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Help! I have begun to plan for 5/09 trip to Italy. Have about 15-20days to spend. Would like Florence, Rome, Venice and Amalfi(Sorrento as staging point). Fly into Rome-do my 3-4 nights here then on to major cities mentioned-with side trips from each? Train to all or car to some? I must admit I am overwhelmed to say the least. Thanks for any responses for help! D

Rome - Florence by train
Florence - Venice by train
Venice - Naples flying then bus or local train to Sorrento and then, from Sorrento bus to Rome airport.



Ciao.

Vincenzo

I'd suggest that you fly into Naples and out of Venice. Use either the train or a car service from Naples to sorrento. Save pompeii or ercolano for the day when you are leaving sorrento for naples/rome.

fly home-naples,
train/car: naples-sorrento
train: sorrento-pompeii-naples-rome, rome-florence, florence-venice.

you may want get a car for your time on the amalfi coast itself.

Hi N,

For what you are planning I suggest flying into Venice and out of Naples or VV.

I'm with Ira. Into Venice, out of Naples. Venice is an easy introduction to Italy for the jetlagged: no cars, not a lot of tourist must-sees. Just wandering around in a daze is appropriate sight-seeing. Plus you lose time having to leave Venice very early to make a connection.

Whereas being dumped into noisy, trafficky, garbage-y (or is the strike over?) Naples requires all your senses to be alert.

I disagree about starting n Venice. I find it one of the more disorienting places in europe (not after a little while there - but just getting off a plane - and all of a sudden having only canals and no streets - it;s adding another variable.

We have done a trip similar to that by road (but we usually take road trips).

We started in Rome (easy non-stop flight for us), rented a car when we left Rome, went south to Sorrento (using the car to see Pompeii and drive the Amalfi Coast - a lot of fun when it;s not to crowded), the north to Florence and on to venice, where we dropped the car at Piazzele Roma. Having the car allowed us to make stops/day trips between Sorrento and Florence (Perugia), out of Florence (San Gim, Pisa, Assisi) and between Florence and Venice (Verona).

If you prefer this depends on how many you are and how much you enjoy driving (we both do - and share it fairly equally). For one person driving can get expensive and be less enjoyable.

I suggested the south to north route because you are going in May, and this way you have the greatest chnce of an even temperature range through the trip. If you were going in Oct, I'd have suggested the other way around.

Also, your first stop isn't really naples (its just a layover) - its Sorrento, which is a nice, compact and easy town.

Thank you for the responses. I do like traveling by car, however had read that driving is intense? Planning on end of May? Is that a heavy tourist time for Sorrento? Ok, now I want to add Paris and Nice-all so close, hello can you tell I am a first timer and so excited. Maybe fly into Paris, TGV to Nice-then the Italy. Trying to learn how to read train information-How do I find trains to from Nice to Italy-what direction now? Same as suggested? Hotel recommendations for Rome and Florence and Venice- please? Less than $275/night USD please. Thanks, D

>>however had read that driving is intense?<<
It is. But, that may or may not be an issue for you ...

>> Planning on end of May? Is that a heavy tourist time for Sorrento?<<
Shoulder season. Not the worst crowds yet. Not going to be quiet though.

>> can you tell I am a first timer and so excited.<<
Yes :-)

>> Maybe fly into Paris, TGV to Nice-then the Italy. <<
I'd suggest that you either stick to Italy or increase the length of your trip or drop some Italian destintions from your trip.
20 day trip. Now upto 6 destinations (paris, nice, rome, amalfi, florence, venice). Atleast 3 days lost in travel + 1 day lost on international arrival/departure = 16 days = avg 2.3 days in each location. And thats a *very* liberal estimate...

>> Trying to learn how to read train information-How do I find trains to from Nice to Italy<<
look at www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html for trains within italy.
www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml
for france to italy trains

>> Hotel recommendations for Rome and Florence and Venice- please? Less than $275/night USD please. <<
Do preliminary search on:
www.venere.com

I have never rented a car in Italy, but driving in the South of France was extremely overwhelming for me. I returned the car one day early.

Thank you so much for your posts. I have my pre-dinner toddy and lol on the car being returned in France. The train will work nice for me!
D