Italy in February
 

I'm planning to go to Italy for 10-12 days with a gal pal in February 2012. I spent last Anno Nuovo in Genova (loved every moment!) and was there for a week. The weather was a little rainy, but all in all not much different temperature wise than that time of year here in Baltimore. I did a day trip by train to Alba, and there was a little snow, but again I was comfortable walking around.

My friend wants to see Florence and beyond that, has left the rest up to my planning. I'd like to visit Naples (I've already been to Rome & Florence) and that area for a few days. So I am thinking Rome to Naples by train [day of arrival] (3 nights), Naples to Genoa (5 nights), Genoa to Florence (2 nights) and the final two nights in Rome.

With this itinerary we shouldn't be too rushed and have time to take some short day trips. At this time, we plan to rent an apartment in Genoa and will take the train for all our connections.

I have a couple of questions to the forum. Is there boat/ferry serice that time of year from Naples to Genoa? And, what can I expect of the weather - will it be a little warmer and/or sunnier than up north? I know you can't predict - but I'm thinking that if the weather is(as a rule) a bit nicer, I might want to shorten the time in Genoa and extend the southern part of the trip. Finally, does anyone know of a 1-day cooking school/lesson in either Genoa or Naples?

We are two well travelled, fearless, single, straight, women (50ish - she's a flight attendant; I've worked in the wine industry) and we like to walk, discover things off the beaten path (think locals), art, history, music and are both foodies. Any suggestions you can offer will be appreciated!
Grazie!

OK Fodorites... no help for me??

Hi FF,

first of all, I haven't been to any of the places that you mention in February except Rome, where it snowed for one day, rained for another, but was by and large warm for the time of year - think the odd drink/meal outside at lunchtime, but not dinner.

as for the other parts, I feel that you are travelling quite a stretch for quite short periods when you get there. if you could bear to lose Genoa, I would go straight from Rome to Naples, then back up to Florence, and end in Rome.

3 bases in 10-12 days would be quite enough for me.

The only place I've been in February is Rome (twice). Some days were sunny and quite warm by the afternoon (shirtsleeves weather), some days were cooler & very rainy, the nights were all cold and required a warm coat. In general you could expect it be be colder the further north you go.

Have you looked at www.weatherbase.com ?

I agree with Annhig. You have already spent a week in Genoa very recently and, even though you absolutely loved it, you really don't have time on the trip you have planned to see so many wide-spread destinations. FLy into Naples, enjoy Naples for 4 days with a side trip to Pompeii, train to Florence for 4 days and then to Rome. Fly out of Rome. The weather will be chilly and maybe rainy but could be warmer in the south. Two days is definitely not enough for either Rome of Florence.

My husband and I travel to Italy once a year (we are from Germany). The only place in all of Italy I really hated and could not wait to leave was Naples. To me Naples is ugly, dirty, noisy and feeling unsafe in many areas. Downright depressing! And we were lucky enough to have a 5 star hotel in the center with beautiful views of the bay. I couldn´t imagine how it would have been without that nice hotel. I probably would have convinced my husband to leave after just one night. So we left after two nights cutting our stay short.

Definitely, agree that you are travelling is quite a stretch for quite short periods when you get there, there is so much 2 see..
-First stop Rome for at least 4 nights, then I would go straight from Rome to Naples, ( take a day or so down to Amalfi/Positano, then back up to Florence, and end in Rome.
-HINT! In Italy you will feel there is not not enough time where ever/whatever you go/do. and Napoli in my opinion is a beautiful city, yes totally diff. than Rome, ( sure it has its garbage etc.and pick-pocketing Gypsies you have to be on guard..) you need to stay on the west side.

I always have go down to Napoli when visiting Italy.
-If you go to Mergellina dock ( where in summer you take the aliscafi/boats to "bella Capri" or Ischia) take a walk along Riviera Via Chiaia
http://www.portanapoli.com/Ita/luoghi/via_chiaia.html
http://www.danpiz.net/napoli/index.htm

that leads you to the elegant street of Via de Mille, eat a real pizza @ the Pizza Margherita restaurant where the original pizza was born 1889, Riviera di Chiaia, 271 | 80121 NAPOLI (NA)
Tel. Fisso: 081 2452268
you cannot go wrong, and the Neapolitan's are very open to talk to and friendly just like Americans :-) note that Romans are a bit diff.

-If you dislike to walk down the streets d/t garbage etc. and only want to see the city from the windows of a limo. sorry Napoli is not for you, and you would not be able able to feel the city's real atmosphere..and it has.for sure a lovely atmosphere..
-remember, "See Napoli and then die"... Yes you eater love or hate the city , I am in love with Mergellina area and the hill of Possilipo..

When I am in Rome I always rent an apartment from www.rentalinrome.com (check with Catrin)

Different strokes... Another vote for you to stick with Naples, it's one of my favourite cities. We went first for a week and found so much of interest in the city that we still never made it to Pompeii & Herculaneum. Then we went back for a long weekend specifically to see Pompeii & Herculaneum, but based in Naples again since we liked it so much. And I would go again. We didn't stay in a posh hotel, we stayed in 3/4 star places on the edge of & right in the middle of the historic centre, and were very pleased we did.

I hadn't thought before about the number of places you are trying to pack in but I agree with the others - too much, you'll spend most of your time travelling & settling into / leaving hotels. Bear in mind that 2 nights (as you are proposing for Florence - where your friend specifically wants to go) is only 1 full day. (We recently spent a week in Florence and although personally I don't like it much, even a week didn't give us enough time for all we'd have liked to see.)

Personally I'd only do 2 bases in 10-12 nights, but 4 nights in each of 3 different places would be comfortable, giving you 3 full days in each. If you have a choice of airports to fly into, Naples-Rome-Florence (or vice versa) makes most sense. Working from south to north might give you slighter better odds of better weather further north as the month advances.

Have you considered Sicily. We were ther last Feb. and March and the weather was very nice.
We traveled to Florence and it snowed!
Check our Ortigia and Trapani

Wow! Thanks for all your replies and wonderful insight. Oddly enough, plans changed drastically when we realized that we will be there just before Carnival.... sooooo we are now going to Venice from Milan when we land by train. We will spend two nights in Venice since the odds of ever being back in Italy in February are slim to none! We will have a chance to experience the pre-carnival energy at lower hotel rates.

Then we will take the train from Venice to Florence for one night, rather than having to back track to Milan to get to Genoa. After that we are in Genoa for a week where we have an apartment. I could not rule out Genoa - I have fallen in love with Baltimore's sister city and my friend is looking forward to "staying put" for a few days. We will then spend one or two nights in Milan before leaving.

Napoli and the south will just have to wait (perhaps only until the early fall when the weather will be a little nicer!). But I have taken heed of all you responses and good advice.
ff

Oh, and because it is a "free" ticket, we couldn't open jaw it - we could get into Rome, but not back out - thus the Milan option, which partialy explains the big change!
ff

Hm, so you now have only 1 full day in Venice and no full days in Florence ? I'd spend those 3 nights in one or the other, not both. Although I love Venice (and am moving there next year !), since your friend specifically wants to see Florence I'd make it 3 nights in Florence to give you 2 full days there. Like I said earlier, we recently spent a week there (2nd trip for both of us) and we didn't see everything we wanted to. And I'm not sure if there is such a thing as "pre-carnival energy' in Venice - the weeks between New Year & Carnival are the cheapest of the year for a reason.

Thanks c_e, but when my friend was given the option of Venice or Florence, she took Venice. I'm envious that you are moving to Venice! We will actually have the afternoon of our arrival (neither one of us has a problem with the time change adjustment)since we will get there before noon. Time for a quick walk around the hotel and a nap, then out for the rest of the day. Then we will have the next full day. Finally, the reason for staying in Florence is just to break up the ride to Genoa, allowing for a leisure departure from Venice in the AM and a shorter train ride rather than going back to Milan. Since she is a flight attendant, she has the ability to go back any time.

I really appreciate your input and can't wait to hear about your move!

Oh right, well fair enough. Obviously I think Venice is the most wonderful place in the world ! I'm sure you will have a lovely time - we will just miss each other as we fly out on 4th March