feedback on our travel plans
 

Hi - six of us are traveling to Italy and Croatia in late May - this is what we have so far.. any thoughts?


Arrive in Rome @9pm - stay in Rome 1st night.

Day 2 - fly to Palermo in am. Spend one night in Palermo

Day 3 - travel from Palermo to Siracusa - one night in Siracusa

Day 4 - explore more of Sicily then catch night train to Naples

Day 5 - explore Naples and possibly Amalfi coast

Day 6 - Pompei then train to Ancona Italy to catch night Ferry to Croatia

Day 7/8 Croatia

Day 9 - leave Croatia in pm - take night Ferry back to Ancona

Days 10 - 15 Bologna Italy (day trips to Florence, Venice and possibly Milan)

Day 16 Rome

Day 17 last night in Rome then fly home in am

Well, your screen name seems appropriate enough...

What you propose is a "race" that will let you see more of the insides of trains and ferries than of Italy and Croatia.

For example, it is completely impossible to "explore Naples and possibly Amalfi coast" in one day.

And "day trips" to Venice, Rome and Milan will not begin to allow you to know and experience those cities.

You have 16 days on the ground. Spend 4 or 5 in Croatia and the rest in - at most - four cities in Italy. And leave Sicily out of the picture on this trip.

I would never travel on night mode (train and ferry) 3 trips in only 5 days time. Yikes!

Also realize that traveling in a group of six people is logistically a bit more challenging than going solo or as a couple.

could not agree more with Eloise.
Two days in Rome?
A day trip to Firenze or Venice ?
A ferry from Ancona will take you to Split in Croatia , would you stay there?
Why 5 days in Bologna?
What you may have not considered is the TIME it takes to get from the airports , train stations or ferry docks to towns ( and your hotel) and back again.

racegirl: Sorry, but this is one of the most freactured/scattered itineraries posted lately (but you don't get the award for worst :) )

Your plan would be awfully difficult for one person traveling solo, and just about impossible for 6 traveling together. At least if you were on your own you could change plans on the fly and likely move faster. But a large group just makes everything take longer/get more complicated.

Yikes! To see Rome is AT LEAST 2 days, minimum, not including getting there and leaving. Enjoy fewer things and stay friends with the people you are going with. With that pace you may end up not speaking!
As a side, I have never been to Croatia, but heard is is wonderful.
Have fun!

My advice would be to cut out both Croatia and Sicily on this trip and concentrate on mainland Italy. I'd suggest spending the first four or five nights in Rome, then base yourself on the Amalfi coast for a few nights until you go to Bologna (I'm guessing as you have a long period planned there you may have already secured accommodation?) Personally I think the time you have allocated there is fine, but only if you change your planned day trips you can better do justice to in that time than Venice and Florence. If Venice is a big draw for you, it might be worth seeing if you can drop Bologna and stay in Venice instead for some or all of the time. Maybe you could add on Florence for the last day or so before your final night in Rome and flying home.

Any thoughts" Yes, you are trying to cover way too much ground in far too short a period of time.

Racegirl, I have read your several posts and must conclude that are either just pulling our leg with this insane itinerary or you do not have a clue about travel in Europe. In that time you can do justice to Sicily and the Amalfi Coast and maybe Rome. The rest is just folly.