Only one week in Italy, what to do?
Mar 18th, 2015, 06:15 PM
#1
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Only one week in Italy, what to do?
My husband will be working in Genoa for a few weeks in June and then I'll be flying out to meet up with him for a week of exploring. We'll have seven full days between arrival and departure and will be flying in and out of Genoa. How do we choose where to go if this might be our only trip to Italy?
We enjoy a good mix of art, history, beautiful scenery, castles, and hiking. We're not really in to wine tasting. My husband has his heart set on staying in Cinque Terre, but our plans are still flexible at this point. We're leaning towards ruling out Rome because of the length of the trip.
Please help guide us towards an ideal itinerary.
We enjoy a good mix of art, history, beautiful scenery, castles, and hiking. We're not really in to wine tasting. My husband has his heart set on staying in Cinque Terre, but our plans are still flexible at this point. We're leaning towards ruling out Rome because of the length of the trip.
Please help guide us towards an ideal itinerary.
Mar 18th, 2015, 06:31 PM
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The Cinque Terra is a good choice, although it would best be for only a portion of your trip. We were there for two nights: arrived one evening, walked the trail the next day, and then left the next morning. I felt like we had seen it well enough in that relatively brief time.
From there, we went to Venice for four nights (as I recall). You could also leave the CT and go to Florence and then back to Genoa for your return trip.
One other observation: few folks ever go on "our only trip to Italy." There is simply too much architectural and scenic beauty, history, art, and wonderful people; go once, get the flavor and I would suspect you would find a way to return!
From there, we went to Venice for four nights (as I recall). You could also leave the CT and go to Florence and then back to Genoa for your return trip.
One other observation: few folks ever go on "our only trip to Italy." There is simply too much architectural and scenic beauty, history, art, and wonderful people; go once, get the flavor and I would suspect you would find a way to return!
Mar 18th, 2015, 07:42 PM
#3
If you really want to see Rome, you could take an early fast train from Genoa to Rome (7am). Travel time is under 5 hours. If you decided to do that, I would put it first and CT at the end (so you will be close to your departure airport).
>>How do we choose where to go if this might be our only trip to Italy?<<<
You will go back.
Venice is more complicated to reach than Rome and it would take longer. You could go to Florence and then the CT if you are interested in Florence.
>>How do we choose where to go if this might be our only trip to Italy?<<<
You will go back.
Venice is more complicated to reach than Rome and it would take longer. You could go to Florence and then the CT if you are interested in Florence.
Mar 19th, 2015, 02:22 AM
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Hi,
I think you are very wise to plan the best trip you can on the premise that this might be your only trip to Italy. I happen to live in the area of Genoa, but I travel quite a bit, and I used to think to that I'd be returning to many places I enjoyed, but I now realize that is unrealistic, and not really what I want to do anyway. There are so many different places in the world I want to see. Some people enjoy going to Italy over and over, and visiting the same places they visited before. But for lots of the rest of is, we will probably only visit places once. And surely none of us here know that "you will go back." You may not be able to. It really can help with making hard decisions if you plan on the basis that this might be your only trip to Italy.
For the way you describe your interests, visiting Flroence in combination with le Cinque Terre might make a highly rewarding enjoyable trip. I would suggest including the short day trip up to Fiesole near Florence to see the Roman ruins there, have a hike, enjoy the views. It's only 20 minutes from Florence. If you would also like to see a bit of Pisa on your way to Florence, you can leave le Cinque Terre and take the train to Pisa, and then stow your luggage in the Pisa train station while you do some sightseeing. Then head on to Florence an hour away.
There is no reason to include Rome if it is not calling to you. However, if you would like to visit Rome, it is not difficult to get there. If you haven't already bought your tickets, I would suggest flying open jaw, into Genova and out of Rome.. If you have already bought your air tickets, then I would suggest going from Genova to le Cinque Terre, and then a train from there to Rome, but fly back to Genova the night before your departure. There are many short flights each day. Again, you can also stop by Pisa on your way to Rome.
For the way you describe your interest, visiting Flroence in combination with le Cinque Terre might make a nice trip. I would suggest that you make the short day trip up to Fiesole near Florence to see the Roman ruins there, have a hike, see the views. If you would also like to see a bit of Pisa, you can leave le Cinque Terre and take the train to Pisa, and then stow your luggage in the Pisa train station while you do some sightseeing.
Another possibility would be to rent a car after le CInque Terre and visit the castle towns of Tuscany instead of visiting Italy's bigger cities. This is wine country, but you're not obliged to drink the wine. There is a lot beautiful art in the small towns of scenic Tuscany, and depending on your interests, it is sometimes more enjoyable to see the Renaissance art in the smaller places than in the big museums. If you stayed somewhere near Florence, it would even possible to visit Flrorence for a day, but some art lovers would find that too frustrating. You could drive yourselves to your departure airport.
If this is to be your only trip to Italy, and if you really wanted to see Venice you could do that, even if you are flying in and out Genova, but it would involve extra efforts of either spending long time on trains or hop scotching across Italy with one-night stands. Depends on what is worth it to you.
I think you are very wise to plan the best trip you can on the premise that this might be your only trip to Italy. I happen to live in the area of Genoa, but I travel quite a bit, and I used to think to that I'd be returning to many places I enjoyed, but I now realize that is unrealistic, and not really what I want to do anyway. There are so many different places in the world I want to see. Some people enjoy going to Italy over and over, and visiting the same places they visited before. But for lots of the rest of is, we will probably only visit places once. And surely none of us here know that "you will go back." You may not be able to. It really can help with making hard decisions if you plan on the basis that this might be your only trip to Italy.
For the way you describe your interests, visiting Flroence in combination with le Cinque Terre might make a highly rewarding enjoyable trip. I would suggest including the short day trip up to Fiesole near Florence to see the Roman ruins there, have a hike, enjoy the views. It's only 20 minutes from Florence. If you would also like to see a bit of Pisa on your way to Florence, you can leave le Cinque Terre and take the train to Pisa, and then stow your luggage in the Pisa train station while you do some sightseeing. Then head on to Florence an hour away.
There is no reason to include Rome if it is not calling to you. However, if you would like to visit Rome, it is not difficult to get there. If you haven't already bought your tickets, I would suggest flying open jaw, into Genova and out of Rome.. If you have already bought your air tickets, then I would suggest going from Genova to le Cinque Terre, and then a train from there to Rome, but fly back to Genova the night before your departure. There are many short flights each day. Again, you can also stop by Pisa on your way to Rome.
For the way you describe your interest, visiting Flroence in combination with le Cinque Terre might make a nice trip. I would suggest that you make the short day trip up to Fiesole near Florence to see the Roman ruins there, have a hike, see the views. If you would also like to see a bit of Pisa, you can leave le Cinque Terre and take the train to Pisa, and then stow your luggage in the Pisa train station while you do some sightseeing.
Another possibility would be to rent a car after le CInque Terre and visit the castle towns of Tuscany instead of visiting Italy's bigger cities. This is wine country, but you're not obliged to drink the wine. There is a lot beautiful art in the small towns of scenic Tuscany, and depending on your interests, it is sometimes more enjoyable to see the Renaissance art in the smaller places than in the big museums. If you stayed somewhere near Florence, it would even possible to visit Flrorence for a day, but some art lovers would find that too frustrating. You could drive yourselves to your departure airport.
If this is to be your only trip to Italy, and if you really wanted to see Venice you could do that, even if you are flying in and out Genova, but it would involve extra efforts of either spending long time on trains or hop scotching across Italy with one-night stands. Depends on what is worth it to you.
Mar 19th, 2015, 10:22 AM
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Thank you for your suggestions. It is really helping us to get a feel for what would make a realistic trip.
Would it be foolish to try to visit three locations in just seven days? We were thinking Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre OR Rome, Florence Cinque Terre.
Would it be foolish to try to visit three locations in just seven days? We were thinking Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre OR Rome, Florence Cinque Terre.
Mar 19th, 2015, 10:58 AM
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Three locations in 7 days: No way to answer without math. Look at the train times at http://www.trenitalia.com.
Then make a list!
1 Genoa to CT
2 CT
3 depart to Florence
x days
depart to Venice
X days
return to Genoa for departure (is it early? i.e., do you need to be here the night before the flight?)
Rome to Genoa is twice as long as Venice to Genoa.
Look carefully at what amount of time will be spent in transit, and that will help you make your decision.
Then make a list!
1 Genoa to CT
2 CT
3 depart to Florence
x days
depart to Venice
X days
return to Genoa for departure (is it early? i.e., do you need to be here the night before the flight?)
Rome to Genoa is twice as long as Venice to Genoa.
Look carefully at what amount of time will be spent in transit, and that will help you make your decision.
Mar 19th, 2015, 11:08 AM
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Including Venice in the mix is the hardest logistically for a one week trip if you already have air tickets and must fly in and out of Genova. If you can fly into Genova (or Pisa) and out of Venice, or vice versa, it gets easier. (Any time you don't have to "backtrack" it is easier.
Hard to say for somebody else what is foolish and what is not as a travel jaunt It is foolish to believe other people tell you something is "impossible" that actually isn't impossible. It's just something they don't have the energy to inclination to do. But for many people it has been foolish for them to overestmate how organized they will be or how satisfied they will be to move around, or how much they will enjoy just spending a night here and two days there. They discovered they don't like travel if it involves all that motion, and either they are frustrated to leave a place like Florence without having seen many things, or else they try to run from this to that and see as much as possible -- and end up feeling they never really stopped to look at any one thing enough.
Some people of course think its fun to hop around, or some people really say: "I just want to take a godola ride and see St Mark's. If I just see David and the Ponte Vecchia in Florence, I'll be thrilled. I just want to see the Colosseum and eat Roman pizza and I'll be happy." If that sounds like fun -- and you don't mind that a good chunk of the rest of your trip will be spend in train sttions or passing through airport security -- then the fact that other people will disapprove ain't important.
But don't wreck your one week in Italy out of the belief that seeing the famous sights is a "must" or the most fun thing you can do in Italy. Like I said, I live near Genova and I have friends pass through all the time who are doing "grand tours" of the famous sights. I am not kidding you that several have said to me: "You know what? I actually enjoyed visiting Genova more than Venice." Others have shown up, fresh from Florence, and said: "Why did I do that to myself? This is so beautiful! (meaning the Riviera, hikes and swims)." Still others have been allergic to Rome and moaned about the crowds in the Vatican ---
So think about it. Talking a walk in Italy can be an incredible thrill for no reason you can quite put your finger on -- but if you want to see XXXXXXXXXXXXX + XXXXXXXX + XXXXXXXX -- if you are willing to make the effort, it might mean a lot to you.
Hard to say for somebody else what is foolish and what is not as a travel jaunt It is foolish to believe other people tell you something is "impossible" that actually isn't impossible. It's just something they don't have the energy to inclination to do. But for many people it has been foolish for them to overestmate how organized they will be or how satisfied they will be to move around, or how much they will enjoy just spending a night here and two days there. They discovered they don't like travel if it involves all that motion, and either they are frustrated to leave a place like Florence without having seen many things, or else they try to run from this to that and see as much as possible -- and end up feeling they never really stopped to look at any one thing enough.
Some people of course think its fun to hop around, or some people really say: "I just want to take a godola ride and see St Mark's. If I just see David and the Ponte Vecchia in Florence, I'll be thrilled. I just want to see the Colosseum and eat Roman pizza and I'll be happy." If that sounds like fun -- and you don't mind that a good chunk of the rest of your trip will be spend in train sttions or passing through airport security -- then the fact that other people will disapprove ain't important.
But don't wreck your one week in Italy out of the belief that seeing the famous sights is a "must" or the most fun thing you can do in Italy. Like I said, I live near Genova and I have friends pass through all the time who are doing "grand tours" of the famous sights. I am not kidding you that several have said to me: "You know what? I actually enjoyed visiting Genova more than Venice." Others have shown up, fresh from Florence, and said: "Why did I do that to myself? This is so beautiful! (meaning the Riviera, hikes and swims)." Still others have been allergic to Rome and moaned about the crowds in the Vatican ---
So think about it. Talking a walk in Italy can be an incredible thrill for no reason you can quite put your finger on -- but if you want to see XXXXXXXXXXXXX + XXXXXXXX + XXXXXXXX -- if you are willing to make the effort, it might mean a lot to you.
Mar 19th, 2015, 12:32 PM
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(Ps, at the distinct risk of totally boring you, I wanted also add, because I was thinking about this over dinner, is that whether or not you will be OK or foolish attempting 3 destinations in 7 full days might be a factor of how much you pack, or how easy you are about living out of a light-to-tote suitcase, etc, as well as your own sense of how much time you presonally would prefer in each destination to see your own personal list of "musts". Some of my friends who visit me in Italy are pre-committed each morning to an hour or more of putting on make-up, using curling irons, outfit choices. Some are people who really love late nights, not early morning train departures -- so while anybody can draw up on paper how to get from A to B to C "efficiently" in Italy, not everybody's preferences match up with that. ---- But I do also host a fair number of people who put on their comfy shoes, carry little more than a comb, cheerfully swing a duffell through the train stations and loop along and see quite a lot in a week. I don't think one is better than the other. Just pick the one that works for you.)
Mar 19th, 2015, 12:46 PM
#11
>>>Rome to Genoa is twice as long as Venice to Genoa. <<<
No, it's not. Travel time is about the same if taking the early trains (a little under 5 hours for both - within 2 minutes). The Rome trip would be slightly easier because no train changes are required.
No, it's not. Travel time is about the same if taking the early trains (a little under 5 hours for both - within 2 minutes). The Rome trip would be slightly easier because no train changes are required.
Mar 19th, 2015, 12:51 PM
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{>>>Rome to Genoa is twice as long as Venice to Genoa. <<<
No, it's not. Travel time is about the same if taking the early trains (a little under 5 hours for both - within 2 minutes). The Rome trip would be slightly easier because no train changes are required.}
Sorry about that--I did a cursory search and must have clicked on driving instead of train. My point is still that the OP should look at travel times and take into consideration Sandralist's wise suggestion to consider her own travel style.
No, it's not. Travel time is about the same if taking the early trains (a little under 5 hours for both - within 2 minutes). The Rome trip would be slightly easier because no train changes are required.}
Sorry about that--I did a cursory search and must have clicked on driving instead of train. My point is still that the OP should look at travel times and take into consideration Sandralist's wise suggestion to consider her own travel style.
