Multi-city Italian vacation
 

I am just starting the initial phase of planning a 14 day vacation in Italy for the fall. The itineraly I am considering for me and my husband is:
1. Fly into Venice, spend 2-3 nights in Venice, train to Lake Como
2. 3 nights Lake Como, train to Cinque Terre
3. 3 nights Cinque Terre, train to Florence
3. 5-6 nights Florence with day trips throughout Tuscany, fly out of Florence

I feel like Rome and southern Italy are a trip onto themselves and would be difficult to squeeze in.

I would love any feedback about this itinterary and hotel suggestions would be welcome.

Thank you!!

Without knowing what time of year you are going, it is hard to advise.

Are thinking of renting a car to do day trips in Tuscany? If so, basing in Firenze (Florence) with a car is not advisable. Using the train or bus to do daytrips is an excellent idea, but not all towns in Tuscany can be reached by public transportation from a base in Firenze. Have you identified which daytrips you want to take.

I share your instinct that adding more to what you've planned would be less enjoyable.

Hi K,

I would drop a night from the CT and add it to Venice.

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

This is very smilar to a trip we are doing iJune with our daughters, except that we will go to Verona instead of Venice. (We love Venice too much to spend o a couple of days there, and don't want to go there in the summer anyway.)

You might take a look at these apartments for Florence, since you will be there 5 or 6 days:

http://www.relaispiazzasignoria.com/

Very well-located and the price is good. In Cinque Terre, do you want an actual hotel, or rooms?

For Como, have you decided which town? Varenna, Bellagio, or another?

Oh sorry! I just realized you DID post when you going: the fall -- which is just fine for all those destinations.

No specific town in Como or Cinque Terre, we just want comfortable and affordable.

We did a similiar trip last May. Spent four nights in Venice at this apartment-http://www.cortetiepolo.com/eng/appart.php. 3 nights in Varenna at the Hotel du Lac and then 3 nights in Manarola at La Torretta. Really enjoyed the trip. This May we are going go to Camogli, Florence, Rome and Positano.

We will be staying in Varenna as well. Not at Hotel du Lac, but it does seem highly regarded here.

As for Cinque Terre, there are lots of rooms and apartments you rent directly from the owner; you can find reviews of these on Tripadvisor. If you prefer something more like a hotel, with a good reliable advance reservation policy, there are a few hotels as well. They are generally priced higher than the private rooms (affitacamere). Like macdogmom, we chose La Toretta, which looks like a lovely boutique hotel. rooms start at 135 euro, which seems very reasonable. Another highly rated hotel would be Hotel Villa Steno in Monterossa al Mare--a considerably larger town.

Ira: I am curious as to whether or not you have been to the Cinque Terre. (Ii have a feeling that I already know the answer!) Or whether this is yet another example of you offering your (probably well meaning) advice without first-hand knowledge.

I admire your sticking to just the northern part of Italy - that's what we did on our first visit to Italy. That way, you'll have more time to spend in each location (and then go to the south on your next trip, right?).

IMO, I would take time from Lake Como and spend it in Venice. Lake Como was gorgeous and peaceful, but it was a little too quiet for us. And you will have time to relax in the Cinque Terre (which I think is more interesting and beautiful than Lake Como).

Of the Cinque Terre towns, we prefer Monterosso because it's larger ("large" is relative - it's still pretty small), and offered more restaurant choices. We liked Hotel Villa Steno. From their balconies, you have lovely views over the town and the ocean.

If fall = November-December, I don't think CT or Lake Como are lively destinations.

We are looking at September/October.

Unless you've been to Venice before, I'd be sure to spend 3 nights (2 full days) there.

You will lose more than half a day getting from your Venice hotel to your Lake Como hotel and another half day getting from your Lake Como hotel to your Cinque Terre hotel.

Unless you've been to Florence before, and if you're planning more than 2 days out of the city, I'd spend at least 6 nights (5 full days) there.

I like the atmosphere at Lake Como in contrast to your time in Venice and Florence. Lexma90 is correct that it can seem very quiet, especially at night, so you should consider how you like to spend your evenings in particular. I prefer a slower itinerary, so I'd probably choose between Lake Como and the Cinque Terre but not both back-to-back even though they are very different areas. But this is your trip. FWIW and IMO, the food is better in the Cinque Terre.

Hotel recommendations would be easier (and more useful to you) if we knew your budget.

Would love to keep the accomodations $100-$150/night US...don't know if that't realistic.

These apartments in the middle of Bellagio are within your budget.

http://www.residencelalimonera.com/index.htm

With that sort of budget you might consider staying in a monastery or convent to add to your experience. Have a look at ww.monasterystays.com as they can book places in all the locations you want to visit. I'm using them on my trip to sicily after a friind recommended i look at the website.