Italy-So many choices, where to go?
 

I'm planning a trip to Italy next fall 2004 for 16 days. Planning to spend time in Sorrento (3 days), Positano (2 days), Rome (3 days), maybe Siena (2 days), and Venice (3 days). I have 3 days remaining and wondering if we should go to Bellagio or maybe someplace else, or maybe add extra days to Rome? I love scenery, but my husband likes a little bit of action and he has never been to Italy, and I've been to Rome,Florence, and Italy already so have visited many of the main attractions. Looking for something with great scenery and interesting. Will not have a car.. Any advice?

Hi
the way I add up your days you haven't allowed time for inter-city travel which will eat up a good part of one day each time. So unless you only want 2.5 days in Rome or 1.5 days in Positano
(at most), I'd add the time in as travel time, and relax a little bit more in each place. I would not add on yet another destination, you are going to lovely places, but there's a lot of moving around.
good luck

My wife and I just got back from Italy. We were in Florence, Rome,Venice, three days in each place. It was fairly enough time. However, if you want to relax a little, you have to go to Lake Como, Bellagio or Menaggio. There is a great hotel in Menaggio called Grand Hotel Victoria in Menaggio. You can take a day pass on the ferry and go to Bellagio and Varenna across the lake.
Good Luck

sevan 77

I'm also planning for Rome and Venice so curious to know what hotel you stayed at and what you thought of it.

Thx

Elaine's point is most valid.

After you've determined your transportation time requirements, I'd re-evaluate your itinerary. Are you willing to repeat things you've already seen for the benefit of your husband? If so, add any leftover time to Rome.

We had 5 weeks in Italy last year and visited most of the places you are. You could add in Orvieto, it's only an hour north of Rome by train so you could possibly do a day trip (timetables on www.trenitalia.com). We stayed there for a couple of nights and loved it. You catch the train then a funicular up to the town which is on a hilltop. There are lots of magnificent churches in Italy but the Duomo in Orvieto took my breath away. If you do a search on this forum, you'll find lots of info on Orvieto.
Another option is to add the extra days to places you are already visiting, for a little 'down time' - e.g. doing laundry, sitting in outdoor cafes people-watching, siesta naps etc. Travelling can be quite tiring and we've found a few rest days are a good idea.
Kay

Hi Gail,

Why change hotels between Sorrento and Positano? You can visit one from the other.

Kay- Orvieto looks interesting and that might be a good place to visit on the way to Venice.

Jean/Elaine- Thinking about maybe eliminating Bellagio and saving that for when we do a trip to Switzerland.
Maybe add remaining days to Amalfi Coast and Rome.

Ira-Since I can't decide between Sorrento and Positano, decided to do both because really want to stay at LeSirenuse in Positano, but want to see Ravello on day trip and use the stay in Sorrento to see Capri and Pompeii...

HI
If you want to read more lovely things about Sorrento, borrow or buy Bryson's book "Neither Here Nor There--Travels in Europe." Bryson is both a humorist and travel writer, he was enchanted by Sorrento and Capri (tho' it's only a few pages.)

Several years ago, my family and I did the Grand Tour of Italy. We covered a lot of ground, and saw a lot of places, but we weren't in any one place long enough to soak it in -- two nights here, three nights there, etc. After doing what some of the other posters have said by including transportation into your schedule, try combining and condensing iteniraries.

For example, Sorrento is around the corner from Positano. Those two can be combined into one stay, with your hotel in Sorrento and a day trip or two by car or bus to Positano.

Also, you don't have to fly into and out of Rome exclusively. Delta, for instance, has (had?) flights to Milan and Venice direct from the U.S., plus you can take a European airline (Air France, BA, Lufthansa, Alitalia, etc.) to some of the other minor airports, like Naples, Bologna, or Florence. What I'm recommending is that you fly into one city but out of another. Fly into whereever you want, but logistically it'd be best to fly home out of Rome or Venice.

Now that the logistics have been addressed, given everything you want to see, you'll be stretched to the gills and will end up going everywhere but seeing nothing. Rome + Sorrento/Positano + Siena + Venice in 16 days including travel will be plenty, probably bordering on overwhelming. Going to Bellagio will only exacerbate the problems.