Trip Ininerary Italy, Help Please
 

If you already saw this posting, I apologize. Somehow, I posted in the general Europe section and it's getting few responses, so I'm reposting.

Also, since I posted, my husband has expressed a strong interest in Sorrento. I'd thought we'd spend this trip in Rome and north, but since it's our 40th anniversary, we'll definitely try to fit Sorrento into the plan. We still want to start in Rome, so, what would you recommend, if after our 6 days in Rome, we wanted to head to Sorrento for a few days and then head north toward Tuscany. Car from Rome to Sorrento? Or train to Sorrento with a car from there to southern Tuscany?

We need some advice. We're visiting Italy next May, starting with 6 days in Rome and ending with 4 days in Venice. We're taking advantage of hotel rewards for these 2 stays. We have 13 days in the middle to figure out how to use.

One idea that appeals is to rent an apartment in Tuscany. After 6 days in Rome, we're going to need to recharge in a country setting. We would probably need to rent a car for this segment which is daunting, but since we've successfully toured other European countries with a car, I think we can manage. Do we rent in Rome and return in Florence after this stay?

If we rent in the south of Tuscany, should we then move to Florence for a few days? We've heard wonderful things about Cinque Terre, and wonder whether we should stay there a few days.

We'd rather stay 4 days or longer at each location as we hate having to pack constantly. On the other hand, we hate to drive more than 45 minutes each way on a day trip.

This is our first Italian trip, and our 40th anniversary, so we want it to be very special.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. I know you've all answered these questions many times, but I've done several searches and can't quite find what we're looking for in the way of itinerary advice.

hi, jjj,

what luxury - 13 days to use as you please, plus rome and Venice as well.

my suggestion would be to do as you have already thought, and rent a car and drive down to Sorrento. then fly/train from Naples to Pisa or florence. pick up another car, and rent an apartment somewhere in Tuscany.

finally return your car to a convenient town [florence, pisa] and get the train to Venice.

you'll have a wonderful time.

regards, and congratulations, ann

You're still in the "general Europe section" - there's no difference. Just be a little patient; you'll soon get more responses.

Regarding Sorrento, it's in the opposite direction of Tuscany from Rome. Please tell your husband that the Cinque Terre is very comparable to the Amalfi Coast and that it'd be much more convenient to the rest of your proposed itinerary.

Since your husband is interested in Sorrento, which would be your jumping-off point for the Amalfi Coast, visitng the Cinque Terre may be too similar. I encourage you to follow your instinct to stay longer in fewer places.

You may or may not need a car for your visit to Sorrento and the Amalfi area. I'd do Rome to Sorrento, thenpick up the caras you leave Sorrento and head to Tuscany. Return the car before heading to Venice, or upon arrival in Venice.

But the Cinque Terre doesn't have Pompeii . . . if that's your husband's interest . . .

I agree with annhig, except I would use trains from Rome to Positano and also to Tuscany. Sorrento does not appeal to me, and I can't think of anyplace more romantic than Positano - excep maybe Capri, so do an overnight there. Then take the train to the southern Tuscany area (Orvieto, Chiusi, or Siena), and rent a car. I found this site usefull for finding apts.
www.verdidea.com
Try to find one in San Quirico (my first choice) or Pienza, Montalcino, or Montepulciano.

Then take the train from Chiusi to Venice.

Bobthenavigator once stated that Cinque Terra appeals generally to the under 40 crowd, who likes less extravagent accommodations and dining, and likes to take long hikes and don't mind crowds. I agree with that. I'm just a tad younger than you and I much prefer the Positano area over Cinque Terra - although Cinque Terra is quite scenic.

Stu Dudley

You've already received a lot of advice, with several different plans to follow.

I would agree that the Amalfi Coast and the Cinque Terre are similar enough that it makes sense to not visit both places on the same trip. I prefer the Cinque Terre, not because I'm younger (we just had our 25th anniversary), but because we (especially me) prefer northern Italian food over southern. And because I have a fear of heights, and just looking at some of the pictures of the Amalfi Coast makes me feel sick to my stomach. Obviously, neither are reasons most people would pick one place over the other. But, on the other hand, Pompeii is near Sorrento. We have visited Sorrento, solely to visit Pompeii, which was on my lifetime list of places to see. And IMHO, it was worth it.

Thoughts on Tuscany. Yes, visit, it's a beautiful area. Many people like renting apartments or villas. We've never done so, because we don't want to stay in any one place for an entire week. We'd rather stay in two different places and do day trips from both of those two places. You could for 1/2 your week in southern Tuscany, and the other 1/2 in northern Tuscany. This would also the length of your day trips. Also, another consideration for apartments vs. hotels. While we don't use a huge amount of hotel services, I do like the availability of hotel staff when I have questions. You won't get that with an apartment (usually), and especially if it's your first time visiting Italy, you might want that extra assistance.

Florence is a delightful place as well, and it's another site of world-famous art. But if you're already visiting Rome and Venice, you might choose to skip Florence (for this trip).

Re renting a car, driving a car in Italy should be not much different than driving in any other locations you've driven. I will say, though, that the one place that we noticed more-agressive driving was in Sorrento.

Enjoy planning your trip - it sounds wonderful!

We did a very similar trip one May, picking up the car when we left Rome and dropping it off when we reached Venice.

We did 6 days Rome, 4 in Sorrento (a car here is fine BUT you must make sure your hotel has parking available), 5 days in Florence - including 2 day trips into Tuscan countryside and smaller towns and then 4 days in Venice.

Tuscany is really best done by car if you want to avoid wasting time with train and bus schedules - and frankly, in May, is a great way to see Pompeii and get around the Amalfi coast.

Since you've started this new thread, your original one has been drifting away and so I thought I'd carry those responses over. Perhaps you'll get some more comments...

Author: TuckH ([email protected])
Date: 10/19/2007, 03:41 pm
I think you're off to a good start and I offer these suggestions:

4 nights in the Val d'Orcia region (South Tuscany). Day trip to the hilltowns there.

4 nights between Florence and Siena (Chianti). Day trip by bus or train into Florence.

4 nights in Lerici on the Gulf of La Spezia. Day trip by boat to the Cinque Terre. Day trip by car to Lucca.

Look to stay in self catering agriturismos. All your day trips from these locations would be within 45 minutes or so.

Author: montysc
Date: 10/19/2007, 04:37 pm
If you are thinkg of renting a villa - many (most) rent on a Sat-Sat basis. There on hundreds of options all around Tuscany that rent homes, cottages, castles etc...

You will certainly need a car for Tuscany.

TuckH has suggested some great options for you...

I would train to Sorrento, or wherever you decide to stay on the Amalfi Coast. Then train to some point in Tuscany, where you can easily pick up a car and drive from there to your rental. Picking 2 different points in Tuscany to locate is a good idea if you want to keep daytrip driving times down.

As for the Cinque Terre, I agree that you might find one of the towns to the west of there more to your liking, especially since you can boat to the CT from there. Then I would ditch the car, and train to Venice, unless you find that you really like driving in Italy!

Best of luck with your planning. It'll be a marvelous trip, whatever you decide.

I'd just add that the only place where driving can be a problem is in the major cities like Rome and Florence, and on the Amalfi coast. The autostrade (toll roads) and secondary roads between towns are just fine for driving.

Also, I agree that if you look at some of the towns around the Italian Riviera, you can get the same romantic coastal feel as Amalfi and can see Cinque Terre if you want to. But there's no Pompeii or Herculaneum, of course.

Charnee

Thank you to everybody who has responded. The trip is beginning to take shape in my mind.

TuckH, I really appreciate you moving over the other thread's responses. Gives me a single thread to keep track of. I could never have figured out how to do so!

Lexma90, your vote for Pompeii was very helpful. That was how I felt about Stonehenge and it was also worth it.

And, a big thank you to those of you who suggested ways to actually manage moving around--mix of train and car. That feels right to me.

Right now, we're thinking of spending 3-4 days in Sorrento. We have friends who strongly recommend a particular hotel. They did that area last year without a car, so we're thinking of doing that. I like the idea of splitting Tuscany into two parts, and we'll see if we can find the right places to stay which allow that. That way, we'd have a rental car for just 8 days or so, and none of them would be in the big cities.

I'm sure I'll be back asking a bunch more questions, but this was the biggest one for me--how to organize our trip. As we get closer, I'll post the itinerary we're working out.

janjanjan,
My trip report may give you some ideas. http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34811101

Henry

bookmarking - thank you.

janjanjan,

Splitting up time in northern/southern Tuscany or Tuscany/Umbria, 4 nights each place is a good idea. It makes for easy daytrip drives and you really do see 2 completely different landscapes.

I just returned from a wonderful 4 night stay at Relais Borgo Pietrafitta near Castellina in Chianti. www.borgopietrafitta.com/en/index.htm. A variety of apartment type accomodations in a perfect location. Hilltop views are amazing. We stayed in a 2 BR cottage, with a small but well equipped kitchenette, and a nice patio. It was great for 2 of us.

Castellina is a lovely town, and great location for exploring the Chianti region. From there we also took a day trip to Florence, by parking our car in Greve and taking the bus into Florence. I really prefer the smaller towns, so was glad not to stay in Florence.

Congratulations!

The great thing about this trip is you cannot go wrong no matter where you go. Just one suggestion, if you do get to Florence in a car, drive over to Lucca, which is 15 miles from Pisa. It is the most picturesque, quiant, charming town I have ever been to and I have been somewhere once a month for the last 24 years. And before you get to Rome, make a list of the 20 places you must see, then make a plan...or else 6 days will leave you short of seeing the main sights. Make sure you have dinner at a sidewalk restaurant. Have fun, I'm jealous. pault

Hi jjj

I'll soon post my trip report (returned from Italy last week), but regarding the car issue from Rome, we (mother, sister and I) took the train to Chiusi and picked up a car there and used it for a few days to explore the Val D'Orcia. Stayed at Terre di Nano near Montechiello, then took the car back to the airport in Florence which was a near-disaster due to poor directions and my even poorer ability to follow them! Wouldnt have made it if not for Silvio at Avis who "talked me down" and got me back on track :)