I am doing my own planning for our dream holiday that is coming true! That is- Married Aussies,late 40's, 5 week trip. I found this site during my reseaching and have got so much info so far- it is amazing- thank you. Our travel background- I did the backpack tour of Europe 27 years ago (no planning like this) and my husband and I visited northern Italy (Lakes area,Milan,Verona, Venice) and France with our children on a group tour in 2004.We are going late Sept.
Our Itinerary is as follows-
Rome - 5 nights
Sorrento- 5 nights
Tuscany/Umbria-6 nights, hire car
Florence-3 nights
Cinque Terre-3 nights
Milan-1 night
flight to Sarajevo for tour of Bosnia/Croatia/Slovenia
train to Venice- 2 nights then flight home
I am looking at the Sorrento plan at the moment.
We plan to take the train from Rome to Naples then Sorrento. Will this be difficult on a Sunday? Should we try to visit the Museo Archeologico Nazionale? Should we Come back to Naples for a day trip? Would it be possible to visit museum in Naples while on our way to Sorrento? Can we catch a ferry from Naples to Sorrento?
Too many questions - sorry.Places we would like to visit but may not fit them all in, Pompeii, Vesuvius, Amalfi coast,Capri,Paestum. Thank you for all your help so far. I hope I can help after our trip. I am finding the research very interesting and learning so much (history,Geography and much needed computer skills)

Hi Aussies,

No, getting to Naples via train will not be a problem on a Sunday. Make sure you get the ES train which should take 1.5 hours. Others take longer.

Yes, you should go to the Archeological Museum. It's amazing. My favorite part was the mezzanine level where the mosaics are. Incredible! If I remember correctly there is a baggage check at the entrance. Be sure to have a good supply of small E notes! They don't take credit cards and can't give change for audioguides, etc.

No need to take a ferry from Naples to Sorrento. You can visit the museum on your way if you like. The Metro station is right in the Naples train station. You can do the museum and return to the train station, buy your ticket for the Circumvesuviana (local train) and go to Sorrento.

Personally, I would take a day from Florence and add it to Venice.

Buon viaggio!

What a wonderful trip!

I would suggest hitting the archeological museum while heading south from Rome to Naples, then Pompeii while heading north from Sorrento to Tuscany.
To do the museum and the site in one day is really too much, and this saves you from staying in a hotel in the Naples area for only one night.
Paestum can be done as a day trip from the Amalfi coast, but keep in mind that Sorrento is on the far western part of the area and Paestum is south/eastern, so this is a long drive.
Would you consider 2 nights Sorrento then 3 nights in Amalfi or such? Then Paestum would be closer, save it for the end of your 5 nights in this area, and then go up to Pompeii while heading for Tuscany.
Ellen C.

Thanks for help. Will see museum on way to Sorrento. What is the train like from Naples to Sorrento?
Would it be worth moving from Sorrento to closer to Paestum for 1/2 nights, cutting down on Sorrento? Not sure where we are picking up hire car, possiblity was Sorrento.

Hi again Amante,

The Amalfi Coast will still be very busy in Sept, so I hope you mean you intend to pick up a rental car after the Amalfi portion of your trip.

Personally, I would not choose Sorrento at all, but for what you want to do, it's a good central base with lots of transportation options.

If you are willing to break up your time, YES, stay 1 or 2 nights in Sorrento and see the museum and Pompeii. Then move on down to the actual Amalfi Coast - Positano, Praiano, Amalfi, Ravello, Minori, on down.

Using public transportation, it took me 2.5 hours one way from Praiano to Paestum. I might have made it more quickly if I had spent more time researching the trans. It's definitely worth seeing!

Buon viaggio!

You have given me "food for thought"-I have gone over some past reviews and reseaching the possibilities, have 3 now. This planning takes so much time but I'm addicted to it and enjoying it also.
1. Train to Naples. Museum, train to Sorrento,day trips from yhere,car fom there to Tuscany.
2.Same as 1. but move to Almalfi after 2 days in Sorrento then hire car after that
3.Train to Salerno,visit Paestum then Almalfi and Sorrento,
not sure really
luckily my husband is planning next stage of the trip and he will be more decisive but I will show him all the info from this forum of course.

Where do you plan to base yourselves for 6 days in Tuscany/Umbria. What towns do you want to visit? Any "down" time?

Jean. Not sure on Tuscany, probably base in one or two towns and have some day drives around countryside. As for Amalfi coast, I think my husband thinks stay in Sorrento only and do what day trips we feel we can.

Hi A,

You will have 5 nights in Sorrento.

No need to crowd your days.

Train Naples/Sorrento. Check in. Relax. This isn't Rome.

Visit Naples and the Archaeological Museum one day.

Visit Paestum one day - you might want to ferry all the way to Salerno, take the train to Paestum, return to Salerno and take the bus back to Sorrento.

Visit Pompei one day.

Take the bus along the Coast road one day.

Visit Capri one day.

See how easy it is?

Are you sure that you want to visit the AC and the CT on the same trip?

Is there a particular reason for a night in Milan?

Only 2 nights in Venice?

Enjoy your visit.

Hi A,

>1. Train to Naples. Museum, train to Sorrento,...

Where do you put your luggage while visiting the Museum?

There is more to see in Naples than this quick driveby will allow.

Ira, if I may ask - why go from Naples to Sorrento and then all the way back to Naples the next day?
I do agree that it may be better to choose between AC and CT rather than doing both.

Amante, itinerary all depends on what you want to get out of this trip and what types of people/travelers you are. Are you go-go-go and that's how you like to travel as well, or perhaps you are go-go-go at home/work but want to relax somewhat while in Italy? Or you tend to be laid back wanderers? Any of these "types" are great, to each his own, but your itinerary should reflect who you are and how you like to travel.
For example, if you spend 5 nights in Sorrento while making sizeable day trips to Paestum (remote edge of "Amalfi Coast", some would not consider it still Amalfi coast), to Capri, to Pompeii, to Naples, etc., this to me is a heavy itinerary.
If you like to be on the go, then you will be fine with that.
I have to say that for me, it would be too much.
And part of that is that the Amalfi Coast works it's magic (as long it's not mobbed etc etc) and people tend to just want to relax and enjoy the views, etc.
Perhaps if you did cut CT and add those three nights to AC it would be a more relaxed pace.
Just some thoughts,
Ellen C.