Hello -- thanks for all the great advice on this forum. I am looking for comments on a tentative itinerary, and any insights on the best way to get between each of the cities/regions we're visiting in Italy:

We fly into Naples (via Zurich) on May 23.

May 23, 24: Amalfi Coast, Capri (staying in Positano).
May 25 - 28: Rome
May 20: Tuscany (staying in Siena?)
May 30, 31: Venice
June 1: Como
June 2: Zurich
June 3: fly back to US (out of Zurich).

We are looking to get a train/rental car package, using the car from Rome to Tuscany, and then to Venice (dropping the car off in Mestre?). All other travel would be via train. Does this sound reasonable?

Should we consider trading one night in Rome for a 2nd night in Tuscany?

Your first day is going to be hell. Add another day to Positano, especially if you plan to go to Capri. May 25th will be 6 hours of travel, so you'll really be in Rome 3 days. Skip Tuscany this trip, unless you're just considering a stop over for the night while you drive through Italy. The train between Rome and Venice takes 5 hours, so you can be sure you're going to be on the go.

Other than that, it's okay, if you just want a little taste of everything.

I agree that one full day for the Amalfi coast doesn't accomplish much. Nor does a night in Siena.

I'm also trying to figure out taking the train from Venice to Como for one night (town of Como?) then train to Zurich for one night. Why not just take the train from Venice to Zurich (7 hours) and spend two nights there which at least gives you enough time to get out and see something?

Or better yet, add those days to the Amalfi coast and/or Tuscany, then fly from Venice to Zurich to meet up with your flight home. It seems too bad you're apparently stuck with having to get to Zurich on an Italian trip.

chicago23,

For a 10-day trip, you've got too many destinations. I would advise three places at most, and even that's a lot given the vagaries of traveling time in Italy.

For example, Positano is about an hour and a half drive from Naples, and about a 3 hour drive from Rome.

Are you plane tix already set? If not, you could do an open-jaw itinerary into Venice and out of Rome.

If you did that, I'd break down the trip this way:

Venice- 3 days
FLY from VENICE to NAPLES on ALPIEAGLES

Positano ( with day trip to Capri) 3 days
EUROSTAR from NAPLES to ROME ( 2 and a half hours) or hire private driver from POSITANO to ROME with possible sidetrip to POMPEII on the way to ROME

ROME- 4 days
FLY home from Rome

If your plane tix are already set, I'd break it down this way:

Positano- 3 days
EUROSTAR from NAPLES to ROME or private driver

Rome- 4 days
FLY from ROME to VENICE

Venice- 3 days
FLY from VENICE to ZURICH and home

Hi ch,

I also think that you are doing too much traveling.

Weadles has a good plan,

" Does this sound reasonable?"

Yes. If you like to spend all your time travelling and packing/unpacking and none seeing anything.

Forget Amalfi. A trip that spans Amalfi to Venice covers far too much geography in such a short time. Rome-Tuscany-Venice would be more than enough.

I'd also strongly reconsider getting a car in Rome. Driving anywhere near the place is likely to become a horror.

A Smart trip would be

Train to Rome 4 days

Train to Florence 3 days. Bus trips to Siena and maybe San Gim or train to Pisa

Train to Venice 3 days.


PS You aren't missing much by not stopping in Zurich.

I agree with the sentiment. You can't treat Italy as a checklist of things to see. We stayed a week in Amalfi and it wasn't enough. I thin the Rome-Florence-Venice plan is probably a smart one if you want to pack maximum in in minimum time. We stayed 3 days in Venice and it was probably OK to see the highlights (but as always you could spend more time...) and 3 days in Rome and it was hopelessly too short. Didn't get to Florence so we're doing it this trip.

Italy is not a place to be rushed - you'll in love with it so much more if you take it slowly.

Far too many destinations. My only recommendation is that you allow a full three nights/days for Venice. It's an adult Disneyland - you'll know what I mean when you get there! Just remember the place is like 900 years old.

"It's an adult Disneyland"

No, that would be Las Vegas. Venice is simply Venice. There is no place like it.