Sicily, positano, capri and Florence
Jun 25th, 2015, 04:48 AM
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Sicily, positano, capri and Florence
Hi everyone!
My sister and I will be travelling from Australia to spend some time in Europe during the Aussie winter. We have a few days in Brussels and then 5 days where we have not yet anything planned (suggestions?) before heading to southern Italy in late July. We would love some suggestions of things to see and do.
We are late 20's in age and will spend 4 nights in Sicily before driving to Positano for a night then 2-3 nights on capri and finally driving up to Florence for 3-4 days.
We would love to hike up Mt Etna on Sicily and do a bike ride around Tuscany. We also love shopping, great restaurants, wine, the beach history and culture.
Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.
Kindest.
Liz
My sister and I will be travelling from Australia to spend some time in Europe during the Aussie winter. We have a few days in Brussels and then 5 days where we have not yet anything planned (suggestions?) before heading to southern Italy in late July. We would love some suggestions of things to see and do.
We are late 20's in age and will spend 4 nights in Sicily before driving to Positano for a night then 2-3 nights on capri and finally driving up to Florence for 3-4 days.
We would love to hike up Mt Etna on Sicily and do a bike ride around Tuscany. We also love shopping, great restaurants, wine, the beach history and culture.
Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.
Kindest.
Liz
Jun 25th, 2015, 05:58 AM
#2
Welcome to Fodors.
I suggest adding the five nights to Sicily. It is very easy to fill three weeks on Sicily, three nights are hardly worth the time to get there. If you just want to get up close to a volcano, there is one near Naples. For my Sicily and southern Italy TRs, click on my name.
You are also short-changing the Amalfi Coast. Although I enjoyed staying on Capri, with so little time I would stay in Positano and day trip to the island. Or at least split it two and two.
Also, in late July it will be wicked hot. I would be heading north from Brussels, not south. But if you're from Australia maybe you're used to being out and about in high temps.
I suggest adding the five nights to Sicily. It is very easy to fill three weeks on Sicily, three nights are hardly worth the time to get there. If you just want to get up close to a volcano, there is one near Naples. For my Sicily and southern Italy TRs, click on my name.
You are also short-changing the Amalfi Coast. Although I enjoyed staying on Capri, with so little time I would stay in Positano and day trip to the island. Or at least split it two and two.
Also, in late July it will be wicked hot. I would be heading north from Brussels, not south. But if you're from Australia maybe you're used to being out and about in high temps.
Jun 25th, 2015, 06:17 AM
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You do not want to drive to Positano and forget Sicily unless you can invest more time. I think you under estimate the travel time in Europe. Getting from Paris[ after Brussels] to Sicily will take more than a day of travel. You need to lay this trip out day by day and include travel time between. Right now you are shot gunning destinations.
Jun 25th, 2015, 07:06 AM
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I agree with bob, but I'm a little confused.
You're going to take a boat to Sicily, take a boat back to the mainland, and rent a car while in Positano/Capri?
If that's accurate, why bother with the car in Positano/Capri. It'll just be a headache.
Then you're going to "drive up to Florence"? Staying in Florence? Taking day trips? Would you be dropping the car when you arrive in Florence?
You're going to take a boat to Sicily, take a boat back to the mainland, and rent a car while in Positano/Capri?
If that's accurate, why bother with the car in Positano/Capri. It'll just be a headache.
Then you're going to "drive up to Florence"? Staying in Florence? Taking day trips? Would you be dropping the car when you arrive in Florence?
Jun 25th, 2015, 08:24 AM
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A car in Florence works only if you stay outside of the center (which is pedestrian only) or stay in one of the few hotels in the enter with parking that will register your car with the police - so you don;t get numerous expensive tickets for driving in no go areas.
A car is great for seeing the smaller towns outside Florence - so perhaps just use it for that and drop before you get to Florence.
As for the "extra" days - agree getting to and fro Sicily can be time-consuming so you may not have them.
If you really do and history is one of you likes I don;t see how you can resist Rome (a couple of thousands of years of history and endlessly fascinating) unless you have already been there.
A car is great for seeing the smaller towns outside Florence - so perhaps just use it for that and drop before you get to Florence.
As for the "extra" days - agree getting to and fro Sicily can be time-consuming so you may not have them.
If you really do and history is one of you likes I don;t see how you can resist Rome (a couple of thousands of years of history and endlessly fascinating) unless you have already been there.
Jun 25th, 2015, 08:34 AM
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How much time you want to spend in Sicily in late July is up to you. It is likely that it will be extremely hot there (so a hike up Mt Etna may not be advisable). If you cannot fly from Brussels to an airport in Sicily, I would suggest moving in the direction of an airport (like Amsterdam or Paris) where you can easily do that.
Instead of driving to Positano, consider a ferry to Salerno. From there you could take another boat to Capri, and yet another boat to Positano. In July, given the intense car traffic in the area and the pleasure of being on the water, moving around by boat might be more fun and a lot cooler.
Be aware that it is likely to be hammering hot in Tuscany, so again, bike rides might have limited appeal unless they begin very early in the morning.
Instead of driving to Positano, consider a ferry to Salerno. From there you could take another boat to Capri, and yet another boat to Positano. In July, given the intense car traffic in the area and the pleasure of being on the water, moving around by boat might be more fun and a lot cooler.
Be aware that it is likely to be hammering hot in Tuscany, so again, bike rides might have limited appeal unless they begin very early in the morning.
Jun 25th, 2015, 04:27 PM
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Like thursdaysd, it seems to me that you are shortchanging your destinations and perhaps underestimating the heat in southern Italy, although it really depends on what YOU want to see and experience! FWIW, I spent 2 weeks in Sicily and wish I'd had longer. I gave Naples and the Amalfi Coast 1 week and regret that I rushed it. I spent 5 full days in Florence and didn't see everything I wanted to see.
I recommend that you get a few good guidebooks (always worth the investment, IMO) or consult some at your local library, identify the things YOU want to see and experience, note their hours, and mark them on a calendar. Then add in your travel time, time to check into / out of hotels, etc., and see how things fit together.
And, like the others, I'm not sure a car makes sense for what you are planning. Consider your options for public transportation instead.
Good luck!
I recommend that you get a few good guidebooks (always worth the investment, IMO) or consult some at your local library, identify the things YOU want to see and experience, note their hours, and mark them on a calendar. Then add in your travel time, time to check into / out of hotels, etc., and see how things fit together.
And, like the others, I'm not sure a car makes sense for what you are planning. Consider your options for public transportation instead.
Good luck!
Jun 25th, 2015, 04:55 PM
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Why not fly from Sicily to Naples, or take the overnight ferry from Sicily to Naples, use trains and boat on the AC and to Capri, train to Florence. Cheaper, easier, more time to enjoy being some place.
Have to agree that going to Sicily in July for only five days may not be such a good idea. Too hot, too little time in Sicily to make it worth all the travel time. Consider more time in cooler places. Too long a drive from Sicily to Positano, especially in Summer.
Have to agree that going to Sicily in July for only five days may not be such a good idea. Too hot, too little time in Sicily to make it worth all the travel time. Consider more time in cooler places. Too long a drive from Sicily to Positano, especially in Summer.
Jun 25th, 2015, 05:19 PM
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Thanks so much for all your responses!
We will definitely fly in to Sicily, however after your suggestions and looking into this it makes more sense to fly from Catania to Naples and just get a car transfer to pick us up and drive to Positano rather than driving all the way ourselves (and I am also a little nervous about the road - 1000 bends seems like a lot!)
Positano was so busy hence we were unable to stay more than a couple of nights at the same hotel so thought we would do Capri also. If we now take the fly to Naples option this will certainly make things easier and less stressful (thanks @sassafrass for the idea!)
I think the couple of additional days in Sicily is a great idea @thursdaysd.
After Capri we were planning to hire a car and drive up to Florence. We would leave the car in Florence and explore the city and surrounding areas with some day trips - thanks for the tip re driving in Florence @nytraveller.
We are used to hot weather as it can get very warm is Aus, but will definitely look into it, again appreciate the help.
Will certainly be using this forum again!
We will definitely fly in to Sicily, however after your suggestions and looking into this it makes more sense to fly from Catania to Naples and just get a car transfer to pick us up and drive to Positano rather than driving all the way ourselves (and I am also a little nervous about the road - 1000 bends seems like a lot!)
Positano was so busy hence we were unable to stay more than a couple of nights at the same hotel so thought we would do Capri also. If we now take the fly to Naples option this will certainly make things easier and less stressful (thanks @sassafrass for the idea!)
I think the couple of additional days in Sicily is a great idea @thursdaysd.
After Capri we were planning to hire a car and drive up to Florence. We would leave the car in Florence and explore the city and surrounding areas with some day trips - thanks for the tip re driving in Florence @nytraveller.
We are used to hot weather as it can get very warm is Aus, but will definitely look into it, again appreciate the help.
Will certainly be using this forum again!
