berlee1

Hello all, I am heading to Italy with my hubby in a few weeks. He has to work Mon-Thurs in Bologna and then we have added an additional 6 days to travel and vacation. I have never been to Europe and have no idea where to go and what to do in that time. We are flying out of Rome so the end of the trip needs to be there. I will be between 5-6 months pregnant but am pretty active so some walking/sightseeing is great. We are not sure when we will be able to get back so we want to do the things that "should not be missed". Any suggestions? We have thought about spending the last night close to the airport, which I believe is near the coast and would love to be on the water somewhere, a little rest before heading back to the States and "real life" (and our 2 kids...this is our last vacation before we become a family of 5 and are looking forward to just some adult time). Suggestions on where to stay and how to get from place to place in addition to what we should see would be greatly appreciated! Thanks everyone in advance!

kfusto

My first concern is that you have waited a long time to book a hotel and should do so as soon as possible. October is quite popular and we booked our rooms for our trip (10-3 through 10-20) many months ago so you will need to be flexible and have alternatives.

An easy trip from Bologna would be Rapallo. It is a lovely, waterfront city with a good range of accommodations and dining options. You can visit Santa Maria Lighure and Portofino by ferry, a lovely trip.

I very much enjoyed spending a few days there several years ago and find it to be one of the most relaxing and beautiful spots on the coast. There is a boat show in Genoa in a few weeks that has lots of the hotels booked but your dates will determine if this is a viable option.

Another good reason to choose this area as it is a relatively quick connection back to Rome.

thursdaysd

If you've never been to Europe I'd suggest Venice and then Rome. While you're in Bologna see if you can make a day trip to see the wonderful mosaics at Ravenna.

bellini

Definitely Venice as it will be quieter in October and very atmospheric if you get some autumnal mists!
We enjoyed a short side trip to Parma from Bologna- wonderful food and great Cathedral and Baptistry.
On the way back to Rome, how about Orvieto? A beautiful city.

bdjtbenson

It's a limited amount of time. I would probably start North. Visit Venice for at least one night. We were there in October and it was great: comfortable temps, lower prices and lighter crowds.

Not sure what kind of accomodations you are looking for. We do budget hotels, hostels, B&B's and apartments. I've had great luck traveling in shoulder season simply calling ahead to get a room for the night. I call around 10am from a list of possibles I get from a variety of guide books. Sometimes I have to make a few calls but I always end up with decent lodging for less than people who make reservations.

After Venice, drive through the Dolomites to Verona, then down through Florence, some hill towns and finally Rome.

There are so many great places to see - Siena, Assisi, Orvieto and countless beautiful small towns - It's impossible to see everything.

Even what I described is too much for the time you have available. I would be pretty happy doing it in two weeks or more. You will have to decide on your priorities.

You could spend the whole time in Rome and not see everything. You will need to pick a couple of sites you really want to see and focus on those.