Planning a trip for my Husband and me to Italy 15 days. HELP!
 

My husband and I finally decided to go to Italy this May. We are in our early 30s and want a memorable vacation, but also want to stick to a reasonable budget. We have been thinking about going for a while, but now that it is decided, it feels overwhelming.

I have decided NOT to use a travel agent, as we live in a small city with no good agents that have been to Italy. So far I have a general idea of our route:
Fly into Venice, 3 days there
Florence 2 days
Rome 5 days
Amalfi Coast for 5 days
Back to Rome to fly home.

I want to see alot of architecture, historical monuments but also want to balance the busy 'sightseeing' with some relaxation time as well. Does my itineray reflect enough of Italy for the time we are there, or is it too much, or just right?

I am most troubled by where to stay. I have budgeted 160 euros a night, realising some cities are more expensive, but we would like to stay around that pricepoint. Any hotel or B&B suggestions for the cities I have listed for those prices? Is there a good webpage to search for hotels? It is important to us to stay near the sights in each city, I don't want to be stuck on the edge of the city and waste time travelling each day.

I am also looking for recommendations on how to get around. I plan to use the trains between the cities, but I was thinking of renting a car in Naples to drive to the Amalfi coast. Is this a good idea? Should we think about a car for other cities?

Any help would be appreciated!

Kate

Kate, Go to slowtrav.com for a ton of good advice including my sample itineraries and a sample budget. Try hard to end in Rome---going to the AC before Rome. A train to Naples from Florence is easy enough, and then get a driver from there to your destination in Positano or Sorrento. You do not want a car there. Good luck !

Hi K,

Have you looked into flying out of Naples?

>I have budgeted 160 euros a night,...<

That is more than adequate.

You might want to consider www.lesirene.com in Praiano.

((I))

As an attractive alternative to the Amalfi Coast, consider the Cinque Terre.

IMO, it's a more logical destination from a geographical standpoint - thus you'd have this sequence: Venice, CT, Florence, Rome.

ksf128,
I think bobthenavigator has given you good advice. It is much cheaper although more hassle to take the circumvesuviana train, a commuter train from Naples to Sorrento.

Get your airfare first. An open jaw ticket may be cheaper one way (Rome - Venice or Venice - Rome) than another. You can also find out how much more it would cost to fly out of Naples. Also realize that flying will eat up a couple of days. If you leave on day 1, you will not get to Europe until day 2, and your last day will be taken up with flying home. Once you have definite dates, you can start planning and making reservations. Do not make hotel reservations and then try to make the air travel "fit" - different travel dates may result in very different air fare prices.

Our first trip to Rome was last June and we loved it! Hotel San Carlo was perfect for us - everything was easily within walking distance, but also the hop on/ hop off double decker tour bus was handy, too. The hotel rate might be a little higher in May, but it was clean, quiet and comfortable as well as convenient.

I love your itinerary. In Venice, you should stay in the Dorsoduro district. It is populated by locals, is uterly charming and more reasonable than hotels near St. Marks or the Grand Canal. I would most certainly take the train to Florence. With only two days in Florence, you should stay in the historic center. Make a reservation at the Accademia and the Uffizi. That is EXTREMELY important. I had been to Florence four times before I got into the Uffizi because of lines. Rome is the most remarkable city in the world. It can be chaotic, but enjoy the evenings there after your daytime sightseeing. Stay near the Piazza Navonna, Campo dei Fiori, or near the Pantheon. These areas are truly the center of Rome and you will be able to walk out of your hotel in the evening to enjoy the most magnificent piazzas of Rome, if not the world. You are wise to end your trip on the Amalfi Coast. The first day will be spent getting there. Since you're a couple, I would advise staying in Positano. Ravello is romantic and beautiful and should be visited for lunch, but is not on the water and is expensive. You should most definitely go to Pompei which will take the better part of a day. Unlike many, I'm a believer in having a car on the Amalfi Coast. It is indeed, inconvenient at times, but you will have the opportunity to explore the coast at your leisure. The drive is magnificent and you will not have the same experience on a bus or in a taxi. You can have a rental car delivered to your hotel in Rome, but make sure you have good directions out of the city. It can be tricky. if you only had two or three days on the Amalfi Coast, I would suggest you didn't drive, but since you will have 5 nights, you can make use of your car for two days or so and it will be worth it. A taxi from Naples to say, Positano, will set you back around 100 Euros + each way. You will have to make arrangments to get to Pompeii or Ravello or Sorrento and in the end, you will spend as much money. If you are able to fly out of Naples, I would do that. Otherwise, you will need to budget time to get back to Rome which could take half a day and will require you to spend your last night in Rome, possibly in an airport hotel. In May, we got a flight out of Naples which required us to get up in the middle of the night, but it also afforded us our last afternoon and evening dinner on the bay in Positano. I've done the airport hotel in Rome and you might as well be staying at a Cleveland airport hotel. Have a lovely time

For Venice, try Hotel Campiello (www.hcampiello.it). Technically it's located in Castello, but it's very near Piazza San Marco (5- to 10-minute walk), and its rates are reasonable, especially for Venice. I couldn't check exact rates on the hotel Web site, but Venere.com lists economy doubles available for 155E in mid-May. I stayed there in October 2005 and was very happy with it.

For Florence, try Hotel Casci (www.hotelcasci.com). It gets good reviews on this board and on Tripadvisor. I've stayed there twice and really liked it. It's in a great location, just a few blocks from the Duomo and a block or so from the Accademia Gallery. It's not flashy, but it's spotlessly clean and comfortable, and the family who runs it is extremely helpful. Good rates, too: They have doubles available for 150E in mid-May.

I hope this helps! Have a wonderful trip.

Hi Kate,

Don't be overwhelmed! Your itinerary sounds just right to me. I agree that either going to Amalfi Coast first and ending in Rome (if flying out of Rome) OR ending in Amalfi and flying out of Naples are great suggestions. Ditto on the no car for Amalfi Coast.

If you are going in May, get busy on the reservations!

I stayed at Le Sirene in Praiano at Ira's suggestion and loved it. Basically no tourists in Praiano, but if you want shopping and nightlife, try Positano instead.

I travel on a limited budget so here are some hotel recs for you:

Praiano: Le Serene
Naples: Hotel Pinto Storey (if needed)
Rome: Hotel Giardino Rome
Venice: Albergo Pagganelli (just a 1 star, but good location)

Buon viaggio!

Wow,

Thank you to everyone who replied! Your advice is very valuable. Looks like I will try for a flight out of Naples, great suggestion. I am still a hung jury on the car in AC, but I guess I should decide soon.

Thanks again!

I've been to Italy three times, and each time it leaves me wanting more. If you are interested in art, I would probably add another day to your stay in Florence. The city is full of small art treasures like the Brancacci chapel, the Medici chapel and the many individual works at various cathedrals. Plus,shopping in Florence is spectacular. I bought the Christmas gifts for my entire family while I was there. You can get excellent prices on leather goods, handmade paper and books, and clothes by checking out the open air markets. The amalfi coast is gorgeous, but there is not a lot to do other than eat, lounge at the hotel, and stroll around. I would take a day out of that time to appreciate Florence at a more relaxed pace. Hotelclub.com is a great website for hotels in Italy-I always use it and have gotten good hotels in great locations for prices below that of Expedia. Good luck!

The only thing I might suggest is to consider dropping Florence, shaving a day off Rome and the Amalfi Coast and instead spending some time in the countryside. I think a lot of the charm and romance of Italy is in the hilltowns of Tuscany and other regions, but you're spending most of your time in cities. Rome is great, Florence is good, but a "room with a view" in the countryside is equally memorable.

Have been to Italy the last two summers.
Venice for three days and Florence for two is good but may want to have three in Florence and 2 in Venice.
Rome for 5 days I think is too much - 3 or 4 would be better. Use the extra days in Tuscany - many many great small villages to go to. the scenery is to die for and it;s a good way to balance the trip with big cities.
You mention Naples - don't bother it's the Pittsburg (or if you are Canadian - the Hamilton) of Italy - mostly industrial and no charm and very dirty.

Hi ksf128
My recommendation for Florence is the Hotel Universo -- it's right on the Piazza Santa Maria Novella, and was clean, cheap (about 108 E) and close to both the Uffizi and the Accademia. Definitely take the time to do the Uffizi, the works are grand. If you have an afternoon to spare look into a day trip to Siena, a walled Medeival village just outside Florence. It's charming.
In Rome I'd recommend a B&B called the B&B Country Rome -- very helpful people there, and extremely reasonable! Close to bus which takes you to the city centre too. Do the Vatican Museum if at all possible, and tour St. Peters. And of course, the ruins.
And don't forget to toss a coin into the Trevi fountain to ensure your return to Rome!
Enjoy.

Hi Kate,

Wow I have to disagree with some of Susan's opinions! But, we all have different likes and dislikes.

For this trip I would not try to add more destinations. Either take your 5 days away from the Amalfi Coast and spend that time in the Tuscan or Umbrian countryside, OR do the Amalfi Coast.

5 days there is not too much, there is lots to do. Capri, Paestum, Pompeii, Naples (Arch Museum and other sites).

5 days in Rome should NOT be cut. 5 days is just right for a first trip.

Cutting days from your plan to add just a couple days to Tuscany would only be a cruel tease.....

You will return, most of us do again and again!

Buon viaggio!

Hi

Sounds like a very nice trip :d

My wife and I went to Rome in the summer of 2005. We stayed near Termini and we found that to be OK and it was easy to get around town as Rome is not really that big. I have posted a trip report with pictures and links on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/rome_italy.htm . Maybe you can find some useful info there. I have also made an interactive Google map that shows where the attractions are located and the places we went to eat and drink. You can find the map on http://gardkarlsen.com/rome_italy_map.htm . I have also made a similar trip report from our trip to Venice a few years back: http://gardkarlsen.com/italy_venice.htm . Good luck with the planning. I'm sure it will be a wonderful trip :d

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

Here I go....

I have booked so far:

Flight:
Open Jaw trip into Venice, out of Rome (out of Naples was comparable price wise, but added over 12 hours to our flight home. We decided to switch the order and go Florence all the way to Praiano then back to Rome to finish).

Hotels:
Venice - no hotel here yet. We want somwhere a little more 'upscale' but don't want to break the budget horribly. Any suggestions?
Florence - Hotel Casci (thanks for the recommendation jkstrouse!)
Praiano- Le Sirene (again great recommendation by many)
Rome - Hotel Alpi

Train/Car:
We still would like to think about taking a car to Praiano, but with no parking at Le Sirene, it makes the prospect a little difficult. Any suggestions about parking in Praiano?

I still have train travel to book, and I want to make reservations at some galleries, but I feel I am well on my way!

Kate

First off, let me say this...SusanD had never been to PittsburgH!!! I don't live there and don't have any personal attachment to the city, but am very familiar with it. It is a beautifully located city at the convergence of three rivers and surrounded by heavily forrested hillsides. It has some of the finest univerisities and research hospitals in the country, and a cultural diversity that exists in few cities today. There are world class museums and it has its own symphony, ballet and opera as well as an emerging arts community. Heavy industry has all but disappeared over the last 35 years and it is an incredibly clean city. HELLO!

Pardon the digression, but I just had to make sure Susan was informed.

Now, back to Italy...

ksf128...for a hotel in Venice I would recommend the Pensione Accademia. It's in a great location...away from the tourist hordes but just off the Grand Canal. It has a pretty terrace and the room rates are reasonable for Venice. You will also be within easy walking distance to St. Marks as well as some of the nicer squares and "local" restaurants in Venice. Don't cut any time from Venice. Three is perfect, especially since that's your arrival point and you'll be a little jet lagged. Have your camera ready for the approach on the vaporetta. It's one of the world's greatest sights.

You will be pressed for time in Florence. Don't forget the reservations for the Uffizi and the Accademia, definitely for the Uffizi. Read a little about Florence before you go because it will be overwhelming and you don't have a lot of time. You may even want to consider hiring a guide for a couple of hours or doing a walking tour. Florence is lovely but not relaxing so you will be ready to get to the AC. If you have time, take a taxi to Fiesole for dinner to the Cave di Maiano. It's in a beautiful setting with a romantic terrace. It will give you a small taste of the ambiance of the Tuscan countryside. Really, you should do this.

It will take the better part of a day to get from Florence to the AC. Three things I would make time for while in the area...Pompeii, Ravello and Positano. If you are concerned about the car, I'm sure your hotel can arrange a driver or offers some sort of tour to Pompeii. Take a taxi to Ravello to have lunch or a romantic dinner. I would do the same with Positano. Don't sweat it if you don't make Capri. The Limoncello sold all over on the AC makes an excellent gift to bring back to the states.

You will have a memorable time no matter what and cannot make a mistake (or have a bad meal).

As always and to everyone, I recommend NOT to book a hotel in Venice - Venice is famous for tiny, overpriced hotel rooms, in every hotel category. This is THE place for renting apartments - see this "Venice accomodation" thread:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34791672

Kate,

You don't need to book train travel now. You can get your tickets once you are there. Usually the day before is more than enough. If traveling on a holiday or weekend, you might want further advance.

Buon viaggio!

As far as a car on the AC is concerned, you will get two very divergent opinions. I always drive on the AC and have never had regrets. I like the freedom of stoppin when and where I want and enjoy the challenge of the narrow winding roads. Traffic can be difficult depending on the season. I've driven the AC in early May in both directions without problems. Do you drive a manual shift? There is usually a pretty steep premium for an automatic.

In Venice, the Locanda Fiorita is very nice and is well located at Campo San Stefano which is an easy walk to San Marco. It is in or close to your price range.