First trip to Italy, travelling with my mother (who will be 80 then and is super fit!) in October. Also visiting Malta as I love it there and my mother wants to see it. So, we are concentrating on southern Italy. We like to wander streets to get a feel for cities, visit markets, major attractions etc. No need to rush…. We don’t need to see everything and like smaller cities/villages. We will be travelling by pubic transport. I would appreciate any comments/advice, especially on the Sorrento/Amalfi coast section and Sicily.
Day 1-2: Venice (flying into Venice, staying at Hotel Al Portico)
Day 3-4: Rome (will take train; staying at Hotel Enrico)
Day 5-7: Sorrento to visit Pompei, Capri, anywhere else? Will likely arrive in afternoon on Day 5 and leave early morning on Day 8 to go to Sicily. So, really only two full days.
Day 8-11: Sicily. Will likely arrive evening (it appears from train schedules?) and leaving 4 pm day for Malta from Catania, so really 2.5 days.
Then to Malta for a few days and back to Rome for one full day.

Thanks!

Usually, I wait for others to comment on itineraries like this, but will be brave and say, it is not very good. You say no need to rush, but this is terribly rushed at the beginning. Are you arriving in Venice on day one? If so, you have only
Venice: 1&1/2 days
Rome: Barely 1&1/2 days
Sorrento, Pompeii, etc.: 2 days
Sicily: 2&1/2 days
Returning to Rome wastes a lot of time.

Italy, more than any other country I have visited, takes a lot of time getting from place to place, and at least as much as (if not more than) any other country, deserves time to savor being there.
You are going from the NE of Italy to the tip. You are mostly on a train and checking into and out of hotels. If you plan to see any (one or two, not more than that) of the major sights, there is absolutely no time to "wander" on this trip.

What do you hope to see in Sicily? How are you getting around there? I ask because it takes more time than you think to get around, especially to some of the big sights like Agregento.

Ok, for some actual advice.
First (and best) advice, leave something out.

It would make sense to leave out Venice if you are set on Sicily. If Sicily is not set in Stone, then leave out Sicily and add time to other places. I have not been to Malta, so it would not be fair, but I would say, leave out Malta and add time to all the other places.

If you can't do that,change your route.
Possibilities
Fly into Venice 3 nights
Fly to Sicily 3/4 nights
Fly to Naples (for Sorrento & the AC)3/4 nights
Train to Rome rest of time

Fly to Venice
Fly to Naples
Ferry or fly to Sicily
Fly to Rome

If your tickets are not already booked,
Fly to Venice
Train to Rome
Fly to Sicily
Ferry/fly to Naples
Fly home from Naples

Unfortunately, no matter how you rework this, if you keep eveything in, it will be a rushed blurr. I urge you to reconsider and cut something.

I would agree with nearly everything Sassafrass stated above with the exception of "taking so long to get from place to place". The train system, we found, kept us moving in Italy. But your itinerary is packed more then I would ever recommend. My husband & I stayed in Venice, Tuscany, & Rome in Oct. of 2010, and staying any shorter then 4 days in Venice may very well feel overwhelming & disappointing. The same could be said about Rome. I am planning a trip for June of 2012 for my husband & I to return with our 4 (one married) kids. Venice & Tuscany are not optional - we will stay at least 6 nights in both. Then probably add a 4 night stay in Rome. But Sassafrass recommendation is spot on, you really should adjust where you are going & take something out.

Hi CD,

You are rushing it.

I would drop the Pompeii excursion.

Your mother will thank you for it, as will your feet.

I don't care how fit mom is, she's 80 and this itinerary sucks if you're 50. This is a Contiki tour itinerary and those are created for the young and stupid (who can recover from the running around just fine) and/or Australians who just want to check off things they've seen, take a bunch of pics, and then hit the pub.

Dump either the Sicily or Sorrento part, add a night each in Rome and Venice. Adjust accordingly.

Your mom may be super fit now, but I reckon she'll be half dead after you drag her along on this itinerary. Back to the drawing board...

hi Di,

I can only echo what the other posters have said - this is a very [over]crowded trip, for people of any age, let alone an 80 year old.

presumably you have some reason for including in your itinerary Venice and Malta? so make them the focus of your trip. Sicily too by the sound of it, though you can fly from Milan and Rome on Easyjet to Malta - did you know that? so no need to go to Sicily unless you want to.

I would spend my precious 11 days in Italy with MY mother thus:

Venice - 4 nights.

fly to Naples, private car transfer to the amalfi. take it easy for a few days.

fly to Sicily from Naples- spend a night or two before flying to Malta.

after Malta, fly to Rome, ready to fly home when the trip is over.

that cuts out stopping in Rome twice, which is a waste of time, and can be avoided if you fly back there from Malta.