Rome-Florence-Naples with a touch of Amalfi Coast
 

Dear Fodorines,
Please criticize my itinerary that I put together for myself and my husband. This is my husband’s first trip to Italy and my 5th.

Monday, May 10 – arrival to Rome at 10:30 am
Transfer to St. Regis Grand Hotel (booked by spg points)

Question: to stay on budget, should we take a bus (watched the Video trailer courtesy of www.romewalks.com on youtube) – if that is going to cost us (2 passengers) about 22 Euros, does it make more sense to take a cab, which is suppose to be only 40 Euros?

Activities: walk in the city (Colossseum to the Forum, then over Capitol Hill to the Pantheon, lunch at Enoteca Cul de Sac in Campo Fiore, Travi, Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo to the Spanish Steps, dinner at Hostaria Antica Roma)

Tuesday, May 11
Activities: Reservations at 11:00 am at Galleria Borghese, Booked Vastours at 2:15 to Tivoli Hadrian’s Villa and Villa D’Este

Wednesday, May 12
Activities: Booked Vastours again for Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel at 7:45 am
Booked a train to Florence at 4:15 pm
Check in to Westin Excelsior (booked by spg points)
Dinner: Il Latini or… still searching for a fun local place

Thursday, May 13
Activities: Walk in the city, Lunch at Trattoria Mario (love this place!), need to make reservations at Uffizi and Accademia after lunch, sunset from Piazza Michelangelo

Friday, May 14
Bus to Fiesole? Or book a tour to Tuscany countryside (we have to leave Florence at 3:10 pm to go to Naples) or just stay in Florence and enjoy the city?
Booked a train to Naples at 3:10 pm – stay with my Italian friends in Napoli, go to Amalfi Coast for the weekend (base is Sorrento – we will stay at their villa in Sorrento) – relax, enjoy the atmosphere.

Monday, May 17
Return to Naples, go to Pompeii

Tuesday, May 18
Booked a train to Rome at 5:55 am that arrives to Roma Termini at 8:06 am, depart from Flumiciano at 12:10 pm

Question: From Roma Termini we just take the Leonardo Express (buy tickets from the tobacco stores?) to the airport?

Thank you all!!!!!!!

The train from Fiumicino to Roma Termini is only about 11 euros. It looks like you could walk to your hotel from the station.

I'd make reservations ahead of time for the Uffizi and Academia in Florence -- now from home.

Pompeii should be easier from Sorrento as opposed to Naples. Depends on where your friend's villa is located and what the weekend plans are.

Be aware that when you take a train to Rome the same day as your flight, you're taking a bit of a risk. There are strikes and other happenings to disrupt the train schedules.

You can buy your tickets from Roma Termini to FCO in Naples. Or at Rome. No need to exit the station, looking for a tobacco store.

Just made reservations for the Uffizi and Academia.
I'll ask our friends for the easier commute to Pompeii.
Will consider to changing the train to arrive Rome a night before our departure. Thanks so much for your quick reply.

Sounds like great fun !
We will be in Naples at the same time---16, 17, 18

OMG Bob, if our schedules permits, I would love to meet you. Been following all your travel wisdom and enjoying reading all your comments, trip reports and itineraries.

>>>The train from Fiumicino to Roma Termini is only about 11 euros.<<<

Saw a post today that the train price has increased to 14€. You can also take the Sitbus shuttle from the airport to the train station (8€).
http://www.sitbusshuttle.it/

Lilit, We will be at the Hotel Constantonopoli 104 for 4 nites beginning on 16 May. Give us a holler if you want to have a drink. You can see my face in my profile--just click my name.

Sounds good, Bob.
See you there! Countdown has begun.

If you have not yet been, I would suggest Sostanza for dinner in Florence (we were there for lunch but I would go for dinner in a heartbeat). Also had a great dinners at Buca Lapi and Camillo Trattoria.

Looks like you have pretty much defined the details, so I am not sure how useful are the itinerary comments at this time.

If I were to do this, I would have put the Rome last and would have gone straight to Florence after landing in FCO to eliminate the last one-nighter in Rome as well as making better use of the time between landing until the hotel check-in in Rome for traveling instead of potentially having to wait for the room to be ready.

Hi Greg,
all comments are welcome since I want to make the best of it in a short time mostly for my husband who hasn't been in Italy yet. I thought of going to Florence first, but our friends in Naples want us in Naples (they work and can't take time off on weekdays). I know I am taking a risk by leaving Monday from Naples via train to Rome, but if strikes hit, we will take a private car to Rome in order to catch our fligt (and hopefully that won't cost us a fortune... this part will play by ear).

Your Rome itinerary seems to be full, but you seem to be interested in art, so here is a posting about the Caravaggio exhibit: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...gh-june-13.cfm
I went to the exhibit and I was not disappointed. As mentioned, the ticket line for those who did not make an online reservation was long. Also as noted, I got in about 30min before my reservation time by holding: the ticket lady motioned me to go ahead and get in.

Unlike other popular museums, this one was attended mostly by non-tourists.