Shpnova10

Hi everyone!

I could use your expertise on an upcoming one year anniversary trip to Italy and Paris. As we are getting closer to booking our flights, I am realizing that we may have planned too much for our time in Europe. While I have never been to France or Italy, my husband is well travelled and has been to both...so we are trying to find a mixture of places that he has been/has not been.

Here's what we are thinking:

Day 1/2 - Arrive in Rome at 2:00 p.m.
Day 3 - Rome
Day 4 - Rome
Day 5 - Rome - travel to Amalfi Coast
Day 6 - Amalfi coast
Day 7 - Amalfi coast
Day 8 - Amalfi coast - travel to Naples to catch flight to Paris (arrive 3 pm)
Day 9 - Paris
Day 10 - Paris
Day 11 - Paris
Day 12 - Paris to home

Do you think this plan is doable? I am a bit skeptical with only 2 1/2 days in Rome if we should pick only one country. Although I have not been to Florence and Venice, my husband has been there. Are there other Italian must sees or romantic getaway spots that we should see instead of going to Paris?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and help!

StuDudley

I think you have a good plan - if you are young & don't start to get tired around 4 in the afternoon (like we "older" folks do).

On day 5, if you are not ready to leave Rome - head to the Amalfi coast in the later afternoon or early evening. We stay in Postiano, and actually enjoy the evenings more than the daytime.

Stu Dudley

PalenQ

Yes very doable - too bad you could not add a day somehow to Rome.

Jean

Doable, but you'll probably wish you had more time in each place.

You say the trip is "upcoming." When exactly would you be arriving on the Amalfi Coast? It gets really quiet there in off-season. Reduced ferry service, some restaurants and hotels closed, early sunsets....

suze

Sure, that's doable. For myself with 12 days, I'd pick either Paris or Rome/Amalfi and save the other for a separate trip. But that's purely personal preference.

Shpnova10

Wow, thanks for the quick replies!! It is great to hear that our itinerary can work. And, you all have given me some things to think about... Perhaps we should try to sneak in another day to our itinerary.

I should have mentioned earlier -- we are headed to Italy on May 20.

nytraveler

Your dates are good since this is just the beginning of the season in the AC - and the hotel pools should be opening around then.

Agreeable that this itinerary can give you a quick taste of each place - although I would want to add at least 2 more each to Paris and Rome for a first visit.

Do organize advance timed tickets for the busiest places if you plan on visiting them: Eiffel Tower, Vatican Museum, Borghese Gallery - in order to maximize your limited time.

I think you'll immediately start planning your return visit to all of them.

mjs

I 'm going to go against the grain and recommend you drop Amalfi and simply add more time to Paris and Rome. If you haven't been to either city you will leave wishing you had another day to two days in both Rome and Paris. You only have 2 1/2 days in Rome and 3 days in Paris. Day 8 is a complete loss of a day as Naples to Paris is about a 2 hour flight, you probably have to be at the Naples airport by about 1100-1130 for your ~1300 flight, and you will probably have to leave Amalfi at about 1000-1030 to get to the airport on time. If your flight lands at 1500 you probably will check into your Paris hotel at about 1630. If you could add a day or two to both Rome and Paris it would be fine.

Dayle

Shpnova,

I think your plan is doable and you have planned the route and flights to maximize as much as possible, if this is what you want to do.

Personally, I love to mix my trips with cities and countryside (or coasts) and I prefer to concentrate my trips in one country at a time because I get so few visits to Europe.

If it were me, I would spend the 12 days just in Italy. You could easily split your time between Rome and the Amalfi Coast because there is so much to see in both places.

The same could be said for France. Paris, combined with a visit to the Loire Valley, or other non-city nearby area?

But then again, the Italian countryside in May is gorgeous and for me that is where I would want to be!

As to the question if there are other romantic and must sees in Italy - there is no end! You could visit many, many such places and they would all probably be new to your husband.

Happy planning!

kja

Another vote for do-able, but too packed for my tastes -- I'd cut one destination. JMO.

Blueeyedcod

Day 5 - get to the Amalfi Coast as early as possible and you will have a full day.
Try and fly out to Paris as early as you can as well to maximise your time. It's not true that you will lose a whole day as you're already in the Schengen zone so no Immigration and if you travel with carry on, you'll be straight out the door. Four nights in Paris is nice but it depends where you are staying if you want romantic.

PalenQ

Yes indeedy less can indeed be more!