Help with family trip to Rome and Amalfi Coast
Aug 17th, 2009, 12:11 PM
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Help with family trip to Rome and Amalfi Coast
Would love to hear some suggestions for a 12 day trip to Italy. We were planning to fly from NYC to Rome next June or July, spend 4 or 5 days in Rome and then head to Amalfi Coast for a week.
My husband, myself and 3 children (ages 4, 6, 10) would spend some time in Rome and then meet up with our entended family to rent a villa in Amalfi. Our group would then consist of 8 adults and 3 children.
Having some trouble deciding where in Amalfi to rent a villa. We're not planning on having a car, so we'd like convenient access to transportation, a pool and be within walking distance to a nice beach. We'd like to do some sightseeing in the area, but primarily wish to relax and enjoy our surroundings. Which town(s) should we focus our seach on?
Any help would be appreciated. Would also love to hear about some options in Rome. Should we venture outside the city or hit the main attractions within Rome? Ideally, we'd love to find a balance of sightseeing with relaxing and enjoying the local flavors.
Thank you!!
My husband, myself and 3 children (ages 4, 6, 10) would spend some time in Rome and then meet up with our entended family to rent a villa in Amalfi. Our group would then consist of 8 adults and 3 children.
Having some trouble deciding where in Amalfi to rent a villa. We're not planning on having a car, so we'd like convenient access to transportation, a pool and be within walking distance to a nice beach. We'd like to do some sightseeing in the area, but primarily wish to relax and enjoy our surroundings. Which town(s) should we focus our seach on?
Any help would be appreciated. Would also love to hear about some options in Rome. Should we venture outside the city or hit the main attractions within Rome? Ideally, we'd love to find a balance of sightseeing with relaxing and enjoying the local flavors.
Thank you!!
Aug 17th, 2009, 12:29 PM
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Hi mamaleone...
Have you been to Rome before? I only ask because I have found that in my last 2 trips to Rome, each for 8 days I found plenty of things to do right in Rome that I didn't even feel the need to venture outside the city (well, I did do one day trip to Ostia Antica, so I guess we can count that as a day trip outside the city).
I'll be back in Rome in October and do plan to go to Orvieto, as a day trip. It's about a one hour train ride from Rome with frequent train departures.
Also, with going in June or July, you may want to stay in the city so that you can go back to your hotel or apartment in the middle of the day for a break from the heat. Make sure you book a place with air conditioning.
As for things to see and do, if the Vatican interests you at all there are not only the Vatican Museums (may be too boring for the kids) but there is the Vatican Scavi tour and the Vatican Gardens tour. I've been on the Scavi tour and loved it, and I will be going on the Vatican Garden tour this October...it's a 2 hour tour (again, not sure if the kids would be up for something that long).
As for Amalfi villa recommendations I stayed at a terrific villa this past April (http://www.grottadeifichi.it/). However we did have a car and I felt that we did need one for this location and there was not a beach close by, but there was swimming pool. Check out the website to see what you think. You may want to consider Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano because they all seemed to have good bus connections to get to the other towns along the Amalfi Coast as well as connections to Pompeii if you are interested in going there.
If you click on my screen name you can access my trip report from my Amalfi trip and my last 2 trips to Rome.
Have a great time!
Have you been to Rome before? I only ask because I have found that in my last 2 trips to Rome, each for 8 days I found plenty of things to do right in Rome that I didn't even feel the need to venture outside the city (well, I did do one day trip to Ostia Antica, so I guess we can count that as a day trip outside the city).
I'll be back in Rome in October and do plan to go to Orvieto, as a day trip. It's about a one hour train ride from Rome with frequent train departures.
Also, with going in June or July, you may want to stay in the city so that you can go back to your hotel or apartment in the middle of the day for a break from the heat. Make sure you book a place with air conditioning.
As for things to see and do, if the Vatican interests you at all there are not only the Vatican Museums (may be too boring for the kids) but there is the Vatican Scavi tour and the Vatican Gardens tour. I've been on the Scavi tour and loved it, and I will be going on the Vatican Garden tour this October...it's a 2 hour tour (again, not sure if the kids would be up for something that long).
As for Amalfi villa recommendations I stayed at a terrific villa this past April (http://www.grottadeifichi.it/). However we did have a car and I felt that we did need one for this location and there was not a beach close by, but there was swimming pool. Check out the website to see what you think. You may want to consider Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano because they all seemed to have good bus connections to get to the other towns along the Amalfi Coast as well as connections to Pompeii if you are interested in going there.
If you click on my screen name you can access my trip report from my Amalfi trip and my last 2 trips to Rome.
Have a great time!
Aug 17th, 2009, 01:27 PM
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Trust me !
www.summerinitaly.com Great people to work with.
www.summerinitaly.com Great people to work with.
Aug 17th, 2009, 02:31 PM
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The town of Amalfi is very well connected by bus:
www.sitabus.it
There are also boats from April to October to Positano and Salerno:
www.coopsantandrea.com
As well as hydrofoils to Capri and Naples:
www.metrodelmare.com
www.salernocity.com
www.sitabus.it
There are also boats from April to October to Positano and Salerno:
www.coopsantandrea.com
As well as hydrofoils to Capri and Naples:
www.metrodelmare.com
www.salernocity.com
Aug 17th, 2009, 02:32 PM
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Unless the Scavi Office has changed the rules recently, children under 15 are not permitted on the Scavi Tour, although they sometimes make exceptions for children 11 and older accompanied by parents. If you haven't been to Rome before, four or five days is perfect for seeing the city without going elsewhere, although the kids would probably enjoy a half day trip out to Ostia Antica.
June and July can get VERY hot in Rome and although I usually recommend staying near the Pantheon/Piazza Navona area, you might want to think about a hotel with a pool. The Esedra and Parco di Principe both have pools and located near enough that you don't need a shuttle to get to the center.
You probably aren't going to find a "nice beach" on the Amalfi Coast if you are thinking large and sandy. Beaches are small, rocky/pebbly and can have significant small boat traffic.
June and July can get VERY hot in Rome and although I usually recommend staying near the Pantheon/Piazza Navona area, you might want to think about a hotel with a pool. The Esedra and Parco di Principe both have pools and located near enough that you don't need a shuttle to get to the center.
You probably aren't going to find a "nice beach" on the Amalfi Coast if you are thinking large and sandy. Beaches are small, rocky/pebbly and can have significant small boat traffic.
Aug 18th, 2009, 06:50 PM
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Hate to be a partypooper, but are you sure you want to go to the Amalfi with children that small? A beach destination can make a lot of sense, but the Amalfi coast is incredibly stair-ridden, and has quite a lot of tourist impact -- meaning waiting on line for buses and ferries, etc. Buses along the Amalfi drive can induce motion sickness in adults, not just children.
Were it me, I would give strong consideration to not only Sorrento, but to towns further south of Amalfi, in the direction of Salerno, where you will find flatter terrain, cheaper villas, etc. But I also might think of decamping for someplace like Elba or Sardegna, actually. Or even a Sicilian island. If you stick with the Amalfi coast, I think the relatively flatter town of Amalfi would be my first choice, or the neighboring village of Atrani (quite flat) if you can find a good rental.
Were it me, I would give strong consideration to not only Sorrento, but to towns further south of Amalfi, in the direction of Salerno, where you will find flatter terrain, cheaper villas, etc. But I also might think of decamping for someplace like Elba or Sardegna, actually. Or even a Sicilian island. If you stick with the Amalfi coast, I think the relatively flatter town of Amalfi would be my first choice, or the neighboring village of Atrani (quite flat) if you can find a good rental.
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