My husband and I are traveling to Italy in early September, spending two nights in Venice, three nights in Florence, two nights in Chianti, and three nights in Rome. We're interested in taking a side trip to Pompei and possibly the Amalfi coast. We're not really "beach people" which is why we hadn't planned on staying along the coast, however would like to experience it and take in its beauty. Is it possible to do this as a day trip from Rome? What about Capri as another possibility?

You have already packed a huge amount of territory into very few days.

(You shouldn;t count by nights - since you're sleeping them - you should count by days when you're actually doing something. for instance you arrive on the day of your first night in Venice and leave on the day after your second night in Venice - so you really have only one full day there - and possibly parts of 1 or 2 others. And you're counting the travel day twice - as the day you leave Venice and the day you arrive in Florence.

I suggest you do an itinerary day by day as in

Tues Arrive Venice
Wed Tour Venice
Thurs Leave Venice and Arrive Florence
Fri tour Florence

See the difference?

So - 3 nights in Rome is actually only 2 days. IMHO you need at least 5 days to scratch the surface of Rome. If you go to Pompeii (NO you cannot do Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast and Capri in one day - you will have trouble doing even one - a VERY long day from Rome) you will have only one day in Rome.

Will you do ancient Rome? Or the Vatican? Or Renaissance Rome? You will have time for only one in a single day.

Really - do a detailed itinerary and see what I mean.

Hi mz,

Where are you staying in Chianti?

Will you have a car?

You might want to combine Florence and Tuscany.

I suggest leaving Pompeii for your next Italy visit.

Thanks for the advice. We are staying at the Excelsior in Florence, and then at Relais Fattoria Vignale at Radda in Chianti. We will have a car. I definitely don't want to squeeze too much into an already packed itineray. Another thought might be to do a day trip from Florence over to the Italian Riviera. Any thoughts there? I did Cinque Terre in college, so wouldn't be crushed if it doesn't work out.

You seem to have 10 days--that says 3 destinations. I would do Venice[3], Tuscany[4], and Rome[3]. Less is more.

With all due respect. For what you're trying to cram into the Rome portion you'd be just as well to buy a coffee table book. You will leave not having really 'seen' Rome, Pompeii, Amalfi and Capri. When I was in Italy last, we spent a day on Capri, a day in Sorrento, a day in Pompeii / Naples and a day going up and down the coast. It's all personal, but I'd never undertake the itinerary you are proposing. It is impossible to see Italy in 10 days and that seems like what you want to accomplish.

Hi mz,

I don't think that you have time to visit anything but the items already on your itinerary.