sicing

Hi there,

My girlfriend and I are planning our 9-day trip to Italy this June, and we'd love some advice.

We are having trouble deciding between these itineraries (traveling by train):

Rome -> Firenze -> Cinque Terre (3 days, 2 days, 4 days)

Rome -> Napoli/Pompei -> Amalfi Coast (3 days, 2 days, 4 days)

We'd love to visit Rome, so it's our starting point. An alternative that we're considering is Venice, Firenze, Cinque Terre. But then we'd miss Rome! On the other hand, we could get some beach time in Venice, I guess (Lido that is).

We're not huge hiking fans, but it'd be fun to try.
We'd love some relaxing or beach time as opposed to sightseeing and moving around all the time. A little bit of both would be optimal. Being very busy is not the goal; rather it is experience combined with relaxation.

I know I'm not providing a lot of information, and that it is a very subjective matter. But any advice or information would be wonderful, nonetheless.

MmePerdu

"A little bit of both..."

With so few days, a little bit is all you have. Taking travel time at both ends and in the middle, too, into account, go to Rome and a beach. Period. It's the only way you'll begin to have time to relax.

ekc

If you are not big hiking fans, then I would choose the Rome/Nap/AC itinerary. The AC is all about relaxation and beach time.

But if you are traveling this June, you should look at booking your hotel ASAP, as many of the accommodations on the AC (especially budget-friendly) have been booked for months.

nytraveler

IMHO the CT are very tiny towns cut into the cliffside and the only reason to go there is the hiking. I think you would be bored stiff for 4 days. Also, be aware that the info on hiking in the CT is for good weather, for people used to hiking and having proper footwear (google the website of the hiking trails).

The AC has a much greater variety of things to see and do (Pompeii, Capri, etc) as well as relaxing on the beach and some hiking if you wish.

However, I should point out that you don't have the number of days you think you have- since you haven;t allowed time - 1/2 a day at least - to get from one place to another. For instance 3 nights in Rome is really only 2 days.

So you may want to cut back to 2 destinations - that's the most I would do in the limited time you have.

Mimar

Do you really have 9 days on the ground in Italy? Not including the flight there and the day you fly back? Are you flying overnight? If so, you'll be jetlagged and sleepy for the first day or two and not able to do as much.

Yeah, too much time on the Cinque Terre. You'll probably be disappointed by the beach there and on the Amalfi Coast -- if you're used to beaches in the Caribbean or the US. The Lido is okay but it's not real Venice (has cars).

I vote for option 2. But no need to stay in Naples. You could see Pompeii on the way and hit the Archeological Museum in Naples en route back. Which town are you staying in on the Amalfi Coast? Pompeii is an easy trip on the commuter train from Sorrento.

Is your return flight from Rome? Could you leave from Naples? You need to be in the city of your departure airport the night before your flight. Things can easily go wrong in Italy: strikes, traffic jams, train breakdowns, etc. So you need to be close to the airport with multiple transportation options.

ekc

I generally agree with the mantra to be in the city of your departure the night before your flight, except when it comes to Naples. I stay in Positano each year and fly home from Naples and always spend my last night in Positano. I just leave plenty of time to get to the airport.

Jean

Look at lodging options everywhere. Unless you have a large budget, availability may make your decision for you.

isabel

I suggest you go first to Sorrento for 5 nights (assuming you actually have 9 nights total). From a base in Sorrento you can easily do a day trip to Pompeii (1/2 hr) and/or Naples (1 hr). You can also do day trips to Positano/Amalfi/Ravello, or Capri. By staying in Sorrento you can decide once you are there if and when you want to do Pompeii/Napoli vs. hanging on the beach vs. taking a boat or bus to Amalfi, etc. Then go to Rome for the last four nights (assuming you fly out of Rome). That's only two hotels and you'll be in Rome for your departure.

But I agree with the advice above that you'd best look into accommodations if you are talking about this June.

If you decide for whatever reason you'd rather do the CT I'd suggest staying in Rapallo. It's an interesting town itself, and in addition to the CT towns you can do day trips to Portovenere or Portofino, Santa Margherita, etc. I agree just hanging out in the CT towns might get boring for four days especially if you are not into the longer hikes between the towns. But add in Rapallo, etc. and you can easily fill several days. Try Hotel Italia e Lido in Rapallo www.italiaelido.com/eng/ It's right next to the water and over looks an adorable castle. Here are my photos of the area http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/ital...ligurian_coast The first photo is the view from my room in that hotel.

sicing

Wow, thanks a lot for all the helpful replies!

We haven't actually booked our flights yet. But we'll probably arrive in Rome on a Friday night and have a return flight on a Sunday afternoon the following week.

Looks like
2,5 days in Rome (3 nights)
2 days in Naples/Pompei (2 nights in Naples)
3,5 days in Amalfi

I.e.
Friday June 13 20:00 - arriving in ROME + late dinner
Saturday June 14 - ROME sightseeing + dinner
Sunday June 15 - ROME sightseeing + dinner
Monday June 16 - Train + bus to NAPLES + dinner
Tuesday June 17 - Pompei + sightseeing
Wednesday June 18 - Train to Amalfi
Thursday June 19 - Amalfi sightseeing
Friday June 20 - Amalfi sightseeing
Saturday June 21 - Amalfi sightseeing
Sunday June 22 - Back to ROME and flight home

I'm not sure how much fun it is going to be to stay in Naples for two nights? Question is, whether we should go directly to Pompei by train (from Rome with all of our luggage) and then check in at night in Naples to sleep for only 1 night.

Thanks for all the inspiration so far. It is really helping us plan our trip

Debs

Suggest you stay close to the train station in Naples once you get there. We've stayed at the Best Western, which is less than a 10 minute walk from the train station. The neighborhood won't be featured in a travel brochure for Naples, but the location convenience can't be beat. Hotel has roof top restaurant open for breakfast only (included in room rate). You're able to catch the Circumvensuviana at the train station (go downstairs) to Pompeii Scavi and/or Herculaneum. If you're interested in climbing Mt Vesuvius, get off at the Herculaneum stop, and turn left out of the train station and walk over to the ticket office. Quite the experience to say the least!

Jean

You can't "train to Amalfi." Trains go as far as Sorrento or Salerno, then it's bus, ferry or taxi from there.

I wouldn't backtrack to Naples after Pompeii. I'd continue moving toward Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast. While you're exploring Pompeii, you can store your luggage at the entrance. Or you could reverse your plans, head to the Amalfi Coast from Rome and see Pompeii on your way back to Rome.

What time would the return flight out of Rome be? Unless you hire a driver, getting from the Amalfi Coast to Fiumicino is not easy or quick, and any multi-step journey like this is full of opportunities for delays. If it were my trip, unless the flight departs very late in the day, I'd spend the last night in Rome.

Mimar

Why do you want to stay in Naples? You don't seem to be doing any sightseeing there. If it's just to see Pompeii, IMHO that's better done from Sorrento, which also has frequent boats to Capri -- if you're interested.

From Naples there are two ways to get to Amalfi town by public transportation. Take the Circumvesuviana commuter train from Naples Centrale to Sorrento (possibly stopping en route in Pompeii), switch to the SITA bus which takes you along the Amalfi coast to Positano and Amalfi among other towns. Or take the train to Salerno, catch a bus or a boat back to the Amalfi Coast. A third option may exist, by boat from Naples, but that would probably be a long ride.

And you refer to Amalfi but that's just one town along the coast. Presumedly you want to see more than just that one place.

Since you haven't got your plane tickets yet, is it possible for you to fly home from Naples? That would be a lot easier than getting back to Rome and then the airport.

With your trip coming up in June, you need to book both plane tickets and lodging ASAP.

AJPeabody

We did a trip to Rome and Sorrento 2 years ago, 6 days Rome, 4 Sorrento, flew into Rome, out of Naples, train from Rome to Naples to Sorrento. Fitting in another place would not have left enough time for us, and you have less time. Sorrento was a fine base for Pompeii, Herculaneum, Naples, and Capri. Add anpther day there and add Positano or Amalfi. But don't spend your time running here and there and relaxing nowhere. If you want a long read, click my screen name for the trip report.

MmePerdu

I liked staying in Sorrento too, in December, good weather and virtually no other tourists. But for next month I think they'll need to stay anywhere in the vicinity they find a decent room, wherever they go. That may be the deciding factor. Find a room, go there.