I'm in the process of planning a 15 day trip (including flying) to Italy. I fly into Venice and leave from Rome. A backroads bike trip has really gotten my attention - 6 days biking in Tuscany-on specific dates...so now my trip is a little more hectic on either end of the bike tour. My itinerary would be something like this (starting on arrival 6/26):
3 nights in Venice
1 night in Florence and then taking the train from there to Venice. Does anyone know how long it takes?
3 nights - I would then like to see Pompeii and some of the Amalfi coast and end in Rome would . 6 nights - I then have to go back to Siena to catch my bike tour.
2-3 nights - After the bike tour I have 2 and 1/2 days to spend in Rome before I fly out. I realize it is not ideal to go from Venice to Pompeii and then back to Seina but this is the only way I can see everything I want and still do that bike trip. Any suggestions?

Cronen - I can answer one question, the train from Florence to Venice is between 2 1/2 hrs & 3 hrs (2 1/2 hrs on the Eurostar & 3 hrs on the Intercity). Trenitalia.com is a good website with an English option to refer to re: train fares and schedules.

I'm very confused. The way I read your post, you're flying into Venice, spending three nights there, going to Florence for one night, then back to Venice for three more, then all the way down to Pompeill and the Amalfi Coast, and back up to Rome before your bike tour. Is this correct? You may get more helpful responses if you can show us your plan like this:

Day 1: arrive Venice
Day 2: Venice
etc

It is very confusing as is.

I love a good puzzle and itinerary questions, but I truly can't understand your post. Here's my best to decifer it:

3 nights Venice
1 night Florence
Back to Venice by train
3 nights somewhere, Venice again?
Pompeii and Amalfi coast
6 nights in Rome
Siena for 6 day bike tour
2-1/2 more days Rome

And all of this happens in 9 days excluding the 6 days on the bike trip?

Sorry - it is confusing (also I meant 15 days not including travel):
Day 1 - Venice
Day 2 Venice
Day 3 Venice
Day 4 Florence
Day 5 Naples Pompeii
Day 6 Amalfi Coast area
Day 7 Rome
Day 8 Rome - Sienna
Day 8 - 13 bike tour in Tuscany
Day 14 - Rome
Day 15- Rome
By the way, anyone ever take a backroads bike tour in Italy? Thanks.

Well, when you put it that way, it doesn't sound so bad -LOL!

Except I think only 1 day for Amalfi coast and 1 day for Naples is not going to cut it. I suggest to look into how long the train takes for each of these legs to see if this is manageable or not. If you changed days 4 & 5 both to Florence then sounds like a reasonably smooth trip.

Thank you, much better.

I'm trying to come up with an alternate plan for you that would simplify it a little. I think you're underestimating travel times between destinations and so much moving around is exhausting. Here's a shot:

1 Venice
2 Venice
3 Venice
4 Fly to Naples, stay in Sorrento or Positano
5 Day trip to Capri
6 Day trip to Pompeii
7 Sorrento or Positano to Siena
8-13 Bike tour
14 Rome
15 Rome

I'm not really sure how to fit Florence in there, unless you want to skip the Amalfi Coast:

1 arrive Venice
2 Venice
3 Venice
4 Train to Florence
5 Florence
6 Rome
7 Rome
8-13 Siena for bike tour
14 Rome
15 Rome

That scenario gives you more time in Rome, too.

I'm afraid with your original itinerary you'd be so exhausted from all the traveling you wouldn't enjoy the bike tour! Have you bought your tickets yet? Could you arrange it so the bike tour is at the beginning or end of the trip?

Thanks for the replies. My tickets are award mile tickets, booked the day the airline allowed flights to be scheduled (August) and I still had trouble getting them. No chance in changing them, I called already!
I have never been to Italy. My husband really wants to focus on Rome, but I have wanted to see Florence and the Amalfi Coast/Pompeii. If it was your first trip which would you recommend as a definite, Florence or Pompeii and the coast. I'm sure there be some diverse opinions on this. Oh, I also am traveling with a very seasoned traveler, my 10 year old.

It's so hard to prioritize what to see, isn't it? On our first trip to Italy, we rushed around trying to see everything we could. Although we took lots of pictures of famous places, we didn't get much of a chance to soak it up and enjoy it. On the second trip we took it much slower, and even though we didn't cover nearly as much territory, we had a much more enjoyable time. Our next trip in June is to revisit Rome (slowly!) and spend 7 days in Positano with no set itinerary.

For you, logistically the Florence option makes more sense, as you're spending less time traveling. When you're traveling with a child, that's a pretty big consideration. The best thing that the Amalfi Coast offers is natural beauty, and you'll be getting lots of that on your bike tour, albeit a different sort of beauty. Ostia Antica is a short day trip from Rome and offers ancient ruins similar to Pompeii. Although, as you said, where to go is very subjective, and only you know what's important for you to see.

Is your 10 year old doing the bike tour with you?

Yes. It is a family bike tour, and though I could see more doing a traditional tour, I love the idea. We bike a lot and, as you say, taking it slower and more leisurely has its advantage. It is really hard to decide where to go but I guess it 's part of the fun and the excuse to go back and visit what you've missed! Now that you mentioned Ostia Antica , I remember reading very positive things about it. Thanks.

Cronen,

Good luck with whatever you decide, and hopefully some of the experts here will chime in with more suggestions.

Buon Viaggio!

Hi Cronen,

Since the bike tour has become the central part of your trip, I suggest

Day 1 - Venice
Day 2 Venice
Day 3 Venice
Day 4 - Day 6 Florence
Day trip to Siena if it is not on the bike tour
Day 7 Rome
Day 8 Rome
Day 8 - 13 bike tour in Tuscany
Day 14 - Rome
Day 15- Rome

I suggest saving Naples and the AC for your next visit.

Enjoy your trip.