jillian

Total of 10 nights: arriving in Milan (spend 1 night?)fly out from Milan to Venice(spend 2 nights?),rent car inland after sightseeing Venice on foot and drive to Verono(for day only) drive to Florence (spend 2 nights), some how fit Pisa,and Siena, return car take train from Siena to Naples(1 night), take train to Rome(4 nights) fly from Rome to U.S. <BR>Am I crazy or can this be done. I want to see everything at one swoop., Can I really drive in and out and around Florence? Heard lot of warnings regarding that area.

ingrid

Jillian, <BR>Squeezing so many wonderful cities into only 10 days is not to be advises. You'd have to count a minimum of 1 DAY for Milan to get a good impression of the city. After that Verona: again minimum of 1 day. Try to get tickets for a opera performance at the Arena. Really wonderful. As the driving also takes time: stay 1 night in Verona. Than through to Venice. This can all be done by either train or car. In my opinion it's a waste of money renting and parking a car if your only visiting the cities. You won't use the car once you're there. Venice:if you're planning 2 nights, you'll have 1 full day in Venice. It's real short, I've visited it a couple of times for at least 3 days a time. But: you can see a couple of the highlights. I think it's worth more than that. <BR>2 nights Florence: it's about the same as I said about Venice: to short really! Siena is lovely, but to get visit more than just the lovely square, you'll need a full day. That way you can see more than just the outside from things. It would be a shame to forget San Gimignano. Driving there also takes it's time. <BR>Pisa: 1 day or couple of hours gives you a nice idea. <BR>Why going al the way down to Naples and then just staying there 1 night? Go there for at least 2 or 3 days, visit Pompei and maybe Capri, or otherwise forget it for the moment. <BR>4 nights Rome is good enough I think. <BR>To be short: it's too much in too litte time. Visit only the North(Milan, Verona, Ferrara, Padua and Venice) or only Tuscany(Siena, Florence, Pisa, San Gimignano, Arezzo and all the wonderfull cloisters shattered around the landscape) or combine Naples, Pompei, Capri and Rome. <BR>Take time to inhale the atmosphere, to eat, drink and enjoy. Come back some other time! <BR>Ingrid

Bill Fleites

Listen to Ingrid, way to many places to visit in just 10 days. Think of this as your first trip to Italy, you will like Italy so much that before you know it you will be planning other follow up trips. With this attitude in mind, the goal of my first trip to Italy would be to hit the "biggies". So I would prefer to fly into Venice for 3 nights, train to Florence 2 nights, train to Rome 5 nights and take a day trip to either Pompeii or Sorrento.

Marianna

Hi Jillian, <BR>I live and work in Rome and saw your post. I agree with your replies, you are trying to do too much in too short a time. It is possible to do what you say but you will not really be able to appreciate the wonder and beauty of each of the places you have listed. <BR> <BR>To help you to utilise your time in Rome most effectively, I can refer you to our web site and highlight the wonderful tours that we do such as The Vatican, the Ancient City (forums), the bella Roma (fountains and piazzas) and the great day trips to Pompei and Capri. <BR> <BR>Look us up at our web site at <BR>www.odyssey-tours.com <BR> <BR>If you have any questions about the tours or if I can help you with any other general stuff you would like to know, please feel free to contact me again. <BR> <BR>Happy planning! <BR>Marianna

claire

Agree with the other posters. You are trying to cram so much into so little time, you are risking spending far too much valuable time in transit and you will have little or no time for what most people talk so much about when they return from Italy - those lazy afternoons/evenings watching the world go by from an outdoor table; gelato & passagiato, etc. Just relaxing & being in Italy. As a practical matter, I can see renting a car to explore areas like Umbria and Le Marche, and even Tuscan towns. But, seems a waste & unnecessary hassle for the main drag spots on your itinerary. Trains seem more efficient. You didn't tell us what time of year you will be travelling and whether you have any special interests. Still, with the cities you've named, I'd cut the list in half, at least. Maybe more if you want to do the hub-day trip thing. Above all, leave some time for just having fun! Of course, only you can say what is fun for you. Enjoy!

Val

I did a ten day tour visiting Paris, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Rome and Capri and had a wonderful time. I was EXHAUSTED when I got home, but I got a flavor for each city I visited and can now go back to those I want to explore further. <BR> <BR>I don't think I would drive there. The trains were great, parking is unheard of in most places and the taxis were relatively inexpensive. Plus, the other drivers are CRAZY. <BR> <BR>Venice and Capri were breathtaking and the two cities I plan to see again (with a date instead of my sister this time!! They were both VERY ROMANTIC!). Rome can be done in two full days if you are only looking for a superficial view of things. We did Florence in a day, but we are not art nuts. Pisa is a must see. We did it in two hours - just hopped off the train on the way from Florence to Rome and went to see the tower. <BR> <BR>Wish I had more time so I could have visited Bologna and Sorrento but I am going there next year. <BR> <BR>Although I wasn't expecting anything, Italy was completely wonderful and I miss it every day. Whatever you do, just enjoy it and take a lot of pictures...

marge

Regarding your question about driving in and out of Florence: we did this twice when we stayed in the countryside last year at an agriturismo. We found the drive in on a Saturday was easy, the drive in on a Wednesday morning was hair-raising. When we got parked in the train station we were giddy from the experience, gave each other high-fives that we made it! It was an experience that we will never forget - almost a life-experience bonding thing. If you are a little bit of a gutsy driver and like living on the edge even a little bit I'd say 'go-for-it'! We will handle our visits to Florence next year the same way. <BR>There isn't a driving experience in the states to compare - that I'm aware of.

Leslie

Jillian - the other posters are right. Too much in too little time. In addition, you've created inefficiencies with such things as 1 night in Milan, returning to the airport (Malpensa I assume) the next day to fly on to Venice. Malpensa is a long way out from central Milan. It would make much more sense to either: <BR> <BR>a) take a connecting flight to Venice upon arrival in Milan and skip Milan alltogether or b) fly directly to Venice and skip Milan or c) Take the Malpensa Shuttle Bus into Milan Centrale rail station, spend one night in a nearby hotel (take a quick look at the Duomo, the Opera House and the Galleria Emanuale, get a good night's sleep and then take the three-hour IC train from Milan Centrale to Venice S. Lucia station the next morning. <BR> <BR>Again, from Venice to Florence there is a 3 hour Eurostar Italia train. It makes little sense to rent a car primarily for transport between cities unless you're really stuck on seeing Verona or you have a party of 4. Even still, arriving by car into Florence and allowing only one day so you can drive out for day trips makes little sense to me. But I fear you need to choose either Verona or Siena and skip Pisa. I'd choose Siena personally. <BR> <BR>Use the rental car as your transport between Florence and Rome, stopping in Siena for an overnight enroute so you don't have to back track. <BR> <BR>This is how I'd personally suggest your itinerary (assuming you must fly into Milan: <BR> <BR>Connecting flight direct from Milan to Venice (allow at least two hours slack time between flights in case your transatlantic flight is late). <BR>2 nights Venice <BR>Train to Florence. <BR>3 nights Florence. <BR>Rent car in Florence and drive to Siena. <BR>1 night in Siena. <BR>Visit any number of towns in Chianti or stop in Montepulciano in the morning. Then by way of Chiusi, pop on the autostrade and go to Orvieto. See the cathedral and the caves. Stay 1 night in Orvieto. <BR>Then on to Rome and spend 3 nights. Skip Naples for this trip. Personally, Pisa just isn't worth going out of your way for...but, if by your 3rd day in Florence you feel you must, you could always use that 3rd day for a guided one-day bus excursion to Pisa. <BR> <BR>Just my two cents. <BR>

jillian

Great replies,more, more, please. I have booked air in at Milan and out of Rome, so I will be taking the train from Milan into Venice, I thought Verona was a very charming town with great shopping opportunity(or is it same as Rome) and so thought I will backtrack just a little to go back and see the Forum at Verona as well. Florence really did not impress me that much (the organized tour allowed us 6 hours for it) we went up a hill and looked at the beautiful river view, ate steak, and looked at few of the landmarks. What am I missing out on?

meg

I too am a first timer, going end of this month, and was trying to cram too much in. In the end I settled for 4 nights Rome (w. a possible day trip to capri), 3 Florence and 4 Venice. I'm leaving Milan, the Lakes Region and Amalfi coast/Sorrento for a later trip. I figure I'll be so blown away by what I DO see that I wont miss what I don't see. <BR> <BR>I too am not expecting to be all that thrilled w. Florence, but we're using Florence as a base for a day trip to Siena/San G. and possibly Pisa too. <BR> <BR>I think the people who have the most difficulty camming things in are the types who like to spend large amts of time in museums, which could easily eat away all yourtime. Thankfully I'm not that type. I'll be more than happy to just see the Sistine Chapel and move on. In fact, if it comes down to either the Uffizi OR seeing Siena/San G., I'd 86 the Uffizi. Nature's beauty moves me more than art, but to each his own.