Rome, Amalfi Coast or Florence?
 

I have a week of vacation time that I must use before the end of the year. Because it is a new job, I probably will not take it until Sept/Oct.

My husband and I spent 10 days in Venice last May and fell in love with it and Italy. We are considering going to Italy again, and wanted people's opinion of our thoughts of either Rome, Amalfi Coast or Florence.

We would have 10 days, of which 2 would be travel, coming from Boston. To get an idea of the pacing we like, the 8 full days we spent in Venice were just right. We didn't feel rushed, and we felt like we got to see alot that most people don't just spending 2-3 days.

We want this is be fairly relaxing, and would love not to have to have a car.

We saw Paris in 5 days a few years ago and that felt a bit rushed. We were going every second trying to squeeze in all the "sights". In Venice we could get up and out early, tour a little, grab lunch somewhere, then go back to our apartment in the heat of the day, and relax on the deck with a book and glass of wine, then venture out again in the late afternoon to tour a little more and have dinner somewhere near our apartment.

p.s. We are not huge museum people - 1 or 2 are OK, but we love architecture and history, good food, shopping, good wine, and a really "walkable" place. Just strolling around and happening upon things was one of the things we loved about Venice.

I think with 8 days you can combine the coast and Rome, giving Rome 5 days.
Good luck !

Counted wrong - we would have 9 days total, with 2 travel days, so 7 days to explore.

Either Rome by itself or Florence with 1 or 2 day trips to smaller towns (San G, Siena, Assisi). You would need to check on train or bus - we've only done by car so I don;t know the details on other means.

For September/October, I would choose Florence. It sounds that you enjoy the culture of a place more than the sights to see. In my opinion, the culture in Florence can't be beat. Of course, Rome has its culture, but there is something so intimate and romantic about Florence that you cannot find anywhere else. In Rome you could feel rushed to fit in the hundreds of museums and ruins, plus Vatican City. If you are in Rome, it's impossible not to go to all the major museums, while as in Florence, if you're not a huge art fan, you could skip the bigger museums and rather go to the off the beaten path places.

There is nothing that beats walking around the random streets in Florence and seeing the old men and women sipping an afternoon espresso. I have not come close to having the same feeling that I had while in Florence. While you can do it in 3 days, it's the places you come across on days 6-8 that really make you appreciate the city.

Oh, and the food and shopping cannot be beat! And if you are feeling that you have too much time in Florence, it's easy to hop on a bus or train to a town in Tuscany.

Hi wanderer,

My opinion is exactly opposite of CJ's above! Rome is a wonderful city for just walking around, relaxing at a cafe and seeing whatever sights you want.

Saying that it is impossible NOT to go to all the major museums in Rome is a kind of silly statement. You can see or skip whatever museums you want in either city if you are reasonably intelligent and capable of making decisions.

There is so much to see in Rome that you don't have to feel rushed to see it all - you won't even with 2 weeks.

This does open up the whole Rome vs. Florence vs. Venice debate again, doesn't it?

If you are not big museum people, it really doesn't make sense to spend your whole time in Firenze. I find the city quite enjoyable in itself for its architecture and history, but most people don't.

Provided you can put up with the near-constant noise and bustle of the big city, Roma is more atmospheric. But you should do a lot of research about where you want to rent an apartment.

Finally, it is one of my dreams to spend 3 or days in Pompeii and 5 or more in Naples -- and in September, I might be tempted to 2 nights in Anacapri or Ravello. (Naples is not by any means a relaxign place to stroll.) Two weeks on the Amafli coast in a place like Positano wouldn't suit me at all, and I'd only return to Ravello if I had a novel to finish. There is really very little to do on the Amalfi other than gaze at the sea and eat the fantastic food. The shopping is strictly tourist.

It's a shame you don't want to rent a car. Probably the ideal vacation would be the Tuscan countryside or a small town like Lucca. Driving in Italy is quite simple. And renting a place outside the cities is usually cheaper than inside them, so the cost of a rental is offset.

It's funny, but my post crossed with cjacob's, and it eloquently expresses the way I feel about Firenze, with its unusual museums and sights when you get off the beaten track. But it's also true that my main reason for enjoying Firenze as much as I do is that it is so dense in museums and churches. It's hard for me to imagine spending my most of my time in Firenze doing something else.

Have you thought about just returning to Venice?

<<we love architecture and history, good food, shopping, good wine, and a really "walkable" place>>

Considering your preferred mode of travel, you would want to go to just one place with only a week actually there. Rome certainly would give you everything you're looking for. I spent 5 nights there in Sept and 11 more in March and still have much to see, but with 7 days you could see a lot while still having time to wander and relax.

Thanks everyone. While we would return to Venice in a heartbeat, we loved it so, we really also like to see new places.

My husband studied Latin, so I think he would really enjoy Rome and it's ruins.

I think I have a good sense of the "feel" of Rome - lots of ancient ruins/sites, hectic, noisy, lots to see.

I don't have as good a feel for Florence. People I've talked to either love it or hate it, and I'm not sure why. I'm more concerned with the "hate" part - I've heard comments of claustraphobic, dark, narrow tiny streets. Can't anyone speak to that?

I kind of like the idea of hopping a train to Tuscan countryside if we get bored.

Is Florence at all like Venice (minus the canal of course) in atmosphere and "feel"?

Hi W,

With 7 days in which to relax, I would fly in/out Naples and spend the week on the AC. Late Sept/early Oct is a good time to go. Hotel rates drop around the first of Oct.

See my trip report for further details:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

If that's not your style, I agree with a week in Rome.

((I))

Wanderer,

Nowhere is like Venezia!

My impression of Florence was noise, crowds, dirty. Yes, the streets in the center are very narrow and dark. You have to jump into a doorway to avoid the Vespas. I felt Florence was very crowded because so many people are all packed into the historic center. I only had 2 nights there, but our room faced the street to the train station and I had no sleep at all.

If I went back, and I would, I would stay in Frisole (SP?) outside the city and take a bus in.

In Rome, yes there are millions of people, but they seem more spread out. My hotel had double paned windows for noise proofing and I slept like a rock.

Rome is a walking city, the Amalfi Coast is not walking at all, unless you are going for some serious hiking.

PS - if you did want to get out of Rome for a day or two, there are several day trips within an hour and very easy to do. Orvieto, Tivoli (Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este) and Ostia Antica. I've been to the first two and can highly recommend.

Florence is nothing like Venice in the feel. I am one of those people who did not like Florence at all. Don't get me wrong...there are some wonderful museums in Florence...and of course the Duomo is amazing but I hated the feel in Florence. It does not have any of the charm that Rome or Venice possess. I think its lack of any real open space, shortage of beautiful fountains like Rome and narrow streets dodging vespas at every turn give it a claustraphobic effect.

Having said that, I would probably base myself instead in a place like Siena and perhaps do day trips to San Gimignano, Volterra, Chianti, Florence and then possibly stay a few days on the coast in the Cinque Terre...which we loved.

Or I would spend a few days in Amalfi and the remainder of time in Rome which is a great city for strolling and people watching in the wonderful piazza's. You must however see a few museums while you are there...The Vatican and Galleria Borghese are very good choices.

Agreed Venezia is nothing like Firenze, but as a big fan of Firenze, let me say a few things:

It is a Renaissance city, by a river, with narrow streets leading to large social piazzas. Many of these streets are pedestrian-only, and it is not difficult to get a hotel or apartment on a pedestrian only street and with air conditioning and double-glazed windows. If you would like more tranquility, rent an apartment on the Oltrarno (across the river). Like the Trastevere in Rome (across the Tiber), it is more verdant, less touristed and bohemian.

You will have to dodge a LOT of Vespas and autos if you stay in the atmospheric quarters of Rome. If you stay in the areas with more modern streets, you will have a roar of noise and exhaust fumes.

Firenze is like Venice in one respect: Both come close to being open air museums, and both are much smaller than Rome, so the number of tourists packing into all the same piazzas makes it feel wall-to-wall mobbed unless you know where to go to lose the crowds. In Firenze, that's across the river. (It's a 10 minute walk across the river). Fiesole is also a good choice for being just a step removed from the tourist hordes.

In Roma, the tourists mob the famous sites, and some of the sites -- like the Vatican -- were built to accommodate mobs. But otherwise you are just among the hordes of Romans, with the same feel of a big concentrated population as you would find in Paris, London and New York.

But since your husband has some interest in Latin and antiquity, it sounds like Rome is the more interesting choice for you anyway.

By the way, I would be extremely happy -- and so would everybody else -- if the literally millions of people who don't have a strong feel for museums, church architecture or Renaissance history but who feel driven to see Firenze because it's so "famous" for reasons they really don't understand would spend their vacation time elsewhere.

So while I'm happy to talk about how deeply rewarding it can be to spend time in Firenze for students of art, I'm just as eager to tell tourists who aren't museum lovers that Roma has got enough Renaissance art to last them a lifetime and other parts of Italy are more bucolic.

I have traveled to all of these locations, and honestly love them all for their own beauty. Florence is wonderful esp if art is your thing. Rome is exciting and Cosmopolitan. The Amalfi Coast BEAUTIFUL! Maybe because of the time of year Florence, and save the Amalfi Coast for the hot summer fun.

Hello wanderer, from what you have said I personally would suggest that you think about going to Rome. IMO Rome is a wonderful city to walk around in and if you do you can get away from the horde of tourist. My wishes that you enjoy your next trip to Italy regardless of whatever you decide.

I know that many people love Florence and will defend its merit. As I say, it was not my favorite city in Italy for ambience but has many wonderful treasures.

I would have to say the Arno was a surprise...expecting a river and what we saw when we looked over the edge was a dried up cesspool of garbage and pollution. I think they have done a very good job in Rome with the Tiber since I was there years ago. They have cleaned it up and have made it a transportation and sightseeing option.

I find that while I can appreciate Renaissance art, I thought if I saw one more Madonna and Child at the Uffizi...it would be one more too many. I agree that spending time in the Altro Arno will help to create a better impression of Florence...I was deeply disappointed and surprised that the Boboli Gardens shut down midday for the remainder of the day when we were there....not sure why but I understand there is a very pretty view of the tuscan hills from there.

I don't think Florence is the place to base yourself if you are not museum people. It is worth some time if you are staying near the area. I could be wrong but I know from my 2 trips to Rome that you can enjoy the city without visiting one museum (although the Sistine Chapel was one of the highlights of my trip). The history is out in the open for you to see....you will happen upon it in every nook and cranny you wander. Some will say it is dirty and crowded...which it is...you have to look beyond that and you will still find the charm in Rome on the deserted back streets...in Trastevere...and even in the crowded squares.

Thanks everyone. We were leaning toward Rome, and in checking hotels, find that this is their priciest month!!

Is all of Italy high season in October, or would we be better going to Positano or Capri?

What about going in Nov., or is weather too iffy at that late date - we don't care about sunbathing or swimming, and don't really care if it's cool (prefer that over heat), but want to avoid alot of rain if possible.

You shouldn't book the Amalfi in iffy weather, and once you are past the first week in October, you are taking a big chance. The reason to make the effort to go to the Amalfi coast or Capri is to see the beautiful coastline in the sunshine and the mix of blue sky and green sea. Rain and fog obliterate the views and turn everything grey.

Rome, however, is a fine place to be, and if you are there in October with time on your hands, take a trip into Lazio or Tuscany to be part of the grape harvest. In November, go taste some fresh olive oil in the Maremma or other parts of Tuscany. You can do these as day trips.

You didn't mention the Amalfi as a possibility in your first post, but a person could quite easily spend 10 days in Sorrento or even Salerno having no end of things to do and see in the area, including the artistic and gastronomic richness of Naples and the beauty and deliciousness of the Amalfi, and above all, there is Pompeii -- but the culture of that part of Italy is so far from anything you experienced in Venice, it would be a big gamble to go for two weeks there.