Italy in March | Tips & help with Itinerary
 

Hello there!

We are planning a 6-day, first-time trip to Italy in March and would like some help with the itinerary. We've decided on the start (Venice) and end (Pompii) points of the trip and have booked the flight tickets.

Day 1: Arrive in Venice at 4 PM and spend the night in Venice
Day 2: Spend a major part of the day in Venice before taking the train to either Florence or Rome
Day 3: Spend the day either in Florence or Rome
Day 4: Spend the day in Rome
Day 5: Spend major part of the day in Rome. In the evening, take the train from Rome --> Pompeii and spend the night in Pompeii
Day 6: Spend the day exploring the ruins before flying out of Naples at night

We are not too much into art / art galleries and prefer architecture, ruins, good food, walking, soaking up local culture, exploring...

Looking for:
- As the time is limited, suggestions on either spending additional time in Venice, skipping Florence all together or spending additional time in Rome

- Best locality for accommodation in Rome (considering we would like to visit the Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Vatican City & Museum, St Peters etc)

- Pit stop for a few hours in the Tuscan region en route from Venice to Rome, if viable

Thanks!

You have so little time that more than 2 stops will be rushed and difficult. That said, and since you already seem to have your flights, I would fly into Venice, train to Rome, visit Pompeii and fly from Naples. Leave Venice on the morning of Day 3 and train directly to Rome. Save Florence and a stop in Tuscany for your next trip.

In Rome look for accommodations near Piazza Navona which is centrally located for seeing the sights you mention.

If you can add a day or two to your trip, do.

The piazza Navona is about the worst location you could choose in Rome if you want to go to both the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums. Pick a hotel either near the Colosseum or the Vatican and use the metro to go between the two. If you stay in the piazza Navona, you will have a ridiculously long and unpleasant walk to the entrance of the Vatican museums -- and then spend two hours walking around the museum itself. Likewise, if you go to the Forum, it's a long walk from the piazza Navona and then you need to walk around the Forum.

Given how short your time is in Rome, consider booking some walking tours so you can get around efficiently.

If you already think it would be ok with you to skip Florence, you will definitely have more opportunity to enjoy your trip if you skip it. There is plenty of Renaissance art and architecture in Rome (more of Michaelangelo's famous work there than in Florence).

If you have not already bought air tickets, consider skipping Venice entirely if your main interests are good food and local culture. Venice has not much of either. Instead, focus on Rome and Naples (food in Naples is spectacular), and March weather is often pleasant in Rome and Naples.

i agree that you don't have time to see Florence as part of this trip.

Day 1: Arrive in Venice at 4 PM and spend the night in Venice
Day 2: Day in venice
Day 3: early train to Rome. stay in monti area of Rome - near to the station and the colosseum.
Day 4: Spend the day in Rome
Day 5: Spend morning and early afternoon in Rome. In the late afternoon, take the train from Rome --> Pompeii and spend the night in Pompeii
Day 6: Spend the day exploring the ruins before flying out of Naples at night.

I disagree on the characterization of the location of Piazza Navona. I think it's very central to all you want to see, with the exception of the Colosseum, which may be a bit of a hike, but certainly doable.

Thanks mamcalice, pizzocchieri, annhig & Holly_uncasdewar for your inputs.

We've decided to drop Florence from this trip as suggested.

For the train journey from Venice --> Rome, there seems to be an overnight train plying between them - is this comfortable, recommended & safe? I've never traveled by an overnight train in Europe before and considering this option to save time as well as an additional hotel booking. If this is not a recommended option, then we'll go with the early train on Day 3 option.

On the Rome accommodation, will check out the options in the recommended areas. Thanks again!

It's only 3.5 hours from Venice to Rome on the fast trains. I would not consider any overnight train to Rome. Just take an early train out of Venice Santa Lucia.

>>If you stay in the piazza Navona, you will have a ridiculously long and unpleasant walk to the entrance of the Vatican museums <<<

Piazza Navona is central to both. Perhaps someone with a mobility problem couldn't walk to either, but most people could. It's a little over a mile from Piazza Navona to the Vatican and a little over a mile to the Colosseum (the Colosseum is about 2/10 closer than the Vatican). You can also just hop a bus. The Trevi Fountain and Pantheon are very easy walks from Piazza Navona which is more pedestrian only than the Colosseum or Vatican areas.

It is a 40 minute walk from the piazza Navona to the entrance of the Vatican museums. It is close to 5kms. Once you are inside the Vatican, to get to the Sistine Chapel you will need to walk at least another 30 minutes -- and most people will walk around the museum even more than that.

With a very short stay in Rome, piazza Navona is not "central." You will spend hours walking just to get to the entrances of the two major attractions most people want to see before leaving Rome: The Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum. The piazza Navona is not near a metro, and most people on a short visit are not going to decipher Rome's bus system to "just hop a bus."

If the point is to be near touristy places or around "pedestrian" areas, then staying by the Trevi Fountain would be better. It is closer to the Metro, and the Colosseo, and probably 10 minutes shorter to the Vatican.

If you aren't planning to see the Sistine Chapel, if you would like to stay near the main tourist piazza, then piazza Navona is that. But if you want to walk to the Colosseo and the Vatican, stay in Monti or closer to the Metro.

Considering the just announced resignation of the Pope, the month of March will be more crowded than usual in Rome, with press covering the conclave and new pope's investiture. Wherever you stay you can get to the Vatican museums using the metro (Ottaviano or Cipro stops) Better than taking the crowded pickpocket full bus 64. For more on Vatican museums http://50yearsinitaly.blogspot.it/20...t-vatican.html

I really don't want to kick a dead horse here, but I've walked from Piazza Navona to the Vatican several times in about 25 minutes. Obviously, the walk time is based on the speed of the walker. But no way is it a 5 km distance. Unless you go the long way, say, up to Termini first, or something.

Actually, Google maps says :10, which I think is low. I would give it :20, but certainly not :40.

I'd say about 20 mins from Piazza Navona to St. Peter's but an extra 10 to walk around the walls to the entrance to the museum itself, assuming you're not in the queue which could take quite a lot longer.

once you've walked round the museums and St. Peter's, it's probably twice that walking back.

No way is it 40 minutes to walk to St. Peters and the Vatican from the Piazza Navona area. We've done it dozens of times and unless you stop to enjoy things along the way, the walk can easily be done in 20 minutes. But there are many things to stop and enjoy along the way so it could take longer.