Hi - wanted to get some thoughts/feedback about a proposed itinerary to Italy (there will be 3 of us going, only 1 has been there). We know about the weather, but this is the best time for us to go.<BR><BR>23rd of March -fly to Rome(arrive 8a on the 24th)<BR><BR>24th of March - check into Mecenate Palace for 3 nights (not sure yet the extent of what to see/what day yet) <BR><BR>27th of March - pickup rental car at the Stazione Termini, drive to Florence. Check into Hotel Dali for 3 nights (again, not sure layout of sightseeing plans yet)<BR><BR>29th of March - day trip to see Lucca and Pisa, return to Florence for the night.<BR><BR>30th of March - start the drive south (final destination Amalfi Coast). Plan to see Siena, Montalcino, Orvieto, with no exact plan of where to stay for the night.<BR><BR>31st of March - see Anzio, and Herculaneum on the way to Massa Lubrense to our hotel (Piccolo Paradiso - 2 nights). Can check out Sorrento that night.<BR><BR>1st of April - go to Pompeii, and Paestum, with return going up the coast (see Amalfi, Priano, Positano).<BR> <BR>2nd of April - drive back up to Rome for last night (using points for free night at Four Points by Sheraton Roma West). They have a shuttle to get into the city - do any last minute souvenier shopping and sightseeing.<BR><BR>Again, any insights would be greatly appreciated!<BR>Monica<BR><BR><BR>

A pretty good itinerary if somewhat full. March 30th will be very hectic. You need at least a half a day in Siena just to see the main attractions (quickly)then a drive to Montalcino where you should sit and savor some fine food and wine and then drive again to Orvieto. Think about foregoing one of these destinations (I'd pick Montalcino) and spend a little more time in Siena and the late afternoon/evening in Orvieto. March 31st will be another long day with a good deal of driving. If you stop at the beach and museum at Anzio (are you planning on a visit to the American cemetary in Nettuno also?) you won't arrive in Herculaneum until late afteroon. The next day, same thing. Pompeii, Paestum and the Amalfi Drive is a lot to tackle in one day. If you see Pompeii in the morning, have lunch, go to Paestum, see that, you won't be leaving Paestum until late afteroon/early evening and it can take a long time to drive the Amalfi Drive. You won't have time to see Priano and Positano. March is still off season on the Amalfi Coast and Priano especially will be almost deserted and many of the stores and restaurants in Positano will be closed. I would return to your hotel from Paestum via the autostrada and enjoy Massa Lubrense for the evening.

Hi Monica<BR><BR>There are people on this board with lots more experience than I. But I did see a couple of things that didn't jive.<BR><BR>I don't think it is possible to do all that you have planned on April 1.<BR><BR>Pompeii and Paestum are quite a distance apart. Aside from the travel time, you would need to spend at least two hours in each place. And seeing the other three towns the same day just seems like too much to me.

Thanks Grinisa and Sher - <BR><BR>How would this be....if on the 29th, we did Lucca and Pisa, then continued onto Siena, and spent the night there? Then we could do Montalcino, Orvieto, and Anzio (and the US cemetary) on the 30th. We could start the 31st still with Herculaneum, do Sorrento, and maybe Positano that same day. I forgot to add that we do have the day of the 2nd to work with as well (we were playing with the idea of going to the Museo Archeologico in Naples) - how long does it take to get back to Rome? <BR><BR>How long does it take to drive from the Sorrento area to Paestum?<BR><BR>Thanks again!<BR><BR>

My first thought is that you might want to check the driving distances between the areas you are planning to visit because some of your days are quite ambitious.<BR><BR>My second thought is that you might consider taking the train from Rome to Florence instead of driving so that you won't have the car to worry about in Florence. You can pick up the car when you leave, and then drive through Tuscany. <BR><BR>Also, areas to consider:<BR><BR>= You are only allowing one day for Florence<BR>= You idea of staying in Siena overnight is very good...such a great city<BR>= March 30 and 31 require a lot of driving which won't leave you much time to see sites<BR><BR>Have fun planning.<BR><BR>

You could do the Lucca/Pisa/Siena day but then I think you won't see any of Siena. Lucca should at least be given a morning, there is a great deal to see and wandering around that beautiful town is something that shouldn't be missed. Then lunch and drive to Pisa where you will need to spend at least a couple of hours and then drive to Siena which you probably won't reach until evening at the earliest. If you want to do Montalcino, Orvieto, Anzio and Nettuno the following day you won't have any time to see Siena in the morning. And doing those cities on the 30th, is way too ambitious. Then are you planning to stay overnight in Anzio/Nettuno and driving to Herculaneum first thing in the morning? Herculaneum/Sorrento/Positano is another ambitious day. It takes between 90 minutes and 2 and half hours to drive from Sorrento Paestum on the autostrada depending on traffic. On the Amalfi Drive it is more like between 2 and a half and four and a half hours, depending on traffic and what kind of traffic (trucks, tour buses and inexperienced tourist drivers slow down the drive considerably)you run into. Driving in Naples is not the greatest idea. It is one of the most congested cities traffic-wise, with drivers that have little or no regard of traffic laws and numerous car thefts. I don't recommend that you check out of your hotel and go into Naples to see a museum with all of your belongings left in the car. It takes around three hours to get from Sorrento to Rome.

I look at your itinerary and think, &quot;More is not necessarily better!&quot;<BR>You're really not leaving any time to enjoy what you're seeing.<BR>I won't repeat the constructive comments that have already been made. I'll just comment that you've obviously done a bit of solid research. Thus, it should be just as obvious that you can't possibly see and do everything you want to see and do in 8 days. I sugggest you go back over your itinerary and set priorities!

Thanks everyone for your comments. I did do research, but do admit to being overly ambitious. I know Grinisa said she would cut out Montalcino, and that can be done (mostly going there just to taste the wine anyways). Are Lucca and Orvieto must sees? If you had to choose 1, which would you choose? Want to do tons of stuff, but don't want to kill ourselves!<BR>Thanks again!

Let's see, you have Rome(3), Florence (3), somewhere-in-Tuscany (1), Massa Lubrense(2) and Rome (1). Since your overnight stops seem reasonably well spaced, you can tailor your sightseeing daytrips to suit your interests and energy. I think you are getting the idea that yours will be a 'overview' trip, and thus you will have to reluctantly be very selective about what you see. <BR><BR>For your 'somewhere-in-Tuscany' overnight stop I'd pick Orvieto, as it is just off the main highway maybe 1 hour drive from Rome yet has a spectacular setting with a great cathedral. You will have time to take a scenic route from Florence to Orvieto the morning of the 30th, and enjoy the Tuscan countryside, but I'm not sure how many towns you can comfortably fit in on that day. <BR><BR>I second the caution about Paestum; I would do either a daytrip to Paestum OR a daytrip to see the Amalfi coast from M.Lubrense (I'm assuming that's near Sorrento.) Have a great trip.

Not bad, but 2 thoughts.<BR>Do not get the car until you leave Florence--no reason to drive there.<BR>Drop Paestrum--too far--not enough time.<BR>Good luck--I have done late March twice before--not ideal but OK.