janetprieto3356

I am new to any form of travel forums. Please excuse me if I have posted this incorrectly. I have been doing a lot of research and I am a bit overwhelmed. We have booked Miami to Milan Nov 1st rtng Nov 11th..so we actually arrive into Milan 7am Saturday. And we leave Milan 11am Monday the 11th. Upon arrival we have a flight via easyjet to Naples at 11am with a private transfer pick up to Sorrento. Enroute to Sorrento, we have a stop at Herculaneum. We r staying 2 nights in Sorrento. Then heading to Rome and staying there for 2 nights. After that we r taking train to Orvieto and renting car to explore Siena, Montepulciano, San Gimignano etc. Staying 2 nights in Siena. We this is where we need some advice. Do we stay the additional 2 nights in this region, or we were leaning towards taking flight from Florence to Munich, staying 2 nights and then returning Munich to Milan on Sunday Nov 10 in the late afternoon, chk in to our already reserved hotel next to Malpanse airport for our flight following morning. I would greatly appreciate feedback, thoughts, advice etc..
sidenote..we r not into overcrowded/touristy areas, we r not into art..we like exploring somewhat off the beaten path areas, villages etc. Into wine, history, scenic etc

Calabria62

Hello,
While it's very tempting to pack in as much as possible on a trip, you really only have 9 days. Any reason you are flying into and out of Milan, instead of flying into Naples and out of Rome or Florence?

You will find more than enough to keep you busy visiting Sorrento, Rome and environs and exploring Orvieto and the surrounding towns you mentioned in 9 days. Two days is Rome is not much time at all. And since you are not interested in art, you might want to skip Florence and enjoy the historical aspects of Rome for more than 2 days, and surrounding areas. So, I'd add more days to Rome, and more to Tuscany/Umbria.

Don't try to add another country into the mix. You just don't have time, IMHO.

Travel_Nerd

I agree with Calabria - too much. I am getting the sense that you already purchased your flights into/out Milan? If not, consider open jaw: fly into one city and out from another at the end. This saves you time and money backtracking. Also, if you're not actually interested in the Milan area - why fly to there? You will probably find you end up spending MORE to actually get to your destinations than if you just flew directly than the "deal" from Milan.

Keep in mind that you will be eating time each time you go into transit and with 9 days on the ground, I would limit your regions. You need to make some decisions here at this point.

Also, since you're traveling in November, you are getting into off season, which helps with crowds but also may make some areas like the Amalfi coast less available for tourists. Decide if that's what you really want to experience. Although it is Italy, you need to be prepared for potential bad weather as well.

And why Munich? By the time you arrive in Munich - you have NO time for Munich. It's a total outlier and my suggestion is to take it out.

And welcome to Fodors! You're limited in your posts to about 2 per 24 hours until you hit a post threshold, so take some time today to review. Not a criticism, but if you can use "paragraphs" in your future posts, it will make it easier to read.

AJPeabody

Welcome! There is a limit on the number of posts for new signups due to spam prevention,so don't get frustrated if you are occasionally blocked.

Know that every location change takes up a day, what with the time overhead of leaving a hotel, getting to transport, getting to the next destination, and getting into the next hotel. Also you may want to eat on a travel day. For instance, your 2 nights in Rome come out to one day to see one of the biggest destinations in Italy. We will all urge you to rework your plans to counteract the understandable urge to sample every candy in the candy store window. Otherwise you may find yourself spending your whole vacation in planes, trains, and automobiles, and little time actually seeing anything.

Good luck!

bvlenci

Sorrento is not on the Amalfi Coast, and has enough "normal life" that it's not going to empty out after the "season". One risk is that the weather in November is sometimes rainy and windy.

I would be a little worried about the connection in Milan. If your flight from Miami is late, you might miss the connection, and it won't be protected, since the second flight is with Easyjet. I would prefer to take the train to Naples. It's not as fast as flying, but you'd arrive at the same time, considering the four-hour cushion you've built in. You could spend that time napping on the train instead of sitting around the airport trying to stay awake.

I don't see much point in going to Rome for two nights. What do you want to do there?

I would forget Munich, and add time to some other part of your trip. I myself would add them to Rome, but your interests may be different to mine.

janetprieto3356

Thank u all..we r flying in and out of milan because it was extremely affordable and we were able to use miles to upgrade to business class both legs,,and still keep the whole round trip airfare for both of us under our budget.. we don't mind if we miss the easyjet,,it was only $50 for the both of us..the exact times are 740am arrival and 1020 departure to naples..so it gives us a small window to stretch our legs, grab a bite to eat etc..i dont mind skipping rome altogether, but husband wants to see Vatican and Coliseum. I know sorrento is not amalfi; we have a private tour nxt morning to amalfi region..dont know if or when we can go to Europe again,,so trying to make most of it..I have always wanted to see german/Bavarian region

Travel_Nerd

I really don't mean to sound snarky, but with essentially 1 day in Munich....you aren't going to be seeing it at all... You will be landing in a city of that region with little to no time to explore the actual region you want to "see." I'm sorry, but this does not sound like it would be enjoyable to me at all. But it's your trip. You asked for advice and we're giving it....

I know nothing about you or your husband or your ages or circumstances or travel style for that matter, but if this is actually might be your last trip to Europe, you need to make some choices and maximize your time. Darting from town to town - in different countries- isn't going to do it in your already limited schedule. But if you and your husband's traveling days are still ahead of you... simply figure what you can't see now you will later, even if it might be 5, 10, whatever years from now... Again, it's your trip and you've seem to have already made up your mind. But I do think you may need to rethink your current plan and whether it would be something both of you would enjoy.

whitehall

Don’t be afraid to see and do a lot in a short period of time, especially if this is your only chance to go to Europe. Some people only get to see Europe via port visits and partial day excursions on a cruise, and many feel that is a worthwhile experience for them We took my wife’s sister to 16 European countries in 30 days several years ago wrote a blog and had a full trip that she still describes as her trip of a lifetime. Last fall, among other trips, we took our daughter through three countries and 8 locations in 8 days. You can see trip reports for these on the link to our name. IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE but depending on your travel style, a busy trip can be a successful trip. We travel with only carry-ons, get up early and stay out late.

I too would drop Munich (which is on our three country trip report mentioned above) and add time to Italian locations that appeal to you. Milan is one of our least favorite spots in Italy, and November you will usually find the best weather in the south (Sorrento/Rome) as opposed to Munich/Milan.

bvlenci

This is not something I'd want to do in one day. Both sites are large and exhausting.

If you go to the Vatican Museums, be sure to reserve your tickets online, to avoid a long wait in the ticket line. Since you have little time, it might be better to get an audio guide instead of a guided tour, so you can skip things that don't interest you.

http://m.museivaticani.va/content/mu...ollezioni.html

You might also get the tickets to the Colosseum online, although in November there may not be much of a ticket line. If there is, you could buy your tickets at the adjacent entrance to the Palatine Hill, where there's almost never a line. The ticket also includes entrance to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, which to me are more interesting than the Colosseum, from a historical point of view. The Palatine Hill is a very beautiful site, with great views over the Roman Forum and Colosseum.

https://ecm.coopculture.it/index.php...plate3&lang=en

There are many other ancient Roman sites in Rome, including Ostia Antica, the ancient Roman port city, which is even bigger than Pompeii. One that you shouldn't miss is the Pantheon, which is one of the most intact ancient Roman buildings in the city. Its massive dome was the world's largest dome for over 1000 years, and it's still the largest unreinforced concrete dome. You have to go inside to appreciate its size.

I myself would probably skip Naples and Sorrento, especially considering the possibility of bad weather in November. Instead, I'd add a few days to Rome and substitute Ostia Antica for Herculaneum.

http://ostia-antica.org/

bvlenci

I know Whitehall doesn't like Milan, but I wonder if he didn't give it enough time. It's one of my top five favorite cities in the world. On a short visit, I'd include the Duomo, including a visit to the incredible roof terraces full of Gothic stone scultures. Also the Sforzesco castle, which would be the best castle you'd see on this trip.

StCirq

My own cost-benefit analysis of trips like this is that falling for a cheap fare, especially a round trip, to someplace you don't really have a yen to visit never pans out particularly well. IMO you have way too much packed into this short trip, it's at a time of year when the weather is iffy and the days are short, and you're going to zoom around spending most of your time in transit and not enjoying what you came to see.

I think there's no question that Munich just has to be dropped. And I'd find a way to add some time to Rome - 2 nights, which will give you 1 day, is barely enough time to figure out how to get out of your hotel and find your way to a couple of sights. Frankly, forget trying to drive through Tuscany; stay in Rome and take an easy daytrip to Orvieto by train. It's a small enough place that you could cover most of its attractions (which are considerable), have a nice lunch, and get back to Rome for dinner.

I'll just add that Milan is one of our very favorite cities in Europe (and we live here and get to visit many of them, often). I think people who don't like Milan are the ones who race through it to see the cathedral and La Scala. We actually prefer to visit Milan in the colder months, when it isn't packed with visitors. One of our favorite things to do after a day of sightseeing is to sit at one of the outdoor enclosed sidewalk cafés and have a warm drink. And then there's Peck....

Good luck with whatever you plan, but do try to keep it within reason.

bilboburgler

My advice for November

Try and limit your time in Munich,

If your interests are history food and wine then focus on them. Don't move about too much just go for key targets.

Milan is worth at least three nights, lots to do and much of it indoors or outside so you can mix and match with the weatherRome is worth a lot more but let's say 4 nights to get to all the sites including Ostia

Now, if wine is the thing what to do... perhaps stop at Florence/Siena/Pisa (various airports and train combos here) and then go to a Tuscan vineyard with a stay over in an agriturismo (a sort of B&B in a farm/vineyard), very Italian but you'll find English speakers there or a lot of smiles and good local food. Yes it might be cold and wet but maybe only for one night or two if you also want to see say Siena. You'll need a car for this. https://www.agriturismo.it/en might help.

StCirq

But Bilbo, if my math is right (and it's entirely possible it's not), they only have 8 days on the ground. They couldn't possibly do what you suggest, I don't think.

Majid202

7 Days are more than enough for a such place.

StCirq

What "such a place?" I disagree that 7 days is more than enough for a bit of time in Munich, 3 nights in Milan, 4 nights in Rome, and then some time driving around Tuscany and visiting Firenze. How does your math come to the conclusion that it's more than enough?

bilboburgler

St C, since I couldn't work out her timings either I just thought it was critical to achieve her objectives and limit her time wasting in transit. (for her read he if appropriate).

Binge_travelling

If you go to Milan, you should check out Lakes Iseo and Lake Garda, they're not too far, roughly about an hours drive, but well worth it. We actually just got back a couple of weeks ago. We stayed in a town called Brescia, very scenic with great food. We're writing a blog on it, nearly done, will post it in the next day or so. Travelling to Amalfi is very far from there, don't think its worth the journey unless you're going for a few weeks.

StCirq

Got it, BIlbo, but I wasn't so much responding to you as to majid202, who suddenly suggested it was a 7-day trip and that s/he could do that all in an unspecified "such a place." "Advice" like that doesn't help. Yours always does.

And to Binge-travelling, I completely agree. And not only Iseo and Garda, but Maggiore, which is a short train ride away and a lovely lake (though at that time of year not so much - we were there in November 2 years ago for 4 nights and had a near hurricane one day and only one day when the boats were running to the islands). Still, it made a lot more sense than traversing Italy to get to the Amalfi Coast, which could also have terrible weather at that time of year. Even with unpleasant weather for most of the time, all the restaurants and shops were open, and the scenery over the lake, even on the day there was driving rain and howling wind and whitecaps on the water, was impressive and beautiful.

suze

You don't have time to go to Germany and keep everything else you mentioned doing. The math just doesn't work.

whitehall

I am sure I could find more things to like IF I had many days to spend in Milan. However, I can say that about any city I have ever spent a lot of time in. But if I had one chance to see Italy, with little possibility of returning, I wouldn't include Milan. Just not my dream of Italy. And, I have been to most of Italy, some for long periods and some like Milan, admittedly for a short time. Almost anywhere else in Italy (Bergamo, Torino, Rapallo, Lecce, Bologna, Trieste, Sperlonga, etc.), I have been disappointed when it is time to leave. Not Milan. And, bottom line, the poster here obviously has little, if any, time to spend in Milan.