traveling from Barcelona to Rome
 

We are traveling from Madrid to Barcelona in June..
I need advise on an itineray from Barcelona to Rome. Which stops would be a must ?

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To OP Yad1: Obviously you're not looking to fly since that would involve no stops as long as you fly with Vueling, Alitalia, or Iberia. Please tell us what your plan is - how many stops would you like to make between Barcelona and Rome, and how would you like to travel? By train? By car? Why would you want to make a stop - to swim in the ocean, to see museums, to stay overnight?

Also please tell us how long you have for this trip and what are your interests?

By train:
Barcelona dp 9.15 - Nimes ar 12.49.
stay at Nimes and/or Avignon and visit the gems of Provence:
Nimes, Arles, Camargue, Pont-du-Gard, Avignon, Orange, Glanum, Les Baux, Aix, Marseille, etc.
Avignon dp 9.33 - Nice ar 12.33. Visit the Cote d'Azur:
Antibes, Grasse, Nice, Eze, Monte Carlo, Menton, Train des Pignes, etc.
Nice dp 9.55 - Genoa ar 13.06. Visit Genoa. Spend the following day on a boat trip either around Portofino Peninsula or 5Terre.
Then train to Rome, may be with a stopover in Tuscany.

By boat:
Night ferry Barcelona dp 22.15 - Porto Torres ar 10.30
Visit the gems and beaches of Sardinia:
Sassari, Alghero, Torralba, Saccargia, Tharros, Barumini, Calasetta, Pula, Cagliari, Villasimius, Cala Gonone, Costa Smeralda, etc.
Go on by ferry from Porto Torres, Olbia, Arbatax or Cagliari to Civitavecchia, port of Rome.

Barcelona to Rome - yes how long do you have is crucial - I'd consider two main stops - Provence - around Avignon/Arles where there is so so much to see and do for a few days or weeks - can use public transport once there

and the French Riviera - again a few days or weeks and again can use public transit if you do not have a car.

Are you going by car or train - car allows you stop in many more places en route like Aigues-Morte and see more of Provence - a lovely drive via the Gorges de Verdun to the Riviera for instance as well.

If going by train scour these IMO fab sites - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com (download their free and excellent IMO online European Planning & Rail Guide for lots of itinerary suggestions on that route) and www.ricksteves.com.

If driving be cognizant that renting a car in one country and returning it in another can result in steep drop-offs charges if not returned in the same country.

Finally there is also an overnight ferry between Barcelona and Italy - to northern Italy near Pisa and the Cinque Terre, another possible stop on a Barcelona to Rome route.

Yadi - crucial questions before others and us can answer better - how long do you have and are you going by car or train or a combo of them?

Oh, neckervd, you have incited travel lust, just when I thought I was ready to stay home for a while!

Great recommendations, and the train times make one feel that all he has to do is whip out the Visa card, and it is done!

neckervd's suggestion of taking the overnight ferry from Barcelona to Sardinia is a novel idea - spend a few days in this island paradise and take a boat to Civitavecchia and get a train to Rome.

Otherwise you can take a direct ferry from Barcelona overnight to Livorno, near Pisa, the Cinque Terre and Florence.

Well that is a whole different thing then going by train thru France - but an option that most folks do not know exist and could make a sweet if unusual route.

BTW: the (Algeciras -) Tanger Med - Genoa ferry stops at Barcelona too.