Italy in December - where to go??
 

We are flying into Rome mid-December for 10 days with our 17 & 19 year olds. Figure it is best to see Rome & then head south to Pompeii & Ercolaneo. We are entirely flexible so all suggestions are welcome! I suspect that after several days in Rome, smaller towns will be welcome. Need Fodorite advice.

Hi V,

Pompeii and Herculaneum are 2 days, Naples is worth 2 days, weather on the Amalfi Coast is going to be poor.

From where are you flying home?

((I))

Get a good guide book and map. Talk to your family to see if there's something they'd like to see. Rent travel videos etc..to help you form your choices.

For a small town Christmas experience come to Vetralla's living Christmas pageant held in Christmas week. The area also abounds in Etruscan sites, Europe's best preserved medieval quarter, Renaissance gardens, castles. Plenty of great food,wine and olive oil too. Check www.elegantetruria.com for more info on this area 60 kms. north of Rome.

Thanks for these comments. Ira, we are flying out of Rome. Vetralla, your website is great. Essentially, we have decided to base ourselves in Rome so that we can saturate ourselves & do day trips. Vetralla, what do you recommend for day trips by public transportation or tours? Seems best not to drive when the weather is so dicey.
All help is welcome!
We will also spend 2 nights in Pompeii so we can take our time seeing Ercolaneo as well as Pompeii. Or should we do one night in Pompeii & one night in Naples? I gather that the coast is likely to be unwelcoming in mid-December, so will not plan on that unless there is unusually great weather.

Hi V,

>We will also spend 2 nights in Pompeii so we can take our time seeing Ercolaneo as well as Pompeii. Or should we do one night in Pompeii & one night in Naples?<

No sense packing and unpacking for one night.

I would do 3-4 days in Naples. You can visit Pompeii, Ercolano, Mt Vesuvius, Paestum (Greek ruins), as well as Naples.

Return to Rome the day before you fly home.

((I))

If you are going to Naples, Check out Sorrento. If you are taking day trips from Rome, I recommend Assissi or Siena by train.