Desperately Seeking Italy Advice
 

I'm counting on you Fodorites to help me.

My husband has suggested a trip to Italy in October. We're planning on spending about 2 weeks in total, excluding the travel days on either end. This would be our first real trip to Italy, although we've been on 2 Mediterranean cruises and had day trips to Rome, Venice, Tuscany (San Gimignano & Volterra), Sorrento/Capri/Pompeii.

We were originally thinking of spending a few days in Rome and then driving through Tuscany to explore in more detail. Of course the more I research, the more places I think I'd like to go to! Our list has now expanded to Positano, taking the Bernina Express, and now the Adriatic coast, after my husband watched a travel guide featuring that area! We also loved Venice and would be happy to spend some additional time there if time permitted. I know the danger in trying to see too much, but my husband likes to drive and I think he would be happier spending a day or two and then moving on.

Can you help me in planning an itinerary that would include some of the places on our wish list and make good use of our time?

I should tell you that we're not really museum people, but more interested in architecture, churches, scenery and just generally soaking up the atmosphere.

We haven't booked our flights yet and perhaps I'm being overly optimistic that the price may come down a little before then?

I'm really looking forward to hearing your ideas.

Regards,
Kiddo.

Anyone?

Kiddo -

October should be a wonderful time to be in Italy. We were there the last 2 weeks of September, spending 2 weeks, with one week at a villa in Umbria (with 3 other couples) and then 2 days Positano, 2 days Capri, and 3 days Rome. And we're going back in June on a Med cruise including Venice (with 2 pre-cruise days) and the other Italian cities we've already visited. Since you already have considerable experience with those areas (although in 1 day bites apparently - my guess cruise ship excursions?), I'm not sure what you would enjoy. Certainly you can take a more relaxed and intense approach to scenery, churches, architecture, food, wine, and people but not if you spread yourself out too thin. I'd be inclined to pick a couple of "major" cities you'd like to spend more time in (maybe 3-5 days each) and then spend the remainder of your time in a less populated venue (Cinque Terre, Tuscany, Umbria [Orvieto and Assisi are incredible], or Amalfi Coast).

You can check out my trip report - perhaps there'll be something worthwhile for you there.

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KC

Hello Kiddo -

The best experiences I had in Tuscany were very simple: walking/driving through hill towns (Montecino to Montepulciano through Pienza and San Querico was a great trip) stopping whenever, wherever, avoiding the touristy areas and seeking out smaller towns and shops. The people were always so friendly, the churches always open, the food always fantastic--we're going back this October as well. I liked Siena better than Florence, skipped Pisa (and will again). My advice: take your time, be open to itinerary changes, don't rush through.

Ciao Kiddo, if you are travelling to the Adriatic Coast from Positano, the must-sees are the Tremiti Isles from the town of Termoli, which has a tiny but charming old burgh, then Vasto and its historic centre and beaches - both towns are right on the Adriatic and if we're enjoying a spell of good weather, you might still be able to sit on the beaches; from Vasto, you might consider travelling to the National Parks of Abruzzo, esp. the town of Santo Stefano di Sessanio which has been written about in numerous UK papers. From there, you're about an hour from Rome again. Of course, if you're willing to go south and out of your way a bit, there are the trulli buildings of Alberobello, the famous Unesco site of the Sassi in Matera, while if you're heading north after Vasto, say, it's about 3,5 hrs to Perugia and the Umbria region which, I'm sure you know all about. Buon viaggio!

Thank you so much for your replies. While we would love to include the Adriatic coast, I think we'll have to save that for another time.

So far we think we would spend perhaps 3 nights in Rome; travel by train or??? to Positano; 3 nights in Positano; travel by train to Orvieto (renting a car there) and then the balance of the time (approximately 1 week) seeing Tuscany and Chianti and then back to Rome to return home.

Would it be better if we stayed in a couple of diffent places in Tuscany say 3 nights in one spot and 4 in another and, if so, could you give us some recommendations? We have Stu Dudley's Italy itinerary which looks amazing and we plan to take advantage of some of his suggested driving tours. Thanks again Stu.

I think we would prefer to stay in small towns where there would be a few restaurants so we could avoid driving those winding roads at night and after several glasses of wine! We'd be interested in B&Bs or small hotels with lots of atmosphere and ideally with a view or that had a terrace or balcony where we could enjoy a glass of wine (hopefully the weather will cooperate with us in October). It doesn't have to be fancy.

Thank you in advance for your replies.

Kiddo

We like to move around a little in Tuscany just to enjoy the towns after dark when the tours and daytrippers leave. We have especially enjoyed Montalcino, a small town of 5100, and it has several good restaurants. We also really enjoyed Siena, a city of 50,000, but incredibly interesting.
We also have enjoyed Cortona and Montepulciano.

Thanks 2Italy. Yes actually Montelcino was one of the places we were considering staying overnight. Il Giglio looks promising.

Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Kiddo,

I stayed at Il Giglio this past Sept for 3 nights and it was very nice. I fell in love with Montalcino. Of course, being a big fan of brunello helped! Be sure to have dinner at least one night at Grappolo Blu!

Buon viaggio!

Thanks Dayle. I'll add Grappolo Blu to my list of restaurants.

So it sounds as if Montalcino would be one good base. Can anyone suggest another?

Thanks.
Kiddo

More suggestions anyone?

Yes, please, more suggestions! I will also be un Italy this coming October with my daughter and a friend of ours; I am really enjoying this thread. Thanks everybody!

Hey Kiddo,

I have some suggestions for you. First, to save on airfare, fly into Milan, and return from either Rome or Naples. I found a great fare for March on AA.com, but i'm sure you have a variety of options depending on where you depart from. Rick Steve's is a favorite of mine and his 14 day itinerary would be as follows:

4 Days: Florence and Venice
6 days: add Rome
8 Days: add Cinque Terre
10 days: add Civeta and Siena
14 days: add Sorrento, Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, Paestum
18 days: add Milan, Lake Como, Varenna, Assisi
21 days: add Dolemites, Verona, Ravenna

Now these are what he thinks are the must see.

Let's modify a bit.

Say you arrive in Milan in the early afternoon (noon arrivals are common from nyc). you could plan to see davinci's last supper that evening, and maybe some other light sightseeing.

Then the next morning, you can catch the train to florence, approximately a 2.5 hour ride. You can visit florence, and do your tuscany thing, before heading to Rome. spend a few days in rome, then head to Naples to go to the amalfi coast, capri, ischiia, whichever you choose.

You can add trips in between on the way.

This is a very logical progression to me, if you plan on going to Florence and Naples in the same trip, why not do it linearly and fly open jaw so you dont have to spend time backtracking just to catch a plane?!

Obviously, there's many ways you can change this schedule, but i highly recommend starting in the north, and traveling south, seems most efficient to me!

Hi,
We flew into Rome last Spring, which never fails to impress me, spent 2 days there (never enough but have been there many times)trained down to Positano for 3 nights. Then bused down to Ravello (sp?)for another 3 nights. We loved that hilltown! It was simply amazing...We love to hike and everyday we earned our meals by walking miles. We even hiked all the way down, down, down to Almafi. It was probably a 5 mile hike and naturally there was an excellent restraunt located in some obscure village half way down. It was all just so perfect; the food, the wine, the view, and of course my wife! Once in Almafi we ate ice cream and watched the drama of a wedding unfold in the town square. From there we fully planned on taking a cab back up to our hotel but instead we "punished" ourselves by hiking back up through a different route. That was a real workout---not for the faint of heart!

From there we boated over to Naples for 1 or 2 nights and then flew up to Venice on one of those cheap inter-Europe airlines (Volair---I think).
It cost $100 each and took an hour.
We booked it on the WEB and were pleasantly surprised to learn that a)The airline exisited and b)that it took off on time.
Just some thoughts....
Now we're hoping to go back in April and do maybe Tuscany and then try to find another inexpensive airline to sneak over to Prague for 3 or 4 nites.
Be well,
Pete & Wendy

It takes 6 weeks to see Italy--more if you include Sicily. With 2 weeks now you can get a taste--in Oct. I would suggest Rome, the Amalfi coast, and Tuscany---that is plenty.

October is a great time to visit Italy ... and from what you've described, I'd try to fly into Naples and begin your trip on the Amalfi Coast. After several nights in Positano, head to Sorrento or Naples and pick up your rent car and drive up to Montalcino or Montepulciano or Pienza (or whichever Tuscan town you decide to base) .... spend 5-7 nights exploring Tuscany and then drive to Orvieto (or to Rome, if you're brave) and turn in rental car. Finish your trip in Rome and fly home from there.

I think Tess's ideas are great with one exception - I'd be inclined to take a train from Naples up to Tuscany (or Orvieto) to rent the car, then return the car to Orvieto (not Rome - take the train from Orvieto to Rome). Unless you just "want" to drive from Naples up to Tuscany. You'll get plenty of driving in without that trek from Naples.

KC

Hi,

Good suggestions above. We did 2 weeks last October and I just came back from a long weekend in Milan and Lugano. In October I would move north to south, optimally, flying into Milan and out of Rome or Naples. Had a car for most of the trip.
We started in
Varenna/Belaggio (2 nights)
passed through Verona, 3-4 hours (loved piazza del'Erbe and the Arena, planning to spend more time later when opera festival is in season in the Arena)
2 nights Venice
3 nights Tuscany farm house near Vince and Florence with lots of side trips, San Gimigniano, Volterra, Vinci, Florence, Siena, others

sorry, I acccidentally hit the post button:

...then 3 days on the Amalfi Coast in Positano, (I left my heart on the breakfast terrace of the Posa Posa Hotel) day and evening trips Amalfi and Ravello (to a local concert and the famosissima e bellissima villa Cimbrone - a must)

Every time I go to Milan I try to go to La Scala. It has yet to disappoint me. If you have a chance to see their new ballet La Strada after a Federico Fellini film - go for it, it's a rare treat. I just attented the premiere Sunday. Still reeling......

Enjoy the planning and the trip!

-e

one more correction: as a hit the post button the first time, I missed two nights in Rome between Tuscany and Positano and a day in Naples before leaving for the USA.

-e