Italy itinerary and car rental/train

Old Feb 5th, 2006, 07:21 PM
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Italy itinerary and car rental/train

Hi:
I am planning a trip to Italy in May. We (hubby and me) will spend about 18 days. We plan to fly into Rome and stay three or four nights, spending one day in Pompeii. Then we will go to Venice for three nights and then to a agriturisme rental in Le Marche for seven nights. On Sunday, the day after the rental expires, we plan to fly out of Venice.

Questions: Should we take the train to Pompeii,and then take a train to Venice, picking up the rental car in Venice?
Or should we pick up the rental car and drive to Pompeii from Rome and then to Venice?

We have traveled in Europe both by train and by car and know the advantages of each. We know that we want a car for the week we are in Le Marche. We are just not sure if we need the car before we get to Le Marche. BTW, I checked prices on picking up car in Rome and dropping in Venice, and it is not exhorbitant.(well, any more so than any European car rental)

I have some other questions, but would like to get some advice on this car/train business before asking my other questions.
Thanks so much,

Vera
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Old Feb 5th, 2006, 07:23 PM
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Ooops--forgot to ask the most important auxiliary question. How long does it take to drive from Rome to Venice?(assuming no sight seeing stops) Pompeii to Venice?

Thanks,
Vera
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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 01:41 AM
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Vera - Michelin says Rome-Venice is 533km, 5hrs 35'. (I usually find they underestimate driving time ...)

For Pompeii-Venice add 2-2.5 hrs.

'Should we take the train to Pompeii,and then take a train to Venice, picking up the rental car in Venice?

Rome-Pompeii-Venice in one day makes a very long day. Not very practical IMO ...

Pompeii would be better just as a day-trip from Rome, not en route to Venice (- unless you plan to travel Pompeii-Venice overnight).

Or ... h ave you thought of flying Naples-Venice?
Alpi Eagles fly this route

Hope this helps ...

Steve
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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 03:43 AM
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We found that the Michelin website (viamichelin.com) usually overestimates actual driving time--I guess it all depends on your driving style and road conditions on the day you drive.
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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 04:01 AM
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Hi Vera,

I think that, unless you have a lot of luggage, you would want to take the trainif all you want to do is get from Rome to Venice.

Is it possible to arrange your stay as Rome, Le Marche, Venice?

You could pick up your car in Rome and drop it in Venice without backtracking.

Pompeii is a very long day trip from Rome and you only have 3 nights in Rome. Have you considered Ostia Antica instead?

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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 04:29 AM
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Hi Vera,

I second Ira,

Try to organise your trip as follows:
- arrival and stay in rome
- pick up car for your week 'Le Marche' (by the way, where will you stay? I go to an agriturismo in le marche in july)
- from le marche drive to Venice and drop the car
- stay and departure from Venice.

Pompei is indeed a very long daytrip. Try ostia antica instead as a daytrip from Rome, without change of hotel for 1 night.
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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 07:19 AM
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Wow Thanks for the good replies. Steve,I had not thought of flying from Naples to Venice. Not a bad idea, if we can do Florence from wherever we are in Le Marche. (Not determined yet.)Steve, I was thinking we'd spend the night in Pompeii before heading for Venice.
I asked for straight-through distance just as a guide, assuming we would stop, perhaps at least one night in Florence.
Ira and Baldrick, timing is complicated by the fact that our AF grandson wants to meet us in Rome on a weekend, and we have to check in to the agriturisme on a Saturday, and I haven't figured out how to make that work with Venice at the end of the trip within our 17/18 days (and also considering flying on lower fare days).
Pompeii is one of those lifetime dreams. So although I'll check out Ostia Antica, my heart belongs to Pompeii.
Baldrick: recommendations on agriturisme very welcome. Is this a repeat stay for you?
Vera

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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 08:33 AM
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Vera,

No, it is not a repeat stay. It is recommended by a friend.

As our 1st week of the holidays to come, we just go there to calm down, no phones, no computer, no nothing..., just peace and quiet, a good book, a glass of wine, probably two...
It is very simple place, no swimming pool, excellent for lazing in the garden, walking in the woods/hills and visiting some unknown little towns at a very very slow pace...
Our second week will be a complete contrast; a bungalow on a tuscan beach.

The village is Cupramontana.
The site is http://www.cupramontana-accoglie.it/Who%20are%20we.html
It shows all the B&B's in the village.
The B&B is La Girandola.
We know Le Marche only partly, more the Urbino region up north. I hope Cupramontana is secluded enough.
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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 11:28 AM
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Thanks, Baldrick. I'll check this out. From all I've read on Le Marche, it is ALL secluded--unless your're on the beach.

So here's my revised itinerary:
Fly into Rome arriving Friday May 5. Take a day trip by train to Pompeii one of the days we are there. Leave on May 9 by train to Venice. Rent a car in Venice on May 13 and drive to wherever in Le Marche. Stay there a week, drive back to Venice--maybe overnight at the airport, leave for home Sunday 21.
Questions: Is it too far to drive to Florence from one of Le Marche villages for a one or two-day trip?
Would it be better to do Pompeii at the end of the Rome trip, stay overnight there and take the train from there to Venice? Anybody taken the train from Pompeii to Venice? Any recommendations for overnight in Pompeii?

Thanks,
Vera
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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 11:50 AM
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Vera, you would have to take the circumvesuviana train from Pompeii to Naples, which takes roughly 30-40 minutes. From there its about a 7-8 hour train ride to Venice, which would eat up most of the day. If you want to save some time, you could consider an overnight night train from Naples to Venice. It looks like there is a train that leaves Naples around 10:30 p.m. and gets into Venice at 11:30. Check out http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html for train schedules.

I think it would probably be best to either do Pompeii as a daytrip from Rome and then taking the train from Rome to Venice, or, as suggested above, consider flying from Naples to Venice.

Tracy
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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 12:35 PM
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Vera,

Questions:
Is it too far to drive to Florence from one of Le Marche villages for a one or two-day trip?
No, we have done it for a 2 day trip, from Urbino, which is more the northern part of Le Marche. The only problem is where to get rid of the car in Florence close enough to the center. We somewhat always got a fine, wanting to park too long very close in the center of town...


Would it be better to do Pompeii at the end of the Rome trip, stay overnight there and take the train from there to Venice?
Check tracy's info. I think you'll have to transit through Rome anyway. I am not sure about this. It would be a hassle with all your luggage though...

Anybody taken the train from Pompeii to Venice? No
Any recommendations for overnight in Pompeii? No

In May, you could follow the coastal road from Venice, via Chioggia, Comacchio, Ravenna. It will not be too busy.

P.
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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 01:00 PM
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Hi V,

>Is it too far to drive to Florence from one of Le Marche villages for a one or two-day trip?

See www.mappy.com and www.viamichelin.com for driving directions.

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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 03:28 PM
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I'm interested in further info on Le Marche from anyone who's been there. We're looking for someplace "different" for agriturismo for a few days in early July. Anyone have any other suggestions there?
is it interesting area? i know nothing about it.
thanks.
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Old Feb 6th, 2006, 10:00 PM
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Alison,
Looking at
http://www.agriturismo.it/ is a good start.
The site is also available in english.
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Old Feb 10th, 2006, 02:30 PM
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More help please... Here's my revised itinerary:
Arrive in Rome Friday morning, May 5. I have written for Stavi tickets and am looking at hotels, but not sure what area yet. Spanish Steps? Colosseum area?Rather basic Hotel Alinandi looks good on Trip Advisor.
Morning of May 9 take train to Pompeii, and because of cheaper hotels I've seen in Pompeii I'm think of staying there that night and then taking the train to Venice from there. What do you think? And any experience with hotels in Popeii? Villa dei Misteri looks good on Trip Advisor. Pick up rental car in Venice on Saturday morning, May 13 and drive to Le Marche. Still comparing places. Plan to drive to several places, including Florence on day trips while in Le Marche. (Maybe stay overnight in Florence?)
No plans yet for Saturday after we check out of agritourisme, but leave Sunday 21 from Venice airport after dropping rental car.
(Our interests are history, culture, and not shopping. Look for ways to save money.)
Comments?

Vera
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Old Feb 10th, 2006, 05:46 PM
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Old Feb 11th, 2006, 04:04 AM
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Old Feb 11th, 2006, 06:06 AM
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Vera - I'd have a few reservations about your current plan.

Personally I'd avoid Pompeii-Venice in one day.
It's a 7-8hrs+ train ride - so you effectively waste the best part of a day travelling.

I'd also probably avoid changing hotel for a one-night stopover in Pompeii. I always think one-night transfers are more hassle than they're worth ...

I think a day-trip to Pompeii from Rome would make more sense. That way you
- avoid a one-night hotel change, and
- cut 3 hrs off your journey time to Venice.

One other suggestion. As you will travel via Florence to Venice, why not stop there for a day's sightseeing en route - or even an overnight?
That would be easier - and less time-consuming - than driving to Florence from le Marche ...

Hope this helps ...

Steve



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Old Feb 11th, 2006, 06:29 AM
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Hi Vera...here is a website that may be helpful for drive times in Italy. It is www.italiantourism.com I hope this helps.
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Old Feb 11th, 2006, 10:17 AM
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Thanks, Steve. I don't mind the one night change of hotel if it saves me over $100, which it looks like it would. I have not checked your previous suggestion of flying from Naples to Venice yet, but will do that right now.
Possible to stop in Florence, but it will cheat me out of a day in Venice. (Have to be in Le Marche on Saturday afternoon). Never enough time, huh?

By the way, Ira, I looked up Ostia Antica and it is indeed enticing, but Pompeii is higher on the list, still.

Vera
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