Our family of 5 (3 kids ages 20, 15 & 8) are heading for our first trip to Italy the third week of June. We will be spending a week in Rome, and then heading to Sorrento for the second week. Here's what I have tentatively planned thus far:

Arrive Friday, 6/23 early afternoon. Our apartment is near the Spanish Steps. Settle in and get bearings. Do some walking around. Do we have time to do the Colosseum and Forum the first day, or should we leave it for the next?

Day 2: Pantheon/Piazza Navona/whatever we didn't get to do the day before (Palantine Hill/Trevi Fountain?

Day 3: Borghese Gardens/Museum

Day 4: Vatican - Scavi tour booked. Would thee be time to do the Jewish Ghetto this day as well?

Days 5/6: Maybe catacombs? Should we do Ostia Antica if we plan on going to Pompeii, or is that redundant? I've kind of left these days more fluid so we can fill in or go back to what we missed.

Day 7: Leave for Sorrento. Spend the balance of the day exploring Sorrento.

Day 8: Positano (is this enough, or will we want to go to more towns on the coast that day?)

Day 9: Pompeii

Day 10: Capri

Day 11: Amalfi/Ravello

Day 12: ??? Hang out by the pool?

Day 13: Travel back to Rome. Staying at airport hotel. Should we spend a few hours in Naples on the way back? Or on the way to Sorrento?

Day 14: Head home


Any comments or suggestions are much appreciated. Also, any inexpensive but wonderful places to eat in any of these areas...? Thanks so much!!

esklader,
See http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34811101 for ideas near Sorrento.

I think you did a great job. On the Positano question, it kind of depends on what you and your kids want to do. There is a lot of shopping and walking around to do depending if you like to do that. There is also the beach if the kids want to do that. There are boat trips from the beach to Amalfi as well. Lots of restaurants.

It would be possible to do Positano and Amalfi/Ravello if you got an early start. But it might be a really long day.

Ravello is absolutely beautiful so I would spend more time there than Amalfi. To get there, you have to get a bus in the Amalfi town anyways. Or you could take a private taxi as the busses can be really crowded. It is well worth the trip. Definitely walk out to Villa Cipriani and Villa Rufolo. Have lunch a Villa Maria hotel which is on the way to Cipriani. Has an outdoor terrace with a view over the coast. Heavenly.

So, i say save Ravello for a day of its own unless you like to power pack your days.

Have a great time.

Meant to say, depending on what your kids are into, I bet they would like Positano better. More to do for those ages for sure. The thing about Ravello is its pure natural beauty and perch up above the coast.

hi,

You say you are arriving in Rome in the "early afternoon." Everything always takes a bit longer than you think it will, so I suggest that the first day you not plan on seeing the Colosseum or the Forum. Save those for the second day, and instead take in some of Roma's great fountains and piazzas. Try to see the Trevi Fountain at night, and turn in early.

Do you have a reservation for the Galleria Borghese? You'll need one.

I've never taken the Scavi tour, but the Vatican is not far from the Jewish quarter, and the Jewish quarter is small. Be sure to take a look at the Portico d'Ottavia as part of your tour of the Jewish Ghetto.

I think Ostia Antica is "redundant" if you are going to Pompeii. I think you are right to leave time to get back to things you think you might have shortchanged or missed. If you find yourself with your last day free, I suggest a lunch in Trastavere and a look inside the Santa Maria church.

The best part of the Amalfi Drive is between Positano and Amalfi. You might consider taking a ferry from Sorrento to Amalfi, then catching a bus to Positano to see the best of the drive, and then returning to Sorrento.

I suggest you substitute a trip to the archeological museum in Napoli for your day in Amalfi/Ravello. And pizza for lunch.

have a good trip!

I also suggest seeing the Colluseum, Forum and Paletine Hill on day 2. The first night you can walk around to the steps, Trevi and Piazza Navona.

Thank you all! These are very helpful comments!

I really liked using the hand-held audio guides for both the Forum and Pompeii. You can go at your own pace and skip or repeat what you want, which is especially nice, I think, when traveling as a family or with a group of friends.

Ditto on the comment about not planning too much that first afternoon. Great to just wander and soak things in!

Hi Esklader,

For your day 3 in Rome, the Borghese is only a 2 hour visit and how long you spend in the gardens is up to you. I think you will end up with a 1/2 day to do something else. This might be the day to visit Trastevere.

You also don't say if you plan to see the Vatican museums and Sistene Chapel. If so, the Scavi tour, St. Peter's and the museums will be a long, tiring day. You kids will probably enjoy climbing the duomo.

I would definitely visit the Archeological museum in Naples either on the way or from Sorrento.

Just a couple thoughts. You have a nice long time in both places and that gives you flexibility!

Buon viaggio!