Hi,

I am planning a trip to Italy with my wife around 2nd week of April. I am sure that I want to do Florence and Rome. In my previous trip I have already covered Venice and Milan. It is a 10-12 day trip, as such please advice what all I can do on this vacation. We are more into nature then history. Because as it is we will be covering lot of Art and history in Florence and Rome. Some friends have suggested Lake Como,Stresa and Amalfi Coast. Please suggest.

Your friends made good suggestions.
However, we need more info.
Do you have a plan, how many days do you want to spend in Rome and in Florence? So, how many days do you have for visit in nature?
Where you arrive? Where from you depart home?
Do you have a car or you will travel by train?

Early April is not a great time for the lakes. It can still be cold and rainy up there. If you are more into nature than history, I don't think you won't want a lot of time in Florence, or even Rome. Are you willing to rent a car? That way, you could see the Tuscan countryside between Rome and Florence.

If you'd rather not rent a car, what I would suggest is that you visit Florence as a day trip from Rome and otherwise, go south and spend a week on the Amalfi coast, which you can tour by public transportation and enjoy many hikes and boat trips. If possible, fly into Naples, but if you are flying into Rome, if you have the energy that same day, plan to go directly to the Amalfi coast. That way, you can come back to Rome for the end of your trip without switching hotels a lot.

Sorry, I wrote in a confused way. I meant to write:

If you are more into nature than history, I don't think you will want to spend a lot of time in Florence, or even Rome.

Hi Valtor,
I will be landing in Milan and flying back from Milan. On my last leg i will be in florence for 3 days as I have some work in florence and before that I will be in Rome for 2 days. As such I am left with 7 days. I will be travelling by train. I would love to drive, but I think that might prove to be expensive compared to train. And by the way I have option of landing into rome and flying back from either rome or mila,n.

Hi Goldenautumn,
what I meant was that I am surely visiting florence and rome, as such wont be intrested in more historical places. I would love to rent and drive but like I mentioned earlier it might prove to be expensive compared to train.
Which are the towns we should visit at Amalfi Coast.

<<I would love to drive, but I think that might prove to be expensive compared to train.>>

I'm not sure I agree with that (would have to know more about your exact itinerary), as the places your friends have suggested lend themselves a lot better to driving than to taking trains.

I agree with Goldenautumn regarding Amalfi coast at beginning of April. See http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/i.../amalfi-coast/ for information.

You can visit there Amalfi, Positano and also Sorrento, Naples, Capri, Pompeii.

Good advices there are also at www.frommers.com/destinations/amalfi/

AS you will be in Rome, Florence and maybe Amalfi coasts, it is better to fly to / from Rome.

I totally disagree with the notion that the Amalfi coast, Lago di Como or Stresa are better with a car. Just the opposite. Public transportation for all three destinations -- trains, boats and buses -- is much better than hassling with a car.

So don't rent a car.

If you must fly into Milan and out of Milan, you choice is either the somewhat chilly lakes in April or, since you know you are going all the way to Rome, spending time on the Amalfi coast. Take a look at a guidebook and see which towns or islands you would like to visit. But if you choose the Amalfi coast, then I suggest you go there right after Florence, and see Rome before you need to leave from Milan. Take the train back to Milan, but if your departure is early in the morning, you will need to spend your last night in Milan.

COnsider flying into and out of Rome rather than Milan. As an example, you could arrive in Rome, train to Naples and then to Sorrento. Base in Sorrento for 4-5 days, see the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Pompeii, Capri. Train to Florence, spend 3-4 days, including a day trip to the Tuscan countryside. Return to Rome for 3-4 days and leave from there.

You won't need a car for any of this unless you want to rent a car for one day in the Tuscan countryside.