Help with Italy
 

I wrote a few weeks ago and lots of things happened regarding this trip. I finally got so disgusted with everything that I decided not to go. My boyfriend's daughter was going to join us for 4 days and I needed to rearrange the itinerary to accommodate her short stay. Then my boyfriend became enraged with me for not making enough changes. Then after all the changes were made, she decided not to go... then to go with us with a friend. The fighting just wasn't worth it. I finally figured a pox on both their houses let them go together and leave me out of it.

So who was being hurt in this scenario? Me. I really want to go on this trip and still have no idea if she will or won't come. So I am back to making plans and hope to get your help.

We have a total of 10 nights.

2 nights Rome,
3 nights Cinque Terre
3 nights Florence
2 nights Rome

We will not have a car.

Is 3 nights in 5Terre too much? We will be visiting Santa Margherita Ligure. Should we spend one of our nights there or make it a day trip?
Which of those 5 lands has stuff to see and do or are they similar to each other?

Which neighborhood in Florence is not too crowded and loud? We don't want to listen to partying late at night.
We get enough of that at home in New York!! Any advice about Florence hotels?

I would like to go to Lucca to the fair they have on the week-end. Has anyone been to the crafts/artisans week-end? Again, should we spend one our nights in Lucca or make it a day trip fro Florence?

We can calibrate this trip whatever way it makes sense. None of the lengths of stay in any of those cities are written in stone. I just want to make sure we get to all of the above places.

What do you think?

Thanks.

" what do you think"

I think if my boyfriend became " enraged" with me about anything I would dump him like a sack of doggy do..

I think you should definately go to Italy, but by yourself.

Watch that movie,, Under the Tuscan Sun.. lol, it will put you in the mood for possibilities,,


Now, if against my wise advise you decide to still go with mr wonderful, the only thing I would change is 3 nights in Florence, it is not that exciting, but, there are others here who would disagree. Have you considered Venice instead?

Hello Goldiept, which airport are you flying into and which airport are you from departing from. I assume the answer to both questions is Rome.

If so I would after arriving in Rome go directly to Florence, than Cinque Terre and than Rome. That would cut back on the amount of hotels which always causes time regarding checking in and checking out etc.

Saying that however I would visit Venice versus the Cinque Terre. And if you haven't purchased your airline tickets I would arrive at one airport and depart from another airport so there was no back tracking. It is simple to go to Lucca from Florence for a day trip.

When will you be visiting Italy?

Yes, 3 nights in 5 Terre would be too many for me. It's pretty, but once you've hiked around and seen the pretty, there's not a lot else to do. If you just want to relax and chill out, fine, but I don't think one needs to travel all the way to Europe to just relax and chill out.

You'll get lots of opinions here about which places are more interesting than other places, but the lesson you now know is that this is YOUR trip so YOU get to decide where to go. Some people prefer Florence, some Venice, and some like more time in the CT. Where do YOU want to go?

I do agree with LoveItaly about heading immediately to Florence after you arrive in Rome (or fly New York to Pisa instead of Rome). Unless your flight lands late in the afternoon or at night, you can eliminate one of those checking in/out events. You might also look into whether there is a cheap flight from Rome to Florence or Pisa. FYI, fast trains between Roma and Florence take about 1.5 hours.

Yes, hopefully you won't have bought your air tickets yet. You want to see a lot in a short time, so flying into one city and out of another will be more efficient than spending valuable vacation time backtracking.

Lucca is an easy daytrip by train from Florence.

One place you don't want to stay in Florence if you don't want noise is near
Piazza della Repubblica. There were street performers blasting music in the evening.

I am in agreement with others to go straight to Florence without staying in Rome first. If your flight arrives early in the morning, you probably cannot check into your hotel anyway. Why not keep moving to your first destination to eliminate one extra check in/out in Rome.

10 days without a car I would do just Rome and Florence, or possibly add Venice.

These are all very easy to get to by train, then get around on foot once you are there. I'd skip CT.

I would not split up Rome into two parts, because it makes it more complicated having to get a hotel on either end. Rather immediately upon arrival proceed to Venice or Florence, or at the end of your trip simply come back to the Rome airport.

Have you already purchased plane tickets? If not I would fly instead into Rome and out of Venice, avoiding unnecessary back tracking on the ground.

Actually although I almost always agree with suze in this situation IF you have not purchased your airline tickets and IF you did decide to visit Venice I would fly into Venice (Marco Polo Airport) and depart from Rome as it is easier arriving in Venice versus departing from Venice as most departing flights leave so early in the morning from Venice. But of course you didn't even mention Venice..just a though I had. But in any case Goldiept I would only spend the time in Rome for one portion of your trip not two portions as you will lose valuable time travelling, checking in and out of the hotels etc. I hope your trip works out for you.

I second bozama's suggestion. :)

I know you're not asking for opinions of your relationship, but seriously, you have major problems if your boyfriend becomes 'enraged' over your not making enough changes in an itinerary - JMO.

Thanks so much for all of the above.

OK, sounds reasonable to go straight to Florence and spare ourselves the extra time checking in and checking out, etc. I just thought I'd be a basket case with fatigue and need time to adjust. (I hardly ever sleep on any moving transport)

Venice is not going to happen this time because I am saving that for a trip with my daughter sometime in the future.

We have to go in and out of Rome for other reasons - meeting friends who live in Europe and that's the timing.

Thanks for the advise on 5 Terre. I'll cut that down to 2 nights instead. I want to go there because of an old recommendation that keeps being mentioned for the past 8 years and I really want go there but don't want to be bored when I know there are so many other places to see.

Sounds like it would be a good idea to spend the extra time in Florence and take some day trips from there.

As for the relationship...it's just too much to go into here. There is just some sort of dysfunctional thing between my boyfriend and his daughter. They love each other but are always scared of stepping on each other's toes at the same time. He gets intimidated by her and wants to defer to her needs by catering to her like she's 2 (she is 38) I have never been in the middle this way and never will be again!!! Thank God my daughter and I respect each other and treat each other like the adults we are.

And yes - I finally do feel like it is my trip. I know that there is need for compromise in all relationships. On this trip, however, I felt like I was really selling out. Many previous trips were a compromise but this one was one that I felt strongly about and am thrilled that it is actually going to happen on my terms.

Thanks again.

If you are going to be a basket case when you arrive, then you might as well spend it seated on a train moving on to Florence. If you arrive early AM at Rome FCO, chances are your hotel room in Rome won't be available to check in before noon.

After clearing immigration and claiming your baggage, head to the FCO train station. Buy your tickets for the Leonardo Express train to Rome AND for your continuing tickets on the next ES train to Florence.

When I did this with a friend, our plane landed at 7:30AM; we had bags in hand by 8:10; buying train tickets at 8:20; Leonardo Express left at 8:35, arrived in Rome 9:05; ES train to Florence at 9:30; in Florence at 11:00; at our hotel 11:15. My friend slept on the train--I was too excited to sleep.

Or do the reserve. Put all your Rome days at the beginning of the trip. Then at the end come back from Florence and straight to the airport, if you think that works better for you.

I think suze made a good suggestion of putting all your Rome days at the beginning. But whatever you choose, I hope you have a great trip with none of the stress you've already experienced.

Good luck!

Thanks for all your great advise. I like the idea of going straight to Florence and bunching the days for Rome at the end.

I've been to Rome twice for a week and lOVE that city but think I will trade one of those Rome days to spend a night in Sienna.

Thanks again and happy trails to all of you!!!!