I am planning a trip to Italy for me and my husband in Oct 08. I've been researching for 2 years now and have a pretty good idea of plans but would greatly appreciate your input to see if this is a realistic trip. We have never been out of the US except for a few cruises in the caribbean. Never been on an international flight. I'm most nervous about the transportation issues of getting from town to town once we arrive in Italy. Here is my plan:

Mon - Oct 13 - Leave US

Tue - Oct 14 - Arrive Rome (FCO). How long should it take from the time we arrive until we can leave the airport? Only taking one carry on luggage a piece. Going to Sorrento - best way? Would prefer to take bus for less hassle but leaves too early in a.m. I guess train to Naples/circumsuviana to Sorrento.

Tue - Oct 14 Arrive Sorrento, check in Il Nido (80E/night) for 2 nights. Walk around city center.

Wed - Oct 15 Bus ride on Amalfi Coast. Go as far south as Amalfi and day trip in Positano on return trip back to Sorrento. Spend entire day on Amalfi coast.

Thu - Oct 16 Leave Sorrento on early train to Pompeii. Stay a few hours at Pompeii. Take train from Naples to Chiusi/Orvieto (haven't decided which one) to rent car for a week. Drive on to Montepulciano Stazione and check in at Le Manzinaie (already booked for 7 days at 563E).

Fri - Oct 17 through Wed - Oct 22
Visit hill towns each day...Civita, Volterra, Montalcino, Cortona, Montepulciano, Pienza, Orvieto... not in this order and may not have time to visit all.

Thu - Oct 23 Drop car off at rental town and catch train to Rome. Check in at Il Rosario convent near Piazza Venezia (90E/ night) for 2 nights. Try to see Vatican museum/Sistine Chapel/St Peters today.

Fri - Oct 24 See ancient Rome/Forum/Colosseum/Palatine Hill/Pantheon...

Sat - Oct 25 Leave Rome

This is the overall plan. I still have to fine tune things. I'm concerned I don't have enough time for Sorrento area and is it worth going for the short period that I have available? I really do want to see the coast and Pompeii. We are not art people so I feel this is enough time for us in Rome. The vatican museum will give us all the art that we will want to see.

Please feel free to critique any areas that would help things go smoother and less stressful. Thanks so much!!

You appear to have only 10 days in Italy, and you have 12 or so cities/towns on your "wish" list.

If this were my trip, I'd skip the detour south to Sorrento/Amalfi Coast/Pompeii. You lose one precious day getting to Sorrento, and I don't know whether you'll be dealing with jet lag as you go from train to train to train to taxi. You will likely short-change your time at Pompeii and will not have time to see beyond the tourist highlights in Rome.

I would divide the time between Tuscany and Rome.

Hi G,

>Arrive Rome (FCO)... Going to Sorrento.

Can't you fly into Naples NAP?
An open-jaw flight should be about the same as an FCO RT.

> Leave Sorrento on early train to Pompeii. Stay a few hours at Pompeii. Take train from Naples to Chiusi/Orvieto...

Instead of taking your luggage with you to Pompei, why not visit in the AM, return to Sorrento, pick up car and drive to Tuscany?

At the end of your Tuscany visit, drop car in Orvieto or Chiusi.

I think I would take 2 days from Tuscany and add them to Rome.

Why are you not going to Venice?

I agree with others that you are shortchanging Rome with only two nights. Rome is so much more than just art. We have travelled there twice with our tween/teen kids and they absolutely LOVE Rome, and definitely not because of the art.

"How long should it take from the time we arrive until we can leave the airport?" - if you had a layover in another EU country before arriving in Rome then you would have gone through immigration there, so will be able to just walk right out with your carryon luggage. If this is your first EU stop then will have to go through immigration - just depends on how many flights are arriving at the same time as to how long it will take.

If you do decide to include the Amalfi Coast, be sure to include the Isle of Capri.

In fact, instead of omitting the AC and Pompeii (as others have suggested), I suggest omitting Rome. The 2 nights you have allocated there are a mere token and since you're concerned about things going "smoother and less stressful", I think those 2 nights would be better spent on the Amalfi Coast especially if you include Capri.

Thank you all for your ideas. I may skip Sorrento, as suggested, and add the 2 extra days to Rome.

Does anyone know of a scenic coastal area in Tuscany that would come close to comparing with the Amalfi coast? Just somewhere to visit during the day.

Also, should I try for a day trip to Pompeii or just go to Ostia Antica if I stay in Rome?