that for most people they don't allow enough time at Pompeii - usually only about 2 hours.

They usually include a cameo factory visit and lunch en route - and you don't get to Pompeii till after lunch.
Some also include a short 30 mins. stop in Sorrento before returning to Rome.

It's all a bit rushed IMO - and not cheap; most charge approx. €100

..................

Alternatively you can do it rather more cheaply by public transport.

TRAIN

- If you go by TRAIN, with an early start you can be at Pompeii by opening time or soon after.

Take the train from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale, then the Circumvesuviana train to POMPEII SCAVI.

For timetables see:
www.trenitalia.it (Rome-Naples trains)
www.massalubrense.it/circum.htm (Circumvesuviana)

[You could include Sorrento too - it's only 30 mins by train from Pompei].

BUS

- There are SHUTTLE BUSES from Rome in high season run by MAROZZI (approx. €29) and by ENJOY ROME (€45-55).

www.marozzivt.it/HomePage.htm
www.enjoyrome.com/shuttle_tour/pompeii.html

The MAROZZI Rome-Pompei-Sorrento shuttle service runs in summer, leaving Rome at 07.00(- deps. from outside Tiburtina station), arriving Pompei about 10.00.

The return Marozzi bus leaves Sorrento approx. 18.00 and Pompei approx. 18.45, arriving Rome about 21.30.

The ENJOY ROME Pompei shuttle returns to Rome earlier - for details see the above link.

..................

Hope this helps ...

Steve

most excellent grazies to you Steve!
thanx for the nice info!
yeah..since we had been to Rome previously we wanted to use Rome as a "base" and catch a couple of sites there that we missed on prior trips and venture outwards some.

Hi R,

> we will fly into Venezia for 3 days...train to Rome for 3 days... and train to Firenze for 4 days....

From where are you flying home?

Isn't it easier to fly into Venice, train to Florence and then to Rome, flying out of Rome?

((I))

hey Ira... i hear what you are saying and that def makes logical sense as far as hopping from city to city goes...
I was thinking though of putting the hustle and bustle of Rome sandwiched in between some serenity of Venezia and calmness of Firenze ya know? ..and also I was thinking of the logistics of an easier proximity to FLR than to FCO in the return flight. Yet, that being said a flight out of FCO instead is still on the table as a possible scenario.

Hey IRA and PAUL>....update...

well the plans are coming together...
have booked a flight into VCE and out of FLR ....
we have 3 nights confirmed at Locanda Orseolo in Venezia...
we have 4 nights confirmed at Tourist House Ghiberti(that was for you Ira:)
now we have to nail down accomodations in Roma(that is for you Paul from your earlier post about excluding Roma:)...now we are going back! We have three days in Roma and decided on Roma since some in our party had not been there, and also those that had wanted to catch a few sites missed on prior trips. Also, we decided on Rome as a "base" so that we could be free to plan an excursion out if desired.
So...A few questions for everyone.....
so recommend a good lodging fairly close to Termini in Rome...had Hotel Italia in mind...other suggestions?
Also, two..we are thinking of one of the four days in Firenze as an excursion say to San Gimignano/Siena. Anyone have experience with said excursion as I understand there are some that depart from near Firenze SMN as a tour group. Or does anyone recommend a reasonable driver/guide for such a tour.