Our original holiday plans fell thru and we have decided to go to Italy instead. This is all rather last minute, but I'm doing my best!

We're only going to be there about 9 days, so we can't do it all....which just means we will have to come back!!! Also - for convenience from our home local (direct flight), we are going to fly in and out of Milan and the hope is to travel with only carry-ons and packs.

FYI - we are a family of 4, with 2 teenage boys (14, 15). We tend to stay in somewhat upscale hotels and like to be close to the center of things, and in close proximity to restaurants.

Fri, Dec 21 - fly into Milan, arriving about 7 am and then catching a train (close to noon) to Rome, arriving mid-afternoon. I think I have reservations set at Albergo Cesari. (!!)

Sat, Sun, Mon, Dec 22-24 - Rome sights. I will make dinner reservations for the 24th. Do things close early on the 24th? Should we schedule a Vatican tour for Friday? I think many places close early on Sundays in the winter, so we will keep that in mind.

Tues, Dec 25 - train to Naples. Would like to explore whatever is available/open on Xmas day. Will the whole place be shut tight? As for hotels - looking at the Constantinopoli 104, the Marriott Renaissance, and the Grand Vesuvio.

Wed, Dec 26 - day trip to Pompeii

Thur, Dec 27 - train to Venice. Still investigating hotel.

Fri, Sat, Dec 28-29 - Venice sights

Sun, Dec 30 - train to Milan. Should be able to see the Last Supper and I would think the Duomo would be an option if no services are taking place. I am assuming most stores will be closed.

Mon, Dec 31 - fly home from Milan

I am debating adding a day in Rome and taking off a day in Venice. If it was just me and DH in Venice, I would stay a while, but I'm not sure if there is enough there to do with them (museum overload!). BUT - I was afraid that being in Rome on Xmas day would be a mistake since I would guess the majority of things would be closed. That's why I chose to use it as a leisurely travel day.

I would appreciate any and all suggestions!!! Thanks!

Wow, you must like trains---too much travel time for me.
I would skip Naples this trip. You have just enough time to see Rome and Venice, and perhaps a day in Milan.

If you calculate your travel time (including checking in and out of hotels, getting to/from train stations and actual travel time) you will see how much this is eating into your available time.

You do know that the Vatican museums close at 1:45 on Friday, Dec. 21? I don't see anyway you could tour with it closed by the time you arrive in Rome.

I would reverse this trip and go from Milan to Venice upon arrival. Fly from Venice to Naples (Alpi Eagles).

Train to Rome after Naples and then onto Milan to fly home. You will need the long train ride at that point from all the moving around.

As far as seeing the Last Supper, it's reservation only with about 15 people allowed in at set times. It's possible that all the times you are interested in are already booked.

too much moving around imo, with not best use of time. If seeing Pompeii is very important, you can go there as a (long) daytrip from Rome, thereby skipping the detour to Naples. You can do that independently by train,or via an organized coach tour.
I wouldn't count on any museums or historical sites being open on Christmas Day, so see if you can turn that travel day also into a walk-around-and-enjoy-the-decorations day, with perhaps a church service or a special dinner.

I agree to skip Naples this time. Christmas Day is actually a good day to be in Rome. I was there last Christmas Day. Lots of churches open. I visited Gesu and Santa Maria Aracoeli, plus a presepi (nativity) exhibit at Santa Maria in Via. There are lots of wonderful presepi at Chrismas. If you want more information about that time of year, here is my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34922204

Wow Grc,

I completely agree with the others, I would NOT do this. With only 9 days, pick two cities, especially since you must waste so much time traveling to/from Milan for your flights. I love the idea of Rome and Venice at Christmas time.

Buon viaggio!

Another vote for limiting yourself to just two places. Why not rent a really nice apartment for four or five days in Rome - more room than a hotel, and easier with the two boys I would think. Then fly north to be in venice for a few days before getting back to Milan to fly home.

I would train directly to Venice, then fly to Rome and then fly back to Milan. That is plenty moving around, IMO.

If you must do Pompeii and you must fly in and out of Milan, how about Milan, flying to Naples, 2 nights; train to Rome 4 nights, then make your way back toward Milan but don't try to do it via Venice.

Or fly from Rome to Venice, then try to fly out of Venice with a connection to your Milan flight.

THanks for the replies! I was kind of feeling the same way, but was trying to satisfy all family members.

I'll regroup and get back!

Have had time to rethink things. Thanks for all the advice..that's why I love this place. I was evidently loaded on caffeine when I first started planning!

kybourbon - Didn't know the Vatican closed early that day. Thanks for the tip. Any recommendations on the best day to go there?

SusanP- I don't know how many nativity scenes my DH and sons will put up with....but if I intersperse them between pizza, gelato, and wine then I might be okay!

Revised plan is...

Dec 21 - fly into Milan and get connecting flight to Rome. I wasn't going to do this at first because flight costs seemed awful, but found decent fares. Will arrive about noon, so time to rest and then do some walking around.

Dec 22 - 27 - Rome. Plan on doing the long day trip to Pompeii (teenagers insist!) - maybe on the 26th.

Dec 28 - train to Venice. My DH really hates airports, so I think this would be a good time to do the train. Very leisurely day - arriving mid-afternoon. I thought I was the only one wanting to go to Venice, but my younger son got really upset when I said we might skip it!

Dec 29, 30 - Venice sightseeing

Dec 31 - early flight to Milan to catch connecting flight home.

So, doing the day trip to Pompeii from Rome avoids the travel and overnights in Naples. And we decided to skip Milan. Since we have a direct flight from our local, that is something we can easily do another time.

Is this more doable?????

Much better !

Also found out that some friends we know from our days in Cairo will be in Rome to visit family. Another reason to extend our days there - as it will be nice to see the city from the viewpoint of a friend & native!

Thanks again for the input!

Hi

My wife and I went to Rome a couple of years back and maybe you can find some useful info in my Rome trip report with pictures and links: http://gardkarlsen.com/rome_italy.htm Have a great trip...I'm sure it will be wonderful

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Taking the train from Rome to Venice makes excellent sense. The ES train takes 4.5 hours, city center to city center. Flying might take about the same amount of time once you add getting out of town to the airport, security check-in time, and the like.

This sounds like a great holiday trip to me.

The Vatican museums will be closed Dec. 23, 25, 26. Open until 1:45 (last entrance 12:30_ on the 22nd and 4:45 (last entrance 3:30)on the 27th (extended hours the week between Christmas and New Year's). I think you should consider booking a tour either through the Vatican or a tour company. After being closed several days everyone will be wanting to get in once they reopen. To book with the Vatican:
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-In...zi_Visite.html

Hours:
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-In...fo_Orario.html

I don't find the trip to Naples/Pompeii all that tiring since you can relax while on the train. The AV train only takes 90 minutes and Pompeii is another 30 minutes on the Circumvesuviana. The earliest AV train leaves Rome around 7:30. You could spend several hours at Pompeii and still have time to train on to Sorrento (another 30 minutes) to shop or eat. The fastest return trains (AV,ES) leave Naples around 7:30 or 8.

www.pompeiisites.org

kybourbon - I had planned on arranging a tour and was looking at doing it on the 24th.

As for Pompeii....I was thinking of doing an organized tour for that too. We really don't do those very often, but I thought it would be easier. But, after you comments, I think doing it on our own by train would allow us more time walking around Pompeii and allow us the flexibility to do what we want. We can get a guide at the entrance,can't we?? Will talk to DH about that one.

kybourbon - comparing prices between the organized tour and doing it ourselves....the prices are pretty close, but I like the flexibility (an avoidance of shopping detours!) of doing it ourselves.

Quick question.....What is the transfer in Naples like? The schedule I'm seeing allows only 25 or so minute to change trains, but it seems like there is a change of station. Is that possible??

Grc,

Once you reach Naples, you will change trains to the local Circumvesuviana line. It departs physically from the same building, but one level down from where the other trains arrive and depart. There are huge signs, after you buy your ticket,just follow them downstairs. I believe there are frequent departures. You will want to exit at the Pompeii Scavi station.

I think you'll like Pompeii on your own. On my first visit I spent 2.5 hours, the second visit 4.5 hours. I used the audioguide the second time and focused on buildings I had not visited the first trip. It's a big site. I was happy with the info on the audioguide and found it and the corresponding map very easy to use.

A guide approached me at the entrance and offered his services, but when I asked how long his tour was, he said 2 hours. When I told him I probably would spent about 4 hours, his eyebrows shot up! So - I'm not sure why types of tours you will find once you arrive.

Pompeii is amazing! buon viaggio!

Dayle - thanks for clarifying that for me!

We will have to think about the guide. If it was just me and DH, I would do the audio, but sometimes teens get a little bored with that, so a guide might work better. Will figure that out later!

"the hope is to travel with only carry-ons and packs"

I don't know what the offcial line is now; but when I took flights in Italy in June/July, they were enforcing the ONE carry-on rule, the same as the UK. One bag each, up to 55cm long - ladies' handbags, laptop cases, backpacks, etc, each count as 1 bag. Also there's the rule about liquids being restricted to a litre bag containing containers of max size 100ml each, per person. Much easier to check in luggage, IMO.