Single Female Traveler in Italy
 

Hi! I am traveling to Italy Sep 30-Oct 12th alone for a work trip, but only work 2 days. My idea is starting in Naples:
(30th) Day one arrive Naples, explore, stay night
(10/1) Day 2 train to Sorrento 3 nights (explore Sorrento this day) leave my luggage here.
(10/2) Day 3 day trip from Sorrento to Positano back to Sorrento
(10/3) Day 4 day trip from Sorrento to Capri back to Sorrento
(10/4) Day 5 day trip to Almalfi, back to Sorrento
(10/5) Day 5 back to Naples, take fast train to Florence stay one night
(10/6) Day 6 train to Tuscany in morning (work this afternoon)
(10/7) Day 7 (Work in Tuscany)
(10/8) Day 8, wine tour in tuscany
(10/9) Day 9, somehow get to Cinque Terra ?
(10/10) Day 10, Cinque Terra sight see
(10/11) Day 11, back to Florence, explore
(10/12) Flight home to US

My question is, based on logistics, flights are booked to start in Naples and end in Florence. Nothing else booked yet. Does this look like a feesable itinerary? Is Sorrento the best and most affordable/convenient "home base" for Almalfi Coast? Any advice on how to get to each area with budget consciousness in mind would be greatly appreciated! Tell me if I'm crazy, I'm used to being on the go, just don't want to carry my luggage to all day trips, therefor a "homebase" is needed...

Yes it looks fine - I did all those day trips from a Sorrento base.

In case you do not know about discounted train fares on www.trenitalia.com and www.italotreno.com - book long-distance trains as soon as you decide on exact dates -much cheaper than walk-up fares.

Trains Naples-Sorrento are like a metro so just buy at station.

Regional trains go to CT and for those no need to pre-book -dirt-cheap flat fare no seat reservations even possible. Same for trains Florence to Tuscany but buses are quicker say to Siena.

For lots on trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Where are you staying in Tuscany? If Siena or area take trains via Empoli and Pisa to CT - again regional trains.

How are you handling the day trips from Sorrento to Positano and Amalfi? Transportation?

I might skip Cinque Terre, especially in Oct.

Those day trips can be done by bus.

Positano and Amalfi are very close together (and small). You can easily visit both in the same day.

Much of Tuscany doesnt have trains. What is your destination?

Also, it doesnt make sense to stay in Florence twice. Put both of your Florence nights at the end so you arent checking in and out of hotels as much which wastes time.

Thank you!
Vincenzo32951 I'm not sure yet, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I originally was not traveling alone, and me exwho has been there several times was going to take me around on the back of a moped, now that I'm traveling alone, trying to figure all that out;)
Why skip Cinque Terre? Possible Rainy weather?

Oh! And I'll be staying in a villa in Chianti, Tuscany for work those 3 nights..

PalenQ thank you for all the links!

Chianti-en-Greve is a short bus ride from Florence - from right next door to Florence SMN main train station.

To go to CT from there take bus to Pisa then train or if no bus take bus to Siena for frequent regional trains via Empoli to Pisa and change there for La Spezia and CT towns.

There's no town called Chianti. It's a wine-growing area in Tuscany, with lots of towns in it.

There's a town called Greve in Chianti, but there are other towns with Chianti in their names, such as Radda in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, and others. Without knowing the name of the town, it's not possible to give transportation information. The area isn't well-served by trains, though.

I agree that there is a certain risk of bad weatjer in traveling to the Cinque Terre in October. It takes a long time to get there, and there are no rainy day activities there.

I wouldn't take two separate day trips from Sorrento, one to Amalfi and one to Positano. Either visit them in one day, as suggested above, or stay in one of them instead of in Sorrento. Visiting both in the same day should be easy.

Bad weather could also prevent the trip to Capri.

Florence is the capital of Tuscany, which is a large region. So you can't take a train from Florence to Tuscany.

So you can't take a train from Florence to Tuscany.>

But, you can take a train from Florence into Tuscany!

Yes a villa in Chianti, a region, may or may not have bus service but require a taxi from nearest place that does?

Thank you everyone, still trying to figure this all out, this is my most recently modified itinerary:

Sep. 30 arrive in later afternoon in Naples. Take train or private car to Sorrento Apartment
Oct. 1-3 tours to Capri, Almalfi & Positano
Oct. 4 Private car or train back to Naples in morning, and then fast train to Florence
Oct. 4-5, 1/2 day 4th, full day 5th Florence sightseeing
Oct. 6 leave Florence by bus or train? to Chianti Tuscany to La Forra villa to arrive mid afternoon. Work this afternoon
Oct. 7 Work all day
Oct 8 Horseback riding/wine tour in Chianti
Oct. 9 maybe ride horses in a.m. and take train? or bus? to Cinque terre in afternoon
Oct. 9 arrive in Vernazza in late afternoon/eve
Oct. 10-11- sight see in Cinque terre, do hike, explore 5 towns
Oct. 12 train? bus? to Florence airport by noon for 3:10pm flight back home.

Tp be on the safe side, book lodgings in Pisa for the same nights you book in le Cinque Terre and then decide which destination to cancel once you have seen a very short term weather forecast. If you end up in Pisa because it is too rainy in le Cinque Terre, there is lots to see in Pisa other than the famous tower, nearby there are towns of charm & interest like Lucca, Pistoia, Montecatini Alto and Pietrasanta.

>>>Oct. 6 leave Florence by bus or train? to Chianti Tuscany to La Forra villa to arrive mid afternoon.<<<

You will have to rent a car or hire a driver as there is no public transport.

You must be able to take a bus most of the way - like to some nearby town and then taxi?

It seems there is a bus that makes a school run. It's only stops are Montevarchi (bus route starts there), Montegonzi and Cavariglia. You would have to figure out transport from Florence to Montevarchi and you would need it to arrive during the school bus hours to make the connection to Montegonzi or you would be stuck waiting for several hours for the bus.

You can't expect to do much staying in a villa in the countryside without a car or any transportation.

Agriturismo La Forra is in Cavrigli, not Chianti. According to Rome2rio you can take the train to Montevarchi-Terranu and a taxi from there.

People probably argue about whether Cavriglia is one step inside or outside 'the Chianti". The OP is not off-base

http://www.chiantiworld.it/comuni-de...nti/cavriglia/