venturasgal

Hi Everyone!

I was wondering if I can get some advice? I'm planning a trip to Italy for my 40th Birthday and my niece's 18th Birthday/Graduation.

We'll have about 18 days. Tentatively I am thinking Rome/Venice/Naples (because I want to see Pompeii & Mt. Vesuvius) with a few days in Capri.

Doable?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

P.S. Will be first trip abroad for both of us.

PalenQ

June is a perfect time - sweltering weather and suffocating crowds of July and August yet to materialize and the weather is not too hot yet.

Great time to spend a few days on the Amalfi Coast - a base in Sorrento (not technically on the Amalfi but a base for it and Capril and nearby Pompeii

Maybe fly into Venice - spend 3 days or so there

florence 4 days including a day trip to some iconic Tuscany hill town like nearby Siena (less than hour by bus from Florence - fare a few euros or a day trip to Pompeii for the Leaning Tower - maybe 5 days

Rome 5 days

Amalfi Coast 4 days - so so much to see and do there - the thrilling bus ride along the coast = Capril, Ischia - you can ascend Mont Vesuvius to peer into the crater - Amalfi towns like Revello (Rapollo?) Amalfi or Postianto - Heraculaneum, Pompeii and even Naples - a fascinating if rather dirty city in places.

Fly home from Rome

Trains are the best for this routing involving mainly cities as cars are more and more useless in cities like Rome and Florence and of course Venice - www.trenitalia.com is the official site of the Italian State Railways that runs the bulk of trains between those cities and places - booking early can yield deep discounted tickets but since those are in short supply booking really early is imperative to guarantee them often.

You can always buy full fare tickets once there as there are so so many trains - if wanting full flexibility to do the type of route outlined then actually an Italy Eurailpass may be cheaper than buy full fare tickets as you go along (not sure but check prices at trenitalia.com and pass prices.

Great sites to learn more than you want to know about Italian trains - www.seat61.com - lots on discounted tickets; www.budgeteuropetravel - www.ricksteves.com. If not on a low budget IMO go first class on trains - a much more relaxed ride for the trip of a lifetime - 2nd class is perfectly adequate for most but 1st class is really much more perfectly adequate experience, especially for those hauling around too much luggage! Often empty seats in first class to spread out on IME - not so much in 2nd class.

ekc

It sounds like a wonderful trip!

Assuming your 18 days include your travel days and you are flying from the US, I would break up the trip as follows:

Day 1: leave US
Days 2 - 5: Venice
Days 6 - 11: Rome
Days 12 - 17: Amalfi Coast
Day 18: fly home

I would start in Venice, as it is a great place for getting over jetlag, since you have to walk everywhere and there are no cars or buses.

Then direct train from Venice to Rome. While in Rome, you can see Florence and Orvieto very easily as day trips via fast train.

I am partial to the Amalfi Coast, and Positano in particular, and would highly suggest you stay ON the Amalfi Coast. The scenery is spectacular and you can see Capri easily as a day trip from Positano via ferry, as well as other the other towns on the AC. Especially with an 18-year old, I think some beach time would be in order, which is difficult in Sorrento. You could see Pompeii on your way from Rome.

bobthenavigator

Good for you---JUne is a good time for Italy and 18 days is ample time to plan a very nice trip.

Here are some sample ittineraries that may get your juices flowing. You can easily add Tuscany to your wish list.

BOB the NAVIGATOR’S FAVORITE ITALY ITINERARIES

After 27 trips to southern Europe, and having developed more than 300 customized TRIP PLANS for others, I am now older and hopefully wiser. Here is an updated version of my favorite itineraries & my “Bella Italia” photo gallery. I hope you enjoy.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3827

1. BELLA ITALIA: Five destinations in 15 days—car & train travel
* Arrive in Milan[MXP] & depart from Venice[VCE]or vice versa.
* Itinerary to include the Italian Lakes, Ligurian coast, rural
Tuscany, Florence, & Venice. Suggested timing is 3-2-4-2-4.
* Option: Drop the coast & rent a villa in Tuscany[ 3-7-2-3].
* Best time to go: May & June or Sept. & Oct.

2. LA DOLCE VITA: Three destinations in 12 to 14 days-car & train
* Arrival & departure from Rome[ FCO] or arrival in Naples
* Itinerary to include Rome, the Amalfi coast, and Tuscany
* Best time to go: Easter to end of October
* Option: Fly into Naples & stay at 2 locations on the coast

3. CLASSIC ITALIA: Three destinations in 12 to 14 days-car & train
* Arrival & departure from Rome—may start trip in Florence
* Destinations to include Florence, Rome & Tuscany/Umbria
* Best time to go: Anytime, but May & Oct. are my favorites
* Option: Consider a weekly rental in Tuscany/Umbria

4. SICILIAN CHARMS: Five destinations in 15 days—car travel
* Connections to Catania & Palermo via Rome or gateway city.
* Itinerary to include Taormina, Siracusa, Palermo & more.
* Best time to go: March to November—May is best for flowers
* See: http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=634

5. THE VILLAGE SAMPLER: My favorite venues for those who enjoy natural beauty and quaint, small villages. Arranged north to south.
* Arrive Milan & depart Rome—car travel-- 3 nites per location
* Itinerary to include Lago Orta, Castelrotto/ Ortisei[Dolomites],
Portovenere[Liguria], Montalcino[Tuscany], & Spello[Umbria].
* Best time to go: May to October for the lakes and Dolomites
* Option: Pick 3 out of 5 and stay longer in Tuscany/Umbria.

NOTE: These are only intended to be SAMPLE ITINERAIRES

ekc

I have rented an apartment in Positano in June the last 3 years and can attest that the weather is great and the crowds manageable.

kybourbon

If you haven't booked flights yet, I would look at flying into Naples and home from Venice or Milan (might be a bit cheaper from Milan). It's not so easy to reach the airport from the Amalfi coast for an early flight.

You can easily train between your cities.

If you want help with hotels or apartments, you need to state a budget and what amenities you need.

kja

You and your niece are in for a great experience! With 18 days, you should be able to have a really memorable trip.

To help us give some ideas about how much time to spend where, it would help to know a little bit about your interests -- are either of you great fans of art? architecture? history? Are you hoping to do any hiking or catch musical performances or get lost on back streets? Etc....

I know that many people no longer invest in guidebooks; I disagree! You will learn things you never even thought to ask -- especially those of your making you who are making your first (wonderful) journey abroad. Note that in the context of the overall cost of your trip, the price of a guidebook or two is nugatory. I recommend that you get, or consult (e.g., at your local library), at least 2 guidebooks:
- Fodor's (or Frommer's) for identifying the highlights AND
- The Rough Guide or The Lonely Planet for comprehensive information about the sites, transportation options, and maps.
You might also consider either a National Geographic Traveller or an Eyewitness Insight Guide for inspiring photographs, 3D cutaways, and detailed graphics.

Hope that helps!

venturasgal

Wow! Thank you everyone so much!

In terms of budget, I'm winging it, I have decent sum saved for this trip specifically. I'd like to stay in decent hotels along the way, maybe looking at 200-300 per night US Dollars in that range?

PalenQ

Yes $200-300 a night will get you decent hotels everywhere, especially if you use price line and similar discounted services and June is still not quite high season in those places.