Car Dilema & Itineary Feedback
Mar 29th, 2010, 01:39 PM
#1
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Car Dilema & Itineary Feedback
Hi, I'm looking for some more feedback. As stated before, I'm traveling with the hubby to Italy for the first time. I'm getting some feedback on where to take a rental car and where not to. I do enjoy being adventurous and seeing parts of Italy by car, but I don't at the same time don't want to be frustrated or have time lost if there is an easier means of getting to certain points with less hassel. I was hoping on getting specific advice on travel times and on where to take the car and where to get rid of it for time saving sake or easier accessibilty.
We are going to spend about 3 weeks in Italy: Here is an overview of how it's going to look : land in Rome and go directly to-Florence -Venice to Pescare-Calabria-Sicily-Naples & Amalfi Coast-Rome
I'm going to be a little clearer with my itineary in terms of time spent at each location:
Day 1,2,3
We arrive in Rome in the afternoon. I want to bypass Rome and go directly to the florence area to spend 2 days there.
(1 full day in the city of flornece and then was thinking of getting a car rental the next day to explore a day trip to see a bit of Tuscany and leave from there to drive to Venice.
Day 4, 5,
Either take the car to Venice and park it or return it. Stay two nights in Venice. Or the debate I guess is to ditch the car in florence and take the train right to Venice.
Day 6-Need A car
Would like to drive down from Venice to Pescare stay the night in Pescare. (Not sure how long of a drive that would be?
Day 7 & 8 Travel by car to Consenza Calabria,...(I think the drive from Pescare is 8 hours but not even sure.We will be staying
2 days
Day 9, 10, 11,12
Drive the car to Sicly and spend 3 days. (This is where I'm wondering if I should drop the car off in Polermo or keep it from when we travel to Naples-Sorrento & Amalfi Coast.
Day 13,14, 15,
We take a ferry from Sicily to naples with car. Take car and drive to Sorrento and leave the car in parking in Sorrent so we can travel to the coast by bus/ferry. (Either that or just get rid of the car when we port in Naples...not sure.
Day 16: IF we kept the car, Pick up car from Sorrento and take the car back to Rome if opted to keep it. Or get back to naples by ferry and take train from naples to rome. Then stay 3 days and 2 nights in rome.
So All in all I guess my dilemas are:
1. Is the plan ok? (Timelines, travel times)
2. What areas do I for sure keep a car or ditch the car/
3. Are my driving times ok? Or am I underestimating times in terms of traveling by car in my itineary?
This will be our first time in ITaly and we like a little adventure, but at the same time.. we don't want to be stressed out!
I'd love any feedback!!!
Thanks in advance!!
We are going to spend about 3 weeks in Italy: Here is an overview of how it's going to look : land in Rome and go directly to-Florence -Venice to Pescare-Calabria-Sicily-Naples & Amalfi Coast-Rome
I'm going to be a little clearer with my itineary in terms of time spent at each location:
Day 1,2,3
We arrive in Rome in the afternoon. I want to bypass Rome and go directly to the florence area to spend 2 days there.
(1 full day in the city of flornece and then was thinking of getting a car rental the next day to explore a day trip to see a bit of Tuscany and leave from there to drive to Venice.
Day 4, 5,
Either take the car to Venice and park it or return it. Stay two nights in Venice. Or the debate I guess is to ditch the car in florence and take the train right to Venice.
Day 6-Need A car
Would like to drive down from Venice to Pescare stay the night in Pescare. (Not sure how long of a drive that would be?
Day 7 & 8 Travel by car to Consenza Calabria,...(I think the drive from Pescare is 8 hours but not even sure.We will be staying
2 days
Day 9, 10, 11,12
Drive the car to Sicly and spend 3 days. (This is where I'm wondering if I should drop the car off in Polermo or keep it from when we travel to Naples-Sorrento & Amalfi Coast.
Day 13,14, 15,
We take a ferry from Sicily to naples with car. Take car and drive to Sorrento and leave the car in parking in Sorrent so we can travel to the coast by bus/ferry. (Either that or just get rid of the car when we port in Naples...not sure.
Day 16: IF we kept the car, Pick up car from Sorrento and take the car back to Rome if opted to keep it. Or get back to naples by ferry and take train from naples to rome. Then stay 3 days and 2 nights in rome.
So All in all I guess my dilemas are:
1. Is the plan ok? (Timelines, travel times)
2. What areas do I for sure keep a car or ditch the car/
3. Are my driving times ok? Or am I underestimating times in terms of traveling by car in my itineary?
This will be our first time in ITaly and we like a little adventure, but at the same time.. we don't want to be stressed out!
I'd love any feedback!!!
Thanks in advance!!
Mar 29th, 2010, 04:23 PM
#3
Investigate the cost of the car rental (including extras like nav, 2 drivers, insurance). Then add in overnight parking fees almost everywhere. Lastly, search your route on Viamichelin.com and find the highway tolls and fuel costs. Your daily car costs will likely be $200 or more a day.
IMO, this would be a lovely, enjoyable trip if you had 4-5 weeks.
I also wonder "Why Pescara?" With a car, I'd choose a smaller town.
IMO, this would be a lovely, enjoyable trip if you had 4-5 weeks.
I also wonder "Why Pescara?" With a car, I'd choose a smaller town.
Mar 29th, 2010, 04:31 PM
#4
For some background, the OP has another thread that is similar.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...fm#dest-header
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...fm#dest-header
Mar 29th, 2010, 04:39 PM
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You do not need a car for Rome-Florence-Venice. It is doubtful that you can rent a car for a single day in Florence, and if you had to return the car in Florence, it would be a hassle with the traffic-restricted areas (enter one and you get a fine in the mail months later). There are buses that you can take into the Tuscan countryside for a day. The autoroute Venice-Pescara is *not* scenic, and Pescara-Cosenza is about six hours by car. You can take a train from Venice to Cosenza; it will take 9.5 to 10 hours.
Cosenza-Palermo is probably best done by car. I don`t know what you plan to do in three days in Sicily; the car may be useful (or not). Do *not* drop the car off in central Palermo; drop it off at the airport and take the bus in. Take the ferry to Naples; you do *noy* want to drive in and around Naples. Buses and ferries are better around Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast than a car. You can take a bus directly from Sorrento to Rome.
Beyond simple logistics, circling most of the Italian peninsula *and* going to Sicily is simply not a great idea. Whether by car, train, bus or ferry, you`re going to spend more time getting from place to place (and packing and unpacking) than actually seeing places.
I suspect that Cosenza and Sicily may be part of your plan because of ancestral roots. Do them in a second trip. Stick to Venice, Florence, Rome, Amalfi Coast for the first trip. Fly into Venice and out of Rome.
Cosenza-Palermo is probably best done by car. I don`t know what you plan to do in three days in Sicily; the car may be useful (or not). Do *not* drop the car off in central Palermo; drop it off at the airport and take the bus in. Take the ferry to Naples; you do *noy* want to drive in and around Naples. Buses and ferries are better around Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast than a car. You can take a bus directly from Sorrento to Rome.
Beyond simple logistics, circling most of the Italian peninsula *and* going to Sicily is simply not a great idea. Whether by car, train, bus or ferry, you`re going to spend more time getting from place to place (and packing and unpacking) than actually seeing places.
I suspect that Cosenza and Sicily may be part of your plan because of ancestral roots. Do them in a second trip. Stick to Venice, Florence, Rome, Amalfi Coast for the first trip. Fly into Venice and out of Rome.
Mar 29th, 2010, 04:44 PM
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ouch..so maybe I am overestimating my timelines.
No need to go to Pescare, what other destination would anyone suggest visiting on the way from Venice to Calabria by car?
We are going to Calabria because my husband has family there and my Mother comes from there and we would like to visit it.
We have already booked our flight into Rome, so that's not going to change...we figured its more central since we are going to be spending most of our time in the southern part of Italy. Any other ideas?
Is there
No need to go to Pescare, what other destination would anyone suggest visiting on the way from Venice to Calabria by car?
We are going to Calabria because my husband has family there and my Mother comes from there and we would like to visit it.
We have already booked our flight into Rome, so that's not going to change...we figured its more central since we are going to be spending most of our time in the southern part of Italy. Any other ideas?
Is there
Mar 29th, 2010, 04:57 PM
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Why are you still talking about driving from Venice to Cosenza? It would be faster by train.
Forget Venice. Take the train (5.5 hours) to Cosenza. Drive Cosenza-Palermo and use the car in Sicily. Drop the car in Palermo. Do Florence as a day or overnight trip from Rome.
Forget Venice. Take the train (5.5 hours) to Cosenza. Drive Cosenza-Palermo and use the car in Sicily. Drop the car in Palermo. Do Florence as a day or overnight trip from Rome.
Mar 29th, 2010, 05:08 PM
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It may be worth the price to change your flights to into Venice and out of Rome. Call the airline to investigate.
I think using the trains for most of your trip would be better. Or, if you can't change your flights, fly from Venice to Palermo and rent car (if you need it). Drive the car north.
I suggest skipping Sorrento and spending more time in Rome, Florence, Venice, Sicily and Calabria.
I think using the trains for most of your trip would be better. Or, if you can't change your flights, fly from Venice to Palermo and rent car (if you need it). Drive the car north.
I suggest skipping Sorrento and spending more time in Rome, Florence, Venice, Sicily and Calabria.
Mar 29th, 2010, 05:30 PM
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Forget Venice, forget Tuscany, concentrate on Rome, Calabria, and Sicily. You cannot possibly do all this in the time allotted. If family roots are drawing you south, then just do the south. Get a good guidebook and above all a good map. I don't think you have any idea of the territory you plan to cover. It's just not workable.
Dec 28th, 2011, 02:16 PM
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I just wondered what the final trip was and how it worked for you. We are heading over in Sept and our plan is roughly what yours was - a really quick trip up north (as i have been up there before but years ago) so maybe 2 nights venice, 2 nights florence, then naples, cosenza sicily and Rome. How much time for the south - cosenza is for heritage reasons. we are flying in and out of rome so will spend a few days there on our way out. We were planning on train but a car in sicily but are open to suggestions. Total trip around 3.5 weeks. Suggestions anyone
Dec 29th, 2011, 02:16 AM
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Driving in Northern Italy has all the charm of driving in Northern New Jersey. It is highly industrialized and the roads are beyond their capacity.
Having just made the mistake of getting off the plane in Rome and taking the train north without a stopover to recover, I would never do it again. You can transfer to a domestic flight to Venice and be at the airport there in an hour. Take the bus to Piazzale Roma, get to your hotel, and collapse
. Take the train to Florence, and from Florence south, though you could look into flying to Sicily and renting a car there for your local visit. Then you could work your way up from the boot to Rome by car or train, depending on your timing.
Having just made the mistake of getting off the plane in Rome and taking the train north without a stopover to recover, I would never do it again. You can transfer to a domestic flight to Venice and be at the airport there in an hour. Take the bus to Piazzale Roma, get to your hotel, and collapse
. Take the train to Florence, and from Florence south, though you could look into flying to Sicily and renting a car there for your local visit. Then you could work your way up from the boot to Rome by car or train, depending on your timing.
