help on adventurous Italy itinerary
Jun 14th, 2011, 04:17 PM
#1
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help on adventurous Italy itinerary
It cost way too much to fly into Italy, so I decided to use my frequent flyer miles. I live in Minnesota and there’s a direct hub between Amsterdam and Minneapolis. That is why I’m flying into and out of Amsterdam instead of Italy.
I’m planning on staying 2 weeks in Italy/ Sicily and 1 week in Greece. (Give or take a few days)
My still planning my Greece trip, but here is what I have for Italy. Let me know what you think.
1 Arrive in Amsterdam
2 Amsterdam/ fly to Rome
3 Rome
4 Rome
5 Rome
6 Rome/ leave early for Naples
7 Naples/ Pompeii/ night train to Palermo
8 Palermo
9 Palermo/ Agrigento
10 fly from Palermo to Milan
11 early train to Florence
12 Florence
13 train to Venice
14 Venice
15 Venice
16 early train to Milan, fly to Athens
or can I take a over night ferry from Venice to Greece?
Do you think it’s too adventurous?
Most of you are going to say why Sicily? Answer- food/wine and ancient ruins in Agrigento.
Do you think I should take a day trip to Pisa from Florence, but then I’ll have to take off a day from Venice?
I’m planning on staying 2 weeks in Italy/ Sicily and 1 week in Greece. (Give or take a few days)
My still planning my Greece trip, but here is what I have for Italy. Let me know what you think.
1 Arrive in Amsterdam
2 Amsterdam/ fly to Rome
3 Rome
4 Rome
5 Rome
6 Rome/ leave early for Naples
7 Naples/ Pompeii/ night train to Palermo
8 Palermo
9 Palermo/ Agrigento
10 fly from Palermo to Milan
11 early train to Florence
12 Florence
13 train to Venice
14 Venice
15 Venice
16 early train to Milan, fly to Athens
or can I take a over night ferry from Venice to Greece?
Do you think it’s too adventurous?
Most of you are going to say why Sicily? Answer- food/wine and ancient ruins in Agrigento.
Do you think I should take a day trip to Pisa from Florence, but then I’ll have to take off a day from Venice?
Jun 14th, 2011, 04:54 PM
#2
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Seems like you will be wasting a lot of time hopping back and forth across the country, returning to Milan twice just to catch flights. Time is money when on vacation.
Have you checked flights from Amsterdam to Palermo? I'd try that and then work my way north and look into possible flights from Venice (Marco Polo or Treviso) to Greece.
Palermo
Naples
Rome
Florence
Venice
whichbudget.com can hlep you plot flights on less expensive airlines.
Have you checked flights from Amsterdam to Palermo? I'd try that and then work my way north and look into possible flights from Venice (Marco Polo or Treviso) to Greece.
Palermo
Naples
Rome
Florence
Venice
whichbudget.com can hlep you plot flights on less expensive airlines.
Jun 14th, 2011, 05:14 PM
#3
What time of year? I would look at flying either to Greece or Palermo (also check nearby Trapani) from Amsterdam. The overnight ferries between Greece (Patras so you would have to get there to catch one) and Italy take a while and aren't cheap if you get a cabin. I've used Superfast from Patras to Bari, but there are other ferries depending on ports.
http://www.superfast.com/site/splash.asp
Take a look at flights from Greece to Italy on Aegean Airlines as they will probably be cheaper and more convenient.
http://en.aegeanair.com/
There are overnight ferries from Rome's port (Civitavecchia) to Sicily and also from Naples, Genoa or Livorno (near Pisa).
Pisa is only a 6€ 1 hour train ride from Florence.
http://www.superfast.com/site/splash.asp
Take a look at flights from Greece to Italy on Aegean Airlines as they will probably be cheaper and more convenient.
http://en.aegeanair.com/
There are overnight ferries from Rome's port (Civitavecchia) to Sicily and also from Naples, Genoa or Livorno (near Pisa).
Pisa is only a 6€ 1 hour train ride from Florence.
Jun 14th, 2011, 05:25 PM
#4
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I don;t see anything adventurous at all. Just bouncing around and not really giving any time to Sicily. Also not sure why you keep fliyng in and out of Milan. All of these other towns have airports too.
Jun 14th, 2011, 05:38 PM
#5
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I took a minute to look at cost of several flights from different places. While that is more moving around than I would do in two weeks, if I were going to do it, this might work with the least time used up traveling. It also looks to be the cheapest possible way of doing it for total flights involved.
It also gives you an extra night in Florence (for a day trip someplace) and an extra night in Naples. You could, of course, go ahead and depart Naples that night, and get to Greece very late in the evening if that would work for you.
Fly into Amsterdam
Fly Amsterdam into Milan, train to Venice 3nts
Tain from Venice to Florence 3nts
Train from Florence to Rome 4nts
Fly from Rome to Palermo 3nts
Fly from Palermo to Naples 2nts
Fly from Naples to Athens
It also gives you an extra night in Florence (for a day trip someplace) and an extra night in Naples. You could, of course, go ahead and depart Naples that night, and get to Greece very late in the evening if that would work for you.
Fly into Amsterdam
Fly Amsterdam into Milan, train to Venice 3nts
Tain from Venice to Florence 3nts
Train from Florence to Rome 4nts
Fly from Rome to Palermo 3nts
Fly from Palermo to Naples 2nts
Fly from Naples to Athens
Jun 14th, 2011, 05:54 PM
#6
I also think this is a lot of hopping around and too many airports for my idea of a vacation.
There are some months I wouldn't go to Sicily, and if only for 3 nights I might drop it altogether and add the nights elsewhere (like Venice, Florence and Naples/Amalfi Coast).
I'd probably also skip Milan on this trip unless it's a logistic necessity.
There are some months I wouldn't go to Sicily, and if only for 3 nights I might drop it altogether and add the nights elsewhere (like Venice, Florence and Naples/Amalfi Coast).
I'd probably also skip Milan on this trip unless it's a logistic necessity.
Jun 14th, 2011, 06:01 PM
#7
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If flying into Amsterdam and wanting/deciding to go to Venice why not fly from Amsterdam to Venice instead of to Milan and having to transport to the train station in Milan and take the train to Venice?
Jun 14th, 2011, 07:32 PM
#8
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I can appreciate your desire to see all these places, but I'm not sure your plan makes as much sense as it might. Although I don't mind moving around a lot while on vacation, I think I would find this itinerary very dissatisfying!
> 2 Amsterdam/ fly to Rome
3 Rome
4 Rome
5 Rome
6 Rome/ leave early for Naples
That's less time than I think a first visit to Rome deserves, but I realize that many people allow only 3 or 4 days for it.
> 6 Rome/ leave early for Naples
7 Naples/ Pompeii/ night train to Palermo
I trust you have checked the times and days of the week to make sure you can use your time in Naples to see the archeology museum - or something - while you are there?
> 8 Palermo
Don't miss the cathedral in Monreale!
> 9 Palermo/ Agrigento
10 fly from Palermo to Milan
Are you planning to visit Agrigento as a day trip from Palermo? I believe that is doable, but it would make for a very long day and would require keeping your time in Agrigento to a minimum. If you plan to spend the night in Agrigento, I trust you have made sure you can get back to Palermo in time for your flight.
> 11 early train to Florence
12 Florence
13 train to Venice
That will give you a tiny taste of Florence.
I wonder if you might be being a bit "penny-wise but pound-foolish." Even if you are young and energetic, the lack of sleep, and day after day of disrupted sleep, will likely leave you with a less enjoyable and less memorable experience than you might have if you cut one or two destinations and find ways to cut costs other than by using the very cheapest transportation options.
But if you are intent on visiting each of these destinations, it seems to me that Sassafrass has done you an incredible service in laying out a more doable itinerary. It's still too rushed for my tastes, but it strikes me as a better plan.
Good luck!
> 2 Amsterdam/ fly to Rome
3 Rome
4 Rome
5 Rome
6 Rome/ leave early for Naples
That's less time than I think a first visit to Rome deserves, but I realize that many people allow only 3 or 4 days for it.
> 6 Rome/ leave early for Naples
7 Naples/ Pompeii/ night train to Palermo
I trust you have checked the times and days of the week to make sure you can use your time in Naples to see the archeology museum - or something - while you are there?
> 8 Palermo
Don't miss the cathedral in Monreale!
> 9 Palermo/ Agrigento
10 fly from Palermo to Milan
Are you planning to visit Agrigento as a day trip from Palermo? I believe that is doable, but it would make for a very long day and would require keeping your time in Agrigento to a minimum. If you plan to spend the night in Agrigento, I trust you have made sure you can get back to Palermo in time for your flight.
> 11 early train to Florence
12 Florence
13 train to Venice
That will give you a tiny taste of Florence.
I wonder if you might be being a bit "penny-wise but pound-foolish." Even if you are young and energetic, the lack of sleep, and day after day of disrupted sleep, will likely leave you with a less enjoyable and less memorable experience than you might have if you cut one or two destinations and find ways to cut costs other than by using the very cheapest transportation options.
But if you are intent on visiting each of these destinations, it seems to me that Sassafrass has done you an incredible service in laying out a more doable itinerary. It's still too rushed for my tastes, but it strikes me as a better plan.
Good luck!
Jun 15th, 2011, 06:16 AM
#9
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Thanks for your input. I’m using easyjet airlines to fly. They only fly out of certain airports. That is why my itinerary looks so weird. I'm leaving in the middle of July. I'm young and traveling alone.
1 Amsterdam
2 Amsterdam/Fly to Milan
3 train to Venice
4 Venice
5 Venice
6 Venice/Florence
7 Florence
8 Florence/ Pisa
9 early train to Rome
10 Rome
11 Rome
12 Rome
13 Rome night train to Palermo
14 Palermo
15 Palermo/Agrigento
16 early flight to Rome/ train to Naples
17 Naples/Pompeii
18 train to Rome/ fly to Athens
EasyJet doesn't fly to Naples from Palermo.
Easyjet only flies out of Rome or Milan to Athens. That is why I have to go back and forth between Rome and Naples.
1 Amsterdam
2 Amsterdam/Fly to Milan
3 train to Venice
4 Venice
5 Venice
6 Venice/Florence
7 Florence
8 Florence/ Pisa
9 early train to Rome
10 Rome
11 Rome
12 Rome
13 Rome night train to Palermo
14 Palermo
15 Palermo/Agrigento
16 early flight to Rome/ train to Naples
17 Naples/Pompeii
18 train to Rome/ fly to Athens
EasyJet doesn't fly to Naples from Palermo.
Easyjet only flies out of Rome or Milan to Athens. That is why I have to go back and forth between Rome and Naples.
Jun 15th, 2011, 08:55 AM
#10
Have you already booked these flights? If not, other itineraries make much more sense and don't waste as much of your vacation time on transportation. You can also look at flying to Catania since your focus in Sicily doesn't really seem to be Palermo, but Argiento.
Do you only plan to visit Athens?
Do you only plan to visit Athens?
Jun 15th, 2011, 07:31 PM
#11
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Is Easy Jet your only option for some reason? There are several cheap airlines that could work for you, so you could save time and money.
Also, LoveItaly is right. I just took a quick look for cheap flights from Amsterdam, but obviously, flying from Amsterdam to Venice does make more sense than flying to Milan and taking the train.
Also, LoveItaly is right. I just took a quick look for cheap flights from Amsterdam, but obviously, flying from Amsterdam to Venice does make more sense than flying to Milan and taking the train.
