FIRST TIME ITALY ITENERARY ADVICE
 

Hello Fodor's Folk. I'm heading to Italy with my wife and another couple Nov.11-27. Just wanted to run my iternary by some people for comments/suggestions. I know November isn't the best time, but we're mentally prepared for wet weather. I'm trying to gear the trip towards Tuscany and Almafi Coast with a side trip to Cinque Terre. We really just want to see some new country, eat, drink and relax....not too concerned with visiting every single museum and ruin. All travel shown below is by train. Any advice would be great! Thanks!

Leave USA 6AM
Arrive Rome 11AM (Day 1)
Rome (Day 2)
Rome (Day 3)
Travel to Cinque Terre Village of choice via La Spezia (Day 4)
Full Day in Cinque Terre (Day 5)
Travel To Florence (Day 6)
Florence - In town (Day 7)
Florence - In town or day trip to Tuscan counrtryside (Day 8)
Florence - Day trip to Sienna (Day 9)
Travel Day - Florence to Sorrento (Day 10)
Sorrento-Pompeii/Vesuvius (Day 11)
Sorrento-Almafi Coast (Day 12)
Sorrento-Island of Capri (Day 13)
Travel Day: Sorrento to Rome (Day 14)
Leave Rome 8 AM
Arrive USA 10 AM

You guys will be busy. I'm always a little hesitant to pack an itinerary so tightly. I had less days than you did, so I straddled two cities in Italy (Rome and Florence) instead of 3. I think you'd find plenty to do with a week per city, but you should be ok. Maybe not so many day trips while you're staying in one city - soak that up fully, then move on to the next destination. Don't get me wrong, though - you're trip will still be amazing.

I would skip the CT that late in Nov.

Maybe skip the Amalfi coast at Thanksgiving as well.

Best wishes,

Rex

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Are you sure your US flight is 6 am not pm? Most European flights leave the US early evening.

I agree with Bob about skipping the CT and maybe stay in Siena instead of daytripping. You can take Tuscan countryside daytrips from there.

You cannot get from Sorrento to Rome the morning of your flight so I hope that isn't what you meant on day 14. Does your flight depart at 8 am? If so you will need to be at the airport at 6am.

Hi kybourbon, some flights do leave early morning for Italy. My daughter & SIL had a flight out of SFO to Rome @ 8:20am a couple of weeks ago.

Thanks for the replies....We leave my home town in Colorado at 8AM, leaving DC at 6PM. My mistake on the itinerary, we Leave Rome on Day 15, giving us a full day to get from Sorrento to Rome.

Is Cinque Terre really that bad in mid-November??

We have been to Italy twice in November over the last 5 years or so in all of the places you wish to visit. Weather can be quite variable and run from the 60's and sunny to the 40's and rainy. Lots of partly cloudy and 50's in our experience. I too would skip the C.T. during this trip as well as Capri.
Spending a few days on the Amalfi, Pompeii, Naples area would probably be a reasonable stop but otherwise I think the Italian coast is better experienced in the late spring or early fall rather than pre-winter. I also think you are spending too little time in Rome if you have not been there before.

I'm also a Spring and Fall guy for the coastal venues. If it were me going in November, I would use that coastal time to explore Tuscany and Umbria. Have fun wherever you decide to go.
((H))

I, too, would skip Cinque Terre in November.
While not the best time to go there, the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii are still doable in November, but the choppy seas may prevent you from getting to Capri.

most of us have to solve dilemmas about travel when we have limited time and/or resources: go in winter and save money but find that places aren't too crowded, go in summer, spend more and fight crowds.
In cities, I find that I don't lose much on the experience by going in late fall or winter, as many of the pleasures are indoors: museums, churches, cafes, shops, etc. I don't get to see gardens or sit on terraces, so every once in a while I do want to go back to the city in a warmer season.
But resort areas, like Amalfi, like CT, Greek islands, etc really are at their best in the warmer months, as they are not as much destinations for indoor sightseeing. So I too would save CT for a future trip in a warmer or less rainy month.

Hi J,

Ditto Elaine's advice. If traveling in the winter (or nearly) spend your time inland. It's prime time for normally crowded and expensive places like Venice and the other major cities. Venice even in March was fabulous and nearly deserted.

Bad weather won't impact you nearly as much in the cities. AND - November is truffle season in Umbria and Tuscany!

Buon viaggio!

Hi JH,

As noted the CT and the Amalfi Coast are not their best in Nov.

Most of the AC will be closed for the season.

If you are interested in Pompeii and Vesuvius, I suggest you stay in Naples.

You might find my trip report helpful for what to do in Naples. The hotel at which we stayed is closed.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

((I))