confused!-is this possible? -rome, florence, venice, amalfi coast- help!
 

Husband and I are flying in and out of Rome (tickets already booked). Itinerary for 9 days at the end of May is completely open. Is this itinerary too packed? What do you suggest? I'm totally confused. It's my first trip to Italy, husband's second (but he's never been to the Amalfi Coast). We're a young couple at 30. Thanks for your help.

Day 1 - Rome
Day 2 - Rome
Day 3 - Florence
Day 4 - Venice
Day 5 - Sorrento - day trip to Pompeii
Day 6 - Sorrento - day trip to Positano
Day 7 - Sorrento - day trip to Amalfi/Ravello
Day 8 - Sorrento - day trip to Capri
Day 9 - Rome
Day 10 - depart Rome to US

I think you should cut out Florence and Venice and stick with Rome and the Amalfi Coast.

If Florence and Venice are important, then cut out the Amalfi Coast. After you arrive in Rome, take the train to Florence and spend 3 nights. The train to Venice for 3 nights. Then train to Rome for your last 3 nights.

the trip was originally planned only for Rome and AC. so i'd like to stick with that. but i only planned 3 days rome, 4 days AC. I feel like i have 2 extra days...whats the best way to spend them?

Is this your first trip to Italy?

It would be great to see it all, if you're the type who likes to move around, has a lot of energy, and will be really disappointed to miss Florence and Venice. I totally get that. But it feels like you'll be exhausted at the end of the trip.

I would choose to cut out either Venice or the Amalfi Coast. and I LOVE both of these places.

Perhaps if you want a fast-paced trip with just "tastes" of different place, consider this:
If you arrive early enough in the day in Rome, take the fast train to Florence and start there.
2-3 nights in Florence
3 nights in Positano (eliminates one of your day trips, and much easier to get to amalfi)
1 night Capri
2-3 nights Rome

A great dilemma to have, I must say!
have a great trip!

dina

Venice looks to be a real reach with a lot of time and energy expended. I assume Florence is a daytrip by train? Consider dropping Venice and adding a day to Rome as your arrival day will be partially shot with jetlag anyway. There is so much to see and do in Rome.

Spend those days in Rome.

I think you know this, but with only 9 days you are better off with your 2 main destinations.
Arrive Rome, get to the coast on day one, spend 4 nites. Train back to Rome for your last 5 nites. That is 2 hotels and time to enjoy both lovely destinations.

I haven't been to the Amalfi Coast so I can't really help with that part of your trip, but here are a few thoughts:

Look into whether it makes sense to travel down to the Amalfi Coast right away after you arrive in Rome. That way you don't have to break up your time in Rome. It might not be feasible but it's worth checking into.

Remember on your arrival day you'll be tired and jetlagged, and it takes time to settle in. I wouldn't think of Day 1 as a full, proper day.

Every time you travel you lose time. Your Day 9 is not a full day in Rome because you're travelling from Sorrento and will need to check-in to your hotel, etc. It's a half day at best. With that in mind, the arrival day and the travel day eat up the "two extra days".

Rome has plenty to offer. You wouldn't get bored in four weeks, let alone four days. I think you'd have a more enjoyable trip if you keep your itinerary relatively simple, meaning Rome and the Amalfi Coast only. There's more than enough to fill up 9 days.

I agree to take out Florence and Venice. Perhaps stay four nights in Rome, two nights in Sorrento and two nights in Positano, and come back for your last night in Rome.

Will you have a car? or rely on the trains? In the case of the train, you'll go from Rome to Naples and switch to the local Circumvesuviana. You could stop in Pompeii on your way to Sorrento to prevent backtracking, and I believe there is luggage storage there. I know other Fodorites have discussed it so please search threads on it.
Then in Sorrento you can enjoy some limoncello and relax for a couple days. When you take the bus to Positano, get to the bus station EARLY because the line can be long going that direction. Assuming you do day trip to Amalfi, then you just re-trace your steps back to Rome.

It's a really beautiful area and I met some really wonderful people there and had some fantastic seafood - I asked the waiters to recommend something each time and had some excellent off-menu things!

I'm too slow. bobthenavigator has already answered by question- it is feasible to travel down to the Amalfi Coast as soon as you arrive.

I agree with bob, spend 4 nights AC and then 5 nights Rome.

Hi, we are going at the end of May too for a similar number of days. I knew I wanted to see Rome & Venice & was debating between the Amalfi coast or the lakes. We went with the lakes since I was able to get the return flight out of Milan. If it were me, I would do 3 mights in Rome, 3 nights in Venice & 3 nights on the Amalfi coast with the last night back in Rome. Of course, I have not been yet so I'm not sure how much my opinion is worth but I definitely would like to visit all three places. I know Venice is in the opposite direction but I would not want to miss it, maybe an overnight train might work?

You don't have any "extra time". I'd skip both Venice and Florence. Too far much hassle for only 1 days time imho.

For me personally also I can't imagine doing "day trips" from Sorrento every day for 4 days in a row!

On days 2, 3, 4 the itinerary is do-able but doesn't make sense. I don't think you've taken into account the time it takes to check out of a hotel, get to train station, take the train, get to next hotel, check in. With only 1 day in Venice and Florence, once you factor this in you have barely 1/2 each city. Hardly worth it.

With only 10 days, I think your itinerary is way too packed.
I would do Rome, Naples, Capri, Amalfi Coast (with daytrips to Pompeii.
Does the 10 days include travel days?
My sample itinerary if 10 days does include travel days...
Day 1: Arrive and explore Rome - overnight Rome
Day 2: Rome overnight
Day 3: Train to Naples - explore Pompeii museum - overnight Naples
Day 4: Ferry to Capri - overnight Capri
Day 5: Capri overnight
Day 6: Ferry to Positano - overnight Positano
Day 7: Positano - daytrip to Pompeii
Day 8: Positano - overnight Positano
Day 9: Travel day - Ferry to Naples, Train to Rome - overnight Rome
Day 10: Depart Rome

Of course you could eliiminate travel day if you departed from Naples - which would be nice.

dtph,

My first trip to Italy was a week of skiing in the Dolomiti, then 9 days to your exact destinations. We did:

2 nts Venice
2 nts Florence
3 nts Praiano (also visited Pompeii)
2 nts Rome

We traveled by train. We did not see much and I flew home with bronchitis, a sinus infection, an ear infection, strep throat and a 103 degree fever. I would NOT recommend it.

u guys are great!

after reading everyone's comments i think if we go with rome, venice, florence AND AC, we will be exhausted and need of another vacation just to relax. so maybe we'll leave venice and florence for a future trip back to italy, and only visit rome and AC this time.

i like bobthenavigator's idea of going straight to AC on day 1 so we don't have to break up the hotel stay in Rome. but im the type of person that likes to do all the action packed touristy stuff right away and then relax the rest of the trip. so i might just spend the first couple days in rome.

but those days are saturday and sunday...do you think we'll be able to visit the all sights on sat/sun (colosseum, forum, vatican, etc)? or should we plan to stay on monday as well and then leave for AC on tuesday morning?

and then im also confused on where to stay in AC. i was originally thinking Positano the entire time with day trips to Amalfi/Ravello, Pompeii and Capri. Then I was thinking staying in Positano for 3-4 nights and in Capri for 2 nights. Now I'm thinking Sorrento the whole time with day trips everywhere. But then Sheri LP said to stay in both Sorrento and Positano. Now I'm liking that idea. I have researched and contacted all the hotels I would stay at in Positano, Capri and Sorrento. I just need to decide where I want to stay....and FAST! b/c the trip is next month! But i just can't decide.

Help?

Okay, one more opinion. If you are really set on the AC, than drop Florence and Venice. Here is what I would do
Day 1: stay in Naples.
Arrive Rome and depart immediately for Naples.
If you get there early enough, visit the museum
(if that is on your list of things you want to do),
Day 2: stay in Capri
visit Pompeii, then catch ferry to Capri from Naples.
Day 3: Capri

Sorry, accidently sent before finishing.
The next bit is kind of a toss up for me. You could stay on Capri and day trip to Positano, or move on to Positano for a couple of days. That might be too many one night stays, but what I would not do is spend the first night in Rome. I would head straight out to one of my first destinations.

Now I've re-considered. Didn't have chance to review what I was writing before I accidently sent.

Day 1 & 2 (nts. 1&2): soon as you arrive: Depart Rome to Naples, catch a ferry to Capri, and stay two nights on Capri, having a nice full day and two evenings to enjoy Capri.
Day 3 & 4 (nts. 3&4) : Positano with day trip to Amalfi & Ravello
Day 5: Train to Rome, visiting Pompeii on the way or train to Naples, visiting Pompeii on the way and seeing the museum in Naples the next morning.
Day 6 - 9: Rome with day trip to Orvieto.
I am trying to give you the most times in each place with the least tavel times back & forth.

Now, back to your original plan. It sounds like you really want to see a lot of things. I actually like Sorrento as a base for that. It is fine for day trips. I stayed there 10 days once, just going up and down the coast whenever I felt like it. I enjoyed it a lot. I stayed outside of the main shopping area though.

If you decide on Sorrento or Positano, you could go to Naples the first day, see the museum & stay in Naples. Visit Pompeii on the way to Sorrento or Positano the next morning. Base the next three days in Sorrento or Positano with day trips to Capri, Amalfi and Positano (if you've stayed in Sorrento). This is simple and direct.

Where ever you decide to go outside of Rome, just go directly there upon arrival. I would not settle into Rome for just that first night.

There are endless possibilities & no one right way. It is what works best for you and your interests.

Sorry if I confused you even more. Maybe Ira will chime in with the perfect solution. His advice always seems great to me. Hope you have a wonderful trip. Of course you will. You will be in Italy.

Skip Sorrento, stay in Positano or another location along Amalfi Coast (or Capri). It seems that the main reason it gets recommended is convenience and that's not enough to merit a stay there when vacation time is limited imo.

How's this:

Day 1 - Rome (i know people will think this is not the best idea and that I should go straight to AC, but just in case things go wrong with delayed flights, etc - I'd feel more comfortable staying in Rome the first night so I don't have to worry about getting to a hotel on the AC that I already booked and paid for but possibly could not make it to on time)
Day 2 - Capri
Day 3 - Capri
Day 4 - Sorrento - day trip to Pompeii
Day 5 - Positano
Day 6 - Positano - day trip to Amalfi/Ravello
Day 7 - Positano - head back to Rome
Day 8 - Rome
Day 9 - Rome
Day 10 - depart Rome

That is 5 hotel changes--not a good idea.

oh boy....should i cut out sorrento? i just thought it would be easier to get to pompeii from there. whats the best way to fit in a day trip to pompeii?

You could go from Rome to Naples, drop the bags at the hotel, take the train to Pompeii, and spend that night in Naples. Next day you could move on down the coast. That's how I did it but there's obviously more than one way to skin this cat! lol

Arrive Rome..
Go straight to Positano.
Relax. drink Limoncello.
Spend 4-5 days. Take day trips.

Go to Rome for 4-5 days.

Make things simple.

Hi DT - An alternative might be to visit Pompeii en route from Rome to Capri.

There is a luggage store at the entrance to Pompeii. After visiting Pompeii you can continue to Capri via Sorrento.

Steve

We easily did Pompeii as a day trip from Positano.

Absolutely stay on Capri!!
Capri is SO different after dark, and so romantic! It was the best part of our trip to the AC.

With that said, I would stay in Rome, Capri and Positano. Cut out Sorrento.
That is only 3 hotels for the whole trip, which isn't bad for 10 days.

I think Positano is a "nicer" and more romantic place to stay than Sorrento and is situated pretty centrally on the AC. While there for 5 days hubbie & I took daytrips to Amalfi, Sorrento and Pompeii.

Pompeii is really not a bad daytrip from Positano, (leave early!).
And I would personally rather have a longer trip to Pompeii, than stay the whole time in Sorrento.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!!!
I have one more itinerary draft. I would arrive in Rome early morning and get on the first train to Florence. Spend 2 nights in Florence. Leave for Positano in the morning and spend 3 nights there. The 4th morning in Positano, we'd go to Pompeii for the day and then head to Rome for our last 4 nights. Please send any/all thoughts....
Day 1 Florence
Day 2 Florence
Day 3 Positano
Day 4 Positano - day trip to Amalfi/Ravello
Day 5 Positano - day trip to Capri
Day 6 Day trip to Pompeii - Rome
Day 7 Rome
Day 8 Rome
Day 9 Rome
Day 10 depart Rome to US

Absolutely do NOT give Florence and Venice only one day each. I'd rather see you skip them altogether. I'd omit either Venice/Florence OR Positano, et al.

hi caroltis - i changed the itinerary...the new one is in the post above yours...any thoughts on the revised schedule?

We went to Italy two years ago and did the following:

4 nights Venice
3 nights Florence
4 nights Rome
4 nights Sorrento with side trips to Capri and Positano
Home from Naples

I would skip Venice rather than do only devote a day to it. Venice is beautiful. You will not want to leave.

If you only have nine days I would just do Rome and the Amalfi Coast. Rome is an amazing place. You could easily spend a week there alone. You need at least a day for the Vatican and then another day for the Forum and then at least another day or two for the rest of it.

Leave Florence and Tuscany for another time.

AC is incredibly lovely. I adored Capri and Sorrento. Words almost fail to describe how lovely the waters are there. You can do a day trip to Pompeii from Sorrento more easily than you can from Positano. Don't stint them unless you have to.

FYI, the Naples airport is just fine. You may to consider flying out of it. We were able to get there in about an hour and a half from Sorrento via buses and trains.

Anastacia's totally right - you can't see it all, and if you spread yourself too thin you won't be able to enjoy it as you should. I did Rome and Amalfi Coast on one trip in 2005, and then did Tuscany and a little bit more of Rome in 2007.

On my first outing I left a few days unplanned, and kept myself open to see how I felt when I was there. I struck up a conversation with an American on the train who is a regular visitor to the area, he offered some suggestions and that's how I ended up in Sorrento.

You don't have to fully commit every moment of your trip in advance. If you give yourself a little space to be spontaneous, that's when you make your own discoveries and havd your own adventure.

so you think 2 days florence, 4 days amalfi coast and 3 days rome is too much for one trip?

Originally you were planning to spend only one day in Florence, which tells me that there is not a lot there that you've been dreaming of seeing all your life. Now you've upped to two, and I don't understand why.

Spend 4 relaxed days in rome and 4 on the amalfi, and return to rome to fly home. If you are bored one day in Rome, take the 90 minute train ride to Firenze, see a few things and have lunch, by some salami and wine to eat on the train back. If you are bored two days in Rome, take an hour ride to Orvieto (and by some salami and wine to eat on the train back). Or an hour bus ride to Tivoli gardens.

i never considered florence before...but friends have been telling me the food is great there =) so now i want to go....u think it's feasible?

I don't know why your friends think the food in Firenze is great. I think many other places in Italy and even in Tuscany have better food because they cater to far fewer tourists. Personally, I'm not such a big fan of Tuscan food (too meaty, cheesy) and would rather eat Roman food any day, and likewise the food of Campania (Amalfi). And of course there are restaurants in Rome where you can eat Tuscan food.

Girarrosto Fiorentino
Address: Via Sicilia 46 (near the Vatican)

Tullio (near the spanish steps)
Address:
26 Via San Nicola da Tolentino, Rome, 00187
* Phone: +39 06 474 5560
* Fax: +39 6 481 8564
* Email: [email protected]
* Website: http://www.tullioristorante.it/

RISTORANTE TERRA DI SIENA
Addres Piazza Pasquino, 77
(this one is near the piazza Navona, pretty much just behind the church of Sant' Agnese in Agone)

But if it is certainly feasible to take a 90 minute train ride to Firenze (florence) from Rome and have a lunch and see the beautiful cathedral and walk around a bit. You don't have go to museums to see a great many beautiful things in Firenze.

And you don't have to go to Firenze to eat Fiorentino food.

Actually, if you want to go to Tullio, it's just off the Piazza Barberini. It's a pricey menu, but it is cheaper than two round-trip fast train tix to Firenze.

And here is the website for Girarrosto Fiorentino, with a map

http://www.girarrostofiorentino.it/

and Terra di Siena -- but remember this is a slightly different cuisine from Florentine food. It's Sienese Tuscan"

http://www.ristoranteterradisiena.com/

so it's not worth going straight to florence for 2 nights to shop and eat?
i think what peopl ehave suggested on this thread is 4 nights in positano and 5 nights in rome. do u agree?

You have 9 nights - take Florence out of your itinerary. Fly into Rome and have a driver take you directly to Positano. Spend 4 nights there and do daytrips to surrounding towns. Ferry over to Capri for one night, then ferry to Naples to pick up the train to Rome for your last 4 nights. This is exactly what my husband and I did in September and it worked out very well.

Keep an open itinerary and allow for time to just relax and do nothing! You will feel too rushed if you try to move around all the time just to say you saw a bunch of places. Believe me, I understand the desire to fit in as many cities as you can, but your memories will be of moving around, not enjoying yourself!

One more thing - if you are traveling THIS May, you need to finalize your itinerary and start booking your hotels! A lot of good places book up in advance. :)