Paris-Venice-Cinq Terre-Rome-Paris Itinerary
 

My wife and I are planning a 2 week trip to Paris and Italy during the last week of September.We would appreciate if you could suggest an itinerary and mean of transportation within Italy. Here is our tentative travel plan
1- Fly from Houston to Paris (3 days)
2- Fly from Paris to Venice (3 days)
3-Travel from Venice to Cinq Terre (3 days) :
What is the best way to go from Venice to Cinq Terre?
Is there train from Venice to Cinq Terre?
4- Travel from Cinq Terre to Rome (3 days)
What is the best way to go from Cinq Terre to Rome?
Is there train from Cinq Terre to Rome?
5- Fly from Rome to Paris (2 days)
6- Fly from Paris to Houston
Is it possible if we would like to visit Naples for one or two days if we extend our trip from 2 week to 18 days long?

Thanks

MoreTravel

I would not split your days in Paris. I would fly from Paris to Venice on arrival day and have all 5 of your Paris days together.

If you can get the extra 2 days, I would combine it and your three CT days into a 5-day stay at Naples and the Amalfi coast. Having been to both, I found the AC had much more to offer than CT. However, three days will barely be enough for Rome.
Getting to CT from Venice is going to require train changes. See routes at trenitalia website.

Have you already purchased plane tickets? If not, fly home from Rome instead of Paris (click multi-city on airline website). Even if its more expensive, you are saving the cost and the hassle of flying back to Paris. But if you can't do that, then I agree with the advice above to put all your Paris time at the end. The day you arrive after the long flight from Houston, you will be exhausted. May as well use that day to continue traveling on to Venice (and you are already at the airport anyway).

Also, be sure to account for travel time each time you change location. For example, if your first day in Venice is the day you arrive from Paris, you don't really have three days there... probably 2 days and part of an afternoon. Likewise for your other destinations.

Very much agree that going back to Paris is hugely wasteful. You wouldn't go catch a plane from Houston in Omaha NE, would you? Same distance! Use the MultiCity feature to book the flight in the "open-jaw" manner, Houston-Paris and Rome-Houston. Often costs no more than a straight point-to-point return, and even if it costs a bit more, compare that to the expense (and time) it takes to get back to Paris...

3-Travel from Venice to Cinq Terre (3 days) :
What is the best way to go from Venice to Cinq Terre?>

not direct but there are a few trains Venice toi La Spezia I think but the faster route and one with zillions of trains would go via Milan and Genoa - for train schedules I always use the Wunderbar German Railways official site - it has train schedules for all of Europe and for me at least is easier to use than www.trenitalia.com - a good way to access www.bahn.de's English schedule section is to go to the home page of www.budgeteuropetravel.com and click on the link that says something like "Best Online European Train Schedule" - this brings you to the English page of www.bahn.de where you put in the From: Venice Santa Lucia (S L) to any one the 5 Land towns you want - they all have rail service. I mention this home page link because it also give several useful tips to fully use the fangtastic www.bahn.de site. If you train is too far in the future just put in a dummy date that is on as there should be very little difference in trains schedules on that route.

You are giving the Cinque Terre the same three days that you are giving to some of the greatest cities in the world. I am going to risk speaking strongly and tell you that this is a bit skewed.

I have been to the CT exactly once for two nights, and can't imagine ever going back. I've been in the very very near vicinity and not gone back. It just isn't of the caliber of Venice, Rome, or as mentioned above, the Amalfi Coast.

If you can take the time, I would agree that 5 days in the south is a more exciting plan than taking 3 days for the CT.

I'm also waiting to hear if you have your air tickets. If not, the open jaws suggestion is a very good one. Or if you have to fly home from Paris, you could do Paris > fly Venice > train Rome > train Naples and Amalfi Coast > fly from Naples back to Paris.

I'm not even fond of Naples, but it is more exciting than the CT and is the gateway to a lot of spectacular scenery.

But no matter your plan, I still wouldn't split up my Paris time. Get it all at the beginning or end of your trip.

Just out of curiosity, I checked airfares on skyscanner.net. Naples to Paris is outrageous; Rome to Paris is expensive; Venice to Paris has the most flights and is the most reasonable.

Kuwait Airlines (!) has a cheap direct flight from CDG to Rome. You could do Rome, Naples, then Venice then Paris.

This would appear to be the most economical route.

Can you tell I'm bored?

Thank you all.
I will spend some time to digest all of your practical and excellent suggestions. Very much appreciated.

MoreTravel

there are overnight trains rolling between Paris and Rome too - save time and money on a hotel - flying inevitably takes a half day - going by night thus saves sightseeing time. www.thello.com is the site for those trains - some dandy deals if book far in advance - from around 60 euros in a multiple-person compartment.

I disagree with others abut Cinque Terre. We hiked the old Roman Road, and it was an amazing sight. The five small cities were beautiful, the views from the trail spectacular. I'll always remember it. Most of your other destinations are larger cities. This will give you a nice change from that. Might I suggest starting in Monterosso, staying at Hotel Porto Roca http://www.portoroca.it/ high on a cliff overlooking the sea. They have half or full board, which was very good when we were there.

Start hiking the trail from the hotel, as this is the most difficult part, and you will go from difficult to easy as you hike. Stop in the cities to rest and refresh. At any of the cities you can hop a train or ferry to any of the other cities.

Other than that, I do agree... don't split Paris up. Plus, with five days there, you could find a great apartment to rent on VRBO.com, Flipkey, or airbnb an be able to spread out and do a little of your own cooking with local ingredients from the many outdoor markets. We've never had bad luck with that.

Have fun!

But for folks not into or capable of hiking what is there to do the these 5 small heavily touristed villages? Hiking yes opens a myriad of possibilities for many enjyable days.

Taking the ferry and seeing the villages from the water---do not forget your camera.

ttt