travel_italy2009

I wanted to thank everyone who helped us make so many decisions on this trip.

Here is what we have come up with, so far... (Please be honest and let us know what you think!!)

Rome 3 nights
Hotel: Il Due Torri

Venice 2 nights
Hotel: La Calcina

Florence 1 night
Hotel: Hotel Pierre

LAST 2 nights in Capri or Sorrento...still deciding!! any suggestions???

Rome 1 LAST night before departure home...hotel undecided!

How does this sound?? (we know it's a lot!!)

travel_italy2009

Also, we are now working on how to get between these places. I have tried the train site, and cannot purchase tickets in advance via the website.

Any suggestions on how to do this from the U.S.??


Also, can anyone suggest a good hotel in Rome for our last night with a SPA?? (I will also post this question separately.)

WillTravel

Well, I think it sounds like a lot - more moving around than I would like. Add up all the hours you will spend in transit. Getting from Florence to Capri or Sorrento will take most of a day, and then back to Rome for a final night after barely getting settled does not sound like fun.

wintkat

agree with WillTravel, too much travel in such a brief time

a quick search finds train from Venice to Florence is just under 3 hours making Florence practically just a place to sleep for the nite before moving on the next day.
speaking honestly
wintkat

ira

Hi TI,

>we know it's a lot!!<

Have you asked Mom how she feels about packing and unpacking, packing and unpacking for 1 night in F and 1 in Rome?

I strongly suggest that you either drop the AC and add the time to Florence and Venice (1 night each), or drop the one-night stand in Florence and add it to the AC.

You can't see everything in one visit.

Also, why not fly into Venice and out of Rome? It saves backtracking and one travel day.

>.. cannot purchase tickets in advance via the website.<

You can't purchase online more than 60 days out.

Also, if you have trouble with Trenitalia online, you can purchase your tickets when you arrive at FCO or Rome TE.

adrienne

Agree with previous posters about this being too much for 9 days. Think about it this way, plotted out day by day including transit:

Day 1 - arrive Rome and settle in so 1/2 day sightseeing.
Day 2 - Rome
Day 3 - 1/2 day Rome; 1/2 day getting to Venice
Day 4 - Venice
Day 5 - 1/2 day Venice; 1/2 day getting to Florence
Day 6 - Florence
Day 7 - 1/2 day Florence; 1/2 day getting to Sorrento/Capri
Day 8 - Sorrento/Capri
Day 9 - 1/2 day getting to Rome; 1/2 day Rome sightseeing

So you have 2 days in Rome, 1.5 days in Venice, 1.5 day in Florence, 1 day in Sorrento/Capri. The rest is transit time.

Given that you are going in April which can be rainy I would spend more time in Venice and Florence. Sorrento and Capri aren't much fun in the rain.

travel_italy2009

All VALID points!!!

I am considering skipping the Capri/Sorrento trip and just staying in Rome for the remaining 3 nights to relax at our leisure.

Hmmm...DECISIONS, DECISIONS!!

dickensdad

Re: Trains. We have always purchased train tickets after we have arrived in Italy. Many people have had trouble with the Trenitlia site. If you really want to buy tickets in advance, try the RailEurope website. Please note that RailEurope charges extra fees. For example, they are showing a $91 fare from Venice to Rome, whereas the Trenitalia 2nd class Amica fare is around $60.00. I would consider buying rail tickets before leaving the US if I new that I had to catch a train on the day of my arrival in Italy.

WillTravel

I would consider heading straight from Rome to Venice on the day you arrive. That saves a bit of schlepping, although it makes a long day.

Is there a reason you want only one night in Florence?

I could see something like this:
Venice 3 nights
Florence 2 nights
Rome 4 nights

dickensdad

I would try to add more time to Rome. Italians like to say "Roma, non basta una vita" - When you're in Rome, one lifetime is not enough.

rosetravels

Hi travel_italy2009,
You're doing a great job planning this fun trip for your mom and sister! It's really coming together.

You know Willtravel has a great point - it makes a lot of sense to head to Venice first. If you've bought your tickets already, go from the plane to the train and go north. If you don't have your plane tickets, buy them into Venice and out of Rome. I'd stick w/ 2 nights in Venice still, as you have it.
So: 2 nights Venice
2 nights Florence
5 nights Rome

But if I were planning this, I'd skip Florence and follow your heart to the waters of Sorrento or Capri.

Getting to Capri or Sorrento would take a lot of time. But if the siren call of staring at the ocean while sipping limoncello from a fabulous terrace is too much to resist, that's understandable. So I looked at flights on meridiana.com from Venice to Naples and its 68 eu each. That's an option for you as the train from Venice to Naples is 6+ hours (yuck.) I don't really know how you get from Naples to Sorrento or Capri but I assume you first have to go through Naples.

So my suggestion is this:
2 nights Venice
2 - 3 nights Sorrento or Capri
4 - 5 nights Rome

Leely2

I think ths itinerary is too rushed too, but on to other things...

The St. George on via Giulia has a spa. I have never stayed there, too much $ for me, but looks quite nice and an excellent location.

www.stgeorgehotel.it