Jessica

I'm in the very first stages of planning a 12 day trip to Italy in April 2003.<BR><BR>The Itinerary I'm thinking of includes: Sorrento, Rome, Umbria, Tuscany, Florence, Venice, Pompeii, Pisa.<BR><BR>Too much?<BR><BR>Also, I just don't know where to begin!?! What are the "steps" to planning a successful trip to Italy?<BR><BR>Thanks for any help & advice.<BR><BR>Jessica.

Marj

Sounds like too much. Do the 12 days include the day you arrive and the day you leave and would that be 11 nights? Have you been to Italy before? What are your interests? A week can easily be spent in Rome alone. You can narrow down to Rome/Sorrento, with a day trip to Pompeii (from Sorrento) and a couple of night somewhere in Umbria (maybe perugia or orvieto). Venice/Rome/FLorence each could use at least 3-4 full days, especially if it's a first trip. I'm sure you'll get some suggested itineraries here, so get ready to enjoy some great trip planning!

sandi

If you're trying to get a feel of an area by staying only a couple of days then moving on, then it's ok. If this is your first trip and may be a little wary of so much car or train travel then I'd narrow it down a bit. If you had a car you could base out of Florence or tuscany and enjoys many day trips from there. Then base out of Rome or further south and see what that area offers. Think about what pace you want to set becuase that'll make a difference in your itinerary.

CR

8 cities in 12 days sounds like a lot to handle. I did 4 cities (Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan over 12 days) and was beat. <BR><BR>I would suggest that you narrow your selections to no more than 3 cities that you really want to see. That way, you'll be able to really get a flavor of each place. Keep in mind your travel times within Italy. For instance, if you're taking the train from Rome to Florence or Florence to Venice, each one is easily a 3 hour train ride.<BR><BR>You might want to drop by your library or local bookstore and check out the Italy guidebooks. They provide a lot of helpful advice and might give you that starting point you're looking for.

Jessica

Opps - I didn't mean to imply that each of those places would be an overnight. I would like to incorporate day trips from a central local whenever possible.<BR><BR>I have Fodor's Italy 2002. Time to dive in.<BR><BR>Jessica.

Dayle

Hi Jessica!<BR><BR>I like to plan a mix of city/countryside on my trips. I'll top my last trip report for Italy for you. It's called "Guilty & Ashamed". It might give you some ideas of places to see as well as time allowed.<BR><BR>We never felt rushed on this trip - we had time for hiking, wine tasting, afternoon sun by the pool in Tuscany - we also did some pretty ambitous sightseeing.<BR><BR>Buon viaggio!

jad

If you are flying from the US fly into Pisa, it is cheaper to fly into than Rome or Milan, however you will need to change plans at tleast once in Europe somewhere. For us, we flew to London and then to Pisa and spent that first night next morning in Pisa, thatwas sufficient. The go onto Tuscany for a bit - good luck

dean

I am one of those who believe less is more when it comes to Italy. I would only pick 2 places to stay... Toscana for a week and the rest of the time in either Venezia or Roma. Leave Sorrento, pompeii till next time. If you chose Roma you can always spend a day at Ostia Antica to get an old Roman ruins feel. <BR><BR>I would stay for a week in an apartment or farmhouse somewhere around Castellina or San Gimignano and rent a car. You can see Orvieto, Firenze and many smaller towns from this base. <BR><BR>I would spend the rest of my time in Roma without a car. You need a day for the Vatican and St Peters. Another day can be spent at Terme di Caracalla, the Coloseo, San Clemente and the area. The Foro Romano and Palantino are another day. Another day is needed for the Villa Julia and the Galleria Borghese. Finally the Centro Storico with the Pantheon and Campo di Fiori and a quick trip to Trastevere are a day as well.<BR><BR>TO me the key to a great trip to Italy is not to rush. You cant even begin to see it all and there is just so much to see thats incredible. I have postings called Toscana Suggestions, and then 2 postings-- 10 favorite things to do off the beaten path in Rome and in Venice