Sorrento and Venice itinerary advice
 

We have 12 nights at the end of June/early July. We plan to stay in Sorrento for five or six nights (depending on the remaining itinerary) as a base for seeing Capri and the Amalfi Coast. We depart from Venice so we will end our trip there. We had planned to split our trip between the two locations but received some advice on Venice which is making us question ourselves.

Our original plan was to allow time to possibly see Cortina/Dolomites, Verona, Parma or the outer islands. We were told not to spend the time in Venice as the recent floods left it in bad shape. They also mentioned mold and other smell issues? I’d really appreciate some feedback. We were looking forward to seeing it but not sure how much time to allow.

We are a family of five with three grown sons that enjoys exploring the local culture and historic sites as well as nature. We want to be sure to see some of the areas outside of Venice as well. Is it best to stay in Venice or add a stop and do some of the things I mentioned before we end there? Where of the places that I mentioned would be best? How much time should we allow? We are trying to avoid moving around to many places. Thanks in advance for the advice.

What is the airport you're flying into before Sorrento?

Did the people who warned you off Venice visit the city recently and observe first-hand the problems they mention?

It's not clear to me what you're contemplating. Sorrento/Amalfi Coast and Cortina/Dolomites? Have you calculated how much time it takes to travel from Sorrento to Cortina? Would you drive the entire route (10+ hours) or train part-way and drive the rest?

Or are you leaning toward your original plan of visiting Venice, Verona and the Dolomites?
If the latter, do you mean Parma or Padova?

I wouldn't drive from Sorrento to the Dolomites. Drop off your car at Sorrento or Naples, board there the direct Bolzano/Bozen bound train Naples dp 15.25 - Bolzano/Bozen ar 21.14 and make Bolzano/Bozen to your base for the Dolomites. The last day, you may drive via Cortina d'Ampezzo to VCE, or - better - reach Venice by direct train Bolzano/Bozen dp 15.31 - Venezia Mestre ar 17.58.

Well-meaning people tell you things based on the news they watched, as if you can't see the news for yourself!

Well, any news in January will be totally forgotten and out of date by June. And frankly, I'd want to see Venice whatever.

We are flying into Rome and taking the train to Naples and likely a car to Sorrento. Will will take the train to get back towards Venice and likely rent a car where we stop depending on what we decide.

the people who warned us about Venice had been there in the Fall. Obviously things change and what I have rsad recently is positive. We had planned to use Venice as our
base for exploring that area originally. We like to do that and avoid too many moves if possible

First, the only place you would need a car at all is the Dolomites. You don't want one for the Amalfi Coast, especially in June/July. Use bus/boats to get around that area, train to get up north.



I would skip Parma given your time frame but if it's important to you then I'd go there next after the Amalfi Coast, spend one night, then train to Verona for a couple nights, then rent a car for the Dolomites for a couple nights and drop it as you reach Venice. That would only leave you two nights Venice. So doable but pretty rushed.



If there are any lingering 'mold and smell' issues after the floods they are probably in certain private apartments, I doubt very much any of the hotels, restaurants, shops that serve tourists will not have everything cleaned up. Some people think Venice smells all the time, it's on the water full of canals, there is a certain odor. Anyone that would consider giving up seeing Venice for that shouldn't go, there are already too many tourists!

Your friends’ opinion of Venice reminds me of a close friend of mine who said “I don’t want to see Venice in summer because it smells”, but she never had been there herself. I have been to Venice multiple times and every time it is magical, an architectural feast for the eyes. It has never smelled and I have a sensitive nose. I even consider going back to Venise with my two children for a week this summer but I preferred to go back to Paris instead.

There are a few posters on Fodor that spend extended time in Venise every year, one of them Peter, who posts wonderful trip reports on Venice.

Go go and see yourself, you won’t be disappointed.

Have you been t Rome before? If not add a few days there at the start- especially if grown kids have not been there. And about long-distance trains - book tickets very early at www.trenitalia.com or www.italotreno.com - www.seat61.com has loads on doing that yourselves online and get seats together - general info trains also BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Florence would be another natural stop. In fact I'd chop two days off each Sorrento and Venice and take short looks at Rome and Florence if not having been there.

Keep your original itinerary!

You can take the Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Sorrento. Ferry from Sorrento to Capri. We took a bus from Sorrento to the town of Amalfi but I think you can take a ferry as well (someone will confirm). Frankly, I'd just hire a taxi to take a ride on the Amalfi Coast roads--very pretty but can be fraught! If someone else is driving, your entire family can enjoy the views.

I have no first-hand experience with the recent Venice flooding. Did you read anything about the train being affected by the floods? Did the waters actually get there?

Parma would be about a 2.5 hour drive--twice that by train because you have to change in Bologna (according to a quick google search). Did you mean Padua? It's an easy train trip from Venice. Verona a little longer but direct.

I find Venice magical. I would never avoid it because somebody said it smells. And if you go, stay in Venice, not Mestre.

I don't believe train station flooded or could as you clamber up a series of steps to it so the station is much higher than all the areas and hotels around it.

Thanks, Pal. Unfortunately for the tourists, when we were there the flooding occurred around the St. Mark's area. For a first-timer, that might be a deal-breaker?

Yes it would - for me it would have been a neat experience walking those catwalks but first-timer who wants to relax in the square at night and listen to the orchestras yes a bummer. Hopefully those big gates will someday help abate flooding.

We did a similar trip split between Venice and Sorrento. We flew between Venice and Naples. Was inexpensive about 1 hour flight. The airport bus from Naples to Sorrento could not be easier or nicer and relatively inexpensive even for four people. I think is now 10 euro each. From Sorrento we did Positano, Pompei and even Naples by public transportation (bus, train, ferry) before flying home from Naples. We do drive on many European trips but public transportation was great for that Amalfi coast part of this trip.

Your friends probably experienced the acqua alta, which "floods" Venice. It's actually high tides from the Adriatic and typically occurs in the fall. Some people report an odor during this time.

You're going in the summer. This should not affect you.