nancy

I am getting down to the detail planning for my 2nd trip to Italy!<BR>Yippee!<BR>and as this time I will be going without my family, it will definitely be a different type of trip.<BR><BR>My good friend and I will be starting our trip with 6 days in Venice.<BR>Would it make more sense to fly to Milan, then take train to Venice?<BR>or should be book flight to Venice, if it includes stop over in milan?<BR><BR>After 6 days Venice,<BR>we will be taking the train to Milan.<BR>Spend night, see Duomo, etc.<BR>then she will be going up to Montreux, <BR>to visit another friend.<BR>I will be taking the train .<BR>and plan to end up in Naples.<BR>I might do an overnight in Perugia, as friends will be there for a month leading a college group.<BR>Plus that will break up the long train ride.<BR>Anyone ever do the train from Milan to Perugia?<BR>Milan to Naples?<BR>Perugia to Naples?<BR><BR>This part of the trip I will be doing solo,<BR>to commemorate<BR>(best word I can find)<BR> the fact that it will be almost a year since my husband left the family, <BR>2 days after our last trip to Italy.<BR>Kind of like quest (and a test for myself.)<BR><BR>I plan on spending 3-4 nights on Procida, then go to rome for another 3 nights before returning home.<BR><BR>As Procida is so small, I was thinking I would enjoy doing a trip over to Ischia,<BR>maybe to Capri,<BR>and a daytrip to Naples.<BR><BR>I can look up ferry schedules on the web, I know that.<BR>But, I am looking for some input if any of you have done ferry trips to and fro.<BR>Was it easy to arrange?<BR>Is one type of ferry better to take than another?<BR><BR>Also, anyone haverecommendations for hotel, or B&B in the Travestere area, close to the river?<BR>Last time we stayed in the Piazza Farnese for a week,<BR>and then a few days in the P. della Rotonda.<BR>I loved both those areas, but did not get a chance to explore across the river much.<BR><BR>Thanks for any advice or suggestions, or input.<BR>

xxx

As a rule of thumb, hydrofoils in the bay of Naples cost twice as much the ferries and take half the time. Besides Naples (1 hour by ferry), Procida is connected to Ischia Porto (25 minutes by ferry) and Casamicciola (30 minutes by ferry) in Ischia, and Pozzuoli (35 minutes by ferry). To other destinations (Sorrento, Capri, Amalfi, Positano) one has to go thru Naples (limited services also out from Ischia Porto). Between hydrofoils and ferries, service frequency is quite good in summer. You shouldn't worry about travelling with a specific company. Trips are short. Decide if you're going with a ferry or hydrofoil and take the first available.

xxx

Milan-Perugia train takes about 5 hours, with a change in Florence. Perugia-Naples strain also takes around 5 hours, with 1 or 2 changes. The direct Milan-Naples Eurostar takes 6:30 hours. As you may notice, you'd "gain"very little by breaking up your Milan-Naples journey - it's not that long.

Thyra

We took the Ferry to Ischia, and it was extremely easy to arrange. We simply walked passed all the various companies looked at their schedules (all were posted outside) and picked the one that had the most convenient time. Bon Voyage, you will love Ischia.. parts of the Talented Mr. Ripley were filmed there, and it is very lovely.

nancy

XXX and Thyra,<BR>Thank you so much for the info!<BR>what a nice surprise to check in and see your posts.<BR>Thanks again!!!