Italy 21 night Itinerary Review and Advice
 

For our May/June trip to Italy, here is our itinerary. All travel by train. I have been in Venice, Florence and Rome. Any advice or comment including restaurants with good, inexpensive food. Traveling are my husband and me. We will be packing fairly light with one bag each:

1. Venice arrival - churches, Grand Canal
2. Venice - Rialto and San Marco
3. Venice - Islands Burano and Torcello
4. Bologna by train - explore town
5. Bologna - day trip Parma/Modena
6. Bologna - day trip Ravenna
7. Florence - Duomo, Accademia (David), San Marco
8. Florence - Uffizi, Piazza della Signora, San Croce
9. Florence - day trip Sienna
10. Florence - Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti, Boboli Gardens
11. Florence - day trip Volterra/San Gimignano
12. Sorrento - Capri by hydrofoil
13. Sorrento - Naples (National Archeological Museum of Naples, Capella Sanservo, Pizza
14. Sorrento - Pompeii
15. Sorrento - Amalfi Coast (by guided car or bus)
16. Rome - Capitoline Hill/Museums
17. Rome - Ancient Rome (Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Forums)
18. Rome - Vatican City, Castel Sant Angelo
19. Rome - Villa Borghese
20. Rome - Astia Antica
21. Rome - Piazza Navona, Pantheon

I like it!

Overall, you have plenty of time. Where do you account for travel between Firenze and Sorrento as well as Sorrento to Rome? Other than that, it is good.

>>>>11. Florence - day trip Volterra/San Gimignano<<<

Unless this is a tour or you rent a car, this would not be at all easy to do by public transport in the same day.

>>>12. Sorrento - Capri by hydrofoil<<<

This isn't practical if it's the day you are transiting from Florence to Sorrento.

>>>Where do you account for travel between Firenze and Sorrento as well as Sorrento to Rome? <<<<

I agree and would consider visiting the sites in Naples on the way to Rome since you have to change trains in Naples. You can take an early train from Sorrento, store your luggage at the station in Naples and catch a late train to Rome.

How did you find the high speed helicopter to magically drop you in Sorrento on day 12?

No helicopter :-) If Capri is not doable, that can change. Otherwise, the train between each locale.

Volterra/San Gimignano, any other ideas for that day?

Any ideas on neighborhoods for accommodations?

A little change to schedule in that I would eliminate a day in Florence and add it to Sorrento, allowing for a day trip to Capri

11. Sorrento - Florence to Sorrento
12. Sorrento - Capri by hydrofoil

Look better?

Yes, that looks better!

We love Il Gatto Nero for lunch on Burano. You can also walk across the bridge from Burano to the neighboring island (forgot the name) and have a glass of Prosecco at Venissa.

Our favorite place to eat in Florence is Sostanza - in fact we have take the train from Florence to Rome for the day just to have lunch at Sostanza [and to visit my bf David :-)].

Can't comment on restaurants in Sorrento, as I always stay in Positano.

LOVE Pizzarium in Rome and will be trying the (slightly) related Romeo when we are there in September.

I highly recommend three restaurant apps by Elizabeth Minchilli: Eat Venice, Eat Florence and Eat Rome. Katie Parla's Rome is also a good restaurant app.

Have you been to the Ara Pacis in Rome? One of my favorite gems!

Did you cancel the helicopter?

Have not been to the Ara Parcis but do have it on my list. Thanks for the restaurant sites and suggestions, I will check them out.

NO helicopter...I am not using one! Not sure how that idea happened?

Poolboy, we know you aren't using a helicopter. Bilboburgler was trying to get you to see that you haven't left a day to get from Florence to Sorrento, you were just magically in Sorrento. ;)

Yes, by train. Open jaw flights into Venice and out of Rome, thus the itinerary.

You could easily go Florence - Naples on Day 12, and if you arrange for a transfer, stop at Pompei for an afternoon tour on the way to Sorrento. This then gives you day 14 for Capri.

Depends if an afternoon is going to be enough at Pompei ...

or 3 other alternatives

1) - Day 12
Florence - Naples (train), (National Archeological Museum of Naples, Capella Sanservo, Pizzab before evening transfer to Sorrento. Day 13 would then be Capri

or 2) - Day 12
Florence - Sorrento. Afternoon in Sorrento
Day 13 - Capri
Day 14 - Amalfi Coast
Day 15 - Pompei
Day 16 - Sorrento - Naples early morning, do your stuff in Naples then afternoon transfer to Rome. You would still get to do some of the things in Rome once you got there ...

I do like the day 16 change of stopping in Naples enroute to Rome. Will do that with luggage storage at the train station in Naples and don't mind the extra night in Rome.

Should I pre-book my train tickets for all or part of the excursions?

Recap of new itinerary (changes days 11 to 15):
1. Venice 11. Sorrento
2. Venice 12. Sorrento (Capri)
3. Venice 13. Sorrento (Amalfi Coast)
4. Bologna 14. Sorrento (Pompeii)
5. Bologna 15. Rome (Naples sites enroute)
6. Bologna 16. Rome
7. Florence 17. Rome
8. Florence 18. Rome
9. Florence 19. Rome
10. Florence 20. Rome
21. Rome