Timestrapped - 3 wk Italy Trip Help?
 

Hi, I am a law student and will be in Bologna this summer with my husband and 3 yr old. It is a 3 week trip, and 2 weeks will be spent in Bologna studying at the University until about 12pm. We are incredibly excited, but between school and work we have almost no time to plan. Please, someone, help us with itinerary planning? I have been glued to past posts and compiled a list of places, but I REALLY need to get back to the books.

Any suggestions on timing, day trips (after 12pm, and on 2 weekends) and what to do with our almost extra week? THANKS!

**** INFO ABOUT US ****

Definitely want to see:
Rome, Florence, Venice

Day-trip Ideas from prior posts: Ravenna, Parma, Modena, ???

Is it too much to try to fit Budapest in? We have friends there I would like to visit.

This is my hubby's first trip to Europe. He loves beaches and relaxing. So this will probably be different for him, but he's looking forward to it - especially the food (as am I).

This will be my second time to Europe. I'm more about museums & architecture because I grew up on a tropical island. I spent a summer backpacking through Europe and have been to Rome, Venice, Siena, Florence, Vienna, Prague, Madrid, Barcelona, Nice, Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, and London.

I hoped to visit one other new place besides Bologna. But seeing Rome, Venice, and Florence are experiences that I don't want my husband to miss so that's the priority. However, if there is something you think he would enjoy more, let me know. :)

Almost forgot...Daughter loves ice cream and parks. :) She is a mommy's girl, and is (luckily!) well behaved in museums and restaurants.

Thanks in advance!

Hi lawmom, well one of the two weekends you could catch a train from Bologna and go to Rome and come back latish Sunday afternoon.

Do you have the Italian train website. In case you do not here it is, the English version.

http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

Oh, just saw you will have a week without classes. That is great, you can train to Florence and than onto Rome. Have you arranged your air tickets yet? If not you could visit Rome last and fly home from Rome. You probably know but flying into one airport and departing from another is known as an "Open Jaw" flight aka "Multicity Flight". That would save you backtracking.

Ravenna, Parma, Modena, Padova etc., would all be lovely to visit. You would want a day for Ravenna.

I can't respond about Budapest as I have never visited there but could you fly there afternoon on a Friday and fly back late afternoon on the Sunday?

Maybe the other weekend could be spent enjoying beautiful Venice.

Your little daughter will love the gelato! And their is parks in Bologna. And in Rome do take her to the Borghese Park. Perhaps you would like to visit the Borghese Gallery that day. If so make your reservations in advance. You pick up and pay for your tickets 30 minutes in advance of your reservation time. You have two hours to enjoy the Borghese Gallery (well unless you get sent out early as happened to another Fodorite). You would probably want to rent the Audio Guide versus hiring a Guide especially since your daughter will be with you.

BTW, if you go to Venice for a weekend you could train from Bologna right after the class is finished on a Friday. Get off a Padova, have lunch there and visit and than catch the train to Venice for Friday evening in Venice and train back to Bologna late Sunday afternoon.

Sounds like you and your family will have a wonderful three weeks!

I don't know if your flight itinerary's set but if there's any way to arrive in Rome say 4 days before you need to be in Bologna, more's the better so you can acclimatise as well as take in the Eternal City. Personally, I'm a Firenze fan through and through and can't wait for the next chance to go back. Venice (IMHO) should be done for the experience and for knowing the worthwhile things non-touristy that redeem Venizia. Personally, if you're stuck with the 3-week window, I think you'd be doing yourself and your family a disservice by trying to take in other countries no matter how much your heart would have you do it. Your timeframe seems only really to allow you to do Italy somewhat decently. Save Budapest and other places for your inevitable return trip.

HTH
Knick

Thank you LoveItaly and Knickerbocker!

No tickets have been purchased yet, and the dates are still relatively open but need to be nailed down quickly. The only must is: Bologna between 5/25 evening and 6/7 afternoon.

LoveItaly - I will add the Borghese Park and Gallery to my Rome itinerary. And I've bookmarked the train page, thank you! I planned to purchase tickets while in Italy, do you think that is good to do? Thnx.

Knickerbocker - I think you might be right about Budapest, but my fear is a return will be in the VERY far distance. If I cut it out though, do you think hubby would prefer tacking on days to Florence or Venice? What makes you prefer Florence? Thnx.

How does this sound?
Fly into Rome, train to Florence and Bologna, then fly to Budapest and leave from there.
Rome 3
Forence 2
Bologna 13
Budapest 2

While in Bologna:
Weekend trip to Venice w/ stop off in Padova for lunch

Day trips to Ravenna, Parma, Modena (assuming leave at 12pm & back by evening?) - is that too much travel for a toddler? If I had to cut it down to 1 of those 3 which would you choose?

Thank you!

You mention having to be in Bologna so the 13 days there obviously isn't negotiable. Personally, unless there's a really pressing personal reason to do Budapest, I'd bypass it this trip and give those two days to Florence. Either that or deep six Florence if you must do Budapest because 2 days in any city just isn't gonna do it any kind of justice (certainly not Florence).

Personally, if it were one of the three, I'd be saying Firenze primarily because there's much in the city itself to justify a week (which Mrs. Knickerbocker and I did this past June and for which a trip report is coming but long overdue). Plus there's Pisa and Sienna and other worthies within easy travel too.

I can't speak to Budapest having never been there; might put Firenze to shame, for what I know. But of the two non-Bologna destinations I know, I'd be all over Firenze like a cheap carpet.

HTH
Knick

Hello again lawmom. Actually I like your itinerary given the circumstances. And in that you have friends in Budapest personally I would fly there as no doubt besides enjoying seeing your friends they would be able to show you around as only someone who is familar with a city can do. And flying home from Budapest is an excellent idea (I didnt' think of that).

Lawmom, I would not try to visit Ravenna on a day when classes get out at noon. To much travel and not enough time to enjoy Ravenna, so I would scratch that off of the list. I would visit Parma. And you may find that once in Bologna there are other places that would be fun to visiit for an afternoon and an early evening. I say early evening as no doubt your little daughter will need to go to bed at a decent time after a day trip.

Personally I would, again I like your thoughts, would enjoy Rome and than Florence. Two nights in Florence would give you one full day without arriving or departing and the train station is within a comfortable walking distance of what you no doubt would want to visit in Florence. I personally would not spend time going to Pisa etc. Maybe some other time but not this trip.

The weekend trip to Venice with a stop off if it seems to work for you in Padova is good.

And yes, once in Rome you can buy your train tickets at either the train station or at a travel agency in Rome when in Rome for the train to Florence (figure about 90 minutes from Rome to Florence) and from Florence to Bologna etc. Best wishes!

Follow-up:

seatguru.com

For those who want that seat! :D

If class is over at noon, you can easily train to Florence any afternoon (or several). The train only takes 1 hour so you could be there by 1:00 or 1:30. Florence historic center is very compact and about a 30 minute walk from side-to-side.

I suggest day trips in Florence, Modena, Ravenna, Ferrara and do not miss some lovely hill small towns of Romagna.
Which month are you coming ?
I ask you this question because depending on the month I can suggest you also particular events and festivals in this area
(Romagna).

Ciao.

Vincenzo

My screen name is also what I am so as a law student you MUST listen to the Judge(just a little levity). I would suggest the following, given your time and geographical references:
Weekend #1:train to Padua(Scrovegni Chapel-must make reservations-& Il Santo-St.Anthony's Basilica) then Venice(you decide what to see but I would not miss the Frari, & Scuola San Roch, just around the corner)

Weekend #2(or make it #1-they are interchangeable):train to Florence-what you see is up to both of you but I would include Piazzale Michaelangelo, Brancacci Chapel, David & the Uffizi(try the Hotel Casci for a very clean , modest cost, & hospitable place to stay

Extra Week:Rome Must see the Borghese, Colosseum, San Clemente, Vatican Museum

After class:I would hang in Bologna but there are probably day trips to make.
Also, as suggested above, fly into one city(preferably close to Bologna)then, home from Rome.
Lastly, I have not ignored your daughter(I have 3 kids) but at her age she will have no real memories of the trip & great gelato is everywhere-so plan it for you & your husband but take her to the parks after school. Good Luck

Thank you to the additional posters! I got most studying done so I am now back to trip planning! :)

I am looking for something like the Cinque Terre. How far is it by train from Bologna? Better yet, is there something similar close to Rome? That seems to be where we could tack on extra days away from Florence.

Reason being, I showed my husband the itinerary and we nixed Budapest. He also said that he's not sure about Florence, so thank you kybourbon for letting me know it is only an hour from Bologna. I've been before and think he's missing out if we make it a day trip, but he seems fine with that as an option. He said he preferred:
Modena - for the Ferrari factory (?!)
Food - Bologna will appease him there
Something with natural beauty...not so many museums.

Vincenzod - we will be there May/June, please do give event ideas!

TheJudge - Your stare decisis holds, but my husband has great persuasive authority. :)

Would something like this be good:
Bologna 13 (weekend to Cinque Terre)
Venice 3 (over the weekend)
Florence 2
Rome 3

Thanks again! And please do send advice on airfare.

Seat Guru was really cool Knickerbocker.

I don't think you can just tour the Ferrari factory. The info I've seen says you have to arrange it through your Ferrari dealer. Use the search function to see if you can find more info.

On your question about the Cinque Terre. That would be kind of a long trip for must a weekend, though if you could leave right after class on a Friday, that would help. Check the train schedules to see how long it would take to get there and back. Also, you don't say when in the summer you will be in Bologna; hotels and such get book up fast in places like the Cinque Terre.

Consider the Adriatic coast of Italy. I don't know much about it myself, and haven't ever been, but you'll be much closer to that coast than the Mediteranean.

I'd like to take credit for seatguru but that was a Fodor's find for me this time last year. FWIW, I'd recommend spending 3 in Florence and 2 in Venice. More to enjoy in Florence and environs. Definitely climb Brunelleschi's Dome (except Sundays when it doesn't open until 1:30). Exquisite view of Firenze and environs. Also, when in Venice, if you're doing San Marco, do this tour (if yer a cheapskate like I am :D )
http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/eng/v...6&subcat=4

Thank you kybourbon - that's too bad about the Ferrari factory. Hopefully, there will be something for him to see.

Thanks Lexma90 - I'm looking at Ancona (specifically Portonovo) based upon your Adriatic coast suggestion. It seems to shave 1.5 hours from the train ride (in comparison to Vernazzo), but then I'm clueless as to how to get from Ancona station to Portonovo.

I've found a doable schedule to CT from Bologna, but is Portonovo a more relaxing stop for the family? I'm concerned that the Cinque Terre might be over crowded. Those views though, sigh.

We will be traveling 6/8, any advice appreciated.

Thank you.

Knickerbocker - THANKS for the guided tour info; am I correct in seeing no price is charged?! If so, that's GREAT! I hope my daughter will be welcome. I suppose if she is not (or begins to bother others on the tour) we could just slip away from the group though. Thanks!

Lawmom,
I don't see Venice in your schedule anymore.
By the way, why don't you persuade your budapest friends to come over to Italy. You've travelled quite a lot to be close in Europe already..., why wouldn't the do a little effort if they want to meet you?
Try to organise your open jaw ticket flying into Rome and leaving from Venice. This is more than frequently done and should be less expensive than the Budapest extension.

Survived another week of school! I'm trying to find cheap airfare now, hopefully STA will help with this because it is so hard to piece together an open mouth (and cheap) itinerary.

Thanks baldrick - the main reason is because she will have a newborn (her second) at the time; much too hard for her to travel. And I can't travel any earlier or longer. It's unfortunate because the last we saw one another, she was visiting me in the States while I was pregnant with my now 3yo. Our children have never met! :(

We will be going to Venice as a day trip. Right now the tentative plan is:
Bologna 13
Day in Portonovo, and as many side trips as possible
Weekend in Venice
Cinque Terre 3
Florence 2 or 3
Rome 3

We're doing it in reverse because we think it will give us more time to enjoy our week together.

Thanks again for all your help. This is a great community. I hope to be bothering you with more questions as my time permits. :)

lawmom,

Freebie. Mind you we and everybody else in our tour gave the lady guiding the tour various amounts as a thank you as her tour was very interesting and enjoyable. One of the side benefits was that she was able to take us beyond the tourist barriers to get better looks at floor mosaics et al. which your typical tour guide isn't going to be able to do. I was feeling kind of guilty as others confined to the defined route were shooting us daggers for being able to do that. In addition, there's no need to line up outside San Marco but rather you can just walk up to the entrance to the Basilica and the day's tour meets just inside at 11 am IIRC.

As for your daughter, you might want to call the Basilica during the week and see if they have a policy one way or another, I'm not sure. I guess it'd probably depend on whether you think an hour inside a magnificent Basilica would hold here attention. At her age, it might just be one of those defining, awe-inspiring memories that sticks with her for the rest of her life. Or she may be bored senseless. YMMV.

And glad to be of assistance. I'm trying to repay some of the valuable advice I got off Fodor's this time last year; it made a world of difference to our trip.

Follow-up:

Do try to take in Campanile di San Marco (the famous bell tower opposite Basilica San Marco) before the Basilica tour as it'll give you a gorgeous panorama of the city