traveldelight

Hi we are travelling to Rome on 28may and staying near the Spanish steps, going to all the places of sightseeing, then on the 1 st going to amalfi till the 6th, we would like to see Capri, Pompeii, mt Vesuvius and the amalfi region, Florence till the 11 th, we would like to go to Pisa , Luca, sienna or the cinque Serra and the Ferrari factory to take a tour and then venice till the 13th.

My questions are
1. Internal travel are best done by trains? From train station to hotel should I hire a car or taxis are easy to get?
2. From naple station I would like to be taken on a tour to Pompeii and then be dropped to my hotel at amalfi, please could you suggest a travel company I could use.
3. Is it too much that I want to do at all these places, please advice
4. Can the church n museums be seen without joining a tour ? Or would it be better?
5. Any other suggestions are most welcome.
6. My main worry is moving from one place to the other with our luggage and want a perfect plan so that I would enjoy my holiday.
Much appreciate some clarity
Thank you

downtownbrown

Answering what I can:

1. Generally, trains are the way to go. The exception is Florence-Siena; bus is better. Taxis are available at the train stations.

2. I think what you're looking for is a car service that can arrange a guide in Pompeii. We used Positano Limo. They will pick you up in Naples, transport you to Pompeii, arrange a guide (who is paid separately) and then take you to Amalfi.

3. It's do-able, but I might cut out Cinque Terre.

4. It depends. Some have audio guides that are good.

5. Subtract Cinque Terre; add a day in Venice or Rome. Consider renting apartments in places where your stays are longer, especially if there are more than 2 of you. Consider using a guide for the Siena/Lucca/Pisa. Many people here have used Luca of hillsandroads.com. Nice guy, very competent.

6. That is a valid concern. Our last two trips were somewhat like what you have outlined, and we did carry-on both times because we knew we didn't want to be lugging heavy bags from place to place, which I think really adds to the stress level and detracts from the enjoyment. All I can tell you is: Pack light.

traveldelight

Thanks downtownbrown

My hotel booking for the above mentioned days have been confirmed. Now I just have to the travel n tours, for which I need clarity, I wished I had posted it before confirming the hotels then I would have some fluidity.

Cinque terre is beautiful I heard ....which is the alternative place I can remove from my itenary?
My daughter wants to shop as she will be going to university this year , so I think I will have some luggage to contend with unfortunately. I guess then taxis from train station to hotels will have to do.

I will check out positano limos n hillandroad for my tours.
The earphone tours are a good idea n I think I will take on the Vatican tour n the one at the coliseum

Thanks again

bilboburgler

my view
1) Train Taxi
2) Taking the train is a sensible option but you can use the guide, you may prefer Herculaneum over Pompeii
3) Do able, like a lot of things it depends on how much time you want to spend at each, are you hiking at CT?
4) Churches are ruined by organised tours, some have readable guides (various languages), some audio and of course you could read a book, the point is these are religious places and do not need the shouting idiots with flags in the air.

Museums, I would not use a guide, I've seen them and on occasion listened. I'd take a paper guide and visit on your own.
5) No idea why you would need a guide, but I find the Rough Guide for northern Italy very good, if not the Blue Book is just about ok. The local train links Pisa, Lucca, Florence and the bus is easy to Sienna (do not take anything extra to Sienna as the place is very steep)
6) Take as little luggage as you think you need and then reduce it by half again. I think you have stuffed a fair bit into your tour

Shopping; I'd use Rome for window shopping (and understand what the Italian Brands offer, if you want branded goods then you can pick them up cheaper in other towns, if you are bright you will not want branded goods but it gets out of your daughter's system) to get an idea of what you want (window shop) and then use Florence and Venice to buy stuff, yes it will be expensive in these last two towns but Italy has thousands of little specialist shops who will sell you unique things that you cannot get elsewhere this is very true for these 2 towns. I'd set aside a lot of time for digging out little leather brief-cases, jackets etc in Florence but avoid the main bridge and the tourist side of the bridge, visit the other side and seek out tiny little shops, if they don't have what you want, they know a man who does.

Finding the stuff you want in Venice is harder, but I'd search Venice on this site and look out for shopping advice.

traveldelight

Thanks billoburgler

2. Herculaneum sounds good, I should take your advice as I want to do a lesser popular places...
3. Hiking....no but a gentle walk through is fine...possibly I could do just a part of the five.
4. Thanks so much...I was too confused about the guided tour issues....u made up my mind....
5. Carry ons to places will be ultra light...I guess I will give in at Florence since the last leg of the journey is venice we could be a little heavy....trains do not have any specific size or weight for luggage?
Thank you again

kybourbon

>>>should I hire a car<<<

Most of these towns have ZTL (areas you aren't allowed to drive unless you are a resident or have a permit) such as Siena, Florence, Rome, Lucca, Pisa, etc.

>>>My main worry is moving from one place to the other with our luggage<<<

You need to pack light. One small case per person that you can easily carry up and down a flight of stairs (or lift to overhead luggage rack) when full.

traveldelight

Thank you kybourbon
I shall reconsider the size of the bags.
I base myself at four places n then do day trips,
3 days in Rome wherein I see the museums n churches and Ancient Rome ......I'm a bit confused about my places of visit and haven't been able to do my itenary as yet becoz here is so much to see.....please can you help, should I take tours or go on my own as reading through these discussion both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Thanks

StCirq

You need to do what the rest of us do: read guidebooks, make notes, look at maps, make a plan that is reasonable for YOU! We can't know what appeals to you unless you spell it out.

The word has five syllables - i-tin-er-ar-y.

You do need to pack light. On Italian trains you have to lug it on all by yourself - haul it up the stairs, lift it into the overhead compartments, get it off quickly when the train stops, etc. Pack LIGHT!

traveldelight

stcirq
believe me i didnt like the tone you used but respected the thoughts you portrayed....
i have new found appreciation and awe towards you after reading your delightful rendition of your travel to india....in that travelogue you mentioned that you like to have flexibility on your "itinerary" but have the logistics of transfers and travel taken care off by a travel organizer....my sentiments exactly...i want my travel made easier if there are such operators functioning in italy...if you know of any who are reasonably i would much appreciate it

thank you for coming across my path and giving me a wider insight on planning

ps i have been doing a lot of reading but my scattered thought and planning skill has a lot to be desired hence this call out for help

downtownbrown

Regarding what you can fit into your schedule, consider the dates and itinerary you listed:

You arrive in Florence on 6 June and leave 11 Jun . That gives you four full days. Now, in those four full days, you plan to see "Pisa , Luca, sienna or the cinque Serra and the Ferrari factory." In other words, you'll see almost nothing of Florence itself, which leads to the question: Why bother staying there?

And again, Cinque Terre seems out of the question if you're staying in Florence. You'll be using a half-day of travel each way, adding up to a day of travel time, to spend how much time in CT? Seems totally impractical to me.

ekc

Leave off CT in favor of more time in Florence. Unless you own a Ferrari, you cannot have a tour of the factory, only the museum. If you cut out CT and the Ferrari tour, you can then spend 2 days enjoying Florence, 1 day for a Pisa/Lucca day trip via train and 1 days for a Sienna day trip via bus.

The one place where I feel a guide is essential is the Forum/Palatine Hill. We used Agnes Crawford of www.understandingrome.com and really enjoyed her tour.

For your 3 days in Rome, you could organize it so you spend one day on "Ancient Rome" (Forum/Colosseum/Pantheon, etc.), one day on the Vatican and one day on whatever else you wanted to see (Borghese, Ara Pacis, etc.).

But you really need to sit down with a guidebook and decide what is important for YOU to visit.

StCirq

traveldelight:

In the hundreds and hundreds of trips I have taken to many farflung corners of the earth, the one and only time I ever used a travel organizer was in India, and mostly because the opportunity to go came up very quickly and I didn't have time to do the proper research myself. I can't imagine needing or using such a person/company for Europe.

I agree about using guidebooks and the internet, to figure out what's important to you. And s an aside, Italy and "water-tight plan" is, IMO, an oxymoron.

Jean

The Ferrari factory tour... Unless you own a Ferrari or have one on order, the only tour available is on a bus that moves through the factory. No photos, no video, no getting off the bus. You get a look (that's all) of the test track. The museum, however, is open to all and can be seen at your own pace. Transportation between Florence and Sant'Agata is at least 2 hours in each direction on a combination of train + bus or taxi. You must have a timed reservation in advance for the tour.

IMO, you can visit Pisa and Lucca in the same day. (You'll need timed reservations if you want to climb the Leaning Tower.) The train ride between Florence and the Cinque Terre is 3 hours and involves a change of trains. Therefore, if you did all four day trips from Florence (Pisa/Lucca, Siena, CT, and Ferrari), you'd have less than a day to see all of the treasures of Florence. You can (and should) make timed reservations for the Uffizi and the Accademia, but you might not see much beyond those two sites. Which would be a shame.

One option would be to do the Ferrari tour on your way to Venice, but you'd still lose one day of Florence sightseeing. You would train to Bologna Centrale with your luggage, store the luggage in the train station, bus or taxi to and from Ferrari, retrieve the luggage and then train to Venice.

Jean

I forgot... The title of your post, "I need help to make my plan watertight." If you haven't been to Italy before, I'll just say that no travel plans in Italy are ever watertight. The Italians have a different view about precision in most things, and you'll need to be open to the idea that not everything will go exactly as you planned.

mamcalice

If you are going to the Amalfi Coast, don't visit Cinque Terre on this trip. And, as noted above, add the time to Florence. Florence is a beautiful city and you will be sorry if you don't give it sufficient time.

traveldelight

I so appreciate all your inputs...believe me I have retrained my mind to be more organised, it's my first trip that I'm planning, so I'm grateful of all your experience...my hotels n train booking have been taken care of, so now I'm down to tours n sights....
From Rome I go straight to Salerno , taxi to hotel
From Salerno to Florence
From Florence to Venice ( though I haven't got the confirmation as yet, they will get back to me....?)

Downtownbrown thanx I have decided to listen to reason from so many seasoned travellers...Ferrari will wait till I own one...then again I don't need to visit it...it's just my kid wanted to go there...another time then...no to cinque terre ( read it will be crowded as most places are n summer will be ...summer) so a no as well
I will be enjoying what Florence has to offer whole heartedly.

Stcirq....I'm being to agree with you more and more...thank you. Italy does seem doable....it was daunting at first but with a lot of guidance I seem more confident.

Jean....water tight!.....it's out of my window.....I was just apprehensive at first ...now I will flow....
No to Ferrari n cinque terre!

Mamcalice....much appreciated.....it does make sense...two coastal visits maybe different and beautiful in their own right but it's yet that the coast... I'll definitely enjoy Florence. It's an artist haven I've heard.

Ekc I did think of using guided tours for the Vatican on day one and the colosseum on day two then I'm doing it on my own....3 rd day I have to book borghuese gallery n then do Trevi, spainish steps, tratesvere , etc in the evenings.
Florence uffizi ( book), duomo, academia , Siena n San gimignano , Pisa ...hope this us doable
Amalfi....Pompeii ( tour) and naples, Capri , ravello open air concert ( book)
Venice st marks, clock tower, murrano I have 1 1/2 days.
Thanks....waiting for comments.

ellenem

To visit the clock tower in Venice, you need to reserve ahead. It can be visited only by guided tour, with two tours per day in Italian, English, and French. (The website doesn't show information for children younger than age 6, so if you have children that age, I would call ahead to verify.)

http://torreorologio.visitmuve.it/en/home/

With so little time in Venice, I would skip Murano.

You should also book ahead for the Accademia Gallery in Florence.

kybourbon

>>>From Rome I go straight to Salerno , taxi to hotel<<<

Why Salerno? Are you staying there?

Lexma90

Just a couple of random suggestions.

On the luggage, and what people mean when they say "pack light." I am a short woman in my late 40s; I've taken the same bag to Europe for the last 20 years: a 21-inch rolling bag. I check it on the plane, but it's small enough for me to move around easily and pick up to put on the overhead rack on a train and carry up and down stairs. I have more than enough room for any length of stay. I also carry a day bag, roughly the size of a small backpack. I carry it cross-body most of the time.

On taking guided tours or not. We rarely take guided tours, primarily because then we're committed to a specific date and time, and can't change our schedule if we want to, due to weather or just changing our minds. We mostly refer to our own guide books; I have the Blue Guide because I'm very interested in art and history, but I'll admit it's rather dry and also heavy.

In most places, when travelling by train, we take a cab from the train station to our lodging. Except for Venice, of course. There, you can take the alilaguna, which is the Venice version of a bus.

traveldelight

Ellenem... Thanks for the info....duly noted

Kybourbon...I'm staying at amalfi...I didn't want to go to naples and cab it from there. From here I reach my destination by afternoon....which gives me half more of a day. Also I get to see parts of the amalfi coast.

Lexma90.... Thanks for the random suggestions. They are good ones.