I'm starting to plan my first trip to Italy at the end of May, 2007 and I'm so excited. I'm looking for some advice about timing. Although it's way too early to book our flight, I know the dates of our trip and we plan to stay 5 or 6 nights in Rome, 3 nights in Praiano at the Hotel Le Sirene, (one day hire a driver for the amalfi coast, one day pompeii and maybe a day in Sorrento)a night or 2 on Capri and then either back to Rome for a night and home or home from Naples depending on flight costs and timing. Hotel Sirene is the only definite so far because it's highly recommended on this board and looks incredibly lovely for the price and we can fairly easily bus to our planned AC day trips and get to Capri(although it seems Pompeii may be a bit of a haul from Praiano it's still looks doable.) It only has 14 rooms and we want the room with the private balcony. I'm wondering if it's too early to be booking hotel rooms for next May. I'll probably decide on a hotel for Rome and for Capri fairly soon (with the fabulous recommendation from this board!)and I don't really know how far in advance it makes sense to reserve.

Any input is appreciated. Also what do you recommend for timing for finding the best airfare for end of May. The airlines don't even start showing flights until 10 months before. Should I just start checking then and grab the first thing that looks good? It seems rates will only increase as fuel prices continue to rise.

Thanks in advance!

For my trip to Paris this May I bought my tickets from AF 8 months in advance and got them for 469 RT from JFK. less than 3 weeks later they were up to almost 600 for the same flight!

No, it's not too early to book your hotels if you (a) carefully read the hotel's cancellation policy and (b) will take a responsible attitude about cancelling if your plans change, and do so as quickly as possible when you are certain your plans have changed.

I can't help you on airfares, but perhaps someone else will give you free advice.

&quot;<i>perhaps someone else will give you free advice</i>&quot; - but probably not unless they see your thread. I would re-post w/ a better title. At minimum - put Italy in your title - but better yet, even more details about your questions.

&quot;too soon to book?&quot; could be asking about flights/trains/ferries/hotels/guided tours or just about anything anywhere in Europe.

While you are busy re-posting be aware that flights can be booked 330 days out and for next May that date is rapidly approaching.

Hi P,

It's never too early to try to book hotels.

&gt;one day hire a driver for the amalfi coast,..&lt;

You can take the Orange bus to Positano and the ferry to Sorrento or Amalfi and the SiTA bus back.

You get a beautiful day on the AC at very low cost.

Good to see I'm not the only one booking early...we're going in June '07. Check with the hotels to see if they accept reservations now...I was told by some to try in August...a few would take reservations now. Hope you have a wonderful trip.