Help with Italy trip
 

Hi everyone-
I am posting this with a plea for HELP!!
We are going to Europe in October and we need to completely revamp our original trip.... Original itinerary was: NYC to Rome > Venice > Munich > passing through Liechtenstein > Zurich > Geneva > Monti Carlo/Monaco > Milan and fly out of Milan back home.
We were planning to rent a car and drive this route. Looking at the distance, driving time, and logistics, we decided the trip was too ambitious. We now need to overhaul our itinerary and (I think) focus on Italy .... And here's where we need your expertise. So far it's definitely Rome > Florence > Venice. We'd love to see another country besides Italy (Monti Carlo/Monaco), but were open to suggestions. Can anyone offer some guidance? Travel dates are 10/11-10/29. THANK YOU!

Drop the idea of using a car and do four Italians cities (I can't imagine doing a long detour to see Monte Carlo/Monaco): Naples, Rome, Florence and Venice. Use the train to go between the cities.

Do you think that a country bordering Italy will be substantially different? And why Monaco? Italy is so diverse that you can almost believe you're in different countries when you see different regions. Naples is very very different from Venice. I can't imagine wanting to leave Italy but if you want something different why not Amsterdam?

Rome, Florence, Venice and then fly to Amsterdam.

I would use a train between Rome & Florence. After Florence, rent a car and explore Tuscany for a few days, staying at an agriturismo. Return the car, take a train to Venice. If you must see another country, you can rent a car or take a train near Venice and drive up to Austria or Slovenia for a few days, flying out of Vienna or Salzburg. Austria is magnificent.

+1 for zootsi's itinerary suggestion. Both Austria and Slovenia will offer a completely different experience from Italy, while keeping driving/transportation to a minium.

The OP only has 18 days (or less, depending on arrival/departure dates), so 5-6 destinations in 2-3 countries brings Nika back to an itinerary that is too ambitious. Rome/Florence/Venice are the OP's priorities.

Nika, obviously you could explore the spaces between these three priority destinations. A few days in Tuscany, Umbria, Emilia Romagna, and/or the Veneto are all possibilities, but you need to do some homework to know what appeals to you. If you still need to end up in Milan to fly home (per your original itinerary), add one of the lakes after Venice to your options.

What Jean says. And forget Monaco - waste of time. In fact, stay in Italy.

Train schedules here:

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?

I find this website better for train service within Italy:

http://www.fsitaliane.com/homepage_en.html

Hi N,

>Rome > Florence > Venice. .... Travel dates are 10/11-10/29. THANK YOU!

I would fly into Venice and out of Rome if I could.

4 nights Venice,
Train to Florence for 5 nights - Visit Lucca,/Pisa, and Siena as daytrips
Train to La Spezia - 3 nights on the Cinque Terre
Train to Rome - 5 nights - Visit Ostia Antica and Orvieto as daytrips

Enjoy your visit

((I))

The countries that border Italy are wildly different from Italy. They don't resemble Italy in almost anyway except those that have Italian speaking areas or areas that were once part of Italy.

I don't Monaco, so I would go there for any reason, and it really has very little flavor. It is mostly huge apartment blocks, Miami-style. But you would definitely get a different view of life in Munich, and it is very reachable by train. I personally wouldn't want to be in Munich during Oktoberfest, however, but maybe the idea appeals to you.

How about Vienna? Or Prague? For October, any chance you'd be interested in flying into another European hub -- like Paris, London, Barcelona or Amsterdam, staying a few days, then taking another flight into Italy, touring, and flying home from Italy?

I should have proofread before I pressed "submit." I don't like Monaco, and I wouldn't go there for any reason. That is what I meant to type except I was tying too fast. Anyway, if there is some place like Italy, it is Monaco, where the Italian Grimaldis have been running the place for a long time. But it is really nowheresville.

I don't think October is an ideal time to go to Switzerland, but I could be wrong. You might do better with cities in other countries, but the countryside should be fairly nice in Italy in your time frame if you want to see it.

Technically, you will be seeing another country other than Italy, the Vatican. Aside from that, I too like zootsi's suggestion of Austria or Slovenia. Or, if you just want different scenery rent a car from Venice and drive to the Dolomites, the Italian Alps.

Agree with Ira-fly into Venice and work your way down and fly out of Rome. You do not mention the age of your travelers,but My husband and I hike the Cinque Terre and it was a great experience!! If your budget allows and you are in Luca,go to Hotel Alexander. Before you get to Florence, book your tickets for the Uffizi Gallery so you are not wasting your time in line.Rome deserves at least 4 days...get tickets for the Vatican and Galleria Borghesee(spelling?) ahead of time.One tip about dinning. Usually all you need is to go 2 or 3 blocks away from the main tourist attractions and you will get really good food. Work off all those calories by walking to the Spanish Steps. Enjoy your trip.

First and foremost - THANK YOU all SO MUCH for taking the time and sharing! We really, really appreciate all the feedback, suggestions and tips! Initially, the planning became so overwhelming, but now thanks to you guys, I think we are getting there....I do have a few more questions (and I thank you in advance for your reply/help/advice.)
1. Does it make sense to fly into Rome and out of Rome? Ira and Nana5 mentioned that flying into Venice and out of Rome is best - and it seems we can make those arrangements? Would you recommend flying in AND out of Rome (vs into Venice and out of Rome?)
2. We were initially going to Naples/Sorrento after Florence, but now we are seriously reconsidering and will take your advice and head to La Spezia – to spend 3 nights on the Cinque Terre – so thank you for that! Our new Itinerary is Venice (3) > Florence (5) > La Spezia (3) > Rome. If time permits, we are considering renting a car and going to the Amalfi coat, once we’re in Rome. We will do a few day trips from Florence as well (Pisa, Siena, Lucca). Anything else? Are we missing anything else along the way?
Nana5: the hike idea in Cinque Terre sounds great and we will definitely try to do that 

The benefit of flying into one city and out of another is that you don't have to spend time and money doubling back to your original location. Why fly in/out of Rome if you can fly out of the city where you will end your trip? Better use of your time and rarely, if ever, more money.

When you research flights to fly into Venice and home from Rome, be sure to use the "multi-city" option on the airline websites. By doing this, you will probably find flight prices that would be about the same as roundtrip through Rome, and as uflecku said, you will save valuable vacation time and money when you don't have to circle back to where you began.

(People often make the mistake of thinking of a trip like "into Venice/home from Rome" as two one-way flights, which would be much more expensive than using the multi-city option.)

Good idea to restrict your range but if you want diversity I would do the suggestions in Italy and then take the train to Innsbruck, Austria, stay a few days there and explore the gorgeous little hillside villages as well as the main attractions of Innsbruck. The train journey itself is very rewarding with the Italian Alps and changes of terrain along the way. Doing the trip from north to south is a good suggestion also.

Hi guys!
So sorry to be a pain, but I am wondering if any of the experts on this forum can speak to the following:
1. We have taken your recommendations and will be flying into Venice and out of Rome.
2. We are planning to do 3 nights in Venice, 5 in Florence, 3 in LaSpezia and 6 nights in Rome. The travel agent sent me a NOTE saying "too many nights in Rome and Florence. I recommend breaking up with country side Tuscany (must have a car)"
For Florence, our plan was to do some day trips to Pisa, Lucca, Siena, in addition to seeing Florence - which seems like we will have plenty to see/visit (couple days worth for sure)
As for Rome, there's also a lot to do and plenty to see.
THOUGHTS???
We would like to stay away from Naples and transferring in Naples for obvious reasons.
thank you! (again!)

5 nights in Florence (4 days) would never be too much for me. With your side trips yuo have 1 to 2 days in Florence (if you spend 2 or 3 days outside of Florence). You'll see some of the major sights but not all of them.

6 nights in Rome is not too much. You can take some time outside the city if you wish - Ostia Antica, Orvieto, Villa d'Este.

Why are you using a travel agent?