mazuka

Hi,

I'm planning my trip to Italy and Prague for July currently. I've come up with the following itinerary and would just like your thoughts. I have yet to book anything so it is all still changeable. Does this sound reasonable?

Day 1 and 2 travel to Rome from San Francisco overnight in Rome
Day 3 - Rome
Day 4 - Rome
Day 5 - Rome
Day 6 - Day trip to Pompeii from Rome
Day 7 - to Siena
Day 8 - Florence (overnight in Siena)
Day 9 - rent car to drive around Tuscany (overnight in Siena)
Day 10 - to Venice (by train)
Day 11 - Venice
Day 12 - Venice
Day 13 - Day trip to Padua (overnight in Venice
Day 14 and 15 - Rent car and drive around Dolomites
Day 16 - train travel to Prague for remainder of trip (5 days) Will fly home from Prague.

Edward2005

Looks yummy to me! How about training from Rome to Orvieto, spend the night, then rent a car to drive to Siena?

ira

Hi Maz,

If you fly into Venice and end your Italy trip in Rome, you can fly to Prague.

See www.whichbudget.com

mazuka

Ira - After conferring with my husband on the fly or train to Prague, we decided we really want to do the train - during the day - to see the countryside.

Robespierre

You'll see a lot of countryside on the train. It takes 12-14 hours, and only one trip a day has fewer than 2 changes (which means sleeping on the train is out of the question).

Sounds like an ordeal to me. Plus it will use up a day of your vacation. Are you sure you don't want to fly into Prague and take some day trips by train?

ira

Hi maz,

Check the train schedules at http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

The ride from Venice to Vienna over the Alps is quite beautiful, but going on to Prague the same day is, as Robe says, an ordeal.

If you really want to take the traain, I suggest you spend a night and a day in Vienna.

Patrick

OK, count me in the minority, but after all that travel, taking a 13 hour train trip with just two changes, sounds like a fabulous way to spend a day. In fact, I'd rather do that than spend the required 4 or 5 hours or so to fly (including the pre flight arrival time and the transportation from or to both airports). Great day to relax, enjoy the scenery, have a nice meal on the train, catch up on your journal. Sounds like a good day to me!! Beats flying anyday.

mazuka

Exactly Patrick. That is why after much thought we decided we would rather do the train. A chance to relax and just enjoy the scenery going by outside. I know it would take a full day to do the ride but I think it would be beautiful. We are thinking of catching the train in Bolzano which has a change in Munich, arriving in Prague late in the evening.

Robespierre

What can I enter at Die Bahn to see your trip? I only see one trip with two changes - three or four is more normal.

If you think schlepping luggage from platform to platform makes for a relaxing day, I won't argue with you.

But I'd be interested to know just exactly what the profile of that trip looks like.

bardo1

My thoughts on your itinerary are quite simple. It's more than reasonable perfect - it's perfect.

mazuka

Hi Robespierre, here is thread where this was discussed a couple a days ago http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34567335

Basically, I'm looking at July 26, Verona - Prague.

Robespierre

Gotcha. I guess one change in Munich wouldn't be bad (and you don't have to get up at oh-dark thirty in Verona!)