Help for Spring Break in Italy
 

I am planning a trip to Italy in late March/Early April. I was looking at tours from Globus and Trafalgar.

I have no flexiblity with dates, other than the length of our stay. I plan to take my 17 yr old daughter on this trip while she is out of school for Spring Break. She can miss a couple of days of school, but we can't leave before the evening of March 28 and we need to be back in the US by April 8 (Easter). We could actually leave 3/29 and return 4/9, but that's about the extent of our options. We will be flying out of Atlanta. After reading some of the posts involving Italy tours...I thought duh! I'll spend half our vacation trying to get her out of bed in the morning if we chose one of these tours. The appeal of the tours was the exposure to so many cities, but I didn't realize how much time would be spent on the bus between cities.

I can certainly plan a trip myself, but I've never been to Italy and was relying on information from my well traveled mother who has been to Italy on several occassions. I was in Spain for a summer semester in college about 30 years ago, and planned many excursions from my home base in Madrid using guidebooks, etc. Of course...that was before the everyone and his brother had access to the internet. One difference was that I turned 20 during my trip and was dragging around my 15 year old sister. And...I was almost fluent in Spanish. We stayed in some hostels where we had to go down the hall to use the restroom or take a shower, and...hot water cost extra.

I'm not quite that adventurous anymore, so I would like to stay in decent hotels. I just started my research, so I was thankful that VitaAnn pointed out that the Trafalgar tour (Real Italy) did not have accommodations in Venice proper...I had missed that point. I don't need anything fancy, but I definitely want a clean room in a convenient hotel. I also generally avoid hotel food, unless the restaurant is known on its own merits. One of my best stops in Spain was a little town south of Barcelona that some guys on the train recommended. We stayed there for one night and had a wonderful paella dinner. Not that I will be that carefree on a trip with my teenage daughter, but I think part of the fun of travel is eating with the locals.

So with that said...although I hate to leave off the Amalfi coast, that is probably what I would drop first in order to make the trip a little more leisurely. The cities I definitely want to hit are:

Rome - at least two nights
Florence - at least two nights
Venice - at least two nights
Assisi - don't need to stay here, but don't want to rush either
Verona - again...no need to stay, but must see as my daughter is quite fond of Romeo and Juliet

Additional nights (or one in the case of Verona and Assisi) would be fine too, but I would probably like some day excursions in that case. Years ago trains in Spain were quite slow, but they have improved. I'm not sure about rail transportation in Italy. I think that would be preferable to a bus, but I'm not sure what type of cost would be involved.

I'd like to visit Pompeii and Sorrento if possible...maybe day trips out of Rome. I don't know if a drive to those cities is right along the Amalfi Coast.

OK...my dilema is because of all you other Fodorites who told me I could do this. You said you would assist in planning, so here you go. Help me out here...I welcome all suggestions, and I apogize for the length of this post.

I've traveled to Italy with my daughter when she was 19 and again the following year. Is you daughter a pleasant traveler? You mentioned the getting out of bed scenario and I can relate. Remember, moving between cities (even if you're on your own)means not only getting up early but alot of packing and unpacking, too. The two trips I took with my daughter were totally enjoyable for both of us. We booked a package and stayed 7 nights in Montecatini Terme, a spa town situated in Tuscany and 50 mins by train to Florence, 30 mins to Pizza, 20 mins to Lucca. We spent some mornings at the spa - mom and daughter mud wraps and massages, turkish bath and whirlpools - we really had fun. Then we would train to one of the cities and have sightseeing time. And shopping time. Breakfast and dinner at the hotel was included and was so good we always made it back in time for dinner so we had lovely evenings together walking into town for gelato or sorbetto. The first time was so lovely we did the exact same trip the following year. At the risk of being called a shill, I'll tell you I booked this trip thru Club ABC Tours and you can find them on the web. My daughter is 24 now and keeps asking when we're going back. Well, we're doing Paris in April!

From the dates you have given, you will have ten nights in Italy. You don't have enough time to stay in Venice/Florence/Rome and still stay overnight in Verona and/or Assisi.

I have been to Venice, Florence, Tuscany & Rome. The best suggestion I can give (without having been to Verona or Assisi) is to fly into Venice, spend three nights there, stop in Verona on your way to Florence, spend three nights in Florence with a daytrip to Assisi (I believe there are good train connections for this daytrip) and then spend four nights in Rome and fly home from there.

Thanks to both SusanP and Margaretlb for their info. My daughter is somewhat of a Tomboy, so I don't know that the spa angle would work. I have convinced her to get her nails done on a regular basis, but beyond that would be a stretch.

I realize that I am probably trying to pack too much into a short time, but that is my nature. Last Spring Break we went from Atlanta to Williamsburg to Phili to Amish Country to Bear Run, had to see Falling Water (the main focus of the trip for me, Mom) to Niagra Falls in Canada and back home via West Virgina.

Again...any input is appreciated.

Hi Deb,

>Last Spring Break we went from Atlanta to Williamsburg to Phili to Amish Country to Bear Run, had to see Falling Water (the main focus of the trip for me, Mom) to Niagra Falls in Canada and back home via West Virgina.<

When I recover from my exhaustion, I'll try to help.

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Good advice from SusanP.

What's your hotel budget?

((I))

Fodorites convinced me to boil down my trip plan from five cities to three over almost two weeks. They were right, right, right. Next trip will have only two destinations with optional day trips. I am no expert but I did have a really great trip. I hope you do, too.

In such a short time-frame, I would do just two cities. For me that would be Venice/Rome or Venice/Florence.

I think you are attempting (or considering) WAY too much. And "at least two days" is not enough for me in any location, by the time you get yourself there, get settled, it's practically time to leave again.

This works on an organized tour package because everything is done for you. Traveling independently takes necessarily more time.

Honestly, me, in your shoes, I would go with Venice and Florence only. That would make a beautiful trip without dashing all over the place.

My best tip is ASAP book hotel rooms in Venice. I love Pensione La Calcina www.lacalcina.com. Actually I'd plan dates around their availability. You won't be disappointed. Search this forum for a million great reviews of the hotel.

I like SusanP's suggested itinerary: 3 Venice, 3 Florence, 4 Rome. Last May, my daughter and I stayed three nights in each city, and it's just barely enough time to enjoy those cities, especially Rome. In fact, I might even drop one night from Venice and add it to Rome because there's so much to see there.

You can get so much good advice on this forum, I think you can easily plan your own trip, rather than taking a packaged tour.

Ask lots of detailed questions here, and you'll be well on your way. Have fun planning!
:)>-

OK...I can tell I'm going to spend way more time than I had planned trying to figure things out for this trip.

Based on info from other posts, I need advice regarding whether to fly into Venice and leave from Rome or vice versa. I realized the other day that my original plan of flying into Venice and out of Rome would put me near the Vatican around Easter Sunday. Being Catholic, I thought it would be pretty neat to either attend the Saturday Vigil Mass or possibly even a mass on Easter Sunday and return to the States on Monday. But...other discussions mentioned the crowds at that time and the difficulty I might have getting around and into things.

I really don't want to limit myself to 2 cities, so would like to spend nights in Venice, Rome and Florence. I'm not a big shopper, but it sounds like I could do at least one day trip from Florence, possibly two. I really want to visit Assisi; is there another day trip from Florence that anyone particularly recommends. Also, is it pretty easy to take a day trip to Verona from Venice or does it make more sense to stop there en route from Venice to Florence. How expensive are the trains - I'd rather not deal with driving.

Please keep ideas coming..all help is appreciated. Once I figure out my cities and dates, I'll start worrying about details like flights, hotels and restaurants. Sounds like I need to get my act together to avoid losing options.

Well, I plan exactly opposite of how you are going about this! To me flights and hotels are not "details", they make up the outline for my trips.

Honestly you don't even really need an itinerary until after you arrive, you can plan as you go, and you definitely do not have to figure out restaurants in advance.

I would do this all by train. They are not expensive. No need to rent a car for what you describe.

Since you seem determined to go so many places, what about going back to the Globus or Trafalgar idea? If covering a lot of ground is what is most important, it is easier to do on an organized tour than self-planning.

Suze...you are right and maybe I worded things wrong. My biggest focus now is arrival and departure airports and once that is decided hotels. I will certainly leave the detailed daily activities until later. I originally thought I'd start in Rome and end in Venice, but after reading other posts I'm questioning that idea due to the Easter holiday. I'd love to be at the Vatican at Easter, but if it will severely limit our activities, I'd rather reverse the cities.

You might look at plane tickets, sometimes what is available (since you have fairly exact dates) and prices might sway the decision for you?

I did some preliminary research, but couldn't decide original destination...any airline recommendations...we will fly out of Atlanta.

Try www.flycheapabroad.com for plane tickets - I just booked ours 2 weeks ago and literally saved HUNDREDS of dollars. And check both ways - into Venice, out of Rome and vice-versa. Sometimes, it really makes a difference. So, nail down the airfare first, then go for accomodations. We're taking our 2 teen grandsons to Paris and Rome for spring break next March, and believe me, it takes hundreds of hours of planning if you're an ordinary person. If money's no object,that's another story.
Anyway, this site, plus tripadvisor.com, will give you all the information you could hope for. Have fun planning, and have a great trip!

I would rather be in Venice than Rome on Easter weekend (crowds). You can visit Assisi from either Rome or Florence. I recently saw info on a bus from Rome. I'll post it if I find it again.

I would start in Rome: 4 nights (if you do the Assisi trip from there).
Then Florence: 3 nights (again, add the extra day here if you do Assisi from Florence).
Then Venice: 3 nights

You can train to Verona on the way to Venice---if you like. I wouldn't take that time out of an already short stay in Venice!

You can get train fares at www.trenitalia.com. Look up top for English. But the Italian version works better. Use the Italian names: Roma, Firenze, Venezia, etc. As an example, Rome to Florence will cost about 30 eu 2nd class, 42 eu 1st class.

Also keep in mind that Ryanair flies between Rome and Venice. 1-way fare is only 44 euros for 2 people (1 hour flight).

If Easter in Rome sounds good to you, then you should do it! Of course it will be crowded. The reason it's so crowded is that so many people want to do it!

The itinerary I suggested above was based on what you said you wanted to see. And a couple of days in Florence is not just for shopping. There is an unbelievable amount of art there. My two favorite things were the Baptistry and (of course!) David at the Accademia. But there is MUCH more there, and even more to see in Rome.

Keep in mind that most flights out of Venice leave very early in the morning, requiring an expensive water taxi ride to the airport. Of course, there are early flights out of Rome as well, but it's cheaper to get to the airport there with a shuttle at that time of morning. If you want Easter in Rome, fly into Venice and out of Rome.

If you want to see what I did in these places, here are my trip reports:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34687434
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34780400

If you don't want to do a tour to cover more territory, then I really do think (since you have just 10 days) the 3-city 'grand tour' makes sense... Rome, Florence, and Venice would be perfect.

I'm Catholic myself, and I think being in Vatican City on Easter would be a draw. Or even attending Easter services at another of the beautiful churches in Rome, if you think St. Peter's would be overwhelming.
Last Easter, our daughter was in Florence and she said all the churches there she tried to attend were overflowing. She was arriving at Mass time, instead of being as early as she should have been, though. But my point is that Italy churches in all cities will be full on Easter, so why not go for Rome? Especially since it seems that flying home from Rome is more convenient than Venice.
:)>-

Here's something different (an understatement!). On Easter Sunday in Florence they celebrate the Scoppio del Carro. An ox-drawn cart is driven thru the city to the piazza of Santa Maria del Fiore. The oxen are unharnessed. Then they blow up the cart with a dove-shaped rocket! LOL! If a grand explosion results, Florence will have a prosperous year. I'm sure they take it seriously, though...More here:
http://www.italiansrus.com/articles/scoppio.htm

Maureen: Did your daughter report any explosions?!