Is this 30-day Itinerary feasible?
 

We want to see Paris and many places in Italy. Does this sound doable? Paris (5 nights); train to Nice (3); Rent car for Florence/Siena-Tuscany area (5 or 6), the train to Rome (5), then train to Positano to drive the Amalfi Coast (2); herculaneum /Pompeii (2), then train to Milan/Lake Como (5), then train to Venice (4). Then home. We've never, ever been to Europe and a well-traveled friend thought this would be a good itinerary, blending cities with more soft, country stays. Any thoughts?

You're backtracking a bit. Can you not visit Italy from N to S, and fly home from Rome?

Are you taking the train from Nice to Florence?

2 days in Amalfi Coast is short-changing it.

<i>then train to Positano to drive the Amalfi Coast (2)</i>

There's no train from Rome to Positano.....you could train to Naples, then get the circumvesuviana to Sorrento then drive (or ferry) to Positano (or rent a car in Naples to drive to Positano) or train Naples to Salerno and from there get to Positano via car,bus, ferry etc.

If you rent the car in Nice and drop it off in Venice, be prepared to pay a hefty extra fee. Pick it up in Italy and drop it off in Italy to avoid that.

Better geographic sequence:

Paris (5 nights);
train to Nice (3);
then train to Milan/Lake Como (5),
then train to Venice (4).
Rent car for Florence/Siena-Tuscany area (5 or 6),
then train to Positano to drive the Amalfi Coast (2); and/or Herculaneum /Pompeii (2),
then train to Rome (5),

Or if you can fly home from Naples, do Rome after Florence, before Amalfi area.

I'm no expert but I also question the order of things. Couldn't you go Paris, Nice, Venice, then start your way down thru Italy ending at Rome?

hi swtullis,

i think that you are going to be VERY tired at the end of this and barely able to remember if the colosseum is in rome or florence. in 30 days you have the opportunity to spend a least one week each in two places, and shorter times in a few more.

WHat are you priorities? you say you want to see Paris and Italy - why are you going to Nice?

This is what I would do, to try to give you are much variety and contrast as possible:

5 nights in Paris - fly to Naples.

7 nights in amalfi area. Train to Rome

5 nights in Rome. pick up car. drive to villa in tuscany.

7 nights in tuscany. drive to Venice. drop car.

6 nights in venice

you could do a couple of one night stands on the way whilst you are driving eg in Orvieto or Bologna.

you could cut down on a few nights here and there and fit in a few nights on lake garda/como/maggiore.

but if you do what I suggest, you will feel that you have really seen something of Italy, rather than spending most of your time in pointless moving about. it also keeps all the bits where you would want a car together. you could also keep costs down by renting apartments and villas.

regards, ann

Ellen has it right--that is very doable. You do not need the car until Tuscany but get it in Venice as you leave---drop it in Sorrento as you start the AC. Have fun !

tt

thank you all for your help. We are looking in to doing more of what Ellen suggests. Ann made thoughtful comments too but we don't want to spend 7 nights in the Amalfi area. I appreciate all the suggestions I can get!