Italy itinerary help?!
Feb 2nd, 2014, 01:46 PM
#1
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Italy itinerary help?!
I am heading to Italy in September for a Family party at Lake Como, but I’m going to be there for 28 days and want to visit Rome, Naples, Siena, Florence, Pisa, Vernazza, Como, Verona and Venice.
I have no idea where to begin. I need help on Accommodation, getting around, places to stay, and things to see and do. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.
I have no idea where to begin. I need help on Accommodation, getting around, places to stay, and things to see and do. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.
Feb 2nd, 2014, 01:58 PM
#2
Well the easiest for one traveler is to use the train using the website trenitalia . Naples is a bit out on a limb but the rest are easy enough to do with certain towns being the obvious centres.
So what do you like to do?
So what do you like to do?
Feb 2nd, 2014, 02:02 PM
#3
Is your family party at the beginning or end of your trip? What is your hotel budget and what amenities do you need?
Book an open jaw flight either into Milan (if Como is at the start) and home from Naples or Rome.
Book an open jaw flight either into Milan (if Como is at the start) and home from Naples or Rome.
Feb 2nd, 2014, 04:01 PM
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Thanks for the responces. There will be three of us traveling together. Im thinking of flying in to Rome as one of us wants to go to Napels first. Como is going to be towards the end of the trip so probably fly out from Milan. And I pretty much want to see all the touristy stuff.
Feb 2nd, 2014, 04:28 PM
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Congrats on deciding to use all your time to see Italy and not try to run all over Europe - super smart because you will spend time really seeing and experiencing rather than mainly in train stations and airports.
Can you fly into Naples? That would be best since you want to start there. If not, fly into Rome and head straight on to Naples. I can not imagine going as far south as Naples and not seeing Pompeii and a bit of the AC, so some suggestions.
A few (among many) options:
If you enjoy authentic, but kind of gritty, cities, stay in Naples a couple of nights and visit the museums, Pompeii and Herculaneum. Then head to the AC for two or three days.
If the city doesn't appeal, head on down to Sorrento and use the train to visit Pompeii from there and to do day trips to the AC.
Or,
Go on to the AC first, someplace like Amalfi or Positano, stop at Pompeii (there is a luggage storage) on the way back to Rome, or stop in Naples on the way back to Rome.
Suggest trains for most of your travel, but you might want a car for Tuscany and lakes areas.
Allow at least two full days for Venice. Stay right in Venice, not in surrounding towns.
Can you fly into Naples? That would be best since you want to start there. If not, fly into Rome and head straight on to Naples. I can not imagine going as far south as Naples and not seeing Pompeii and a bit of the AC, so some suggestions.
A few (among many) options:
If you enjoy authentic, but kind of gritty, cities, stay in Naples a couple of nights and visit the museums, Pompeii and Herculaneum. Then head to the AC for two or three days.
If the city doesn't appeal, head on down to Sorrento and use the train to visit Pompeii from there and to do day trips to the AC.
Or,
Go on to the AC first, someplace like Amalfi or Positano, stop at Pompeii (there is a luggage storage) on the way back to Rome, or stop in Naples on the way back to Rome.
Suggest trains for most of your travel, but you might want a car for Tuscany and lakes areas.
Allow at least two full days for Venice. Stay right in Venice, not in surrounding towns.
Feb 2nd, 2014, 06:07 PM
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" All the touristy stuff" would take you months, so sit down with a guidebook and start winnowing it down to what interests YOU in particular. Check out a good map, too, so you understand distances between places.
Feb 2nd, 2014, 09:30 PM
#8
To avoid changing hotels more often than necessary, consider seeing Verona as a day-trip from Venice and both Siena and Pisa as (separate) day-trips from Florence.
Obtain timed entry reservations for any sights on your list that offer them, like St. Mark's in Venice, the Uffizi in Florence, the Leaning Tower in Pisa, the Last Supper in Milan, and many others. Just FYI, September is a very popular month.
If you want lodging recommendations, you need to tell us your budget and whether you'll be looking for a triple room or some other configuration. In some places, if you stay long enough, an apartment might be cheaper.
Obtain timed entry reservations for any sights on your list that offer them, like St. Mark's in Venice, the Uffizi in Florence, the Leaning Tower in Pisa, the Last Supper in Milan, and many others. Just FYI, September is a very popular month.
If you want lodging recommendations, you need to tell us your budget and whether you'll be looking for a triple room or some other configuration. In some places, if you stay long enough, an apartment might be cheaper.
Feb 3rd, 2014, 08:49 AM
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Even with 28 days that is a lot to cover. The typical phrase used is 'to see as much as possible' but the word much is not synonymous with the word 'many'. The way to get the most out of your time is to spend it IN places, not in BETWEEN places. In travel as in many things, less is more. Move less, see/do more.
With that in mind I suggest never staying in a place for less than 4 nights/3 full days. Even that allows for 25% of your time being travel time. Do you want to use/lose more than that moving from place to place?
If you remove your arrival and departure day (basically lost days) from your 28, that leaves you 26 days/nights to work with. Using the 4 nights/3 full days formula that would tell you not to plan on stopping in more than 6 places and allowing for 2 day trips along the way from one of those 6 places.
Using a formula like that makes it much easier to structure an initial plan.
Also note it is 'not less than' 4 nights/3 full days. It is a minimum. Most people would agree that Rome for example can easily take an entire week even just seeing 'all the touristy stuff'.
Personally, with 28 days I would limit it to 4 places including Como. Maximize your time IN places and minimize your time lost to moving.
With that in mind I suggest never staying in a place for less than 4 nights/3 full days. Even that allows for 25% of your time being travel time. Do you want to use/lose more than that moving from place to place?
If you remove your arrival and departure day (basically lost days) from your 28, that leaves you 26 days/nights to work with. Using the 4 nights/3 full days formula that would tell you not to plan on stopping in more than 6 places and allowing for 2 day trips along the way from one of those 6 places.
Using a formula like that makes it much easier to structure an initial plan.
Also note it is 'not less than' 4 nights/3 full days. It is a minimum. Most people would agree that Rome for example can easily take an entire week even just seeing 'all the touristy stuff'.
Personally, with 28 days I would limit it to 4 places including Como. Maximize your time IN places and minimize your time lost to moving.
