Miki2621

12-15 Days to spend in Italy. This with my family (4 total including two older teenagers). I am just starting to plan and I am finding it overwhelming. This would be the second European I planned.

I am thinking of the following:

flying in to Venice - 3 Days
Drive or train Florence/Tuscany area 2-3 Days
Drive or train to Pisa - 1-2 Day
Train to Rome 3 - 4 Days
Drive or train to Amalfi Coast 2 Days
Drive or train to Rome to fly back home

Thoughts? Am I trying to do too much? Someone suggested Lake Como but it doesn't really seem to fit unless we fly in to Milan.

I really appreciate any feedback or suggestions.

kawh

A bit much moving around. Is there a reason you are staying in Rome mid-way instead of just staying the 4 days at the end before flying home? You could take a train from Pisa to Naples (maybe 6 hours?) and then the little train or a ferry to the Amalfi. Then go to Rome after that... one less time to pack/unpack.

Miki2621

No particular reason I put Rome mid-way. Bypassing Rome and going directly to Naples/Amalfi then back to Rome makes sense.

Is there anything you think I should leave out?

kybourbon

You can visit Pisa as a day trip from Florence (it's about 10€ one way - 60 minutes).

With only 12-15 days, I would limit locations to three. Do you days include travel days (from/to Italy)? How many hotel nights in Italy do you have?

Stay a few days in Venice, a few days in Florence (with side trips to Pisa/Tuscany), train from Florence to Naples/Amalfi area (easier from Florence than from Pisa), train from Naples to Rome, fly home from Rome. You need 4 nights in Rome to have 3 days for sightseeing.

michelhuebeli

Yes, too many lodgings in too many places. Visit Pisa as a day-trip from Florence. It's only an hour or so each way. In Pisa, walk to the Ponte di Mezzo and up to the Piazza dei Cavalieri (beautiful historic square, ignore the electric lamps and it's like 500 years ago) and on to the Piazza del Duomo with the Cathedral, the Baptistry, and the leaning tower.

From Florence (S.M.Novella station) to Naples it's about 3 hours only.

rcz77

Too much. When I asked for advice last year while planning my trip to Italy, I too thought it would be fine to squeeze in 4-5 or more destinations, but decided to follow the advice I was given and stuck with three destinations: 4 days in Florence, 4 in Rome, and 4 in Naples. I'm very glad I did, as even with everything there was to do in these cities, they also offered plenty of opportunities for day trips.

Better to slow down a bit to truly enjoy your vacation and give yourself a little time to get to know the cities you visit, rather than spending so much of your time packing and unpacking and traveling between them.

And I didn't see Pompeii in your itinerary, so let me just add that I highly recommend visiting there if you've never been. It was one of the major highlights of my trip!

Miki2621

I like the suggestion of Pompeii. Could that be a day trip from Naples?

bilboburgler

Yes, very easy, you are in the foot hills in Naples

Miki2621

Thank you all! I'm revising my trip to -

Venice - 4 nights - because based on what I've seen - the flights arrive mid-day to late afternoon.

Florence - 4 nights

Naples/Amalfi Coast - 3 nights

Rome - 4 nights

Any suggestions on hotels in any of these cities and in which cities to rent a car versus public transportation?

bvlenci

You don't want a car in any of those places. It would be an expensive nuisance.

suze

Your new plan is much better.

In Venice (two separate times) I stayed here:
http://www.lacalcina.com/

rcz77

No need for a car; the only time I even used a taxi was to and from the airports. Very easy to get around by walking, bus or train. I had a great experience staying in Relais Cavalcanti in Florence and Locanda Colloseo in Rome. B&B Il Campanile in Naples was overall good.

StCirq

A car would be a total liability in any of those places. We loved our stay at the Ca' del Nobile in Venice for 5 nights over Christmas.

kawh

For me, Sorrento would be a better base than Naples only because you are staying in some dense locations, so Sorrento could be a nice break, especially if you stay at a cliff-side hotel a short walk from town. From it's an easy day trip to Pompeii (agree, a must) or Amalfi or even a boat over to Capri.

This new plan is much better... you will enjoy the trip more by consolidating places you stay overnight.

Let us know if you want specific recommendations for these places.

Miki2621

kawh - Thank you for the Sorrento vs. Naples tip. I would appreciate any recommendation for places to stay, eat and or things to do, you can provide. I like the suggestion of staying cliff-side and knowing we are a short walk to town.

kawh

one of our favorite views was at Hotel Minerva in Sorrento... this was maybe 8 years ago, and the place was a pit then... has since been fixed up and gets outstanding reviews. i think they book up far in advance. The view of the water and from bed was just amazing!

We also liked being a short 5-10 minute walk (uphill, but not difficult) from town center. If you look on TA, they have a list of the 10 best hotels in Sorrento with balconies. I caution you to look at a map when you choose a hotel there. Many of the water-view hotels are not on the water side of the road.. and it's a very busy road. So those balconies on the hill side look out past a noisy, gas-filled road and would not be worth it to me.

Sorrento is a great jumping-off point and being cliffside is amazing.

we have stayed several times at hotel Parliamento in Rome.It's in a perfect central walking location, family run, and not terribly expensive. If you are lucky, you can get a room with a door out to a rooftop patio, which is a great place to hang out or for your kids to hang where they are near, but can be watched.