Pre-lim Italy plan - Can it be done? Rome: +Tuscany +Amalfi Coast....
 

Hi, I have been pouring over all the great itineraries here...and have not yet found info. if and how this particular "strategy" can/would be accomplished...

Month of travel: September
Arriving on a saturday, 5 travelers= 3 30somethings + 2 parents (retired)
# of days: 3 travelers will do 12 days
# of days: 2 travelers will do 10 days
Budget: conservative $$, not $$$ hoping to find $$ apartments vs. hotels
Must all fly in and out of ROME, cannot do multi-city AND all are taking different
flights but (hoping) to arrive in the same 2-3 hour window in the AM

3 areas agreed to see: (We realize there is backtracking because of Rome arrival and departure:)

Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, Rome (assume Rome be last on trip - so that 2 travelers can depart, and the ones staying can do Rome/add'l day trip if they want)

Suggested order of attack? I know Amalfi Coast and Tuscany are general vs. "a town", and thus we need to begin to get more specific, but suggestions welcome.

Also, because of the backtracking is it still best to use trains to cover the distances or is there true value to researching a flight? (general concensus is train may be longer but atleast you get to see things vs. plane/airport/no scenery)

NOTE: With all my personal trips (not group) to europe in 9-10 days, have only accomplished at most 2 cities/areas, so for me the 3rd area is not necessary, but the rest are strongly insisting this can be done.

thank you :)

Do the 10 or 12 days include the day you arrive and depart - or are those 10 or 12 full days on the ground?

If the former, 3 places is just too many you won;t see much. If the latter, you can do 3 places but are pushing it.

No need to fly - use train - or a car in Tuscany.

You can take a train from the airport to Rome and there pick up a bus to Sorrento (IMHO better than multiple trains and then a bus when you have just landed from an overnight lfight). But it will be fairly late in the day when you get to the Amalfi area. If you stay in Sorrento you can take a train to Pompeii and a ferry to Capri and down the Amalfi coast to see the small towns. But - this will take your arrival days from 3 more.

Then take a train from Sorrento to Naples to X in Tuscany. You need to pick a larger town with good train service (the obvious is Florence) spend one day there and another taking a train or bus to one or more of the hill towns. You have now used 3 more days - total 7.

Take the train to Rome. The 10 day people have 2.5 days in Rome. the 12 day people have 4.5 in Rome.

As you can see for the 10 day people there will be no time in Rome if the 10 days includes day or arrival and departure.

As you have found in your own travels, 2 places would be better. As I found myself when planning my own trip, Tuscany alone has hundreds of options! I would stick to Rome and Amalfi coast and leave Tuscany out of the equation entirely. Once you all start researching you will likely find many smaller places within those areas top choose from.
I am topping your thread so the fodorites who know this area so well will see it.

Great, thks for helping me to clarify the # of days properly (on the post and for my fellow travellers in this group...) Technically 9 days on the ground (minus 10th day travel back) and 11 days for the ones who can do a longer stay (minus 12th day travel back)

The Amalfi coast does add backtracking. It is much more efficient to do one or the other. 8-9 days can certainly be well spent north of Rome: orvieto, cinqueterre, maybe Portofino/Camogli/Genoa, Tuscany. It is a whole other week to do north of that: Milan, Lake Como, Bergamo, Venice, the Dolomites. I think the Amalfi coast may be best done on a separate trip with Sicily?

If you HAD to do both, I'd probably bus or train down to AC and spend 2 days there then head back up north but you are really short changing yourself in both areas.

Love you name, by the way!

I would fly into Naples--as I am doing in May. Same flights to Rome but add a connection to Naples. It will save tons of travel logistics from Rome. End in Rome--do Tuscany in the middle.

thx4helpingme,
I would go to Florence first because it is only about an hour and a half from Rome and is simple to get to and that may be all you can handle with jetlag. I would use trains for each leg.

To Sorrento, you can either take the Curreri bus (2pm- 16€) or Marozzi bus (3pm - 17.50€) which depart from Rome's Tiburtina station. Both take about 3 1/2 - 4 hours to reach Sorrento. I would book a car service from the airport to Tiburtina for the group if those times work for you. Another bus option from the airport is the Buono Tourist bus which departs from FCO to Salerno at 3:20 pm (Mon-Sat June 15 to Sept 15 - 15€).

Just wanted to provide a logistical update to my original post.

I knew this was a bit too aggressive of a trip for me, personally, (and appreciated all the feedback that validated that on here! thanks!) but was thankful for the opportunity to collaborate on creating this (crazy) trip with 4 wonderful people. The group got along well, with only a few minor bumps :)

Now I need a vacation from my vacation....

Our AMAZING RACE logistics of Italy....

Day 1
Arrive in Rome AM--Driver-Rome to Naples
Driver-Naples to Pompeii (guided tour of ruins)
Driver-Pompeii to Sorrento (base)
Day 2
Driver - Sorrento to Amalfi
Amalfi to Positano
Positano to Ravello
Ravello to Scala
Scala to Positano
Positano to Sorrento
Day 3
Hotel Shuttle/Walking - Explored Sorrento,
a nice break from the Amazing Race :)
Day 4
Ferry - Sorrento to Capri/Anacapri
Return to Sorrento
Day 5
Driver-Sorrento Back to Rome
Explored Rome; Overnight in Rome
Day 6
Train-Rome to Florence
Guide- around Florence
Rental Car - Drove Florence to Sovicille (base)
Day 7
Rental Car - Sovicille to Volterra
Volterra to San Gimignano
San Gimignano to Siena
Siena to Sovicille
Day 8
Rental Car - Sovicille to Montalcino
Montalcino to San Quirico d'Orcia
San Quirico d'Orcia to Bagno Vignoni
Bagno Vignoni to Sovicille
Day 9
Return Rental Car -Sovicille to Florence
(Enjoy a little more Florence)
Train - Florence to Rome (Enjoy a little more Rome)
Day 10
AM Flight back to States

Day 10 PM + 11 Collapse

Pro: Having 5 people, we were able to use a driver for parts of the trip who acted as transport and tour guide. We felt this was worth any additional expense over the comparable train tickets, transfers, luggage lugging/logistics, etc.
Pro: Were all able to meet up in Rome, each using a different flight based on use of individual points/cost/flight preferences
Con: One Airline lost one persons luggage. It eventually arrived on Day 4, PM. Yuck. But luckily before the next leg of the trip
Pro: Were able to each use points for all overnights in Rome using Starwood
Con/Pro: As expected, experienced a little of a lot in 9 days :)
Pro: Day 6-9-Diesel Fuel/mileage

That's funny. Mentioning the diesel fuel savings after spending a ton on drivers. I guess it all counts.