Italian Dilemma
 

I want to spend 3 weeks in Italy. So far I have thought of this itinerary:

5 nights in Rome (daytrip to Assisi)
3 nights on Capri
4 nights in Florence
2 nights in San Gimignano (daytrip to Siena)
4 nights in Venice
3 nights in Milan (daytrip to Lake Como)

I have downloaded many pictures of Capri and it seems to me that it's all about the views (which, judging by the pictures, are wonderful), but I never find pictures of the towns (Capri and Anacapri) which make me wonder if they aren't really that special and the only thing to do there is walk around to admire the views.

At the same time, I sometimes think it's kind of unfair to dedicate 3 nights to Capri (a small isle) and 4 nights to Rome, Florence and Venice (great cities filled with art, shops and wonderful squares). That's why, I have also thought of not going to Capri and splitting those 3 nights among Rome, Florence and Venice so that I can spend more time to explore them.

Another option I have also thought of is adding those 3 nights to Florence, Venice and Milan to daytrip to Bologna, Verona and Torino respectively, but I don't know if this would be a crazy thing to do. The way I see is that according to what I have read, Bologna, Verona and Torino aren't that big to spend nights there but for daytripping only.

1. Are Bologna, Verona and Torino worth a trip or are they just regular italian cities with not much to offer?

2. Is Capri worth a trip or is it just an island with beautiful views but uninteresting towns (Capri and Anacapri)?

3. Would you rather spend one additional night in each Rome, Florence and Venice or should I not spend those 3 extra nights in Italy at all and use that money I'be saving to spend it there?

Thanks for taking the time to read my post and give me your opinion.

Hi S,

2 nights on Capri would be very nice, depending on when you are going.

While you are there, you could take one night from San G and 2 nights from Milan and Lake Como and visit Positano and the rest of the Amalfi Coast.

Also San G and Siena are very close to Florence. Instead of changing hotels you might consider daytrips to them.

Have a nice visit.

((I))

Personally, I would rather give most of my time to art, architecture and history, and even without Capri, I suggest that you not plan so many distant daytrips.

Go ahead and divide your time equally between Venice, Firenze and Rome. If you want to do day trips, make them within easy reach:

Venice: Torcello, Padova, Verona or Treviso

Firenze: Siena

Roma: Orvieto, Tivoli or Ostia Antica

I think your two nights in San Gimignano are a good idea, and I would even add a night. I suggest renting a car out of Firenze to take you there, and using it during the day to day trip through the Tuscan countryside, in towns smaller than Siena (which you should do as a day trip from Firenze.

Skip Lago di Como for this trip.

Shadrach - echoing other posters, you are making this trip too ambitiouds. I would forget south of Rome entirely with only 3 weeks and Assisi can never be a day trip from Rome: it's 3 hours each going and 3 hours coming. If it were my first trip to Italy, I would do the classical tour that you had planned, without the other stuff: Rome, Florence and Venice, with assorted side trips much closer to my home venue should you wish to venture out, but be assured: there is more than enough to occupy your time for 6 days in each place - and you'd still need to go back!

Assisi, San G and Siena are easaily doable as day trips from Florence - making it unnecessary to change hotels so many times. You might even do one on the way from Rome to Florence depending on how you're traveling - easy by car - you would have to check on train options. That way you will have more time for Rome and Venice.

I would bag Milan and Lake Como and keep Capri and the AC instead - but that's just my personal preference.

That way you could land in Rome and return from Venice.

Definitly don't spend the night in San G.

Thanks everybody for sharing your opinions. I think I'll give up on the whole Torino, Bologna, Assisi and Verona daytrip thing.

Concerning Rome, Florence and Venice, I have the following itinerary:

R O M E

1stDAY: Arrival at noon, checking in at the hotel and perhaps hanging out in Piazza Spagna.

2ndDAY: Vatican City (St. Peter's Church and Vatican Museums) and Trastevere

3rdDAY: Galleria Borghese and Historic Center (Piazza Spagna, Fontana di Trevi, Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori).

4thDAY: Ancient Rome (Roman Forum, Colosseum, St. Peter in Chains, St. Clement and San Giovanni in Laterano).

F L O R E N C E

1stDAY: Arrival at noon, checking in at the hotel and hanging out in Piazzale Michelangelo

2ndDAY: Mercato Centrale, San Lorenzo/Cappelle Medicee and Galleria dell'Accademia.

3rdDAY: Galleria degli Uffizi, Santa Croce and the area around Sant'Ambrogio.

4thDAy: Piazza del Duomo (Duomo and Battistero), Boboli Gardens and San Miniato al Monte (crossing the Arno will give me the chance to see Ponte Vecchio).

V E N I C E

1stDAY: Arrival at noon, checking in at the hotel and hanging out in Campo Santa Margherita.

2ndDAY: Piazza San Marco, San Zanipolo, Strada Nova and Jewish Ghetto.

3rdDAY: Rialto Market, Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Collezione Peggy Guggenheim and Le Zattere.

4thDAY: Daytrip to Murano, Burano and Torcello.

Concerning MILAN, I would like to visit the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and The Last Supper.

Daytrip to Lake Como (Como and Bellagio) the following day.

Concerning CAPRI, I'd like to walk around Anacapri (town), visit Villa San Michele and climb up Monte Solaro.

Walk around Piazza dell'Orologio, visit Villa Jovis and spend a couple of hours on the beach of Marina Piccola the following day.

I know that I could sightsee on the arrival days, but I don't like doing that because taking trains, looking for the hotel, checking in and the whole being in a different city is kind of overwhelming. The places I've mentioned where I'll hang out on the arrival days are near the hotels that I've chosen.

Of course, that's a plan. I won't give myself a hard time if I don't get to do what's listed on this or that certain day.

What's your opinion concerning the itinerary I have for these places?

I mean this in the nicest way possible, but please, be constructive with your opinions. So far, all of you have been very kind and certainly constructive. That's always nice and encouraging. Remember, you have been there and that's why you know when a plan is feasible or not. On the other hand, I haven't been there, that's why I sometimes think that visiting this or that certain place is possible.

Again, thank you for taking the time to read and give me your opinions.

Have you bought your tickets? Is it possible to fly into Naples and out of Venice or vice versa?

(Don't take these questions as accusing you of doing somthing wrong. I'm just minimizing how much I want to type, so it just sounds curt)

If you aren't flying into Naples, how does Capri fit in your itinerary? After Rome? (Train to Naples, taxi to ferry, ferry to Capri - two nights -- ferry back to Naples, taxk back to train station, train to Firenze?)

And what about Milan and Lago di Como?

Looks like it might be logical to fit in Milano between Firenze and Venezia (and fly out of Venezia). Otherwise, Firenze to Venezia, then Milano (with day trip to Como), fly out of Milano.

But otherwise, I like the fact that your daily *planned* itinerary is not overcrowded, which will leave you time to do fit do other things as energy permits. (Although for Firenze Day One, are you across the Arno? Typo?)

Some worthy add-ons to Roma to Firenze: Museo San Marco, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, and when you cross the Arno, see the Cappella Brancacci (the Ponte Vechhio is overrun with tourist shops).

For Venezia, the scuole, especially Carmine and San Rocco, are superior sights. If you've got the energy, include them between S.Maria dei Frari and Peggy G. And I feel obliged to point out to you that the Accademia museum in Venice is one of the very finest in Europe. The best paintings are in the first half of it, so even if you only have the time or energy for half, it's worth the admission. My personal feeling is that the only island in the lagoon worth a stop is Torcello.

Enjoy your 3 weeks!

Buon viaggi

Sorry, I made a typo. Istead of "Some worthy add-ons to Roma to Firenze" I meant to write:

"Some worthy add-ons to Firenze:

This is what I am going to do in terms of planes-trains-hydrofoil-bus:

1. Rome by plane.
2. Capri from Rome taking a train and a hydrofoil.
3. Florence from Capri taking a hydrofoil and a train.
4. San Gimignano taking a bus.
5. Venice from San Gimignano taking a bus and train.
6. Milan taking a train.
7. Back home from Milano taking a plane.

I also would've liked to fit Museo dell'Opera del Duomo and Museo di San Marco but I think I already have a full schedule for each day in Florence.

I know a daytrip from Rome sounds not doable, but Assisi is a 2 hour eurostar from Rome and a 2.5 hour ride from Florence. That's why I had also thought of skipping Capri and split those extra nights among Rome, Florence and Venice.

Thanks for your opinion Nessundorma.

Now you need to look at the days you have everything planned. If you arrive Rome on Saturday(day 1?), the Vatican museums are closed Sunday (day 2?) so you would need to change your plans.

Hi S,

Also note that most major museums in Florence are closed Monday.

((I))

Agree, shadrach, that you shouldn't overload your schedule. My suggestion for Firenze is that, on the day that begins with the central market and ends with the Accademia, if you feel you are up for it, Museo San Marco is not that far away. Likewise, after visiting the Duomo and the Bapistry, the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is a small museum, and you can decide on the spot if it makes sense to go in.

With regards to Assisi, I recommend repeatedly checking in advance with the tourist office to make sure what you most want to see is open and not under restoration and that you avoid major feasts and religious festivals (for instance, St Francis' birthday is in the first days of October). On religious holidays, the important chapels are sometimes closed for services, or else so mobbed with pilgrims you can't see them.

Thanks KyBourbon and Ira. I've taken that into consideration. I'll be arriving in Rome on a Sunday and in Florence on a Monday.

Thanks for the Assisi tip NessunDorma. I hadn't thought of that. You're right, depending on the energy I have, I'll considerate visiting the San Marco Museum on day 2 and the Opera Museum on day 4 "on the spot", only then I'll know if it's feasible or not. Perhaps, I'll also do that with the Accademy Museum in Venice.

Hi Shadrach - Do you by any chance know Abendigo? He was planning a very similar trip and seeking advice here, but including Ischia. I guess the common theme in your screen names just made me wonder.

KC

I spent 4 nights in Anacapri last year at Bellavista. We could not have had a better time! It was a perfect relaxing part of our trip. We like to walk alot and check out things, and we we're not disapointed! We walked to 2 different Lido's (pool/bars) on the Island. Buses go there too! We visted the Grotto. Once by foot the other time by bus. We took the chair lift up in Anacapri and saw the most amazing views... It was so much fun we are having a hard time not going back on our next trip, but we are heading north instead.. Enjoy! I am jealous!

Thanks Palette! I hope Capri it's one of the highlights of my trip. I had thought of skipping it, but I've decided to keep my itinerary the way it is (Rome-Capri-Florence-San Gimignano-Venice-Milan). That way, I'll have a little bit of beach, cities, countryside and lake.

Actually Knoxvillecouple, ABENDIGO and I are the same person. After I posted a couple of messages using my ABENDIGO account, I couldn't log on anymore for a while, and when I decided to check the fodor forum again, I couldn't use it because I had forgotten my password, so I opened a new one using the nickname SHADRACK. Besides, I was planning to travel in June and because I am about to graduate from college and my final research project is comsuming all of my time, I couldn't dedicate that much time to planning my trip, so, after I graduate in June, I'll have more time for it. That's why, I've decided to postponed my trip for September. I also decided not to go to Ischia and make a few changes because of money issues. You are so perceptive!