Italy in April- Please help the procrastinators
Mar 22nd, 2006, 05:36 PM
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Italy in April- Please help the procrastinators
We are, at the last-minute, planning for a trip to Italy in a few short weeks. General plan for the 10 day trip is outlined below (we want to cover rome, florence, tuscany and the amalfi coast). Would appreciate your thoughts and advice on whether or not this is doable- or if we're biting off more than we can chew. We're flexible to other suggestions of other places to visit and are grateful for any help you can give. Many thanks.
Day 1: Afternoon arrival in Rome, Overnight in Rome
Day 2: Explore Rome, rent car and drive to Orvieto. Overnight in Orvieto
Day 3: Explore Orvieto/Civita, Drive to Tuscany, Maybe overnight in Montepulciano?
Day 4: Drive to Florence (maybe visit another town or two along the way?). Ditch car and overnight in Florence
Day 5: Florence, Overnight in Florence
Day 6: Florence in the morning, Train to Southern Italy (via naples?). Overnight in Positano/Capri/Sorrento area
Day 7: Positano/Capri/Sorrento area
Day 8: Positano/Capri/Sorrento area
Day 9: Train back to Rome. overnight in Rome for early morning flight the next day
Day 10: leave italy
Day 1: Afternoon arrival in Rome, Overnight in Rome
Day 2: Explore Rome, rent car and drive to Orvieto. Overnight in Orvieto
Day 3: Explore Orvieto/Civita, Drive to Tuscany, Maybe overnight in Montepulciano?
Day 4: Drive to Florence (maybe visit another town or two along the way?). Ditch car and overnight in Florence
Day 5: Florence, Overnight in Florence
Day 6: Florence in the morning, Train to Southern Italy (via naples?). Overnight in Positano/Capri/Sorrento area
Day 7: Positano/Capri/Sorrento area
Day 8: Positano/Capri/Sorrento area
Day 9: Train back to Rome. overnight in Rome for early morning flight the next day
Day 10: leave italy
Mar 22nd, 2006, 06:21 PM
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I think you are short changing Rome. But that's OK because if you plan for another trip to Italy, you can fit Rome in a little each time.
Since you have a car, you might want to conside staying at an agriturismo in Tuscany. We've really enjoyed the 6 differnet ones we've stayed at. www.agriturismo.com is a listing site with search features that you can enter..no of people, location etc.
You say Naples(?) I assume you know that you'll have to change trains in Naples from TrenItalia to the Circumvesuviano Railroad to go to Sorrento. You can stop at Pompeii and check you luggage and spend several hours there on the way to Sorrento. We did that and actually thought we should have allowed more time for Pompeii (it's much bigger than I had imagined)
Sorrento is a convenient place to stay for Pompeii, Capri and for a ride along the Amalfi coast. Since you won't have your car when you are in Sorrento, you'll have to take the SITA bus line to Amalfi. I think that's actually better because the bus drive can concentrate on the road and let you enjoy the scenery. I doubt that either the driver or the passengers would relax enough to enjoy the drive. After you get to Amalfi, you can take the bus back to Sorrento or (as we did) check luggage for a few hours) and wander around Amalfi and take a later bus to Salerno and catch the train back to Rome.
Be careful about camera radar speed devices. Some communities use them and I got a registered letter from a small town police department for having missed a drop in the speed limit as I aproached a town in southern Tuscany on SS2. They sent the letter to the rental car company who gave them my address. - 159 euro fine for going 80 kph in a 50 kph zone.
Since you have a car, you might want to conside staying at an agriturismo in Tuscany. We've really enjoyed the 6 differnet ones we've stayed at. www.agriturismo.com is a listing site with search features that you can enter..no of people, location etc.
You say Naples(?) I assume you know that you'll have to change trains in Naples from TrenItalia to the Circumvesuviano Railroad to go to Sorrento. You can stop at Pompeii and check you luggage and spend several hours there on the way to Sorrento. We did that and actually thought we should have allowed more time for Pompeii (it's much bigger than I had imagined)
Sorrento is a convenient place to stay for Pompeii, Capri and for a ride along the Amalfi coast. Since you won't have your car when you are in Sorrento, you'll have to take the SITA bus line to Amalfi. I think that's actually better because the bus drive can concentrate on the road and let you enjoy the scenery. I doubt that either the driver or the passengers would relax enough to enjoy the drive. After you get to Amalfi, you can take the bus back to Sorrento or (as we did) check luggage for a few hours) and wander around Amalfi and take a later bus to Salerno and catch the train back to Rome.
Be careful about camera radar speed devices. Some communities use them and I got a registered letter from a small town police department for having missed a drop in the speed limit as I aproached a town in southern Tuscany on SS2. They sent the letter to the rental car company who gave them my address. - 159 euro fine for going 80 kph in a 50 kph zone.
Mar 23rd, 2006, 03:18 AM
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Hi Is,
I think that that is much too much driving, too many destinations.
Each time you change location you lose about 1/2 day. In your case, you are giving up about 25% of your visit to travel.
Also, you have left out Venice.
I suggest that you either go North or South from Rome, but not both.
April is iffy weather on the Amalfi Coast.
If I had 10 days in early-mid April, I would fly into Venice (3 nights) train to Florence (3 nights) train to Rome (3 nights), fly home.
(Actually, I would split the time between Venice and Florence, but that's my bias.)
Have a nice visit.
I think that that is much too much driving, too many destinations.
Each time you change location you lose about 1/2 day. In your case, you are giving up about 25% of your visit to travel.
Also, you have left out Venice.
I suggest that you either go North or South from Rome, but not both.
April is iffy weather on the Amalfi Coast.
If I had 10 days in early-mid April, I would fly into Venice (3 nights) train to Florence (3 nights) train to Rome (3 nights), fly home.
(Actually, I would split the time between Venice and Florence, but that's my bias.)
Have a nice visit.
Mar 23rd, 2006, 03:29 AM
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You do need help on this one !
Assuming you cannot change flights, here is your best plan.
Arrive Rome--train to Florence--2 nites
Get car--to Tuscany base--3 nites
Drop car at Orvieto--train to Rome--4 nites
That keeps you from stepping on your own toes and killing time. Forget the AC this trip. Have fun !
Assuming you cannot change flights, here is your best plan.
Arrive Rome--train to Florence--2 nites
Get car--to Tuscany base--3 nites
Drop car at Orvieto--train to Rome--4 nites
That keeps you from stepping on your own toes and killing time. Forget the AC this trip. Have fun !
Mar 24th, 2006, 10:05 AM
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Thanks for your responses and suggestions. Taking your advice, we are reluctantly dropping Amalfi. Of course it just makes me want to cram other things in--
In addition to Rome, Florence, and Tuscany/Umbria, is it too much to add something in the Italian Riviera or Lake Como area? If so, would it make sense to fly out of Milan instead of Rome? More specifically, Ryan Air flies out of Bergamo. Or should we just be content to do the loop that bobthenavigator suggested... Please save me from myself!
In addition to Rome, Florence, and Tuscany/Umbria, is it too much to add something in the Italian Riviera or Lake Como area? If so, would it make sense to fly out of Milan instead of Rome? More specifically, Ryan Air flies out of Bergamo. Or should we just be content to do the loop that bobthenavigator suggested... Please save me from myself!
