We are planning our first trip to Italy in May and would like some advice on our itinerary. We are flying into Rome and out of Milan. Interests: photography, wine, cooking, Estruscan ruins, art., historical sites. Thanks in advance for your help!

Day 1 - Arrive around 12 pm, train to Rome
Day 2 - Tour Rome
Day 3 - Train to Naples/Pick up car/drive to Sorrento - should we stay longer in Rome and head to Sorrento later? We would like to see at least a little of Almalfi coast if at all possible. Not sure where we can fit this in?
Day 4 - Tour Pompeii - is it easier to drive from Sorrento or leave car at hotel and take train?
Day 5 - Drive from Sorrento to Southern Tuscany. This is where we need the most help - Days 5-7 - we don't want to drive too much farther than Southern border of Tuscany. Advice on staying in Grosetto province? We would enjoy agriturismo and would like to visit St Antimo. Suggestions?
Days 8-9 - San Gimignano - La Cisterna Hotel
Day 10 - Drive to Florence/drop off car/Tour Florence - La Casa del Garbo - has anyone stayed here?
Day 11 - Tour Florence
Day 12 - Early AM train to Venice/Tour Venice - stay Westin Europa & Regina Hotel
Day 13 - Tour Venice - Time for Murano?
Day 14 - Should we stay longer/ tour more of Venice and take late night train to stay near Milan MXP airport? Or should we leave Venice earlier to tour/stay in Milan?
Day 15 - Fly home in morning

hi River,

broken down into nights, you seem to have this:

Day 1 - Arrive Rome noon.
Day 2 - Rome [2 nights]
Day 3 - rome to Train to Naples; drive to Sorrento.[2 nights]
Day 4 - Sorrento - Tour Pompeii -
Day 5 - Drive Sorrento to Southern Tuscany.[3 nights]
Day 6 - Tuscany
Day 7 - Tuscany
Day 8 - San Gimignano [2 nights]
Day 9 - San gimignano
Day 10 - Drive to Florence [2 nights]
Day 11 - Tour Florence
Day 12 - Early AM train to Venice [2 nights]
Day 13 - Tour Venice
Day 14 - Train to Milan [1 night]
Day 15 - Fly home in morning

so if I have it right, you are staying in 7 places spread over 13 nights. really I would suggest dropping at least one of these - for example your 3 tuscany places could easily be rationalised into 2, by staying in somewhere like Montepulciano for the first part, and then florence for the 2nd part, dropping San Gim. this would give you an extra 2 nights, which I suggest you add to your time in Rome and sorrento. that would give you this:

Day 1 - Arrive Rome noon.
Day 2 - Rome [3 nights]
Day 3 - Rome
Day 4 - rome to Train to Naples; drive to Sorrento.[3 nights]
Day 5 - Sorrento - Tour Pompeii -
Day 6 - Sorrento
Day 7 - Drive Sorrento to Southern Tuscany.[3 nights]
Day 8 - Tuscany
Day 9 - Tuscany
Day 10 - Drive to Florence [2 nights]
Day 11 - Tour Florence
Day 12 - Early AM train to Venice [2 nights]
Day 13 - Tour Venice
Day 14 - Train to Milan [1 night]
Day 15 - Fly home in morning

i'd like to rationalise the last part of your trip too, but as Venice is presumably a priority, AND you are flying back from Milan, [sure you can't change that to Venice?] I can't really see how you would do that.

hope this helps,

regards, ann

You're moving around too much as one and two nighters are quite tiring. You spend all your time packing/unpacking and checking in and out. I would drop a location or two and spend at least three nights in most of the places. You're really not allowing much time for sightseeing. You are trying to stay seven places in fourteen nights.

You need to add some time to Rome. In one day, you can't even scratch the surface.

As for a car in the Amalfi area, I would just train and forget about a car. The roads will be crowded in May and it will be easier to train to Pompeii.

Grosseto? Too far off your path. If you want Southern Tuscany, Siena province would be better/closer, staying somewhere like Montepulciano or Pienza (very close to St. Antimo). Many agriturismos work and a weekly basis (Sat - Sat).

I suggest:
4 nights Rome
4 nights Amalfi Coast
2 nights Florence
3 nights Venice
1 night Milan

Save Tuscany for another trip.

Way too much moving around and packing and unpacking. Hardly any time at all in Rome or Venice (not enough, really, to even justify going there). I'd rethink the whole thing and eliminate Sorrento, concentrate on Rome, Tuscany, and Venice, with three, not seven, bases.

Very good advice above.

Where are you visiting Italy from? Traveling from the West Coast of the U.S. and arriving late at night my daughter and I had a tough time adjusting to the time difference. Traveling from the East Coast of the U.S. and arriving in the middle of the day, my husband and my son had a much easier time.

Thanks everyone! We talked about your comments today and we're going to save Sorrento for another trip. I think we'll add a day in Rome and then an additional one in Tuscany.

There is a terrific Etruscan museum in the town of Volterra.

If you're interested in Etruscan ruins, the Grosseto area makes sense. (I'd pick Pitigliano as a base.) But I agree with the others that you have too many hotel changes.

Montalcino is closer to St. Antimo than Montepulciano, but there are pretty good Etruscan/archeology museums in both Chiusi and Chianciano Terme which are closer to Montepulciano. Although I haven't visited them, there are Etruscan tombs at Lake Chiusi.

Agree with all of above. If you want to visit St Antimo's and have a car then think about staying in Sienna or if you want a bit of Italy stay at Abbazzia di monte Oliverto Maggiorre which is another old monastery but where they welcome you as a guest. I'm planning a trip next year and found this place on a website called www.monasteystays.com. It is an on-line booking service for monasteries and convents all over Italy. some unusual places. They have places in most major towns. I'd check it out

River - well done. I longed to suggest that but thought it woudl be better if you worked it out for yourself.

i still think that you would be better having ony two bases in Tuscany - you can do San Gim by a day trip on the bus from florence. I have however read [probably here] that it's MUCH nicer at night and i te hearly morning when the dratted tourists [like us, lol] have gone. that might be one of the few cases when a one night stand was justified.

leaving that out of account for now, you can reorganise your time to give yourselves 3 nights in venice - which personally I would prefer to 3 nights in Florence, but either would fit. that give you the following:

Day 1 - Arrive Rome noon.
Day 2 - Rome [4 nights]
Day 3 - Rome
Day 4 - Rome
Day 5 - Drive Rome to Southern Tuscany.[4 nights]
Day 6 - Tuscany
Day 7 - Tuscany
Day 8 - Tuscany
Day 9 - Drive to Florence [2 nights][return car]
Day 10 - Florence
Day 11 - Early AM train to Venice [3 nights]
Day 12 - Venice
Day 13 - Tour Venice
Day 14 - Train to Milan [1 night]
Day 15 - Fly home in morning

you could take a night from Tuscany and spend it in San gim if you'd like.

happy planning,

regards, ann

>>AussieJohn65<<< - Monastery Stays marks up their prices (10-15€ per night on a single, a little less than that on doubles) so it is best to contact the monastery or convent directly instead of through a reseller like Monastery Stays. Monte Olivieto Maggiore has their own website for the Abby:
http://www.monteolivetomaggiore.it/
And for the overnight stays at the farmhouse:
http://www.agricolamonteoliveto.com/ING/index.html
If you need any other convent/monastery contact info, start another thread as I have many of the listings.

Great suggestions...we have much to contemplate over the next few months. I was suprised to find availability at Castello di Gargonza which is very appealing. Has anyone stayed there? It looks beautiful... Many thanks again!!

I think you should use either viamichelin.com or mappy.com to get some estimated driving time from Castello di Gargonza. It doesn't seem very well located for much of what most people want to see in Tuscany.