Guys,

I'm a Boston native and my father is in his sixties. I'm a very active person in my twenties and traveled to Europe, Africa, Central and South America before. My father is terminally ill, but still in good health. His wish is that I plan a trip back to Italy for 10 days where he had such a good time when he was there 3 years ago (Amalfi Coast) We're planning the trip for 2009 sometime in Spring. It's going to be myself, my girlfriend and him and his significant other. I'm desperate for help to plan an itinerary. Here are the prerequisites:

1) Direct flight from Boston to nearby airport (naples, milan, etc.)
2) Beautiful / Water nearby or on water.
3) Great food and wine
4) Historical opportunities of Roman Empire and history of Italy... (Pompeii or equivalent, Art, architecture, ruins)
5) Adventurous opportunities for my girlfriend and I to give him some time alone w/ his girlfriend

Any help or guidance would be much appreciated! Thank you so much!

Regards,

D

Good for you !
It may take some work but start with these sources that will give you some good help:
www.summerinitaly.com good info and apt. rentals

www.slowtrav.com good Italy info

www.kayak.com for air connections

This may help also. Let me know if you get stuck:

NAVIGATING on the AMALFI COAST
HOW TO GET THERE: You have to want to—it may not be easy. The best option is to land in Naples, but that is not always feasible. Most travelers access it from Rome by train to Naples—a trip of less than two hours. Once in Naples, you have a choice. The local commuter train, Circumversuviana, leaves from the same train station and takes about an hour to Sorrento, with a possible stop at “ Pompeii Scavi” to see the famed ruins. However, to access any of the coastal towns you must then take a SITA bus or a taxi.

The best option is to hire a private driver to meet you at the Naples station or airport and take you directly to your hotel. Expect to pay about 100E.
www.cuomonet.it www.tourofitaly.com www.francescomarrapese.com

WHERE TO LOCATE & WHAT TO SEE: Ah, what not to see? This is the most stunning scenery in all of Italy---be sure to pack the camera. Your daily activities will be somewhat determined by your location. SORRENTO is really on the Bay of Naples and not the Amalfi Coast [AC], but is the most convenient location for day trips to Pompeii and the Isle of Capri. The town is larger & relatively flat. In contrast, POSITANO is the most spectacular village on the AC but is almost vertical and a real challenge for your legs.
Hotel choices in Positano should be evaluated by their location in town relative to the beach or position on the hill above the beach. AMALFI & RAVELLO are other popular destinations but are further down the coast.

NOTE: Any of the drivers above can be hired for day trip excursions but should be booked well in advance. Expect to pay about 35E/hour.

Here are my top five activities for this fabulous coast:
• Seeing the coast from the water---the best option. Hire a boat and pray for good weather—here is one www.gennaroesalvatore.it

• Day trip to Capri by hydrofoil from Sorrento or Positano—in season

• Day trip to Ravello by local bus or driver. This lovely village is high above the coast with great views---see Villa Cimbrone.

• Day trip to Pompeii. Plan on spending 4 hours to see it well. You can take the commuter train from Sorrento or hire a driver.

• Shopping for ceramics and sipping LIMONCELLO. The latter is not to be missed---I still have it almost daily at home after dinner.


WHERE TO EAT: I hope you like seafood. Here are some of my favorites:
* In Positano: Da Vincenzo Buca di Bacco Da Constantino

* In Ravello: Cumpa Cosimo Villa Maria

* In Sorrento: Trattoria Da Emilia L’Antica Trattoria

<i>1) Direct flight from Boston to nearby airport (naples, milan, etc.)</i>

This is the first hurdle you have to go through.

The only airline that flies <u>non-stop</u> (which is different from direct), is Alitalia.

Alitalia has a once-daily BOS-FCO flight that is <u>seasonal</u>.

My concerns are:

1) Alitalia - will it still be around next Spring?
2) Alitalia - will it continue the nonstop BOS-FCO for next season?

Guys,

Thank you so much for the recent posts this is a big help and start!!!! I really mean it. I'm going to delve into those sites you gave me Bob and i'll reach out to you if I need some more help. Yk, I have the same questions myself. I hope so.

Please anyone else feel free to give me some insight, I will need all the help I can get.

BTW, there's also Air One. It offered a nonstop Boston-Milan this past summer but cancelled it for the winter. Whether it will offer the nonstop BOS-MXP for next season is also unknown.

If I were you, I'd take the AirOne nonstop (if available) over the Alitalia option.

But I think a safer option would be taking a one-connection flight from Boston to Italy on any of the more reliable airlines.

I would avoid ALITALIA, even if it's the only nonstop available. Too many variables as posted above, and really crummy planes and customer service.

I usually don't recommend connecting through London or Paris, but in your case, it might work best. YOu'd be able to fly BOS-Heathrow or Gatwick, then connect straight through to Naples. Flying time from London to Naples is about 3 hours.

A driver we've used many times and would highly recommend is: Giovanni Gargiulo of Tourofitaly.com. He's based in Sorrento, and is reliable, charming, and hilarious.

Since your dad is ill, you might want to consider basing in Sorrento. It's not as dramatically beautiful as Positano,( one of my favorite places on earth, but difficult if you're not in good physical shape) but it has much flatter streets, and fewer staircases.

Sorrento is a good transportation hub. It has easy connections by train to Pompeii ( 30 minutes), by SITA bus or boat to the Amalfi Coast towns, and by boat/hydrofoil to Capri ( about 30 minutes from the port). Here's my tip: Take the boats between towns when at all possible. Much more pleasant way to travel between destinations on the coast.

Many hotels have gorgeous views of the Bay of Naples. Two to consider: Bellevue Syrene, and Hotel Tramontano, both of which are within a few minutes of the old town section ( restaurants, shops, etc.) of Sorrento. For a splurge, you could try the EXCELSIOR, which is right off the main piazzetta.

Depending on your dad's stamina, ten days might be a bit long in Sorrento, unless you do a lot of day trips. If so, you might want to consider dividing your time between Sorrento and Capri, although if he has mobility problems,Capri could be difficult. At the very least, he would need help getting from the port to your hotel. However, many of the hotels there will send porters for a fee to the port after you arrive to assist you and help with bags.

Forgot to add that we've also connected through CDG (Paris) to Naples, and our experience is that it's easier than going through Heathrow or Gatwick, but not as many daily connections. Good luck!

I'm unclear about something:

Does your father wish to return specifically to the Amalfi Coast? Or does he wish to see other parts of Italy with the elements you named?

Also, is does he most enjoy the history of the Roman empire, or is he just as interested in the Renaissance or medieval history?

He spent a week in the Amalfi Coast and loved it. He's not in a wheelchair or anything. He's 65, but for our intensive purposes age him 8 years due to his ability to walk long distances. I want things to be relaxing for him with the occasional excursion that he can handle. Additionally, I want to be able to go off for a day here or there and explore on my own w/ my GF. We can go anywhere in Italy, pending we have an easy flight in and out of whatever city or close city to the airport we're basing our trip off of.

I hope this helps, sorry for the confusion. I was thinking we could stay in Sorrento / Amalfi with a day trip here or there w/ the possibility I could sneak off to Venice for a day/night or Tuscany for a couple days. That would be my only follow up question:

What is the possibility we can get to Tuscany for an enjoyable night or two during a 10 day trip (not including flight travel time)

If your father wants to go back to the Amalfi coast, you won't be able to squeeze in trips to Venice or Tuscany, unless you are willing to split us as a group for most of the trip.

Wherever you base your father and his significant other, you and your girlfriend will be able to find beautiful adventures nearby, even if it isn't Tuscany or Venice. Italy is jammed with fantastic places.

I think the priority is to figure out where your father is going to have the perfect time. Is the idea to have a beautiful hotel with a beautiful terrace and a beautiful view? Does he want a 4-star and creature comforts or does he want to keep expenses down? Can he walk a lot of stairs? Does he need a fair-sized town with sightseeing opportunities? Or would he be happy with a peaceful hideaway?

Hi BB,

Sorry to hear about your father.

Has he been to Paris yet?

If not:

Fly into Naples.

Arrange for a Limo to Praiano - 5 nights
We very much liked our stay at www.lesirene.com.

Rm 12 has a large, very private balcony.

Day 1 - Relax

Day 2 - Take the ferry to Salerno, and the train to Paestum (return by SITA bus from Salerno via Amalfi).

Day 3 - Take the Orange bus to Positano and visit Capri.

Day 4 - Take a day to rest and relax.

Day 5 - Take the SITA bus to Meta and the Circumvesuviano train to Pompei Scavi.
On the return get off at Salerno for the SITA bus back.

Day 6 - Have a Limo take you to NAP and fly to Paris CDG.

Four nights in Paris.

Is Dad a foodie?

We always stay at the Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th. From 131E dbl w/bkfst. It is just around the corner from Place St. Sulpice, near 3 metro stops and 4 bus routes. Has AC and an elevator.

The staff speaks English well, and is very helpful.

Tel 33 1 43 26 97 37
FAX 33 1 46 33 57 67
[email protected]
www.hotelbonaparte.fr

For more info, enter &quot;Hotel Bonaparte&quot; in the &quot;search this forum&quot; box.

Hi BB,

&gt;What is the possibility we can get to Tuscany for an enjoyable night or two during a 10 day trip (not including flight travel time)&lt;

It is possible, but not recommended, if you will be on the AC.

I wouldn't consider it at all for Dad.

Thank you very much guys and girls, I appreciate all the help. It looks like I'll set up a home base in the AC (positano) or Sorrento, and have plenty of time to do day trips around and spend a night or two in Capri.

1. From Boston to Naples, looks impossible to fly direct given the airline cutback of flights, suggestions?

2. Hotel or Villa?

3. Mid to Late April 2009; does that sound like a good time to travel. I don't want a swarm of tourists, but I know they will be there.

4. What would be the most authentic amazing thing to do while I'm there. Examples, dinner somewhere unreal, picnic in a remote spot, memorable spot to remember spending time w/ him?

I agree with the other posters. Tough to get to Tuscany for a few days. I think that you can take the Eurostar from Naples to Florence. Or, you can look into flights from Naples to Florence. Not sure what's available, if anything, but look at whichbudget.com for help. Many towns in Tuscany are within about an hour or less of Florence.

Another more realistic possibility might be a visit to the Cilento coast, which is close to Paestum, and apparently has some really nice beaches. It's south of the Amalfi Coast, but doesn't sound like it's very far at all. I haven't been, although it's on my wish list. Maybe another poster here can fill in with more info about it??

Think about whether all the stairs of Positano are going tire your father and his significant other, or whether the town of Amalfi would be better, which also may have more extensive ferry possibilities that time of year (and you can more easily take a bus up to Ravello).

I would try to avoid Easter week for your time of travel, and the later you can go, the better the chances of pretty weather.

Why don't you let your father pick the one knock out thing he wants to do? You have plenty of time between now and then. Some possibilties for me would be hiring a boat to take me all around Capri, soaking in the hot springs on the island of Ischia, or hiring a car to take us all to Paestum, and then a great lunch by the seashore, or a fabulous meal topped off with limoncello at Da Salvatore in Ravello, with a view of the sea, and cab ride home. (Pricey!)

Or a big meal at an old-fashioned Neopolitan restaurant in Naples, just for the fun and the chaos and the thrills.

Things I might not want to do -- a picnic (because Italians cook so much better and it's too hard to shop) and I might not want to go to Pompeii because, for me, the sight is about annihilation. For ruins, I'd stick with the beautiful temple at Paestum.

But let your dad chime in.

I loved Ira's plan, but if you are not set on the Amalfi Coast, why not consider the Lakes district and Venice? You might land in Milan, spend a few days in the Lakes area for the beautiful scenery, a day in Verona and the rest of the time in and around Venice. There is plenty of beauty and history there. It would be romantic for all of you, and your Dad and his SO could enjoy time visiting nearby islands by boat or a trip down the Brenta canal to Padua. I've been to both and would choose to see Venice if I had not already been there.

I would stay close to home with only 10 days---I suspect fewer actually in Italy. Flights into Naples may be tough but certainly possible---check it out at www.kayak.com I would get an apt. for a week, probably in Sorrento for ease of logistics. Then, spend the rest in Naples or Rome---whichever is your departure destination. Take it one step at a time---the first step is itinerary. Decide where and when and then look for air tickets. The rest will be easy---trust me.

I think Weadles has a good idea about spending a couple of days near Paestum. when I considered doing this last spring, I found a couple of places that looked inviting, including:

www.HotelSavoyBeach.it




From the hotel, you could not only visit the ruins and a mozzarrella caseficio, if your dad is interested in cheese.

Then move NW to the Amalfi Coast.

Would you consider basing in a less-touristed town with fabulous food? If so, Cetara would be worth considering. It is closer to Salerno and has a well-reviewed waterfront hotel, the Hotel Cetus.

I was in the area during the end of April last year; weather was perfect and there were tourists, but not hordes of them.

I'd read this as that your father has already been to the Amalfi Coast, loved it and would now like to go somedwhere else in Italy which he'd like as much ? Since you are going in April when the whether will still be unpredictable, and given that you can't fly direct to Naples anyway, what about Sicily which will have the best chance of good weather ? If you are flying into Rome or Milan it's just as easy to fly on to Catania. Your father and his partner could stay in Taormina (which to me is as beautiful as Amalfi), while you and your girlfriend could take trips to Etna, Siracusa or further afield if you wish.