Italy vacaction help
 

Looking into going to Italy for 1yr anniversary.

Def. want to hit the following:
Rome
Florence
Venice
Capri and Amafi Coast

Any suggestions on where I can do research-

Any suggestions on cruises where i can hit all of the above locations or do you think i am better off sticking to hotels?

We would like to end the trip in Capri or Almafi coast.

Thanks!

oh... I forgot to add Tuscany and Lake Como as per hubby... thanks!

how many days do you have?

VitaAnn-
After reading your post it sounds as if you are very excited about going to Italy....you should be! It's a fabulous place.

The most important question to you is how much time do you have? If you only have a couple of weeks, you need to do some research and decide which areas "speak" to you the loudest and vist those. To see and savor all the places on your list would take several weeks, at least.

Look under the destinations section at the top of this page to start. Go to the library or bookstore and read up a bit. Read some of the posts here on Italy. When you can focus a little bit more on your destinations, you'll get much more valuable help here.

Oh, IMHO, forget the cruise idea.

Hi VA,

It's going to be hard to take a cruise to Florence or the Lakes Region.

Rome, Florence, Venice is a good 2 week visit. Adding Lake Como and the AC is at least one more week - 10 days is better.

See Helpful Information: Italy 2
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34568596

You might find my trip report helpful.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

Have a nice visit.

((I))

Ok... we are thinking 10nights.

We want to see as much as we can- looking for romance, scenery and sights.. then ending in relaxation for 2-3 days if possible.

Does that help...

Went to Italy 10 years ago with Perillo... It was wonderul but not sure if a tour is what we are looking for...

With only 10 days, you will only have time for 2 or maybe 3 places. Focus on places that are relatively easy to get from one to the other.

When will you be going? That may make a difference for you.

Maybe 5-6 nights in Rome with a day trip to Orvieto. Then work your way to the Amalfi Coast and Capri. There are many good options.

I still think you need to get some books and decide what 2 or 3 locations are the highest on your list.

With only 10 nites pick a max of 3 destinations---I would end in Venice.

Hi V,
>Ok... we are thinking 10nights.

>We want to see as much as we can...

A typical error. You have too much on your plate. It will give you indigestion.

May I suggest?

A. Fly into Venice (VCE) out of Florence (FLR), or Pisa (PSA).

4 days in Venice, 5 days in Florence (daytrip to Siena, daytrip to Orvieto), fly home.

Fly into Venice 3-4 days
Rent a car and tour Tuscany
Fly home

B. Fly into Rome and out of Naples
4 days in Rome
Train to Naples, Train to Sorrento, Bus to somewhere on the AC
5 days on the AC

Same as above, but train to Salerno and take the ferry to Amalfi or Positano on the AC

C. Fly into Florence 4 days (daytrip to Siena)
Train to Rome
Fly out of Rome

Have a nice visit.

((I))

thanks so much for your help!

10 nights really isn't that long, but it's not that short either. I went with my family for 10 days and did Rome, Florence, Venice with a day trip to Cinque Terre. On another trip, I went to the Amalfi coast for 5 days which was perfect.

If it's romance that you want, make sure you go to Venice, Florence and Capri. But on the other hand, how do you not return to Rome?

I would fly into Venice, spend 3 nights, move on to Florence, spend 3-4 nights and try and take a day trip to Siena or Cinque Terre, and then head straight to the Amalfi Coast for 3 nights.

where would you suggest on the almafi coast? is it the same as capri- i don't think so, but i believe it is close by. as you can tell i am clueless about where to go.

thanks for your patience!

Everyone's travel style is different. What would be a rushed itinerary for one is not for another. Only you and your husband know what's too hectic. If the two of you decide to do a whirlwind, content to catch some of the highlights from each city/region, so be it.

If your primary objective is limited to hitting only the A list of things to see in Rome, Tuscany/Florence and Venice, I'd recommend 3-4 days in Rome, 2 in Florence, 2 in the rest of Tuscany, and 2 in Venice. (When I say 2 days for Tuscany, I mean having a car or a private driver to go into 3 or 4 of the towns there.) And that kind of an itinerary presumes you'll be up early and on the move every single day, preferably with organized tours to make the most efficient use of your time. That would be WAY too hectic for many but, again, to each his/her own.

That said, with 10 nights, you would not be able to adequately cover those 3 cities plus Tuscany, much less the other areas you mentioned, especially when you factor in the travel time between cities/regions.

There is a strong benefit to flying into one city and out of another to maximize your time. We were pleasantly surprised to find out the airfare was not much different compared to flying round trip when we went to Italy last March. Your can go to sites like Orbitz and play with different schedules to see what the options and costs are.

I'd strongly recommend a trip to your local bookstore to find a book on the cities/regions you're considering. You'll have to prioritize where you want to go and what you want to see. Armed with a good book or two, you should be able to do that. Then determine what kind of a pace is best for the two of you.

There was a time when we, too, looked into organized tours. But after discovering this site and all the wonderful and helpful Fodorites, I've become a do-it-yourselfer. I find all the planning, researching and organizing to be a labor of love, a hobby of sorts. Yet, there are lots of people who like to travel but don't have the time, patience or perseverence to put a trip together, and the tour companies work great for them.

On (or near) the Amalfi coast, you can use Sorrento as a base and daytrip to Capri and Ischia (by boat), Pompeii and Herculaneum (by train), the coast itself (by bus), and Naples (by train). On the other hand, if you want a more restful time, you can stay in Positano or Ravello.

I presume you will have to return to Rome at the end of your trip? Look for open jaws flights, for example, into Venice, out of Rome. That will save some precious time.