HELP!! Amalfi vs. Tuscan coast?
 

Taking a trip in May/June for 3 weeks to Paris and Italy. I am DYING to see the Amalfi Coast but have heard over and over on this board not to go too many places and spend all your time traveling...

Does the Tuscan coast (Elba, etc?) at all compare to the Amalfi coast?

As our itinerary stands now,
begin in Paris: 4-5 days
Venice: 3 days
Florence/Tuscany ??
?? 8 days in between Venice and Rome to play with...
end in Rome: 4 days

I really rally want to see the Amalfi Coast but don't think it makes much sense to try to do North and South...Paris, Venice, and Rome are non-negotiable, we are going to these 3 cities...

Do you think I should just suck it up, stay in the Tuscany area and maybe venture out to the coast to get a little bit of an idea of the Italian coast or do you think I can somehow figure out how to get the Amalfi Coast in? If I did the Amalfi coast do you think Florence/Tuscany needs to be scratched? What should I do?

HELP!!!

First, I share your pain! Second, how are you getting from place to place?

We took that same trip 2 years ago, and it was a blast. We flew into Rome and out of Paris, so I guess it's the other way around. Here is how we did it, and we had plenty of time to enjoy everything:

Rome 4 days
Positano 3 days
Capri 2 days
Sorrento 2 days
Venice 3 days
Paris 5 days

These are mostly full days and don't include the time it took to get from L.A. to Rome or Paris to L.A. We took the overnight train from Venice to Paris.

Mind you, we had been to Rome, Venice and Paris before, so we didn't have to pack every tourist attraction in any of these cities, although we did retrace our steps on several of them. For example, we can't seem to escape going to the Eiffel Tower when in Paris (I won't bore you with how many times we've been up there), or the Vatican when in Rome. This was, for us, anyway, a leisurely trip, especially the Amalfi Coast where you can just relax by the water (or on the water or in the water) and be at peace with the world.

How about the Ligurian coast (aka "the Italian Riviera") instead of the Tuscan coast? If you're travelling from Paris to Venice by train, you could go along the coast from the French Riviera to Portofino (or thereabouts) and then to Venice.

It's a very personal thing of course, but for me there's nothing else in Italy that compares to the Amalfi Coast.

So I'd recommend:

Fly Paris- Venice

Fly Venice- Naples

Hire driver for ride to hotel in Positano ( I'd recommend the wonderful Hotel Poseidon- small family hotel with spectactular views, food, service-)

Ferry to Capri for at least an overnight- the island is much more magical after the hordes of day trippers leave-

Eurostar to Rome

Home

Wait two days and start planning next trip to Italy....

Good luck!

Krisabug27:

I am where you are on trying to make that choice, so am following posts from other Fodorites with travel experience to the coast. We have a little more time between Venice and Rome to spend in Tuscany, enough to wonder about trying to make it down to Sorrento and beyond or as you are pondering, visit the coast of Tuscany or Porta Ercole area from our Tuscany base on a fair weather day!

Good Luck!
Tiller

Lucky you! My suggestion: Venice should be a day trip. Too crowded and to our family very disappointing, but should see. Tuscany and Rome could be 2 week trips by themselves and Amalfi is a must. ITINERARY: Paris 5 days, fly to Naples, drive to Positano stay at the "Villa Fiorentino" driving around the Amalfi Coast for 3 or 4 days (spend 1 day in Capri) then drive to Rome for the remainder of the time. You'll fall in love with Rome. After you get home, plan your next trip to see all of Tuscany
staying in a Villa with the day trip to Venice. Enjoy!!!

>>but for me there's nothing else in Italy that compares to the Amalfi Coast.<<

Yes there is - it's the Cinque Terre.

>>Do you think I should just suck it up, stay in the Tuscany area<<

The Cinque Terre borders "the Tuscany area" and therefore I urge you to go there to satisfy your criteria...

Hi K,

> really really want to see the Amalfi Coast ...

>Paris: 4-5 days, Venice: 3 days
8 days in between Venice and Rome ... end in Rome: 4 days.

Nice visit.

For what you want to do, I suggest 6 nights in Paris, fly to Venice (4 nights) on www.mayair.com, train to Florence (leave luggage at train station and spend the day), train to Rome (5 nights), train to Naples (train or limo to the AC) for 5 nights on the AC, fly home from Naples.

Have a great visit.

((I))