Please Critique My 2012 Italy Trip Outline
Sep 16th, 2011, 01:50 PM
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Please Critique My 2012 Italy Trip Outline
This will be our (husband & wife) 8th trip to Italy in 2012. Plane tickets have been booked and we have an outline of where we want to visit. We arrive on 4/20/12 at noon in Naples, and depart 5/15/12 from Bologna, which gives us 25 days on the ground. Our goal is to stay out of large cities - hang around the coastal areas and relax.
When we arrive on 4/20/12 at noon, I am anticipating an early afternoon flight from Naples to Catania, Sicily. We would like our primary destination to beTaormina, but we aren't opposed to staying at a second hotel location in Sicily. Also, we can fly open jaw (in or out of Catania or Palermo). Years ago, I started researching this trip, and Cefalu interested me. On the ground: 8 days to explore Sicily.
Fly back to Naples, and take a train to the Fondi train station...can't decide which seaside town for a base: Gaeta, Sperlonga, Formia. A lively town at night is something we would enjoy - not a place where they roll the sidewalks up at 7 p.m. Any suggestions?
On the ground: 8 Days in on the Sud Pontino. Lots of options for day trips here.
Last leg of the trip would entail leaving from the Fondi train station to either Pescara or Ancona on the east coast. Both of these seaside towns are directly on the Adriatic Sea, but if we push on the travel day to get up north to Ancona, it will be a shorter train ride to Bologna for our return trip to Miami. On the ground 7 days.
The day prior to departure, we expect to sleep in Bologna.
I would appreciate any and all suggestions before I start making decisions I may regret later.
When we arrive on 4/20/12 at noon, I am anticipating an early afternoon flight from Naples to Catania, Sicily. We would like our primary destination to beTaormina, but we aren't opposed to staying at a second hotel location in Sicily. Also, we can fly open jaw (in or out of Catania or Palermo). Years ago, I started researching this trip, and Cefalu interested me. On the ground: 8 days to explore Sicily.
Fly back to Naples, and take a train to the Fondi train station...can't decide which seaside town for a base: Gaeta, Sperlonga, Formia. A lively town at night is something we would enjoy - not a place where they roll the sidewalks up at 7 p.m. Any suggestions?
On the ground: 8 Days in on the Sud Pontino. Lots of options for day trips here.
Last leg of the trip would entail leaving from the Fondi train station to either Pescara or Ancona on the east coast. Both of these seaside towns are directly on the Adriatic Sea, but if we push on the travel day to get up north to Ancona, it will be a shorter train ride to Bologna for our return trip to Miami. On the ground 7 days.
The day prior to departure, we expect to sleep in Bologna.
I would appreciate any and all suggestions before I start making decisions I may regret later.
Sep 16th, 2011, 03:29 PM
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Good for you---you will love Sicily in the spring. Have you seen my trip report from May 2005? If not, click on my name to find it---and the link to the photo gallery.
I would include Taormina,Cefalu, and Palermo. I htink 8 days is about right for that itinerary---do not misee Monreale.
I suggest Gaeta as a base location, but do not miss a day trip to Sperlonga.
I am not sure the attraction of the Adriatic cities---I would prefer Lucca or perhaps Parma to those coastal locations.
Have fun---I like your spirit of adventure.
I would include Taormina,Cefalu, and Palermo. I htink 8 days is about right for that itinerary---do not misee Monreale.
I suggest Gaeta as a base location, but do not miss a day trip to Sperlonga.
I am not sure the attraction of the Adriatic cities---I would prefer Lucca or perhaps Parma to those coastal locations.
Have fun---I like your spirit of adventure.
Sep 16th, 2011, 04:21 PM
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Hey Bob,
Thank you so much for responding. We are now residents of Florida, not Connecticut (we were so spoiled in CT with all the airports!). Anyway, we fly in-and-out of Miami for this trip.
Absolutely, I had read your trip report of Sicilia a few years ago, and re-read it this past week. You are always a terrific guide for all Fodorites to model their trips after.
We enjoyed Lucca on a previous trip immensely. Now we are up for an adventure on the Adriatic Coast. I have (native) Italian friends from the Abruzzo area who are making suggestions for that part of the trip. However, I have an open mind and know that most people on this board give good advice, which I am willing to consider.
As an aside, we just returned from Brugge (2nd trip) and Paris, but our hearts are in Italia! The clock is ticking at this point in our lives, and we feel compelled to return to Italia.
Thank you so much for responding. We are now residents of Florida, not Connecticut (we were so spoiled in CT with all the airports!). Anyway, we fly in-and-out of Miami for this trip.
Absolutely, I had read your trip report of Sicilia a few years ago, and re-read it this past week. You are always a terrific guide for all Fodorites to model their trips after.
We enjoyed Lucca on a previous trip immensely. Now we are up for an adventure on the Adriatic Coast. I have (native) Italian friends from the Abruzzo area who are making suggestions for that part of the trip. However, I have an open mind and know that most people on this board give good advice, which I am willing to consider.
As an aside, we just returned from Brugge (2nd trip) and Paris, but our hearts are in Italia! The clock is ticking at this point in our lives, and we feel compelled to return to Italia.
Sep 16th, 2011, 04:38 PM
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I'm not clear if you are renting a car for any portion of your trip, or where you are spending the last 8 days of your trip. Ancona is a fairly large city, and Pescara is north of it. Anyway, if you are taking the train, you would have a much shorter trip to the coast if you went to Rimini, and that would put you in an even better position to get to Bologna your final day.
Also. I don't know if you realize how touristed Taormina is. You'll essentially be staying in a cruise ship dock, tourist party central. It's Greek theater is worth seeing, but it is very expensive and not much fun to drive in and out of. You might want to pick a much more interesting Sicilian spot on a coast and just visit Taormina. To see much of Sicily in 8 days, you will need to change hotels at least once, and to rent a car. You have plenty of time between now and when you leave to figure out where you want to be. If you are renting a car, I would not give yourself long driving days in Sicily, if you have a car. If you don't have a car, consider flying into Catania, spending a night in Taormina, and then basing for 4 days in Ortygia. Then go to Cefalu for 4 days. Palermo, as I am sure you know, is a huge city and getting to Monreale from Cefalu using public transportation is a project.
You might find this interesting:
http://www.travelgbt.com/undiscovere...talylatium.pdf
On the Adriatic, while Rimini is the most convenient, hard to know if you will find it likeable. (Bigger chance if you are Fellini buff.) Other nearby coastal towns to check out are Cesenatico, Riccione and Gabbice Mare. Personally, while in that region, I would not want to miss Ravenna.
In general, I would want a car for the entire trip. I would rent one in Sicily, and one on the boot itself. If I had a car, I would consider Puglia instead of the Adriatic coast, after Sicily, and head from there to Latium, and then train to Bologna.
Also. I don't know if you realize how touristed Taormina is. You'll essentially be staying in a cruise ship dock, tourist party central. It's Greek theater is worth seeing, but it is very expensive and not much fun to drive in and out of. You might want to pick a much more interesting Sicilian spot on a coast and just visit Taormina. To see much of Sicily in 8 days, you will need to change hotels at least once, and to rent a car. You have plenty of time between now and when you leave to figure out where you want to be. If you are renting a car, I would not give yourself long driving days in Sicily, if you have a car. If you don't have a car, consider flying into Catania, spending a night in Taormina, and then basing for 4 days in Ortygia. Then go to Cefalu for 4 days. Palermo, as I am sure you know, is a huge city and getting to Monreale from Cefalu using public transportation is a project.
You might find this interesting:
http://www.travelgbt.com/undiscovere...talylatium.pdf
On the Adriatic, while Rimini is the most convenient, hard to know if you will find it likeable. (Bigger chance if you are Fellini buff.) Other nearby coastal towns to check out are Cesenatico, Riccione and Gabbice Mare. Personally, while in that region, I would not want to miss Ravenna.
In general, I would want a car for the entire trip. I would rent one in Sicily, and one on the boot itself. If I had a car, I would consider Puglia instead of the Adriatic coast, after Sicily, and head from there to Latium, and then train to Bologna.
Sep 16th, 2011, 04:45 PM
#6
I don't see any mention of a car anywhere. I don't think there's a car rental agency in Fondi (not sure why that station is your destination), but there is one in Gaeta (and at the Naples Airport which is where I would rent). There is no train service to Gaeta, but there is frequent bus service from the Formia train station.
I'm not a big fan of the Adriatic Coast towns, but I admit I haven't been in that area in several years. You want to "hang around the coast areas," but I would want some variety (in scenery and to some extent food, if nothing else) and would spend some days inland. Without a car, however, it would probably be easier to base in the coast towns.
I'm not a big fan of the Adriatic Coast towns, but I admit I haven't been in that area in several years. You want to "hang around the coast areas," but I would want some variety (in scenery and to some extent food, if nothing else) and would spend some days inland. Without a car, however, it would probably be easier to base in the coast towns.
Sep 16th, 2011, 05:53 PM
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zeppole, you wrot:Ancona is a fairly large city, and Pescara is north of it." Pescara is south of Ancona.
We are not renting a car to travel from point a-b, but we may rent a car while staying in one location. We prefer the train system.
My research shows Fondi as a train station, not Gaeta.
Too late...I'll continue tomorrow.
We are not renting a car to travel from point a-b, but we may rent a car while staying in one location. We prefer the train system.
My research shows Fondi as a train station, not Gaeta.
Too late...I'll continue tomorrow.
Sep 16th, 2011, 11:19 PM
#8
Yes, Fondi has a train station and Gaeta does not. But if you're traveling without a car and want to stay in Gaeta, it would be easier to train to Formia and bus or taxi to Gaeta. If you're staying in Sperlonga, the Fondi station is closer. I think the only car rental agency in these four towns is in Gaeta.
Sep 17th, 2011, 12:55 AM
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Sorry! I misread your post and thought you were headed to Pesaro, which is north of Ancona and closer to Bologna. (Too late for me too!)
If you look at a train schedule you will see that
Fondi > Ancora : 4.30 hours
Fondi > Rimini: 5.30 hours
Fondi > Pescara: 6.30 hours
Ancona > Bologna: 2 hours
Pescara > Bologna: 3 hours
Rimini > Bologna:: 1.5 hours
So if the idea of pushing to get to Pescara is to shorten your trip to Bologna, you're not really saving yourself time, and Rimini is worth considering for travel logistics.
Now that I read your second post to Bob, I see that you have Abruzzi friends advising you, so maybe you will end up wanting to go to Pescara despite the extra time on the train. It is a city of 200,000, but from there, you would have easier access to the Gargano peninsula, which is the one of the few spectacularly scenic destinations on the Adriatic coast, but you would need a car.
http://www.lifeinitaly.com/tourism/abruzzo/pescara
http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy-feat...no-peninsula-0
http://wanderingitaly.com/blog/artic...co-del-gargano
From Pescara, it's a 2 hour train trip to Rimini, so maybe you could spend a night/day there before heading to Bologna.
If you look at a train schedule you will see that
Fondi > Ancora : 4.30 hours
Fondi > Rimini: 5.30 hours
Fondi > Pescara: 6.30 hours
Ancona > Bologna: 2 hours
Pescara > Bologna: 3 hours
Rimini > Bologna:: 1.5 hours
So if the idea of pushing to get to Pescara is to shorten your trip to Bologna, you're not really saving yourself time, and Rimini is worth considering for travel logistics.
Now that I read your second post to Bob, I see that you have Abruzzi friends advising you, so maybe you will end up wanting to go to Pescara despite the extra time on the train. It is a city of 200,000, but from there, you would have easier access to the Gargano peninsula, which is the one of the few spectacularly scenic destinations on the Adriatic coast, but you would need a car.
http://www.lifeinitaly.com/tourism/abruzzo/pescara
http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy-feat...no-peninsula-0
http://wanderingitaly.com/blog/artic...co-del-gargano
From Pescara, it's a 2 hour train trip to Rimini, so maybe you could spend a night/day there before heading to Bologna.
Sep 17th, 2011, 02:36 AM
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I also wanted to add that if you haven't booked your plane tickets to and from Sicily, you might check into flying out of Sicily to either of Rome's airports, and travel from there to Sperlonga by public transportation. I think it might be cheaper and faster all around than flying back to Naples.
Sep 17th, 2011, 08:40 AM
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Jean,
Thanks for clarifying which train stations correspond to the towns in that area.
As I mentioned earlier, we are wide open to suggestions about our choices of destinations. You wrote that you are not a big fan of the Adriatic Coast towns, and I would like to hear, in more detail, why. We don't want to regret our choices when it becomes too late. Now is the time to adjust the trip.
zeppole, I missed the fact that although Pescara is south of Ancona and Rimini, there are only regional trains to get there from Fondi-Sperlonga.
I was aware of Gabbice Mare, and will check out Cesenatico and Riccione as well.
About the plane tickets, yes we used award miles and you need to do that early in your planning. Since we arrive Naples airport at noon, we would stay in the airport and catch a flight into Catania. Haven't figured out if we are returning to Naples via Catania or Palermo.
I'd like to hear more about the Gargano peninsula though, especially if you have been there and can give me first-hand information.
Thanks for clarifying which train stations correspond to the towns in that area.
As I mentioned earlier, we are wide open to suggestions about our choices of destinations. You wrote that you are not a big fan of the Adriatic Coast towns, and I would like to hear, in more detail, why. We don't want to regret our choices when it becomes too late. Now is the time to adjust the trip.
zeppole, I missed the fact that although Pescara is south of Ancona and Rimini, there are only regional trains to get there from Fondi-Sperlonga.
I was aware of Gabbice Mare, and will check out Cesenatico and Riccione as well.
About the plane tickets, yes we used award miles and you need to do that early in your planning. Since we arrive Naples airport at noon, we would stay in the airport and catch a flight into Catania. Haven't figured out if we are returning to Naples via Catania or Palermo.
I'd like to hear more about the Gargano peninsula though, especially if you have been there and can give me first-hand information.
Sep 17th, 2011, 08:54 AM
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zeppole,
One more thing...Puglia. You suggested visiting this area, and it has always piqued my interest - especially the Trullo thatched-roof houses. Why did you throw that out as a destination? Is it more than just seeing the villages that have the Trullo houses?
One more thing...Puglia. You suggested visiting this area, and it has always piqued my interest - especially the Trullo thatched-roof houses. Why did you throw that out as a destination? Is it more than just seeing the villages that have the Trullo houses?
